cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does the time from biopsy to surgery affect biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the time from biopsy to radical prostatectomy (RP) predicts the biochemical recurrence (BCR) after RP, as men diagnosed with clinically localized prostate cancer have several available treatment options and investigating these alternatives may delay the initiation of definitive therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS We identified 3969 consecutive patients who had RP for clinically localized prostate cancer from 1987 to 2002; those eligible for the study had RP within a year of diagnosis. The interval between biopsy and RP was analysed both as a continuous and as a dichotomous variable (divided at 3 months). Multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the impact of time to RP on BCR. Subsets were also analysed for the effect of time to RP in patients considered to be at high risk of recurrence, with group 1 having a prostate specific antigen (PSA) level of > or = 20 ng/mL, a biopsy Gleason score of > or = 8, or clinical stage > or = T2c; and group 2 assessed as having a >40% probability of BCR using a preoperative nomogram. RESULTS In all, 3149 patients met the inclusion criteria and had a mean (interquartile range) follow-up after RP of 5.4 (2.2-7.9) years. Multivariate analysis showed that the year of biopsy, PSA level before biopsy, clinical stage and biopsy Gleason score (all P < 0.001) were significantly associated with BCR after RP. The time to RP, treated either as a continuous variable (P = 0.252) or when categorized at 3 months (P = 0.939), failed to predict BCR. Further, the time to RP was not an independent predictor of BCR for patients at high risk of recurrence in group 1 (P = 0.147) or group 2 (P = 0.548). CONCLUSIONS The time from biopsy to RP did not influence the probability of BCR for men who had RP within a year of diagnosis, even for those considered to be at high risk of BCR. Instead, the clinical and pathological features of the cancer provided the best estimate of the risk of BCR.
Electromagnetic Power Deposition: Inhomogeneous Media, Applicators and Phased Arrays

The fundamentals of electromagnetic power deposition in lossy media are discussed with some details for layered media, scattering around a small sphere and sharp corners. Capacitive and radiative devices are discussed in general, with waveguide applicator, microstrip and inductive applicators as examples. Integration over apertures and use of Gaussian beams are used as theoretical models. Finally the Gaussian beams are used to discuss various excitations of a 4-element array.
The Morton Memo and Prosecutorial Discretion An Overview

On June 17, 2011, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton issued two significant memoranda on the use of prosecutorial discretion in immigration matters. Prosecutorial discretion refers to the agency’s authority to not enforce immigration laws against certain individuals and groups. The primary memo (the Morton Memo on Prosecutorial Discretion) calls on ICE attorneys and employees to refrain from pursuing noncitizens with close family, educational, military, or other ties in the U.S. and instead spend the agency’s limited resources on persons who pose a serious threat to public safety or national security. Morton’s second memo focuses on exercising discretion in cases involving victims, witnesses to crimes, and plaintiffs in good faith civil rights lawsuits. The memo instructs “[a]bsent special circumstances or aggravating factors, it is against ICE policy to initiate removal proceedings against an individual known to be the immediate victim or witness to a crime.”
Accurate In Silico Modeling of Asymmetric Bilayers Based on Biophysical Principles

Technological advances in the last decade have enabled the study of ever more complex and physiologically relevant model membranes to help dispel the mystery surrounding the role of plasma membrane asymmetry in various cellular processes. The slowly accumulating body of experimental data is fueling renewed interest in and the need for computational methods to support interpretations and address a wide range of problems that are still not amenable to direct experimental study. The specific appeal of molecular dynamics simulations for this purpose lies in their ability to access information at atomic resolution, which is useful for the formulation of testable mechanistic hypotheses. But, the range of questions that can be addressed reliably with such simulations is determined by the appropriate construction and simulation of asymmetric bilayer models. One essential way to achieve this goal is to follow rigorous biophysical criteria and principles. In this context, we show that the requirement for a robust comparison between the properties of simulated asymmetric and symmetric model membranes is for the tension in each bilayer leaflet to be zero. Commonly used methods for constructing asymmetric bilayers, including matching the average areas of the leaflets from the corresponding symmetric systems, do not ensure zero leaflet tension, thus precluding physically realistic changes in the areas of the two leaflets. We present, to our knowledge, a new method for identifying the ideal lipid packing in bilayers with different leaflet compositions that achieves the zero-tension goal, and discuss the basic principles underlying the biophysically correct computational study of asymmetric membranes.
Edsger W. Dijkstra: The Man Behind the Prize

It would be understatement to say that news of this year's Dijkstra award came to me as a surprise. In fact, it put me into a rather profound funk, occasioning unsought re ection on my arguably misspent adulthood. It has been some time since I have done signi cant scienti c research. So, I am quite humbled to be here.I did not really know Dijkstra, but I certainly knew of him. With Fred and David Gries on the faculty, his in uence on the Computer Science Department at Cornell was substantial when I was a graduate student. (I trust it still is.)
The Numbers Game and the Timeliness of Earnings

One contribution of my paper is to establish the link between the literature of earnings management and earnings timeliness. Under the assumption of market efficiency, I use earnings sensitivity to returns to test earnings management for firms with good and bad stock market performance. I find supporting evidence of income-decreasing earnings management for such firms independent of sample choice or sample periods. Another contribution is to test whether bonus maximization in part motivates such income-decreasing earnings management using the earnings timeliness framework. Results support bonus-motivated earnings management. Evidence for the largest firms supports income decreasing accounting choices motivated by bonus for firms with good stock market performance, but not for firms with bad stock market performance.
Simulation of Gas Production from Multilayered Hydrate-Bearing Media with Fully Coupled Flow, Thermal, Chemical and Geomechanical Processes Using TOUGH + Millstone. Part 1: Numerical Modeling of Hydrates

TOUGH + Millstone has been developed for the analysis of coupled flow, thermal and geomechanical processes associated with the formation and/or dissociation of CH4-hydrates in geological media. It is composed of two constituent codes: (a) a significantly enhanced version of the TOUGH + HYDRATE simulator, V2.0, that accounts for all known flow, physical, thermodynamic and chemical processes associated with the behavior of hydrate-bearing systems undergoing changes and includes the most recent advances in the description of the system properties, coupled seamlessly with (b) Millstone V1.0, a new code that addresses the conceptual, computational and mathematical shortcomings of earlier codes used to describe the geomechanical response of these systems. The capabilities of TOUGH + Millstone are demonstrated in the simulation and analysis of the system flow, thermal and geomechanical behavior during gas production from a realistic complex offshore hydrate deposit. In the first paper of this series, we discuss the physics underlying the T + H hydrate simulator, the constitutive relationships describing the physical, chemical (equilibrium and kinetic) and thermal processes, the states of the $${\hbox {CH}}_4 + {\hbox {H}}_2 \hbox {O}$$ system and the sources of critically important data, as well as the mathematical approaches used for the development of the of mass and energy balance equations and their solution. Additionally, we provide verification examples of the hydrate code against numerical results from the simulation of laboratory and field experiments.
Exploring how preference and perceived performance vary in different game genres across time of day

Time of day effects have been observed for the last five decades in cognitive tasks, athletic performance, and even ethical behavior. However, in the context of games, little is known about how time of day influences preference or performance. We present a first study (N=504) to explore how preference and perceived performance vary over the course of the day, by game genre. We find that the genres First-Person Shooter and Other RPG are more popular at 6 p.m. to midnight. Conversely, the genres Puzzle and Board/Card were less popular at 6 p.m. to midnight. However, 6 a.m. to noon is a more popular time for Puzzle and Board / Card. Performance-wise, players feel they are more successful in First-Person Shooter games from 6 p.m. to midnight, and less successful at all other times. On the other hand, players feel they are more successful in Puzzle games from 6 a.m. to noon, and less successful from 6 p.m. to midnight. These inter-genre differences have a basis in the literature, which has postulated that cognitive function gradually declines throughout the day, but that athletic performance peaks in the evening along with core body temperature.
The Association of Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Inflammatory Markers in Hospitalized Children

Background: Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure is associated with altered cytokine levels in children. We sought to examine ETS exposure prevalence and the relationship between ETS exposure and cytokine levels in a sample of hospitalized children. (2) Methods: Inflammatory markers (IL-8, IL-1β, IL-10, and TNF-α) and cotinine were measured in saliva of hospitalized, nonsmoking children (N = 112). To assess the association between ETS exposure and immune system response, we built a multivariate regression model including the four inflammatory markers as the response variables and cotinine, age, sex, and discharge diagnosis as explanatory variables while assessing possible interaction effects. (3) Results: Mean age (SD) was 5.8(5.0) years; Geometric Mean (GeoM) cotinine = 1.8 [95% CI = 1.4–2.2]. Children with non-inflammatory other diagnoses had lower IL-10 (p = 0.003) and TNF-α (p = 0.009) levels than children with inflammatory other diagnoses. Children with asthma (p = 0.01) and bacterial illnesses and/or pneumonia (p = 0.002) had higher IL-8 levels. Independent of diagnosis, there was a significant curvilinear association between cotinine and IL-1β (p = 0.002) reflecting no association for cotinine levels 5 ng/mL. (4) Conclusions: Children with higher ETS exposure levels have higher IL-1β levels regardless of age, sex, and diagnosis. ETS exposure may increase pro-inflammatory immune responses in children and may interfere with native immune responses and the ability to heal and fight infection.
Space Situational Awareness Sensor Tasking: Comparison of Machine Learning with Classical Optimization Methods

The object population in the space around the Earth is subject to increase. With the advancements in sensor capabilities, it can be expected that, at the same time, more of those objects will be de...
Mechanical properties of metallic lithium: from nano to bulk scales

Abstract Despite renewed interest in lithium metal anodes, unstable electrodeposition of Li during operation has obstructed progress in practical battery applications. While deformation mechanics likely play a key role in Li's mechanical stability as an anode material, reports of Li's mechanical properties vary widely, perhaps due to variations in testing procedures. Through bulk tensile testing and nanoindentation, we provide a comprehensive assessment of the strain-rate and length-scale dependent mechanical properties of Li in its most commonly used form: high purity commercial foil. We find that bulk Li exhibits a yield strength between 0.57 and 1.26 MPa for strain rates from 5E-4 s−1 to 5E-1 s−1. For indentation tests with target P ˙ / P = 0.05 s−1, the hardness decreases precipitously from nearly 43 MPa to 7.5 MPa as the indentation depth increases from 250 nm to 10 µm. The plastic properties measured from bulk and nanoindentation testing exhibit strong strain-rate dependencies, with stress exponents of n = 6.55 and 6.9, respectively. We implement finite element analysis to relate the indentation depth to length scales of relevance in battery applications. Overall, the results presented herein may provide important guidance in designing Li anode architectures and charging conditions to mitigate unstable growth of Li during electrochemical cycling.
A characterization of large Dedekind domains

Let D be a commutative domain with identity, and let $${\mathcal {L}}(D)$$ be the lattice of nonzero ideals of D. Say that D is ideal upper finite provided $${\mathcal {L}}(D)$$ is upper finite, that is, every nonzero ideal of D is contained in but finitely many ideals of D. Now let $$\kappa >2^{\aleph _0}$$ be a cardinal. We show that a domain D of cardinality $$\kappa $$ is ideal upper finite if and only if D is a Dedekind domain. We also show (in ZFC) that this result is sharp in the sense that if $$\kappa $$ is a cardinal such that $$\aleph _0\le \kappa \le 2^{\aleph _0}$$ , then there is an ideal upper finite domain of cardinality $$\kappa $$ which is not Dedekind.
Ebola Virus Delta Peptide Is an Enterotoxin

During the 2013-2016 West African Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak severe gastrointestinal symptoms were common in patients and associated with poor outcome. Delta peptide is a conserved product of post-translational processing of the abundant EBOV soluble glycoprotein (sGP). Here, the murine ligated ileal loop model was used to demonstrate that delta peptide is a potent enterotoxin. Dramatic intestinal fluid secretion followed injection of biologically relevant amounts of delta peptide into ileal loops, along with gross destruction of villous architecture and loss of goblet cell polysaccharides. Transcriptomic analyses showed that delta peptide triggers damage response and cell survival pathways. It also downregulates the expression of transporters and exchangers that mediate absorption of ions, sugars, and small chain fatty acids. Delta peptide induces fluid secretion through pathways that include the ANO1 calcium-activated chloride channel, and prostaglandin signaling. Delta peptide may contribute to EBOV-induced gastrointestinal pathology in humans and presents a potential therapeutic target.
Crafting Nationness: DIY Venezuela in Deborah Castillo’s RAW and Violette Bule’s REQUIEM200≤

This article proposes the concept of nationness to explore the nuances and complexities that permeate the symbolic and material efforts to remember, imagine, and re-present the nation among the diasporic community of Venezuelan artists. Focusing on Deborah Castillo’s exhibition RAW (2015) and Violette Bule’s installation REQUIEM200≤ (2018), it analyzes how the two artists engage in a form of crafting that re-presents the nation as raw matter (wood, nails, clay) that never achieves a state of completeness or stability. I argue that this act of crafting is interactive and critical. It does not simply remember Venezuela and reproduce it as a spectacle to be passively consumed abroad; it provides the possibility to intervene in systems of power and representation that determine which bodies are visible and which are not, which bodies have power and which do not, which bodies are mourned and who should mourn them. In crafting what I call “Venezuelanness,” the artists’ work offers the space and the means to think (about) the country differently, beyond the spatial boundaries of its territory, beyond the icons that monopolize its collective imaginary, and beyond the extreme polarization of its politics. Resumen Este articulo propone el concepto de “nationness” para explorar los matices y complejidades que permean los esfuerzos tanto simbolicos como materiales de recordar, imaginar y re-presentar la nacion en la comunidad de artistas venezolanos de la diaspora. Enfocandose en la exhibicion RAW (2015) de Deborah Castillo y la instalacion REQUIEM200≤ (2018) de Violette Bule, analiza como ambas artistas re-presentan la nacion como materia prima o cruda (clavos, madera, arcilla) que no llega nunca a estabilizarse o completarse, sino que se encuentra en una transformacion siempre en curso. Argumenta que, al hacerlo, evita reproducir Venezuela como un espectaculo a consumirse de forma pasiva, y logra en cambio crear un espacio donde se cuestionan los sistemas de poder y representacion que determinan cuales cuerpos se hacen visibles y adquieren poder, y cuales muertes se recuerdan y lamentan. Al construir lo que llamo “Venezuelanness,” el trabajo de Castillo y Bule propone formas de pensar a Venezuela mas alla de los limites espaciales de su territorio nacional, mas alla de los iconos que monopolizan su imaginario colectivo, y mas alla de la retorica surgida en torno a su polarizacion politica.
Boosting L-type Ca2+ channel activity in tuberous sclerosis mitigates excess glutamate receptors

Abstract Tuberous sclerosis complex (TS) is a dominant, multisystem disorder with devastating neurological symptoms. Approximately 85% of TS patients suffer from epilepsy over their lifespan and roughly 25-50% of those patients develop Autism Spectrum Disorder (1, 2). Current seizure therapies are effective in some, but not all, and often have significant risk factors associated with their use (1, 3). Thus, there is a critical need for new medication development or drug repositioning. Herein, we leveraged proteomic signatures of epilepsy and ASD, often comorbid in TS, to utilize an in silco approach to identify new drug therapies for TS-related seizures. We have discovered that activation of L-type voltage dependent calcium channels (L-VDCC) by Bay-K8644 (BayK) in a preclinical mouse model of TS rescues the excess expression of ionotropic, AMPA-subtype glutamate (GluA) receptors. As added proof of BayK working through L-VDCC to regulate GluA levels, we found that increasing expression of alpha2delta2 (α2δ2), an auxiliary calcium channel subunit that boosts L-VDCC surface expression, similarly lowers the surface expression of dendritic GluA in TS. These BayK-induced molecular alterations may potentially improve the quality of life of humans suffering from TS. Significance Statement Causal mechanisms of Tuberous Sclerosis (TS)-associated neurological disorders are under-characterized and treatment options are lacking. Using a computational approach of mTOR/DJ-1 target mRNAs to predict new medications, we report that boosting L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel (L-VDCC) activity in a preclinical TS mouse model that exhibits a deficit in dendritic L-VDCC activity ameliorates key molecular pathologies that are predicted to underlie seizures. Restoring the mTOR/DJ-1 pathway upstream of L-VDCC, therefore, may serve as a new therapeutic avenue to mitigate seizures and mortality in TS.
Potential use of albumin and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to guide the evaluation and treatment of cancer-related depression and anxiety

BACKGROUND Depression and anxiety are common and associated with inflammation in patients with cancer. Inflammatory indices such as albumin and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) obtained from metabolic panels and complete blood counts should be available for mental health professionals treating anxiety and depression at cancer centers. We hypothesized that albumin and NLR extrapolated from non-mental health oncology appointments would be associated with anxiety and depression and drawn close enough to psychiatry visits to be useful for the psycho-oncologist. MATERIALS & METHODS: Depression and anxiety were evaluated in patients (n = 97) referred to a cancer center psychiatric service for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and General Anxiety Disorder-7. Albumin concentration and NLR were assessed for timing and correlation strength with anxiety and depression by setting (localized/metastatic cancer). RESULTS Most patients (96%) had albumin or NLR available at any time point of which 45% were drawn within one week of the psychiatric appointment. No significant correlations were noted when evaluating localized cancer or NLR exclusively. For patients with metastatic cancer, anxiety and depression were correlated with albumin at any time point (r = -0.28, p < 0.05; r = -0.40, p < 0.01, respectively) and within a week of psychiatry appointment (r = -0.40, p < 0.05; r = -0.68, p < 0.001, respectively). Albumin evaluated within a week predicted 32% of depression score variance (β = -0.63, p = 0.002). Hypoalbuminemia (<3.8 g/ul) was associated with anxiety (χ2 = 4.43, p = 0.04) and depression (χ2 = 11.06, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION Hypoalbuminemia in patients with metastatic cancer may help establish the presence or persistence of anxiety, depression, treatment refractoriness, and the use of inflammation in cancer-related psychological symptom management.
Dynamic testing in the control of a pulse column

The dj'naisic behavior of hydraulically-pulsed, sieve-plate liquidliquid extraction columns (pulse columns) has been investigated in recent years, due to the extensive use of pulse columns in rare-earth separations, in nuclear fuels recovery, and in the separation of zirconium and hafnium and of niobium and tantalum. There is a need for a simple, direct method for obtaining mathematical models of the dynamic behavior of pulse columns and of complex processes in general. Pulse testing would be such a method if its application to complex processes were successful^ Pulse testing as a method for obtaining dynamic models of a pulse column is compared in this study to the empirical method of assuming an arbitrary linear model and, by use of an analog computer, adjusting the parameters for a good simulation of the experimental data. Pulse test­ ing appears to be more promising in determining higher-order models, and, conversely, the other method is capable of equally-good results with at least as much facility as pulse testing in determining thirdorder models or lower. When pulse testing is used, careful regulation of variables other than the one being changed and the use of pulses of high frequency content are essential to success in determining higherorder models. In this study, pulse testing was applied to a 3-inch diameter, 40-plate column, the responses of the models obtained were compared to experimental time response data, and a control analysis of the column was performed using these models.
The Burden of Knowledge

Sometimes we are better off not knowing things. While we often hear that "ignorance is bliss," there has not been a comprehensive consideration in the legal academy of the virtues of ignorance and its regulation. Though the distribution of knowledge, like the distribution of other goods, is affected both directly and indirectly by law, several characteristics of knowledge distinguish it from other kinds of property. Much has been written about the impact of the nonrival and nonexclusive nature of knowledge on its production and distribution. This Article centers around two other attributes of knowledge that combine to create a special kind of problem: (1) its stickiness, meaning that once acquired knowledge may not be abandoned but only fortuitously forgotten, and (2) its capacity to impose substantial disutilities on its holder. If ignorance is a good, then knowledge must be avoided in the first instance.My approach in this initial inquiry is pragmatic. I first consider four examples of knowledge that individuals may desire not to have, namely knowledge of one's genetic make-up and predispositions, knowledge of one's HIV status, lenders' knowledge of the race of a borrower, and lawyers' knowledge of the falsity of a client's proposed testimony or evidence. From these I abstract discrete categories of ignorance interests, centered around (a) whether or not knowledge is undesirable for its tendency to interfere with conduct and (b) whether or not knowledge is undesirable for its substance.Finally, I begin to examine how we should respond legally to these interests in ignorance. I conclude that our decision whether to respect autonomy in making knowledge decisions is affected not only by our operating conception of autonomy but also the category of ignorance interest at issue. In addition, the nature of knowledge impacts our ability to ascertain preferences, our instrumental goals, and our choice of regulatory tools.
Computer models of human personality traits

This paper presents a goal-based analysis of human personality traits. A process model for automated understanding and interpretation of personality traits is developed. The model is based on the goal-tree and planning/counterplanning strategies developed to represent subjective beliefs In the POLITICS system. The automated analysis of personality traits plays an integral role in natural-language story-understanding processes and in computer models of human social interactions.
Post-generation of overall execution controller for data centric signal processing algorithms

This paper presents an execution controller generation methodology for data centric coarse grain data flows. This methodology assumes that processing blocks are designed and their execution characteristics are well defined. The overall controller generation is based on block level pipelining where concurrency among processing blocks is fully maintained. The methodology isolates controls for buffer, global sequencing, and logic such that system integration is simplified while controllers are locally configured from orthogonal global information.
Social network correlates of participation in telephone continuing care for alcohol dependence.

Background and Objectives Research on face-to-face treatment for substance misuse suggests that patients' social networks may impact treatment entry and participation, but there has been no similar research on entry and participation in telephone-based continuing care. We examined whether alcohol-specific social support predicted engagement and participation in telephone continuing care for alcohol dependence, and whether treatment participation resulted in beneficial changes in participants' social networks. Methods Participants were 252 adults (162 male) enrolled in a randomized clinical trial testing the effectiveness of telephone continuing care for alcohol dependence. Participants who completed 3 weeks of intensive outpatient treatment were randomly assigned to treatment as usual, telephone monitoring (TM; N = 83), or telephone monitoring and brief counseling (TMC; N = 83). TM and TMC included 18 months of telephone treatment. Alcohol-specific social support was measured with the Important People Inventory at baseline and 6, 12, 18, and 24-month follow-up. Results Alcohol-specific social support did not predict entry into TM or TMC. Among those who entered telephone treatment (N = 127), participants with higher network percentage of daily drinkers, higher percentage of network members who accept drinking, and lower percentage of network members who do not accept drinking completed more continuing care calls. There was no effect of continuing care participation on alcohol-specific social support over 24 months of follow-up. Conclusion Participants with more problematic social networks may self-select additional support in the form of telephone continuing care. Telephone continuing care does not appear to result in social network change. (Am J Addict 2014;23:447–452)
Primary Adsorption Site of Phage PBS1: the Flagellum of Bacillus subtilis

The adsorption of Bacillus subtilis phage PBS1 was studied, and it was demonstrated that the primary adsorption site for this phage is the flagellum of B. subtilis. The capacity of flagella to function for motility may be lost without the loss of their capacity to adsorb the phage and permit infection. Deoxyribonucleic acid injection by the phage is inhibited by cyanide, suggesting the requirement for cellular energy in the infection process.
The cyclic method of solving the transshipment problem with an additional linear constraint

The “cyclic” method proposed in this paper provides a more efficient computational scheme than currently known adaptations of the simplex method for solving the transshipment problem with an additional linear constraint. Computer codes for the pure network problem can be easily altered to accommodate the cyclic method. Even more important, the cyclic method produces integral solutions at all iterations (except, possibly, the last one); this property may prove valuable in integer programming.
Inversion of the phosphate chirality at the target site of Mu DNA strand transfer: evidence for a one-step transesterification mechanism.

Abstract Central to transposition of phage Mu are two reactions mediated by the MuA protein. First, MuA introduces single-stranded cuts at the ends of the Mu DNA to generate 3′ OH termini. In the subsequent strand-transfer step, the MuA-Mu DNA end complex cuts a target DNA and joins the Mu 3′ ends to the 5′ ends of the target. DNA containing chiral phosphorothioates was used to demonstrate inversion of the chirallty during the course of strand transfer. This result strongly supports a one-step transesterification mechanism in which the 3′ OH of the cleaved donor DNA is the attacking nucleophile. Furthermore, this donor 3′ OH group was essential for target DNA cleavage. In contrast, during λ integration the phosphate chirallty was retained, as expected for a two-step transesterification involving a covalent protein-DNA intermediate.
New bounds for distributed storage systems with secure repair

In this paper, we consider exact-repair distributed storage systems. Characterizing the optimal storage-vs-repair bandwidth tradeoff for such systems remains an open problem, in general with results available in the literature for very specific instances. We characterize the optimal tradeoff between storage and repair bandwidth if in addition to exact-repair requirements, an additional requirement of pair-wise symmetry on the repair process is imposed. The optimal tradeoff surprisingly consists of only one efficient point, namely the minimum bandwidth regenerating (MBR) point. These results are also extended to the case in which the stored data (or repair data) must be secure from an external wiretapper, and the correspondingly optimal secure tradeoffs are also characterized. The main technical tool used in the converse proofs is a use of Han's inequality for sub-sets of random variables. Finally, we also present results in which the pair-wise symmetry constraint is relaxed and a new converse bound is obtained for the case of exact repair in which an external adversary can access the repair data of any one node. This bound improves upon the existing best known results for the secure and exact repair problem.
Application of the goal invariant to the structuring of programs

Functional rather than structural approach to conversion of a two-exit loop into a while loop is presented. The functions computed by the corresponding exits are formally specified and their union is analyzed to reveal the cause of its loop nonrealizability. The latter is removed by either redefining the domain/range of the constituent functions or by inclusion of the loop postludes into the loop specification. None of these methods changes the functionality of the original program because no new variables are introduced.
Preliminary Assessment of Tricuspid Valve Annular Velocity Parameters by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Adults with a Volume-Overloaded Right Ventricle: Comparison of Unrepaired Atrial Septal Defect and Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot

The aim is to compare tricuspid valve (TV) atrioventricular junction (AVJ) annular motion parameters in unrepaired atrial septal defect (ASD) and repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. We retrospectively reviewed CMR studies performed between November 2007 and November 2013 in patients 16–45 years of age with unrepaired ASD (with or without partial anomalous pulmonary venous return) and with repaired TOF, who had previous infundibulotomy, but have not undergone pulmonary valve replacement. Longitudinal motion of lateral TV in four-chamber view cine image was tracked through the cardiac cycle with custom software. Twenty TOF patients and 12 ASD patients were included, and values were compared with 80 controls. Right ventricular end-diastolic volume index and right ventricular end-systolic volume index were similar in the ASD and TOF groups and were significantly higher in both groups than in controls. Maximum displacement of the TV in systole, velocity at half-maximal displacement during systole, and velocity at half-maximal displacement during early diastole were all significantly lower in the TOF group than the ASD group [1.39 ± 0.47 vs. 2.21 ± 0.46 (cm, p < 0.01), 5.9 ± 2.1 vs. 10.1 ± 2.3 (cm/s, p < 0.01), and 7.7 ± 2.6 vs. 10.9 ± 3.1 (cm/s, p < 0.05)]. TOF patients have diminished early diastolic TV AVJ velocity compared to patients with an unrepaired ASD, despite similar RV volumes. This observation could suggest diastolic dysfunction or cardiac mechanics unique to the postoperative, volume-overloaded right ventricle in patients with repaired TOF.
The Year of the Dendrite

Octopus-like neurons, the cells of the brain, typically have many input “arms”—the dendrites, which receive signals from other neurons—and one output arm, the axon. Two new reports in this week's Science show that the dendrites process information in a manner even more complex than expected. In his Perspective, Sejnowski explains how the observations of Magee and Johnston ([p. 209][1]) and Markram et al. ([p. 213][2]) on backpropagating action potentials illuminate the mechanism of Hebbian learning, the synaptic strengthening that occurs when a receiving neuron is active at the same time that a signal comes in. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.275.5297.209 [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.275.5297.213
Reaction of iron dicarbonyl phosphine complexes of 2-(phenylazo)pyridines with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate. Synthesis and crystal structure of a 2,3,1-diazaferrole complex

Abstract The complexes Fe(CO)2(PnBu3)L (L = 2-(phenylazo)pyridine, 4-methyl-2-(phenylazo)pyridine, and 4,6-(dimethyl)-2-(phenylazo)pyridine) undergo a [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD), RCCR′ (R  R′  COOCH3), to produce the complexes Fe(CO) 2 (P n Bu 3 )(C (COOCH 3 C(COOCH 3 )N(X-py)N (Ph)) (X  H, 4-Ch3, 4,6-(CH3(2), which contain a 2,3,1-diazaferrole ring. This reaction is very sensitive to the acetylene used and to the electron density at the iron center. No reaction occurs with an acetylene unless R and R′ are both ester groups, and DMAD does not react with Fe(CO)2(PnBu3) (5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-(phenylazo)pyridine) or with the tricarbonyls Fe(CO)3L. The complexes Fe(CO)2(PPh3)L do not react with DMAD, presumably due to steric effects, but Fe(CO)2(P(OCH3)3)(4-methyl-2-phenylazopyridine) reacts to give Fe(C O) 2 (P(OCH 3 ) 3 ) (C (COOCH 3 C(COOCH 3 )N(4-CH 3 -2-py)N (Ph)). This complex crystallizes in the space group P2l/c with a = 15.027(4) A , b = 8.244(1) A , c = 22.560(5) A , β = 108.03(2)°, V = 2651.1(10) A 3 and Z = 4 . The iron atom is in an approximate square pyramidal environment with P(OCH3)3 in the axial position. The 2,3,1-diazaferrole ring is essentially planar with sp2 hybridization for all C and N ring atoms, and bond length data are consistent with a possible delocalized π system. The results obtained in this study are compared with similar studies on analogous α-diimine complexes.
Speculative propagating rift subduction zone interactions with possible consequences for continental margin evolution

As rifts propagate through oceanic plates, they must occasionally intersect subduction zones, unless subduction-related stresses are sufficient to terminate propagation. If propagators do reach subduction zones, there are possible consequences for continental margin evolution, depending on the geometry of propagation. For example, if the left-offset propagators that approached the western North American continental margin reached the Farallon–North America subduction zone and continued to propagate down the subducting Farallon plate, they would have transferred already-subducted Farallon lithosphere to the Pacific plate. Basal shear stresses between the resulting northwest-moving parts of the subducted slab and the overriding continent could have led to rifting of the continental margin. The intersections of the only two left-offset propagators that appear to have reached this margin correlate spatially and possibly temporally with the initiation of the two most unique Neogene geologic structures of the western North American continental margin, the Gulf of California and the Transverse Ranges, suggesting a possible causal relationship.
A circular-polarization duplexer for millimeter waves

This paper describes a circular-polarization duplexer for use in the millimeter (mm) wavelength range. Such a duplexer finds its field of application in any system which utilizes the same antenna for simultaneous transmission and reception, for example, a continuous-wave radar. The mm wavelengths are here defined as covering the range from 1 to 10 mm (frequency range 30,000 to 300,000 megacycles).1 Much interest has been shown in these frequencies because of the possibility of directive high-gain antennas of small size and because of atmospheric properties peculiar to the mm range such as absorption by oxygen and water vapor.2?4
A portable laser heating microscope for high pressure research

We report the progress of the construction of a portable laser heating microscope for a broad range of materials studies at extreme pressure-temperature conditions. The essential features are portability, a broad temperature range, and a modular design making it flexible for a variety of applications in high pressure research for different environments, including in synchrotron and neutron applications and optical spectroscopies. The integrated instrument functions like a microscope, containing an infinity-corrected microscope head, fiber lasers, IR and UV spectrograph modules, IR and visible CCD cameras, and a control system. It provides stable laser heating on an area greater than 30 μm in diameter. Temperature can be controlled and reliably measured down to 500 K. Extending temperature measurement over 10,000 K with the short wavelength optics is discussed.
Ictus emeticus and the insular cortex

A 30-year-old man had a long history of seizures that began with feelings of tightness in his throat and fear, followed by projectile vomiting and head and eye deviation to the left. These episodes were not completely controlled by antiepileptic medications. Video EEG monitoring confirmed his clinical description. Corticography was performed before and after temporal lobectomy and revealed residual spikes in the unresectable tissue of the insula. Three years postoperatively he has had no seizures with vomiting but has occasional 'auras' of throat tightening and fear. The case suggests that the insula may be a trigger area for emesis but requires anterior-mesial temporal cortex for completion.
TCP, quantum gravity, the cosmological constant and all that...

Abstract We study cosmology from the point of view of quantum gravity. Some light is thrown on the nature of time, and it is suggested that the cosmological arrow of time is generated by a spontaneous breakdown of TCP . Conventional cosmological models in which quantum fields interact with a time-dependent gravitational field are shown to describe an approximation to the quantum gravitational wave function which is valid in the long-wavelength limit. Two problems with initial conditions are resolved in models in which a negative bare cosmological constant is cancelled by the classical excitation of a Bose field η with a very flat potential. These models can also give a natural explanation for the observed value of the cosmological constant.
Final regulations for the nutrition labeling of raw fruits, vegetables, and fish.

Abstract In August 1996, the US Food and Drug Administration published regulations that revised the guidelines for voluntary nutrition labeling of raw fruits, vegetables, and fish; revised the criteria for retailers' compliance with the guidelines; and updated the nutrition labeling values for the 20 most frequently consumed raw fruits, vegetables, and fish. These actions were in response to the requirements of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 and make the voluntary nutrition labeling program more consistent with mandatory nutrition labeling of other foods. The provisions of the final rule are important for dietitians who develop nutrition education materials for retail stores and for dietitians who instruct patients and clients in selecting foods according to nutrition labeling information. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:1299-1305.
The spectral response of the alkali flame detector

Abstract A typical pellet-type alkali flame detector was monitored photometrically. Its predominant (??? exclusive) mode of response is negative, i.e. alkali emission decreases when gas chromatographic effluents are burned in the flame. As a detector for organic halides, the optical emission of the alkali flame appears to simulate some characteristics of its more often used electrical conductivity response. For instance, it is possible to distinguish between chlorine, bromine and iodine, and the (negative) response for chlorides is proportional to the amount of chlorine entering the flame. Calibration curves for selected chlorinated hydrocarbons approach linearity on a logarithmic scale within two orders of magnitude, with minimum detectable amounts between 3–5 ng. Carbon compounds give signals approximately fifty times weaker than monochlorinated compounds. All characteristics considered, the pellet-type alkali source seems to differ considerably in its spectral behavior from other types of sources which have been described in the literature, especially those using a resistance-heated wire coated with sodium sulfate.
Successful Student Teaching Through Evaluation.

A carefully planned program of evaluation, maintains Dr. Jones, should provide a valuable learning experience to the student teacher.
Metastatic Periampullary Tumor from Hepatocellular Carcinoma Presenting as Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Periampullary tumors constitute a number of diverse neoplastic lesions located within 2 cm of the major duodenal papilla; among these, metastatic lesions account for only a small proportion of the periampullary tumors. To our knowledge, a metastatic periampullary tumor from hepatocellular carcinoma has never been reported. A 62-year-old male reported to our institute for fatigue and low hemoglobin. His medical history was remarkable for multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with selective transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was performed which revealed a periampullary mass. Histopathology was consistent with metastatic moderately differentiated HCC. Two endoloops were deployed around the base of the mass one month apart. The mass eventually sloughed off and patient’s hemoglobin level stabilized. We postulated that periampullary metastasis in this patient was the result of tumor fragments migration through the biliary tracts and that TACE which increases tumor fragments burden might have played a contributory role. Metastasis of HCC to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract should be considered as a cause of GI bleeding.
The evolution of the triple differential cross sections for the double photoionization of He and H2

We use the time-dependent close-coupling method to explore the triple differential cross sections produced by double photoionization of He and H2. Recent extensions of our technique have allowed extraction of the triple differential cross section as the double photoionization process evolves, allowing further exploration of the underlying mechanisms. We demonstrate that the angular distributions of the two outgoing electrons typically reach a converged shape after 5 or 6 field periods. We also further compare our method with recent experimental measurements, as well as demonstrating some similarities in the triple differential cross sections for He and for H2 at certain molecular orientations.
The effect of age on intervertebral disc compression during running.

Previous studies have shown that intervertebral discs compress under axial loading, yet lew studies have examined the relationship between disc age and compressibility. The purpose of this study was to determine if the amount of vertebral column height (VCH) loss induced by running was significantly different between two age groups, 17 males ages 20–27 years and 14 males ages 50–57 years, who could comfortably run 6 miles. The subjects had no previous or current back pathologies. Within 1.5 hours of rising in the morning, each subject's VCH was measured from spinous processes C7 to 52. Immediately following the measurement, each subject ran a predetermined, paved, 6-mile course at a comfortable pace. Within minutes after completing the run, each subject was again measured for VCH. Paired t tests revealed significant decreases in VCH alter the run in both groups. An independent t test showed no significant differences between the respective age groups in terms of postrun VCH decreases. Although no signific...
Logic, Rhetoric, and Legal Writing:

Training in legal writing is a vital part of a lawyer's education both because it is a skill required by the successful practitioner and because learning to write as a lawyer is an integral part of the process that turns laypersons into lawyers. As writing teachers we find that paying attention only to process obscures an important lesson: No rhetoric is effective except to the extent that it is devised for a particular audience and occasion. The author discusses James Kinneavy's suggestion that we offer students the broader version of process implied in Heidegger's concept of “forestructure” and suggests that students be given a context in which to write, a context that contains strong clues as to audience and purpose.
Genetic variation of lactation curves in dairy sheep: a Bayesian analysis of Wood’s function

Abstract Test-day milk yield records (1752) of 451 first-lactation ewes in four flocks from Nebraska and Wisconsin were analyzed. Breeds included crosses among Dorset, Romanov, Targhee, Rideau Arcott, Polypay, Booroola Merino, Suffolk, Rambouillet, Finnsheep and East Friesian. The objective was to investigate genetic variation of features of lactation curves using a three-stage Bayesian hierarchy. Wood’s model, E ( y | a , b , c , t )= at b exp(− ct ), was used as first-stage; a indicates level of starting yield, and parameters b and c describe ascending and descending phases of the lactation curve; t is time. The second-stage model described variation between ewes. It had a linear structure including flock-year, age at lambing, type of lambing, length of suckling period and the expected percentage of genes of East Friesian origin as fixed effects, plus random additive genetic effects. The third stage included prior distributions for all unknown parameters. Gibbs sampling and the Metropolis–Hastings (MH) algorithm were employed for drawing samples from posterior distributions of parameters. A chain of 60 000 iterations (burn-in of 11 000) was used. Acceptance rate with MH was 24%. Residual variance (posterior mean) was 0.042 kg 2 . Posterior means of heritability of a , b and c were 0.35, 0.35 and 0.27, respectively. Estimates indicate that part of the variation in lactation curves between ewes is heritable. Genetic correlations were negligible, suggesting flexible scope for modifying lactation curves via genetic selection