cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of a fault injection based dependability assessment process to a commercial safety critical nuclear reactor protection system

Existing nuclear power generation facilities are currently seeking to replace obsolete analog Instrumentation and Control (I&C) systems with contemporary digital and processor based systems. However, as new technology is introduced into existing and new plants, it becomes vital to assess the impact of that technology on plant safety. From a regulatory point of view, the introduction or consideration of new digital I&C systems into nuclear power plants raises concerns regarding the possibility that the fielding of these I&C systems may introduce unknown or unanticipated failure modes. In this paper, we present a fault injection based safety assessment methodology that was applied to a commercial safety grade digital Reactor Protection System. Approximately 10,000 fault injections were applied to the system. This paper presents a overview of the research effort, lessons learned, and the results of the endeavor.
ICT4D ⇒ ICT4X: MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF COGNITIVE HEURISTICS & BIASES IN ETHNOGRAPHIC BUSINESS PRACTICE

With more than five billion people, large corporations have expressed non-trivial interest in “emerging markets” as potential future sources of revenue. We in this community of ethnographic praxis, are privileged to move with some ease between corporate board rooms and people's living rooms around the world Yet, our messages and meanings that might lead to positive action are hampered by both our own language — that of development — and the ways in which people hear our language through specific cognitive heuristics and biases. In this paper, we specifically unpack the prevalent business interest concerning the “digital divide”. We discuss how that particular framing, i.e., digital, divide, essentializes upwards of 85–90% of the global population as simply poor and living in developing countries limiting business engagement. We argue that these predilections are further magnified by specific cognitive heuristics and biases we all posses but which are especially powerful amongst the business elite and which must be overcome to be effective. In response, we introduce an alternative scaffolding based on exchange rather than development, a view grounded in Simmel's simple and powerful notion of “exchange”. In the example of development, which we use in this paper, we argue to reposition ICT4D (ICT for Development) to ICT4X (ICT for Exchange). We suggest this repositioning reshapes the possible actions for business possibilities and opportunities, shifting the conversation from hand-outs to business ventures, an otherwise well understood construct.
Cerebrospinal fluid eosinophilia in dogs.

Background: Marked eosinophilic meningitis or meningoencephalomyelitis (EME) is rarely reported in dogs and the cause is usually undetermined. Long-term prognosis for dogs with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) eosinophilia is variable. Animals: Twenty-three client-owned dogs. Methods: Retrospective case series. Dogs with eosinophilic CSF, defined as total nucleated cell count (TNCC) >3 cells/μL with >20% eosinophils, were identified by a computerized search of all dogs having cisternal and/or lumbar CSF analyzed as part of the diagnostic workup between 1992 and 2007. Results: TNCC in CSF ranged from 4 to 4,740 cells/μL (median 84 cells/μL, reference range ≤3 cells/μL), with 22 to 95% (median 78%) eosinophils in the differential count. An infectious agent was identified on necropsy in 4 of 23 (17%) dogs (Cryptococcus neoformans [n = 2], Neospora caninum [n = 1], and Baylisascaris procyonis [n = 1]). Each of these dogs had progressive neurologic deterioration. Sixteen dogs had idiopathic EME. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were abnormal in 7 of 13 dogs with EME; 2 dogs had focal lesions and 5 dogs had multifocal lesions. Clinical signs in 12 of 16 (75%) dogs with idiopathic EME resolved with prednisone treatment. Three dogs with acute intervertebral disc herniations recovered after decompressive surgery alone. Conclusions: Idiopathic EME is a common cause of eosinophilic pleocytosis in dogs. MRI findings are variable. Infectious causes of EME were less common and had a poor prognosis.
Isolated horizons, p-form matter fields, topology, and the black-hole/string correspondence principle

We study the mechanics of $D$-dimensional isolated horizons (IHs) for Einstein gravity in the presence of arbitrary $p$-form matter fields. This generalizes the analysis of Copsey and Horowitz to nonstationary spacetimes and therefore the local first law in $Dg4$ dimensions to include nonmonopolar (dipole) charges. The only requirement for the local first law to hold is that the action has to be differentiable. The resulting conserved charges are all intrinsic to the horizon and are independent of the topology of the horizon cross sections. We explicitly calculate the local charges for five-dimensional black holes and black rings that are relevant within the context of superstring theory. We conclude with some comments on the black-hole/string correspondence principle and argue that IHs (or some other quasilocal variant) should play a fundamental role in superstring theory.
Information-processing demands and the multinational enterprise: a comparison of foreign and domestic earnings estimates

We examine the information-processing demands top managers of the multinational enterprise (MNE) deal with in their portfolio of international operations by comparing the accuracy of foreign and domestic earnings estimates. Results indicate that the increase in information-processing demands is due to the complexity of managing foreign operations of the MNE. We also find greater information processing demands in foreign operations for managers of smaller multinational firms, firms with relatively low performance, and firms with lower levels of intangible assets. We use these results to develop implications for information-processing theory and practice.
Decomposition of formic acid on Ni(110): I. Flash decomposition from the clean surface and flash desorption of reaction products

Abstract The flash decomposition of adsorbed formic acid on clean Ni〈110〉 produced H2O, CO, H2, and CO2 peaks. The CO decomposition peak appeared at much higher temperatures than the H2 or CO2 decomposition peaks; it was identical to the flash desorption peak of adsorbed CO. The H2O peak was observed at temperatures well below the H2 and CO2 decomposition peaks. The H2 and CO2 decomposition peaks were identical and quite narrow. The insensitivity of the peak temperature of H2 and CO2 to initial coverage and the detailed peak shapes were inexplicable by simple mechanisms; they were suggestive of an autocatalytic decomposition. The hydrogen decomposition peak occurred at a much higher temperature than the flash desorption peak of H2. The initial sticking probability of formic acid was near unity at room temperature. Low exposures to formic acid produced CO and surface oxidation. The sticking probability of H2 was quite temperature sensitive, increasing from 0.01 to 0.5 between 50 and −25 °C; it was immeasurable on a carbon-covered surface. The initial sticking probability of CO was 0.7 ± 0.2. Decomposition of CO2 to adsorbed CO and O occurred with a probability of 0.15 per incident CO2 molecule.
Inflammatory infiltration of the trigeminal ganglion after herpes simplex virus type 1 corneal infection

Following herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection of the cornea, the virus is transmitted to the trigeminal ganglion, where a brief period of virus replication is followed by establishment of a latent infection in neurons. A possible role of the immune system in regulating virus replication and maintaining latency in the sensory neurons has been suggested. We have investigated the phenotype and cytokine pattern of cells that infiltrate the A/J mouse trigeminal ganglion at various times after HSV-1 corneal infection. HSV antigen expression in the trigeminal ganglion (indicative of the viral lytic cycle) increased until day 3 postinfection (p.i.) and then diminished to undetectable levels by day 7 p.i. The period of declining HSV antigen expression. was associated with a marked increase in Mac-1+ cells. These cells did not appear to coexpress the F4/80+ (macrophage) or the CD8+ (T cell) markers, and none showed polymorphonuclear leukocyte morphology, suggesting a possible early infiltration of natural killer cells. There was also a significant increase in the trigeminal ganglion of cells expressing the gamma delta T-cell receptor, and these cells were found almost exclusively in very close association with neurons. This period was also characterized by a rapid and equivalent increase in cells expressing gamma interferon and interleukin-4. The density of the inflammatory infiltrate in the trigeminal ganglion increased until days 12 to 21 p.i., when it was predominated by CD8+, Mac-1+, and tumor necrosis factor-expressing cells, which surrounded many neurons. By day 92 p.i., the inflammatory infiltrate diminished but was heaviest in mice with active periocular skin disease. Our data are consistent with the notion that gamma interferon produced by natural killer cells and/or gamma delta T cells may play an important role in limiting HSV-1 replication in the trigeminal ganglion during the acute stage of infection. In addition, tumor necrosis factor produced by CD8+ T cells and macrophages may function to maintain the virus in a latent state.
Optimizing the Length of Feeding an Elevated Level of Dried Distillers Grains plus Solubles-Soybean Hull Diet to Feedlot Cattle

ABSTRACT The rapid expansion of ethanol production has resulted in an abundance of co-products available to cattle feeders. Two hundred forty steers were used to determine the optimum length of time for feeding a diet containing 40% dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) and 35% soybean hull (SH, DM basis) to feedlot cattle. Treatments consisted of feeding the DDGS-SH diet for 56, 84, 112, 140, and 196 d before switching to a corn-based finishing diet. All cattle were harvested after 196 d and serial ultrasound measurements were taken every 28 d. Data were analyzed for linear and quadratic effects, and orthogonal polynomial contrasts of 56 vs. 196 and 84 vs. 112 to 140 d were analyzed. Adjusted final BW and ADG increased linearly (P
Picosecond Modulation Spectroscopy in Sodium Vapor

Time delayed four wave mixing (TDFWM) using two-frequency light beams, separately resonant with each of the Na D lines, is performed in dilute Na vapor. The time integrated four wave mixed signal modulates with increasing excitation delay with a period of 1.9 psec corresponding to the 6A splitting of the D lines. The modulation persists well into the region where the 7 nsec excitation pulses no longer overlap and far beyond the 100 psec correlation time of either laser.
Chaff: engineering an efficient SAT solver

Boolean satisfiability is probably the most studied of the combinatorial optimization/search problems. Significant effort has been devoted to trying to provide practical solutions to this problem for problem instances encountered in a range of applications in electronic design automation (EDA), as well as in artificial intelligence (AI). This study has culminated in the development of several SAT packages, both proprietary and in the public domain (e.g. GRASP, SATO) which find significant use in both research and industry. Most existing complete solvers are variants of the Davis-Putnam (DP) search algorithm. In this paper we describe the development of a new complete solver, Chaff which achieves significant performance gains through careful engineering of all aspects of the search-especially a particularly efficient implementation of Boolean constraint propagation (BCP) and a novel low overhead decision strategy. Chaff has been able to obtain one to two orders of magnitude performance improvement on difficult SAT benchmarks in comparison with other solvers (DP or otherwise), including GRASP and SATO.
Genetic and developmental studies of albino chorus frogs

Albino (amelanic) adult chorus frogs (Pseudacris triseriata) occurred with frequencies of 7 percent in 1981 and 12 percent in 1982 in breeding aggregations at a pond in the foothills of the Colorado Front Range. Laboratory matings and examination of albino egg masses suggest that the absence of melanin is due to a recessive allele. The albino phenotype displayed no deficiencies in survival of embryos, rates of embryo or larval development, or rates of growth of juvenile frogs. The absence of abnormalities in development or growth suggests that the a allele in P. triseriata has an action different from albino alleles studied previously in anurans.
Activity of Free and Clay-Bound Insecticidal Proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis against the Mosquito Culex pipiens

Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis produces parasporal insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs) that have larvicidal activity against some members of the order Diptera, such as blackflies and mosquitoes. Hydrolysis of the ICPs in the larval gut results in four major proteins with a molecular mass of 27, 65, 128, and 135 kDa. Toxicity is caused by synergistic interaction between the 25-kDa protein (proteolytic product of the 27-kDa protein) and one or more of the higher-molecular-mass proteins. Equilibrium adsorption of the proteins on the clay minerals montmorillonite and kaolinite, which are homoionic to various cations, was rapid (<30 min for maximal adsorption), increased with protein concentration and then reached a plateau (68 to 96% of the proteins was adsorbed), was significantly lower on kaolinite than on montmorillonite, and was not significantly affected by the valence of the cation to which the clays were homoionic. Binding of the toxins decreased as the pH was increased from 6 to 11, and there was 35 to 66% more binding in phosphate buffer at pH 6 than in distilled water at pH 6 or 7.2. Only 2 to 12% of the adsorbed proteins was desorbed by two washes with water; additional washings desorbed no more toxins, indicating that they were tightly bound. Formation of clay-toxin complexes did not alter the structure of the proteins, as indicated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the equilibrium supernatants and desorption washes and by dot blot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of the complexes, which was confirmed by enhanced chemiluminescence Western blot analysis. Free and clay-bound toxins resulted in 85 to 100% mortality of the mosquito Culex pipiens. Persistence of the bound toxins in nonsterile water after 45 days was significantly greater (mortality of 63% ± 12.7%) than that of the free toxins (mortality of 25% ± 12.5%).
A novel feedforward active noise control structure with spectrum-tuning for residual noise

Active noise control (ANC) technology is becoming popular in consumer electronic products for audio applications. Typical ANC system aims primarily at reducing acoustic noise over the entire frequency band. However, human factors including diversity of individual listening preferences on spectral content and non-uniform characteristics of human hearing response in frequency domain require the capability of tuning the residual noise spectrum in ANC system. In this paper, we propose a new feedforward ANC structure featuring spectrum-tuning of the residual noise. Analysis shows that this new system has good tuning performance and little influence on system adaptation. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed system.
Regression Coefficient Estimation in Dual Frame Surveys

Dual frame surveys, in which independent samples are selected from two frames to decrease survey costs or to improve coverage, can present challenges for regression coefficient estimation because of complex designs and unknown degree of overlap. In this research, we developed four regression coefficient estimators in dual frame surveys. Simulation results show that all the proposed methods work well.
Warped discrete cosine transform-based noisy speech enhancement

In this paper, a warped discrete cosine transform (WDCT)-based approach to enhance the degraded speech under background noise environments is proposed. For developing an effective expression of the frequency characteristics of the input speech, the variable frequency warping filter is applied to the conventional discrete cosine transform (DCT). The frequency warping control parameter is adjusted according to the analysis of spectral distribution in each frame. For a more accurate analysis of spectral characteristics, the split-band approach in which the global soft decision for speech presence is performed in each band separately is employed. A number of subjective and objective tests show that the WDCT-based enhancement method yields better performance than the conventional DCT-based algorithm.
Who Is Punished? Regional Intergovernmental Organizations and the Enforcement of Democratic Norms

Scholars have found an association between membership in regional intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and democracy, and IGO enforcement is often credited as an important factor explaining this link. But empirical evidence reveals great variation in whether these organizations actually respond to violations of democratic norms, even in democratic regions. Why do IGOs punish some norm-violating countries but not others? What does this variation imply for theories about how IGO membership helps states make credible commitments? This article presents a theoretical framework for understanding variation in multilateral norm enforcement. It identifies two obstacles to enforcement—the presence of competing geopolitical interests and uncertainty about the nature and scope of norm violations—and it argues that international monitoring can help mitigate these obstacles by revealing and publicizing information that pressures reluctant member states to support enforcement. An original data set of democracy enforcement in Latin America and postcommunist countries is used to examine regional IGO enforcement in response to one prevalent type of democratic norm violation: electoral misconduct. I find that enforcement is less likely in countries of high geopolitical importance, but the presence of election observers increases the probability of enforcement, and the content of observers' reports influences the type of enforcement that is imposed. These findings suggest that the link between IGO membership, credible commitments, and democracy should be theorized and tested as a conditional relationship, depending on country- and incident-specific factors that influence the likelihood of enforcement.
Revenue forecasting accuracy in Ohio local governments

Fiscal stress has forced Ohio local governments to pay increasing attention to the importance of revenue forecasting. This paper identifies and examines two Ohio local governments’ revenue forecasting approaches and forecasting accuracy using the case study method. It compares the differences in forecasting methods used. This research finds that informal forecasting methods are used by the county and formal forecasting methods are used by the city, that forecast accuracy varies by level of revenue aggregation using the informal method, and that depending on the revenue source, simple methods are more appropriate than complex methods.
Standardized Uptake Values of FDG: Body Surface Area Correction is Preferable to Body Weight Correction

Standardized uptake values (SUVs) are widely used to measure 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in various tumors. It has been reported that normalization of FDG uptake for patient body weight (SUVbw) overestimates FDG uptake in heavy patients, as their fraction of body fat (with low FDG uptake) is often increased. The objective of this study was to determine if “normalization of FDG uptake for the body surface area” (SUVbsa) is independent of the patient9s body size and is more reliable than SUVbw. Methods: FDG-PET images were acquired on 44 patients (body weight range: 45–115 kg) with cancer. SUVbw [(mCi/g of tissue)/(mCi injected/patient body weight in g)] and SUVbsa [(mCi/g of tissue)/(mCi injected/patient BSA in m2)] were determined for the liver. Since most observers are accustomed to using the SUVbw, the two values were compared by setting the mean SUVbsa equal to that of SUVbw. Results: SUVbw and SUVbsa were 3.42 ± 0.85 (mean ± s.d.) and 3.42 ± 0.60, respectively. The standard deviation of the SUVbsa was smaller than that of SUVbw. More importantly, there was a strong positive correlation between SUVbw and, not only body weight (r = 0.75) but also BSA (r = 0.68), whereas only a weak correlation between SUVbsa and body weight (r = 0.41) or BSA (r = 0.38) was found with a near flat regression line. Conclusion: SUVbw over-estimates FDG uptake in large patients. SUVbsa appears preferable to SUVbw, since it is minimally affected by the body size.
Blood pH measurement with the glass electrode; study of venous and fingertip blood.

A study has been described to explain the tendency of fingertip blood from normal individuals to drift to alkaline p H more rapidly than the blood of venous serum at 37°. This occurs even under oil and without loss of CO2. Evidence is offered to indicate that this phenomenon is due to the release of carbonic anhydrase in greater concentrations into the serum when the finger is punctured than when venipuncture is performed. An explanation is offered for the fact that serum from patients in acidemia with low CO2. content will not drift at 37°. It is suggested that blood p H determinations be made by collecting the specimen under oil, cooling rapidly to room temperature, and performing the determination under oil on the separated serum.
Monocyte cell adhesion molecule receptors in nascent metabolic syndrome

Abstract Objective Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a common disorder, predisposes to both cardiovascular disease and diabetes. There is a paucity of data on monocyte cell adhesion molecule receptors in MetS. This study determined monocyte Mac-1 (CD11b) and VLA4 (CD49d) in patients with MetS and controls. Research design and methods In isolated monocytes (n = 58 MetS and n = 40 healthy controls), both CD11b and CD49d expression were assayed by flow cytometry and correlated with features of MetS, and biomarkers of inflammation. Results Monocyte CD11b was significantly increased in patients with MetS compared to controls, median [25th–75th percentile] 34.2 MFI/10,000 cells [26.3–56.2] versus 25.3 [20.9–32.4], even following adjustment for adiposity. Furthermore, CD11b increased with increasing features of MetS (p for trend 0.005.) CD11b significantly correlated with glucose, triglycerides, Toll-like receptor 4 and p38 MAP kinase activity. Conclusions This is the first report showing increased monocyte CD11b expression in MetS possibly mediated by TLR4 and could contribute to the increased risk of atherosclerosis by promoting monocyte adhesion to endothelium.
Elements of success for environmental interest groups in federal district court, 1970–90 A test using logistic regression

The last major treatment of environmentalism in the federal district courts was Wenner's (1982) investigation of the environmental activity in all levels of federal courts during the 1970s. This paper is an updated treatment of the environmental cases within the federal court system, limited to activity within the federal district courts in the two decades between 1970 and 1990. A model of the ability of environmental groups to succeed in the federal district court has been developed and ‘success in court’ as the dependent variable has been used and defined as a win for an environmental group in litigating a question involving some aspect of environmental law. A series of measures for various hypothesized influences on ‘success’ using institutional and cultural variables has been formulated. Both models using logistic regression have been tested. Evidence has been found that the environmental groups engage in strategic behaviour, either by litigating within certain regions or persuading powerful allies to engage in litigation with them, raising the chances of their success.
Airway Emergencies After Neurosurgery

Postoperative respiratory complications contribute to length of hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality. Hypoxemia and hypercapnia in neurosurgical patients have particularly grave consequences, such as cerebral vasodilatation, increases in ICP, and hypoxic brain damage.
Differently Abled: Africanisms, Disability, and Power in the Age of Transatlantic Slavery

Indigenous religious beliefs and traditional cultural practices among the people of many West African ethnic groups suggest a precolonial logic that cast some individuals considered “disabled” by contemporary Western standards as, instead, uniquely empowered. These more positive interpretations of embodied forms of human difference resounded in the social ethos, healing practices, and folklore of enslaved peoples throughout the New World, underscoring a facet of African cultural retentions —perceptions of the body and mind in relation to structures of power—that scholars have long overlooked. By centering on precolonial West African views of those with “differently abled” bodyminds and how they echoed in some New World slave societies, this chapter calls attention to the culturally and historically contingent nature of hegemonic Eurocentric categories like “disability” and challenges ahistorical assumptions that these conditions always signaled weakness and social inferiority.
Identification of Metastatic Lesions in a Patient With Low Back Pain Following a Motor Vehicle Collision

A 58-year-old man was referred to physical therapy with a primary complaint of intermittent low back pain (LBP) 2 weeks after being in a motor vehicle collision. The absence of red flags justified the initiation of treatment, but when symptoms of unrelenting LBP emerged, he was referred to his primary care physician with a request for further medical workup. Before further imaging work-up was performed, the patient presented to the emergency room with a urinary complaint; this, in combination with unrelenting LBP, prompted further imaging follow-up. Lumbar/thoracic spine magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple compression fractures and diffuse bone marrow heterogeneity consistent with a malignant infiltrative marrow process. The patient underwent additional laboratory testing and a bone marrow aspirate and biopsy that confirmed the diagnosis of multiple myeloma.
Azithromycin use and outcomes in severe sepsis patients with and without pneumonia.

Abstract Purpose Studies investigating the association between macrolides and outcomes in both pulmonary and nonpulmonary critically ill patients are limited. We aimed to examine the association between azithromycin use and clinical outcomes in severe sepsis patients with and without pneumonia receiving mechanical ventilation. Materials and Methods A retrospective cohort of 105 patients admitted to an adult intensive care unit (ICU) with severe sepsis in an urban university hospital were included in the study. Multivariable linear regression was performed to assess the relationship between azithromycin use and the following outcomes: 28-day ICU-free days and 28-day ventilator-free days. Results In univariate analysis, patients receiving azithromycin had nearly 6 more ICU-free days on average than did patients not receiving azithromycin (P = .005). The increased ICU-free days remained in multivariable analysis adjusting for age, sex, race, ICU type, and presence of shock (P = .005). In stratified analysis examining the association of azithromycin use in severe sepsis patients without pneumonia (n = 74), the results were similar to the full cohort. Conclusion Azithromycin was associated with more ICU-free days in severe sepsis patients with and without pneumonia. Further investigations are warranted to better elicit the association of macrolide use on clinical outcomes in severe sepsis patients, especially those without pneumonia.
Vessel invasion by tumour cells. An ultrastructural study.

The present electron microscopic investigation explored the mechanism through which the cells of an experimental fibrosarcoma implanted in the liver of syngeneic mice broke through the continuous (unperforated) endothelium of peri-tumour veins to enter the blood stream, as well as the immediate reaction of blood cells to the tumour breakthrough.
High-performance, highly bendable MoS2 transistors with high-K dielectrics for flexible low-power systems

While there has been increasing studies of MoS2 and other two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting dichalcogenides on hard conventional substrates, experimental or analytical studies on flexible substrates has been very limited so far, even though these 2D crystals are understood to have greater prospects for flexible smart systems. In this article, we report detailed studies of MoS2 transistors on industrial plastic sheets. Transistor characteristics afford more than 100x improvement in the ON/OFF current ratio and 4x enhancement in mobility compared to previous flexible MoS2 devices. Mechanical studies reveal robust electronic properties down to a bending radius of 1 mm which is comparable to previous reports for flexible graphene transistors. Experimental investigation identifies that crack formation in the dielectric is the responsible failure mechanism demonstrating that the mechanical properties of the dielectric layer is critical for realizing flexible electronics that can accommodate high strain. Our uniaxial tensile tests have revealed that atomic-layer-deposited HfO2 and Al2O3 films have very similar crack onset strain. However, crack propagation is slower in HfO2 dielectric compared to Al2O3 dielectric, suggesting a subcritical fracture mechanism in the thin oxide films. Rigorous mechanics modeling provides guidance for achieving flexible MoS2 transistors that are reliable at sub-mm bending radius.
Abstract A42: Precision medicine for pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients with newly diagnosed or refractory/recurrent cancer: Lessons learned from N=1 studies on rare tumors

Next-generation sequencing has rapidly emerged as the preferred method for unbiased genomic interrogation and is increasingly being integrated into clinical practice. Utilizing this technology, we have developed a precision medicine clinical research protocol focused on pediatric, adolescent, and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer. Our objectives are two-fold: 1) To arrive at genome informed treatment recommendations for individual patients suffering from aggressive and/or worsening disease in a clinically relevant time-frame; 2) To survey the genomic landscape of patients with newly diagnosed and/or recurrent/refractory disease. To accomplish this, we have employed an interdisciplinary workflow including a customized bioinformatic analysis pipeline, contextual biological interpretation of the data, and case reviews during regularly scheduled molecular tumor board meetings. To date we have sequenced over 50 patients. Here, we present the data from those patients diagnosed with rare malignancies. Factors affecting the successful identification of actionable targets and subsequent intervention are varied. Furthermore, we highlight the realistic opportunities, challenges, and insight gained from an ongoing single institution experience. Citation Format: Troy A. McEachron, Keri B. Zabokrtsky, Aaron Sassoon, Zarko Manoljvic, David W. Craig, John D. Carpten, Leonard S. Sender. Precision medicine for pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients with newly diagnosed or refractory/recurrent cancer: Lessons learned from N=1 studies on rare tumors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Pediatric Cancer Research: From Mechanisms and Models to Treatment and Survivorship; 2015 Nov 9-12; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(5 Suppl):Abstract nr A42.
The Foreign Policy Attitudes of Indian Elites: Variance, Structure, and Common Denominators

Foreign policy belief systems have received much attention. Yet nearly all work examines attitudes in western democracies, chiefly the United States. The current security environment requires that we ask whether the foreign policy views of individuals in other nations—particularly regional powers—are similar in structure to those found in the US case. This article does so for the Indian case. Drawing on studies of US opinion, we develop a set of claims and test them on an original data set on Indian elites. We make four contributions. First, we show that Wittkopf’s framework applies to the Indian case. Second, we demonstrate how this framework can be made more generally applicable by revising its emphases on different types of internationalism and on rethinking the meaning of isolationist preferences. Third, we place the Indian case in comparative perspective. And last, we model the dimensions of Indian attitudes as a function of domestic ideology. Results of our analyses provide insights into the structure of foreign policy belief systems outside the Global North.
Evaluation on quality of internet-based reporti ng of notifiable communicable diseases in Jinchang,2005-2012

Objective: To evaluate the quality of national internet-based reporting of notifiable communicable diseases in Jinchang from 2005 to 2012 and provide evidence to improve the reporting quality.Methods:The data of national notifiablecommunicable disease surveillance between 2005 and 2012 were collected to conduct the quality evaluation with the different indicators. Results:The rate of timely reporting and verifying repeated reporting were all 100%. The vacancy rate of fill card doctor,work unit, name of parents whose children was under the age of 14 and work unit of students and children's were respectively 5.76%,78.92%,21.45% and 61.36%. The actual rate of the repeated card and wrong card were respectively 2.46% and 0.19%. Conclusion:The rate of coverage and report in notifiable communicable diseases system are higher.China information system for disease control and prevention cannot evaluate quality of internet-based reporting of notifiable communicable diseases well. It is beneficial for improving quality of internetbased reporting of notifiable communicable diseases to enhance the sense of responsibility in health agency,normalize Supervision in CDC work and pefect the system of rewards and penalties in Departments administering.
Monolayer-thick GaAs-GaSbAs strained layer quantum-well lasers

Strained layer GaSbAs-GaAs quantum wells have the potential for longer emission wavelengths than InGaAs-GaAs quantum wells even though Eg(GaSb)>Eg(InAs) and the lattice mismatch is worse. Longer wavelength (lower energy) emission is possible because of the large valence band discontinuity. In this work we report the growth and operation of strained layer GaSbAs-GaAs quantum-well lasers.
32-bit superconductor integer and floating-point multipliers

The objective of this dissertation is to design and evaluate ultra-fast energy-efficient 32-bit integer and single-precision floating-point multipliers implemented with Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) superconductor technology. Our goals in both multiplier designs were to design a wide datapath multipliers operating in 10 GHz+ frequencies with lowest possible latency and complexity below 100k Josephson junctions when implemented with Hypres 1.5 μm 4.5 kA/cm2 fabrication process. To achieve this goal, various design techniques such as synchronous pipelining, asynchronous co-flow, and wave-pipelining are analyzed and applied throughout the design process. First, we have a brief look at CMOS computing with its power and clock frequency challenges. Then, superconductor technology is introduced, followed by a description of RSFQ logic. Next, traditional design and sequencing techniques for multiplier will be discussed. After a brief review of existing superconductor multipliers, the cell-level design of our 32-bit integer and floating-point multipliers will be presented. The microarchitectures and implementations of the 32-bit multipliers are discussed in detail along with the choice of sequencing techniques used. Our multipliers were designed and evaluated using a SBU VHDL RSFQ cell-library tuned to the Hypres 1.5 μm 4.5kA/cm2 fabrication process. The simulation results for the 32-bit integer and floating-point multipliers will be presented along with statistical data about each design. Finally, we will present the design and experimental test results of an 8-bit integer RSFQ multiplier implemented with the Japanese CONNECT cell library and fabricated with ISTEC 1.0 μm 10 kA/cm2 technology.
The Role of K-ras Signaling in Erythropoiesis In Vivo.

K-ras plays an important role in hematopoiesis. K-ras-deficient mouse embryos die around E12-E13 with severe anemia. In humans, oncogenic mutations in K-ras gene are identified in ~30% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia. We used mouse primary erythroid progenitors as a model system to study the role of K-ras signaling in vivo. Both Epo- and stem cell factor (SCF) - dependent Akt activation are greatly reduced in K-ras-/- fetal liver cells, whereas other cytokine- induced pathways, including Stat5 and p44/p42 MAP kinase, are activated normally. The reduced Akt activation in erythroid progenitors per se leads to delayed erythroid differentiation. Our data identify K-ras as the major regulator for cytokine-dependent Akt activation, which is important for erythroid differentiation in vivo. Overexpression of oncogenic Ras in primary fetal erythroid progenitors led to their continual proliferation and a block in terminal erythroid differentiation. Similarly, we found that primary fetal liver cells expressing oncogenic K-ras from its endogenous locus undergo abnormal proliferation and terminal erythroid differentiation is partially blocked. We are currently investigating the signal transduction pathways activated by this oncogenic K-ras that underlies these cellular phenotypes.
Calculated stabilities and structures for carbocations and singlet carbenes bearing electron‐withdrawing groups

Carbocations and carbenes, as electron-deficient species, require electron donation from the remainder of the molecule to the carbon center by whatever means available. Classical interactions include resonance, polar and polarizability effects, but neighboring group participation of several sorts can also serve as stabilizing factors. Simple carbocations with directly attached electron-withdrawing groups (EWGs), that is, EWG–CH2+ ions, comprise one group by which these interactions may be probed. This article provides computational evidence at the MP2/6-311 + G** level for variable but significant stabilizing interactions between the carbocation center and common EWGs, many via bridging (partial or symmetrical), neighboring group participation, homoconjugation or π interactions. Bridging from atoms possessing nonbonding electron pairs is a common motif. Removal of bridging by application of geometric constraints nullifies bridging stabilization, but does not eliminate the possibility of other stabilizing interactions, for example polar, polarizability and π donation from the EWG. The potential for π donation from strong EWGs has not been widely appreciated in the past. A carbocation stabilization enthalpy, CSE+, is defined as the enthalpy of the isodesmic reaction CH3+ + R–H CH4 + R+. Comparisons are made with singlet carbenes bearing EWGs for which many structural features are similar. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Extending an existing mail service to support X.400 message handling

The authors discuss the design and implementation of a prototype X.400 message-handling system for IBM's VM/SP operating system. The system is designed to provide an X.400 extension to the mail service of the professional office system PROFS. For the PROFS user the X.400 extension is transparently integrated into the PROFS user interface. The system allows the use of native X.400 services for interpersonal messaging and therefore is not a gateway between PROFS and X.400 protocols. The system consists of a user agent and a message transfer agent, which implement the X.400 P2 and P1 protocols. >
The Significance of Test Failures in Noninvasive Prenatal Screening for Fetal Aneuploidy Using Cell-free DNA

Noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) for fetal aneuploidy is less effective when there is a small fraction of fetal cell-free DNA in the maternal plasma. In this study, modeling was used to assess the impact of a low fetal fraction (FF) in NIPS when (a) FF is not measured; (b) low FF cases receive invasive testing; (c) low FF cases receive the combined test; (d) low FF cases receive the quadruple test. Modeling was based on expected performance of NIPS, invasive testing, and conventional screening. NIPS failure rates of 0–6% due to low FF were considered under the assumption that aneuploidy rates were the same in successful and unsuccessful cases. In a secondary analysis, the effect of higher rates of aneuploidy in failed cases was assessed. Failure to measure FF can result in lower detection rates. Providing invasive tests to all women with low FF restores a high level of detection but at the expense of many unnecessary invasive tests. Utilization of conventional screening results in only a modest loss in detection and limited deterioration in the false-positive rate. These trends are more apparent when higher rates of fetal aneuploidy are present in low FF women. Recognizing those cases where an NIPS result is invalid due to low FF is important from both the individual patient and overall population screening perspectives. When there is a NIPS test failure due to low FF, utilization of conventional maternal serum marker screening and ultrasound should be considered for women who have previously not received conventional screening.
Recent advances in the biology of small conductance calcium-activated potassium channels

Significant advances have recently been made in our understanding of the biology of small conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (SK channels). Although a long time ‘Cinderella’ to the better characterized large conductance BK channel, renewed interest in SK channels has been sparked by the recent cloning of several subtypes of this important potassium channel. The information gained from our improved understanding of the molecular nature of SK channels is already helping to elucidate the molecular basis of drug interactions, as well as to further define the physiological function and tissue distribution of these channels. Characterization of SK channels is also being aided by the availability of a wider variety of pharmacological tools including peptide toxins and potent synthetic small molecules. The contribution of SK channels to physiology and pathophysiology of CNS, skeletal and smooth muscle function clearly points to the future importance of these channels as targets for drug development.
Introduction: Who Saw the Coming of the Global Financial Crisis of 2007–2008?

Regarding the global financial crisis of 2007–2008, The Queen of Great Britain asked economists “Why did nobody notice it developing?” The answer provided to the Queen by mainstream economists was wrong. The Queen should read this book to find the correct answer to her question and to help her understand the policies government should develop not only to avoid future financial crises but also to produce a prosperous full employment economy for its citizens.
A universal model for conformal geometries of Euclidean, spherical and double-hyperbolic spaces

The study of relations among Euclidean, spherical and hyperbolic geometries dates back to the beginning of last century. The attempt to prove Euclid’s fifth postulate led C. F. Gauss to discover hyperbolic geometry in the 1820’s. Only a few years passed before this geometry was rediscovered independently by N. Lobachevski (1829) and J. Bolyai (1832). The strongest evidence given by the founders for its consistency is the duality between hyperbolic and spherical trigonometries. This duality was first demonstrated by Lambert in his 1770 memoir [139] Some theorems, for example the law of sines, can be stated in a form that is valid in spherical, Euclidean, and hyperbolic geometries [25].
Stress Management with Cardiac Patients

The first quote above is attributed to Dr. John Hunter, the esteemed cardiovascular surgeon and pathologist of the eighteenth century; the second was delivered in 1897 by Dr. William Osler as part of his “Lectures on Angina Pectoris and Allied States,” and describes the demise of this pioneering predecessor. Each quote provides a window on what we mean when we talk about stress. What stress is and how we manage it are two questions at the forefront of cardiovascular behavioral medicine, and the above quotations highlight the importance of these issues. In the following chapter, we will first provide a brief and select historical context that focuses on what we believe to be important contributions to how our thinking about stress and its management have evolved. We next provide a model for our understanding of stress that highlights what we believe to be the key elements and foci of stress management interventions. We follow with a description of various stress management techniques, with both a brief empirical grounding and a description of how that technique is accomplished.
Umpolung α-Silylation of Cyclopropyl Acetates via Low-Temperature Catalytic C-C Activation.

We report a redox-neutral, catalytic C–C activation of cyclopropyl acetates to produce silicon-containing five-membered heterocycles in a highly regio- and chemoselective fashion. The umpolung α-selective silylation leading to dioxasilolanes is opposed to contemporary β-selective C–C functionalization protocols of cyclopropanols. Lewis base activation of dioxasilolanes as α-silyl carbinol equivalents undergoes the unconventional [1,2]-Brook rearrangement to form tertiary alcohols. Notably, mechanistic studies indicate that an electrophilic metal-π interaction harnessing highly fluorinated Tp(CF3)2Rh(nbd) catalyst permitted a low-temperature C–C activation.
T Cell/Histiocyte-Rich Large B-Cell Lymphoma

A type of diffuse, large, B-cell lymphoma characterized by few large neoplastic B-cells admixed with numerous reactive T lymphocytes and histiocytes. The mixture of reactive T-cells and histiocytes is variable, with either T-cells or histiocytes predominant in some cases, and hence other designations for these tumors in the literature are T-cell rich large B-cell lymphoma and histiocyte-rich B-cell lymphoma.