cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Providing Network Resilience for Safety Critical Systems

Ethernet was commercially introduced in 1980 and standardized in 1985 as IEEE 802.3. Due to the instability and unreliability of the initial introduction, safety critical systems have been slow to adapt Ethernet technologies. It is only until the Information Age brought on by the globalization of Internet in the 1990s that network gears become more cost effective, reliable, and technically suitable. With many Ethernet technologies to pick from, selection of a suitable network topology can be challenging. This paper offers insight on the problem of the optimum choice of an Ethernet technology for the purpose of safety critical system. Example of a typical CBTC system will be given along with the key design parameters and several Ethernet technologies analyzed. Simulation models are built on the basis of the two most common Ethernet technologies to provide means of comparison, and numerical results are presented in the paper.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Dynamic response of the carbon dioxide electrode

Complex relationships among multiple chemical species during unsteady diffusion and reaction are shown to cause hysteresis, pH dependent response rates, and general nonfirst-order transient behavior in agreement with common experimental observations. Response improvement by enzymic catalysis of the carbon dioxide hydration reaction also is considered.
Integration of modulated normal functions

Evaluation of the Modulated Normal Function (MNF) has heretofore been by numerical integration. Two much more efficient methods of evaluation, one by a continued fraction and the other by a series, are described and illustrated with numerical procedures accessible to desk calculators.
Epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal

Epidermoid cancer of the anal canal is uncommon and occurs in the portion of the anus that runs from the anorectal ring to the anal verge. These tumors cause bleeding and pain and almost all can be identified by visual, digital, or anoscopic exam. Current initial treatment uses combination chemoradiotherapy. The radiotherapy entails 30 Gy (given over 3 to 4 weeks) using apposed fields with an additional boost of 15 to 20 Gy delivered to sites of macroscopic disease. Chemotherapy is given at the same time as the radiotherapy according to the following scheme: intravenous 5-FU (1000 mg/m2/day) on day 1 to 5 and day 31 to 35 and mitomycin C (15 mg/m2) on day 1. Patients undergo an evaluation to include visual inspection of the lesion site 1 month after completion of the radiotherapy. Any suspicious finding warrants a biopsy. Following chemoradiation, patients are examined every 3 months for the first 2 years, every 6 months for year 3 to 4, and yearly thereafter. An abdominoperineal resection or, in highly selected situations, additional chemoradiotherapy is offered to those patients with residual or recurrent disease following chemoradiation.
Debating the authentic: An outsiders view of West African culture in Ghana

A visitor from a technologically advance Western culture travels to a distant land seeking something that is missing in his culture. Perhaps he feels it us an entirely new culture that he us seeking, or simply an escape from the rigid, mechanized reality of his Western existence. How old is this quest? The desire for the simple life, some kind of Eden or a return to the beauty of nature and a natural lifestyle, has ancient roots. Some two millennia ago, Pliny the Younger wrote what fondness of country living (his ancestral home was the rural are of Lake Como, Italy), away from the duties and politics of the city of Rome.
New one-step process for preparation of microporous composite polysulfone/polyurethane hollow-fiber membranes

Microporous composite polysulfone/polyurethane hollow-fiber membranes were prepared by using a low reactivity polyurethane prepolymer in the casting solution and precipitating the membrane in a precipitation solution containing a polymerization catalyst. The catalyst was used to promote the polymerization of prepolymer at the membrane/precipitation solution interface causing formation of an interfacial interpenetrating polymer network. As a result, an ultra-thin layer of hydrophilic polysulfone/ polyurethane composite polymer was constituted in situ on the surface of the polysulfone microporous substrate during membrane formation. Membranes with nominal pore sizes ranging from 0.1–0.45 μm were prepared using this technique. The resulting membranes exhibited excellent fluxes and very low protein adsorption characteristics.
TU-D-330A-03: Comparison of Image Segmentation Algorithms On Digitized Mammograms and FFDM Images for CAD

Purpose: To investigate lesion tumor segmentation methods for both digitized screen‐film mammograms (DSF) and full‐field digital mammography (FFDM). Method and Materials: Breast lesion segmentation methods are important in the overall image analysis for computer‐aided diagnosis. Our initial development was performed on DSF, and we are currently evaluating our methods for use with FFDM. Three of our lesion segmentation methods were investigated using a database of 84 DFM and 287 FFDM cases including malignant and benign lesions. A region growing method utilizes the size and shape of the evolving lesion contour to determine the lesion margin. A radial gradient index (RGI) segmentation method uses a Gaussian constraint function to suppress the influence of distant pixels. Then for a series of contours returned by grey level thresholding, the contour with maximum RGI is chosen as the one that best delineates the lesion. A two‐stage, region‐based active contour method minimizes an energy function based on the homogeneities inside and outside of the evolving contour. The minimization algorithm solves the Euler‐Lagrange equation describing the contour evolution. Prior to the application of the active contour model, RGI segmentation is applied to delineate an initial contour closer to the lesion margin and estimate the effective background. The methods were compared to radiologist‐delineated margins on both DSF and FFDM images using an area similarity metric. Results: At an overlap threshold of 0.3, the region growing, RGI, and two‐stage methods correctly segmented 84%, 86% and 94% of the digitized screen‐film lesions, and 81%, 83% and 88% of lesions on FFDM, respectively. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the two‐stage method yields improved segmentation for both DSF and FFDM, and also that methods developed with DSF can be efficiently converted for use with FFDM. Conflict of Interest: MLG is a shareholder in R2 Technology, Inc.
Doxazosin for the treatment of chronic congestive heart failure: Results of a randomized double-blind and placebo-controlled study☆☆☆

In this study we evaluated the effects of once-daily administration of oral doxazosin in patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF). After a stabilization period of at least 2 weeks with digitalis and diuretics, 73 patients with chronic CHF were randomized to receive additionally either doxazosin or placebo in double-blind fashion. Patients underwent weekly dose adjustments with increasing doses of doxazosin (1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 mg daily) or placebo for 5 weeks, and 67 were evaluated for 12 additional weeks on maximally tolerated doses of blinded study drugs. Treatment groups were evaluated with respect to symptoms of heart failure, indexes of quality of life and left ventricular function, frequency and type of arrhythmia, adverse events, and mortality rates. Doxazosin (11.9 ± 0.9 mg) given once daily produced a favorable trend in the investigators' and patients' assessments of symptomatic change. Doxazosin was associated with a significantly higher level of voluntary submaximal exercise and a favorable trend on left ventricular ejection fraction (increase of 9.8% of the baseline value vs 2.7% with placebo; p = NS). During the 3-month steady-dosing period, patients treated with doxazosin had a significant (p < 0.004) reduction in ventricular arrhythmias and significantly fewer morbid and mortal cardiac events (including episodes of worsening heart failure severe enough to prompt discontinuation of the study, myocardial infarction, and death). Doxazosin was well tolerated, producing no major side effects and only a slightly higher frequency of minor treatment-related side effects compared with placebo (p = NS). These findings suggest that doxazosin, in the dosages tested, may be helpful adjunctive treatment for patients with CHF who remain symptomatic with digitalis and diuretics.
Software engineering course module development workshop

This half-day workshop will provide participants an opportunity to learn about the SWENET project and to participate in review or materials development tasks related to the project. SWENET is an NSF project designed to create a Web-based community for software engineering education. A key activity in the project is to create, collect, and share software engineering course materials within the context of current accreditation guidelines and curricular models.
Resonant two-photon processes for nonvolatile holography in photorefractive crystals under continuous-wave illumination

We investigate the resonant two-photon (two-step) processes of photorefractive grating formation and identify the regimes in which nonvolatile holography is possible. We develop a charge-transport model to describe this behavior for a photorefractive crystal with a single active impurity species under continuous-wave illumination. For the cases that allow for nondestructive reconstruction of gratings, we evaluate the maximum refractive-index perturbation and the response rate with respect to illumination intensities and impurity characteristics. We evaluate the importance of the impurity intermediate-state occupancy. Holographic data storage system issues are also discussed. The present results are consistent with previously reported photorefractive behavior and predict additional properties that characterize these resonant processes. The analysis may be used further to study other related two-photon phenomena of interest in holographic storage systems.
A general procedure for degrading radioactive aldoses.

A procedure is described for determining the radioactivity of individual carbon atoms in aldopentoses and aldohexoses labeled with 14C. Each position is obtained independently from 0.7 millimole of starting methyl glycoside. The methyl glycoside is oxidized with periodic acid, yielding C-3 as formic acid and a dialdehyde oxidized with Br2 to strontium methoxydiglycolate. Formic acid was obtained for counting by sublimation of its ammonium salt. The crude strontium salt was hydrolyzed to glyoxylic and glyceric (or glycolic) acid, and the latter mixture separated quantitatively on a Dowex 1 acetate column. The glyoxylic acid was isolated as its sodium salt (C-1 + C-2), which was decarboxylated with sodium periodate to give carbon dioxide (C-2) and formic acid (C-1). Glyceric acid was isolated as its calcium salt (C-4 + C-5 + C-6), which was oxidized with sodium periodate to give C-4 as CO2, C-5 as formic acid, and C-6 as formaldehyde. Glycolic acid, obtained from pentoses, was isolated as its calcium salt (C-4 + C-5) and was degraded with lead tetraacetate to yield C-4 as CO2 and C-5 as formaldehyde. The method was tested with four different methyl glycosides possessing a 20-fold range in specific activity with satisfactory results. The procedure produces four white, crystalline derivatives and two carbon dioxides trapped in ethanolamine/ethylene glycol monomethyl ether for direct liquid scintillation counting.
Radical vaginal versus abdominal trachelectomy for stage IB1 cervical cancer: a comparison of surgical and pathologic outcomes.

Objectives To compare the surgical and pathologic outcomes utilizing two surgical approaches for fertility-sparing radical trachelectomy in patients with stage IB1 cervical cancer.
Development of a Viscoelastic Finite Element Tool for Asphalt Pavement Low Temperature Cracking Analysis

ABSTRACT This paper proposed and developed a tailored tool, “VE2D” for pavement low temperature cracking analysis based on viscoelastic two-dimensional (2D) finite element (FE) method. The tool can provide accurate thermal stress evaluation and thermal cracking prediction while considering the entire pavement structure rather than just the asphalt concrete layer. Also, this tool has four innovative features: Firstly, it incorporates the Enhanced Integrated Climate Model (EICM) that allows for a comprehensive pavement temperature analysis as a function of depth. Secondly, it can readily perform the interconversion between linear viscoelastic material functions, thus allowing greater flexibility in terms of the input data for the material properties such as relaxation modulus, complex modulus, or creep compliance. Thirdly, it can well simulate variable pavement layer contact conditions (such as fully-bonding, fully-sliding, etc) by using the thin-layer interface elements method. Fourthly, it is fast, easy, ...
Use of XAFS Spectroscopy for Element Speciation in Environmentally Important Energy-Related Materials

The determination of element speciation in environmentally important materials is often critical for understanding (i) the threat to human health posed by a specific element, and (ii) the means to minimize the environmental impact of an element during processing or in waste disposal after processing. In this overview, the use of X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) spectroscopy is described for speciation determinations of specific elements in complex solid materials of importance to various environmental and energy issues, viz. coal combustion byproducts (ash), carbon-based sorbents for mercury capture from combustion flue gases, and airborne fine particulate matter (PM). Among the topics discussed are: the occurrence of hexavalent chromium and other potentially hazardous elemental oxidation states in coal combustion ash ; the role of chlorine, sulfur, etc., in the sorption of mercury from flue gases on carbon-based sorbents; and the occurrence of various elements such as sulfur, chromium, arsenic, halogens, etc., in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Urban and Diesel particulate matter standard reference materials, SRM 1648 and SRM 1650, respectively.
Gene dosage compensation in metafemales (3X;2A) of Drosophila.

The X chromosome of Drosophila provides a unique system for the study of modulation of eukaryotic gene activity.
Effect of satisfaction with social support on blood pressure in normotensive and borderline hypertensive men and women.

The relation between blood pressure (BP) and two aspects of social support, perceived satisfaction and structural social support network characteristics, were examined in adults classified as having normal BP or borderline hypertension. Casual BPs were taken by a trained technician on 3 separate visits, each approximately 1 week apart. Participants were categorized as borderline hypertensive if screening systolic blood pressure (SBP) fell in the range 130-160 mmHg and/ordiastolic blood pressure (DBP) fell in the range 85-100 mmHg; BPs below these ranges were considered normotensive. Participants underwent ambulatory BP monitoring, Individuals classified as normotensive reported significantly greater support satisfaction than individuals with borderline hypertension. Social network characteristics were not associated with BP. During 24 hr of ambulatory BP monitoring, high perceived support satisfaction was associated with lower SBP and DBP at work, home, and during sleep. These data suggest that perceived satisfaction with social support is associated with lower BP. The presence of social support also may reduce BP levels during daily life.
Vibrational analysis of peptides, polypeptides, and proteins. XXI. β-Calcium-poly(L-glutamate)

The observed Raman and ir spectra of Ca-poly(L-glutamate) in the p conformation have been analyzed by means of a normal mode calculation. The force field for the main chain was transferred without refinement from @-poly(balanine), yet it provides a good prediction of the observed bands and, in particular, explains subtle differences in the spectra of these two P-sheet structures. Main- and side-chain modes are well characterized, and the dependence of the amide I11 frequency on side-chain composition is again demonstrated.
Automated screening of microtubule growth dynamics identifies MARK2 as a regulator of leading edge microtubules downstream of Rac1 in migrating cells.

Polarized microtubule (MT) growth in the leading edge is critical to directed cell migration, and is mediated by Rac1 GTPase. To find downstream targets of Rac1 that affect MT assembly dynamics, we performed an RNAi screen of 23 MT binding and regulatory factors and identified RNAi treatments that suppressed changes in MT dynamics induced by constitutively activated Rac1. By analyzing fluorescent EB3 dynamics with automated tracking, we found that RNAi treatments targeting p150glued, APC2, spastin, EB1, Op18, or MARK2 blocked Rac1-mediated MT growth in lamellipodia. MARK2 was the only protein whose RNAi targeting additionally suppressed Rac1 effects on MT orientation in lamellipodia, and thus became the focus of further study. We show that GFP-MARK2 rescued effects of MARK2 depletion on MT growth lifetime and orientation, and GFP-MARK2 localized in lamellipodia in a Rac1-activity-dependent manner. In a wound-edge motility assay, MARK2-depleted cells failed to polarize their centrosomes or exhibit oriented MT growth in the leading edge, and displayed defects in directional cell migration. Thus, automated image analysis of MT assembly dynamics identified MARK2 as a target regulated downstream of Rac1 that promotes oriented MT growth in the leading edge to mediate directed cell migration.
Cytotoxicity of xanthopterin and isoxanthopterin in MCF-7 cells.

Abstract Human mammary carcinoma MCF-7 cell line responsiveness to the pteridines xanthopterin and isoxanthopterin was studied using the MTS assay for measurement of cell viability. The pteridines were tested at concentrations ranging from 7.8 to 500 μM singly and in 11 isoxanthopterin:xanthopterin ratios. IC50s of xanthopterin and isoxanthopterin were 109±13 μM (mean±SEM of y estimate) and 103±9 μM, respectively. The IC50 values for pteridine mixtures were similar although 3:1 and 4:1 isoxanthopterin:xanthopterin ratios seemed slightly more cytotoxic than other mixtures. However, ANOVA revealed no statistical differences in the cytotoxicity of mixtures.
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli dephosphorylates and dissociates occludin from intestinal epithelial tight junctions

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) increases tight junction permeability in part by phosphorylating the 20 kDa myosin light chain (MLC20) that induces cytoskeletal contraction. The impact of this enteric pathogen on specific tight junction (TJ) proteins has not been investigated. We examined the effect of EPEC infection on occludin localization and phosphorylation in intestinal epithelial cells. After infection by EPEC, a progressive shift of occludin from a primarily TJ-associated domain to an intracellular compartment occurred, as demonstrated by immunofluorescent staining. A reverse in the ratio of phosphorylated to dephosphorylated occludin accompanied this morphological change. Eradication of EPEC with gentamicin resulted in the normalization of occludin localization and phosphorylation. The serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor, calyculin A, prevented these events. The EPEC-associated decrease in transepithelial electrical resistance, a measure of TJ barrier function, returned to baseline after gentamicin treatment. Non-pathogenic E. coli, K-12, did not induce these changes. Transformation of K-12 with the pathogenicity island of EPEC, however, conferred the phenotype of wild-type EPEC. Deletion of specific EPEC genes encoding proteins involved in EPEC type III secretion markedly attenuated these effects. These findings suggest that EPEC-induced alterations in occludin contribute to the pathophysiology associated with this infection.
Comparisons of statistical methods in analyzing clinical data through systematically using historical data

With increasing requirements, from both regulatory and scientific community, for pre-specification of details of all analyses prior tounblinding of data in clinicaltrials, itis criticalthatone selects the most appropriate statisticalmodel. Selectinga model based on assumption checking either inflates type I error or compromises the statistical power. Previous research is mainly focused on comparing various analysis models through either simulation or case studies. Simulation does provide a flexible way to compare models but requires assumptions on models for generating simulation data. On the other hand, although results based on case studies are close to the real situations, it is difficult to draw a definite conclusion due to lack of replication. These two approaches ignore the fact that for most variables, large amount of data may be available from historical studies. We propose a procedure that systematically utilizes the historical data, evaluates various models of interest, and provides a powerful choice for model pre-specification for subsequent studies. Based on the comparisons on the generated data from a historical data base, one can pre-specify the particular model for the purpose of controlling the type I error and power of prospective studies, or ease of interpretation when they all have similar performance.
High intensity femtosecond XUV pulse interactions with atomic clusters

Abstract High intensity femtosecond extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) pulse interactions with large xenon clusters have been studied at a wavelength of 38 nm. XUV radiation approaching 10 11 W/cm 2 is produced by high-order-harmonic conversion from a 35 fs, near-infrared terawatt laser. Resulting ion spectra show high charge states with a hydrodynamic based energy distribution from cluster explosions. It is concluded that continuum lowering in the created cluster nanoplasma makes single photoionization to the high charge states possible. These experiments look toward high intensity cluster interaction experiments in the x-ray range on the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) under development at SLAC.
Texture representation of SAR sea ice imagery using multi-displacement co-occurrence matrices

The authors describe multi-displacement co-occurrence matrices for representing sea ice textures of SAR imagery. Their design of co-occurrence matrices captures local relationships among neighboring pixels and global links among distant pixels, an advantage over other existing versions of co-occurrence matrices. As a result, it can adequately represent micro textures, such as grainy details, and macro textures, such as patchy blocks. The authors have conducted experiments to compare our multi-displacement co-occurrence matrices with other existing versions using Bayesian linear discrimination. They have found that their design is the most texturally representative in terms of classification accuracies in both training and test datasets. In addition, they have applied this design to sea ice texture analysis which includes detection and localization, and subsequent image-texture mapping.
metahdep: meta-analysis of hierarchically dependent gene expression studies

UNLABELLED The metahdep package contains tools for combining the results of multiple gene expression studies. Unlike previous microarray meta-analysis packages, metahdep accounts for both sampling and hierarchical dependence among studies, as well as fundamental covariate differences between studies. AVAILABILITY http://bioconductor.org/packages/release/Software.html
BioQuery: an object framework for building queries to biomedical databases.

Summary: BioQuery is an application that helps scientists automate database searches. Users can build and store queries to public biomedical databases, and receive periodic updates on the results of those queries when new data is available. The application is implemented on a portable object framework that can provide databasesearching capability to other applications. This framework is easily extensible, allowing users to develop plug-ins that provide access to new databases. BioQuery thus provides end-users with a complete database searching interface and updating service, and gives developers a toolkit to provide database-searching capability to their applications.
Electronic mail, social presence and information richness

The research study described measures the media richness of one communication medium, electronic mail (E-mail), by comparing the extent of use of E-mail in the job to the levels of uncertainty and equivocality present in the job. The major findings of the study are (1) E-mail is moderately rich rather than low rich as would be predicted by the definition of richness and the objective characteristics of electronic mail, and (2) when E-mail is used as a 'complementary medium' it is not generally perceived to be richer than when it is used alone. >
Effects of hydrogen dilution grading in active layer on performance of nanocrystalline single junction bottom component and corresponding a-Si:H based triple junction solar cells

Using hydrogen dilution grading in nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) intrinsic layer, considerably high spectral response has been achieved in the longer wavelength (650nm-1000nm) of solar spectrum from single junction solar cells, to be used as bottom junction in monolithic triple junction a-Si:H based thin film solar cells. The intrinsic layers have been deposited with a high deposition rate of 8 Aring/s, using VHP PECVD deposition technique from Si2H6 diluted with H2. In the present work, using R (R=[H2]/[Si 2H6]) from an initial value 50 to different final values viz. 40, 37.5 and 35, single junction nc-Si:H cells have been fabricated and the same single junction components have been applied as bottom junction to fabricate a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H/nc-Si:H triple junction structure where the properties of top and middle junctions were kept fixed. The short circuit current of the triple junction cells is shown to be limited by the bottom junction and the fill factor has been improved in triple junction cells compared to the same obtained from the corresponding single junction cells used as nc-Si:H bottom junction. Comparison of the fill factors under red (>630nm) illumination and that under blue (<510nm) illumination for these single junction nc-Si:H cells indicated structural quality of p/i interface and bulk of the i-layer of nc-Si:H solar cells. A conversion efficiency of 11.2% has been achieved from triple junction solar cell. The light induced degradation studies are currently in process for triple junction cells under a 100 mW/cm2 white light illumination. Using spectroscopic ellipsometry, evaluation of crystalline volume fraction at different level of growth is undergoing, which will enable fine-tuning of grading in hydrogen dilution
Grafting density effects, optoelectrical properties and nano-patterning of poly(para-phenylene) brushes

Well-defined conjugated polymers in confined geometries are challenging to synthesize and characterize, yet they are potentially useful in a broad range of organic optoelectronic devices such as transistors, light emitting diodes, solar cells, sensors, and nanocircuits. Herein we report a systematic study of optoelectrical properties, grafting density effects, and nanopatterning of a model, end-tethered conjugated polymer system. Specifically, poly(para-phenylene) (PPP) brushes of various grafting density are created in situ by aromatizing well-defined, end-tethered poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene) (PCHD) “precursor brushes”. This novel precursor brush approach provides a convenient way to make and systematically control the grafting density of high molecular weight conjugated polymer brushes that would otherwise be insoluble. This allows us to examine how grafting density impacts the effective conjugation length of the conjugated PPP brushes and to adapt the fabrication method to develop spatially patterned conjugated brush systems, which is important for practical applications of conjugated polymer brushes.
Norms as a tool for the study of homography

Four continuous word associations to each of 107 homographs were obtained from 50 male and 50 female undergraduates. Included in the word sample were 12 nonhomophonic homographs (heterophones). The data were analyzed to derive two indexes. A dominance score was defined on the basis of the frequency that a particular meaning was associated to each homograph. A stability score was a measure of the likelihood that the continuous associations were consistent with the first associate. Norms were provided for these measures. Comparison of heterophones to homophones indicates that the former are significantly more stable.
Drug-Induced Long QT Syndrome

The drug-induced long QT syndrome is a distinct clinical entity that has evolved from an electrophysiologic curiosity to a centerpiece in drug regulation and development. This evolution reflects an increasing recognition that a rare adverse drug effect can profoundly upset the balance between benefit and risk that goes into the prescription of a drug by an individual practitioner as well as the approval of a new drug entity by a regulatory agency. This review will outline how defining the central mechanism, block of the cardiac delayed-rectifier potassium current IKr, has contributed to defining risk in patients and in populations. Models for studying risk, and understanding the way in which clinical risk factors modulate cardiac repolarization at the molecular level are discussed. Finally, the role of genetic variants in modulating risk is described.
Bank Decapitalization and Credit Union Capitalization

This article looks at the theory and empirical findings of excessive compensation on the recent financial implosion across institutional forms in banking. Compensation levels have gone up dramatica...
Application of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in quantitative bioanalyses of organic molecules in aquatic environment and organisms

Analytical methods using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the simultaneous determination of metabolites or contaminants (or both) in various tissues of aquatic organisms and in the aquatic environment have received increasing attention in the last few years. This review discusses the findings relevant to such procedures published between 2005 and 2015. The aim is to evaluate the advantages, restrictions, and performances of the procedures from sample preparation to mass spectrometry measurement. To support these discussions, a general knowledge on LC-MS/MS is also provided.
Investigating design issues in mobile computer-mediated communication technologies

Mobility is the new reality of business and stands to have a significant impact on the implementation of mobile computer-mediated communication (mCMC), such as mobile texting, mobile video, and mobile presence. Information systems researchers are faced with the challenge of how to design these artifacts to maximize the benefits of social interaction among potential communication partners. We develop a theoretical model that examines the relationship between user experience, perceived richness, perceived social presence, interactivity, and satisfaction in mCMC. Findings suggest that user experience, perceived richness and interactivity are important in the design of social presence in mCMC. Both social presence and perceived richness influenced user satisfaction with mCMC. The influence is greater in mobile instant messaging than mobile texting.
The Melon Leaf Miner Liriomyza Pictella (Thomson) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) II. Ecological Studies

The optimum temperature for development of the immature stages was in the range from 23.0° to 27.8° C. The developmental time from egg to adult was shortest (12.1 days) at 32.2° and longest (65.3 days) at 12.8°. Mature third-instar larvae experienced difficulty in pupating, and pupal mortality was 100%, at temperatures both above 35° and below 10°; the time required for pupation was greatly and abruptly increased below 18°. Mature pupating larvae are negatively phototactic and positively thigmotactie. They pupated in shorter time under semidark conditions than in natural light, and tended to crawl beneath some object or to burrow in soil for pupation. Under natural light they moved as much as 40 mm., and at a rate of 30 mm. per hour, before pupating. Relative humidity had no appreciable effect on length of pupal period, but the time required for pupation was nearly doubled and pupal mortality was much higher at 5% and at 96% R.H. as compared with 67% R.H. The optimum range was between 30% and 70% R.H. Screened topsoil provided the most nearly optimum substrate for pupation and pupal development. Pupal mortality was highest under natural light conditions, regardless of substrate, and lowest on a soil substrate in semidark conditions. When adults were kept without food or moisture, several lived for 16 days at 7.2° C. constant temperature, but there was 100% mortality in 8 to 12 hours at 32.2°. No adults died when exposed for 24 hours to constant temperatures of 0° or −2.78°, but there was 38% average mortality at −7.78° C ; females were more resistant than males. Adults lived an average of 12.3 days on a diet of honey, 1.5 days on a protein hydrolysate, and 1.1 on water alone, and females in all instances lived longer than males.
Wind-Tunnel Measurements of Mars Dust Threshold in an Unstable Atmosphere

A wind tunnel was used to study the effects of an unstable near-surface atmosphere on the threshold of aeolian-blown dust particles under Mars-simulated low pressure. An unstable atmosphere occurs when the surface is warmer than the atmosphere just above it increasing vertical turbulence (i.e., atmospheric buoyancy). It was hypothesized that in unstable atmospheres, loose dust particles are more easily lofted at a threshold wind speed lower than under neutral atmospheric stability. Simulations were conducted at 10-mb atmospheric pressure using air, which agrees with a dynamically similar 6.75 mbar CO2-rich Mars surface as measured at the Mars Pathfinder Lander (MPL) site. Dust threshold measurements, neutral to unstable conditions, were performed over three sets of surface roughness conditions, zo = 0.015 mm, 0.09 mm, and 0.018 mm. To attain vertical temperature gradients that would develop an unstable layer, sub-surface heaters were installed within the test beds. However, velocity profiles from a heated boundary layer are distorted vertically overestimating the values of surface-wall parameters, particularly roughness height, zo and skin friction, Cf. Since wall conditions are a function of the stationary surface roughness, and not of stability, the appropriate values can be obtained using only velocity profiles measured under neutral conditions. Thus, two types of analysis were performed using the neutral velocity profiles to determine whether rough-wall or smooth-wall turbulence is generated or whether the resulting flow is still in transition. Upon comparison with Schlichting (1979), non-dimensional velocity profiles for each of the test beds relatively fell in the transition region. Two of the test beds were deemed smooth-wall flow, while the third bed resembled rough-wall flow. According to dust threshold measurements obtained at neutral stability, threshold for 1-2 µm mean diameter dust occurs at ~ 30 m/s for smooth surfaces and at lower wind speeds for rougher surfaces. Based on the wall-flow conditions, Cf ≈ 0.0057 for all three test surfaces. Heated-surface experiments over the two smoother test beds showed that a decreasing trend in threshold wind speed, from 30 m/s at neutral conditions to 20 to 8 m/s, respectively, at increased surface-heating levels. The third rougher test surface, however, portrayed an opposite effect, where threshold increased from about 15 m/s at neutral condition to about 25 m/s for greater instability.
Time Required for Low Temperature to Influence Thyroxine Secretion Rate in Fowls

Abstract IT HAS been shown that thyroxine secretion rate (TSR) of fowls increases during the winter months (Stahl and Turner, 1961). Under normal decreasing environmental temperature, the transition from summer to winter would be gradual in relation to the secretion rate. The question arises as to the time required for the TSR to become adjusted to sudden low environmental temperature. The answer to this question is of importance in two experimental situations, namely, where the influence of graded temperature adjustments are being studied and where maximum inherited TSR of individual fowls under low environmental temperature is desired. On the basis of the studies of Brown-Grant et al. (1954), Del Conte and Stux (1954), and Bottari (1957), using rabbits and guinea pigs, activation of the pituitary and thyroid gland to sudden low temperature might be expected within a matter of hours. That similar rapid adjustment to sudden low temperatures does not occur…
Comparison of Clinical Characteristics of Children with Critical Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease between 2009 and 2010 in Xi′an

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of children with critical hand-foot-and-mouth disease(HFMD)in 2009 and 2010. Methods The clinical data of 46 children with critical HFMD were collected in Xi′an Children′s Hospital between 2009 and 2010,which included general information,symptoms,signs,laboratory test and ventilator parameters,and the outcome between the 2 groups was compared. Results The number of critical HFMD in 2010 was more and the death cases were less compared with those in 2009(66.7% in 2009 and 41.2% in 2010,respectively).The cumulative number of rash in 2010 was more than that in 2009 and the number of injured organs was lower in 2009.The heat range,time course of the progression and nervous system involved were no significant.The proportion of convulsion,brainstem encephalitis,pneumorrhagia and stress ulceration was not increased.There was no significant difference in laboratory tests which included blood sugar,leukocyte,MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase,electrocardiogram and the abnormal proportion of X-ray.The positive rate of magnetic resonance imaging examination was higher;There was no significant difference in respiratory parameter of peak inspiratory pressure and positive end expiratory pressure,the hours of the ventilator,length of stay and the healing rate. Conclusions The clinical and epidemiological features of critical HFMD have not changed during the 2 years.We should take early preventive interventions of "sooner" to reduce mortality of critical HFMD.
Pathologic features of mammary lesions with sand-like microcalcification by mammography

Purpose To investigate the histopathologic features of localized biopsy of nonpalpable breast lesions that show sand-like particle microcalcification in mammography,and to evaluate its pathological and clinical values in the early diagnosis of breast cancer.Methods 105 patients with positive findings in mammography but with nonpalpable breast lesions were investigated by localized biopsy,in which 53 cases showing sand-like particle microcalcification were analyzed by using pathological methods.The relationship between the pathological features and microcalcification in breast were studied.Results In 105 patients,they were malignancies(23 cases),atypical hyperplasia(22 cases),and benign lesions(60 cases);in 53 patients with sand-like particle microcalcification,they were malignancies(17 cases,32%),atypical hyperplasia(8 cases,15%),and benign lesions(28 cases,53%);the persentage of sand-like particle microcalcification in mammography was 50.5%,while that of the malignancies with sand-like particle was 73.9%.Conclusions The sand-like particle microcalcification has variable features for in situ carcinoma,invasive carcinoma and benign lesions in the breast,suggesting that different form of calcification has the relationship with the different lesions in breast.The localized biopsy should be performed for these sand-like microcalcification in mammography with the malignant protential.
Young children’s developing conception of knowledge and ignorance: work in progress

AbstractWhen do children acquire an understanding of knowledge and ignorance? We analyzed the early development of children’s spontaneous references to knowing and not knowing and conclude that 2-year-olds talk explicitly and cogently about their own knowledge as well as that of an interlocutor. Two-year-olds also admit their own ignorance. Moreover, consistent with their realization that an informant may know what they do not, 2-year-olds ask many information-seeking questions. Finally, we discuss children’s receptivity and skepticism, especially toward the counterintuitive claims of an adult. We conclude that children’s conception of knowledge and ignorance begins early but undergoes protracted refinement.
RESURFACING OLD DATA COMPRESSION & ENCRYPTION ALGORITHMS FOR EXTRA SECURITY SHELL

This paper presents a short history of data compression and encryption technologies starting with World War I and their possible value today by resurfacing old and forgotten algorithms as an increased security shell possibility for modern data files storage. It focuses on a case study using available internet tools as of 2016 and emphasizes on the results which relieve a blind eye over old and dusty data compression and encryption algorithms following data encapsulation, therefore showing the possibility of adding easily an extra security layer to any contemporary cutting-edge data protection method. Keywords: data compression, archive, security, data protection, encryption algorithms.
An Unequal Partnership: The Coordinator of Information and British Mentoring, 1941–42

The momentum generated by Bill Donovan’s two missions previously addressed toward creating a centralized American intelligence entity — linked firmly to the British — culminated on 11 July 1941 in the formal establishment of the office of Coordinator of Strategic Information (COI) with Donovan as its first and only chief. This was accompanied by increasingly close collaboration between Donovan’s neophytes — who were directed immediately to expand COF’s activities to include propaganda, research, analysis, human intelligence collection, and special operations, inter alia - and the various British intelligence services.2 These new ties played an important role in both the establishment and early survival of Britain’s intelligence protege in Washington. Anglo-COI collaboration took place in New York and Washington with British Security Coordination, and in London with SIS, SOE, the Political Warfare Executive (PWE) and various other relevant British Government entities. It also took place at British-run intelligence and special operations training facilities throughout the United Kingdom and in Canada, and as far afield as Vichy North Africa and the neutral states of Europe.
Foucault: Power, Discourse, and the State

Michel Foucault’s insights into the nature and mechanisms of power have been among the most persuasive and influential of the last century, though his account has been almost universally overlooked in debates about liberalism. Foucault’s exclusion from the discourse may be owed partly to the fact of his own hostility toward liberalism, and partly to the fact that analytic and continental philosophy have a long history of antagonism and thus a propensity to talk past each other. One of my chief aims in this book is to show how the insights into the relationship between power and speech of continental thinkers, such as Foucault, can inform current debates in analytic liberal philosophy, particularly those debates about the scope and limits of egalitarianism. The first three chapters of this book discussed those liberal debates, with particular emphasis on the North American debates over pornography and hate speech. The discussion of speech act theory in the previous chapter, Foucault in this one, and Judith Butler in the next, will finish laying the foundation of the continental positions, which I hope will inform the debates addressed in the first half of the book.
Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Ecosystems: The Case of Massachusetts

This chapter looks at manufacturing companies’ innovation capacity as it relates to cyber-physical production systems from a broader innovation ecosystem perspective. This contribution is guided by the research question which systemic measures need to be implemented to ensure a proper and wider diffusion of such complex systems by the example of Massachusetts and its advanced manufacturing companies that are poised to embrace cyber-physical production systems.
Improved cooling tower control of legacy chiller plants by optimizing the condenser water set point

Achieving the optimal control of cooling towers is critical to the energy-efficient operation of current or legacy chiller plants. Although many promising control methods have been proposed, limitations in their applications exist for legacy chiller plants. For example, some methods require the change of the plant's overall control structure, which can be difficult to legacy chiller plants; some methods are too complicated and computationally intensive to implement in old building control systems. To address the above issues, we develop an operational support system. This system employs a model predictive control scheme to optimize the condenser water set point and can be applied in chiller plants without changes in the control structure. To further facilitate the implementation, we propose to increase the optimization accuracy by selecting a better starting point. The results from a case study with a real legacy chiller plant in Washington D.C. show that the proposed operational support system can achieve up to around 9.67% annual energy consumption savings for chillers and cooling towers. The results also show the proposed starting point selection method can achieve a better accuracy and a faster computational speed than commonly used methods. In addition, we find that we can select a lower optimization frequency for the studied case since the impact of the optimization frequency on the energy savings is not significant while a lower optimization frequency does reduce the computational demand to a great extent.
Synthesis and Antineoplastic Evaluation of Mitochondrial Complex II (Succinate Dehydrogenase) Inhibitors Derived from Atpenin A5.

Mitochondrial complex II (CII) is an emerging target for numerous human diseases. Sixteen analogues of the CII inhibitor natural product atpenin A5 were prepared to evaluate the structure-activity relationship of the C-5 pyridine side chain. The side chain ketone moiety was determined to be pharmacophoric, engendering a bioactive conformation. Analogue 16c displayed CII IC50 = 64 nM, retained selectivity for CII over mitochondrial complex I (>156-fold) and possessed a ligand-lipophilicity efficiency of 5.62, desirable metrics for a lead compound. This derivative and other highly potent complex II inhibitors possess potent and selective anti-proliferative activity in multiple human prostate cancer cell lines under both normoxia and hypoxia, acting to inhibit mitochondrial electron transport.
Still wanted: a reproducible demonstration of a genuine C1 attention effect

Slotnick (this issue) has specified a number of experimental parameters that appear critical for enabling an attention-related modulation of the C1 component. These include stimulus presentation in the upper visual field, the presence of distractors, a high perceptual or attentional load, and measurements at midline occipito-parietal sites. While we agree with many of these recommendations, we would modify others and even dispute a few. Despite the employment of these parameters in a few existing studies, there has not yet been a convincing, reproducible demonstration of a modulation of the C1 component by spatial attention that can be localized to primary visual cortex.