cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Urban–Rural Differential in Breast Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Omisted County, Minnesota, 1935–1974

Between 1935 and 1974, 580 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed among the residents of Rochester, and 187 cases were found among the women living in the remainder of Olmsted County, Minnesota. The age-adjusted incidence of breast cancer was 79.1 per 100 000 person-years among Rochester women and 56.3 per 100 000 person-years among the rural women, for an urban-rural ratio of 1.40:1. The rural incidence increased more rapidly than did the urban incidence during the period of the study, especially among women 50 years old or older; and the urban-rural ratio seemed to decline with time. No convincing explanation for these changes was found, but migration and increasing urbanisation of rural areas may be important factors. The greater urban incidence and the net migration of rural patients with breast cancer into the urban area explain the higher urban mortality rates for breast cancer.
Maturity cycles in implied volatility

The skew effect in market implied volatility can be reproduced by option pricing theory based on stochastic volatility models for the price of the underlying asset. Here we study the performance of the calibration of the S&P 500 implied volatility surface using the asymptotic pricing theory under fast mean-reverting stochastic volatility described in [8]. The time-variation of the fitted skew-slope parameter shows a periodic behaviour that depends on the option maturity dates in the future, which are known in advance. By extending the mathematical analysis to incorporate model parameters which are time-varying, we show this behaviour can be explained in a manner consistent with a large model class for the underlying price dynamics with time-periodic volatility coefficients.
Synthesis, Cellular Transport, and Activity of Polyamidoamine Dendrimer−Methylprednisolone Conjugates

Dendrimers have emerged as promising multifunctional nanomaterials for drug delivery due to their well-defined size and tailorability. We compare two schemes to obtain methylprednisolone (MP)−polyamidoamine dendrimer (PAMAM-G4-OH) conjugate. Glutaric acid (GA) was used as a spacer to facilitate the conjugation. In scheme A, PAMAM-G4-OH was first coupled to GA and then further conjugated with MP to obtain PAMAM-G4−GA−MP conjugates. This scheme yields a lower conjugation ratio of MP, presumably because of lower reactivity and steric hindrance for the steroid at the crowded dendrimer periphery. In scheme B, this steric hindrance was overcome by first preparing the MP−GA conjugate, which was then coupled to the PAMAM-G4-OH dendrimer. The 1H NMR spectrum of the conjugate from scheme B indicates a conjugation of 12 molecules of MP with the dendrimer, corresponding to a payload of 32 wt %. In addition, conjugates were further fluorescent-labeled with fluoroisothiocynate (FITC) to evaluate the dynamics of cellula...
TACKing Together Efficient Authentication, Revocation, and Privacy in VANETs

Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) require a mechanism to help authenticate messages, identify valid vehicles, and remove malevolent vehicles. A Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) can provide this functionality using certificates and fixed public keys. However, fixed keys allow an eavesdropper to associate a key with a vehicle and a location, violating drivers' privacy. In this work we propose a VANET key management scheme based on Temporary Anonymous Certified Keys (TACKs). Our scheme efficiently prevents eavesdroppers from linking a vehicle's different keys and provides timely revocation of misbehaving participants while maintaining the same or less overhead for vehicle-to-vehicle communication as the current IEEE 1609.2 standard for VANET security.
THE MANUFACTURE OF ANTIBODIES IN VITRO.

A protein solution with the properties of a specific antiserum to the triphenylmethane dye methyl blue has been made by treating a solution of bovine gamma-globulin and the dye with alkali and then slowly neutralizing the alkali. Some success has been obtained also in the formation of antibodies from other serum proteins and by other denaturation-renaturation procedures. By heating solutions of gamma-globulin and antigen to 57°C. for several days antisera homologous to the antigens have been prepared. This method has been used successfully with the azodye 1,3-dihydroxy-2,4,6-tri(p-azophenyl-arsonic acid) benzene and with pneumococcus polysaccharide Type III. The antipneumococcus sera were found to precipitate the polysaccharide of Type III but not those of Types I and VIII and to agglutinate pneumococci of Type III but not those of Types I and II.
Dynamics of a High-Agility, Low-Power Imaging Payload

Control-moment gyroscopes (CMGs) are power-efficient attitude-control actuators that produce high torques for agile spacecraft. We propose the use of CMGs in actuating joint degrees of freedom in a spacecraft-mounted agile imaging payload, whose tasks include acquiring and tracking a high-speed target. High agility, on the order of several radians per second, characterizes the system of interest here; however, such capabilities are achieved with traditional actuators only at the expense of excessively high electrical power. The proposed design provides agile slewing of an imaging payload for a very small fraction of the power required by fixed rotors in a reaction wheel assembly. This study provides a dynamics analysis for a general system, but we focus on an example in which the inertia dyadics are spherical. We demonstrate by simulation that a CMG-driven system offers the same agility with less than 1% of the power of a telescope actuated by reaction wheels.
Effect of Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Seizure Outcomes in Children With Epilepsy

A retrospective review of children with epilepsy and obstructive sleep apnea, treated surgically for their obstructive sleep apnea from January 2008-October 2010, was performed for age, sex, type of epilepsy, antiseizure medications, sleep-study data, and changes in seizure frequency. Twenty-seven subjects (median age, 5 years) with no adjustment to their medications around their time of surgery were identified. Three months after surgery, 10 (37%) patients became seizure-free, three (11%) demonstrated >50% seizure-reduction, and six (22%) exhibited an amelioration of seizure frequency. Two (7%) demonstrated unchanged seizure-frequency, and six (22%) manifested a worsening of seizure frequency. Median seizure frequency before surgery was 8.5 (interquartile range, 2-90), and after surgery, three (interquartile range, 0-75), with a 53% median seizure reduction. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a trend toward seizure freedom with each percentile increase in body mass index and early age of surgery. We conclude that obstructive sleep apnea surgery may decrease seizure frequency, especially in children with elevated body mass index scores and younger age at time of surgery.
Empirical Green's Function Analysis of Recent Moderate Events in California

I use seismic data from portable digital stations and the broadband Terrascope network in southern California to investigate radiated earthquake source spectra and discuss the results in light of previous studies on both static stress drop and apparent stress. Applying the empirical Green's function (EGF) method to two sets of M 4–6.1 events, I obtain deconvolved source-spectra estimates and corner frequencies. The results are consistent with an ω^2 source model and constant Brune stress drop. However, consideration of the raw spectral shapes of the largest events provides evidence for a high-frequency decay more shallow than ω^2. The intermediate (≈f^(–1)) slope cannot be explained plausibly with attenuation or site effects and is qualitatively consistent with a model incorporating directivity effects and a fractional stress-drop rupture process, as suggested by Haddon (1996). However, the results obtained in this study are not consistent with the model of Haddon (1996) in that the intermediate slope is not revealed with EGF analysis. This could reflect either bandwidth limitations inherent in EGF analysis or perhaps a rupture process that is not self-similar. I show that a model with an intermediate spectral decay can also reconcile the apparent discrepancy between the scaling of static stress drop and that of apparent stress drop for moderate-to-large events.
Molecular Underpinnings of Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Expression

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are critical signaling molecules in a broad variety of fundamental biological processes. In order for cholinergic signaling to function normally, the receptors must be expressed in the appropriate cells at the appropriate times. Expression of the receptors is regulated at many levels from transcription of the receptor subunit genes to posttranslational modifications of individual subunits. Regulating nAChR expression is further complicated because of the large number of genes encoding nAChR subunits, most of which, but not all, are located on distinct chromosomes. Here, we describe molecular events that underlie expression of nAChR subunit genes. We begin with a survey of the transcriptional mechanisms involved in nAChR subunit gene expression including a review of CHRNA5/A3/B4 cluster expression. An update on two emerging fields of investigation, microRNA and epigenetic regulation of nAChR expression, is provided followed by an overview of mechanisms involved in the nicotine-mediated upregulation of nAChR expression. Regulation of nAChR subunit expression is of fundamental importance as it underlies subunit availability, which impacts individual receptor subtype composition and thus, the biophysical properties of the nAChRs.
PP04.1 – 2516: Facial weakness in children: It's not Bell's when alarm bells are ringing

Introduction An initial manifestation of isolated facial weakness is commonly due to Bell's palsy. We describe three cases of paediatric stroke presenting as facial weakness, posing a challenge to medical practitioners in interpreting clinical signs and delaying diagnosis. Cases Patient 1 is 15 year old boy who presented to his local emergency department with a right-sided face droop and was discharged with a diagnosis of Bell's palsy. Over the next 48 hours, the parents noticed weakness of his right arm and represented. Brain imaging confirmed a left MCA infarct secondary to a left ICA dissection. Patient 2 is a 4 year old boy who presented to the emergency department with a four day history of right-sided facial weakness. He was diagnosed with Bell's palsy and discharged with prednisolone and aciclovir. He later became encephalopathic with right arm weakness. Brain imaging demonstrated an acute left MCA infarct. Patient 3 is a 4 year old girl who presented to her GP with mild encephalopathy a few days after the onset of a viral illness. She developed an asymmetrical smile, which was presumed to be due to Bell's palsy. Over the next week, it was noted that the use of her right arm was suboptimal and subsequent brain imaging confirmed a left MCA infarct. Discussion In all cases, the diagnosis of stroke was not contemplated and the facial weakness was dismissed as the much commoner Bell's palsy. Careful examination differentiating upper and lower motor neurone features will help distinguish stroke from Bell's palsy. Conclusion Our cases illustrate that stroke is an important condition to consider in children presenting with any form of acute neurological deficit, including facial weakness. Increased awareness amongst primary and secondary healthcare professionals is needed to ensure that the diagnosis of stroke is not delayed in these situations.
Translation between Academic Research, Community and Practice: A Forum Theatre Process.

On 6 February 2008, a deliberative theatre experiment was held at the National Archives of Quebec. Inspired by the democratic virtues of public deliberation but preoccupied with its blind spots, Forum Theatre was used to initiate discussion about the social tensions between the homeless and other dwellers of public space in downtown Montreal. Using Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, we hoped to emphasize the narratives of the homeless in these neighbourhood forums to engage a variety of stakeholders in a reflexive debate on normative conceptions of public space which tend to reproduce the marginalization of the homeless by reinforcing the denial of recognition they face. Drawing from Michel Callon’s Sociology of Translation (1986) as an analytical model, we argue that our research process was riddled with blind spots as it did not explicitly identify and negotiate its ‘obligatory passage points’. This undermined its co-constructive aims as well as its deconstructive outcomes.
Cyclophosphamide pre-treatment enhances tumor growth in nude rat xenografted tumor models

C8 For many human tumor cells, tumor growth in immunodeficient nude rats can be inconsistent or slow. The objective of this study was to investigate if pre-treatment with the immuno-modulatory chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan ®) improved tumor growth in intracerebral, metastatic, and subcutaneous nude rat xenograft models. Nude rats were pretreated with cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg IP) or saline 24hr before tumor cell inoculation. Cell types tested were human ovarian (SKOV3), lung (LX-1), and breast carcinoma (MDA-MB-231BR), B-lymphoma (MC116), and glioma (U87MG and U251). For subcutaneous tumors, 2.5 x 107 cells mixed with matrigel were injected in the left or right flank, and tumor growth was measured by dial caliper. For intracerebral implantation, 106 cells were injected in the caudate nucleus in the right hemisphere, and for intracerebral hematogenous metastases, 106 cells were infused into the right internal carotid artery. Intracerebral tumor growth was monitored by magnetic resonance imaging and histology. In both intracerebral and subcutaneous tumor models, pre-treatment of cyclophosphamide reduced the time delay to tumor detection and increased both tumor volume and the percentage of animals showing tumors. Cyclophosphamide pretreatment increased the number and size of breast cancer brain metastases after intra-arterial injection of breast carcinoma cells. In contrast, cyclophosphamide increased bone and facial, but not brain metastases after intra-arterial injection of lung carcinoma cells. Cyclophosphamide decreased nude rat total white blood cell count (45.9 ± 2.9% of baseline on day 1, 30.5 ± 6.3% on day 3), lymphocytes (46.4 ± 7.3% and 54.9 ± 8.9%), and neutrophils (45.7 ± 3.4% and 22.5 ± 4.1%). Blood counts rebounded at day 10 and were back to the baseline at day 21. Our results suggest that cyclophosphamide pre-treatment can enhance xenografted human tumor growth in both intracerebral and subcutaneous models by its immunosuppressive function even in immunodeficient nude rats.
Endogenous Danger Signals in Liver Injury: Role of High Mobility Group Box Protein-1

The liver is a central regulator of the systemic immune response following acute traumatic or surgical insult. It is the primary site for clearance of bacterial endotoxin and is also subject to injury and dysfunction during sepsis or following local insults such as warm ischemia/reperfusion. Recent advances in the study of mechanisms for the activation of the innate immune system have pointed to the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) as a common pathway for immune recognition of microbial invasion and tissue injury. By recognizing either microbial products or endogenous molecules, the TLR system is capable of alerting the host of danger by activating the innate immune system. Initially, this ismanifested by the production of inflammatory mediators and the rapid uptake of invading microbes and their products. When excessive, this inflammatory response can contribute to organ damage and dysfunction. In this chapter, we will discuss the role of endogenous danger signals, specifically high mobility group box ptotein-1 (HMGB1), as a signaling molecule that activates inflammatory pathways in a TLR-dependent manner in response to liver injury.
Moment-flux models for bacterial chemotaxis in large signal gradients

Chemotaxis is a fundamental process in the life of many prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Chemotaxis of bacterial populations has been modeled by both individual-based stochastic models that take into account the biochemistry of intracellular signaling, and continuum PDE models that track the evolution of the cell density in space and time. Continuum models have been derived from individual-based models that describe intracellular signaling by a system of ODEs. The derivations rely on quasi-steady state approximations of the internal ODE system. While this assumption is valid if cell movement is subject to slowly changing signals, it is often violated if cells are exposed to rapidly changing signals. In the latter case current continuum models break down and do not match the underlying individual-based model quantitatively. In this paper, we derive new PDE models for bacterial chemotaxis in large signal gradients that involve not only the cell density and flux, but also moments of the intracellular signals as a measure of the deviation of cell’s internal state from its steady state. The derivation is based on a new moment closure method without calling the quasi-steady state assumption of intracellular signaling. Numerical simulations suggest that the resulting model matches the population dynamics quantitatively for a much larger range of signals.
Structural comparison of the Caenorhabditis elegans and human Ndc80 complexes bound to microtubules reveals distinct binding behavior.

During cell division, kinetochores must remain tethered to the plus ends of dynamic microtubule polymers. However, the molecular basis for robust kinetochore–microtubule interactions remains poorly understood. The conserved four-subunit Ndc80 complex plays an essential and direct role in generating dynamic kinetochore–microtubule attachments. Here we compare the binding of the Caenorhabditis elegans and human Ndc80 complexes to microtubules at high resolution using cryo–electron microscopy reconstructions. Despite the conserved roles of the Ndc80 complex in diverse organisms, we find that the attachment mode of these complexes for microtubules is distinct. The human Ndc80 complex binds every tubulin monomer along the microtubule protofilament, whereas the C. elegans Ndc80 complex binds more tightly to β-tubulin. In addition, the C. elegans Ndc80 complex tilts more toward the adjacent protofilament. These structural differences in the Ndc80 complex between different species may play significant roles in the nature of kinetochore–microtubule interactions.
SCN1A Gene Mutations in Severe Infantile Myoclonic Epilepsy

Ten novel mutations of SCN1A were found in in a pair of monozygotic twins and 12 unrelated Japanese infants with severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy (SMEI) examined at the Brain Science Institute, Saitama; and National Epilepsy Center, Shizuoko, Japan.
Aerodynamic Performance Modification of the Stingray UAV at Low Angles of Attack

Active flow control using fluidic actuators, via synthetic jets and steady blowing jets, was used to provide control power for trimming the Stingray UAV in the longitudinal (pitch) and lateral (roll) directions at low angles of attack. Using this technique, the pitching and roll moments were altered such that the effect is similar to that of a deflection of conventional control effectors in trim. The control effectiveness of the flow control on the aerodynamic performance of the Stingray UAV was investigated experimentally in a wind tunnel. Global flow measurements were conducted, where the moments and forces on the vehicle were measured using a six component sting balance. The effect of the actuation was also examined on the surface static pressure at two spanwise locations. In addition, Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique was used to quantify the velocity vector field over the model, both the global flow field as well as the localized interaction domain near the synthetic jet orifice. The synthetic jets were able to alter the local streamlines through the formation of a quasi-steady interaction region on the suction surface of the Stingray UAV’s wing. Phase locked PIV data was acquired to provide insight into the growth, propagation, and decay of the synthetic jet impulse and its interaction with the cross-flow. The changes induced on the moments and forces can be proportionally controlled by either changing the momentum coefficient or by driving the synthetic jets with a pulse modulation waveform. This can lead the way for future development of closed-loop control models.
THE WEST INDIAN SPECIES OF GOSSYPIUM OF VON ROHR AND RAFINESQUE

In the 1780's J. P. B. von Rohr (1737-1793) intensively studied the cottons of the West Indies. His observations are recorded in a book that not only is a basic source of knowledge of the cottons of the 18th century, but which also provides the descriptions used by C. S. Rafinesque as the basis for 38 names of species and varieties in Gossypium. The present paper reports observations on 52 specimens of Gossypium collected by von Rohr and preserved in the Copenhagen Museum. From these specimens, lectotypes have been chosen for 12 of the Rafinesquian names (Table 2). The remaining names (Table 1) must thereupon be typified by the published descriptions. Lectotype species are also designated for the three subgenera of Gossypium published by Rafinesque (Table 3), the earliest available names in that rank. The presence of symptoms of the bacterial blight disease, caused by Xanthomonas malvacearum (E. F. Smith) Dows., on two of von Rohr's specimens, is noted as perhaps the earliest known occurrence of this disease. A review of the nomenclature of the kidney cottons is appended.
88 THE HETEROZYGOUS DEAFWADDLER MOUSE IS A MODEL FOR AGE-RELATED HEARING LOSS

Hearing loss is a sensory disorder that affects over 20 million people in this country alone. Recent experiments in our lab indicate that the heterozygous deafwaddler mouse is a model for hearing loss. This phenotype is the result of loss or dysfunction in the plasma membrane calcium ATPase isoform 2 (PMCA2), which is critical for calcium extrusion in the stereocilia of hair cells in the organ of Corti. Mice homozygous for a mutation in the gene encoding this protein are profoundly deaf and ataxic; heterozygotes display partial hearing loss in a haplo-insufficient manner. In young animals, this hearing loss is as great as ˜50 dB at high frequencies, while leaving low frequencies largely unaffected. To better characterize the hearing loss seen in these animals, we have genetically manipulated the amount of PMCA2 activity available and examined the progression of hearing loss over time. Preliminary results demonstrate that hearing loss progresses to include lower frequencies with age. Furthermore, the rate of this progression depends on the amount of PMCA2 activity present. This pattern of hearing loss resembles the age-related hearing loss (AHL), or presbycusis, seen in humans and suggests a mechanism involving the cochlear amplifier.
Experimental Analysis of On-site Calibration of Electronic Instrument Transformer

In order to guarantee the safe and reliable performance of the electronic instrument transformers in power system,on-site calibration for electronic instrument transformers are needed.We introduced the basic principle and characteristics of the active and passive electronic instrument transformers,and proposed an electronic instrument transformers calibration system based on the direct digital calibration method.In addition,an on-site calibration for electronic instrument transformers in a 110kV digital substation was experimentally researched by using the calibration system.Experimental results show that,electronic instrument transformers with analog output type have deviations of 20minutes in phase error and 0.2%in ratio error at different test points;the outputs of passive electronic current transformers contain much signal burrs when the setting current is small;the active electronic instrument transformers output large DC component.Therefore,to ensure the overall energy metering accuracy,proper test points should be chosen for the on-site calibrations of electronic instrument transformers,and the corresponding inspection standards for the new features should also be established.
Light intensity attenuation in the rat brain tissue assessed by television photometry.

Methods for non-destructive spectrophotometric assessment of brain metabolism, oxygenation, blood flow and microcirculation in vivo has become increasingly important to researchers in the last three decades. The high spatial and temporal resolution offered by the optical approach, its non-destructive nature has also attracted considerable interest to the rapidly growing field of optical imaging of brain function and metabolisms1. The use of near infrared (NIR) light has opened the perspective for non-invasive monitoring of cerebral oxygenation2 and time-resolved NIR-spectroscopy by direct measurement of the optical pathlength of photons made absolute measurement possible3,4 and also proved to be an excellent tool to study photon migration in the brain tissue. Most of the surface fluororeflectometric methods work in the shorter wavelength range where it remains still difficult to analyze light penetration into the brain tissue since attenuation of light occurs over much shorter distances than that time-resolved spectroscopy can currently handle with adequate resolution4. A direct determination of the catchment volume of these measurements at the very site of photometric detection assumes a direct measurement of light attenuation profile in the tissue and becomes important when proper interpretation of in vivo data5,6,7,8,9 or calculation of absolute values from these data is needed. These questions have gained increasing importance during the methodological development of multiparametric imaging of microregional circulation in the brain cortex9,10. The primary objective of the present study, therefore, was to approach these problems experimentally by assessing light attenuation kinetics ex vivo in the brain within the visible wavelength range (589 nm) by measuring signal contribution from different depth of rat brain samples, among them, the cortical region of the brain where reflectometric measurement is usually.
Adsorption and Methanation of Flue Gas CO2 with Dual Functional Catalytic Materials: A Parametric Study

Conventional carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) in aqueous alkanolamine solutions is an energy-intensive process for power plant flue gas CO2 treatment. We report a laboratory parametric study on the utilization of CO2 from simulated natural gas postcombustion effluent by cyclic adsorption and methanation using a single dual functional material (DFM). The DFM is composed of nanodispersed CaO and Ru metal supported on an γ-Al2O3 carrier (5% Ru, 10% CaO/Al2O3), respectively functioning as the CO2 adsorbent and methanation catalyst. The stored H2 used for methanation is assumed to be produced by water electrolysis using excess alternative wind or solar energy. The effects of DFM preparation methods, Al2O3 carrier materials (with different shapes and properties), and adsorption and methanation conditions (feed compositions, flow rates, and reaction temperatures) were examined. The DFM samples, prepared using chloride precursor salts, showed stable performance under cyclic operating conditions. Reaction co...
The Consideration of Risk and Uncertainty in the Management of Groundwater Contamination

Groundwater is the only source of water supply for millions of people, and thus its contamination has major health- and nonhealth-related impacts. A study by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), U.S. Congress (1984), identified several categories of causes, sources, and impacts of groundwater contamination (see Table 1).
Hamming codes as error-reducing codes

Hamming codes are the first nontrivial family of error-correcting codes that can correct one error in a block of binary symbols. In this paper we extend the notion of error-correction to error-reduction and present several decoding methods with the goal of improving the error-reducing capabilities of Hamming codes. First, the error-reducing properties of Hamming codes with standard decoding are demonstrated and explored. We show a lower bound on the average number of errors present in a decoded message when two errors are introduced by the channel for general Hamming codes. Other decoding algorithms are investigated experimentally, and it is found that these algorithms improve the error reduction capabilities of Hamming codes beyond the aforementioned lower bound of standard decoding.
Interstitial Lung Disease in the Elderly.

Background Despite the relationship between idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and advancing age, little is known about the epidemiology of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in the elderly. We describe the diagnoses, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients who were elderly at the time of ILD diagnosis. Methods Among subjects from a prospective cohort study of ILD, elderly was defined as age ≥ 70 years. Diagnoses were derived from a multidisciplinary review. Differences between elderly and nonelderly groups were determined using the χ 2 test and analysis of variance. Results Of the 327 subjects enrolled, 80 (24%) were elderly. The majority of elderly subjects were white men. The most common diagnoses were unclassifiable ILD (45%), IPF (34%), connective tissue disease (CTD)-ILD (11%), and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (8%). Most elderly subjects (74%) with unclassifiable ILD had an imaging pattern inconsistent with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP). There were no significant differences in pulmonary function or 3-year mortality between nonelderly and elderly subjects combined or in a subgroup analysis of those with IPF. Conclusions Although IPF was the single most common diagnosis, the majority of elderly subjects had non-IPF ILD. Our findings highlight the need for every patient with new-onset ILD, regardless of age, to be surveyed for exposures and findings of CTD. Unclassifiable ILD was common among the elderly, but for most, the radiographic pattern was inconsistent with UIP. Although the effect of ILD may be more pronounced in the elderly due to reduced global functionality, ILD was not more severe or aggressive in this group.
Long-Term Results of High-Dose Therapy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Mantle Cell Lymphoma: Effectiveness of Maintenance Rituximab.

Abstract High-dose therapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) can improve outcomes for mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) but is associated with a high incidence of relapse. A retrospective study of 191 MCL patients who underwent ASCT at City of Hope was performed to examine prognostic factors for outcomes after ASCT. For all patients the 5-year overall survival (OS) was 71% (95% confidence interval [CI], 63% to 77%) and progression-free survival (PFS) was 53% (95% CI, 45% to 60%). The 5-year cumulative incidence of relapse was 41% (95% CI, 34% to 48%) with a continuous pattern of relapse events occurring at a median of 2.1 years (range, .2 to 13.4) after ASCT. In multivariate analysis, post-transplant maintenance rituximab was the factor most significantly associated with both OS (relative risk [RR], .17; 95% CI, .07 to .38) and PFS (RR, .25; 95% CI, .14 to .44). For the subset of patients who had positron emission tomography (PET) data available and were in a PET-negative first complete remission at ASCT (n = 105), maintenance rituximab was significantly associated with superior OS (RR, .17; 95% CI, .05 to .59) and PFS (RR, .20; 95% CI, .09 to .43). These results support a benefit with maintenance rituximab for all MCL patients treated with ASCT.
Interpreting the DXA analysis: When should you hold off on spinal fusion?

Abstract Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the standard assessment of bone mineral density (BMD) and is used for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and monitoring the effectiveness of osteoporosis treatment. Its results are predictive of both vertebral compression fractures and vertebral screw pullout strength. Though low BMD and the presence of osteoporosis are associated with failure of spinal instrumentation and junctional kyphosis, DXA scans are not universally obtained prior to spinal fusions, and there exists no consensus on T-score thresholds for determining if spinal fusions are a reasonable option in patients with diminished bone quality.
The Implementation of Object Propositions: The Oprop Verification Tool

In this paper we present Oprop, a tool that implements the theory of object propositions. We have recently introduced object propositions as a modular verification technique that combines abstract predicates and fractional permissions. The Oprop tool, found as a web application at lowcost-env.ynzf2j4byc.us-west-2.elasticbeanstalk.com, verifies programs written in a simplified version of Java augmented with the object propositions specifications. Our tool parses the input files and automatically translates them into the intermediate verification language Boogie, which is verified by the Boogie verifier that we use as a back end. We present the details of our implementation, the rules of our translation and how they are applied on an example. We describe an instance of the challenging Composite design pattern, that we have automatically verified using the Oprop tool, and prove the equivalence between formulas in Oprop and their translation into Boogie.
Block Diagrams and Feedback Control System Modeling

This chapter introduces the feedback control of single-input, single-output (SISO) and multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) dynamic systems. The main tool in modeling such feedback control systems is the block diagram that consists of the transfer functions defining the various subsystems and of the Laplace-domain signals connecting them. Each constitutive block is defined by transfer functions, and the algebra of blocks is used to formulate overall system qualifiers such as feed-forward, open-loop, and closed-loop transfer functions. Controllers and compensators are defined and characterized, as well. This chapter includes numerous examples of physical systems that operate as components in feedback systems or as full control systems.
Nocturnal Elevated Convection Initiation of the PECAN 4 July Hailstorm

AbstractDuring the Plains Elevated Convection at Night (PECAN) experiment, an isolated hailstorm developed on the western side of the PECAN study area on the night of 3–4 July 2015. One of the objectives of PECAN was to advance knowledge of the processes and conditions leading to pristine nocturnal convection initiation (CI). This nocturnal hailstorm developed more than 160 km from any other convective storms and in the absence of any surface fronts or bores. The storm initiated within 110 km of the S-Pol radar; directly over a vertically pointing Doppler lidar; within 25 km of the University of Wyoming King Air flight track; within a network of nine sounding sites taking 2-hourly soundings; and near a mobile mesonet track. Importantly, even beyond 100 km in range, S-Pol observed the preconvection initiation cloud that was collocated with the satellite infrared cloud image and provided information on the evolution of cloud growth. The multiple observations of cloud base, thermodynamic stability, and direc...
The role of residential mobility in reproducing socioeconomic stratification during the transition to adulthood

OBJECTIVE This study assesses whether frequency of residential mobility plays a role in the reproduction of socioeconomic inequality during the transition to adulthood based on two criteria: (1) selection - is there socioeconomic sorting into residential trajectories? - and (2) lack of moderation - is this sorting irreducible to other life events that prompt moves (e.g., changes in employment status)? METHODS I use two and a half years of monthly address data from the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life data set, a sample of 18- and 19-year-old young women in a Michigan county. As an improvement upon previous measures of residential mobility, I use group-based trajectory analysis to categorize young women into residential trajectory groups. I then conduct a series of nested logistic regressions to predict membership in residential trajectory groups and a decomposition analysis to determine whether rapid movers are exposed to more life events (e.g., entering/exiting employment) or are simply more sensitive to moving in the face of life events compared to gradual movers. RESULTS Rapid moving is associated with low socioeconomic status. Rapid movers experience similar family formation, employment, and academic changes as gradual movers but are more likely to move when faced with these life events. CONCLUSIONS High residential mobility is a phenomenon among early home-leavers as part of an accelerated and underfunded transition to adulthood rather than a reflection of the upward socioeconomic mobility of college students. CONTRIBUTION High residential mobility is not simply a neutral or normative aspect of the transition to adulthood but rather part of the process of reproducing socioeconomic stratification.
Veiled Politics: Experiences with Discrimination among Muslim Americans

Anecdotal evidence suggests that Muslim American women who wear the hijab may be particularly vulnerable to the experiences of stigmatization because the hijab represents one of the most obvious and dominant markers of “otherness.” Yet, extant research has surprisingly neglected to systematically examine how such external markers of difference can increase perceptions of discrimination. Drawing from two nationally representative datasets, we examine perceived discrimination among Muslim Americans, and find that veiled women report experiencing both societal and institutional discrimination at much higher rates than their counterparts. In fact, our findings show that the hijab is one of the most important predictors of self-reported discrimination among all Muslim Americans. Interestingly, however, we also find that men are more likely than women to perceive discrimination once we account for the role of the hijab. Our analysis makes an important contribution to existing research by highlighting the unique experiences of a religious minority group and identifies one important and previously underexplored mechanism by which individuals may be targeted for discrimination—the hijab.
Performance of Self-validating Adaptive Quadrature

SVALAQ is a suite of programs for self-validated quadrature. For the usual quadrature problem on a finite interval, $$I\!f=\int^{B}_{A}f(x)dx,$$ we compute an interval [c,d] in which I f e is guaranteed to lie. The inclusion If e [c,d] is automatically validated by the computer program provided only that f can be evaluated at every point of [A,B]. This paper addresses two issues related to the performance of self-validated quadrature: How much does validation cost? and How accurate can it be?
Inheritance inNicotiana tabacum XXVI. Sterility genes from tomentosae species

1. The sesquidiploidsN. tabacum-tabacum-setchellii andN. tabacum-tabacum-tomentosa ‘Acomayo’, despite having normal embryo-sacs and good pollen, were completely sterile in terms of seed setting. 2. Sterility was found to be due, primarily, to a retarded rate of pollen-tube penetration which resulted in bursting of tube-ends and their ultimate failure to reach the ovary. 3. A single dominant complementary gene (Tr 1) was found inN. setchellii which was responsible for the sterility. The other complementary locus is present in thesylvestris subgenome ofN. tabacum as well as inN. sylvestris in the homozygous dominant condition. 4. ‘Tr 1’ was introduced intoN. tabacum by a series of backcrosses and was located in the ‘L’ chromosome. Its introduction was found to be associated with pollen dimorphism. 5. The significance of the two systems of genic sterility hitherto found in the progenitors ofN. tabacum and the restrictions imposed by them on the origin and establishment ofN. tabacum were discussed. It was concluded thatN. tabacum arose as an amphicliploid involvingN. sylvestris and a recombination product which was free from both, genic sterility systems, obtained from a cross between two sterility types in the Tomentosae.
Tropical Soils and Soil Classification Updates

Several national and international institutions are updating the soil classification systems they use in their soil resource inventory programs. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (1988), the Soil Survey Staff (1987) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Conservation Service (SCS), several institutions in France and French-speaking African countries, and EMBRAPA (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria) in Brazil, among others, are revising their systems.
Immunophenotypic Analysis of Cells Isolated from Bone Marrow Biopsies in Patients with Failed Bone Marrow Aspiration ('dry tap')

A method for the immunophenotypic analysis of bone marrow cells in cases of failed bone marrow aspiration is described. Cell suspensions are obtained by mechanical disaggregation of bone marrow core biopsies. The isolated cells are stained with the appropriate antibodies and analyzed by flow cytometry. The usefulness of the method is illustrated by presenting immunophenotypic data obtained in eight consecutive cases accessioned by the authors' laboratory. The method is simple and reproducible. It allows for parallel morphologic examination with Romanovskitype stains and is capable of generating multivariate, quantitative, immunophenotypic data useful in the diagnosis of leukemia and lymphoma.
Effect of Quaternary Additions on the Oxidation Behavior of Hf-Doped NiAl

Cast model alloys, based on β-NiAl+0.05at.%Hf, were used to study the effects on oxidation behavior of elements that are commonly present in low-activity aluminide bond coatings on single-crystal, Ni-base superalloys. Single additions of Re, Ti, Ta, and Cr were examined in cyclic and isothermal exposures at 1100 to 1200°C in order to determine their effect on the oxide growth rate and resistance to scale spallation. With 1 at.% additions, all of these elements were found to be detrimental to the oxidation performance of the base NiAl+Hf alloy. Additions of Re and Cr were found to form second-phase precipitates in the alloy, which appeared to lead to scale spallation, while additions of Ti and Ta were internally oxidized and incorporated into the scale as grain-boundary segregants. These results suggest that it is necessary to minimize the levels of these types of elements that enter Hf-modified aluminide coatings by using process modifications or a diffusion barrier.
Using Social Media to Predict Air Pollution during California Wildfires

Wildfires have significant effects on human populations worldwide. Smoke pollution, in particular, from either prescribed burns or uncontrolled wildfires, can have profound health impacts, such as reducing birth weight in children and aggravating respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Scarcity in the measurements of particulate matter responsible for these public health issues makes addressing the problem of smoke dispersion challenging, especially when fires occur in remote regions. Previous research has shown that in the case of the 2014 King fire in California, crowdsourced data can be useful in estimating particulate pollution from wildfire smoke. In this paper, we show that the previous model continues to provide good estimates when extended statewide to cover several wildfires over an entire season in California. Moreover, adding the semantic information contained in the social media data to the predictive model significantly increases model accuracy, indicating a confluence of social and spatio-temporal data.
Presence of Fatty-Acid Ethyl Esters in Krill Oil Dietary Supplements

Krill oil dietary supplements are increasingly used for their high concentrations of phospholipids (PL), which offer reportedly greater bioavailability of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) than those of triacylglycerols or fatty-acid ethyl esters (FAEE) commonly found in fish oils and fish-oil concentrates. This work evaluated the lipid composition of 22 commercial krill oil (CKO) supplements available in the US market, and found ten products (i.e. 45%) contained significant amounts of FAEE, varying from 41% to 75%, by weight. These concentrations of FAEE differed from the minor abundances of FAEE (<3%, by weight) found in manufacturer-supplied krill oil. The potential clinical and regulatory implications for these findings warrant further investigation.
Policies of Exclusion: Implications for the Health of Immigrants and Their Children.

Public policies play a crucial role in shaping how immigrants adapt to life in the United States. Federal, state, and local laws and administrative practices impact immigrants’ access to education,...
Kosova as a Chessboard: The Centrality of the Balance of Power

In this chapter I show how the balance of power was essential to the fateful decisions taken at key moments during this period filled with feverish diplomatic, military, and political activity on the side of great powers. The balance of power, through the balancing acts of the competitor state, forced NATO and the United States to go to a bombing campaign instead of going to the UN and through the UN, which was much more preferable. The balance of power limited and distorted the political objectives that were to be achieved. The balance of power made possible the ending of the bombing campaign. The balance of power determined, to a large extent, the essential political choices that were made and that were fateful to the future of ethnic conflict in Kosova. Ultimately, what started as a NATO bombing campaign, in complete disregard for the UN and other great powers, ended up as a negotiated solution between the United States and Russia, with Serbia protecting its sovereignty over Serbia proper, maintaining formal control over Kosova, and with Kosova itself transformed into a UN Mandate. A game that started without much regard for the traditional diplomacy ended up being played and concluded by the traditional rules of the balance of power.
Academic Librarianship, 2nd ed.

Authors G. Edward Evans and Stacey Greenwell are experienced library administrators as well as library school instructors. They have assembled a work that informs the reader of the culture of highe...