cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accurate, consistent, and fast droplet splitting and dispensing in electrowetting on dielectric digital microfluidics

This letter reports two novel electrode design considerations to satisfy two very important aspects of EWOD operation—(1) Highly consistent volume of generated droplets and (2) Highly improved accuracy in the generated droplet volume. Considering the design principles investigated two novel designs were proposed; L-junction electrode design to offer high throughput droplet generation and Y-junction electrode design to split a droplet very fast while maintaining equal volume of each part. Devices of novel designs were fabricated and tested, and the results are compared with those of conventional approach. It is demonstrated that inaccuracy and inconsistency of droplet volume dispensed in the device with novel electrode designs are as low as 0.17 and 0.10%, respectively, while those of conventional approach are 25 and 0.76%, respectively. The dispensing frequency is enhanced from 4 to 9 Hz by using the novel design.
Racial-Ethnic Differences in Off-Label Antidepressant Use, by Insurance Type.

Objective:The objective of this study was to examine whether and to what extent racial-ethnic differences exist in off-label use of antidepressant drugs by insurance type (Medicare, Medicaid, private coverage, and uninsured).Methods:Multiyear data (2000–2010) from Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys were used. Logistic and negative binomial regressions were used for the likelihood and frequency analyses, respectively.Results:The likelihood of filling prescriptions for off-label use of antidepressants was greater among blacks than among whites in all insurance groups (Medicare [N=6,470], adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.68; Medicaid [N=3,076], AOR=1.76; private coverage [N=9,918], AOR=2.10; and uninsured [N=1,826], AOR=1.88). Only in the uninsured group were Hispanics more likely than whites to use antidepressants off label (AOR=1.58). Among off-label antidepressant users, blacks and Hispanics with private coverage filled significantly fewer off-label antidepressant prescriptions than whites (blacks, incidence ra...
Baseline sleep quality is a significant predictor of quit-day smoking self-efficacy among low-income treatment-seeking smokers:

Compared to non-smokers, smokers have an increased risk for poor sleep quality, which could undermine confidence to quit. This study examined whether baseline sleep quality was associated with quit...
SmgGDS-607 Regulation of RhoA GTPase Prenylation Is Nucleotide-Dependent.

Protein prenylation involves the attachment of a hydrophobic isoprenoid moiety to the C-terminus of proteins. Several small GTPases, including members of the Ras and Rho subfamilies, require prenylation for their normal and pathological functions. Recent work has suggested that SmgGDS proteins regulate the prenylation of small GTPases in vivo. Using RhoA as a representative small GTPase, we directly test this hypothesis using biochemical assays and present a mechanism describing the mode of prenylation regulation. SmgGDS-607 completely inhibits RhoA prenylation catalyzed by protein geranylgeranyltransferase I (GGTase-I) in an in vitro radiolabel incorporation assay. SmgGDS-607 inhibits prenylation by binding to and blocking access to the C-terminal tail of the small GTPase (substrate sequestration mechanism) rather than via inhibition of the prenyltransferase activity. The reactivity of GGTase-I with RhoA is unaffected by addition of nucleotides. In contrast, the affinity of SmgGDS-607 for RhoA varies wit...
A genetic engineering methodology for insect pest control: female sterilizing genes

We propose a novel method to control insect pest populations by integrating into the genome of the target species a gene fusion that serves as a dominant female sterilizing (FS) gene. Based on the developmental regulation, regulatory sequences from vitellogenin and/or chorion protein genes have been identified as suitable for construction of FS gene fusions. These promoters, which respond to tissue- and stage-specific developmental signals, can be linked to a variety of structural gene elements such as those of a scrambled chorion protein, a signal sequence-deleted neutral protease, a phospholipase, an altered tubulin or a toxin. Such a FS gene fusion, because of its tissue and developmental stage specificity, could be expected to be expressed only in adult ovaries with resulting disruption of ovarian functions. In order to introduce the FS gene into the genome of the target species we suggest placing it at a neomycin resistance or other appropriate selectable genetic marker between the termini of a Drosophila transposing P-element and transforming the germline cells in embryo. Males carrying the S gene will transmit it to their progeny which would be all female sterile. Theoretical calculations suggest that target insect populations will be reduced substantially in two to four generations if the ratio of FS males to endemic males is maintained 10:1. It is also theoretically possible to construct a FS gene which would undergo replicative transposition and thus maintain its self in the population in a high copy number thus causing continued decline in the number of pests. The current genetic engineering method allows adapting these principles to control a wide variety of insect pest species.
Overcoming Bortezomib Resistance: A Review of the Second-Generation Proteasome Inhibitor Carfilzomib in the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma

Proteasome inhibitors now form the backbone of many myeloma therapeutic regimens in either the upfront or relapsed settings, but both innate and acquired drug resistance have emerged as significant clinical challenges. The second-generation proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib recently received regulatory approval after showing promising activity in bortezomib-resistant preclinical models and human studies. Although similar to its predecessor in targeting the chymotrypsin-like activity of both the constitutive proteasome and the immunoproteasome, carfilzomib has distinct mechanistic and structural properties. These allow it to bind irreversibly and provide a more sustained target inhibition than bortezomib, which is characterized by slowly reversible binding kinetics, and may in part contribute to its ability to overcome proteasome inhibitor resistance. Numerous clinical studies with carfilzomib are now underway investigating its use in various clinical settings and in combination with other novel agents that will provide valuable insight on its optimal use. However, despite the important advance in myeloma therapeutics that carfilzomib represents, cross-resistance between proteasome inhibitors remains a significant problem. This highlights the need for a better understanding of proteasome inhibitor resistance biology to inform the design of next-generation proteasome inhibitors and the development of rational drug combinations to overcome such resistance.
Uronic Acid Pathway

Overview • The uronic acid pathway is another cytoplasmic route for the metabolism of Glc-6-P.
A Practical Method for Obtaining an Index of Lens Density with an Automated Perimeter

Uncontrolled variables often limit meaningful assessment of visual sensitivity. Previously, we developed a procedure and apparatus for in vivo assessment of light absorption by the human lens. In the current study, we modified a widely used automated perimeter to include our procedure for obtaining an index of lens density. Nineteen individuals were tested on both the original apparatus and the modified perimeter. Results were comparable with a correlation of r = 0.92 (P less than 0.01). We conclude that employing the procedure on an automated perimeter is a practical method for obtaining an accurate lens density index.
Fault site pruning for practical reliability analysis of GPGPU applications

Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) have rapidly evolved to enable energy-efficient data-parallel computing for a broad range of scientific areas. While GPUs achieve exascale performance at a stringent power budget, they are also susceptible to soft errors, often caused by high-energy particle strikes, that can significantly affect the application output quality. Understanding the resilience of general purpose GPU applications is the purpose of this study. To this end, it is imperative to explore the range of application output by injecting faults at all the potential fault sites. This problem is especially challenging because unlike CPU applications, which are mostly single-threaded, GPGPU applications can contain hundreds to thousands of threads, resulting in a tremendously large fault site space - in the order of billions even for some simple applications. In this paper, we present a systematic way to progressively prune the fault site space aiming to dramatically reduce the number of fault injections such that assessment for GPGPU application error resilience can be practical. The key insight behind our proposed methodology stems from the fact that GPGPU applications spawn a lot of threads, however, many of them execute the same set of instructions. Therefore, several fault sites are redundant and can be pruned by a careful analysis of faults across threads and instructions. We identify important features across a set of 10 applications (16 kernels) from Rodinia and Polybench suites and conclude that threads can be first classified based on the number of the dynamic instructions they execute. We achieve significant fault site reduction by analyzing only a small subset of threads that are representative of the dynamic instruction behavior (and therefore error resilience behavior) of the GPGPU applications. Further pruning is achieved by identifying and analyzing: a) the dynamic instruction commonalities (and differences) across code blocks within this representative set of threads, b) a subset of loop iterations within the representative threads, and c) a subset of destination register bit positions. The above steps result in a tremendous reduction of fault sites by up to seven orders of magnitude. Yet, this reduced fault site space accurately captures the error resilience profile of GPGPU applications.
Gundy v. United States : Reflections on the Court and the State of the Nondelegation Doctrine

This short "reflections" essay is an invited piece that addresses the Supreme Court's consideration of the "nondelegation doctrine" this coming Term in Gundy v. United States. The Court has not found any statutory provision to be unconstitutional on nondelegation grounds since 1935. Will that change this Term when the Court evaluates the Attorney General's authority to retroactively apply federal sex offender registration requirements to individuals convicted prior to enactment of those statutory rules? Will the new makeup of the Court after Justice Kennedy's retirement impact the likely outcome of this nondelegation challenge?
EVALUATION OF PROPOSED PUMPED STORAGE SITES

This chapter, through a case study, discusses ways to evaluate the proposed pumped storage sites. The case concerns identifying a suitable site for developing a pumped storage facility with a 600 MWe capacity in the southwestern states. Screening models and on-site visits by a team composed of engineers, geologists, and biologists were used to identify 10 candidate sites. These candidate sites were evaluated by economic, environmental, and technological concerns related to the sites and their required transmission lines. Using sensitivity analyses, factors critical to the ranking were identified. The primary screening resulted in a series of candidate regions. These were identified by eliminating regions of special scenic, cultural, or aesthetic significance, such as national parks, Indian reservations, and sites near archaeological findings. Areas that could pose a major hazard to towns or villages because of possible dam failure were also eliminated. The secondary screening of the candidate regions was conducted using hydraulic functional criteria. A proposed candidate area needed to have an effective head of more than 500 feet, the ratio of the horizontal to vertical distance between the reservoirs had to be less than 15, and the usable area for the upper reservoir had to be at least 300 acres. This screening resulted in a list of approximately 70 candidate areas.
High risk of thrombosis recurrence in patients with homozygous and compound heterozygous factor V R506Q (Factor V Leiden) and prothrombin G20210A.

Abstract Objective Heterozygous Factor V R506Q [Factor V Leiden (FVL)] and prothrombin G20210A (PGM), the most common inherited thrombotic disorders in the Caucasian population, confer a low-moderate risk for first venous thromboembolic (VTE) event. We investigated the thrombotic complications of rare homozygous and compound heterozygous FVL and PGM. Methods A cohort of patients with homozygous and compound heterozygous FVL and PGM were evaluated at a major referral center in Central Pennsylvania, USA between June 2001 and March 2019. Data including incidence of first and recurrent thrombosis, associated risk factors, family history and demographics were collected. Results Seventy-five patients were eligible for analysis: 47 had homozygous FVL, three had homozygous PGM, 19 had compound heterozygous FVL and PGM, five had compound homozygous FVL and heterozygous PGM, and one had compound heterozygous FVL and homozygous PGM. Fifty-nine patients experienced 111 thromboembolic events. Forty-seven percent of first thrombotic events occurred in patients without clinical or surgical conditions predisposing to thrombosis. The rate of recurrent thromboembolism was 59%. The mean time to recurrence was 8.5 years. Ninety percent of recurrent events occurred during times when patients were not treated with anticoagulation. Conclusion Persons with homozygous and compound heterozygous FVL and PGM are at a significantly increased risk of first unprovoked and recurrent VTE. Patients with first thromboembolic events should be considered for long-term anticoagulation.
Teaching hardware and computer organization using a distance-learning format

CSS422 (Hardware and Computer Organization) is currently being taught concurrently as an on-site class and a distance learning (DL) class. The classes differ only in the method of content delivery. On-site students attend twice weekly class room lectures and the DL students receive the course materials on-line in the form of 9 lessons in HTML format.This paper describes the results of teaching CSS422 side-by-side and the relative effort required to develop and maintain the material and to keep the content material synchronized between the classroom work and the DL content.The relative results of student performance will be reported and the results of student satisfaction surveys will also be reported. By the time that this paper will be presented (Fall, 2004) the DL experiment will have had 4 completed cycles of the class.Educational outcomes of both sections have thus far been nearly identical. Results of the surveys of students in the DL sections showed that these students were in favor of this method of content delivery, and were supportive of additional courses being offered by this method. However, the degree to which the results of this comparison study may be extrapolated to predict how other forms of DL course organizations might succeed should be carefully considered. The most difficult logistical problem for DL content delivery, asynchronous study, was not part of the experiment. The paper will discuss the reasons for this and how this variable might be addressed in future DL courses.
Is “school sport” associated with school belongingness? Testing the influence of school sport policy

Abstract One of the primary justifications for middle school sport is the presumed association between sport participation and school belongingness. However, concerns regarding school sport values have called this association into question. Previous researchers have focused primarily on school sport as a single entity, with far less consideration for the different policies available to guide sport management and delivery in the school context. The authors examine the association between sport participation and school belongingness under two sport policies (i.e., interscholastic and intramural). Moderated mediation analysis is used to examine the relationships underpinning this connection in both policy contexts. Results indicate differences across policy contexts related to the salience of perceived sport and academic competence. The discussion highlights intriguing implications for sport administrators regarding school sport policy, particularly as it pertains to promoting school belongingness.
Outpatient Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Review of the Current Stance and Future Direction.

Introduction The purpose of this review is to outline some of the major considerations when transitioning to performing total hip and knee arthroplasty in the out- patient setting. The review will discuss patient selections, peri-operative management pathways, and outcomes related to outpatient total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Patient selection Appropriate patient selection is key to successful outpatient TJA. Multiple indices have been proposed to estimate patient risk before undergoing outpatient TJA. Perioperative Management: In order to provide a successful outpatient TJA experience, pre-operative education class and physical therapy session can set expectations and prepare the patient for the post-operative recovery at home. Specific anesthesia techniques focus on regional blocks, multi-modal pain control, and reduction of post-operative nausea and vomiting and rapid recovery protocols have been developed to provide early mobilization and physical therapy. Outcomes Nationwide analyses have found improved complication rates ranging from 1.3%-3% in outpatient TJA group compared to 3%-12% in the inpatient TJA group. Financial analyses have found significant cost savings for outpatient TJA mostly related to reduction in surgical floor care. Conclusion Outpatient TJA has the potential to improve patient experience with cost savings and no increased risk of complications in the appropriately selected patient population.
Impact of age on racial disparity in early stage breast cancer in the United States.

e19058Background: Racial disparities persists in women with early stage breast cancer and is most pronounced in Black (B) compared to White (W) women even when controlled for stage and biological s...
When (and Why) Expressing Uncertainty Affects Perceptions of Competence

What do we infer about others’ when they express uncertainty? A broad literature on this question has yielded results that appear contradictory. In prior work, expressing more (versus less) certain...
An educational collaboration for student nurse engagement on the essential skill of delegation

Abstract A common goal for healthcare providers and nursing faculty is the provision of effective delivery of care and safe practice settings. Decisions around the delegation of care are critical for quality patient outcomes. The purpose of this collaborative project between schools of nursing and a local community healthcare facility was to provide educational training to prelicensure nursing students on the delegation expectations for nursing professionals.
Shared and unique risk factors for tobacco use among rural versus urban adolescents

Abstract Researchers have proposed numerous factors that may contribute to rural adolescents' heightened risk for tobacco use. Some of these include well-known risk factors for tobacco use, whereas others concern factors unique to rural populations, reflecting norms and values (“rural culture”) that accept and encourage tobacco use. This study aimed to test a broad range of tobacco-use risk factors to determine which were a) universal risk factors for both urban and rural adolescents vs. b) unique risk factors for rural adolescents. Data came from a prospective cohort study of 1220 adolescent males in Ohio who were aged 11–16 (average = 14 years) when surveyed at baseline (2015–2016). Follow-up surveys occurred every 6 months. The present study examined tobacco-use outcomes—prevalent use and incident use—by the two-year follow-up (2017–2018). Findings indicated a higher prevalence of ever-use of cigarette and smokeless tobacco among rural, vs. urban, adolescents at baseline. By the two-year follow-up, the urban/rural difference was attenuated but remained. Stratified multivariable logistic regression indicated that some baseline risk factors were associated with subsequent tobacco use for both rural and urban adolescents. Having an adult tobacco user in the home (for prevalent use) and susceptibility to a male family member offer of tobacco products (for both prevalent and incident use) were associated with tobacco use only for rural adolescents. These findings align with qualitative work demonstrating that masculinity and an intergenerational tobacco culture are important to male adolescents. This unique rural profile should be considered when developing prevention efforts.
Use of bot and content flags to limit the spread of misinformation among social networks: a behavior and attitude survey

The COVID-19 infodemic is driven partially by Twitter bots. Flagging bot accounts and the misinformation they share could provide one strategy for preventing the spread of false information online. This article reports on an experiment (N = 299) conducted with participants in the USA to see whether flagging tweets as coming from bot accounts and as containing misinformation can lower participants’ self-reported engagement and attitudes about the tweets. This experiment also showed participants tweets that aligned with their previously held beliefs to determine how flags affect their overall opinions. Results showed that flagging tweets lowered participants’ attitudes about them, though this effect was less pronounced in participants who frequently used social media or consumed more news, especially from Facebook or Fox News. Some participants also changed their opinions after seeing the flagged tweets. The results suggest that social media companies can flag suspicious or inaccurate content as a way to fight misinformation. Flagging could be built into future automated fact-checking systems and other misinformation abatement strategies of the social network analysis and mining community.
Platelet and neutrophil responses to Porphyromonas gingivalis in human whole blood.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a causative agent for periodontal disease. Binding of platelets to this gram-negative anaerobe can regulate host hemostatic (thrombus forming) and immune (neutrophil interacting) responses during bacterial infection. Additionally, in response to bacterial pathogens neutrophils can release their DNA, forming highly prothrombotic neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which then further enhance platelet responses. This study evaluates the role of P. gingivalis on platelet expression of CD62P, platelet-neutrophil interactions, and labeled neutrophil-associated DNA. Human whole blood was preincubated with varying P. gingivalis concentrations, with or without subsequent addition of adenosine diphosphate (ADP). Flow cytometry was employed to measure platelet expression of CD62P using PerCP-anti-CD61 and PE-anti-CD62P, platelet-neutrophil interactions using PerCP-anti-CD61 and FITC-anti-CD16, and the release of neutrophil DNA using FITC-anti-CD16 and Sytox Blue labeling. Preincubation with a high (6.25 × 106 CFU/mL) level of P. gingivalis significantly increased platelet expression of CD62P in ADP treated and untreated whole blood. In addition, platelet-neutrophil interactions were significantly increased after ADP stimulation, following 5-22 min preincubation of blood with high P. gingivalis CFU. However, in the absence of added ADP, platelet-neutrophil interactions increased in a manner dependent on the preincubation time with P. gingivalis. Moreover, after ADP addition, 16 min preincubation of whole blood with P. gingivalis led to increased labeling of neutrophil-associated DNA. Taken together, the results suggest that the presence of P. gingivalis alters platelet and neutrophil responses to increase platelet activation, platelet interactions with neutrophils, and the level of neutrophil antimicrobial NETs.
Power management in hybrid electric vehicles using deep recurrent reinforcement learning

A power management framework for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) is proposed based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) with a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network to minimize the fuel consumption through determining the power distribution between the two propulsion sources, the internal combustion engine (ICE) and the electric motor (EM). DRL is effective for handling the high-dimensional state and action spaces in the HEV power management problem, and the LSTM structure leverages temporal dependencies of input information, providing internal state predictions automatically without introducing extra state variables. This technique is entirely online, meaning that the framework is constructed in real time during the training phase, independently of a prior knowledge of driving cycles. The learned information stored in the LSTM network is utilized efficiently, and the computational speed is enhanced by making multiple predictions simultaneously in each step. Simulation over various driving cycles demonstrates the efficacy of the proposed framework in fuel economy improvement.
Hepatic Steatosis in the Mouse Model of Wilson Disease Coincides with a Muted Inflammatory Response

Wilson disease (WND) is caused by inactivation of the copper transporter ATP7B and copper accumulation in tissues. WND presentations vary from liver steatosis to inflammation, fibrosis, and liver failure. Diets influence the liver phenotype in WND, but findings are inconsistent. To better understand the impact of excess calories on liver phenotype in WND, the authors compared C57BL/6J Atp7b−/− and C57BL/6J mice fed for 12 weeks with Western diet or normal chow. Serum and liver metabolites, body fat content, liver histology, hepatic proteome, and copper content were analyzed. Wild-type and Atp7b−/− livers showed striking similarities in their responses to Western diet, most notably down-regulation of cholesterol biosynthesis, altered nuclear receptor signaling, and changes in cytoskeleton. Western diet increased body fat content and induced liver steatosis in males and females regardless of genotype; however, the effects were less pronounced in Atp7b−/− mice compared with wild type. Although hepatic copper remained elevated in Atp7b−/− mice, liver inflammation was reduced. The diet diminished signaling by Rho GTPases, integrin, IL8, and reversed changes in cell cycle machinery and cytoskeleton. Overall, high calories decreased inflammatory response in favor of steatosis without improving markers of cell viability. Similar changes of cellular pathways during steatosis development in wild-type and Atp7b−/− mice explain histologic overlap between WND and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease despite opposite copper changes in these disorders.
Dynamic CT perfusion measurement in a cardiac phantom.

Widespread clinical implementation of dynamic CT myocardial perfusion has been hampered by its limited accuracy and high radiation dose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and radiation dose reduction of a dynamic CT myocardial perfusion technique based on first pass analysis (FPA). To test the FPA technique, a pulsatile pump was used to generate known perfusion rates in a range of 0.96–2.49 mL/min/g. All the known perfusion rates were determined using an ultrasonic flow probe and the known mass of the perfusion volume. FPA and maximum slope model (MSM) perfusion rates were measured using volume scans acquired from a 320-slice CT scanner, and then compared to the known perfusion rates. The measured perfusion using FPA (PFPA), with two volume scans, and the maximum slope model (PMSM) were related to known perfusion (PK) by PFPA = 0.91PK + 0.06 (r = 0.98) and PMSM = 0.25PK − 0.02 (r = 0.96), respectively. The standard error of estimate for the FPA technique, using two volume scans, and the MSM was 0.14 and 0.30 mL/min/g, respectively. The estimated radiation dose required for the FPA technique with two volume scans and the MSM was 2.6 and 11.7–17.5 mSv, respectively. Therefore, the FPA technique can yield accurate perfusion measurements using as few as two volume scans, corresponding to approximately a factor of four reductions in radiation dose as compared with the currently available MSM. In conclusion, the results of the study indicate that the FPA technique can make accurate dynamic CT perfusion measurements over a range of clinically relevant perfusion rates, while substantially reducing radiation dose, as compared to currently available dynamic CT perfusion techniques.
SU-E-J-187: Management of Optic Organ Motion in Fractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy

Purpose: Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) for optic nerve tumors can potentially use planning target volume (PTV) expansions as small as 1–5 mm. However, the motion of the intraorbital segment of the optic nerve has not been studied. Methods: A subject with a right optic nerve sheath meningioma underwent CT simulation in three fixed gaze positions: right, left, and fixed forward at a marker. The gross tumor volume (GTV) and the organs-at-risk (OAR) were contoured on all three scans. An IMRT plan using 10 static non-coplanar fields to 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions was designed to treat the fixed-forward gazing GTV with a 1 mm PTV, then resulting coverage was evaluated for the GTV in the three positions. As an alternative, the composite structures were computed to generate the internal target volume (ITV), 1 mm expansion free-gazing PTV, and planning organat-risk volumes (PRVs) for free-gazing treatment. A comparable IMRT plan was created for the free-gazing PTV. Results: If the patient were treated using the fixed forward gaze plan looking straight, right, and left, the V100% for the GTV was 100.0%, 33.1%, and 0.1%, respectively. The volumes of the PTVs for fixed gaze and free-gazing plans were 0.79 and 2.21 cc, respectively,more » increasing the PTV by a factor of 2.6. The V100% for the fixed gaze and free-gazing plans were 0.85 cc and 2.8 cc, respectively increasing the treated volume by a factor of 3.3. Conclusion: Fixed gaze treatment appears to provide greater organ sparing than free-gazing. However unanticipated intrafraction right or left gaze can produce a geometric miss. Further study of optic nerve motion appears to be warranted in areas such as intrafraction optical confirmation of fixed gaze and optimized gaze directions to minimize lens and other normal organ dose in cranial radiotherapy.« less
Maple V by example

Getting Started. Numerical Operations on Numbers, Expressions, and Functions. Calculus. Introduction to Sets, Lists, and Tables. Nested Lists: Matrices and Vectors. Related Topics from Linear Algebra. Applications Related to Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations. Selected Graphics Topics. Selected References. Subject Index.
Global-local optimization for parameter structure identification in three-dimensional groundwater modeling

[1] This paper develops two global-local optimization methods for three-dimensional parameter structure identification in groundwater modeling. Parameter structure identification is formulated in terms of solving a generalized inverse problem, which allows for a determination of an appropriate level of parameter structure complexity, and the identification of its pattern and the associated parameter values. The structure complexity is determined by calculating the parameter structure error measured in the prediction space or management space, while the structure pattern and the associated parameter values are identified simultaneously by minimizing the fitting residual measured in the observation space. The former requires solving a continuous maximum-minimum (max-min) optimization problem, and the latter requires solving a combinatorial optimization problem. In this paper, Voronoi zonation is used to parameterize the unknown distributed parameter. For each given level of structure complexity a sequential global-local optimization method, which consists of a genetic algorithm, a quasi-Newton method, and local search, is developed to solve the combinatorial problem. In addition, the continuous max-min problem is transformed to a hierarchical optimization problem and solved by a hybrid global-local method. Sensitivities of state variables to the unknown parameters are calculated by the sensitivity equations. The validity and applicability of the proposed methodology are demonstrated by numerical experiments. We have shown that the choice of an objective function in model application impacts the determination of the parameter structure complexity.
Role of native point defects and Ga diffusion on electrical properties of degenerate Ga-doped ZnO

We used a complement of depth-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy (DRCLS), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and Hall-effect measurements to demonstrate the interplay of Zn vacancy-related (VZn-R) defects with dopants in degenerately Ga-doped ZnO grown by pulsed laser deposition. DRCLS VZn-R/conduction band emission ratios relate to acceptor/donor concentrations, increasing rapidly for growth temperatures >400 °C, evidently because Ga atoms are inhibited from incorporating efficiently on available VZn sites. Elemental XPS depth profiles reveal a temperature-dependent Ga interface segregation due to Ga bulk diffusion during growth. DRCLS Fermi level thresholds provide a useful indicator of carrier density, revealing depth variations in carrier density that anticorrelate with VZn-R densities on a nm scale, confirming the acceptor nature of VZn-R defects.
Optical rotatory dispersion and absolute configuration—II : Aporphine alkaloids

Abstract The absolute configuration of aporphine alkaloids may be simply determined from the sign of their high-amplitude Cotton effect centered at 235−245 mμ.
Magnetic recording as a communications channel

Summary form only given. An often used model for a digital magnetic recording channel is to describe the input as a continuous waveform that takes on only one of two values (say +A and -A) and to describe the output as the sum of a linearly filtered version of the input and independent Gaussian noise. One aim of the article is to explain how this simple model need to be modified to take into account some of the important phenomena that occurs in high density recording. A second aim is to describe some of the coding schemes that are presently being used (or are about to be used) in digital recording systems. >
Epilepsy-related mortality is low in children: A 30-year population-based study in Olmsted County, MN

Purpose Epilepsy is a common childhood neurologic disorder, affecting 0.5 to1% of children. Increased mortality occurs due to progression of underlying disease, seizure-related accidents, suicide, status epilepticus, aspiration during seizures, and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Previous studies show mortality rates of 2.7 to 6.9 per 1000 person-years (Berg et al., 2004, Sillanpaa & Shinnar, 2010). Potential risk factors include poor seizure control, intractable epilepsy, status epilepticus, tonic-clonic seizures, mental retardation, and remote symptomatic cause of epilepsy (Berg et al., 2004, Sillanpaa & Shinnar, 2010, Walczak et al., 2001). Few population-based studies of mortality and SUDEP in childhood-onset epilepsy have been published. The purpose of this study is to report mortality and SUDEP from a 30 year population-based cohort of children with epilepsy.
Personal informatics & context: Using context to reveal factors that affect behavior

Personal informatics systems help people collect and reflect on behavioral information to better understand their own behavior. Because most systems only show one type of behavioral information, finding factors that affect one's behavior is difficult. Supporting exploration of multiple types of contextual and behavioral information in a single interface may help. To explore this, I developed prototypes of IMPACT, which supports reflection on physical activity and multiple types of contextual information. I conducted field studies of the prototypes, which showed that such a system could increase people's awareness of opportunities for physical activity. However, several limitations affected the usage and value of these prototypes. To improve support for such systems, I conducted a series of interviews and field studies. First, I interviewed people about their experiences using personal informatics systems resulting in the Stage-Based Model of Personal Informatics Systems, which describes the different stages that systems need to support, and a list of problems that people experience in each of the stages. Second, I identified the kinds of questions people ask about their personal data and found that the importance of these questions differed between two phases: Discovery and Maintenance. Third, I evaluated different visualization features to improve support for reflection on multiple kinds of data. Finally, based on this evaluation, I developed a system called Innertube to help people reflect on multiple kinds of data in a single interface using a visualization integration approach that makes it easier to build such tools compared to the more common data integration approach.
Translational Implications of Stromal–Epithelial Interactions in Prostate Cancer and the Potential Role of Prostate Cancer Stem/Progenitor Cells

Publisher Summary The prostate cancer stem cell hypothesis states that a transformed adult prostate stem/progenitor cell gives rise to a heterogeneous prostate tumor, and that prostate cancer stem/progenitor cells are required to maintain tumor growth at primary and metastatic sites. Recent studies have implicated the tumor microenvironment in prostate tumorigenesis and have identified putative prostate stem cells in adult tissue. This chapter discusses the growing knowledge of the role of the tumor microenvironment in prostate cancer and its related translational implications, including the potential role of prostate cancer stem cells. It focuses on the stromal–epithelial interactions that potentially drive prostate tissue maintenance, transformation, and metastasis, and the potential therapeutic targets against these interactions. Adult prostate stem cell biology is highly analogous to the biology of the developing prostate from embryonic prostate stem cells, and understanding the pathways that govern normal prostate development lends insight into the pathways that maintain adult prostate stem cells and prostate cancer stem/progenitor cells. The recent characterization of the prostate stem cell and further investigation of its niche will help to design a regimen that targets the cancer stem/progenitor cell, which has evaded our therapeutic efforts thus far.
Triglyceride depletion in THP-1 cells alters cholesteryl ester physical state and cholesterol efflux

To study macrophage lipid droplet composition and the effects of TG on cholesteryl ester (CE) physical state, hydrolysis, and cholesterol efflux, a technique was developed to remove the majority of accumulated TG with minimal effect on CE content. THP-1 macrophages were incubated with acetylated LDL, and the accumulated TG was depleted by incubation with the acyl-CoA synthetase inhibitor triacsin D in the presence of albumin. Before TG removal, all cellular lipid droplets were isotropic as determined by polarizing light microscopy. When the TG concentration was reduced, anisotropic lipid droplets were visible, indicating a change in physical state, and suggesting that TG and CE originally accumulated in mixed lipid droplets. This change in physical state of lipid droplets was associated with slower rates of CE hydrolysis and cholesterol efflux. Although lipid droplets within the same cell had a similar physical state after TG depletion, there was considerable variability among cells in the physical state of their lipid droplets. In conclusion, THP-1 macrophages store accumulated CE and TG in mixed droplets, and the proportion of CE to TG varies among cells. Reducing accumulated TG altered CE physical state, which in turn affected hydrolysis of CE and cholesterol efflux.
Postoperative intussusception after surgery for malrotation and appendicectomy in a newborn

Postoperative intussusception in the newborn is an infrequent condition. A 17-day-old female with duodenal stenosis and malrotation underwent excision of the membrane in the duodenum and incidental appendicectomy. Postoperatively, a ceco-colic type of intussusception occurred, necessitating a right hemicolectomy. We speculate that the causative factors are twofolds: the embedded appendiceal stump, a polyp-like protrusion that became a lead point, and the non-fixation of the ileocecal mesentery, which facilitated a ceco-colic type of invagination.
Indirect effects of global change accumulate to alter plant diversity but not ecosystem function in alpine tundra

Author(s): Farrer, EC; Ashton, IW; Spasojevic, MJ; Fu, S; Gonzalez, DJX; Suding, KN | Abstract: Summary: Environmental change can affect species directly by altering their physical environment and indirectly by altering the abundance of interacting species. A key challenge at the interface of community ecology and conservation biology is to predict how direct and indirect effects combine to influence response in a changing environment. In particular, little is known about how direct and indirect effects on biodiversity develop over time or their potential to influence ecosystem function. We studied how nitrogen (N), winter precipitation (snow) and warming influenced diversity and ecosystem function over 6 years in alpine tundra. We used path analyses to partition direct effects of environmental manipulations from indirect effects due to changes in the abundance of two dominant plants. We hypothesize that (i) indirect effects will develop more slowly but will become stronger than direct effects over time and (ii) after 6 years, indirect effects will more strongly influence diversity while direct effects will influence ecosystem function. Indirect effects of N on diversity were consistently stronger than direct effects and actually developed quickly, prior to direct effects. Direct effects of snow on diversity were detected in year 2 but then subsequently were reversed, while indirect effects were detected in year 4 and grew stronger over time. Overall in year 6, indirect effects were much stronger than direct effects on diversity. Direct effects predominated for three of four ecosystem functions we measured (productivity, N mineralization, winter N availability). The only indirect effects we found were that N and snow indirectly affected microbial biomass N by influencing Geum abundance. Across all four ecosystem measures, indirect effects were infrequent and weaker than direct effects. Synthesis. Increasing indirect effects on diversity over time indicate that short-term experiments or monitoring of natural systems may underestimate the full magnitude of global change effects on plant communities. Moreover, explicitly accounting for changes in dominant plant abundance may be necessary for forecasting plant community response to environmental change. Conversely, weak indirect effects for ecosystem processes suggest that predicting ecosystem function without knowledge of plant responses to global change may be possible. Increasing indirect effects on diversity over time indicate that short-term experiments or monitoring of natural systems may underestimate the full magnitude of global change effects on plant communities. Explicitly accounting for changes in dominant plant abundance may be necessary for forecasting plant community response to environmental change. Conversely, weak indirect effects for ecosystem processes suggest that predicting ecosystem function without knowledge of plant responses to global change may be possible.
Diseases of squirrels in Britain

Forty Red (Sciurus vulgaris) and thirty-five Grey squirrels (S. carolinensis) have been subjected to full post-mortem examinations since 1967. The results, together with other reports of disease in Britain affecting free-living squirrels, are discussed. There appears to be a higher incidence of disease in Reds than in Greys. Parapoxvirus infection, which closely resembles contagious pustular dermatitis or orf of sheep, appears to be common in Reds in Norfolk, but does not appear to occur in Grey squirrels. Coccidiosis (Eimeria sciurorum infection) is common in Reds. Both species of squirrels frequently harbour Eimeria spp. parasites in the intestinal tract. Other protozoa that occur include haemogregarines (probably Hepatozoon sp.) and Toxoplasma. Helminths are relatively uncommon, but Enterobius spp. were found in the gut of Reds. Both species of squirrels are commonly infested with fleas, mainly Monopsyllus sciurorum in Reds and Orchopeas howardi in Greys. Lice, especially Neohaematopinus sciuri, and ticks (Ixodes ricinus) also occur in both species. In spite of reports to the contrary, there is no proof that either species of squirrels contract mange caused by Sarcoptes mites. It is likely that alopecia due to ectoparasitism in both species and parapoxvirus infection in Reds have been mistaken for mange. Fungal and bacterial infections appear to be unusual, although Pasteurella multocida infection was diagnosed in a Red and Yersinia enterocolitica in a Grey squirrel.
Design of a Goldschmidt iterative divider for quantum-dot cellular automata

A Goldschmidt iterative divider for quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is designed using a new architecture that solves a problem that arises in implementing conventional state machines in QCA. State machines for QCA often have synchronization problems due to the long delays between the state machines and the units (i.e., the computational circuits) to be controlled. To resolve this problem, a data tag method is used. The data tags are associated with the data and local tag decoders generate control signals. Since each datum has a tag, it is possible to issue a new division command at any iteration stage of a previous issued operation. Thus the throughput is significantly increased since multiple division computations can be performed in a time skewed manner using one iterative divider due to the large number of inherent pipeline stages in QCA circuits (unlike CMOS circuits). Using the new architecture, a fixed-point Goldschmidt divider is implemented using a 12-bit multiplier.