cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictors of incident proteinuria among patients with SLE.

Objective To identify fixed and time-varying predictors of incident proteinuria. Methods This analysis was based on patients who did not have a history of diabetes and who did not have a prior episode of renal involvement. We defined an incident case of proteinuria as two or more measures of urine protein to creatinine ratio (or 24-hour protein measure) greater than 0.5 in two visits separated by more than 30 days and less than 180 days. We estimated rates of incident proteinuria in subgroups of patients with lupus defined by time-invariant and time-varying predictors. Results Among 895 patients included in the analysis, 840 (94%) were female, and 518 (58%) were Caucasian, 304 (34%) African-American, with mean age of 42 years at the start of follow-up. We observed 57 incident cases of proteinuria over a span of 4669 person-years of cohort follow-up. The overall rate of incident proteinuria was 12.2 per 1000 person-years. The rate was significantly lower among those of older age, and higher among those who were not Caucasian. In those with a very low C3 measure in a previous cohort visit, the rate was increased by a factor of 16.1 and in those with a very low C4 by 16.3. The rate among those prescribed hydroxychloroquine or ACE inhibitors/ARB was similar to those not on them. Conclusions Older patients with SLE are at low risk for developing proteinuria. There was not strong evidence that hydroxychloroquine or angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor reduced the risk of proteinuria. The highest rates of incident proteinuria were among those with recent low complement.
Voxel resolution in the directed self-assembly of liquid crystal polymer networks and elastomers.

Monomeric mixtures formulated to prepare a liquid crystal polymer network (LCN) or elastomer (LCE) can be “programmed” by surface alignment to retain complex and arbitrary spatial distributions of the director orientation upon polymerization. The localized control of orientation in a given volume (voxel) within these materials is the subject of intense research, currently motivated by the prospect of distinctive mechanical responses (both active and passive). Here, we report on a rapid and scalable photopatterning method to prepare alignment surfaces with a throughput of 10 mm2 s−1, using a commercial spatial light modulator and projection optics. Enabled by this method, we detail that the resolution limit of the inscribed director profile is not dictated by the optical system but is determined by the elastic-mediated orientational relaxation of the liquid crystalline materials. A simple model is experimentally validated and the implications for device design are discussed.
Irreducible Ankle Fracture from an Interposed Chaput Fragment: A Case Report.

Case: A 23-year-old active-duty military service member sustained an unusual irreducible fracture-dislocation of the ankle joint. Preoperative computed tomography showed an anterolateral tibial (Chaput) fragment entrapped within the distal syndesmosis, preventing adequate reduction. An open reduction of the fragment was performed in the operating room, which allowed near-anatomic reduction and internal fixation of the tibiotalar joint. At the 21-month follow-up visit, the patient remained on active duty in the Navy without limitations. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this rare injury pattern, an interposed Chaput fragment preventing closed reduction of the syndesmosis in a skeletally mature patient, has not previously been described in the literature. An open reduction and internal fixation of the Chaput fragment allowed near-anatomic reduction of the tibiotalar joint.
US adolescents at risk for not meeting physical activity recommendations by season.

We sought to identify regional and seasonal variation in not meeting physical activity (PA) recommendations of ≥60 min a day of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and 3 h of vigorous PA per week (VPA) in a longitudinal cohort of United States (US) adolescents. Participants in the Growing Up Today Study 2, a prospective study of 10,918 adolescents, self-reported season-specific weekly hours of MVPA and VPA from 2004 through 2011. To assess variation in PA by climate, we grouped the contiguous US into nine climatically consistent geographic regions. We also examined MVPA and VPA by season, sex, ethnicity, weight status, and age group. The majority (85%) of adolescents did not meet the MVPA recommendation, and 91% did not meet the VPA recommendation, for one or more seasons over the four study years. Across all climate regions, adolescents were two times more likely to not meet the MVPA recommendation during the winter compared to summer (odds ratio 2.02, 95% confidence interval: 1.96–2.08). Regardless of climate region, gender, ethnicity, or age group, adolescents were more likely not to meet MVPA or VPA recommendations in the winter than the summer. Adolescents may benefit from interventions aimed at increasing PA in the winter.
Data-Driven Coordination of Distributed Energy Resources for Active Power Provision

In this paper, we propose a framework for coordinating distributed energy resources (DERs) connected to a power distribution system, the model of which is not completely known, so that they collectively provide a specified amount of active power to the bulk power system, while respecting distribution line capacity limits. The proposed framework consists of a linear time-varying input-output (IO) system model that represents the relation between the DER active power injections (inputs), and the total active power exchanged between the distribution and bulk power systems (output); an estimator that aims to estimate the IO model parameters; and a controller that determines the optimal DER active power injections so that the power exchanged between both systems equals to the specified amount at a minimum generating cost. We formulate the estimation problem as a box-constrained quadratic program and solve it using the projected gradient descent algorithm. To resolve the potential issue of collinearity in the measurements, we introduce random perturbations in the DER active power injections during the estimation process. Using the estimated IO model, the optimal DER coordination problem to be solved by the controller can be formulated as a convex optimization problem, which can be solved easily. The effectiveness of the framework is validated via numerical simulations using the IEEE 123-bus distribution test feeder.
Minimally Invasive Nephron-Sparing Surgery for Renal Tumors: Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy and Probe Ablative Treatments

Objectives: To review the evolution and current status of extirpative and probeablative methods of minimally invasive nephron sparing surgery (MINSS) for renal tumors. Methods: The English language literature of past 10 years was reviewed using the National Library of Medicine database and the following key words: kidney, renal, tumor, nephron sparing surgery, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation, radiosurgery, high-intensity focused ultrasound, chemoablation, microwave thermotherapy, and laser interstitial thermotherapy. Over 500 articles were identified. A total of 100 articles were selected for this review based on their contribution to knowledge pertaining to: a) evolution of concepts, b) development and refinement of techniques, and c) intermediate and long-term clinical outcomes with minimally invasive nephron sparing surgery. Results: Open partial nephrectomy (OPN) is the reference standard for nephron sparing surgery agianst which all minimally invasive techniques should be measured. Given the requisite skills for time-sensitive intracorporeal suturing, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) can provide long-term cancer cure comparable to the reference standard. The initial 5-year data of 50 patients have just become available and have shown overall and cancer-specific survival of 84% and 100%, respectively. Although the initial outcomes of cryoablation and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) are encouraging, long-term studies are necessary to confirm lasting efficacy. The optimal modality for tumor targeting, monitoring therapy, and follow-up remains to be determined. These ablative techniques should be reserved for carefully selected patients, data should be prospectively accrued, and the long-term cancer cure rates should be compared to the reference standard. Conclusions: As of this writing, the technique and global acceptance of LPN is evolving, although it remains restricted by the complexity of laparoscopic renal reconstruction. In expert hands cancer cure and renal functional outcomes are similar to OPN. Of the probeablative techniques, promising long-term data are available for cryoablation. RFA is still developmental and instances of incomplete cell-kill, despite negative enhancement are concerning. Other modalities are still experimental.
DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS BETWEEN SPLENIC NATURAL KILLER CELLS AND PROTHYMOCYTES

Publisher Summary This chapter explores distinctive characteristics between splenic natural killer (NK) cells and prothymocytes. Some studies have implied that NK cells may be prothymocytes or pre-T cells because nude mice have high NK activity and because NK cells express low levels of Thy-1 antigen. This chapter discusses whether NK cells fulfill the criteria of the definition of prothymocytes. Both splenic prothymocytes and Nk-1+ cells are enriched in A and B layers of BSA fractionated spleen cells. Cells from A + B layers could be induced to express Thy-1 antigen by Tp-5. When these cells were depleted of Nk-1+ cells, inducibility by Tp-5 was not affected, implying that Nk-1 antigen is not on prothymocytes. Tp-5 has no effect on Nk-1+ cells or NK activity. There was no indication that Nk-1+ or NK cells will develop into T cells. Nk-1+ cells are likely end cells that belong to a distinct lineage from T cells.
Das flexible Budget

Die bisher erlauterten Budgets hatten zumeist starren oder statischen Charakter. Sie werden periodisch Anderungen der Beschaftigung nicht angepast. Die Anderung eines starren Budgets ware eine Budgetkorrektur, eine Planungsanderung. Ein flexibles Budget hingegen ermoglicht fur jeden Abrechnungszeitraum der Planperiode Anpassungen der Plan-Zahlen an die tatsachlich erreichte Beschaftigung — gegebenenfalls unterteilt nach verschiedenen Stufen der Beschaftigung.
Proofs of the Necessary Condition for Control Problems and Related Topics

Let A denote the constraint set, a closed subset of the tx-space, with t in R, and the space variable x = (x1,…, x n ) in R n . Let U(t),the control set, be a subset of the u-space R m , u= (u1, …u m )the control variable. Let M = [(t,x,u)|(t,x)∈A, u ∈ U(t)] be a closed subset of R1+n+m, and let f = (f1,…,fn) be a continuous vector function from M into Rn. Let the boundary set B be a closed set of points (t1,x1,t2,x2) in R2n+2, x1 = (x 1 1 ,…x 1 n ), x2 = (x 2 1 ,…x 2 n ). Let g be a continuous function from B into R.
The Relationship Between the Martensitic Phase Transition and the Superconducting Properties of A15 Compounds

Since the discovery by Batterman and Barrettl in 1964 of the 21 K structural transition in V3Si, soon followed by the discovery of a similar transition in Nb3Sn,2 there has been intensive investigation, both theoretical and experimental, of its nature, particularly of its relationship to electronic structure and its coupling to lattice distortions and phonons. [This work is summarized in two excellent reviews by Weger and Goldberg3 and by Allen.4] The transition consists of a tetragonal distortion of the originally cubic unit cell (a shear strain distortion) accompanied by a dimerization of the atoms along the transition metal chains (an optic mode distortion); it is usually called the “martensitic” transition, probably because it is diffusionless, although it is more typical of soft-mode transitions4 than it is like “classical” martensitic phase transitions.5 Since both the structural transition and superconductivity in these compounds are thought to be a consequence of strong electron-lattice coupling, it was thought that an understanding of the relatively simpler structural transition might provide insight into the origin of the relatively high-temperature superconducting transition in intermetallic compounds with the A15 structure. Unfortunately a definitive understanding of either the structural or the superconducting transition in these materials still remains elusive.
Comparative Computational and Experimental Detection of Adenosine Using Ultrasensitive Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

To better understand detection and monitoring of the important neurotransmitter adenosine at physiological levels, this study combines quantum chemical density functional modeling and ultrasensitive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) measurements. Combined simulation results and experimental data for an analyte concentration of about 10-11 molar indicate the presence of all known molecular forms resulting from adenosine's complex redox-reaction. Detailed analysis presented here, besides assessing potential Raman signatures of these adenosinic forms, also sheds light on the analytic redox process and voltammetric detection. Examples of adenosine Raman fingerprints for different molecular orientations with respect to the SERS substrate are the vibrational line around 920 ± 10 cm-1 for analyte physisorption through the carbinol moiety and around 1600 ± 20 cm-1 for its fully oxidized form. However, both hydroxyl/oxygen sites and NH₂/nitrogen sites contribute to molecule's interaction with the SERS environment. Our results also reveal that contributions of partially oxidized adenosine forms and of the standard form are more likely to be detected with the first recorded voltammetric oxidation peak. The fully oxidized adenosine form contributes mostly to the second peak. Thus, this comparative theoretical⁻experimental investigation of adenosine's vibrational signatures provides significant insights for advancing its detection, and for future development of opto-voltammetric biosensors.
A distributed Newton–Raphson-based coordination algorithm for multi-agent optimization with discrete-time communication

This paper proposes a novel distributed continuous-time Newton–Raphson algorithm for distributed convex optimization problem, where the components of the goal are obtainable at different agents. To accelerate convergence speed, we focus on introducing Newton descent idea in our algorithm and extending it in a distributed setting. It is proved that the proposed algorithm can converge to the global optimal point with exponential convergence rate under weight-balanced directed graphs. Motivated by practical considerations, an event-triggered broadcasting strategy is further developed for each agent. Therein, the implementation of communication is driven by the designed triggered condition monitored by agents. Consequently, the proposed continuous-time algorithm can be executed with discrete-time communication, thus being able to greatly save communication expenditure. Moreover, the strategy is proved to be free of Zeno behavior. Eventually, the simulation results illustrate the advantages of the proposed algorithm.
Designing an apparatus for behavioral testing in awake rodents during brain stimulation

Neurostimulation technologies have been shown to be effective in promoting recovery, alleviating disease symptoms, and enhancing quality of life in different neurological diseases and injuries. There is growing interest in developing neurostimulation as visual prosthetics for diseases that ultimately lead to visual impairments. However, evidence shows that the implantation of electrodes in the visual cortex, retina, and optic nerve which are the primary targets for visual-based neurostimulation, can induce tissue damage unspecific stimulation and low perceptual spatial resolution to reproduce original images. We have recently developed an innovative, non-invasive method to control cellular function using the electromagnetic-perceptive gene (EPG). This magnetogenetic-based technology complements the existing arsenal of neurostimulation technologies and provides a novel approach for cell-specific, temporal-specific, location-specific and non-invasive neurostimulation. We worked towards developing an apparatus that will allow for behavioral testing in awake rats during magnetogenetic stimulation of the visual cortex. We designed and built a new behavioral rodent apparatus that provides direct and controlled contact with the head using non-conductive and non-ferrous materials. This apparatus allows the rat to press one of two levers depending on visual cues and magnetogenetic stimulation. In addition, this new apparatus will allow for testing of behavioral responses to cortical stimulation controlled by other neurostimulation devices, including non-invasive brain stimulation, optogenetics, ultrasound, and electrodes in awake, restrained rats.
35. STRENGTHENING SELF-DIRECTED NIGHTTIME LEARNING THROUGH RESIDENT AS TEACHER CURRICULUM

Background As in many other residency programs, night rotations comprise a significant portion of the curriculum at Harbor-UCLA. The National Pediatric Nighttime curriculum is a robust educational resource that was created to address the gap in nighttime education and has been provided to our residents through a residency website, though limited data existed about usage after implementation. In our program, there are no in-house hospitalist attendings at night, which requires residents to independently lead learning. Our residents were not formally trained in teaching methods until this year. Methods Resident feedback about the inpatient pediatric night rotation was solicited in the form of an online survey. Respondents were asked to rate agreement with statements on a five-point scale. Prior to the implementation of changes to the nighttime curriculum, residents participated in a Resident as Teacher lecture series. Results We obtained responses from 20 of 30 residents. 90% were not satisfied with the current state of nighttime education, and 95% did not use the nighttime curriculum. However, 80% stated that senior residents were preferred teachers. Based on these results, a strategy to increase accountability was instituted, while the Resident as Teacher intervention was ongoing. At the outset of the night rotation, expectations are now formally reviewed with assigned modules and associated questions which map to board content specifications. Completion will be tracked on the website. Resident satisfaction will be assessed in a follow-up survey at the end of the rotation, the first set of which will be available in February 2019. Conclusions In spite of the availability of nighttime curriculum, it is not being used at our program. This may indicate the need for increased mechanisms for accountability with residents, with the strategy of incorporating Resident as Teacher training to build confidence and positively frame teaching experiences. The interventions planned may be useful at other institutions with similar remote supervision from hospitalists.
Academic Freedom: Intellectual Integrity in Times of Institutional Change

This presentation seeks to broaden faculty’s understanding of academic freedom by exploring its many facets, especially when it comes to diverse learning environments. This presentation will provide practical information, learning strategies and examples on the topic of academic freedom for faculty to be able to express and share their knowledge freely with students without fear of reprisals, while maintaining a robust learning environment for our diverse student body.
GENOTYPE IDENTIFICATION OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN MACROPODS FROM A ZOOLOGICAL PARK IN FLORIDA, USA

There are limited reports of the genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii infecting captive macropods in North America. A novel genotype, ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype 263, was reported from six wallabies at a zoological facility in Virginia, USA, prompting an investigation into the genotypes from T. gondii strains infecting macropods at a zoological park in Florida, USA. Cardiac muscle and/or lung samples from an agile wallaby (Macropus agilis, n = 1), red kangaroos (Macropus rufus, n = 8), red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus, n = 1), and a tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii, n = 1) that died between 2014 and 2018 were collected. All 11 cases were confirmed to have died from systemic toxoplasmosis by histopathology and immunohistochemical staining. Multilocus PCR-RFLP genotyping of T. gondii was performed directly on tissue samples or on parasites isolated from myocardium by mouse bioassay. Two cases of toxoplasmosis were identified as the reported novel genotype, ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype 263, but no common source of exposure could be identified. Five cases were identified as genotype 2 (type III strain, haplogroup 3), and four cases were identified as genotype 216, which has been previously reported in North American wildlife. There were no overt differences in lesion severity or distribution related to genotype. These results suggest that the premise was contaminated with at least three genotypes of T. gondii causing systemic toxoplasmosis in macropods. The largest cluster of fatal toxoplasmosis in macropods in the study period occurred following severe rainfall flooding of the exhibit, suggesting the transmission of T. gondii by water and pointing out the importance of this transmission mechanism. In summary, our study revealed three T. gondii outbreaks that caused significant loss of macropods within 5 yr in a zoological facility in Florida. More studies are needed to understand transmission and prevention of toxoplasmosis in sensitive zoo animals.
Building Natural History Collections for the Twenty-First Century and Beyond

Natural history collections (NHCs) are important resources for a diverse array of scientific fields Recent digitization initiatives have broadened the user base of NHCs, and new technological innovations are using materials generated from collections to address novel scientific questions Simultaneously, NHCs are increasingly imperiled by reductions in funding and resources Ensuring that NHCs continue to serve as a valuable resource for future generations will require the scientific community to increase their contribution to and acknowledgement of collections We provide recommendations and guidelines for scientists to support NHCs, focusing particularly on new users that may be unfamiliar with collections We hope that this perspective will motivate debate on the future of NHCs and the role of the scientific community in maintaining and improving biological collections
Real-world effectiveness and tolerability of erenumab: A retrospective cohort study.

BackgroundWe aimed to systematically assess the effectiveness and tolerability of erenumab in a clinical setting, specifically a tertiary headache center.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort stud...
An Ecological Evaluation of the Increasing Incidence of Endometrial Cancer and the Obesity Epidemic

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND The prevalence of obesity has increased significantly in recent decades, particularly among younger women, and is a known risk factor for endometrial cancer. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the trend in the prevalence of obesity and the incidence of type I endometrial cancer over time in various age categories to determine if an ecological relationship exists. STUDY DESIGN Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used. The overall trend in the incidence of type 1 endometrial cancer and prevalence of obesity were observed over time from 1988-2016 and further categorized by age group ( RESULTS The prevalence of obesity has increased for all women, but most significantly for women younger than 45 years with a 16.3 percentage point increase among women 20-34 years old and a 17.9 percentage point increase for women 35-44 years old. The incidence of endometrial cancer has also increased across all age categories and while it has increased in patients younger than 45 by more than 14-fold (from CONCLUSION The prevalence of obesity has increased significantly in women of all ages. This increase, particularly among women
Patient DNA cross-reactivity of the CDC SARS-CoV-2 extraction control leads to an inherent potential for false negative results

Abstract Testing for RNA viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 requires careful handling of inherently labile RNA during sample collection, clinical processing, and molecular analysis. Tests must include fail-safe controls that affirmatively report the presence of intact RNA and demonstrate success of all steps of the assay. A result of “no virus signal” is insufficient for clinical interpretation: controls must also say “The reaction worked as intended and would have found virus if present.” Unfortunately, a widely used test specified by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) incorporates a control that does not perform as intended and claimed. Detecting SARS-CoV-2 with this assay requires both intact RNA and successful reverse transcription. The CDC-specified control does not require either of these, due to its inability to differentiate human genomic DNA from reverse-transcribed RNA. Patient DNA is copurified from nasopharyngeal swabs during clinically-approved RNA extraction and is sufficient to return an “extraction control success” signal using the CDC design. As such, this assay fails-unsafe: truly positive patient samples return a false-negative result of “no virus detected, control succeeded” following any of several readily-encountered mishaps. This problem affects tens-of-millions of patients worth of shipped assays, but many of these flawed reagents have not yet been used. There is an opportunity to improve this important diagnostic tool. As demonstrated here, a re-designed transcript-specific control correctly monitors sample collection, extraction, reverse transcription, and qPCR detection. This approach can be rapidly implemented and will help reduce truly positive patients from being incorrectly given the all-clear. One Sentence Summary A widely-used COVID-19 diagnostic is mis-designed and generates false-negative results, dangerously confusing “No” with “Don’t know” – but it’s fixable
Market access, economic geography and comparative advantage: an empirical test

Traditional neoclassical models of comparative advantage suggest that, all else equal, a country with idiosyncratically strong demand for a good will be an importer of that good. However, there is a contrary tradition that emphasizes the advantages of a large home market as a foundation for exports of a good. One recent formalization of this home market approach falls within what is termed the new economic geography. This paper integrates core models of Heckscher-Ohlin and Krugman (American Economic Review 70 (1980) 950) to investigate whether such home market effects matter empirically in manufacturing for a set of OECD countries. The evidence suggests that home market effects are important for a broad segment of OECD manufacturing.  2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Denoising Electromyographic Signals via Stationary Wavelet Decomposition and Filtering

The measurement of electromyographic (EMG) activity may be used to diagnose neuromuscular disorders, to control electrical devices through muscle-computer interfaces, or to return motor function via neuroprosthetic devices. Unfortunately, EMG measurements will often contain noise, introduced by mechanical vibrations, electromagnetic radiation, or the electrical stimulation of tissue. We compare wavelet-based filtering to traditional Fourier-based filtering methods and demonstrate that wavelet-based approaches better conserve EMG signals in the frequency domain while removing noise measurable within the time domain.
The Social Dynamics of Economic Activity in a Virtual World

This paper examines social structures underlying economic activity in Second Life (SL), a massively multiplayer virtual world that allows users to create and trade virtual objects and commodities. We find that users conduct many of their transactions both within their social networks and within groups. Using frequency of chat as a proxy of tie strength, we observe that free items are more likely to be exchanged as the strength of the tie increases. Social ties particularly play a significant role in paid transactions for sellers with a moderately sized customer base. We further find that sellers enjoying repeat business are likely to be selling to niche markets, because their customers tend to be contained in a smaller number of groups. But while social structure and interaction can help explain a seller's revenues and repeat business, they provide little information in the forecasting a seller's future performance. Our quantitative analysis is complemented by a novel method of visualizing the transaction activity of a seller, including revenue, customer base growth, and repeat business.
Proceedings of the 10th ACM conference on Computer and communications security

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Tenth ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security. This year the CCS Conference offers an outstanding technical program. I hope that you will find it stimulating and a source of inspiration for your future research.I would like to thank several individuals who were responsible for the organization of this conference. First, thanks go to Vijay Atluri and the members of the program committee for selecting the papers included in the research track. The number of submissions this year far exceeded those in previous years. Program committee responsibilities entailed a lot more work this year, but everyone rose to meet the challenge. The standards for acceptance continued to remain high for ensuring a quality program.Second, I'd like to point out that this year's Conference program has been expanded to include a parallel industry and tutorials track. I want to thank Trent Jaeger for accepting the challenge to serve as the program chair of the industry track and Ravi Sandhu for performing a fantastic job as the tutorials chair. Although some attendees will be inconvenienced by the parallel tracks, I strongly believe that most will benefit from the additional choices this track offers. Also of note is that the workshops that have become an integral part of CCS Conferences in the past have continued, with eight workshops provided this year. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who helped organize these workshops, especially the workshop program chairs: Michael Backes, David Basin, and Michael Waidner (Workshop on Formal Methods in Security Engineering: From Specifications to Code); Wouter Joosen and Ravi Sandhu (Workshop on Business Driven Security Engineering); Michiharu Kudo (Workshop on XML Security); Peng Liu and Partha Pal (Workshop on Survival and Self-Regenerative Systems; Pierangela Samarati and Paul Syverson (Workshop on Privacy in the Electronic Society); Stefan Savage (Workshop on Rapid Malacode); Vipin Swarup and Sanjeev Setia (Workshop on Security of Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks); and Moti Yung (Workshop on Digital Rights Management).
World Wide Web enabled operational support systems — a testing perspective

BT uses many operational support systems (OSS) in the course of its business. The major customer service system (MCSS) is one such OSS used for electronic dialogue with major customers. The client/server approach currently used is being superseded with a call for a World Wide Web (WWW) interface and adoption of a mid-tier server/thin-client approach. This paper examines how practical verification, validation and test (VV&T) techniques can be applied to such systems. Three WWW technologies are examined here as researched and implemented within the MCSS Bali project. The three technologies are Common Gateway Interface (CGI), Java and Citrix WinFrame.
Embedding patient simulation in a pediatric cardiology rotation: a unique opportunity for improving resident education.

Objective High-fidelity patient simulation (HFPS) has been used in medical education to bridge gaps in medical knowledge and clinical skills. Few studies have analyzed the impact of HFPS in subspecialty rotations for pediatric residents. We hypothesized that pediatric residents exposed to HFPS with a structured content curriculum would perform better on a case quiz than residents without exposure to HFPS. Design Prospective randomized controlled Setting Tertiary-care free standing children's hospital Interventions During a cardiology rotation, senior pediatric residents completed an online pediatric cardiology curriculum and a cardiology quiz. After randomization into two groups, the study group participated in a fully debriefed HFPS session. The control group had no HFPS. Outcome Measure Both groups completed a case quiz. Confidence surveys pre- and postsimulation were completed. Results From October 2010 through March 2013, 55 residents who rotated through the pediatric cardiology rotation were used in the final analysis (30 control, 25 in the study group). There was no significant difference between groups on the initial cardiology quiz. The study group scored higher on the case quiz compared with the control group (P = .024). Based on pre- and postsimulation questionnaires, residents' confidence in approaching a pediatric cardiology patient improved from an average Likert score of 5.1 to 7.5 (on scale of 0–10) (P < .001). Conclusions Incorporation of HFPS into a preexisting pediatric cardiology rotation was feasible and well received. Our study suggests that simulation promotes increased confidence and may modestly improve clinical reasoning compared to traditional educational techniques. Targeted simulation sessions may readily be incorporated into pediatric subspecialty rotations.
“Are Meanings the Name of the Game? Religion as Symbolic Meaning and Religion as Power”

“Searching for symbolic meanings,” Talal Asad says, “is not the name of my game.” In putting things like this, Asad leads us to believe that the approach to the study of religion he favors, which focuses on social power, is at odds with the approach Clifford Geertz advances, which focuses on the interpretation of symbolic meaning. However, for a particular action or pattern of behavior to affect social power structures, it must possess symbolic meaning. So the social power approach and the interpretive approach are not as different as some of their respective advocates indicate.
National trends and complication rates after bilateral mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction from 2005 to 2012

Abstract Background This study's purpose was to examine the national rate of breast cancer patients undergoing bilateral mastectomy (BM) and immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) and their associated complication rates. Methods Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy between 2005 and 2012 were identified. Rates in BM and IBR as well as associated complication rates were evaluated. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of BM, IBR, and complications. Results A total of 56,905 breast cancer patients underwent mastectomy. The rate of BM tripled (9.14% vs 25.44%, P P P P Conclusions The rates of BM and associated IBR have increased significantly since 2005 despite higher complication rates. Further research is needed to understand the reasons for these trends.
Does Targeted, Disease-Specific Public Research Funding Influence Pharmaceutical Innovation?

Public funding for biomedical research is often justified as a means to encourage development of more (and better) treatments for disease. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between these expenditures and downstream pharmaceutical innovation. In particular, although recent analyses have shown a clear contribution of federally funded research to drug development, there exists little evidence to suggest that increasing targeted public research funding for any specific disease will result in increased development of drugs to treat that disease. This paper evaluates the impact of changes in the allocation of U. S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) extramural research grant funding across diseases on the number of drugs entering clinical testing to treat those diseases, using new longitudinal data on NIH extramural research grants awarded by disease for years 1975 through 2006. Results from a variety of distributed lag models indicate that a sustained 10 percent increase in targeted, disease-specific NIH funding yields approximately a 4. 5 percent increase in the number of related drugs entering clinical testing (phase I trials) after a lag of up to 12 years, reflecting the continuing influence of NIH funding on discovery and testing of new molecular entities. In contrast, we do not see evidence that increases in NIH extramural grant funding for research focused on specific diseases will increase the number of related treatments investigated in the more expensive, late-stage (phase III) trials.
Dreaming the Impossible Dream: Is a Wealth Tax Now Possible in America?

It is often thought that a direct tax on individual wealth is a political non-starter in the United States. Not only is such a tax arguably unconstitutional, but as a psychological matter it goes against the American psyche. That is, each of us hold out hope that someday we might become rich too, so we will not support any tax perceived as a “soak the rich” ploy. But has wealth inequality in the United States now reached the breaking point? Might recent public attention to the issue of economic inequality indicate that it might be possible to make a wealth tax a reality? This article will examine the utility and political viability of adopting a wealth tax in the United States.
Interpretation of solar wind reconnection exhaust in terms of kinetic Alfvén wave group‐velocity cones

Recent multi-satellite measurements of reconnection exhausts in the solar wind have allowed for the first time to determine the reconnection rate (R) and the exhaust wedge angle 2θ w . We compare such observations of R and θ w with the theoretical predictions based on the half-cone angles (θ g ) of the group velocity vectors (Vg) of the kinetic Alfven (KA) and slow MHD (SMHD) wave modes. We find that for these recently observed reconnection events in the solar wind the exhaust wedge angle and the reconnection rate are determined by the KA waves and not by the SMHD wave mode. Our study suggests a theoretical basis for determining the reconnection rate based on group-velocity cone angle of certain wave modes depending on the MHD or kinetic reconnection regimes.
Deep Seismicity in the North Fiji Basin

Seismological evidence based on the spatial distribution and focal mechanisms of deep earthquakes in the North Fiji Basin supports a model in which Indo-Australian oceanic lithosphere, subducted at a former (11–8 Ma) position of the New Hebrides Trench, was detached as the trench migrated clockwise to its present position. A careful selection of well-determined hypocenters in the region, for the years 1964–1984, defines two segments of a deep Wadati-Benioff zone within the upper mantle at a depth of 545–655 km. The dips vary gently, the deep segments constituting an effectively flat zone of seismicity. The thin, slablike distribution of these hypocenters is similar to that in regions of active subduction. The horizontal extent of the relict slab segments is defined. It is apparent that lithosphere at this depth possesses enough strength to support earthquake generating stresses and to cause severe deformation of Pacific lithosphere subducted at the Tonga Trench. The slab segments have settled above the 700-km level and may represent a physical boundary which would preclude whole-mantle convection, at least in this area.
Multi/level optimisation applied to a catalytic cracking plant

New insight into Lasdon's multi-level optimization technique is provided by new theoretical developments and the first application of the technique to a real industrial process. These results clearly display many of the merits and demerits of this new method of optimization. On a acquis des connaissances plus approfondies sur la methode de rendement maximum a niveau multiple de Lasdon, grâce a de nouveaux developpements theoriques et a la premiere application de la dite methode a un procede industriel. Lea resultats obtenus mettent en lumiere un grand nombre des avantages et des inconvenients de cette nouvelle methode de rendement maximum.
Mortality among orchard workers exposed to lead arsenate spray: A cohort study

Abstract A follow-up mortality study was conducted for a cohort of 1231 individuals in Wenatchee, Washington, who had participated in a 1938 morbidity survey of the exposure effects of lead arsenate insecticide spray. The individuals were classified by spray exposure and duration as well as by age and sex. An ‘orchardist’ group had highest exposure to the lead arsenate spray while a ‘consumer’ group had no direct spray exposure. A third group had intermediate exposure. Duration of the exposure was categorized into 0, 1–10, 11–20 and 21 + yr. Over 97 per cent of the original group was located in the follow-up which took place in 1968–1969. There were 452 deaths. A life table method of analysis of the standard mortality ratio (SMR) was used. The standard population for calculating expected deaths was the state of Washington. Rate analysis was done for total deaths and for the specific primary causes of heart disease, vascular lesions, and cancer. For all study members combined, the SMR was 70 per cent, demonstrating that this cohort experienced less mortality than the Washington average. While several of the analysis sub-categories had significant SMRs, the pattern of these differences was not consistent. Exposure group mortality ratios were not consistent with the exposure gradient. Intermediates had the highest SMR (0.78) and orchardists the lowest (0.65). The mortality pattern for increasing duration of exposure also was not consistent. The highest mortality was experienced by the intermediate group in the 11–20 yr duration category. For the cause-specific analyses, the pattern of mortality was reasonably consistent for each analysis sub-category implying that excess deaths were not solely due to any of these three specific principal causes.
Kinetic analysis of teicoplanin glycosyltransferases and acyltransferase reveal ordered tailoring of aglycone scaffold to reconstitute mature teicoplanin.

In the maturation of the glycopeptide antibiotic teicoplanin, two glycosyltransferases (tGtfA and tGtfB) and one acyltransferase (tAtf) act on the nascent scaffold to produce the final natural product. In this report, we present detailed kinetic characterization of each of these enzymes, demonstrating the ordered nature of these tailoring transformations. tGtfB acts first on the crosslinked peptide aglycone, adding either an N-acetylglucosamine or 2-aminoglucose moiety to the 4-position of the scaffold. The second glycosyltransferase, tGtfA, preferentially acts on this glycosylated scaffold to condense it with another molecule of N-acetylglucosamine. Although the acyltransferase tAtf is capable of N-acylating the free UDP sugar, UDP-2-acetylglucosamine, its catalytic efficiency is 100000-fold higher when acting on the 4-(2-aminoglucosyl)-teicoplanin scaffold, showing that it prefers to act on the aglycone-tethered sugar. This work expands on our previous studies of ordered tailoring of the vancomycin and ...
Sub‐millisecond response phase modulator using a low crossover frequency dual‐frequency liquid crystal

A high birefringence (Δn = 0.292 at λ = 633 nm, 25°C) and low crossover frequency (<1 kHz at T = 25°C) dual‐frequency liquid crystal (DFLC) mixture was developed. The high birefringence enabled us to use a thin liquid crystal cell, which is helpful for fast response time and low operating voltage. The initially low crossover frequency allowed us to operate the DFLC device at an elevated temperature, which significantly lowers the viscosity while keeping the crossover frequency in an acceptable range (<10 kHz). We demonstrated a 2π phase shifter at λ = 633 nm using such a DFLC and obtained a sub‐millisecond response time at T∼45°C. This type of DFLC mixture together with elevated temperature operation opens a new way for achieving fast response time.
Structure and Evolution of Rainfall in Numerically Simulated Landfalling Hurricanes

Abstract Using an idealized landfalling model hurricane, the impact of different land surface characteristics on hurricane rainfall distribution before, during, and after landfall is investigated. Before landfall, maximum rainfall occurs on the right side of the storm track as a result of dry air intrusion from both the environmental flow behind the vortex and the land surface ahead of the vortex. These sources of dry air combine to destabilize the right side and stabilize the left side of the storm. Upon landfall, the rainfall maximum shifts to the left of the storm track over land, near the coast. Increased friction over land drives a region of convergence in the entire front half of the storm. While mean rainfall rates decrease, localized areas of large rainfall accumulations may occur as a result of this frictional forcing. Over land, the rainfall area broadens and mean rainfall rates decrease. No differences are detected in inner-core rainfall rates between cases, but outer-core rainfall rates and ra...
Minding the Aging Brain: Technology-Enabled Cognitive Training for Healthy Elders

Cognitive training refers to theory-driven behavioral intervention, ideally supported by a strong conceptual framework and specified neurocognitive mechanisms. Within this field, neurotechnology promises many advantages, and a growing literature establishes technology-enabled cognitive training as a promising modality to promote positive cognition in consumer, research, clinical, and public health settings. Methodologic challenges remain, and specific cognitive training recommendations for healthy elders must be tentative in the context of an emerging evidence base.
Differentiating antisocial personality disorder, psychopathy, and sociopathy: evolutionary, genetic, neurological, and sociological considerations

This paper examines the separate but overlapping constructs of psychopathy, sociopathy, and antisocial personality disorder from evolutionary, genetic, neurological, and sociological perspectives. Evidence indicates that psychopaths are a stable proportion of any population, can be from any segment of society, may constitute a distinct taxonomical class forged by frequency‐dependent natural selection, and that the muting of the social emotions is the proximate mechanism that enables psychopaths to pursue their self‐centered goals without felling the pangs of guilt. Sociopaths are more the products of adverse environmental experiences that affect autonomic nervous system and neurological development that may lead to physiological responses similar to those of psychopaths. Antisocial personality disorder is a legal/clinical label that may be applied to both psychopaths and sociopaths.
Bioprosthetic mitral valve effective orifice area by phase-contrast CMR. An in vitro comparison with Doppler echocardiography

Background Introduction: Current guidelines for the functional evaluation of bioprosthetic heart valves recommend the effective orifice area (EOA) as the product of the transvalvular stroke volume divided by Doppler derived diastolic time velocity integral (TVI). Phase contrast CMR may offer an alternative imaging modality to assess bioprosthetic valve EOA when Doppler methods are technically limited or unreliable. Methods Our circulatory loop includes a mock ventricle and a heart valve imaging chamber that has been fabricated using MRI-compatible components. In this study 3 different sized stented porcine mitral valve bioprostheses were evaluated (27 mm, 29 mm, 31 mm) replicating three different hemodynamic conditions with forward stroke volume of 70 ml, 90 ml and 110 ml respectively at a beat rate of 70 bpm. Imaging was performed with a
Rupture of an aortic dissection into the pericardium.

This case report illustrates the angiographic demonstration of a hemopericardium in aortic dissection. A dense collection of contrast and/or a “halo” sign may be seen in the pericardial cavity.