cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fourier Synthesis of Multilayer Filters

A brief description is given of a method for approximate synthesis of multilayer filters consisting of either homogeneous layers or inhomogeneous films. The method is based on the fact that the amplitude reflectance is the approximate Fourier transform of the function 12U′(p)/U(p), where U(p) is the effective refractive index as a function of the optical thickness p. Two forms of the sampling theorem are applied to obtain explicit expressions for the film parameters in terms of the specified reflectivity at certain sampling values of the frequency. Numerical examples are included.
Shock temperatures and melting of iron at Earth core conditions.

The temperature of shock compressed iron has been measured to 340 GPa, using well characterized iron films sputtered on transparent diamond substrates and a 1 ns time-resolved optical method. We find a knee on the (P,T) iron Hugoniot indicating melting at 6350 K and 235 GPa and at 6720 K and 300 GPa. An extrapolation yields an iron melting temperature of 6830 (\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 500) K at 330 GPa, the pressure of the Earth inner-outer core boundary. Implication of the melting data for the iron phase diagram is also discussed.
Combined carotid and coronary revascularization: the preferred approach to the severe vasculopath.

The timing of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and coronary revascularization (CABG) for concomitant disease is controversial. Results of combined CEA/CABG in 127 patients (age range, 46 to 82 years; mean age, 65 years; 61% male) from 1978 to 1991 were reviewed. Ninety-five patients (75%) were in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV, 48 (38%) had left main coronary artery disease, and 32 (28%) had depressed ejection fraction ( or = 0.50, 81% +/- 5%; < 0.50, 45% +/- 11%; p < 0.003). Freedom from late permanent ipsilateral stroke was 97% +/- 2% at 8 years. Freedom from stroke at 5 years was lower among patients with a previous stroke (71% +/- 10%) compared with transiently symptomatic (90% +/- 4%) and asymptomatic (96% +/- 4%) patients (p < 0.03). Combined CEA/CABG is a useful option in this high-risk group of patients with extensive atherosclerosis; avoids a subsequent hospitalization, anesthetic, and delay period; and provides long-term protection from ipsilateral stroke.
Material engagement analysis of different endmills for adaptive feedrate control in milling processes

This paper presents a technique for analyzing the material removal volume when a tool moves in linear, circular, or parametric curved motions. Tool motions of different types of endmilling cutters are considered in this study. By studying the relationship between the cutter geometry and the tool motion, the material removal rates of different cutters are analyzed. The adaptive feedrate can be determined to maintain a constant cutting load. The technique developed in this research can be used for tool path generation in CAD/CAM systems for 2.5D NC machining.
Proactive intrusion detection

Machine learning systems are deployed in many adversarial conditions like intrusion detection, where a classifier has to decide whether a sequence of actions come from a legitimate user or not. However, the attacker, being an adversarial agent, could reverse engineer the classifier and successfully masquerade as a legitimate user. In this paper, we propose the notion of a Proactive Intrusion Detection System (IDS) that can counter such attacks by incorporating feedback into the process. A proactive IDS influences the user's actions and observes them in different situations to decide whether the user is an intruder. We present a formal analysis of proactive intrusion detection and extend the adversarial relationship between the IDS and the attacker to present a game theoretic analysis. Finally, we present experimental results on real and synthetic data that confirm the predictions of the analysis.
Typed Tensor Decomposition of Knowledge Bases for Relation Extraction

While relation extraction has traditionally been viewed as a task relying solely on textual data, recent work has shown that by taking as input existing facts in the form of entity-relation triples from both knowledge bases and textual data, the performance of relation extraction can be improved significantly. Following this new paradigm, we propose a tensor decomposition approach for knowledge base embedding that is highly scalable, and is especially suitable for relation extraction. By leveraging relational domain knowledge about entity type information, our learning algorithm is significantly faster than previous approaches and is better able to discover new relations missing from the database. In addition, when applied to a relation extraction task, our approach alone is comparable to several existing systems, and improves the weighted mean average precision of a state-of-theart method by 10 points when used as a subcomponent.
Application of Computer-Simulated Infrared Solar Spectra to the Detection of Atmospheric Fluorocarbon-12:

Fluorocarbon-12 (CCl2F2) has been detected in the atmosphere by observation of infrared solar spectra in two spectral regions of the 8 to 12 μm atmospheric transmission window. The solar spectra were compared with laboratory spectra of CCl2F2 and also with computer synthesized spectra which were generated from the most recent Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories line parameters listing. Water vapor lines interfere with strong Q-branch absorption features of CCl2F2 in the spectral region near 923 cm−1. The region near 1161 cm−1 is free from water vapor absorption and has the strongest Q-branch feature of CCl2F2. Many laboratory spectra of CCl2F2 were studied and this absorption feature was found to be independent of N2 broadening pressure. No change in the half-width was found as the N2 pressure was varied from 0 to 700 Torr. Furthermore, assuming a Lorentz line shape for this CCl2F2 absorption feature, an intensity of 3.8 × 10−18 cm. molecule−1 and a half-width of 0.026 cm−1 were found. Using these parameters, synthetic solar spectra were computed which included the CCl2F2 absorption feature. Results of this computer generation of solar spectra indicate a ground level concentration of 110 parts per trillion of CCl2F2 in our solar spectra.
Molecular Identification of Fungi Associated with Vascular Discoloration of Soybean in the North Central United States

Harrington, T. C., Steimel, J., Workneh, F., and Yang, X. B. 2000. Molecular identification of fungi associated with vascular discoloration of soybean in the north central United States. Plant Dis. 84:83-89. Brown stem rot is a common but poorly understood vascular wilt disease of s oybean. In order to more clearly delimit the causal agent ( Phialophora gregata) and distinguish it from other morphologically similar fungi from discolored soybean stems, fungi were isolated on a semi-selective medium from discolored and non-discolored soybean stems collected at random across Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio. A total of 11 fungi were commonly isolated and characterized based on colony morphology and DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region of the rDNA operon. Phomopsis longicolla was the most frequently isolated fungus, but it was isolated more commonly from lightly discolored or non-discolored stems than from discolored stems. Phialophora gregata was the next most frequently isolated fungus and was isolated more commonly from discolored stems and more commonly in 1996 than in 1995, which had a warm growing season and relatively little brown stem rot. In inoculation experiments, only P. gregata was capable of causing the vascular discoloration and leaf symptoms typical of brown stem rot; none of the seven isolates could be considered non-defoliating. Two other fungi, Plectosphaerella cucumerina and Gliocladium roseum, were similar in colony morphology to Phialophora gregata but were not pathogenic to soybean, and these may be the same species as those referred to by earlier workers as Acremonium spp. or the non-defoliating form of P. gregata. Additional keywords: Cladosporium tenuissimum, Diaporthe phaseolorum, Fusarium spp., Glycine max, Macrophomina phaseolina
Reliability improvement in multicore architectures through computing in embedded memory

Nanoscale devices provide the capability of gigascale integration in modern electronic systems. However, such systems suffer from high defect rates and large parametric variations that can adversely affect system reliability. Hardware duplication is an obvious direction but it incurs significant area overhead that is unacceptable in many scenarios. Memory-based computing (MBC) is a promising alternative to improve overall system reliability when few functional units are defective or unreliable under process-induced or thermal variations. Existing works demonstrated the utility of MBC in single-core based designs. In this paper, we explore the effectiveness of MBC in multicore architectures where each core uses a small private cache while a set of cores share a large second-level cache. The private as well as shared caches are used to perform computation on demand using a lookup table. When a functional unit fails, temporarily due to temperature induced variations or permanently, the associated computation is transfered to caches. Experimental results demonstrate that on-demand memory based computing can significantly improve reliability with minor loss in performance.
Multicenter Trial of Desirudin for the Prophylaxis of Thrombosis An Alternative to Heparin-Based Anticoagulation (DESIR-ABLE)

Desirudin, a subcutaneously (SC) administered direct thrombin inhibitor, is indicated for prevention of venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) after total joint replacement surgery. DESIR-ABLE (multic...
Phenotypic correlates and survival consequences of male mating success in lek-mating greater prairie-chickens ( Tympanuchus cupido )

Female choice and male–male aggression are two modes of sexual selection that can lead to elaboration of male morphological and behavioral traits. In lek-mating species, male mating success is often strongly skewed, and it is puzzling why variation in male traits is still observed given directional female choice. If male traits correlated with reproductive success are honest signals of male quality, there may be survival costs associated with the expression of those traits. In this study, we examined whether morphological, behavioral, and territorial traits are correlated with male mating success and survival in the lek-mating greater prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido). We introduce a novel application of multinomial discrete choice models for analysis of female mate choice behavior. We found that behavioral and territorial attributes showed 6.5 times more variability among males than morphological traits. Both display and aggressive behaviors were strong predictors of male mating success, suggesting that both female choice and male–male aggression were important in determining mating success among male greater prairie-chickens. Moreover, annual survival of male prairie-chickens was independent of mating success and male traits. Females appear to be choosing males based on behavioral traits where large variation exists between males (coefficient of variation >30%). Behavioral traits were the most important factor in determining mating success of male prairie-chickens, but the mechanism underlying this relationship is unknown. In the future, experimental manipulations of male hormones or parasite loads could bridge the proximate mechanisms and ultimate consequences of factors mediating male mating success in lek-mating grouse.
Selenate reduction by bacteria from a selenium-rich environment

Samples collected from Kesterson Reservoir were screened for bacterial presence and selenate reduction capability. Selenate concentrations of 100 mg/liter were not toxic to indigenous bacteria. Of the 44 samples collected, 20 possessed microbial populations capable of reducing selenate. Reduction was observed in 4% of the water samples, 92% of the sediment samples, and 100% of the soil samples. Microbial reduction of 100 mg of selenate per liter was complete within 1 week of incubation. Up to 75 mg of selenate per liter was reduced beyond selenite to an insoluble red precipitate. Data collected indicate that indigenous bacteria have a significant role in the biogeochemical cycling of selenium.
Enterococcus faecalis Mutations Affecting Virulence in the Caenorhabditis elegans Model Host

Enterococcus faecalis transposon insertion mutants were screened for attenuated killing of the nematode model host Caenorhabditis elegans. The genes disrupted in the attenuated mutants encode a variety of factors including transcriptional regulators, transporters, and damage control and repair systems. Five of nine mutants tested were attenuated in a mouse peritonitis model.
Comparison of Large and Small Child-Resistant Containers

AbstractTwo studies, a 13-month prospective survey and a clinical trial, were conducted to evaluate how children less than 5 years of age opened children's aspirin (small container) and chewable multivitamin (large container) bottles. In study one, teeth were used to open a closed children's aspirin container in greater than 50% of reported exposures compared to 5% for reported multivitamin exposures. A clinical trial (study two) revealed an interaction between the child's age and the characteristics of the container (F = 2.83, df = 6,28; P < 0.05). Larger containers were harder to open in the hands of a 23–28 month old child while smaller containers were harder to open in the 32–38 month age group. Neither container was more easily opened by children between 29 and 31 months of age. These results suggest that container characteristics and a child's age are both variables which may influence future poison prevention activities.
Sex-specific association of sequence variants in CBS and MTRR with risk for promoter hypermethylation in the lung epithelium of smokers

Gene promoter hypermethylation is now regarded as a promising biomarker for the risk and progression of lung cancer. The one-carbon metabolism pathway is postulated to affect deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation because it is responsible for the generation of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the methyl donor for cellular methylation reactions. This study investigated the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in six one-carbon metabolism-related genes with promoter hypermethylation in sputum DNA from non-Hispanic white smokers in the Lovelace Smokers Cohort (LSC) (n = 907). Logistic regression was used to assess the association of SNPs with hypermethylation using a high/low methylation cutoff. SNPs in the cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase reductase (MTRR) genes were significantly associated with high methylation in males [CBS rs2850146 (-8283G > C), OR = 4.9; 95% CI: 1.98, 12.2, P = 0.0006] and low methylation in females [MTRR rs3776467 (7068A > G), OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.77, P = 0.0003]. The variant allele of rs2850146 was associated with reduced gene expression and increased plasma homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations. Three plasma metabolites, Hcy, methionine and dimethylglycine, were associated with increased risk for gene methylation. These studies suggest that SNPs in CBS and MTRR have sex-specific associations with aberrant methylation in the lung epithelium of smokers that could be mediated by the affected one-carbon metabolism and transsulfuration in the cells. Abbreviations: CBS cystathionine beta synthase DNA deoxyribonucleic acid HBEC human bronchial epithelial cell Hcy homocysteine LD, linkage disequilibrium; LSC lovelace Smokers Cohort MAF minor allele frequency MTHFR methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase MTRR methyltransferase reductase SNP single nucleotide polymorphisms SAH S-adenosylhomocysteine SAM S-adenosylmethionine
Multi-portfolio time consistency for set-valued convex and coherent risk measures

Equivalent characterizations of multi-portfolio time consistency are deduced for closed convex and coherent set-valued risk measures on $L^{p}({\varOmega,\mathcal{F},\mathbb{P}; \mathbb{R}^{d}})$ with image space in the power set of $L^{p}({\varOmega,\mathcal{F}_{t},\mathbb{P}; \mathbb{R}^{d}})$ . In the convex case, multi-portfolio time consistency is equivalent to a cocycle condition on the sum of minimal penalty functions. In the coherent case, multi-portfolio time consistency is equivalent to a generalized version of stability of the dual variables. As examples, the set-valued entropic risk measure with constant risk aversion coefficient is shown to satisfy the cocycle condition for its minimal penalty functions; the set of superhedging portfolios is shown to have in markets with proportional transaction costs the stability property and to satisfy in markets with convex transaction costs the composed cocycle condition; and a multi-portfolio time-consistent version of the set-valued average value at risk, the composed AV@R, is given, and its dual representation deduced.
Quantitative analysis of biomolecular concentration in living cells with high spatial resolution

The concentration of intrinsic biomolecules, such as proteins and cofactors, can be used as a reporter for health and disease diagnoses. Fluorescence is a noninvasive approach for qualitative imaging of these biomolecules. However, accurate and quantitative estimate of molecular concentration requires an in-depth understanding of the cellular microenvironment's effect on the fluorescence properties of these molecules. Here we present a fluorescence-based method for accurate estimation of the molecular concentration using a combination of steady-state and time-resolved two-photon fluorescence imaging. While the fluorescence intensity depends linearly on the fluorophore concentration, it also depends on the fluorescence quantum yield (i.e., lifetime) which is very sensitive to the cellular environment and molecular structure. As a result, a combination of fluorescence intensity and lifetime imaging provides a unique opportunity for quantitative analysis of biomolecules in their native environment with high spatial resolution. As proof of this concept, we present results on Hs578T human breast cancer cells, as a model system, stained with a mitochondrial marker Rhodamine 123. The ratio of lifetime decays between the fluorophore in vivo and in solution is used as a correction factor for constructing a two dimensional concentration map from an intensity image.
Thickness Dependent Effects of Thermal Annealing and Solvent Vapor Treatment of Poly (3-hexylthiophene) and Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaics

We have utilized room-temperature solvent vapor treatment followed by thermal annealing to process bulk heterojunction (BHJ) photovoltaic devices based on blends of poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) of varied active layer thickness. The morphological and photovoltaic performance characteristics of the cells subject to these treatments were found to be dependent on active layer thickness. The devices were characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and opto-electrical and external quantum efficiency measurements in order to analyze the mechanism underlying the observed trend. Performance indicators including fill factor, short-circuit current and power conversion efficiency were correlated to the ordering of device active layers and morphology. The maximum power conversion efficiency achieved was 4.1 %.
INTERACTION OF THE ERYTHROCYTE-STIMULATING FACTOR WITH CALORIGENIC HORMONES.

Female rats of the Long-Evans strain were hypophysectomized at 26 days of age. Forty-five days later, after the development of the posthypophysectomy anemia, they were injected with the erythrocyte-stimulating factor (obtained from human urine) (ESF) alone, and in combination with adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH), cortisol, thyrotrophin (TSH), L-thyroxine and growth hormone (GH) for 14 days. Normal rats of comparable age were also treated with ESF for the same period. Metabolic rate was determined on day 12 and red cell volume/100 g body wt (RCV) on day 15. ESF, at the highest dose employed (500 μg), restored RCV to normal in hypophysectomized rats but did not elevate it above normal except when administered for 25 days. In normal rats, ESF produced polycythemia at this dose; however, the percentage increase over control values was the same as in hypophysectomized rats. Of the various hormones tested individually, only ACTH and cortisol intensified the erythropoietic action of ESF. Cortisol gave the more marke...
Probing active site chemistry with differently charged Au25q nanoclusters (q = −1, 0, +1)

Charged active sites are hypothesized to participate in heterogeneously-catalyzed reactions. For example, Auδ+ species at the catalyst surface or catalyst–support interface are thought to promote the thermally-driven CO oxidation reaction. However, the concept of charged active sites is rarely extended to electrochemical systems. We used atomically precise Au25q nanoclusters with different ground state charges (q = −1, 0, +1) to study the role of charged active sites in Au-catalyzed electrochemical reactions. Au25q clusters showed charge state-dependent electrocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction, CO oxidation and O2 reduction reactions in aqueous media. Experimental studies and density functional theory identified a relationship between the Au25q charge state, the stability of adsorbed reactants or products, and the catalytic reaction rate. Anionic Au25− promoted CO2 reduction by stabilizing coadsorbed CO2 and H+ reactants. Cationic Au25+ promoted CO oxidation by stabilizing coadsorbed CO and OH− reactants. Finally, stronger product adsorption at Au25+ inhibited O2 reduction rates. The participation of H+ and OH− in numerous aqueous electrocatalytic reactions likely extends the concept of charge state-mediated reactivity to a wide range of applications, including fuel cells, water splitting, batteries, and sensors. Au25q clusters have also shown photocatalytic and more traditional thermocatalytic activity, and the concept of charge state-mediated reactivity may create new opportunities for tuning reactant, intermediate and product interactions in catalytic systems extending beyond the field of electrochemistry.
Environmental Risk Perceptions and the White Male Effect: Pollution Concerns among Deep-South Coastal Residents:

Recent research in the United States reveals that although men are more accepting of risk than women, and Whites more accepting of risks than non-whites, more notable patterns lie at the intersection of race and gender. Evidence of the white male effect has been found in both national and local samples. The present study examines the environmental risk perceptions of deep-South coastal residents in counties adjacent to Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. These areas are characterized by heavy industrial pollution and significant airborne mercury fallout, resulting in numerous health advisories regarding fish consumption. The analysis supports a growing body of literature that finds, compared to other race-gender groups, white males are more accepting of environmental risks, especially those risks posing a threat to human health and safety. The significance of the white male effect for policy and future applied risk research are discussed, and suggestions for future research are presented.
Marketing and the Prog Development Process

AbstractConditions in today's highly competitive health care arena are driving research-oriented pharmaceutical companies to invest considerable time and resources into the development of new and innovative compounds. In many organizations pharmaceutical marketing and clinical development groups exist as separate entities. Closer relations between these groups need to be established since the development of new chemical entities into successful commercial products is paramount for pharmaceutical firms to attain their overall corporate goals.Marketing (product management) can be a vital contributor to the pharmaceutical product development process. By working with various other drug development “team members,” most notably clinical research, this group can significantly assist with the development of agents that will not only satisfy FDA requirements for safety and efficacy, but also will fulfill clinician needs and stand up to clinical/scientific scrutiny when marketed. Through various “In House” and “Out...
On Moduli for Invariant Subspaces

One of the most influential papers in operator theory was that of Beurling [4] in which he proposed to solve the problem of spectral synthesis for the backward shift operator on the Hilbert space l 2. His characterization of the adjoint operator’s invariant subspaces in terms of inner functions and his introduction of the notion of inner-outer factorization into the problem had a profound effect.
Capturing the Ghost: Expanding Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11 to Solve Procedural Concerns with Ghostwriting

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure have not kept pace with the ways in which some lawyers are representing low-income litigants. For example, in its current form, Rule 11 only recognizes traditional full scope representation and purely pro se representation, without addressing the ever-increasing possibility that lawyers may represent civil litigants for mere portions of the trial process - the phenomenon known as limited scope representation. The failure of the Federal Rules to address this newer representational model is one of several likely causes of an increase in ghostwriting, the practice in which attorneys draft court documents for putative pro se litigants without disclosing their assistance. This Note first outlines the ethical and procedural problems ghostwriting poses, paying particular attention to the potential unfairness and inefficiency of the practice, as well as concerns that ghostwriting violates Rule 11. Because previous discussions of ghostwriting have largely focused on ethical implications of the practice, this Note analyzes criticisms of and justifications for ghostwriting from a purely procedural perspective. This procedural analysis reveals that none of the previous discussions of ghostwriting fully resolves fairness and efficiency concerns implicated by the practice. As a result, this Note proposes revising Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11 to address the practice. Such a solution would, for the first time, address limited scope representation in the litigation context, and provide concrete incentives for attorneys to disclose their assistance to putative pro se litigants.
Information Processing Changes Following Extended Stress

The psychological states and cognitive performance capacities of military participants were assessed prior to and following 1 week of field training at a Navy Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) School. The effect of this exposure resulted in significant cognitive performance deterioration and an increase in reported levels of subjective discomfort. Simple Reaction Time increased, and the capacity to perform information manipulation tasks such as Spatial Processing and Code Substitution deteriorated. Logical Reasoning proved the most susceptible of all tasks to the effects of the weeklong stressful exposure. These various effects were evident only in interaction with time on task. In the testing session following the stressful field exposure, participants’ immediate response was at a level similar to their pretraining baseline. However, unlike their preexposure session, performance in the later condition declined as the session progressed. This pattern suggests that immediately following the stress exposure, participants are able to sustain their normal performance but only for a limited period of time. Because the duration of any one single task, each being less than 1 min, was very brief, the results indicated that this time-based degradation was fairly rapid. Overall results indicate, therefore, that for stress assessment, Simple Reaction Time task may be usefully and pragmatically diagnostic of stress-induced deterioration. Our results further indicate that cognitive performance decrements are associated with subjective report of decreased vigor and increased difficulty in concentrating. In addressing the issue of sustained performance capacity and resilience following extended stress exposure, we seek to facilitate one goal—a modern objective force that is responsive to rapid changes in mission profile and operations. These findings indicate that crucial informationprocessing response measures help to achieve this aim.
Measurement of streamwise vortices in low-speed flight

Low Reynolds number aerodynamic experiments with flapping animals (such as bats and small birds) are of particular interest due to their application to Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) which operate in a similar parameter space. Previous PIV wake measurements described the structures left by bats and birds and provided insight to the time history of their aerodynamic force generation; however, these studies have faced difficulty drawing quantitative conclusions based on said measurements. The highly three-dimensional and unsteady nature of the flows associated with flapping flight are major challenges for accurate measurements. The challenge of animal flight measurements is finding small flow features in a large field of view at high speed with limited laser energy and camera resolution. Cross-stream measurement is further complicated by the predominately out-of-plane flow that requires thick laser sheets and short inter-frame times, which increase noise and measurement uncertainty. Choosing appropriate experimental parameters requires compromise between the spatial and temporal resolution and the dynamic range of the measurement. To explore these challenges, we do a case study on the wake of a fixed wing. The fixed model simplifies the experiment and allows direct measurements of the aerodynamic forces via load cell. We present a detailed analysis of the wake measurements, discuss the criteria for making accurate measurements, and present a solution for making quantitative aerodynamic load measurements behind free flyers.
Hand-assisted laparoscopic renal surgery: current trends and applications.

OBJECTIVE Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery has recently been introduced in order to help ease the learning process associated with standard laparoscopic surgery. It has various urological applications in the management of malignant and benign disease of the kidney. The purpose of this study is to review the applications and the success rate associated with hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery. METHODS A comprehensive literature review of hand-assisted urological surgery was performed using MEDLINE search. RESULTS Hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy has been performed for benign and malignant disease, donor renal transplant, and nephron sparing surgery with good success. Patients who undergo the hand-assisted procedure seem to have less perioperative morbidity than those who undergo an open procedure. This approach minimized the warm-ischemia time in renal transplantation. CONCLUSION Hand-assisted nephrectomy is a useful tool facilitating the learning process in laparoscopy.
Modelling and impact analysis of football player head with helmet toward mitigating brain concussion

In recent years, increasing concussions among American football players have drawn attention and concerns regarding safety of today's football helmets. This study investigates the effects of concussive impact forces on the brain of football players and the shock absorbing performance of actual football helmets. Initially, the mechanical properties of typical helmet materials were obtained through compression tests and hysteresis loop experiments. Next, a lumped-mass model was developed to physically describe both the head and helmet together against an impact load, and the brain response was obtained from the semi-analytical analysis. To extract more information such as strains and wave propagations within the brain, a detailed continuum model was constructed and the response of the brain was analysed by using the finite element method. A realistic impact load was obtained from a case study of actual football play. Our experimental data along with biomechanical data of the head and brain from the available literature were incorporated into our modelling and analyses. The results indicated that the accelerations and strains in the brain were both above the concussion thresholds and that current football helmet designs may not protect players against concussion.
Multiple Imperialisms: The Federal Reserve's Response to the Global Financial Crisis:

This article reviews three theories of U.S. imperialism: super-imperialism, ultra-imperialism, and imperial rivalry, in the context of the U.S.'s relation to the current dollar dominated, financial...
A Self-Learning and Online Algorithm for Time Series Anomaly Detection, with Application in CPU Manufacturing

The problem of anomaly detection in time series has received a lot of attention in the past two decades. However, existing techniques cannot locate where the anomalies are within anomalous time series, or they require users to provide the length of potential anomalies. To address these limitations, we propose a self-learning online anomaly detection algorithm that automatically identifies anomalous time series, as well as the exact locations where the anomalies occur in the detected time series. We evaluate our approach on several real datasets, including two CPU manufacturing data from Intel. We demonstrate that our approach can successfully detect the correct anomalies without requiring any prior knowledge about the data.
Cancer risks and mutation spectrum of mismatch repair genes in African American families with Lynch syndrome.

1530 Background: Although African Americans (AA) have the highest colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality of all populations in the United States, no studies have determined cancer risk and...
Calibration methods influence quantitative material decomposition in photon-counting spectral CT

Photon-counting detectors and nanoparticle contrast agents can potentially enable molecular imaging and material decomposition in computed tomography (CT). Material decomposition has been investigated using both simulated and acquired data sets. However, the effect of calibration methods on material decomposition has not been systematically investigated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the range and number of contrast agent concentrations within a modular calibration phantom on quantitative material decomposition. A commerciallyavailable photon-counting spectral micro-CT (MARS Bioimaging) was used to acquire images with five energy bins selected to normalize photon counts and leverage the contrast agent k-edge. Material basis matrix values were determined using multiple linear regression models and material decomposition was performed using a maximum a posteriori estimator. The accuracy of quantitative material decomposition was evaluated by the root mean squared error (RMSE), specificity, sensitivity, and area under the curve (AUC). An increased maximum concentration (range) in the calibration significantly improved RMSE, specificity and AUC. The effects of an increased number of concentrations in the calibration were not statistically significant for the conditions in this study. The overall results demonstrated that the accuracy of quantitative material decomposition in spectral CT is significantly influenced by calibration methods, which must therefore be carefully considered for the intended diagnostic imaging application.
Factors Associated With End-of-Life Planning in Huntington Disease

Objective:Knowledge of one’s gene status for adult onset conditions provides opportunity to make advance end-of-life (EOL) plans. The purposes of these analyses were to (1) determine the prevalence of EOL plans, including advance directives (ADs) among persons across 3 stages of Huntington disease (HD) and (2) examine factors associated with having ADs in this sample.Methods:Data are from 503 participants in the HD Quality of Life study. Participants completed an online health-related quality-of-life survey that included questions regarding EOL planning and self-reported HD symptoms. Frequencies were calculated for EOL planning by the HD stage. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression were used to identify variables associated with having ADs.Results:A total of 38.2% of participants stated they had ADs and fewer than half had other EOL plans. Being older, increased HD stage, more years of education, lower anxiety, more swallowing symptoms, and higher meaning and purpose were associated with having ADs.C...
Considerations for HR, Consultants, and Organizational Psychologists

After focusing on specific tools that both individuals and organizations can use when working with NPD leaders, Germain highlights techniques that HR, consultants, and organizational psychologists can use to detect signs of distress in employees who may be affected by a coworker with NPD, before offering strategies to help those distressed employees cope. Germain forewarns of potential NPD behaviors that HR professionals may notice at the time of recruitment. She then provides examples of legal considerations to take into account when working with employees with NPD, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act. The chapter ends with an overview of workplace bullying and employee harassment.
Lessons from Biology: Genes, Neurons, Neocortex and the New Computing Model for Cognitive Information Technologies

In this paper we analyze our current understanding of genes, neurons and the neocortex and draw a parallel to current implementations of cognitive computing in Silicon. We argue that current information technologies have evolved from the original stored program control architecture implementing the Turing machines which allowed us to model, configure, monitor and control any physical system using a Universal Turing Machine model. However, large scale of distributed computations and their tolerance requirement to fluctuations have created new challenges. We suggest that a new agent based computing model extension to the current Turing machine meets this challenge and provides a path to cognitive self-learning and self-managing systems.
RNA-Seq reveals MicroRNA expression signature and genetic polymorphism associated with growth and muscle quality traits in rainbow trout

The role of microRNA expression and genetic variation in microRNA-binding sites of target genes on growth and muscle quality traits is poorly characterized. We used RNA-Seq approach to investigate their importance on 5 growth and muscle quality traits: whole body weight (WBW), muscle yield, muscle crude-fat content, muscle shear force and whiteness. Phenotypic data were collected from 471 fish, representing 98 families (~5 fish/family) from a growth-selected line. Muscle microRNAs and mRNAs were sequenced from 22 families showing divergent phenotypes. Ninety microRNAs showed differential expression between families with divergent phenotypes, and their expression was strongly associated with variation in phenotypes. A total of 204 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) present in 3′ UTR of target genes either destroyed or created novel illegitimate microRNA target sites; of them, 78 SNPs explained significant variation in the aforementioned 5 muscle traits. Majority of the phenotype-associated SNPs were present in microRNA-binding sites of genes involved in energy metabolism and muscle structure. These findings suggest that variation in microRNA expression and/or sequence variation in microRNA binding sites in target genes play an important role in mediating differences in fish growth and muscle quality phenotypes.
Environmental predictors of nestling condition, postfledging movement, and postfledging survival in a migratory songbird, the Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)

ABSTRACT Given that population dynamics of birds are known to be sensitive to high fledgling mortality, a comprehensive understanding of the environmental factors that drive variation in fledgling survival is essential to avian conservation. We quantified multiple aspects of the Wood Thrush postfledging period using breeding and radio-telemetry data collected over the course of 4 breeding seasons in southern Indiana, USA. First, we examined how drought, forest cover, and brood parasitism affected nestling body condition and brood size. Second, after controlling for the age-specific increase in survival, we used multimodel inference to examine how brood parasitism, drought, forest cover, nestling body condition, and nest vegetation structure influenced postfledging survival. Finally, we measured the relationship between these covariates and fledgling movements. Drought decreased cumulative survival probabilities, with the youngest age group (<4 days postfledging) being most affected; however, this relation...
Simulations and Electrostatic Analysis Suggest an Active Role for DNA Conformational Changes During Genome Packaging by Bacteriophages

Motors that move DNA, or that move along DNA, play essential roles in DNA replication, transcription, recombination, and chromosome segregation. The mechanisms by which these DNA translocases operate remain largely unknown. Some double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses use an ATP-dependent motor to drive DNA into preformed capsids. These include several human pathogens, as well as dsDNA bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria). We previously proposed that DNA is not a passive substrate of bacteriophage packaging motors but is, instead, an active component of the machinery. Computational studies on dsDNA in the channel of viral portal proteins reported here reveal DNA conformational changes consistent with that hypothesis. dsDNA becomes longer ("stretched") in regions of high negative electrostatic potential, and shorter ("scrunched") in regions of high positive potential. These results suggest a mechanism that couples the energy released by ATP hydrolysis to DNA translocation: The chemical cycle of ATP binding, hydrolysis and product release drives a cycle of protein conformational changes. This produces changes in the electrostatic potential in the channel through the portal, and these drive cyclic changes in the length of dsDNA. The DNA motions are captured by a coordinated protein-DNA grip-and-release cycle to produce DNA translocation. In short, the ATPase, portal and dsDNA work synergistically to promote genome packaging.
At the Nexus of History, Ecology, and Hydrobiogeochemistry: Improved Predictions across Scales through Integration.

ABSTRACT To improve predictions of ecosystem function in future environments, we need to integrate the ecological and environmental histories experienced by microbial communities with hydrobiogeochemistry across scales. A key issue is whether we can derive generalizable scaling relationships that describe this multiscale integration. There is a strong foundation for addressing these challenges. We have the ability to infer ecological history with null models and reveal impacts of environmental history through laboratory and field experimentation. Recent developments also provide opportunities to inform ecosystem models with targeted omics data. A major next step is coupling knowledge derived from such studies with multiscale modeling frameworks that are predictive under non-steady-state conditions. This is particularly true for systems spanning dynamic interfaces, which are often hot spots of hydrobiogeochemical function. We can advance predictive capabilities through a holistic perspective focused on the nexus of history, ecology, and hydrobiogeochemistry.
The SAS Environment

In this chapter, we begin to become familiar with the basic SAS working environment. We introduce the basic 3-screen layout, how to navigate the SAS Explorer window, the two basic types of SAS programs, the kinds of data with which you will work in SAS, and how to get help.
Out-of-Home Care for Adolescents

For the families who are not able to utilize the preventive and supportive services presented in the previous chapter to avert placement of the adolescent or to whom such services have not been made available, placement in out-of-home care is another option. Other adolescents have been long-time users of such care facilities. This chapter opens with a review of how many adolescents are in what types of out-of-home care, and it lists pathways to placement in adolescence. Next follows a discussion of three types of facilities: foster family care, community group homes, and residential/institutional care, with emphasis on the first type of care. For almost all of the adolescents in these facilities, efforts are made to maintain contact with the natural family, and a separate section is devoted to the important topic of parental involvement and its consequences. Adolescents who have long been part of the adoption scene and those who enter it during the teen years after severance of the legal parent-child relationship are discussed in the last section of the chapter. The characteristics, philosophies, and policies of these service systems are fully described in many other sources, referred to in this book; the literature has been used selectively as it sheds light on the experiences of adolescents and their families.
Pediatric office procedures.

SUMMARY The practice of pediatric urology has changed much during the last 25 years. Procedures that were once done only on inpatients are now done as ambulatory cases, comprising more than 60 per cent of all surgery. This trend has continued, with even more cases being done as office procedures. These consist of circumcision, meatotomy for stenosis, lysis of labial adhesions, and meatal dilatation after hypospadias repair. If an operation is done with attention to detail, it can be completed with minimal complications, although, as evidenced with circumcision, those that do occur can carry significant morbidity and even cause death. The primary limiting factor for performing procedures in the office is the comfort of the patient. The procedure, by necessity, has to entail minimum pain and great ease in obtaining hemostasis and requires a cooperative patient and family. Therefore, even as the number of operations performed on an outpatient basis increases, there are a finite number of cases suitable for the office.
Material selection in electrospinning microparticles

Abstract Electrospinning is a valuable production method for nanoscale polymeric fibers. A major limitation of the technology is the requirement for high molecular weight polymers as a major part of the matrix. Many applications would benefit from flexibility in the materials for electrospinning, including pharmaceuticals, wearable devices and diagnostics, and structured fibers with particles included that are larger than the fiber size. To realize these more advanced functional composites, a strong understanding of how particle inclusion affects the electrospinning process and mat properties is essential. In this work, we examine materials systems containing polymers and microparticles, focusing on how inclusion of particles affects the electrospinnability and morphology of the fiber. The primary factors that influence electrospinnability and morphology are the particle density, particle aggregation, and size ratio of the fibers to the particles. These results provide a platform for product design for new electrospun materials with high loadings of functional particles.
Lexical prediction in the aging brain: The effects of predictiveness and congruency on the N400 ERP component.

Although the N400 ERP component has been extensively studied in younger adults, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. In older adults, N400 ERP studies have shown less efficient use of conte...