cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hammer Model Threat Assessment of Cognitive Radio Denial of Service Attacks

With the advent of cognitive radios, existing wireless networks are expected to undergo a radical change in how they operate. Traditional wireless devices operate in fixed frequency bands and follow fixed network protocols set at the time of manufacture, unlike the emerging wireless devices based on cognitive radio technology which are expected to operate across multiple frequency bands with a variety of protocols that can change over the life of the device. While the wireless networks in which a cognitive radio device operates may implement device authentication, integrity checks and other higher-layer security mechanisms; the possibility of physical layer attacks, such as jamming attacks, still exists. This research work focuses on assessing potential cognitive radio specific physical layer attacks using the so-called Hammer model. In particular, we investigate vulnerabilities that may prevent CR communication in specific bands, completely deny a cognitive radio to communicate or induce it to cause harmful interference to existing users; so called denial-of-service attacks. In the process, we identify, analyze, and assess the risk level posed by the potential attacks in the different CR design paradigms proposed by different research groups. Further, this work recommends the most and least susceptible of the CR design paradigms under consideration.
Brain tissue reaction following intracerebral injection of free or liposomally encapsulated BSH

AbstractBoron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a potentially valuable treatment of malignant brain gliomas. A primary requirement for successful BNCT is achieving high local concentration of boron drugs in tumors. Intratumoral injection of liposomes containing boron drug has potential to meet this requirement and could prove to be of significance for BNCT. The brain tissue reaction following the intracerebral injection of a boron drug, BSH, either in solution form or in liposomally encapsulated form, was studied in rats. On histological examination, no evidence of tissue reaction was found after injecting BSH solution, suggesting that high local concentration of BSH was well tolerated. Injection of liposomal BSH was characterized by phagocytic activity at the site of injection, which was regressing by 24 h. Neither group of animals exhibited any signs of abnormal behavior or neurologic deficit. Direct intracerebral injection of BSH liposomes as per-formed in this report could be regarded as tolerable.
Dissociation between Superoxide Accumulation and Nitroglycerin-Induced Tolerance

We hypothesize that superoxide (O(2)(*-)) accumulation is not a crucial causative factor in inducing nitroglycerin (NTG) tolerance. In LLC-PK1 cells, pre-exposure to NTG resulted in increased O(2)(*-) accumulation and reduced cGMP response to NTG versus vehicle control. O(2)(*-) stimulated by NTG was reduced by oxypurinol (100 microM), a xanthine oxidase inhibitor. Exposure to angiotensin II (Ang II) increased O(2)(*-) but did not reduce cGMP response. The O(2)(*-) scavenger tiron reduced Ang II-induced O(2)(*-) production but did not increase NTG-stimulated cGMP production. Using p47(phox-/-) and gp91(phox-/-) mice versus their respective wild-type controls (WT), we showed that aorta from mice null of these critical NADPH oxidase subunits exhibited similar vascular tolerance after NTG dosing (20 mg/kg s.c., t.i.d. for 3 days), as indicated by their ex vivo pEC(50) and cGMP accumulation upon NTG challenge. In vitro aorta O(2)(*-) production was enhanced by NTG incubation in both p47(phox) null and WT mice. Pre-exposure of isolated mice aorta to 100 microM NTG for 1 h resulted in vascular tolerance toward NTG and increased O(2)(*-) accumulation. Oxypurinol (1 mM) reduced O(2)(*-) but did not attenuate vascular tolerance. These results suggest that O(2)(*-) does not initiate either in vitro and in vivo NTG tolerance, and that the p47(phox) and gp91(phox) subunits of NADPH oxidase are not critically required. Increased O(2)(*-) accumulation may be an effect, rather than an initiating cause, of NTG tolerance.
Comparative efficacy of pregabalin and benzodiazepines in treating the psychic and somatic symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder

Prior research suggests that SSRIs may have greater efficacy for psychic compared to somatic anxiety, while benzodiazepines show greater somatic efficacy. The goal of this analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of pregabalin (PGB) in treating psychic and somatic symptoms of anxiety. Data were combined from six short-term, double-blind, placebo-controlled, fixed-dose trials of PGB in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The following PGB daily dose groups were studied : 150 mg (n=210), 300–450 mg (n=455), and 600 mg (n=406), benzodiazepines (6 mg/d lorazepam and 1.5 mg/d alprazolam, n=299), vs. placebo (n=484). Changes in Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) psychic and somatic anxiety factors and individual items were analysed. Treatment with 300–600 mg PGB significantly improved both the HAMA psychic and somatic anxiety factors. In contrast, treatment with 150 mg PGB appeared to be less effective, achieving significance only on the psychic anxiety factor. PGB (300–450 mg) was associated with significant improvement on 13 out of 14 HAMA items, while treatment with 600 mg PGB was associated with significant improvement in 10 out of 14 HAMA items. Treatment with benzodiazepines was also associated with significant improvement in both psychic and somatic anxiety factors, with significant improvement occurring in 5 out of 14 HAMA items. The results of this pooled analysis indicate that both PGB and benzodiazepines had significant efficacy in treating both HAMA psychic and somatic anxiety. A dose–response effect was evident for PGB that reached a plateau at a dose of 300 mg/d. Received 9 March 2009 ; Reviewed 8 April 2009 ; Revised 15 June 2009 ; Accepted 21 July 2009 ; First published online 9 September 2009
The Effect of Dementia on Medication Use and Adherence Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Chronic Heart Failure

Abstract Background Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD) are prevalent in older adults, increase the costs of chronic heart failure (CHF) management, and may be associated with undertreatment of cardiovascular disease. Objective The purpose of our study was to determine the relationship between comorbid ADRD and CHF medication use and adherence among Medicare beneficiaries with CHF. Methods This 2-year (1/1/2006–12/31/2007) cross-sectional study used data from the Chronic Condition Data Warehouse of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Medicare beneficiaries with evidence of CHF who had systolic dysfunction and Medicare Parts A, B, and D coverage during the entire study period were included. ADRD was identified based on diagnostic codes using the Chronic Condition Data Warehouse algorithm. CHF evidence-based medications (EBMs) were selected based on published guidelines: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, selected β-blockers, aldosterone antagonists, and selected vasodilators. Measures of EBMs included a binary indicator of EBM use and medication possession ratio among users. Results Of 9827 beneficiaries with CHF and systolic dysfunction, 24.2% had a diagnosis of ADRD. Beneficiaries with ADRD were older (80.8 vs 73.6 years; P P P P = 0.0001). Conclusions EBM medication adherence was high in this population, regardless of ADRD status. However, patients with ADRD had lower EBM use compared with those without ADRD. Low use of specific EBM medications such as β-blockers was found in both groups. Therefore, interventions targeting increased treatment with specific EBMs for CHF, even among patients with ADRD, may be of benefit and could help reduce CHF-related hospitalizations.
Optimal geometric algorithms on fixed-size linear arrays and scan line arrays

Optimal parallel solutions are presented to several geometric problems on an n*n image on a fixed-size linear array with p processors, where 1 >
Isoform 5 of PIPKIγ regulates the endosomal trafficking and degradation of E-cadherin

Phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinases (PIPKs) have distinct cellular targeting, allowing for site-specific synthesis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] to activate specific signaling cascades required for cellular processes. Several C-terminal splice variants of PIPKIγ (also known as PIP5K1C) exist, and have been implicated in a multitude of cellular roles. PI(4,5)P2 serves as a fundamental regulator of E-cadherin transport, and PI(4,5)P2-generating enzymes are important signaling relays in these pathways. We present evidence that the isoform 5 splice variant of PIPKIγ (PIPKIγi5) associates with E-cadherin and promotes its lysosomal degradation. Additionally, we show that the endosomal trafficking proteins SNX5 and SNX6 associate with PIPKIγi5 and inhibit PIPKIγi5-mediated E-cadherin degradation. Following HGF stimulation, activated Src directly phosphorylates PIPKIγi5. Phosphorylation of the PIPKIγi5 C-terminus regulates its association with SNX5 and, consequently, E-cadherin degradation. Additionally, this PIPKIγi5-mediated pathway requires Rab7 to promote degradation of internalized E-cadherin. Taken together, the data indicate that PIPKIγi5 and SNX5 are crucial regulators of E-cadherin sorting and degradation. PIPKIγi5, SNX and phosphoinositide regulation of lysosomal sorting represent a novel area of PI(4,5)P2 signaling and research. PIPKIγi5 regulation of E-cadherin sorting for degradation might have broad implications in development and tissue maintenance, and enhanced PIPKIγi5 function might have pathogenic consequences due to downregulation of E-cadherin.
Dual Antiplatelet Agent—Induced Spontaneous Liver Hematoma

OBJECTIVE:To report a case of a spontaneous liver hematoma in a patient receiving dual antiplatelet therapy for 5 years after coronary stent implantation.CASE SUMMARY:A 76-year-old man with coronary artery disease presented to the hospital with acute right upper quadrant pain. He had been taking clopidogrel 75 mg/day, a P2Y12 inhibitor, and aspirin 81 mg/day for 5 years after having a drug-eluting stent (DES) placed. Given a drop in hemoglobin (from 13.0 g/dL to 8.6 g/dL) and elevated liver enzymes, subsequent studies were performed and revealed a large liver hematoma. Clopidogrel and aspirin were discontinued. Aspirin was restarted 1 month later; there was no recurrence of bleeding.DISCUSSION:Current guidelines recommend that a P2Y12 inhibitor and aspirin after DES implantation be given for at least 12 months. However, because of concern for late stent thrombosis, some clinicians encourage patients to continue taking dual antiplatelet therapy beyond this period as long as the risk of bleeding is low. An ...
Temporal and spatial control of the mother-cell regulatory gene spoIIID of Bacillus subtilis.

Gene expression during endospore formation in Bacillus subtilis is compartmental ized between the mother-cell and forespore chambers of the sporangium, which follow separate pathways of cellular differentiation. The earliest acting regulatory gene so far identified in the mother-cell line of gene expression is spoIHD, whose product is required for the transcription of the composite gene (sigK) encoding the mother-cell RNA polymerase a-factor cr^ and for the chromosomal rearrangement that gives rise to the composite gene. Here we report the nucleotide sequence of spoIIID and studies on the temporal, spatial, and genetic control of its expression during sporulation. We show that the deduced spoIIID gene product, a 93-residue-long polypeptide, is a previously identified transcription factor that is known to activate the promoter for the sigK gene in vitro. Expression of spoIIID is largely confined to the mother-cell chamber of the sporangium and is turned on at, or shortly before, the time (hour 3 of sporulation) that the mother-cell chromosome is rearranged and transcription of the sigK gene commences. This gene expression depends strongly on the sporulation <r-factor <j^ and partially on the SpoIIID gene product, itself. We conclude that the timing and compartmentalization of the rearrangement and transcription of the sigK gene and, hence, of subsequent gene activation in the mother cell, are, in part, direct consequences of the temporal and spatial control of spoIIID gene expression.
ARTIFICIAL SELECTION: A POWERFUL TOOL FOR ECOLOGISTS

Artificial selection has been practiced by humans since the dawn of agriculture, but only recently have evolutionary ecologists turned to this tool to understand nature. To perform artificial selection, the phenotypic trait of interest is measured on a population, and the individuals with the most extreme phenotypic values are bred to produce the next generation. The change in the mean of the selected trait across each generation is the response to selection, and other traits can also evolve due to genetic correlations with the selected trait. Artificial selection can directly answer the question of how quickly a trait will evolve under a given strength of selection. This kind of result can help ecologists determine whether range or niche boundaries are determined by a lack of variation for a key phenotypic trait or trade-offs due to genetic correlations with other fitness-related traits. In a related approach, controlled natural selection, the organisms are not selected according to their values for a given trait, but rather are allowed to evolve for one to several generations under experimentally imposed environmental treatments such as temperature, light, nutrients, presence or absence of predators or competitors, etc. The results of this kind of study can tell us how quickly a population can adapt to a given environmental change, either natural or anthropogenic. Finally, artificial selection can create more variation for measurements of natural selection or can be coupled with QTL mapping; both these combinations provide new insights into adaptation. I discuss advantages and disadvantages of these approaches relative to other kinds of studies and highlight case studies showing how these tools can answer a wide range of basic and applied questions in ecology, ranging from niche and range boundaries and character displacement to climate change and invasive species.
Evaluation of miR-216a and miR-217 as potential biomarkers of acute pancreatic injury in rats and mice

Mild injury of the exocrine pancreas is often asymptomatic and can be under- or mis-diagnosed. The pancreas-enriched microRNAs miR-216a and miR-217 were evaluated as potential serum biomarkers of exocrine pancreas injury in rodent models of acute pancreatitis induced by caerulein, l-arginine, and pancreatic duct ligation. Both microRNAs showed time- and dose- relevant responses to pancreatic injury and wider dynamic ranges of response than serum amylase or lipase. Pancreas-selective microRNAs were found to be relatively sensitive serum biomarkers of pancreatic injury in rodents with potentially greater specificity than the current standard assays.
Role of allogeneic stem cell transplantation in mantle cell lymphoma.

Despite a wide spectrum of treatment options, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) remains a challenging hematologic malignancy to manage. Advances in front-line therapy, including the monoclonal antibody rituximab and increasing use of cytarabine, have improved remission rates. Autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) can effectively consolidate remission of MCL, leading to encouraging survival beyond 5 yr. However, nearly all patients with MCL will relapse and require salvage therapy. Novel agents such as ibrutinib, bortezomib, and lenalidomide have dramatically expanded the options for treating relapsed MCL. In this review, we summarize the clinical evidence supporting the use of allogeneic donor HCT in MCL and make recommendations on indications for its use. Data suggest that allogeneic donor HCT is the only curative therapy for patients with poor prognosis or aggressive MCL. Patient selection, timing, and optimal use remain a matter of scientific debate and given the rapidly changing therapeutic landscape of MCL, the outcomes of allogeneic HCT should be interpreted in the context of novel therapeutics.
Deposition of Heavily-Doped μc-Silicon Thin Films by Remote Plasma-Enhanced Chemical-Vapor Deposition Process (remote PECVD)

We have succeeded in depositing both activated n- and p-type fuc-Si, by a low temperature, 250°C, remote PECVD process in which dopant gases (PH3 or B2H6)/Silane (SiH4) mixtures are injected downstream from the exit port of a He/H2 plasma. The room temperature conductivities and activation energies for the n- and p-type fuc-Si are respectively, 40 S/cm with Eaa=0.018 eV, and 5 S/cm with Ea =0.040 eV. Doped fuc-Si is obtained for PH3/SiH4 ratios up to 1%, and for B2H6/SiH4 ratios to 0.1%. For B2H6/SiH4 ratios < 0.1%, the deposited p-type material is doped a-Si rather than doped μc-Si. We have shown that these heavily doped μc-Si film are a viable candidate for the gate electrode in MOS devices. The application of these doped μc-Si films in p-i-n diode devices has also been studied.
Influence of damage on the thermal response of graphite-epoxy laminates

A constrained-displacement finite-element approach for studying the influence of transverse cracks and delaminations on the thermal response of laminated composites is presented. Typical results are given in the form of percent-retention curves for the coefficient of thermal expansion as a function of crack density. Cross-ply and quasi-isotropic T300/5208 graphite-epoxy laminates are considered. It is shown that transverse cracks can have a significant influence on the coefficient of thermal expansion, but delaminations located symmetrically about the laminate midplane have no influence on thermal expansion.
A review of alcohol clearance in humans

The level of blood or brain alcohol is considered to influence alcohol ingestion by causing subjective perceptions or neural activations that are reinforcing or rewarding. Alcohol-dependent people may try to maintain some desired tissue level, drinking to replace the millimolar levels that were cleared from the blood by metabolism. The biomedical literature describes many approaches to understanding the role of blood alcohol levels in human physiology and behavior, and this review examines some of the published results. They include the general kinetics of intake and removal of beverage alcohol as well as the characteristics of many different catalysts that can interact with alcohol. Because ingested alcohol creates blood levels that are a 1000-fold greater than those normally experienced during abstinence, ethanol may impose itself as an alternate substrate for the many oxidoreductases that act physiologically on other endogenous alcohols. Many enzymes that can act on millimolar ethanol have been isolated, and their structural genes are sequenced. Unfortunately, the genetic sequence does not indicate the physiological material upon which the translated gene product may act. In a sense, the set of enzymes with catalytic sites occupied by millimolar ethanol during alcohol drinking might constructively be regarded as "orphan gene products" whose physiological role remains to be clarified. This review is designed to indicate some of what is known, what is not known, and what needs to be known to improve the interpretations regarding adaptations to beverage alcohol and the ability of millimolar levels of alcohol to diminish dysphoria. The dysphoria may be influenced by ethanol, by ethanol metabolites, or by altered metabolism of currently unspecified endogenous substrates. A major challenge is to evaluate the multiple alternative variables within a context that stimulates curiosity and encourages quantitative tests of the relative contribution of each variable to the overall physiology of an individual.
Data fusion and tracking of complex target maneuvers with a simplex-trained neural network-based architecture

The capabilities of trained neural networks to perform fusion of data collected from dissimilar sensors employed in target surveillance and tracking environments facilitate an attractive framework for developing advanced target tracking architectures. We present a scheme that employs an integration of a multilayer neural network trained with features extracted from multisensor data and a Kalman filter that yields a reliable tracking algorithm capable of following even noncooperative targets executing complex evasive maneuvers. A learning strategy based on a simplex optimization algorithm that seeks the global minimum of the training error and a progressive network growing procedure are employed to develop the required capabilities underlying the desirable tracking performance delivered by the neural network tracking algorithm. Some representative performance validation studies are given in the form of tracking experiments involving targets executing not only straight line acceleration maneuvers but also complex turns in environments characterized by severe noise and clutter. A fundamental characteristic that deserves emphasis in the proposed target tracking architecture is the role of the neural network in performing data fusion and in providing assistance to a simple linear Kalman filter for tracking the maneuvering target, which provides an intelligent way of implementing an overall nonlinear tracking filter without any attendant increases in computational complexity.
Finite-element-based nonlinear physical model of iron-core transformers for dynamic simulations

A finite-element (FE)-based transformer physical phase variable model is proposed. In this model, the effects of nonlinear magnetization on inductances are included by considering the inductance variations with the amplitude of the ac flux as well as its phase angle during a complete ac cycle. Such a consideration is represented by 2-D inductance tables. The magnetizing currents at various magnetization levels are used to calculate the inductances then build the table. The magnetizing currents are determined using circuit-coupled FE analysis of the transformer with sinusoidal voltage supplies. The structure of the inductance table is given and the procedure of inductance table lookup during dynamic simulation is provided. Simulink implementation of the FE-based transformer phase variable model is performed. The validity of the presented technique is verified through comparing the magnetizing current waveforms obtained from the FE-based phase variable model and those from an FE model. The significance of the proposed FE-based phase variable model is in its accuracy and its applicability for dynamic simulation of interconnected components in a power system
Throwing Sports and Injuries Involving the Young Athlete’s Spine

In the pediatric and adolescent throwing/overhead athlete, injuries of the thoracolumbar spine are frequent, in part due to the multifactorial nature of spinal injuries at this age, including: rapid periods of growth which contribute to loss of flexibility and strength imbalances; the skeletal immaturity of the young athlete’s spine; the volume and intensity of organized sports participation due to the recent trend of year-round training, multiple teams, and sport specialization at a young age; poor throwing mechanics and improper technique; and inadequate periods of recovery and “relative rest” due to the demands and pressures of youth sport participation. This chapter provides an in-depth review of: the kinetic chain as it relates to the biomechanics of throwing; the functional anatomy and biomechanical interaction of the pelvis, thoracolumbar spine, and scapulothoracic articulation in the throwing/overhead athlete; the presentation of thoracolumbar spinal injuries in throwing/overhead youth athletes; and the treatment and return-to-play issues pertaining to various throwing and overhead sports.
Re: Noninvasive methods to evaluate bladder obstruction in men.

Reading this paper leads to some thoughts. Our main concerns are first that from paragraph “Symptoms” to paragraph “Doppler Resistive Index”, this paper looks like the paper of M. Belal and P. Abrams “Noninvasive methods of diagnosing bladder outlet obstruction in men. Part 1: Nonurodynamic approach” J Urol 2006; 176: 22-8 (not referenced by the authors) and second, more important, that the authors have made a mixture between two methods the condom method (paragraph Measurement using External Catheter (MEC)) and the penile cuff method (paragraph Measurement Using Penile Compression (MUCP)). Some results about penile cuff method are included in the paragraph external catheter and vice versa. About external catheter, the authors mention a good accuracy for weak flow rate while the original paper mention a lack of accuracy if the flow rate is lower than 5.4 mL/s (van Mastright et al. Development and application of the condom catheter for non-invasive measurement of bladder pressure. J Urol 2009; 25: 99-104). The description of penile compression given by the authors is (only) that of the cuff deflation (Mc Rae et al NAU 1995; 14: 101-114 and Gleason et al. NAU 1997; 16: 93-100) which is not used today. The penile cuff method currently used is an inflation-deflation method (C.J. Griffiths et al.); after initiation of voiding, a cuff is progressively inflated at a stepwise increment of 10cm H2O to a maximum of 200 cm H2O until interruption of the flow. Thus many measurements are possible. The surge of flow observed when the cuff is deflated allows calculating a PCR index (see next remark). In addition, some non-invasive methods have been forgotten: the Penile Compression and Release (PCR) from M.P. Sullivan et al. (NAU 1995; 14: 481-3 & NAU 2000; 19: 657-669) allowing calculating a PCR index, and the D index of voiding dysfunction from F.A. Valentini et al. (BJU Int 2008; 101: 995-9) obtained from a modelled analysis of free uroflows.
Abstract 1180: Modulation of p73 isoform expression regulates aggressive behavior in NHL cell line model with 1p36 chromosomal disruption

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Abnormalities of chromosome 1p36 locus are frequently detected in non Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and are associated with aggressive clinical behavior. TP73, a gene at 1p36 locus, is a member of the p53 tumor suppressor gene family, and regulates many important cellular pathways. TP73 gene function is controlled by a balance between two isoforms with opposing functions, the full length TAp73 protein (pro-apoptotic) and the NH2-terminally truncated ΔNp73 protein (anti-apoptotic through antagonizing both TAp73 and p53). Our previous work on diagnostic specimens of NHL cases had shown a differential ΔNp73 up-regulation and increase in ΔNp73:TAp73 expression ratio among NHL cases with 1p36 chromosomal disruption as compared to NHL cases without 1p36 disruption, which correlates with decreased apoptosis, increased cellular proliferation and increased angiogenesis. We hypothesized that modulated expression of the p73 isoforms will alter the aggressive behavior of a NHL cell line containing 1p36 disruption. We used a NHL cell line (Granta-519) that has 1p36 disruption as a model. Granta-519 cells express higher levels of ΔNp73 isoform similar to what was observed in NHL cases with 1p36 abnormality. Next, we stably transfected Granta-519 with a TAp73 mammalian expression vector to modulate the ΔNp73:TAp73 ratio. Cell cycle analysis showed an increase in the percentage of G1 cells and decrease in the percentage of S and G2 cells in TAp73-trasnfected Granta-519 cells as compared to control vector-transfected cells. Serum deprivation significantly inhibited the growth of Granta-519-TAp73- cells as compared to control vector-transfected cells. Moreover, reconstitution of TAp73 expression in Granta-519 cells significantly enhanced their response to Doxorubicin. Together, these results provide an insight on modulation of ΔNp73:TAp73 as a novel therapeutic target in NHL with 1p36 abnormalities. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1180. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1180
Preliminary results after Single-Incision Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery.

AbstractObjectives : Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) represents the recent advance in laparoscopic surgery claiming to be less invasive than conventional laparoscopic surgery. This study investigates the feasibility and safety of the procedure in colorectal surgery and reports the experiences in our center.Methods : We retrospectively evaluated 41 consecutive patients surgically treated in our institution (February 2011-April 2013). The patient characteristics were evaluated for: gender, age, body mass index and ASA-score. Data included: indication, procedure, intraoperative complications, operation time, number of lymph nodes, postoperative complications, length of stay (LOS), morbidity and cosmesis.Results : SILS was performed in 41 patients including 9 patients with colorectal cancer resection. We performed 3 ileo-caecal resections, 11 right hemicolectomies, 7 sigmoidectomies and 20 rectosigmoidectomies. The operation time ranged from 45–210 min (median 123 min). Number of lymph nodes ident...
Development of Superconducting Wire and Cable for the SSC Project in Sumitomo Electric Industries

As a large production volume of NbTi superconducting wire and cable is required for the SSC project, a production process has been developed at Sumitomo Electric to optimize critical variables of wire properties.
Expressing our inner thoughts: how to organize and write a clinical research project grant application.

Securing funding for clinical research projects is becoming increasingly difficult. At present, scientific merit is an essential but not necessarily sufficient attribute of a successful research proposal. It is the premise of this article that each section of the application contributes important information to the reviewer and that carelessness or inattention to detail in any section may be a critical factor in the lack of success of an application. Each section of the standard NIH application is analyzed and suggestions are provided with regard to their organization and execution
Decay of 162 Tm

The half-life of $^{162}\mathrm{Tm}$ was determined to be 21.77 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.26 min. Eight $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays in addition to the Er $K$ x rays and the annihilation radiation were observed in the decay of $^{162}\mathrm{Tm}$. Based on the energies and intensities of these $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays and the level schemes of the even-mass erbium isotopes, a tentative decay scheme of $^{162}\mathrm{Tm}$ is proposed. The $K$-capture-to-positron ratio in the decay of $^{162}\mathrm{Tm}$ was found to be 12. The maximum positron energy estimated from this ratio and from other results in this work is in gross disagreement with the calculated decay energy of $^{162}\mathrm{Tm}$.
High-rate large-alphabet quantum key distribution over deployed telecom fiber

We develop and implement a large-alphabet, dispersive-optics, prepare-and-measure quantum-key-distribution protocol. We demonstrate 35 Mbps secret-key rates in the laboratory and 300 kbps over a 43-km deployed fiber.
Variability and Change in Climate

Understanding of the current and future climate change requires understanding of mechanisms which controlled climate change both before and after the last glacier ages. Although the Sun played an important role in climate variability and climate change in paleoclimate, it is generally accepted that the Sun has not been a major driver of climate change since the Industrial Era. This chapter describes the observed climate change with particular emphasis on the Industrial Era period. The globally averaged atmospheric mole fraction of carbon dioxide (CO2) reached the abundance of 144% relative to the preindustrial concentrations in 2015, with many other climate variables setting new records in the past few years. For example, atmospheric abundance of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) reached 1845 ± 2 and 328 ± 0.1 ppb in 2015, respectively. Also, 5 major and 15 minor greenhouse gases (GHGs) contributed 2.94 W m−2 of the direct radiative forcing which is 36% greater than their contribution at the onset of Industrial Revolution in 1750. The record high radiative forcing has resulted in the highest annual global surface temperature over ~135 years of modern record keeping. Since oceans absorb about a quarter of anthropogenic CO2 emissions, increase in CO2 concentration during the Industrial Era has resulted in ocean acidification equivalent to approximately 30% increase in H+ concentration in ocean water. Other associated changes include increase in sea surface temperature (SST) and increased thermal energy content of the ocean which absorbs 90% of Earths’ excess heat from GHG forcing. Also ocean warming and increased stratification of the upper ocean caused by global climate change results in deoxygenation of interior oceans with implications for ocean productivity, nutrient cycling, C cycling and marine habitat. Owing to ocean warming and ice melting, the global sea level rise reached 67 mm greater than the 1993 annual mean, when satellite altimetry measurement began, with salty regions of ocean getting saltier while fresh water regions of ocean parts are getting fresher. CO2 therefore, remains the single most important anthropogenic GHG, contributing 65% to long-lived GHGs radiative forcing, and responsible for nearly 83% of the increase in radiative forcing over the decade ending in 2015.
Salient Object Subitizing

We study the problem of salient object subitizing, i.e. predicting the existence and the number of salient objects in an image using holistic cues. This task is inspired by the ability of people to quickly and accurately identify the number of items within the subitizing range (1---4). To this end, we present a salient object subitizing image dataset of about 14 K everyday images which are annotated using an online crowdsourcing marketplace. We show that using an end-to-end trained convolutional neural network (CNN) model, we achieve prediction accuracy comparable to human performance in identifying images with zero or one salient object. For images with multiple salient objects, our model also provides significantly better than chance performance without requiring any localization process. Moreover, we propose a method to improve the training of the CNN subitizing model by leveraging synthetic images. In experiments, we demonstrate the accuracy and generalizability of our CNN subitizing model and its applications in salient object detection and image retrieval.
Biorepositories and Their Foundations—Microbial Forensic Considerations

Publisher Summary Biorepositories are integral components of a credible microbial forensics infrastructure that spans research, development, test, evaluation, independent validation, verification, biosurety, analysis, and investigation. Bacterial systematics addresses all levels of the taxonomic hierarchy, from distantly related phyla to closely related strains of a single species. Microbial systematics has been based primarily on the analysis of small subunit ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) sequences. This approach, when introduced almost three decades ago, revolutionized the understanding of the phylogenetic relationships among microbes and provided the framework for a natural taxonomy that reflected these relationships. Use of this molecular chronometer revealed the inability of traditional phenetic (morphological and biochemical) methodologies to accurately reconstruct the natural genetic history of the microbial world. When applied to mixed communities of uncultivated microbes, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed an astounding diversity manifested at all taxonomic levels, from phylum to phylotype. The existing biorepository landscape is highly heterogeneous and populated with individual laboratory collections, private collections, organism-specific collections, government collections, select-agent collections, user-group collections, geographical collections, and large-scale public or commercial collections. Biorepository procedures and processes for deposit, accession meta-data, accession validation, culture expansion, preservation, maintenance, validation testing, contamination testing, sample documentation, quality control, quality assurance, recipient distribution data, staff training, biosecurity, and bioinformatics data can be variable and patchy.
Descriptive sensory analysis of wines produced from Iowa-grown La Crescent grapes

The La Crescent grape, a cross of St. Pepin and an unnamed Swenson selection (Vitis riparia x Muscat Hamburg), is a cold-hardy cultivar gaining popularity throughout the Midwest. Due to its recent introduction, there is a considerable amount to be learned about the characteristics of wines made from the grape. To investigate the aromas specific to the wine, research lots of wine were produced from La Crescent juice contributed by a commercial Iowa winery over two vintages (years 1 and 2). Juice and wines were analyzed chemically by HPLC and bench-top methods. Descriptive sensory analysis was conducted by a trained sensory panel following each vintage. Samples evaluated were dry and off-dry versions of the research La Crescent wines, a commercial La Crescent wine from the contributing winery, and a commercial Moscato wine, included for comparison. Aroma and flavor attribute intensities were measured separately in year 1 and as a combined response for aroma in year 2. Sweetness and acidity were also evaluated. Six descriptors were identified in year 1, and 7 in year 2. Grapefruit, lychee, pineapple and rose attributes were common to the sensory panels for both vintages. Apricot (year 1) and peach (year 2) were also useful in describing La Crescent wines however, variations in panel make-up or training likely led to their interchangeable in the study. In year 1, grapefruit and pineapple were the most intense aromas in all La Crescent wines. In the Moscato wine, rose and lychee were the most intense aromas. Grapefruit flavors were more intense in research wines than in commercial wines, while apricot flavors were more intense in commercial wines than in research wines. Flavor ratings were affected by sweetness and acidity perceptions. In year 2, all wines were best characterized by rose and lychee. Principal component analysis (PCA) accounted for 59 and 63 percent of the variability in years 1 and 2, respectively. Wines were mainly separated by sweetness and acidity on the first principal component. Grapefruit,
4.10 – Comparative Modeling of Drug Target Proteins

In this perspective, we begin by describing the comparative protein structure modeling technique and the accuracy of the corresponding models. We then discuss the significant role that comparative prediction plays in drug discovery. We focus on virtual ligand screening against comparative models and illustrate the state of the art by a number of specific examples.
Implementation Research: Finding Common Ground on What, How, Why, Where, and Who

Over many decades, educators have developed countless interventions and theories about how to create lasting change. Implementation research is the study of these efforts with a set of basic questi...
The Super Instruction Architecture: A Framework for High-Productivity Parallel Implementation of Coupled-Cluster Methods on Petascale Computers

Abstract The most advanced methods for reliable and accurate computation of the electronic structure of molecular and nano systems are the coupled-cluster techniques. The ACES III software provides a modern, high-performance implementation of these methods optimized for state-of-the-art parallel computer systems, ranging from small clusters typical in individual research groups, through larger clusters available in campus and regional computer centers, all the way to high-end petascale systems at national labs. The basis for the performance of ACES III resides in the underlying super instruction architecture (SIA), which is a framework for parallel programming. This chapter describes the type of use some researchers are making of ACES III. It also discusses the work being carried out to make it easier to use and more capable. One example is the implementation of multi-reference methods. Ongoing work also includes providing an interface to bring the SIA performance to other widely used software packages in computational chemistry. This will enable scientists and engineers to use SIA and ACES III as advanced tools to tackle new challenging problems.
Phase II investigational oral drugs for the treatment of radio/chemotherapy induced oral mucositis

Introduction: Oral mucositis is a significant unmet clinical need for many cancer patients. The biological complexity of mucositis’ pathogenesis provides a number of mechanistic targets suitable as...
Cash for Kids

Although a growing number of studies suggest that providing poor families with income supplements of as little as $1,000 per year will improve children’s well-being, many poor children miss important sources of income support provided through the tax system because their parents either do not work or do not file taxes. Accessing assistance through means-tested programs is also challenging. We propose replacing the complicated array of benefits provided through the tax system with a universal child benefit of $2,000 per child that would be available regardless of parents’ work status. Our reform would ensure that all children receive enough assistance to make a difference and it would be simpler and more equitable than the current array of child benefits that are provided through the tax code.
Effects of a Multi-Ingredient Energy Supplement on Cognitive Performance and Cerebral-Cortical Activation.

This study assessed whether a multi-ingredient energy supplement (MIES) could enhance cerebral-cortical activation and cognitive performance during an attention-switching task. Cerebral-cortical ac...
Time, space, and spectral multiplexing for radiation-balanced operation of semiconductor lasers (Conference Presentation)

Radiation balanced lasing (RBL) is an attractive pathway towards development of high power and good beam quality lasers because heat removal via anti-Stokes luminescence (optical refrigeration) does not require additional connections and components and the heat is dissipated away from the active medium. Optical refrigeration had been demonstrated in rare-earth doped laser medium, but is far more difficult to achieve it in semiconductors laser medium. The main obstacle to RBL in semiconductors that the most efficient cooling occurs at relatively low carrier densities, while the gain required to sustain laser operation requires much higher densities. In this talk we explore the means of resolving this conundrum by separating the optical refrigeration and lasing in temporal, spatial, and/or spectral domains. Time multiplexing involves modulating the pump and operating the laser in pulse modes with lasing and cooling intervals. Space multiplexing involves having separate regions (quantum wells and dots) for lasing and cooling. The spectral multiplexing involves operating with two separate pumps – one for lasing and one for cooling. This methods will be compared in the talk with the goal of selecting the optimal path towards radiation balanced semiconductor lasers.
The Twice-Exceptional Young Learner

Twice-exceptional students are classified as being identified gifted and/or talented in one or more areas, along with being diagnosed with a developmental, social, emotional, physical, sensory, and/or learning disability. Research into neuroscience and brain-based learning supports the various accommodations, adaptations, and interventions needed for these misunderstood students. Their learning is often fuelled by inconsistencies and unpredictable learning environments. Teachers and parents alike do not comprehend this unconventional learner. This chapter will delve into the various strategies and approaches that classroom teachers need to implement as they differentiate their teaching to meet the needs of this unique group of young learners in the early childhood classroom.
An Exploratory Study of Simulated Decision-Making in Preliminary Vehicle Design

Results are presented from a simulation in which three engineers were independently tasked with choosing a vehicle subsystem design concept from a set of fictitious alternatives. The authors acted as analysts and responded to the decision-makers’ requests for information while also observing their information collection and decision-making processes. The results of this study serve as a basis for comparing and contrasting common decision-making practices with established theories of normative decision analysis, cognition, and psychological type.
Contact Dynamics Formulation Using Minimal Coordinates

In recent years, complementarity techniques have been developed for solving non-smooth multibody dynamics involving contact and collision events. The linear complementarity approach sets up a linear complementarity problem (LCP) using non-minimal coordinates for the unilateral contact constraints and inter-link bilateral constraints on the system. In this chapter, we develop a complementarity formulation that uses minimal coordinates. This results in a much smaller LCP whose size is independent of the number of bodies and the number of degrees of freedom in the system. Furthermore, we exploit operational space low-order algorithms to overcome key computational bottlenecks to obtain over an order of magnitude speed up in the solution procedure.
A First Professional Degree For The Aviation Industry: Recommendations For Research and Practice

The deregulation of the airline industry precipitated a number of aviation industry changes: In the fall of 1978, Congress deregulated commercial aviation, arguing that the airlines had matured and no longer required the protection offered by regulation. The effects of deregulation were felt almost immediately. Airlines, testing their new freedoms, increased fares on some routes and decreased them on others. They entered numerous new markets and withdrew from a number of smaller, low-density markets. New carriers filed for certification and new marketing strategies evolved as the airlines' managements attempted to structure their route networks for survival in the new, highly competitive environment. (Federal Aviation Administration,_1987, p. 3) These changes, in turn, created or enhanced several aviation industry-wide problems: The evolution of the industry to date has had a significant impact on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) workload and facility planning. The rapid development of connecting hub airports and an increased airline emphasis on schedule frequency to attract and control traffic have made airport capacity problems a major challenge for the FAA. (FederalAviation Administration, 1987, p. 3)
Introducing cyber security by designing mock social engineering attacks

The attack surface for hackers and attackers is growing every day. Many of the attacks start with some form of social engineering. Future cybersecurity professionals must not only have the knowledge and the skills to defend against all types types of attacks but more importantly they must have an understanding of the psychological aspect of social engineering to better educate their users in identifying social engineering attacks. Most of us have fallen victim at some level to a social engineering attack. Learning defensive techniques can help but that is often not enough. Changing the way a person thinks and in turn behaves regarding social engineering is key to identifying and defending against a social engineering attack. Understanding the threat environment by designing mock social engineering attacks helps students to change their thinking and their behavior regarding social engineering cyber attacks [10].