cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Challenges in the current antiangiogenic treatment paradigm for patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) often present with advanced disease and cure rates are dismal with currently available treatment. Novel therapies including small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies are being developed to target angiogenesis, an essential step in tumorigenesis and metastasis. The only antiangiogenic agent currently approved for treatment of NSCLC is bevacizumab, although numerous other antiangiogenic inhibitors (e.g., sorafenib, sunitinib, cediranib, motesanib, BIBF 1120) are in clinical trials. Individualized treatment algorithms may improve patient outcomes and new evidence suggests that biomarkers may guide treatment decisions. We present an overview of the molecular pathways involved in angiogenesis, discuss clinical trials of bevacizumab and developmental antiangiogenic agents, and address the challenges of developing individualized treatment paradigms for NSCLC, particularly the use of biomarkers.
Influence of chimpanzee predation on the red colobus population at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda

Frequent hunting of red colobus monkeys (Procolobus rufomitratus) takes place at all long-term chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) study sites where both species are present. Red colobus are the most commonly selected prey of chimpanzees even when other monkey species are more abundant. In particular, the chimpanzee community at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda, preys heavily on red colobus monkeys: the chimpanzee hunting success rate is extremely high, and chimpanzees kill many individuals per successful hunt. Census data had suggested that the red colobus population is declining and that predation by chimpanzees may be contributing to this decline. In this paper, I address the impact of hunting on the red colobus population at Ngogo. To test the hypothesis that chimpanzee hunting is sustainable, I am using demographic data collected on red colobus monkeys over a period of 3 years, as well as fecundity and mortality data from previous studies of this species. I apply matrix models and vortex analyses using a sensitivity analysis approach to project future population development. Results show that current rates of hunting are not sustainable, but that chimpanzees are neither more “noble”, nor more “savage” than humans are, but that they also hunt to ensure maximum benefit without regard for the consequences for the prey population.
Curie depth determination from aeromagnetic spectra

Summary. We study aeromagnetic maps from four areas in the Western United States: Utah High Plateaus, Yellowstone National Park, Southern Great Basin, and Uinta Basin. In the first area we try to infer depth-to-bottom of magnetic source by comparison of individual anomalies with theoretical fields of vertical prisms. We conclude that this task is impossible, at least for the few anomalies considered. Assuming a bottomless prism a fit can be obtained which is not significantly worse than the best fit obtainable with any prism model. This is documented by both nonlinear and linear inverse theory. We then turn to a spectral theory like that of Spector & Grant. The advantage of spectral analysis is that the broad, low-amplitude negative flanks of positive anomalies are included even though they may be covered by adjacent positive anomalies. The disadvantage is sensitivity to finite data length: the spectra are interpreted with models derived by Fourier transformation in an infinite domain. Anomalies which are only partly included in the map can degrade the estimated spectrum. We try several techniques to deal with this problem, but none seem universally applicable. These techniques include elimination of part of the map and subtraction of a low-order polynomial. For computation of the spectral estimate our favourite procedure is: (1) average autocovariance over azimuth, (2) extrapolate to large lags as r-5, (3) Hankel transform the radial autocovariance profile to a radial power profile. Our usual model for interpretation of the low-frequency spectra is a truncated right circular cone defined by the four parameters ZT (depth to top), ZB (depth to bottom), RT (top radius) and RB (bottom radius). For the Utah High Plateaus and Uinta Basin we find a distinct preference for sloping sides, i.e. RB > RT. In analysing individual anomalies as well as spectra we find anticorrelation of ZT and ZB. We attribute this to the centroid of the average source body being better determined than its thickness.
The Viagra AdVenture: Masculinity, media, and the performance of sexual health

By Jay Baglia (Peter Lang: New York, 2005), 165 pp., US$26.95 (pbk), ISBN 978‐0‐8204‐7489‐2. Jay Baglia, a Communication Studies professor, self‐identified ‘pro‐feminist male’ and ‘gender traitor’ ...
Effects of Finescale Debris on Near-Surface Tornado Dynamics

Abstract Debris clouds provide an important visual signature of tornadoes and can potentially significantly affect the wind structure, damage potential, and Doppler radar measurements of tornado wind speeds. To study such issues, the dynamics of finescale debris have been added to an existing high-resolution large-eddy simulation model of tornado dynamics. A so-called “two-fluid” or “Eulerian–Eulerian” approach is employed, together with a surface layer model for lofting and depositing debris. In this paper the debris implementation is described, three critical dimensionless parameters governing tornado debris effects are identified, and sample results from a large set of simulations of tornadoes with idealized debris are presented. The results demonstrate that the accumulation of small-scale debris within the surface layer and corner flow can significantly alter the wind speeds and flow structure of the tornado vortex within a few hundred meters of the surface. They suggest that the total mass of the deb...
An investigation into the application of an ensemble Kalman smoother to high-dimensional geophysical systems

We examine the application of ensemble Kalman filter algorithms to the smoothing problem in high-dimensional geophysical prediction systems. The goal of smoothing is to make optimal estimates of the geophysical system state making best use of observations taken before, at, and after the analysis time. We begin by reviewing the underlying probabilistic theory, along with a discussion how to implement a smoother using an ensemble Kalman filter algorithm. The novel contribution of this paper is the investigation of various key issues regarding the application of ensemble Kalman filters to smoothing using a series of Observing System Simulation Experiments in both a Lorenz 1996 model and an Atmospheric General Circulation Model. The results demonstrate the impacts of non-linearities, ensemble size, observational network configuration and covariance localization. The Atmospheric General Circulation model results demonstrate that the ensemble Kalman smoother (EnKS) can be successfully applied to high-dimensional estimation problems and that covariance localization plays a critical role in its success. The results of this paper provide a foundation of understanding which will be useful in future applications of EnKS algorithms.
An Investigation of Measurement Invariance across Genders on the Overexcitability Questionnaire-Two.

The Overexcitability Questionnaire–Two (OEQII) is a quantitative instrument for assessing overexcitabilities as they are described in Dabrowski’s theory of positive disintegration. This article uses multigroup confirmatory factor analysis to examine the measurement invariance of OEQII scores across genders. Results indicate that raw OEQII scores cannot be compared across genders. Caution should be used in interpreting OEQII scores.
Children's use of advanced information in spatially compatible and incompatible assignments.

Research on adult populations has shown individuals are faster at processing information, i.e., have faster reaction times, from compatible as compared to incompatible assignments. Additionally, research has shown that reaction times decrease when advanced information, i.e., a precue, is provided to the subject. The present study examined whether children would exhibit results similar to those of adults. Subjects were 18 fourth graders (M age 9 yr.) who responded to compatible and incompatible assignments across four precue intervals (0-no precue, 1500, 3000, and 4500 msec.) Analysis of the data indicated that similar to adults, children had faster reaction times to compatible (667 msec., SD=176) than to incompatible assignments (798 msec., SD=218). Results also indicated that as the precue interval increased, reaction times decreased (885, 711, 679, and 660 msec. for the 0-no precue, 1500-, 3000-, and 4500-msec intervals, respectively). These findings suggest that children exhibit typical compatibility effects and are capable of processing advanced information to enhance motor performance.
Towards a centerpiece for ecological economics

This paper offers a hypothesis with cognitive claims for a social theory that is relevant for ecological economics. As background, a fable has Ego metaphorically viewed as a horse driven to problematic extremes with the solution becoming an integration and balance of means with the other horse, Empathy: the Ego’n’Empathy Hypothesis. Starting with a new root metaphor which is extended with a pre-analytic vision, the main support for the cognitive claims is with a mathematical model and a metaeconomic analysis. Armed with both scope and precision, along with an assortment of corroborative evidence from different disciplines, the paper provides support for establishing a new center. Cognitive claims have ego and empathy apart giving value and possibilities, and together, as ego-empathy, giving an emergent value possibility. This possibility suggests a rallying point for transdisciplinary work and a theoretical centerpiece for ecological economics. Suited as such, the economic ego of homo economicus is distinguished from the political ego of sacro egoismo. Corroboration with Adam Smith’s moral philosophy–political economy is highlighted: the individual person of an empirical ethics stemming from both ‘self-interest’ and ‘fellow feeling’ is resurrected to support the Hypothesis. Awareness emerges like a complementary consciousness, an added value, strikingly similar to Smith’s ‘impartial spectator’. Empirical demonstration concludes this integration of interests with a metaeconomic analysis for the case of soil and water conservation policy in the North American farming population. Taken together, the root metaphor with reasonable scope and precision, corroboration and demonstration help to structure the Ego’n’Empathy Hypothesis. D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Letter to the editor: remarks on Differential equation of Appell polynomials...

We show that a recent result of He and Ricci (J. Comp. Appl. Math. 139 (2002) 231) on differential equations for Appell polynomials is valid for all polynomial sequences.
Does timing matter? Upstream or downstream administration of antiplatelet therapy.

Abstract Current treatment guidelines recommend an early, aggressive strategy in patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes. Administration of antiplatelet therapy—a glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitor with or without clopidogrel—before catheterization in patients with high-risk features confers substantially reduced risk of ischemic events while potentially increasing bleeding risk. Strategies for risk stratification are therefore important in the emergency department, with appropriate pharmacotherapy. This review will examine implications of the new guidelines for management of patients with unstable angina/non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction for emergency physicians, review current risk stratification paradigms, and evaluate appropriate use and timing of administration of glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitors and clopidogrel for patients at varying levels of risk. We will also examine mechanisms for generating institutional care pathways that can enhance consistency and quality of care as well as communication among members of the medical team responsible for caring the patient with acute coronary syndrome.
Utilization of glycogen but not plasma glucose is reduced in individuals with NIDDM during mild-intensity exercise

Colberg, Sheri R., James M. Hagberg, Steve D. McCole, Joseph M. Zmuda, Paul D. Thompson, and David E. Kelley. Utilization of glycogen but not plasma glucose is reduced in individuals with NIDDM dur...
Application of information theory to switching function minimisation

The paper applies the information theoretic approach the authors have developed for the construction of efficient decision trees to the two-level switching function minimisation problem.
Exploiting structure in combinatorial problems with applications in computational sustainability

Combinatorial decision and optimization problems are at the core of many tasks with practical importance in areas as diverse as planning and scheduling, supply chain management, hardware and software verification, electronic commerce, and computational biology. Another important source of combinatorial problems is the newly emerging field of computational sustainability, which addresses decision-making aimed at balancing social, economic and environmental needs to guarantee the long-term prosperity of life on our planet. This dissertation studies different forms of problem structure that can be exploited in developing scalable algorithmic techniques capable of addressing large real-world combinatorial problems. There are three major contributions in this work: (1) We study a form of hidden problem structure called a backdoor, a set of key decision variables that captures the combinatorics of the problem, and reveal that many real-world problems encoded as Boolean satisfiability or mixed-integer linear programs contain small backdoors. We study backdoors both theoretically and empirically and characterize important tradeoffs between the computational complexity of finding backdoors and their effectiveness in capturing problem structure succinctly. (2) We contribute several domain-specific mathematical formulations and algorithmic techniques that exploit specific aspects of problem structure arising in budget-constrained conservation planning for wildlife habitat connectivity. Our solution approaches scale to real-world conservation settings and provide important decision-support tools for cost–benefit analysis. (3) We propose a new survey-planning methodology to assist in the construction of accurate predictive models, which are especially relevant in sustainability areas such as species-distribution prediction and climate-change impact studies. In particular, we design a technique that takes advantage of submodularity, a structural property of the function to be optimized, and results in a polynomial-time procedure with approximation guarantees.
Dynamic modeling of semi-active ER/MR fluid dampers

This study focuses on a fluid mechanics approach utilizing the Herschel-Bulkley constitutive equation to develop a theoretical model for predicting the behavior of field- controllable electro-rheological (ER) and magneto- rheological (MR) fluid dampers. The aim of this research is to provide an accurate theoretical model for analysis, design, and development of control algorithms for ER/MR fluid dampers. The Herschel-Bulkley quasi-steady analysis is extended to include the effect of fluid compressibility. The major advantage of the proposed model is its dependency on only the geometric and material properties of the device. The theoretical results are validated by an experimental study. It is demonstrated that the proposed fluid mechanics- based dynamic model can effectively predict the behavior of field-controllable fluid dampers.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Sustaining Global Competitiveness in the Provision of Complex Products and Systems: The Case of Civilian Nuclear Power Technology

Much research on catch-up by late industrializers focuses on mass manufactured goods. This paper analyzes nuclear power development in China to examine catch-up for a different kind of product, a “complex product system.” We argue that the most difficult-to-replicate knowledge here involves not the production of physical subsystems, but instead the ability to integrate the system as a whole. By disaggregating the capabilities behind nuclear power plant deployment, this paper differentiates between capabilities customers can negotiate to acquire, capabilities that evolve naturally in the locale of system deployment, and capabilities that remain persistently in the hands of technology originators.
A Public Health Approach to Warfare

The field of public health aims to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of human populations. Warfare poses threats to human beings in many ways that the public health approach can help define and track through time. The impact of war on civilians is a particular feature of concern to public health experts, who have in recent years contributed to our general understanding of civilian morbidity and mortality in war by documenting numbers of people affected, describing patterns of morbidity and mortality, and identifying vulnerable risk groups. Among the particular technologies of warfare that are pervasively harmful to civilian populations, public health investigators have been especially concerned with the short and longer-term consequences of antipersonnel landmines and other explosive remnants of war. Yet despite the evidence, which public health methods have helped to accumulate, that warfare constitutes a devastating assault on human life, the field of public health has also been influenced in positive ways by military activity and experience. Advances in science (including technology), law, and social mobilization have been incorporated into public health practice and analytic frameworks. Public health strategies of prevention and mitigation are influenced by these advances and in turn offer options for policy engagement with all phases of warfare that might help to reduce the most severe impacts of war on civilian populations.
Vómitos incoercibles durante el embarazo

Los vomitos gravidicos, sintomas fisiologicos en el primer trimestre, constituyen un motivo frecuente de consulta y de hospitalizacion en sus formas incoercibles (hiperemesis gravidica). Complican el 0,3-3,6% de los embarazos y son la primera causa de hospitalizacion durante el primer trimestre del embarazo. Los vomitos incoercibles son responsables de perdida de peso (superior al 5% del peso inicial) con deshidratacion, cetoacidosis o hipopotasemia. En caso de desequilibrios graves, resulta obligado hospitalizar a la paciente para descartar un posible origen organico y tratar de modo eficaz los vomitos, con el fin de evitar una evolucion hacia la gravedad o, incluso, la muerte materna y/o fetal.
Using Two-Dimensional Edge Detection to Produce Three-Dimensional Medical Prototypes from MRI Data

Currently, medical practitioners can export medical resonance imaging (MRI) files to specialized software technologies to create a rapid prototype of bone or soft tissue. This specialized software may not be readily available to smaller medical practices; the purpose of this undergraduate research project (sponsored in part by the NASA Space Grant Internship program) was to develop a process more suitable for use with conventional computation engineering tools. Initially, we developed a process which examined two-dimensional slice images from the MRI data (provided in the form of an audio video interleave (AVI) file). A simple edge threshold detection method identified bone boundaries. However, this method proved troublesome for slice data associated with interior surfaces of cavity features, such as that represented by the human skull. This experience led to the development of a three-step process. The Canny edge-detection method was used as a preprocessor on the slice-images, with the purpose of enhancing the detection of bone boundaries. The second step involved refining the bone boundary locations into specific X-Y coordinate positions through the use of a Matlab computer program. These sets of slice data points were then assembled as a three-dimensional point cloud and imported into a computer-aided design package (SolidWorks). This CAD software enables the user to further manipulate the model into an STL file format, suitable for reproduction on a rapid prototyping machine.
When are Real-Time Feedback Loops Most Valuable? New Insights from Bandit Simulations of Decision Making in Turbulent Environments

Businesses are increasingly encouraged to invest in technologies to support real-time feedback loops between decision making and analysis, but research has little examined when real-time feedback is most and least valuable. In the present study we extend the canonical model of decision making under uncertainty to examine how the value of real-time feedback varies with the turbulence of the decision environment. Additionally, we explored the complementarity of real-time feedback with a knowledge renewal capability that serves to unlearn out-of-date knowledge. Simulation results reveal an unexpected nonlinearity: a real-time feedback loop has a markedly greater positive impact on performance at moderate levels of turbulence that at high or low levels of turbulence. The impacts of knowledge renewal capacity, as we simulated it, are less clear-cut, and the two capabilities were not found to interact. Implications for research and practice, and recommendations for further study are discussed in the paper's final section.
Ascotricha Xylina: Its Occurrence, Morphology, and Typification

The isolation of Ascotricha xylina from sunflower (Helianthus annuus) oilseed grown in the U.S. is the first record of this fungus from sunflower seed and from the Western hemisphere. Examination of specimens of A. xylina from world herbaria confirmed the determination as A. xylina, and led to the discovery ofthe holotype that was lost for 33 years and the recognition of an isotype. The sizes of ascospores and widths of perithecial hairs from these specimens showed greater variation than described by Ames. Undescribed conidiogenous areas on perithecial hair apices were observed in culture. Centrum tissues appeared similar to other Ascotricha species, with broad, septate paraphyses interspersed among asci with non-amyloid apices.
EVOLUTION UNDER INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION: FIELD EXPERIMENTS ON TERRESTRIAL SALAMANDERS.

Few biologists question the reality of evolution by natural selection, but some aspects of the subject have been the cause of dissention and embarrassment. The difficulty of finding situations in the field which offer potential for scientifically acceptable experiments on evolutionary phenomena is one reason why we have the challenge that the subject is tautological. A second reason is that the evolutionary phenomena of most interest require far more time than is available for experimentation. Recent papers by Peters (1976, 1977), responses by Stebbins (1977), Caplan (1977), Castrodenza (1977), and the exchange by MacBeth (1978), Rosen (1978), and Hairston, Jr. (1979), indicate the frequency with which the controversy surfaces. This paper describes field experiments testing hypotheses concerning the course of evolution under the pressure of interspecific competition. One of the most widely held theories in evolutionary ecology concerns the response of species to interspecific competition. The theory holds that ecologically equivalent species in contact will evolve to become different by an amount specified by their positions on the "resource spectrum." This theory, which in princiDle is an old one. has been formalized over the past 20 years (Hutchinson, 1959; Hutchinson and MacArthur, 1959; MacArthur and Levins, 1964, 1967; MacArthur, 1970, 1972; May and MacArthur, 1972; May 1973). It has become a fundamental assumption in theories of community ecology (Levins, 1968; May, 1973). Tests of the theory have so far consisted of analyses of observational data using resources which were assumed to be limiting, but verification of the limiting nature of the resources has nearly always been lacking, or when experimentally demonstrated, such as is the case with space in the rocky intertidal (Connell, 1961a, 1961b; 1970; Dayton, 1971; Lubchenko and Menge, 1978), the alignment of species on the resource axis has not been formalized. The theory has been challenged in terms of its failure to consider factors other than competition (Paine, 1966; Hairston, 1980; e.g.), but given the assumption of competition, it has rarely been suggested that evolution might take some course other than that of niche diversification. The possibility of selecting for the specific ability to interfere with a competitor (alphaselection) was suggested by Gill (1972) but the idea has excited little interest in the general enthusiasm for niche diversifica409
The Executive Council, with Special Reference to Massachusetts 1

The Massachusetts constitution of 1780 provided that there should be a council “for advising the governor in the executive part of the government.” The governor was authorized to convene the council at any time at his discretion “for the ordering and directing the affairs of the commonwealth.” Without the advice and consent of the council, the governor was declared to be incapable of exercising any of his powers of convoking, adjourning, or proroguing the legislature, of making appointments to office, of pardoning criminals, or of authorizing by warrant the expenditure of public moneys. The governor was not made dependent upon the advice and consent of his council in exercise of his legislative powers. He might at discretion recommend measures to the legislature and veto legislative enactments, but no executive authority whatsoever was entrusted to him alone, to be exercised without his council's advice and consent, except the command of the armed forces of the commonwealth. In short, the governor, though declared to be the supreme executive magistrate of the commonwealth, without the consent of his council was impotent in the conduct of state administration. In the beginning the Massachusetts council was chosen by the legislature, and constituted one of the chief agencies relied upon by the revolutionary “fathers” to protect the people against the menace of executive usurpation and tyranny. Similar bulwarks of liberty were established in most of the other states.
Breeding and Application of Quality Rice Restorer Line Yihui 4245

Yihui 4245,developed from the cross of 81136/Y ihui 1//Yihui 1577 by the Rice Institute of Yibin Academy of Agricultural Scienc es,is a restorer line with good grain quality in rice.It is characteristic of good plant type,strong restoring ability,good grain quality and favorable flow ering habits with heavy pollen load.With good grain quality meeting the 3rd class of standards for indica rice issued by the Ministry of Agriculture,its F1 hybrid Yixiang 4245(Yixiang 1 A/Yihui 4245) was registered and released t o commercial production by Sichuan Provincial Crop Variety Appraisal Committee i n 2009.
2×25.625G Low power optical IC for thunderbolt optical cable technology

This paper presents low power, 2×25.625Gb/s optical transmitter and receiver ICs for Intel Thunderbolt optical cable technology which is designed to connect electronic devices with the intension to become the standardized optical interconnect. Same circuit with four channels (4×25.625Gb/s) can be used in 100G data center optical communication. Each transmitter channel consumes 68mW, receiver channel consumes 78mW. Total power consumption is 146mW for each 25.625Gb/s optical link, which gives 5.69mW/Gb/s. ICs are implemented on BiCMOS process, each two channel IC occupies a die area of 0.884mm × 1.226mm. The ICs have lowest power consumption and smallest die area in industry.
Nonautonomous Roles of MAB-5/Hox and the Secreted Basement Membrane Molecule SPON-1/F-Spondin in Caenorhabditis elegans Neuronal Migration

Nervous system development and circuit formation requires neurons to migrate from their birthplaces to specific destinations.Migrating neurons detect extracellular cues that provide guidance information. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the Q right (QR) and Q left (QL) neuroblast descendants migrate long distances in opposite directions. The Hox gene lin-39 cell autonomously promotes anterior QR descendant migration, and mab-5/Hox cell autonomously promotes posterior QL descendant migration. Here we describe a nonautonomous role of mab-5 in regulating both QR and QL descendant migrations, a role masked by redundancy with lin-39 A third Hox gene, egl-5/Abdominal-B, also likely nonautonomously regulates Q descendant migrations. In the lin-39 mab-5 egl-5 triple mutant, little if any QR and QL descendant migration occurs. In addition to well-described roles of lin-39 and mab-5 in the Q descendants, our results suggest that lin-39, mab-5, and egl-5 might also pattern the posterior region of the animal for Q descendant migration. Previous studies showed that the spon-1 gene might be a target of MAB-5 in Q descendant migration. spon-1 encodes a secreted basement membrane molecule similar to vertebrate F-spondin. Here we show that spon-1 acts nonautonomously to control Q descendant migration, and might function as a permissive rather than instructive signal for cell migration. We find that increased levels of MAB-5 in body wall muscle (BWM) can drive the spon-1 promoter adjacent to the Q cells, and loss of spon-1 suppresses mab-5 gain of function. Thus, MAB-5 might nonautonomously control Q descendant migrations by patterning the posterior region of the animal to which Q cells respond. spon-1 expression from BWMs might be part of the posterior patterning necessary for directed Q descendant migration.
Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Members' Perspectives on Program Goals and National Metrics.

Abstract Purpose This study compares antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP)–stated goals and outcomes collected as well as opinions regarding national metric establishment. Methods Twenty-one ASP members underwent telephone interviews answering open-ended questions about ASP goals, outcomes collected, and opinions about national metrics. Content analysis was used to code responses into predefined ASP-metric categories. Findings The most common ASP goal was antimicrobial appropriateness (76%), outcomes tracked were use and microbial outcomes (both 71%), and desired national metric was use (67%). Implications Stated-goals, outcomes tracked, and opinions regarding national metric establishment did not fully align. With ASP-related regulations looming, it is important that alignment is increased.
Signet ring plasma cell myeloma.

![Figure][1] An 84-year-old man with a history of multiple myeloma presented to the emergency department with new-onset aphasia, worsening bilateral lower extremity weakness, and confusion of 3-day duration. Clinical examination and imaging studies ruled out an acute stroke. A complete
Myelolipoma associated with adrenal ganglioneuroma.

Abstract Adrenal myelolipomas are rare, benign mesenchymal tumors composed of mature adipose tissue and hematopoietic cells in varying proportions. Although the majority of cases occur as isolated ...
Saw chipping improvement to achieve defect free bare die products

In the recent years, there is increasing trend of utilizing bare die (without packaging) in many applications. For semiconductors provider, this type of business requires totally new quality expectations, because there is nothing covering the die. The die sawing process becomes very critical, as not only rejects are not allowed, but the die physical quality and appearance are also easily visible to the customers. The die saw chipping become one of the most critical issue, as its appearance can create all kind of customer concerns and complaints. One of the effective containment actions is rejecting all defective die and even those cosmetic rejects. However, this action consumes a lot of yield loss without providing real benefits to both providers and customers. In order to go for real improvements, conventional methods were verified again, follows by utilization of more comprehensive methods. One interesting finding was slower table speed did not provide better saw cutting quality, but instead much worse chipping was observed. Therefore, a new comprehensive method was required and expected analysis need to be performed with a lot of fundamental verifications. These verifications required to be performed on the material properties, blade behaviours, cutting characteristics and process parameters. From initial verification, current process window had repeatedly showing high yield loss of around 10%. With screening tests of various process parameters did not provide any significant statistical model, indicating there were more significant factors. Therefore, a new process need to be established from fundamental level, started from material properties. Due to chipping occurrence happens at the backmetal layer, the understanding of its metallization scheme was important. From previous process experience, blade cutting requirements are unique per respective metal scheme. There were several blade properties selected for evaluations, together with pre-conditioning performance (dressing & pre-cut). Surprisingly, the blade pre-conditioning played much critical role. The pre-conditioning is required to remove the blade bonding material and exposing uniform diamond grit. Only when the blade achieved ready condition, new blade features could be effective. The optimum blade features utilized balancing of grit size and concentration base on considerations of blade entry and exit from wafer. With optimum blade, several rounds of process window optimization proved that some conventional perceptions might not work well in actual process. When the optimized window was ready, robustness tests managed to confirm its performance. The last step of process development was executing effective and optimum process control to make sure successful noise prevention. When optimum process implemented in production, saw chipping was eliminated, saving yield loss of 10%. More importantly, customer quality risk was improved to zero, resulted in multi folding effect of their confidence level to the maximum level.
Exposure to DDT and diabetic nephropathy among Mexican Americans in the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Abstract Concentrations of the pesticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and its metabolite DDE (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene), in the blood of Mexican Americans, were evaluated to determine their relationships with diabetes and diabetic nephropathy. The data were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2004 (unweighted N = 1,411, population estimate = 13,760,609). The sample included teens, 12–19 years old, which accounted for 19.8% of the data. The time of the study overlapped the banning of DDT in Mexico in the year 2000, and those participants born in Mexico were exposed to DDT before they immigrated to the US. We sought to better understand the relationship of DDT with diabetes in a race/ethnicity group prone to develop diabetes and exposed to DDT. In this study, nephropathy was defined as urinary albumin to creatinine ratio >30 mg/g, representing microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria, and total diabetes was defined as diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes (glycohemoglobin, A1c ≥ 6.5%). The proportion with the isomer p,p′- DDT >0.086 ng/g (above the maximum limit of detection) was 13.3% for Mexican Americans born in the US, and 36.9% for those born in Mexico. Levels of p,p′- DDT >0.086 ng/g were associated with total diabetes with nephropathy (odds ratio = 4.42, 95% CI 2.23–8.76), and with total diabetes without nephropathy (odds ratio = 2.02, 95% CI 1.19–3.44). The third quartile of p,p′- DDE (2.99–7.67 ng/g) and the fourth quartile of p,p′- DDE (≥7.68 ng/g) were associated with diabetic nephropathy and had odds ratios of 5.32 (95% CI 1.05–26.87) and 14.95 (95% CI 2.96–75.48) compared to less than the median, respectively, whereas p,p′- DDE was not associated with total diabetes without nephropathy. The findings of this study differ from those of a prior investigation of the general adult US population in that there were more associations found with the Mexican Americans sample.
Maternal Exercise Throughout Gestation and Fetal Development

Initial research established the safety and efficacy of maternal exercise during pregnancy for mother and even the placenta. But what about baby? The next logical progression of research interest is what effect maternal exercise has on the fetus and its development. In order to investigate this further, research will need to control for factors that are known to influence activity state of the fetus, such as time of day, or recordings, as well as time since last maternal meal/snack. It is suggested that acute or chronic maternal exercise does not impact the fetal activity state. Though it appeared that acute maternal exercise may affect fetal breathing movements, many factors were not controlled. To further elucidate, follow-up studies focused on exposure to regular maternal exercise throughout gestation found no evidence of fetal distress or lack of oxygen throughout the pregnancy. The plethora of research clearly shows that the fetal heart is able to respond during acute bouts of maternal exercise. The effects of this response were further illuminated by a study of chronic exposure to maternal exercise. Fetal heart outcomes due to regular maternal exercise are similar to adult heart response to exercise training. Whether fetal motor activity is influenced by regular maternal exercise is an area that still needs further study. Lastly, the evidence of fetal nervous system development points to properly advancing gestation and possibly a more advanced trajectory. Overall, fetal development is not adversely affected from exposure to maternal exercise.
A probabilistic interference distribution model encompassing cellular LOS and NLOS mmWave propagation

We propose a novel probabilistic model for the interference power distributions in a cellular network employing MIMO beamforming in mmWave spectrum. Considering both line-of-sight (LOS) and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagations, we use the Gamma distribution for LOS interference power, and propose a mixture of the Inverse Gaussian and Inverse Weibull distributions for the NLOS interference power. For the NLOS mixture model, an expectation maximization algorithm is developed using both analytical moment matching and maximum likelihood estimation. The composite probabilistic model is tested against simulation data obtained from a stochastic geometry based cellular network and demonstrates low relative entropy (Kullback-Leibler distances) for a wide range of practical mmWave path loss and shadowing values.
Acid/Base Disturbances

An 11-month-old with congenital heart disease is scheduled for a hypospadias repair. His blood gas reveals metabolic alkalosis and respiratory acidosis. This chapter will examine the causes of acid/base disturbances of this type and review causes and appropriate steps for correction. Questions involve the physiology and chemistry behind acid/base balance and perturbation. Classification of acidosis and alkalosis is explored.
Role of Nitric Oxide-Releasing Chitosan Oligosaccharides on Mucus Viscoelasticity

Nitric oxide (NO)-releasing chitosan oligosaccharides were modified with ester functional groups to examine how the mucoadhesive nature of the scaffold impacts the ability of NO to degrade mucins from human bronchial epithelial cell cultures and clinical sputum samples collected from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Agarose gel electrophoresis experiments indicated that the mucoadhesive NO-releasing chitosan oligosaccharides degraded both the purified mucins and sputum, while control scaffolds (without NO release or mucoadhesive ligands) had no effect on mucin structure. Microscopic observations of sputum treated with the mucoadhesive NO-releasing chitosan oligosaccharide confirmed degradation of the mucin and DNA networks. Similarly, the viscosity and elasticity of sputum were reduced upon treatment with the mucoadhesive NO-releasing chitosan, demonstrating the potential utility of these NO-releasing scaffolds as mucolytic agents.
Quantitative Analysis of the DNA Methylation Sensitivity of Transcription Factor Complexes

Although DNA modifications play an important role in gene regulation, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We developed EpiSELEX-seq to probe the sensitivity of transcription factor binding to DNA modification in vitro using massively parallel sequencing. Feature-based modeling quantifies the effect of cytosine methylation (5mC) on binding free energy in a position-specific manner. Application to the human bZIP proteins ATF4 and C/EBPβ and three different Pbx-Hox complexes shows that 5mCpG can both increase and decrease affinity, depending on where the modification occurs within the protein-DNA interface. The TF paralogs tested vary in their methylation sensitivity, for which we provide a structural rationale. We show that 5mCpG can also enhance in vitro p53 binding and provide evidence for increased in vivo p53 occupancy at methylated binding sites, correlating with primed enhancer histone marks. Our results establish a powerful strategy for dissecting the epigenomic modulation of protein-DNA interactions and their role in gene regulation.
Abstract 3703: A genomic characterization of testicular germ cell tumor immune microenvironment

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) are a histologically diverse set of tumors and the most common cancer type in young men. As part of the TCGA effort, we analyzed tumors from 133 patients including 4 patients with asynchronous double primary TGCTs (137 primary tumors) by histopathologic, genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic methods. We noted molecular signatures of various immune cells were greater in seminomas than other histologies. Specifically, we find seminomas show elevation of expression signatures for B-Cells, Cytotoxic T-Cells, Th17 Cells, and T-regulatory cells. This increase in immune cells were accompanied by high expression of specific cytokines and key immune checkpoint molecules such as CTLA4, LAG3, and PD-L1. Strong positive correlations were identified between immune cell signatures and increases in T-Cell and B-Cell receptor diversity measures. Interestingly, increases in receptor diversity also showed strong positive associations to gene expression signatures for anti-tumor immune responses. This indicates that anti-tumor immune responses in seminomas may be polyclonal. We found no evidence for relationships between immune cells and mutation load, neoantigen load, or detected viruses. We do observe that seminomas have significantly high expression of the testis specific antigens, yet the contribution of these antigens to the immune response did not show strong or uniform statistical indications. Instead, the strongest association between expanded immune cells populations in seminomas were the presence of activating mutations in KIT accompanied by elevation of gene expression of signatures associated with KIT and expression of MHC class I and II genes. Together, these data describe the immune microenvironment of seminomas and suggest alterations and events in the kit pathway as being critical to the nature of the immune microenvironment in seminomas. Citation Format: Daniel P. Hollern, Katie Hoadley, Benjamin Vincent, Charles M. Perou, TCGA Testicular Germ Cell Tumor Analysis Working Group. A genomic characterization of testicular germ cell tumor immune microenvironment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3703. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3703
Serrated tensile flow in inconel X750 sheets: Effect of heat treatment

Abstract The tensile behavior of gamma prime precipitation hardened nickel-chromium superalloy X-750 sheets was investigated in the as received (i.e. non-heat treated NHT) and heat treated (HT) states. The evolution of mechanical properties were studied as a function of strain rate (10 −3 , 10 −4 , and 10 −5 s −1 ) and temperature (23–900 °C). The Portevin Le Chatelier (PLC) effect was observed in both HT and NHT X-750, with the occurrence of saw-tooth type serrations accompanying hardening until rupture at intermediate temperatures. Above 800–900 °C, the stress-strain curves showed a softening effect, with the occurrence of sinusoidal serrations indicative of Dynamic Recristallization. The temperature ranges of the PLC effect were determined for both NHT and HT X750 highlighting the effect of heat treatment. The strain rate was observed to shift the PLC temperature regime for both NHT and HT X-750. Type A, B, and C PLC serrations were observed for both HT and NHT, and serration amplitude increased with temperature and decreasing strain rate. The NHT X-750 was found to exhibit more instances of normal PLC effect whereas the HT material exhibited more cases of inverse PLC behavior. The normal PLC regime activation energies were calculated for both NHT and HT cases respectively, and the results suggest carbon as the responsible solute for serrations in this range.
Abstract 049: Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number and Incident Atrial Fibrillation: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC)

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinical arrhythmia. Molecular studies suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with increased risk of AF through reduced product...
The Family in Modern Chinese Law

The Civil Code of the Republic of China was published during the years 1929–1931, the Criminal Code in 1935. A great number of other law codes were published before and during this period. Almost all of them have the legal systems of Continental European countries as their basis. The driving power behind this feverish legislative activity was the endeavor of the Republican regime to modernize China and to eliminate every pretext of Western powers to perpetuate extraterritoriality.
Frequency-dependent rejection, spectral separation coefficient, and interference analysis

Improving spectrum use to enable existing and upcoming modern communication and navigation services has increased the potential for interference. This potential is a critical issue that must be addressed carefully, to avoid degrading the performance of all the services utilizing a particular band of spectrum. Frequency allocation issues are addressed by agencies such as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) domestically, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) globally. When a new service is seeking to use a part of the spectrum already in use on a shared basis, the need for interference analysis cannot be overemphasized. Even when the spectrum allocation sought for a new system does not overlap the allocation of an existing, sensitive service, a comprehensive interference analysis must be done to establish acceptable operating parameters for their simultaneous operation. Otherwise, the existing service may be severely degraded. When it is critical to show that the new service seeking the spectrum will not harmfully interfere with the existing system, exhaustive testing may be necessary. Typically, effective signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), effective energy per bit-to-noise density ratio (E b /N′ 0 ) and effective carrier-to-noise density ratio (C/N′ 0 ) are the parameters of interest. Frequency-Dependent Rejection (FDR) and Spectral Separation Coefficients (SSCs) are used as intermediate parameters for a quick assessment of the impact of interference on system performance. In this paper we discuss both FDR and SSC, show their relationship, and provide an interference calculation example to illustrate the use of FDR and SSC in interference analysis.