cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Device artifact reduction for magnetic resonance imaging of patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and ventricular tachycardia: Late gadolinium enhancement correlation with electroanatomic mapping

Background Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of ventricular scar has been shown to be accurate for detection and characterization of arrhythmia substrates. However, the majority of patients referred for ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation have an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), which obscures image integrity and the clinical utility of MRI. Objective The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a wideband LGE MRI technique for device artifact removal. Methods A novel wideband LGE MRI technique was developed to allow for improved scar evaluation on patients with ICDs. The wideband technique and the standard LGE MRI were tested on 18 patients with ICDs. VT ablation was performed in 13 of 18 patients with either endocardial and/or epicardial approach and the correlation between the scar identified on MRI and electroanatomic mapping (EAM) was analyzed. Results Hyperintensity artifact was present in 16 of 18 of patients using standard MRI, which was eliminated using the wideband LGE and allowed for MRI interpretation in 15 of 16 patients. All patients had ICD lead characteristics confirmed as unchanged post-MRI and had no adverse events. LGE scar was seen in 11 of 18 patients. Among the 15 patients in whom wideband LGE allowed visualization of myocardium, 10 had LGE scar and 5 had normal myocardium in the regions with image artifacts when using the standard LGE. The left ventricular scar size measurements using wideband MRI and EAM were correlated with R 2 = 0.83 and P = .00003. Conclusion Wideband LGE MRI improves the ability to visualize myocardium for clinical interpretation, which correlated well with EAM findings during VT ablation.
Integrating undergraduate laboratories into the curriculum.

Developing a curriculum that integrates laboratory, field, and nonlaboratory experiences requires solid planning, cooperation, and compromise among the faculty members in a department. This is especially true for laboratory experiences where basic skills and familiarity with the different groups of plants and animals carry over to upper-division courses. In an introductory Principles of Biology laboratory, for example, exercises can be designed to give students a clear idea of a statistical distribution and the consequences of random molecular motion. Both concepts are used in nearly all upper-division courses to some extent. Some important but "mechanical" features of courses within a curriculum, such as adopting within the department a single format for writing a scientific paper, will go a long way in tying together different laboratory experiences. Other similar but simpler ideas are to develop appendexes to laboratory exercises that can be used in introductory and upper-division courses, e.g., how to do dilutions, the use of SI units, etc. The latter may be a good way to stimulate departments to think more carefully about continuity and consistency in the design of the overall curriculum. Continuity of instruction from lower-division to upper-division courses and among upper-division courses requires communication between instructors at all levels.
Improvements to the finite-difference time-domain method for calculating the radar cross section of a perfectly conducting target

Several improvements to the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for calculating the radar cross section (RCS) of a perfectly conducting target are presented. Sinusoidal and pulsed FDTD excitations are compared to determine an efficient method of finding the frequency response of targets. The maximum cell size, the minimum number of external cells, and a method to eliminate field storage in the shielded internal volume of perfect conductors to reduce the computer storage requirements of FDTD are discussed. The magnetic-field DC offset induced by surface currents on perfectly conducting objects is observed, and its effects are removed by postprocessing to achieve convergence of the RCS calculations. RCS calculations using the FDTD method in two dimensions are presented for both square and circular infinite cylinders illuminated by both transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarized plane waves. The RCS of a metal cube in three dimensions is also presented. Good agreement between FDTD calculations and theoretical values was achieved for all cases, and parameters necessary to achieve this agreement are examined. >
BREEDING AND POST-BREEDING HABITAT USE BY FOREST MIGRANT SONGBIRDS IN THE MISSOURI OZARKS

Abstract We compared habitat use by forest migrant songbirds during the breeding and post-breeding periods in four Missouri Ozark habitats: mature upland forest, mature riparian forest, 9- to 10-year-old upland forest, and 3- to 4-year-old upland forest created by clearcutting. Adult forest-ground species showed a decrease in abundance in all habitats during the post-breeding period, but hatching-year birds of one of the two forest-ground species were most abundant in early-successional forest during this time. Adults of the two forest-canopy species tended to increase in abundance in 3- to 4-year-old forest from breeding season to post-breeding season. During the breeding season, some forest species were detected with mist-nets in the two early-successional habitats, but infrequently or not at all with point counts in those habitats. Forest birds captured in early-successional habitats during the breeding season may have been nonbreeding floaters, or may have been foraging there from nearby territories i...
The Participation Decision Study: Private School Leaders' Perspectives on Accessing Federal Funding Considering Environmental Factors Influencing NCLB Choice and Competition Mechanisms

The 2011 participation decision study involved exploration into the impact of the external education environment on the decision for private school participation in Federal funding, one deliberately declining player in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001(NCLB) choice and competition equation. In the qualitative collective case, three religiously triangulated Michigan private school decision-makers submitted to semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the external environmental factors was through the lens of Gould and Eldredge's (1977) environmentally oriented theory, punctuated equilibria philosophy of change. Analysis involved layering, direct interpretation, categorical aggregation, and cross-comparison of two external environmental categories identified at literature review (NCLB-content and privatization-dynamic) with numerous major and sub-groupings and space for newly emergent material. The category privatization-dynamics emerged as significant influence, as did the major theme trust and the sub-themes motivational intent, competency, consistency, grapevine, creativity or inspiration, restrictions on curriculum, lack of awareness of opportunities available, and fear of failure. The study included five specific recommendations for leaders of change to explain, predict, and improve organizational performance toward greater synchronization in operation of the NCLB choice and competition mechanisms.
Theoretical Frontiers for Underemployment Research

As the chapters in this volume highlight, a great deal of important theoretical research has been conducted on underemployment in a wide variety of disciplines: industrial-organizational psychology, labor economics, social psychology, sociology, organizational behavior, human resource management, macroeconomics, industrial and labor relations, community psychology, and public policy. Each, in its own way, has contributed to the substantial body of knowledge we currently possess about underemployment. In this chapter, we identify three directions for theory development which we believe are the most important for future research and that have the greatest potential to integrate research from these numerous disciplines.
Diabetic ketoacidosis presenting with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with a variant of complement factor B in an adult: a case report

Non-Shiga toxin-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome is known to be caused by dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway. Infections, drugs, pregnancy, bone marrow transplantation, malignancy, and autoimmune disorders have all been reported to trigger episodes of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no previous reports of an association between diabetic ketoacidosis and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. We describe a case of a 26-year-old Spanish man who presented with diabetic ketoacidosis and was found to have the triad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury. The patient had a normal ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13) activity level, and his renal biopsy demonstrated predominant changes of diabetic glomerulosclerosis with an area compatible with thrombotic microangiopathy suggestive of superimposed atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. Complement sequencing subsequently revealed a potential causative mutation in exon 12 of complement factor B with changes of lysine at amino acid position 533 to an arginine (CFB p.K533R). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of diabetic ketoacidosis presenting with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with a variant of complement factor B in an adult patient.
Ecological Aspects of House Mouse Urinary Chemosignals

Many aspects of house mouse urinary chemosignals have been tested under laboratory conditions over the past 45 years. These phenomena include puberty acceleration, puberty delay, and signals that influence estrus cycles and pregnancy in females (Whitten, 1956; Bruce, 1959; Vandenbergh, 1969; Drickamer, 1977). Some of these effects have been tested under field conditions (Massey and Vandenbergh, 1980, 1981; Coppola and Vandenbergh 1987; Drickamer and Mikesic, 1990; and see reviews by Brown, 1985; Drickamer, 1986; Vandenbergh and Coppola, 1986). Additional findings regarding the fact that phenomena that occur under laboratory conditions do occur in natural or semi-natural settings are needed to provide a more complete picture of the manner in which house mice, and possibly other rodents, use odor cues for communication.
Cancer Stem Cells and Circulating Tumor Cells: Molecular Markers, Isolation Techniques, and Clinical Implications

There is now a considerable body of evidence that many cancers are hierarchically organized and driven by a cellular component termed “cancer stem cells” (CSCs). These cells have the ability to self-renew and to generate heterogeneous populations that constitute the tumor bulk. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that CSCs mediate tumor metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. CSC biomarkers have been identified and both in vitro and mouse models have been developed to facilitate the isolation of these cells as well as the elucidation of CSC regulatory pathways. Agents targeting CSCs have now entered early phase clinical trials. The development of these clinical trials highlights the important need to develop technologies to monitor CSCs in patients. Unlike hematologic malignancies, where tumor specimens are readily obtainable, in solid tumors obtaining serial biopsies to assess CSCs is difficult. Studies suggest that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) contain a highly enriched proportion of CSCs and thus monitoring these cells in blood may provide a liquid biopsy for CSC assessment in solid tumors. In parallel with developments of efficient CTC isolation technologies, assays to molecularly characterize these cells at single cell resolution are also being developed. In this chapter we will review the current status of CSC therapeutic technologies as well as microfluidic techniques for isolation and molecular characterization of CTCs in cancer patients. If CSCs are responsible for tumor metastasis, resistance, and recurrence, development of effective CSC therapies has the potential to significantly improve the efficacy of cancer treatments.
“Untarnished Purity”: Ethics, Agency, and the Victorian Fallen Woman

Victorian novelists raise many questions about the fallen woman, but they offer a strikingly limited range of answers. Narrators inquire into the path the fallen woman’s life will take, the nature ...
Cu K-edge EXAFS Studies Of CdCl2 Effects On CdTe Solar Cells

The highest performance CdS/CdTe thin film solar cells are generally completed with a Cucontaining back contact. The copper appears to be critical for achieving heavy p-type doping of the CdTe at the contact to permit the formation of a low resistance contact. In previous extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) work we have inferred that most of the Cu in CdTe films resides as Cu2O at the boundaries of CdTe grains in films that have received a chloride treatment in the presence of oxygen, a critical step needed to improve the performance of all CdTe thin-film cells. This has suggested a mechanism for grain boundary passivation in thinfilm CdTe solar cells. We believe most of the diffused Cu decorates grain boundaries as oxides, consistent with the low doping densities typically observed in CdTe solar cells. The significance for grain boundary passivation will be discussed. We also find evidence that the grain-boundary Cu2O in CdCl2 treated CdTe films is unstable and tends to transform to CuO under some stress conditions.
Lineshape Analysis of Intersubband Transitions in Multiple Quantum Wells

Conduction intersubband transitions between the ground and first excited states in Al0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs multiple quantum wells (MQWs) are studied as a function of the two-dimensional electron gas density (0.75 × 1012 ≤ σ ≤ 3.75 × 1012 cm−2) and temperature (5 ≤ T ≤ 300 K). There is no electron tunneling between the wells and well regions are uniformly doped with silicon donors. Theoretically, we have solved the Schrodinger equation containing the self-consistent Hartree potential, in which the z—dependencies of both electron effective mass and dielectric constant, as well as the non-parabolicity in the conduction energy subband dispersion have been taken into consideration. By applying many-body theory which includes the depolarization-shift from a collective dipole moment and the excitonic-shift from the negative exchange interaction, we calculate the absorption spectrum as a function of the incident photon energy ℏω for different values of T and σ. From this, we can quantitatively analyze both T— and σ—dependencies of the peak position and the full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of peak values. The blue-shift or red-shift in the absorption peak position are quantitatively reproduced as either T or σ is reduced. The exchange interaction which depends on σ will modify the energy subband dispersion. Therefore, the absorption peak will be broadened by the exchange interaction. The T—dependence of broadening from the optical-phonon scattering is also taken into account by a phenomenological model. From the calculated absorption spectrum as a function of σ, we have successfully reproduced and explained the σ—dependence of FWHM measured in recent experiments.
Iterative Design of l p FIR and IIR Digital Filters

This paper presents a family of algorithms to design FIR and IIR digital filters using l p norms as optimality criteria. The algorithms presented are based on the Iterative Reweighted Least Squares (IRLS) method, and enjoy the same flexibility that traditional IRLS methods have. While other FIR methods use l 2 or l ? norms as design criteria, one can design filters that optimally compromise between these two criteria by using general l p norms. Several important design problems can be solved by posing them as l p problems (including the Constrained Least Squares and Magnitude l p problems). This paper also presents IRLS algorithms to design complex l p and magnitude l p IIR filters. It is worth noting that the methods presented are based on a common theory, with changes mostly on the design of associated weighting functions. The methods are flexible, robust and typically converge rapidly.
The Arse Poetica of Thomas Hobbes: On the Composition and Reception of De Mirabilibus Pecci

This article provides a two-part study of Thomas Hobbes’ De Mirabilibus Pecci, a Latin poem composed very early in his career. Part one examines the poem as a product of Hobbes’ participation in the recreational literary culture of Caroline England, in particular analysing the influence of mock-epic and burlesque traditions that would continue to shape Hobbes’ writings but also studying how the poem offers compelling evidence for his early preoccupation with the laws of motion, with geological processes such as the creation and erosion of stone formations, and with the philosophy of Lucretius. Part two recounts the extraordinary history of the poem’s reception in the last decades of the seventeenth century. The poem’s familiarity among Hobbes’ allies and adversaries alike helped to cement his reputation as a master of scoffing and drollery, as an opponent of the experimental science practiced by the Royal Society, and as a freethinker or atheist.
On The Idea of Scientific Outlook on Development in Deng Xiaoping Theory

Scientific outlook on development in Deng Xiaoping theory is developmental theory of Marxism and is a successful trial of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.It reveals the fundamental laws of China's modernization construction and points out the scientific theory that "You assert yourself in this world only by achieving development".The concept of scientific outlook on development in Deng Xiaoping theory is to develop as its principal issue,to take care of the people as its core idea.It fundamentally requires overall planning,coordination and sustainability by taking all factors into consideration.The overall scientific outlook on development in the new time is continuation and evolution of Deng Xiaoping theory and is also fundamental guideline for China to build a well-off society in an all-round way and to speed up the modernization drive in the new time.
Hemoglobin biosynthesis in murine virus-induced leukemic cells in vitro: structure and amounts of globin chains produced.

Abstract Tryptic peptides characteristic of mouse hemoglobin α- and diffuse-type β-chains were isolated from dimethylsulfoxide-treated mouse leukemia virus-infected cell cultures. Quantitative estimates of in vitro hemoglobin synthesis by such cultures were obtained by two different methods: by analysis of radioactive amino acid incorporation, and by single-cell radial immunodiffusion assay. The amounts produced, approximately 4 pg/cell/17 hr, reflect a synthetic capacity that is probably sufficient for 32P labeling of hemoglobin messenger RNAs (mRNA) in quantities commensurate with structural characterization of mRNAs by radioautographic methods.
Electron inelastic mean free paths and energy losses in solids II: Electron gas statistical model☆☆☆

Abstract A statistical model for the calculation of inelastic mean free paths and energy losses of electrons in solids is described. Results for the application of the model to the six solid media Al, Au, Ag, Cu, Ni, and Si are presented. Agreement between calculated mean free paths and experimental attenuation lengths indicates that the statistical model provides a useful method in the little-studied electron energy range from a few tens of electron volts to 10 keV.
Behavior of Helium II Bubble During Spin-Up and Spin-Down Motions Wrapping Around Rotating Dewar Well

Time dependent animation of spherical bubble spin-up from rest, elongate and wrap around the dewar well; and also, the fully wrapping bubble around rotating dewar well spin-down at an equilibrium rotating speed are numerically studied and simulated. Time dependent deformation of a full wrapping bubble around the rotating dewar well with and without unwrapping during the process of spin-down motion are investigated. Critical rotating speed for bubble to unwrap concerns the possibility of creating the problems of asymmetry in the imbalance liquid-vapor distribution due to sloshing dynamics perturbations in the liquid-vapor interface. Some similarity parameters are considered for how to promote the rotating well during the spin-down motion. Examples are given to illustrate the problems for dewar with various liquid-filled levels. Results show that the degree to assure the rotating bubble with and without unwrapping around the dewar well increases with increasing of the dewar rotating speed, Weber number, and also the size of the bubble.
Characterization of capacitors for power circuit decoupling applications

Increase in switching speeds of power semiconductors have resulted in the need for decoupling capacitors to be placed across the DC bus, intimate to the semiconductor module in power converter circuits. These capacitors prevent overvoltages across the power semiconductor devices during switching transients. Moreover, they also reduce the high frequency content of the current flowing through the power circuit interconnection, thereby reducing electromagnetic interference. Various types of capacitors typically used for these applications include: metallized polypropylene film; foil and metallized polypropylene film; multilayer film; multilayer ceramic; and metallized polycarbonate. The parasitic properties of these capacitors including their ESR and ESL play an important role in proper application. The objective of this paper is to present a detailed characterization of the application and comparison of the various capacitors for DC bus decoupling. Characterization methodology, simulation results and design guidelines are presented in the paper.
Open-Source Operational Risk: Should Public Blockchains Serve as Financial Market Infrastructures?

This chapter explores the operational risks raised by the use of common ‘grassroots’ open-source software practices in public blockchains, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, in their potential role as financial market infrastructures. These practices include the informal software development process, problematic funding for software development, and the possibility of forking inherent to open-source software. The paper argues that the risks raised by these practices significantly undermine public blockchains' suitability to serve as financial market infrastructures. Further, they herald the need to reevaluate the use of these practices outside the blockchain technology setting, in other critical infrastructures based on grassroots open-source software.
Coping with copepods: do right whales ( Eubalaena glacialis) forage visually in dark waters?

North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) feed during the spring and early summer in marine waters off the northeast coast of North America. Their food primarily consists of planktonic copepods, Calanus finmarchicus, which they consume in large numbers by ram filter feeding. The coastal waters where these whales forage are turbid, but they successfully locate copepod swarms during the day at depths exceeding 100 m, where light is very dim and copepod patches may be difficult to see. Using models of E. glacialis visual sensitivity together with measurements of light in waters near Cape Cod where they feed and of light attenuation by living copepods in seawater, we evaluated the potential for visual foraging by these whales. Our results suggest that vision may be useful for finding copepod patches, particularly if E. glacialis searches overhead for silhouetted masses or layers of copepods. This should permit the whales to locate C. finmarchicus visually throughout most daylight hours at depths throughout their foraging range. Looking laterally, the whales might also be able to see copepod patches at short range near the surface.This article is part of the themed issue 'Vision in dim light'.
Re-evaluating associations between the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation and body mass index in the context of unmeasured confounders.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the association between participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and body mass index (BMI) in the presence of unmeasured confounding. Methods We applied new matching methods to determine whether previous reports of associations between SNAP participation and BMI were robust to unmeasured confounders. We applied near-far matching, which strengthens standard matching by combining it with instrumental variables analysis, to the nationally-representative National Household Food Acquisition and Purchasing Survey (FoodAPS, N = 10,360, years 2012–13). Results In ordinary least squares regressions controlling for individual demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, SNAP was associated with increased BMI (+1.23 kg/m2, 95% CI: 0.84, 1.63). While propensity-score-based analysis replicated this finding, using instrumental variables analysis and particularly near-far matching to strengthen the instruments’ discriminatory power revealed the association between SNAP and BMI was likely confounded by unmeasured covariates (+0.21 kg/m2, 95% CI: −3.88, 4.29). Conclusions Previous reports of an association between SNAP and obesity should be viewed with caution, and use of near-far matching may assist similar assessments of health effects of social programs.
An SH0 lithium niobate correlator for orthogonal frequency coded spread spectrum communications

This work presents the first demonstration of a frequency correlator based on shear horizontal waves in a suspended Lithium Niobate thin film. The device consists of symmetrically arranged input and output ports, each with five sections of transducers for five transmission bands over a wide frequency range from 154 to 297 MHz. The high electromechanical coupling of Lithium Niobate provides a fractional bandwidth over 60%, outperforming the state of the art surface acoustic wave correlators with a comparable insertion loss. The correlation has been verified with time-domain measurements, showing a voltage amplification factor of 2 for a correlated input, with respect to its time reversal.
The importance of targeting inflammation in skin regeneration

Abstract The inflammatory response to wounding is vital to prevent infection and to signal downstream events that lead to healing and restoration of skin integrity and function. A complex web of interacting cells and mediators that stimulate protein synthesis, cell proliferation, and cell migration works together to coordinate this response. Treatments designed to improve skin regeneration must consider the role of the immune system in skin repair carefully, as many studies show that immune cells and mediators can influence scar formation and disrupt skin regeneration. In a number of animal models, reduced scar formation has been shown after anti-inflammatory treatments. Thus, therapeutics that aim to balance the inflammatory response may be a promising route to enhance skin regeneration and minimize scar formation after injury.
Co-simulation aspects for energy systems with high penetration of distributed energy resources

Distributed energy resources (DERs) have seen significant expansion in utilization over the past decade. This expansion is best observed with the rooftop solar panels whose penetration has substantially grown in terms of deployed MWs [1]. With the transformation of the grid towards more distributed supply of electricity, a new set of challenges arise. Although the challenges for adoption of DERs are plenty which span across technical, economical and policy domain, in this paper we discuss simulation challenges within two particular domains, cyber-security and voltage stability. For addressing each of these challenges, co-simulation has shown to be a promising path to take. Co-simulation (or combined simulation) represents the connection of two or more simulation tools with the goal of addressing a particular problem that neither one of these tools could address individually. Within each of these domains, we discuss the aspects for the design of co-simulation that one must consider when addressing the problem. The discussion is followed by short simulation examples.
Role of Self Deception, Overconfidence and Financial Aliteracy in Household Financial Decision Making

The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which self-assessed financial knowledge is formed from biases and how such irrationality impacts the financial behavior. It also examines the role of overconfidence and financial aliteracy on financial decisions. The argument presented in this study is that people often do not have a full understanding of their own level of financial knowledge due to psychological biases which inhibit one’s ability to make good financial decisions. This research employs the data from the 2015 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) and finds that self-assessment of financial literacy, a driver of financial behavior is a manifestation of both real knowledge and biases i.e., some component of self-assessed financial competence is self-deceptive induced by biases. This study finds that self-assessed financial competence has negative impact while real financial knowledge has a positive impact on financial behavior. Moreover, self-assessment of financial literacy due to knowledge has a positive impact on financial behavior while self-assessed financial competence due to biases leads to imprudent behavior and low financial satisfaction. Individuals with less understanding of their own level of financial knowledge due to overconfidence and aliteracy, are more likely to engage in imprudent financial decisions, irrespective of their real financial literacy. These results vary across gender, income level and ethnicity. An important question that is aimed to answer in this research is not whether financial literacy matters in household financial decisions, but rather the mechanism in which biases lead to incorrect self-assessment of financial competence which dictates imprudent financial behavior.
Small Vessel Cerebral Vascular Changes Following Chronic Amphetamine Intoxication

Over the past seven years the authors have observed an increasing number of young and middle-aged patients, presenting for cerebral angiography for a variety of neurological problems, including stroke, in whom eventually a history of drug abuse is obtained. Such a history is only rarely volunteered; in fact, usually considerable questioning of the patient, the patient’s family, relatives, and friends is required before such a history is brought to light. In many of these patients cerebral angiography demonstrates vascular changes thought to be related to drug abuse (Rumbaugh, Bergeron, Fang, and McCormick, 1971a). These patients present a diagnostic problem, however, in that their histories often are unreliable or not available regarding the specific drugs or combination of drugs, dosages, impurities, etc. Neither the pathologic nature of the cerebral vascular changes nor the mechanism whereby drug abuse results in these vascular changes is well-understood. It is not known whether one or two specific drugs are responsible for most of the changes or whether many of the misused drugs are capable of producing cerebral damage.
Measurement and Estimation of Residual Kidney Function in Patients on Dialysis

Residual kidney function (RKF) in patients on dialysis is strongly associated with survival and better quality of life. Assessment of kidney function underlies the management of patients with chronic kidney disease before dialysis initiation. However, methods to assess RKF after dialysis initiation are just now being refined. In this review, we discuss the definition of RKF and methods for measurement and estimation of RKF, highlighting the unique aspects of dialysis that impact these assessments.
Attorneys' Malpractice Policies: Regulatory Exclusions and Public Policy

The courts have yet to decide the issue of the enforceability of provisions in legal malpractice insurance policies that specifically exclude from coverage claims made by government regulators such as the FDIC. The question has reached the courts with respect to such exclusionary provisions in directors' and Officers' liability insurance policies, and here the courts are split. The author discusses the current case law and the statutory developments.
Cerebral Blood Flow, Measurement of

Normal brain function requires adequate cerebral blood flow (CBF). Thus, understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of the brain requires accurate measurement of CBF. This article will describe the theory and practice of methods that have been used to measure CBF in both experimental animals and in humans, including the Fick Principle, the Central Volume Principle, the Compartmental Principle, and the use of radioactive and non radioactive tracers.
An Extremal Problem in Hp of the Upper Half Plane with Application to Prediction of Stochastic Processes

Let 1 ≤ p ≤ 2 and let H p be the Hardy space of the upper half plane. Let ϕ ∈ H p and T > 0 be such that e -iTz ϕ(z) ∉ H p . Under certain conditions, we provide an explicit formula for the best approximation P T (ϕ) of e -Tz ϕ(z) in H p . Using this formula for P T (ϕ), we derive a formula for the best linear predictor of a continuous parameter “L p -representable” complex regular stochastic process. The class of processes to which this formula applies includes the processes which are regular and are Fourier transforms of α-stable and α-semi-stable random measures, 1 ≤ α ≤ 2. The main tools used for the proofs depend heavily on the ideas and results from the theory of H p spaces.
Resonant soft X-ray scattering reveals cellulose microfibril spacing in plant primary cell walls

Cellulose microfibrils are crucial for many of the remarkable mechanical properties of primary cell walls. Nevertheless, many structural features of cellulose microfibril organization in cell walls are not yet fully described. Microscopy techniques provide direct visualization of cell wall organization, and quantification of some aspects of wall microstructure is possible through image processing. Complementary to microscopy techniques, scattering yields structural information in reciprocal space over large sample areas. Using the onion epidermal wall as a model system, we introduce resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSoXS) to directly quantify the average interfibril spacing. Tuning the X-ray energy to the calcium L-edge enhances the contrast between cellulose and pectin due to the localization of calcium ions to homogalacturonan in the pectin matrix. As a consequence, RSoXS profiles reveal an average center-to-center distance between cellulose microfibrils or microfibril bundles of about 20 nm.
Service Innovation in the Cloud: Implications for Strategy Development

Cloud enterprises have shifted from linear to networked business models through a value transformation process centered on the development of multisided service platforms. These platforms facilitate service exchange and value cocreation by enabling three essential transitions: 1. from control to orchestration of enterprise resources, 2. from internal optimization to external interactions, and 3. from customer value to ecosystem value. Innovative service transformation is most in evidence with enterprises that are native cloud companies or companies that have more rapidly and effectively adopted ecosystem-based service platforms such as Netflix, Google, Facebook, Uber, and Airbnb. Service ecosystems enable the critical processes for value cocreation that is foundational to the continuous development of innovative user experiences. However, many developers and adopters of cloud service business models fail to innovate. This is usually blamed on inappropriate business strategy and/or insufficient technological solutions. However, the root cause is often more basic; specifically, it is the lack of service thinking that is necessary for the development of cloud-based service innovation models. This paper explores the service science foundations of cloud computing and the dimensions of service thinking that inform the service transformation process for cloud-based companies. A framework for the development of cloud-based service transformation is proposed with evidence from three case examples.
Cognitive and Emotional Engagement for Students with Severe Intellectual Disability Defined by the Scholars with Expertise in the Field

Although a great deal has been written about the complexities of engagement in learning, this is less true for students with severe intellectual disability. The concept of engagement of these stude...
Increased Diet Quality is Associated with Long-Term Reduction of Abdominal and Pericardial Fat.

OBJECTIVE This study examined the longitudinal associations between genetic risk, change in diet quality, and change in visceral adipose tissue (ΔVAT), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (ΔSAT), and pericardial adipose tissue (ΔPAT). METHODS A total of 1,677 Framingham Heart Study participants who had ectopic fat depots measured using computed tomography were analyzed. Diet quality was quantified using a Mediterranean-style diet score (MDS) and genetic risk by depot-specific genetic risk scores (GRSs). RESULTS Per SD improvement in MDS, there was 50 cm3 (95% CI: 14-86; P = 0.007) less fat accumulation in VAT, 52 cm3 (95% CI: 12-92; P = 0.01) less fat accumulation in SAT, and 1.3 cm3 (95% CI: 0.1-2.4; P = 0.04) less fat accumulation in PAT. No association was observed between GRSs and ΔVAT or ΔSAT. Each 1-SD increase in the PAT GRS was associated with a 1.2-cm3 (95% CI: 0.1-2.3; P = 0.03) increase in ΔPAT. In participants with higher PAT GRS, those with ΔMDS ≥ 0 had a favorable change in PAT compared with the counterparts with ΔMDS < 0 (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS Longitudinal improvements in diet quality are associated with less ectopic fat accumulation. This study suggests that diet quality may play a critical role in improving ectopic adiposity profiles.
Visible light positioning: moving from 2D planes to 3D spaces [Invited]

The global navigation satellite system (GNSS) is a well-established outdoor positioning system with industry-wide impact due to the multifaceted applications of navigation, tracking, and automation. At large, however, is the indoor equivalent. One hierarchy of solutions, visible light positioning (VLP) with its promise of centimeter-scale accuracy and widespread coverage indoors, has emerged as a viable, easy to configure, and inexpensive candidate. We investigate how the state-of-the-art VLP systems fare against two hard barriers in indoor positioning: the need for high accuracy and the need to position in the three-dimensions (3D). We find that although most schemes claim centimeter-level accuracy for some proposed space or plane, those accuracies do not translate into a realistic 3D space due to diminishing field-of-view in 3D and assumptions made on the operating space. We do find two favorable solutions in ray–surface positioning and gain differentials. Both schemes show good positioning errors, low-cost potential, and single-luminaire positioning functionality.
An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach to extract micro-architectural properties of cortical bone using ultrasound attenuation: A numerical study

The goal of this study is to estimate the porosity parameters including pore diameter, pore density, and porosity of cortical bone from ultrasound attenuation measurements using an artificial neural network (ANN). Two-dimensional (2D) finite-difference time-domain simulations are conducted to calculate the frequency-dependent attenuation in the range of 1–8 MHz in mono-disperse structures (constant pore size) with a pore diameter and density ranging from 20 to 120 µm and 3–16 pore/mm2, respectively. Furthermore, poly-disperse structures (non-uniform pore distribution) are obtained from high resolution CT scans of human cortical bone and 2D numerical simulations are carried out in the same frequency range as for the mono-disperse cases. Then, a regression problem is formulated with the ultrasonic attenuation at different frequencies acting as the feature vectors and the output being set as the porosity parameters. Our dataset consists of 330 structures for the mono-disperse model and 668 structures for the poly-disperse model. ANN-based (3 hidden layers with 806 trainable weights) parameter prediction method achieves accuracies as high as 96% for pore size, 97% for porosity, and 78% for pore density for the poly-disperse model. This work demonstrates the potential of combining ultrasound methods to deep neural networks to quantify cortical bone parameters with high accuracies.
Co-activation during gait following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Abstract Background Heightened co-activation of the quadriceps and hamstrings has been reported following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction during various tasks, and may contribute to post-traumatic osteoarthritis risk. However, it is unclear if this phenomenon occurs during walking or how co-activation influences gait biomechanics linked to changes in joint health. Methods Co-activation and gait biomechanics were assessed in 50 individuals with ACLR and 25 healthy controls. Biomechanical outcomes included knee flexion displacement, peak vertical ground reaction force magnitude and rate, peak internal knee extension and valgus moments and rates, sagittal knee stiffness, and the heelstrike transient. Co-activation was calculated for the flexors and extensors collectively (i.e. composite), the medial musculature, and the lateral musculature. Findings Composite co-activation was greater in the ACLR limb compared to the contralateral limb and the control cohort during the preparatory and heelstrike phases of gait, and co-activation of the medial musculature was greater in the ACLR limb compared to the control cohort during the heelstrike phase. Greater co-activation in multiple gait phases was associated with less knee flexion displacement (r = −0.293 to −0.377), smaller peak vertical ground reaction force magnitude (r = −0.291), smaller peak internal knee extension moment (r = −0.291 to −0.328), and greater peak internal knee valgus moment (r = 0.317). Interpretation Individuals with ACLR displayed heightened co-activation during walking which was associated with biomechanical outcomes that have been linked to negative changes in joint health following ACLR. These data suggest that excessive co-activation may contribute to the mechanical pathogenesis of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02605876 .
The Connexin50D47A Mutant Causes Cataracts by Calcium Precipitation.

Purpose Mutations in connexin50 (Cx50) and connexin46 (Cx46) cause cataracts. Because the expression of Cx46fs380 leads to decreased gap junctional coupling and formation of calcium precipitates, we studied Cx50D47A lenses to test whether Cx50 mutants also cause cataracts due to calcium precipitation. Methods Connexin levels were determined by immunoblotting. Gap junctional coupling conductance was calculated from intracellular impedance studies of intact lenses. Intracellular hydrostatic pressure was measured using a microelectrode/manometer system. Intracellular free calcium ion concentrations ([Ca2+]i) were measured using Fura-2 and fluorescence imaging. Calcium precipitation was assessed by Alizarin red staining and compared to the distribution of opacities in darkfield images. Results In Cx50D47A lenses, Cx50 levels were 11% (heterozygotes) and 1.2% (homozygotes), and Cx46 levels were 52% (heterozygotes) and 30% (homozygotes) when compared to wild-type at 2.5 months. Gap junctional coupling in differentiating fibers of Cx50D47A lenses was 49% (heterozygotes) and 29% (homozygotes), and in mature fibers, it was 24% (heterozygotes) and 4% (homozygotes) compared to wild-type lenses. Hydrostatic pressure was significantly increased in Cx50D47A lenses. [Ca2+]i was significantly increased in Cx50D47A lenses. Alizarin red-stained calcium precipitates were present in homozygous Cx50D47A lenses with a similar distribution to the cataracts. Conclusions Cx50D47A expression altered the lens internal circulation by decreasing connexin levels and gap junctional coupling. Reduced water and ion outflow through gap junctions increased the gradients of intracellular hydrostatic pressure and concentrations of free calcium ions. In these lenses, calcium ions accumulated, precipitated, and formed cataracts. These results suggest that mutant lens fiber connexins lead to calcium precipitates, which may cause cataracts.
Dendrimer Conjugation Enables Multiphoton Chemical Neurophysiology Studies with an Extended π‐Electron Caging Chromophore

We have developed a caged neurotransmitter using an extended π-electron chromophore for efficient multiphoton uncaging on living neurons. Widely studied in a chemical context, such chromophores are inherently bioincompatible due to their highly lipophilic character. Attachment of two polycarboxylate dendrimers, a method we call "cloaking", to a bisstyrylthiophene (or BIST) core effectively transformed the chromophore into a water-soluble optical probe, whilst maintaining the high two-photon absorption of over 500 GM. Importantly, the cloaked caged compound was biologically inert at the high concentrations required for multiphoton chemical physiology. Thus, in contrast to non-cloaked BIST compounds, the BIST-caged neurotransmitter can be safely delivered onto neurons in acutely isolated brain slices, thereby enabling high-resolution two-photon uncaging without any side effects. We expect that our cloaking method will enable the development of new classes of cell-compatible photolabile probes using a wide variety of extended π-electron caging chromophores.
A comparison of the establishment success, response to competition, and community impact of invasive and non-invasive Gambusia species

How an invader responds to the novel biotic elements of a new community will affect its ability to invade. Species that are able to cope well with novel competitors might be expected to achieve greater establishment success. We compared the population-level responses of two mosquitofish species, the widespread invader Gambusia affinis and non-invasive G. geiseri to competition from each other and a non-invasive competitor. We simulated the invasion of a simplified pond community by introducing different combinations of the Gambusia spp. into communities already inhabited by a novel competitor, the red shiner Cyprenella lutrensis. We measured the effect of competition on establishment success by comparing population abundances achieved by each Gambusia species in all treatments, and examined whether the invasive and non-invasive Gambusia differed in their community impact by comparing their effects on the abundances of pond fauna. We also used N and C stable isotope analysis to compare their trophic roles. Both novel and intrageneric competition negatively affected both Gambusia spp.’s abundances, but the invasive G. affinis managed to remain more abundant than G. geiseri regardless of competition treatment. Stable isotope analysis revealed the Gambusia spp. to have similar trophic placement and showed competition to cause significant trophic shifts only in G. geiseri. A cascading effect (reduced phytoplankton abundances) was detected only when G. affinis was present. These results suggest that a higher vulnerability to novel competition along with life history traits contributes to the limited spread of G. geiseri in comparison to the widespread G. affinis.