cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computing Double Cosets in Soluble Groups

We discuss the use of orbit-stabilizer and orbit reduction techniques for computing representatives of double cosets in finite soluble groups given by a polycyclic presentation.
Signal synthesis and reconstruction from partial Fourier-domain information

We review and interpret previous results of Fourier synthesis of a signal from its partial Fourier-domain information. Specifically, the high intelligibilities of the phase-only, signed-magnitude-only, and one-bit–phase-only signals are shown to be closely related to one another. In addition, we review and interpret previous results and develop new results on exact reconstruction of a signal from its partial Fourier-domain information.
Cavity optomechanics and optomechanical crystals

We propose, analyze, design, and take the first experimental steps towards the demonstration of optomechanical crystals capable of converting photons to phonons, and vice versa, in a quantum-limited setting.
MCMC Analysis of Diffusion Models With Application to Finance

This article proposes a new method for estimation of parameters in diffusion processes from discrete observations. The method is based on Markov-chain Monte Carlo methodology and applies to a wide class of models including systems with unobservable state variables and nonlinearities. The method is applied to the estimation of parameters in one-factor (CEV) interest-rate models and a two-factor model with a latent stochastic volatility component (SV). The CEV model is found to do a poor job in capturing the time-varying volatility interest-rate data. The SV model provides vastly superior fit to that of the CEV model. The article also presents a simulation study that demonstrates that the method provides accurate parameter estimates of the SV model at moderate sample sizes.
A phase II trial of isolated limb infusion with melphalan and dactinomycin for regional melanoma and soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity

Isolated limb infusion (ILI) is a minimally invasive technique of delivering regional chemotherapy in patients with advanced melanoma or soft tissue sarcoma of the limb. Reports from Australia of efficacy similar to that of isolated limb perfusion prompted us to conduct a phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ILI. Eligible patients had American Joint Committee on Cancer stage IIIB or IIIC melanoma or unresectable soft tissue sarcoma of the limb. Angiographic catheters were positioned just above the knee or elbow of the extremity. General anesthesia was performed, a proximal tourniquet was inflated, and a normothermic, low-flow, hypoxic infusion of melphalan and dactinomycin was circulated through the involved limb for 20 minutes. The tumor response was assessed by using standard criteria at 3 months. Morbidity was determined in the hospital and at 2, 6, and 12 weeks. Twenty-five patients were accrued to the trial, and 32 ILIs were performed (8 patients had 2 ILIs); 1 patient was not treated. Of the 22 assessable patients, 11 (50%) had a significant response at 3 months: 23% of patients had a complete response, and 27% of patients had a partial response. The median duration of complete response was 1 year (range, 6–32 months). Morbidity was acceptable. Peak morbidity occurred at 2 weeks and was considered moderate in most patients. Limb edema and erythema were common. No patient developed compartment syndrome or required amputation. ILI is well tolerated. Half of the patients experienced a complete or partial response.
Controlled pushdown automata

Abstract A device called controlled pushdown automaton (CPA) is introduced and special classes of it are shown to characterize the families of simple matrix languages (SML's) and right-linear simple matrix languages (RLSML's). Other special classes are shown to define, respectively, the smallest full AFL containing the SML's and the smallest full AFL containing the RLSML's. Hierarchy theorems and other related results are also obtained. In particular, it is shown that the smallest full AFL containing the homomorphic replications of the context-free languages is not principal.
The Adoption of Innovation by Smaller Local Governments: The Case of Computer Technology

Most research on the adoption of computer technology centers on municipalities with populations exceeding 50,000. This article explores the degree to which findings from these large local governments apply to the adoption of computers in smaller municipalities. Based on a panel study of local governments at two points in time, the analysis provides support for hypothesized relationships derived from studies of larger cities linking environmental and organizational factors to computer technology adoption. Adopting innovation has inspired voluminous research aimed at explaining why one organization is more likely than another to adopt an innovation.
The role of trust in innovation networks

Innovation networks, a form of open innovation, can be implemented in several configurations or typologies. One form that has gained some traction in the marketplace is the knowledge intermediary or hub firm that attempts to create two-sided market in intellectual property (Rochet & Tirole, 2004). This paper examines how trust, which has many possible institutional roles, may be critical to the successful operation of innovation networks and hub firms in particular. A case study from the automotive industry is used to examine the role of trust in innovation networks. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of COINs 2010 Organizing Committee
Dissociation-recombination of sunflower seed acid phosphatase.

Formal genetic studies of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seed acid phosphatase (ACP, E.C. 3.1.3.2) had suggested that the functional enzyme consists of two polypeptide subunits. The dimeric quaternary structure was demonstrated by dissociation-recombination procedures. Dissociation of electrophoretically distinct homodimers was effected upon freezing of extracts in a pH 8–9 buffer containing 1 m NaCl and 0.1 m 2-mercaptoethanol. Reassociation, as indicated by the formation of the hybrid isozyme, occurred during 12 hr dialysis against a pH 7.0 buffer.
A New Approach to the Estimation of Inter-Variable Correlation

The use of different measures of similarity between observed vectors for the purposes of classifying or clustering them has been expanding dramatically in recent years. One result of this expansion has been the use of many new similarity measures, designed for the purpose of satisfying various criteria. A noteworthy application involves estimating the relationships between genes using microarray experimental data. We consider the class of ‘correlation-type’ similarity measures. The use of these new measures of similarity suggest that the whole problem needs to be formulated in statistical terms to clarify their relative benefits. Pursuant to this need, we define, for each given observed vector, a baseline representing the ‘true’ value common to each of the component observations. These ‘true’ values are taken to be parameters. We define the ‘true correlation’ between each two observed vectors as the average (over the distribution of the observations for given baseline parameters) of Pearson's correlation ...
MicroRNA miR-324-3p Induces Promoter-Mediated Expression of RelA Gene

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to repress translation by binding to the 3’UTRs of mRNAs. Using bioinformatics, we recently reported that several miRNAs also have target sites in DNA particularly in the promoters of the protein-coding genes. To understand the functional significance of this phenomenon, we tested the effects of miR-324-3p binding to RelA promoter. In PC12 cells, co-transfection with premiR-324-3p induced a RelA promoter plasmid in a dose-dependent manner and this effect was lost when the miR-324-3p binding site in the promoter was mutated. PremiR-324-3p transfection also significantly induced the endogenous RelA mRNA and protein expression in PC12 cells. Furthermore, transfection with premiR-324-3p increased the levels of cleaved caspase-3 which is a marker of apoptosis. Importantly, the miR-324-3p effects were Ago2 mediated as Ago2 knockdown prevented RelA expression and cleavage of caspase-3. Thus, our studies show that miRNA-mediated transcriptional activation can be seen in PC12 cells which are neural in origin.
Hormonal regulation of enzymes of nonautotrophic CO2 fixation in unfertilized cotton ovules

Summary When unfertilized cotton ovules are cultured in the presence of 5 μ M indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 0.5 μ M gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) there was a large increase in the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT). The increases in the activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) and catalase were relatively small. These increases in the activities of PEPC, MDH and GOT were almost entirely due to GA 3 . Abscisic acid (ABA) used at 10 μ M inhibited these increases in enzyme activities and reduced the ability of ovules to fix carbon nonautotrophically. Apparently ABA caused this inhibition by counteracting the GA 3 effects.
Evapotranspiration of irrigated and rainfed maize–soybean cropping systems

Abstract We have been making year-round measurements of mass and energy exchange in three cropping systems: (a) irrigated continuous maize, (b) irrigated maize–soybean rotation, and (c) rainfed maize–soybean rotation in eastern Nebraska since 2001. In this paper, we present results on evapotranspiration (ET) of these crops for the first 5 years of our study. Growing season ET in the irrigated and rainfed maize averaged 548 and 482 mm, respectively. In irrigated and rainfed soybean, the average growing season ET was 452 and 431 mm, respectively. On average, the maize ET was higher than the soybean ET by 18% for irrigated crops and by 11% for rainfed crops. The mid-season crop coefficient Kc (=ET/ET0 and ET0 is the reference ET) for irrigated maize was 1.03 ± 0.07. For rainfed maize, significant dry-down conditions prevailed and mid-season Kc was 0.84 ± 0.20. For irrigated soybean, the mid-season Kc was 0.98 ± 0.02. The mid-season dry down in rainfed soybean years was not severe and the Kc (0.90 ± 0.13) was only slightly lower than the values for the irrigated fields. Non-growing season evaporation ranged from 100 to 172 mm and contributed about 16–28% of the annual ET in irrigated/rainfed maize and 24–26% in irrigated/rainfed soybean. The amount of surface mulch biomass explained 71% of the variability in non-growing season evaporation totals. Water use efficiency (or biomass transpiration efficiency), defined as the ratio of total plant biomass (YDM) to growing season transpiration (T) was 5.20 ± 0.34 and 5.22 ± 0.36 g kg−1, respectively for irrigated and rainfed maize crops. Similarly, the biomass transpiration efficiency for irrigated and rainfed soybean crops was 3.21 ± 0.35 and 2.96 ± 0.30 g kg−1. Thus, the respective biomass transpiration efficiency of these crops was nearly constant regardless of rainfall and irrigation.
A MOLECULAR YARN : NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL STUDIES OF SELF-ASSEMBLED, FLEXIBLE,FLUORESCENT FIBERS

The formation of flexible molecular fibers via the solution-phase self-assembly of the pseudo-isocyanine dye (PIC) 1,1‘-diethyl-2,2‘-cyanine, and poly(vinyl sulfate) (PVS) is reported. The physical and electronic properties of these fibers spin-coated into thin films on fused-quartz substrates are studied by fluorescence and topographic imaging with near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) and also by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The scanned-probe images demonstrate that fibers with lengths in the hundred micrometer range, widths of hundreds of nanometers, and thicknesses of a few tens of nanometers are readily formed in aqueous mixtures of PVS and PIC. Unprecedented flexibility in these fibers is exemplified by the formation of numerous curved and looped structures in the spin-coated thin films. A sandwich-like composite structure of alternating anionic PVS and cationic PIC layers is proposed as a model for the assembly of the dye and polymer in these fibers. The alternating layers in this model a...
Providing for Rights

Hypothetical contractarians hold that justice is defined by a contract which would (rationally) be made in some specified situation. The characterization of this situation is a matter of great controversy. If it is taken to be our real-life situation, obvious counterexamples arise. Previous acts of predation may make rational an agreement which could hardly be called “just”. Various alternative characterizations have been offered with a variety of justifications. Still, this is a difficult point in contractarian theory.
Design of Optically Accessible, Ultra Low-Volume, Tissue Loading Bioreactor

Given mounting evidence that mechanical force is a critical parameter in the normal development and remodeling of load-bearing tissue, there is a critical need for a new class of bioreactors which can apply controlled loads/strains to tissues or engineered constructs while permitting high-powered optical accessibility. We have developed a novel bioreactor which can be mounted onto the stage of an inverted microscope which permits direct 600× observation of a perfused specimen while the specimen is held in either load or strain control. Further, the chamber has been designed to minimize free volume to reduce the cost of reagents.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Surface-wave diffraction by a periodic row of submerged ducts

The diffraction of a gravity wave of length λ that is obliquely incident upon, and the radiation from, a periodic row of vertical circular ducts of radii a and horizontal spacing b with mouths at a distance h below the free surface of a deep ocean are determined through integral-equation and variational formulations. Numerical results for the reflection coefficient, the pressure-amplification factor (the ratio of the complex amplitude of the wave-induced pressure in the depths of the duct to that of the incident wave at the level of the mouths), and the radiation impedance (the real and imaginary parts of which are measures of the radiation damping and the virtual mass or stiffness of the fluid external to the ducts) are presented as functions of a/λ with a/b and a/h as parameters for the special case of normal incidence with λ > b (which implies that the crests of the scattered waves are parallel to the midplane of the ducts). These results, which complement those of Simon (1981) for a single duct, are of practical interest for wave-power absorption.
Mutations in Nonconserved Domains of Ty3 Integrase Affect Multiple Stages of the Ty3 Life Cycle

Ty3, a retroviruslike element of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, transposes into positions immediately upstream of RNA polymerase III-transcribed genes. The Ty3 integrase (IN) protein is required for integration of the replicated, extrachromosomal Ty3 DNA. In retroviral IN, a conserved core region is sufficient for strand transfer activity. In this study, charged-to-alanine scanning mutagenesis was used to investigate the roles of the nonconserved amino- and carboxyl-terminal regions of Ty3 IN. Each of the 20 IN mutants was defective for transposition, but no mutant was grossly defective for capsid maturation. All mutations affecting steady-state levels of mature IN protein resulted in reduced levels of replicated DNA, even when polymerase activity was not grossly defective as measured by exogenous reverse transcriptase activity assay. Thus, IN could contribute to nonpolymerase functions required for DNA production in vivo or to the stability of the DNA product. Several mutations in the carboxyl-terminal domain resulted in relatively low levels of processed 3' ends of the replicated DNA, suggesting that this domain may be important for binding of IN to the long terminal repeat. Another class of mutants produced wild-type amounts of DNA with correctly processed 3' ends. This class could include mutants affected in nuclear entry and target association. Collectively, these mutations demonstrate that in vivo, within the preintegration complex, IN performs a central role in coordinating multiple late stages of the retrotransposition life cycle.
Relational envelope-based planning

This thesis proposes a synthesis of logic and probability for solving stochastic sequential decision-making problems. We address two main questions: How can we take advantage of logical structure to speed up planning in a principled way? And, how can probability inform the production of a more robust, yet still compact, policy? We can take as inspiration a mobile robot acting in the world: it is faced with a varied amount of sensory data and uncertainty in its action outcomes. Or, consider a logistics planning system: it must deliver a large number of objects to the right place at the right time. Many interesting sequential decision-making domains involve large state spaces, large stochastic action sets, and time pressure to act. In this work, we show how structured representations of the environment's dynamics can constrain and speed up the planning process. We start with a problem domain described in a probabilistic logical description language. Our technique is based on, first, identifying the most parsimonious representation that permits solution of the described problem. Next, we take advantage of the structured problem description to dynamically partition the action space into a set of equivalence classes with respect to this minimal representation. The partitioned action space results in fewer distinct actions. This technique can yield significant gains in planning efficiency. Next, we develop an anytime technique to elaborate on this initial plan. Our approach uses the envelope MDP framework, which creates a Markov decision process out of a subset of the possible state space. This strategy lets an agent begin acting quickly within a restricted part of the full state space, as informed by the original plan, and to judiciously expand its envelope as resources permit. Finally, we show how the representation space itself can be elaborated within the anytime framework. This approach balances the need to respond to time-pressure and to produce the most robust policies possible. We present experimental results in some synthetic planning domains and in a simulated military logistics domain. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Miocene Tapir From North-Central Kansas

was by Hibbard et al. (1978) who described three partial rami and an isolated upper right second premolar (RP2) from the Kanopolis local fauna (l.f.) of Ellsworth County. The Kanopolis is considered to be a middle Pleistocene interglacial fauna. Subsequently, Martin and Naples (1999) described a partial ramus with the roots of three cheek teeth from a sandbar on the Kansas River presumed to be late Pleistocene in age. In a preliminary study of Miocene mammals from north-central Kansas, I (Zakrzewski, 1988) mentioned the presence of a tapir in the text and included it in the faunal list of the Gretna l.f. of Phillips County. Herein, I formally describe the specimen, an isolated tooth, which is in the Vertebrate Paleontology collections of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History at Fort Hays State University (FHSM VP). This report is part of a continuing effort to provide detailed descriptions of the mammals from the Ogallala Group in this area (Bever, 2003; Bever and Zakrzewski, 2009).
DocBlocks: communication-minded visualization of topics in U.S. congressional bills

US Federal legislation is a hot topic for discussion and advocacy on the web. Yet legislative bills present a significant challenge for both experts and average citizens to navigate and understand. To explore solutions to this problem, we have created DocBlocks: a prototype visualization and website that enables users to explore the content of congressional bills and communicate their findings to others. Our technique enables us to take any document from a categorized corpus, classify its sections, and visualize its topic structure. With the launch of this service, we hope to provide a valuable tool for open governance and learn from our users at this critical intersection of visualization, advocacy, social software, and civil society.
Evaluating the role of information technology in crisis and emergency management

Purpose – The paper seeks to discuss the recommendations for handling future extreme events based on the response and mitigation effort to Hurricane Katrina. It discusses how information technology (IT) relates to these recommendations.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews recent recommendations for handling future extreme events and pinpoints the role of information systems in supporting these recommendations.Findings – The study provides areas for IT researchers and practitioners to focus on to support the crisis and emergency management community.Orginality/value – The paper provides ue for IT researchers and practitioners to focus on to support the Crisis and Emergency Management Community.
Characterizing molecular adaptation

Motivation: A number of methods for detecting positive selection in protein coding DNA sequences are based on whether each site/region has a non-synonymous to synonymous substitution rates ratio ω greater than one. However, a site/region may show a relatively large number of non-synonymous mutations that conserve a particular property. Recent methods have proposed to consider as evidence for molecular adaptations how conserving, or radically different, non-synonymous mutations are with respect to some key amino acid properties. While such methods have been useful in providing a qualitative assessment of molecular adaptation, they rely on independent statistical analyses for each amino acid property and typically do not properly adjust for multiple comparisons when selection needs to be assessed at several sites. Results: We consider a Bayesian hierarchical model that allows us to jointly determine if a set of amino acid properties are being conserved or radically changed while simultaneously adjusting for multiple comparisons at the codon level. We illustrate how this model can be used to characterize molecular adaptation in two datasets: an alignment from six class I alleles of the human major histocompatibility complex and a sperm lysin alignment from 25 abalone species. We compare the results obtained with the proposed hierarchical models to those obtained with alternative methods. Our analyses indicate that a more complete quantitative and qualitative characterization of molecular adaptation is achieved by taking into account changes in amino acid properties. Contact: raquel@ams.ucsc.edu Availability: The R code for implementing the hierarchical models is freely available at http://www.ams.ucsc.edu/~raquel/software/. Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Kinetics of Folacin Destruction in Swiss Chard During Storage

The folacin activities in fresh Swiss chard leaves stored in open air at 4, 21, 35 and 40°C were determined by a microbiological assay using Lactobacillus casei. At 21°C the leaves were also stored in plastic bags and under moist conditions. Folacin was most stable when the vegetable was stored in plastic bags, followed by the moist condition, and least stable in open air at 21°C. The degradation of folacin in Swiss chard under all conditions followed firstorder kinetics. The temperature dependent folate degradation conformed to the Arrhenius equation and the activation energy was 24 kcal/mole.
Understanding resistance to tamoxifen in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

The selective estrogen receptor (ER)1 modulator tamoxifen has been used for more than 30 years to treat and, more recently, to prevent breast cancer. Unfortunately, even among patients with ER-positive tumors, the response achieved with tamoxifen treatment is variable. Recent years have seen a sharp increase in the number of studies suggesting that the efficacy and safety of anticancer therapies such as tamoxifen depend not only on tumor characteristics but also on characteristics of the host. It is probable that future prescribing of truly “personalized” treatment approaches for our patients will be determined after analysis of both sets of traits. This Perspective summarizes recent basic and translational studies of putative mechanisms of tamoxifen resistance. Resistance to tamoxifen therapy may be intrinsic or acquired. Breast cancers that produce either ER or progesterone receptor (PR) have the potential to respond to tamoxifen; however, a proportion of ER-positive tumors are intrinsically resistant to the drug. Historically, metastatic breast cancer that is both ER and PR positive (suggesting that the ER is functional) has an approximately 80% rate of response to antihormonal therapy, whereas tumors that are ER positive but PR negative have lower response rates, approximately 40%. Tumors that do not produce ER or PR are not expected to respond to tamoxifen. Investigators have proposed several mechanisms of intrinsic resistance, including cross talk with growth factor–signaling pathways and a balance of ER coregulators. In addition, alterations in epigenetic regulation may cause a lack of ER production or lead to the acquisition of resistance to hormone therapy. Recently, breast tumor phenotypes have been further characterized with DNA microarrays, and such studies have identified 5 clinically distinct subtypes: luminal A, luminal B, ERBB2 -amplified, basal-like, and normal breast-like. So-called luminal B breast cancers that are classically associated with amplification of ERBB2 2 [v-erb-b2 erythroblastic …
Outcome after steroid withdrawal in pediatric renal transplant patients receiving tacrolimus-based immunosuppression.

In spite of the well-established side effects associated with their use (1), corticosteroids have remained a part of long-term immunosuppression after renal transplantation. With the introduction of tacrolimus, however, steroid withdrawal has been possible in some 70% of successfully transplanted adults and children (2–9). In the latter group, significant catch-up growth has been achieved, particularly in preadolescent children (5, 6). An important question, however, concerns the outcome after steroid withdrawal in pediatric patients on tacrolimus. Although this question has been studied in adults (4, 7–9), it has not been investigated in detail in children. We looked at our pediatric renal transplant patients receiving tacrolimus-based immunosuppression and examined the short- and medium-term outcomes after steroid withdrawal.
Domestic violence compared to other health risks: a survey of physicians' beliefs and behaviors.

Abstract Background: Physicians routinely confront patient risk behaviors once considered private, including tobacco use, alcohol abuse, and HIV/STD—risk behavior. We compared physicians' behaviors and beliefs on screening and intervention for domestic violence with each other risk. Methods: Survey of nationwide, random sample of 610 primary care physicians from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. Results: Fewer primary care physicians screened for domestic violence than for other risks ( p p Conclusions: Lower domestic violence screening rates may reflect physicians' beliefs that they do not know how to screen or intervene, and that interventions are less successful for domestic violence than for other risks. We may improve screening rates by educating physicians that a simplified role, as for other risks, can be effective for domestic violence.
Protocols for the Examination of Tumors of Diverse Sites

Abstract This issue of the Archives includes previously unpublished protocols for the examination of specimens removed from patients with cancer of diverse sites. We provide a historical context for the development of these protocols and describe the process of development and approval. General information about the structure and content of the protocols is also provided. Cancer protocol development is an important step in the process of standardized cancer reporting. The value of such standardized reporting is discussed.
Impact of provider level, training and gender on the utilization of palliative care and hospice in neuro-oncology: a North-American survey

Specialized palliative care (PC) services have emerged to address symptoms and provide end-of-life management for patients with brain tumors. The utilization patterns of PC in neuro-oncology are unknown. A 22-question survey was distributed to participants of the society for neuro-oncology annual meeting 2012 (n = 4487). Nonparametric methods including Wilcoxon two-sample and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to assess differences in responses. 239 (5.3 %) evaluable responses were received; 79 % of respondents were physicians, and 17 % were nurses or midlevel providers. Forty-seven percent were medical or neuro-oncologists, 31 % neurosurgeons and 11 % radiation oncologists. Forty percent had no formal training in PC, 57 % had some formal training and 3 % completed a PC fellowship. Seventy-nine percent practiced in an academic setting. Of the respondents, 57 % referred patients to PC when symptoms required treatment and 18 % at end of life. Only 51 % of all providers felt comfortable dealing with end-of-life issues and symptoms, while 33 % did not. Fifty-one percent preferred a service named "Supportive Care" rather than "Palliative Care" (MDs > midlevel providers, p < 0.001), and 32 % felt that patient expectations for ongoing therapy hindered their ability to make PC referrals. Female gender, formal training in neuro-oncology and PC, and medical versus surgical neuro-oncology training were significantly associated with hospice referral, comfort in dealing with end-of-life issues, and ease of access to PC services. Provider level, specialty, gender, training in PC and neuro-oncology have significant impact on the utilization of PC and hospice in neuro-oncology.
Development of filter paper hemoglobin A1c assay applicable to newborn screening.

Purpose Gestational diabetes influences risk for future metabolic disease including type 2 diabetes. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) measurement assesses hemoglobin A glycosylation, and could theoretically be used as a test to estimate gestational glucose exposure. HbA1c assay on dried blood spots (DBS) is needed before potential application to statewide newborn screening (NBS) population studies. The study aimed to establish a reliable method to measure HbA1c on NBS DBS specimens. De-identified blood was used to generate trials to evaluate stability of HbA1c in DBS, optimal elution time, and stability of eluted blood.
Moveout Analysis By Time-warping

The ideal moveout analysis should be dense, azimuthdependent, and nonhyperbolic. Semblance-based methods are an inefficient approach to obtain such a model. We propose an inversion approach to moveout parameter estimation using automatic flattening of common midpoint (CMP) gathers. In contrast to semblance-based moveout analysis, we directly measure local slopes to obtain event geometries, rather than search for the best-fit surfaces through parameter scanning. We use plane-wave destruction filters to automatically measure local slopes throughout a CMP gather. These slopes are used to predict traveltime surfaces, which are then warped until by a non-physical flattening method. By applying the same warping to a time attribute volume, the shifts in time-squared needed to flatten each event can be computed. From these shifts, bestfit physical parameters of any type of moveout curve can be found using a linear or non-linear least-squares fitting scheme.
Atomic Structure of a 60° Dislocation in Bulk Silicon and Germanium, and at Ge/Si Interface.

Atomic structures of 60° dislocations were calculated in bulk Si and Ge ,and at Ge/Si interfaces, using energy minimization techniques. An empirical three body potential developed by Stillinger-Weber was used for Si ,and the same potential with modified parameters was used for Ge. Two different configurations of a 60° dislocation (shuffle and glide) were compared. Energetics of a 60° dislocation in shuffle configuration in bulk Si and Ge , and at Ge/Si interfaces are discussed.
Hydrogen Production via Chemical Looping Redox Cycles Using Atomic Layer Deposition-Synthesized Iron Oxide and Cobalt Ferrites

Iron oxide (γ-Fe2O3) and cobalt ferrite (CoxFe3−xO4) thin films were synthesized via atomic layer deposition (ALD) on high surface-area (50 m2 g−1) m-ZrO2 supports. The oxide films were grown by sequentially depositing iron oxide and cobalt oxide, adjusting the number of iron oxide to cobalt oxide cycles to achieve a desired stoichiometry. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction indicate that the films are crystalline and have a thickness of ∼2.5 nm. Raman spectroscopy was used to confirm the predominance of the spinel phase in the case of cobalt ferrite. Films were chemically reduced at 600 °C using mixtures of H2, CO, and CO2. The evolution of oxide phases as a function of time during this reduction was observed using in situ X-ray diffraction, showing that γ-Fe2O3 are reduced only to FeO, while CoxFe3−xO4 are reduced all the way to a Co/Fe alloy. Subsequent water splitting measurements in a stagnation flow reactor yielded peak H2 rates exceeding virtually all of those rep...
THE DETERMINATION OF BOUND WATER BOUNDARY ON CLAY SURFACE BY INFRARED SPECTRUM

In accordance with wall of well-bore instability induced by bound water on clays, Infrared spectrum is utilized to determine the types and boundary line of bound water on clays, and the information about chemical-bonding in water and interaction between water and clay-mineral. The results show that clay-minerals adsorb water when they interact with water. The O—H's expanded and contracted frequency v will reduce along with adsorbed water content growth in hydro-clays. The process that O—H's expanded and contracted frequency v changes along with relative vapor pressure p/p s has the characteristics - fast first, slow then, fast again, and steady forever. There are two clear turning points which are p/ps=0.9, 0.98,the two turning points are the special humidity of clay-water system. The relative vapor pressure 0.9 is the boundary line between the strong bound water and the loose bound water(osmotic bound water) on clays, the relative vapor pressure 0.98 is the boundary line between the loose bound water and free water on clays. The results are identical with Ion exchange.
Chronic Liver Disease-Associated Hospitalizations Among Adults with Diabetes, National Inpatient Sample, 2001-2012.

OBJECTIVE Many people with diabetes have a variety of diabetes-related complications. Among the variety of conditions associated with diabetes, however, liver diseases are less well recognized. As such, we aimed to describe chronic liver disease (CLD)-associated hospitalization rates among U.S. adults with diabetes from 2001-2012. METHODS We used a nationally representative database of hospitalizations, the National Inpatient Sample, to determine CLD-associated hospitalization rates among U.S. adults aged ≥ 18 years with and without diabetes, from 2001-2012. Hospitalizations listing an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code for CLD on the discharge record were selected for analysis and were further classified by diabetes status based on concurrent presence of a diabetes ICD-9-CM code. We calculated average annual age-adjusted hospitalization rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and conducted a test for trend. RESULTS For 2001-2012, the total age-adjusted CLD-associated hospitalization rate among adults with diabetes (1,680.9 per 100,000 population; 95% CI 1,577.2, 1,784.6) was approximately four times the rate of adults without diabetes (424.2 per 100,000 population; 95% CI 413.4, 435.1). Total age-adjusted hospitalization rates of adults with and without diabetes increased 59% and 48%, respectively, from 2001-2002 to 2011-2012 (p<0.001). Hepatitis C- and chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis-associated hospitalizations comprised the largest proportion of total CLD-associated hospitalizations among adults with and without diabetes. CONCLUSION Providers should be aware of the potential existence of CLD among adults with diabetes and counsel patients on preventive methods to avoid progressive liver damage.
Purification of Histone Lysine Methyltransferase SMYD2 and Co-Crystallization with a Target Peptide from Estrogen Receptor α

Methylation of estrogen receptor α by the histone lysine methyltransferase SMYD2 regulates ERα chromatin recruitment and its target gene expression. This protocol describes SMYD2 purification and crystallization of SMYD2 in complex with an ERα peptide. Recombinant SMYD2 is overexpressed in Escherichia coli cells. After release from the cells by French Press, SMYD2 is purified to apparent homogeneity with multiple chromatography methods. Nickel affinity column purifies SMYD2 based on specific interaction of its 6×His tag with the bead-immobilized nickel ions. Desalting column is used for protein buffer exchange. Gel filtration column purifies SMYD2 based on molecular size. The entire purification process is monitored and analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Crystallization of SMYD2 is performed with the hanging drop vapor diffusion method. Crystals of the SMYD2-ERα peptide complex are obtained by microseeding using seeding bead. This method can give rise to large size of crystals which are suitable for X-ray diffraction data collection. X-ray crystallographic study of the SMYD2-ERα complex can provide structural insight into posttranslational regulation of ERα signaling.
Predictive analytics for crystalline materials: bulk modulus

The bulk modulus is one of the important parameters for designing advanced high-performance and thermoelectric materials. The current work is the first attempt to develop a generalized model for forecasting bulk moduli of various types of crystalline materials, based on ensemble predictive learning using a unique set of attributes. The attributes used are a combination of experimentally measured structural details of the material and chemical/physical properties of atoms. The model was trained on a data set of stoichiometric compounds calculated using density functional theory (DFT). It showed good predictive performance when tested against external DFT-calculated and experimentally measured stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric materials. The generalized model found correlations between bulk modulus and features defining bulk modulus in specific families of materials. The web application (ThermoEl) deploying the developed predictive model is available for public use.
Confronting the nuclear paradox

Abstract From the dawn of the atomic age, the meaning of nuclear energy has been contested in language and in substance. The tension between the hope expressed by “atoms for peace” and the fear symbolized by a mushroom cloud remains at the heart of contemporary political debates regarding the future of nuclear energy. This tension results in countervailing rhetorical and social fault-lines that undermine the political consensus necessary to generate meaningful action to address arguably the two most significant threats facing the international community today: climate change and nuclear security, including nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism.
The Assessment of Quality, Accuracy, and Readability of Online Educational Resources for Platelet-Rich Plasma.

Purpose To critically evaluate the quality, accuracy, and readability of readily available Internet patient resources for platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as a treatment modality for musculoskeletal injuries. Methods Using the 3 most commonly used Internet search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo), the search term "platelet rich plasma" was entered, and the first 50 websites from each search were reviewed. The website's affiliation was identified. Quality was evaluated using 25-point criteria based on guidelines published by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and accuracy was assessed with a previously described 12-point grading system by 3 reviewers independently. Readability was evaluated using the Flesch-Kincaid (FK) grade score. Results A total of 46 unique websites were identified and evaluated. The average quality and accuracy was 9.4 ± 3.4 (maximum 25) and 7.9 ± 2.3 (maximum 12), respectively. The average FK grade level was 12.6 ± 2.4, which is several grades higher than the recommended eighth-grade level for patient education material. Ninety-one percent (42/46) of websites were authored by physicians, and 9% (4/46) contained commercial bias. Mean quality was significantly greater in websites authored by health care providers (9.8 ± 3.1 vs 5.9 ± 4.7, P = .029) and in websites without commercial bias (9.9 ± 3.1 vs 4.5 ± 3.2, P = .002). Mean accuracy was significantly lower in websites authored by health care providers (7.6 ± 2.2 vs 11.0 ± 1.2, P = .004). Only 24% (11/46) reported that PRP remains an investigational treatment. Conclusions The accuracy and quality of online patient resources for PRP are poor, and the information overestimates the reading ability of the general population. Websites authored by health care providers had higher quality but lower accuracy. Additionally, the majority of websites do not identify PRP as an experimental treatment, which may fail to provide appropriate patient understanding and expectations. Clinical Relevance Physicians should educate patients that many online patient resources have poor quality and accuracy and can be difficult to read.
Lessons from Nature Show the Way to Safe and Environmentally Pacific Pest Control

We apply great effort to the propagation and growth of a variety of crops, domesticated animals and beneficial microorganisms because of their obvious contribution to our welfare. We are, on the other hand, often inclined to relegate the remaining biota to the status of weeds or pests overlooking their actual necessity in maintaining the planetary biological web. Misunderstanding the need for a diverse biota has finally led to the realization of the ecological damage that now prompts us to seek to restore the complexity we have previously denied.
Direct 3D Printing of Catalytically Active Structures

3D printing of materials with active functional groups can provide custom-designed structures that promote chemical conversions. Herein, catalytically active architectures were produced by photopolymerizing bifunctional molecules using a commercial stereolithographic 3D printer. Functionalities in the monomers included a polymerizable vinyl group to assemble the 3D structures and a secondary group to provide them with active sites. The 3D-printed architectures containing accessible carboxylic acid, amine, and copper carboxylate functionalities were catalytically active for the Mannich, aldol, and Huisgen cycloaddition reactions, respectively. The functional groups in the 3D-printed structures were also amenable to postprinting chemical modification. As proof of principle, chemically active cuvette adaptors were 3D printed and used to measure in situ the kinetics of a heterogeneously catalyzed Mannich reaction in a conventional solution spectrophotometer. In addition, 3D-printed millifluidic devices with c...
Narrowing of the surgical resident operative experience: A 27-year analysis of national ACGME case logs.

Abstract Background Although overall operative volume has remained stable since the implementation of duty hours, more detailed analyses suggest shifts in the resident operative experience. Understanding these differences allows educators to better appreciate the impact of the current training environment on resident preparation for practice. Methods National Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case logs from 1990 to 2016 were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance and linear regression analysis. Results Over the study period there was no change in total major cases. Subcategory analysis revealed an increase in skin and soft tissue, alimentary tract, abdomen, and endocrine with a concurrent decrease in breast, pediatrics, and trauma. During this time, residents completed fewer cases during their chief year, operated more during non-chief years, taught fewer operations, and assisted in minimal cases. Finally, a decrease in the variability of overall operative volume for total major cases was found as a result of 90th and 10th percentiles converging toward the median. Conclusion Although total major cases logged by residents have remained stable, the operative experience of general surgery residents has narrowed significantly. Residents are operating earlier and performing fewer teaching and first assistant cases. Surgical educators must look beyond total case numbers and be aware of these changes to ensure all residents achieve technical competency on graduation.
Systems Engineering Approaches

Suppose you assessed or analyzed the resilience of a system using approaches described in Part II of this book or similar approaches. Chances are, you determined that the resilience of the system is inadequate, at least in part. What should you do to improve it? This is the theme of Part III of this book: methods, techniques, and approaches to enhancing cyber resilience of a system, either via an appropriate initial design or by adding mitigation measures or by defensive actions during a cyberattack.
Rabbit Immunoglobulin Allotypes: Structure, Immunology, and Genetics

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the allotypic studies in the rabbit and offers more detailed information on several specific topics to which allotypic studies have contributed. The chapter focuses on the rabbit allotypes and gives an overview of the developments. There is a paucity of structural information on rabbit immunoglobulins and an optimal amount of genetic information has been obtained in studies on this species by the use of the immunoglobulin antigenic markers. The chapter explains allotypic phenomena adequately by involving regulator genes in the linkage, somatic recombination, and selective gene expression that have been observed in genetic studies employing allotypes. It is difficult to visualize these complex genetic relationships in terms of the repressors and corepressors that have been described for nonmammalian systems involving regulation. The possibility has been raised that rabbit immunoglobulin allotypes are not products of allelic structural genes, however are products of regulator genes. The studies on allotypes and idiotypes have made significant contributions to the knowledge of genetic control of immunoglobulin synthesis, knowledge that is, in many instances, relevant to more general biological topics.
Analysis of replication timing at the FRA10B and FRA16B fragile site loci.

The molecular basis for the cytogenetic appearance of chromosomal fragile sites is not yet understood. Late replication and further delay of replication at fragile sites expressing alleles has been observed for FRAXA, FRAXE and FRA3B fragile site loci. We analysed the timing of replication at the FRA10B and FRA16B loci to determine whether late replication is a feature which is shared by all fragile sites and, therefore, is a necessary condition for chromosomal fragile site expression. The FRA10B locus was located in a transitional region between early and late zones of replication. Fragile and non-fragile alleles exhibit a similar replication pattern proximal to the repeat, but fragile alleles are delayed relative to non-fragile ones on the distal side. Although fragility at FRA10B appears to be caused by expansion of an AT-rich repeat in the region, replication time near the repeat was similar in fragile and non-fragile alleles. The FRA16B locus was late replicating and appeared to replicate even later on fragile chromosomes. While these observations are compatible with the hypothesis that delayed replication may play a role in fragile site expression, they suggest that replication delay may not need to occur at the expanded repeat region itself in order to be permissive for fragility.