cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sulfamoyl-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxamides: Novel potentiators of defective ΔF508-cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator chloride channel gating

Abstract The synthesis of a small collection of sulfamoyl-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxamides is described for use as correctors of defective gating of the ΔF508-cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride channel. Several compounds with submicromolar potency were obtained. N -Ethyl 6-(ethylphenylsulfamoyl)-4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxamide ( 7b ) was found to be the most effective sulfonamide corrector of defective ΔF508-CFTR gating.
Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of chiral organic compounds of ultra-high purity of >99% ee

Shortly after the discovery of Zr-catalyzed carboalumination of alkynes in 1978, we sought expansion of the scope of this reaction so as to develop its alkene version for catalytic asymmetric C–C bond formation, namely the ZACA (Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes). However, this seemingly easy task proved to be quite challenging. The ZACA reaction was finally discovered in 1995 by suppressing three competitive side reactions, i.e., (i) cyclic carbometalation, (ii) β-H transfer hydrometalation, and (iii) alkene polymerization. The ZACA reaction has been used to significantly modernize and improve syntheses of various natural products including deoxypolypropionates and isoprenoids. This review focuses on our recent progress on the development of ZACA–lipase-catalyzed acetylation–transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling processes for highly efficient and enantioselective syntheses of a wide range of chiral organic compounds with ultra-high enantiomeric purities.
Hospital Consolidation and the Nurse Labor Market

This paper examines the impact of two types of hospital consolidations - mergers and system-joinings - on the employment and wages of nurses. Nurses are an important market to examine as there are persistent reports of shortages and large expected future demand. Using data on all hospital consolidations between 1983 and 2009, I find large employment decreases following a hospital merger but no decrease following a system-joining. I also find zero wage effect from either type of consolidation. I conclude that this result is consistent with the employment decreases being driven by efficiency gains rather than an increase in monopsony power.
Decision tree classifiers for computer intrusion detection

Intrusion detection is required to protect the security of computer network systems by detecting intrusive activities occurring in computer network systems. In this paper, we present decision tree techniques that are used to automatically learn intrusion signatures and classify activities in computer network systems as normal or intrusive for intrusion detection. We show the design of decision tree classifiers for intrusion detection, using different features of raw activity data in computer network systems and different sizes of observation windows. The performance of decision tree classifiers is discussed. We also present the impact of noises in data on the detection performance of the decision tree classifiers. Computer audit data from the Basic Security Module of the Solaris operating system are used to train and test the decision tree classifiers.
Framework for Cloud Usability

Organizations are increasingly adopting cloud-based services to meet their business needs. However, due to the complexity and diversity of cloud systems, it is important to evaluate the user experience within a framework that encompasses multiple characteristics. In this paper, we propose a cloud usability framework to provide a structure to evaluate the key attributes of the cloud user experience. The framework includes five attributes and 20 elements. Generally these describe the consumer's expectations of the cloud. The framework can be foundation for developing usability metrics for organizations interested in measuring the user experience when adopting cloud-based services.
Association between immune function and development of uterine disease in dairy cows

The transition to lactation (3 weeks before to 3 weeks after calving) is characterized by a decrease in dry-matter intake (DMI), leading to a sharp decrease in glucose and calcium, and an increase in body fat mobilization in the form of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). This results in products such as betahydroxybutyrate (BHBA) accumulating from incomplete oxidation of NEFA (Vazquez-Anon et al., 1994). Neutrophils (PMN) are the main leukocyte type involved in clearing bacteria after uterine infection; however, during the period of negative energy balance, dairy cows experience a reduction in PMN function, including reduced phagocytosis and killing capacity. This reduction is more pronounced in cows that develop uterine disease. Glycogen is the main source of energy for PMN phagocytosis and killing; calcium is an important second messenger for PMN activation; NEFA is associated with impaired PMN oxidative burst activity; and BHBA reduces PMN phagocytosis, extracellular trap formation, and killing of bacteria. If the immune system is not able to eliminate bacterial infection, disease is established. Pathogenic bacteria associated with metritis and endometritis are E. coli, A. pyogenes, F. necrophorum, and P. maleninogenicus. E. coli increases the susceptibility of the endometrium to subsequent infection with A. pyogenes, and A. pyogenes acts synergistically with F. necrophorum and P. melaninogenicus to enhance the severity of uterine disease. Among their effects, E. coli releases bacterial-wall LPS; A. pyogenes produces the cholesterol-dependent cytotoxin pyolysin and a growth factor for F. necrophorum; F. necrophorum produces a leukotoxin; and P. melaninogenicus produces a substance that inhibits phagocytosis. A specific E. coli, called EnPEC/IUEC, causes uterine disease, and the virulence factor fimH was mostly associated with disease. For A. pyogenes, fimA was the only virulence factor associated with uterine disease. The combined effect of bacterial infection and activation of inflammation is damage to the endometrium and embryo, delayed ovulation, shortened or extended luteal phase after ovulation, increased time to first insemination, decreased conception rates, increased time to conception, and increased pregnancy loss.
Reduction potentials involving inorganic free radicals in aqueous solution

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the reduction potentials involving inorganic free radicals in aqueous solution. Because free radicals are usually transients, knowing their thermodynamic properties is primarily useful in mechanistic studies. Thus, the useful redox couples associated with a given free radical correspond to plausible elementary steps in reaction mechanisms. All potentials are expressed against the normal hydrogen electrode (NHE). Apart from the NHE, the standard state for all solutes is the unit molar solution at 25 °C. This violates the usual convention for species, such as O 2 that occur as gases, but because the rates of bimolecular reactions in solution are significant, the unit molar standard state is most convenient. The emphasis is on electron transfer reactions in which no bonds are formed or broken, electron transfer reactions in which concerted electron transfer and bond cleavage could occur, and certain atom transfer reactions. The chapter also presents a tabulation of ∆ f G ° values for all the radicals. A common approach in estimating the thermochemistry of aqueous free radicals is to use gas-phase data with approximations of solvation energies.
Reservoir Computing Approach to Robust Computation Using Unreliable Nanoscale Networks

As we approach the physical limits of CMOS technology, advances in materials science and nanotechnology are making available a variety of unconventional computing substrates that can potentially replace top-down-designed silicon-based computing devices. Inherent stochasticity in the fabrication process and nanometer scale of these substrates inevitably lead to design variations, defects, faults, and noise in the resulting devices. A key challenge is how to harness such devices to perform robust computation. We propose reservoir computing as a solution. In reservoir computing, computation takes place by translating the dynamics of an excited medium, called a reservoir, into a desired output. This approach eliminates the need for external control and redundancy, and the programming is done using a closed-form regression problem on the output, which also allows concurrent programming using a single device. Using a theoretical model, we show that both regular and irregular reservoirs are intrinsically robust to structural noise as they perform computation.
Harnessing the Web: How E-Health and E-Health Literacy Impact Young Adults’ Perceptions of Online Health Information

Background: The rise of technology has changed how people take control of their health, enabling individuals to choose to live healthier lives and make better treatment decisions. With this said, the Internet has emerged as the channel used by individuals for actively seeking or passively receiving health information. Objective: To explore how young adults assess the quality of health information, and how they construct meaning of online health information in general. Through 50 in-depth interviews, this study aims to examine how and why young adults turn to the Web for health information, and what strategies they employ to ensure that they are getting credible information. Methods: A total of 50 in-depth interviews were conducted with young adults to explore how they make meaning of online health information. Depending on the geographic area of the participant, the interview took place face-to-face at a location convenient for them, over Skype, or over the telephone and lasted on average 40 minutes. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, fully retaining the speech style of the moderator and the participants. Data were analyzed using techniques from the grounded theory approach, using a constant comparative method to allow for themes to emerge from the transcripts. Results: The participants shared several benefits to this mode of health information seeking, claiming that it made for more productive visits with doctors and made health information more readily accessible through a variety of different formats. Additionally, the participants demonstrated their e-health literacy levels by discussing how they assessed online health information, engaging in a series of strategies that encompassed different aspects of e-health literacy. Social media channels were brought up by the participants as relatively new tools that can be used to assist in the seeking, understanding, and sharing of health information. However, participants also cautioned about the use of social media in regards to its informal nature, warning users to evaluate sources accordingly and to use these channels as supplementary outlets of information for more traditional channels. Conclusions: The use of the Internet and technology for health purposes is a growing area for both scholarship and practice that has strong implications for health consumers, medical professionals, and communicators alike. The findings that emerged from this research demonstrated that the online space is an acceptable channel through which young adults can find and share information. However, in spite of the rising usage of social media by this particular group, the findings showed that they were hesitant and wary of the channel, not seeing it as a resource for health information but more of a channel for networking and entertainment. In spite of this, this study shows that the online health information seeking behaviors is an area that warrants further exploration.
Modeling time-dependent dielectric breakdown with and without barriers

Time-dependent dielectric breakdown is quickly becoming a very important topic as low-k materials are integrated into back-end-of-the-line processes and as interconnect dielectric thicknesses approach the sub-100-nm range. There still exists a considerable amount of debate on the dominant failure mechanism with or without the presence of a diffusion barrier. We have developed a series of models for copper-accelerated time-to-failure that we are using to guide an experimental program to understand failure mechanisms. The models are based on the injection and drift of copper ions and focus on an increase in the local electric field that allows electrons to enter the dielectric's conduction band. The models are successful at correlating the time-to-failure for SiO2 dielectrics with and without barriers. The most important aspects of the model that we are trying to verify experimentally include the role of moisture in the dielectric oxidizing Cu to form injectable ions, the initiation of failure at the pore-matrix interface in porous dielectrics, a decrease in the time-to-failure in porous dielectrics due to an increase in Cu solubility, and the need for near-perfect barriers to realize the advantage of using a barrier. The key unknown parameters in all these models are the diffusivities and solubilities of copper ions in the materials. Models of this type are not restricted to just interlayer dielectrics. Several failure mechanisms associated with semiconducting and organic light emitting diodes may also be described by similar models.
Ambient awareness and knowledge acquisition: using social media to learn Who knows what and Who knows whom

The argument proffered in this paper is that use of enterprise social networking technologies can increase the accuracy of people's metaknowledge (knowledge of "who knows what" and "who knows whom") at work. The results of a quasi-natural field experiment in which only one of two matched-sample groups within a large financial services firm was given access to the enterprise social networking technology for six months revealed that by making people's communications with specific partners visible to others in the organization, the technology enabled observers to become aware of the communications occurring amongst their coworkers and to make inferences about what and whom those coworkers knew based on the contents of the messages they sent and to whom they were sent. Consequently only individuals in the group that used the social networking technology for six months improved the accuracy of their metaknowledge (a 31% improvement in knowledge of who knows what and an 88% improvement in knowledge of who knows whom). There were no improvements in the other group over the same time period. Based on these findings, how technologically enabled "ambient awareness"--awareness of ambient communications occurring amongst others in the organization--can be an important antecedent for knowledge acquisition is discussed.
Gaussian Process Topic Models

We introduce Gaussian Process Topic Models (GPTMs), a new family of topic models which can leverage a kernel among documents while extracting correlated topics. GPTMs can be considered a systematic generalization of the Correlated Topic Models (CTMs) using ideas from Gaussian Process (GP) based embedding. Since GPTMs work with both a topic covariance matrix and a document kernel matrix, learning GPTMs involves a novel component—solving a suitable Sylvester equation capturing both topic and document dependencies. The efficacy of GPTMs is demonstrated with experiments evaluating the quality of both topic modeling and embedding.
BayesCAT: Bayesian co-estimation of alignment and tree

Traditionally, phylogeny and sequence alignment are estimated separately: first estimate a multiple sequence alignment and then infer a phylogeny based on the sequence alignment estimated in the previous step. However, uncertainty in the alignment is ignored, resulting, possibly, in overstated certainty in phylogeny estimates. We develop a joint model for co-estimating phylogeny and sequence alignment which improves estimates from the traditional approach by accounting for uncertainty in the alignment in phylogenetic inferences. Our insertion and deletion (indel) model allows arbitrary-length overlapping indel events and a general distribution for indel fragment size. We employ a Bayesian approach using MCMC to estimate the joint posterior distribution of a phylogenetic tree and a multiple sequence alignment. Our approach has a tree and a complete history of indel events mapped onto the tree as the state space of the Markov Chain while alternative previous approaches have a tree and an alignment. A large state space containing a complete history of indel events makes our MCMC approach more challenging, but it enables us to infer more information about the indel process. The performances of this joint method and traditional sequential methods are compared using simulated data as well as real data. Software named BayesCAT (Bayesian Co-estimation of Alignment and Tree) is available at https://github.com/heejungshim/BayesCAT.
The interrogation game Using coercion and rewards to elicit information from groups

While there is widespread debate about techniques for obtaining information from non-cooperative sources, there is little research concerning the efficacy of different methods. We introduce the ‘In...
Optimal taxation of externalities interacting through markets: A theoretical general equilibrium analysis §

This study develops a theoretical general equilibrium model to examine optimal externality tax policy in the presence of externalities linked to one another through markets rather than technical production relationships. Analytical results reveal that the second-best externality tax rate may be greater or less than the first-best rate, depending largely on the elasticity of substitution between the two externality-generating products. These results are explored empirically for the case of greenhouse gas and nitrogen emissions associated with biofuels and petroleum.
Polarization Renormalization due to Nonlinear Optical Generation

Recent research has dealt with phenomena where coherent generation of electromagnetic (em) waves is intimately involved with multiphoton excitation, leading to results that cannot be explained by considering coherent generation and multiphoton excitation as separate phenomena. In particular, the disappearance with increasing vapor pressure1 and the reappearance with retroreflection2 of a multiphoton ionization signal, as well as the disappearance with increasing pressure of fluorescence from a multiphoton excited state,3 have been explained by considering the effect of coherent third-harmonic generation on the multiphoton excitation.4,5 These explanations present specific calculations showing that the total excitation is reduced by the harmonic-generation process, but they fail to address the underlying general principle that leads to such a reduction.
The changing life science patent landscape

What have we learned from 20 tumultuous years of patent law in the life sciences? Is patenting likely to be as important for the industry in the future?
Recognizing Syntactic Errors in the Writing of Second Language Learners

This paper reports on the recognition component of an intelligent tutoring system that is designed to help foreign language speakers learn standard English. The system models the grammar of the learner, with this instantiation of the system tailored to signers of American Sign Language (ASL). We discuss the theoretical motivations for the system, various difficulties that have been encountered in the implementation, as well as the methods we have used to overcome these problems. Our method of capturing ungrammaticalities involves using mal-rules (also called 'error productions'). However, the straightforward addition of some mal-rules causes significant performance problems with the parser. For instance, the ASL population has a strong tendency to drop pronouns and the auxiliary verb 'to be'. Being able to account for these as sentences results in an explosion in the number of possible parses for each sentence. This explosion, left unchecked, greatly hampers the performance of the system. We discuss how this is handled by taking into account expectations from the specific population (some of which are captured in our unique user model). The different representations of lexical items at various points in the acquisition process are modeled by using mal-rules, which obviates the need for multiple lexicons. The grammar is evaluated on its ability to correctly diagnose agreement problems in actual sentences produced by ASL native speakers.
From Dart to Designworld: a chronicle of research on automated engineering in the Stanford Logic Group

For those of us in the Stanford Logic Group, the Dart project marks the beginning of a long-term commitment to research on the use of computers in the service of engineering. Oddly enough, the project began not in engineering, but in medicine; and it was originally concerned with explanation, not diagnosis. When I arrived at Stanford in 1979, I assembled a small research group with financial support from a research contract belonging to Bruce Buchanan and Ed Feigenbaum. I asked Bruce how we might earn our keep, and he suggested that we look into ways of improving Mycin's explanation capability. Mycin was already world-renowned for its ability to explain its conclusions by citing the data and rules used to make those conclusions. The problem was that it was unable to explain why its rules were correct. We knew that physicians could supply rationale for many of Mycin's rules by reference to underlying physiological principles. So, our idea was to capture this physiological knowledge and produce a program that could use it to verify Mycin's rules. A trace of the verification could then be used to explain the rules.
Dependence of Elastic Properties of Vulcanized Rubber on the Degree of Cross-Linking

Abstract The results reported above demonstrate a progressive increase in the force of retraction τ at fixed elongation with increase in the fraction p of the structural units which are cross-linked from ρ=0.10×10−2 to 3.0×10−2. Over this range, τ at 100 per cent elongation increases about thirteenfold. Swelling measurements indicate that the increase in τ with ρ continues over an additional tenfold range in ρ. Previous assertions that the modulus of elasticity of soft gum rubber vulcanizates depends largely on chain interaction and entanglements other than those imposed by the cross-linkages, and that the modulus is, therefore, not directly related to the degree of cross-linking, are without foundation. The statistical theory of rubber elasticity expresses the force of retraction as a function of the temperature, vulcanizate structure and elongation; no arbitrary constants are involved. The magnitudes of τ for α=2 are in remarkably close agreement with the predictions of the theory over most of the range...
Effect of Temperature on Ozone Cracking of Rubbers

Abstract The rates of growth of single ozone cracks have been measured for vulcanizates of a series of butadiene—styrene copolymers, over a temperature range from − 5° C to 95° C. The rates appear to be determined by two mechanisms. At low temperatures, near the glass transition temperature, they are quantitatively related to the segmental mobility of the polymer. The principal rate-controlling step in this case is concluded to be movement of the polymer chains after scission to yield new surface. At high temperatures the rate approaches a limiting value of 10−3 cm/sec/mg of ozone/1. This is about 1/1000 of the maximum possible value when instantaneous reaction of one incident ozone molecule causes scission of one network chain.
Kinetics and Mechanisms of Aggregative Nanocrystal Growth

The aggregative growth and oriented attachment of nanocrystals and nanoparticles are reviewed, and they are contrasted to classical LaMer nucleation and growth, and to Ostwald ripening. Kinetic and mechanistic models are presented, and experiments directly observing aggregative growth and oriented attachment are summarized. Aggregative growth is described as a nonclassical nucleation and growth process. The concept of a nucleation function is introduced, and approximated with a Gaussian form. The height (Γmax) and width (Δtn) of the nucleation function are systematically varied by conditions that influence the colloidal stability of the small, primary nanocrystals participating in aggregative growth. The nucleation parameters Γmax and Δtn correlate with the final nanocrystal mean size and size distribution, affording a potential means of achieving nucleation control in nanocrystal synthesis.
A FIRST-IN-HUMAN TRIAL OF A NOVEL DESIGNER NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE ZD100 IN HUMAN HYPERTENSION

An unmet need is novel therapeutic agents for resistant hypertension (RH) for which in the US there are no approved drugs or devices. ZD100 is a novel particulate-guanylyl-cyclase A (GC-A) receptor activator designed at the Mayo Clinic which goes beyond ANP in promoting natriuresis, inhibiting
Low-threshold bidirectional air lasing

We demonstrate directional forward and backward emission from atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen pumped by a tunable deep-UV laser source. Significant emission enhancement is achieved, in both cases, through pre-dissociation by an additional IR laser pulse
Computation of the $Q$ Limits for Arbitrary-Shaped Antennas Using Characteristic Modes

In this paper, we present an efficient and direct method for computing the lower bound on $Q$ for arbitrary-shaped, perfectly conducting antenna geometries. We begin by deriving a new formula for $Q$ based on the currents induced on the antenna/scatterer and the method of moments (MoM) impedance matrix $[Z]$ . We then use this formula in conjunction with the theory of characteristic modes to find lower bounds on arbitrary-shaped electrically small antennas (ESAs). Current distributions that yield the minimum possible $Q$ are also given, providing for a powerful insight into the physical factors that affect $Q$ , and offer guidelines for improving the ESA designs constricted to arbitrary physical volumes. Several supporting examples are investigated, and appropriate comparisons to the literature are given to demonstrate the flexibility and effectiveness of our approach.
Endocrine vaginal cytology.

Vaginal epithelial cells mature from basal to intermediate to superficial cells. Estrogen causes more superficial cells to be shed, and the proportion of exfoliated cell types is called a Maturation Index. This index helps clinicians manage dysfunctional bleeding, evaluate hormone change at menopause or prepuberty, and predict ovulation.
Unprovable Security of Perfect NIZK and Non-interactive Non-malleable Commitments

We present barriers to provable security of two important cryptographic primitives, perfect non-interactive zero knowledge (NIZK) and non-interactive non-alleable commitments: źBlack-box reductions cannot be used to demonstrate adaptive soundness (i.e., that soundness holds even if the statement to be proven is chosen as a function of the common reference string) of any statistical NIZK for NP based on any "standard" intractability assumptions. źBlack-box reductions cannot be used to demonstrate non-malleability of non-interactive, or even 2-message, commitment schemes based on any "standard" intractability assumptions. We emphasize that the above separations apply even if the construction of the considered primitives makes a non-black-box use of the underlying assumption. As an independent contribution, we suggest a taxonomy of game-based intractability assumptions.
Photochemical Synthesis of Azaheterocycles

Synthetic organic photochemistry is a field that continues to offer unique routes to organic structures not typically accessed from thermal reactions. In this review, the photochemical synthesis of five-, six-, seven-, and eight-membered-ring azaheterocycles, as well as some aza-macrocycles, is discussed. The discussion will focus on methods where heterocycle formation occurs during or as a result of a photochemical event. Reaction mechanisms will be discussed also, as these provide a rationale for understanding the synthetic results. 1 Introduction 2 Five-Membered Rings 2.1 Cyclization Reactions 2.2 Cycloadditions 2.3 From Aromatic and Vinyl Azides 2.4 earrangements 2.5 Other Individual Methods 3 Six-Membered Rings 3.1 Cyclization Reactions 3.2 Isocyanide Insertions 3.3 Cycloadditions 4 Seven-Membered Rings and Larger 5 Conclusion
At the Margins of Moral Personhood

In this article I examine the proposition that severe cognitive disability is an impediment to moral personhood. Moral personhood, as I understand it here, is articulated in the work of Jeff McMahan as that which confers a special moral status on a person. I rehearse the metaphysical arguments about the nature of personhood that ground McMahan’s claims regarding the moral status of the “congenitally severely mentally retarded” (CSMR for short). These claims, I argue, rest on the view that only intrinsic psychological capacities are relevant to moral personhood: that is, that relational properties are generally not relevant. In addition, McMahan depends on an argument that species membership is irrelevant for moral consideration and a contention that privileging species membership is equivalent to a virulent nationalism (these will be discussed below). In consequence, the CSMR are excluded from moral personhood and their deaths are less significant as their killing is less wrong than that of persons. To throw doubt on McMahan’s conclusions about the moral status and wrongness of killing the CSMR I question the exclusive use of intrinsic properties in the metaphysics of personhood, the dismissal of the moral importance of species membership, and the example of virulent nationalism as an apt analogy. I also have a lot to say about McMahan’s empirical assumptions about the CSMR.
Understanding the spatio-temporal characteristics of Twitter data with geo-tagged and non geo-tagged content : two case studies with the topic of flu and Ted (Movie

ABSTRACTThe dynamic characteristics of geotagged Twitter messages provide researchers with vast potential for analysing the spatial diffusion of events such as disease outbreaks, environmental changes and social movements. The percentage of geotagged data, however, is extremely small compared to non-geotagged data, whereas non-geotagged tweets often contain noises generated by automated robots, location spoofing and human-made mistakes. Given these challenges, this study aims to understand the difference in Twitter diffusion characteristics between geotagged and non-geotagged. Tweets were collected using two keywords ‘flu’ and movie Ted from four targeted cities (San Diego, Los Angeles, Denver, New York) to represent different topics and geographical areas in the United States. This study presents methodological and analytical frameworks to filter out noises, analyse the internal structure of the diffusion process, and investigate the spatial distribution of geotagged tweets and their associations with la...
The aging process.

Aging is the progressive accumulation of changes with time that are associated with or responsible for the ever-increasing susceptibility to disease and death which accompanies advancing age. These time-related changes are attributed to the aging process. The nature of the aging process has been the subject of considerable speculation. Accumulating evidence now indicates that the sum of the deleterious free radical reactions going on continuously throughout the cells and tissues constitutes the aging process or is a major contributor to it. In mammalian systems the free radical reactions are largely those involving oxygen. Dietary manipulations expected to lower the rate of production of free radical reaction damage have been shown (i) to increase the life span of mice, rats, fruit flies, nematodes, and rotifers, as well as the "life span" of neurospora; (ii) to inhibit development of some forms of cancer; (iii) to enhance humoral and cell-mediated immune responses; and (iv) to slow development of amyloidosis and the autoimmune disorders of NZB and NZB/NZW mice. In addition, studies strongly suggest that free radical reactions play a significant role in the deterioration of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems with age. The free radical theory of aging provides reasonable explanations for age-associated phenomena, including (i) the relationship of the average life spans of mammalian species to their basal metabolic rates, (ii) the clustering of degenerative diseases in the terminal part of the life span, (iii) the beneficial effect of food restriction on life span, (iv) the greater longevity of females, and (v) the increase in autoimmune manifestations with age. It is not unreasonable to expect on the basis of present data that the healthy life span can be increased by 5-10 or more years by keeping body weight down, at a level compatible with a sense of well-being, while ingesting diets adequate in essential nutrients but designed to minimize random free radical reactions in the body.
Ethical dimensions of the fetus as a patient

In this chapter, we present an account of the ethical concept of the fetus as a patient to guide clinical judgment and decision-making in the obstetrician-patient relationship. We explicate this concept and explore its clinical implications on the basis of the professional responsibility model of obstetric ethics. We will emphasize a preventive ethics approach, which is based on the recognition of the potential for ethical conflict in patient care and adopts ethically justified strategies to prevent those conflicts from occurring. The goal of preventive ethics is to sustain a strong obstetrician-patient relationship. This goal is accomplished by balancing beneficence-based and autonomy-based ethical obligations to the pregnant patient with beneficence-based ethical obligations to the fetal patient in all cases in which the fetus is a patient.
A Versatile Preparation of α,β-Unsaturated Lactones from Homoallylic Alcohols

A new method for the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated lactones from β-acetoxy aldehydes by reaction with the lithium enolate of methyl acetate was developed. The reaction is relatively insensitive to structural changes in the aldehyde substrates. The process was extended to the synthesis of five-ring lactones from α-acetoxy aldehydes. Experimental evidence regarding the mechanism of this one-pot transformation was obtained. The observations are consistent with a pathway involving an initial aldol condensation with subsequent acyl migration, lactonization, and β-elimination and not an enolate equilibration−aldol mechanism.
Dynamic Stability Analysis of Hypersonic Transport During Reentry

Dynamic stability analysis is performed for a typical future hypersonic transport vehicle during atmospheric flight. Unsteady aerodynamic data in the form of indicial responses are generated by solving the Navier–Stokes equations. Computations needed at multiple Mach numbers and associated angles of attack are computed in a single job by using dual-level parallel script. Validity of the indicial approach is established by comparing results with experiment and the time-integration method. Flutter boundaries associated with pitch and heave rigid-body degrees of freedom are computed. Effect of position of the mass center on flutter boundaries, which is more predominant in the transonic regime, is shown. This work advances stability analysis procedures for next-generation hypersonic vehicles.
Strong Hardness of Privacy from Weak Traitor Tracing

A central problem in differential privacy is to accurately answer a large family Q of statistical queries over a data universeX. A statistical query on a dataset $$D \in X^n$$D∈Xn asks "what fraction of the elements of D satisfy a given predicate p on X?" Ignoring computational constraints, it is possible to accurately answer exponentially many queries on an exponential size universe while satisfying differential privacy Blum et al., STOC'08. Dwork et al.i¾?STOC'09 and Boneh and Zhandry CRYPTO'14 showed that if both Q and X are of polynomial size, then there is an efficient differentially private algorithm that accurately answers all the queries. They also proved that if Q and X are both exponentially large, then under a plausible assumption, no efficient algorithm exists. We show that, under the same assumption, if either the number of queries or the data universe is of exponential size, then there is no differentially private algorithm that answers all the queries. Specifically, we prove that if one-way functions and indistinguishability obfuscation exist, then:1.For every n, there is a family Q of $${\tilde{O}}n^7$$O~n7 queries on a data universe X of size $$2^d$$2d such that no $$\mathrm {poly}n,d$$polyn,d time differentially private algorithm takes a dataset $$D \in X^n$$D∈Xn and outputs accurate answers to every query in Q.2.For every n, there is a family Q of $$2^d$$2d queries on a data universe X of size $${\tilde{O}}n^7$$O~n7 such that no $$\mathrm {poly}n,d$$polyn,d time differentially private algorithm takes a dataset $$D \in X^n$$D∈Xn and outputs accurate answers to every query in Q. In both cases, the result is nearly quantitatively tight, since there is an efficient differentially private algorithm that answers $${\tilde{{\varOmega }}}n^2$$Ω~n2 queries on an exponential size data universe, and one that answers exponentially many queries on a data universe of size $${\tilde{{\varOmega }}}n^2$$Ω~n2. Our proofs build on the connection between hardness of differential privacy and traitor-tracing schemes Dwork et al., STOC'09; Ullman, STOC'13. We prove our hardness result for a polynomial size query set resp., data universe by showing that they follow from the existence of a special type of traitor-tracing scheme with very short ciphertexts resp., secret keys, but very weak security guarantees, and then constructing such a scheme.
Next generation I/O power delivery design through SIPD co-analysis & comprehensive platform validation

This paper illustrates different approaches in solving I/O power delivery noise issues and walk through pre-silicon design solution. It covers circuit and architectural design influence, on silicon and on board decoupling solutions selection and package and platform design optimization. SIPD co-simulations and appropriate package return path are the main topics to discuss and certainly impedance (Z) profile and transient analysis will be performed to observe the noise frequency and accurately address the root cause. All the above will be verified through comprehensive validation data.
Friends in the right places: The effect of political connections on corporate merger activity

Abstract This study examines how the appointment of former politicians and regulators to boards of directors or management teams influences corporate acquisition activity and performance. We find that bidders with political connections are more likely to acquire targets and avoid regulatory delay or denial. The merger premium paid increases with political connectedness. The announcement period returns show that investors recognize that bids by politically connected acquirers are more likely to create firm value. Connected bidders make more bids and bid on larger targets. Connected acquirers also enjoy superior post-merger financial and operating performance.
Antibody-functionalized nanoparticles for targeted delivery to lung cancer

N cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States and the world with a 5 year survival rate of only 15% for all stages combined. The cure rate remains <15% despite some recent advances in chemotherapeutic agents. The size and distribution of NSCLC makes cytoreductive surgery ineffective. Consequently, chemotherapy and/or radiation have been the treatments of choice. Nevertheless, toxicity still remains a major issue with the use of chemotherapy. This toxicity is most often the result of unexpected uptake of these chemotherapeutic agents by normal tissues. The need for increased potency and selectivity in chemotherapy is therefore of high importance in order to more fully harness the benefit of this modality of cancer treatment. We have spent the last few years investigating the use of antibody functionalized nanoparticles as a means of optimizing drug delivery to cancer cells while avoiding normal cells. Nanoparticles of different sizes were functionalized with anti-HER-2 monoclonal antibody (herceptin) by covalent reaction. These nanoparticles were characterized using PCS, SEM, mass spectroscopy and immunofluorescence. Release kinetics of loaded drugs was elucidated. The ability to selectively deliver payload to cancer cells while avoiding normal was assessed in vitro using different lung cancer cells (A549, H460 and calu-3) in comparison to normal cells MRC-5. In vivo distribution of this nanoparticle formulation was assessed using lung cancer mouse models. The results of our findings from this exciting research will be presented at the conference. Sunday A. Shoyele, Med chem 2013, 3:4 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2161-0444.S1.009
THE CEMENTLESS TAPER: BROACHING TO SUCCESS

In recent years, cementless stems have dominated the North American market. There are several categories of cementless stems, but in the past 20 years, the two most popular designs in the United States have been the extensively coated cylindrical cobalt-chrome (Co-Cr) stem and the proximally coated tapered titanium stem, which in recent years has become the most common. The 10 year survival for both stem types has been over 95% with a distinction made on factors other than stem survival, including thigh pain, stress shielding, complications of insertion, and ease of revision. Conventional wisdom holds that proximally coated titanium stems have less stress shielding, less thigh pain, and a higher quality clinical result. Recent studies, however, including randomised clinical trials have found that the incidence of thigh pain and clinical result is essentially equivalent between the stem types, however, there is a modest advantage in terms of stress shielding for a tapered titanium stem over an extensively coated Co-Cr stem. One study utilising pain drawings did establish that if a Co-Cr cylindrical stem was utilised, superior clinical results in terms of pain score and pain drawings were obtained with a fully coated versus a proximally coated stem. In spite of the lack of a clinically proven advantage in randomised trials, tapered titanium stems have been favored because of the occasional occurrence of substantial stress shielding, the increased clinical observation of thigh pain severe enough to warrant surgical intervention, ease of use of shorter tapered stems that involve removal of less trochanteric bone and less risk of fracture both at the trochanter and the diaphysis due to the shorter, and greater ease of insertion through more limited approaches, especially anterior approaches. When tapered stems are utilised, there may be an advantage to a more rectangular stem-cross-section in patients with type C bone. In spite of the numerous clinical advantages of tapered titanium stems, there still remains a role for more extensively coated cylindrical stems in patients that have had prior surgery of the proximal femur, particularly for a hip fracture, which makes proximal fixation, ingrowth, and immediate mechanical stability difficult to assure consistently. Cement fixation should also be considered in these cases. While the marketplace and the clinical evidence strongly support routine use of tapered titanium proximally coated relatively short stems with angled rather than straight proximal lateral geometry in the vast majority of cases, there still remains a role for more extensively coated cylindrical and for specific indications.
Resolving a long‐standing model‐observation discrepancy on ozone solar cycle response

To have the capability for long-term prediction of stratospheric ozone (O3), chemistry-climate models have often been tested against observations on decadal timescales. A model-observation discrepancy in the tropical O3 response to the 11 year solar cycle, first noted in 1993, persists for more than 20 years: While standard photochemical models predict a single-peak response in the stratosphere, satellite observations show an unexpected double-peak structure. Such discrepancy has led to the question of whether the current standard O3 photochemistry is deficient. Various studies have explored uncertainties in photochemistry and dynamics but there has not been compelling evidence of model biases. Here we suggest that decadal satellite orbital drifts relative to the diurnal cycle could be the primary cause of the discrepancy. We show that the double-peak structure can be reproduced by adding the A.M./P.M. diurnal difference to the single-peak response predicted by the standard photochemistry. Thus we argue that the standard photochemistry is consistent with the observed solar cycle modulation in stratospheric O3.
Reconstruction of Signals From Their Autocorrelation and Cross-Correlation Vectors, With Applications to Phase Retrieval and Blind Channel Estimation

We consider the problem of reconstructing two signals from the autocorrelation and cross-correlation measurements. This inverse problem is a fundamental one in signal processing, and arises in many applications, including phase retrieval and blind channel estimation. In a typical phase retrieval setup, only the autocorrelation measurements are obtainable. We show that, when the measurements are obtained using three simple “masks”, phase retrieval reduces to the aforementioned reconstruction problem. The classic solution to this problem is based on finding common factors between the $z$ -transforms of the autocorrelation and cross-correlation vectors. This solution has enjoyed limited practical success, mainly due to the fact that it is not sufficiently stable in the noisy setting. In this paper, inspired by the success of convex programming in provably and stably solving various quadratic constrained problems, we develop a semidefinite programming-based algorithm and provide theoretical guarantees. In particular, we show that almost all signals can be uniquely recovered by this algorithm (up to a global phase). Comparative numerical studies demonstrate that the proposed method significantly outperforms the classic method in the noisy setting.
XPOD &#8211; A Human Activity and Emotion Aware Mobile Music Player

XPod automates the process of manually choosing music best suited for a user's current activity. The success of the initial implementation of XPod concepts provides the basis for further exploration of human- and emotion-aware mobile systems. Our current work is investigating the notion of closed loop emotion based mobile devices. Such new user experiences should be considered possible (if not highly probable) components of future user experience and technology. While preliminary, the XPod work presented here is an attempt is to provide an activity and state aware user experience, producing a technology that may change the way people experience digital music on mobile devices
Immigrants on the Land: Coffee and Society in São Paulo, 1886-1934

When slavery was abolished in 1880, Sao Paulo, Brazil, subsidized the immigration of workers from southern Europe and Japan. Faced with a worldwide coffee market and abundant land for expansion, native planters developed a package of incentives to attract workers, in contrast to the coercive labor systems historically common in other plantation systems. By the 1930s a clear majority of the small and medium-sized coffee farms were owned by first-generation immigrants. Originally published 1980. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.