cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Semi-Supervised Node Classification by Graph Convolutional Networks and Extracted Side Information

The nodes of a graph existing in a cluster are more likely to connect to each other than with other nodes in the graph. Then revealing some information about some nodes, the structure of the graph (graph edges) provides this opportunity to know more information about other nodes. From this perspective, this paper revisits the node classification task in a semi-supervised scenario by graph convolutional networks (GCNs). The goal is to benefit from the flow of information that circulates around the revealed node labels. The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, this paper provides a method for extracting side information from a graph realization. Then a new GCN architecture is presented that combines the output of traditional GCN and the extracted side information. Another contribution of this paper is relevant to non-graph observations (independent side information) that exists beside a graph realization in many applications. Indeed, the extracted side information can be replaced by a sequence of side information that is independent of the graph structure. For both cases, the experiments on synthetic and real-world datasets demonstrate that the proposed model achieves a higher prediction accuracy in comparison to the existing state-of-the-art methods for the node classification task.
Ethnic/racial and gender differences in body image disorders among a diverse sample of sexual minority U.S. adults

This study assessed the occurrence of probable eating disorders (EDs), ED symptoms, probable body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), BDD symptoms, drive for muscularity, and appearance and performance enhancement drug (APED) misuse, in an ethnically/racially diverse sample of 962 cisgender sexual minority (SM) individuals in the United States, aged 18-30 years old. The overall occurrence of probable ED, probable BDD, and APED misuse in the current sample was 32.7 %, 50.9 %, and 30.6 %, respectively. With respect to ethnicity/race, Hispanic SMs reported the highest rates of EDs, BDD, APED misuse, and drive for muscularity, and may therefore be particularly at risk for developing body image disorders (BIDs). With respect to gender, SM men reported significantly greater drive for muscularity and APED misuse compared to SM women, while SM women reported significantly higher occurrence of probable ED and ED symptoms. The occurrence of EDs, BDD, and APED misuse were higher among SMs in this sample compared to previous rates found among heterosexual samples, suggesting that SMs, regardless of gender and ethnicity/race, are vulnerable to experiencing BIDs and APED misuse. Future research is needed to identify the mechanisms that place SMs at (increased) risk for BIDs, which will aid prevention/intervention development.
On the enhanced sulfur and coking tolerance of Ni-Co-rare earth oxide catalysts for the dry reforming of methane

Abstract Sulfur and coking tolerance of Ni-based dry reforming catalysts were examined. Catalysts utilizing both Ce/Zr and Ce/La oxide supports, some with additional Co, were tested. Long-term reaction runs were conducted with and without sulfur in the feed. Catalysts were also characterized by STEM, XPS, XAFS and XANES and CO chemisorption. Only catalysts where Co was also present, and supported on the Ce-Zr oxide, were capable of extended sulfur tolerance at >20 ppm sulfur. This tolerance, along with a greatly reduced coking rate, is linked to Co in intimate contact with Ni, the mixture existing as clusters anchored and influenced electronically by the oxide support. The activation of methane takes place on these sites. Larger metal aggregates formed by ripening during reaction appear to be spectators. The measured activation energies for dry reforming suggest that CO2 activation takes place at the oxide interface, and is a kinetically significant step.
The Effect of Casting Simulation on Maintenance of Fracture Alignment Following Closed Reduction of Pediatric Distal Radius Fractures: Does More Simulation Matter?

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a simulation curriculum on performance of closed reduction (CR) and casting of distal radius and distal both-bone forearm fractures by orthopaedic surgery residents. The secondary aim was to identify if repeated simulation training during the clinical rotation provided additional benefit. METHODS Orthopaedic surgery residents performed simulated distal radius fracture (DRF) reduction and cast application near the beginning and end of their 6-month pediatric orthopaedic clinical rotation at a tertiary care children's hospital. A subgroup of trainees were randomly assigned additional simulation training halfway through their rotation. Clinically, 28 residents treated 159 distal radius and/or distal both-bone forearm fractures with CR and casting during the study period. Radiographic evaluations were performed comparing postreduction fracture angulation, displacement, cast index, and loss of reduction (LOR) rates at the beginning of a resident's rotation (presimulation cases) and at the end of the resident's rotation (postsimulation cases). Comparisons were also made between residents who had and did not have additional simulation training exposure during their rotation. RESULTS Overall, postreduction radius angulation, maximal angulation, and cast index were lower in the postsimulation group than in the presimulation group with means 1.8°, 2.6°, and 0.75 vs 4.0°, 4.4° and 0.77, respectively. LOR rate was also lower (14% vs 30%). No significant differences were demonstrated for postreduction ulna angulation as well as for radius, ulna, or maximal displacement between these 2 groups. No significant differences were observed in radiographic parameters, cast indices, or LOR rates between residents who underwent additional mid-rotation training vs those who did not. CONCLUSIONS The incorporation of a simulation training curriculum for CR and casting of pediatric distal forearm fractures resulted in statistically significant, however, marginally improved postreduction radiographic parameters and LOR rates among orthopaedic residents. The utility of repeated additional simulation training during the course of a clinical rotation remains unclear in the short term.
Urokinase receptor (uPAR) regulates ovarian cancer cell adhesion to fibronectin through interaction with alpha5beta1 integrin

3759 Epithelial ovarian carcinoma is a highly lethal tumor due to its propensity to form widespread peritoneal implants throughout the abdominal cavity. The understanding of the molecular mechanisms in which ovarian carcinoma implants attach to mesothelium may permit the development of strategies that limit the intra-abdominal tumor spread. It has been reported that beta1-integrin adhesion receptors are widely expressed by ovarian cancer cells and are largely responsible for mediating mesothelial binding through recognition of mesothelial-associated extracellular matrix proteins (ECM), such as fibronectin (Fn) (apha5beta1), laminin-5 (alpha3beta1), and collagen (alpha2beta1). Fibronectin receptor alpha5beta1 has been found to play a key role in ovarian cancer cell adhesion to peritoneal mesothelium in vitro using neutralizing integrin antibodies. The main focus of this study is to investigate how alpha5beta1-mediated Fn adhesion is regulated in ovarian cancer cells. We and others have previously shown that beta1 integrin function can be regulated by urokinase receptors (uPAR), GPI-anchored membrane proteins upregulated during tumor progression, associate with beta1 integrins, and localizing urokinase to sites of cell attachment. Recently we found uPAR directly binds alpha5beta1 integrin and renders Fn binding by alpha5beta1 Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) resistant. FACS analysis and Western blotting detected cell surface expression of alpha5beta1 integrin and uPAR in human ovarian cancer Skov-3 cells. Fn adhesion of these cells is RGD-resistant and mainly alpha5beta1-mediated because it can be completely blocked by alpha5-blocking antibodies. Suppression of endogenous uPAR by RNA interference in Skov-3 cells resulted in weaker, RGD-sensitive Fn adhesion and altered overall alpha5beta1 conformation detected by LIBS antibodies (HUTS-21 and 9EG7). Interestingly, beta1 peptides that disrupt uPAR/alpha5beta1 association inhibited Skov-3 adhesion to Fn. Taken together, uPAR/alpha5beta1 complex may be responsible for fibronectin-mediated ovarian cancer binding to mesothelium. Because ovarian cancer cell binding to peritoneal mesothelium is mediated by several adhesion pathways, some are RGD-sensitive and some are RGD-resistant, simultaneous inhibition of both uPAR/beta1 integrin (by beta1 peptides) and other integrins (such as alphavbeta3 by RGD peptides) may lead to the significant limit of the intra-abdominal spread of this tumor in vivo.
Functional Redundancy in Ocean Microbiomes Controls Trait Stability

Abstract Advances in nucleic acid sequencing technology have revealed that, in many microbial ecosystems, the same ecosystem function or trait is performed by multiple species or taxa. Theory, developed in the context of macroecology, predicts that communities with high functional redundancy are less likely to lose functions due to species extinction compared to communities with low functional redundancy. It is not clear whether this is the case for microbial communities, particularly on the landscape scale. In part, the lack of quantitative measures for functional redundancy in microbial ecosystems has been prohibitive in addressing this question. We recently proposed a quantitative functional redundancy metric, contribution evenness, which measures how evenly taxa in a community contribute to an ecosystem function or trait. Using transcriptomes deposited in the Ocean Microbial Reference Gene Catalog (OM-RGC.v2), a catalog of genes and transcripts sequenced by the TARA Ocean expedition, we quantified the functional redundancy for 4,314 KEGG Orthologs (KOs) across 124 marine sites. Functional redundancy was highly correlated with a latent variable reflecting few ocean physiochemical parameters and was systematically higher at the poles than in non-polar regions. Functional richness β-diversity among non-polar sites was higher than that among polar sites, indicating that microbial ecosystem functions are more similar among polar sites than among non-polar sites. These observations combined provide evidence that functional redundancy influences microbial ecosystem function stability on spatiotemporal scales consistent with surface ocean mixing. We suggest that future changes in ocean physiochemistry will likely influence this stability.
County-Level Vaccination Coverage and Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the United States

Background: On Dec 14, 2020, the United States initiated a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Vaccination has not occurred uniformly in the United States. Only limited information describing the community-level impact of national vaccination campaigns is available. Methods: Using a negative binomial regression model we evaluated the association between county-level COVID-19 vaccine uptake and rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the United States from April 1, 2021 through July 31, 2021 controlling for a broad set of county-level environmental, sociodemographic, economic, and health-status-related characteristics. Findings: After adjustment for county-level characteristics, US counties with ≥70% of their adult population fully vaccinated against COVID-19 had 32% (95% CI: 19-43; P =<.001) and 39% (95% CI: 23-51; P =<.001) lower rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths, respectively, compared to counties that did not achieve 40% uptake. Similarly, US counties with 60-69% uptake had 14% (95% CI: 2-25; P =.023) and 19% (95% CI: 4-32; P =.017) lower rates versus those with <40% adult coverage. No impact was observed for counties with 40-49% or 50-59% uptake. Interpretations: Our results suggest that communities should continue to prioritize improving COVID-19 vaccination rates. US counties with ≥70% of their adult population fully vaccinated had rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths that were approximately one-third lower than counties with <40% coverage in a period that included the introduction and widespread dissemination of the Delta variant. Without sustained public-health interventions, the gap in rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths between well-vaccinated and poorly-vaccinated communities is likely to widen. Funding: None to declare. Declaration of Interest: At the time of writing, all authors were employees of and hold stock and/or stock options in Pfizer Inc.
Robust Skin-Feature Tracking in Free-Hand Video from Smartphone or Robot-Held Camera, to Enable Clinical-Tool Localization and Guidance

Our novel skin-feature visual-tracking algorithm enables anatomic vSLAM and (by extension) localization of clinical tools relative to the patient’s body. Tracking naturally occurring features is challenging due to patient uniqueness, deformability, and lack of an accurate a-priori 3D geometric model. Our method (i) tracks skin features in a smartphone-camera video sequence, (ii) performs anatomic Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) of camera motion relative to the patient’s 3D skin surface, and (iii) utilizes existing visual methods to track clinical tool(s) relative to the patient’s reconstructed 3D skin surface. (We demonstrate tracking of a simulated ultrasound probe relative to the patient by using an Apriltag visual fiducial). Our skin-feature tracking method utilizes the Fourier-Mellin Transform for robust performance, which we incorporated and extend an existing Phase Only Correlation (POC) based algorithm to be suitable for our application of free-hand smartphone video, wherein the distance of the camera fluctuates relative to the patient. Our SLAM approach further utilizes Structure from Motion and Bundle Adjustment to achieve an accurate 3D model of the human body with minimal drift-error in camera trajectory. We believe this to be the first freehand smartphone-camera tracking of natural skin features for anatomic tracking of surgical tools, ultrasound probe, etc.
Candida: What Should Clinicians and Scientists Be Talking About?

Candida is often described as an ''opportunistic'' pathogen. While Candida has clearly coevolved with humans to persist on the mucosa and skin, disseminated candidiasis has only become common within the past 50 years, when advances in medical technology rendered patients susceptible to this disease. Animal models available to date have been extremely helpful and have generated fundamental knowledge regarding pathogenesis and treatment of disseminated candidiasis. However, for development of optimal prophylactic or therapeutic strategies, it will be necessary to increasingly study the pathogenesis and immunology of Candida infections directly in humans. The simplest conceptual means to improve morbidity and mortality from disseminated candidiasis is to create more effective antifungal therapies. Given the considerable morbidity and mortality of disseminated candidiasis even with treatment, deployment of effective prophylactic strategies is highly desirable. Simply administering Candida into the bloodstream does not necessarily result in established infection, because the reticuloendothelial system and neutrophils in normal mammalian hosts are so efficient at cleaning the blood of fungal burden. Indeed, elegant clinical studies have confirmed the role of pattern recognition receptor polymorphisms in predisposing to mucosal candidiasis or candidal colonization. The transmission dynamics, epidemiology, and ecology of Candida in the nosocomial setting are understudied. New clinical strategies, such as de-escalation therapy, infection control strategies, are critically needed to improve our prevention and treatment of Candida infections.
Effects of translation on degradation of mRNA segments transcribed from the polycistronic puf operon of Rhodobacter capsulatus.

Abstract Previous work has shown that expression of genes within the polycistronic puf operon of Rhodobacter capsulatus is regulated in part by differential degradation of segments of puf transcripts. To understand the role of ribosome coverage in the differential stability of puf mRNA segments, we have studied the effects of mutations that alter translation of specific puf transcript segments on puf mRNA decay. Our results show that stopping translation either within the light-harvesting I (LHI) genes or near the 5' end of the reaction center (RC)-coding region decreased the stability of puf transcript segments downstream from a hairpin loop structure located between the LHI and RC genes but failed to affect the upstream sequences so long as the loop was present. Mutations that allowed translation to proceed through the hairpin structure reduced its ability to protect upstream sequences from accelerated decay. Introduction of translation stops more than 107 bp into the RC-coding region, but still 5' to an mRNA segment containing decay-promoting endonuclease cleavage sites, had no effect on puf mRNA stability. The divergent and location-dependent consequences of translation stops imply that different mechanisms are responsible for the degradation of different puf mRNA segments and indicate that coverage of puf mRNA sequences by ribosomes is insufficient and may in some cases be unnecessary to protect these sequences from degradation.
Elementary Theory of Integration

The reader is undoubtedly familiar with the idea of integral and with methods of performing integrations. In this section we define integral precisely and prove the basic theorems which justify the processes of integration employed in a first course in calculus.
ASSAY OF T3 PHAGE BY PLAQUE COUNT

Werly, Emil F. (Midwest Research Institute, Kansas City, Mo.), and Anne Monley. Assay of T(3) phage by plaque count. J. Bacteriol. 87:1177-1179. 1964.-T(3) phage-count determinations were made by the agar layer method, with various media being used for serial dilutions, plate media, and overlayer media. Plaques produced with Tryptose-phosphate-dextrose hard agar as plate and overlayer media were small, distinct, sharply defined, and easily counted. With the media described, several hundred plaques per plate can be counted, after either 4 or 20 hr of incubation.
Comments on the quasi-steady-state cosmology

The Quasi-Steady-State Cosmology as proposed by Hoyle, Burbidge and Narlikar does not fit the observed facts of the Universe. In particular, it predicts that 75-90\% of the radio sources in the brightest sample that shows steeper than Euclidean source counts should be blueshifted.
Access, School Choice, and Independent Black Institutions A Historical Perspective

This theoretical piece explores the potential affect of school choice on independent Black institutions (IBIs). The article struggles with and engages the following question: Do charter schools and...
Semeiotic data fusion

Standard techniques for data fusion are quantitative in character. Numerical methods, however, are not always suitable for data that are not numerical but rather qualitative and/or relational in character. In Russia Professor Victor K. Finn has developed an approach to data fusion in qualitative contexts that he calls "the JSM Method of Hypothesis Generation". This report is a brief survey of Finn's approach.
A Dusty Disk around WD 1150–153: Explaining the Metals in White Dwarfs by Accretion from the Interstellar Medium versus Debris Disks

WereportthediscoveryofexcessK-bandradiationfromametal-richDAVwhitedwarfstar,WD1150� 153.Our near-infrared spectroscopic observations show that the excess radiation cannot be explained by a (sub)stellar companion,andislikelytobecausedbyadebrisdisksimilartotheotherDAZwhitedwarfswithcircumstellardebrisdisks. Wefindthatthefractionof DAZwhitedwarfs withdetectabledebrisdisksisatleast14%.Wealsorevisittheproblem of explaining the metals in white dwarf photospheres by accretion from the interstellar medium (ISM). We use the observed interstellar column densities toward stars in close angular proximity and similar distance as DAZ white dwarfs to constrain the contribution of accretion from the ISM. We find no correlation between the accretion density required to supply metals observed in DAZs with the densities observed in their interstellar environment, indicating that ISMaccretion alonecannot explain thepresence ofmetals innearbyDAZ white dwarfs. Although ISMaccretion willcertainlycontribute,ouranalysisindicatesthatitisnotthedominantsourceofmetalsformostDAZwhitedwarfs. Instead,thegrowing numberofcircumstellardebrisdisksaroundDAZssuggeststhatcircumstellarmaterialmayplay a more dominant role in polluting the white dwarf atmospheres. Subject headingg accretion, accretion disks — circumstellar matter — stars: individual (WD 1150� 153) — white dwarfs Online material: color figures
A mechanistic investigation of the decacarbonyldimanganese-catalyzed carbonylation of amines

Abstract The Mn 2 (CO) 10 -catalyzed reactions of n-butylamine and cyclohexylamine with CO to give the corresponding ureas have been examined under a variety of conditions of temperature, CO pressure, reaction time, solvent and potential co-catalysts. With the diamines, ethylenediamine and 1,4-diaminobutane, there was no catalyzed reaction with CO. On the other hand, 1,3-diaminopropane gave 1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine, and 1,6-diaminohexane yielded a polyurea. In an effort to elucidate the mechanism of these reactions, several stoichiometric reactions were carried out. The reaction of Mn 2 (CO) 10 with primary aliphatic amines proceeds to give a carbamoyl complex as follows: Mn 2 (CO) 10 + 3 RNH 2 ⇌ cis -Mn(CO) 4 (NH 2 R)(CONHR) + RNH 3 + + Mn(CO) 5 − Under CO pressure the isolated carbamoyl complex reacted to give the urea as follows: cis -Mn(CO) 4 (NH 2 R)(CONHR) + CO → (RNH) 2 CO + HMn(CO) 5 The mechanism of this latter reaction is proposed to involve the intermediate formation of the organic isocyanate RNCO. These reactions are discussed as part of an overall mechanism for the Mn 2 (CO) 10 -catalyzed formation of ureas. The mechanism successfully accounts for factors which affect the yields of the reaction. Other metal carbonyl complexes, Re 2 (CO) 10 , (η-CH 3 C 5 H 4 )Mn(CO) 3 and [η-C 5 H 5 Cr(CO) 3 ] 2 , did not catalyze the reactions.
Dioxin exposure and sarcoma.

To the Editor.— The recent report of the Council on Scientific Affairs entitled "Health Effects of Agent Orange and Dioxin Contaminants" (1982; 248:1895) does not present evidence linking dioxin exposure to soft-tissue sarcoma in workers. We believe this research deserves presentation, and we summarize it herein. Dioxins are generated as unintended contaminants during the chemical manufacture of phenoxy acids such as 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) and chlorophenols such as trichlorophenol. Industrial workers who produce phenoxy acids and chlorophenols and herbicide applicators who spray these products are exposed both to the products and to their dioxin contaminants. In 1977, seven cases of soft-tissue sarcoma were reported among Swedish lumberjacks who had heavy previous exposure to phenoxy acid herbicides. This clinical observation led researchers in Sweden to conduct two separate epidemiologic case-control studies. 1-2 Both studies found that persons with occupational exposure to phenoxy acids or chlorophenols had a fivefold increased risk of
Stability of a Pivoting Fluid-Filled Container

This paper investigates the stability of a pivoting cylindrical container that is slowly filled with fluid. The stability of the upright and tilt angle equilibria is studied by using the Lagrange-Dirichlet theorem. The potential energy of the system is given for two regions that are delimited by an edge angle, and two spill angles. A bifurcation diagram is obtained showing the stability of the upright and tilt angle equilibria as function of both the fluid height in the container and the pivot location. In particular, it is shown that the upright angle equilibrium undergoes a pitchfork bifurcation and it is also found that two stable equilibria may coexist for some fluid heights and pivot point location.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Force-induced melting of the DNA double helix. 2. Effect of solution conditions.

Abstract In this paper, we consider the implications of the general theory developed in the accompanying paper, to interpret experiments on DNA overstretching that involve variables such as solution temperature, pH, and ionic strength. We find the DNA helix-coil phase boundary in the force-temperature space. At temperatures significantly below the regular (zero force) DNA melting temperature, the overstretching force, f ov ( T ) , is predicted to decrease nearly linearly with temperature. We calculate the slope of this dependence as a function of entropy and heat-capacity changes upon DNA melting. Fitting of the experimental f ov ( T ) dependence allows determination of both of these quantities in very good agreement with their calorimetric values. At temperatures slightly above the regular DNA melting temperature, we predict stabilization of dsDNA by moderate forces, and destabilization by higher forces. Thus the DNA stretching curves, f ( b ) , should exhibit two rather than one overstretching transitions: from single stranded (ss) to double stranded (ds) and then back at the higher force. We also predict that any change in DNA solution conditions that affects its melting temperature should have a similar effect on DNA overstretching force. This result is used to calculate the dependence of DNA overstretching force on solution pH, f ov (pH), from the known dependence of DNA melting temperature on pH. The calculated f ov (pH) is in excellent agreement with its experimental determination (M. C. Williams, J. R. Wenner, I. Rouzina, and V. A. Bloomfield, Biophys. J. , accepted for publication). Finally, we quantitatively explain the measured dependence of DNA overstretching force on solution ionic strength for crosslinked and noncrosslinked DNA. The much stronger salt dependence of f ov in noncrosslinked DNA results from its lower linear charge density in the melted state, compared to crosslinked or double-stranded overstretched S-DNA.
Simulation of Ultrasubmicrometer-Gate $\hbox{In}_{0.52} \hbox{Al}_{0.48}\hbox{As/In}_{0.75}\hbox{Ga}_{0.25}\hbox{As/In}_{0.52}\hbox{Al}_{0.48}\hbox{As/InP}$ Pseudomorphic HEMTs Using a Full-Band Monte Carlo Simulator

Pseudomorphic delta-doped ultrasubmicrometer-gate high-electron mobility transistors have been modeled using a full-band cellular Monte Carlo simulator. Reasonable agreement between experimental and numerical results is obtained for a 70-nm gate length. We discuss the scaling of this device to shorter gate lengths and the role played by various dimensions in the structure. Devices with 20-nm gate lengths should produce fTs above 1.5 THz without difficulty. This paper demonstrates the power of particle-based simulation tools in capturing the relevant physics responsible for device operation and key to performance optimization.
Performance of lunar sulfur concrete in lunar environments

Abstract This study explores an alternative to hydraulic concrete by replacing the binding mix of concrete (cement and water) with sulfur. Sulfur is a volatile element on the lunar surface that can be extracted from lunar soils by heating. Sulfur concrete mixes were prepared to investigate the effect of extreme environmental conditions such as impact and space radiation on the properties of sulfur concrete. A hypervelocity impact test was conducted, having as its target small sulfur concrete samples. The lunar concrete samples have been prepared using JSC-1 lunar simulant, produced by Johnson Space Center, as an aggregate addition. The sample was placed in the MSFC Impact Test Facility’s Micro Light Gas Gun’ target chamber, and was struck by a 1-mm diameter (∼1.4e−03 g) aluminum projectile at 5.85 km/s. A detailed analysis of the damage caused by a catastrophic event could help design the size, shape, and placement of individual structures in the base to minimize detrimental effects. The effectiveness of sulfur concrete subjected to space radiation was analyzed using HZETRN mathematical code, provided by NASA. A concrete wall made of sulfur and JSC-1 simulant would need to be thicker than a wall made of plain JSC-1 simulant to provide the same amount of protection. Test results were presented, discussed and put into the context of the lunar environments.
AVOIDANCE OF SINGULARITIES IN MOMENTS EXPANSIONS : A NUMERICAL STUDY

Abstract The use of connected moments expansions to approximate the ground-state energy of many-body systems is well-known to suffer from extraneous singularities throughout parameter space. Recently Ullah has derived an approximation based on a probability distribution function having a delta-function and a uniform distribution. The expressions obtained up to second order do not have the singularities which plague the connected moments expansions. In this paper, we apply the approximation of Ullah to the harmonic oscillator, the anharmonic oscillator and the Kondo Hamiltonian.
Wavelet processing of images for target detection

This article has as its goal the development and test and evaluation of wavelet-based algorithms for automatically detecting unknown anomalies in two-dimensional images. The general idea behind the work is that the class of wavelet transforms induces a so-called multiresolution analysis (MRA) in image space whereby the image of interest is naturally decomposed into a sequence of images of varying resolution (from coarse to fine resolution) in a computationally efficient manner. The anomaly detection can then be performed sequentially beginning at a coarse scale (low resolution) and proceeding to finer scales as needed. The wavelet representation thus effectively allows the user to zoom in on particular areas of interest and thus detect image anomalies in a very efficient manner. The article includes results from computer simulations testing the proposed approach against a standard energy-detection algorithm for the unknown anomalies embedded in additive Gaussian white noise. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
On the application of the plane section method for determining SIF

Abstract The present paper elaborates the basic features of application of the plane section method for determining stress intensity factors for cracks in elastic solids with finite geometry. A brief review of the results previously obtained as well as some new results obtained by the author are also presented.
Assessing Research Performance of University Academic Staff: Measures and Problems

ABSTRACT Under the federal government's current policy on funding university research, institutions which can best identify and encourage the higher performers amongst their academic staff will fare better than others. However, in order to secure a strong position in competing for these government funds universities will need to know more about the research activity of their academic staff and how staff in different disciplines are likely to respond to the increased use of performance indicators. This paper reports the views of staff from one Australian university on such issues. One of the main findings is that potential research output is influenced by a range of factors including the differences in research styles, methods and strategies and the degree of dependence on funds. Such findings favour the differential use of performance measures depending on the nature of the research undertaken rather than the use of measures which are intended to standardise research output within or across disciplines.
Strong quantum-size effects in a layered semiconductor: MoS 2 nanoclusters

High-quality, size-selected, nano-size (2--15 nm\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10%) clusters of ${\mathrm{MoS}}_{2}$ have been successfully grown inside inverse micellar cages and their optical properties have been studied. These clusters exhibit (1) large blueshifts in the optical-absorption features with decreasing cluster size due to quantum confinement, affording great tailorability in the absorption thresholds and (2) a demonstration of the crossover from bandlike (solid) to moleculelike spectra as the size of the clusters becomes smaller than that of the exciton in the bulk.
Invention, inventive learning, and innovative capacity

The contrasting performances of individual and corporate invention are analyzed from a long-term perspective, by exploring, first, the process of resource allocation to invention. Experimential learning, experimentation, and uncertainty are assumed to be important micro-level characteristics of inventive processes, and are incorporated in a basic learning model of resource allocation and performance. Decision-making behavior in adaptive systems, derived from the work of Simon (1955, 1962), provides a link between the scientific system's microlevel perspective and its macro effects on long-term socieconomic patterns of change and stability. The process of invention is then related to the macrosocietal innovative capacity, by analyzing inventive performance over a 106-year period (1880–1986) with U.S. invention patent data. Fluctuations in the age distribution of patents, or age cycles, provide insights on the temporal structure of the societal innovative capacity, and help predict its fluctuations. The relationships between innovative capacity, individual and corporate invention, and long-term socio-economic trends are then explored statistically. The societal innovative capacity and, more significantly, corporate invention, explain a substantial proportion of long-term changes in net national income. Despite the importance of corporate inventive performance, the relationship between corporate invention and national income carries greater potential risk, however. National income trends are found to be important statistical predictors of new annual corporate inventive output, exposing the latter's potential vulnerability to major economic crises.
Pitfalls in bedside diagnosis of severe acute mitral regurgitation. Clinical and hemodynamic features

We describe five patients with severe acute mitral regurgitation in whom delay in diagnosis contributed to their fatal outcome. Either a soft systolic murmur was not heard or was misinterpreted, or hemodynamic confirmation by bedside right heart catheterization was unduly delayed. Pitfalls in recognition of hemodynamic patterns further postponed diagnosis and therapy. The diagnosis should be suspected when, in the proper setting, significant hemodynamic deterioration occurs, and is confirmed by bedside balloon flotation catheterization. Large V waves, characteristic of acute mitral regurgitation, may be overlooked unless one pays attention to the pulmonary artery systolic pressure tracing, which often has a triangular shape and may be double peaked; the Y wave occurs later causing the second peak. Careful balloon inflation will demonstrate the large V waves. Timing with simultaneous ECG recordings allow this differentiation. Pulmonary hypertension with normal pulmonary vascular resistance is typical.
Algorithmic approaches to low overhead fault detection for sparse linear algebra

The increasing size and complexity of High-Performance Computing systems is making it increasingly likely that individual circuits will produce erroneous results, especially when operated in a low energy mode. Previous techniques for Algorithm - Based Fault Tolerance (ABFT) [20] have been proposed for detecting errors in dense linear operations, but have high overhead in the context of sparse problems. In this paper, we propose a set of algorithmic techniques that minimize the overhead of fault detection for sparse problems. The techniques are based on two insights. First, many sparse problems are well structured (e.g. diagonal, banded diagonal, block diagonal), which allows for sampling techniques to produce good approximations of the checks used for fault detection. These approximate checks may be acceptable for many sparse linear algebra applications. Second, many linear applications have enough reuse that pre-conditioning techniques can be used to make these applications more amenable to low-cost algorithmic checks. The proposed techniques are shown to yield up to 2× reductions in performance overhead over traditional ABFT checks for a spectrum of sparse problems. A case study using common linear solvers further illustrates the benefits of the proposed algorithmic techniques.
Circuit behavior modeling and compact testing performance evaluation

A realistic modeling of circuit output error patterns with random test inputs is suggested. The model can be used as the basis for accurate evaluation of the probability of aliasing in compact testing. For several example compression techniques, the following aspects are investigated: identification of the error patterns that cause aliasing; asymptotic effectiveness analysis; and comparative simulation study with a limited number of random test vectors applied. >
Cross-validation methods

This paper gives a review of cross-validation methods. The original applications in multiple linear regression are considered first. It is shown how predictive accuracy depends on sample size and the number of predictor variables. Both two-sample and single-sample cross-validation indices are investigated. The application of cross-validation methods to the analysis of moment structures is then justified. An equivalence of a single-sample cross-validation index and the Akaike information criterion is pointed out. It is seen that the optimal number of parameters suggested by both single-sample and two-sample cross-validation indices will depend on sample size. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.
The geography of car ownership in Mexico City: a joint model of households’ residential location and car ownership decisions

Suburbanization and car-ownership have increased rapidly in developing-world cities over the past half-century. This study examines the relationship between income, car ownership, and suburbanization across geographies and households in metropolitan Mexico City. Neither car-ownership trends by geography nor a mixed logit model of 43,000 households’ joint car-ownership and residential-location decisions suggest that car ownership and suburbanization are moving hand-in-hand. Instead, wealthier households tend to live in central locations and own and drive cars, while poorer households tend to live further from the urban center and rely more heavily on transit. If a random household’s income doubles, that household is around 44% more likely to get an additional car and 29% more likely to live in the urban center. Given the sticky nature of housing supply and the current model of peripheral housing production, aggregate responses to higher income are more difficult to predict, as they will almost certainly be offset by higher prices. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that higher income and car ownership do not tend to encourage a move to larger houses on larger suburban lots in Mexico City.
Pterostilbene Inhibits Pancreatic Cancer In Vitro

Stilbenes are phenolic compounds present in grapes and blueberries. Resveratrol, a naturally occurring compound present in grapes, has been shown to have potent antioxidant properties as well as an ability to induce apoptosis. Resveratrol has also been reported to have significant inhibitory effects against a variety of primary tumors including breast, colon, and prostate. Pterostilbene, a naturally occurring analogue of resveratrol found in blueberries, also has antioxidant and antiproliferative properties. It is also substantially more bioavailable orally than resveratrol. These effects have not been studied in pancreatic cancer. We hypothesized that pterostilbene would inhibit pancreatic cancer cell growth in vitro. Two pancreatic cancer cell lines (MIA PaCa and PANC-1) were cultured using standard techniques. Cells were treated with graduated doses of pterostilbene ranging from 10 to 100 μM. Cell viability was measured by MTT at 24, 48, and 72 h. Pterostilbene decreases cell viability in both cancer cell lines in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Higher doses (75–100 μM) caused a significant reduction in cell viability at 24 and 48 h. However, by 72 h, all tested concentrations of pterostilbene (10 to 100 μM) resulted in significantly reduced cell viability in both pancreatic cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent fashion. Pterostilbene caused a dose-dependent 10–63% inhibition in MIA PaCa-2 cells and 10–75% inhibition in PANC-1 cells. Treatment of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro with Pterostilbene leads to inhibition of cell proliferation and/or cell death, cell cycle arrrest, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and activation of effector caspases. This naturally occurring agent may have a role in treating pancreatic cancer. Pterostilbene inhibits the growth of pancreatic cancer in vitro. Further, in vitro mechanistic studies and in vivo experiments are warranted to determine its potential for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Heavy-ion fusion: Comparison of experimental data with classical trajectory models

Abstract Currently available data on fusion excitation functions for heavy-ion induced reactions over a wide mass range are compared to results calculated with a classical dynamical model based on the proximity nuclear potential of Blocki et al., the Coulomb potential of Bondorf et al., and one-body nuclear friction in the proximity formalism of Randrup. With these conservative and dissipative forces and the radial parameters of Myers, overall good agreement is obtained between the theoretical excitation functions and most of the available data. Extensive calculations have been performed to test the sensitivity of the calculated fusion cross-sections to a number of parameters, including the radial dependence of the Coulomb and nuclear potentials, the radial and tangential friction form factors as well as the projectile and target radii. The theoretical excitation functions for the lighter heavy-ion systems are rather insensitive to changes in either the conservative or dissipative forces. The calculations show that tangential friction sufficient to produce the rolling condition is necessary to explain the magnitude of the fusion cross-sections at high energies, which are also sensitive to the magnitude of the radial friction component. This is in contrast to the fusion cross-sections at low energies which are determined by the nuclear potential at larger separations, and to a lesser extent by tangential friction. The low energy fusion data are most sensitive to the nuclear radii. The calculations reveal the importance of more experimental measurements of fusion cross-sections at high energies, especially for heavy systems where the magnitudes of the fusion cross-sections are the most sensitive to the assumed forces. However, even for these cases the effects of the conservative and dissipative forces are similar and difficult to separate. These studies indicate, however, that it is possible to construct a conservative potential that will give calculated fusion excitation functions which are in good agreement with all experimental data over the entire mass range. The maximum fusion cross-sections as defined here exceed considerably the liquid-drop limiting value for heavy systems.
Abstract 2447: Novel TLR4-Nanog stemness pathway in liver cancer stem cells confers resistance to TGF-β-mediated tumor suppression through YAP1 and IGF2BP3-AKT-mTOR

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Cancer stem cells (CSCs) confer resistance to chemotherapy and are associated with metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) commonly observed in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients with alcohol abuse. We recently identified pluripotency marker Nanog is induced by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signal activated by alcohol-associated endotoxemia in CD133+/CD49f+ CSCs from liver cancers in HCV Ns5a transgenic mice fed alcohol. We propose the novel oncogenic TLR4 signaling reciprocally regulates tumor suppressive TGF-β pathway. Molecular mechanisms for the genesis of CSCs through TLR4 signaling and defective TGF-β pathway, however, are unknown. CD133+/CD49f+ CSCs were isolated from liver tumors of alcohol-fed HCV Ns5a Tg mice. Lentiviral cDNA library were established from the CSCs for screening genes responsible for defective TGF-β signaling. GFP-labeled CSCs were injected in nude or NOG mice with or without genetic manipulation of TGF-β signaling components or newly identified genes to monitor tumor growth. Interactions of proteins encoded by identified genes with TGF-β pathway components were examined. Here we demonstrate TLR4/Nanog-dependent CSCs are indeed defective in TGF-β signaling. Functional oncogene screening of a cDNA library identified the organ size control pathway target Yap1 and AKT activator Igf2bp3 as Nanog-dependent genes that inhibit TGF-β signaling in CSCs through Yap1/Smad7/Smad3 association and suppressed Smad3 phospho-activation due to AKT-mTOR pathway, respectively. Silencing of both Yap1 and Igf2bp3 restores TGF-β signaling, inhibits pluripotency gene expression, and sensitizes CSCs to autophagy and cell death by the conventional chemotherapy (rapamycin and sorafenib). Therefore, a combined therapy targeting both YAP1 and AKT-mTOR pathways to restore TGF-β pathway should improve therapeutic efficacy for HCC. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2447. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2447
LBO-1.6 Efficacy of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine to prevent anal intraepithelial neoplasia among young men who have sex with men

Introduction Most anal cancers are associated with HPV, particularly HPV 16. The incidence of anal cancer is increased among men who have sex with men (MSM) compared with the general population. Screening and treatment of anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN), the anal cancer precursor, are not yet standard of care, and prevention efforts are needed to reduce the incidence of anal cancer. We tested the quadrivalent HPV vaccine to determine its ability to reduce the incidence of AIN/anal cancer. Methods 598 MSM aged 16–26 years with five or fewer lifetime sex partners were randomised to receive vaccine or placebo at enrolment, month 2 and month 6. Subjects underwent detailed anogenital exams and HPV sampling from the penis, scrotum, perineal/perianal and anal canal at enrolment, month 7 and at 6-month intervals afterwards. Efficacy analyses were performed in a per-protocol (PPE) population (sero-negative and DNA-negative from day 1 through month 7 to the relevant vaccine HPV type) and in all enrolees in an intent-to treat (ITT) analysis. Median follow-up of the PPE population was 2.5 years (post-dose 3). Results Vaccine efficacy against HPV 6/11/16/18-related AIN and anal cancer in the PPE population was 77.5% (95% CI 39.6 to 93.3) (5 vaccine cases vs 24 placebo cases). Efficacy against high-grade AIN (AIN 2+) was 74.9% (95% CI 8.8 to 95.4). In the ITT population the efficacy was 50.3% (95% CI 25.7 to 67.2) and 54.2% (95% CI 18.0 to 75.3), respectively. No anal cancer was seen in either treatment group. Conclusions These results demonstrate that the quadrivalent HPV vaccine is efficacious in preventing AIN related to HPV 6/11/16/18 in MSM subjects naive to vaccine HPV types at enrolment, as well as in an ITT population. The quadrivalent HPV vaccine may be a useful measure to reduce the incidence of anal disease in at-risk populations.