cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Iridoid Glycoside Variation in the Invasive Plant Dalmatian Toadflax, Linaria dalmatica (Plantaginaceae), and Sequestration by the Biological Control Agent, Calophasia lunula

Invasive plant species can have significant ecological and economic impacts. Although numerous hypotheses highlight the importance of the chemical defenses of invasive plant species, the chemical ecology of many invasive plants has not yet been investigated. In this study, we provide the first quantitative investigation of variation in iridoid glycoside concentrations of the invasive plant Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica). We examined variation in chemical defenses at three levels: (1) variation within and among populations; (2) variation due to phenology and/or seasonal differences; and (3) variation among plant parts (leaves, flowers, and stems). Further, we examined two biological control agents introduced to control L. dalmatica for the ability to sequester iridoid glycosides from this invasive plant. Results indicate that L. dalmatica plants can contain high concentrations of iridoid glycosides (up to 17.4% dry weight of leaves; mean = 6.28 ± 0.5 SE). We found significant variation in iridoid glycoside concentrations both within and among plant populations, over the course of the growing season, and among plant parts. We also found that one biological control agent, Calophasia lunula (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), was capable of sequestering antirrhinoside, an iridoid glycoside found in L. dalmatica, at levels ranging from 2.7 to 7.5% dry weight. A second biological control agent, Mecinus janthinus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a stem-mining weevil, did not sequester iridoid glycosides. The demonstrated variation in L. dalmatica chemical defenses may have implications for understanding variation in the degree of invasiveness of different populations as well as variation in the efficacy of biological control efforts.
Establishment of a soybean (Glycine max Merr. L) transposon-based mutagenesis repository

Soybean is a major crop species providing valuable feedstock for food, feed and biofuel. In recent years, considerable progress has been made in developing genomic resources for soybean, including on-going efforts to sequence the genome. These efforts have identified a large number of soybean genes, most with unknown function. Therefore, a major research priority is determining the function of these genes, especially those involved in agronomic performance and seed traits. One means to study gene function is through mutagenesis and the study of the resulting phenotypes. Transposon-tagging has been used successfully in both model and crop plants to support studies of gene function. In this report, we describe efforts to generate a transposon-based mutant collection of soybean. The Ds transposon system was used to create activation-tagging, gene and enhancer trap elements. Currently, the repository houses approximately 900 soybean events, with flanking sequence data derived from 200 of these events. Analysis of the insertions revealed approximately 70% disrupted known genes, with the majority matching sequences derived from either Glycine max or Medicago truncatula sequences. Among the mutants generated, one resulted in male-sterility and was shown to disrupt the strictosidine synthase gene. This example clearly demonstrates that it is possible to disrupt soybean gene function by insertional mutagenesis and to derive useful mutants by this approach in spite of the tetraploid nature of the soybean genome.
Looking at big brothers for clues.

., 2004) offers an important window intothe physiology of sulfate-reducing bacteria. As primaryculprits in the biocorrosion processes, which cost thedeveloped countries as much as 2–4% of their grossnational products, sulfate-reducing bacteria have an enor-mous economic impact. Unfortunately, the mechanisms ofbiocorrosion are still far from being completely understoodand the
Modular design of artificial transcription factors.

Abstract Eukaryotic transcription factors are composed of interchangeable modules. This has led to the design of a wide variety of modular artificial transcription factors (ATFs) that can stimulate or inhibit the expression of targeted genes. The ability to regulate the expression of any targeted gene using a ‘programmable’ ATF offers a powerful tool for functional genomics and bears tremendous promise in developing the field of transcription-based therapeutics.
Fighting words The effectiveness of statements of resolve in international conflict

This article examines the effectiveness of public statements of resolve in international conflict. Several prominent theories, including domestic audience cost theory and theories regarding interna...
Longitudinal Differences in Habitat Complexity and Fish Assemblage Structure of a Great Plains River

Abstract We investigated the spatial variation in the Kansas River (USA) fish assemblage to determine how fish community structure changes with habitat complexity in a large river. Fishes were collected at ten sites throughout the Kansas River for assessing assemblage structure in summer 2007. Aerial imagery indicated riparian land use within 200 m from the river edge was dominated by agriculture in the upper river reaches (>35%) and tended to increase in urban land use in the lower reaches (>58%). Instream habitat complexity (number of braided channels, islands) also decreased with increased urban area (<25%). Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that species that prefer high-velocity flows and sandy substrate (e.g., blue sucker Cycleptus elongatus and shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) were associated with the upper river reaches. Abundance of omnivorous and planktivorous fish species were also higher in the lower river. The presence of fluvial dependent and fluvial specialist speci...
Affine Arithmetic and Applications to Real-Number Proving

Accuracy and correctness are central issues in numerical analysis. To address these issues, several self-validated computation methods have been proposed in the last fifty years. Their common goal is to provide rigorously correct enclosures for calculated values, sacrificing a measure of precision for correctness. Perhaps the most widely adopted enclosure method is interval arithmetic. Interval arithmetic performs well in a wide range of cases, but often produces excessively large overestimations, unless the domain is reduced in size, e.g., by subdivision. Many extensions of interval arithmetic have been developed in order to cope with this problem. Among them, affine arithmetic provides tighter estimations by taking into account linear correlations between operands. This paper presents a formalization of affine arithmetic, written in the Prototype Verification System (PVS), along with a formally verified branch-and-bound procedure implementing that model. This procedure and its correctness property enables the implementation of a PVS strategy for automatically computing upper and lower bounds of real-valued expressions that are provably correct up to a user-specified precision.
Undifferentiated cells in the developing Drosophila eye influence facet assembly and require the Fat facets ubiquitin-specific protease

The Drosophila compound eye develops by a complex series of cell interactions where multiple positive and inhibitory cues guide cells in each facet into their positions and fates. The results of many genetic and molecular experiments have led to the view that facet assembly is directed by cells within developing ommatidial preclusters. Here fat facets mutants and the cloned fat facets gene were used to show that, in order to limit the number of photoreceptors in a facet to eight, undifferentiated cells surrounding assembling facets send an inhibitory signal to extraneous cells within the facet preclusters. Generation of the inhibitory signal requires the ubiquitin-specific protease encoded by the fat facets gene and is thus regulated by ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis.
Mechanism of Coupling of Transport to Hydrolysis in Bacterial ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters

Studies of periplasmic binding protein-dependent transporters date to the 1960s when it was realized that the transport of certain solutes was inhibited following an osmotic shock that released the contents of the periplasm ([8][1], [80][2]). The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily ([52][3]) was
Exact zero skew

An exact zero skew clock routing algorithm using the Elmore delay model is presented. Recursively in a bottom-up fashion, two zero-skewed subtrees are merged into a new tree with zero skew. The algorithm can be applied to single-staged clock trees, multi-staged clock trees, and multi-chip system clock trees. It is ideal for hierarchical methods of constructing large systems. All subsystems can be constructed in parallel and independently, and then interconnected with exact zero skew. Experimental results are presented. >
Low Temperature Plasma Etching of Copper for Minimizing Size Effects in sub-100 nm Features

A low temperature plasma etching process for patterning copper interconnects is proposed as a solution to the size effect issue in the resistivity of copper. Key features of this etching process based on a previous thermochemical analysis of the Cu-Cl-H system are discussed. Potential benefits of a subtractive etching scheme based on this process in comparison with the damascene scheme for copper-based interconnect processing in sub-100 nm features are presented in the context of the ITRS roadmap. Preliminary experimental work on plasma etching of Cu thin films using the proposed process is discussed.
Fundamental frequency in monolingual English, bilingual English/Russian, and bilingual English/Cantonese young adult women.

Summary Mean F0 of nine young adult English/Russian female bilinguals and nine young adult English/Cantonese female bilinguals were examined from samples of connected speech in each language. Mean F0 were compared in each language and in English with those of a monolingual English control group of ten young adult female speakers. Acoustic measurements were analyzed with the Kay Elemetrics Multispeech program (Kay Elemetrics, Lincoln Park, NJ). The results indicate that the English/Russian bilinguals consistently had a higher mean F0 in Russian than in English. Mean F0 did not change with language switch for the English/Cantonese speakers. There were no significant differences between the groups in their English production. Clinical implications regarding norms for both monolingual and bilingual persons, as well as implications for understanding the nature of bilingualism, in particular code-switching, are discussed.
Hip and trunk stability in paraplegic electrically augmented gait

Research conducted to investigate functional electrical stimulation in the paraplegic individual to provide functional walking is reviewed. To understand better the problems of hip and trunk stability, crutch walking video tapes depicting trial crutch walking sessions experienced by four implanted complete paraplegic individuals were reviewed and all segments demonstrating instability were copied to provide a tape of walking errors. Additional information was gathered from direct observations of similar episodes during muscle programming sessions and exercise walking sessions using a rolling walker. Attempts to use forearm crutches to replace the rolling walker resulted in numerous gait deviations at the hip and spine, the first being a strong tendency to lean forward. It is postulated that adequate hip and trunk stability using electrical stimulation can be achieved through a combination of additional subject training, improved muscle implantation techniques, and improved programming techniques. >
Application of Quotient Normalization Technique To Minimize Errors In Diffuse Spectral Reflectance Data Collected Under Various Conditions

Abstract Visible and near-infrared (VNIR) derivative spectroscopy of diffuse spectral reflectance (DSR) data can be a potent method to extract lithological information from sediment cores. However, synthesis of multiple DSR data sets collected with different instruments from sediment obtained at different times could subject the DSR measurements to errors arising from disparity in depositional environment, sample processing methods, and storage conditions. Here we apply a quotient normalization technique to set these data in a common reference frame as a first step in our VNIR derivative spectroscopic analysis. The effectiveness of the quotient normalization technique is illustrated with samples from the Bering and west Arctic Sea shelves; this is because of access to sediment samples collected by several coring expeditions at different times in the past over a range of locations. DSR measurements were obtained from eleven groups of core samples processed under two conditions. Under one of the conditions, they were quotient normalized, while in the other, they were not. Lithological proxies in these cores, from both conditions, were extracted using varimax-rotated, principal-component analysis (VPCA). These lithologies are chlorite + muscovite, goethite + phycoerythrin + phycocyanin, smectite, calcite + dolomite, and illite + chlorophyll a. These lithological proxies were then plotted spatially using GIS kriging software. The spatial distributions of the VPCA extracted lithologies, under the two conditions, were compared with lithologies obtained by previous workers in the study site. The lithologies after quotient normalization were found to be more consistent with previously published results for clay mineralogy determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The quotient normalized data also showed a lower variance in the interpolated data sets relative to the second processing condition, which is the norm, used for comparison. We conclude that the quotient normalization technique is an effective scaling tool for minimizing errors from combining DSR data sets collected during multiple coring expeditions.
Oviposition Preferences of Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) for Different Ash Species Support the Mother Knows Best Hypothesis

ABSTRACT The “mother knows best” hypothesis states that adults should choose hosts for oviposition on which their offspring will best perform, maximizing their own fitness. It has been hypothesized that this preference—performance relationship for wood-boring insects is especially important because larvae are not able to switch hosts, although no study has examined oviposition choices for these insects. We examined oviposition preferences of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), in two common gardens, one on the campus of Wright State University in Dayton, OH, and the other at the Michigan State University Tollgate Research Farm in Novi, MI, by wrapping cheesecloth around ash trunks to assess passive oviposition patterns.Wefound that in both gardens, ash species native to North America, which are highly susceptible to the emerald ash borer, consistently received more ova than Manchurian ash, which is indigenous to Asia and more resistant to the emerald ash borer. ...
Compressed tree machines

A modified tree architecture called the compressed tree machine is proposed, and it is shown the compressed tree machine can be an alternative to the conventional tree machine. >
Practical Implementation of Frequency Monitoring for Widely Tunable Bandpass Filters

In the present work, a practical method to integrate sensing mechanisms into widely tunable evanescent-mode cavity resonators for tracking the center frequency is introduced. This mechanism allows for in-situ monitoring and outputs a signal that can be used to generate a closed loop feedback that can be used to lock in the center frequency of the resonator. The major benefit of this mechanism is that the performance of a resonator is not sacrificed since the higher order differential mode used for monitoring is orthogonal to the fundamental mode of the resonator. The resonator is created inside a standard printed circuit board using 3-dimensional laser patterning to allow the existence of the differential mode. An example resonator is fabricated to demonstrate the concept and tuned from 3.62 to 6.85 GHz. The differential mode was monitored to be at a frequency 1.8 times higher than the common mode. The unloaded quality factor of the resonator is extracted from measurements to verify that the sensing mecha...
A Profound Quest for Personal Knowing

“The radical challenge which Kelly poses to psychology is in suggesting that its present reliance on acceptable, already given and handed down methods is the problem and not the solution.”—Winter a...
Effects of a DVD-delivered exercise program on patterns of sedentary behavior in older adults: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract Introduction In the present study, we examined the influence of a home-based, DVD-delivered exercise intervention on daily sedentary time and breaks in sedentary time in older adults. Methods Between 2010 and 2012, older adults (i.e., aged 65 or older) residing in Illinois (N = 307) were randomized into a 6-month home-based, DVD-delivered exercise program (i.e., FlexToBa; FTB) or a waitlist control. Participants completed measurements prior to the first week (baseline), following the intervention period (month 6), and after a 6 month no-contact follow-up (month 12). Sedentary behavior was measured objectively using accelerometers for 7 consecutive days at each time point. Differences in daily sedentary time and breaks between groups and across the three time points were examined using mixed-factor analysis of variance (mixed ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results Mixed ANOVA models revealed that daily minutes of sedentary time did not differ by group or time. The FTB condition, however, demonstrated a greater number of daily breaks in sedentary time relative to the control condition (p = .02). ANCOVA models revealed a non-significant effect favoring FTB at month 6, and a significant difference between groups at month 12 (p = .02). Conclusions While overall sedentary time did not differ between groups, the DVD-delivered exercise intervention was effective for maintaining a greater number of breaks when compared with the control condition. Given the accumulating evidence emphasizing the importance of breaking up sedentary time, these findings have important implications for the design of future health behavior interventions.
Solvothermal Synthesis of Cu3BiS3 Enabled by Precursor Complexing

Copper bismuth sulfide, Cu3BiS3, has been prepared by a solvothermal method that relies on precursor complexing to achieve the desired ternary chalcogenide preferentially over possible binary sulfides in the system. The complexing agent l-cystine also simultaneously donates sulfur to the compound when the complexes are dissociated at a single temperature. This low temperature and use of nitrate salts instead of the commonly employed but less “green” chloride salts provide a path toward cleaner methods. The reaction progression has been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction of sequential samples and shows complete reaction of reagents to form the Wittichenite phase. Spectroscopy analysis reveals confirmation of a direct bandgap at approximately 1.5 eV. Microscopy images reveal varying morphology dominated by nanorods and including particles with aspect ratios approaching 1:1. A low-temperature Cu3BiS3 synthesis employing l-cystine as a sulfur source and complexing agent, nitrate salt precursors, and pu...
Coordinated Rate Control of a Hydraulic Excavator Using Traditional Joystick Hardware

This paper presents a novel user interface (UI) for coordinated rate control (CRC) of an excavator end effector using traditional hardware. Coordinated control of an excavator end effector alleviates the cognitive load created by nonlinear arm dynamics on the excavator operator, allowing the operator to perform tasks more quickly and with fewer errors. A human subject experiment demonstrates the feasibility of excavator CRC using the traditional twin joystick setup, and compares operator performance between a CRC UI and traditional excavator UI. Performance of the CRC UI was statically equivalent to the performance of the traditional UI. When asked to self-report UI preference: 26 participants stated they preferred the CRC UI, 6 preferred the traditional UI, and 14 had no preference. Although the current iteration of the CRC UI offered no measurable performance improvements, a remapping of the CRC joystick inputs to the end effector motion could make the CRC UI more intuitive, lead to better performance metrics, and make hydraulic excavators safer, more efficient, and easier to use.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Lewis Carroll and the Enumeration of Minimal Covers

(1995). Lewis Carroll and the Enumeration of Minimal Covers. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 68, No. 4, pp. 269-274.
Changing etiology of macrocytosis : zidovudine as a frequent causative factor

Macrocytosis is most commonly associated with vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies, followed by alcoholism, liver disease, and malignant neoplasms. Many laboratories have observed that in recent years macrocytosis increasingly has been associated with zidovudine treatment of acquired immune deficiency syndrome. One hundred consecutive inpatients in a large metropolitan urban hospital with mean corpuscular volumes greater than 110 fL were studied; 44% were patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome being treated with zidovudine, 19% were alcoholics, and 12% had malignant neoplasms. Only 3% were folate deficient and just 4% were vitamin B12 deficient. This study suggests that zidovudine has become the most common cause of macrocytosis in the hospitalized urban patient population and that vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies have decreased in proportion.
Entering Potential Working Method of 1000kV AC Compact Transmission Line

We introduced several general methods of entering potential working on tangent tower of EHV/UHV transmission line,tested the safety of access into the tower windows at 1:1 ratio scale simulated tower,and determined the discharge characteristics of live working complex gap.Analyzing the test results,we recommended the entering method for tangent tower from the side of tower and parallel to the line.Its minimum complex gap is 7.0 m.Meanwhile,the method of striding no more than two insulators along the tension string is adopted to enter potential working on strain tower.Its minimum complex gap is 6.6 m.Results show that selecting the appropriate mode of entry and supporting tools is important to carry out live work safely on UHV compact transmission lines.And,the complex gap of live working does not become the control factor of tower window design.
Survey on knowledge, attitude and practice of iodine deficiency disorders among the housewives in Henan salt producing area

Objective To know the housewives' knowledge, attitude, practice and their health needs on iodine deficiency disorders(IDD) in Henan salt producing area and to provide a basis for formulating IDD prevention strategies. Methods Qualitative research were conducted among 100 housewives by using the Semi-structured interview. Results(1) Only 22.0 percent of the housewives knew exactly the advantage of iodized salt.(2) 94.0 percent of the housewives believed that the iodized salt was beneficial for health,and 93.0 percent of them would not buy non-iodized salt because of the lower price.(3) The iodized salt taking rate was just 78.0%by the semi-quantitative detection, and the case of buying illegal salt and industrial salt indeed existed.(4) The proportions of housewives got propaganda about IDD from medical personnel, salt sales personnel and school-age children were 42.0%, 32.0%,20.0%, respectively. 57.0 percent of the housewives had seen the promotional materials about IDD.(5) TV was the major approach of acquiring health knowledge(70.0%), and also was the favorite one(53.0%). Conclusion The housewives lack of knowledge about IDD. We should further improve the suitability and pertinence of health education on IDD.
Subsumption, Simulation, Information

By now it is obvious that I can hardly pretend, like the maitre de philosophie in Moliere’s Bourgeois Gentilhomme, to explain everything about the way language (or mind or machine) works — the evidence is strongly to the contrary — but I can at least offer some meditations toward a conclusion.
Statistical process control implementation for GaAs integrated circuit fabrication

The author describes the important gains to be made by employing statistical process control (SPC) in GaAs IC manufacturing, provides a brief introduction to the important concepts of SPC, reviews the elements necessary for successful SPC implementation, and gives an overview of SPC implementation at a GaAs IC fabrication facility. It is noted that methodical application of SPC techniques to the manufacture of GaAs ICs reduces product variability and ultimately cost and yield through control of critical process parameters. Successful implementation depends on management commitment and training for all who are working with the system. Benefits are realized by using SPC measurement indices to identify problem areas, and then by application of control charts, designed experiments, and appropriate process modifications to reduce variation. >
Long term results from a prospective database on high dose rate (HDR) interstitial brachytherapy for primary cervical carcinoma

Abstract Objective Present long-term outcomes in primary cervical cancer treated with external beam and high dose rate interstitial brachytherapy. Methods High dose rate (HDR) interstitial (IS) brachytherapy (BT) and external beam (EBRT) were administered from 1992 to 2009 to 315 patients who were unsuitable for intracavitary (IC) BT alone. Histology was 89% squamous cell, 8% adenocarcinoma, and 3% adenosquamous. FIGO stage was I-14%, II-47%, III-34%, and IVA-5%. Median tumor size was 6cm. Lymph node metastases were 26% pelvic and 9.5% para-aortic. Treatment planning was 49% 2D and 51% 3D–CT. The mean doses were central EBRT EQD2 10 37.3±4.3Gy (sidewall 49.2±3.6Gy) and HDR EQD2 10 42.3±5.3Gy (nominal 5.4Gy×6 fractions using a mean of 24 catheters and 1 tandem). Total EQD2 10 mean target dose was 79.5±5.4Gy. Standardized planned dose constraints were ICRU points or D 0.1cc bladder 80%, rectum 75% and urethra 90% of the HDR dose per fraction. Morbidity assessment was CTCAEv3. Median and mean follow-up were 50 and 61months (3–234). Results The 10-year actuarial local control was 87%, regional control 84%, and loco-regional control 77%. Distant metastasis free survival was 66%, cause specific survival 56%, disease free survival 54%, and overall survival 40%. The rates of late grade GU and GI toxicities were 4.8% G3 and 5.4% G4. Conclusions Template-guided interstitial can be safely performed to successfully deliver high radiation dose to locally advanced cervix cancer and avoid excessive dose and injury to adjacent vital pelvic organs. We achieved high tumor control with low morbidity in patients who were poor candidates for intracavitary brachytherapy.
Using Semantically-Extended LDA Topic Model for Semantic Tagging

The volume of documents and online resources has been increasing significantly on the Web for many years. Effectively, organizing this huge amount of information has become a challenging problem. Tagging is a mechanism to aggregate information and a great step towards the Semantic Web vision. Tagging aims to organize, summarize, share and search the Web resources in an effective way. One important problem facing tagging systems is to automatically determine the most appropriate tags for Web documents. In this paper, we propose a probabilistic topic model that incorporates DBpedia knowledge into the topic model for tagging Web pages and online documents with topics discovered in them. Our method is based on integration of the DBpedia hierarchical category network with statistical topic models, where DBpedia categories are considered as topics. We have conducted extensive experiments on two different datasets to demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.
Novel synthetic analogues of avian β-defensin-12: the role of charge, hydrophobicity, and disulfide bridges in biological functions.

Avian β-defensins (AvBD) possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial, LPS neutralizing and chemotactic properties. AvBD-12 is a chemoattractant for avian immune cells and mammalian dendritic cells (JAWSII) — a unique feature that is relevant to the applications of AvBDs as chemotherapeutic agents in mammalian hosts. To identify the structural components essential to various biological functions, we have designed and evaluated seven AvBD analogues. In the first group of analogues, the three conserved disulfide bridges were eliminated by replacing cysteines with alanine and serine residues, peptide hydrophobicity and charge were increased by changing negatively charged amino acid residues to hydrophobic (AvBD-12A1) or positively charged residues (AvBD-12A2 and AvBD-12A3). All three analogues in this group showed improved antimicrobial activity, though AvBD-12A3, with a net positive charge of +9, hydrophobicity of 40% and a predicted CCR2 binding domain, was the most potent antimicrobial peptide. AvBD-12A3 also retained more than 50% of wild type chemotactic activity. In the second group of analogues (AvBD-12A4 to AvBD-12A6), one to three disulfide bridges were removed via substitution of cysteines with isosteric amino acids. Their antimicrobial activity was compromised and chemotactic activity abolished. The third type of analogue was a hybrid that had the backbone of AvBD-12 and positively charged amino acid residues AvBD-6. The antimicrobial and chemotactic activities of the hybrid resembled that of AvBD-6 and AvBD-12, respectively. While the net positive charge and charge distribution have a dominating effect on the antimicrobial potency of AvBDs, the three conserved disulfide bridges are essential to the chemotactic property and the maximum antimicrobial activity. Analogue AvBD-12A3 with a high net positive charge, a moderate degree of hydrophobicity and a CCR2-binding domain can serve as a template for the design of novel antimicrobial peptides with chemotactic property and salt resistance.
A phase (Ph) I/II study of belinostat (Bel) in combination with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (PAC) in the first-line treatment of advanced or recurrent thymic malignancies.

7103 Background: Belinostat is a hydroxamic acid histone deacetylase (HDAC) pan-inhibitor with single agent activity in thymic malignancies. PAC has activity against thymic cancers. Synergy between...
Distributed Rate Control for Smart Solar Arrays

Continued advances in technology have led to falling costs and a dramatic increase in the aggregate amount of solar capacity installed across the world. A drawback on increased solar penetration is the potential for supply-demand mismatches in the grid due to the intermittent nature of solar generation. While energy storage can be used to mask such problems, we argue that there is also a need to explicitly control the rate of solar generation of each solar array in order to achieve high penetration while also handling supply-demand mismatches. To address this issue, we present the notion of smart solar arrays that can actively modulate their solar output based on the notion proportional fairness. We present a decentralized algorithm based on Lagrangian optimization that enables each smart solar array to make local decisions on its fair share of solar power it can inject into the grid, and then present a sense-broadcast-respond protocol to implement our decentralized algorithm into smart solar arrays. Our evaluation on a city-scale dataset shows that our approach enables 2.6x more solar penetration, while causing smart arrays to reduce their output by as little as 12.4%. By employing an adaptive gradient approach, our decentralized algorithm has 3 to 30x faster convergence. Finally, we implement our distributed algorithm on a Raspberry Pi-class processor to demonstrate its feasibility on grid-tied solar inverters with limited processing capability.
Fast Neutron Detection Using Pixelated CdZnTe Spectrometers

Fast neutrons are an important signature of special nuclear materials (SNMs). They have a low natural background rate and readily penetrate high atomic number materials that easily shield gamma-ray signatures. Therefore, they provide a complementary signal to gamma rays for detecting shielded SNM. Scattering kinematics dictate that a large nucleus (such as Cd or Te) will recoil with small kinetic energy after an elastic collision with a fast neutron. Charge carrier recombination and quenching further reduce the recorded energy deposited. Thus, the energy threshold of CdZnTe detectors must be very low in order to sense the small signals from these recoils. In this paper, the threshold was reduced to less than 5 keVee to demonstrate that the 5.9-keV X-ray line from 55Fe could be separated from electronic noise. Elastic scattering neutron interactions were observed as small energy depositions (less than 20 keVee) using digitally sampled pulse waveforms from pixelated CdZnTe detectors. Characteristic gamma-ray lines from inelastic neutron scattering were also observed.
Reply to “Comments on ‘A Combined Derivation of the Integrated and Vertically Resolved, Coupled Wave–Current Equations’”

AbstractThe comments of Ardhuin et al. concerning the papers by Mellor from 2003 and 2015 are reviewed. It is found that the comments do not impact the validity of these papers.
Recent advances in managing septal defects: atrial septal defects

The purpose of this review is to discuss the management of atrial septal defects (ASD), paying particular attention to the most recent developments. There are four types of ASDs: ostium secundum, ostium primum, sinus venosus, and coronary sinus defects. The fifth type, patent foramen ovale—which is present in 25 to 30% of normal individuals and considered a normal variant, although it may be the seat of paradoxical embolism, particularly in adults—is not addressed in this review. The indication for closure of the ASDs, by and large, is the presence of right ventricular volume overload. In asymptomatic patients, the closure is usually performed at four to five years of age. While there was some earlier controversy regarding ASD closure in adult patients, currently it is recommended that the ASD be closed at the time of presentation. Each of the four defects is briefly described followed by presentation of management, whether by surgical or percutaneous approach, as the case may be. Of the four types of ASDs, only the ostium secundum defect is amenable to percutaneous occlusion. For ostium secundum defects, transcatheter closure has been shown to be as effective as surgical closure but with the added benefits of decreased hospital stay, avoidance of a sternotomy, lower cost, and more rapid recovery. There are several FDA-approved devices in use today for percutaneous closure, including the Amplatzer® Septal Occluder (ASO), Amplatzer® Cribriform device, and Gore HELEX® device. The ASO is most commonly used for ostium secundum ASDs, the Gore HELEX® is useful for small to medium-sized defects, and the cribriform device is utilized for fenestrated ASDs. The remaining types of ASDs usually require surgical correction. All of the available treatment modes are safe and effective and prevent the development of further cardiac complications.
Fun with Eigenvectors

Suppose we measure the height and weight of a collection of people. We could make a plot of the results, using an asterisk for each person. The horizontal position is determined by the person’s height, and the vertical position is determined by the person’s weight. The resulting plot might look something like that shown in Figure 11-1.
Development, Optimization, and Validation of Unintended Radiated Emissions Processing System for Threat Identification

There is an on-going need for faster, more accurate, and easier to implement threat identification systems for concealed electronics, to thwart terrorism and espionage attempts. Common electronics are used in the design of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), targeting military, and civilian populations, while concealed recording devices steal proprietary/confidential data, compromising both government and industrial resources. This paper discusses a novel, nonintrusive, repeatable, reliable, expandable, and simple-to-implement detection and identification (D&I) system for identifying threats by using unintended radiated emissions (URE). This paper differs from current URE proposals, by avoiding energy radiation. The proposed process also addresses big data problems involved in capturing and building databases of URE characteristics. Issue interpretation is utilized with URE data to distinguish between threat/nonthreat devices using multiple criteria decision analysis and other decision-making techniques to determine model and mode of hidden devices. System optimization, verified by testing, is used to improve the speed and accuracy of the identification algorithm. The system is developed with data from 130 devices and validated with 33 separate devices, which are representative of IED and espionage threats. Due to slow progress in the URE D&I field, the properties and potential of a more effective D&I system, compared to current methods, will be of interest to the explosive ordnance disposal, security services, electronic systems manufacturing, automated inventory, mobile application development communities, and potentially others as well. For a field that is not well documented, this paper provides a clear, concise, and detailed model for future research and applications of URE D&I.
Characteristics of Semirigid and Flexible Ureteroscopes for Upper Tract Tumors

The least invasive method of accessing the upper tract and tumor originating therein that provides direct visualization and possibility of sampling and treatment is via ureteroscopy. Ureteroscopy in the lower ureters can be done with a semirigid ureteroscope and proximal to that with a flexible ureterorenoscope. In this chapter, we summarize the commonly available devices in both semirigid and flexible categories, and highlight their features and properties. A review of conventional (fiberoptic) and digital sensor flexible ureteroscopes as well as unique issues related to these devices including image quality, ease of navigation, channel sizes and irrigation properties, scope durability as well as cost issues is also included in this chapter.
Clinical Presentation in Diffuse Low-Grade Gliomas

Diffuse low-grade gliomas (DLGG) are primary brain tumors that typically arise in adults. Seizures are the most common presenting symptom. Management decisions are determined by tumor size, location, imaging characteristics, and histopathological findings. Most DLGG ultimately progress to high-grade lesions, and the events leading to this transition are the subject of active investigation. MRI is the standard imaging modality for assessing the progression of these tumors. New advances in imaging technologies now allow for multimodal evaluation of their phenotype based on metabolism and improved prediction regarding anaplastic transformation. A typical case is presented along with discussion of commonly encountered neurological syndromes. Conventional imaging technologies as well as new areas are discussed briefly.
The Design Process as a Framework for Collaboration Between Ecologists and Designers

The expanding knowledge from urban ecological research will be critical for enhancing our ecological understanding of cities and for influencing the ability to shape cities to increase ecosystem functions and benefits. Even with the generation of data and the development of ecological theory pertinent to urban systems, the application of ecological understanding to the design and restructuring of urban systems requires additional steps. In particular, design practitioners still need to integrate and apply these ecological concepts. This chapter explores the design process as a tool for applied science. The design process is flexible enough to incorporate ecological input at different stages. However, the process itself favors the working methods of design. Through a case study, the chapter examines the interplay between designers and professional ecologists working together through the design process. This study suggests that facilitating the exchange between designers and ecologists requires a commitment on the part of the designer to provide multiple opportunities for ecological input in the process as well as a more proactive effort on the part of ecologists to provide input at those stages.
A PROPOSITIONAL ANALYSIS OF SPANISH LANGUAGE TEXTS

The importance of functional literacy skills for participation in contemporary society is clearly unquestionable. For this reason, research in English language reading has increased and turned its attention from studies which focused primarily on word recognition and word decoding to investigations of higher-level processes of comprehending and recalling written discourse. There is clearly a need, however, to begin research in languages other than English within the current theoretical perspective. It is important to augment current efforts in text analysis and children’s comprehension by focusing on a population of young readers whose language experiences and background knowledge differ from those of the educational mainstream. It is especially important to explore the development of reading skills among children involved in bilingual education programs, an alternate form of schooling that seeks to capitalize on native language experience and background in order to insure literacy in a second language.
Inhibition of autophagy sensitizes gastrointestinal stromal tumor cells to TKI/Bcl-2 inhibitors-induced apoptosis.

11036Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumor of the GI tract. Most GISTs are driven by mutations in KIT or platelet-derived growth factor receptor-...
TScope: Automatic Timeout Bug Identification for Server Systems

Timeout is commonly used to handle unexpected failures in server systems. However, improper use of timeout can cause server systems to hang or experience performance degradation. In this paper, we present TScope, an automatic timeout bug identification tool for server systems. TScope leverages kernel-level system call tracing and machine learning based anomaly detection and feature extraction schemes to achieve timeout bug identification. TScope introduces a unique system call selection scheme to achieve higher accuracy than existing generic performance bug detection tools. We have implemented a prototype of TScope and conducted extensive experiments using 19 real-world server performance bugs, including 12 timeout bugs and 7 non-timeout performance bugs. The experimental results show that TScope correctly classifies 18 out of 19 bugs. Compared to existing runtime bug detection schemes, TScope reduces the average false positive rate from 47.24% to 0.8%. TScope is light-weight and does not require application instrumentation, which makes it practical for production server performance bug identification.
Laparoscopic Entry Technique Using a Veress Needle Insertion with and without Concomitant CO2 Insufflation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract Study Objective To compare the time and number of attempts needed for successful Veress needle entry during laparoscopic surgery using concomitant versus subsequent CO2 insufflation approaches. Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting University teaching hospital. Patients One hundred consecutive patients scheduled for laparoscopic surgery by 2 high-volume laparoscopic surgeons were screened and randomized, and 95 of these were included in the final analysis. Ninety (45 in each group) was the precalculated priori number of patients needed to detect a 50% difference in the time (seconds) to obtain adequate insufflation with 90% power and alpha of 5%. Interventions Patients were randomized to either Veress needle entry with concomitant (Con) or subsequent (Sub) CO2 insufflation. Measurements and Main Results Forty-six patients were randomized to the Con group and 49 to the Sub group. Patient age, body mass index, prior surgical history, presence of adhesions, and type of procedure performed were similar between both groups. The median time required for adequate insufflation in the Con group was 103.5 seconds (Q1–Q3, 80.0–130.0) compared with 113.0 seconds (Q1–Q3, 102.0–144.0) in Sub group (p = .16). Approximately 89% (95% confidence interval, 80.1%–98.1%) of patients in Con group achieved successful entry in the first attempt compared with only 67% (95% confidence interval, 54.2%–80.0%) in Sub group (p = .01). The incidence of preperitoneal insufflation and failed entry was comparable between the 2 groups. No patient developed solid organ, visceral, or vascular injuries; gas embolism; or case conversion to laparotomy in relation to the Veress needle entry technique. Conclusion Veress needle entry with concomitant CO2 insufflation was associated with a higher rate of successful entry during the first attempt of Veress needle insertion. The total time required for insufflation and rates of complications between the 2 techniques were similar.
Health systems' capacity to provide post-abortion care: a multicountry analysis using signal functions.

Summary Background Abortion-related mortality is one of the main causes of maternal mortality worldwide. Laws often restrict the provision of safe abortion care, yet post-abortion care is a service that all countries have committed to provide to manage abortion complications. There is minimal evidence on the capacity of national health systems to provide post-abortion care. Methods We did a multicountry analysis of data from nationally representative Service Provision Assessment surveys done between 2007 to 2017 in ten countries across three regions (Bangladesh, Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda). Data were available for all ten countries from 2007 to 2015. We included facilities offering childbirth delivery services and classified facilities as primary or referral level. We measured signal functions for post-abortion care (the availability of key equipment and ability to perform services) to assess the proportion of primary-level and referral-level facilities in each country with the capacity to provide basic and comprehensive post-abortion care, respectively. We calculated the proportion of facilities providing each post-abortion care signal function to examine specific gaps in service provision. Findings There are critical gaps in the provision of post-abortion care at all facilities that offer delivery services. In seven (70%) of ten countries, less than 10% of primary-level facilities could provide basic post-abortion care, and in eight (80%) of ten countries less than 40% of referral-level facilities could provide comprehensive post-abortion care. In no country could all referral facilities provide all the essential services that need to be included in basic post-abortion care. Interpretation The capacity of primary-level and referral-level health facilities to provide basic and comprehensive post-abortion care, respectively, is low. The results highlight the gap between political commitments to address the consequences of unsafe abortion and the capacity of health systems to provide post-abortion care. Increasing the provision of good-quality post-abortion care is essential to reduce the level of abortion-related morbidity and mortality. Funding UK Aid from the UK Government.
Elective Naloxone-Induced Opioid Withdrawal for Rapid Initiation of Medication-Assisted Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder

We present a case of elective naloxone-induced opioid withdrawal followed by buprenorphine rescue to initiate opioid use disorder treatment in the emergency department. This strategy may represent a safe alternative to prescribing buprenorphine for outpatient initiation, a method that puts the patient at risk for complications of unmonitored opioid withdrawal, including relapse. After confirmation that the naloxone-induced withdrawal was adequately treated with buprenorphine, the patient was discharged with prescribed buprenorphine to follow up in an addiction medicine clinic, where he was treated 2 days later.