cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bayesian estimation of rare sensitive attribute

ABSTRACTRandomized response models have been used to estimate a population proportion of a sensitive attribute. A randomized device is typically employed to protect respondent's privacy in a survey. In addition, an unrelated question is asked to improve the statistical efficiency. In this article, we propose Bayesian estimation of rare sensitive attribute using randomized response technique, which includes a rare unrelated attribute. Two cases are considered, the proportion of a rare unrelated attribute is known and unknown. A simulation study is conducted to assess the performance of the models using mean absolute error and coverage probability. The results show that the performance depends on the parameters and is robust to priors.
Temporal trends in satellite-derived erythemal UVB and implications for ambient sun exposure assessment

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) has been associated with various health outcomes, including skin cancers, vitamin D insufficiency, and multiple sclerosis. Measurement of UVR has been difficult, traditionally relying on subject recall. We investigated trends in satellite-derived UVB from 1978 to 2014 within the continental United States (US) to inform UVR exposure assessment and determine the potential magnitude of misclassification bias created by ignoring these trends. Monthly UVB data remotely sensed from various NASA satellites were used to investigate changes over time in the United States using linear regression with a harmonic function. Linear regression models for local geographic areas were used to make inferences across the entire study area using a global field significance test. Temporal trends were investigated across all years and separately for each satellite type due to documented differences in UVB estimation. UVB increased from 1978 to 2014 in 48% of local tests. The largest UVB increase was found in Western Nevada (0.145 kJ/m2 per five-year increment), a total 30-year increase of 0.87 kJ/m2. This largest change only represented 17% of total ambient exposure for an average January and 2% of an average July in Western Nevada. The observed trends represent cumulative UVB changes of less than a month, which are not relevant when attempting to estimate human exposure. The observation of small trends should be interpreted with caution due to measurement of satellite parameter inputs (ozone and climatological factors) that may impact derived satellite UVR nearly 20% compared to ground level sources. If the observed trends hold, satellite-derived UVB data may reasonably estimate ambient UVB exposures even for outcomes with long latency phases that predate the satellite record.
Positive Preferences: The Emotional Valence of What an Avatar Says Matters.

Abstract This study examined preferences and ascriptions of human control for avatars associated with positive and negative language. An avatar is a graphical representation of an individual user in a virtual world. Users form judgments of other virtual world users based on the appearance and behavior of their avatars in the absence of physical cues. In particular, users have previously displayed sensitivity toward anthropomorphism and verbal behavior of avatars they encounter within virtual environments. Thus far, investigations of language in online and virtual spaces have been limited to specific contexts. University student participants and Amazon Mechanical Turk workers were shown two avatars. Each pair consisted of two out of three possible appearances: a tiger, a male, or a female. Each avatar was aligned with a different text introduction: one containing words of positive emotional valence and the other of negative emotional valence. Participants from both samples preferred avatars associated with...
Robotic Vesicovaginal Fistula Repair

Repair of vescio-vaginal fistula (VVF) represents a surgical challenge with regards to timing of repair, surgical approach, and postoperative patient management (Urology, 160:1995–1999, 1998; Can J Urol, 19: 6474–6476, 2012). Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) repair may be undertaken via open, laparoscopic, or vaginal approaches (Urology, 160:1995–1999, 1998). VVF below the trigone are usually repaired vaginally. Supratrigonal fistulas have been repaired utilizing open and laparoscopic/robotic approaches (Can J Urol, 19: 6474–6476, 2012). This is typically accomplished through an intravesical approach (Urology, 67:970–973, 2006; J Urol, 180:981–985, 2008). The extravesical approach to VVF repair has also been described for supratrigonal fistulas; this approach may improve the postoperative morbidity associated with a large cystotomy (Can J Urol, 19: 6474–6476, 2012). The following chapter will discuss the operative setup, positioning, trocar configuration, instrumentation, step-by-step technique, common complications, and follow-up for robotic-assisted VVF repair.
Central Arterial Function Measured by Non-invasive Pulse Wave Analysis is Abnormal in Patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder caused by mutation of dystrophin. Cardiovascular involvement includes dilated cardiomyopathy. Non-invasive assessment of vascular function has not been evaluated in DMD. We hypothesize arterial wave reflection is abnormal in patients with DMD. Pulse wave analysis was performed on DMD patients with a SphygmoCor SCOR-PVx System to determine central blood pressure and augmentation index (AIx) as an assessment of arterial wave reflection. Results were compared to a control group. A total of 43 patients with DMD were enrolled, and compared to 43 normal controls. Central systolic blood pressure was lower, while both AIx-75 (7.8 ± 9.6% vs. 2.1 ± 10.4%, p 0.01, DMD vs. normal) and AIx-not corrected (16.8 ± 10.1% vs. −3.6 ± 10.9, p < 0.001, DMD vs. normal) were higher in the DMD compared to control. Using multivariable linear regression model, the variables found to have a significant effect on AIx-not corrected included diagnosis of DMD, height, and heart rate (r 2 = 0.257). The current data suggest that, despite lower central systolic blood pressure, patients with DMD have higher wave reflection when compared to normal controls, which may represent increased arterial stiffness. Overall there appears to be no effect on ventricular systolic function, however the long-term consequence in this group is unknown. Further study is required to determine the mechanism of these differences, which may be related to the effects of systemic steroids or the role of dystrophin in vascular function.
Practice Evaluation Strategies Among Social Workers: Why an Evidence-Informed Dual-Process Theory Still Matters

Practice evaluation strategies range in style from the formal-analytic tools of single-subject designs, rapid assessment instruments, algorithmic steps in evidence-informed practice, and computer software applications, to the informal-interactive tools of clinical supervision, consultation with colleagues, use of client feedback, and clinical experience. The purpose of this article is to provide practice researchers in social work with an evidence-informed theory that is capable of explaining both how and why social workers use practice evaluation strategies to self-monitor the effectiveness of their interventions in terms of client change. The author delineates the theoretical contours and consequences of what is called dual-process theory. Drawing on evidence-informed advances in the cognitive and social neurosciences, the author identifies among everyday social workers a theoretically stable, informal-interactive tool preference that is a cognitively necessary, sufficient, and stand-alone preference that requires neither the supplementation nor balance of formal-analytic tools. The author's delineation of dual-process theory represents a theoretical contribution in the century-old attempt to understand how and why social workers evaluate their practice the way they do.
A biogeographical profile of the sand cockroach Arenivaga floridensis and its bearing on origin hypotheses for Florida scrub biota.

Florida scrub is a xeric ecosystem associated with the peninsula's sand ridges, whose intermittent Pliocene-Pleistocene isolation is considered key to scrub endemism. One scrub origin hypothesis posits endemics were sourced by the Pliocene dispersal of arid-adapted taxa from southwestern North America; a second invokes Pleistocene migration within eastern North America. Only one study to date has explicitly tested these competing hypotheses, supporting an eastern origin for certain scrub angiosperms. For further perspective, we conducted a genetic analysis of an endemic arthropod, the Florida sand cockroach (Arenivaga floridensis), with two aims: (1) to reconstruct the peninsular colonization and residence history of A. floridensis and (2) determine whether its biogeographic profile favors either origin hypothesis. We sequenced the cox2 mitochondrial gene for 237 specimens (65 populations) as well as additional loci (cox1, nuclear H3) for a subset of Florida roaches and congeners. Using Network and Bayesian inference methods, we identified three major lineages whose genetic differentiation and phylogeographical structure correspond with late Pliocene peninsula insularization, indicating Arenivaga was present and broadly distributed in Florida at that time. Stem and crown divergence estimates (6.36 Ma; 2.78 Ma) between A. floridensis and western sister taxa span a period of extensive dispersal by western biota along an arid Gulf Coast corridor. These phylogeographical and phylogenetic results yield a biogeographic profile consistent with the western origin hypothesis. Moreover, age estimates for the roach's peninsular residence complement those of several other endemics, favoring a Pliocene (or earlier) inception of the scrub ecosystem. We argue that eastern versus western hypotheses are not mutually exclusive; rather, a composite history of colonization involving disparate biotas better explains the diverse endemism of Florida scrub.
Consecutive Loss in Real-Time Packet Traffic

ABSTRACT Real-time packet traffic is characterized by a strict deadline on the end-to-end time delay and an upper bound on the information loss. Due to the high correlation among consecutive packets, the individual packet loss does not characterize the performance of real-time packet sessions. An additional measure of packet loss is necessary to adequately assess the quality of each real-time connection. The additional measure considered here is the average number of consecutively lost packets, referred to as the session average packet gap. We derive an expression for the session average packet gap for the multiclass G/G/m/B queueing system and show that it only depends on the loss behavior of two consecutive packets. This result holds under very weak stationarity conditions. If the packet loss process is markovian, the consecutive packet loss has a geometric distribution. Finally, we explicitly compute the clipping loss perfomance measures for the multiclass M/M/1/∞ queue.
Vitamin A (VA) alone or combined with retinoic acid (VARA) in the neonatal period improves the secondary response to tetanus toxoid (TT) in VA-deficient rats

We have tested whether giving VA early in life can improve the antibody response to later immunization. Using a rat model, we compared 3 treatments given to neonates (d-6-8) on the anti-TT primary ...
1 – Introduction to medical applications of diamond particles and surfaces*

: Diamond has been considered for use in several medical applications due to its unique mechanical, chemical, optical, and biological properties. In this chapter, methods for preparing synthetic diamond surfaces and particles are described. In addition, recent developments involving the use of diamond in prostheses, sensing, imaging, and drug delivery applications are reviewed. These developments suggest that diamond-containing structures will provide significant improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions over the coming years.
Acceleration factor for damp heat testing of PV modules

Interconnect Metallization System (IMS) degradation of photovoltaic (PV) modules is one among the major degradation modes in the field caused by higher operating temperatures and daily/seasonal/cloud cyclic temperatures. Usually, the acceleration factor (AF) and activation energy (Ea) of IMS degradation are determined based on power degradation data. Using power degradation data may not be fully representative of a specific mechanism since the power drop could be caused by multiple degradation mechanisms. In this paper, we have used the series resistance (Rs) increase, instead of power degradation, to obtain the AF and Ea for IMS degradation mechanism in the damp heat test (85°C/85% RH). The degradation data were sourced from our qualification damp heat test database with 94 crystalline silicon modules, and two field databases of Arizona and New York climates with 615 and 236 crystalline silicon modules, respectively. A 3-step approach was implemented to determine the AF for the damp heat testing. First, the AF for the field-to-field degradation was determined based on Rs degradation rates of the modules in Arizona and New York. Second, the Ea was determined based on the AF, and hourly differences in field-to-field module temperature and relative humidity. Third, the AF was determined based on Rs increase in the damp heat test and the Ea determined using the field data in the second step. A model based on modified Peck’s equation was used to determine a generic AF for the Rs increase in qualification damp heat testing. This approach is useful to predict the service lifetime and reliability of PV modules for specific climatic regions.
Refinement and Unification of Checkerboard and Gradient Index RCS-Reduction Metasurfaces

A novel radar cross section (RCS)-reduction technique, which unifies the concepts of checkerboard metasurfaces (CMS) and gradient index metasurfaces (GIMS), is presented. More importantly, it refines the concepts of both of these meta-surfaces as well as overcomes numerous limitations associated with them. A sample metasurface is fabricated and measured.
Metallgesellschaft's hedging debacle: what went wrong and lessons learned

This paper reviews various aspects of the energy-derivatives marketing and hedging program of Metallgesellschaft (MG) and its hedging strategy. Specifically, the paper looks at the program's risk exposures, cash flow problems, and the developments that led to the termination of the program by MG's management. The criticisms of the hedging program, the impact of MG's action of abruptly terminating the program, and whether the program involved speculation are discussed. The paper concludes with observations on the lessons learned from MG's hedging debacle.
Understanding Implementation Challenges to Genetic Testing for Familial Hypercholesterolemia in the United States

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States (US), with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) being a major inherited and genetic risk factor for premature CVD and atherosclerosis. Genetic testing has helped patients and providers confirm the presence of known pathogenic and likely pathogenic variations in FH-associated genes. Key organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Heart Association (AHA), FH Foundation, and National Lipid Association (NLA), have recognized the clinical utility of FH genetic testing. However, FH genetic testing is underutilized in clinical practice in the US for reasons that are underexplored through the lens of implementation science. In this commentary, we discuss seven key implementation challenges that must be overcome to strengthen the clinical adoption of FH genetic testing in the US. These implementation challenges center on evidence of cost-effectiveness, navigating patient and provider preferences and concerns, gender and ethnic diversity and representation in genetic testing, and establishing clinical consensus around FH genetic testing based on the latest and most relevant research findings. Overcoming these implementation challenges is imperative to the mission of reducing CVD risk in the US.
Latest results from GlueX

The GlueX experiment is housed in the newest experimental hall at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Virginia. It was successfully commissioned in 2015 and is in its third year of data taking. GlueX uses a 12 GeV electron beam incident on a diamond radiator, producing a linearly polarized, coherent Bremsstrahlung photon beam. The ultimate goal of GlueX is to search for exotic hybrid mesons (e.g. qqg ), with either exotic or conventional quantum numbers, whose existence, or lack thereof, would allow for the exploration of the gluon-gluon coupling present in QCD through the manifestation of hadrons with gluonic degrees of freedom. Photo-production at these energies is fairly unexplored and the linear beam polarization allows GlueX to discriminate between various production mechanisms which may be an effective way to identify such exotic hybrid mesons. In addition to exotic mesons, GlueX will also be poised to map out the conventional meson spectrum and to study the spectrum of excited vector mesons, which are often poorly understood. In these proceedings, we will present an overview of the GlueX experiment, its goals, current physics results, and future plans.
Storm@twitter

This paper describes the use of Storm at Twitter. Storm is a real-time fault-tolerant and distributed stream data processing system. Storm is currently being used to run various critical computations in Twitter at scale, and in real-time. This paper describes the architecture of Storm and its methods for distributed scale-out and fault-tolerance. This paper also describes how queries (aka. topologies) are executed in Storm, and presents some operational stories based on running Storm at Twitter. We also present results from an empirical evaluation demonstrating the resilience of Storm in dealing with machine failures. Storm is under active development at Twitter and we also present some potential directions for future work.
A field-effect approach to directly profiling the localized states in monolayer MoS2

Abstract A fundamental understanding of the charge transport mechanism in two-dimensional semiconductors (e.g., MoS2) is crucial for fully exploring their potential in electronic and optoelectronic devices. By using monolayer graphene as the barrier-free contact to MoS2, we show that the field-modulated conductivity can be used to probe the electronic structure of the localized states. A series of regularly distributed plateaus were observed in the gate-dependent transfer curves. Calculations based on the variable-range hopping theory indicate that such plateaus can be attributed to the discrete localized states near mobility edge. This method provides an effective approach to directly profiling the localized states in conduction channel with an ultrahigh resolution up to 1 meV.
A Fitness-Wellness Program for Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and Their Best Friends: A Case-Comparison-Control Study

Date Presented 04/05/19 The course of care for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) involves chemotherapy, which causes physical deficits in strength, balance, and sensation, as well as psychosocial effects, including risk of depression. This study highlights the successful use of a six-month fitness and wellness program consisting of physical activity, social interaction, and education, for children with ALL and their best friends, to reduce the physical and psychosocial effects of cancer treatment. Primary Author and Speaker: Kristen Faucett Additional Authors and Speakers: Jessica Tsotsoros Contributing Authors: Ken Randall, Michael Norris
CAN SECONDARY BRAIN DAMAGE BE PREVENTED BY PHARMACOLOGICAL OR OTHER MEANS

Modern treatment of severe brain injury has centered on the hospital phase with neurosurgeons and others providing intensive care devoting much of their attention to the treatment of intracranial hypertension. This is appropriate since approximately 55% of severely head injured patients reaching the hospital alive will have an ICP in excess of 30 mmHg at some time during their intensive care. However, it is important to recognize that treatment of secondary insults to the already injured brain can not only reduce the number of patients who die prior to hospitalization, but may also reduce the incidence of elevated ICP, the most frequent cause of death in the severely head injured. Harr et al., have shown that severe hypoxia in the pre-hospital phase was associated with a substantially increased risk of elevated ICP during hospitalization (1). One might therefore conclude that early treatment of hypoxia should reduce the incidence of intracranial pressure rises and thus decrease mortality.
Recovering Fisher-Information from the MGF Alone without Requiring Explicit PMF or PDF from a One-Parameter Exponential Family

It is well-known that a finite moment generating function (m.g.f.) corresponds to a unique probability distribution. So, an important question arises: Is it possible to obtain an expression of Fisher-information, IX(Ɵ); using the m.g.f. alone, that is without requiring explicitly a probability mass function (p.m.f.) or probability density function (p.d.f.), given that the p.m.f. or p.d.f came from a one-parameter exponential family? We revisit the core of statistical inference by developing a clear link (Theorem 1.1) between the m.g.f. and IX(Ɵ). Illustrations are included.
Object Detection and Pose Estimation Using CNN in Embedded Hardware for Assistive Technology

In this paper, we present an object detection and pose estimation algorithm that runs on low-cost and limited-processing hardware. The algorithm relies on two main steps: in the detection phase, it employs a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) – namely MobileNet SSD – to recognize and track objects of interest in the scene; while in the pose estimation phase, the algorithm uses stereo correspondences to 3D reconstruct the spatial coordinates of multiple ORB features in the bounding box of the recognized object. The final position of the object in space is computed using a weighted average of the same spatial coordinates of the stereo-corresponded key points, where the weights are exponentially proportional to the level of ORB stereo matching. This algorithm was deployed on embedded systems and it achieved comparable results with respect to state-of-art, GPU-dependent, deep-learning algorithms for object pose estimation. We tested our approach in a calibrated environment where the object displacement (in either X or Y directions) can be easily measured. We used objects from the Yale-CMU-Berkeley (YCB) dataset to compare our estimation results with a deep learning based method, but our approach is not limited to this object selection. In the end, we achieved an estimated error of less than 10 mm. These results demonstrate that our approach can be used in affordable embedded systems for assistive technology in tasks such as for control of robotic arms for pick-and-place.
Comparative Lipidomic Analysis Reveals Heat Stress Responses of Two Soybean Genotypes Differing in Temperature Sensitivity.

Heat-induced changes in lipidome and their influence on stress adaptation are not well-defined in plants. We investigated if lipid metabolic changes contribute to differences in heat stress responses in a heat-tolerant soybean genotype DS25-1 and a heat-susceptible soybean genotype DT97-4290. Both genotypes were grown at optimal temperatures (OT; 30/20 °C) for 15 days. Subsequently, half of the plants were exposed to heat stress (38/28 °C) for 11 days, and the rest were kept at OT. Leaf samples were collected for lipid and RNA extractions on the 9th and 11th days of stress, respectively. We observed a decline in the lipid unsaturation level due to a decrease in the polyunsaturated linolenic acid (18:3) content in DS25-1. When examined under OT conditions, DS25-1 and DT97-4290 showed no significant differences in the expression pattern of the Fatty Acid Desaturase (FAD) 2-1A, FAD2-2B, FAD2-2C, FAD3A genes. Under heat stress conditions, substantial reductions in the expression levels of the FAD3A and FAD3B genes, which convert 18:2 lipids to 18:3, were observed in DS25-1. Our results suggest that decrease in levels of lipids containing 18:3 acyl chains under heat stress in DS25-1 is a likely consequence of reduced FAD3A and FAD3B expression, and the decrease in 18:3 contributes to DS25-1′s maintenance of membrane functionality and heat tolerance.
The use of a Reflectometer as a Monostatic Radar for Measuring Aircraft Structural Flutter

As the drive for increased aviation efficiency continues to push airframe designs toward lighter, more flexible configurations, the technology limits for modelling and monitoring airframe and control surface flutter events continue to be a challenge. Presented is a new flutter sensing technique that configures a commercial microwave reflectometer as a monostatic radar to measure low frequency vibrations typical of subsonic aircraft structural flutter. The stepped frequency continuous wave (SFCW) system with bandwidths of 90 MHz and 7.5 GHz was used to measure vibration frequencies from 1Hz to 125 Hz in a carbon fiber–reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite panel. In addition to the SFCW mode, a single frequency mode has been used to determine the velocity of vibration from 1Hz to 75 Hz. The data presented demonstrates that commercial reflectometers can be used to measure flutter-induced aircraft vibrations.
Cumulative live birth rates in women who underwent in vitro fertilization treatment at age 40 years or older

Objective To investigate the cumulative live birth rates (CLBRs) and related influencing factors in women aged ≥40 years who underwent multi-cycle in vitro fertilization (IVF). Methods This was a retrospective study. A total of 603 patients aged ≥40 years who underwent their first IVF cycle in the Center of Assisted Reproductive Technology of Northwest Women and Children’s Hospital enrolled from April 2014 to September 2016. Patients were categorized into four groups according to age: group A (40-41 years)， group B (42-43 years)， group C (44-45 years); and group D (≥46 years). The differences in antral follicle count (AFC), etiology of infertility and CLBR among the four groups were detailed compared. Some influencing factors related to CLBRs, such as age and parity, were also analyzed by logistic multivariate methods. Results The pregnancy rate per cycle, the live birth rates per cycle and the cumulative live birth rates were significantly higher in group A than those in other group, and the differences between the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). However, the number of patients with at least one cycle with no retrieval oocytes significantly enhanced (P<0.001). After three IVF cycles, 122 patients achieved a live birth, which comprised 97.6% of the total live births. Compared with group A, CLBR significantly declined from group B to group D. The OR values of groups (B, C to D) were 0.416 (95% CI=0.259-0.668), 0.227 (95% CI=0.114-0.453) and 0.121 (95% CI=0.036-0.410), respectively. Conclusion CLBR significantly declined with age. After three cycles of treatment, the accrual in the CLBR becomes less pronounced for all the four age groups.
Non-canonical activation of the ER stress sensor ATF6 by Legionella pneumophila effectors

The intracellular bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila (L.p.) secretes ~330 effector 9 proteins into the host cell to sculpt an Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)-derived replicative niche. We 10 previously reported five L.p. effectors that inhibit IRE1, a key sensor of the homeostatic unfolded 11 protein response (UPR) pathway. In this study, we discovered a subset of L.p. toxins that 12 selectively activate the UPR sensor ATF6, resulting in its cleavage, nuclear translocation and 13 target gene transcription without affecting other UPR sensors such as PERK. In a deviation from 14 the conventional model, this L.p. dependent activation of ATF6 does not require its transport to 15 the Golgi or its cleavage by the S1P/S2P proteases. We believe that our findings highlight the 16 unique regulatory control that L.p. exerts upon the three UPR sensors and expand the repertoire 17 of bacterial proteins that selectively perturb host homeostatic pathways.
Clinical Investigation of Mitochondrial Biogenesis in Multiple Myeloma

Abstract Background: Many cancers including multiple myeloma (MM) retain more cytosolic iron to promote tumor cell growth and drug resistance. Higher cytosolic iron promotes oxidative damages due to its interaction with reactive oxygen species generated by mitochondria. Though many other pre-clinical studies for targeting mitochondria have been reported in MM, it remains unclear whether the mitochondrial biogenesis is beneficial or detrimental for tumor cells is not clear. A better understanding of the genetic makeup of mitochondria in MM cells is required if we want to use mitochondria as specific targets. Materials and Methods: Gene expression profiles (GEP) of highly purified bone marrow plasma cells were analyzed from 559 newly diagnosed patients with MM including 351 from total therapy 2 (TT2) and 208 from TT3 cohorts. Kaplan-Meier analyses of event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) about patients in the TT2 and TT3 cohorts were performed using methods implemented in the SurvExpress website. We performed GSEA and ssGSEA by using the applications available at the GenePattern platform of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Raw enrichment scores were subjected to Hierarchiacal Clustering analysis and heatmaps were generated by Hierachical Clustering Image module from Genepattern platform. For the MM murine model, NOD.Cγ-Rag1 mice 6-8 weeks old were injected intravenously or intraperitoneal injection with ARP1 MM cells expressing luciferase. After one-week injection of ARP1 cells, mice were treated with either PAA injected intraperitoneal once a day, 5 days every week for 3 weeks. The mice were euthanized when a humane endpoint was reached. Results: The variation of mitochondrial biogenesis in different stages of MM disease was evaluated using gene expression profiles in a large clinical dataset. Sixteen of 18mitochondrial biogenesis related gene sets, including mitochondrial biogenesis signature and oxidative phosphorylation, were increased in myeloma cells compared with normal plasma cells and high expression was associated with an inferior outcome. Relapsed and drug resistant myeloma samples had higher expression of mitochondrial biogenesis signatures than newly diagnosed. The expression of mitochondrial biogenesis genes was regulated by the cellular iron content, which showed a synergistic effect in patient outcome in MM. Pharmacological ascorbic acid induced myeloma cell death by inhibition of mitochondria oxidative phosphorylation in an in vivo model. Conclusion: Here, we identify that dysregulated mitochondrial biogenesis and iron homeostasis play a major role in myeloma progression and patient outcome and pharmacological ascorbic acid through cellular iron content and mitochondrial oxidative species should be considered as a novel treatment in myeloma including drug-resistant and relapsed patients. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Shaping Large Population Agent Behaviors Through Entropy-Regularized Mean-Field Games.

Mean-field games (MFG) were introduced to efficiently analyze approximate Nash equilibria in large population settings. In this work, we consider entropy-regularized mean-field games with a finite state-action space in a discrete time setting. We show that entropy regularization provides the necessary regularity conditions, that are lacking in the standard finite mean field games. Such regularity conditions enable us to design fixed-point iteration algorithms to find the unique mean-field equilibrium (MFE). Furthermore, the reference policy used in the regularization provides an extra means, through which one can control the behavior of the population. We first formulate the problem as a stochastic game with a large population of $N$ homogeneous agents. We establish conditions for the existence of a Nash equilibrium in the limiting case as $N$ tends to infinity, and we demonstrate that the Nash equilibrium for the infinite population case is also an $\epsilon$-Nash equilibrium for the $N$-agent regularized game, where the sub-optimality $\epsilon$ is of order $\mathcal{O}\big(1/\sqrt{N}\big)$. Finally, we verify the theoretical guarantees through a resource allocation example and demonstrate the efficacy of using a reference policy to control the behavior of a large population of agents.
Vagus nerve afferent stimulation: Projection into the brain, reflexive physiological, perceptual, and behavioral responses, and clinical relevance

The afferent vagus nerves project to diverse neural networks within the brainstem and forebrain, based on neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and functional (fMRI) brain imaging evidence. In response to afferent vagal stimulation, multiple homeostatic visceral reflexes are elicited. Physiological stimuli and both invasive and non-invasive electrical stimulation that activate the afferent vagus elicit perceptual and behavioral responses that are of physiological and clinical significance. In the present review, we address these multiple roles of the afferent vagus under normal and pathological conditions, based on both animal and human evidence.
Discursive Security: F.B.I. Stings and the Nature of Peace

The current study utilizes Critical Discourse Analysis and Thematic Analysis to study newspaper coverage of F.B.I. sting operations in The New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today. F.B.I. sting operations are a modern counter-terrorism policy designed to preempt acts of terrorism. This study develops a theoretical approach to understanding F.B.I. sting operations by reviewing the critique of security. The critique of security suggests that nations construct threats in order to produce and maintain ideological and practical hegemony. Thematic categories of the newspaper discourse are formulated and analyzed in the context of security. The study employs aspects of grounded theory for theoretical positioning. Findings suggest newspaper coverage of F.B.I. sting operations reflect and expand security in a number of important ways. Newspaper coverage provides information on a significant tactic used in the War on Terrorism and gives insight to the justification and reasoning for using that tactic. These pieces of information explain the interplay of security and counter-terrorism policy. However, findings also suggest security fosters positive relationships between nations, which requires repositioning aspects of the critique of security developed previously. Finally, newspaper discourse of F.B.I. sting operations helps contextualize the way modern counter-terrorism policy is ideologically configured. Findings show the dominant ideological configuration is security. The study considers how this framework contributes to a flawed understanding of the nature of peace.
Charging of Ceramic Materials Due to Space-Based Radiation Environment

Radiation-induced charging of spacecraft coatings depends on material properties such as resistivity, dielectric constant, and photoelectron and secondary electron emission. Surface charging of a spacecraft is a complex phenomenon that depends on these material properties, as well as spacecraft geometry, orientation, sunlight intensity and distribution, temperature, and radiation environment. Ceramics can be problematic as spacecraft coatings due to their potential to store charge and develop differential voltage potentials. This paper examines the relative charging between a bare carbon-carbon heat shield and one coated with Al 2 O 3 in near solar (0.3 AU), Jovian, and deep space (2.5 AU, 5 AU) radiation environments, corresponding to points along a notional Solar Probe trajectory. Findings indicate that when modeled as a simple conical heat shield, the carbon structure alone does not develop a differential potential, whereas the Al 2 O 3 does, primarily in the cold Jovian environment. However, differential charging appears to be mitigated by photoelectron and secondary electron emission from the Al 2 O 3 . The electrical conductivity of the ceramic increases near the sun due to increasing temperature, thus enabling equilibration of charge. The results of this study reject the initial hypothesis that electrically insulating coatings will create insurmountable charging issues for solar missions. Trajectory-dependent spacecraft illumination and temperature can be used to exploit desirable characteristics of the ceramic such as emission and conductivity, thus mitigating the problem. Integrated spacecraft charging simulations are planned.
Taking a bite out of Buffy: Carnivalesque play and resistance in fan fiction

Popular culture provides a vital point of entry to examine discourses of hegemony and resistance at work within the growing culture of fandom. Drawing from epistemologies of feminism and poststructuralism, we deconstruct how fans read, co-construct, apply, and reenvision texts as they navigate societal notions of gender in their own constructions of subjectivity. We discuss subversive examples of sexuality and gender found in American popular culture, particularly the portrayal of femininity in the character of Faith, the bad girl from Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Such examples are important because they impart crucial hegemonic lessons that may then be played out in everyday life. By focusing on the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer , we examine the discourses of risk at play within the source text, fan sites, and online fan fiction. Bakhtin's ideas of carnival drive much of fan fiction, and Foucault's analysis of power relations as well as Butler's theories of performativity contribute to play that affords dynamic, critical perspectives with which to interrogate social metanarratives and their impact on the subject.
White-collar crime in Japan

Following the devastating earthquake, tsunami, and reactor meltdown in Japan in March 2011, there will be many opportunities for US corporations to invest in Japanese entities. But these investments will not be without risk. Indeed, in 2009 Japan was labeled the foremost hotbed of fraud in Asia. So the authors wrote this article to make corporate management aware that white-collar crime (WCC) is one of the risks they will encounter—and that there is a need to exercise caution while conducting due diligence during investment pursuits in Japan. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The relationship between CR3 deficiency and neutrophil actin assembly

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) with a deficiency of the complement receptor type 3 (CR3) membrane glycoprotein family have impairments in the ability to adhere to surfaces as well as chemotactic and phagocytic defects, processes that require a functional contractile apparatus. PMN from the patient with neutrophil actin dysfunction (NAD) displayed similar functional characteristics to those with CR3 deficiency suggesting the two disorders may be the same disease. In order to evaluate the relationship between CR3 deficiency and actin assembly, actin filament assembly was measured in PMN from six previously reported homozygotes (two severe and four moderate CR3-deficient patients) as well as five heterozygotes for CR3 deficiency. PMN from all patients had normal unstimulated concentrations of F-actin and after exposure to the chemotactic peptide FMLP (5 x 10(-7) mol/L for 5 to 40 seconds at 25 degrees C) assembled actin normally. Pretreatment of normal PMN with concentrations of monoclonal anti-alpha CR3 antibody, capable of blocking PMN adherence, also failed to impair FMLP-induced actin filament assembly. CR3 glycoprotein expression was measured in PMNs from the mother, father, and older sister of the NAD patient (N Engl J Med 291:1093, 1974). Actin filament assembly was recently shown to be defective in PMNs from all three family members. The total concentrations of the alpha and beta CR3 subunits were below normal in PMN detergent extracts from the mother (25% of simultaneous controls) and older sister (56% of control). PMN surface expression of these two subunits was also found to be depressed (mother, 50%; older sister, 63% of control). These findings suggest these two NAD family members are heterozygote carriers for CR3 deficiency as well as NAD. Simultaneous studies of the father, however, demonstrated normal total concentrations of both the alpha and beta CR3 subunits (126% of controls) as well as normal surface expression of both subunits after phorbol myristate acetate stimulation and incubation at 37 degrees C (mean, 112% of controls) but slightly lower than normal levels after FMLP stimulation (mean, 83%). These findings indicate that CR3 deficiency generally is not associated with defective actin filament assembly and support the conclusion that NAD represents a unique kindred in which PMN actin function differs from previously reported genotypes of CR3 deficiency.
High precision Lu and Hf isotope analyses of both spiked and unspiked samples: A new approach

[1] The functional form of instrumentally produced mass fractionation associated with MC-ICP-MS analysis is not accurately known and therefore cannot be fully corrected by traditional approaches of internal normalization using power, linear, or exponential mass-bias laws. We present a method for robust correction of instrumentally produced mass-fractionation of both spiked and unspiked samples that can be applied to mass analysis of Hf as well as Nd, Sr, Os, etc. Correction of 176Hf/177Hf for unspiked samples follows a traditional approach of internal normalization using an exponential law, followed by normalization to a standard of known composition, such as JMC-475. For spiked samples, standards are used to characterize a linear instrumental mass-bias coefficient; the mass-bias coefficient is defined by the slope of a tie-line between measured and true values of a standard. This approximation results in identical precision and accuracy of measurements for spiked and unspiked samples (±0.005% 2σ, external reproducibility). The effects of the spike on the 176Hf/177Hf ratio and calculation of the molar spike-sample ratio is determined by a closed-form solution modified from the double-spike approach used for Fe isotope analysis by TIMS [Johnson and Beard, 1999]. The measured 176Lu/175Lu ratios are corrected by doping the sample with Er and using the 167Er/166Er ratio to externally normalize the 176Lu/175Lu ratio using an exponential law. Finally, spike-sample equilibration is confirmed for our sample dissolution protocol through analysis of varying physical mixtures of 1 Ga garnet and hornblende, where all the data lie on a mixing-line, within error, on a 176Lu/177Hf-176Hf/177Hf diagram. Precision of 176Lu/177Hf ratios is determined to be ±0.2% (2σ) for standards and for physical mixtures of garnet and hornblende.
A high performance 90 nm logic technology with a 37 nm gate length, dual plasma nitrided gate dielectric and differential offset spacer

A 90 nm logic technology is presented featuring an aggressively scaled 37 nm gate length, 1.3 nm EOT plasma nitrided gate dielectric with differential offset spacer and leading edge CV/I performance. NMOS and PMOS transistors have been optimized with different extension offsets for NMDD and PMDD implants, which enables independent optimization of short channel effects, parasitic capacitance and drive current. The gate dielectric meets reliability requirements at 1.2 V operation. The technology includes a standard Vt (SVt) transistor, low Vt (LVt) transistor and 1.5 V IO transistor with l00 nm gate length and dual plasma nitrided gate dielectric.
An area for vergence eye movement in primate frontal cortex

To view objects at different distances, humans rely on vergence eye movements to appropriately converge or diverge the eyes and on ocular accommodation to focus the object. Despite the importance of these coordinated eye movements (the 'near response') very little is known about the role of the cerebral cortex in their control. As near-response neurons exist within the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis, which receives input from the frontal eye field region of frontal cortex, and this cortical region is known to be involved in saccadic and smooth-pursuit eye movements, we propose that a nearby region might play a role in vergence and ocular accommodation. Here we provide evidence from rhesus monkeys that a region of frontal cortex located immediately anterior to the saccade-related frontal eye field region is involved in vergence and ocular accommodation, and in the sensorimotor transformations required for these eye movements. We conclude that the macaque frontal cortex is involved in the control of all voluntary eye movements, and suggest that the definition of the frontal eye fields should be expanded to include this region.
Character, Attitudes, and Socialization

Mary Cragin’s photograph shows a slim, rather plain woman perhaps 5′6″ tall, weighing 130 pounds. Her short hair is dark brown, her eyes green. In spite of her plainness, Mary’s vivacity and cheerfulness made her seem very attractive; at Oneida she was much in demand for “interviews.” An affectionate person, Mary used Harriet Noyes as a confessor, an older friend and confidant. Mrs. Noyes wrote of Mary in 1840: “Mrs. C. told me that when she was a young lady she was called handsome, fascinating, by the opposite sex. She prided herself on having many admirers. She habitually enticed them with complaisance until she saw they were on the point of proposing marriage, and then treated them very coolly” (Robertson, 1977, p. 40).
An N-Ethyl-N-Nitrosourea Mutagenesis Screen for Epigenetic Mutations in the Mouse

The mammalian epigenetic phenomena of X inactivation and genomic imprinting are incompletely understood. X inactivation equalizes X-linked expression between males and females by silencing genes on one X chromosome during female embryogenesis. Genomic imprinting functionally distinguishes the parental genomes, resulting in parent-specific monoallelic expression of particular genes. N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis was used in the mouse to screen for mutations in novel factors involved in X inactivation. Previously, we reported mutant pedigrees identified through this screen that segregate aberrant X-inactivation phenotypes and we mapped the mutation in one pedigree to chromosome 15. We now have mapped two additional mutations to the distal chromosome 5 and the proximal chromosome 10 in a second pedigree and show that each of the mutations is sufficient to induce the mutant phenotype. We further show that the roles of these factors are specific to embryonic X inactivation as neither genomic imprinting of multiple genes nor imprinted X inactivation is perturbed. Finally, we used mice bearing selected X-linked alleles that regulate X chromosome choice to demonstrate that the phenotypes of all three mutations are consistent with models in which the mutations have affected molecules involved specifically in the choice or the initiation of X inactivation.
Antarctic Isotope Maxima events 24 and 25 identified in benthic marine δ18O

[1] High-resolution planktic and benthic δ18O records at Site 1146 (northern South China Sea) include structure within Marine Isotope Stage 5.4, 118.5–105.9 ka, that is not captured in stacked δ18O records commonly used for age model construction and as proxies for global ice volume. Leveraging a common monsoonal influence, Site 1146 planktic δ18O was aligned to speleothem δ18O from southeastern China to derive a radiometrically calibrated (RC) age model. On the RC age model, the benthic δ18O record contains structure equivalent in time to Antarctic Isotope Maximum (AIM) events 24 and 25. Sea level reconstructions for isotopic event 5.4 suggest that these benthic δ18O events (AIM 24 and 25) derive from isotopic change (ice volume) although some temperature change cannot be completely excluded.