cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Power Load Forecasting Algorithm Based on Gene Expression Programming

This paper presents a power load forecasting algorithm based on gene expression programming(PLF-GEP),which combines theory of gene expression programming to improve precision of power load forecasting.PLF-GEP designed power load forecasting gene and fitness function for the characteristics of power load forecasting.Simulation experiments show that forecasting precision of PLF-GEP is improved about 99% in contrast with real precision.
The Application of Corporate Governance in Non - profit Hospitals Held by Government

The paper discuss the application of corporate governance in non - profit hospitals held by government (NPHHG) and conclude that it is the department that control state - ovmed asset authorized by nation take charge the member- ship of board of trustee of NPHHG. It is reasonable to set up supervisory board in NPHHG. The trustee and the auditor in NPHHG would be paid for their work in view of the current situation in our country. But the mechanism of payment should be weakened gradually when the board of trustee and the supervisory board have been set up in NPHHG and work well all over the country, realize an unrequited mechanism at last. There should be some independent directors in the board of trustee of NPHHG. The Director - General should not be the same one as the chief execute officer of the NPHHG.
A Method for Electronic Waste Recycling Network Design in Considering Environmental Protection

From the standpoint of environmental protection,a two-phase method for electronic waste recycling network design is proposed.Firstly,the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used for evaluating the alternative landfill sites to gain their "environmental protection coefficients".Secondly,a mixed-integer programming model is formulated to denote electronic waste recycling network design problem.The double objectives are considered simultaneously in this model which are(1) minimizing the total construction and operation cost and(2) delivering more salvaged material to landfill sites with less environmental damage.The linear weight approach to convert the above double-objective model to single objective model is discussed and a numerical example is given to illustrate the validity of the method.
Influencea and Control of Railway Transportation on Environment and its Prevention

The railway to the environment pollution mainly comes from two aspects, on the one hand is the engineering construction period to the surrounding ecological environment, on the other hand is the project after the end of the operation of the waste gas, electromagnetic wave, waste water, noise, solid waste, etc.. This paper focuses on in railway transportation, due to fuel emissions, traction machine and along the stations of production and living facilities of the emissions of pollutants caused by environmental pollution and influence to put forward rational suggestion and feasible measures, provide a reference for the work together to protect the good ecological environment.
Evolution of the Bacterial Flagellum

Proponents of the intelligent design (ID) explanation for how organisms developed claim that the bacterial flagellum (BF) is irreducibly complex. They argue that this structure is so complicated that it could not have emerged through random selection but had to be designed by an intelligent entity. One part of this claim is that each flagellar component is used solely for the purpose of making a flagellum that, in turn, is used only for motility. Further, each flagellar protein is assumed to have appeared independently of the other component proteins.
Nanoscience: Single-molecule instant replay

A nanoscale imaging method that uses ultrashort light pulses to initiate and follow the motion of a single molecule adsorbed on a solid surface opens a window onto the physical and chemical dynamics of molecules on surfaces. See Letter p.263 Direct observation of the movement of a single molecule calls for measurements that combine ultrafast temporal resolution with atomic spatial resolution. Jascha Repp and colleagues now show that this is possible when combining scanning tunnelling microscopy with lightwave electronics, a technique that uses laser pulses to directly manipulate electronic motion on the fastest timescales. In this approach, light pulses transiently open a tunnelling channel to remove a single electron from the highest occupied orbital of an individual molecule. The effect makes it possible to record sequences of femtosecond snapshot images of the orbital structure and directly track molecular vibrations with sub-angstrom spatial resolution, and to present the snapshots as single-molecule movies. This method is a step towards potentially controlling electronic motion inside individual molecules at optical clock rates.
Learning across languages: bilingual experience supports dual language statistical word segmentation.

Bilingual acquisition presents learning challenges beyond those found in monolingual environments, including the need to segment speech in two languages. Infants may use statistical cues, such as syllable-level transitional probabilities, to segment words from fluent speech. In the present study we assessed monolingual and bilingual 14-month-olds’ abilities to segment two artificial languages using transitional probability cues. In Experiment 1, monolingual infants successfully segmented the speech streams when the languages were presented individually. However, monolinguals did not segment the same language stimuli when they were presented together in interleaved segments, mimicking the language switches inherent to bilingual speech. To assess the effect of real-world bilingual experience on dual language speech segmentation, Experiment 2 tested infants with regular exposure to two languages using the same interleaved language stimuli as Experiment 1. The bilingual infants in Experiment 2 successfully segmented the languages, indicating that early exposure to two languages supports infants’ abilities to segment dual language speech using transitional probability cues. These findings support the notion that early bilingual exposure prepares infants to navigate challenging aspects of dual language environments as they begin to acquire two languages.
Nuclear Weapons in Wargames: Testing Traditions and Taboos

I explore the available history of wargaming in the United States to uncover evidence about the willingness of American strategic elites to use nuclear weapons. Recent scholarship using survey experiments has found evidence against a publicly held aversion to the use of nuclear weapons (Press, Sagan, Valentino 2013). This finding casts doubt on the universal applicability of a normative prohibition on the use of nuclear weapons. However, existing research is limited by the fact that the general public is not empowered to make decisions about the use of nuclear weapons. To investigate the views of decision-makers, I look to declassified wargames that considered the use of nuclear weapons. I argue that strategic elites who participated in wargames showed a remarkable reluctance to employ nuclear weapons, and that their reticence provides evidence in favor of an elite tradition of non-use of nuclear weapons. Neither of the two most prominent monographs on the question of non-use (Tannenwald 2007; Paul 2009) use evidence from wargames. The article also includes an investigation of how and why wargames are methodologically useful for political scientists.
Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation for the Management of Depression, Anxiety, Sleep Disturbance, and Pain in Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Preliminary Study

Abstract Context Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) is a safe modulation of brain activity for treating depression, anxiety, insomnia, and pain. However, there are no published studies in patients with advanced cancer (ACPs). Objectives The aim of the study was to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a four-week CES intervention on depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and pain scores. Concurrent salivary biomarker studies were conducted. Methods In this one group open label pre- and post-intervention study with a four-week CES intervention, ACPs with one or more of four moderate intensity (≥3/10) Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) symptoms (depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and pain) were eligible. Adherence (0%–100%), satisfaction rates (0–10), and safety were assessed. ESAS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Brief Pain Inventory, and salivary levels (cortisol, alpha amylase, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6) were assessed from baseline to Week 4. Results Thirty-three of 36 patients (92%) completed the CES. Median (interquartile range) adherence CES use and satisfaction scores were 93% (89–100) and 10% (9–10), respectively, and the adherence criteria was met in the study. CES use was safe (no Grade 3 or higher adverse events). HADS anxiety ( P P = 0.024), ESAS anxiety ( P = 0.001), ESAS depression ( P = 0.025), Brief Pain Inventory pain ( P = 0.013), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index daytime dysfunction ( P = 0.002), and medication use ( P = 0.006) scores improved after four-week CES treatment. Conclusion In this preliminary study, we found that the use of CES was safe and feasible in ACP. The use of CES was associated with significant improvement of depression, anxiety, pain, and sleep scores. These findings support further studies of CES in ACP for symptom control.
Albert Einstein and the Founding of Brandeis University

In an erudite, sensitive article, John Stachel explored Einstein’s Jewish identity. In it he related the events that helped mold Einstein’s attitude towards Judaism and shaped his identification as a Jew. He also explored Einstein’s mature views on Jews, Judaism, and Zionism but he “did not attempt to recount [Einstein’s] many activities on behalf of the Jewish people, individually or collectively.1 The present note narrates one such episode. It is primarily intended as a vehicle to convey my admiration and respect for John: as a physicist, as a scholar, and above all as a courageous, exceptional human being who has been a model for the rest of us.
Phase I study of the combination of crizotinib (as a MET inhibitor) and dasatinib (as a c-SRC inhibitor) in patients with advanced cancer

Background Both MET and c-SRC are important mediators of cancer progression and there is cross talk between the two molecules. Preclinical studies have demonstrated combination of MET and c-SRC inhibitors is effective in multiple cancer types. Methods We analyzed the safety and efficacy of administering a c-SRC inhibitor (dasatinib) in combination with a MET inhibitor (crizotinib) in a two-arm concurrent phase I study. Arm A consisted of crizotinib fixed at 250 mg twice per day with escalation of dasatinib. Arm B consisted of dasatinib fixed at 140 mg daily with escalation of crizotinib. Endpoints included dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), recommended phase II dose (RP2D), and response (RECIST 1.1). Results We enrolled 61 patients (arm A: 31, arm B: 30). The most common cancers were sarcoma (21%) and prostate cancer (16%). In Arm A, at dose level 2 (DL2), 40% (2/5) experienced DLTs. In the expanded DL1, 21% (4/19) experienced DLTs (all grade 3). In Arm B, at DL2, 50% (2/4) experienced DLTs. In the expanded DL1, 22% (4/18) experienced DLTs (all grade 3). RP2D was determined to be arm A, DL1 (250 mg crizotinib orally twice per day plus 50 mg dasatinib orally daily). Partial response (N = 1) and stable disease for ≥6 months (N = 3) were seen. Conclusions The combination of crizotinib and dasatinib is safe to administer but tolerability is limited given the high rate of adverse events. Responses and durable stable disease were limited. Further precision therapy approach using this specific combination may be difficult given the toxicity.
A Synopsis of the Liverwort Flora of North America North of Mexico1,2

A phylogenetic arrangement of the 130 liverwort genera, comprising 582 species, that occur in North America north of Mexico is followed by an alphabetical synopsis of genera, species, subspecies, and varieties currently recognized. The treatment of each taxon includes pertinent synonyms, excluded names, and explanatory comments regarding currently accepted changes in taxon names and authors. Such updating has required making nine new combinations, as follows: Fuscocephaloziopsis connivens (Dicks.) Vaňa & L. Soderstr. var. bifida (R. M. Schust.) Stotler & Crand.-Stotl., comb. nov.; F. connivens (Dicks.) Vaňa & L. Soderstr. var. compacta (Warnst.) Stotler & Crand.-Stotl., comb. nov.; F. pleniceps (Austin) Lindb. var. sphagnorum (C. Massal.) Stotler & Crand.-Stotl., comb. nov.; Isopaches bicrenatus (Schmidel ex Hoffm.) H. Buch var. immersus (R.M. Schust. & Damsh.) Stotler & Crand.-Stotl., comb. nov.; Mesoptychia badensis (Gottsche ex Rabenh.) L. Soderstr. & Vaňa var. apiculata (R. M. Schust.) Stotler & Crand.-Stotl., comb. nov.; Neoorthocaulis hyperboreus (R. M. Schust.) L. Soderstr., De Roo & Hedd. subsp. helophilus (R. M. Schust.) Stotler & Crand.-Stotl., comb. nov.; Schistochilopsis grandiretis (Lindb. ex Kaal.) Konstant. subsp. proteidea (Arnell) Stotler & Crand.-Stotl., comb. nov.; Tritomaria capitata (Hook.) Stotler & Crand.-Stotl., comb. nov.; T. laxa (Lindb.) Stotler & Crand.-Stotl., comb. nov. The basionym citations for these new combinations can be found in the text treatments of these taxa. Thirty-four new heterotypic synonyms, distributed among 27 accepted taxa, have been proposed, primarily as a consequence of nomenclatural updating (see Appendix 1 for a list). Type species are indicated for all genera and basionyms are included, where appropriate. Distributional data, based primarily on literature reports, are also provided for each infrageneric taxon.
Trends and Epidemiology of Tennis-Related Sprains/Strains in the United States, 2010 to 2016.

Background While tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world, it predisposes those who play it to a number of injuries. Several studies have shown sprains/strains to be the most common tennis-related injury. However, data is limited regarding trends in tennis-related sprains/strains. Therefore, this study evaluated: 1) trends in tennis-related sprains/strains; 2) trends in tennis-related sprains/strains by age; and 3) trends in the most common tennis-related sprained/strained body parts. Materials and methods This study utilized the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database to collect all tennis-related sprains/strains that occurred between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2016. The annual trends of overall tennis-related sprains/strains were evaluated. Then, the trends in tennis-related sprains/strains by age groups (less than 14 years, 14 to 29 years, 30 to 54 years, and 55 years and older) were compared, and the tennis-related sprains/strains injuries of different body parts were evaluated. Results A total of 48,638 tennis-related sprains/strains occurred during the study period. There was a decrease in the annual estimated weights of sprains/strains, from 8,433 in 2010 to 5,326 in 2016 (p=0.094). When stratified by age, tennis-related sprains/strains occurred in 3,295 (6.8%) patients younger than 14 years, 15,169 (31.2%) patients between the ages of 14 and 29 years, 16,814 (34.6%) patients between the ages of 30 and 54 years, and 13,360 (27.5%) in patients 55 years and older. Also, the trends tended to decrease for every age group, but this was not statistically significant. Furthermore, the most common tennis-related sprains/strains involved the ankle (30.2%), knee (13.7%), lower leg (11.3%), wrist (10.3%), lower trunk (8.5%), shoulder (8.1%), foot (4.9%), and elbow (2.5%). There was a significant decrease in the annual trends of ankle sprains/strains over the study's time-period (p=0.003). Conclusion Sprains/strains were the most common tennis-related injuries, and the trends decreased over time, regardless of age. The lower extremity was more commonly injured than the upper extremity, with the ankle being the most common location. Understanding incidence and trends of tennis-related sprains/strains may help elucidate uncertainty pertaining to tennis injury statistics, ultimately improving the ability-of-care providers to work with players to develop preventive measures and better guide treatment.
Correlation of optically stimulated electron emission with failure mode of adhesively bonded epoxy composites

Abstract Carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) reduce weight in aerospace and automotive applications while maintaining or improving structural performance. Additional performance gains can be realized with composites if adhesive bonding is used in place of mechanical fasteners for structural assemblies. Surface preparation for adhesive bonding plays a critical role in the assembly process. Effective techniques for monitoring the pre-bonding surface conditions are crucial to obtain surfaces free from bond-degrading contaminants, e.g. mold release agents, which are widely used in CFRP manufacturing. In this work, optically stimulated electron emission (OSEE) was used prior to and after laser ablation to measure deposited levels of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on CFRP (Torayca P2302-19). OSEE was also used to model the contamination layer thickness. After the specimens were adhesively bonded with a modified epoxy film adhesive (Loctite EA 9696 Aero), they were subjected to double cantilever beam (DCB) tests to investigate the hypothesis that surface contamination species and levels affect the fracture characteristics of adhesively bonded joints. This study relates OSEE photocurrent and the classification of the bond failure modes to their PDMS surface contamination levels prior to adhesive bonding. DCB test results show that (1) the region under the traces within the load and unloading boundaries consistently correlates with the bond strength and the probability of different failure modes, and (2) bond performance at fracture depends on the surface PDMS film thickness coating prior to laser surface treatment. The decrement in bond performance in this study correlates to the OSEE readings of contaminant levels on the adherent surfaces.
Results in cochlear implant recipients with substantial contralateral acoustic hearing

The present study evaluated longitudinal performance outcomes in adult cochlear implant recipients with substantial hearing in the contralateral ear (mean better-ear PTA of 23.7 dB HL; range 0–40 dB HL). Of the 19 participants, 10 used a better-ear (BE) hearing aid both pre- and post-implant. Test intervals included pre-implant, 6 and 12 months post-implant. Participants’ everyday listening condition was primarily a single hearing ear pre-implant and bimodal (CI + BE) post-implant. Results indicated significant improvement over time in the everyday listening condition for sentences at a soft presentation level, sentences in noise (either surrounding or toward the BE), and localization. Self-reported communication ability also improved significantly over time. Group mean CNC word scores for the implanted ear alone improved significantly pre- to post-implant. Ear conditions were compared at the 6-month post-implant test interval. The same measures that demonstrated improvement over time in the everyday list...
Chapter 12 – Principles of Cytotoxic Chemotherapy

While the use of targeted therapies such as monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapies is increasing in medical oncology, the cornerstone of therapy in both the curative and palliative settings remains cytotoxic chemotherapy. This chapter will review the core principles of combination chemotherapy including scheduling, dosing and clinical uses. In addition, a brief overview of resistance to therapy and a general overview of commonly used medications is provided.
Cell Lineage Allocation Within the Inner Cell Mass of the Mouse Blastocyst

At the time of implantation, the early mouse embryo consists of three distinct cell lineages: the epiblast (EPI), primitive endoderm (PrE), and trophectoderm (TE). Here we will focus on the EPI and PrE cell lineages, which arise within the inner cell mass (ICM) of the blastocyst. Though still poorly understood, our current understanding of the mechanisms underlying this lineage allocation will be discussed. It was originally thought that lineage choice was strictly controlled by the position of a cell within the ICM. However, it is now believed that the EPI and PrE lineages are defined both by their position and by the expression of lineage-specific transcription factors. Interestingly, these lineage-specific transcription factors are initially co-expressed in early ICM cells, suggesting an initial multi-lineage priming state. Thereafter, lineage-specific transcription factors display a mutually exclusive salt-and-pepper distribution that reflects cell specification of the EPI or PrE fates. Later on, lineage segregation and likely commitment are completed with the sequestration of PrE cells to the surface of the ICM, which lies at the blastocyst cavity roof. We discuss recent advances that have focused on elucidating how the salt-and-pepper pattern is established and then resolved within the ICM, leading to the correct apposition of cell lineages in preparation for implantation.
The Promises and Perils of Geoengineering

Over the last handful of years, a set of radical ideas that have long been confined to the fringes of climate change discussions have begun to edge toward center stage. The ideas are known collectively as geoengineering proposals—sweeping technological schemes designed to counteract the effects of planetary warming. (See Box 29–1 for a full definition.)1
General linear and cylindrical anisotropy

In this chapter we consider some aspects of linear anisotropy of general form and cylindrical anisotropy.
Machine Learning Based Real‐Time Image‐Guided Cell Sorting and Classification

Cell classification based on phenotypical, spatial, and genetic information greatly advances our understanding of the physiology and pathology of biological systems. Technologies derived from next generation sequencing and fluorescent activated cell sorting are cornerstones for cell- and genomic-based assays supporting cell classification and mapping. However, there exists a deficiency in technology space to rapidly isolate cells based on high content image information. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting can only resolve cell-to-cell variation in fluorescence and optical scattering. Utilizing microfluidics, photonics, computation microscopy, real-time image processing and machine learning, we demonstrate an image-guided cell sorting and classification system possessing the high throughput of flow cytometer and high information content of microscopy. We demonstrate the utility of this technology in cell sorting based on (1) nuclear localization of glucocorticoid receptors, (2) particle binding to the cell membrane, and (3) DNA damage induced γ-H2AX foci. © 2019 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.
Other Numeral Systems--Alive and Thriving.

The treatment of numeral systems other than our Western Hindu-Arabic one in most textbooks would suggest that other systems are only a relic of the past. In fact, many other systems are currently in use. Most of the other systems currently in use are base-ten positional systems like ours. The only differences are in the sym bols for the numbers 0 through 9. This arti cle describes two of these systems and one that operates on a different principle.
“You can’t speak Creole in here. English only”: Experiences of Stigma and Acts of Resistance among Adults of Haitian Descent in the Bahamas

This article builds upon William J. Fielding, Virginia Ballance, Carol Scriven, Thaddeus McDonald, and Pandora Johnson’s (2008) argument that there is a strong and pervasive stigma of being Haitian in The Bahamas. In this article, I build upon and support their research by using examples from 28 semi-structured interviews with adults of Haitian descent in The Bahamas which reinforce their arguments concerning stigma. In particular, I explore examples of stigma in the public hospital, speaking Haitian Creole, fear of being stopped by immigration officers, and surnames. This article will conclude by discussing the ways people of Haitian descent display acts of resistance in the face of such stigma. This is important because it demonstrates the way people of Haitian descent persevere in the face of adversity and the incessant stigma of being Haitian in The Bahamas.
Myofascial Compression Interventions: Comparison of Roller Massage, Instrument Assisted Soft-Tissue Mobilization, and Floss Band on Passive Knee Motion Among Inexperienced Individuals

Myofascial compression interventions have become popular in rehabilitation and fitness. To date, no studies have directly compared roller massage, instrument assisted soft-tissue mobilization, and floss band among unexperienced individuals. The primary purpose of this investigation was to compare the immediate post-intervention effects of roller massage, instrument assisted soft-tissue mobilization, and floss band on passive knee range of motion (ROM) among inexperienced individuals using a standard treatment time. The secondary purpose was to determine the interchangeability of the interventions and to provide preliminary research for longer-term comparison studies. This pretest, posttest randomized controlled trial was conducted in a university laboratory. Thirty participants (M=15, W=15) were randomly assigned to three groups: (1) foam roller, (2) instrument assisted soft-tissue mobilization, and (3) floss band. The intervention time for each group was 2-minutes. The outcome was passive knee ROM. Between group analysis revealed a statistically significant post-intervention difference between the three interventions for passive knee flexion ROM (p <.001). Within group comparison for ROM revealed a 2 degree (p<.001) post-intervention increase for roller massage, a 3.5-degree (p<.001) increase for the instrument assisted soft-tissue mobilization, and a 4-degree (p<.001) increase for the floss band. The three interventions produced similar immediate post-intervention effects on passive knee ROM among inexperienced individuals. Clinically, these interventions may be interchangeable by producing similar effects on knee ROM. Clinicians may want to consider these finding prior to administering these interventions with their clients.
What Are the Nutritional “Red Flags” to Look Out for Prior to Bariatric Surgery?

Background Bariatric surgery is a tool to help assist a patient in achieving weight loss; however, without the proper motivation, knowledge, and ongoing support patient’s are at risk for failure following a given procedure.
Adverse Events: Race, Inequality, and the Testing of New Pharmaceuticals

Why are there a disproportionate number of Black and Latinx men across the United States volunteering for Phase 1 pharmaceutical trials – the riskiest phase of a drug trial? By exploring the social...
George A. Leet Business Law Symposium: Lawyers in the Crosshairs: The New Legal and Ethical Duties of Corporate Attorneys - Introduction

Introduction to the Case Western Reserve University Law School's George A. Leet Business Law Symposium, Cleveland, Ohio 2007
Pentosidine and Carboxymethyllysine, Plasma Biomarkers for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Purpose: To quantify plasma protein carboxymethyllysine (CML) and pentosidine (advanced glycation end products) as possible biomarkers for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: Blood was collected from clinically documented AMD and age-matched normal, healthy donors at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Plasma proteins were precipitated with acetone and hydrolyzed in 6N HCl to determine amounts of protein, CML and pentosidine. Protein and furosine were quantified by amino acid analysis. CML was quantified by LC MS using a Sciex API 3000 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Pentosidine was measured by LC fluorescence monitoring (excitation = 335 nm; emission = 385 nm) using a Waters 474 scanning fluorometer. Carboxyethylpyrrole (CEP) adducts were quantified in plasma by ELISA. Logistic regression modeling for c-statistics, odds ratios and p values was performed with SAS 9.1. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated to maximize the sum of the two values using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Quantitative analyses of plasma from AMD (n = 60) and normal control (n = 30) donors showed that mean CML and pentosidine levels were elevated in AMD plasma by ~60% and ~80%, respectively, while furosine was largely unchanged. In these samples, CEP adducts were 2-fold higher in AMD (n = 56) than in controls (n = 30). The odds ratio for both CML and pentosidine elevated was 15 fold greater in AMD than in control patients. For these plasma samples, C-statistics and ROC curves indicate that CML discriminated between AMD and control donors with ~79% accuracy, CEP adducts with 81% and pentosidine with 92% accuracy. In combination with CEP adduct levels, CML provided 89% accuracy and pentosidine provided ~96% discrimination accuracy. Conclusions: CML and pentosidine levels are elevated in AMD plasma and may prove useful for predicting AMD susceptibility and for monitoring therapeutic efficacy, especially in combination with CEP biomarkers.
Oxidation properties of WC3015

Niobium alloy use for space shuttle thermal protection, examining oxidation and mechanical properties
Potential for atmospheric deposition of bacteria to influence bacterioplankton communities

Biogeographic patterns in microbial communities are an exciting but controversial topic in microbial ecology. Advances in theory pertaining to assembly of microbial communities have made strong assumptions about dispersal of bacteria without exploration. For this reason, we investigated rates of atmospheric bacterial deposition and compared the taxonomic composition of bacteria in rain with that of common freshwater bacterial communities. Our findings suggest that it is not appropriate to take for granted that atmospheric deposition of bacteria is a significant vector of immigration to freshwater ecosystems.
The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster and the Democratic Party of Japan

The Fukushima nuclear disaster was a critical juncture in the world's relationship with nuclear energy, as well as Japan's postwar political economy, society, and national psyche. The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), and particularly Prime Minister Kan, were later widely criticized for mismanaging the disaster, contributing to the party's loss of power. This article closely examines the crisis as it unfolded, assessing the degree to which the government's chaotic response can be attributed to the DPJ's political leadership. It finds that the DPJ inherited a difficult hand when coming to power in 2009, with deep structural problems developed under the long Liberal Democratic Party rule. Existing procedures and organizations were drastically inadequate, information and communications problems plagued decision making and coordination. Kan's leadership was, on balance, beneficial, taking control where the locus of responsibility and decision-making was ambiguous and solving several information and communicati...
On the Economic Virtues of Incompetency and Dishonesty

Most people would agree with the statement that if incompetency and dishonesty were costless to eliminate their optimal level would be zero. The reasoning would be that incompetency is wasteful since it leads to mistakes while dishonesty is wasteful because if faulty information is relied on it can lead to suboptimal decisions. But the existence of dishonesty and incompetency can also have secondary effects which may be beneficial. In fact, in this paper I will present a simple example of a market with asymmetric information in which these second order effects dominate and present a clear case in which positive levels of incompetency and dishonesty are socially beneficial.
Power efficient filtering of data on air

Organizing massive amount of information on communication channels is a new challenge to the data management and telecommunication communities. In this paper, we consider wireless data broadcasting as a way of disseminating information to a massive number of battery powered palmtops. We show that different physical requirements of the wireless digital medium make the problem of organizing wireless broadcast data different from data organization on the disk. We demonstrate that providing index or hashing based access to the data transmitted over wireless is very important for extending battery life and can result in very significant improvement in battery utilization. We describe two methods (Hashing and Flexible Indexing) for organizing and accessing broadcast data in such a way that two basic parameters: tuning time, which affects battery life, and access time (waiting time for data) are minimized.
Conflicts of interest, smoke and mirrors.

ABSTRACTCommercial funding of research studies may potentially influence or bias the findings and interpretation of results. An editorial on conflicts of interest suggested that funding from non-commercial sources, such as government agencies, may also represent a conflict of interest, and uses the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) as an example of how this might be. Two WHI investigators responded by claiming that the arguments put forward in the editorial were largely ‘red herrings’ and were aimed at disparaging the WHI results. But there is evidence of bias in the presentation and interpretation of WHI findings by some investigators which may be due to conflicts of interest. It is probably wise to declare all sources of external research funding, including industries, governments and charities, as conflicts of interest so that reviewers of such research studies are alerted to give them full scrutiny for evidence of external influences.
Virulence and site of infection of the fungus, Hirsutella thompsonii, to the honey bee ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor.

Abstract The Varroa mite, Varroa destructor, is recognized as the most serious pest of both managed and feral Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) in the world. The mite has developed resistance to fluvalinate, an acaricide used to control it in beehives, and fluvalinate residues have been found in the beeswax, necessitating an urgent need to find alternative control measures to suppress this pest. Accordingly, we investigated the possibility of using the fungus, Hirsutella thompsonii, as a biocontrol agent of the Varroa mite. Among the 9 isolates of H. thompsonii obtained from the University of Florida and the USDA, only the 3 USDA isolates (ARSEF 257, 1947 and 3323) were infectious to the Varroa mite in laboratory tests. The mite became infected when it was allowed to walk on a sporulating H. thompsonii culture for 5 min. Scanning electron micrographs revealed that the membranous arolium of the mite leg sucker is the focus of infection where the fungal conidia adhered and germinated. The infected mites died from mycosis, with the lethal times to kill 50% (LT50s) dependent on the fungal isolates. Thus, the LT50s were 52.7, 77.2, and 96.7 h for isolates 3323, 257, and 1947, respectively. Passage of H. thompsonii through Varroa mite three times significantly reduced the LT50s of isolates 257 and 1947 (P
Rate and extent of enzymatic lipolysis at subfreezing temperatures

Abstract Little attention has been given to the effects that various freezing treatments have on rates of enzyme-catalyzed reactions in frozen systems and to the relationship between subfreezing temperatures and the ultimate extent to which a given reaction proceeds. Both of these aspects were explored using a model system consisting of lipase in an emulsion of tributyrin in water. The ultimate extent to which tributyrin was hydrolyzed decreased from 5.4% at −2 °C to 4.0% at −12 °C. Hydrolysis proceeded almost to completion at temperatures above 0 °C. Rapid freezing to −80 °C produced a substantially slower initial reaction rate at −8 °C than rapid freezing to −20 °C, or than slow freezing, regardless of the temperature nadir.
Mechanisms of the actions of aromatase inhibitors 4-hydroxyandrostenedione, fadrozole, and aminoglutethimide on aromatase in JEG-3 cell culture

Selective inhibition of estrogen production with aromatase inhibitors has been found to be an effective strategy for breast cancer treatment. Most studies have focused on inhibitor screening and in vitro kinetic analysis of aromatase inhibition using placental microsomes. In order to determine the effects of different inhibitors on aromatase in the whole cell, we have utilized the human choriocarcinoma cell line, JEG-3 in culture to compare and study three classes of aromatase inhibitors, 4-hydroxyandrostenedione, fadrozole (CGS 16949A), and aminoglutethimide. Fadrozole is the most potent competitive inhibitor and aminoglutethimide is the least potent among the three. However, stimulation of aromatase activity was found to occur when JEG-3 cells were preincubated with aminoglutethimide. In contrast, 4-OHA and fadrozole caused sustained inhibition of aromatase activity in both JEG-3 cells and placental microsomes, which was not reversed even after the removal of the inhibitors. 4-OHA bound irreversibly to the active site of aromatase and caused inactivation of the enzyme which followed pseudo-first order kinetics. However, 4-OHA appears to be metabolized rapidly in JEG-3 cells. Sustained inhibition of aromatase induced by fadrozole occurs by a different mechanism. Although fadrozole bound tightly to aromatase at a site distinct from the steroid binding site, the inhibition of aromatase activity by fadrozole does not involve a reactive process. None of the inhibitors stimulated aromatase mRNA synthesis in JEG-3 cells during 8 h treatment. The stimulation of aromatase activity by AG appeared to be due to stabilization of aromatase protein. According to these results, 4-OHA and fadrozole would be expected to be more beneficial in the treatment of breast cancer patients than AG. The increase in aromatase activity by AG may counteract its therapeutic effect and might be partially responsible for relapse of breast cancer patients from this treatment.
Ecosystem functions of mid-lake stands of common reed in Lake Poygan, Wisconsin

Mid-lake stands of common reed grass (Phragmites australis) have persisted in the shallow Winnebago Pool Lakes of east-central Wisconsin for more than 65 years. Previous research documented that the stands are declining in area with losses up to 94%. Our goal was to characterize the ecological functions of these stands, in part to assess the implications of their loss. To do so, we studied the common reed stands of Lake Poygan during summer, 1999. Common reed stands stabilized the silty/sandy substrate. Wind velocity and wave action were reduced on the downwind sides, and fine, organic sediment accumulated leeward relative to summer prevailing winds. Water clarity was greater on the leeward side. Within stands, dissolved oxygen was less variable, and temperature tended to be cooler. The 18 species of associated aquatic plants covered three or more times the area in the leeward side than windward side. Twenty-nine species of fish were found using the perimeter of the common reed stands. We expect that stan...
Forecast Model for Cost at Project Completion

Abstract Predicting the cost at project completion is a necessary task, especially on large projects, but it is a process that is tainted with inaccuracies. This project reviews earlier literature on project cost forecasting and consequently develops a comprehensive model for relatively accurate forecasts. The model incorporates a comprehensive array of analytical tools in the application of earned value analysis concepts, viz., cost indexes, moving averages, time series, linear and non-linear regression, suitable weighting, and confidence analysis using central limit theorem. A sample set of costs at project completion was created, from which the final cost at project completion was derived through confidence analysis. The study was carried out on an example project with forecasts delivered regularly at each reporting period. The sample size of candidate values for cost at project completion keep increasing as the project progresses. This ensures that all periodic efforts through the project duration are...
Microspectrofluorometric comparison of acridine orange dye binding in meristematic and parenchymal nuclei of the orchid embryo.

Abstract Nuclei isolated from meristematic and parenchymal cells of the cultured orchid embryo were stained with acridine orange (AO) under rigorously controlled conditions following acetylation. The amount of dye bound was measured with a microfluorometric technique. Emission spectra between 510 and 620 nm as well as heat denaturation curves were compared among nuclear types. The results show that the relative number of negatively charged phosphate groups binding the dye increases in linear proportion to nuclear size indicating that nucleic acid phosphate remains at the same concentration as the nuclei increase in size during cellular differentiation. Comparison of these data with previous Feulgen measurements of the same tissue indicates that no masking or unmasking of phosphate groups occurs with cellular differentiation in this tissue. The spectral curves from meristematic and parenchymal nuclei are practically identical in form, with peak emission occurring between 530 and 535 nm. Heat denaturation curves obtained by plotting the ratio of fluorescence intensity at 590 and 530 nm after heating the nuclei in a salt solution containing formaldehyde were also practically identical among the nuclear types examined. The present data are discussed in relation to previous observations based on absorption and emission measurements of various chemical components of these nuclei.
Fertilizer-induced pathogenicity of mycorrhizal fungi to sweetgum seedlings

One isolate of Glomus clarus, two of G. etunicatus, and one of G. claroideum, obtained from plants growing on abandoned stripmine sites in Kentucky, and an isolate of G. fascicutatus known to stimulate growth of various woody plants, were evaluated for their influence on growth of sweetgum seedlings in a mixture of sand and stripmine soil. Soils were supplemented with various rates of a complete slow-release fertilizer. Throughout the growth period, G. fasciculatus, and most of the stripmine isolates, stimulated growth at low fertilizer rates. At higher fertilizer rates, including the level optimum for non-mycorrhizal plants, the stripmine isolates inhibited plant growth. After 14 weeks, plants inoculated with one of the four stripmine isolates overcame the early growth depression, and those inoculated with a second isolate appeared to be overcoming the growth depression. G. fasciculatus was not inhibitory at any fertilizer rate. Root colonization by all three isolates evaluated was inhibited by the highest fertilizer rate, but this effect was not related to growth inhibition of plants. The other two isolates colonized roots at an extremely low rate (< 1%). Sporulation of all the stripmine isolates, but not G. fasciculatus, was also inhibited by the highest fertilizer rate. The G. fasciculalus isolate used in this study may be atypical of mycorrhizal fungi occurring randomly in nature in its mutualistic or neutral effect on plants under a wide range of growth conditions.
Cancer prognosis using support vector regression in imaging modality

The proposed techniques investigate the strength of support vector regression (SVR) in cancer prognosis using imaging features. Cancer image features were extracted from patients and recorded into censored data. To employ censored data for prognosis, SVR methods are needed to be adapted to uncertain targets. The effectiveness of two principle breast features, tumor size and lymph node status, was demonstrated by the combination of sampling and feature selection methods. In sampling, breast data were stratified according to tumor size and lymph node status. Three types of feature selection methods comprised of no selection, individual feature selection, and feature subset forward selection, were employed. The prognosis results were evaluated by comparative study using the following performance metrics: concordance index (CI) and Brier score (BS). Cox regression was employed to compare the results. The support vector regression method (SVCR) performs similarly to Cox regression in three feature selection methods and better than Cox regression in non-feature selection methods measured by CI and BS. Feature selection methods can improve the performance of Cox regression measured by CI. Among all cross validation results, stratified sampling of tumor size achieves the best regression results for both feature selection and non-feature selection methods. The SVCR regression results, perform better than Cox regression when the techniques are used with either CI or BS. The best CI value in the validation results is 0.6845. The best CI value corresponds to the best BS value 0.2065, which were obtained in the combination of SVCR, individual feature selection, and stratified sampling of the number of positive lymph nodes. In addition, we also observe that SVCR performs more consistently than Cox regression in all prognosis studies. The feature selection method does not have a significant impact on the metric values, especially on CI. We conclude that the combinational methods of SVCR, feature selection, and sampling can improve cancer prognosis, but more significant features may further enhance cancer prognosis accuracy.
Desiccating stress promotion of Th17 differentiation by ocular surface tissues through a dendritic cell-mediated pathway.

Purpose To explore the phenomenon that corneal and conjunctival tissues subjected to desiccating stress (DS) promote Th17 differentiation by stimulating the production of Th17-inducing cytokines through a dendritic cell (DC)-mediated pathway. Methods Experimental dry eye was created by subjecting C57BL/6 mice to desiccating environmental stress. Corneal and conjunctival explants from dry eye or control mice were cocultured with DCs for 24 hours before CD4(+) T cells were added for an additional 4 to 7 days. Expression of Th17-associated genes in the cornea, conjunctiva, DCs, and CD4(+) T cells was evaluated by real-time PCR. Cytokine concentrations in coculture supernatants were measured by immunobead assay. IL-17-producing T cells were identified by ELISPOT bioassay. Results Higher levels of IL-17A, TGF-beta1, TGF-beta2, IL-6, IL-23, and IL-1beta mRNA transcripts and TGF-beta1, IL-6, and IL-1beta protein were observed in corneal epithelium and conjunctiva from dry eye mice. DCs cocultured with epithelial explants from dry eye mice for 2 days produced higher levels of TGF-beta1, IL-6, IL-23, and IL-1beta mRNA transcripts and of TGF-beta1, IL-6, and IL-1beta protein. CD4(+) T cells cocultured with DCs and epithelial explants from dry eye mice expressed increased levels of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, CCL-20, and retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-gammat mRNA transcripts and increased IL-17A protein and number of IL-17-producing T cells (Th17 cells). Conclusions These findings demonstrate that DS creates an environment on the ocular surface that stimulates the production of Th17-inducing cytokines by corneal and conjunctival epithelia that promote Th17 differentiation through a dendritic cell-mediated pathway.
Activities of 5-methylfurfuryltrimethylammonium iodide (5-methylfurmethide) at nicotinic receptors.

Abstract 5-methylfurfuryltrimethylammonium iodide (5-methylfurmethide), a furan analog of muscarine with high muscarinic activities, stimulated frog rectus muscle in a dose dependent fashion with an ED50 of 2.46 M. Physostigmine treatment did not influence the dose-response curve. Repeated exposure of the preparation to a high dose of 5-methylfurmethide (10 −2 M) indicated that: 1) 5-methylfurmethide desensitizes the cholinergic receptors, and 2) the onset of desensitization to the agent and acetylcholine is faster than the recovery. Our results suggest that an appropriate explanation of the desensitization caused by 5-methylfurmethide may require an in depth study of the onset and recovery of the process.