cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biological Tissue Complex Permittivity Measured From $S_{21}$ —Error Analysis and Error Reduction by Reference Measurements

Our analysis and measurements of a custom-designed two-port microstrip test fixture for biological tissue characterization at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies demonstrated that the transmission parameter S 21 would provide a better sensitivity to the complex permittivity change than the reflection coefficient S 11. However, the standard through-reflect-line (TRL) calibration method employed for the extraction of the tissue complex permittivity did not fully remove the coaxial-to-microstrip adaptors' induced errors, which were manifested by ripple artifacts on the measured two-port S parameters. A simple deconvolution method was demonstrated wherein these errors were removed by postcalibration correction of the measured S 21 of the tissue under test (TUT) by using water as a reference material. This paper provides a theoretical analysis of this method based on a model presented for postcalibration adaptors. Our detailed analysis shows that the error for S 21 using the deconvolution method linearly depends on the difference between the S 11 of the TUT and the reference material. Measurement and error estimation are also provided for various biological tissues and are consistent with analytical expectations. Our analysis provides support that systematic errors of numerically modeled S 21 utilized for complex permittivity extraction can significantly be reduced by the deconvolution method. On the other hand, the analysis also shows that the S 21 numerical modeling errors and the postcalibration adaptors' error terms have a similar impact on the extracted complex permittivity using the standard time-gating technique and are irreducible, unless the deconvolution method is used. Our analysis also identifies water as a better reference sample than methanol for accurate extraction of the complex permittivity of tissues in the range of epsiv' > 9 and epsiv" > 7 at 30 GHz.
Prescription opioid misuse and its relation to injection drug use and hepatitis C virus infection: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The production, prescription, and consumption of opioid analgesics to treat non-cancer pain have increased dramatically in the USA in the past decade. As a result, misuse of these opioids has increased; overdose and transition to riskier forms of drug use have also emerged. Research points to a trend in transition to drug injection among those misusing prescription opioids, where clusters of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are now being reported. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to synthesize the prevalence of prescription opioid misuse in the USA and examine the rate of transition to injection drug use and incident HCV in these new people who inject drugs (PWID). Methods/design: Eligible studies will include quantitative, empirical data including national survey data. Scientific databases will be searched using a comprehensive search strategy; proceedings of scientific conferences, reference lists, and personal communications will also be searched. Quality ratings will be assigned to each eligible report using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Pooled estimates of incidence rates and measures of association will be calculated using random effects models. Heterogeneity will be assessed at each stage of data synthesis. Discussion: A unique typology of drug use is emerging which is characterized by antecedent prescription opioid misuse among PWID. As the epidemic of prescription opioid misuse matures, this will likely serve as a persistent source of new PWID. Persons who report a recent transition to drug injection are characterized by high rates of HCV seroincidence of 40 per 100 person years or higher. Given the potential for the persistence and escalation of the consequences of prescription opioid misuse in the USA, there is a critical need for synthesis of the current state of the epidemic in order to inform future public health interventions and policy.
Violence in the Context of Dating and Sex

A study of reported courtship violence using a representative sample of college students and a broad definition of relationships “at risk” found substantially higher rates of violence than those reported in earlier studies. Females reported using a wider array of violence than males, but males used more extreme forms of violence, had violence multiple times with multiple partners, and inflicted more sexual aggression. Students from high-income families, whites, and those “living together” reported more violence than others. Sexuality appears to be an important source of violence in courtship.
Co-localization of Mu opioid receptor and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in the trigeminal dorsal horn

Abstract Antagonists acting at the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor can block the development of tolerance to the analgesic effects of μ opioid receptor (MOR) ligands, such as morphine, and can also enhance the analgesic efficacy of opioids. These findings have led to the hypothesis that interactions between NMDA receptor and MOR ligands may be due to the co-localization of these receptors on neurons in the dorsal horn. We used dual immunogold and immunoperoxidase immunocytochemistry for MOR1 and NMDAR1 to determine the degree of co-localization of these receptors in neurons of the trigeminal dorsal horn. By use of electron microscopy, we found that both receptors were primarily located in dendrites and to a lesser extent in perikarya, axons, axon terminals, and glia. With regard to the degree of co-localization in dendrites, 63% of MOR1-labeled dendrites also contained NMDAR1, whereas 61% of NMDAR1-labeled dendrites also contained MOR1. Most of the dual-labeled profiles (94%) were classified as dendrites, with the remainder being axons, axon terminals, or perikarya. These results suggest that direct interactions between MOR and NMDA receptor ligands are likely mediated through shared dendritic targets in the dorsal horn. Less frequently, we found evidence for modulation of afferents to MOR-containing neurons through presynaptic NMDA receptors. © 2002 by the American Pain Society
A cost benefit approach to reactor sizing and nutrient supply for biotrickling filters for air pollution control

In the present paper, a general model was developed that a l l ows the selection of the most cost-effective operation of biotrickling filters for air pollution control. The model was d e m o n s t rated for a typical case of industrial pollution: 10,000 m3 h- 1 a i r s t ream contaminated with 1.5 g m- 3 toluene. The effects of nitrogen (as nitrate) loading on the pollutant elimination capacity and on the rate of biomass g rowth we re considered. Using model simulations, the influence of the nitrate loading on the overall treatment cost was quantified and an optimum nitrate loading was determined. The results suggest that biotrickling filtration is very c o m p e t i t i ve compared to conventional treatment technologies. For the case studied, a treatment cost optimum was obtained at a nutrient loading of 8 g N-nitrate per cubic meter bed volume per day. This represents a relatively severe nutrient limitation. The range of nutrient loading for cost e f f e c t i ve treatment was about 4 to 30 g N-nitrate m - 3 d - 1 . O ve rall, the approach presented herein is widely applicable for the determination of the best reactor design and the optimum reactor operating conditions. I N T R O D U C T I O N
Caregiving Networks—Using a Network Approach to Identify Missed Opportunities

Results. On average, each informant beyond the index enumerated 6.2 new members, resulting in about 10 new members per family network when the multiple-informant approach is used. Compared with index informants’ networks, multi-informant networks showed an 85% increase in identification of direct care providers (1.71 compared with 3.42) and a 48% increase in identification of those involved in care decision making (3.33 compared with 4.92). Informants from the same network generally showed agreement in reported participation in caregiving activities. However, the reports of non-participation in these roles were less consistent among the informants. Resulting structure indicated a core caregiving network ( = 6.12 members), with semi-peripheral and peripheral members ( M = 5.19 and M = 14.83 members, respectively).
Pancreatic cyst aspiration analysis for cystic neoplasms: Mucin or carcinoembryonic antigen - Which is better?

Background Differentiation between the various pathologies presenting as a cystic pancreatic lesion is clinically important but often challenging. We have previously advocated the performance of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with aspiration and determination of mucin and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) content. We sought to report the results of this ongoing protocol and determine the relative importance of cyst fluid mucin and CEA for the diagnostic process. Methods The institutions prospectively maintained pancreatic cyst database was accessed to identify patients who had undergone pancreatic EUS and cyst aspiration as part of their evaluation. Only those patients who had subsequently undergone resection were selected, with histopathology being the gold standard for comparison. Results From January 2000 to July 2009, 174 patients with pancreatic cystic disease underwent surgery, 121 of whom had an EUS with aspiration attempted at our institution with specimens sent for mucin and CEA. Based on histopathology, 86 mucinous lesions were identified, including 44 cystadenomas, 34 intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, 7 mucinous adenocarcinomas, and 1 intraductal oncocytic papillary neoplasm; 42 were nonmucinous lesions. The median cyst CEA levels were significantly higher in the mucinous lesions group at 850 versus 2 ng/mL (P = .001). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), positive diagnostic likelihood ratio, and negative diagnostic likelihood ratio (NDLR) were calculated respectively for mucin alone (0.80, 0.40, 0.61, 0.63, 1.33, 0.68); CEA alone (0.93, 0.43, 0.51, 0.91, 1.63, 0.16); cytology alone (0.38, 0.9, 0.92, 0.31, 3.67, 0.69); mucin or CEA (0.83, 0.65, 0.87, 0.57, 2.51, 0.26); mucin or CEA or cytology (0.92, 0.52, 0.86, 0.68, 1.91, 0.15); mucin plus CEA (0.96, 0.34, 0.25, 0.97, 1.45, 0.12); mucin plus cytology (0.25, 0.97, 0.96, 0.29,7.25, 0.78); CEA plus cytology (0.12, 1.00, 1.00, 0.26, ∞, 0.88); and mucin plus CEA plus cytology (0.08, 1.00, 1.00, 0.25, ∞, 0.92). Conclusion Assessment of cyst mucin and CEA are complementary, with the best profile obtained when both markers are determined along with cytology. This combination provides a good sensitivity, PPV, and NDLR, as well as reasonable PPV and PDNR.
Commercialization of optical MEMS-volume manufacturing approaches

This presentation addresses the main challenges facing the growth of optical MEMS volume manufacturing. The different process technologies and their interplay with the different classes of optical MEMS devices are presented. In addition, the challenges of establishing a manufacturing operation that can support the stringent requirements of Telecordia qualification are also discussed.
A randomized, triple-masked, active-controlled investigation of the relative effects of dose, concentration, and infusion rate for continuous popliteal-sciatic nerve blocks in volunteers

Background It remains unknown whether local anaesthetic dose is the only factor influencing continuous popliteal-sciatic nerve block effects, or whether concentration, volume, or both exert an influence as well. Methods Bilateral sciatic catheters were inserted in volunteers (n=24). Catheters were randomly assigned to ropivacaine of either 0.1% (8 ml h−1) or 0.4% (2 ml h−1) for 6 h. The primary endpoint was the tolerance to transcutaneous electrical stimulation within the tibial nerve distribution at hour 6. Secondary endpoints included current tolerance at other time points and plantar flexion maximum voluntary isometric contraction (22 h total). Results At hour 6, tolerance to cutaneous stimulation for limbs receiving 0.1% ropivacaine was [mean (standard deviation)] 27.0 (20.2) vs26.9 (20.4) mA for limbs receiving 0.4% [estimated mean difference 0.2 mA; 90% confidence interval (CI) −8.2 to 8.5; P=0.02 and 0.03 for lower and upper boundaries, respectively]. Because the 90% CI fell within the prespecified tolerance ±10 mA, we conclude that the effect of the two concentration/volume combinations were equivalent. Similar negative findings were found for the secondary outcomes. Conclusions For continuous popliteal-sciatic nerve blocks, we found no evidence that local anaesthetic concentration and volume influence block characteristics, suggesting that local anaesthetic dose (mass) is the primary determinant of perineural infusion effects in this anatomic location. These findings suggest that for ambulatory perineural local anaesthetic infusion—for which there is usually a finite local anaesthetic reservoir—decreasing the basal rate while increasing the local anaesthetic concentration may allow for increased infusion duration without compromising postoperative analgesia. Clinical trial registration NCT01898689.
Parental Discipline Reactions to Child Noncompliance and Compliance: Association with Parent–Child Aggression Indicators

The present investigation examined whether indicators of parent–child aggression (PCA), including two measures of child abuse potential as well as measures of punishment intentions, use of physical aggression with children, and harsh parenting style, were associated with responses to child noncompliance and compliance on an analog task. Prior research suggests abusive parents demonstrate harsh reactions to child noncompliance but results are more mixed on whether abuse risk parents evidence poor response to child compliance. However, the existing research has relied heavily on methods susceptible to participant response distortion. Analog measures evaluate concepts in a manner that is analogous to the behavior of interest in a way that is less subject to distortion. A new analog procedure, the Response Analog to Child Compliance Task, was utilized to determine parental responses to noncompliance and compliance situations. The present investigation involved three parent samples to evaluate parent analog responses to both child compliance and noncompliance. Overall, this investigation supports that parents evidencing greater PCA risk selected harsher responses to noncompliant child behavior, but the findings were more limited regarding parent responses to child compliance. Results from the three samples imply that perhaps those with higher PCA risk may be likely to also show poorer response to compliant child behavior; however, further research is needed with additional high risk samples, preferably adopting alternatives to self-report methods that are less vulnerable to respondent bias.
Abstract 210: Determining In-Hospital Myocardial Infarction Rate from Administrative Data in a Large Tertiary-Care Hospital

Background & Objective: The PULSE Trial is a 5-year multisite randomized clinical trial to evaluate implementation of American Heart Association Practice Standards for Electrocardiographic Monitoring on nurses' knowledge, quality of care, and patient outcomes. The primary intervention was an online ECG monitoring education program for nurses. A key indicator in assessing patient outcomes is the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) while on a monitored unit. Determination of MI while in hospital can be challenging, requiring time-consuming medical record review. We propose a method of reducing the number of medical records necessary for review to determine occurrence of an in-hospital MI by using an algorithm that incorporates administrative and laboratory data. Methods: Administrative data from a large tertiary-care hospital in the US were obtained for a 6-month period. Fields included patient identifier, admission identifier, demographic data, unit transfers, length of stay, procedural codes, and diagnostic codes. Troponin and CK-MB levels were matched with administrative data. Step 1: We deleted all patient encounters where there were no troponin or CK-MB values above the upper reference limit (URL). We then deleted all encounters where all values occurred 24 hours after admission were either decreasing or below the URL and the patient did not have CABG or PCI. This allowed us to exclude all those who did not have a MI, or had one prior to being admitted to a unit. Step 2: If patients had an elevated biomarker 20% in value following the index event or CABG or PCI procedure. If yes, they were considered to have an MI. If patients had an elevated biomarker >24 hours after admission, we determined if the values were 3x and 5x the URL for PCI and CABG, respectively. If yes, they were considered to have an MI; those who did not required further record review. Results: We had 7,691 admissions. In step 1 we were able to rule out MI in 6,849 admissions. In step 2 we determined 596 had elevated biomarkers within 24 hours of admission. We determined 193 had an MI. The remaining 403 required further review. We determined that 245 had elevated biomarkers >24 hours after admission. Of those, 21 had an elective PCI or CABG, 4 of whom had 3x or 5x the URL of biomarkers and were consider to have a MI. The 224 who did not have an elective PCI or CABG required further review. Conclusions: This algorithm reduced the number of medical record reviews from 7,691 to 627 and allowed for determination of an outcome that is not easily assessed, thereby precluding the need for lengthy medical record reviews. The algorithm can be adjusted to reflect changing criteria for MI.
Reducing protein adsorption with polymer-grafted hyaluronic acid coatings

We report a thermoresponsive chemical modification strategy of hyaluronic acid (HA) for coating onto a broad range of biomaterials without relying on chemical functionalization of the surface. Poly(di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) (PMEO2MA), a polymer with a lower critical solution temperature of 26 °C in water, was grafted onto HA to allow facile formation of biopolymer coatings. While the mechanism for film formation appears to involve a complex combination of homogeneous nucleation followed by heterogeneous film growth, we demonstrate that it resulted in hydrophilic coatings that significantly reduce protein adsorption despite the high fraction of hydrophobic (PMEO2MA). Structural characterization was performed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), which showed the formation of a dense, continuous coating based on 200 nm domains that were stable in protein solutions for at least 15 days. The coatings had a water contact angle of 16°, suggesting the formation of hydrophilic but not fully wetting films. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) as well as biolayer interferometry (BLI) techniques were used to measure adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA), fibrinogen (Fbg), and human immunoglobulin (IgG), with results indicating that HA-PMEO2MA-coated surfaces effectively inhibited adsorption of all three serum proteins. These results are consistent with previous studies demonstrating that this degree of hydrophilicity is sufficient to generate an effectively nonfouling surface and suggest that segregation during the solubility transition resulted in a surface that presented the hydrophilic HA component of the hybrid biopolymer. We conclude that PMEO2MA-grafted HA is a versatile platform for the passivation of hydrophobic biomaterial surfaces without need for substrate functionalization.
Large Eddy Simulation of Compressible Flows in a Rectangular Duct Containing Cylindrical Rods - an Immersed Boundary Treatment

Large eddy simulations(LES) of turbulent o w in a rectangular duct containing one and two cylindrical rods are presented. Time derivative preconditioning is used to deal with the low Mach number situation. A second-order accurate nite volume formulation is chosen and the implicit lower-upper symmetric Gauss-Seidel(LU-SGS) scheme is implemented. A localized dynamic subgrid-scale(SGS) model is used to evaluate the subgrid-scale stresses and heat uxes. The non-body conformal grid method is utilized, where a second-order bilinear(for 2D situation) or trilinear (for 3D situation) interpolation method is employed to satisfy the no-slip boundary condition on the immersed boundary. The method has been validated for o w over a circular cylinder with dieren t Reynolds numbers and a turbulent pipe o w in a previous paper. In the present paper, this immersed boundary treatment has been combined with a large eddy simulation code to tackle irregular geometry o w problems such as nuclear reactor rod bundle o ws. The simulation results for lower order statistics are compared with Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes(RANS) simulations and experimental results. Reasonable agreement is observed for both one rod and two rods cases.
The Chemistry of Sulfur Curing. IV. Effects of Organic Accelerators on the Reaction of Cyclohexene with Sulfur

Abstract Cyclohexene reacts with sulfur at 140° in the presence of zinc dimethyldithio-carbamate, tetramethylthiuram monosulfide, or tetramethylthiuram disulfide, to produce 2-cyclohexene-1-thiol as the major product after lithium aluminum hydride reduction of the polysulfide compounds. Secondary products are cis- and trans-1, 2-eyclohexanedithiol and cyclohexanethiol. Zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate is postulated to promote the reaction via an ionic mechanism as it causes more trans than cis-1, 2-cyclohexanedithiol to be formed. Tetramethylthiuram monosulfide and disulfide are postulated to promote the reaction via a free radical mechanism as they cause more cis- than trans-1, 2-cyclohexanedithiol to be formed.
Fusarium solani Osteomyelitis with Probable Nosocomial Spread

A case of Fusarium solani osteomyelitis is reported in a previously healthy adult male who received multiple injuries during an automobile accident. Combined histologic and mycblogic data proved it to be a case of hyalohyphomycosis resulting from Fusarium. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of osteomyelitis resulting from F. solani . A concurrent case of saprophytic wound colonization by the same organism is reported in another patient in the same ward who had sustained similar injuries. Evidence suggests that this represents nosocomial spread from the first case.
Over-The-Counter (OTC) Drug Labeling: Format Preferences

The present research examines two different consumer groups' perceptions of the readability of OTC medication labels. Twelve labels depicting an OTC medication with a fictitious name were constructed and attached to bottles. The labels varied in (a) print size (4 point, 7 point, 10 point), (b) amount of white space between lines or sections of text (no spacing; label section spacing; and line spacing), and (c) label design (standard vs. extended/pull-out). Ninety-nine older adults and 102 undergraduates rank-ordered the labels according to overall ease of reading. In general, participants preferred the labels printed with larger type and line spacing. White space appeared to have less influence over the rankings than print size for older adults. However, the use of both a larger print size and increased white spacing appeared to influence the undergraduates' ratings. Also, there was no clear preference between the extended and standard label designs but their evaluation was only conducted with for the sma...
Patient Outcomes of Health Care: Integrating Outcomes Data into Management Information Systems

Healthcare managers are being challenged by a rapidly changing environment driven principally by cost and competitive pressures. Financial and clinical managers are being asked to respond to the perceived needs of stakeholders in the healthcare system. Payors, both private and public, are looking for value; consumers want freedom of choice and lower out-of-pocket costs; insurers want to avoid risk and make a profit (or net revenue); and providers want to protect their incomes and the values of the systems of care they have built. In an environment of conflicting goals and expectations, information that links cost and quality of services has assumed a central role. Those managers who understand the cost and quality performance of their healthcare products and services will have the opportunity to lead a healthcare system that is undergoing dynamic and fundamental changes.
Analysis on Stress Distribution of Fracturing String with Finite Element Method in Deep Gas Well

In view of the question that the fracturing string in deep gas well is failed on condition of high pressure and much granulated substance,the application of finite element method carries on mechanical analysis to the fracturing string,it obtains the situation of stress distribution,provides certain theory basis for designing the downhole fracturing tool rationally.
Innovative tools and techniques to manage your stress to ensure work-life balance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline various aspects of stress including its causes, effects and remedies to ensure work-life balance to achieve organizational excellence and effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach – The paper explains types of stress and differentiates between stress and burnout. It outlines innovative tools and techniques to manage stress. Findings – It enlightens that there are three symptoms to good health – sound sleep, exercise and good appetite. As long as you enjoy these you enjoy good health and you can keep stress at a bay and lead a happy and great life. Practical implications – The tools and techniques to ensure work-life balance can be applied in any industry and in any size of organization. Social implications – The social implications of this research suggests that leaders can provide meaning to their lives by balancing their personal, professional and social life. Originality/value – It elaborates stress management from the perspective of parallel careers with Peter Drucker’s example. It adds value to tackle computer vision syndrome.
Abstract B94: Examining the process of patient navigation for screening colonoscopy among African American and Latinos

Patient Navigation (PN) reduces many of the barriers to successful completion of screening colonoscopy. To optimize the efficiency of PN and further reduce racial and ethnic disparities in cancer incidence and mortality, it is important to examine associations between the process of patient navigation and screening colonoscopy completion. The objectives of this study were to assess the amount of time patient navigators spent contacting and communicating with minority participants and to determine whether the number of calls and contact time predict completion of screening colonoscopy. In the context of a prospective, randomized controlled trial of PN for screening colonoscopy conducted in New York City from 2007-2012 among African Americans and Latinos, participants received three scripted telephone calls from a navigator during which the appointment was scheduled and bowel preparation instructions, transportation needs, health education regarding colorectal cancer and screening, and support were discussed. African American and Latino participants (N=742) at least 50 years old referred for screening colonoscopy received either culturally-targeted PN or standard PN (no differences in study arms were detected). Call logs documented the number of calls each participant received as well as the length of each phone call. Socio-demographic characteristics were also assessed. Completion of Call 2 and 3 were the strongest predictors of screening colonoscopy completion. Participants who spent less time on Call 1, more time on Calls 2 and 3 and who had fewer Call 1 attempts were also more likely to complete a screening colonoscopy. Completion of colonoscopy may be predicted from the length of time PNs spend with patients during the first and third telephone calls. This information could improve the efficacy of patient navigation programs for screening colonoscopy among minorities and provides further support for the effectiveness of patient navigation as a strategy to reduce cancer screening disparities. Citation Format: Jamilia Sly, Debra Pelto, Gary Winkel, Hayley Thompson, William Redd, Steven Itzkowitz, Lina Jandorf. Examining the process of patient navigation for screening colonoscopy among African American and Latinos. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B94. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-B94
Utility of 17-(allylamino)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin treatment for skeletal muscle injury

Repeated eccentric contractions can injure skeletal muscle and result in functional deficits that take several weeks to fully recover. The 70-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp70) is a stress-inducible molecular chaperone that maintains protein quality and plays an integral role in the muscle’s repair processes following injury. Here, we attempted to hasten this recovery by pharmacologically inducing Hsp70 expression in mouse skeletal muscle with 17-(allylamino)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) (40 mg/kg) both prior to and throughout the first 7 days after an injurious bout of 150 maximal eccentric contractions. Hsp70 content in the injured skeletal muscle was strongly induced following the eccentric contractions and remained elevated over the next 7 days as the muscle underwent repair. Treatment with 17-AAG increased Hsp70 content ∼fivefold; however, this was significantly less than that induced by the injury. Moreover, 17-AAG treatment did not recover the decrements to in vivo isometric torque production following the bout of eccentric contractions. Together, these findings demonstrate that although Hsp70 content was induced in the uninjured skeletal muscle, treatment of 17-AAG (40 mg/kg) was not a preventive measure to either reduce the severity of skeletal muscle damage or enhance functional recovery following a bout of maximal eccentric contractions.
Towards cooperative content downloading for resource-constrained mobile devices

Mobile devices often operate in resource constrained envi- ronments with intermittent connectivity, bandwidth, bat- tery power, etc. On these devices, existing cooperative con- tent sharing protocols and models (e.g. Peer to Peer and client-server) present major drawbacks. Presently, a user has to maintain the connection between the peers when down- loading content. For instance, when a large multimedia file is to be downloaded and the user has limited resources the corresponding content acquisition is constrained. This can easily lead to poor user experience. In this paper, we present the design of a resource-aware cooperative content down- loading system for low-cost mobile devices. We propose a novel combination of computed resource level, reliability in- dex, and segment determination to cooperatively download, aggregate and distribute downloaded chunks. The ability to improve resource utilization for low-end devices while coop- eratively scheduling to download content is also discussed. Finally, we end this paper by reporting experimental results illustrating the merits of the system.
Time-Dependent, Direct, Nonadiabatic, Molecular Reaction Dynamics

Electron Nuclear Dynamics (END) is a time-dependent, nonadiabatic, direct, theory of molecular processes. It has a hierarchical structure which permits the theory to be applied at levels of increasing sophistication and accuracy. Each rank in this hierarchy is defined by the choice of wave function for participating electrons and atomic nuclei. The dynamical variables of the theory are the wave function parameters, which carry the time-dependence. The time-dependent variational principle is employed to derive the equations of motion. We describe the simplest level of approximation, which we call minimal END, and also give a brief account of how this level of theory can be extended. Various applications are discussed with results from calculations of integral and differential cross section for binary molecular encounters.
Converging Economies of a Diverging Union: A Sub-systemic Analysis of Income Inequalities and Economic Growth across the E.U. Member States

The effects of the recent economic recession of 2008 on a global scale revealed a high degree of economic dependency between all sovereign states of the European Union. Some research has been conducted on the impact of the great recession on developing countries, yet very few have examined the consequences of the economic recession on income disparity, and its effect on income convergence across the peripheral and core states of the E.U. In this paper we rely on the theoretical grounds of world system theory to explain the structural arrangements of the Union, and we test for unconditional β- convergence between the advanced and less advanced European countries. Results from our analysis are similar to former studies of economic growth stating that less advanced economies tend to grow at a faster pace than the advanced ones. Specifically we found that lagging E.U. economies tend to grow at a 2.5% higher pace than most advanced economies within the Union.
The contractual nature of budgeting: A transaction cost perspective on the design of budgeting institutions

Viewing budgets as contracts, transaction cost theory focuses on the costs of negotiating and enforcing the myriad political agreements by which policymakers allocate the government's resources. This essay provides an overview of transaction cost theory and its implications for the design of budgeting institutions. It contrasts the behavioral premises (bounded rationality and opportunism) of the transaction cost approach with those of more traditional budgetary theories, and examines whether commitment and agency costs have structured budget actors' institutional choices. Investigation of the usage of key budget instruments- entitlements, multi-year appropriations, and tax expenditures - suggests that Congress has been more discriminating in its institutional choices than is commonly supposed. Sensitivity to the importance of transaction costs would increase the effectiveness of budget reforms.
Integrating LiDAR-derived tree height and Landsat satellite reflectance to estimate forest regrowth in a tropical agricultural landscape

Remotely sensed data have revealed ongoing reforestation across many tropical landscapes. However, most studies have quantified changes between discrete land cover categories that are difficult to relate to the continuous changes in forest structure that underlie reforestation. Here, we demonstrate how generalized linear models (GLMs) can predict tree height and tree canopy cover from Landsat satellite reflectance in a 109 882 ha tropical agricultural landscape of western Panama. We derived tree canopy cover and tree height from airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, and related these variables to the fraction of photosynthetic vegetation (PV) in Landsat pixels. We found large gains in predictive accuracy from modeling tree canopy height with a gamma GLM and tree canopy cover with a binomial GLM, relative to modeling these variables using linear regression. Adding social and environmental covariates to our GLMs, including topography and parcel membership (representing different land owners), increased predictive accuracy, resulting in best-fit models with an R2 of 55.68% and RMSE of 23.69% for tree canopy cover, and an R2 of 51.24% and RMSE of 3.42 m for tree height. Finally, we applied the GLMs to predict tree height and tree canopy cover in Landsat images from c. 2000 to 2012, and used results to quantify changes in forest structure during this 12-year period. We found that >60% of pixels in our study area had increased in tree height and tree canopy cover, suggesting widespread forest regrowth. These increases were spatially widespread across the study area, yet subtle, with most pixels increasing <2 m in tree height. Our results suggest ecological and agricultural changes that could be overlooked if measuring land cover change with discrete forest and non-forest categories. Overall, we show the advantages of linking LiDAR and Landsat data to quantify forest regrowth in an agricultural landscape.
Mobile Home Population Displacement: The Case of Anchorage, Alaska

The topic of displacement of mobile home residents has been largely neglected in demographic studies. Mobile homes are an important form of low-income housing in the United States and facilitate the fulfillment of basic American values such as home ownership, self-reliance, and independence. Since mobile home residents usually rent the land under their trailers, they are highly vulnerable to forced migration when that land becomes valuable to developers. This is a growing phenomenon across the United States. With the rapid growth of many cities such as Anchorage, Alaska, mobile home residents, who settled in what were outlying areas when the parks were opened, now find themselves on land that is centrally located and seen as valuable for the building of high-density housing, office buildings, and strip malls. With insufficient resources, aging trailers, and low-income, mobile home residents often have little recourse and few good options. This study explores the problem, using the 2000 Census and the 2005–2009 American Community Survey for Anchorage Municipality. Other main sources of data were Google Earth (2008), Anchorage Planning Department maps and lists of mobile home parks, and 2011 data on mobile home parks and housing units from the Anchorage Assessment Office. Massey’s (Demography 33:395–412, 1996) “Age of extremes” theory is used to study the relationship between mobile home housing and economic status by census tract, with implications for mobile home housing elsewhere in the United States. Finally, some possible solutions are discussed.
Enhanced Serum Complement Activation on Platelets Is Associated with Arterial Thrombosis in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Antiphospholipid Antibodies(aPL).

Abstract BACKGROUND: Complement plays a major role in inflammation and thrombotic complications associated with SLE and the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Recently, direct activation of both classical and alternative pathways of complement was described on activated platelets. Moreover, platelet associated C4d was reported to be highly specific for SLE, and the presence of complement fixing antiphospholipid antibodies was correlated with thrombotic manifestations in patients with aPL. METHODS: A cross-sectional retrospective analysis was performed to test the hypothesis that enhanced in situ classical pathway complement activation on platelets is associated with thrombotic complications in patients with SLE and/or aPL. Banked sera and clinical data were obtained from the Hospital for Special Surgery Autoimmune Disease Registry for patients with SLE (S, n=91) or SLE with aPL (SA, n=78), and from the national Antiphospholipid Syndrome Collaborative Registry (APSCORE) for patients with primary APS (n=96) or primary aPL without APS (n=57). Complement fixation on immobilized platelets was evaluated by measuring C4 deposition using an ELISA approach. C4 activation on platelets was correlated with laboratory and clinical findings including presence of antibodies against beta-2 glycoprotein I and incidence of venous/arterial thrombosis and fetal loss using Chi2 analysis. The serotonin release assay (SRA) was performed to assess platelet activation. RESULTS: An increase in C4 activation on platelets greater than 2 fold over baseline, defined by an internal assay standard, and designated complement positive, was seen in 14% of SLE patients with aPL (p CONCLUSION: Sera from patients with aPL demonstrate an enhanced capacity for classical pathway complement activation on platelets. In aPL patients with underlying SLE, this is associated with an increased incidence of arterial thrombosis. Prospective longitudinal studies are warranted to determine the predictive value of enhanced complement fixation on platelets as a marker for arterial thrombosis risk in patients with SLE and aPL.
575. Complete Removal of E-Cadherin from 4T-1 Murine Breast Cancer Cells Has No Effect on Metastasis

Currently accepted models for metastatic progression involve several steps. The first of these, local invasion of the primary tumor, requires detachment from the tumor mass and increased mobility. Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is believed to play an important role in this increased mobility and consequent local invasion. Following local invasion, the tumor cells must intravasate and survive in the bloodstream prior to extravasation. Once the metastatic tumor cells have completed these steps, it is believed that the invading cells must undergo Mesenchymal to Epithelial Transition (MET), returning to their epithelial phenotype, in order to effectively establish metastasis. Importantly, E-cadherin expression positively correlates with the epithelial status of the cell. As part of the EMT mechanism, the change from E-cadherin to N-cadherin is driven by the ZEB and SNAIL family transcription factors. Loss of E-cadherin contributes to the increased cell motility associated with EMT by reducing the number of cell-cell contacts, allowing the cell to emerge from its local tissue environment. On the contrary, during MET, the re-expression of E-cadherin reestablishes cell connections.In order to test the requirement of MET during the final stages of metastasis, we used Cas9 to knock-out E-cadherin in the murine breast cancer cell line 4T1. As a result, the cells converted to a mesenchymal-like morphology. We hypothesized that the permanent disruption of the E-cadherin gene would prevent the cancer cells from undergoing MET thereby suppressing their ability to form metastasis. Surprisingly, upon implantation of the modified 4T1 cells, there was no difference in the appearance of metastasis as compared to the control. Both parental and E-cadherin knock-out 4T1 cells were able to form metastasis in the lung. These results demonstrate that E-cadherin is not necessary for the metastatic process in 4T1 cells. Further, the study suggests that MET may not be crucial during the final stages of metastasis. More detailed understanding of when MET is required, if at all, during metastatic progression will help to shape treatment strategies and continued research of metastatic disease.
The Effect of Aramid and Metaphosphate Fibers on Macrophage Viability and Function

This study was designed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of a number of asbestos substitute fibers on primary rat alveolar macrophages (AMs) and a mouse macrophage-Iike cell line (J774A.1) in vitro. Following 24- and 48-hour incubations, the cells were observed under phase contrast microscopy for changes in cell morphology and cell viability was assessed using trypan blue exclusion. A viability index (VI) was calculated to reflect changes in both cell number and cell viability. All of the materials studied produced a concentration-dependent reduction in VI. In addition, both Kevlar and calcium sodium metaphosphate (CSMP) fibers produced a concentration- dependent release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from primary AMs. Finally, no chemotaxis was observed in response to either Kevlar or CSMP fiber alone, but both fibers stimulated measurable concentration-dependent chemotaxis when incubated with AMs. These results suggest that all of the materials were cytotoxic to AMs in vitro in the form and at the concentrations (25, 250 µg/mL) used in this study and can affect AM function. What effect these materials have on the human health remains to be determined.
211At-Labeled Small-Molecule PSMA Inhibitors: Effect of Structure on Biodistribution in Mice

1433 Objectives Radiolabeled small-molecule PSMA inhibitors are currently under clinical investigation as imaging and radiotherapeutic agents for prostate cancer (PC). Astatine-211 is a 7.2-h radiohalogen emitting short range, high linear energy transfer alpha particles well suited for treatment of PC micrometastases. Such an application requires an optimized biodistribution where the agent rapidly clears from non-target organs including kidneys. Here we report the preparation and biodistribution of five 211At-labeled agents. Methods Compounds 1-5 were labeled with 131I or 211At by the reaction of the respective stannylated precursor (triester) with 131I- or 211At in methanol containing N-chlorosuccinimide and acetic acid followed by concentration, acid hydrolysis and purification by high-performance liquid chromatography. PSMA inhibitory activity was measured by the Amplex Red glutamic acid assay. Biodistribution was performed using an IV bolus of 185 kBq (5 µCi) into mice bearing both PSMA+ PC3-PIP and PSMA- PC3-flu flank xenografts. Organs were harvested at 1, 2, 4, and 21 h post injection (n = 5 per time point). Results All agents were potent inhibitors [Ki = 1, (0.01), 2 (0.3), 3 (6.8), 4 (1.8), 5 (0.01) nM]. [211At]1-4 exhibited high kidney uptake at 1 h (99 ± 27 %ID/g) that cleared to 5.8 ± 6.9 %ID/g at 21 h except for [211At]1 (57 ± 7.4 %ID/g). [211At]5 had a lower 1 h kidney uptake (46.7 ± 8.2 %ID/g), which cleared (2.6% ± 0.8 %ID/g at 21 h, post-injection). [211At]5 also had a higher tumor uptake at 1 h (43.2 ± 9.8 %ID/g) compared to [211At]1-4 (17.8 ± 4.6 %ID/g). By 21 h tumor decreased to 12.2 ±5.3 %ID/g for [211At]2-5 but [211At]1 increased to 31.1 ± 9.8 %ID/g. [211At]1, 4, and 5 had significant stomach accumulation at 21 h (9.4-12.6 %ID/g) indicating possible de-astatination. Thyroid uptake at 21 h was 6.5 ± 2.0, 2.2 ± 1.0, 0.9 ± 0.1, 3.7 ± 1.4, and 3.8 ± 0.6 %ID/organ for [211At]1-5, respectively. Compared to [211At]5, [131I]5 had a higher 1 h kidney and tumor uptake (106 ± 19 and 78 ± 19 %ID/g) that cleared to 3.1 ± 1.6 and 23 ± 22 %ID/g at 21 h but lower stomach and thyroid uptake (0.10 ± 0.04 %ID/g and 0.40 ± 0.05 %ID/organ at 21 h). Conclusions Although exhibiting possible deastatination in vivo, [211At]5, with its high initial tumor uptake and lowest kidney uptake, is a promising agent for further study.
Intrinsic Photosensitivity Enhances Motility of T Lymphocytes.

Sunlight has important biological effects in human skin. Ultraviolet (UV) light striking the epidermis catalyzes the synthesis of Vitamin D and triggers melanin production. Although a causative element in skin cancers, sunlight is also associated with positive health outcomes including reduced incidences of autoimmune diseases and cancers. The mechanisms, however, by which light affects immune function remain unclear. Here we describe direct photon sensing in human and mouse T lymphocytes, a cell-type highly abundant in skin. Blue light irradiation at low doses (<300 mJ cm−2) triggers synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in T cells revealed by the genetically encoded reporter HyPerRed. In turn, H2O2 activates a Src kinase/phospholipase C-γ1 (PLC-γ1) signaling pathway and Ca2+ mobilization. Pharmacologic inhibition or genetic disruption of Lck kinase, PLC-γ1 or the T cell receptor complex inhibits light-evoked Ca2+ transients. Notably, both light and H2O2 enhance T-cell motility in a Lck-dependent manner. Thus, T lymphocytes possess intrinsic photosensitivity and this property may enhance their motility in skin.