cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS ON MODEL SOLAR CHROMOSPHERES.

It is shown that the gas pressure in the corona provides a rather stringent boundary condition on model chromospheres and limits the thickness of those regions of the chromosphere in which the temperature is less than 10 000 K to less than or about 2000 km.
Effect of Salinity on Hydroxyapatite Dissolution Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy

The complexity of bone tissue and the lack of techniques for directly probing bone surfaces in vivo have hindered studies on the fundamental mechanisms of bone mineral remodeling. Here, we addressed these issues by using single crystal hydroxyapatite (HAP) as a well-defined bone surface model and directly observe its surface using in situ atomic force microscopy. Specifically, we investigated the effects of NaCl concentration on the dissolution of HAP (100) surfaces and found that NaCl strongly suppressed HAP dissolution kinetics, including at physiological ion concentrations. These findings indicate that local ion concentrations in vivo may contribute significantly to the stability of bone mineral. Moreover, our analysis of HAP surfaces over a broad range of pH conditions suggests that only one kind of surface termination exists exclusively in the solutions we used. This observation is important for understanding the surface chemistry of HAP. Our molecular level, real-time observations of HAP dissolution...
A semi-infinite programming model for earliness/tardiness production planning with a genetic algorithm

Abstract To closely describe the earliness/tardiness production planning problems in the JIT environment, a nonlinear semi-infinite programming model is proposed. Due to the issues of non-convexivity and having infinitely many constraints, instead of applying traditional optimization approaches, a specially designed genetic algorithm with mutation along the negative gradient direction is developed. The proposed algorithm is a combination of the steepest descent method with the stochastic sampling algorithm. Some numerical results are included to show its potential for industrial applications.
FUZZY OPTIMIZATION OF REAL FUNCTIONS

The main goal of this paper is to develop such means of analysis that allows us to reflect and model vagueness and uncertainty of our knowledge, which result from imprecision of measurement and inaccuracy of computation. To achieve this goal, we use here neoclassical analysis to problems of optimization. Neoclassical analysis extends the scope and results of the classical mathematical analysis by applying fuzzy concepts to conventional mathematical objects, such as functions, sequences, and derivatives. Basing on the theory of fuzzy limits, we construct a fuzzy extension for the classical theory of differentiation in the context of computational mathematics. It is done in the second part of this paper, going after introduction. Two kinds of fuzzy derivatives of real functions are considered: weak and strong ones. In addition, we introduce and study extended fuzzy derivatives, which may take infinite values. In the third part of this paper, fuzzy derivatives are applied to a study of maxima and minima of real functions. Different conditions for maxima and minima of real functions are obtained. Some of them are the same or at least similar to the conditions for the differentiable functions, while others differ in many aspects from those for the standard differentiable functions. Many classical results are obtained as direct corollaries of propositions for fuzzy derivatives, which are proved in this paper. Such results as the Fuzzy Intermediate Value theorem, Fuzzy Fermat's theorem, Fuzzy Rolle's theorem, and Fuzzy Mean Value theorem are proved. These results provide better theoretical base for computational methods of optimization.
Faculty staff-guided versus self-guided ultrasound training for internal medicine residents.

Objectives Ultrasonography is of growing importance within internal medicine (IM), but the optimal method of training doctors to use it is uncertain. In this study, the authors provide the first objective comparison of two approaches to training IM residents in ultrasonography. Methods In this randomised trial, a simulation-based ultrasound training curriculum was implemented during IM intern orientation at a tertiary care teaching hospital. All 72 incoming interns attended a lecture and were given access to online modules. Interns were then randomly assigned to a 4-hour faculty-guided (FG) or self-guided (SG) ultrasound training session in a simulation laboratory with both human and manikin models. Interns were asked to self-assess their competence in ultrasonography and underwent an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) to assess their competence in basic and procedurally oriented ultrasound tasks. The primary outcome was the score on the OSCE. Results Faculty-guided training was superior to self-guided training based on the OSCE scores. Subjects in the FG training group achieved significantly higher OSCE scores on the two subsets of task completion (0.9-point difference, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.27–1.54; p = 0.008) and ultrasound image quality (2.43-point difference, 95% CI 1.5–3.36; p < 0.001). Both training groups demonstrated an increase in self-assessed competence after their respective training sessions and there was little difference between the groups. Subjects rated the FG training group much more favourably than the SG training group. Conclusions Both FG and SG ultrasound training curricula can improve the self-reported competence of IM interns in ultrasonography. However, FG training was superior to SG training in both skills acquisition and intern preference. Incorporating mandatory ultrasound training into IM residencies can address the perceived need for ultrasound training, improve confidence and procedural skills, and may enhance patient safety. However, the optimal training method may require significant faculty input.
The number, distribution and functional implication of sulfhydryl groups in rabbit muscle aldolase.

Abstract A disulfide bridge formed at the active site of rabbit muscle aldolase has now been shown to involve specific cysteine residues in the NH 2 - and COOH-terminal regions of the molecule. A new peptide, containing one of these cysteine residues, has been isolated from the NH 2 -terminal BrCN peptide (peptide N), bringing the total number of cysteine-containing peptides in the aldolase subunit to 8. The distribution and reactivity of the 8 sulfhydryl groups permits some deductions regarding the manner in which the peptide chain is folded to yield the three-dimensional structure and to form the active site.
A Community Support Program for Children with Autism and Their Typically Developing Siblings: Initial Investigation.

Siblings are a critical part of lifelong support for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). But siblings face their own social-emotional adjustment needs. These needs may be addressed through programs that include support groups specifically for the siblings. This study examined the effects of a community program on typical siblings' depression, anxiety, ASD knowledge, and peer network as well as reciprocal interactions between the typical sibling and sibling with ASD. The program provided a sibling support group, a skills intervention for children with ASD, and an inclusive recreation time. Siblings reported significant decreases in depression and physiological anxiety and improvements in their peer network. Autism knowledge increased but only approached significance. Direct observations revealed improvement in reciprocal interactions by most children that did not reach statistical significance. Parents, typical siblings, and interventionists indicated positive reactions to the program and its goals and outcomes. Findings are discussed in terms of the need to continue to explore interventions for siblings of children with ASD.
Microwave Tokamak Experiment (MTX) first year of operation and future plans

The Microwave Tokamak Experiment (MTX) began plasma operations in November 1988, and the main goal is the study of electron cyclotron heating (ECH) in plasma discharges. After stable ohmic operation was achieved, single-pulse FEL (free-electron laser) heating experiments began. During this phase, the FEL operated at low power levels on the way to its ultimate goal of 2 GW and 140 GHz with a 30-ns pulse length. A number of new diagnostics have been developed to measure the fast FEL pulses and the resulting plasma effects. Results showing the correlation of MTX data with MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) data, some of the operational modifications and procedures used, results to date from preliminary tokamak operations with the FEL, and near-term operational plans are presented. >
Evaluating Web software reliability based on workload and failure data extracted from server logs

We characterize usage and problems for Web applications, evaluate their reliability, and examine the potential for reliability improvement. Based on the characteristics of Web applications and the overall Web environment, we classify Web problems and focus on the subset of source content problems. Using information about Web accesses, we derive various measurements that can characterize Web site workload at different levels of granularity and from different perspectives. These workload measurements, together with failure information extracted from recorded errors, are used to evaluate the operational reliability for source contents at a given Web site and the potential for reliability improvement. We applied this approach to the Web sites www.seas.smu.edu and www.kde.org. The results demonstrated the viability and effectiveness of our approach.
Efficient algorithms for optimum cycle mean and optimum cost to time ratio problems

The goal of this paper is to identify the most efficient algorithms for the optimum mean cycle and optimum cost to time ratio problems and compare them with the popular ones in the CAD community. These problems have numerous important applications in CAD, graph theory, discrete event system theory, and manufacturing systems. In particular, they are fundamental to the performance analysis of digital systems such as synchronous, asynchronous, dataflow, and embedded real-time systems. For instance, algorithms for these problems are used to compute the cycle period of any cyclic digital system. Without loss of generality, we discuss these algorithms in the context of the minimum mean cycle problem (MCMP). We performed a comprehensive experimental study of ten leading algorithms for MCMP. We programmed these algorithms uniformly and efficiently. We systematically compared them on a test suite composed of random graphs as well as benchmark circuits. Above all, our results provide important insight into the performance of these algorithms in practice. One of the most surprising results of this paper is that Howard's algorithm, known primarily in the stochastic control community, is by far the fastest algorithm on our test suite although the only known bound on its running time is exponential. We provide two stronger bounds on its running time.
SPECT reconstruction of combined cone beam and parallel hole collimation with experimental data

Three methods for combining parallel and cone beam (P&CB) SPECT data using modified maximum-likelihood expectation-maximization (ML-EM) algorithms are presented. The first method applies both parallel and cone beam data sets to reconstruct a single intermediate image after each iteration using the ML-EM algorithm. The other two are iterative methods that combine the intermediate parallel beam and cone beam source estimates to enhance the uniformity of images. These two methods are ad hoc methods. These combined collimation methods are qualitatively evaluated using experimental data. Attenuation compensation is performed by including the effects of attenuation in the transition matrix as a multiplicative factor. The results indicate that the combined P&CB approaches suppress artifacts caused by truncated projections and corrects for th distortions of the CB-only images. >
Félix Candela and the Origins of Inspiration

Felix Candela is widely acknowledged to be one of the great structural artists of the twentieth century. Candela was born in Spain, and was exiled in 1939 to Mexico where he created all of his major thin shell concrete constructions. This paper examines Candela’s process of design and illustrates through his major works that he acted first as a builder who not only constructs, but also makes the engineering design. He also takes a general form and plays with it to make structural art. Structural art implies efficiency, economy, and elegance; but we also illustrate how structural art also implies a sustainable design. Finally, we show that the inspiration for the designs of structural artists come from a process that begins with imitation, followed by innovation. Education is crucial for the future of structural art, and in studying it, educators, practitioners, and the general public can recognize the potential for this new art form in the 21st century.
Boron Contents in Selected International Geochemical Reference Samples

Boron concentrations have been measured in fifteen geochemical reference materials using prompt gamma neutron activation analysis. Replicate analyses of these samples provide an indication of the precision of the method under “normal'’analytical conditions over an extended period of time. La teneur en bore a ete dosee dans quinze echantillons geochimiques de reference par l'activation neutronique avec “prompt gamma”. L'analyse repetee de ces echantillons demontre, en general, une bonne precision de la methode en analyse de routine.
Shoulder injuries in skeletally immature throwers: review and current thoughts

The incidence of shoulder injuries in the paediatric athletic population continues to increase with increased participation particularly in throwing and overhead sports. While soft tissue injuries can occur, the physis remains the weak link and site of injury in many cases. Injury prevention targets proper throwing mechanics and the avoidance of overuse injuries by monitoring the amount of training and number of throws these young athletes are exposed to.
Intrafascicular electrodes for nerve stimulation

The authors have designed an intrafascicular, implanted electrode for stimulating peripheral nerves to elicit muscle contraction. The electrode requires low current to stimulate the nerve fibers, provides a fine control of muscular force, and causes little or no tissue reaction. It is of potential use for functional neuromuscular stimulation. >
ADEOS attitude determination from NSCAT measurements

The NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) is a spaceborne scatterometer which flew aboard the National Space Development Agency of Japan's ADvanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS). The NSCAT instrument has proven to be remarkably sensitive and accurate, achieving a calibration of within a few tenths of a dB. The key source of calibration error for NSCAT /spl sigma//sup 0/ measurements is the spacecraft attitude knowledge. Unfortunately, the attitude of the ADEOS spacecraft as determined by its onboard sensors is not as accurate as desired. Further, there appear to be biases in the spacecraft attitude between the ascending and descending portions of the orbit. The accuracy and stability of the NSCAT instrument makes it possible to use the /spl sigma//sup 0/ measurements to infer the mean spacecraft attitude. This approach models the observed /spl sigma//sup 0/ as a polynomial function of incidence angle and determines gain corrections to ensure consistency between different antennas (beam balance) while estimating the orbit-varying spacecraft attitude such that the beam balance correction is fixed over the orbit and with time. The result is improved accuracy and consistency of the /spl sigma//sup 0/ measurements.
Connectivity database overhead for inter-domain policy routing

Policy routing protocols incorporate policy related constraints into the route computation and packet forwarding functions for inter-administrative domain (AD) communication. However, this functionally exacerbates the already critical problem of routing information distribution and storage overhead in very large internets (e.g., 100000 ADs). The authors investigate the scalability of the inter-domain policy routing (IDPR) architecture. In particular, they present an informal analysis of connectivity database and update overhead. A model of the IDPR architecture is defined and tested by varying several parameters. The results obtained illustrate the scaling properties of the IDPR architecture and their dependencies upon internet configuration, connectivity among ADs, and number of policies. It is found that, under certain reasonable assumptions, global information for an internet of 5000 transit ADs (and 50000 stub ADs) will occupy on the order of 2.5 MB of storage in the route server. >
An Investigation of Internal Gas Dynamics for an Electrothermal Launcher

The Institute for Advanced Technology has been conducting experiments on plasma-armature railguns for the past several years. To control the damage mechanisms associated with this class of railgun, an electrothermal (ET) launcher preinjects the projectile into the plasma railgun bore milliseconds before the arc is energized. During the initial testing of the ET launcher, it was found that injection velocities were significantly lower than expected for a given input energy. Subsequent experiments using photonic Doppler velocimetry to resolve velocity as a function of time confirmed this finding. Using an ablative capillary discharge code written by Powell and Zielinski in 1991, the velocity discrepancy is analyzed, and the properties of the propellant gas-such as ionization fractions, the mass of the propellant gas, and the magnitude and decay of the pressure pulse seen by the projectile-are determined.
Oxidation of carbon on nickel-based metallic substrates: Implications for high-temperature superconductor coated conductors

Adhesion of thin films of epitaxial oxides to nickel-based metallic substrates is important for the successful development of high-temperature superconductor coated conductors. Detachment of epitaxial oxide buffer layers at the oxide/metal interface during either oxide growth or subsequent processing renders the conductor useless. In this study, thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) has been used to identify and understand one of the causes of buffer layer detachment, oxidation of carbon at the oxide–metal interface to form carbon monoxide. Results of TDS indicate that on the surface of a bare nickel-based alloy substrate, the rate of carbon oxidation depends on both the supply of carbon from the substrate and the supply of oxygen from the vapor. Sulfur at the surface of the alloy substrate reduces the rate of carbon oxidation. The effectiveness of various treatments of the bare substrate to eliminate CO formation and epitaxial oxide detachment has been demonstrated. TDS provides both a means to evaluate the kinetics of the oxidation reaction and a tool to assess the need and effectiveness of a substrate oxidation treatment.
Using informed consent to save trust

Increasingly, bioethicists defend informed consent as a safeguard for trust in caretakers and medical institutions. This paper discusses an ‘ideal type’ of that move. What I call the trust-promotion argument for informed consent states: 1. Social trust, especially trust in caretakers and medical institutions, is necessary so that, for example, people seek medical advice, comply with it, and participate in medical research. 2. Therefore, it is usually wrong to jeopardise that trust.
Qualification and selection of flight diode lasers for the NuSTAR space mission

Reliability and lifetime of diode lasers is critical to space missions. 12Rigorous tests were conducted on diode lasers to qualify them to be deployed on the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) mission. This mission includes a metrology system that is based upon 2 laser diodes. This paper discusses the different laser diode failure mechanisms that can arise, as well as laser diode reliability requirements set forth by the NuSTAR space mission. In addition, the space qualification procedures and results on 120 laser diodes from two different vendors will be presented. Also, the results of an accelerated laser lifetime test of 20 laser diodes, along with the flight laser diode selection process will be described in this paper.
Onμ ±↦e±+2γ in general relativityin general relativity

It is shown that, within the author’s generally covariant field theory, the decay of the muon to an electron and 2γ is forbidden. This follows from earlier results of this field theory in which the state of 2γ in this process must identify with an exact solution for the coupled, nonlinear spinor equations for the electron-positron, corresponding to zero energy (relative to the asymptotically free state of energy 2m), zero momentum and zero angular momentum. In view of the conservation of energy-momentum, it then follows that the muon cannot decay to e±+2γ.
Hydraulic conductivity of endothelial cell monolayers cultured on human amnion

Hydraulic conductivity (Lp) of endothelial cell monolayers cultured on a supporting matrix of human amnion was measured. Bovine aortic (Baec), bovine microvascular (Bmec), and human umbilical vein ...
PSA VELOCITY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF EARLY PROSTATE CANCER: A New Concept

An evaluation of longitudinal changes in PSA in men with and without prostate disease revealed that with age, the development of prostate disease is the most important factor influencing changes in PSA. Furthermore, the PSA changes with age are significantly different in men with and without prostate disease. The PSA velocity is greater in men with prostate cancer than in men with BPH and greater in men with prostate cancer and BPH than in men without any prostate disease. Thus, evaluation of PSA changes may help distinguish between men with prostate cancer and those without the disease. This idea will need to be confirmed prospectively. Finally, estimation of PSA doubling time from changes in PSA suggests that changes reflect prostatic growth. Therefore, PSA velocity could be of benefit in identifying men with prostate cancer that is destined to progress.
Review of Flowback and Produced Water Management, Treatment, and Beneficial Use for Major Shale Gas Development Basins

Produced water management is a major challenge to oil and natural gas exploration and production, in particular for unconventional gas development. Rapid development of shale gas production, regulations, water scarcity, concerns of environmental impacts, and limited disposal options are driving operators to consider, plan and change their current hydraulic fracturing and produced water management methods. Development of beneficial use for various applications has become a new trend for sustainable shale gas production. Treatment and beneficial use of flowback and produced water can enhance gas recovery and economic viability of gas production. It also minimizes potential environmental impacts, reduces demands on local water supplies, and meets regulatory requirements. However, there are many factors affecting the feasibility of beneficial reuse including water quality and quantity, appropriate treatment technologies, economics, disposal options and capacities, environmental impact, and regulations. The objective of this study is to evaluate the challenges and prospect of beneficial use through review of existing studies on flowback and produced water management in major shale plays.
Mindfulness: An Underused Tool for Deepening Music Understanding

Music teachers aim to deepen their students’ music understanding. An underused tool for doing so is incorporating mindful practice into music teaching. Through discussing research, examples from th...
Effects of large doses of desoxycorticosterone acetate, cortisone acetate and ACTH in intact rhesus monkeys.

SummaryThe effects of large doses of ACTH, cortisone acetate and desoxycorti-costerone acetate were investigated in the intact rhesus monkey. ACTH was without effect on hematocrit and the blood levels of glucose, non-protein nitrogen, amino acid nitrogen, inorganic phosphorous, sodium, potassium and chloride, although the adrenal glands were strongly stimulated as evidenced by adrenal gland weight and histological examination. Cortisone acetate and desoxy-corticosterone acetate effected a decrease in serum potassium and a lowering of the hematocrit without altering the levels of the other blood constituents. One of the 6 animals receiving cortisone suffered a significant weight loss, but hyperglycemia and elevated glucose tolerance curves were never observed. A transient polydipsia and edema were noted in the course of desoxycorticosterone administration.
An Analysis of the Multiscale Structure of Surfaces with Various Finishes

ABSTRACTEven with the various surface finishing techniques, all surfaces are rough with different structures and geometric characteristics over multiple scales. In this work, a profilometer is utilized to measure the profiles of different rough surfaces, and the profiles are characterized using a variety of statistical, spectral, and fractal methodologies. Three different methods are implemented in calculating the fractal dimension, D, and these three methods are then compared. The relationship between the fractal dimension and the fractal scaling constant, G, is investigated as well. The measured rough profiles are also compared with Weierstrass-Mandelbrot (W-M) function–generated rough profiles using the characterization results of the measured profiles. After comparing a series of statistical and fractal parameters, which are calculated based on the surface profile data of the original and regenerated profiles, it can be found that the W-M function does not always appear to be very suitable for represe...
ENCEPHALITIS IN CHILDREN.

Almost all forms of encephalitis may have serious sequelae in infants and young children. The younger the patient, the greater is the risk of sequelae. Two types of encephalitis are considered: infectious and para-infectious. Clues to etiologic diagnosis are presented. Although specific therapy for the majority of etiologic entities is not available, a variety of other treatment measures and procedures are emphasized and will contribute significantly to a more successful outcome.
Are MS in economics programs in departments that also have a PhD program in economics different from their counterparts

This is the first article that compares terminal master's degree programs in economics from universities that have a PhD program in economics with those that do not offer PhD programs in economics. The authors compare these differences based on surveys in 2002 and 2012. They examine differences in general program characteristics, department faculty, admission requirements, student characteristics, financial aid, and graduation and placement rates. They find statistically significant differences in all of these categories and also find that some of the differences and similarities have changed over time.
Laser Beam Delivery Systems

Much of the development work in laser systems is in the area of delivery devices, i.e. how the light is delivered to the desired target. Delivery devices can create a significant overlap in the effects and applications of the various types of laser systems, remembering that the ultimate laser — tissue interaction mechanism is tissue heating.
The Dynamics of Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Understanding the Domestic Security Dilemma

ABSTRACTThis article argues that the concept of the “domestic security dilemma” can help us to better understand public opposition to government counterterrorism policies. It examines the concept of the “security dilemma” in international relations theory and argues that this concept can also be applied to the analysis of domestic security politics. The article explains that when the government takes actions intended to make people safer from terrorist threats, it often has the unintended consequence of heightening concerns about government oppression. Thus, counterterrorism represents a “domestic security dilemma”—a situation where security tradeoffs have consistently undermined anticipated security gains.
Perihematomal Edema Expansion Rate Predicts Functional Outcome in Deep Intracerebral Hemorrhage (S31.008)

Objective: To compare associations between perihematomal edema (PHE) expansion rate and poor functional outcome following deep or lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Background: PHE expansion rate may predict functional outcome after ICH, but no studies have investigated whether ICH location affects this association. Methods: Subjects (n=139) were retrospectively identified from a prospective ICH cohort enrolled from 2000-2013. Inclusion criteria: >18 years old, spontaneous supratentorial ICH, and known time of onset. Exclusion criteria: infratentorial or primary intraventricular hemorrhage, subsequent surgery, trauma, or warfarin-related ICH. ICH, PHE, and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) volumes were measured from CT scans. PHE expansion rates were calculated from serial volume measurements. Logistic regression assessed the association between PHE expansion rate and mortality or poor functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale >2) at 90 days. Odds ratios are per 0.04 mL/h. Results: PHE expansion rate from baseline to 24 hours (PHE24) predicts mortality for deep (p=0.03, OR 1.13[1.02-1.26]) and lobar ICH (p=0.02, OR 1.03[1.00-1.06]) in unadjusted regression, and in models adjusted for age (Deep: p=0.02; Lobar: p=0.03), blood pressure (Deep: p=0.02; Lobar: p=0.04), IVH volume (Deep: p=0.02; Lobar: p=0.05), Glasgow Coma Scale (Deep: p=0.03; Lobar: p=0.02), or time to baseline CT (Deep: p=0.05; Lobar: p=0.05). A significant interaction exists between ICH location and PHE expansion rate from baseline to 72 hours (PHE72) in models predicting mRS>2 (p=0.04). PHE72 predicts mRS>2 for deep but not lobar ICH (p-values not shown) in models that are unadjusted (p=0.02, OR 4.04[1.25-13.04]) or adjusted for ICH volume (p=0.02, OR 4.3[1.25-14.98]), age (p=0.03, OR 5.4[1.21-24.11]), blood pressure (p=0.05, OR 3.28[1.02-10.57]), IVH volume (p=0.02, OR 4.59[1.28-16.41]), GCS (p=0.02, OR 4.19[1.2-14.55]), or time to first CT (p=0.03, OR 4.02[1.19-13.56]). Conclusions: PHE72 predicts poor functional outcomes exclusively after deep ICH, whereas PHE24 predicts mortality for deep and lobar ICH. Disclosure: Dr. Grunwald has nothing to disclose. Dr. Urday has nothing to disclose. Dr. Beslow has nothing to disclose. Dr. Vashkevich has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ayres has nothing to disclose. Dr. Greenberg has received personal compensation for activities with Hoffman-Laroche. Dr. Goldstein has nothing to disclose. Dr. Battey has nothing to disclose. Dr. Simard has received royalty payments from Remedy. Dr. Rosand has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kimberly has received research support from Remedy Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Sheth has nothing to disclose.
NIK/MAP3K14 Regulates Mitochondrial Dynamics and Trafficking to Promote Cell Invasion.

Although the role of NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK) in immunity is well established, its relevance in cancer is just emerging. Here we describe novel functions for NIK in regulating mitochondrial dynamics and motility to promote cell invasion. We show that NIK is localized to mitochondria in cancer cell lines, ex vivo tumor tissue, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). NIK promotes mitochondrial fission, velocity, and directional migration, resulting in subcellular distribution of mitochondria to the periphery of migrating cells. Moreover, NIK is required for recruitment of Drp1 to mitochondria, forms a complex with Drp1, and regulates Drp1 phosphorylation at Ser-616 and dephosphorylation at Ser-637. Consistent with a role for NIK in regulating mitochondrial dynamics, we demonstrate that Drp1 is required for NIK-dependent, cytokine-induced invasion. Importantly, using MEFs, we demonstrate that the established downstream mediators of NIK signaling, IκB kinase α/β (IKKα/β) and NF-κB, are not required for NIK to regulate cell invasion, Drp1 mitochondrial localization, or mitochondrial fission. Our results establish a new paradigm for IKK-independent NIK signaling and significantly expand the current dogma that NIK is predominantly cytosolic and exclusively regulates NF-κB activity. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of NIK in tumor pathogenesis and invite new therapeutic strategies that attenuate mitochondrial dysfunction through inhibition of NIK and Drp1.
Trabajo de campo en el territorio de San Juan Lachao, Oaxaca. Un acercamiento desde las “otras” geografías al paisaje chatino

El paisaje es uno de los conceptos clave en la investigacion geografica a partir del cual se realizan trabajos desde muy diferentes vertientes, desde lo geomorfologico hasta lo historico o lo cultural. Nuestra investigacion nos llevo hacia los derroteros de las “otras” geografias y los “otros” paisajes, en un ejercicio critico de reflexion teorica e investigacion participativa, en donde nuestro concepto de paisaje se amplio en lo que James Blaut (1979) denominaria un ejercicio de “etnogeografia”. Este trabajo se realizo en los territorios del municipio de San Juan Lachao, en el sur del estado de Oaxaca. 1 Durante este tiempo se llevaron a cabo seis estancias que variaron en duracion y objetivos.
Contrast-enhanced CT features of hepatoblastoma: Can we predict histopathology?

Abstract Background Hepatoblastoma is the most common hepatic malignancy occurring in the pediatric population. Intratumoral cellular behavior varies, and the small-cell undifferentiated histopathology carries a poorer prognosis than other tissue subtypes. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for this tumor subtype prior to surgical resection in most cases. Early identification of tumors with poor prognosis could have a significant clinical impact. Objective The aim of this work was to identify imaging features of small-cell undifferentiated subtype hepatoblastoma that can help distinguish this subtype from more favorable tumors and potentially guide the clinical management. We also sought to characterize contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) features of hepatoblastoma that correlate with metastatic disease and patient outcome. Materials and methods Our study included 34 patients (24 males, 10 females) with a mean age of 16 months (range: 0–46 months) with surgically confirmed hepatoblastoma and available baseline abdominal imaging by CECT. Clinical data and CT abdominal images were retrospectively analyzed. Results Five tumors with small-cell undifferentiated components were identified. All of these tumors demonstrated irregular margins on CT imaging. Advanced PRETEXT stage, vascular invasion and irregular margins were associated with metastatic disease and decreased survival. Capsular retraction was also significantly associated with decreased survival. Irregular tumor margins demonstrated statistically significant association with the presence of small-cell undifferentiated components. No other imaging feature showed statistically significant association. Conclusion Tumor margin irregularity, vascular invasion, capsular retraction, and PRETEXT stage correlate with worse patient outcomes. Irregular tumor margin was the only imaging feature significantly associated with more aggressive tumor subtype.
Compliance analysis of pedestrian facilities with accessibility requirements

State and local governments are required by law to provide and maintain accessibility on their pedestrian facilities. They need to conduct, document, and update self-evaluations to identify non-com...
Gender difference with the use of percutaneous left ventricular assist device in patients undergoing complex high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention: From pVAD Working Group:

Background:The interventional treatment of complex high-risk indicated patients is technically difficult and can result in poor outcomes. Thus, percutaneous left ventricular assist devices are bein...
Essential Tremor and Other Forms of Kinetic Tremor

Kinetic tremor is a tremor (i.e., a rhythmic and oscillatory movement) that occurs during guided voluntary movements like writing or touching finger to nose. As such, it is a type of action tremor, that is, tremor that occurs during voluntary contraction of skeletal muscle. It may be distinguished from rest tremor, which occurs when a limb is fully relaxed, and intention tremor, which is present with visually guided movement and increases in amplitude with approach of the target. A broad range of kinetics tremors occurs and these may be divided into those that are normal vs. pathological. Physiological or enhanced physiological tremor is the most common form of normal tremor (Elble 1998a, b, 2003; Louis et al. 1998a, b, c) and essential tremor (ET) is the most common pathological form of tremor (Louis and Ferreira 2010). Other pathological tremors include dystonic tremor, orthostatic tremor, drug-induced tremor, and several other conditions. The focus of this chapter is the pathological forms of kinetic tremor, and we will begin with ET, which is the most common of these.
Nanoscopic optical sensors and probes

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the progress in a newly evolving nanotechnology: ultrasmall optical biochemical sensors. Near-field optics is the crucial technology for the preparation, characterization, and application of theseminiaturized sensors, including the first devices smaller than 100 nm in all three dimensions. NFO is covered briefly, photonanofabrication is discussed along with a variety of micrometer and submicrometer biochemical sensors, and the application of these sensors in different areas has been described. Many theoretical and technical problems still have to be solvedmfrom understanding the NSOM contrast mechanism to the nanofabrication of molecular sized probes to the control of photobleaching. However, the future looks bright. Growth in NFO research in its early days has not been as spectacular as that of its SPM predecessors, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and AFM. The ability to image in-solution environments has been demonstrated, and the combination of better resolution and biochemical identification capabilities seems ideally suited to a number of biomedical investigations. The intracellular molecular dynamics of organogenesis, metabolism, splitting, and biochemical damage could be followed in vivo and in real time.
Othellodirector: a tool for automating and managing an Othello programming tournament

The implementation of a two-person strategy game such as Othello traditionally serves as a popular project that allows undergraduate students in introductory Artificial Intelligence classes to increase their understanding of adversarial search concepts such as minimax, alpha-beta pruning, iterative deepening, and evaluation functions. This "nifty assignment" presentation describes a multi-assignment variation in which each student incrementally develops the project by completing the following exercises: 1. investigate and analyze various board/move representations 2. implement an initial agent that plays a legal game but selects a random move 3. design and implement evaluation function 4. implement the minimax algorithm 5. Incorporate alpha-beta pruning 6. Implement iterative deepening, 7. Improve the agent's performance by adding one or more of the following: an opening book, a quiescence search, a forward pruning modification, and a learning strategy. 8. Enter agent into the class tournament. 9. Produce a written synopsis describing the ideas implement and the agent's tournament.
Three Fragments from Qumran Cave 4 and Their Relationship to the Temple Scroll

The three fragments presented in this article are part of the cache of manuscript fragments from Cave 4, discovered in 1952. John Strugnell, the original editor, placed these fragments with 4Q365, a manuscript which he named, along with 4Q364, 366, and 367, 4QPentateuchal Paraphrases (now called 4QReworked Pentateuch). I The identification of these three fragments with 4Q365 is, however, problematic. Strugnell made his original identification on the basis of similarity between the handwriting of the fragments and 4Q365, and because the contents of the fragments is not incompatible with 4Q365. However, in his editio princeps of the Temple Scroll, Yigael Yadin ascribed all three fragments to the Temple Scroll (1 1QTa) as a second copy of that composition, parallel to the one from cave 1.2 Strugnell, on the other hand, has continued to assert that these fragments belong to 4Q365, one of the manuscripts of 4QRP.3 Tov and I, in the editio princeps of 4Q365, have followed a middle path; we have assigned one of the fragments (identified in Yadin as pl. 40, #1) to 4Q365 for reasons I will outline below, and two of them (identified in Yadin as pl. 38, #5 and pl. 40, #2), along
Fast, Short-Column Separation and Fluoromeitric Determination of Monosodium Glutamate in Foods

In a simple and fast procedure, monosodium glutamate in food products is first separated by a short ion exchange column and subsequently determined fluorometrically with fluorescamine. An average recovery of 90.8% with a standard deviation of plus or minus 6.67% was obtained for added monosodium glutamate in a series of 8 products. As little as 0.05% monosodium glutamate can be determined. The method is faster than the official method and saves 5 hr/determination.
Magnetoencephalographic Imaging for Neurosurgery

Multiple modalities of noninvasive functional brain imaging have made a tremendous impact on preoperative mapping of neurosurgery patients. One such modality is magnetoencephalographic (MEG) imaging—which refers to the reconstructions of cortical oscillations from measurement of the magnetic fields outside the brain. In this chapter, we review how brain activity can be reconstructed from MEG measurements. We discuss the implications of such reconstructions on spatial and temporal resolution. Subsequently, we review the clinical applications of MEG in neurosurgery patients with epilepsy and brain tumors.
Verified Runtime Validation for Partially Observable Hybrid Systems

Formal verification provides strong safety guarantees but only for models of cyber-physical systems. Hybrid system models describe the required interplay of computation and physical dynamics, which is crucial to guarantee what computations lead to safe physical behavior (e.g., cars should not collide). Control computations that affect physical dynamics must act in advance to avoid possibly unsafe future circumstances. Formal verification then ensures that the controllers correctly identify and provably avoid unsafe future situations under a certain model of physics. But any model of physics necessarily deviates from reality and, moreover, any observation with real sensors and manipulation with real actuators is subject to uncertainty. This makes runtime validation a crucial step to monitor whether the model assumptions hold for the real system implementation. The key question is what property needs to be runtime-monitored and what a satisfied runtime monitor entails about the safety of the system: the observations of a runtime monitor only relate back to the safety of the system if they are themselves accompanied by a proof of correctness! For an unbroken chain of correctness guarantees, we, thus, synthesize runtime monitors in a provably correct way from provably safe hybrid system models. This paper addresses the inevitable challenge of making the synthesized monitoring conditions robust to partial observability of sensor uncertainty and partial controllability due to actuator disturbance. We show that the monitoring conditions result in provable safety guarantees with fallback controllers that react to monitor violation at runtime.
Real-time 2-5A kinetics suggest that interferons β and λ evade global arrest of translation by RNase L.

Cells of all mammals recognize double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as a foreign material. In response, they release interferons (IFNs) and activate a ubiquitously expressed pseudokinase/endoribonuclease RNase L. RNase L executes regulated RNA decay and halts global translation. Here, we developed a biosensor for 2′,5′-oligoadenylate (2-5A), the natural activator of RNase L. Using this biosensor, we found that 2-5A was acutely synthesized by cells in response to dsRNA sensing, which immediately triggered cellular RNA cleavage by RNase L and arrested host protein synthesis. However, translation-arrested cells still transcribed IFN-stimulated genes and secreted IFNs of types I and III (IFN-β and IFN-λ). Our data suggest that IFNs escape from the action of RNase L on translation. We propose that the 2-5A/RNase L pathway serves to rapidly and accurately suppress basal protein synthesis, preserving privileged production of defense proteins of the innate immune system.
Development of a rate-dependent cumulative work and instantaneous power-based asphalt cracking performance index

Use of the semi-circular bending (SCB) test has gained popularity for evaluating cracking performance of asphalt mixtures. An Illinois Flexibility Index Test (I-FIT) variant of SCB has shown the ab...
Impact of Donor Diabetes on Outcomes of Lung Transplantation in the United States.

Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus is among several factors considered when assessing the suitability of donated organs for transplantation. Lungs from diabetic donors (LDD) are not contraindicated for use as allografts, despite established evidence of diabetes-mediated parenchymal damage. The present study used a national database to assess the impact of donor diabetes on the longevity of lung transplant recipients. Methods This retrospective study of the United Network for Organ Sharing database analyzed all adult lung transplant recipients from June 2005 through September 2016. Donor and recipient demographics including the presence of diabetes were used to create a multivariable model. The primary outcome was 5-y mortality, with hazard ratios (HRs) assessed using multivariable Cox regression analysis. Survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results Of the 17,839 lung transplant recipients analyzed, 1203 (6.7%) received LDD. Recipients of LDD were more likely to be female (44.1% versus 40.2%, P Conclusions Recipients of LDD had a lower 5-y post lung transplantation survival compared with recipients of lungs from nondiabetic donors. LDD allografts did not influence the survival of diabetic recipients.
The Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources and Crop Yield

This research evaluated climate change impacts on temperature, precipitation, and runoff using LARS-WG and SWAT models under climate scenarios. First, drought intensity was calculated for the period 1987-2016. Then, the LARS-WG model was calibrated to generate climatological data for future periods. The coefficients of precipitation as well as minimum and maximum temperature changes were simulated as SWAT model inputs. The results of LARS-WG model indicated that temperature will increase in future periods and that changes will occur not only in precipitation rate but also in its pattern. Then, changes in runoff were simulated by introducing downscaled results to SWAT model. The model was calibrated and validated by SWAT-CUP software. Nash-Sutcliffe (NS) coefficients (0.58 and 0.49) and R 2 determination coefficients (0.65 and 0.50) were obtained for calibration and validation periods, respectively. The results showed that runoff will increase in spring and summer during 2011-2030 period, but it will decrease in fall and winter. Further, runoff will rise in fall and winter while it will drop in spring and summer throughout 2046-2065 and 2080-2099 periods under all three scenarios. Such seasonal shifts in runoff levels result from climate change consequences in the forms of temperature rise, snowmelt, altered precipitation pattern, etc. Future-period evapotranspiration will rise under all three scenarios with a maximum increase in 2080-2099 period under A2 scenario. Additionally, rainfed crop yields will decline without considerable changes in irrigated and horticultural crop yields.