cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lossy common information of two dependent random variables

The two most prevalent notions of common information are due to Wyner and Gacs-Korner and both the notions can be stated as two different characteristic points in the lossless Gray-Wyner region. Although these quantities can be easily evaluated for random variables with infinite entropy (eg. continuous random variables), the operational significance underlying their definition is applicable only to the lossless framework. The primary objective of this paper is to generalize these two notions of common information to the lossy Gray-Wyner network, which extends the theoretical intuition underlying their definitions for general sources and distortion measures. We begin with the lossy generalization of Wyner's common information, defined as the minimum rate on the shared branch of the Gray-Wyner network at minimum sum rate when the two decoders reconstruct the sources subject to individual distortion constraints. We derive a complete single letter information theoretic characterization for this quantity and use it to compute the common information of symmetric bivariate Gaussian random variables. We then derive similar results to generalize Gacs-Korner's definition to the lossy framework. These two characterizations allow us to carry the practical insight underlying the two notions of common information to general sources and distortion measures.
Best Companies to Work for and Technology Management in the Service Sector

Each year, FORTUNE undertakes a study aimed at identifying the 100 best companies to work for. The results of the FORTUNE survey for the period 1998 to 2005 were further examined. Using a technique called "Data Surface Mining" (DSM), these previously published data were analyzed to characterize the similarities and differences between the Goods and Service Sectors; the results of the analyses are presented herein. In addition, the issues of technology management especially relevant to the Service Sector are presented. These issues are of critical importance in light of the fact that the Service Sector represents 80% (GDP and/or employment) of the United States economy and are of increasing importance in the global economy. It is also important to note that technology management in the Service Sector has not to date been given proportionate attention in the academic literature.
Differential effects of genotoxic stress on both concurrent body growth and gradual senescence in the adult zebrafish

Among vertebrates, fish and mammals show intriguing differences in their growth control properties with age. The potential for unlimited or indeterminate growth in a variety of fish species has prompted many questions regarding the senescent phenomena that appear during the aging process in these animals. Using zebrafish as our model system, we have attempted in our current study to examine the growth phenomena in fish in relation to the onset of senescence-associated symptoms, and to evaluate the effects of genotoxic stress on these processes. We observed in the course of these analyses that the zebrafish undergoes continuous growth, irrespective of age, past the point of sexual maturation with gradually decreasing growth rates at later stages. Animal population density, current body size and chronological age also play predominant roles in regulating zebrafish growth and all inversely influence the growth rate. Interestingly, the induction of genotoxic stress by exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) did not adversely affect this body growth ability in zebrafish. However, IR was found to chronically debilitate the regeneration of amputated caudal fins and thereby induce high levels of abnormal fin regeneration in the adult zebrafish. In addition, by resembling and mimicking the natural course of aging, IR treatments likewise enhanced several other symptoms of senescence, such as a decline in reproductive abilities, increased senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity and a reduction in melatonin secretion. Our current data thus suggest that during the lifespan of zebrafish, the onset of senescence-associated symptoms occurs in parallel with continuous growth throughout mid-adulthood. Moreover, our present findings indicate that genotoxic DNA damage may play a role as a rate-limiting factor during the induction of senescence, but not in the inhibition of continuous, density-dependent growth in adult zebrafish.
Marine use conflicts arising from development of seabed hydrocarbons and minerals: Some approaches from the United States West Coast

Abstract Marine resource use conflicts arising from development of seabed hydrocarbons and minerals off the West Coast of the United States are described and analyzed from a legal perspective. Techniques for avoiding or reducing conflicts include: multiple-use ocean planning to identify potential conflicts; separating exploration and development rights to remove legal impediments to conflict avoidance; using activity schedules, corridors, and buffer zones to avoid conflicts; coordinating federal and state planning and permit processes to reduce conflicts; and providing compensation for unavoidable conflicts.
The effect of sodium, potassium, and thiosulfate ions on anaphylaxis

Abstract 1.1. The effects in anaphylaxis of sodium, potassium, and thiosulfate ions have been studied by the minimum lethal dose technique. 2.2. Sodium thiosulfate shows no inhibitory effect on the anaphylactic reaction. 3.3. Potassium salts are definitely of value in the prevention of death from the M.L.D. of the antigen. 4.4. No difference was noted between the effects of the chloride and thiosulfate salts of potassium. 5.5. The method of intraperitoneal injection of the salts a short interval before the shock dose showed no significant advantage over the method of simultaneous administration of the salts with the antigen.
Statistical Analysis of Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy: The Standard Deviation and Bias

We present a detailed statistical analysis of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy for a wide range of timescales. The derivation is completely analytical and can provide an excellent tool for planning and analysis of FCS experiments. The dependence of the signal-to-noise ratio on different measurement conditions is extensively studied. We find that in addition to the shot noise and the noise associated with correlated molecular dynamics there is another source of noise that appears at very large lag times. We call this the “particle noise,” as its behavior is governed by the number of particles that have entered and left the laser beam sample volume during large dwell times. The standard deviations of all the points on the correlation function are calculated analytically and shown to be in good agreement with experiments. We have also investigated the bias associated with experimental correlation function measurements. A “phase diagram” for FCS experiments is constructed that demonstrates the significance of the bias for any given experiment. We demonstrate that the value of the bias can be calculated and added back as a first-order correction to the experimental correlation function.
Effect of alloxan and portacaval shunt on the synthesis of fatty acids and sterols by rat liver

Abstract Experiments are presented which show the diminished capability with time of rat liver homogenates to synthesize nonsaponifiable compounds from mevalonic-2- 14 C acid and fatty acids from acetyl-1- 14 C-CoA and malonyl-2- 14 C-CoA after induction of diabetes by alloxan injection. Insulin treatment partially repairs this defect. Portacaval shunted rats were also used to show a similar decline with time of lipogenesis after the shunting operation. This decreased production is not due to activators or inhibitors present in the liver homogenate, nor is it due to a limiting supply of NADPH; the suggestion is made that it reflects a decreased level of enzymes concerned with the biosynthesis of fatty acids and nonsaponifiable compounds in the liver.
Integrating Local and Global Error Statistics for Multi-Scale RBF Network Training: An Assessment on Remote Sensing Data

Background: This study discusses the theoretical underpinnings of a novel multi-scale radial basis function (MSRBF) neural network along with its application to classification and regression tasks in remote sensing. The novelty of the proposed MSRBF network relies on the integration of both local and global error statistics in the node selection process. Methodology and Principal Findings: The method was tested on a binary classification task, detection of impervious surfaces using a Landsat satellite image, and a regression problem, simulation of waveform LiDAR data. In the classification scenario, results indicate that the MSRBF is superior to existing radial basis function and back propagation neural networks in terms of obtained classification accuracy and training-testing consistency, especially for smaller datasets. The latter is especially important as reference data acquisition is always an issue in remote sensing applications. In the regression case, MSRBF provided improved accuracy and consistency when contrasted with a multi kernel RBF network. Conclusion and Significance: Results highlight the potential of a novel training methodology that is not restricted to a specific algorithmic type, therefore significantly advancing machine learning algorithms for classification and regression tasks. The MSRBF is expected to find numerous applications within and outside the remote sensing field.
Coalescent Random Forests

Various enumerations of labeled trees and forests, including Cayley's formulann?2for the number of trees labeled by [n], and Cayley's multinomial expansion over trees, are derived from the followingcoalescent constructionof a sequence of random forests (Rn,Rn?1,?,R1) such thatRkhas uniform distribution over the set of all forests ofkrooted trees labeled by [n]. LetRnbe the trivial forest withnroot vertices and no edges. Forn?k?2, given thatRn,?,Rkhave been defined so thatRkis a rooted forest ofktrees, defineRk?1by addition toRkof a single edge picked uniformly at random from the set ofn(k?1) edges which when added toRkyield a rooted forest ofk?1 trees. This coalescent construction is related to a model for a physical process of clustering or coagulation, theadditive coalescentin which a system of masses is subject to binary coalescent collisions, with each pair of masses of magnitudesxandyrunning a risk at ratex+yof a coalescent collision resulting in a mass of magnitudex+y. The transition semigroup of the additive coalescent is shown to involve probability distributions associated with a multinomial expansion over rooted forests.
EXCITON LEVEL STRUCTURE AND ENERGY DISORDER OF THE B850 RING OF THE LH2 ANTENNA COMPLEX

Experimental and theoretical results are presented on the exciton level structure of the B850 ring of bacteriochlorophyll a molecules for the light-harvesting 2 (LH2) complex of Rhodopseudomonas acidophila (strain 10 050) and the effects of energy disorder (due to structural heterogeneity) on the level structure. The work is an outgrowth of the accompanying paper (Wu et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 1997, 101, 7641), which reports on the temperature and pressure dependencies of the LH2 absorption spectrum and the zero-phonon hole action spectrum of the lowest energy exciton level of the complex, B870, as well as the structural (nondenaturing) change of the complex near 150 K. The effects of energy disorder are analyzed using the theory of Wu and Small (Chem. Phys. 1997, 218, 225), which employs symmetry-adapted energy defect patterns. The analysis leads to a room temperature value of ∼100 cm-1 for the splitting between B870 and the adjacent, strongly allowed E1 level in the absence of disorder. Using the temperatu...
Chemical hysteresis, a new type of behavior in the Belousov-Zhabotinskii reaction

Abstract Based on studies of a reduced model for the Belousov-Zhabotinskii reaction, chemical hysteresis is predicted for the transition between two stable homogeneous states, one stationary and the other oscillatory. It is suggested that the hysteresis effect involves concentration variations and temporal characteristics which should be observable under appropriate experimental conditions.
Composite/Fundamental Higgs Mesons

Why is the SU(2) xU(l) breaking scale so small? Why are there several generations? The hierarchy puzzle and the flavor puzzle have mystified unifiers for decades, but they seem particularly acute in unified theories based on SU(5) (and its simple relatives S0(10) and E(6)).
Karyotype, growth, and cell cycle analysis of human embryonic palatal mesenchymal cells: relevance to the use of these cells in an in vitro teratogenicity screening assay

Human embryonic palatal mesenchyme (HEPM) is an established cell line that is presently under investigation as an in vitro prescreening assay used to determine the teratogenic potential of chemicals. We describe here general growth characteristics, karyotype, and cell cycle analysis of these cells. HEPM cells had plating efficiencies of less than 95% and displayed notable contact growth inhibition following an exponential growth phase that lasted for approximately 6 days. These cells had the diploid karyotype of a female human embryo. The chromosomal complement showed no dramatic change between passage 5 and 14. Flow cytofluorometry analysis using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) pulse labeling and a direct immunofluorescence anti-BrdU FITC probe revealed that the total cell cycle transit time was approximately 22 hr: the duration of G1 was 12.2 hr, S was 6.1 hr, and G2-M lasted for 3.7 hr. The results indicate that HEPM cells met the criteria regarding karyotype stability that were assumed by the National Toxicology Program of the USA.
Global Assessment of Relational Functioning Scale (GARF): II. Reliability and Validity in a Sample of Families of Bipolar Patients†

The companion article by the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) Committee on the Family (see p. 155, this issue) describes the development of the Global Assessment of Relational Functioning (GARF) scale. The present study evaluated the reliability and concurrent validity of a manualized version of the GARF in recently episodic bipolar patients (N = 73) participating with family members in laboratory interaction tasks. The GARF was applied with high reliability by raters with little clinical experience. GARF ratings discriminated between families rated high and low in expressed emotion, with families rated as high in emotional overinvolvement showing the lowest relational functioning scores. GARF scores also correlated with affective negativity scores derived from the interactional task-based affective style and coping style coding systems. However, relational ratings were independent of levels of concurrent symptoms or illness chronicity among individual patients. GARF ratings may inform the treatment plans for patients with psychiatric disorders, but the optimal methods of data collection and rater training must be determined.
Profound hypokalemia associated with severe diabetic ketoacidosis

Hypokalemia is common during the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA); however, severe hypokalemia at presentation prior to insulin treatment is exceedingly uncommon. A previously healthy 8-yr-old female presented with new onset type 1 diabetes mellitus, severe DKA (pH = 6.98), and profound hypokalemia (serum K = 1.3 mmol/L) accompanied by cardiac dysrhythmia. Insulin therapy was delayed for 9 h to allow replenishment of potassium to safe serum levels. Meticulous intensive care management resulted in complete recovery. This case highlights the importance of measuring serum potassium levels prior to initiating insulin therapy in DKA, judicious fluid and electrolyte management, as well as delaying and/or reducing insulin infusion rates in the setting of severe hypokalemia.
Intra-abdominal hypertension is an under-appreciated cause of acute renal failure

Increased intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), known as intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is increasingly being recognized as an important predictor of adverse outcomes in critically ill patients. The prevalence of IAH has recently been estimated at between 32 and 65% in both medical and surgical intensive care units [1,2]. High grade IAH may result in abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS), where increased pressure in a closed anatomic space threatens the viability of surrounding tissues and organs [1,2]. Renal dysfunction is one of the earliest and most common presentations in ACS. As IAP increases, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decreases progressively and anuria may ensue [3,4]. Cases of acute renal failure (ARF) quickly reversed by abdominal decompression (DC) have been well-documented in the surgical literature [3], but surprisingly, only a handful of cases were reported in the nephrology literature [4]. Even standard nephrology textbooks such as Brenner & Rector’s do not list ACS or IAH as a cause of ARF [5]. ACS is usually not considered by nephrologists as a likely cause of ARF as there are other more classic causes such as acute tubular necrosis or volume depletion, especially in non-surgical settings. We report three cases of acute oliguric renal failure which met the definition of ACS, and two cases in which the diagnosis of ACS was very likely based on the clinical course. We then review the mechanisms of renal failure in ACS, and propose some clinical criteria that could aid clinicians suspect and pursue the diagnosis of this potentially reversible cause of ARF.
Cause reduction: delta debugging, even without bugs

What is a test case for? Sometimes, to expose a fault. Tests can also exercise code, use memory or time, or produce desired output. Given a desired effect, a test case can be seen as a cause, and its components divided into essential required for effect and accidental. Delta debugging is used for removing accidents from failing test cases, producing smaller test cases that are easier to understand. This paper extends delta debugging by simplifying test cases with respect to arbitrary effects, a generalization called cause reduction. Suites produced by cause reduction provide effective quick tests for real-world programs. For Mozilla's JavaScript engine, the reduced suite is possibly more effective for finding faults. The effectiveness of reduction-based suites persists through changes to the software, improving coverage by over 500 branches for versions up to 4months later. Cause reduction has other applications, including improving seeded symbolic execution, where using reduced tests can often double the number of additional branches explored. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Wavefunction Engineering of Layered Quantum Semiconductor Structures: Recent Progress

A Lagrangian formulation for the valence bands of bulk zinc blende and wurtzite compound semiconductors provides a direct approach to determining derivative operator ordering at layer interfaces in the multiband k·P description of electronic states, in the envelope function approximation. The current continuity condition is obtained through a gauge-variation on the Lagrangian. The principle of least action together with the discretization of the action integral naturally leads into a finite element approach for the modeling and simulation of the multiband Schrodinger equations. Being a variational method, the wavefunctions and energy eigenvalues can be systematically improved with quadratic convergence. By including the Poisson Lagrangian, a self-consistent treatment of the Schrodinger-Poisson band-bending in arbitrarily doped structures is obtained. Numerical examples are presented for the valence band electronic states for quantum wells and superlattices. We have also coupled the finite element method with layer parameter optimizations to design heterostructures for lasers emitting at given wavelengths. It is in this sense that wavefunction engineering goes beyond the notion of bandgap engineering in providing the means for optimizing wavefunction localization in layers, selecting layer thicknesses, enhancing optical matrix elements, and laser gain.
We Can Think with the Implicit, As Well As with Fully-Formed Concepts

We can now adopt a new understanding of scientific knowledge and its role in our society. The concepts which science presents change every year. Neither today’s nor next year’s concepts are representations of reality. Many people mistrust science altogether and gladly adopt anything from any other source. Our best thinkers also attest to the fact that every picture, every representation, every theory and set of concepts can break down and be found false.
Quantitative Ultrasonography of Calcaneal Bone Mass and Its Relationship to Calcium Consumption Among Impoverished Hispanic Women

Perimenopausal Hispanic women need to be able to build and sustain peak bone mass, but this may be affected by their low socioeconomic status. This feasibility research study provided descriptive information on the relationship between calcium consumption and bone mass measured with sonography at the calcaneus. Little research exists to examine bone health with this specific age or ethnic group of women. This research found a strong positive correlation between the amount of self-reported calcium food consumed and the bone stiffness index recorded using quantitative sonography. The translational impact of this project will inform the development of culturally relevant patient education for Hispanic women of low socioeconomic status to encourage the development of peak bone mass.
A further refinement of discretized Lyapunov functional method for the time-delay systems

The discretized Lyapunov functional method for the stability problem of time-delay systems is further refined using a combination of integral inequality and variable elimination technique. As a result, the computational requirement is further reduced for the same discretization mesh. For systems without uncertainty, the convergence to the analytical solution is greatly accelerated. For uncertain systems, the new method is much less conservative. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the method.
Droplet deposition and momentum transfer in annular flow

Entrainment and deposition in gas-liquid annular upflow are known to account for as much as 20% of the pressure gradient, through droplet accelerations in the core region. Momentum is transferred from the core when droplets decelerate upon impact with the liquid film. It is usually assumed that all of this momentum is transferred to the film, essentially driving the film upward in conjunction with interfacial friction. New data, obtained for annular gas-liquid upflow in a 5.08-cm-ID tube, are used in a momentum balance analysis to determine the mechanism of momentum transfer from depositing droplets. Measurements include the liquid film thickness, wall shear stress, pressure gradient, entrained liquid fraction, droplet deposition rate, droplet centerline axial velocity, and mass-average drop size for two gas-liquid systems. This analysis supports the idea that large droplets displace the film locally and decelerate primarily at the wall, effectively transferring negligible momentum to the liquid film.
Quetiapine for Insomnia Associated with Refractory Depression Exacerbated by Phenelzine

Objective:To report the successful treatment of phenelzine-associated insomnia with low-dose quetiapine in a patient with refractory depression.Case Summary:A 42-year-old white man with severe major depression unresponsive to selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, bupropion, and tricyclic antidepressants improved following treatment with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) phenelzine. Insomnia, present to a moderate degree prior to antidepressant therapy, worsened markedly following phenelzine treatment and failed to respond to diphenhydramine, temazepam, triazolam, clonazepam, Zolpidem, or trazodone given at high therapeutic doses. Sleep disturbance resolved with low-dose (50 mg) adjunctive quetiapine, with no adverse effects.Discussion:Major depression refractory to standard therapy is a common and serious condition. Some cases respond to MAOIs; however, orthostatic hypotension and insomnia frequently occur. Potentially serious MAOI interactions with psychotropic drugs have raised concerns about co...
Transactional processes in child disruptive behavior and maternal depression: A longitudinal study from early childhood to adolescence

Although much has been written about the utility of applying Sameroff and Chandler's transactional perspective to the study of child psychopathology, relatively few researchers have used such an approach to trace the emergence of child problem behavior from infancy to adolescence. Using a sample of 289 male toddlers from predominantly low-income families, the current study examined associations between various forms of early child disruptive behavior, subsequent trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms over the course of 8 years, and adolescent problem behavior. Results indicated that early child noncompliance was the most robust predictor of more chronic and elevated trajectories of maternal depression, which in turn discriminated teacher and youth reports of adolescent antisocial behavior but not internalizing symptoms. The findings were consistent with transactional perspectives of developmental psychopathology that have emphasized the dynamic interplay between child and parent characteristics.
Towards Efficient Isolation of R Gene Orthologs from Multiple Genotypes: Optimization of Long Range-PCR

Resistance (R) genes and the proteins they encode are key components of the defense system of plants. The exploration of R gene diversity enables the study of R gene evolution and may facilitate the isolation of new and functional alleles. Most cloned R genes occur in clusters of related sequences. Thus, the development of a tool for reliable recovery of orthologous R gene sequences to the exclusion of paralogous sequences will facilitate R gene diversity analysis. The late blight resistance gene RB is a single functional locus embedded within a cluster of related sequences. Previously, the functional RB allele was cloned from wild potato using a Long Range-PCR (LR-PCR) technique, suggesting this method may be a promising tool for recovery of R gene orthologs in other genotypes. Using the RB gene as a model, we explored the limitations and improved three technical aspects of LR-PCR for multi-genotype applications. We present improved primers for the recovery of the RB locus and have identified efficient DNA extraction procedures and reliable amplification systems. We document that consensus sequences built from three independently generated LR-PCR clones can be up to 100% accurate. Our results show encouraging advances toward successful application of LR-PCR for isolating alleles from orthologous R gene loci.
EEDF analysis of CCP plasmas using regularized reconstruction analysis of IV characteristics from an RF compensated Langmuir probe

Electron energy distribution function (EEDF) extraction from Langmuir probe data is an ill-posed problem due to the integral relationship between electron current and EEDF with respect to probe voltage. Curve fitting solutions to extract this EEDF assume a specific type of distribution. Point by point extraction of the second derivative relationship uses a small fraction of the integrated data to extract the EEDF. Recently EEDF extraction techniques have been evaluated using regularized solutions to the integral problem for the collisionless, thin sheath condition.1,2 These techniques do not assume any mathematical representation of the EEDF and solve the integral problem for any function that best represents the EEDF. Additionally, the regularized extraction of the EEDF from electron current data provides a mechanism for addressing the noise amplification effects of the reconstruction without smoothing or fitting of experimental data.
‘Opération Harmattan’ in Libya: a paradigm shift in French, European and transatlantic security arrangements?

This paper argues that the Libyan crisis has produced a decisive turning point in three interconnected dimensions of the transatlantic relationship. The EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) proved to be ineffective in facing up to the Libyan crisis and needs to be rethought. The USA preferred to take a ‘back seat’ in handling the crisis and forced leading European powers to face up to their regional responsibilities and assume leadership of the Libyan mission, potentially offering a model for future allied operations. NATO, for its part, demonstrated that it is less of an alliance and more of a mechanism for the constitution of coalitions of the willing. It also struggled to overcome the mediocre forces of a small-time dictator. Key to the resolution of these three issues is the leadership role of France and the UK. Whatever the outcome, the signs are that we are facing a paradigm shift.
Decision Making in Recurrent Neuronal Circuits

Decision making has recently emerged as a central theme in neurophysiological studies of cognition, and experimental and computational work has led to the proposal of a cortical circuit mechanism of elemental decision computations. This mechanism depends on slow recurrent synaptic excitation balanced by fast feedback inhibition, which not only instantiates attractor states for forming categorical choices but also long transients for gradually accumulating evidence in favor of or against alternative options. Such a circuit endowed with reward-dependent synaptic plasticity is able to produce adaptive choice behavior. While decision threshold is a core concept for reaction time tasks, it can be dissociated from a general decision rule. Moreover, perceptual decisions and value-based economic choices are described within a unified framework in which probabilistic choices result from irregular neuronal activity as well as iterative interactions of a decision maker with an uncertain environment or other unpredictable decision makers in a social group.
Using a Specification Approach to Facilitate Component Testing

This chapter does not describe a component test method directly, but rather it describes an approach to specification of components and system architectures that is intended to facilitate component user testing. The approach is a synthesis of specification ideas that are known individually—such as Design by Contract, explicit dependencies, quality of service, cost of service—but are not being followed collectively in practice. The argument is that clearer specification content and structure by system architects and COTS component vendors enables more efficient and effective component search, selection, and testing in component-based systems. Further, the approach here includes component specification variations that facilitate both consideration of the maximum number of candidate components for a given system and the maximum market for a given component. These are achieved through generalizing specifications while retaining precision. A test structure is given that shows how the approach can be used for component testing and integration, and a simple example illustrates the approach.
Identifying Predictors of Taxane-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Using Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics Technology.

Major advances in early detection and therapy have significantly increased the survival of breast cancer patients. Unfortunately, most cancer therapies are known to carry a substantial risk of adverse long-term treatment-related effects. Little is known about patient susceptibility to severe side effects after chemotherapy. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of taxanes. Recent advances in genome-wide genotyping and sequencing technologies have supported the discoveries of a number of pharmacogenetic markers that predict response to chemotherapy. However, effectively implementing these pharmacogenetic markers in the clinic remains a major challenge. On the other hand, recent advances in proteomic technologies incorporating mass spectrometry (MS) for biomarker discovery show great promise to provide clinically relevant protein biomarkers. In this study, we evaluated the association between protein content in serum exosomes and severity of CIPN. Women with early stage breast cancer receiving adjuvant taxane chemotherapy were assessed with the FACT-Ntx score and serum was collected before and after the taxane treatment. Based on the change in FACT-Ntx score from baseline to 12 month follow-up, we separated patients into two groups: those who had no change (Group 1, N = 9) and those who had a ≥20% worsening (Group 1, N = 8). MS-based proteomics technology was used to identify proteins present in serum exosomes to determine potential biomarkers. Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon analysis was applied and maximum FDR was controlled at 20%. From the serum exosomes derived from this cohort, we identified over 700 proteins known to be in different subcellular locations and have different functions. Statistical analysis revealed a 12-protein signature that resulted in a distinct separation between baseline serum samples of both groups (q<0.2) suggesting that the baseline samples can predict subsequent neurotoxicity. These toxicity-associated biomarkers can be further validated in larger retrospective cohorts for their utility in identifying patients at high risk for CIPN.
Obesity in Childhood Cancer Survivors: Call for Early Weight Management

A high prevalence of obesity and cardiometabolic conditions has been increasingly recognized in childhood cancer survivors. In particular, survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia have been found to be at risk of becoming overweight or obese early in treatment, with increases in weight maintained throughout treatment and beyond. Nutrition plays an important role in the etiology of obesity and cardiometabolic conditions and is among the few modifiable factors that can prevent or delay the early onset of these chronic conditions. However, nutritional intake in childhood cancer survivors has not been adequately examined and the evidence is built on data from small cohorts of survivors. In addition, the long-term impact of cancer diagnosis and treatment on survivors' nutritional intake as well as how survivors' nutritional intake is associated with chronic health conditions have not been well quantified in large-scale studies. Promoting family-based healthy lifestyles, preferably at a sensitive window of unhealthy weight gain, is a priority for preventing the early onset of obesity and cardiometabolic conditions in childhood cancer survivors.
PSA AFTER DEFINITIVE RADIOTHERAPY FOR CLINICALLY LOCALIZED PROSTATE CANCER

A rising PSA level for clinically localized prostate cancer after definitive radiotherapy is an ominous finding that correlates with positive postirradiation biopsy and traditional clinical progression. The study detailed in this article found that the proportion of patients treated with radiotherapy who achieved stable PSA levels and were clinically free of disease was disappointingly low.
Effect of Water Content on Syngas Combustion at Elevated Pressure

This work experimentally and numerically investigates the effect of water addition up to a mole fraction of 0.15 on the burning rates of H2 and H2/CO mixtures from 1 atm 10 atm at a flame temperature near 1600K. Burning rates were measured using outwardly propagating spherical flames in a nearly constant pressure chamber. Results show good agreement with the newly updated hydrogen kinetic model for H2 flames, and H2/CO flames. The results show a monotonic decrease in mass burning rate with water addition at pressures above 1 atm, as well a decrease in the pressure at which the maximum burning rate occurs. Path analyses reveal the influence of water addition on the radical pool through H2O+O=2OH.
178. Wiederherstellung der Analsensibilität und Kontinenz nach Whitehead- und Durchzugsoperation

Patienten mit Whitehead-Schaden oder nach Durchzugsoperation leiden alle an fast unertraglichem Jucken und an Blutungen. Bei den meisten bestehen Kontinenzstorungen. Bisherige Operationsmethoden waren unbefriedigend. Bei der S-Plastik nach Ferguson (1973) wird der ektropionierte Schleimhautcylinder ca. 4cm hoch in den analen Kanal reseziert. Der Defekt wird zirkular durch ausere Haut gedeckt. Die Spatergebnisse bei 20 Patienten sind ausgezeichnet.
The Dutch Encounter with the American Century: Modernization, Clientelism, and the Uses of Sovereignty during the Early Cold War*

Traditional historiography posits a Dutch foreign policy loyal to the United States, with only occasional outbursts of independence. This article argues, however, that even as US power constrained Dutch choices it also offered opportunities. Dutch policy-makers therefore sought to leverage American power to Dutch ends. This story of Dutch diplomatic agency offers a key example of a new empire-client framework for understanding post-World War II international relations.
Uncharted waters: Navigating new configurations for urban service delivery in India

Decentralization reconfigures urban water governance by transferring responsibilities for service delivery to local institutions and expanding the role for non-state actors. Consequently, community...
The Impact of African American Parents’ Racial Discrimination Experiences and Perceived Neighborhood Cohesion on their Racial Socialization Practices

Parental racial socialization is a parenting tool used to prepare African American adolescents for managing racial stressors. While it is known that parents’ racial discrimination experiences affect the racial socialization messages they provide, little is known about the influence of factors that promote supportive and communal parenting, such as perceived neighborhood cohesion. In cohesive neighborhoods, neighbors may help parents address racial discrimination by monitoring youth and conveying racial socialization messages; additionally, the effect of neighborhood cohesion on parents’ racial socialization may differ for boys and girls because parents socialize adolescents about race differently based on expected encounters with racial discrimination. Therefore, the current study examines how parents’ perception of neighborhood cohesion and adolescents’ gender moderate associations between parents’ racial discrimination experiences and the racial socialization messages they deliver to their adolescents. Participants were a community sample of 608 African American adolescents (54 % girls; mean age = 15.5) and their primary caregivers (86 % biological mothers; mean age = 42.0). Structural equation modeling indicated that parental racial discrimination was associated with more promotion of mistrust messages for boys and girls in communities with low neighborhood cohesion. In addition, parental racial discrimination was associated with more cultural socialization messages about racial pride and history for boys in neighborhoods with low neighborhood cohesion. The findings suggest that parents’ racial socialization messages are influenced by their own racial discrimination experiences and the cohesiveness of the neighborhood; furthermore, the content of parental messages delivered varies based on adolescents’ gender.
Review of Neurobiologically Based Mobile Robot Navigation System Research Performed Since 2000

In an attempt to better understand how the navigation part of the brain works and to possibly create smarter and more reliable navigation systems, many papers have been written in the field of biomimetic systems. This paper presents a literature survey of state-of-the-art research performed since the year 2000 on rodent neurobiological and neurophysiologically based navigation systems that incorporate models of spatial awareness and navigation brain cells. The main focus is to explore the functionality of the cognitive maps developed in these mobile robot systems with respect to route planning, as well as a discussion/analysis of the computational complexity required to scale these systems.
Fast submicrometer-scale imaging of whole zebrafish using the knife-edge scanning microscope

Advances in high-resolution 3D microscopy have enabled the investigation of subcellular microstructures in biological specimen. For a full understanding of the organism's structure and function, it is mandatory to obtain data from the whole animal, not just parts of it. In this paper, we present our work with the Knife-Edge Scanning Microscope (KESM) for imaging a Nissl-stained whole zebrafish larva. KESM combines a diamond microtome and line-scan imaging for simultaneous sectioning and imaging in 3D. We show that using the KESM, a zebrafish, less than 3 mm long and diameter less than 500 μm, can be imaged within 1 hour at a resolution of 0.6 μm × 0.7 μm × 1.0 μm. We also present new results on using a vibrating microtome to improve sectioning and imaging robustness.
C5a Depletion As a Novel Strategy to Inhibit T Regulatory Cells and Enhance Antigen-Specific Immune Responses

Abstract Abstract 3285 Background: The complement system has complex activity that impacts on the immune response in a broad variety of ways. The current study was designed to assess the effect of complement components, specifically C5a, on the immune regulatory cells and on the development of an antigen-specific active immune response. Methods: Myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs), enriched from healthy human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, were pulsed with antigen (tetanus toxoid) and co-cultured with autologous, enriched human CD4+ T cells in the presence of various purified complement components. The percent of CD4+ T-cells that were CD25highFoxp3+ (henceforth referred to as Tregs) was determined. The presence of cytokines in supernatant of mDCs cultured with purified complement proteins was also evaluated. In murine models, the effect of C5a on in vivo induction of Tregs and on the development of immune response to ovalbumin was determined by analyzing anti-ovalbumin antibody. This was done in C5-sufficient (B10-D2-HC1) and C5-deficient (B10-D2-HC0) mice immunized with 100 μg of ovalbumin, and in wild type C57Bl/6 mice immunized with 100 μg of ovalbumin along with either irrelevant rat IgG2a (Ova+Isotype control) or rat anti-mouse C5a antibody (Ova+anti-C5a Ab). Results: In Vitro: 1. After mDC-CD4+T cell co-culture, C5a significantly increased the number of Tregs compared to media alone (p=0.0039) or other complement proteins (C1q, C3a, C3b) ( Fig 1 ). 2. mDCsthat were stimulated by C5a produced increased amounts of IL-10 and TGFβ, and decreased IL-6. In Vivo: 1. Immunization of C5-deficient mice with ovalbumin resulted in significantly higher anti-ovalbumin IgM and IgG1 responses compared to C5-sufficient mice ( Fig. 2 ; p=0.045 and 0.011, respectively). In addition, C5-deficient mice had fewer circulating Tregs compared to C5-sufficient mice. 2. C5a-depleted C57Bl/6 mice (Ova+anti-C5a Ab) had a significantly higher antigen-specific IgM response than C5a-intact mice (Ova+Isotype control) ( Fig. 3 ; p=0.017). Conclusions: Presence of C5a in the immune microenvironment results in increased generation of Treg cells and leads to dampening of antigen-specific immune responses. Absence or depletion of C5a results in a drop in the Tregs and a higher antigen-specific immune response. Ongoing studies are exploring the use of C5a depletion as a novel strategy to overcome the low immunogenicity of vaccines, such as cancer vaccines. Download : Download high-res image (17KB) Download : Download full-size image Download : Download high-res image (14KB) Download : Download full-size image Download : Download high-res image (14KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A comment on “Sources, distribution, environmental fate, and ecological effects of nanomaterials in wastewater streams”

The recent article “Sources, Distribution, Environmental Fate, and Ecological Effects of Nanomaterials in Wastewater Streams” of Kunhikrishnan et al. (2015) provides a state-of-the-art review regar...
Fabric-based alkaline direct formate microfluidic fuel cells

Fabric-based microfluidic fuel cells (MFCs) serve as a novel, cost-efficient alternative to traditional FCs and batteries, since fluids naturally travel across fabric via capillary action, eliminating the need for an external pump and lowering production and operation costs. Building on previous research with Y-shaped paper-based MFCs, fabric-based MFCs mitigate fragility and durability issues caused by long periods of fuel immersion. In this study, we describe a microfluidic fabric-based direct formate fuel cell, with 5 M potassium formate and 30% hydrogen peroxide as the anode fuel and cathode oxidant, respectively. Using a two-strip, stacked design, the optimized parameters include the type of encasement, the barrier, and the fabric type. Surface contact of the fabric and laminate sheet expedited flow and respective chemical reactions. The maximum current (22.83 mA/cm2 ) and power (4.40 mW/cm2 ) densities achieved with a 65% cotton/35% polyester blend material are a respective 8.7% and 32% higher than previous studies with Y-shaped paper-based MFCs. In series configuration, the MFCs generate sufficient energy to power a handheld calculator, a thermometer, and a spectrum of light-emitting diodes.
Predicting the severity of spurious “double ITCZ” problem in CMIP5 coupled models from AMIP simulations

The severity of the double Intertropical Convergence Zone (DI) problem in climate models can be measured by a tropical precipitation asymmetry index (PAI), indicating whether tropical precipitation favors the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere. Examination of 19 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 models reveals that the PAI is tightly linked to the tropical sea surface temperature (SST) bias. As one of the factors determining the SST bias, the asymmetry of tropical net surface heat flux in Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) simulations is identified as a skillful predictor of the PAI change from an AMIP to a coupled simulation, with an intermodel correlation of 0.90. Using tropical top-of-atmosphere (TOA) fluxes, the correlations are lower but still strong. However, the extratropical asymmetries of surface and TOA fluxes in AMIP simulations cannot serve as useful predictors of the PAI change. This study suggests that the largest source of the DI bias is from the tropics and from atmospheric models.
Youth and their workers: the interacting subjectification effects of neoliberal social policy and NGO practice frameworks

ABSTRACTThe effects of neoliberalism on young people and youth workers through outsourcing government services has attracted critique from multiple sources. Post-structural analysis interrogates subjectification effects of these policies on youth. However, this kind of analysis of the governmental formation of youth ought to consider the interaction between the knowledge of youth underpinning neoliberal social policy, and those employed by non-government agencies implementing them. The interaction between these two shape the reciprocal governing activity within the young person and youth worker power–knowledge relationship that, this paper will argue, is an important factor in the critique of neoliberal social policy. Young people are governed by a diverse array of knowledges developed by government, youth studies, NGOs and young people themselves. These knowledges interact, reinforce and contradict discourses of youth work. This paper focuses on a neoliberal social policy (FLO) which constructs youth as ...