cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Large-scale fluidic tuning of sub-wavelength periodic structures

In this paper, we present a technique to fluidically tune the response of periodic structures composed of sub-wavelength constituting unit cells. This technique is applied to a two-dimensional periodic structure with multiple unit cells and the response of the structure is continuously tuned over a broad frequency band. The technique is based on embedding metal and glass balls inside several parallel channels within the dielectric substrate which supports the periodic structure. In each channel, a periodic arrangement of metal and glass balls is assembled and is allowed to move freely within the channel. By moving this periodic train of balls over small distances with respect to the fixed periodic structure, the response of the structure is continuously tuned. 3D printing technology is used to implement the dielectric substrate with embedded fluidic channels. The structure is designed to ensure that the movement of balls in all channels can be synchronized. A prototype with 8 parallel channels accommodating 9 unit cells in each channel is fabricated using a Viper Si2 3D printer and synchronization movement of the balls is verified experimentally when the balls in channels are embedded in mineral oil and pressure driven. Then a prototype with 16 channels is designed to experimentally verify the synchronous movement of balls and the tuning range achievable from the prototype.
Ferroelectric thin film characterization using superconducting microstrip resonators

We describe a novel technique for characterizing the dielectric response of ferroelectric thin films at microwave frequencies. The method involves a microstrip resonator which incorporates a ferroelectric capacitor at its center. To demonstrate this method rye have fabricated a superconducting microstrip resonator from a laser-ablated YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// (YBCO) film on a LaAlO/sub 3/ (LAO) substrate with a SrTiO/sub 3/ (STO) capacitor at its center. We report the observed dielectric behavior of the STO laser ablated film as a function of bias at liquid He and N/sub 2/ temperatures and at high and low frequencies. It is observed that the electrically tunable dielectric constant of the STO film is roughly independent of frequency up to 20 GHz (especially at high bias). The loss tangent of the STO/LAO capacitor decreases with increasing bias and is apparently independent of frequency between 6 and 20 GHz. >
Low-Level Mesocyclonic Concentration by Nonaxisymmetric Transport. Part I: Supercell and Mesocyclone Evolution

An idealized simulation of a supercell using the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) was able to produce a low-level mesocyclone near the intersection of the forward- and rear-flank downdrafts. The creation of the low-level mesocyclone is similar to previous studies. After 3600 s, the low-level mesocyclone underwent a period of rapid intensification, during which its form changed from an elongated patch to a compact center. This transition was also accompanied by a sudden decrease in pressure (to 12 mb below that of the neighboring flow), and was found to occur even in the absence of nested grids. It is shown that the stage of strong intensification does not begin aloft, as in the dynamic pipe effect, and then descend to the surface. Rather, the vortex is initiated near the surface, and then builds upward. The process is completed in 5 min, and the final vortex can be clearly distinguished from the larger-scale mesocyclone at the cloud base. The reduction of pressure can be explained as a consequence of the evacuation of mass in the horizontal convergence equation. This is in contrast to axisymmetric models of vortex intensification, which generally rely on the evacuation of mass in the vertical divergence equation. In the latter cases a positive horizontal convergence tendency is what initiates the concentrated vortex. However, nondivergent models prove that vorticity concentration can occur in the absence of any horizontal convergence. Here the concentration is associated with a negative horizontal convergence tendency.
KARYOTYPIC PROFILES OF WOMEN AFTER CLOMIPHENE CITRATE THERAPY

Summary Cytogenetic studies were made before and after clomiphene therapy on endometrial tissue obtained from seven patients with anovulation. In a further six subjects, endometrial karyotypic patterns were studied before drug administration. Statistical analysis of a large number of cells revealed that after treatment there was an increase in heteroploidy as well as in chromatid lesions and aberrations. The biological significance of these findings remains uncertain. They may reflect the action of the compound at the cellular level and could thus explain the occurrence of persistent infertility despite the successful induction of ovulation.
Limits to Arbitrage and Commodity Index Investment: Front-Running the Goldman Roll

This paper studies the unique rolling activity of commodity index in futures markets and shows that the resulting price impact is statistically and economically significant. Two trading strategies, devised to exploit this anomaly, yielded excess returns with positive skewness and Sharpe ratios as high as 4.39 from 2000 to March 2010. The profitability of the strategies is positively correlated with the net result of two opposite forces: the size of index investment and the amount of arbitrage capital employed. Due to the price impact, investors forwent 3.6\% annual return, 48\% higher Sharpe ratio, and billions of dollars over the period.
Estimating Transition Probabilities from Aggregate Samples Plus Partial Transition Data

SUMMARY. Longitudinal studies often collect only aggregate data, which allows only inefficient transition probability estimates. Barring enormous aggregate samples, improving the efficiency of transition probability estimates seems to be impossible without additional partial-transition data. This paper discusses several sampling plans that collect data of both types, as well as a methodology that combines them into efficient estimates of transition probabilities. The method handles both fixed and time-dependent categorical covariates and requires no assumptions (e.g., time homogeneity, Markov) about the population evolution.
Control of self-assembly in micro- and nano-scale systems

a b s t r a c t Control of self-assembling systems at the micro- and nano-scale provides new opportunities for the engineering of novel materials in a bottom-up fashion. These systems have several challenges associated with control including high-dimensional and stochastic nonlinear dynamics, limited sensors for real-time measurements, limited actuation for control, and kinetic trapping of the system in undesirable configurations. Three main strategies for addressing these challenges are described, which include particle design (active self-assembly), open-loop control, and closed-loop (feedback) control. The strategies are illustrated using a variety of examples such as the design of patchy and Janus particles, the toggling of magnetic fields to induce the crystallization of paramagnetic colloids, and high-throughput crystallization of organic compounds in nanoliter droplets. An outlook of the future research directions and the necessary technological advancements for control of micro- and nano-scale self-assembly is provided. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Early diagenesis of plant-derived dissolved organic matter along a wetland, mangrove, estuary ecotone

We studied the role of photochemical and microbial processes in contributing to the transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from various plants that dominate the Florida Everglades. Plant-derived DOM leachate samples were exposed to photochemical and microbial degradation and the optical, chemical, and molecular weight characteristics measured over time. Optical parameters such as the synchronous fluorescence intensity between 270 and 290 nm (Fnpeak I), a strong indicator of protein and/or polyphenol content, decreased exponentially in all plant leachate samples, with microbial decay constants ranging from -1.0 d−1 for seagrass to -0.11 d−1 for mangrove (half-life [t1/2] = 0.7-6.3 d). Similar decreases in polyphenol content and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration also occurred but were generally an order of magnitude lower or did not change significantly over time. The initial molecular weight composition was reflected in the rate of Fnpeak I decay and suggests that plant derived DOM with a large proportion of high molecular weight structures, such as seagrass derived DOM, contain high concentrations of easily microbially degradable proteinaceous components. For samples exposed to extended simulated solar radiation, polyphenol and Fnpeak I photochemical decay constants were on average −0.7 d−1 (t1/2 1.0 d). Our data suggest that polyphenol structures of plant-derived DOM are particularly sensitive to photolysis, whereas high molecular weight protein-like structures are degraded primarily through physical-chemical and microbial processes. Furthermore, microbial and physical processes initiated the formation of recalcitrant, highly colored high molecular weight polymeric structures in mangrove-derived DOM. Thus, partial, biogeochemical transformation of plant-derived DOM from coastal areas is rapid and is likely to influence carbon and nutrient cycling, especially in areas dominated by seagrass and mangrove forests.
Transient Overclocking for Aperiodic Task Execution in Hard Real-Time Systems

In this paper we study the design of aperiodic servers in thermally constrained real-time systems. We start by illustrating how naive slack stealing leads to missed deadlines in the presence of speed-control-based dynamic thermal management. We then proceed to describe a design time execution-budget allocation scheme that takes advantage of the predictable thermal behavior of the system to control the execution of aperiodic workload. We introduce the transient overclocking server, which safely reduces the response time for aperiodic jobs in the presence of hard real-time periodic tasks and thermal constraints. We show by simulation that the transient overclocking server works well under thermal constraints of the system, and that there is an optimal budget allocation that depends on the temporal characteristics of the aperiodic tasks.
25th Anniversary Article: Rational Design and Applications of Hydrogels in Regenerative Medicine

Hydrogels are hydrophilic polymer-based materials with high water content and physical characteristics that resemble the native extracellular matrix. Because of their remarkable properties, hydrogel systems are used for a wide range of biomedical applications, such as three-dimensional (3D) matrices for tissue engineering, drug-delivery vehicles, composite biomaterials, and as injectable fillers in minimally invasive surgeries. In addition, the rational design of hydrogels with controlled physical and biological properties can be used to modulate cellular functionality and tissue morphogenesis. Here, the development of advanced hydrogels with tunable physiochemical properties is highlighted, with particular emphasis on elastomeric, light-sensitive, composite, and shape-memory hydrogels. Emerging technologies developed over the past decade to control hydrogel architecture are also discussed and a number of potential applications and challenges in the utilization of hydrogels in regenerative medicine are reviewed. It is anticipated that the continued development of sophisticated hydrogels will result in clinical applications that will improve patient care and quality of life.
Distributed multiple human tracking with wireless binary pyroelectric infrared (PIR) sensor networks

This paper presents a distributed multiple human tracking system based on binary pyroelectric infrared (PIR) sensors. The goal of our research is to make wireless distributed pyroelectric sensors a low-cost, low-data-throughput alternative to the expensive infrared video sensors in surveillance applications. With the help of coded Fresnel lens arrays, a binary pyroelectric sensor array can measure the angular displacements of up to two thermal targets. The distributed multiple target tracking scheme is achieved by using (1) joint probabilistic association and (2) consensus filtering. The former can facilitate each sensor node to fuse the measurements and states of nodes within its neighborhood. The latter can guarantee that a consensus will be achieved among those distributed sensor nodes. A prototype wireless pyroelectric sensor network system has been developed to demonstrate the scalability and performance of the proposed distributed multiple human tracking system.
Janus Particle Synthesis and Assembly

Janus particles, colloid-sized particles with two regions of different surface chemical composition, possess energetic interactions that depend not only on their separation but also on their orientation. Research on Janus and colloidal particles that are chemically patchy in even more complicated fashion has opened a new chapter in the colloid research field. This article highlights recent progress in both experiment and theory regarding synthesis and self-assembly of Janus particles, and tentatively outlines some areas of future opportunity.
The Identity of Hexokinase Activities from Mitochondrial and Cytoplasmic Fractions of Rat Brain Homogenates

Cytoplasmic hexokinase (ATP: D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) was purified from the soluble fraction of a rat brain homogenate by a procedure that included a unique affinity elution of the enzyme from Blue Dextran-Sepharose. The purified enzyme was examined with respect to properties in which the impure cytoplasmic enzyme has been reported to differ from the solubilized mitochondrial enzyme. These included the ability to bind to mitochondria, inhibition by quercetin, effect of pH on activity, and kinetics. In all regards the purified mitochondrial and cytoplasmic enzymes appeared identical. In addition, comparative peptide maps after partial proteolysis showed no detectable differences. These results do not support the view that there exist distinct mitochondrial and cytoplasmic forms of hexokinase, the latter being permanently relegated to a cytoplasmic location and unable to participate in a dynamic equilibrium with the mitochondrially-bound enzyme. Alternatives are proposed to explain previous results that had been interpreted as indirect evidence for the existence of a distinct cytoplasmic hexokinase.
Chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in sediment cores from San Francisco Bay

Sediment cores of known chronology from Richardson and San Pablo Bays in San Francisco Bay. CA, were analyzed for a suite of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls to reconstruct a historic record of inputs. Total DDTs (DDT = 2,4'- and 4,4'-dichlorodiphenylmchloroethane and the metabolites, 2.4'- and 4,4'-DDE, -DDD) range in concentration from 4-21 ng/g and constitute a major fraction (> 84%) of the total pesticides in the top 70 cm of Richardson Bay sediment. A subsurface maximum corresponds to a peak deposition date of 1969-1974. The first measurable DDT levels are found in sediment deposited in the late 1930's. The higher DDT inventory in the San Pablo relative to the Richardson Bay core probably reflects the greater proximity of San Pablo Bay to agricultural activities in the watershed of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. Total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) occur at comparable levels in the two Bays (< 1-34 ng/g). PCBs are first detected in sediment deposited during the 1930's in Richardson Bay. about a decade earlier than the onset of detectable levels of DDTs. PCB inventories in San Pablo Bay are about a factor of four higher in the last four decades than in Richardson Bay, suggesting a dismbution of inputs not as strongly weighed towards the upper reaches of the estuary as DDTs. The shallower subsurface maximum in PCBs compared to DDT in the San Pablo Bay core is consistent with the imposition of drastic source control measures for these constituents in 1970 and 1977 respectively. The observed decline in DDT and PCB levels towards the surface of both cores is consistent with a dramatic drop in the input of these pollutants once the effect of sediment resuspension and mixing is taken into account. 0 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keyvordr: chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides: polychlorinated biphenyls; sediment cores; San Francisco Bay
Planetary-scale views on a large instant-messaging network

We present a study of anonymized data capturing a month of high-level communication activities within the whole of the Microsoft Messenger instant-messaging system. We examine characteristics and patterns that emerge from the collective dynamics of large numbers of people, rather than the actions and characteristics of individuals. The dataset contains summary properties of 30 billion conversations among 240 million people. From the data, we construct a communication graph with 180 million nodes and 1.3 billion undirected edges, creating the largest social network constructed and analyzed to date. We report on multiple aspects of the dataset and synthesized graph. We find that the graph is well-connected and robust to node removal. We investigate on a planetary-scale the oft-cited report that people are separated by "six degrees of separation" and find that the average path length among Messenger users is 6.6. We find that people tend to communicate more with each other when they have similar age, language, and location, and that cross-gender conversations are both more frequent and of longer duration than conversations with the same gender.
Combined QRD-M and Successive Interference Cancellation Detection Algorithm for MIMO Systems

In order to get better trade-off between detection performance and calculating complexity, an improved detection algorithm was presented here. QRD-M algorithm is performed for several layers firstly, and successive interference cancellation detection algorithm was used to detect the bottom several layers parallel, and the candidate sequence with smaller PAM was selected out as the answer. Simulation results show the validity of proposed algorithm.
Effects of bubbling and stirring on mass transfer coefficients in liquids

In the hydrogenation of α-methylstyrene by means of a suspended palladium-alumina catalyst in a stirred reactor the mass transfer of hydrogen through the liquid is the rate-controlling step and the resistance to chemical reaction at the catalyst surface is negligible except at extremely rapid rates of stirring. This system therefore provides an excellent means of establishing the effects of operating variables and mechanical construction on mass transfer coefficients in liquids in stirred reactors. It is convenient to consider the total resistance to mass transfer as consisting of two separate resistaces: in the liquid adjoining the bubbles and in the liquid adjoining the suspended solid particles; thus R = Rb + Rs. A general equation was evaluated from experimental data based upon unit volume of liquid.
Ramoplanin: a novel antimicrobial agent with the potential to prevent vancomycin-resistant enterococcal infection in high-risk patients

The prevention of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) colonization and infection continues to be a high priority for clinicians. An oral antimicrobial agent that reduces or eliminates VRE gastrointestinal colonization could be useful for preventing VRE infection in selected patients. Ramoplanin, a glycolipodepsipeptide, is the first in a new class of antimicrobials. It has excellent in vitro activity against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis. It is orally administered, and not absorbed systemically. In clinical trials, VRE gastrointestinal colonization was reduced to undetectable levels in 80-90% of patients during receipt of ramoplanin. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled multicentre study is currently being conducted to determine whether ramoplanin will prevent VRE bloodstream infection in oncology patients who are neutropenic due to treatment for a haematological malignancy or a bone marrow/stem cell transplant.
MCNP6 moving objects. Part II: Simulations

Abstract In Part I we presented the theory and code-development upgrades for the new MCNP6 moving-objects feature. This feature facilitates automated execution of radiation transport simulations in which motion is characterized by rigid-body kinematics for three types of continuous motion: rectilinear translation, curvilinear translation, and curvilinear rotation. Models that have complicated motion paths can be simulated using motion-segment linking. Models containing up to 1000 moving objects can be executed. In addition, moving sources and delayed-neutron and delayed-gamma emission due to fission and activation reactions can be modeled. To illustrate this new capability, we present results for two sets of test models. The objective of the first set is to demonstrate object motion for a variety of dynamics conditions. These test models are executed without particle emission or transport. The updated MCNP6 geometry plotting utility is used to provide numerous plots of model geometries as they evolve with time. The second set is used to demonstrate object motion with particle emission and transport. These models examine delayed-gamma emission induced by thermal neutron irradiation of moving versions of the highly enriched uranium (HEU) and plutonium (Pu) targets used by Beddingfield and Cecil (1998) in experimental work. Our calculated results show good agreement with the measured delayed-gamma spectra. This new MCNP6 feature allows realistic simulations of object and/or source motion, which will enhance modeling realism for a variety of radiation-transport applications.
Signal recovery using neural networks

A nonlinear approach for recovering an undistorted signal which is distorted by any system is presented. This method is based on the techniques of neural networks. When trained with the original signal as target and the distorted signal as input vector, a neural network can be used to estimate the original signal instantly and can be used in real time for online signal recovery. The proposed approach has been tested in the case when the original signal is a random binary time sequence and the distortion is obtained by passing the original signal through a low-pass filter plus a white noise. It is shown that this approach provides excellent recovery of the original signal. >
Link Prediction in Large Networks by Comparing the Global View of Nodes in the Network

Link prediction is an important and well-studiedproblem in network analysis, with a broad range of applicationsincluding recommender systems, anomaly detection, and denoising. The general principle in link prediction is to use thetopological characteristics of the nodes in the network to predictedges that might be added to or removed from the network. While early research utilized local network neighborhood tocharacterize the topological relationship between pairs of nodes, recent studies increasingly show that use of global networkinformation improves prediction performance. Meanwhile, in thecontext of disease gene prioritization and functional annotationin computational biology, "global topological similarity" basedmethods are shown to be effective and robust to noise andascertainment bias. These methods compute topological profilesthat represent the global view of the network from the perspectiveof each node and compare these topological profiles to assess thetopological similarity between nodes. Here, we show that, in thecontext of link prediction in large networks, the performance ofthese global-view based methods can be adversely affected byhigh dimensionality. Motivated by this observation, we proposetwo dimensionality reduction techniques that exploit the sparsityand modularity of networks that are encountered in practicalapplications. Our experimental results on predicting futurecollaborations based on a comprehensive co-authorship networkshows that dimensionality reduction renders global-view basedlink prediction highly effective, and the resulting algorithmssignificantly outperform state-of-the-art link prediction methods.
Nano-channel formation using a low-temperature glass-to-glass bonding process

A low-temperature glass-to-glass bonding process is demonstrated that creates uniform channels with a channel depth of 80 nm. The bond strength was characterized as a function of temperature and glass surface treatment. A significant increase in bond strength was found by rinsing the two glass surfaces with a calcium (II) acetate hydrate solution prior to bonding.
Effect of Body Habitus on Radiation Dose during CT Fluoroscopy-Guided Spine Injections

This study investigated the degree to which body habitus influences radiation dose during CT fluoroscopy (CTF)-guided lumbar epidural steroid injections (ESI).An anthropomorphic phantom containing metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) detectors was scanned at two transverse levels to simulate upper and lower lumbar CTF-guided ESI. Circumferential layers of adipose-equivalent material were sequentially added to model patients of three sizes: small (cross-sectional dimensions 25×30 cm), average (34×39 cm), and oversize (43×48 cm). Point dose rates to skin and internal organs within the CTF beam were measured. Scattered point dose rates 5 cm from the radiation beam were also measured.Direct point dose rates to the internal organs ranged from 0.05–0.11 mGy/10mAs in the oversized phantom, and from 0.18–0.43 mGy/10mAs in the small phantom. Skin direct point dose rates ranged from 0.69–0.71 mGy/10mAs in the oversized phantom and 0.88–0.94 mGy/10mAs in the small phantom. This represents a 180...
Digital PCR: Principles and Applications

Digital PCR is a robust PCR technique that enables precise and accurate absolute quantitation of target molecules by diluting and partitioning of the samples into numerous compartments. Automated partitioning can be attained by creating "water-in-oil" emulsion (emulsion-based digital PCR) or using a chip with microchannels (microfluidics-based digital PCR). We discuss the advantages and a wide variety of clinical applications of this technique. We describe the droplet digital RT-PCR protocol published by Jennings et al. for identification and absolute quantitation of BCR-ABL1 transcripts.
SU-G-JeP3-04: Estimating 4D CBCT from Prior Information and Extremely Limited Angle Projections Using Structural PCA and Weighted Free-Form Deformation

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of using structure-based principal component analysis (PCA) motion-modeling and weighted free-form deformation to estimate on-board 4D-CBCT using prior information and extremely limited angle projections for potential 4D target verification of lung radiotherapy. Methods: A technique for lung 4D-CBCT reconstruction has been previously developed using a deformation field map (DFM)-based strategy. In the previous method, each phase of the 4D-CBCT was generated by deforming a prior CT volume. The DFM was solved by a motion-model extracted by global PCA and a free-form deformation (GMM-FD) technique, using data fidelity constraint and the deformation energy minimization. In this study, a new structural-PCA method was developed to build a structural motion-model (SMM) by accounting for potential relative motion pattern changes between different anatomical structures from simulation to treatment. The motion model extracted from planning 4DCT was divided into two structures: tumor and body excluding tumor, and the parameters of both structures were optimized together. Weighted free-form deformation (WFD) was employed afterwards to introduce flexibility in adjusting the weightings of different structures in the data fidelity constraint based on clinical interests. XCAT (computerized patient model) simulation with a 30 mm diameter lesion was simulated with various anatomical and respirational changes from planning 4D-CT to onboard volume. The estimation accuracy was evaluated by the Volume-Percent-Difference (VPD)/Center-of-Mass-Shift (COMS) between lesions in the estimated and “ground-truth” on board 4D-CBCT. Results: Among 6 different XCAT scenarios corresponding to respirational and anatomical changes from planning CT to on-board using single 30° on-board projections, the VPD/COMS for SMM-WFD was reduced to 10.64±3.04%/1.20±0.45mm from 21.72±9.24%/1.80±0.53mm for GMM-FD. Using 15° orthogonal projections, the VPD/COMS was further reduced to 1.91±0.86%/0.31±0.42mm based on SMM-WFD. Conclusion: Compared to GMM-FD technique, the SMM-WFD technique can substantially improve the 4D-CBCT estimation accuracy using extremely small scan angles to provide ultra-fast 4D verification. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health under Grant No. R01-CA184173 and a research grant from Varian Medical Systems
Dopaminergic activity and altered reward modulation in anorexia nervosa—insight from multimodal imaging

Author(s): Bailer, Ursula F; Price, Julie C; Meltzer, Carolyn C; Wagner, Angela; Mathis, Chester A; Gamst, Anthony; Kaye, Walter H | Abstract: ObjectiveIndividuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) have anxious and inhibited temperaments with high concern for consequences. Studies using either positron emission tomography (PET) or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) suggest involvement of the middle and dorsal caudate (DC) in individuals recovered (REC) from AN. For example, dopamine (DA) D2/D3 receptor binding in the middle caudate and DC was associated with anxiety and harm avoidance, and blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response in the DC was positively related to trait anxiety. It has not been shown yet whether BOLD response in individuals REC from AN was related to DA function.MethodsPost-hoc correlation analyses between the PET and fMRI studies by correlating D2/D3 binding in striatal regions and BOLD signal in the anteroventral striatum (AVS) and DC for wins and losses respectively in 12 individuals REC from AN.ResultsIndividuals REC from AN with the greatest BOLD response in the DC in a monetary choice task had higher middle caudate D2/D3 binding, and greater anxiety and/or harm avoidance.DiscussionThough preliminary, these findings suggest that increased dorsal striatal D2/D3 binding is associated with enhanced cognitive response to feedback, potentially related to anxious anticipation of consequences. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2017; 50:593-596).
The mechanics and design of a lightweight three-dimensional graphene assembly

Recent advances in three-dimensional (3D) graphene assembly have shown how we can make solid porous materials that are lighter than air. It is plausible that these solid materials can be mechanically strong enough for applications under extreme conditions, such as being a substitute for helium in filling up an unpowered flight balloon. However, knowledge of the elastic modulus and strength of the porous graphene assembly as functions of its structure has not been available, preventing evaluation of its feasibility. We combine bottom-up computational modeling with experiments based on 3D-printed models to investigate the mechanics of porous 3D graphene materials, resulting in new designs of carbon materials. Our study reveals that although the 3D graphene assembly has an exceptionally high strength at relatively high density (given the fact that it has a density of 4.6% that of mild steel and is 10 times as strong as mild steel), its mechanical properties decrease with density much faster than those of polymer foams. Our results provide critical densities below which the 3D graphene assembly starts to lose its mechanical advantage over most polymeric cellular materials.
Abstract C02: Electronic personal health records, minorities and prevention

Introduction: Cancer outcome disparities are in large part attributable to impediments to access to care for minority populations and individuals of lower socio-economic status. The use of electronic personal health records (ePHR) such as myChart, which allow patients to directly interact with their health record and their healthcare providers, has been drastically increasing with cancer patients overall but disproportionately less so in the underserved. We need to better understand the factors that underlie disparities in usage of ePHR, particularly for prevention, in order to be better able to leverage on this technology to improve access to care. Methods: In 2012 Cleveland Clinic implemented an opt out program where every patient is given a myChart activation code at check in. This has resulted in close to a million “newly active” patients and almost half a million activated MyChart users. All patients with an email address on file were invited to participate in a survey inquiring about patient knowledge, use and preferences for myChart. We used logistic regression to test for differences across ethnicity after controlling for factors that confound factors such as age and illness. Results: A total of 18,599 369 myChart users responded to the survey. 633 (3%) responders self-identified as Hispanic (His) and 1265 (7%) as African American (AA). Both His and AA tended to be younger and healthier (less chronic conditions) than non-Hispanic White (WHI) responders (AA OR=1.4, p = 0.001, His OR 2.0, p = 0.001). Despite this His and AA have higher frequencies of visits to their PCP and to the ER after controlling for chronic conditions and age. Although younger WHI responders were more likely to say that they would use myChart more if they visited their PCP more, this was not the case for His and AA. Instead we find that His and AA are more likely to say that they do not discuss preventative measures with their PCP (AA OR =1.3, p=0.01, His OR = 1.5, p = 0.002) Conclusion: Our results suggest that adding functionality to ePHR that will more actively promote discussion and planning of prevention between primary care providers and His and AA may be a way to improve the impact of this technology on how minorities engage with prevention. Citation Format: Paola Raska, Katherine Schneider, Jordan Zivoder, Scott Steele, Jame Abraham. Electronic personal health records, minorities and prevention. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr C02.
Verification of Control Laws Using Phase-Space Geometric Modeling of Dynamical Systems

Abstract This paper presents an algorithm for verifying control laws using phase-space geometric modeling of dynamical systems. The algorithm evolves a hierarchically-refined bound of system nonlinear dynamics and can address practical concerns such as sensor, actuator, and modeling uncertainties in a systematic manner. The algorithm has been applied to verifying a control law for a magnetic levitation system and the computational results are compared against the performance of the actual physical system.
Case of pacemaker pocket infection caused by Finegoldia magna.

Abstract Finegoldia magna (formerly called Peptostreptococcus magnus ) is a Gram-positive anaerobic coccus which is increasingly recognized as an opportunistic pathogen. We present a case of F. magna associated non-valvular cardiovascular device-related infection in an 83 year-old male who received a permanent pacemaker for sick sinus syndrome seven weeks prior to his presentation. Five weeks after the implantation, the pacemaker and leads were explanted because of clinical evidence of pacemaker pocket infection. He was initially treated with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim based on the Gram stain results from the removed pacemaker. However, two weeks later, he was readmitted with sepsis and was successfully treated with ampicillin-sulbactam. Culture results from the pacemaker and pocket as well as blood cultures grew F. magna . Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of F. magna infection when initial gram stain results show “gram positive cocci”.
The Pathobiology of the Atherosclerotic Plaque in the Mid-1980s

The process of progressive atherogenesis is largely the result of the interaction of lipoproteins with the artery wall cells and their matrix products to produce the advanced plaque. Its main components are the necrotic cholesteryl ester rich core from which the disease process gets part of its name (the Greek stem “athero” means gruel or porridge) and the fibrous (sclerotic) cap which contains predominantly smooth muscle cells which often become encased in their own synthesis products of collagen, elastin and proteoglycans. Typically, many of these cells and their surrounding intercellular matrix show abundant lipids which are demonstrable both chemically and morphologically. These major components are responsible for most of the signs and symptoms and most of the life-threatening effects of atherosclerosis which result in its being the leading cause of death and morbidity in the urban-industrial countries of the world, especially in Europe and North America.
Prognostic Value of Hyperlactatemia and Lactate Clearance After Mitral Valve Surgery.

Objectives Blood lactate is frequently used to guide management in critically ill patients. In patients undergoing mitral valve surgery, an elevated lactate level is frequently observed; however, overall mortality is low. The authors hypothesized that hyperlactemia is not a useful predictor of poor outcomes in this patient population. The main aim of this study was to explore how blood lactate level and lactate clearance are associated with 30-day mortality and major adverse events in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. Design This was a retrospective database review. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the associations of perioperative factors with blood lactate in the intensive care unit (ICU). Setting Tertiary-care teaching hospital. Participants The study comprised 917 patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results The majority of patients (71.8%) had elevated blood lactate ≥2 mmol/L on ICU admission; however, within 24 hours, 85.1% of all patients had normal lactate values. Overall 30-day mortality was 2.29% (n = 21). The combination of lactate ≥7 mmol/L on ICU admission and a persistent elevated blood lactate level 24 hours after ICU admission provides an excellent prediction of 30-day mortality (C statistic = 0.85). However, even a significantly elevated lactate level on ICU admission was well-tolerated in the majority of patients as long as lactate values normalized within 24 hours. Male sex, longer cardiopulmonary bypass time, blood transfusion in the ICU, and an elevated blood lactate level on ICU admission and 12 hours after ICU admission all were independent risk factors of clearance failure. Conclusions An elevated blood lactate level is common after mitral valve surgery and is well-tolerated in the majority of patients. Adding lactate clearance improved the predictive value of the blood lactate level.
Modes of Mobius resonator

The modes in a Mobius wire-loaded cavity resonator are discussed. In addition to the higher order Mobius modes, which occur at odd integer multiples of the fundamental mode resonant frequency, a set of modes, which occur at approximately even integer multiples of the fundamental Mobius resonant frequency, are discussed. These modes arise from the presence of the cavity wall and are related to even modes of a coupled line system.
Prolonged seizure activity causes caspase dependent cleavage and dysfunction of G-protein activated inwardly rectifying potassium channels

Recurrent high-frequency epileptic seizures cause progressive hippocampal sclerosis, which is associated with caspase-3 activation and NMDA receptor-dependent excitotoxicity. However, the identity of caspase-3 substrates that contribute to seizure-induced hippocampal atrophy remains largely unknown. Here, we show that prolonged high-frequency epileptiform discharges in cultured hippocampal neurons leads to caspase-dependent cleavage of GIRK1 and GIRK2, the major subunits of neuronal G protein-activated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels that mediate membrane hyperpolarization and synaptic inhibition in the brain. We have identified caspase-3 cleavage sites in GIRK1 (387ECLD390) and GIRK2 (349YEVD352). The YEVD motif is highly conserved in GIRK2-4, and located within their C-terminal binding sites for Gβγ proteins that mediate membrane-delimited GIRK activation. Indeed, the cleaved GIRK2 displays reduced binding to Gβγ and cannot coassemble with GIRK1. Loss of an ER export motif upon cleavage of GIRK2 abolishes surface and current expression of GIRK2 homotetramic channels. Lastly, kainate-induced status epilepticus causes GIRK1 and GIRK2 cleavage in the hippocampus in vivo. Our findings are the first to show direct cleavage of GIRK1 and GIRK2 subunits by caspase-3, and suggest the possible role of caspase-3 mediated down-regulation of GIRK channel function and expression in hippocampal neuronal injury during prolonged epileptic seizures.
Safety signal detection and evaluation in clinical development programs: A case study of tofacitinib.

Adverse events are anticipated during a clinical development program. Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We describe here the process undertaken by Pfizer to investigate a safety signal for pancreatic cancer with tofacitinib. Potential cases of pancreatic cancer across indications from Pfizer's clinical trials and safety databases were identified and underwent in-depth case review and external expert consultation. The magnitude of the signal was quantified. The feasibility of formal signal evaluation via a hypothesis-testing study was explored. As of July 2016, 14 cases of potential pancreatic cancer were identified: eight cases in clinical development trials (psoriasis n = 6; RA n = 1; psoriatic arthritis n = 1), four cases in a postmarketing study in RA patients in Japan, and two spontaneous reports. Incidence rates (95% confidence intervals) per 100 patient-years ranged from 0 (0, 0.02) to 0.14 in RA, 0.05 (0.01, 0.15) to 0.07 (0.02, 0.16) in psoriasis, and 0.25 (0.01, 1.37) in psoriatic arthritis. The majority of patients had established risk factors for pancreatic cancer. The pharmaceutical industry's rapid and transparent response to safety signals is essential for ensuring patient safety and enabling physicians and patients to adequately assess a drug's risk:benefit. Safety signals emerging through pharmacovigilance may be true or false indicators of a causative association with drug exposure. In this example, it was determined that tofacitinib exposure was unlikely to be related to induction and promotion of pancreatic cancer; however, a relationship with pancreatic cancer promotion could not be excluded.
HeteroSync: A benchmark suite for fine-grained synchronization on tightly coupled GPUs

Traditionally GPUs focused on streaming, data-parallel applications, with little data reuse or sharing and coarse-grained synchronization. However, the rise of general-purpose GPU (GPGPU) computing has made GPUs desirable for applications with more general sharing patterns and fine-grained synchronization, especially for recent GPUs that have a unified address space and coherent caches. Prior work has introduced microbenchmarks to measure the impact of these changes, but each paper uses its own set of microbenchmarks. In this work, we combine several of these sets together in a single suite, HeteroSync. HeteroSync includes several synchronization primitives, data sharing at different levels of the memory hierarchy, and relaxed atomics. We characterize the scalability of HeteroSync for different coherence protocols and consistency models on modern, tightly coupled CPU-GPU systems and show that certain algorithms, coherence protocols, and consistency models scale better than others.
Lectin Interactions with Normal and Tumor Cells and the Affinity Purification of Tumor Cell Glycoproteins

Lectins, saccharide-binding proteins and glycoproteins which bind mono-or oligosaccharides specifically through their complementary sugar-binding sites, have been isolated from a wide variety of plants and animals (reviewed in Lis and Sharon, 1973; Nicolson, 1974a; Sharon and Lis, 1975; Roth, 1978; Goldstein and Hayes, 1978). Lectin interactions with carbohydrate-containing molecules on cells resemble antibody-antigen reactions, since most lectins contain at least two saccharide-binding sites per molecule. Because of the carbohydrate-binding specificities of lectins, some of these agglutinins have proven to be quite useful for clinical blood-typing and structural studies of blood-group substances, analysis of cell-surface structure of normal and tumor cells, specific isolation of glycoproteins and oligo- and mucopolysaccharides, studies on mitogenesis, and the localization of specific carbohydrate sequences at the microscopic and ultrastructural level.
Hobby or Business? Insights into the §183 Nine-Factor Test and Taxpayer Representation

ABSTRACT Internal Revenue Code §183 generally prohibits taxpayers from deducting expenses related to activities in which the taxpayer is not primarily motivated by profit. The applicable Treasury R...
Identifying the essential ingredients to literacy and numeracy improvement: Teacher professional development and coaching, student textbooks, and structured teachers' guides

Abstract Several rigorously evaluated programs have recently shown positive effects on early literacy and numeracy outcomes in developing countries. However, these programs have not been designed to evaluate which ingredients of the interventions are most essential to improve literacy outcomes. Policy makers therefore lack evidence as to whether program ingredients such as teacher professional development (PD), instructional coaching, learner materials, teachers’ guides, community support, or technology are required for program impact. The Kenya Primary Math and Reading Initiative was a randomized controlled trial that compared three treatment groups with specific ingredients and a control group. Using literacy and numeracy outcome measures for grades 1 and 2, we evaluated the benefits of the following ingredients: (1) teacher PD and teacher instructional support and coaching; (2) revised student books in literacy and numeracy, at a 1:1 ratio, added to PD and instructional support; and (3) structured teacher lesson plans added to student books, PD, and instructional support. We found that two of the three combinations of ingredients had statistically significant positive impacts on learning outcomes. The results showed that the third combination—PD, teacher instructional support and coaching, 1:1 student books, and structured teacher lesson plans—was most effective. A cost-effectiveness analysis on the ingredients showed that the option of PD and instructional support, 1:1 revised books, and teachers’ guides was the most expensive, but that the additional impact on learning made this the most cost-effective intervention. This study rigorously analyzes which ingredients for literacy and numeracy improvement would be most effective for overall impact, and suggests to policy makers that careful decisions regarding program ingredients will lead to more effectively designed and implemented interventions to improve learning in developing countries.
Why Psychiatry is Recruiting Fewer Residents: The Opinions of Medical School Deans and Psychiatric Department Chairmen

In response to a survey of medical school deans and chairmen of departments of psychiatry about factors contributing to reduced recruitment of medical students into psychiatry, opinions were obtained from 82 American medical schools, with 50 deans’ and 59 chairmen’s responses returned. Factors most often cited include decreased federal support for psychiatric training, the push toward increasing the numbers of primary care physicians, role diffusion in mental health care, and poor teaching in some departments of psychiatry. Suggestions are offered for enhancing recruitment of students to psychiatry.