cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PEP Analysis of the SDP Based Joint Channel Estimation and Signal Detection

In multi-antenna communication systems, channel information is often not known at the receiver. To fully exploit bandwidth resources of the system and ensure practical feasibility of the receiver, channel parameters are often estimated blindly and then employed in the design of signal detection algorithms. Instead of separating channel estimation from signal detection, in this paper we focus on the joint channel estimation and signal detection problem in a single-input multiple-output (SIMO) system. It is well known that finding solution to this optimization requires solving an integer maximization of a quadratic form and is, in general, an NP hard problem. To solve it, we propose an approximate algorithm based on the semi-definite program (SDP) relaxation. We derive a bound on the pairwise probability of error (PEP) of the proposed algorithm and show that, the algorithm achieves the same diversity as the exact maximum-likelihood (ML) decoder. The computed PEP implies that, over a wide range of system parameters, the proposed algorithm requires moderate increase in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in order to achieve performance comparable to that of the ML decoder but with often significantly lower complexity.
An analysis of watchful waiting for clinically localized prostate cancer.

AbstractPurpose: We reviewed recent series of watchful waiting for prostate cancer to place this management strategy in appropriate perspectiveMaterials and Methods: We reviewed the literature and analyzed the 9 articles on watchful waiting published in leading medical journals in the last decade.Results: Watchful waiting is probably the best treatment option for men with well and perhaps moderately differentiated, low volume prostate cancer who have a life expectancy of less than 10 years. However, the conclusions derived from watchful waiting studies of older men cannot and should not be applied to younger, healthier men or to those with more advanced or aggressive disease. If treated ineffectively, many of these men will die of prostate cancer.Conclusions: Most men with prostate cancer who have a life expectancy greater than 10 to 15 years should be treated with curative intent.
Mean and fluctuating basal forces generated by granular flows: Laboratory observations in a large vertically rotating drum

A flowing granular mass generates forces on the boundary that drive near-bed grain dynamics, bed surface erosion, and energy dissipation. Few quantitative analyses exist of the controls on the dynamically fluctuating force caused by granular flows with wide-grain-size distributions and a liquid phase in the pores. To study the mechanisms controlling the boundary forces, we used a 225 cm2 load plate to measure the bed-normal force from a suite of granular flows in a 4 m diameter, 80 cm wide vertically rotating drum. We analyzed the time series of bed forces generated in flows composed of granular material for both narrow (gravel-water) and wide (muddy, sand-gravel-cobble) grain-size distributions. The tail of the force distribution was captured more closely by a generalized Pareto distribution than an exponential distribution, suggesting a way to predict empirically the force distribution. We show that the impulse on the bed, related to kinetic energy transferred to the bed from the granular collisions, is quantified by the standard deviation of the force. The mean bulk force equaled the static weight of the flow, whereas the force fluctuations, represented by the standard deviation and the averaged top 1% of force, were a near-linear function of effective grain diameter and flow velocity, and a ∼0.5 power function of an inertial stress scaling term. The force fluctuations depend on both Savage and Bagnold numbers. The correlations revealed in this study suggest that it may be possible to estimate dynamic forces on the bed from gross properties of the flows.
Flipping the Switch Power, Social Dominance, and Expectancies of Mental Energy Change

Research suggests that high levels of interpersonal power can promote enhanced executive functioning capabilities. The present work explored whether this effect is contingent upon expectancies concerning power’s downstream cognitive consequences. Study 1 showed that social dominance orientation (SDO) predicted idiosyncratic expectancies of mental energy change toward interpersonal power. Study 2 showed that SDO moderated the executive functioning changes associated with interpersonal power and that this moderation effect was contingent upon changes in perceived mental depletion. Study 3 showed that directly manipulating expectancies of mental energy change concerning interpersonal power moderated the executive functioning consequences of power and that this moderation effect was contingent upon SDO and changes in perceived mental depletion. Together, the present findings underscore the importance of expectancies and individual differences in understanding the effects of interpersonal power.
Treatment Outcomes and Costs of Dental Sealants Among Children Enrolled in Medicaid

Objectives. This retrospective cohort analysis of children enrolled in the North Carolina Medicaid program compared the likelihood of restorative treatments and associated cumulative Medicaid expenditures for teeth with or without dental sealants. Methods. We assessed the dental experience of the cohort of 15 438 children from 1985 to 1992 on the basis of enrollment and claims files. We conducted regression analyses for outcomes (caries-related services involving the occlusal surface [CRSOs] of permanent first molars) and cumulative expenditures, controlling for characteristics of the child, the treating dentist, and the child's county of residence. Results. Overall, 23% of children received at least 1 sealant and 33% at least 1 CRSO. Sealants were effective in preventing CRSOs, although the degree of effectiveness was highest for children with the greater levels of CRSOs before sealant placement. Estimated cumulative Medicaid expenditures indicated expenditure savings from sealants within 2 years of appl...
The effect of soil nitrogen on competition between native and exotic perennial grasses from northern coastal California

The invasion of European perennial grasses represents a new threat to the native coastal prairie of northern California. Many coastal prairie sites also experience anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition or increased N availability as a result of invasion by N-fixing shrubs. We tested the hypothesis that greater seedling competitive ability and greater responsiveness to high N availability of exotic perennial grasses facilitates their invasion in coastal prairie. We evaluated pairwise competitive responses and effects, and the occurrence of asymmetrical competition, among three common native perennial grasses (Agrostis oregonensis, Festuca rubra, and Nassella pulchra) and three exotic perennial grasses (Holcus lanatus, Phalaris aquatica, and Festuca arundinacea), at two levels of soil N. We also compared the root and shoot biomass and response to fertilization of singly-grown plants, so we could evaluate how performance in competition related to innate plant traits. Competitive effects and responses were negatively correlated and in general varied continuously across native and exotic species. Two exceptions were the exotic species Holcus, which had large effects on neighbors and small responses to them, and competed asymmetrically with all other species in the experiment, and the native grass Nassella, which had strong responses to but little effect on neighbors, and was out-competed by all but one other species in the experiment. High allocation to roots and high early relative growth rate appear to explain Holcus’s competitive dominance, but its shoot biomass when grown alone was not significantly greater than those of the species it out-competed. Competitive dynamics were unaffected by fertilization. Therefore, we conclude that seedling competitive ability alone does not explain the increasing dominance of exotic perennial grasses in California coastal prairie. Furthermore, since native and exotic species responded individualistically, grouping species as ‘natives’ and ‘exotics’ obscured underlying variation within the two categories. Finally, elevated soil N does not appear to influence competition among the native and exotic perennial grasses studied, so reducing soil N pools may not be a critical step for the restoration of California coastal prairie.
Smart Data Pricing: Lessons from trial planning

Rapid increases in the demand for broadband data are increasingly causing a growth in costs for communication service providers (CSPs). Yet under the current pricing plans, CSPs' revenue has not kept pace with these costs. Thus, many CSPs are considering Smart Data Pricing (SDP) as a way to reduce cost or increase revenue. Before offering such novel data plans, however, CSPs must conduct trials of the specific data plans proposed. Due to the complexity of necessary changes in network equipment and a need to carefully design the trial in order to understand customer behavior, planning such trials is not only a critical precursor to SDP deployment, but also a nontrivial undertaking in itself. This paper discusses general principles of trial design and proposes two methods for estimating their effectiveness. We first give an introduction to the goals of SDP research and review three possible SDP approaches. We then discuss the importance of pre-trial participant surveys and some technical considerations of implementing the trial infrastructure for a particular SDP algorithm. Finally, we show how the CSP may extrapolate from the trial results to estimate the SDP trial's benefits, in terms of changes in traffic patterns and a reduction in spectrum requirements. We conclude with some remarks about future work.
Initiator-Accelerator Systems for Acrylic Resins and Composites

Acrylic resins, because of their desirable esthetics, ease of processing, optical clarity that can duplicate in appearance the oral tissues it replaces, satisfactory mechanical properties and excellent biocompatibility, are the materials of choice wherever plastics have found applications in dental practice. The ready acceptability of these materials is the result of the ease with which they can be converted into their final state even under clinical conditions. In practically all dental applications a liquid monomer-solid mixture is cured by a free radical initiated polymerization that is generated by heat, light, an initiator, or a redox initiator-accelerator system adapted to the constraints imposed by the oral environment.
Network-Based Active Vibration Control of Collocated Actuator/Sensor Structures via Consensus Positive Position Feedback

Vibration control in smart structures is discussed in this paper using an approach based on connecting collocated control elements to one another via a network with certain topology. Consensus method is implemented to force disagreements between the control agents of the structure to zero, where each control agent consists of a multi-mode Positive Position Feedback (PPF) second-order compensator. Multi-agent state-space representation of actuator/sensor elements is used, accompanied with an optimal state-estimator. The consensus law is embedded in the dynamics of the PPF control elements. Required conditions for stability of the closed-loop multi-agent system are then extracted. Performance of the controller is numerically investigated, and synchronization of controller agents is examined. Significant advantage of the decentralized consensus-based vibration controller over centralized forms is in robustness to failure of components or an entire agent, and obtained synchronized performance of the whole control system.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Bio-Inspired Morphogens and Biomimetic Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine is the science of design and manufacture of parts for functional restoration of damaged tissues due to cancer, disease and trauma. Morphogenesis is the developmental cascade of pattern formation, body plan establishment and differentiation of tissues culminating in adult form. Regeneration in general, recapitulates in parts, embryonic morphogenesis. Thus, the principles of morphogenesis can be applied to tissue engineering for regenerative medicine and surgery. The threekey ingredients for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are inductive morphogens, responding stem cells, and extracellular matrix materials. Therefore bioactive morphogens can be integrated into materials for functional restoration by tissue engineering. A morphogen is a morphogenetic protein signal that acts on responding stem cells. Bone morphogenesis is induced by bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). BMPs play a role in pattern formation, cell differentiation, maintenance and regeneration of tissues. BMPs are pleiotropic and act on chemotaxis, mitosis and differentiation of progenitor stem cells. There are nearly twenty BMPs in the human genome. BMPs have actions beyond bone in development of teeth, heart, kidney, eye, skin, and brain. Thus, BMPs may be called body morphogenetic proteins. Stem cells are primordial cells with unlimited replicative potential and can be programmed by morphogens such as BMPs. Extracellular matrix is the native scaffolding material that can be used to deliver morphogens such as BMPs for tissue engineering of bone. Biomimetic materials are typically synthetic, polymeric structures that mimic extracellular matrix scaffolding by presenting the cellular binding sites found within collagens, fibronectin, proteoglycans and glycoproteins. Materials that mimic extracellular matrix scaffolding such as BMPs bind to collagens I&IV, heparan sulfate and heparin. BMPs bound to collagen acts as a composite biomaterial to initiate bone formation and the shape can be molded by an appropriate template. In addition to including BMPs in a carrier matrix, the geometry of the carrier matrix is critical for optimal tissue engineering. For example: collagen particles smaller than 44μm are feeble in bone induction compared to the coarse (420μm) particles. Gene therapy approaches using genes for morphogenesis such as BMPs allows a sustained, prolonged secretion of gene products. Thus, morphogens integrated into biomaterials may be useful in regenerative medicine.
Bayesian Calibration of a RANS Model with a Complex Response Surface - A Case Study with Jet-in-Crossflow Configuration

We demonstrate a Bayesian method that can be used to calibrate computationally expensive 3D RANS models with complex response surfaces. Such calibrations, conditioned on experimental data, can yield turbulence model parameters as probability density functions (PDF), concisely capturing the uncertainty in the estimation. Methods such as Markov chain Monte Carlo construct the PDF by sampling, and consequently a quickrunning surrogate is used instead of the RANS simulator. The surrogate can be very difficult to design if the model’s response i.e., the dependence of the calibration variable (the observable) on the parameters being estimated is complex. We show how the training data used to construct the surrogate models can also be employed to isolate a promising and physically realistic part of the parameter space, within which the response is wellbehaved and easily modeled. We design a classifier, based on treed linear models, to model the “well-behaved region”. This classifier serves as a prior in a Bayesian calibration study aimed at estimating 3 k − parameters C = (Cμ, C 2, C 1) from experimental data of a transonic jet-in-crossflow interaction. The robustness of the calibration is investigated by checking its predictions of variables not included in the calibration data. We also check the limit of applicability of the calibration by testing at an off-calibration point.
Wearing the Mask: Joseph S. Cotter Sr.’s Caleb, the Degenerate

Caleb in the Bible got to the Promised Land because he did not fear the giants in the walled cities and "wholly followed the Lord" (Deuteronomy, 1:25-26). Another Caleb, the protagonist of a strange, enigmatic four-act verse drama by Afro-American poet Joseph S. Cotter Sr., is called in the title "the Degenerate." He is given actions and speeches to show "degeneracy," but other elements in the play strongly suggest the militant power of the Biblical Caleb. This question of intended thematic effect is explored in the following discussion of Cotter's Caleb, the Degenerate: A Study of the Customs, Types, and Needs of the American Negro, first published in 1901, and recently anthologized in 1974 in Black Theater, U.S.A., edited by James Hatch and Ted Shine.1 These editors introduce the play with the suggestion that there may be a hidden message under the surface theme, which is that American blacks of the time needed to turn away from "degeneracy" and devote themselves to the Booker T. Washington work ethic. That there should be a play with at least two levels of interpretation, with meanings which contradict each other in itself dramatizes the uneasy situation of Black intellectuals at the turn of the century, especially in the South. The Ku Klux Klan was powerful; voting was forbidden to Blacks; Jim Crow laws were stringent-and the only way to exist in peace seemed to be the way of Booker T. Washington. Yet the founder of Tuskegee had set limits on the growth of Black freedom in the so-called Atlanta Compromise, his address at the Atlanta Exposition of 1895:
Needs Assessment: Prerequisite for Service Excellence

The Helen L. DeRoy Medical Library at Providence Hospital strives to maintain high library standards and to make library service improvement an ongoing process. To maintain and strengthen the library's key role in knowledge-based informationmanagement and to align the library's goals and objectives with the mission of its parent organization, the library conducted a needs assessment to identify any existing needs and gaps in library services and resources. A needs assessment survey with 17 items was designed and administered to library clients via e-mail and the library Website. Data were collected and analyzed for any needs and gaps in library services and resources. The identified needs and gaps presented the library useful information for future strategic and proactive planning and provided opportunities for the library's continuous improvement in its services and resources provision. The results of the needs assessment also produced strong evidence for the library to justify its selection of ...
The Effect of Influence Type and Performance Outcomes on Attitude toward the Influencer

The authors demonstrate that a target's attitude toward an influencer is affected by both (1) the influence type used by the influencer to achieve the target's compliance and (2) the performance ou...
Are we all Pussy Riot? On narratives of feminist return and the limits of transnational solidarity

On Friday 17 August 2012, members of the feminist collective Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years in jail after their staging of a musical protest in a Russian Orthodox church. This article analy...
CORRELATIONS AMONG RELIGION, COMMITMENT, AND VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION '

Prior research shows a positive correlation between religious commitment and participation in volunteer activities (Dean, 1968; Suziedeles & Potvin, 1981). This investigation was undertaken to assess the presence and significance of correlations between commitment and volunteer participation in religious organizations. Antecedent to a broader examination of religion and self-esteem, one question each pertaining to religious training, commitment, belief in God, and volunteering were included in a questionnaire. At two midwestern universities the survey was distributed to 241 college subjects, ages ranging from 18 to 22 years. Split-half reliability for the entire scale was .92; however, since each variable here was measured by a single question, no assessment of interreliability was possible. The Pearson-product correlations supported the previous finding. A significant correlation was obtained between "commitment to particular religious sect" (M: 2.6, SD: 1.1) and "activity in volunteer organizations or duties in your church" (M: 3.8, SD: 1.3; r = .62, p < ,0001). Juxtaposed were significant positive associations between commitment and belief in the existence of God (M: 1.7, SD: .9; r = .58, p < .0001) and volunteering and belief in God (r = .38, p < ,0001). Significant negative correlations were produced between commitment and formal religious training (M: 3.4, SD: 1.3; r = -.39, p < .0001) and formal training and volunteering (r = -.34, p < .0001). Apparently, individuals who volunteer in religious organizations are those who feel committed to the religion and have a belief in the existence of God. Volunteering time to the religious organization may be viewed as a form of commitment. The commitment and amount of satisfaction a person receives from volunteering reinforces the belief in a benevolent, caring God. Formal religious training appears to have detrimental effects on volunteerine and commitment to the church. Perhaos " some of the religious training prevents individuals from serious commitment and volunteering in the church. These findings may provide succor to religious organizations in attracting committed volunteers.
Diagnostic and surgical techniques of retroperitoneal tumors in children

Objective To discussion the early diagnosis and surgical experience of retroperitoneal tumors in children.Methods The clinical date of 59 children with retroperitoneal tumors from 2001-2010 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed.Results In all 59 cases,29 cases were benign tumors,complete resection in 25 cases,partial resection in 4 cases;30 cases were malignant tumor,complete resection in 19 cases,partial resection in 7 cases,unresectable biopsy only in 4 cases;combined organ resection were 5 cases in all cases.Conclusions Early diagnosis of retroperitoneal tumors in children play an important role in improving tumor resection rate and survival rate of children.Preoperative evaluation and preparing,surgical field clear,reasonable operation can reduce complications and improve the resection rate.
Highly Flexible Wrinkled Carbon Nanotube Thin Film Strain Sensor to Monitor Human Movement

Author(s): Park, S-J; Kim, J; Chu, M; Khine, M | Abstract: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on shape memory polymers result in densified, nano- to microscale wrinkles upon heat-induced shrinkage. These wrinkled CNT bundles can be transferred into soft materials similar to the human epidermis for extremely highly stretchable skin mountable strain sensors with a dynamic range of over 700%.
Single-Molecule Force-Spectroscopy Reveals the Calcium Dependency of Folding Intermediates in the Multidomain Protein S

Protein folding is fundamental to biology but has yet to be fully understood, especially for multidomain proteins, which predominate the proteomes and do not follow the Anfinsen folding dogma, rather multidomain proteins fold cotranslationally or fold sequentially through many intermediates. Here we use single-molecule force-spectroscopy (SMFS) and simulation to characterize the ligand influenced unfolding and folding pathway of a model multidomain protein, Protein S. We find that, without Ca2+, the N-terminal domain of Protein S is in stable equilibrium with an intermediate state which is revealed by simulation to originate from the repulsion of neighboring negatively charged residues. We also observe that the C-terminal can transiently sample a similar intermediate state to the N-terminal domain and that the folding to native state is greatly stabilized by the addition of Ca2+. We reconstruct an energy landscape of these transitions and provide a hypothetical structure of the intermediate state through coarse-grain simulation modeling of the folding pathway.
Introduction to Computer-Intensive Methods of Data Analysis in Biology

This 2006 guide to the contemporary toolbox of methods for data analysis will serve graduate students and researchers across the biological sciences. Modern computational tools, such as Maximum Likelihood, Monte Carlo and Bayesian methods, mean that data analysis no longer depends on elaborate assumptions designed to make analytical approaches tractable. These new 'computer-intensive' methods are currently not consistently available in statistical software packages and often require more detailed instructions. The purpose of this book therefore is to introduce some of the most common of these methods by providing a relatively simple description of the techniques. Examples of their application are provided throughout, using real data taken from a wide range of biological research. A series of software instructions for the statistical software package S-PLUS are provided along with problems and solutions for each chapter.
Leadership Effectiveness among Farmers' Self- Help Groups in Central Agricultural Zone of Delta State, Nigeria and Its Implication for Improved Agricultural Extension Service

This study was conducted in Delta Central Agricultural Zone to determine the effectiveness of the leadership of farmers’ self-help groups through attendance to meetings, regularity in the payment of dues and participation in group activities. Farmers’ groups are ubiquitous, yet the level of production among farmers is still inadequate. Seven of the registered farmers groups were randomly selected. Ten percent (10%) of the members of each selected group were also randomly selected to give 68 respondents that were used for the study. Primary data were collected from the respondents with the use of questionnaire and interview schedule while secondary data were collected from the records of the selected farmers’ groups. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis by using mean derived from 4-point Likert-type scale, frequency counts and percentages. The hypotheses were addressed with the use of Pearson correlation. Leaderships were rated low in qualities of leaders and were found to be fairly effective
Ionic Polymerization Within Van der Waals Clusters

Consecutive bimolecular ion-molecule addition and elimination reactions have been observed within Van der Waals clusters of isoprene and vinyl chloride following EI ionization at pressures of 10−8 torr. Clusters provide a feasible and valuable approach for understanding the mechanism of ionic polymerization, and how the size of polymer chains is controlled in such a process.
Biochemistry: Origin of a key player in methane biosynthesis.

The biosynthesis of a coenzyme in the microbial production of methane has been determined — completing the biosynthetic pathways for the family of compounds that includes chlorophyll, haem and vitamin B12. See Article p.78 Methanogenesis, the biosynthesis of methane by microorganisms, produces around a billion tons of methane gas per year—a significant contribution to global warming. Coenzyme F430 is a nickel-containing modified tetrapyrrole that catalyses the generation of methane, but how it forms is not fully understood. In this work, Martin Warren and co-workers identify the genes responsible for F430 biosynthesis and demonstrate the activities of each of the key enzymes involved. The authors show how the molecular framework that houses nickel is assembled to optimize methanogenesis. Clarifying the pathway to this coenzyme also completes our understanding of how other members of the modified tetrapyrrole family are constructed.
Inconsistencies in the diagnosis of aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity

Purpose:To determine the accuracy and reliability of diagnosing aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity (AP-ROP).Methods:A total of 1220 eye examinations from 230 infants were prospectively...
Augmenting Wireless Time-of-Arrival Positioning with Terrain Elevation Measurements for Navigation

The integration of time-of-arrival positioning techniques with terrain-referenced navigation is described within the framework of Bayesian estimation theory. In this approach, two banks of nonlinea...
Hermann Brochs »Ungedrucktes aus dem Duxer Casanova-Archiv« (1918): Notizen zu einem unbekannten Frühwerk

Das bisher unbekannte literarische Fruhwerk Hermann Brochs (alias K. L. Hib), »Ungedrucktes aus dem Duxer Casanova-Archiv« (1918), bricht auf brisante Weise mit den tradierten Mustern herkommlicher Casanova-Darstellungen des fruhen 20. Jahrhunderts. In ihm sind Ideen und Standpunkte in noch embryonischer bzw. skizzenhafter Form vertreten, die in Brochs spateren literarischen und theoretischen Werken zur Ausreifung gelangen. Broch flechtet den Text in mehreren aufschlussreichen Hinsichten in die literarischen, philosophischen und kulturkritischen Diskurse seiner Zeit ein, unter anderem, indem er einen hellsichtigen literarischen Metakommentar zur damaligen »Kino-Debatte« (Kaes) herstellt.
A comparison of two methods for fountain-coded file distribution in an ad hoc network with relays

We investigate two approaches to fountain-coded broadcast file distribution in an ad hoc packet radio network. In the first method, all destinations receive fountain-coded packets directly from the source. In the second method, after one destination obtains the file, it acts as a relay node by applying continued fountain coding to the file and sending the encoded packets to other destinations. The other destinations combine the fountain-coded packets they received from the source with those they obtain from the relay node. We compare the performance of the two methods when they are employed in a network whose links have Rayleigh fading. As performance benchmarks, we also examine two conventional broadcast techniques that use automatic repeat request (ARQ) for retransmission of erased packets.
Temperature profiling of polypeptides in reversed-phase liquid chromatography: II. Monitoring of folding and stability of two-stranded α-helical coiled-coils

The present study extends the utility of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to monitor folding and stability of de novo designed synthetic two-stranded alpha-helical coiled-coils. Thus, we have compared the effect of temperature on the RP-HPLC retention behaviour of both oxidized (two identical five-heptad alpha-helical peptides linked by a disulfide bridge) and reduced coiled-coil analogues with various amino acids substituted into the hydrophobic core of the coiled-coil. We were able to correlate the RP-HPLC retention behaviour of the oxidized analogues over the temperature range of 10 to 80 degrees C with the stability of the analogues as determined by conventional thermal and chemical denaturation approaches. In addition, the contribution of a disulfide bridge to coiled-coil stability was highlighted by comparing the elution behaviour of the oxidized and reduced analogues. Overall, we demonstrate the excellent potential of "temperature profiling" by RP-HPLC to monitor differences in oligomerization state and protein stability.
Inheritance of Carbon Isotope Discrimination in Flaveria

The carbon isotope composition of vascular plants is often used as a primary criterion for distingushing between plants with the C3 and C4 pathways of photosynthetic carbon fixation. In general, C3 plants discriminate more against 13C than C4 plants. The carbon isotope composition, expressed on the standard δ 13C scale, of C3 plants is typically -28 o/oo while, C4 plants generally have δ 13C values of -14 o/oo (1). We are interested in determining the genetic control of the difference in isotope composition between C3 and C4 plants. Specifically, we are interested in determining whether there are any uniparental effects influencing the trait, characterization of the dominance relationship of alleles at relevant loci and obtaining an estimate of the number of independently segregating factors influencing the δ 13C value. To address these questions we have made hybrids between C3 and C4 individuals from two closely related species within the genus Flaveria. Hybridizations were made between F. brownii (C4) and F. floridana (C3) (2,3 and 4). To determine if there are any uniparental effects influencing the δ 13C value, reciprocal F1 hybridizations were made. To obtain an estimate of the number of genetic factors affecting the δ 13C value in the C4 parent we have made backcross hybridizations between one of the F1 hybrids and F. brownii.
Clinical Translation of Cartilage Tissue Engineering, From Embryonic Development to a Promising Long-Term Solution

Abstract Tissue engineering (TE) relies on the elucidation of molecular and physical mechanisms that guide progenitor cells toward desired phenotypes. The resulting differentiated cells, along with tridimensional scaffolds, form a construct that aims at restoring injured tissues. Understanding development processes has provided critical information to improve TE protocols to promote tissue regeneration. Articular cartilage constitutes one of the most challenging tissues to regenerate, in spite of its “simple” structure. The highly specialized chondrocyte presents special challenges in terms of inducing and maintaining its functional phenotype. Nevertheless, significant advances have been made in the field of articular cartilage TE, moving from elusive success to a promising long-term solution. In this chapter, we present challenges and recent advances related with articular cartilage TE. We review various critical factors to move from in vitro to in vivo studies, address the shortcomings, and suggest potential solutions to further preclinical research to clinical feasibility.
Facial Expression Grounded Conversational Dialogue Generation

We present a novel conversational language model that is grounded with information about facial expressions. To our knowledge this is the first in-depth examination of grounding natural language models with facial cues. We train a neural language model that uses automatically detected facial action unit intensity information in images alongside text to generate conversational dialogue. We evaluate our model on a large and very challenging unconstrained real-world dataset from social media (Twitter), featuring 450,000 conversations with associated facial expressions. Systematic linguistic and crowdsourced analyses reveal the properties of our models: The facial expression grounding strengthens the sentiment of the resulting dialogue such that it is consistent with the valence of the facial expressions. Furthermore, the automatically generated conversational responses are rated as equivalent to the human gold-standard responses on relevance and emotion dimensions.
Reduced calcium-dependent proteinase activity in cimaterol-induced muscle hypertrophy in lambs.

The purpose of this study was to reveal the possible relationships between total Ca2+-dependent proteinase (CDP) and micromolar-Ca2+-dependent proteinase (microM CDP) activity and cimaterol-induced hypertrophy of skeletal muscle. Dietary administration of 10 ppm cimaterol to finishing lambs reduced microM CDP activity in longissimus muscle (LD) by 55% (P less than .01) and 70% (P less than .02) after 3 and 6 wk of treatment, respectively. Total CDP activity was unaffected by cimaterol at both treatment intervals. The reduced microM CDP activity was not associated with a reduced yield of enzyme extract from the muscle. Cimaterol treatment increased the cross-sectional area of the LD by 23.5% at 3 wk and by 35.6% at 6 wk (P less than .001). Cimaterol also increased (P less than .001) the masses of semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris by 26%, 32.4% and 24.5%, respectively. These results suggest that cimaterol-induced muscle hypertrophy may be attained in part by reduction of myofibrillar protein degradation.
Modeling the Impacts of UV-B Radiation on Ecological Interactions in Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems

Recent data demonstrating global increases in biologically damaging UV-B radiation raise the need for knowledge of how natural communities and ecosystems will respond to these environmental changes. These responses are likely to differ in terrestrial versus aquatic environments, and in freshwater versus marine environments due to fundamental differences in the structure and function of these ecosystems.
Management of Venous Angiomas of the Brain

Venous angioma (V.A.) is a well recognized cerebral vascular malformation; however, studies over the past 25 years provide conflicting data as to their true clinical importance and risk of hemorrhage. Most of the studies base their conclusions solely on angiographically proven cases. Though angiography provides definitive diagnosis, it has become obvious that appropriate MRI and possibly CT evaluations are sufficiently accurate. Following a previous series of 21 patients with angiographical diagnosis only (years 1975–1987), since July 1987, 38 patients at our institution have had V.A. diagnosed by angiography, 28 of whom had prior MRI studies. MRI failed to diagnose V.A. in only one of 24 cases where hemorrhage was absent. In four cases, hemorrhage precluded the exact diagnosis. In addition, 65 MRIs and 50 contrast enhanced CT scans have strongly suggested the diagnosis of V.A. raising the total to 155 lesions. Overall, the hemorrhage rate was 5.8% with nine proven bleeds without findings suggestive of cavernous angioma. Looking only at those cases proven angiographically, the rate was 22.5%. Only six of the remaining cases who had not hemorrhaged were felt to be symptomatic from their lesion. This review reaffirms our previous findings that V.A. has the propensity for bleeding; however, the actual incidence would seem to be lower than previously suggested when based solely on angiographically proven cases.
Diffuse pulmonary infiltrates in the immunocompromised host

Diffuse pulmonary infiltrates in the immunocompromised host in the majority represent an opportunistic infection. However, in about 25 to 30%, they represent complications of an adverse drug reaction, recurrence of the underlying disease such as leukemia or lymphoma involving the lung, or an idiopathic "fibrosis," and in a small percentage are attributable to an "unrelated" process such as congestive heart failure, pulmonary emboli, community-acquired pneumonia, and so on. In 10 to 20% of the patients, two or more of these processes occur. A pulmonary process in the immunocompromised patient is almost always fatal unless the clinician intervenes with the proper diagnosis and/or effective empiric therapy.
Deletion-based escape of CRISPR-Cas9 targeting in Lactobacillus gasseri.

Lactobacillus gasseri is a human commensal which carries CRISPR-Cas, an adaptive immune system that protects the cell from invasive mobile genetic elements (MGEs). However, MGEs occasionally escape CRISPR targeting due to DNA mutations that occur in sequences involved in CRISPR interference. To better understand CRISPR escape processes, a plasmid interference assay was used to screen for mutants that escape CRISPR-Cas targeting. Plasmids containing a target sequence and a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) were transformed for targeting by the native CRISPR-Cas system. Although the primary outcome of the assay was efficient interference, a small proportion of the transformed population overcame targeting. Mutants containing plasmids that had escaped were recovered to investigate the genetic routes of escape and their relative frequencies. Deletion of the targeting spacer in the native CRISPR array was the dominant pattern of escape, accounting for 52–70 % of the mutants from two L. gasseri strains. We repeatedly observed internal deletions in the chromosomal CRISPR array, characterized by polarized excisions from the leader end that spanned 1–15 spacers, and systematically included the leader-proximal targeting spacer. This study shows that deletions of spacers within CRISPR arrays constitute a key escape mechanism to evade CRISPR targeting, while preserving the functionality of the CRISPR-Cas system. This mechanism enables cells to maintain an active immune system, but allows the uptake of potentially beneficial plasmids. Our study revealed the co-occurrence of other genomic mutations associated with various phenotypes, showing how this selection process uncovers population diversification.
Firearm Ownership, Means Safety, and Suicidality

Objective Means safety interventions are effective at reducing suicide rates. This study examined beliefs about firearm ownership or storage and suicide risk, lifetime suicidal thoughts, and openness to means safety. Method A community sample of 107 American adult firearm owners (51.4% male; 82.2% White; m age = 37.46) completed a series of self-report questionnaires via Amazon's Mechanical Turk. Results Hierarchical linear regressions indicated that beliefs regarding firearm ownership or storage were associated with openness to means safety measures to prevent a suicide attempt by someone else, but not to prevent one's own suicide attempt. Additionally, results from analyses of covariance indicated that firearm owners with lifetime ideation had stronger beliefs regarding the association between firearm ownership or storage and suicide risk. Conclusions Findings indicate firearm owners' willingness to engage in means safety may be influenced by the degree to which they believe firearm storage is associated with suicide. Furthermore, firearm owners with prior suicide ideation are more open to the idea that firearm ownership and storage are related to suicide risk. Viewing suicide as salient to one's own life may serve as a focal point in efforts to increase openness to means safety among firearm owners.
Supracostal access tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy: minimizing complications.

Supracostal access in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) may be avoided due to concern for thoracic complications. The objective of the study is to report the safety and efficacy of supracostal access utilizing a tubeless (stent only) PCNL technique. Retrospective review of perioperative outcomes of 70 patients (76 renal units) who underwent a supracostal tubeless PCNL. No nephrostomy tubes were left. All patients had a 7F ureteral stent and Foley catheter placed. The nephrostomy sheath was removed with the patient held in end-expiration, and the incision closed. Median (IQR) age was 62 (48.3–67) years. Median stone size was 20 × 21 mm, and 14 (18%) patients had complete staghorn stones. The upper calyx was the site of access in 52 (68.4%) cases. Access was above the 12th and 11th rib in 63 (83%) and 12 (16%) cases, respectively. Median (IQR) length of stay was 30 (28–32) hours. Fifty (68.5%) patients had no residual fragments (< 2 mm) on postoperative imaging. Eight (11%) patients underwent an ancillary procedure (7 URS and 1 ESWL), with an additional seven patients becoming stone free after this procedure (78%). Thoracic complications occurred in two (2.6%) patients: one small pneumothorax, and one pleural effusion, both managed conservatively. Other complications occurred in nine patients (11.8%): bleeding requiring transfusion (1), fever (4), urinary retention (2), and syncope (2). Compared to historical controls, our approach to upper tract PCNL utilizing a nephrostomy tube-free approach resulted in an overall low thoracic complication rate and facilitated hospital discharge.
Mutually exclusive autism mutations point to the circadian clock and PI3K signaling pathways

Mutual exclusivity analysis of genomic mutations has proven useful for detecting driver alterations in cancer patient cohorts. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, that this pattern is also present among de novo mutations in autism spectrum disorder. We analyzed three large whole genome sequencing studies and identified mutual exclusivity patterns within the most confident set of autism-related genes, as well as in the circadian clock and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.
Zero-Forcing Per-Group Precoding for Robust Optimized Downlink Massive MIMO Performance

In this paper, we propose a new, robust near-optimal mutual information combined zero-forcing per-group precoding (ZF-PGP) method for finite alphabets with imperfect channel state information (CSI) at the receiver. ZF-PGP achieves very high gains over ZF precoding techniques, while it simultaneously offers individually separate streams to reach individual user equipment (UE), i.e., it obliterates the need for coordinated, joint decoding by the group’s UEs. The proposed robust ZF-PGP scheme comprises an inner linear beamformer (BF), which relies on second-order CSI and is based on the massive MIMO-based joint division and multiplexing for finite alphabets (JSDM-FA) to form orthogonal user groups, and an outer linear precoder that relies on instantaneous group CSI to form a per-group precoding within groups (PGP-WG) with separate data streams to each user. As we show by multiple examples, for a uniform linear array (ULA), the proposed ZF-PGP technique is very efficient, near-optimal design with reduced complexity at the UEs. Due to JSDM-FA second-order CSI inner beamforming, the groups are easily identified. We also demonstrate the robustness of the proposed precoding techniques to channel estimation errors, showing minimal performance loss.
How is Constitutional Law Made

Professors George and Pushaw review Maxwell L. Stearns’ book, “Constitutional Process: A Social Choice Analysis of Supreme Court Decisionmaking.” In his book, Stearns demonstrates that the U.S. Supreme Court fashions constitutional law through process-based rules of decision such as outcome voting, stare decisis, and justiciability. Employing “social choice” economic theory, Professor Stearns argues that the Court strives to formulate rules that promote rationality and fairness. Perhaps the greatest strength of Stearns’ book is that he presents a grand unified theory of the Court’s rules of constitutional process and the resulting development of doctrine. This strength can also be a weakness, however, because he tends to read precedent and the historical evidence to fit his thesis, even when other explanations may be more persuasive. In this review, Professors George and Pushaw explore two such alternatives, grounded in political science and constitutional theory, and argue that these disciplines are at least as effective as economics in illuminating constitutional lawmaking.
Anorectal pitfalls in computed tomography colonography

There is a wide array of pathological lesions seen in the anorectal region with CT colonography (CTC), much of which is unique to this location. Many relatively common findings in the anorectal region are typically benign, but can be misinterpreted as malignant. There are also technique-related pitfalls that can impede accurate diagnosis of anorectal findings at CTC. Understanding common and uncommon lesions in the anorectal region as well as recognizing technical pitfalls will optimize interpretation of CTC and decrease the number of missed cancers and false positives. This review will systematically cover that they key pitfalls confronting the radiologist at CTC interpretation of the anorectal region, primarily dividing them into those related to underlying anatomy and those related to technique. Tips for how to effectively handle these potential pitfalls will also be discussed.
The Advanced Thin Film Micro LED Array

The development of thin film micro LEDs has led the display industry into a new era. The highly-efficient and color-saturated pixels provided by the semiconductor chips can be the foundation of the new type of micro-display or large signage. Meanwhile various issues in micro-assembly need to optimize to obtain satisfactory process flow and throughput yield for this technology. Both RGB method and color-conversion method are promising for micro-LED based displays and their progress in ITRI lab will be fully reviewed in this study.