cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase I evaluation of intravenous recombinant human interleukin 12 in patients with advanced malignancies.

A Phase I dose escalation trial of i.v. administered recombinant human interleukin 12 (rhIL-12) was performed to determine its toxicity, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), pharmacokinetics, and biological and potential antineoplastic effects. Cohorts of four to six patients with advanced cancer, Karnofsky performance >/=70%, and normal organ function received escalating doses (3-1000 ng/kg/day) of rhIL-12 (Genetics Institute, Inc.) by bolus i.v. injection once as an inpatient and then, after a 2-week rest period, once daily for five days every 3 weeks as an outpatient. Therapy was withheld for grade 3 toxicity (grade 4 hyperbilirubinemia or neutropenia), and dose escalation was halted if three of six patients experienced a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). After establishment of the MTD, eight more patients were enrolled to further assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, and immunobiology of this dose. Forty patients were enrolled, including 20 with renal cancer, 12 with melanoma, and 5 with colon cancer; 25 patients had received prior systemic therapy. Common toxicities included fever/chills, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and headache. Fever was first observed at the 3 ng/kg dose level, typically occurred 8-12 h after rhIL-12 administration, and was incompletely suppressed with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Routine laboratory changes included anemia, neutropenia, lymphopenia, hyperglycemia, thrombocytopenia, and hypoalbuminemia. DLTs included oral stomatitis and liver function test abnormalities, predominantly elevated transaminases, which occurred in three of four patients at the 1000 ng/kg dose level. The 500 ng/kg dose level was determined to be the MTD. This dose, administered by this schedule, was associated with asymptomatic hepatic function test abnormalities in three patients and an onstudy death due to Clostridia perfringens septicemia but was otherwise well tolerated by the 14 patients treated in the dose escalation and safety phases. The T1/2 elimination of rhIL-12 was calculated to be 5.3-9.6 h. Biological effects included dose-dependent increases in circulating IFN-gamma, which exhibited attenuation with subsequent cycles. Serum neopterin rose in a reproducible fashion regardless of dose or cycle. Tumor necrosis factor alpha was not detected by ELISA. One of 40 patients developed a low titer antibody to rhIL-12. Lymphopenia was observed at all dose levels, with recovery occurring within several days of completing treatment without rebound lymphocytosis. There was one partial response (renal cell cancer) and one transient complete response (melanoma), both in previously untreated patients. Four additional patients received all proposed treatment without disease progression. rhIL-12 administered according to this schedule is biologically and clinically active at doses tolerable by most patients in an outpatient setting. Nonetheless, additional Phase I studies examining different schedules and the mechanisms of the specific DLTs are indicated before proceeding to Phase II testing.
Exploring Remote Object Coherence in XMLWeb Services

Object-level coherence in distributed applications and systems has been studied extensively. Object coherence in platform-specific and tightly-coupled systems is achieved with binary serialization protocols to ensure data structures and object graphs are safely transmitted, manipulated, and stored. On the opposite side of the spectrum are platform-neutral Web services that embrace XML as a serialization protocol for building loosely coupled systems. The advantages of XML to connect heterogeneous systems are plenty, but rendering programming-language specific data structures and object graphs in text form incurs a performance hit and presents challenges for systems that require object coherence. Achieving the latter goal poses difficulties by a phenomenon that is sometimes referred to as the "impedance mismatch" between programming language data types and XML schema types. This paper examines the problem, debunks the O/X-mismatch controversy, and presents a mix of static/dynamic algorithms for accurate XML serialization. Experimental results show that the implementation in C/C++ is efficient and competitive to binary protocols. Application of the approach to other programming languages, such as Java, is also discussed.
Effect of oral contraceptives containing 20 and 35 μg ethinyl estradiol on urinary prostacyclin and thromboxane metabolite levels in smokers and nonsmokers

Abstract The interaction between smoking and oral contraceptive (OC) use with respect to thrombogenesis was investigated by studying the effects of OC and smoking on urinary prostacyclin (PGI 2 ) and thromboxane A 2 (TxA 2 ) metabolite levels in smokers and nonsmokers. Sixty healthy women, aged 19–32 years, who were not taking any hormonal treatment for at least 3 months before initiating the study, were divided into three equal groups: OC users who smoked (N = 20), OC users who did not smoke (N = 20), and a control group of 10 smokers and 10 nonsmokers. Each OC treatment group was randomized to receive either norethindrone (NET) acetate (1 mg)/ethinyl estradiol (EE 2 ) (35 μg) (N = 10) or NET acetate (1 mg)/EE 2 (20 μg) (N = 10) daily for 3 months. Overnight urine collections and fasting blood samples were obtained at baseline and at the end of the 3-month study. Serum levels of NET and EE 2 , as well as urinary levels of cotinine and the stable metabolites of PGI 2 and TxA 2 , namely 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α (6-keto-PGF 1α ) and thromboxane (TxB 2 ), respectively, were measured by specific immunoassays. Analysis of pre- to posttreatment changes in mean urinary 6-keto-PGF 1α and TxB 2 levels for each subgroup, as determined by smoking status and EE 2 dose, showed no statistically significant differences. Also, no significant differences were found in each subgroup with respect to changes in the 6-keto-PGF 1α /TxB 2 ratios. Large intersubject variability in urinary 6-keto-PGF 1α and TxB 2 levels were observed in all subgroups. The results of this study indicate that both low-estrogen–dose compounds, when used by smokers or nonsmokers, did not significantly alter the ratio of PGI 2 to TXA 2 metabolites, compared with pretreatment. However, the small number of subjects and the large intersubject variability in this study make it difficult to determine if there is a significant difference between the 20- and 30-μg EE 2 doses.
Arbitrarily traceable graphs and digraphs

Abstract The work in this paper extends and generalizes earlier work by Ore on arbitrarily traceable Euler graphs, by Harary on arbitrarily traceable digraphs, by Chartrand and White on randomly n -traversable graphs, and by Chartrand and Lick on randomly Eulerian digraphs. Arbitrarily traceable graphs of mixed type are defined and characterized in terms of a class of forbidden graphs. Arbitrarily traceable digraphs of mixed type are also defined and a simply applied characterization is given for them.
Narrating Baghdad: representing the truth of war in popular non-fiction

Abstract As a comparative study of Baghdad Burning: Girl Blog from Iraq, by Riverbend, and Thieves of Baghdad, by Matthew Bogdanos, this paper is an exploration of the ways in which each text is marketed to a U.S. audience. Because both texts are framed as truthful, unmediated narratives about the U.S.-led war on Iraq, I examine the deployment of truth as a marketing strategy. In an investigation of the ‘regime of truth’ I demonstrate that the truth claim actually functions to disallow a full understanding of the layers of historical context that frame the Iraq war. A careful consideration of both texts reveals that the truth of war, when translated into narrative, is actually managed and regulated through pre-existing frameworks of knowledge (such as the category of the veiled woman or the notion that Iraq is uncivilised), which ultimately serve to reinforce common misconceptions about the Arab world.
Volumetric Threshold Shear Strain for Cyclic Settlement

The volumetric cyclic threshold shear strain for cyclic settlement, γtv, is evaluated for seven different sands and clays at different degrees of saturation, S, from the results of 11 Norwegian Geo...
Loosely Tree-Based Alignment for Machine Translation

We augment a model of translation based on re-ordering nodes in syntactic trees in order to allow alignments not conforming to the original tree structure, while keeping computational complexity polynomial in the sentence length. This is done by adding a new subtree cloning operation to either tree-to-string or tree-to-tree alignment algorithms.
Path analysis and probabilistic networks: analogous concepts

Network-based probabilistic techniques in artificial intelligence often mention path analysis as an ideological precursor, but the fundamental connections between the two paradigms have not been explored. An analogy between the two is presented, and it is shown that a number of computational results in the AI/expect system literature are directly obtainable from path analysis. >
Information security tools and practices: what works?

Much effort has been expended characterizing the threats and vulnerabilities associated with information security. The next step, analyzing experiences using security practices and tools, provides insight into what works and what appears to be unused or ineffective. We present a brief analysis of data gathered from small businesses in the US regarding their experiences and practices. While the use of security-related tools is limited, there are some clear indicators that emerge from the analysis. Two critical inferences are that restrictive access control practices work to reduce problems and that the use of tools is related to a higher incident rate of problems. This may mean that those who experience problems are more likely to invest in control mechanisms.
Insurance Status, Not Race, Is a Determinant of Outcomes from Vehicular Injury

Background Hypothesizing that outcomes from specific injury mechanisms should not vary by race or socioeconomic status, we analyzed the relationship of race and ethnicity to fatality in motor vehicle crash victims treated during 2008 and 2009. Study Design Logistic regression analysis of pooled administrative data assessed the contribution of patient demographics and injury severity to outcome, defined as mortality during acute hospitalization. Demographic factors included age, sex, race, ethnicity, and insurance. Severe injury was defined using ICD-9 Injury Severity Score (survival probability) p Results For 8,758 motor vehicle crash victims treated in state-designated trauma centers, age, sex, injury severity, and 2 or more comorbidities consistently predicted survival. Neither race nor ethnicity was associated with increased mortality risk. Being uninsured was related to death within 24 hours (p Conclusions The results of this study indicated that higher immediate mortality of the uninsured is a behavioral and socioeconomic rather than physiologic marker. This higher mortality is driven by increased injury severity that increases cost of care in uninsured survivors. This disparity suggests that risk-taking behavior, especially relating to safety practices and licensing regulations, is an important etiologic factor. Improved outcomes require better public education and enforcement in conjunction with improvements in processes of care.
Random access techniques for data transmission over packet-switched radio channels

Terminal access to computer systems has long been and continues to be a problem of major significance. We foresee an increasing demand for access to data processing and storage facilities from interactive terminals, point-of-sales terminals, real-time monitoring terminals, hand-held personal terminals, etc. What is it that distinguishes this problem from other data communication problems? It is simply that these terminals tend to generate demands at a very low duty cycle and are basically bursty sources of data; in addition, these terminals are often geographically distributed. In the computer-to-computer data transmission case, one often sees high utilization of the communication channels; this is just not the case with terminal traffic. Consequently, the cost of providing a dedicated channel to each terminal is often prohibitive. Instead, one seeks ways to merge the traffic from many terminal sources in a way which allows them to share the capacity of one or a few channels, thereby reducing the total cost. This cost savings comes about for two reasons: first, because of the economies of scale present in the communications tariff structure; and secondly, because of the averaging effect of large populations which permit one to provide a channel whose capacity is approximately equal to the sum of the average demands of the population, rather than equal to the sum of the peak demands (i.e., the law of large numbers). This merging of traffic and sharing of capacity has been accomplished in various ways such as: polling techniques, contention systems, multiplexing, concentrating, etc. Many of these are only weak solutions to the problem of gathering low data rate traffic from sources which are geographically dispersed.
Large-scale inverse Ku-band backscatter modeling of sea ice

Polar sea ice characteristics provide important inputs to models of several geophysical processes. Microwave scatterometers are ideal for monitoring these regions due to their sensitivity to ice properties and insensitivity to atmospheric distortions. Many forward electromagnetic scattering models have been proposed to predict the normalized radar cross section (/spl sigma//spl deg/) from sea ice characteristics. These models are based on very small scale ice features and generally assume that the region of interest is spatially homogeneous. Unfortunately, spaceborne scatterometer footprints are very large (5-50 km) and usually contain very heterogeneous mixtures of sea ice surface parameters. In this paper, we use scatterometer data in a large-scale inverse modeling experiment. Given the limited data resolution, we adopt a simple geometric optics forward-scattering model to analyze surface and volume scattering contributions to observed Ku-band signatures. A model inversion technique based on recursive optimization of an objective function is developed. The result is a least squares estimate of three surface parameters: the power reflection coefficient at nadir, the rms surface slope, and the volume scattering albedo. Simulations demonstrate the performance of the method in the presence of noise. The inverse model is implemented using Ku-band image reconstructed data collected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration scatterometer. The results are used to analyze and interpret /spl sigma//spl deg/ phenomena occurring in the Antarctic and the Arctic.
Standards for Evidence and Evidence for Standards: The Case of School-Based Drug Prevention:

The Campbell Collaboration Crime and Justice Group continues to focus on issues of evidence: what studies count in a systematic review and how many studies are needed to claim an intervention works. They are not alone. Since the mid-1990s, a number of similar efforts have sprung up to provide guidance to policy makers who wish to adopt programs to prevent violence or drug use. Many of these are particularly relevant to school-based drug prevention programs. This article describes seven efforts to produce guides to research-based programs, focusing on the standards adopted to determine what evidence counts and how much of it is necessary to determine that it worked. The author concludes with a discussion of some of the issues raised by this review.
Visualizations everywhere: A Multiplatform Infrastructure for Linked Visualizations

In order to use new visualizations, most toolkits require application developers to rebuild their applications and distribute new versions to users. The WebCharts Framework take a different approach by hosting Javascript from within an application and providing a standard data and events interchange.. In this way, applications can be extended dynamically, with a wide variety of visualizations. We discuss the benefits of this architectural approach, contrast it to existing techniques, and give a variety of examples and extensions of the basic system.
Effective conditions for extracting higher quality kernels from walnuts

Samples of walnut at 9.25, 15.98, 23.36, and 29.72% (wet basis) moisture contents were subjected to impact energy ranged from 0.13 to 1.11 J using an impact test apparatus. Data obtained on the quantity of fully cracked and unbroken kernel, fully cracked but broken kernel and uncracked nuts were used in the computation of the nuts cracking characteristics. Results showed that impact energy, moisture content and the interaction effects of these two variables significantly influenced the cracking characteristics of walnuts (P<0.01). Full cracking of nuts increased with decreasing moisture content and increased impact energy. The optimum moisture content for cracking walnuts that gave the best result in combination with a high whole kernel yield and low kernel breakage was found to be about 16%. The optimum impact energy for cracking was found to be about 1.01 J. However, the result of the study shows that development of a centrifugal impact cracker, which uses impact to crack walnuts is possible. It suggest...
Nonlinear models and linearly optimal policies: An evaluation

This paper examines the use of linearly optimal policies in systems which are in fact nonlinear. Any linear representation of a non-linear system involves some loss of information about the system, and this loss of information in general leads linearly optimal policies to differ from corresponding nonlinearly optimal policies which are truly optimal. This paper indicates the nature of the resulting discrepancies in a stochastic framework and reports on results of several numerical experiments dealing with macroeconomic stabilization policy.
A 4×16-element Ku-band dual-polarized patch antenna array for space SAR imaging: Design, diagnosis and measurement

This paper presents the design, diagnosis and measurement of a 4times16-element Ku-band dual-polarized patch antenna array for space SAR imaging. Two external power dividers are designed with uniform and progressive phases to obtain broadside and steered beam, respectively. The microwave holographic imaging technique is applied to observe the amplitude and phase distributions over antenna elements, which is thereafter used as a guideline for fixing possible circuitry defects and aligning the experimental setup. The prototyped 4times16-element array is well matched at the operating frequency of 13.4 GHz. Desired broadside and steered beams are also obtained with acceptable sidelobe level and directivity.
A Novel Mathematical Model to Realizing Randomness in Full-Wave Simulations of Regularly Arranged Nanoparticles

In this letter, a mathematical correction factor is introduced to realize randomly distributed spherical nanoparticles embedded in a dielectric. A full-wave electromagnetic analysis is used to model the unit cell structure so as to simulate the Lewin formulation for uniformly distributed particles. The proposed correction factor is needed to predict the randomly distributed particles, eliminating the necessity of simulating large number of particles, which has a significant impact on the structure complexity, computer memory resources, and simulation time.
Relationship Between Dental Students’ Performance on Standardized Multiple-Choice Examinations and OSCEs

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among dental students' performance on the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE Parts I and II), comprehensive written multiple-choice question examinations (MCQ examinations), and objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) administered at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM). Outcomes were measured during the third and fourth years at HSDM for the classes of 2006 and 2007. Three separate OSCE exams and two comprehensive MCQ examinations are administered during years 3 and 4 at HSDM per class. The study group was made up of sixty-two students (thirty-two females and thirty males). The average NBDE Parts I and II scores of the study population were 93.32 +/-4.02 and 84.63 +/-4.25, respectively, and were associated with outcomes on all three OSCE examinations (p<or=0.044). However, using multiple regression models, the only statistically significant association occurred between NBDE Part II and OSCE 2 (p=0.003). Analysis showed that didactic predictors (NBDE Parts I and II and comprehensive MCQ examinations) explained 20.4 to 22.1 percent of the variability in OSCE scores. These results suggest that performance on OSCE examinations is not highly correlated with performance on NBDE Parts I and II and HSDM-administered MCQ examinations. The findings suggest that OSCE examinations are more likely to measure other qualities such as problem-solving ability, critical thinking, and communication skills.
Brief paper: Infinitesimal and finite perturbation analysis for queueing networks

The sample-path perturbation analysis technique is extended to include finite (and possibly large) perturbations typically introduced by changes in queue sizes or other parameters. It is shown that there is a natural hierarchy of perturbation analysis which takes care of increasingly large perturbations. Experiments with zero (infinitesimal) and first order (finite) perturbation analysis show that significant accuracy improvement can be obtained with small increase in computational effort.
The Mediating Role of Expected Grade on Gendered Teaching Style Biases in Teacher Evaluations

Abstract This study investigated the effects of an instructor's sex, field of study, gendered teaching style, and expected grade on students’ evaluations of teaching using hypothetical scenarios. Participants responded to the Instructor Knowledge Scale, Instructor Likeability Scale, Instructor Teaching Ability Scale, Expected Grade, Workload, and Attendance scales based on the assigned hypothetical scenario. The results of multivariate analysis of variance indicated that students rated an instructor with a feminine teaching style positively on likeability and teaching ability in comparison to an instructor with a masculine teaching style. Mediation analyses showed that the difference between feminine and masculine teaching styles in perceived likeability, teaching ability, and expected workload was mediated by the difference in expected grade between feminine and masculine teaching styles. This study showed the complex dynamics of sex and gender roles on students’ evaluations. Overall, however, students’ ...
The Peritoneal Handling of Digoxin during CAPD

We measured digoxin concentrations in serum and dialysate from five digitalized patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Mean peritoneal clearance of digoxin was 3.6 ± 0.4 ml/m...
Exploring justifications and enactment of justification curriculum in elementary classrooms

Standards for mathematics teaching require teachers to employ teaching practices that promote justification of mathematical ideas. This expected teaching practice is situated in substantial research on students' and teachers' difficulties with justifying mathematical ideas. This study shows different ways elementary school students in grades three through five may justify mathematical conjectures about pattern-finding activities. It also shows that even when teachers are capable of justifying particular tasks, enactment of such tasks in ways that encourage students to go beyond example-based justifications may be problematic. Video and audiotapes of class activities, students' written work, and curriculum materials were sources of data.
A Study of Advanced Composite Multi-infill Panels for Seismic Retrofitting

In this paper, a conceptual design, fabrication, and testing of the advanced Polymer Matrix Composite (PMC) infill system are addressed as a seismic retrofit strategy. Such a system is designed to have PMC multi-infill panels with passive energy mechanism. The basic configuration of this system is composed of two separate components - namely, an inner PMC sandwich panel and outer damping panels. The inner PMC sandwich infill consists of two fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates with an infill of Divincell  H core, and outer damping panels are made of FRP laminate plates and passive energy constrained damping layers – combining polymer honeycomb and 3M viscoelastic solid materials – at the interface between the laminates. The interaction of these two components may produce considerable stiffness and enhanced damping properties in the structure following different drift level. As lateral drift increases, the FRP outer damping panels are designed to produce the damping through the cyclic shear straining of the combined interface damping layers. Otherwise, after the specified lateral drift of the contact, a PMC sandwich infill is designed conceptually to provide considerable lateral stiffness to resist severe earthquake excitation and avoid excessive relative floor displacements that causes both structural and non–structural damage. As part of this research, analytical and experimental studies were performed to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed multi-infill panel concept. The prefabricated multi-panel PMC infill holds a great promise for enhanced damping performance, the simplification of the construction process, and the reduction of time and cost when used for seismic retrofitting applications.
A Comparative X-Ray Study of Passage of Foodstuffs Through Gastro-intestinal Tract of Rats

ConclusionsThese experiments demonstrate that carbohydrates in the form of starch, protein in the form of casein, and fat in the form of pure cream all leave the stomach of rats at approximately the same time. The rate of emptying time of stomach, small intestine and colon corresponds closely to those found by other observers. Although the emptying times observed by us were approximately the same as those of previous workers, marked differences were noted for the rates of passage of the various foodstuffs in our experiments as compared with others.The passage of protein through the small intestine of rats is much faster in every instance than fat and only slightly faster than carbohydrate. This is at variance with the findings of the earlier investigators, who stated that proteins pass through the small intestine slowly, fats a little faster and carbohydrates fastest of all.We believe that the rate of the food column of the different foodstuffs through the small intestine is probably due to the muscular r...
Distribution of carcinoma in radical prostatectomy specimens in the era of serum prostate-specific antigen testing. Implications for delivery of localized therapy.

Prior studies documenting the distribution of cancer in radical prostatectomy specimens were based on specimens resected before the advent of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and were not specifically aimed at defining the incidence of cancer in precise regions of the gland. If localized therapy, such as brachytherapy or conformal radiation, could be minimized in areas of low cancer incidence, such as the anterior prostate, morbidity including injury to adjacent normal tissue might also be minimized. We examined 82 recent prostatectomy specimens and noted all areas of cancer in each gland. Distribution of involvement was evaluated with respect to preoperative serum PSA level, clinical stage, and pathologic features. Prostate cancer was present posteriorly in 78 of 82 cases and anteriorly in 53 of 82 cases. The presence of anterior cancer was strongly associated with elevated PSA level (P = .003), total cancer volume (P = .0002), and extraprostatic extension (P = .006), but was not associated with age, Gleason grade, or clinical stage. We conclude that the incidence of anterior prostate cancer is high. Its presence is strongly correlated with other variables, and thus strategies for selecting patients for limited localized therapy based on preoperative PSA and tumor volume estimates may be warranted.
Age and susceptibility to neurotropic influenza virus.

SummaryIn mice under 18 days of age, encephalitis and death invariably follow intraperitoneal injection of large doses of neurotropic-WS influenza virus. Older mice show varying degrees of resistance to infection. In general, decreased susceptibility is characterized by longer incubation periods and high proportion of survivors. The virus titer in infant mouse brain rises more rapidly and attains a higher level than in adult mouse brain. In addition, the degree of susceptibility may also be a function of the number of virus particles actually reaching the brain after intraperitoneal injection.
Determination of the Surface Area of Insects.

Recent advances in fields of insect physiology and insect toxicology have emphasized the desirability of sound bases for the expression of the physiological and toxicological phenomena discovered. In the higher animals the metabolic rate as determined by the respiratory quotient and the calorific output is commonly expressed with relation to body surface. The respiration of insects has been studied by many workers (Lee, 1929), several of whom have measured the oxygen intake and the carbon dioxide output. McGovran (1931) has dctermined the quantity of air passing through the tracheal system of the grasshopper per gram of body weight. Bodine (1921), in addition, has expressed the carbon dioxide output of certain Orthoptera not only on the basis of body weight but also as a function of the weight to the two-thirds power, the latter being a very rough approximation of the body surface. He found a much better agreement of the data when it was compared to the two-thirds power of the weight rather than to the weight alone, and has stated that the surface law probably holds for insects as well as for higher animals. Many workers in entomology would no doubt express their results with relation to body surface for the purpose of comparison with similar results available for higher animals, if the surface area of insects could be readily obtained.
Minimalist Design of Allosterically Regulated Protein Catalysts

Nature facilitates chemical transformations with exceptional selectivity and efficiency. Despite a tremendous progress in understanding and predicting protein function, the overall problem of designing a protein catalyst for a given chemical transformation is far from solved. Over the years, many design techniques with various degrees of complexity and rational input have been developed. Minimalist approach to protein design that focuses on the bare minimum requirements to achieve activity presents several important advantages. By focusing on basic physicochemical properties and strategic placing of only few highly active residues one can feasibly evaluate in silico a very large variety of possible catalysts. In more general terms minimalist approach looks for the mere possibility of catalysis, rather than trying to identify the most active catalyst possible. Even very basic designs that utilize a single residue introduced into nonenzymatic proteins or peptide bundles are surprisingly active. Because of the inherent simplicity of the minimalist approach computational tools greatly enhance its efficiency. No complex calculations need to be set up and even a beginner can master this technique in a very short time. Here, we present a step-by-step protocol for minimalist design of functional proteins using basic, easily available, and free computational tools.
Contemporary Governance and Architecture

Governance regarding emerging military technologies is, at best, a patchwork of treaties, norms, ethical constraints, practices, and procedures which are being adapted to meet the challenges which present themselves as innovations are designed and adaptions occur. A system of governance simply does not exist nor are there specific organizations dedicated to the analysis of ethical and legal concerns as they present themselves. Some traditional norms such as IHL and the Nuremberg Principles are being adopted to regulate the use of technologies and these will form the basis for policy as well as legal and ethical constraints in the future. Part one: Norms and ethical considerations Part two: International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
Windowed encoding of spatially coupled LDGM codes for lossy source compression

Recently, it has been shown that a class of spatially coupled low-density generator-matrix (SC-LDGM) code ensembles displays distortion saturation for the lossy binary symmetric source coding problem with the belief propagation guided decimation (BPGD) algorithm, i.e., the BPGD distortion approaches the optimal expected distortion of the underlying ensemble asymptotically in code length. Here, we investigate the distortion performance of a practical class of protograph-based SC-LDGM code ensembles and demonstrate distortion saturation numerically. Moreover, we propose an efficient windowed encoding (WE) algorithm that takes advantage of the convolutional structure of the SC-LDGM codes. By using the WE algorithm, a distortion very close to the rate-distortion limit can be achieved for a fixed compression rate with low-to-moderate encoding latency.
Continuing Medical Education Speakers with High Evaluation Scores Use more Image-based Slides

Introduction: Although continuing medical education (CME) presentations are common across health professions, it is unknown whether audience evaluations of the speaker is independently associated with slide design. Based on the conceptual framework of Mayer’s theory of multimedia learning, this study aimed to determine whether image use and text density in presentation slides are associated with overall speaker evaluations. Methods: This retrospective analysis of six sequential CME conferences (two annual emergency medicine conferences over a three-year period) used a mixed linear regression model to assess whether post-conference speaker evaluations were associated with image fraction (percent of slides with at least one image) and text density (number of words per slide). Results: A total of 105 lectures were given by 49 faculty members, and 1,179 evaluations (67.8% response rate) were available for analysis. On average, 47.4% (SD=25.36) of slides had at least one image (image fraction). Image fraction significantly predicted overall higher evaluation scores [F(1, 100.676)=6.158, p=0.015] in the mixed linear regression model. The mean (SD) text density was 25.61 (8.14) words/slide but was not a significant predictor [F(1, 86.293)=0.55, p=0.815]. Of note, the speaker [χ2(1)=2.952, p=0.003] and speaker seniority [F(3, 59.713)=4.083, p=0.011] significantly predicted higher scores. Conclusion: This is the first published study to date assessing the linkage between slide design and CME speaker evaluations by an audience of practicing clinicians. The incorporation of images was associated with higher evaluation scores, in alignment with Mayer’s theory of multimedia learning. Contrary to this theory, however, text density showed no significant association, suggesting that these scores are multifactorial. Professional development efforts should focus on teaching best practices in both slide design and presentation skills.
Flexible job shop scheduling problem for parallel batch processing machine with compatible job families

Abstract Flexible Job-Shop Scheduling Problem (FJSP) with Parallel Batch processing Machine (PBM) is studied. First, a Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) formulation is proposed for the first time. In order to address an NP-hard structure of this problem, the formulation is modified to selectively schedule jobs. Although there are many jobs on a given floor, semiconductor manufacturing is most challenged by priority jobs that promise a significant amount of financial compensation in exchange for an expedited delivery. This modification could leave some non-priority jobs unscheduled. However, it vastly expedites the discovery of improving solutions by first branching on integer variables with higher priority jobs. This study then turns job-dependent processing times into job-independent ones by assuming a machine has an equal processing time on different jobs. This assumption is roughly true or acceptable for the sake of the reduced computational time in the industry. These changes significantly reduce computational time compared to the original model when tested on a set of common problem instances from the literature. Computational results show that this proposed model can generate an effective schedule for large problems. Author encourages other researchers to propose an improved MIP model.
Statistical Emulators of Maize, Rice, Soybean and Wheat Yields from Global Gridded Crop Models

Abstract This study provides statistical emulators of crop yields based on global gridded crop model simulations from the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project Fast Track project. The ensemble of simulations is used to build a panel of annual crop yields from five crop models and corresponding monthly summer weather variables for over a century at the grid cell level globally. This dataset is then used to estimate, for each crop and gridded crop model, the statistical relationship between yields, temperature, precipitation and carbon dioxide. This study considers a new functional form to better capture the non-linear response of yields to weather, especially for extreme temperature and precipitation events, and now accounts for the effect of soil type. In- and out-of-sample validations show that the statistical emulators are able to replicate spatial patterns of yields crop levels and changes overtime projected by crop models reasonably well, although the accuracy of the emulators varies by model and by region. This study therefore provides a reliable and accessible alternative to global gridded crop yield models. By emulating crop yields for several models using parsimonious equations, the tools provide a computationally efficient method to account for uncertainty in climate change impact assessments.
The Impact of Cross-Addiction on Information Sharing Behaviors on Social Networking Sites

There is a rise in the interest among researchers to understand how addiction to social networking sites (SNSs) influences the use of SNS for information sharing. Much less attention has been place...
Android system security evaluation

This demonstration presents an application for a system security score evaluation. The security score represents overall security level of the Android OS based device. The proposed application is based on the library that uses standard Android OS API and Google SafetyNet library. We followed up modular approach that allows to use our library independently from our application in any stock Android OS version 5.0 and above. Application evaluates overall security level, gives an explanation of the each parameter, gives advices how to improve overall security of the device, and allows to simulate the evaluation that shows how each parameter affects the security level.
Tumor Biology of Breast Cancer in Young Women

Many epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that younger women with breast cancer have a worse survival than older women, which may potentially be related to more aggressive tumor biology. Despite aggressive treatment, local and distant failure rates are higher. This review examines the studies that have investigated whether young age at diagnosis is associated with biologically more aggressive cancers for young women with invasive breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ, BRCA 1 and 2 mutations, and breast cancer during pregnancy. Young women with breast cancer are more likely to present with higher stage than their older counterparts. Their tumors are more likely to be estrogen receptor-negative, higher grade, and have increased LVI, Ki-67, and p53; yet most studies show no difference in HER-2/neu expression between younger and older women. Recent advances in molecular biology have shown that lymph node negative, estrogen receptor-positive young women are more likely than older women to have a higher Recurrence Scoretrade mark and therefore a worse prognosis. Molecular profiling has also revealed that young African-American women with breast cancer are more likely to have the more aggressive basal type of breast cancer, which may contribute to their worse prognosis compared to young white women.
Youth Baseball Coach Awareness of Pitch Count Guidelines and Overuse Throwing Injuries Remains Deficient

Background Baseball is one of the most popular youth sporting activities. Youth pitchers remain at high risk for shoulder and elbow overuse injuries despite well-established recommendations on pitch count limits. The purpose of this investigation was to conduct surveys of youth baseball coaches evaluating the current state of understanding and compliance with youth pitch count guidelines and risk factors for overuse injuries. Methods A total of 82 youth baseball coaches in surrounding suburban areas outside 2 separate Midwestern metropolitan cities were asked to answer an anonymous 13-question survey. Survey questions solicited demographic information of youth athletes coached, while assessing for incidence, knowledge of, and compliance with established recommendations on pitch count limits and upper extremity overuse injuries in youth pitchers. Results In total, 61 of 82 (74%) coaches returned surveys. The majority of coaches reported coaching male athletes (89%, n=54) primarily between the ages of 11 to 12 years (51%, n=31). A total of 56% (n=34) of coaches reported "always" keeping track of pitch counts; however, 92% (n=56) reporting not keeping track of pitches based on established recommendations by the American Sports Medicine Institute, whereas 56% were noncompliant with age appropriate pitch count recommendations as established by the 2006 US Baseball Medical and Safety Advisory Committee. Only 13% (n=8) of coaches were able to correctly identify risk factors for overuse injuries while acknowledging the necessity of off-season strengthening. Thirty-eight percent (n=23) of coaches reported sitting out an athlete because of overuse injury, with the highest rates found in those coaching the youngest (≤8 and younger) and oldest (≥17 and older) age groups. Meanwhile, 15% (n=9) of coaches were noncompliant with age-based recommendations against throwing breaking pitches. Conclusions Knowledge regarding pitch count guidelines established to prevent overuse injuries to the shoulder and elbow in youth pitchers remains deficient in the cohort of coaches surveyed. Level of evidence Level IV-Case Series.
The Role of Colloidal Stability and Charge in Functionalization of Aqueous Quantum Dots.

ConspectusSemiconductor quantum dots (QDs), also known as nanocrystals, have unique photophysical properties that have allowed them to find utility in many applications, including television and display technologies. They also have significant potential as imaging agents in the biomedical field. To gain the most value from the use of QDs as health-related fluorescent probes, they must be biologically targetable and sensitive to metabolic analytes such as pH and O2, and the resulting signal must be quantifiable. To achieve these goals, QDs need to be conjugated to vectors such as antibodies or environmentally sensitive chromophores. Until recently, the functionalization of these nanomaterials required a complex fully “bottom-up” approach beginning with the synthesis of the QDs and subsequent manipulations. To simplify this process, our group set out to develop straightforward methods to prepare functionalized nanomaterials for biological imaging and sensing using low-cost, commercially available aqueous QD...
Synthesis of oxidation-resistant electrochemical-active copper nanowires using phenylenediamine isomers

Abstract Phenylenediamine (PDA) was chosen as a coordinating, reducing, and capping agent to effectively direct growth and protect against oxidation of Cu nanowires (Cu NWs) in an aqueous solution. PDA was found to reduce Cu (II) to Cu (I) at room temperature, and stabilize the resulting Cu (I) by forming a coordination complex. The presence of a stable, intermediate Cu (I) complex is an essential step in the synthesis of Cu NWs under mild conditions. Incorporation of different PDA isomers leads to different growth paths of forming Cu NWs. Both pPDA and mPDA-synthesized Cu NWs are covered with a thin layer of polyphenylenediamine and show excellent oxidation-resistant in boiling water (3 days), and long-term stability in water at room temperature (10 months). The polyPDA-coated Cu NWs are electrochemically active even after a long-term storage in water. The usefulness of the oxidation-resistant electrochemical-active Cu NWs prepared here for a variety of nanotechnology applications is discussed.
A New Look at Visual System Plasticity

Reward-based learning is known to induce cortical plasticity in primary sensory areas. A new study by Goltstein, Meijer, and Pennartz [1] (eLife2018;7:e37683), adopting a dual-scale approach (single-unit and population level), shows how associative learning in mice tunes cortical processing, but unlike other primary sensory cortices it does not modify the retinotopic map.
Second-order Dirac superconductors and magnetic field induced Majorana hinge modes

Higher-order topological superconductors (HOTSCs) are a new class of topological materials that in three dimensions are characterized by gapped bulk and surface states and gapless hinge modes. Here, the authors identify two new groups of HOTSCs: (i) second-order Dirac superconductors, which have both topologically protected Dirac cones at the surface and topologically protected dispersionless Majorana states at the hinges; (ii) three-dimensional magnetic field-induced HOTSCs with helical Majorana hinge states, which are located at only two (or one) of the corners. The authors show that, using the sign of the magnetic field and the mirror-diagonal symmetry-breaking perturbation, the Majorana pairs can be tuned to be at a specific corner, leading to a highly tunable setup for realization and detection of helical Majorana states.
Dance-based exergaming for upper extremity rehabilitation and reducing fall-risk in community-dwelling individuals with chronic stroke. A preliminary study.

Background: Post-stroke, individuals demonstrate persistent upper extremity (UE) motor impairments that impact functional movements and change-in-support strategies essential for recovery from post...
Design of a Wearable Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Monitoring Device

This paper outlines our preliminary research and development of a wireless wearable wrist positions detection system that monitors and tracks aggravated symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome using sensors and microcontroller-based Bluetooth wireless communication system. The proposed system uses flex sensors to detect the changes in the wrist positions. Corresponding voltage values are A/D converted and transmitted to a computer to be displayed, saved, and further analyzed to determine the position of the wrist. The proposed system provides non-invasive methods that enable a long term, mobile monitoring of the wrist positions with minimal intrusion to a patient. The proposed system is also equipped with a feedback system to alert the user of aggravating conditions.
Zeitmessung und Lorentztransformation

Wir entwickeln die grafische Darstellung der Lorentz-Koordinatentransformation und zeigen: 1) Der Zeitunterschied zwischen Ereignissen hangt vom Bezugssystem des Beobachters ab. 2) Eine bewegte Uhr geht in ihrem Ruhesystem langsamer als jede Laboruhr. Das ist die sogenannte Zeitdilatation. 3) Die Gleichzeitigkeit von zwei Ereignissen erfordert eine eindeutige Messvorschrift. Wir untersuchen die Konsistenz der Zeitdilatation mit der Lorentz-Koordinatentransformation.