cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Architectures for Green routers

As the Information and Communication (ICT) infrastructure continues to evolve, significant energy dissipation is incurred in the core routers. Core router performance will soon be limited by the power density. About two-thirds of the power dissipation in a router is in layer 3. Packet forwarding, classification, etc. contribute significantly to this. This talk explores architectures and algorithms for network functions including deep packet inspection and packet classification in core routers. We propose energy efficient designs to realize the “Green Internet” vision. We illustrate the performance improvements for such systems and demonstrate the suitability of FPGAs for these computations. We show that SRAM based solutions combined with FPGA based architectures lead to high throughput as well as reduced power dissipation compared with the state of the art solutions based TCAMs.
Role of photodynamic therapy in the management of early cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract

Photodynamic therapy has been effective in the management of cancers arising in multiple sites, particularly skin, bronchi and bladder. In head and neck cancer, however, its use has been confined to the palliation of advanced lesions that have proved refractory to conventional therapy. While this use is unquestionably valid, the true therapeutic value of photodynamic therapy appears to be in managing early mucosal cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract. These include early superficial cancers and ‘condemned mucosa’. At the University of Cincinnati, photodynamic therapy has been used on a variety of such early cancers where, for a variety of reasons, conventional therapy was not possible, and with most encouraging results. The first 20 cases are reported here, to highlight the technical aspects encountered in management, together with the pitfalls and problems. This experience has led to the development of a multi-institutional study to compare the safety and efficacy of photodynamic therapy with those of carbon dioxide laser excision of superficial carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx.
Herpes simplex keratitis: Role of viral infection versus immune response

The cumulative clinical and experimental data regarding the role of viral infection versus the immune response in the pathogenesis of herpes simplex stromal keratitis and central disciform endotheliitis are discussed. Ultrastructural and viral isolation studies have been performed in only a limited number of cases of human stromal keratitis and disciform endotheliitis. Virus has been isolated from the minority of corneas cultured, whereas viral particles have been demonstrated in selected cases of stromal keratitis, most of which had been treated with steroids at some point in time. The possibility of corneal latency in cases of quiescent herpetic stromal keratitis will require further systematic study. Review of the experimental and clinical findings suggests a dialectical role of the immune response in limiting viral infection, while contributing to corneal opacification and scar formation.
A Peptide Substrate-Based Affinity Label Blocks Protein Kinase C-Catalyzed ATP Hydrolysis and Peptide-Substrate Phosphorylation☆☆☆

Studies focused on the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) have led to the identification of conserved active-site residues involved in Ser/Thr protein kinase catalysis and have ruled out a role for Cys residues in the catalytic mechanism. Protein kinase C (PKC) is a Ser/Thr protein kinase isozyme family. We recently reported that the peptide-substrate analog N-biotinyl-Arg-Arg-Arg-Cys-Leu-Arg-Arg-Leu (N-biotinyl-RRRCLRRL) spontaneously forms intermolecular disulfide bridges with the active-site region of PKC isozymes concomitant with inactivation of histone kinase catalysis. Because Cys does not participate in PKC catalysis, one can analyze the active-site topology of PKC by examining which catalytic reactions are sterically hindered when the inactivator peptide is tethered to Cys in the active-site region of the enzyme. In this report, we show that N-biotinyl-RRRCLRRL inactivates the bulky PKC-catalyzed histone phosphorylation reaction, the comparatively less bulky PKC-catalyzed phosphorylation of a series of octapeptide, hexapeptide, and pentapeptide substrates, the intramolecular autophosphorylation reaction of PKC, and the least bulky PKC-catalyzed reaction, ATP hydrolysis, in a dithiothreitol-sensitive manner with comparable efficacy. Our results provide evidence that the covalent linkage of N-biotinyl-RRRCLRRL to the active-site region of PKC sterically hinders PKC catalysis, even in the absence of peptide and protein substrates.
An energy efficient garbage collector for java embedded devices

This paper presents a detailed design and implementation of a power-efficient garbage collector for Java embedded systems. The proposed scheme is a hybrid between the standard mark-sweep-compact collector available in Sun's KVM and a limited-field reference counter. There are three benefits resulting from the proposed scheme. (a) the proposed scheme reclaims memory more efficiently and this results in less mark-sweep garbage collection invocations, (b) reduction in garbage collection invocations improves cache locality and reduces the number of main memory accesses, and (c) reduction in memory access ultimately results in lower energy consumption, since a memory access can consume a large amount of energy when compared with an instruction execution. The proposed scheme has been implemented into Sun's KVM, and has been shown to reduce the number of mark-sweep garbage collection invocations by up to 100% in some cases, and the number of level-1 cache misses by as much as 87% when compared to the default garbage collector. We also find that in some applications, the proposed scheme can reduce the power consumption by as much as 27% when compared to the default Sun's KVM.
A comparison of chlorhexidine-alcohol versus povidone-iodine for eliminating skin flora before genitourinary prosthetic surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: We defined the relevant skin flora during genitourinary prosthetic surgery, evaluated the safety of chlorhexidine-alcohol for use on the male genitalia and compared chlorhexidine-alcohol to povidone-iodine in decreasing the rate of positive bacterial skin cultures at the surgical skin site before prosthetic device implantation.Materials and Methods: In this single institution, prospective, randomized, controlled study we evaluated 100 consecutive patients undergoing initial genitourinary prosthetic implantation. Patients were randomized to a standard skin preparation with povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine-alcohol. Skin cultures were obtained from the surgical site before and after skin preparation.Results: A total of 100 patients were randomized, with 50 in each arm. Pre-preparation cultures were positive in 79% of the patients. Post-preparation cultures were positive in 8% in the chlorhexidine-alcohol group compared to 32% in the povidone-iodine group (p = 0.0091). Coagulase-negative staphylococc...
Differing Effects of Partner and Nonpartner Sexual Assault on Women's Mental Health

This study contrasted the effects of intimate partner and nonpartner sexual assault on women's mental health among a sample (N=835) of low-income, ethnically diverse community women. Compared to sexual assault by a previous partner or by a non-intimate partner, sexual assault by a current partner was the strongest predictor of PTSD, stress, and dissociation. Non-intimate partner sexual assault was only a significant predictor of PTSD and only for African American women. These findings suggest that the victim-offender relationship is important when considering the impact of sexual assault. Specifically, sexual assault perpetrated by an intimate partner may be especially traumatic.
Matching Bandwidth Limits for Arrays Backed by a Conducting Ground Plane

Matching bandwidth limits are developed for antenna arrays backed by a perfect electrically conducting (PEC) ground plane. We model a general array in the long wavelength limit as a thin PEC-backed slab and use Fano's method to determine a limit for the frequency integral of the reflection coefficient. This yields a simple expression for the maximum bandwidth of the array under TE or TM excitation, subject to a specified tolerance for mismatch and efficiency. The limit also depends on the array's thickness, scan angle, and static permeability. The special case of a thin planar radiating sheet placed above a ground plane is also considered, which has a maximum impedance bandwidth of 8.3:1 at broadside when no materials are used $({\hbox{VSWR}}\leq {\hbox{2{:}1}})$ . Previous empirical approximations for the minimum height of a wideband array and maximum bandwidth of a tightly coupled dipole array (TCDA) are compared with the theoretical limits and found to be in good agreement.
Relationship Between MMR Vaccine and Autism

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the proposed link between the administration of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and the development of autism.DATA SOURCES:A literature search utilizing MEDLINE (1966–November 2003), with the key terms measles, mumps, rubella, and autism, was conducted. Review of the references listed in the articles identified was also performed.DATA SYNTHESIS:Ten articles that specifically evaluated the possible relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism were identified. Review articles, commentaries, and evaluations of a link between gastrointestinal symptoms in autistic children and MMR immunization were excluded.CONCLUSIONS:Based upon the current literature, it appears that there is no relationship between MMR vaccination and the development of autism.
Phase‐Resolved Strain Measurements in Hydrated Ordinary Portland Cement Using Synchrotron X‐rays

X-ray diffraction methods developed for the determination of residual stress states in crystalline materials have been applied to study residual strains and strains because of mechanical loading of ordinary portland cement paste. Synchrotron X-rays were used to make in situ measurements of interplanar spacings in the calcium hydroxide (CH) phase of hydrated neat portland cement under uniaxial compression. The results indicate that strains on the order of 1/100 000 can be resolved providing an essentially new technique by which to measure the phase-resolved meso-scale mechanical behavior of cement under different loading conditions. Evaluation of these strain data in view of published elastic parameters for CH suggests that the CH carries a large fraction of the applied stress and that plastic interactions with the matrix are notable.
The unintended consequences of greening America: an examination of how implementing green building policy may impact the dynamic between local, state, and federal regulatory systems and the possible exacerbation of class segregation

The aim of this paper is to analyze the unintended consequences of green government policies. This paper begins by providing a background on how the implementation of the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) government policies supported or increased racial and socioeconomic segregation by causing urban sprawl and gentrification. Next, it provides background information on three green building publications: (1) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, which has been adopted by many local jurisdictions across the nation as the norm for green building; (2) CalGreen, which went into effect on 1 January 2011 as the nation’s first mandatory statewide green building code; and (3) the San Francisco Green Building Ordinance that imposes green building requirements on newly constructed residential and commercial buildings, and renovations to existing buildings in San Francisco, California. This paper will consider how the policies surrounding green buildings can (1) restrict local government power, (2) impact the dynamic between state and federal norms, and (3) create further separation between privileged and underprivileged classes. Although uncertain, it is possible that a negative situation similar to the FHA policy could evolve in underprivileged communities, causing greater economic and racial segregation within our communities as less privileged people cannot afford to live in green cities. Ultimately, this paper will propose that further research on CalGreen should be conducted in order to determine whether CalGreen and similar standards will benefit those in underprivileged areas and, if not, what steps should be taken in response.
T2-imaging of area-at-risk predicts recovery of cardiac function in a canine model of acute myocardial infarction

Infarct size is the strongest predictor of subsequent outcomes and remains an important therapeutic target. Myocardial edema measured by T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging identifies the ischemic area-at-risk and predicts infarct size, allows more accurate evaluation of novel anti-ischemic therapies, and may be associated with stunning and long-term recovery of function.
A Star in the Brainstem Reveals the First Step of Cortical Magnification

A fundamental question in the neurosciences is how central nervous system (CNS) space is allocated to different sensory inputs. Yet it is difficult to measure innervation density and corresponding representational areas in the CNS of most species. These measurements can be made in star-nosed moles (Condylura cristata) because the cortical representation of nasal rays is visible in flattened sections and afferents from each ray can be counted. Here we used electrophysiological recordings combined with sections of the brainstem to identify a large, visible star representation in the principal sensory nucleus (PrV). PrV was greatly expanded and bulged out of the brainstem rostrally to partially invade the trigeminal nerve. The star representation was a distinct PrV subnucleus containing 11 modules, each representing one of the nasal rays. The 11 PrV ray representations were reconstructed to obtain volumes and the largest module corresponded to ray 11, the mole's tactile fovea. These measures were compared to fiber counts and primary cortical areas from a previous investigation. PrV ray volumes were closely correlated with the number of afferents from each ray, but afferents from the behaviorally most important, 11(th) ray were preferentially over-represented. This over-representation at the brainstem level was much less than at the cortical level. Our results indicate that PrV provides the first step in magnifying CNS representations of important afferents, but additional magnification occurs at higher levels. The early development of the 11(th), foveal appendage could provide a mechanism for the most important afferents to capture the most CNS space.
Computing at the speed of trading (keynote)

When the word trading comes up in conversation, most people think first of the stock markets and frantic traders of movie and television. In reality many of the largest deals are done over-the-counter and so expose the parties to the contract to each other’s financial circumstances. This raises the question: what is my potential future exposure (PFE) if “the other guy” – the counterparty – defaults? Sophisticated measures like PFE and the related CVA allow firms to monitor their exposure to others, to limit it, and to ensure their capital will support the deals it makes. This analysis involves forecasting deal values far into the future, examining legal agreements between the two firms, and evaluating the deal itself. Algorithms in this domain use thousands of scenarios as well as complex aggregation and pricing techniques, all across hundreds of future time points to produce actionable risk metrics. In this talk I’ll discuss some of the complexities of the problem, how it can be broken down into efficient computational chunks and delve into our recent experiments with parallelizing the aggregation across scenarios and time points using OpenMP to enhance real-time performance.
Why Shouldn't Sam Read? Toward a New Paradigm for Literacy and the Deaf

Educators of the deaf and hard-of-hearing have long viewed this population as being Hearing people without the auditory sense and used instructional approaches, especially in reading, that conformed to or paralleled approaches taken with hearing children. In this article, it is argued that a paradigmatic shift must be undertaken that views deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to be biologically, and therefore linguistically, different, yet uses visually based strategies for reading analogous or equivalent to those for hearing individuals. If these strategies are actively pursued and promoted by educators of the deaf and hard-of-hearing within the ASL/English bilingual/bicultural philosophy it is suggested that the reconception of deaf and hard-of-hearing people as active, successful readers will be more easily attainable. These strategies, along with models of the reading process, are explored here to provide implications for instruction and areas of future research.
The Effect of Lifestyle Intervention and Metformin on Preventing or Delaying Diabetes Among Women With and Without Gestational Diabetes: The Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study 10-Year Follow-Up

Context: Gestational diabetes (GDM) confers a high risk of type 2 diabetes. In the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), intensive lifestyle (ILS) and metformin prevented or delayed diabetes in women with a history of GDM. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of ILS and metformin intervention over 10 years in women with and without a history of GDM in the DPP/Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. Design: This was a randomized controlled clinical trial with an observational follow-up. Setting: The study was conducted at 27 clinical centers. Participants: Three hundred fifty women with a history of GDM and 1416 women with previous live births but no history of GDM participated in the study. The participants had an elevated body mass index and fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance at study entry. Interventions: Interventions included placebo, ILS, or metformin. Outcomes Measure: Outcomes measure was diabetes mellitus. Results: Over 10 years, women with a history of GDM...
The Impact of Perioperative Bleeding on Long-Term Outcomes of Mechanical Circulatory Support

s S203 since April 2010. ECMO may be instituted a priori or upon hemodynamic (or other) indication, which we aim to avoid if possible. Here we identify risk factors for intraoperative indication ECMO and compare results with those patients transplanted without ECMO support. Methods: Patients transplanted between April 2010 and February 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients requiring intraoperative indication ECMO formed Group A, patients transplanted off-pump formed Group B. Patients with preoperative ECMO, idiopathic pulmonary artery hypertension or requiring a concomitant cardiac procedure, where intraoperative ECMO was employed a priori, were excluded. Results: Among 481 patients undergoing bilateral sequential lung transplantation, 67 (14%, Group A) underwent intraoperative indication ECMO implant and 328 (68%) patients (Group B) did not. Eighty-six (18%) patients, where ECMO was used a priori, were excluded from the study. Among group A patients, decision for using ECMO was set at clamping of the first (mostly right) pulmonary artery in 37 (55%) patients and later during the procedure in the remaining 30 (45%) patients. Veno-arterial ECMO was used in all 67 patients and was implanted emergently in only 10 (15%) of these. At multivariate analysis, pulmonary fibrosis (OR 2.5, 95%CI: 1.3-4.7, p= 0.004) and preoperative mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than 24mmHg (OR 2.3, 95%CI: 1.3-4.1, p= 0.005) were identified as risk factors for intraoperative indication ECMO. Postoperatively, more Group A than B patients showed primary graft dysfunction (35%vs.12%, p< 0.01), required revision for bleeding (13%vs.4%, p< 0.01), required intermittent dialysis (19%vs.4%, p< 0.01), or died in-hospital (13%vs.3%, p< 0.01). In Group A and B patients, at 1and 3-year follow-up, overall survival (%) was 82±5vs.92±1 and 73±6vs.78±3, respectively (p= 0.32). Conclusion: Pulmonary fibrosis and secondary pulmonary artery hypertension are predictors for the need of intraoperative indication ECMO. Of interest, 68% of the patients can safely be transplanted off-pump with excellent results and a further 18% may be assigned to an a priori ECMO cohort.
Text-independent speaker verification by discriminator counting

The authors describe an algorithm for detecting the presence of speech from a particular individual, called the target, while rejecting speech from all other individuals. The algorithm requires samples of training data for the target speaker, as well as for a set of N other speakers, called reference speakers. These data are used to estimate the parameters of a set of speaker-pair discriminators. Each discriminator separates the target from one of the reference speakers, producing a positive or negative value for each input frame. The polarity of discriminators is such that positive output values favor the target. After the discriminator output has been integrated over a suitable time interval, the number of positive values is counted and compared with a detection threshold between 0 and N. In an experiment using clean speech material, 80% of targets were detected with only 2% of non-targets. >
Urinary exosomes: is there a future?

Tiny vesicles called ‘exosomes’, recently discovered in normal urine [1], provide a non-invasive means of acquiring unique information about the physiological or pathophysiological state of their renal cells of origin. Exosomes are delivered to the urine from all renal epithelial cell types. Consequently, analysis of urinary exosomes may provide a source of protein biomarkers for diseases involving glomerular podocytes, the various renal tubule segments or the transitional epithelium lining the urinary drainage tract [1]. Here, we discuss possible applications of urinary exosome analysis, as well as barriers to the development of practical clinical tools for exosome analysis. Exosomes originate as the internal vesicles of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) in cells (Figure 1). They were first described as products of circulating blood cells [2], such as erythrocytes and lymphocytes, and are probably formed by most cell types throughout the body. In the kidney, exosomes are released to the urine by fusion of the outer membrane of the MVBs with the apical plasma membrane (Figure 1). Proteomic analysis of urinary exosomes using tandem mass spectrometry approaches [1] revealed membrane proteins from each cell type facing the urinary space. In addition, the lumens of exosomes contain many cytosolic proteins that are entrained when the exosomes are formed in the MVBs. Thus, urinary exosomes can provide the investigator with a sampling of membrane and cytosolic proteins from each renal epithelial cell type. Through the use of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), more than a thousand proteins have been detected (Gonzales, Pisitkun and Knepper, unpublished data). In urine from normal subjects, urinary exosomes account for ∼3% of the total urinary protein [3]. Hence, when exosomes are isolated, their constituent proteins are enriched >30-fold, enhancing the detectability of rare proteins that may have diagnostic value.
Fractures of the atlas.

Fractures of the first cervical vertebra are usually caused by indirect trauma with force being transmitted through the skull to the atlas. The clinical picture usually is of little help in making the diagnosis which depends on anteroposterior and lateral roentgenograms often supplemented by axial views and body section techniques. Congenital defects in the arches and other anomalies may confuse the diagnosis. Symptomatic treatment of atlantal fractures with bracing and other external support almost always ends in a satisfactory result. Fractures of the axis, however, accompansy about one-third of atlantal fractures and in these cases the incidence of cervical cord and vertebral artery injury rises. Traction with tongs or a halter may be necessary to prevent cord injury and, if continued atlanto-axial instability threatens despite support in a Minerva jacket, occipitocervical fusion might be indicated. While rupture of the vertebral artery is rare, symptoms and signs of basilar artery insufficiency should lead one to suspect an anteriovenous fistula of the vertebral artery at the level of the first cervical vertebra. This lesion might require vertebral artery arteriography and surgical repair.
Variations of Sensible and Latent Heat Fluxes from a Great Lakes Buoy and Associated Synoptic Weather Patterns

An investigation of sensible and latent heat fluxes and their relation to synoptic weather events was performed using hourly meteorological measurements from National Data Buoy Center buoy 45003, located in northern Lake Huron, during April‐November of 1984. Two temporal heat flux regimes were found to exist over Lake Huron. The first period extended from April through July and was characterized by periods of modest negative (downward) heat fluxes. The second regime was marked by periods of large positive (upward) heat fluxes and occurred from August through November. This later period accounted for 95%‐100% of both the total positive sensible and latent heat fluxes. In addition, a comparison of the seasonal evolution of sensible and latent heat fluxes showed the transition from the negative to the positive flux regime occurred 10‐20 days earlier for latent heat flux than for sensible heat flux. A notable, statistically significant increase of the surface heat flux variability from the negative to positive flux regimes with a general decrease in the near-surface atmospheric stability during the positive flux regime was found. During both flux regimes, the magnitude of surface sensible and latent heat fluxes remained coupled to transient synoptic-scale weather events. On average, the occurrences of minimum (maximum) heat fluxes preceded time periods of low (high) sea level pressure by 0‐3 h during the negative flux regime. For the positive flux regime, maximum (minimum) surface heat fluxes followed the passage of low (high) pressure by approximately 24 h. In addition, maximum (minimum) sensible and latent heat fluxes preceded synoptic high (low) pressure by approximately 16 h. Typical synoptic surface weather patterns were identified for both significant positive and negative heat flux events, time periods when the atmosphere‐lake heat exchange was maximized.
A new Solomon’s Seal ( Polygonatum : Asparagaceae) from northern Thailand

Polygonatum Miller (1754, without pagination) (Asparagaceae) is a relatively large genus containing approximately 60 taxa (Chen & Tamura 2000). The majority of species are eastern Asian (Jeffrey 1980, Chen & Tamura 2000). Phyllotaxy, cytology, and filament morphology have been recognized as important in delimiting species (Suomalainen 1947, Tamura 1990, 1991, 1993). Specimens of an anomalous Polygonatum collected by J.F. Maxwell from northern Thailand, Doi Inthanon have a general affinity to P. punctatum Royle ex Kunth (1850: 142) and have been reported as that species (Tamura 1993, Maxwell 1998), but differ in their emaculate white and longitudinally ridged perigone. Cultivated material from the same locality ( BSWJ6599 , Figs. 1–2) provides clear observation of the differences that are not as apparent on pressed specimens. It differs in several morphological features from P. punctatum : stem characters; phyllotaxy; leaf shape; inflorescence type and position; perigone color; and filament size, orientation, and morphology. The combined morphological differences and non-contiguous distributions of P. costatum in comparison to P . punctatum support its recognition as a new species, thus far documented only from the highest elevation in northern Thailand.
A Pilot Study of Continuous Infusion of Mycophenolate Mofetil for Prophylaxis of Graft-versus-Host-Disease in Pediatric Patients.

Abstract Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), an ester prodrug of mycophenolic acid (MPA), is used increasingly for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. Empiric fixed-dose-escalation strategies in pediatric hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients have failed to achieve target MPA exposure. We evaluated the safety and feasibility of a pharmacokinetics-based dosing approach using a novel continuous infusion (CI) method of administration of MMF in pediatric HCT recipients. All patients received a myeloablative conditioning with cyclosporine A and MMF for GVHD prophylaxis. MMF was initiated on day 0 at a dose of 15 mg/kg every 8 hours. Based on steady-state pharmacokinetics, MMF was converted to CI to target a total MPA AUC0-24 of 40 to 80 μg·hour/mL. The MMF dose was adjusted to maintain a total MPA steady-state concentration (Css) of 1.7 to 3.3 μg/mL. During the CI schedule, MPA AUC0-24 was maintained at a mean of 40.1 μg·hour/mL (range, 20.6 to 63.8), and 17 of 19 patients (89%) achieved MPA Css within target of 1.7 to 3.3 μg/mL. Eighteen of 19 patients (95%) achieved neutrophil engraftment at a median of 13 days (range, 8 to 41) post-transplant and platelet engraftment at 39 days (range, 17 to 298) days post-transplant. Six of 18 assessable patients (33%) developed stages II to IV acute GVHD and 2 of 15 (13%) developed chronic GVHD. The MMF dose was reduced in 9 patients due to gastrointestinal symptoms (n = 6), low blood counts (n = 4), and viral infection (n = 3). Five patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia relapsed, of whom 4 have died. Fifteen of 19 patients are alive with a median follow-up of 2.4 years (range, .4 to 4.9), with 3-year event-free and overall survival rates of 68% and 79%, respectively. In this pilot study of pharmacokinetically directed MMF dosing, we observed no toxic deaths, excellent engraftment, and low rates of grades III to IV acute and chronic GVHD. We found significantly lower half-life and higher drug clearance in pediatric HCT recipients compared with stable pediatric renal transplant patients or adult transplant patients. This regimen deserves further validation in a larger cohort of pediatric patients undergoing myeloablative transplantation.
Abstract 264: Impact of Obesity on Index Presentation for ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background: Obesity is associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Previous studies have examined the relationship between obesity and outcomes in patients who were diagnosed with ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, the impact of obesity in patients with no prior myocardial infarction (MI) who were diagnosed with STEMI and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been established. Aims: We examined the relationship between obesity, coronary lesions and probability of STEMI in patients who were admitted with STEMI and subsequently had PCI at our center between July 1, 2009 and November 30, 2010. Methods: Body Mass index (BMI) was computed as weight divided by square of the height (Kg/m2) and classified into categories on the basis of world health organization criteria. Multivariate logistic regression models were built incorporating age, gender, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, BMI, heart failure and chronic liver disease. The models were used to calculate the predicted probabilities of STEMI. Results: We studied 728 patients with no prior MI (mean age 61 years, 65% females). Prevalence of acute coronary syndrome increased with age with a peak occurrence a decade later in females compared to males (60-69 years in females vs. 50-59 years in males, p<0.01). Proximal right coronary artery lesions were significantly more common in females than males (15% vs. 10% p 0.04) Mid left anterior descending lesions were also more common in females (28% vs. 21% p 0.05). Males tended to be more obese than females (31% vs. 19% obesity class I p=0.001, and 52 % vs. 44%, obesity class II p=0.005). Computed predicted probabilities showed that the highest probability of STEMI among females occurred in the morbidly obese category while among males, normal weight and overweight individuals had higher probabilities than other obesity categories (figure 1) Conclusions: We conclude that in patients with no prior MI who were diagnosed with STEMI and had PCI, morbidly obese females had a higher probability of presenting with STEMI compared to other BMI categories. These results suggest that obesity plays a bigger role in females compared to males. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Exposure to graphic warning labels on cigarette packages: Effects on implicit and explicit attitudes towards smoking among young adults.

Objective: To test the effect of exposure to the US Food and Drug Administration’s proposed graphic images with text warning statements for cigarette packages on implicit and explicit attitudes towards smoking.Design and methods: A two-session web-based study was conducted with 2192 young adults 18–25-years-old. During session one, demographics, smoking behaviour, and baseline implicit and explicit attitudes were assessed. Session two, completed on average 18 days later, contained random assignment to viewing one of three sets of cigarette packages, graphic images with text warnings, text warnings only, or current US Surgeon General’s text warnings. Participants then completed post-exposure measures of implicit and explicit attitudes. ANCOVAs tested the effect of condition on the outcomes, controlling for baseline attitudes.Results: Smokers who viewed packages with graphic images plus text warnings demonstrated more negative implicit attitudes compared to smokers in the other conditions (p = .004). For th...
CHINESE CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION AS AN INSTITUTION

This paper exploits new data from original representative surveys of municipal, county, and township congress delegates and their constituents in mainland China. It presents descriptive evidence that: (1) local congress delegates have a sense of constituency, reflected in both attitudes and actions; (2) this sense of constituency varies by congress level in a predictable way, with greater strength among more delegates in lower congresses than in higher congresses; and (3) ordinary Chinese lack a parallel sense of their local congresses or delegates. This last point about congressional irrelevance to the Chinese mass public largely confirms conventional wisdom of some decades standing, although evidence about contacts between delegates and constituents suggests a new perspective on the relationship. The first two points reflect new evidence that, I argue, reflects important institutional change in the direction of congressional representation.
Do Learning And Study Skills Affect Academic Performance? - An Empirical Investigation

Universities and colleges are very interested in understanding the factors that influence their students academic performance. This paper describes a study that was conducted at a mid-sized public university in the mid-south, USA, to examine this issue. In this study, the 10-scale, Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) (Weinstein et al., 1987) assessment device was administered to 107 students to measure receptivity to several skills and strategies that purportedly enhance a students ability to learn and successfully perform in an academic setting. The results of this study showed that the LASSI scales dealing with attitude, concentration, information processing skill, motivation, self-testing and review techniques, use of study support techniques, time management, and effective test-taking strategies all correlated positively (with statistical significance) to student GPA. There were also statistically significant differences between males and females in their mean scores for several of the above mentioned LASSI scales. Every LASSI subscale, where females significantly outscored males, positively correlated with superior academic performance (i.e., GPA). However, after controlling for variance explained by the LASSI scores, there were no statistically significant correlations between gender and academic performance. The primary conclusion from this study is that contrary to prior research that suggests that females predominantly outperform males in academics, such differences can be better explained by mediating variables such as learning and study strategies. This debunking of the female stereotype of superior academic performance merely because of gender has pedagogical implications.
Ion mobility mass spectrometry of Au25(SCH2CH2Ph)18 nanoclusters.

Ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) can separate ions based on their size, shape, and charge as well as mass-to-charge ratios. Here, we report experimental IM-MS and IM-MS/MS data of the Au25(SCH2CH2Ph)18− nanocluster. The IM-MS of Au25(SCH2CH2Ph)18− exhibits a narrow, symmetric drift time distribution that indicates the presence of only one structure. The IM-MS/MS readily distinguishes between the fragmentation of the outer protecting layer, made from six [−SR−Au−SR−Au−SR−] “staples’ where R = CH2CH2Ph, and the Au13 core. The fragmentation of the staples is characterized by the predominant loss of Au4(SR)4 from the cluster and the formation of eight distinct bands. The consecutive eight bands contain an increasing variety of AulSmRn− product ions due to the incremental fragmentation of the outer layer of Au21X14−, where X = S or SCH2CH2Ph. The mobility of species in each individual band shows that the lower mass species exhibit greater collision cross sections, facilitating the identification of the A...
Factors Affecting Mycelial Growth, Lipid Content and Fatty-Acid Composition in Achlya Flagellata

The effects of temperature, medium composition and concentration, and aeration on mycelial growth, lipid content and mycelial fatty-acid composition of Achlya flagellata were studied. At the temperatures tested (20, 25 and 30 C) there was no effect of temperature on mycelial growth other than a more rapid initiation of growth at 30 C. The yield of mycelium from the chemically defined medium was the same regardless of temperature. Similar results were obtained for lipid content. Varying the C: N ratio had no significant effect on either mycelial growth or lipid content. Mycelial growth was improved significantly by growth in peptone-yeast-extract-glucose (PYG) broth. Increasing the concentration of PYG medium resulted in an increase in mycelial growth but a decline in lipid content. Of the carbohydrates tested, glucose was the best for growth. Aerated cultures grew better but produced less lipid. In all experiments reduced mycelial growth was correlated with higher percent lipids. Aeration did result in a greater degree of unsaturation of fatty acids. Increase in temperature resulted in an increase in the degree of unsaturation. Palmitic, oleic, and arachidonic acids are the major fatty acids in the mycelial lipid extract.
A Statistical Analysis of Effectiveness of Energy Policy in the United States: Incentives vs. Regulations

Abstract The increase of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere has affected the global climate. The federal, state and local governments are mostly concerned with the environment, so they have developed and/or implemented environmental policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Increasing renewable energy use and improving energy efficiency are some of the strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Each state has its own set of regulations and incentive policies to address energy use and supply, and these are constantly updated to reflect changing conditions. Failed policies are often extracted, while successful policies continued (pending availability of funds). Thus, it is necessary to verify which kinds of policies are helpful to increase the usage of renewable energy and energy efficiency methods. The main objective of this research was to understand how influential different kinds of policies would be in encouraging renewable energy use and improving energy efficiency. Based on the analyses, the research team identified the key factors of a successful energy policy. This research systematically reviewed environmental policies and investigated their effectiveness. Most importantly, policymakers can utilize the factors that influence their energy policies.
Dietary restriction of adult male rhesus monkeys: design, methodology, and preliminary findings from the first year of study

Dietary restriction (DR) retards aging processes and extends maximum life span in rodents and in simpler animals. We initiated a study in 30 adults (8-14 years old) male rhesus monkeys to determine whether or not aging processes are retarded by adult-onset DR in a primate species and herein report results from the experiment's first year. Following a 3-6 month period when baseline data were obtained, 15 animals were assigned to a control group and given free access to a semipurified diet for 6-8 hours per day. The other 15 monkeys were fed the same diet but at 70% of their baseline intake levels predetermined individually. The animals are being evaluated semi-annually for body size and composition, physical activity, metabolic rate, glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, hematologic indices, immunologic function, and fingernail growth. Ocular function is assessed annually. The preliminary observations after one year are: (a) all monkeys appear to be in excellent health; (b) average body weights for controls increased by 9% while monkeys on DR did not gain weight; (c) monkeys on DR have less body fat than do control monkeys, whereas the amount of lean body mass has not been significantly influenced by DR; (d) there was a small but statistically significant reduction in physical activity for monkeys on DR relative to controls; and (e) DR has not overtly influenced the other measures. Control monkeys gradually reduced their voluntary levels of food intake during the first year of study, and food allotments to DR monkeys are being adjusted accordingly in order to reinstate the intended 30% difference between groups. These early data indicate that DR can be safely instituted in adult monkeys, but that longer term and/or more severe DR is required to determine if it is capable of influencing age-sensitive indices in long-lived primates.
Detection of Protein Arginine Methylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Protein arginine methylation has emerged to be an important regulator of cellular protein functions. Techniques that uncover the presence of methylarginines on a protein provide an important step towards understanding the functional role of arginine methylation. Here, we describe several common methods used to detect the presence of protein arginine methylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Program Size Complexity of Correction Grammars in the Ershov Hierarchy

A general correction grammar for a language L is a program g that, for each \((x,t)\in \mathbb {N} ^2\), issues a yes or no (where when \(t=0\), the answer is always no) which is g’s t-th approximation in answering “\(x{\in } L?\)”; moreover, g’s sequence of approximations for a given x is required to converge after finitely many mind-changes. The set of correction grammars can be transfinitely stratified based on O, Kleene’s system of notation for constructive ordinals. For \(u\in O\), a u-correction grammar’s mind changes have to fit a count-down process from ordinal notation u; these u-correction grammars capture precisely the \(\varSigma _u^{-1}\) sets in Ershov’s hierarchy of sets for \(\varDelta _2^0\). Herein we study the relative succinctness between these classes of correction grammars. Example: Given u and v, transfinite elements of O with \(u }H({i_{v}})\). We also exhibit relative succinctness progressions in these systems of grammars and study the “information-theoretic” underpinnings of relative succinctness. Along the way, we verify and improve slightly a 1972 conjecture of Meyer and Bagchi.
Education of Future Human Factors Professionals

The labor market as a whole and specifically those areas where human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) professionals are employed are in constant flux. Academic institutions, on the other hand, tend to be more stable with changes in programs happening much more slowly. There is some evidence that the education of new HF/E professionals falls short of meeting the knowledge and skills that human factors professionals face when they enter the workplace. This panel is convened to discuss and debate two questions: (1) What would the “ideal” education look like for the future HF/E professional, and (2) what would be the best way to deliver this ideal education. Moreover, we hope that this panel will bring together educators and employers of future HF/E professionals and foster a lively and productive exchange of ideas on how to best supply the future workforce with the evolving industry needs. It should be noted, however, that these are very difficult questions and that the panel is by no means unanimous about answers ...
The moiré method and the evaluation of principal-moment and stress directions

This paper discusses, in relation to the “moire method” as used for the solution of plate bending and two-dimensional stress problems, two graphical techniques for the determination of the directions of principal moments and stresses. The so-called “isoclinic method” and the “point method” are described. The application of these new techniques on three different models—a circular disk under diametrically opposite loads and two different circular plates subjected to a lateral load—are fully discussed. The graphically determined principal-stress and moment directions show excellent agreement with analytically determined comparable values.
The acute toxicity of major ion salts to Ceriodaphnia dubia. II. Empirical relationships in binary salt mixtures

Many human activities increase concentrations of major geochemical ions (Na+1 , K+1 , Ca+2 , Mg+2 , Cl-1 , SO4-2 , and HCO3-1 /CO3-2 ) in freshwater systems, and can thereby adversely affect aquatic life. Such effects involve several toxicants, multiple toxicity mechanisms, various ion interactions, and widely varying ion compositions across different water bodies. Previous studies of individual salt toxicities have defined some useful relationships; however, adding single salts to waters results in atypical compositions and does not fully address mixture toxicity. To better understand mechanisms and interactions for major ion toxicity, 29 binary mixture experiments, each consisting of 7 to 8 toxicity tests, were conducted on the acute toxicity of major ion salts and mannitol to Ceriodaphnia dubia. These tests showed multiple mechanisms of toxicity, including: 1) nonspecific ion toxicity, correlated with osmolarity and to which all ions contribute; and 2) cation-dependent toxicities for potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) best related to their chemical activities. These mechanisms primarily operate independently, except for additive toxicity of Mg-dependent and Ca-dependent toxicities. These mixture studies confirmed ameliorative effects of Ca on sodium (Na) and Mg salt toxicities and of Na on K salt toxicity, and further indicated lesser ameliorative effects of Ca on K salt toxicity and Mg on Na salt toxicity. These results provide a stronger basis for assessing risks from the complex mixtures of ions found in surface waters. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1525-1537. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.