cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Meat consumption, ornithine decarboxylase gene polymorphism, and outcomes after colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Background: Dietary arginine and meat consumption are implicated in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression via polyamine-dependent processes. Polymorphism in the polyamine-regulatory gene, ornithine decarboxylase 1 (Odc1, rs2302615) is prognostic for CRC-specific mortality. Here, we examined joint effects of meat consumption and Odc1 polymorphism on CRC-specific mortality. Materials and Methods: The analytic cohort was comprised of 329 incident stage I-III CRC cases diagnosed 1994-1996 with follow- up through March 2008. Odc1 genotyping was conducted using primers that amplify a 172-bp fragment containing the polymorphic base at +316. Dietary questionnaires were administered at cohort entry. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis for CRC-specific mortality was stratified by tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) stage, and adjusted for clinically relevant variables, plus meat consumption (as a continuous variable, i.e., the number of medium-sized servings/week), Odc1 genotype, and a term representing the meat consumption and Odc1 genotype interaction. The primary outcome was the interaction of Odc1 and meat intake on CRC-specific mortality, as assessed by departures from multiplicative joint effects. Results: Odc1 genotype distribution was 51% GG, 49% GA/AA. In the multivariate model, there was a significant interaction between meat consumption and Odc1 genotype, P-int = 0.01. Among Odc1 GA/AA CRC cases in meat consumption Quartiles 1-3, increased mortality risk was observed when compared to GG cases (adjusted hazards ratio (HR) = 7.06 [95% CI 2.34-21.28]) - a difference not found among cases in the highest dietary meat consumption Quartile 4. Conclusions: Effects of meat consumption on CRC-specific mortality risk differ based on genetic polymorphism at Odc1. These results provide further evidence that polyamine metabolism and its modulation by dietary factors such as meat may have relevance to CRC outcomes.
3D Ultrasound-Guided Motion Compensation System for Beating Heart Mitral Valve Repair

Beating heart intracardiac procedures promise significant benefits for patients, however, the fast motion of the heart poses serious challenges to surgeons. We present a new 3D ultrasound-guided motion (3DUS) compensation system that synchronizes instrument motion with the heart. The system utilizes the fact that the motion of some intracardiac structures, including the mitral valve annulus, is largely constrained to translation along one axis. This allows the development of a real-time 3DUS tissue tracker which we integrate with a 1 degree-of-freedom actuated surgical instrument, real-time 3DUS instrument tracker, and predictive filter to devise a system with synchronization accuracy of 1.8 mm RMSE. User studies involving the deployment of surgical anchors in a simulated mitral annuloplasty procedure demonstrate that the system increases success rates by over 100%. Furthermore, it enables more careful anchor deployment by reducing forces to the tissue by 50% while allowing instruments to remain in contact with the tissue for longer periods.
Computer Vision Techniques for Worker Motion Analysis to Reduce Musculoskeletal Disorders in Construction

Worker health is a serious issue in construction. Injuries and illnesses result in days away from work and incur tremendous costs for construction organizations. Musculoskeletal disorders, in particular, constitute a major category of worker injury. The repetitive movements, awkward postures, and forceful exertions involved in trade work are leading causes of this type of injury. To reduce the number of these injuries, worker activities must be tracked and analyzed. Traditional methods to measure work activities rely upon manual on-site observations which are time-consuming and inefficient. To address these limitations, computer vision techniques for worker motion analysis are proposed to automatically identify non-ergonomic postures and movements without on-site work interruption. Specifically, we intend to acquire 2D skeleton extracting joints from image sequences and, while obtaining 3D coordinates for each joint, reconstruct 3D human skeletons for each frame; these then can be used for diverse ergonomic analyses (e.g., joint angle comparisons with the suggested ergonomic guidelines for trades). In this paper, we therefore discuss how 3D skeleton video images can be reconstructed with two 2D skeleton images recorded from two network surveillance cameras. The results demonstrate that the obtained 3D skeleton video with coordinates of joints have enough detail to be used for motion analysis and have great potential to identify non-ergonomic postures and movements. This information can be used to reduce musculoskeletal disorders in the construction industry.
Caseload in Special Education: An Integration of Research Findings:

Despite escalating special education costs and increasing student needs, policies governing special education caseload remain inconsistent, and implementation is even more variable. This article considers links between (a) instructional group size and student engagement, (b) caseload and academic achievement, and (c) caseload and special education teacher attrition. Findings suggest that (a) larger caseloads and instructional group sizes negatively impact student math and reading achievement; (b) severity of students' needs sway teacher perceptions of efficacy; (c) group or whole class instruction dominates all class sizes, but individualization occurs more frequently in smaller groups; (d) student attending behaviors and academic engagement increase when group sizes decrease; and (e) high teacher attrition and high caseloads appear correlated. Recommendations for future research are discussed.
Studies in program obfuscation

Program obfuscation is the software analog to the problem of tamper-proofing hardware. The goal of program obfuscation is to construct a compiler, called an "obfuscator," that garbles the code of a computer program while maintaining its functionality. Commercial products exist to perform this procedure, but they do not provide a rigorous security guarantee. Over the past decade, program obfuscation has been studied by the theoretical cryptography community, where rigorous definitions of security have been proposed and obfuscators have been constructed for sonic, families of programs. This thesis presents three contributions based on the virtual black-box security definition of Barak et al [10]. First, we show tight connections between obfuscation and symmetric-key encryption. Specifically, obfuscation can be used to construct an encryption scheme with strong leakage resilience and key-dependent message security. The converse is also true, and these connections scale with the level of security desired. As a result, the known constructions and impossibility results for each primitive carry over to the other. Second, we present two new security definitions that augment the virtual black-box property to incorporate non-malleability. The virtual black-box definition does not prevent an adversary from modifying an obfuscated program intelligently. By contrast, our new definitions provide software with the same security guarantees as tamper-proof and tamper-evident hardware, respectively. The first definition prohibits tampering, and the second definition requires that tampering is detectable after the fact. We construct non-malleable obfuscators of both flavors for some program families of interest. Third, we present an obfuscator for programs that test for membership in a hyperplane. This generalizes prior works that obfuscate equality testing. We prove the security of the obfuscator under a new strong variant of the Decisional Diffie-Hellman assumption that holds in the generic group model. Additionally, we show a cryptographic application of the new obfuscator to leakage- resilient one-time digital signatures. The thesis also includes a survey of the prior results in the field. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Usefulness of Cardiac Index and Peak Exercise Oxygen Consumption for Determining Priority for Cardiac Transplantation

Decisions regarding cardiac transplantation listing are difficult in patients with heart failure who have relatively discordant peak exercise oxygen consumption (Vo(2)) and cardiac index (CI) values. One hundred five patients with heart failure who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing and right-sided cardiac catheterization for transplantation evaluation were studied. Patients were divided into 4 groups on the basis of peak Vo(2) and CI: group 1, Vo(2) > or = 12 ml/min/kg, CI > or = 1.8 L/min/m(2) (n = 30); group 2, Vo(2) > or = 12 ml/min/kg, CI or = 1.8 L/min/m(2) (n = 25); and group 4, Vo(2) <12 ml/min/kg, CI <1.8 L/min/m(2) (n = 23). Groups were compared for event-free (death or ventricular assist device) survival. The overall CI was 1.9 + or - 0.4 L/min/m(2) and peak Vo(2) was 12.4 + or - 2.8 ml/min/kg; values in the 4 groups were as follows: group 1, peak Vo(2) 14.7 + or - 2.1 ml/min/kg, CI 2.2 + or - 0.3 L/min/m(2); group 2, peak VO(2) 14.2 + or - 1.3 ml/min/kg, CI 1.5 + or - 0.2 L/min/m(2); group 3, peak Vo(2) 10.2 + or - 1.3 ml/min/kg, CI 2.1 + or - 0.3 L/min/m(2); and group 4, peak Vo(2) 9.7 + or - 2.0 ml/min/kg, CI 1.6 + or - 0.2 L/min/m(2). After a median follow-up period of 3.7 years, 28 patients (26.0%) had events. Event-free survival was 96%, 95%, 96%, and 79% for 6 months (p = 0.04); 88%, 81%, 90%, and 73% for 12 months (p = 0.09); 88%, 73%, 85%, and 65% for 18 months (p = 0.11); and 83%, 73%, 79%, and 53% for 24 months (p = 0.06) for groups 1 to 4, respectively. Median survival was 5.1, 3.0, 3.9, and 2.6 years, respectively, in groups 1 to 4 (p = 0.052). In conclusion, almost half the patients had relatively discordant peak Vo(2) and CI measurements. Patients with lower peak Vo(2) values but relatively preserved CI values had survival comparable to post-transplantation survival, whereas those with low CI but preserved Vo(2) had a lower survival rate. These results suggest that the former group may be safely monitored on medical therapy, whereas the latter may benefit from early listing.
Development of a microtitre ELISA to quantify development of Cryptosporidium parvum in vitro

An in situ enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to evaluate growth of Cryptosporidium parvum in vitro. Ninety-six-well tissue culture microtitre plates were each seeded with 4.0 X 104 human ileocecal adenocarcinoma (HCT-8) cells, then infected with CsCl-purified oocysts 24 h later. The growth medium consisted of RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, 15 mM HEPES (JV-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine N−2-ethanesulfonic acid), 50 mM glucose, 1 μg ml−1 folic acid, 4 μg ml−1 4-aminobenzoic acid, 2 μg ml−1 pantothenic acid and 35 μg ml−1 ascorbic acid. Incubation conditions were at 37 ° C in a 5% CO2/95% humidified air incubator. Oocysts were allowed to excyst in situ so that sporozoites could infect cells directly. Monolayers were then washed, new medium added, and infected cells re-incubated. Levels of infection were assessed 48 h later using a rat anti-C. parvum polyvalent antiserum directed against purified parasite membranes, followed by a goat anti-rat IgG conjugated to horseradish peroxidase and 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethyl-benzidine as substrate. Using various parasite inoculating doses and incubation times, optimal results were obtained using a 90-min exposure of host cells to 2.5−3.0 × 104 oocysts/well. Evaluation of various concentrations of four anti-microbials (monensin, lasalocid, paromomycin and sulfadimethoxine) in the system resulted in the acquisition of precise dose-response curves for each compound.
Radar echoes from the sun

The study of the sun by radar which was begun less than five years ago should become a valuable supplement to the study, by other methods, of the sun and interplanetary space. High powered transmitters and large antennas are required to detect a solar echo. Frequencies less than 50 Mc should be optimum, primarily because of increasing coronal absorption with increasing frequency. Routine observations were begun by the Lincoln Laboaratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in April, 1961, at a site near El Campo, Texas. Observations since that time have been made on about 200 days per year. The transmitter has an average power output of 500 kw and operates at a frequency of 38.2 Mc. The system includes two cross-polarized antennas consisting of large arrays of dipoles. These antennas have maximum gains of 33 and 36 db. The received solar echo is usually 20 to 30 db below the solar noise and signal integration is required to detect the echo. The average measured solar radar cross section is approximately equal to that of the projected area of the photosphere although there are large fluctuations about the mean. Some possible reasons for these variations in cross section are discussed. The Doppler spreading of the solar echoes varies between 20 and 70 kc and is apparently due to mass motions on the sun. These indicated mass motions are large enough to affect the coronal temperature measurements made by the emission-line broadening method. The peaks of these spectra are usually shifted in the positive Doppler direction by about 4 kc. This shift implies a solar wind at the level of reflection. A theoretical solar model is developed to help explain some of the characteristics of the solar echo. Suggestions are made for improved equipment and procedures that should result in more significant solar radar results in the future. A system sensitivity increase of at least 10 db is needed in order to overcome the effects of non-Gaussian noise during times of solar activity, and an increase of at least 30 db is needed to study the echo from the quiet sun without signal integration.
The Adoptability of Inno Va Tions An Empirical Assessment of Computer Applications in Local Governments

Adoptability is the probability that an innovation will be incorprated by an organization. This study explores the question of the adoptability of an innovation for a particular class of technological innovations, computer applications, within the context of American local governments. Four conceptual dimensions are explored to determine their likely independent and interactive influences upon the adoptability of an innovation.
18O/16O mapping and hydrogeology of a short-lived (≈10 years) fumarolic (>500°C) meteoric–hydrothermal event in the upper part of the 0.76 Ma Bishop Tuff outflow sheet, California

^(18)O/^(16)O data from the 200-m-thick, 0.76 Ma Bishop Tuff outflow sheet provide evidence for a vigorous, short-lived (≈10 years), high-temperature, fumarolic meteoric–hydrothermal event. This is proved by: (1) the juxtaposition in the upper, partially welded Bishop Tuff of low-^(18)O groundmass/glass (δ^(18)O=−5 to +3) with coexisting quartz and feldspar phenocrysts having magmatic δ^(18)O values (+8.7±0.3; +7.5±0.3); and (2) the fact that these kinds of ^(18)O/^(16)O signatures correlate very well with morphological features and mapped zones of fumarolic activity. Profiles of δ^(18)O with depth in the Bishop Tuff within the fumarole area define a 40- to 50-m-thick, low-^(18)O, stratigraphic zone that is sandwiched between the essentially unwelded near-surface portion of the tuff and an underlying, densely welded black tuff that displays magmatic ^(18)O/^(16)O values. Shallow-dipping columnar joints and other fumarolic features (i.e., subhorizontal tubular conduits and steep fissures) correlate very well with these pervasively devitrified, low-^(18)O zones. The base of the low-^(18)O zone is extremely sharp (∼3‰ per meter) and is located directly above the transition from partially welded tuff to densely welded black tuff. The observed average whole-rock ^(18)O-depletions within this low-^(18)O zone are about 6–7‰, requiring meteoric water/rock ratios in excess of 0.24 in mass units. Rainfall on the surface of the tuff would not have been high enough to supply this much H_2O in the short lifetime of fumarolic activity, suggesting that some recharge must have been from groundwater flow through the upper part of the tuff, above the sloping (1°–5°) top of the impermeable lower zone. This is compatible with the observation that the fumarolic areas roughly correlate with the preeruptive regional drainage pattern. Some of this recharge may in part have been from the lake that filled Long Valley caldera, which was dammed by the Bishop Tuff up to the level of this boundary between the partially and densely welded zones (≈7000 ft, the elevation of the highest Long Valley Lake shorelines). Gazis et al. had previously shown that the 2.8-Ma intracaldera Chegem Tuff from the Caucasus Mountains exhibits exactly the same kind of ^(18)O-signature that we have correlated with fossil fumaroles in the Bishop Tuff outflow sheet. Although not recognized as such by McConnell et al.; ^(18)O/^(16)O data from drill-hole samples from the intracaldera Bishop Tuff in Long Valley also display this characteristic 18O signature (i.e., analogous δ^(18)O-depth profiles, as well as low-^(18)O groundmass coexisting with high-^(18)O feldspar phenocrysts). This fumarolic ^(18)O/^(16)O signature is observed to much greater depths (≈650–750 m) in the intracaldera tuffs (≈1500 m thick) than it is in the ≈200-m-thick Bishop Tuff outflow sheet (≈80 m depth).
Juvenile Traumatic Brain Injury Increases Alcohol Consumption and Reward in Female Mice

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is closely and bi-directionally linked with alcohol use, as by some estimates intoxication is the direct or indirect cause of one-third to one-half of all TBI cases. Alcohol use following injury can reduce the efficacy of rehabilitation and increase the chances for additional injury. Finally, TBI itself may be a risk factor for the development of alcohol use disorders. Children who suffer TBIs have poorer life outcomes and more risk of substance abuse. We used a standardized closed-head injury to model mild traumatic brain injuries. We found that mice injured as juveniles but not during adulthood exhibited much greater alcohol self-administration in adulthood. Further, this phenomenon was limited to female mice. Using behavioral testing, including conditioned place preference assays, we showed that early injuries increase the rewarding properties of alcohol. Environmental enrichment administered after injury reduced axonal degeneration and prevented the increase in dr...
Built-in EVM measurement for OFDM transceivers using all-digital DFT

In this paper, we present a technique to enable accurate built-in measurement of EVM for OFDM transceivers. This measurement technique only relies on the decoded bit pattern, and does not require any additional test equipment. In order to accurately predict EVM without using analog signal analysis, we intentionally code more symbols into the bit pattern in test mode, which enables the decoding of IQ signals in finer granularity. We present an innovative DFT technique to measure EVM on-chip with very little overhead. We also provide an analytical framework to determine how the DFT technique needs to be implemented. Experimental results using MATLAB simulations and hardware measurements confirm the accuracy of the proposed technique.
Intranasal Fentanyl Spray: A Novel Dosage Form for the Treatment of Breakthrough Cancer Pain:

Objective:To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, adverse events, dosing, and administration of intranasal fentanyl spray in the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain (BTCP) in adults.Data Sources:Relevant published data were identified using PubMed from inception to April 2012 using the search terms fentanyl nasal spray, intranasal fentanyl, intranasal fentanyl cancer pain, and fentanyl pectin cancer pain. Only articles evaluating the use of intranasal fentanyl spray for cancer pain were selected.Study Selection and Data Extraction:All articles evaluating the pharmacokinetics of intranasal fentanyl or the clinical efficacy of intranasal fentanyl spray for the treatment of BTCP were considered; references of selected articles were manually reviewed to identify further articles. The manufacturer of intranasal fentanyl spray was also contacted to obtain information.Data Synthesis:Intranasal fentanyl spray gained Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of BTCP in adul...
The Cairo Archives for the Study of Èlites in Modern Egypt

Western scholarship is today at work ‘rediscovering’ the Egyptian archives. After a decade of relative absence, scholars have in the past few years converged on Cairo in ever growing numbers to mine the archival treasures hidden away in mosques, palaces, and old public buildings. Between 1968 and 1970 American scholars researched eight archive projects, Europeans several more; and in 1971–2 The American Research Center in Egypt administered 29 projects (a near threefold increase from the immediately preceding years), of which 18 proposed to use archival material 1 .
Cattle and the Cash Economy: Responses to Change Among Tibetan Nomadic Pastoralists in Sichuan, China

This paper discusses how Tibetan pastoralists living in Sichuan Province, China, have responded to recent state-initiated economic reforms. Individual households have increased their involvements in the new market economy, although the nature and extent of those involvements have been conditioned by local resource availability and proximity to markets. People have begun purchasing a varied array of modern consumption goods, they have increased their sales of pastoral products and sold more products whose prices have risen. Younger men also have begun working for wages in local towns. However, households have continued to resist government outreach offices' directives on herd management and marketing, to treat animals as commodities to be bought and sold to achieve some target herd size. The paper evaluates these findings in light of longstanding anthropological debates about the economic rationality of pastoralist practices.
Global methylation profiling of lymphoblastoid cell lines reveals epigenetic contributions to autism spectrum disorders and a novel autism candidate gene, RORA, whose protein product is reduced in autistic brain

Autism is currently considered a multigene disorder with epigenetic influences. To investigate the contribution of DNA methylation to autism spectrum disorders, we have recently completed large-scale methylation profiling by CpG island microarray analysis of lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from monozygotic twins discordant for diagnosis of autism and their nonautistic siblings. Methylation profiling revealed many candidate genes differentially methylated between discordant MZ twins as well as between both twins and nonautistic siblings. Bioinformatics analysis of the differentially methylated genes demonstrated enrichment for high-level functions including gene transcription, nervous system development, cell death/survival, and other biological processes implicated in autism. The methylation status of 2 of these candidate genes, BCL-2 and retinoic acid-related orphan receptor alpha (RORA), was further confirmed by bisulfite sequencing and methylation-specific PCR, respectively. Immunohistochemical analyses of tissue arrays containing slices of the cerebellum and frontal cortex of autistic and age- and sex-matched control subjects revealed decreased expression of RORA and BCL-2 proteins in the autistic brain. Our data thus confirm the role of epigenetic regulation of gene expression via differential DNA methylation in idiopathic autism, and furthermore link molecular changes in a peripheral cell model with brain pathobiology in autism.—Nguyen, A., Rauch, T. A., Pfeifer, G. P., Hu, V. W. Global methylation profiling of lymphoblastoid cell lines reveals epigenetic contributions to autism spectrum disorders and a novel autism candidate gene, RORA, whose protein product is reduced in autistic brain.
Fission Products Distribution in TRISO Coated Fuel Particles Irradiated to 3.22 X 1021 n/cm2 Fast Fluence at 1092°C

Mechanisms by which fission products (especially silver [Ag]) migrate across the coating layers of tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated fuel particles designed for next generation nuclear reactors have been the subject of a variety of research activities due to the complex nature of the migration mechanisms. This paper presents results obtained from the electron microscopic examination of selected irradiated TRISO coated particles from fuel compact 1-3-1 irradiated in the first Advanced Gas Reactor experiment (AGR-1) that was performed as part of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) project. It is of specific interest to study particles of this compact as they were fabricated using a different carrier gas composition ratio for the SiC layer deposition compared with the baseline coated fuel particles reported on previously. Basic scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and SEM montage investigations of the particles indicate a correlation between the distribution of fission product precipitates and the proximity of the inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC)-silicon carbide (SiC) interface to the fuel kernel. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) samples were sectioned by focused ion beam (FIB) technique from the IPyC layer, the SiC layer and the IPyC-SiC interlayer of the coated fuel particle. Detailed TEM and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were performed to identify fission products and characterize their distribution across the IPyC and SiC layers in the areas examined. Results indicate the presence of palladium-silicon-uranium (Pd-Si-U), Pd-Si, Pd-U, Pd, U, U-Si precipitates in the SiC layer and the presence of Pd-Si-U, Pd-Si, U-Si, U precipitates in the IPyC layer. No Ag-containing precipitates are evident in the IPyC or SiC layers. With increased distance from the IPyC-SiC interface, there are less U-containing precipitates, however, such precipitates are present across nearly the entire SiC layer.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Dual-Mode Low-Drop-Out Regulator/Power Gate With Linear and On–Off Conduction for Microprocessor Core On-Die Supply Voltages in 14 nm

A dual-mode digital power gate (PG) and linear low-drop-out regulator (LDO) has been demonstrated in 14 nm. A modified flipped source follower driver circuit is used to minimize dI / dt droops. The LDO has a novel compensation method which utilizes capacitance multiplication and can drive a 1–7 $\upmu\text{F}$ load without any external compensation elements. This LDO exhibits high-current drive capability (3 A) at low-dropout voltages ( $ ) and high-current efficiency ( $> {99}\%$ ), making it suitable to drive a microprocessor core.
Temperature Dependence of Internal Motions of Protein Side-Chain NH3+ Groups: Insight into Energy Barriers for Transient Breakage of Hydrogen Bonds

Although charged side chains play important roles in protein function, their dynamic properties are not well understood. Nuclear magnetic resonance methods for investigating the dynamics of lysine side-chain NH3+ groups were established recently. Using this methodology, we have studied the temperature dependence of the internal motions of the lysine side-chain NH3+ groups that form ion pairs with DNA phosphate groups in the HoxD9 homeodomain–DNA complex. For these NH3+ groups, we determined order parameters and correlation times for bond rotations and reorientations at 15, 22, 28, and 35 °C. The order parameters were found to be virtually constant in this temperature range. In contrast, the bond-rotation correlation times of the NH3+ groups were found to depend strongly on temperature. On the basis of transition state theory, the energy barriers for NH3+ rotations were analyzed and compared to those for CH3 rotations. Enthalpies of activation for NH3+ rotations were found to be significantly higher than t...
Dual neurocircuitry dysfunctions in disruptive behavior disorders: emotional responding and response inhibition.

Background To determine the functional integrity of the neural systems involved in emotional responding/regulation and response control/inhibition in youth (age 10–18 years) with disruptive behavioral disorders (DBDs: conduct disorder and/or oppositional defiant disorder) as a function of callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Method Twenty-eight healthy youths and 35 youths with DBD [high CU (HCU), n = 18; low CU (LCU), n = 17] performed the fMRI Affective Stroop task. Participants viewed positive, neutral, and negative images under varying levels of cognitive load. A 3-way ANOVA (group×emotion by task) was conducted on the BOLD response data. Results Youth with DBD-HCU showed significantly less activation of ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and amygdala in response to negative stimuli, compared to healthy youth and youth with DBD-LCU. vmPFC responsiveness was inversely related to CU symptoms in DBD. Youth with DBD-LCU showed decreased functional connectivity between amygdala and regions including inferior frontal gyrus in response to emotional stimuli. Youth with DBD (LCU and HCU) additionally showed decreased insula responsiveness to high load (incongruent trials) compared to healthy youth. Insula responsiveness was inversely related to ADHD symptoms in DBD. Conclusions These data reveal two forms of pathophysiology in DBD. One associated with reduced amygdala and vmPFC responses to negative stimuli and related to increased CU traits. Another associated with reduced insula responses during high load task trials and related to ADHD symptoms. Appropriate treatment will need to be individualized according to the patient's specific pathophysiology.
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated stimulation of retinal ganglion cell photoreceptors

Melanopsin-dependent phototransduction in intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) involves a Gq-coupled phospholipase C (PLC) signaling cascade. Acetylcholine, released in the mammalian retina by starburst amacrine cells, can also activate Gq-PLC pathways through certain muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs). Using multielectrode array recordings of rat retinas, we demonstrate that robust spiking responses can be evoked in neonatal and adult ipRGCs after bath application of the muscarinic agonist carbachol. The stimulatory action of carbachol on ipRGCs was a direct effect, as confirmed through calcium imaging experiments on isolated ipRGCs in purified cultures. Using flickering (6 Hz) yellow light stimuli at irradiances below the threshold for melanopsin activation, spiking responses could be elicited in ipRGCs that were suppressed by mAChR antagonism. Therefore, this work identified a novel melanopsin-independent pathway for stimulating sustained spiking in ganglion cell photoreceptors. This mAChR-mediated pathway could enhance ipRGC spiking responses in conditions known to evoke retinal acetylcholine release, such as those involving flickering or moving visual stimuli. Furthermore, this work identifies a pharmacological approach for light-independent ipRGC stimulation that could be targeted by mAChR agonists.
Financial Quantum Computing (Presentation Slides)

Quantum computers can be used to solve some of the hardest problems in Finance. In this presentation we discuss some applications.
Utilizing pyrolysis GC-MS to characterize organic matter quality in relation to methane production in a thermokarst lake sediment core

Abstract Thermokarst (thaw) lakes are an important source of atmospheric CH4; however, few studies have examined the composition and biodegradability of their sediment organic matter (OM). We have quantified the (i) composition of bulk sediment OM (bulk SOM) using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and (ii) statistical relationships between bulk SOM properties and anaerobic incubation CH4 production rate at 3 °C in sediment core samples from a thermokarst lake system. The study extended through the full vertically-thawed profile (0–550 cm) of Vault Lake, a small thermokarst lake near Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, and into the permafrost thawing beneath the lake (551–590 cm). Compared with the underlying mineral-dominated sediments (153–590 cm depth in core), the surface organic-rich sediment horizon (0–152 cm) had higher CH4 production rate, greater substrate availability indicated by percent organic carbon and total nitrogen, and greater proportions of terrestrially-associated bulk SOM compounds (alkanes, alkenes, lignin products, and phenols and phenolic precursors). Correlation and principal component analyses indicated that CH4 production potential values measured in the core were positively associated with initial substrate availability and terrestrially-derived OM compounds. We observed positive correlation (p ⩽ 0.05) between CH4 production and bulk SOM compounds classified as phenols and phenolic precursors, a pattern different from previously observed relationships in natural aquatic anaerobic environments.
A CSA model-based nuclear powek plant consultant

An experimental computer-based nuclear power plant consultant is described. The inference procedures interpret observations of a particular plant situation in terms of a commonsense algorithm network model that characterizes the normal and abnormal events of a pressurized water reactor plant. This paper discusses the knowledge and control structures, and illustrates the operation of the system with situations from the accident at Three Mile Island.
Alcohol Withdrawal and Lithium Toxicity: A Novel Psychiatric Mannequin-Based Simulation Case for Medical Students.

Introduction High-fidelity mannequin-based simulation is frequently used to compliment medical student education during clinical clerkships. However, psychiatric educators have not broadly adopted ...
Stromules: Probing Formation and Function.

Stromules are plastid stroma-filled tubules that increase the surface area of the envelope and extend the reach of the plastid within the plant cell, affecting biosynthesis, metabolism, and signaling.
Adjuvant therapy in patients with clear cell endometrial carcinoma: An analysis of the National Cancer Database.

Abstract Objective To assess the impact of adjuvant treatment, sociodemographic and tumor factors on the survival of patients with non-metastatic clear cell endometrial carcinoma (CCC). Methods 4298 patients treated from 1998 to 2011 with Stage I–IVA CCC were identified within the National Cancer Database. FIGO 2009 staging system was used. Adjuvant groups included: hysterectomy (HYS); HYS+vaginal brachytherapy (VBT); HYS+chemotherapy (CT); HYS+external beam radiation therapy (EBRT); HYS+CT+EBRT; and HYS+CT+VBT. Univariable (UVA) and multivariable (MVA) frailty survival analyses were performed. Results On UVA, higher stage was associated with an increased risk of death. Compared to stage I–IA, the risk of death for stage IB was HR 1.75 (95% CI, 1.50–2.04; p p p p p p p p =0.001), greater comorbidity score ( p =0.001), increasing age ( p p p =0.26). Conclusion Adjuvant therapy did not have a meaningful effect on survival in this sample from the National Cancer Center Database. Given the aggressive nature of the disease, clinical trials are required to determine the optimal adjuvant therapy in patients with non-metastatic CCC to improve clinical outcomes.
Expectancy Effects on Self-Reported Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Simulated Neurofeedback: A Pilot Study.

Objective Expectancy is a psychological factor that can impact treatment effectiveness. Research on neurofeedback for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) suggests expectancy may contribute to treatment outcomes, though evidence for expectancy as an explanatory factor is sparse. This pilot study investigated the effects of expectancies on self-reported ADHD symptoms in simulated neurofeedback. Method Forty-six adults who were concerned that they had ADHD expected to receive active neurofeedback, but were randomly assigned to receive a placebo with false feedback indicating attentive (positive false feedback) or inattentive (negative false feedback) states. Effects of the expectancy manipulation were measured on an ADHD self-report scale. Results Large expectancy effects were found, such that individuals who received positive false feedback reported significant decreases in ADHD symptoms, whereas individuals who received negative false feedback reported significant increases in ADHD symptoms. Conclusions Findings suggest that expectancy should be considered as an explanatory mechanism for ADHD symptom change in response to neurofeedback.
Automated Pulmonary Embolism Risk Classification and Guideline Adherence for Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography Ordering.

Background The assessment of clinical guideline adherence for the evaluation of pulmonary embolism (PE) via computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) currently requires either labor-intensive, retrospective chart review or prospective collection of PE risk scores at the time of CTPA order. The recording of clinical data in a structured manner in the electronic health record (EHR) may make it possible to automate the calculation of a patient's PE risk classification and determine whether the CTPA order was guideline concordant. Objectives The objective of this study was to measure the performance of automated, structured data-only versions of the Wells and revised Geneva risk scores in emergency department (ED) encounters during which a CTPA was ordered. The hypothesis was that such an automated method would classify a patient's PE risk with high accuracy compared to manual chart review. Methods We developed automated, structured data-only versions of the Wells and revised Geneva risk scores to classify 212 ED encounters during which a CTPA was performed as "PE likely" or "PE unlikely." We then combined these classifications with D-dimer ordering data to assess each encounter as guideline concordant or discordant. The accuracy of these automated classifications and assessments of guideline concordance were determined by comparing them to classifications and concordance based on the complete Wells and revised Geneva scores derived via abstractor manual chart review. Results The automatically derived Wells and revised Geneva risk classifications were 91.5 and 92% accurate compared to the manually determined classifications, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between guideline adherence calculated by the automated scores compared to manual chart review (Wells, 70.8% vs. 75%, p = 0.33; revised Geneva, 65.6% vs. 66%, p = 0.92). Conclusion The Wells and revised Geneva score risk classifications can be approximated with high accuracy using automated extraction of structured EHR data elements in patients who received a CTPA. Combining these automated scores with D-dimer ordering data allows for the automated assessment of clinical guideline adherence for CTPA ordering in the ED, without the burden of manual chart review.
Using Geographic Information Science to Estimate Vulnerable Urban Populations for Flood Hazard and Risk Assessment in New York City

The research presented in this chapter seeks to demonstrate a new method to more accurately estimate populations vulnerable to hazards, especially in densely developed mega-cities, and to characterize at-risk populations based on measures of social, physical, and health vulnerability. Emergency management and disaster preparation, planning, mitigation, and recovery requires accurate estimation of potentially at-risk populations and sub-populations. Census data alone, however, cannot provide sufficiently detailed knowledge of population location and distribution, particularly in large, hyper-heterogeneous urban areas like New York City. Additionally, specific sub-populations (i.e., racial/ethnic minorities) may be at higher risk, yet under-counted by existing methods of calculating potentially exposed or impacted populations. We discuss two new inter-related methods that employ Geographic Information Science (GISc) to assess and quantify risk and vulnerability: the Cadastral-based Expert Dasymetric System (CEDS) and the New York City Hazard Vulnerability Index (NYCHVI). CEDS uses an expert system and dasymetric mapping to disaggregate population and sub-population data to the property tax lot level. The analysis shows that compared to CEDS, conventional areal weighting of census data and centroid-containment selection methods under count at-risk population for floods by 37 and 72%, respectively. We found that minorities and other vulnerable sub-populations are disproportionately underestimated using traditional methods, which impairs preparedness and relief efforts. NYCHVI provides a straightforward way of assigning a vulnerability rating to populations in potentially impacted areas, and incorporates locally significant factors that are not captured using national models. Used in tandem, CEDS and NYCHVI are effective in characterizing the vulnerable populations and areas subject to flooding and other hazards, enabling significant improvements in estimating vulnerability over prevailing methods.
Health Care Technology and Justice

The title of this paper refers to a subject matter that is already being dealt with by many able scholars, for some of whom it is a central preoccupation. The issue of justice in health care has also been an abiding concern of Joseph Boyle (see, e.g., Boyle, 1977, 1996, 2001). In essays ranging over some 30 years, he has defended a right to health care in developed nations, and has addressed some of the difficulties that arise in a context of finite resources and moral pluralism. In this essay I shall only propose some ideas that I hope will be helpful to Boyle and others who wish to contribute to the ongoing debate on these matters.
Making the List—Theirs (The Interview and After)

One of the most important hurdles that you must pass is getting an interview. While no one else will say it directly, if you don’t have an interview, you don’t have a chance. Even if you were the most desirable candidate a program ever had an application from, without some evidence of interest from you (in the form of an interview) the program will not rank you. The invitation for an interview is also an indication that you are considered competitive for the residency program. Given this importance, how do you go about getting the invitation?
INVESTIGATION OF SYNTHETIC BINDERS BY DIFFERENTIAL THERMAL ANALYSIS AND DILATOMETRY

The pyrolysis of acid catalyzed furfuryl alcohol, phenol formaldehyde and coal tar pitch binders has been studied by differential thermal analysis and dilatometry. Reactions such as the evolution of volatiles, polymerization, and condensation appear as reproducible endothermic and exothermic peaks on the DTA records. Size and location of these peaks not only reflect differences between the binder resins, but also detect changes caused by partial pre-polymerization or by the use of different catalysts. DTA curves are also sensitive to changes in the atmospheric gas, and even to a pressure variation of one atmosphere. Dilatometric curves obtained at the same rate of temperature rise as used in the DTA studies, show that maximum shrinkage rates appear to coincide approximately with regions of greatest endothermic or exothermic activity.
Liver-directed treatment for patients with uveal melanoma hepatic metastasis: A retrospective analysis of overall survival.

9592Background: Despite successful treatment of primary uveal melanomas, up to 50% of patients subsequently develop systemic metastasis, with the liver involved in up to 90% of patients. At our ins...
Evaluation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation, relapse, and survival after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) using two T cell depletion strategies.

7047Background: CMV reactivation after allo-HSCT has been shown to be associated with decreased risk of early relapse. We sought to evaluate the effects of two T cell depletion strategies on the in...
Soil-concrete for use in the 3D printers in the construction of buildings and structures

Nowadays, the construction of cement composite using 3D printers is considered one of the most promising methods of automation of building processes. However, the compositions of cement composites have several disadvantages, such as high cost, short workability and etc. It has been suggested that clay soil as an additive will help to solve these problems partially. The aim of the work is development the cement compositions with clay soil, for use in 3D printers to construction. The composite consists of cement paste with clay soil and additives. To study printability of a composite the rheological properties in a fresh state were studied. The study of the rheological properties of composites was carried out using a flow table test for mortar. The key factor for determining the suitability of the composite for printing was accepted the diameter of the cone after shaking. The test results showed the possibility of replacing cement paste with clay soil up to 25% which leads to a reduction in the cost and an increase in printability with a slight decrease in the strength of the obtained material to 7%. Utilizing of soil from the construction site provides maximum economic efficiency of the material application.
The Strange Career of Urban Homesteading: Low-Income Homeownership and the Transformation of American Housing Policy in the Late Twentieth Century:

This article uses “urban homesteading” to argue that working-class activists played an important role in the transformation of American housing policy from the 1970s through the 1990s. Designed to ...
Feasibility of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Caregivers of Veterans: A Pilot Study:

Purpose: This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility of conducting an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention with caregivers of veterans and to examine the effectiveness of the intervention to ...
Bayesian Applications in Auditory Research

Purpose This article presents a basic exploration of Bayesian inference to inform researchers unfamiliar to this type of analysis of the many advantages this readily available approach provides. Method First, we demonstrate the development of Bayes' theorem, the cornerstone of Bayesian statistics, into an iterative process of updating priors. Working with a few assumptions, including normalcy and conjugacy of prior distribution, we express how one would calculate the posterior distribution using the prior distribution and the likelihood of the parameter. Next, we move to an example in auditory research by considering the effect of sound therapy for reducing the perceived loudness of tinnitus. In this case, as well as most real-world settings, we turn to Markov chain simulations because the assumptions allowing for easy calculations no longer hold. Using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, we can illustrate several analysis solutions given by a straightforward Bayesian approach. Conclusion Bayesian methods a...