cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic inflammatory cells with epithelial cell characteristics in teleost fishes.

Certain cells that participate in the chronic inflammatory response of teleost fishes have many features typical of epithelioid cells of mammals. Such features include high metabolic activity, frequent phago- lysosomes, and cytoplasmic interdigitations between adjacent cells; however, the epithelioid granulomas formed in response to certain diseases in teleost fishes also have several features associated with epithelial cells. Cases of ulcerative mycosis or acid-fast bacterial infection in Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), fungal infection in silver perch (Bairdiella chrysoura), and mycobacteriosis in Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) had epithelioid cells that were joined together by well-formed desmosomes with tonofilaments. "Mature gran- ulomas" of the ulcerative mycosis-infected menhaden stained positively for cytokeratin, a cytoskeletal protein that is considered to be highly specific for epithelial ceds. The consistent presence of these heretofore unrecognized epithelial features suggest that they may be characteristic of certain types of cells participating in piscine chronic inflammation. Phagocytosis and sequestration of foreign agents by immune cells are important functions that are highly retained throughout all phylogenetic groups in the an- imal kingdom. Amoebocytes, mononuclear phago- cytes, or similar cell types are present from the most primitive metazoa to the vertebrate^.'^ In mammals, mononuclear phagocytes are present as macrophages in various tissues. In the presence of a foreign antigen, this cell type becomes "activated" and avidly phago- cytic.*J1 If a highly persistent antigen is present, it may differentiate further into an epithelioid cell, which sur- rounds and isolates the inciting agent. The latter cell is so named because in some respects, it histologically resembles an epithelial cell. Neither avian nor mam- malian epithelioid cells possess any hallmarks of true epithelial tissue (i.e., desmosomes, tonofilaments, or cytokeratin) nor have they ever been considered to be related to epithelial cells.',2' In this paper, we report that a very common type of piscine inflammatory cell, previously considered to be an epithelioid macro- phage, possesses features characteristic of epithelial cells. These findings raise questions about the origin of this cell type, as well as the true nature of this chronic inflammatory response.
Time-dependent and outflow boundary conditions for Dissipative Particle Dynamics

We propose a simple method to impose both no-slip boundary conditions at fluid-wall interfaces and at outflow boundaries in fully developed regions for Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD) fluid systems. The procedure to enforce the no-slip condition is based on a velocity-dependent shear force, which is a generalized force to represent the presence of the solid-wall particles and to maintain locally thermodynamic consistency. We show that this method can be implemented in both steady and time-dependent fluid systems and compare the DPD results with the continuum limit (Navier-Stokes) results. We also develop a force-adaptive method to impose the outflow boundary conditions for fully developed flow with unspecified outflow velocity profile or pressure value. We study flows over the backward-facing step and in idealized arterial bifurcations using a combination of the two new boundary methods with different flow rates. Finally, we explore the applicability of the outflow method in time-dependent flow systems. The outflow boundary method works well for systems with Womersley number of O(1), i.e. when the pressure and flowrate at the outflow are approximately in-phase.
A Comparison of Trapping Techniques for Montezuma Quail

Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) are one of the least understood upland game birds in North America. The lack of ecological studies on Montezuma quail may be attributed to the inability of researchers to capture the secretive bird. We evaluated techniques that are commonly used for capturing other upland game of North America including funnel traps, trained dogs and hand-nets, audio calls, portable mist nets, and night-netting in the Chihuahuan Desert of Texas, USA, 2000–2001. The modified mist net was the most successful technique employed for capturing nonradiotagged Montezuma quail; however, its application may be limited to grassland and savannah communities. Researchers attempting to capture Montezuma quail should employ a variety of capture techniques and then bolster sample sizes using night-netting.
97- and 117-kDa forms of collecting duct urea transporter UT-A1 are due to different states of glycosylation.

UT-A1 is an extremely hydrophobic 929-amino acid integral membrane protein, expressed in the renal inner medullary collecting duct, with a central role in the urinary concentrating mechanism. Previ...
Exchange bias phenomena in Ni2−xMn1.4+xGa0.6

Abstract We have performed an experimental investigation on the magnetic properties of Ni 2−x Mn 1.4+x Ga 0.6 alloys that exhibit the L1 0 martensitic structure at room temperature. Exchange bias effects under both zero field cooled and field cooled conditions have been observed in the alloys. The ac susceptibility data show frequency dependence with the low temperature magnetic anomaly shifting to higher temperatures with increasing frequency, suggesting towards a spin glass nature of the ground state. The experimental results are explained in terms of the competing ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions due to the Mn atoms occupying multiple crystalline sites.
Prey Selectivity by the Wood Stork

prey. It uses an exceedingly rapid bill-snap reflex to capture prey, a technique that requires no sighting of the prey item (Kahl and Peacock 1963). Kahl (1964), working primarily in the Big Cypress Swamp of southern Florida, discovered that this technique was effective for feeding on fish densely concentrated in shrinking pools during the southern Florida dry season. Despite Kahl's study, little is known about the kinds of prey taken by Wood Storks, and nothing is known about prey taken in specific habitats. Kahl (1963, 1964) summarized existing information on Wood Stork food and reported the stomach contents of seven individuals from southern Florida. These in-
Anesthesia. XXI. Anesthesia and the Steroid Hormones.

ConclusionsWe question the suitability of the word anesthesia either in its restricted or in its extensional meaning as applied to the syndrome of cholesterol depression. Etymologically “anesthesia” means without sensation, but usage confines it to a description of a reversible process; unless accidentally it becomes terminal. We hold, therefore, that when this syndrome of depression produced by these steroid compounds is described as anesthetic, that the use of the adjective lacks preciseness, and that this loose choice of the word is misleading.
The effects of “performance adrenaline” on the performing singer

The thrill of a live performance can enhance endorphin, serotonin, dopamine, and adrenaline levels in the body. This mixture of heightened chemical levels is a result of “performance adrenaline.” This phenomenon can positively and/or negatively affect a performing singer. A singer’s body is her instrument, and therefore, any bodily change can alter the singing voice. The uptake of these chemicals can especially influence a central aspect of singing: breath. “Performance adrenaline” can induce shallow or clavicular breathing, alter phonation, and affect vibrato. To optimize the positive effects and counteract the negative, diaphragmatic breathing, yoga, and beta-blockers are explored as viable management tools. When managed properly, the boost offered by “performance adrenaline” can aid the singer in performing and singing. After a review of medical and psychological studies that reveal the physiological and emotional effects of endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and adrenaline, this paper explores the biolo...
Epigenetic Regulation of Innate Immunity by microRNAs

The innate immune response, which is usually referred to as the first line of defense, protects the hosts against pathogenic micro-organisms. Some of the biomolecules released from the pathogens, such as proteins, lipoproteins and nucleic acids, which are collectively termed as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), elicit signaling mechanisms that trigger immune responses in the hosts. Pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) on the host cells recognize these PAMPs and initiate intracellular signaling through toll-like receptors (TLRs), RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs), and other pathways which induce production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and type I interferons. Recently, different members of tripartite motif containing proteins (TRIM) family of proteins were identified to intercept and regulate these cellular pathways. Specific targets of TRIM proteins have been identified and their molecular mechanisms were unraveled and identified unique domains involved in protein-protein interactions. Though innate immunity represents a tight and well conserved immune system in the host, gene expression in innate immunity was identified to be influenced by several epigenetic mechanisms including regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs). In this review, we present critical analysis of the findings on the identification of specific miRNAs that modulate expression of target genes involved in the regulation of innate immunity.
Russia’s Post-Soviet Elite

В статье рассматривается постсоветская Россия сквозь призму теории политических элит – в отличие от большинства западных исследований, анализирующих Россию сквозь призму демократической теории. Владимир Путин – сильный лидер, который восстановил авторитет Российского государства, но элиты, с помощью которых он руководит Россией, глубоко разделены. Они состоят из внутреннего круга близких Путину людей, блока безопасности, олигархов и государственных чиновников. Есть несколько институциональных механизмов для урегулирования разногласий между элитами, а идеологии, которые они предлагают (модернизация, национализм), противоречивы и неглубоки. В данной статье анализируется способность этой системы реагировать на вызовы, которые стоят перед Россией, и ее перспективы с точки зрения долгосрочной стабильности.
Assay of microtubule movement driven by single kinesin molecules.

Publisher Summary Low-density motility assays are largely used to explore the mechanism of force generation by kinesin. This chapter describes the assay of microtubule movement driven by single kinesin molecule. The assay confers advantages over the standard high-density assays because the movement of a microtubule by a single motor molecule can be observed. In addition, the assay is extremely sensitive: movement at densities as low as one motor molecule per square micrometer can be observed. Fluorescence microscopy for rhodamine-labeled microtubules and dark-field microscopy for unlabeled microtubules are used in the assay. The Diastar upright microscope has a fixed stage and binocular tube. To analyze motility, a personal computer-based board that projects cross-hairs onto the monitor, the position of which is controlled by the mouse is used. The advantage of the “low-density” assay is that movement occurs at kinesin densities as low as 1 μ m -2 , some 3 to 4 orders of magnitude lower than the minimum density required in the standard assay in which the kinesin is adsorbed directly to the glass.
Non-Linear isolators: Fundamental bounds and optimal designs

Non-linear non-reciprocity has recently attracted a lot of attention, because it allows the realization of non-reciprocal devices without any type of external biasing. However, all the non-linear non-reciprocal devices that have been proposed so far suffer from a trade-off between transmission contrast and maximum transmission. Here, we show that this trade-off is the result of time-reversal symmetry and can only be broken with appropriately designed multi-stable structures. Based on this general fact, we propose a generic design for a perfect non-linear isolator, i.e., an isolator which allows perfect transmission in one direction and zero transmission in the opposite one. A circuit implementation at microwave frequencies is provided and the role of parasitic effects, such as loss, on the device performance is discussed.
Detection and Visualization of Antigens

As we know now, the first step in detecting tissue antigens requires incubation of tissue sections with the primary antibodies. However, this does not allow for the detection and visualization of the antigen-antibody complex because primary antibodies are colorless.
Morphogenetic events in normal and synchronously dividing Tetrahymena.

Synchronous cell-division has been induced in mass cultures of the small ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis (Scherbaum & Zeuthen, 1954). While it is known that cells grow in a characteristic way during the synchronizing treatment the effect on the morphogenetic events associated with the cell cycle is not clear. Studies in ciliate morphogenesis generally have established the central position of the ciliary basal body, or kinetosome, in developmental processes. The kinetosomes are believed to be self-duplicating structures, the kinetosomal population of a daughter cell arising directly by kinetosomal reproduction in the parent cell. The species-specific pattern of the ectoplasmic cortex is largely a matter of the distribution of kinetosomes. Further, the kinetosomes appear to function either as building blocks or ‘local organizers’ in most, if not all, structural syntheses occurring in the cortex, i.e. in the production cilia, cirri, membranelles, trichocysts, and other ciliate structures (see Weisz, 1954).
Automatic detection of active nodules in 3D PET oncology imaging using the Hotelling Observer and the Support Vector Machines: A comparison study

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) using fluorine-18-deoxyglucose (FDG) has become an increasingly recommended tool in clinical whole-body oncology imaging for detection, diagnosis and follow up of many cancers. One way to improve the diagnostic utility of PET oncology imaging is to assist the physicians facing the difficult cases of residual or low contrast lesions. This study aims at proposing and comparing two methods that perform guided detection of abnormal foci in PET based on the classification theory of Computer Aided Detection (CAD) systems. The first original method is based on the linear Hotelling Observer (HO), mostly used for image quality assessment. The second method uses a more classical non linear classifier, the Support Vector Machine (SVM), which has never been applied to lesion detection task for 3D whole-body PET imaging. The image feature sets that serve as input data for both classifiers are similar and consist of the coefficients of an undecimated wavelet transform. Detection performances of both classifiers are compared based on a simulated whole-body PET image database consisting of 250 images containing 1750 lesions for training and 25 images with 175 lesions for testing. An optimization study is performed for each classifier separately to select the best combination of parameters including the level of wavelet decomposition and the characteristics of the training database. The discriminatory power of the feature vector is also evaluated through the implementation of a Genetic Algorithm (GA). A preliminary post-processing based on the majority voting based combination of both classifiers allows reducing the number of false positive clusters per image (FPI). The CAD system including false positives reduction indicates promising classification performances with couples sensitivity/FPI of 80%/25 for the lungs, 81%/14 for the liver and 70%/21 for soft tissue considering the best combination of parameters.
Rooted in Poverty?: The Political Economy of Terrorism in Xinjiang

It has been one of the most debated puzzles in the study of political economy of terrorism whether economic development can curb terrorism. In Xinjiang, a multi-ethnic region in West China, it is widely believed that higher income levels can decrease the likelihood of terrorism conducted by Uyghur separatists or Islamic extremists. However, the county-level data for the year of 2013 show that better economic performance may not work as is expected. Instead, empirical evidence indicates that income is positively associated with the probability of terrorist attacks, and the effect is statistically significant. Projects that are aimed at boosting local economic growth result in a flood of migrants, and the local Uyghurs are disadvantaged in the employment market. Consequently, economic grievances will be generated. Some, but not all, Uyghurs have a shared motivation to resist, but tight social control in the region constrains the form of resistance, in the sense that neither mass protests nor armed rebellion are feasible. Terrorist attacks that come at a lower cost become a preferable choice. In addition to economic grievances and tight control, external factors also help to boost terrorist activities in Xinjiang, but more empirical and field research is needed before we could clarify how external factors, such as the international jihadist movement, interact with local conditions and result in terrorism in the region.
Interventional uses of relational coordination: early evidence from four countries

Originally developed for observational research purposes, relational coordination principles and metrics have been adopted more recently for a different purpose - to inform interventions for organizational change. This paper examines data that were collected systematically through a standardized reporting form that elicits both narrative information and quantitative results from intervention leaders. Our analysis represents a synthesis of the first fifteen reports submitted. We present an overview of the data collection approach, explore variation in the interventional uses of relational coordination and conclude with recommendations for this work.
A Survey of DDX21 Activity During Rev/RRE Complex Formation

HIV-1 requires a specialized nuclear export pathway to transport unspliced and partially spliced viral transcripts to the cytoplasm. Central to this pathway is the viral protein Rev, which binds to the Rev response element in stem IIB located on unspliced viral transcripts and subsequently oligomerizes in a cooperative manner. Previous work identified a number of cellular DEAD-box helicases as in vivo binding partners of Rev, and siRNA experiments indicated a functional role for many in the HIV replication cycle. Two DEAD-box proteins, DDX1 and DDX3, had previously been shown to play a role in HIV pathogenesis. In this study, another protein identified in that screen, DDX21, is tested for protein and RNA binding and subsequent enzymatic activities in the context of the Rev/RRE pathway. We found that DDX21 can bind to the RRE with high affinity, and this binding stimulates ATPase activity with an enzymatic efficiency similar to DDX1. Furthermore, DDX21 is both an ATP-dependent and ATP-independent helicase, and both ATPase and ATP-dependent helicase activities are inhibited by Rev in a dose-dependent manner, although ATP-independent helicase activity is not. A conserved binding interaction between DDX protein's DEAD domain and Rev was identified, with Rev's nuclear diffusion inhibitory signal motif playing a significant role in binding. Finally, DDX21 was shown to enhance Rev binding to the RRE in a manner similar to that previously described for DDX1, although DDX3 does not. These data indicate that DDX1 and DDX21 have similar biochemical activities with regard to the Rev/RRE system, while DDX3 differs.
Reduction en masse of inguinal hernia: a review of a rare and potential fatal complication following reduction of inguinal hernia

Reduction en masse is reduction of a hernial sac into the pre-peritoneal space with a loop of bowel remaining incarcerated at the neck of the sac, leading to early strangulation. This is a rare complication, usually encountered with inguinal hernias, with a false reassurance to the patient and the treating physician that complete reduction has been achieved. Unless early intervention is carried out, this condition will typically present with worsening pain and absence of an appreciable hernia bulge at the groin, and intestinal necrosis may be encountered on exploration. The outcome will depend on the severity of peritonitis/sepsis, and mortality remains high for late presentations. A case of early presentation of reduction en masse of an inguinal hernia is reported with a review of the existing literature.
Selective and Efficient RNA Analysis by Solid-Phase Microextraction

In this study, a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method was developed for the purification of mRNA (mRNA) from complex biological samples using a real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay for quantification. The chemical composition of the polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) and a polyacrylate (PA) SPME sorbent coating was optimized to enhance the extraction performance. Of the studied SPME sorbent coatings, the PIL containing carboxylic acid moieties in the monomer and halide-based anions extracted the highest amount of mRNA from aqueous solutions, whereas the native PA fiber showed the lowest extraction efficiency. On the basis of RT-qPCR data, electrostatic interactions and an ion-exchange mechanism between the negatively charged phosphate backbone of RNA and the PIL cation framework were the major driving forces for mRNA extraction. The optimized PIL-based SPME method purified a high quantity of mRNA from crude yeast cell lysate compared to a phenol/chloroform ...
UCP1 deficiency increases adipose tissue monounsaturated fatty acid synthesis and trafficking to the liver.

Uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) facilitates thermogenesis in brown and beige adipocytes and can promote energy expenditure by decreasing mitochondrial respiratory efficiency. Defects in UCP1 and brown adipose tissue thermogenesis subject animals to chronic cold stress and elicit compensatory responses to generate heat. How UCP1 regulates white adipose tissue (WAT) lipid biology and tissue crosstalk is not completely understood. Here, we probed the effect of UCP1 deficiency on FA metabolism in inguinal and epididymal WAT and investigated how these metabolic perturbations influence hepatic lipid homeostasis. We report that at standard housing temperature (21°C), loss of UCP1 induces inguinal WAT de novo lipogenesis through transcriptional activation of the lipogenic gene program and elevated GLUT4. Inguinal adipocyte hyperplasia and depot expansion accompany the increase in lipid synthesis. We also found that UCP1 deficiency elevates adipose stearoyl-CoA desaturase gene expression, and increased inguinal WAT lipolysis supports the transport of adipose-derived palmitoleate (16:1n7) to the liver and hepatic triglyceride accumulation. The observed WAT and liver phenotypes were resolved by housing animals at thermoneutral housing (30°C). These data illustrate depot-specific responses to impaired BAT thermogenesis and communication between WAT and liver in UCP1−/− mice.
Predictive Analytics Using Text Classification for Restaurant Inspections

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are almost 48 million people affected by foodborne diseases in the U.S. every year, including 3,000 deaths. The most effective way of avoiding food poisoning would be its prevention. However, complete prevention is not possible, therefore Public Health departments perform routine restaurant inspections, combined with the practice of inspecting specific restaurants once a disease outbreak is identified. Following other health applications (e.g., prediction of a flu outbreak using Twitter), we use social media and a predictive analytics approach to identify the need for targeted visits by city inspectors.
Design of an autonomous aerator

Aquaculture has resorted to the use of technology to make control of important variables and improve production. There were two problems observed in the Marine Aquaculture Station — EMA of the Federal University of Rio Grande, more specifically related to the aeration of the culture tanks to pisciculture and carniciculture. Firstly, the high energy consumption of the paddle aerators was identified, due to the continuous need to oxygenate the water. Subsequently, it was noted that static aerators do not aerate the water evenly and they require that their placement be done manually by technicians or assistants. Thus, the article proposes a design of an autonomous aerator with electric power coming from a photovoltaic solar energy system. In the sequence, a navigation system for the aerator is proposed along the tank, based on a differential performance of the motors connected to the paddle.
Visual War: A Content Analysis of Clinton and Trump Subreddits During the 2016 Campaign:

U.S. political party genderization (Republicans as masculine; Democrats as feminine) is well-documented in research. To determine if Hillary Clinton may have disrupted these patterns as the first female major-party presidential nominee, Reddit posts during the 2016 election campaign were analyzed. Most studies focus on professional news or candidate self-presentations concocted by image handlers. We departed from this tradition, focusing on (a) gender qualities that Redditors assign to candidates on this platform and (b) statistical tracking of these patterns over time. The results provide insight into how the electorate presented the two candidates and Donald Trump’s largely unexpected victory.
Features of the IP-Glasma

Abstract We discuss differences between the IP-Glasma model and typical wounded-nucleon model like initial conditions. We point out that the IP-Glasma initial state is more compact in the transverse plane and produces a significant initial flow, both of which contribute to an increased radial flow in the subsequent hydrodynamic evolution. A larger bulk viscosity, compared to calculations that use other initial state models, is required to compensate for these effects and find agreement with experimental data. We further demonstrate the importance of the initial momentum anisotropy of the glasma for anisotropy measures in small collision systems such as p+Pb.
Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis as a Growing Indication for Liver Transplantation: The Evolving Gender and Ethnic Trends

With highly effective cures for hepatitis C and rising rates of metabolic disease in the United States, the composition of the liver transplant candidate pool has been changing over the past decade. In their report, Noureddin et al., characterize the latest trends with a focus on gender and ethnic differences. Novel gender and ethnic trends were found including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis as the current leading indication for waitlist registration and liver transplantation in females.
Can We Trust Autonomous Systems

Abstract The aim of this work is to evaluate the necessity of, and the propensity for, human trust in ever-more independent autonomous technical systems. Here, we focus upon our program of work with robotics systems. Robots are artificially embodied cognitions. They possess agency in the world through their physical presence and are the epitome of autobiomimesis. As such they provide a ready and facile testing arena in which to evaluate how humans should, and perhaps should not, trust these ever more powerful entities.
Por haberme cabido en suerte ser de la familia y sangre de los incas: linaje, lengua y limpieza de la sangre materna en la obra del Inca Garcilaso de la Vega

The references to Chimpu Ocllo, Inca Garcilaso’s mother, are the central axis of his works as they appear in strategic places within his texts. These textual references, some longer than others, function as the unifying thread of his cultural and historic narratives. It is through his mother that the Inca Garcilaso designs his own genealogy, embraces his mother tongue, and becomes a cultural translator, able to negotiate with the margins of the ontological alterity.
Acoustic Communications for Bottom-toBottom Ocean Sensor Networks

A bottom-to-bottom acoustic communications network is feasible in areas of the ocean where the combination of the depth and near-surface sound speed support direct-path refracted rays which connect multiple sensor nodes located on or near the seafloor. In this paper the initial results of modeling and testing the physical layer of a communications system that will support a bottom-based sensor network in the Mentawai Basin west of Padang, Sumatra in Indonesia are reported based on an experiment done in 2015. The acoustic communications system utilizes a carrier frequency between 3 and 4 kHz, and achieves data rates from 60-700 bps, depending on the range. The combination of a bottom depth of 1750 m and a deep and seasonally persistent thermocline provide the necessary conditions for direct-path propagation via surface refracting rays. The results that are presented include signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), adaptive equalizer mean-square-error and sample multipath measurements from real-time acoustic modems (the WHOI Micro-Modem) at ranges of 20 and 27 km. Raw acoustic data was also recorded in parallel for post-processing and additional analysis. Refracted rays provided direct-path ranges to 33 km, so the results shown here can be extended through use of lower frequencies to increase the range.
The role of jacket complexity in structuring fish assemblages in the midwaters of two California oil and gas platforms

Between 2005 and 2011, using manned research submersibles, we compared the fish assemblages associated with the midwater platform structures (at depths between 40 and 195 m) of two southern California oil and gas platforms, Gail and Eureka. Gail is a typical California platform, with rounded crossbeams and pilings, while the midwater jacket of Eureka, studded with bowl-shaped piling guides, is more complex. While the assemblages of both platforms were dominated by rockfishes (Sebastes spp.), there were also significant differences. Compared to Gail, Eureka: (1) exhibited higher densities of all species combined and of most species in common, (2) had more mature individuals of most species, (3) exhibited greater species richness, and (4) had higher densities of species typical of complex high relief. We propose that the complex midwater jacket of Eureka, with its many sheltering sites, resembles rugose natural rocky reefs. This research both reinforces the conclusion that many reef species have quite specific habitat requirements and that the platform decommissioning process must consider each platform individually.
Super-resolution imaging using saturated absorption combined with spatial frequency modulated Imaging (Conference Presentation)

In recent years, we demonstrated a new approach to super-resolution microscopy based on driving a nonlinear interaction with a Spatial Frequency Modulated Imaging (SPIFI). SPIFI is a line imaging technique that linearly sweeps all the frequencies supported by the band-pass of the objective lens. Here we introduce a new method of unrestricted super-resolution imaging based on driving saturated absorption in the specimen excitation. The saturated absorption drives harmonic distortions of the spatial frequencies used to illuminate the sample. These harmonics manifest themselves as temporal harmonic frequencies allowing for easy detection and separation of the super-resolution information in the far field.
Micro-annulus generation under downhole conditions: Insights from three-dimensional staged finite element analysis of cement hardening and wellbore operations

Abstract A micro-annulus (MA) is defined as a high permeability zone or gap initiating/occurring at the casing-cement and cement-formation interfaces during the wellbore life span. An MA can significantly compromise wellbore integrity by establishing enhanced fluid flow pathways. This study uses a staged finite element approach to simulate wellbore integrity during various loading steps of wellbore operations under downhole conditions. Particular emphasis is placed on the processes of cement poro-elastic property evolution, volume variation, and pore pressure variation as part of the cement hardening step. The resulting state of stress during the life cycle of a typical injection well (i.e. hardening, completion, and injection) is analyzed to assess the onset and evolution of micro-annuli at various interfaces of the composite wellbore system under downhole conditions. The results show that cement shear failure is observed at the casing-cement interface during pressure testing (excessive wellbore pressure); and tensile debonding failure initiates at the cement-formation interface due to cement shrinkage during hardening and injection-related cooling (thermal cycling). Sensitivity analyses considering several parameters show that: (1) the degree of poro-elastic bulk shrinkage has significant implications for both shear and tensile failure initiation – the less the cement shrinks, the less likely the failure initiation is; (2) cement integrity increases with increasing depth; (3) cement pore pressure evolution has significant implications for tensile failure - if cement pore pressure decreases more, higher temperature differences can be sustained before an MA occurs; and (4) cement temperature fluctuations during hardening promote initiation of debonding failure. In summary, the results presented indicate that establishing downhole conditions to quantitatively analyze MA generation is necessary. The results are different compared to laboratory studies without considering/simulating downhole conditions. The knowledge from this study can raise the awareness of predicting and evaluating MA under downhole conditions and can be used to supplement and improve future laboratory experiments.
Optimizing sensitivity and dynamic range of silicon photomultipliers for frequency-domain near infrared spectroscopy

Diffuse optical imaging and tomography based upon frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy (fdNIRS) is used to noninvasively measure tissue structure and function through quantitative absolute measurements of tissue optical absorption and scattering. Here we describe how utilizing a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) detector for fdNIRS improves performance. We discuss the operation of SiPMs, how they differ from other fdNIRS photodetectors, and show theoretically that SiPMs offer similar sensitivity to photomultiplier tube (PMT) detectors while having a higher dynamic range and lower cost, size, and operating voltage. With respect to avalanche photodiode (APD) detectors, theoretical and experimental data shows drastically increased signal to noise ratio performance, up to 25dB on human breast, head, and muscle tissue. Finally, we extend the dynamic range (∼10dB) of the SiPM through a nonlinear calibration technique which reduced absorption error by a mean 16 percentage points.
Nicotine Dependence in Dual Users of Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes: Common and Distinct Elements.

INTRODUCTION In a sample of dual users of cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; e-cigarettes), we evaluated psychometric properties of ENDS versions of the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS), the brief Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM), and the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Using the NDSS, we tested the hypothesis that there would be one common underlying factor of dependence across the cigarette and ENDS scales and other product-specific factors. AIMS AND METHODS Adult dual users (N = 404) completed baseline cigarette and ENDS versions of the NDSS, WISDM, and FTND, and biweekly surveys of their smoking and vaping. Analyses included bifactor modeling, which helps to identify both a general and product-specific factor for each item, and exploratory factor analyses of the combined cigarette and ENDS NDSS items and examinations of concurrent and predictive validity. RESULTS The bifactor model was not a good fit, suggesting the lack of one common underlying dependence factor. Factor analyses revealed separate, similar factors for both products, with only one factor (priority) showing overlap of cigarette and ENDS items. ENDS scales significantly predicted ENDS use over time, but not cigarette use. Cigarette scales did not predict ENDS use over time. CONCLUSIONS Although the cigarette and ENDS NDSS versions showed similar factor structure, there was not a primary common underlying factor reflecting drive or tolerance, but rather product-specific factors. The cigarette scales were not valid for predicting ENDS use. These results highlight the importance of separately assessing dependence for cigarettes and ENDS in dual users. IMPLICATIONS Although underlying dimensions of nicotine dependence may be similar for ENDS and cigarettes, separate, product-specific measures may be needed to understand differences in product-specific dependency and predict changes in use of each product over time.
Neutron irradiation induced defects and clustering in NF616 and T91

Abstract NF616 is a third-generation ferritic martensitic steel, developed to have better creep resistance than the prior generation T91. Unlike relatively numerous studies of T91, there is a lack of understanding of the irradiation effect on the microstructural evolution and mechanical response of NF616. This work evaluated the microstructures and radiation hardening of NF616 irradiated up to 8.2 displacement per atom (dpa) at 292 °C – 431 °C, compared with T91 from two heats. Dislocation loops were observed in all investigated samples. NF616 exhibited comparable loop size but slightly lower loop density than those in the general T91 heat at 430 °C. Cavities were only observed in NF616 at 431 °C but absent at lower irradiation temperatures (292 °C and 359 °C). Ni-rich clusters were also observed in NF616 at 431 °C, while only weak Ni-clustering were observed at lower irradiation temperatures. Compared to the general T91 heat, NF616 demonstrated better swelling resistance (e.g., one third of swelling in the general T91 heat at 430 °C), a slightly higher number density of Ni-rich clusters, and slightly lower radiation hardening. The low-carbon T91 showed the greatest hardening with the largest swelling and loop sizes, despite its lowest irradiation temperature and intermediate dose. The calculated hardening from loops, cavities and Ni-rich clusters using the classic dispersed barrier-hardening model had reasonable agreement with the experiment-derived results, with the primary hardening contribution attributed to dislocation loops.
Sediment from lake with missing egg bank is toxic to hatchlings of model zooplankton: A reason to consider obligate dormancy in toxicological assessment.

Abstract Over the last 60 years, valuable progress was made in the standardization of environmental monitoring with model zooplankton. However, obligate dormancy in zooplankton life cycles is not yet considered in standardized toxicology methods. Most zooplankton from coastal and inland waters use dormancy as a critical ecological strategy, and exposure to toxicants during dormancy or resurrection from dormancy alters developmental patterning and hatching success. The present study accounts for this by using both standardized and novel toxicology assays to assess the impacts of coal ash contaminated sediments and water on development, hatching, and survivorship of model zooplankton. The results demonstrate that standardized assays with rotifer and cladoceran models detect no toxicity in surface water and sediment pore water from Lake Sutton, North Carolina, USA. By contrast, novel toxicity assays with cladoceran and anostracan models demonstrate that development and larval survivorship are negatively impacted by Lake Sutton water and sediment. Embryos of Artemia franciscana display developmental patterning and hatching aberrations that match those observed in previous studies with metals when hatched in filtered surface water or pore water after a period of anoxia-induced dormancy. Larval survivorship in Daphnia magna and A. franciscana also decreases when post-diapause embryos are hatched in the presence of sediment. The effects of whole sediment on larval survivorship are not explained by coal ash impacts on water pH. These data provide an explanation for the missing egg bank and historic community restructure in Lake Sutton. The data also demonstrate a need for standardized assays that include dormant life stages.
Dying in Place: Factors Associated with Hospice Use in Assisted Living and Residential Care Communities in Oregon

Hospice use among assisted living residents may support aging in place. A cross-sectional survey was used to characterize variation in the health and personal care needs of Oregon assisted living a...
Lightweight wearable thermoelectric cooler with rationally designed flexible heatsink consisting of phase-change material/graphite/silicone elastomer

In this paper, we propose a lightweight wearable thermoelectric (TE) cooler with a rationally designed flexible heatsink. Heatsinks are commonly designed for use with stationary applications, and are consequently rigid and heavy. These traditional heatsinks are incompatible with wearable applications, which must be durable, mechanically flexible, and lightweight while maintaining performance. This paper presents a flexible heatsink based on a ternary composite of silicone elastomer, phase-change material, and graphite powder; this combination is needed to achieve high flexibility and durability as well as the optimum heat capacity and thermal conductivity. Those factors are key requirements for a heatsink to optimize the cooling performance of a TE cooler and maintain a longer cooling capacity. With our optimized ternary composite flexible heatsink, we achieved a cooling temperature of ∼5 K at 0.5 W input power and kept cooling for more than 5 h under ambient conditions. On-body testing of the wearable TE cooler with flexible heatsink was also performed to demonstrate potential applications in the real-world. Our work provides fundamental insights to designing wearable TE devices and paves the way for innovative solutions for on-body thermal management applications such as clothing, hats, seat cushions, and other portable devices.
Comparison of Tumor Bed Delineation Using a Novel Radiopaque Filament Marker vs. Surgical Clips for Targeting Breast Cancer Radiotherapy.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) The accuracy of tumor bed (TB) delineation is essential for targeting boost dose or partial breast irradiation. Surgical clip markers (CM) are standardly used. However, despite using CM, multiple studies have shown high interobserver variability in TB delineation. We hypothesize that a radiopaque filament marker (FM) woven along the TB at the time of lumpectomy will improve accuracy of TB delineation. MATERIALS/METHODS An FDA-approved radiopaque filament was intraoperatively used to outline the tumor bed of patients undergoing lumpectomy. Between January 2020 and September 2020, 10 consecutive patients with the FM and 10 consecutive patients with the standard CM were identified for comparison. Five "experts," defined as board-certified radiation oncologists specializing in breast cancer, independently contoured all 20 tumor beds. Dice coefficients were then calculated for each patient by comparing the intersection and aggregate of each expert's contours with that of the other experts individually. An intersection and aggregate of the contours of all 5 experts was also analyzed for each patient. Dice coefficient of 1 represents perfect contour agreement, and 0 represents no agreement. Two-tailed paired samples t-tests were performed to compare dice coefficients between FM and CM cohorts. Furthermore, the center of mass (COM) coordinates were calculated to analyze the distance of the COM of each expert's contour to that of the aggregate of the other experts' contours for each patient. Two-tailed unpaired samples t-tests were performed to compare COM distances between FM and CM cohorts. RESULTS For FM, mean dice coefficient and standard deviation for each expert was: 0.61 ± 0.09, 0.60 ± 0.10, 0.60 ± 0.10, 0.60 ± 0.09, and 0.55 ± 0.11, respectively. By comparison, for CM, mean dice coefficient and standard deviation for each expert was: 0.48 ± 0.22, 0.42 ± 0.25, 0.47 ± 0.21, 0.47 ± 0.22, and 0.40 ± 0.22, respectively. Thus, TB delineation agreement was significantly improved with FM (P = 0.0013, P = 0.0001, P = 0.0013, P = 0.0006, and P = 0.0008, respectively). Furthermore, the COM distance of each expert's contour to that of the aggregate of all experts' contours was significantly reduced (P < 0.001) from a mean of 0.96 cm ± 0.89 cm for CM to 0.25 cm ± 0.19 cm for FM. CONCLUSION Radiopaque filament resulted in significantly improved interobserver variability in tumor bed delineation compared with standard surgical clips. This difference was clinically meaningful with a reduction in mean COM contour disagreement from almost 1cm to 2.5mm, and suggests marked superiority of the radiopaque filament in targeting boost dose and/or partial breast irradiation.
The role of fine-grained annotations in supervised recognition of risk factors for heart disease from EHRs

Display Omitted Supervised information extraction to identify risk factors for heart disease in EHRs.Approach achieved the highest overall F1-measure on the 2014 i2b2 challenge.Finer-grained annotations are used over those provided by the organizers.Approach relies on lexical features that are mediocre with the original annotations.Demonstrates a simple approach with better data can outperform more advanced NLP. This paper describes a supervised machine learning approach for identifying heart disease risk factors in clinical text, and assessing the impact of annotation granularity and quality on the system's ability to recognize these risk factors. We utilize a series of support vector machine models in conjunction with manually built lexicons to classify triggers specific to each risk factor. The features used for classification were quite simple, utilizing only lexical information and ignoring higher-level linguistic information such as syntax and semantics. Instead, we incorporated high-quality data to train the models by annotating additional information on top of a standard corpus. Despite the relative simplicity of the system, it achieves the highest scores (micro- and macro-F1, and micro- and macro-recall) out of the 20 participants in the 2014 i2b2/UTHealth Shared Task. This system obtains a micro- (macro-) precision of 0.8951 (0.8965), recall of 0.9625 (0.9611), and F1-measure of 0.9276 (0.9277). Additionally, we perform a series of experiments to assess the value of the annotated data we created. These experiments show how manually-labeled negative annotations can improve information extraction performance, demonstrating the importance of high-quality, fine-grained natural language annotations.