cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can Cognitive Radio Support Broadband Wireless Access

One application of cognitive radios is to provide broadband wireless access (BWA) in the licensed TV bands on a secondary access basis. This concept is examined to see under what conditions BWA could be viable. Rural areas require long range communication which cognitive radios may not be able to support with enough secondary spectrum. Urban areas have less available spectrum and the BWA must use shorter ranges with greater spatial reuse. Furthermore, it is not clear what regulatory model would best support BWA. This paper considers demographic (urban, rural) and licensing (unlicensed, nonexclusive licensed, exclusive licensed) dimensions. A general BWA efficiency and economic analysis tool is developed and then example parameters corresponding to each of these regimes are derived. The results indicate that in rural areas an unlicensed model is viable and the additional spectrum would be useful despite existing unlicensed spectrum. In the densest urban areas the licensed models are not viable. This is not simply because there is less unused spectrum in urban areas. Urban area cognitive radios are constrained to short ranges and many broadband alternatives already exist. As a result the cost per subscriber is high. An unlicensed model is viable in urban areas, however the spectrum needs can be met with existing unlicensed spectrum. These results provide useful input for a variety of spectrum policy issues.
Multicultural evidence-based assessment using the achenbach system of empirically based assessment (ASEBA) for ages 1½-90+

Evidence-based assessment is a prerequisite for evidence-based mental health services. This article reviews the development, components, and multicultural applications of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA). The ASEBA includes standardized forms for obtaining self- and collateral-reports of evidence for behavioral, emotional, social, and thought problems and strengths. The problems are scored on empirically based syndromes and DSM-oriented scales. The syndromes have been supported by confirmatory factor analyses of ASEBA data from 54 societies. The strengths are scored on competence, adaptive functioning, and personal strengths scales. Translations of ASEBA forms are available in more than 100 languages. Reports of the ASEBA’s use have been published for more than 100 societies and cultural groups. Multicultural norms incorporate data from population samples in 54 societies. ASEBA software enables users to systematically compare data from self- and informant-reports regarding the person being assessed. The Multicultural Family Assessment Module (MFAM) compares scores for children and their parents in relation to norms for age, gender, the type of informant, and user-selected societies. Standardized multicultural evidence-based assessment facilitates communication and collaboration between mental health providers and researchers around the world.
Finite volume solution of two-step hyperbolic conduction in casting sand

Abstract Finite volume method is applied for the solution of two-step hyperbolic conduction equations to describe the short time transient heat conduction through casting sand when two energy carriers (sand and air) are not in thermal equilibrium. Numerical results show favorable agreement with the existing experimental data.
Regional Uveal Response to Increased Nutritional Needs in the Retinal Zone of the Developing Eye Demonstrated in an Eye With Retinoblastoma

The outer layers of the normal retina depend on indirect nutrition originating in the choriocapillaris and supplied to the retina by way of the pigment epithelium. An eye with exophytic retinoblastoma is used to demonstrate increased vascularity and tissue substance in the adjacent choroid believed to be indirectly induced by a regional increase in nutritional requirements in the retinal zone of a developing eye.
Model Experiments and the Theory of Sintering

Although men have been sintering ceramics and metals for thousands of years, the understanding of the fundamentals of the process was developed only during the past 50 years. Until the last war all sintering experiments were performed on powder compacts and consisted in measuring the overall density of such a compact as a function of time and temperature. The details of the geometry of the contacts between the individual particles are so complex and so unknown that the development of a quantitative theory from these bulk results would be hopeless. Between the wars no one bothered to construct a detailed theory suitable for comparison with experiments. The authors of the papers reporting on the relation between some property of a compact and time or temperature of sintering were content with qualitative and rather vague statements that densification was due to some type of flow such as diffusion or plastic flow, the latter was very popular among metallurgists. The readers interested in the early development in the field of powder technology are referred to the proceedings of the 1942 MIT Powder Metallurgy Conference edited by Professor Wulff [1].
Well-Defined Polyisoprene-b-Poly(acrylic acid)/Polystyrene-b-Polyisoprene-b-Poly(acrylic acid) Block Copolymers: Synthesis and Their Self-Assembled Hierarchical Structures in Aqueous Media

The synthesis and characterization of well-defined polyacid based block copolymers containing polyisoprene (PI) are reported. The challenge of maintaining the integrity of the polydiene while producing polyacid from the tert-butyl ester precursor is addressed in this communication. A general purification method was also developed, taking advantage of the different polarities of each block. The polystyrene-b-polyisoprene-b-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PI-b-PAA) triblock terpolymers form multicompartmental micelles via aqueous self-assembly. Our work reveals the morphological consequences of unique balances among global and local interactions.
Combining acquisition and image processing methods to improve evaluation of arial wall scar patterns after pulmonary vein isolation

Background Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is a therapy to treat patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) but suffers a >30% recurrence rate. Studies have shown that gaps in the scar pattern encircling the pulmonary veins are linked to recurrence. Co-registering angiography images of the atrial blood pool to late gadolinium enhanced (LGE) images of the atrial wall to determine scar pattern suffer from differences in respiratory positions and resolution between the images. In addition, current image processing methods are cumbersome and require multiple viewing angles of the left atrial wall to assess the degree of encirclement. The goal of this study is to use a single imaging sequence twice: first to acquire angiographic images of the left atrium, followed by a second acquisition to acquire scar images of the atrial wall. We also present a novel visualization method to easily quantify the degree of scar encirclement.
Molecular imaging at the interface of optical imaging and nuclear medicine

This presentation will explore the broad synergies between the fields of optical imaging and nuclear medicine, including photonic-based nuclear medicine detectors, Cerenkov luminescence imaging, x-ray activated luminescence imaging and hybrid optical/nuclear medicine systems.
Imidazole Buffer Its Use in Blood Clotting Studies.

SummaryMixtures of imidazole and hydrochloric acid covering the pH range 6.2 to 7.8 are described. These mixtures are recommended as buffers for reactions which require the presence of calcium ion.
Achieving Near-term, Aircraft-like Reusable Space Access *

Before the United States can practically expand its human space operations, the ability to transport passengers and cargo to low Earth orbit with aircraft-like safety and operability must be established. Contrary to popular belief, the critical technologies and system engineering principles and practices necessary to develop and deploy near-term, fully-reusable space access systems exist today. This paper describes how the design and operational heritage of aircraft, particularly military aircraft, can be used to develop the systems integrity processes that will guide the development and operation of reusable space access systems intended for the safe, routine, and frequent transport of passengers and cargo. This paper continues with a general description of special considerations that should be explored in defining the conceptual design of a near-term, aircraft-like, reusable space access system. The paper concludes with a brief introduction to the conceptual design of a near-term reusable space access system responsive to the system integrity considerations addressed in this paper.
Influence of Larval Clover Root Curculio (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Injury on Carbohydrate Root Reserves and Yield of Alfalfa

Field studies were conducted from 1983 to 1986 in two stands of alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., to investigate effects of feeding by larvae of the clover root curculio (CRC), Sitona hispidulus (F.). Total nonstructural carbohydrate root reserves were significantly reduced by CRC damage during the period of larval feeding. Root reserve reduction was correlated with the percentage of taproot surface area damaged, and this negative effect remained significant for about 1 mo after cessation of larval feeding. Significantly greater mortality of alfalfa plants occurred after 1 yr of CRC feeding in untreated plots compared with plots treated with soil insecticides. Significant dry weight yield reductions (approximately 14%) attributable to CRC injury occurred in the first and second harvests of 1984, in the second harvest of 1985, and in the third harvest of 1986. Dry weight yields were not significantly affected by CRC injury in 1983.
Trypsin suppression of pancreatic enzyme secretion: differential effect on cholecystokinin release and the enteropancreatic reflex

We have recently demonstrated that intraduodenal perfusion of trypsin inhibits phenylalanine-stimulated pancreatic enzyme secretion by suppression of release of cholecystokinin (CCK). It is not known whether trypsin in the duodenum inhibits pancreatic secretion stimulated by a cholinergic mechanism. To investigate this question gastrointestinal intubation and perfusion were performed in 12 healthy subjects. Volume and osmoreceptors in the duodenum, which are known to elicit pancreatic secretion through cholinergic pathways, were stimulated by infusing increasing volumes (1.0, 2.5, and 5.0 ml/min) of normal saline or increasing osmolality (300, 400, 500 mosmol) of NaCl solution. Increasing the rates of intraduodenal perfusion of normal saline or increasing the osmolality of the duodenal perfusates caused a dose-related increase in pancreatic trypsin and chymotrypsin outputs without affecting basal plasma CCK levels (0.9 +/- 0.1 pM). The volume- or osmolality-stimulated pancreatic secretions were abolished by atropine, but not by intraduodenal perfusion of trypsin. In contrast, intraduodenal perfusion of phenylalanine (10 mM) produced a significant increase in plasma CCK levels (6.7 +/- 0.8 pM) and a three- to fourfold increase in pancreatic enzyme outputs. Perfusion of the duodenum with bovine trypsin (1 g/L) reduced the plasma CCK levels to basal values and significantly attenuated the phenylalanine-stimulated enzyme secretion to 63% +/- 4% of control. Simultaneous administration of atropine and intraduodenal perfusion of trypsin completely abolished the pancreatic enzyme response to phenylalanine stimulation. These studies indicate that the intestinal phase of human pancreatic enzyme secretion is under both hormonal and neural control. Intraduodenal trypsin inhibits only pancreatic secretion mediated by CCK release, and not that mediated by cholinergic mechanisms. These observations suggest that feedback regulation of pancreatic enzyme secretion is stimulus specific.
Ureteropelvic junction disruption following blunt abdominal trauma

Disruptions of the ureteropelvic junction following blunt abdominal trauma are rare. Our recent management of 8 cases (7 patients) revealed that an immediate diagnosis of this entity was made in less than 50% of the patients. The majority of delayed diagnoses occurred when the patients experienced absence of hematuria associated with nonresponsive hypovolemic shock. The clinical instability of the patients required emergency celiotomy for stabilization and precluded our obtaining appropriate contrast enhanced radiographic studies. Retroperitoneal findings at operation failed to reveal evidence of a perinephric hematoma. The kidneys were palpably normal and, therefore, they were not directly examined. Despite these negative retroperitoneal findings the patients sustained disruption of the ureteropelvic junction. Therefore, we stress that a negative exploratory laparotomy without direct visualization of the kidney should not exclude radiographic evaluations for retroperitoneal injuries.
CCC7-119 Reactive Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Hot Spot Growth in Shocked Energetic Materials

The purpose of this work is to understand how defects control initiation in energetic materials used in stockpile components; Sequoia gives us the core-count to run very large-scale simulations of up to 10 million atoms and; Using an OpenMP threaded implementation of the ReaxFF package in LAMMPS, we have been able to get good parallel efficiency running on 16k nodes of Sequoia, with 1 hardware thread per core.
Nanoclusters of Silver and Gold Atoms

AbstractResults of recent state-of-the-art quantum mechanical calculations of the formation energies in vacuum at 0 K of Agn-1 i and Agn+ clusters for 3≤n≤9 allow dissociation energies of Agn+ clusters to be calculated. The values over this range of sizes are inconsistent with the chemical and photochemical processes proposed in the photo-aggregation theory of latent image formation and chemical development. They are also in fundamental disagreement with zralues calculated by the classical molecules-in-clusters method. According to the quantum mechanical calculations, the Agn+ clusters could not exist with an effective lifetime in the positively charged state in the silver halide crystal or in an aqueous medium. The tetrahedron, as the most stable form for Ag4+ and Ag4+, is also excluded in favour of a planar rhombic form. This paper discusses experimental and theoretical studies of the structure of nanoclusters of Ag and Au atoms and a probable growth sequence from n = 2 to n = 13. The conclusion is reac...
Assessing the Genesis of Stalinism

Before perestroika, the limits of political discourse were marked by the need of the Communist Party to monopolize the legitimation of the political system.1 The intelligentsia enjoyed a degree of autonomy when conflict divided the political elite or when the leadership sought to generate discussion of its policy preferences in order to weaken opposition. Partial autonomy also derived from efforts by the political center to cast light on bureaucratic malfeasance and noncompliance.2 Most important, during periods of reform the intelligentsia benefited from leadership attempts to improve the performance of the system by loosening ideological restrictions. But when heterodox ideas threatened the authority of the party, the leadership and elite closed ranks, controls were reimposed, and the intelligentsia was forced into silence or a traditional mobilizing role.3
Steady-State D3HE Proton Production in an IEC Fusion Device

Inertial electrostatic confinement of ions has been successfully used to achieve conditions necessary for the fusion of advanced fuels, such as 3 He. This type of device at the University of Wisconsin was the first to produce steady-state D 3 He fusion, and has since produced up to 7 x 10 6 14.7 MeV proton/s from the D 3 He fusion reaction. The factors influencing the reaction rate and the experimental results are discussed.
Requirements, techniques, and costs for contaminant removal from landfill gas

Waste-to-energy projects are an increasingly prominent component of future energy portfolios. Landfill gas (LFG)-to-energy (LFGTE) projects are particularly important as they address greenhouse gas emissions. Contaminants in LFG may hamper these projects both from environmental and economic standpoints. The purpose of this review is to highlight key aspects (LFG composition ranges, LFG flowrates, and allowable tolerances for LFGTE technologies, performance and costs for contaminant removal by adsorption). Removal of key contaminants, H2S and siloxanes, by adsorption are surveyed in terms of adsorption capacities and regeneration abilities. Based on the open literature, costing analyses are tabulated and discussed. The findings indicate economics of contaminant removal depend heavily on the feed concentrations of contaminants, allowable tolerances for the LFGTE technology, and the current market for the product. Key trends, identification of challenges, and general purification guidelines for purifying LFG for energy projects are also discussed.
Kinematic and block theory analyses for shiplock slopes of the three Gorges dam site in China

The granitic rock mass that exists in the shiplock region of the Three Gorges dam site contains a number of major discontinuities and about four sets of minor discontinuities. One hundred and thirty three major discontinuities have been mapped around the shiplock covering an area of 1740×600 m. These major discontinuities were used to perform rock slope kinematic and block theory analyses. Kinematic analyses were performed under the following two cases: (1) assuming all the mapped discontinuities cross the shiplock; (2) using only discontinuities that actually intersect the shiplock. Under case (1) and case (2) the shiplock faces in the proposed permanent shiplock region in fresh rock were found to be stable up to a cut slope of about 45° and 58°, respectively. Block theory was applied to identify different block types that exist on the shiplock faces and to estimate the maximum safe slope angles on the shiplock faces. The orientations of the major discontinuities that actually intersect the shiplocks were considered in this analysis. The total length of the shiplock (1750 m) was divided into 50 m segments. From the stereo-plots, the key blocks (Type I) and/or potential key blocks (Type II) were found for only five segments of the shiplock slopes. It was found that the dip of the cut slope should be less than about 60° to avoid creation of a key block on the proposed shiplock slopes. However, it is important to keep in mind that these conclusions are based on the kinematic analyses performed using only the major discontinuities. Further kinematic as well as kinetic analyses are recommended incorporating minor discontinuities, water forces, earthquake forces etc. before making the final conclusions about the maximum safe slope angle for the shiplock region.
Engaging Conflict While Fostering Cooperation: An Organizational Case Study

This case study chapter is about a primary care-focused medical school that undertook a strategic planning process using Action Evaluation in order to craft a new mission statement and build greater alignment among its faculty and administrators. A conflict soon emerged between two identity groups (primary care and specialist physicians) causing the Action Evaluation process to be put on hold. Consultants switched to the ARIA conflict engagement model to help bring out Antagonism from the past and Resonance in the present and eventually move back into Action Evaluation for the future.
Cognitive Abilities in Bilinguals in L1 and L2

The proportion of individuals who speak more than one language in the United States has significantly increased. Although there are apparent cultural benefits for children who are bilingual, providing instruction and proper evaluation of bilinguals’ cognitive abilities comes with significant challenges. These challenges are exacerbated by the limited research in this area and the known impact speaking two languages has on individuals’ cognitive abilities. In this chapter, the authors highlight the challenges of conducting cognitive assessments with bilinguals. The authors also propose a culturally and linguistically responsive framework for minimizing bias in the assessment of cognitive abilities of bilinguals. The proposed framework is composed of four steps that encourages practitioners to: (1) assess their client’s behavioral and linguistic acculturation; (2) assess their clients’ verbal language abilities in both languages; (3) determine potential issues with comparing their clients’ cognitive abilities with the normative samples of available tests; and (4) select most appropriate test given the client’s sociocultural/behavioral background, language abilities, and appropriateness of available tests. Implications for clinical practice are also discussed.
Grain boundary plane manipulation in directionally solidified bicrystals and tricrystals

Abstract We report a novel crystal growth technique for manipulating the grain structure of directionally solidified bicrystals, tricrystals, and other higher order oligocrystals. Controlling both the direction of local heat flux and the thermodynamic forces acting on the grain boundary, we can continuously vary grain boundary position and orientation, a level of control not possible using traditional processing strategies. This processing method can now specify many combinations of the five crystallographic grain boundary parameters in a single specimen, meaning large portions of both the grain boundary and triple junction parameter spaces can be sampled quickly and efficiently.
Factors related to tree growth across urban-rural gradients in the Midwest, USA

Several environmental factors influence tree growth at any site. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between biotic and abiotic factors and tree growth rate (mean ring width averaged over the last 10 years) in settings ranging from urban to rural. Six “clusters”, each with five communities and two rural parks, were sampled in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, for a total sample of 320 trees. Within each community, trees in parks, and along residential and commercial streets were sampled. Five species were sampled: silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.), honeylocust, (Gleditisia triacanthos L.), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis L.), black maple (Acer nigrum Michx F.), and basswood (Tilia americana L.). Factors were investigated for three scenarios: (i) all trees sampled in all clusters, (ii) a single species, all clusters, and (iii) all species, a single cluster. Baseline variables (cluster, place population, site, species, and age) accounted for 49–71% of observed variation in growth rate. Combined biotic factors accounted for 5 to 6% of observed variation. For all species in a single cluster, combined abiotic factors accounted for 11% of observed variation. Biotic factors related to growth rate detected using multivariate analyses included number of other trees within 9 m, presence of disease and insects, and human-induced mechanical injury. Abiotic factors that were related to tree growth included presence of pavement and core bulk density. For trees in rural parks, number of other trees within 20 m, and for trees in both rural and community parks, number of other trees within 9 m of sample trees were associated with decreased growth rate.
Subunits of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae signal recognition particle required for its functional expression.

Abstract The signal recognition particle (SRP) is an evolutionarily conserved ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex that functions in protein targeting to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. Only two protein subunits of the SRP, Srp54p and Sec65p, and the RNA subunit, scR1, were previously known in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Purification of yeast SRP by immunoaffinity chromatography revealed five additional proteins. Amino acid sequencing and cloning of the genes encoding four of these proteins demonstrated that the yeast SRP contains homologs (termed Srp14p, Srp68p and Srp72p) of the SRP14, SRP68 and SRP72 subunits found in mammalian SRP. The yeast SRP also contains a 21 kDa protein (termed Srp21p) that is not homologous to any protein in mammalian SRP. An additional 7 kDa protein may correspond to the mammalian SRP9. Disruption of any one of the four genes encoding the newly identified SRP proteins results in slow cell growth and inefficient protein translocation across the ER membrane. These phenotypes are indistinguishable from those resulting from the disruption of genes encoding SRP components identified previously. These data indicate that a lack of any of the analyzed SRP components results in loss of SRP function. ScR1 RNA and SRP proteins are at reduced levels in cells lacking any one of the newly identified proteins. In contrast, SRP components are present at near wild type levels and SRP subparticles are present in cells lacking either Srp54p or Sec65p. Thus Srp14p, Srp21p, Srp68p and Srp72p, but not Sec65p or Srp54p, are required for stable expression of the yeast SRP.
Automated social network analysis as a tool for evaluating sociability

Although the tools for mediating Internet-based learning communities have exploded in the last few years, our theoretical understanding of how to evaluate attempts to build online communities has lagged behind (Carroll, 2001). We used automated tools to build social network maps of an educational children's multi-user virtual environment using two modes of CMC. Internal "E-mail" was most frequently used within groups. Short "telegram" messages were frequently used within groups but also provided between-group interaction.
Density and Regression Estimates

Many of the methods considered thus far are intimately tied up with the harmonic analysis of stationary processes. In this chapter we shall consider procedures intuitively based on the model of a smoothed histogram. First we consider some elementary results for sequences of independent random variables. Our object is not that of generality, rather that of understanding. Later on, it will be seen that there are counterparts of these results for independent identically distributed random variables in the domain of suitably restricted stationary processes.
Minimum heat flux (MHF) behavior with different surface characteristics including structured surfaces and different surface energies

Abstract In a series of quenching experiments with smooth/structure hydrophilic/hydrophobic surfaces, the effects of surface wettability and surface structures on the minimum heat flux (MHF) behavior are observed. For a hydrophilic structure surface, early transition from film boiling to transition boiling at the MHF point occurs at the highest temperature (324 °C) in this experimental study. A smooth hydrophilic surface has 274 °C as the MHF temperature while a hydrophobic smooth surface shows the MHF behavior at lower temperature (208.8 °C). In contrast, there is no observable film destabilization with an observable MHF behavior on a hydrophobic structured surface during the quenching process. The test results are described by considering liquid-solid intermittent contact with an oscillating film interface in this study. For the intermittent contact, an equilibrium condition is proposed to describe the boiling transition with surface characteristics.
Ultra-High Pressure Dynamic Compression of Geological Materials

Dynamic compression experiments on geological materials are important for understanding the composition and physical state of the deep interior of the Earth and other planets. These experiments also provide insights into impact processes relevant to planetary formation and evolution. Recently, new techniques for dynamic compression using high-powered lasers and pulsed-power systems have been developed. These methods allow for compression on timescales ranging from nanoseconds to microseconds and can often achieve substantially higher pressures than earlier gas-gun-based loading techniques. The capability to produce shockless (ramp) compression provides access to new regimes of pressure-temperature space while new diagnostics allow for a more detailed understanding of the structure and physical properties of materials under dynamic loading. This review summarizes these recent advances, focusing on results for geological materials at ultra-high pressures above 200 GPa.
Developing the Next Generation of iPSC Cell-Based Immunotherapies

T cells are potentially curative for patients with metastatic cancer, but many patients with cancer have T cells that are 9terminally differentiated9, a condition associated with treatment failure. We have observed that less differentiated T cells have a greater capacity to proliferate, persist and destroy large cancer deposits. Advances in regenerative medicine might allow the generation of rejuvenated T cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). We have previously reported that T cells can be generated from iPSC in vitro by co-culturing them OP9 stromal cells expressing Notch-1 ligand, Delta-like-1 (OP9/DLL1). These cells have limited tumor-specificity but also exhibit unconventional and NK cell-like properties demonstrating lineage diversion into alternative lymphoid development pathways, with unknown consequences for their safety and efficacy. To generate iPSC-derived T cells with more naturalistic tumor-specific T cell programs, we sought to restore physiologic signals for selection, maturation and survival. We employed a novel 3D thymic culture system using fetal thymic tissue and generated a novel type of T cell, 9iPSC-derived thymic emigrants9 (iTE). Antigen-specific CD8αβ+ iTE exhibited functional properties in vitro that were almost indistinguishable from natural naive CD8αβ+ T cells, including vigorous expansion and robust anti-tumor activity. iPSC-derived immature T cells generated using OP9/DLL1 and 9educated9 in fetal thymic organoids in a 3D culture system resembled naturally-occurring 9young9 T cells, as analyzed using whole genome RNA-seq techniques. iTE recapitulated many of the transcriptional programs of naive T cells in vivo and revealed a striking capacity for engraftment, memory formation and efficient tumor destruction. Although many milestones remain, our data show that 9Next-Gen9 autologous tumor-specific T cells can realistically be generated from iPSC using 3D thymic organ tissue. Our next goal is now to employ these cells to treat patients with metastatic cancer because iPSC-derived T cells have a potentially unlimited capacity for proliferation, engraftment and anti-tumor activity. Disclosures Vizcardo:NCI: Patents & Royalties: International Patent Application PCT/US2017/65986. Klemen:NIH/NCI: Patents & Royalties: International Patent Application PCT/US2017/65986. Restifo:NIH/NCI: Patents & Royalties: International Patent Application PCT/US2017/65986.
Histochemical study of the sulfhydryl groups of tissue proteins in the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion of the cat in states of rest and excitation

Histochemical demonstration of the protein SH-groups in the neurons of the superior cervical sympathetic ganglia of cat in vivo was carried out by perfusing the ganglia with fluid, containing 5-bromoacetyl-3-nitrobenzoic acid. Distribution of protein SH-groups in the neurons detected during perfusion of the ganglion at rest did not differ from that in the same neutrons of fresh tissue sections studied in vitro. During perfusion of the excited sympathetic ganglion an increased concentration of protein SH-groups was detected histochemically; this pointed to the presence of denaturation-like changes in the protein structures of the nerve cells during excitation.
The Activity of Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in KRAS Mutated Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Single Centre Experience.

BACKGROUND/AIM KRAS mutation is the most frequent molecular alteration found in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is associated with a poor prognosis without available targeted therapy. Treatment options for NSCLC have been recently enriched by the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), and data about their efficacy in patients with KRAS-mutant NSCLC are discordant. This study assessed the routine efficacy of ICIs in advanced KRAS-mutant NSCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS All stage IV NSCLC patients treated in our institution from January 2016 to December 2017 with immunotherapy were included in our analysis. We collected the status of KRAS and other mutations, as well as the type of ICI administered. We assessed four clinical outcomes: i) disease control rate (DCR), ii) partial response (PR), iii) progression-free survival (PFS) and iv) overall survival (OS). RESULTS A total of 45 patients were initially identified but 7 were excluded due to insufficient clinical data, so 38 were included in the end. In the KRAS wild-type cohort, the DCR was 59% with 49% PR, while the PFS was 8.4 months and OS 16.8 months. Among KRAS mutated patients, results were more favourable, the DCR was 81%, with 62% PR. PFS was 13.6 months and OS was 18.5 months. The median follow-up was 24 months (17 to 34 months) and 7 patients were still on treatment at the time of analysis. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that KRAS mutation is predictive of a superior response to immunotherapy. Furthermore, the lack of response of STK11 and KRAS co-mutated NSCLC patients to ICIs, is indeed negated by an additional TP53 mutation.
Preparing Future Dentists to Address Oral Health Inequities: The Continuing Need.

Access to care is a sore point for dentistry and continues to be a challenge. When epidemiologic and other data sources are considered, a general but applicable conclusion can be drawn: the population cohort comparatively least in need of care receives the most care, while the population cohort
Inequalities in Meningioma Survival: Results from the National Cancer Database

Background Meningiomas are the second most common primary tumors of the central nervous system. However, there is a paucity of literature examining how healthcare, demographic, and socioeconomic factors impact patient outcomes. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 65,812 patients from the National Cancer Database (NCDB; 2004-2012) who received treatment for their meningioma. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with the overall five-year survival as the primary outcome, and the following factors: facility type, geography, housing area, patient insurance, sex, ethnicity, race, income, and education. The multivariate model was adjusted for patient age, co-morbidity, tumor size, behavior, and treatment strategy. Results Diagnosis and treatment at an academic/research program, private insurance, female sex, Hispanic ethnicity, and high school diploma conferred a survival advantage on both univariate and multivariate analyses. Conclusions Disparities in survival outcomes in patients with meningiomas exist across multiple healthcare, demographic, and socioeconomic factors. Additional research is needed to elucidate the genetic and environmental factors driving these inequalities.
On the Rate of Approximation by Müntz Polynomials Satisfying Constraints

The rate of approximation to functions in C0[0,1] by means of Muntz polynomials the coefficients of which satisfy some growth restrictions is discussed. Relations between the size of the restricting constants and the speed of the approximation process are derived in various cases.
Chapter 16 – Crustaceans

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the Crustaceans that form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. Of the three groups of common crustaceans found in rivers, two are small in size, but easily visible, and the third is easily seen and known to just about everybody who has explored freshwater habitats. The order Isopoda includes the small animals known as aquatic sow bugs. Aquatic sow bugs have their familiar counterparts in the terrestrial environment known as pill bugs that are found in moist earth under rocks and other objects. Members of the order Amphipoda are somewhat similar in size and shape to the isopods and are commonly known as scuds, freshwater shrimp, or sideswimmers. The order Decapoda includes the larger and more conspicuous crayfish and shrimp. All three orders are in the class Malacostraca of the subphylum Crustacea. Crustaceans, in general, are omnivorous and carnivorous. They have well-developed chemosensory systems by which they are able to find food and mates. Other senses are also highly developed. Crustaceans generally require cold, clean water where dissolved oxygen concentrations are high. This, coupled with the fact that they feed on a wide variety of food material and concentrate chemicals within their bodies, makes them ideal test organisms for biomonitoring studies and for use as “indicator organisms” to foretell possible habitat degradation.
Vascularized Composite Parietal Bone Flap for Immediate Reconstruction of a Hemi-Maxillectomy Defect in an Infant.

BACKGROUND Surgical resection of maxillary tumors can result in defects that can be difficult to reconstruct by conventional means due to the complex functional and anatomic nature of the midface and lack of regional bone flap options in the head and neck. Many reconstructive methods have been used to repair maxillary defects, but the ideal technique for the reconstruction of hemi-maxillectomy defects in growing pediatric patients has yet to be determined. METHODS The authors present a rare pediatric patient with melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy resulting in a hemi-maxillectomy defect after resection that was reconstructed using a pedicled vascularized composite flap consisting of temporalis muscle, pericranium, and parietal bone. RESULTS The patient achieved successful long-term bony reconstruction of his right maxilla with this flap. Stable skeletal fixation with adequate orbital support was maintained over a >3-year follow-up period. CONCLUSION A vascularized composite parietal bone flap is a reliable reconstructive option for reconstruction of large maxillectomy defects providing low donor-site morbidity, adequate globe support, excellent long-term skeletal stability, and malar symmetry in rapidly growing pediatric patients. Successful reconstruction for a rare patient with maxillary melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy requiring hemi-maxillectomy was demonstrated with >3-year follow-up.
A modular polymer microbead angiogenesis scaffold to characterize the effects of adhesion ligand density on angiogenic sprouting.

Abstract Three-dimensional micro-physiological in vitro representations of human tissues and organs are emerging as important models of human pathophysiology and stand to make a significant impact on the process of drug discovery and development. An enduring need is to create microvascular networks within such 3D models, particularly for tissues with high metabolic demand such as the liver, pancreas, and the central nervous system. Here we report a facile approach to drive angiogenesis in nascent 3D culture models by embedding degradable hydrogel microbeads coated with induced pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells (MB-iPSC-ECs) in a dense epithelial tissue. Specifically, we describe an approach to optimize microbead scaffold cues, independent of the external environment, by evaluating the iPSC-EC to microbead adhesion properties and how they influence the propensity of cells to both coat microbeads uniformly and undergo sprouting angiogenesis. We encapsulated MB-iPSC-ECs in PEG hydrogels, systematically varied the relative concentration of integrin-targeting peptide motifs in the microbead and surrounding environment, and found that an optimal microbead scaffold ligand regime of 0.1–0.25 mM promotes iPSC-EC monolayer formation and subsequent invasion into the synthetic matrix. We used these results to predict the regime of adhesion ligand required to promote angiogenesis of MB-iPSC-ECs in a co-culture hepatocarcinoma (HEPG2) microtissue model. This modular degradable microbead platform has the potential to promote angiogenic sprouting, which may ultimately support vascularization of a variety of cell-dense tissues.
Real Time Baseball Augmented Reality

As cellular phones grow faster and become equipped with better sensors, consumers are seeing a rise in augmented reality applications available on their mobile devices. Sports augmented reality is one area that is projected to grow over the next couple of years. We aim to build an application intended for use at a live baseball game. Our application optimizes a best-fit homography to locate the structure of the playing field. From there, we are able to visualize information and statistics directly onto the user's mobile device. This is accomplished in real time, requiring minimal input from the user. Type of Report: MS Project Report Department of Computer Science & Engineering Washington University in St. Louis Campus Box 1045 St. Louis, MO 63130 ph: (314) 935-6160 Real Time Baseball Augmented Reality Adam Kraft awk1@cec.wustl.edu
The Surface of the Ocean

The surface of the ocean could appropriately be called “the interdisciplinary interface.” It has been studied by chemical oceanographers interested in the types and quantities of organic and inorganic species which accumulate and the reasons for their accumulation, it has been studied by biological oceanographers interested in the biological populations which have evolved to habitate a specialized ecological niche. It has been studied by atmospheric scientists interested in tracing the origins of atmospheric aerosols and it has also been studied by fluid mechanicians, hydro-dynamicists, and other physical scientists interested in processes such as gas and heat exchange, circulation, and wave generation.
A simple solution to the strong CP-problem

We suggest soft breaking of Peccei-Quinn symmetry as a simple solution to the strongCP problem without the presence of the axion. In the context of theSU(2)L×U(1) model, it is shown how settingθtree=0 keeps θ calculable and, furthermore, extremely small: θ≲10−16. Unlike in the case of the axion the model is free from the cosmological domain wall problem. Possible extension of this idea to grand unification is discussed.
Political Aid and Arab Activism: Democracy Promotion, Justice, and Representation

What does it mean to promote 'transitions to democracy' in the Middle East? How have North American, European and multilateral projects advanced human rights, authoritarian retrenchment or Western domination? This book examines transnational programs in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Yemen, Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria, the exceptional cases of Palestine and Iraq, and the Arab region at large during two tumultuous decades. To understand the controversial and contradictory effects of political aid, Sheila Carapico analyzes discursive and professional practices in four key subfields: the rule of law, electoral design and monitoring, women's political empowerment and civil society. From the institutional arrangements for extraordinary undertakings such as Saddam Hussein's trial or Palestinian elections to routine templates for national women's machineries or NGO networks, her research explores the paradoxes and jurisdictional disputes confronted by Arab activists for justice, representation and 'non-governmental' agency.
Estimating function from structure in epileptics using graph diffusion model

The relationship between anatomic and resting state functional connectivity (FC) of large-scale brain networks has been of interest and has been investigated in a number of articles. In a recent article we introduced a graph diffusion model which predicts the functional network from the structural network in healthy brains. In this work we apply the graph diffusion model to two types of epilepsy, medial temporal sclerosis epilepsy (TLE-MTS), and MRI-normal temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE-no). We show that it is possible to estimate function from structure in non-healthy brains. We conclude that TLE-MTS on average requires a higher graph diffusion depth to estimate FC than both the healthy or the TLE-no groups. This suggests that an overly strong FC/SC relationship might be a sign of poor brain condition.
Antibodies to Chick‐Tendon Procollagen

Antisera were prepared by immunizing a rabbit with procollagen synthesized and secreted by cells from chick embryo tendons. Specific antibodies were then purified from the antisera by using an immunoadsorbent which contained the isolated NHz-terminal extensions of procollagen. The purified antibodies were shown to react specifically with intact procollagen as well as with procollagen in which the interchain disulfide bonds were ruptured by reduction under non-denaturing conditions. The antibodies also reacted with the pro-a1 chain but not the pro-a2 chain isolated from the procollagen. There was no reaction after the intrachain bonds in the pro-a chains of the procollagen were reduced under denaturing conditions and alkylated. In the course of characterizing the antibodies it was shown that the NH2-terminal extensions on the two pro-a1 chains and the one pro-a2 chain of type I procollagen are non-identical. Also, it was shown that the serum of chick embryos contains an antigen which reacts with the specific antibodies to procollagen. Collagen is synthesized by connective tissue cells in a precursor form called procollagen which is larger than the collagen molecule because of peptide extensions on the NH2-terminal end of each of the three a chains (for recent review, see [l]). The amino-acid composition of the extensions differs from that of collagen and it includes cysteine and tryptophan, aminoacids which are not found in collagen itself. A large fraction of the procollagen synthesized and secreted by cells from chick embryo tendons has been shown to consist of pro-a chains linked by interchain disulfide bonds [2]. Interchain disulfide bonds have also been demonstrated in procollagens from cultured fibroblasts [3,4], membranous bone [5,6], and lens cells from chick embryos [7]. Antibodies against the NH2-terminals extensions of procollagen have recently been prepared by using procollagen from three different sources for immunization. Purified antibodies to the NH2-terminal extension of procollagen which was extracted from the skin of cattle with the disease called dermatosparaxis were shqwn to react both with the native procollagen from the skin of the diseased cattle and with the isolated polypeptide chains from this form of procollagen [S]. Enzymes. Collagenase or clostridiopeptidase A (EC
The Degree of Image Degradation and the Depth of Amblyopia

PURPOSE To determine whether the depth of monocular form-deprivation amblyopia is dependent on the degree of retinal image degradation. METHODS Chronic monocular form deprivation was produced in nine infant rhesus monkeys by securing one of three different strengths of diffuser spectacle lenses in front of the treated eye and a clear zero-powered lens in front of the fellow eye. Three infant monkeys reared with plano lenses in front of both eyes provided control data. The treatment lenses were worn continuously from approximately 3 weeks of age for periods ranging between 11 and 19 weeks. When the monkeys were approximately 18 months of age, psychophysical procedures were used to measure the effects of the rearing procedures on the spatial contrast sensitivity function for each eye. RESULTS The treated eyes of all nine diffuser-reared monkeys showed contrast sensitivity deficits that were indicative of amblyopia. On average, the interocular grating acuity difference increased systematically from 0.6 octaves for the weakest diffuser lens to 2.3 +/- 0.7 and 3.5 +/- 0.8 octaves for the intermediate and strongest diffuser lenses, respectively. There was a close correspondence between the magnitude of the amblyopic deficits and the reduction in retinal image contrast produced by the diffuser lenses. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that the depth of monocular, nonstrabismic amblyopia is strongly influenced by the degree of retinal image degradation experienced early in life.