cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insights into the Quantitative Relationship between Sensitization and Challenge for Allergic Contact Dermatitis Reactions

The ability of chemical or pharmaceutical agents to induce allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is of major health and regulatory concern. As such, tests to identify their sensitizing capacity, such as the guinea pig maximization test and the more recently developed local lymph node assay, are broadly used. Ideally, for risk assessment it is useful to translate results from animal data into establishing safe or no-effect levels for occupational or environmental agents. This, of course, would require consideration of the quantitative relationships between sensitizing and challenge doses as well as other exposure conditions. In the present studies, we modeled two sensitizers, 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene and squaric acid dibutyl ester, over a large range of concentrations using the LLNA and more traditional tests that measure both sensitization and elicitation responses. Both the sensitization and challenge phases provided similar dose-response curves, demonstrating a threshold followed by a shallow linear increase and eventual plateau at increasing doses. Extending earlier studies by P. S. Friedmann (1994, Immunotoxicology and Immunopharmacology, pp. 589-616, Raven Press, New York) in humans, we observed that the minimum dose required to elicit sensitization or challenge was not static, but rather reflected a "sliding-scale." That is, as the sensitization dose was increased, the concentration required to elicit a challenge response was decreased. Correspondingly, as the challenge dose was increased, the dose required for sensitization was lessened. Taken together, these findings indicate that there is a need to consider dose-response relationships for sensitization and challenge in establishing minimum exposure levels for chemicals that cause ACD.
Trans Fat Bans and Human Freedom

Trans fatty acids (or trans fats) are unsaturated trans-isomer fatty acids, which may be monosaturated or polyunsaturated. Small amounts of trans fats occur naturally in meat and dairy products, but the largest source of these lipids in the human diet comes from artificial sources, such as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils used in cooking and food preparation (Institute of Medicine 2002). Trans fats became popular with food manufacturers, bakeries, and restaurants in the 1960s, because they can enhance the taste of some foods and help to preserve texture. Trans fats used in frying also are more durable than other types of oils and have a neutral taste (Severson 2003). A growing body of evidence has linked consumption of
CPMG imaging sequences for high field in vivo transverse relaxation studies.

Two-dimensional Fourier transform Cam-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) imaging sequences were implemented on 1.9-T and 1.5-T imaging systems in order to test their ability to characterize in vivo transverse decay curves (TDCs). Both hard- and soft-pulse CPMG imaging sequences, consisting of up to 128 echoes with echo spacings of approximately 10 ms were developed, implemented, and tested. These sequences provide one of the most detailed samplings of TDCs from image data sets reported to date. Good agreement between image-extracted T2 values and spectroscopically obtained T2 values of NiCl2-doped saline solutions was found with both hard- and soft-pulse sequences. In vivo TDCs were extracted from rabbit and human image data sets. For several tissues, biexponential TDC fits provided considerable improvement over monoexponential fits and the sensitivity of the fitting parameters to positive baseline offsets was examined. With the time coverage of the relaxation decay curves available from these sequences, the TDCs from white matter in humans appear largely monoexponential while those from cortical grey matter demonstrate biexponential behavior. © 1990 Academic Press, Inc.
Protein therapeutics: a summary and pharmacological classification

Once a rarely used subset of medical treatments, protein therapeutics have increased dramatically in number and frequency of use since the introduction of the first recombinant protein therapeutic--human insulin--25 years ago. Protein therapeutics already have a significant role in almost every field of medicine, but this role is still only in its infancy. This article overviews some of the key characteristics of protein therapeutics, summarizes the more than 130 protein therapeutics used currently and suggests a new classification of these proteins according to their pharmacological action.
Central/peripheral nervous system and immune responses

Abstract Maintenance of health is dependent on numerous regulatory interactions between organ systems. This review discusses interorgan communication between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems and environmental and genetic influences on this neuroendocrine immune circuitry. Stresses of multiple types, including psychological and exposure to chemicals and infectious agents, may combine to enhance neuroimmunotoxicology. Altered nervous system functions can alter immunity which could result in exacerbation of infections, cancers or other immune-associated problems. Inversely, abberant immune system activities could lead to pathologies associated with altered nervous activities, such as Alzheimer’s disease, chronic fatigue, or multiple sclerosis. The nervous, endocrine and immune circuitry is multi-directional, and a chemical, physical or emotional stress could upset the homeostasis.
Ferrocene-bound polyester resins

Seven ferrocene-bound polyester resins were prepared from fumaric acid and diethylene glycol in the presence of different ferrocene derivatives. To accomplish the incorporation of the organometallic moiety into the polyester resin chain, the cyclopentadienyl rings of ferrocene were substituted in the 1,1′ positions with reactive functional groups. The ferrocene derivatives used were: 1,1′-bis(1-hydroxyethyl) ferrocene 1, 1,1′-ferrocene dicarboxylic acid 2, and 1,1′-ferrocene diacetic acid 3. The incorporation of an organometallic complex significantly increased the rate of the polyesterification process. In order of increasing rate enhancement, the effect was 2 2. Mechanisms to account for these results are presented. Some of the strength related properties were also studied.
Fluxes of Copper-Complexing Ligands from Estuarine Sediments

Most studies of the organic complexation of Cu in natural waters have focused on distributions and processes in the water column, where a significant fraction of Cu-complexing ligands may be biologically produced. We present direct evidence for a flux of Cu-complexing ligands from estuarine sediments, demonstrating that sediments are a significant, yet previously unrecognized source of the ligands. Fluxes of Cu-complexing ligands from Chesapeake Bay sediments range from 300 to 1,200 nmol m -2 d -1 , exceeding fluxes of total dissolved Cu by 3->40-fold, suggesting that any Cu fluxing from the sediments is likely to be organically complexed. Our results indicate that benthic fluxes may supply from 10 to 50% of the standing stock of Cu-complexing ligands in Chesapeake Bay and suggest that such fluxes may strongly influence the biogeochemistry of Cu in shallow water environments and potentially in the ocean as a whole.
Strategies for tunable frequency-selective surfaces

The mathematical rationale behind frequency selective surfaces is discussed. Two strategies - one based on exciting standing surface acoustic waves in a piezoelectric film, and the other on arrays of arrays of piezoelectric capacitors - are outlined to obtain tunable frequency selective surfaces.
Improved estimation of DNA fragment lengths from Agarose gels.

An improved method for estimation of DNA fragment lengths from mobility on agarose gels is introduced. Commonly, this estimation is done by graphing the logarithm of length against the mobility of standards, although this procedure produces a noticeably curved plot. The method presented here is based on the relationship of E. M. Southern (1979, Anal. Biochem., 100, 319–323), who showed that the reciprocal of mobility plotted against fragment length is linear. A least-squares analysis has been developed to use this relationship together with any number of standards to estimate fragment length. The method also tests internal consistency of the assigned lengths of a set of fragments. This analysis has been applied to sets of restriction fragments of λ DNA, indicating errors or inconsistencies in previously assigned lengths. Using a more consistent set of λ values, the lengths of pBR322 fragments of known sequence were predicted with better than 1% accuracy. No evidence of sequence-dependent migration was seen. A computer program to do this analysis is included.
Hadamard matrices, Baumert-Hall units, four-symbol sequences, pulse compression, and surface wave encodings

Abstract If a Williamson matrix of order 4w exists and a special type of design, a set of Baumert-Hall units of order 4t, exists, then there exists a Hadamard matrix of order 4tw. A number of special Baumert-Hall sets of units, including an infinite class, are constructed here; these give the densest known classes of Hadamard matrices. The constructions relate to various topics such as pulse compression and image encodings.
Computational characterization of the hydroxylamino (NHOH) group

We have examined computationally some properties of the hydroxylamino group, N(H)OH, in different molecular environments. Geometries were optimized at the B3LYP/6-31G** level and used to calculate B3LYP/6-311G(3df,2p) energy differences and HF/6-31G* electrostatic potentials V(r) and local ionization energies . V(r) and were evaluated on the molecular surfaces defined by the 0.001 au contours of the electronic densities. Two important factors in determining the N(H)OH structure are lone pair repulsion and possible intramolecular hydrogen bonding involving the remainder of the molecule, which can affect the pyramidal character of the nitrogen. The nitrogen and oxygen lone pairs produce regions of negative potential, those of the oxygen being stronger. These should function as hydrogen bond acceptors, although not as well as NH3 and H2O. The nitrogen lone pairs, although less negative, are expected to be the more basic, often roughly similar to pyridine. The amine and hydroxyl hydrogens tend to have quite positive potentials, and should be potent in hydrogen bonding. Depending upon the remainder of the molecule, the hydroxyl and the amine protons can range from essentially no acidity to weak to quite strong. The hydroxylamino group is estimated to have an average polarizability of 2.38 A3 and as a substituent on aromatic rings to be activating and ortho, para-directing, with Hammett δp = −0.37. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring Trust among Globally Distributed Work Teams

Trust among team members has been identified as a crucial variable for the success of projects executed by virtual teams. This paper explores trust among IT work teams whose members are located at sites that are distributed in the United States, Ireland and India. Our case analysis suggests that trust among team members is problematic and it can be difficult to achieve among on-shore and off-shore sites when a "client/vendor" orientation frames the relationship. The key point of this paper is that management cannot expect team members to be able to build trust through competence and personal relationships when the social dynamics of the firm creates fragmentation, "Us versus Them" feeling and an environment of distrust. As a result, workers at distributed sites must find ways of overcoming this orientation and developing some measure of personal rapport to enable the formation of trust and accomplishment of collaborative work
Imaging corticospinal tract connectivity in injured rat spinal cord using manganese-enhanced MRI

Background: Manganese-enhanced MRI (MEI) offers a novel neuroimaging modality to trace corticospinal tract (CST) in live animals. This paper expands this capability further and tests the utility of MEI to image axonal fiber connectivity in CST of injured spinal cord (SC). Methods: A rat was injured at the thoracic T4 level of the SC. The CST was labeled with manganese (Mn) injected intracortically at two weeks post injury. Next day, the injured SC was imaged using MEI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) modalities. Results: In vivo MEI data obtained from cervical SC confirmed that CST was successfully labeled with Mn. Ex vivo MEI data obtained from excised SC depicted Mn labeling of the CST in SC sections caudal to the lesion, which meant that Mn was transported through the injury, possibly mediated by viable CST fibers present at the injury site. Examining the ex vivo data from the injury epicenter closely revealed a thin strip of signal enhancement located ventrally between the dorsal horns. This enhancement was presumably associated with the Mn accumulation in these intact fibers projecting caudally as part of the CST. Additional measurements with DTI supported this view. Conclusion: Combining these preliminary results collectively demonstrated the feasibility of imaging fiber connectivity in experimentally injured SC using MEI. This approach may play important role in future investigations aimed at understanding the neuroplasticity in experimental SCI research.
Transparent runtime randomization for security

A large class of security attacks exploit software implementation vulnerabilities such as unchecked buffers. This paper proposes transparent runtime randomization (TRR), a generalized approach for protecting against a wide range of security attacks. TRR dynamically and randomly relocates a program's stack, heap, shared libraries, and parts of its runtime control data structures inside the application memory address space. Making a program's memory layout different each time it runs foils the attacker's assumptions about the memory layout of the vulnerable program and makes the determination of critical address values difficult if not impossible. TRR is implemented by changing the Linux dynamic program loader, hence it is transparent to applications. We demonstrate that TRR is effective in defeating real security attacks, including malloc-based heap overflow, integer overflow, and double-free attacks, for which effective prevention mechanisms are yet to emerge. Furthermore, TRR incurs less than 9% program startup overhead and no runtime overhead.
Effectiveness of AV-1011® to Reduce Damage to Drill-Planted Rice from Blackbirds

We determined efficacy of AV-1011 1 (a 50% anthraquinone product; Arkion 1 Life Sciences, New Castle, Delaware) on drill-planted rice seed to reduce blackbird damage and determine residue levels of anthraquinone (AQ) in rice seeds and seedlings and in the mature rice crop under field enclosures at the University of Missouri-Delta Center farm near Portageville, Missouri. Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) damage was higher for untreated than AV-1011 1 treated rice seedlings at assessment period 3, 15 days postplanting (F1,141 ¼ 15.81, P < 0.001), and at assessment period 4, 19 days postplanting (F1,136 ¼ 11.54, P ¼ 0.001). Blackbird damage to AV-1011-treated seedling for assessment periods 3 and 4 was 8% and 7%, respectively, while blackbird damage to untreated seedlings during the same assessment periods was 52% and 44%. More blackbirds used untreated plots than AV-1011-treated plots during assessment periods 2-4 (F1,17.8 ¼ 20.02, P < 0.001). Overall concentrations of AQ on seeds averaged 5,993 mg/g or 0.59% during the test period. Concentrations of AQ in mature rice seed and plant collected at harvest averaged 1.22 mg/g and 0.10 mg/g, respectively. AV-1011 offers promise for reducing bird depredations to newly planted rice, but additional testing should be conducted to evaluate this repellent in a large-scale field setting. 2011 The Wildlife Society.
A two-phase maxi-min algorithm for forward-inverse experiment design

In customer-driven design of systems or products, one has performance targets in mind and would like to identify system design parameters that yield the target performance vector. Since most simulation models predict performance given design parameter values, this identification must be done iteratively through an optimization search procedure. In some cases it would be preferable to find design parameter values directly via an explicit inverse model. Regression and other forms of approximation `metamodels' provide estimates of simulation model outputs as a function of design parameters. It is possible to design fitting experiments (DOE's) that allow simultaneous fitting of both forward and inverse metamodels. This paper discusses the potential for this strategy and shows a simple two-phase DOE strategy using a maxi-min measure of DOE quality.
NovoTTF-100A: a new treatment modality for recurrent glioblastoma

NovoTTF-100A (Novocure Inc., Haifa, Israel) is a first-of-a-kind device approved by the US FDA for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. It works by emitting a low-intensity, intermediate-frequency (200 kHz), alternating electric field administered via insulated transducer arrays applied onto the scalp. The electric field penetrates the brain and inhibits the growth and proliferation of glioblastoma by interfering with tumor cell mitosis at anaphase. Results from a Phase III clinical trial indicate that the efficacy of NovoTTF-100A is equivalent to standard-of-care chemotherapy. The side effect profile favors device-treated patients, obviating typical toxicities associated with chemotherapy or targeted drugs, and results in improvements in their quality of life. NovoTTF-100A is a new modality of cancer treatment that offers equivalent efficacy, but less toxicity, to recurrent glioblastoma patients when compared with existing treatments.
Surgically induced SMART syndrome: case report and review of the literature.

Background Strokelike migraine attack after radiation therapy is a recently described clinical entity characterized by transient hemispheric dysfunction manifesting as, but not limited to, visuospatial deficits, confusion, hemisensory deficits, hemiparesis, aphasia, seizures, and, most prominently, headache in patients with a history of remote external beam radiation therapy to the brain. The radiographic hallmark on magnetic resonance imaging is the presence of transient, diffuse, unilateral gadolinium enhancement of the cortex with white matter sparing, usually corresponding to the previous radiation field. Case Description We present a case of strokelike migraine attacks after radiation therapy syndrome diagnosed immediately following a craniotomy and temporal lobectomy for recurrent metastatic tumor resection after prior gamma knife radiosurgery and whole-brain radiation therapy. Conclusion SMART syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis of postsurgical patients with remote history of cranial irradiation and significant, new transient neurologic deficits not explainable by any other mechanism. It is possible that manipulation of the trigeminal ganglion, or the dura of the Meckel cave, contributed to triggering the manifestations of this syndrome in our patient during the immediate postoperative period.
Severe Intraoperative Bronchospasm Treated with a Vibrating-Mesh Nebulizer

Bronchospasm and status asthmaticus are two of the most dreaded complications that a pediatric anesthesiologist may face. With the occurrence of severe bronchospasm and the inability to ventilate, children are particularly vulnerable to apnea and ensuing hypoxia because of their smaller airway size, smaller lung functional residual capacity, and higher oxygen consumption rates than adults. Nebulized medication delivery in intubated children is also more difficult because of smaller endotracheal tube internal diameters. This case demonstrates the potentially lifesaving use of a vibrating-mesh membrane nebulizer connected to the anesthesia circuit for treating bronchospasm.
Operational Assessment of Heavy Air Tankers - Part 1: Aircraft Usage

Flight data collected by various P2V and P3A air tankers in actual operation over several seasons have been used to construct statistical information on aircraft usage in this role. This data used for this report consisted of 5,316 flight files, collected during the 2008 and 2009 fire seasons. Flights have been divided into multiple phases, separating the segments when the retardant is dropped from others. Basic flight parameters such as airspeed, altitude, flight duration and distance, bank, and pitch angles are shown in statistical form. Vertical accelerations are used to construct V-n diagrams for comparison with the manufacturers’ data. Airframe cycle times are shown to be approximately 45 minutes. Several coincident flight events are shown and compared with operational limits when available. The altitudes, the normal accelerations, and the airspeeds have not revealed any operation outside of the established boundaries. Relatively large dive and roll angles were prominently present during all but the drop phases. Nonetheless, they are shown to remain within the limits stated by the manufacturer or imposed by the FAA type certificate data sheets.
Array of microcantilever heaters with integrated piezoresistors

This paper presents improved design, fabrication, and characterization of a small array of silicon microcantilever heaters with integrated piezoresistors. The fabricated microcantilever arrays are made from single crystal silicon with selective doping such that parasitic bending and electromigration can be suppressed during high temperature operation. Detailed characterization was performed to test the device electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. The performance and crosstalk between heater and piezoresistor elements was thoroughly tested. The resistive heater can reach temperature higher than 600degC, and its temperature coefficient of electrical resistance was 2.01 x 10-3 Omega/Omega-degC. When biased at 2 V in a Wheatstone bridge, the deflection sensitivity of the piezoresistor was 4.25 x 10-4 V/V-mum and remarkably, the heater circuit had a non-negligible deflection sensitivity of 7.86 x 10-5 V/V-mum. Both the piezoresistor and the resistive heater were interfaced with a commercial atomic force microscope (AFM) to measure their sensitivities during topography sensing of a calibration grating. As expected, the sensitivity of thermal reading was at least one order of magnitude greater than that of piezoresistive reading.
Hepatic insulin gene therapy prevents deterioration of vascular function and improves adipocytokine profile in STZ-diabetic rats

Hepatic insulin gene therapy (HIGT) ameliorates hyperglycemia in diabetic rodents, suggesting that similar approaches may eventually provide a means to improve treatment of diabetes mellitus. However, whether the metabolic and hormonal changes produced by HIGT benefit vascular function remains unclear. The impact of HIGT on endothelium-dependent vasodilation, nitrosyl-hemoglobin content (NO-Hb), and insulin sensitivity were studied using aortic ring preparations, electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR), homeostasis assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) calculations, and insulin tolerance testing (ITT). Data were correlated with selected hormone and adipocytokine concentrations. Rats made diabetic with streptozotocin were treated with subcutaneous insulin pellets dosed to sustain body weights and hyperglycemia or with HIGT; nondiabetic rats served as controls. Hyperglycemic rats demonstrated impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation, reduced levels of NO-Hb, and diminished insulin, leptin, and adiponectin concentrations compared with controls. In contrast, HIGT treatment significantly reduced blood sugars and sustained both endothelium-mediated vasodilation and NO-Hb at control levels. HOMA-IR calculations and ITT indicated enhanced insulin sensitivity among HIGT-treated rats. HIGT partially restored suppressed leptin levels in hyperglycemic rats and increased adiponectin concentrations to supranormal levels, consistent with indicators of insulin sensitivity. Our findings indicate that the metabolic milieu produced by HIGT is sufficient to preserve vascular function in diabetic rodents. These data suggest that improved glycemia, induction of a beneficial adipocytokine profile, and enhanced insulin sensitivity combine to preserve endothelium-dependent vascular function in HIGT-treated diabetic rats. Consequently, HIGT may represent a novel and efficacious approach to reduce diabetes-associated vascular dysfunction.
Reliability of radiographic measures in infants with clubfoot treated with the Ponseti method

Purpose The aim of this study was two-fold: (1) to determine if radiographic measures can be reliably made in infants being treated with the Ponseti method and (2) to document radiographic changes before and after Achilles tenotomy.
Microstructure Evolution in a Directional Solidification Process

Models and theories of the microstructure evolution in a directional solidification (DS) process will be firstly addressed. Discrepancies between theories and experiments will be presented. For the thin film sample growth in a temperature gradient stage, the geometrical constraint makes it difficult to compare the experimental primary spacing with theoretical predictions. While for a bulk sample growth, fluid flow always exists in the solidification process despite that the growth interface rejects a lighter or heavier solute. Based on these analyses, the appropriate techniques to conduct DS experiments are proposed that can be used to test models. One is the solidification in a capillary sample where a single cell/dendrite grows. While for array growth in 3 dimensions, long-duration microgravity experiments will be the only viable way to obtain meaningful results.
Analysis of decentralized potential field based multi-agent navigation via primal-dual Lyapunov theory

We use a combination of primal and dual Lyapunov theory for almost global asymptotic stabilization and collision avoidance in multi-agent systems. Previous work provided local analysis around the critical points with the use of the dual Lyapunov technique. This paper provides analysis of the whole workspace with the use of the recently introduced combined use of primal and dual Lyapunov functions.
Providing double protection for unit nonresponse with a nonlinear calibration-weighting routine

Given a randomly drawn sample, calibration weighting can provide double protection against the selection bias resulting from unit nonresponse. This means that if either an assumed linear prediction model or an implied unit selection model holds, the resulting estimator will be asymptotically unbiased in some sense. The functional form of the selection model when using linear alibration adjustment is dubious. We discuss an alternative, nonlinear calibration-weighting procedure and software that can, among other things, implicitly estimate a logistic-response model.
Performance of LAMS-DLC, a protocol for low altitude satellite networks

The authors introduce a data link control protocol appropriate for communication in low-altitude satellite networks. A low-altitude satellite network is assumed to be a system of satellites in the range 1000 to 15000 km, such that satellites may exchange messages while they are in line of sight with one another. In this environment data rates are expected to be Mbs, propagation delays are measured in milliseconds, and SWAP (size, weight, and power) constraints restrict buffer size. The proposed data link control protocol is called LAMS-DLC (low altitude satellite data link control). Unlike traditional automatic repeat request (ARQ) schemes, LAMS-DLC uses negative acknowledgment to provide a lossless packet stream without guaranteeing delivery of packets in sequence. Throughput and buffer size metrics are computed and compared with selective repeat HDLC, a typical acknowledgment-based ARQ protocol. >
Acoustic scattering characteristics of several zooplankton groups

The acoustic echo levels from zooplankton are strongly dependent upon the acoustic frequency and size, shape, orientation, and material properties of the animals. Because of the great number of species of zooplankton, it is practical to study the acoustic properties of species grouped by their gross anatomical similarity. Zooplankton from several major groups are discussed: fluid-like (decapod shrimp, euphausiid, salp), hard elastic shelled (gastropod), and gas-bearing (siphonophore). The results from laboratory tests show that the plots of (single ping) target strength versus acoustic frequency have a distinct pattern for each animal type. For example, the plot for euphausiids when ensonified at broadside incidence contained a series of broadly spaced deep nulls; the plot for gastropods either had more tightly spaced nulls or aflat spectrum; the plot for siphonophores either had a less consistent pattern of nulls or a flat spectrum. The nulls from the euphausiid data were sometimes as deep as 30 dB below surrounding levels. The patterns are linked to the physics of the scattering process and modeled mathematically. In addition, key results on these animals from Stanton et al. (1994a, ICES J. Mar. Sci., 51: 505‐512) are summarized to further illustrate the variability in scattering characteristics of the animal groups (for example, data from 2-mm-long gastropods show that they produce a level of echo energy per unit biomass approximately 19 000 (i.e., 43 dB) times greater than that of 30-mm-long salps). The impact of these observations on design and interpretation of acoustic surveys is discussed. Very importantly, drawing a simple relationship between echo energy and biomass for regions containing a complex assemblage of zooplankton would be greatly flawed. ? 1996 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
An Auction Approach to Resource Allocation in Uplink Multi-Cell OFDMA Systems

We propose resource allocation algorithms based on the auction method for uplink OFDMA cellular networks. We consider cellular systems that employ the traditional static frequency reuse as well as the next-generation systems that aim to achieve a universal frequency reuse via base-station coordination. Our algorithms are designed for finite input alphabets and also account for non-ideal practical outer codes, and they can be implemented in a distributed manner, when applied for multi-cell resource allocation. The proposed algorithms have a complexity of O(N) per user per iteration, where N denotes the number of subcarriers in the system, and are also well suited for parallel implementations. We also address power and bandwidth constraints that are motivated by practical concerns. The proposed algorithms exhibit very low complexity and simulation results demonstrate that they offer near-optimal performance.
Revisiting Group Attachment: Ethnic and National Identity

The study of ethnic and national identity, owing to the complex interaction between individuals, groups, and systems, has not remained confined to traditional disciplinary boundaries. In particular, a branch of social-psychological research has provided insight into the most fundamental aspect of this phenomenon, subjective bonds between individuals and groups. Here, data derived from a Q-methodological study of Basque national identity are used to show that claims advanced within the existing literature appear to be restricted in their ability to explain subjective attachment to the nation; that is, they cannot adequately account for the types of bonds that emerged from the Basque case study. Primarily through Q methodology, an alternative explanation and method for uncovering the ties between individuals and groups is offered. In the place of previously vague and restrictive a priori categories of collective attachment, Q is shown to offer a means by which to explore the subjective nature of ethnic and national identification.
Accuracy of Urine Color to Detect Equal to or Greater Than 2% Body Mass Loss in Men.

Context: Clinicians and athletes can benefit from field-expedient measurement tools, such as urine color, to assess hydration state; however, the diagnostic efficacy of this tool has not been established. Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of urine color assessment to distinguish a hypohydrated state (≥2% body mass loss [BML]) from a euhydrated state (<2% BML) after exercise in a hot environment. Design: Controlled laboratory study. Setting: Environmental chamber in a laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-two healthy men (age = 22 ± 3 years, height = 180.4 ± 8.7 cm, mass = 77.9 ± 12.8 kg, body fat = 10.6% ± 4.6%). Intervention(s): Participants cycled at 68% ± 6% of their maximal heart rates in a hot environment (36°C ± 1°C) for 5 hours or until 5% BML was achieved. At the point of each 1% BML, we assessed urine color. Main Outcome Measure(s): Diagnostic efficacy of urine color was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, sensitivity, specificity, an...
Transradial Approach for Noncoronary Interventions: A Single-Center Review of Safety and Feasibility in the First 1,500 Cases

Abstract Purpose To review safety and feasibility in a single center using transradial access (TRA) for noncoronary interventions. Materials and Methods Retrospective analysis was performed of 946 patients evaluated for 1,531 consecutive TRA procedures from April 2012 to July 2015. Exclusion criteria included sheath > 6 F, Barbeau D waveform, radial artery (RA) diameter Results Technical success was 98.2% (1,485/1,512). Major complications (0.13%) included pseudoaneurysm (n = 1) and seizure (n = 1). Minor complications (2.38%) included hematoma/bleeding (n = 13), RA occlusion (n = 11), arm pain (n = 6), and RA spasm (n = 6). Univariate analysis demonstrated a lower rate of adverse events in African American patients (hazard ratio [HR], 0.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.07–0.86; P = .027). Twenty-seven cases (1.8%) required crossover to transfemoral access (TFA). Crossover rates were higher in female patients ( P = .0055), height P = .024), renal/visceral interventions ( P = .0003), and endoleak interventions ( P = .0357). Multivariate analysis demonstrated intervention type to be the only significant predictor of TFA crossover (renal/visceral [HR, 4.48; 95% CI, 1.84–10.9; P = .001]; endoleak repair [HR, 9.54; 95% CI, 1.09–83.8; P = .042]). Conclusions TRA was safe and well tolerated in a heterogeneous patient population across a range of peripheral vascular interventions.
Bounty Hunting: The Limits of Financial Incentives for Reporting Corruption

Financial incentives for exposing illegal behavior are experiencing a resurgence in popularity in the United States. These laws offer a “bounty” to the person who reports illegal behavior to government investigators or prosecutors. Bounty laws are held up by lawmakers, anti-corruption activists, and some scholars as an effective and low-cost enhancement to government investigatory and enforcement efforts. They have two primary aims: return money to government and deter future illegal behavior. This project uses an original dataset on local government corruption to present the first empirical analysis of their ability to deter corruption in the false claims context. I find that while bounty laws may be quite effective in recovering government money, we have no evidence that they actually succeed in deterring corruption. This is, in part, because they are currently aimed at very large amounts of corruption, among which there are very few cases. To the extent that lawmakers want to use the tool more broadly, they should consider two approaches. The first is to lower the currently high bar to receiving a bounty for blowing the whistle. The second is to focus on expanding the law into other forms of corruption that directly take government money, like embezzlement, rather than using them to deter non-monetary corruption, like nepotism or many kinds of bribery.
A comparison of earthquake magnitude with T-phase strength

Records from SOFAR-depth hydrophones at widely spaced locations in the North Pacific were scanned for earthquake T phases. A source solution was obtained by computer for T -phase arrivals correlated at four or more hydrophones. Using this method, the number of events located on the North Pacific rim is about ten times greater than the number located by conventional body-wave determinations. It is concluded that the capability for location of earthquakes by T -phase arrivals extends down to about magnitude 3.6 for the North Pacific rim.
Choline kinase alpha—Putting the ChoK-hold on tumor metabolism

It is well established that lipid metabolism is drastically altered during tumor development and response to therapy. Choline kinase alpha (ChoKα) is a key mediator of these changes, as it represents the first committed step in the Kennedy pathway of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis and ChoKα expression is upregulated in many human cancers. ChoKα activity is associated with drug resistant, metastatic, and malignant phenotypes, and represents a robust biomarker and therapeutic target in cancer. Effective ChoKα inhibitors have been developed and have recently entered clinical trials. ChoKα's clinical relevance was, until recently, attributed solely to its production of second messenger intermediates of phospholipid synthesis. The recent discovery of a non-catalytic scaffolding function of ChoKα may link growth receptor signaling to lipid biogenesis and requires a reinterpretation of the design and validation of ChoKα inhibitors. Advances in positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and optical imaging methods now allow for a comprehensive understanding of ChoKα expression and activity in vivo. We will review the current understanding of ChoKα metabolism, its role in tumor biology and the development and validation of targeted therapies and companion diagnostics for this important regulatory enzyme. This comes at a critical time as ChoKα-targeting programs receive more clinical interest.
Coupling of Distinct Ion Channel Types in Neurons Mediated by AKAP79/150

M-type K+ channels, comprised of KCNQ2-5 (Kv7.2-7.5) subunits, play key roles in the regulation of neuronal excitability in the nervous system. In diverse neurons, L-type Ca2+ channels (LTCCs) drive transcriptional regulation via NFAT transcription factors, and in sensory neurons, TRPV1 cation channels excite neurons in response to heat, acidity or chemical ligands, driving nociception. The A-kinase-anchoring protein (AKAP)79/150 has been shown to orchestrate regulation of all three types of channels by PKC, PKA, calcineurin and NFATs. Using stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) super-resolution microscopy, we have directly visualized individual signaling complexes containing AKAP79/150, these three ion channels and G protein-coupled receptors in neurons and tissue-culture cells. Using multi-color STORM, we observe AKAP150-mediated clustering of KCNQ, LTCCs and TRPV1 channels at the single-complex level. Thus, AKAP79/150 links different channel types together, raising the possibility of their functional, as well as physical, coupling. In sensory neurons, capsaicin caused PIP2 hydrolysis by TRPV1 activation. In neurons isolated from AKAP150+/+ mice, brief application of low concentrations of capsaicin (100 nM), which we believe triggers only local PIP2 depletion, induced ∼40% suppression of M-current (IM), suggesting close localization of TRPV1 and M-channels, the latter thus suppressed by TRPV1-induced local PIP2 depletion. However, in AKAP150-/- neurons, IM was not affected by this modest activation of TRPV1 channels, implying the critical role of AKAP79/150. Application of the LTCC blocker, nifedipine, but not the N-type Ca2+ channel blocker, ω-conotoxin GVIA, significantly suppressed desensitization and tachyphylaxis of TRPV1 currents, suggesting the functional coupling of LTCCs with TRPV1 channels, consistent with their physical coupling at the single-complex level seen with STORM. We thus find AKAP79/150 mediates physical and functional coupling of these three ion channels in sensory neurons, indicating physiological roles in tuning the nociceptive response to painful stimuli.
The potential clinical value of quality-of-life information response to Martin.

years of clinical practice. No one would refute the importance of tumor response or disease-free survival as outcome indicators. However, some 54 years ago, David Karofsky developed the Kamofsky Performance Status scale2 because he believed that traditional indicators of disease activity, such as tumor response, did not adequately depict the impact of disease or treatment on patients' lives. Other clinical specialties soon followed with their own indicators of function and well-being.3-7 Today, hundreds of disease-specific measures of QOL exist.8 Martin discussed using "simple or instinctive measures of benefit weighed against harm" in treating individual patients. First, "instinctive" measures are not standardized and, as such, are highly variable between clinicians at any point in time and within a single clinician over time. Second, some scholars of the Hippocratic Oath conceptualize benefit as a personal and subjective evaluation (ie, patient centered) that goes beyond measures of pathophysiology.9 Conceptualized as such, the concept of benefit is not unlike the concept of health-related QOL: they comprise subjective and objective evaluations of aspects of physical and mental health status that are influenced by disease, treatment, and natural history. Fadan and Leplege'1 argue that QOL assessment
AB0474 Changes in T and B Lymphocyte Subsets with Tofacitinib do not Translate from Nonclinical Species to Humans

Background Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Cytokines involved in lymphocyte development, function and homeostasis (e.g., interleukin (IL)-2, -4, -7, -15, -21) signal through JAK. Repeat dose toxicology studies were conducted in rats and monkeys to support clinical development of tofacitinib. Objectives The objective of the nonclinical studies was to determine the potential toxicity of tofacitinib with a focus on the effects on lymphocyte subsets. Based on the results from these nonclinical studies, Phase 2 studies with RA patients included lymphocyte subset monitoring. Methods Absolute counts of total T cells (CD3+), CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells and natural killer (NK) cells were monitored in peripheral blood samples by flow cytometry. Changes from baseline values and changes relative to the vehicle/placebo treated groups were used to identify tofacitinib treatment related changes. Results Tofacitinib treatment decreased all subsets in rats (6-month study) whereas only T and NK cells were decreased in monkeys (4- and 39-week studies). In RA patients (6 and 24 weeks of exposure), NK cell counts decreased and B cell counts increased. There were transient increases in T cell counts after 2 weeks of treatment. However, at the end of studies, counts were variable but near baseline levels (Table 1). Conclusions The differences in directionality and magnitude of change, across different lymphocyte subsets, demonstrate that T cell generation and/or homeostasis is more sensitive to tofacitinib in monkeys than in humans. Based on the observed translational differences, any further studies to understand tofacitinib mechanism of action on lymphocyte subset and immune function should be conducted using human subjects rather than nonclinical species. Disclosure of Interest D. Ball Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, T. Kawabata Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, W. Vogel Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, R. Riese Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, S. Krishnaswami Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, M. Lamba Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, M. Brown Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, S. Zwillich Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc DOI 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-eular.2276
Study on the properties of Nano-SiO_2/Hyperbranched Polysiloxane/Cyanate Ester Composites

Silane treated nano-silica(nano-SiO2)was introduced into hyperbranched polysiloxane/cyanate ester(HBPSi/CE)system as filler.The results showed that appropriate addition of nano-SiO2 could improve the toughness and strength as well as the water resistance properties of HBPSi/CE resin.The 3.0 wt%nano-SiO2/HBPSi/CE system obtained the increases up to 26%and 12%in the impact strength(14.1 kJ/m2)and flexural strength(118.4 MPa),respectively.Compared with the HBPSi/CE resin,the water absorption of the HBPSi/CE system decreased,the dielectric constant slightly increased,and the dielectric loss factor barely changed.
The Clinical Observation of Coblation-assisted Adenotonsillectomy for Treatment of Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of coblation-assisted adenotonsillectomy for treatment of children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Methods From June 2007 to May 2008, after monitoring polysomnography (PSG) con rmed 82 cases of OSAHS in children aged 3 to 14 years, with an average age of 6.2 years old, the ENT CoblatorII surgical instrument made by Arthrocare in the US and one-time EVac 70 T A segment was used under complete anesthesia to remove tonsils and(or)adenoid ablation. Polysomnography monitoring was used preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively to determine the therapeutic effect. Results No signi cant complications occurred among the children both during the operation and postoperatively. Patients were followed for 6 months, and a satisfactory effect was achieved. The lowest oxygen saturation (LSaO2) improved signi cantly (P0.001); the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) decreased signi cantly after the operation (P0.001). In accordance with OSAHS diagnosis and e cacy evaluation standards, 45 patients were cured after 6 months, 21 patients showed an excellent effect, 10 patients showed a good effect, six patients had no effect, and the total effective rate was 92.6%. Conclusion Low-temperature coblation-assisted adenotonsillectomy has good clinical efficacy with a shortened surgical time, less intraoperative and postoperative blood loss, less postoperative pain, few complications, and a simple operation procedure. It can effectively expand the nasopharynx, oropharynx ventilation cross-sectional area, lift the upper airway obstruction, and can be especially suitable for surgical treatment of children with OSAHS.
Finite-Time Connectivity-Preserving Consensus of Networked Nonlinear Agents With Unknown Lipschitz Terms

This technical note studies finite-time consensus problem for a team of networked nonlinear agents with unknown Lipschitz terms under communication constraints, where each agent has a limited sensing range. Because the induced interaction graph is typically state-dependent and dynamic, we propose a distributed nonlinear consensus algorithm that is capable of preserving the initial interaction patterns. By using tools from nonsmooth analysis, sufficient conditions are obtained such that finite-time consensus can be reached. An upper bound of the convergence time is derived via a two-step analysis. The validity of the theoretical result is shown by one simulation example.