cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
XFA: Faster Signature Matching with Extended Automata

Automata-based representations and related algorithms have been applied to address several problems in information security, and often the automata had to be augmented with additional information. For example, extended finite-state automata (EFSA) augment finite- state automata (FSA) with variables to track dependencies between arguments of system calls. In this paper, we introduce extended finite automata (XFAs) which augment FSAs with finite scratch memory and instructions to manipulate this memory. Our primary motivation for introducing XFAs is signature matching in Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS). Representing NIDS signatures as deterministic finite-state automata (DFAs) results in very fast signature matching but for several classes of signatures DFAs can blowup in space. Using nondeterministic finite-state automata (NFA) to represent NIDS signatures results in a succinct representation but at the expense of higher time complexity for signature matching. In other words, DFAs are time-efficient but space-inefficient, and NFAs are space- efficient but time-inefficient. In our experiments we have noticed that for a large class of NIDS signatures XFAs have time complexity similar to DFAs and space complexity similar to NFAs. For our test set, XFAs use 10 times less memory than a DFA-based solution, yet achieve 20 times higher matching speeds.
Mining RNA Tertiary Motifs with Structure Graphs

We present a novel application of graph database mining to identify tertiary motifs in RNA structures. In our method, we abstract an RNA molecule as a labeled graph and use a frequent subgraph mining technique to derive tertiary motifs. By applying our technique to ribosome RNA and transfer RNA, we have identified known RNA tertiary motifs such as the ribose zipper and U-turn, plus candidates for novel tertiary motifs. Finally, we suggest an iterative multiple structure alignment algorithm to classify tertiary motifs and generate consensus motifs.
Assessment of Coping Strategies, Social Support, and General Health Status in Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus:

This study examined 51 individuals (30 men, 21 women) who participated in an outpatient diabetes education program. Participants with higher perceived support by friends and problem-solving coping strategies were healthier, while those exhibiting a wish-fulfillment coping style were less healthy. Perceived family social support was much greater for Type II (noninsulin-dependent) individuals than for Type I (insulin-dependent) individuals. Men perceived greater family support, were more likely to use problem-solving coping, and were healthier than women; however, both wish fulfillment and detachment coping were more prevalent in women. Perceived support from family and friends increased with education. Implications for diabetes education programs are also introduced.
Intrasurgical Human Retinal Imaging With Manual Instrument Tracking Using a Microscope-Integrated Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Device

Purpose To characterize the first in-human intraoperative imaging using a custom prototype spectral-domain microscope-integrated optical coherence tomography (MIOCT) device during vitreoretinal surgery with instruments in the eye. Methods Under institutional review board approval for a prospective intraoperative study, MIOCT images were obtained at surgical pauses with instruments held static in the vitreous cavity and then concurrently with surgical maneuvers. Postoperatively, MIOCT images obtained at surgical pauses were compared with images obtained with a high-resolution handheld spectral-domain OCT (HHOCT) system with objective endpoints, including acquisition of images acceptable for analysis and identification of predefined macular morphologic or pathologic features. Results Human MIOCT images were successfully obtained before incision and during pauses in surgical maneuvers. MIOCT imaging confirmed preoperative diagnoses, such as epiretinal membrane, full-thickness macular hole, and vitreomacular traction and demonstrated successful achievement of surgical goals. MIOCT and HHOCT images obtained at surgical pauses in two cohorts of five patients were comparable with greater than or equal to 80% correlation in 80% of patients. Real-time video-imaging concurrent with surgical manipulations enabled, for the first time using this device, visualization of dynamic instrument-retina interaction with targeted OCT tracking. Conclusion MIOCT is successful for imaging at surgical pauses and for real-time image guidance with implementation of targeted OCT tracking. Even faster acquisition speeds are currently being developed with incorporation of a swept-source MIOCT engine. Further refinements and investigations will be directed toward continued integration for real-time volumetric imaging of surgical maneuvers. Translational relevance Ongoing development of seamless MIOCT systems will likely transform surgical visualization, approaches, and decision-making.
On wiring overlap layouts

A layout model called vertical-two-overlap is introduced. The following results are established for an arbitrary vertical-two-overlap layout W with area A. 1. A linear time algorithm for obtaining a two-layer wiring of W, if one exists, is devised. Also, by increasing the area to at most 2A a two-layer wirable layout is obtained. 2. To decide three-layer wirability of an arbitrary vertical-two-overlap layout is NP-complete. However, W can be converted into a three-layer wirable layout with area at most 3/2 A. 3. W is always four-layer wirable and a four-layer wiring thereof can be constructed in O(A) time. >
Tomographic inversion of the El Nino profile by using a matched-mode processing (MMP) method

A high-resolution mode-matching (HRMM) estimator is used to invert El Nino profile perturbations. By matching a proper set of modal travel time perturbations in a 2-D parameter space constructed by the first two coefficients of the empirical orthogonal function (EOF), the El Nino profile can be efficiently inverted. As contrasted with the conventional linear inversion scheme, the performance of the matched-mode scheme is significantly improved because the nonlinearity of the modal travel time perturbation has been taken into account. >
AOTF Raman spectrometer for remote detection of explosives

A spectrometer based on acousto-optic tunable filters is developed for use in measuring Raman spectra as part of a detection system that is low-cost, reliable, and field-portable. The system is coupled with a fiber optic bundle to carry the excitation laser light to the sample and to collect the Raman scattered light. Spectra of the explosives trinitrotoluene (TNT), cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX) and nitroguanidine (NQ) were obtained in very short times and are in good agreement with those taken with conventional Fourier transform Raman spectrometers. Spectra of mixtures of explosives were also obtained and show no overlap of their characteristic Raman bands.
IDEAS: A general purpose software package for simulating neutron scattering instruments

Abstract The development of novel instrumentation is essential to take full advantage of the higher neutron flux that new neutron sources will provide. The increasing complexity of neutron scattering instruments and the stringent requirement for efficient use of the available neutrons make it necessary to understand in great detail the compromises inherent in a particular instrument design. While analytical calculations give important insights into the design of an instrument, a detailed evaluation of the instrument performance often goes well beyond what can be calculated analytically. Monte Carlo ray-tracing methods, long recognized as a powerful technique for modeling general radiation transport, are ideally suited to simulation of non-analytic aspects of neutron scattering transport problems and thus design of modern neutron scattering instrumentation. In Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulation, random samplings of the initial state (position, velocity, polarization, and emission time) of a neutron ensembl...
Effect of self-organization in polymer/fullerene bulk heterojunctions on solar cell performance

The authors investigate the effect of self-organization by controlling the growth rate on the performance of polymer/fullerene bulk-heterojunction solar cells. The effect of growth rate on the morphology of the active layer is studied by atomic force microscopy technique. The electrical characterization by dark current and photocurrent measurements is performed. The hole mobility in the polymer increases by about two orders in magnitude and the carrier transport becomes highly balanced. Increased exciton generation rate, more efficient electron-hole pair dissociation, higher carrier mobility, and balanced carrier transport in the active layer explain the enhancement in the short-circuit current and fill factor.
Selection of the splined variables and convergence rates in a partial spline model

A method based on the principle of unbiased risk estimation is used to select the splined variables in an exploratory partial spline model proposed by Wahba (1985). The probability of correct selection based on the proposed procedure is discussed under regularity conditions. Furthermore, the resulting estimate of the regression function achieves the optimal rates of convergence over a general class of smooth regression functions (Stone 1982) when its underlying smoothness condition is not known. Une methode basee sur le principe de l'estimation sans biais du risque est utilisee dans le but de selecuonner les variables “splines” dans un modele propose par Wahba ( 1985 ). La probabilite d'une selection correcte est etudiee sous certaines conditions de regularite. L'estimateur obtenu pour la fonction de regression atteint le taux de convergence optimal relativement a une classe generate de fonctions de regression lisses (Stone 1982).
Crust-mantle boundary reflectors in Nevada from ambient seismic noise autocorrelations

SUMMARY The depth of reflector layers in the Earth's crust is usually estimated using controlled sources or earthquake signals. Ambient seismic noise, however, can also be used for this purpose. We develop and apply a new method, based on continuous waveform analysis, to estimate the two-way P-wave reflection component of the Green's function beneath each station. The Green's functions are retrieved from continuous record autocorrelation stacks at broad-band sensor locations within the USArray EarthScope Transportable Array in the western Great Basin and the Sierra Nevada, in a region with complex crustal and upper-mantle structure. In this paper, we show evidence of a reflector at the crust–mantle boundary (Moho discontinuity) derived for the first time from ambient noise autocorrelations using short-period (∼1 s) data. Our results compare well with earthquake and controlled source investigations, and with tomography findings in the region. Moho depth is difficult to resolve seismically because of the lack of favourable spatial distribution of source and receiver geometries. In contrast, our method can be applied at any desired sensor spacing to estimate Earth reflector depth beneath surface-located sensors, providing unprecedented resolution.
Systemic effects of periodontitis: lessons learned from research on atherosclerotic vascular disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes

Studies conducted over the past 25 years have focussed on the role of periodontitis, an inflammatory condition of microbial aetiology that destroys the tooth-supporting tissues, as a systemic inflammatory stressor that can act as an independent risk factor of atherosclerotic vascular disease (AVSD) and adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs). It has been suggested that periodontitis-associated bacteraemias and systemic dissemination of inflammatory mediators produced in the periodontal tissues may result in systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, and that bacteria of oral origin may translocate into the feto-placental unit. Epidemiological studies largely support an association between periodontitis and ASVD/APOs, independently of known confounders; indeed, periodontitis has been shown to confer statistically significantly elevated risk for clinical events associated with ASVD and APOs in multivariable adjustments. On the other hand, intervention studies demonstrate that although periodontal therapy reduces systemic inflammation and improves endothelial function, it has no positive effect on the incidence of APOs. Studies of the effects of periodontal interventions on ASVD-related clinical events are lacking. This review summarises key findings from mechanistic, association and intervention studies and attempts to reconcile the seemingly contradictory evidence that originates from different lines of investigation.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug associated lesions and mortality among African American and Hispanic patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding

Purpose Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are toxic to the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Although there is a plethora of data about upper GI toxicity of NSAIDs, the data are scant about lower GI toxicity, particularly in African Americans and Hispanics, our main patient population. We studied the association between NSAIDs use and lower GI lesions in patients with lower GI bleeding (LGIB). Methods Records of 988 patients, 19 to 103 years old, admitted with a diagnosis of LGIB over 12 years (from 1991 to 2002), were reviewed retrospectively. We excluded 230 patients (44 white, 45 Asian, 98 with upper GI source of LGIB, and 43 with incomplete data). The information abstracted included admission diagnoses, NSAIDs and/or aspirin (NSAIDs/AS) use, colonoscopic findings, and outcome measures (duration of hospitalization; surgery; mortality). Results Among the 758 patients (411 African American and 347 Hispanics), 47% were taking NSAIDs/AS regularly and 53% were not taking NSAIDs/AS. Colonoscopic findings revealed that the common lesions were colonic diverticulosis (36%), angiodysplasia (29%), colonic polyps (25%), and hemorrhoids (24%). Colonic diverticulosis, colonic ulcers, and inflammatory bowel diseases were significantly higher among NSAIDs/AS users than among nonusers ( P P = 0.04). Overall, 160 deaths occurred (21%). Mortality was significantly higher among NSAIDs/AS users (29%) than among nonusers (14%) (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.8–3.7, P = 0.0001). Conclusion Morbidity, mortality, and need for surgery were higher among NSAIDs/AS users than nonusers. Future prospective studies in this population may help in better management and possible risk reduction.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Specific CD8+ T Cells Require Perforin to Kill Target Cells and Provide Protection In Vivo

Optimal immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection requires CD8+ T cells, and several current Mtb vaccine candidates are being engineered to elicit enhanced CD8+ T cell responses. However, the function of these T cells and the mechanism by which they provide protection is still unknown. We have previously shown that CD8+ T cells specific for the mycobacterial Ags CFP10 and TB10.4 accumulate in the lungs of mice following Mtb infection and have cytolytic activity in vivo. In this study, we determine which cytolytic pathways are used by these CD8+ T cells during Mtb infection. We find that Mtb-specific CD8+ T cells lacking perforin have reduced cytolytic capacity in vivo. In the absence of perforin, the residual cytolytic activity is CD95 and TNFR dependent. This is particularly true in Mtb-infected lung tissue where disruption of both perforin and CD95 eliminates target cell lysis. Moreover, adoptive transfer of immune CD8+ T cells isolated from wild-type, but not perforin-deficient mice, protect recipient mice from Mtb infection. We conclude that CD8+ T cells elicited following Mtb infection use several cytolytic pathways in a hierarchical and compensatory manner dominated by perforin-mediated cytolysis. Finally, although several cytolytic pathways are available, adoptively transferred Mtb-specific CD8+ T cells require perforin-mediated cytolysis to protect animals from infection. These data show that CD8+ T cell-mediated protection during Mtb infection requires more than the secretion of IFN-γ and specifically defines the CD8+ cytolytic mechanisms utilized and required in vivo.
Glycoalkaloid Content and Anthocyanin Stability to Alkaline Treatment of Red‐Fleshed Potato Extracts

Red-fleshed potato (Solanum tuberosum) breeding clones were screened for steroidal glycoalkaloid (SGA) content. SGAs and anthocyanins (ACN) were characterized by HPLC and Mass Spectroscopy (MS). Total SGA ranged from 2.0 to 36.3 mg/100g tuber. Two cultivars with highest anthocyanin content, showed low levels of SGAs. The effect of alkaline treatments on SGA precipitation, anthocyanin content and profile was studied by adjusting the pH of aqueous extracts from 7.6 to 11. Complete removal of SGAs from colored extracts was achieved at pH > 9.2, however it caused substantial anthocyanin loss. Best results were obtained at pH 8.0 with 30% monomeric anthocyanin degradation and 90% SGA precipitation.
IS THERE EVIDENCE OF THE J‐CURVE IN COMMODITY TRADE BETWEEN THE USA AND HONG KONG?*

In this paper, when we apply the technique to the bilateral trade balance between the USA and Hong Kong, we find neither short-run nor long-run effects. Suspecting that this could be due to aggregation, we disaggregate the trade data between the two countries by commodity and apply the same method. While we find short-run negative effects in the majority of industries, positive long-run effects are observed in 58 of 108 industries, supporting the J-Curve.
Special-Interest Groups and Volatility

This paper explores the relationship between special-interest groups and volatility of GDP growth. In an unbalanced panel of 108 countries, we find a significant negative relationship between the number of interest groups in a country and the volatility of GDP growth.
Robot arm geometric link parameter estimation

A general method for estimating serial link manipulator geometric parameter errors is proposed in this paper. The positioning accuracy of the end-effector may be increased significantly by updating the nominal link parameters in the control software to represent the physical system more accurately. The proposed method is applicable for serial link manipulators with any combination of revolute or prismatic joints, and is not limited to a specific measurement technique.
Fault diagnosis in VLSI/WSI processor arrays

An efficient and application-independent fault diagnosis method in VLSI/WSI processor arrays is presented. Four selectors, two comparators, two registers, one latch, and one OR gate are added to each processing element (PE) in the array to make the array easily diagnosable. By applying functional test patterns to each PE in the array, multiple-PE failures can be detected and located. In the method, all the PEs perform self-comparison operations simultaneously. The self-comparison approach is applicable to any structure of PEs. The test pattern size is fixed regardless of the array size. Although the whole design is for a unidirectional two-dimensional processor array, the same methodology can be extended to other kinds of array structures. This approach is unique in the multiple fault diagnosis capability as well as high-fault coverage and small testing time. Switch and link faults as well as PE faults are included in the fault model. >
Modeling Intracellular Transport in Neurons

The chapter addresses several problems related to intracellular transport in axons, long processes of neurons that serve to transmit electrical signals. Since defects in axonal transport are related to various neurodegenerative diseases, its mechanistic understanding is of extreme importance. The focus is on problems which allow elegant analytical treatments and modeling approaches. The following are considered: 1) Axonal transport drug delivery; 2) Effect of dynein velocity distribution on propagation of positive injury signals in axons (with application to the problem of how injured neurons can measure the distance between the lesion site and the neuron soma); 3) Merging of viral concentration waves in retrograde viral transport in axons. We demonstrate that in minimal models of the above processes, time-dependent analytical solutions can be obtained utilizing the Laplace transform, while for more complicated models that include several populations of transported particles, a numerical approach is required. The chapter thus shows how far the analytical approach can be pushed and how much physics can be incorporated into minimal models that allow analytical treatments. It is shown that depending on the values of kinetic and transport parameters different transport regimes are possible.
Strong gravitational lensing and dark energy complementarity

In the search for the nature of dark energy most cosmological probes measure simple functions of the expansion rate. While powerful, these all involve roughly the same dependence on the dark energy equation of state parameters, with anticorrelation between its present value w{sub 0} and time variation w{sub a}. Quantities that have instead positive correlation and so a sensitivity direction largely orthogonal to, e.g., distance probes offer the hope of achieving tight constraints through complementarity. Such quantities are found in strong gravitational lensing observations of image separations and time delays. While degeneracy between cosmological parameters prevents full complementarity, strong lensing measurements to 1 percent accuracy can improve equation of state characterization by 15-50 percent. Next generation surveys should provide data on roughly 105 lens systems, though systematic errors will remain challenging.
The Dance Symposium

(1948). The Dance Symposium. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 15-66.
Action of 5-fluorodeoxyuridine on synthesis of infectious canine hepatitis virus in dog kidney cells.

SummaryFUDR suppressed synthesis of ICH virus in DK cells after 18 or 24 hours of incubation, but failed to suppress the virus when the cultures were incubated for 30 hours or longer, unless the concentration of the drug was increased. Viral inhibition by FUDR was not reversible with thymidine. The lack of inhibition in cultures incubated for longer periods was not due to degradation of FUDR or loss in DNA-suppressing capacity. DNA synthesis began shortly after infection, and by 12 hours enough DNA was formed for maximum synthesis of infectious virus.
The Varied Supramolecular Chemistry of Pyrogallol[4]arenes

Pyrogallol[4]arenes are cyclic tetramers formed from pyrogallol (1,2,3-trihydroxybenzene) and aldehydes. They are relatives of the more extensively studied calix[4]arenes and of resorcinarenes. This chapter describes studies of long-chain and branched-chain pyrogallol[4]arenes that form capsular or tubular structures and that are active in membranes as pore formers and that could potentially have applications as nanoreactors. Figure options Download full-size image Download as PowerPoint slide
Approximate dynamic programming for the dispatch of military medical evacuation assets

Abstract Military medical planners must consider the dispatching of aerial military medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) assets when preparing for and executing major combat operations. The launch authority seeks to dispatch MEDEVAC assets such that prioritized battlefield casualties are transported quickly and efficiently to nearby medical treatment facilities. We formulate a Markov decision process (MDP) model to examine the MEDEVAC dispatching problem. The large size of the problem instance motivating this research suggests that conventional exact dynamic programming algorithms are inappropriate. As such, we employ approximate dynamic programming (ADP) techniques to obtain high quality dispatch policies relative to current practices. An approximate policy iteration algorithmic strategy is applied that utilizes least squares temporal differencing for policy evaluation. We construct a representative planning scenario based on contingency operations in northern Syria both to demonstrate the applicability of our MDP model and to examine the efficacy of our proposed ADP solution methodology. A designed computational experiment is conducted to determine how selected problem features and algorithmic features affect the quality of solutions attained by our ADP policies. Results indicate that the ADP policy outperforms the myopic policy (i.e., the default policy in practice) by up to nearly 31% with regard to a lifesaving performance metric, as compared for a baseline scenario. Moreover, the ADP policy provides decreased MEDEVAC response times and utilization rates. These results benefit military medical planners interested in the development and implementation of cogent MEDEVAC tactics, techniques, and procedures for application in combat situations with a high operations tempo.
Multispacer typing of spotted fever group rickettsiae isolated from Chengmai county of Hainan province, China

Objective Spotted fever caused by spotted fever group rickettsiae(SFGR) is found throughout China. During 2007-2008, 28 human SFGR isolates and 34 rat SFGR isolates(including 15 isolates from Rattus fulvescens, 5 isolates from R. edwardsi, 7 isolates from Callosciurus erythraeus roberti, and 7 isolates from Dremomys rufigenis) were gathered by L929 cell culture. Previous research indicated that these isolates shared identical sequences of 16 S rRNA, gltA, ompA, groEL, and 17×103protein gene with each other, and were of the same serophenotype. This project aims to study the 62 SFGR isolates from fever patients and wild rodents in Chengmai county of Hainan province, China by multispacer typing(MST).Methods Nine pairs of primers which had been previously reported in MST of SFGR were used in amplification and sequencing of the 62 isolates in this study. Sequences were subjected to Blast analysis after data correction. Analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) was performed with Megalign. Six spaced sequences that were successfully sequenced from each isolate were spliced and applied in the construction of phylogenetic tree.ResultsThere were great variations among the 62 isolates. A total of 48 mutant genotypes were identified. The predominant genotype, h3, accounted for 21.7%(13/60) of all the isolates tested, and the remaining 47 genotypes were all unique, each accounting for 1.6%(1/60) of all isolates. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all these 48 genotypes were classified in the same cluster. Among all reference strains included in this study, R. heilongjiangensis was genetically closest to these isolates. Thymine-to-cytosine transitions had the highest percentage(52/114, 45.6%) among all SNPs,followed by adenine-to-guanine transitions(37/114, 32.5%).Conclusion The non-coding spaced sequences of SFGR prevailing in Chengmai county of Hainan province are highly heterologous. The selected primers for MST of SFGR are capable of detecting rickettsial pathogens. MST can be used in the rapid and effective tracing of endemic strains in outbreak of rickettsiae.
Some problems for the dome design of carbon fiber case

The cause of the carbon fiber case dome failure at low pressure and the failure modes were discussed,i.e.dome fracture in the vicinity of equator,polar hole fracture due to hoop stress and dome shear fracture on the shoulder edge of flange.The strength check formulae for the three modes and effective measures to prevent low pressure failure of the dome were abtained.For the aft dome with larger open polar,reinforcement measures must be taken.The methods determining the thickness and the range of reinforcement layer were given.
Mapping Urban Geographies of Food and Dietary Health: A Synthesized Framework

This paper develops a theoretical and conceptual framework for research on urban geographies of food and dietary health. This framework conceptualizes urban dietary health inequities as produced relationally through multiscalar social, political, economic, and biological processes intersecting in place-specific ways. It synthesizes perspectives from spatial analytical food access research, relational health geographies, political ecologies, and critical geographic information science (GIS). Recognizing the importance of relational, dynamic conceptions of both spatial context and human health, it suggests extending current approaches by integrating critical GIS methodologies for producing alternative spatial representations and political ecology's theorization of urban spaces as produced through the intersection of multiscalar social and ecological processes. Reflecting political ecological and critical GIS perspectives, it also emphasizes that (spatial) knowledge production processes materially impact urban environments and human health.
Putting Provenge in perspective.

As a clinician and researcher in the prostate cancer field, I have been hearing that prostate cancer is “20 years behind” breast cancer now for the last 25 years!
Corporate Cash Holdings and Economic Crises in Mexico

We study cash holdings for firms listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange for 24 years, rendering special attention to changes in cash holdings during economic crises. By using fixed-effects panel regression models, two alternative model specifications are adapted to analyze the effects of economic crises in Mexico on cash holdings. The first model relates cash and contemporaneous firm characteristics mainly. A second model relates lead and lag firm characteristics and macroeconomic factors. The results suggest that growth opportunities, firm size, operating cash flow, free cash flow, volatility of cash flows, net working capital, leverage, dividends paid, bank loans, and economic crises are statistically significant related to cash holdings. Particularly important is the positive relation of size and dividends with cash holdings in this emerging economy, which is contrary to the prediction by financial theory and findings in developed countries, but is in line with findings in developing markets studies.
Extended Volumetric Follow-up of Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytomas Treated with Proton Beam Therapy.

Abstract Purpose: To describe volume changes following proton beam therapy (PBT) for juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA), we analyzed post-PBT magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to clarify survivorship, response rate, and the concept of pseudoprogression. Materials and Methods: Pediatric patients with a histologic diagnosis of JPA after a biopsy or subtotal resection and at least 4 post-PBT MRIs were retrospectively reviewed. After PBT, tumors were contoured on follow-up T1-contrasted MRIs, and 3-dimensional volumes were plotted against time, with thresholds for progressive disease and partial response. Patterns of response, pseudoprogression, and progression were uncovered. Post-PBT clinical course was described by the need for further intervention and survivorship. Results: Fifteen patients with a median of 10 follow-up MRIs made up this report: 60% were heavily pretreated with multiple lines of chemotherapy, and 67% had undergone subtotal resection. With a median follow-up of 55.3 months after a median ...
Benefits of varenicline vs. bupropion for smoking cessation: a Bayesian analysis of the interaction of reward sensitivity and treatment.

We have shown that differences in the level of neural activation to stimuli associated with smoking vs. natural rewards, a biomarker related to reward sensitivity, predict treatment outcome. This paper examined whether this biomarker moderates the impact of bupropion or varenicline on smoking cessation. Prior to treatment randomization, smokers (N = 180) in a placebo-controlled trial using bupropion and varenicline completed event-related potential recording (late positive potential, LPP) while viewing pleasant (P), cigarette (C)-related, and other pictures. We used Bayesian models to estimate the probability of interaction between treatment and the LPP for both efficacy and comparative effectiveness analyses. Efficacy analysis showed that smokers with more neural activation to pleasant vs. cigarette-related stimuli (P > C) had a 98–99% chance of achieving greater abstinence than placebo (OR >1.00), using either medication from the end of treatment (EOT, primary outcome) through the 3-month follow-up. Relative to placebo, smokers with higher activation to cigarette-related vs. pleasant stimuli (C > P) had a 99% chance of increased benefit from varenicline at both time points (OR >1), but only 67 and 43% with bupropion at the EOT and 3-month follow-up, respectively. Comparative effectiveness analysis found that smokers with the C > P activation pattern had a 95–98% chance of benefit from varenicline vs. bupropion, while P > C smokers had a 50–58% chance of similar improvement with varenicline at the EOT and 3 months. Varenicline appears to be the treatment of choice for smokers with the C > P pattern of neural activation, while for those showing P > C, varenicline and bupropion have similar efficacy.
Model Predictive Control of FCC Units with Integrated Sensor Validation and Process Fault Diagnosis

Abstract Model predictive control (MPC) has been widely applied in industry, especially in the refining industry. As all feedback controllers require correct sensor measurements, unreliable sensors can cause the MPC controller to move the process in an erroneous manner. Data validation of sensor measurements is a prerequisite in applying advanced control, particularly multivariable control which depends on many sensors. In this paper, principal component analysis (PCA) is applied to detect, identify and reconstruct faulty sensors in a simulated FCC unit. A base PCA model is generated by perturbing the process throughout the operating region. Performance of MPC with and without data validation is compared. The same base PCA model is applied to detect and identify dynamic process faults. We demonstrate that process faults can be detected at an early stage. A progressive contribution chart is used to identify the type of faults.
Factors Influencing Long-Term Opioid Use Among Opioid Naive Patients: An Examination of Initial Prescription Characteristics and Pain Etiologies.

Abstract The relationships between the initial opioid prescription characteristics and pain etiology with the probability of opioid discontinuation were explored in this retrospective cohort study using health insurance claims data from a nationally representative database of commercially insured patients in the United States. We identified 1,353,902 persons aged 14 years and older with no history of cancer or substance abuse, with new opioid use episodes and categorized them into 11 mutually exclusive pain etiologies. Cox proportional hazards models were estimated to identify factors associated with time to opioid discontinuation. After accounting for losses to follow-up, the probability of continued opioid use at 1 year was 5.3% across all subjects. Patients with chronic pain had the highest probability for continued opioid use followed by patients with inpatient admissions. Patients prescribed doses ≥90 morphine milligram equivalents (hazard ratio [HR] = .91; 95% confidence interval [CI], .91–.92), initiated with tramadol (HR = .89; 95% CI, .89–.90) or long-acting opioids (HR = .79; 95% CI, .77–.82) were less likely to discontinue opioids. Increasing days' supply of the first prescription was consistently associated with a lower likelihood of opioid discontinuation (HRs, CIs: 3–4 days' supply = .70, .70–.71; 5–7 days' supply = .48, .47–.48; 8–10 days' supply = .37, .37–.38; 11–14 days' supply = .32, .31–.33; 15–21 days’ supply = .29, .28–.29; ≥22 days supplied = .20, .19–.20). The direction of this relationship was consistent across all pain etiologies. Clinicians should initiate patients with the lowest supply of opioids to mitigate unintentional long-term opioid use. Perspective This study shows that characteristics of the first opioid prescription, particularly duration of the prescription, are significant predictors of continued opioid use irrespective of the indication for an opioid prescription. These data should encourage prescribers to initiate patients using the minimum effective opioid dose and duration to reduce unintended long-term use and could motivate policies that restrict the initial supply of opioids.
Cerebral capillary flow imaging by wavelength‐division‐multiplexing swept‐source optical Doppler tomography

Swept-source-based optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) has demonstrated the unique advantages for fast imaging rate and long imaging distance; however, limited axial resolution and complex phase noises restrict swept-source optical Doppler tomography (SS-ODT) for quantitative capillary blood flow imaging in the deep cortices. Here, the wavelength-dividing-multiplexing optical Doppler tomography (WDM-ODT) method that divides a single interferogram into multiple phase-correlated interferograms is proposed to effectively enhance the sensitivity for cerebral capillary flow imaging. Both flow phantom and in vivo mouse brain imaging studies show that WDM-ODT is able to significantly suppress background phase noise and image cerebral capillary flow down to the vessel size of 5.6 μm. Comparison between the wavelength-division-multiplexing SS-ODT and the spectral-domain ultrahigh-resolution ODT (uODT) reveals that SS-ODT outpaces uODT by extending the capillary flow imaging depth to 1.6 mm in mouse cortex. Thus, for the first time, quantitative capillary flow imaging is demonstrated using SS-ODT in the deep cortex.
Predictive value of basal androgen levels on ongoing pregnancy rates during in vitro fertilization cycles.

We aimed to evaluate the impact of elevated basal androgen levels on the endometrial receptivity. This study retrospectively enrolled 5278 fresh in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles and sought to determine whether increased basal androgen levels are associated with adverse outcomes in regard to ongoing pregnancy rates. The results showed that the average age of our sample was 29.31 years. Almost 61.6% of all embryo transfers were with Day 3 embryos and the remaining 38.4% were with Day 5 embryos. The ongoing pregnancy rate was 56.4%. The ongoing pregnancy rates according to the various ordinal serum androgen intervals (<10.00, 10.00-19.99, 20.00-29.99, 30.00-39.99, and ≥40.00 ng/dL) were 60.12, 56.62, 58.64, 55.48, and 50.17%, respectively. The ongoing pregnancy rates were significantly lower in patients with high basal androgen levels (e40 ng/dL) (p < .05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that age, BMI, and endometrial thickness were inversely associated with basal androgen levels (p < .0001 for all). In conclusion, elevated serum basal androgen levels on cycle Day 3 before IVF is associated with reduced ongoing pregnancy rates.
Lifetime risk for heart failure among white and black americans: Cardiovascular lifetime risk pooling project

Objectives This study sought to estimate lifetime risk for heart failure (HF) by sex and race. Background Prior estimates of lifetime risk for developing HF range from 20% to 33% in predominantly white cohorts. Short-term risks for HF appear higher for blacks than whites, but only limited comparisons of lifetime risk for HF have been made. Methods Using public-release and internal datasets from National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute–sponsored cohorts, we estimated lifetime risks for developing HF to age 95 years, with death free of HF as the competing event, among participants in the CHA (Chicago Heart Association Detection Project in Industry), ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities), and CHS (Cardiovascular Health Study) cohorts. Results There were 39,578 participants (33,652 [85%] white; 5,926 [15%] black) followed for 716,976 person-years; 5,983 participants developed HF. At age 45 years, lifetime risks for HF through age 95 years in CHA and CHS were 30% to 42% in white men, 20% to 29% in black men, 32% to 39% in white women, and 24% to 46% in black women. Results for ARIC demonstrated similar lifetime risks for HF in blacks and whites through age 75 years (limit of follow-up). Lifetime risk for HF was higher with higher blood pressure and body mass index at all ages in both blacks and whites, and did not diminish substantially with advancing index age. Conclusions These are among the first data to compare lifetime risks for HF between blacks and whites. Lifetime risks for HF are high and appear similar for black and white women, yet are somewhat lower for black compared with white men due to competing risks.
The green flash and clear aim turbulence

Abstract There has long been speculation about why the green flash can be seen on one day, while on another apparently similar day it cannot. Although the green flash can be produced by a number of different refractive structures in the atmosphere, only one is of consequence when the viewing is done over the irregular terrain of most land surfaces. A combination of extensive observations and simple theory suggests that this refractive structure is formed by gravity waves which have wavelengths between about 0.2 and 2.0 kilometers. In the atmosphere such waves derive their energy from wind shear and are the same waves that are associated with clear air turbulence. This model not only explains the frequent observations of multiple green flashes, but also, by demonstrating a dependence on atmospheric dynamics, it accounts for the variability in the occurrence of the green flash on otherwise comparable days.
Optimal asymptotic robust performance through logic-based switching

In this paper we introduce a novel measure of asymptotic disturbance rejection for a feedback system. This notion of asymptotic performance is particularly well suited to the robust control of systems which exhibit both parametric and dynamic modeling uncertainty. We then derive a switching type controller that provides optimal asymptotic disturbance rejection properties. The particular notion of disturbance rejection we consider is rejection of persistent bounded disturbances (i.e., l1-optimal control). While asymptotic performance is guaranteed, we also provide bounds that quantify the transient response behavior of this particular control scheme.
Morality in the Social Interactional and Discursive World of Everyday Life

In this chapter, we examine morality as a practical feature of everyday interactions. Drawing on scholarship in two closely related traditions, ethnomethodology and conversation analysis, we locate moral reasoning in the embodied interactional practices of social actors, rather than the private” thought processes of independent individuals. Building on a distinction between surface morality, or the norms and expectations people enact in everyday settings, and its deep moral underpinnings in the natural attitude of daily life, we bring together the ethnomethodological insight that society is a moral order with conversation analytic research that specifies the patterned action sequences through which this order is achieved, both within and across social contexts. Following an exposition and analysis of conversation analytic work on moral discourse in non-institutional (everyday) and institutional settings, we conclude with suggestions for how ethnomethodology and conversation analysis may be placed in dialogue with more traditional approaches to social psychological research on morality and moral cognition.
The Viscoelastic Behavior of Rubber

Publisher Summary This chapter is designed to explain the viscoelastic behavior of rubber. Most rubber is produced from cross-linkable high-molecular-weight linear polymers with low glass temperatures. The high molecular weight is necessary to obtain high extensibility in the ultimate elastomer and the low glass temperature is required to obtain resilience. These precursors are collections of entangled linear molecules that ultimately are free to flow past one another and, hence, are viscoelastic liquids. They are viscoelastic by virtue of their time-dependent mechanical response, which reflects the sluggish configurational changes of the molecules. Upon being cross-linked sufficiently, a chemical molecular network is formed that transforms the polymer into a viscoelastic solid, which does not flow. The viscoelastic properties are strongly dependent on time or frequency, temperature, pressure, and the presence of swelling solvent or filler. Among viscoelastic solids, rubber has the unique characteristic of preserving material integrity even when subjected to high stresses or strains, although the viscoelastic behavior is highly dependent on the large stresses or strains.
Cash transfers, clientelism, and political enfranchisement: Evidence from Brazil

Abstract This paper uses Brazil's Bolsa Familia to show that redistributive policies that are shielded from the influence of political intermediaries can reduce incumbency advantage for mayors, increase both electoral competition and candidate quality, reduce support for clientelistic parties, and lead incumbents to increase redistributive spending. The paper exploits a nonparametric multivariate regression discontinuity design and employs a novel identification strategy for the variation in program coverage. The theory proposes that cash transfers, by reducing the vulnerability of poor voters, make clientelism a less attractive strategy to incumbent mayors. Consequently, incumbents reallocate effort away from the practice into public good distribution.
When the setting is right, ideas will flow- a business class case study

Generating new ideas is the call of the day as teachers seek to differentiate the students’ capabilities in unique and creative ways preparing them to face uncertainties in the work environment. A critical component of this process is to ensure that students are taught how to come up with new ideas, and making the classroom environment conducive to creative thinking. This study offers an observation of a business classroom experience that led to highly effective flow of ideas through the use of tools and techniques that create a safe environment for students, which can also be applied to any organizational setting. Participants were first taught to develop the rules of engagement required for a safe environment and then were trained in utilizing different creative thinking tools. The impact on the participants’ creative and innovative abilities as evidenced in their final design sprint project was found to be significant. The implications of these findings for management and leaders in education and organizational settings are highlighted.
Reversibility of Age-related Oxidized Free NADH Redox States in Alzheimer's Disease Neurons by Imposed External Cys/CySS Redox Shifts

Redox systems including extracellular cysteine/cystine (Cys/CySS), intracellular glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reduced/oxidized forms (NADH/NAD+) are critical for maintaining redox homeostasis. Aging as a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with oxidative shifts, decreases in anti-oxidant protection and dysfunction of mitochondria. Here, we examined the flexibility of mitochondrial-specific free NADH in live neurons from non-transgenic (NTg) or triple transgenic AD-like mice (3xTg-AD) of different ages under an imposed extracellular Cys/CySS oxidative or reductive condition. We used phasor fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) to distinguish free and bound NADH in mitochondria, nuclei and cytoplasm. Under an external oxidative stress, a lower capacity for maintaining mitochondrial free NADH levels was found in old compared to young neurons and a further decline with genetic load. Remarkably, an imposed Cys/CySS reductive state rejuvenated the mitochondrial free NADH levels of old NTg neurons by 71% and old 3xTg-AD neurons by 89% to levels corresponding to the young neurons. Using FLIM as a non-invasive approach, we were able to measure the reversibility of aging subcellular free NADH levels in live neurons. Our results suggest a potential reductive treatment to reverse the loss of free NADH in old and Alzheimer's neurons.