cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sulfate reduction and diffusion in sediments of Little Rock Lake, Wisconsin

Rates of sulfate diffusion and reduction were measured in sediments of Little Rock Lake, an oligotrophic, soft-water lake in northern Wisconsin. Laboratory measurements of kinetics of sulfate reduction found half-saturation constants (20-30 pmol liter-I) and Q10 values (2.6) similar to values reported in the literature. Sulfate reduction under in situ conditions in sediment cores was limited by sulfate and followed similar uptake kinetics as in laboratory experiments. Some variation in kinetic parameters was evident as a function of location in the lake. No seasonal variation was observed in sulfate reduction rates in the lake sediments, and littoral and pelagic sites exhibited similar rates. Rates of sulfate reduction were much higher than fluxes of sulfate calculated from pore-water profiles. Pore-water profiles also indicated little difference in diffusive fluxes among pelagic and littoral sites and among seasons. The discrepancy between diffusive fluxes and sulfate reduction rates is ascribed to high rates of oxidation of reduced sulfur. Nonlinear rates of sulfate reduction and calculated turnover times of sediment sulfide pools support the hypothesis that sulfide oxidation occurs nearly as rapidly as sulfate reduction.
Effects of Advanced Cockpit Displays on General Aviation Pilots' Decisions to Continue Visual Flight Rules Flight into Instrument Meteorological Conditions

Thirty pilots flew a simulated VFR cross country flight into deteriorating weather with one of three levels of display support: a control display with standard instruments, a synthetic vision system (SVS) display depicting terrain and a highway in the sky (HITS), and a configuration in which the same SVS HITS display was augmented by an electronic moving map depicting weather. Results revealed that nearly all pilots in the control condition avoided penetrating the IMC clouds. Significantly, 60% of pilots across both SVS conditions penetrated the clouds and continued to their destination in zero visibility conditions. Their failure to notice the deteriorating weather outside the cockpit was documented by a dominance of head-down scanning for the pilots in these two groups who penetrated the weather. The presence of the moving map weather display did not mitigate these manifestations of attentional tunneling. Possible solutions related to display design and training are discussed.
The clinical presentation of preterm cerebellar haemorrhage

The objective of this study was to evaluate clinical symptoms and findings on cranial ultrasound (CUS) in preterm infants with cerebellar haemorrhage through retrospective analysis of all preterm infants with a postnatal CUS or MRI diagnosis of cerebellar haemorrhage admitted in a tertiary care centre between January 2002 and June 2009. Fifteen infants were identified; median gestational age was 25 2/7 weeks and median birth weight 730 g. We discerned six types of haemorrhage: subarachnoid (n = 3), folial (n = 1), lobar (n = 9, of which 4 bilateral), giant lobar (n = 1, including vermis) and contusional (n = 1). Especially in infants with lobar cerebellar haemorrhage, CUS showed preceding or concurrent lateral ventricle dilatation, mostly without intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH). Thirteen infants suffered from notable, otherwise unexplained motor agitation in the days preceding the diagnosis. In conclusion, motor agitation may be a presenting symptom of cerebellar haemorrhage in preterm infants. Unexplained ventriculomegaly can be a first sign of cerebellar haemorrhage and should instigate sonographic exploration of the cerebellum.
"Pretty Prudent" or Rhetorically Responsive? The American Public's Support for Military Action

In the United States, public support can play a crucial role in the decisions to initiate and terminate military action. Some scholars argue that the public holds “prudent” opinions regarding the use of the military—supporting efforts to stop aggression but not to engage in nation building. We argue that what seems like a “prudent” opinion may be driven more by the White House’s rhetoric. Experimental tests show that the rhetorical complexity has a more powerful impact on the respondent’s support for military action than the actual policy goal, although this result is substantially tempered by political awareness.
Making Sense Sensibly in Crisis Communication: How Publics’ Crisis Appraisals Influence Their Negative Emotions, Coping Strategy Preferences, and Crisis Response Acceptance

Despite the importance of affect in persuasion and strategic communication decision making, there is a lack of a systematic and integrated approach to understanding how discrete emotions publics experience in crises and their behavioral tendencies are associated with their cognitive appraisals. A 2 (predictability: high and low) × 2 (controllability: high and low) between-subjects experiment using a random general public sample was designed to examine the variance in publics’ affective responses, their strategies of coping with crises, and their acceptance of different organizational crisis responses, as a function of publics’ appraisal of crisis predictability and controllability. Differential influences of the cognitive appraisals were found on publics’ negative emotional responses (i.e., anger, sadness, and fright) as well as their coping strategy and organizational crisis response preferences.
Redistribution of block‐cyclic data distributions using MPI

Arrays that are distributed in a block-cyclic fashion are important for many applications in the computational sciences since they often lead to parallel algorithms with good load balancing properties. We consider the problem of redistributing such an array to a new block size. This operation is directly expressible in High Performance Fortran (HPF) and will arise in applications written in this language. Efficient message passing algorithms are given for the redistribution operation, expressed in the standardized message passing interface, MPI. The algorithms are analyzed and performance results from the IBM SP-1 and Intel Paragon are given and discussed. The results show that redistribution can be done in time comparable to other collective communication operations, such as broadcast and MPI_ALLTOALL.
The variability of the solar ultraviolet spectral irradiances

Available data on the solar spectral irradiances at wavelengths below 3100 A are extremely limited and there are major uncertainties in many of the measurements. In particular, there is major disagreement on the magnitude of the variability of the spectral irradiances over the solar cycle. The effects of different solar features on the ultraviolet spectral irradiances over both the 28 day solar rotation period and over the solar cycle are discussed. It is proposed that any attempt to predict the magnitudes of the ultraviolet spectral irradiances must take into account a long term variability of emission from quiet regions of the solar disk over the solar cycle. The need for direct long term monitoring of the ultraviolet spectral irradiances is emphasized.
The Roles of Performance Measures and Monitoring in Annual Governance Decisions in Entrepreneurial Firms

This paper analyzes annual corporate governance decisions at firms making initial public offerings (IPOs) of common stock between 1996 and 1999. Our objective is to examine relations between firms’ corporate governance decisions and the informativeness of available measures of managerial performance. We consider financial measures such as earnings and stock return, as well as direct monitoring. We collect a sample of IPO firms from the manufacturing, Internet, and technology (non-Internet) industries, and examine how the use of various performance measures in annual compensation grants and turnover decisions varies with the information environment of the firm and with the extent of venture capital influence. Consistent with prior research that finds earnings are of limited usefulness in firm valuation for Internet firms, we find Internet firms place less importance on earnings and greater importance on stock returns in determining compensation grants than do non-Internet firms. We also find that compensation grants of firms with little or no venture capital influence display significantly stronger association with accounting and stock performance measures than those of firms with more intense monitoring by venture capitalists. This result is consistent with direct monitoring and the use of explicit performance measures acting as substitute governance mechanisms.
On Generation and Analysis of Synthetic Iris Images

The popularity of iris biometric has grown considerably over the past two to three years. It has resulted in the development of a large number of new iris encoding and processing algorithms. Since there are no publicly available large-scale and even medium-size data bases, neither of the newly designed algorithms has undergone extensive testing. The designers claim exclusively high recognition performance when the algorithms are tested on a small amount of data. In a large-scale setting, systems are yet to be tested. Since the issues of security and privacy slow down the speed of collecting and publishing iris data, an optional solution to the problem of algorithm testing is to synthetically generate a large scale data base of iris images. In this work, we describe a model-based method to generate iris images and evaluate the performance of synthetic irises by using a traditional Gabor filter-based iris recognition system. A comprehensive comparison of synthetic and real data is performed at three levels of processing: 1) image level, 2) texture level, and 3) decision level. A sensitivity analysis is performed to conclude on the importance of various parameters involved in generating iris images
Estimating neuronal variable importance with Random Forest

We describe a novel application of a new method for data mining, Random Forest, for the analysis of data sets acquired with neuronal ensemble recording methods. Random Forest is used here to measure the relative importance of each input variable in the data. The technique is fast and can greatly reduce the number of variables with little compromise, especially for highly redundant data like neural ensemble spike trains. It also naturally preserves the identifiability of the original Information source unlike other techniques, for example the principal component analysis that mixes up the content of the variables irrecoverably and projects it into different set of variables.
Effect of news coverage on the prevalence of drunk-driving behavior: evidence from a longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the proposition that antidrunk driving messages in the news media contributed indirectly to the decline in drunk driving over the past two decades through their impact on related policy making processes. METHOD: Time series regression techniques are applied to longitudinal data to examine the causal association between drivers' involvement in drunk-driving behavior, the volume of news coverage devoted to the drunk driving issue, and related policy making. RESULTS: Results show a significant contribution of news coverage to drunk-driving-related policy actions, which in turn are associated with a reduction in drunk driving among young and high-risk drivers. There was no evidence of a direct causal association between news coverage and change in drunk-driving behavior. CONCLUSIONS: News coverage of alcohol-related risky behaviors seems to provide a cost-effective way of reducing the prevalence of these practices by attracting institutional attention and prompting related environmental changes. Future interventions may benefit from actively seeking to influence news coverage of risky behaviors. Language: en
Race, gender, and the retirement decisions of people ages 60 to 80: prospects for age integration in employment.

Demographic projections have prompted concerns about the potential economic burden of an aging population. This article, drawing on the 1998 Health and Retirement Study, explores ways in which race, gender, and age moderate the effects of various factors on labor force participation among people ages 60 to 80. Key findings center on health, education, and non-wage income. First, the effect of low non-wage income is weaker at older ages due to higher levels of functional disability. Second, the effect of low education is stronger for women, who perceive their chances of finding employment as low. Third, the effect of health is weaker for blacks, as they are less likely to find steady employment regardless of health. Policy implications: Employer flexibility in number of hours worked might make sense for workers close to retirement age, while job search and training programs might be preferable for workers past the typical retirement age.
Negative pressure therapy for closed spine incisions: a pilot study.

Negative pressure therapy (NPT), used on open wounds or postoperative infections, has not been evaluated on closed spinal inci- sions. This was analyzed after 3 days and 5 days of NPT application using biomechanics and histology in a porcine model. Methods. In 8 mature miniature pigs, 2 end-to-end midline spine incisions were closed in a standard fashion. Negative pressure (Prevena™ Incision Management System, KCI, San Antonio,TX) was applied to one inci- sion (NPT group) while standard dry dressings were used on the other (control group). After 3 days or 5 days, all incisions underwent biome- chanical (eg, failure load, failure energy, and stress), histological, and scar scale evaluation. Analysis. ANOVAs compared the groups (3-day vs 5-day, NPT vs control, P < 0.05). Negative pressure therapy dem- onstrated a significantly improved scar scale height grade than the control (P = 0.026). Failure load (4.9 ± 4.0 vs 16.5 ± 14.6 N), energy absorbed (8.0 ± 9.0 vs. 26.9 ± 23.0 mJ), and ultimate stress (62 ± 53 vs. 204 ± 118 N/mm 2 ) were lower in the control group. Histologi- cal analysis revealed no differences in incision scar width. Conclusion. Negative pressure therapy application on closed incisions presented a trend toward improved early healing strength, and in significantly improved incision appearance. Clinically, NPT may improve incision integrity, minimizing the risk of dehiscence or subsequent infection. Patients at high risk of postoperative incision site complications may benefit from primary application of NPT.
The Impact of Clinical Decision Rules on Computed Tomography Use and Yield for Pulmonary Embolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Study objective Validation studies have confirmed the accuracy of clinical decision rules for the evaluation of pretest probability of pulmonary embolism. It has been assumed that clinical decision rules will also decrease testing in actual practice, but the evidence for this is unclear. We perform a systematic review of impact analyses on clinical decision rules for pulmonary embolism. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched without language restriction for studies assessing the effect of clinical decision rules on efficiency (computed tomography [CT] angiography use and yield) and safety (missed pulmonary embolism) through October 2014. Two reviewers independently extracted data on study characteristics, methods, risk of bias, and outcomes. Results Eight studies (n=6,677) contained sufficient information, including 1 randomized trial and 7 observational studies. Because of heterogeneity, the results of 4 studies of moderate to high quality assessing the Wells criteria were pooled. The pooled CT angiography yield was 9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6% to 12%) in the control group and 12% (95% CI 11% to 14%) in the intervention group, for a 3% increase in yield (95% CI 1% to 5%), relative risk 1.3 (95% CI 1.1 to 1.6). We were unable to report a pooled estimate of CT angiography use. Of 2 studies with sufficient information, there was no difference in the rate of missed pulmonary embolism between intervention and control groups. No studies used a cluster-randomized design. Conclusion Among participants with suspected pulmonary embolism, implementation of the Wells criteria was associated with a modest increase in CT angiography yield. There is a lack of cluster-randomized trials to confirm the efficacy of clinical decision rules for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.
Microneedle-based sensors for medical diagnosis

Recently microneedles have been explored for transdermal monitoring of biomarkers with the goal to achieve time-sensitive clinical information for routine point-of-care health monitoring. In this highlight we provide a general overview of recent progress in microneedle-based sensing research, including: (a) glucose monitoring, (b) ex vitro microneedle diagnostic systems for general health monitoring with an emphasis on sensor construction, and (c) in vivo use of microneedle sensors.
The Broom Theory: A Perspective on Global Equity Markets

This study establishes and tests a methodology to gauge global markets convergence, i.e., the long-run tendency of different markets to catch-up with a leading market. Under the globalization hypothesis, the differential speeds of the markets worldwide are hypothesized to show some tendencies towards convergence. This point, which has significant bearings on the analysis and choice of global markets, provides information on the degree of market integration, the potential for risk diversification, and a priori expectation of co-movements among the markets. Considering the broad dimensions of globalization, this study limits its scope to the analysis of the convergence or divergence of returns on stocks among eighteen country and seven regional stock exchanges in the world. The results are conclusive. The state-space transition paths of almost all of the exchanges exhibit convergence, though at different degrees. Only a few exchanges exhibit divergence or remain inconclusive. Furthermore, starting sometime in the 1997-1998 years most exchanges appear to depart slightly and gradually from their convergence paths. The implications of this phenomenon are brought to light in terms of the downward pressure on global stock returns in the last few years.
Abstract B50: Targeting KRASG12D colorectal cancer with combined inhibition of PI3K/mTOR and MAPK signaling

Compounds validated in preclinical models frequently exhibit limited efficacy when transitioned into human trials. As a result, many patients are stratified into treatment regimens that have little impact on their disease. With the goal of establishing preclinical models that can more accurately predict tumor responses, there has been a recent emphasis to develop patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. We strove to develop new PDX models of colorectal cancer (CRC) to test the feasibility of targeted therapy using small molecule inhibitors. Following transplantation of patient tumor specimens into athymic nude mice, sixteen PDX models were successfully established. Common somatic mutations were determined using custom gene panels and targeted with appropriate inhibitors against PI3K/AKT, mTOR and/or MAPK signaling. In four independent models, single agent therapies against PI3K and mTOR had little impact on tumor growth. Conversely, robust declines in tumor burden were universally observed in all models with MEK inhibition with the exception of one, a KRAS G12D mutant model. Within this model, tumor response was achieved only with dual inhibition of mTOR and MAPK signaling. Given the unmet clinical need to treat tumors with aberrant KRAS signaling, these results encourage further investigation into combination treatment strategies with these small molecule inhibitors. Citation Format: Danielle Burgenske, David Monsma, Dawna Dylewski, Stephanie Scott, Aaron Sayfie, Donald Kim, Martin Luchtefeld, Katie Martin, Paul Stephenson, Galen Hostetter, Nadav Dujovny, Jeffrey MacKeigan. Targeting KRASG12D colorectal cancer with combined inhibition of PI3K/mTOR and MAPK signaling. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Targeting the PI3K-mTOR Network in Cancer; Sep 14-17, 2014; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(7 Suppl):Abstract nr B50.
Abstract 41: Fructose Stimulates Na/H Exchanger 3 Activity and Enhances the Ability of Angiotensin II to Activate Na/H Exchanger 3 in the Proximal Tubule

Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener has increased dramatically. Fructose has been implicated in the epidemic of diabetes, obesity and hypertension including salt-sensitive hypertension. However, the mechanisms are poorly understood. The proximal nephron reabsorbs 60-70% of the fluid and Na, and most of the filtered bicarbonate via Na/H exchanger 3. Enhanced proximal nephron transport has been implicated in several forms of hypertension. We hypothesized that fructose stimulates NHE3 activity and enhances the ability of angiotensin II (ANG II) to activate NHE3 in the proximal tubule. To test our hypothesis we isolated and perfused proximal tubules from Sprague Dawley rats. NHE3 activity was measured as the recovery of intracellular pH after an NH4Cl acid pulse using the pH sensitive dye BCECF. The rate of pH recovery was measured in Fluorescent Units per second (FU/sec). In the presence of a 5.5 mM glucose-containing physiological saline the basal rate of pH recovery was 3.1 ± 0.8 FU/sec. When the luminal solution was exchanged to a 0.6 mM glucose + 5 mM fructose-containing physiological saline in a second period, the rate of pH recovery increased to 5 ± 1 FU/sec (p
Ascorbic acid, acetaminophen, and hydrogen peroxide detection using a dendrimer-encapsulated Pt nanoparticle carbon nanotube composite

Fabricating a composite capable of detecting multiple analytes is important for advancing rapid medical diagnosis technology to assist in treating illnesses. A dendrimer-encapsulated Pt nanoparticle carbon nanotube (Pt–DEN–PANI–CNT) composite-based electrochemical biosensor was fabricated for the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), ascorbic acid (AA), and acetaminophen (AP), important for monitoring AP overdose-induced poisoning. Polyaniline (PANI) was used to coat single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which were then decorated with Pt-encapsulated, fourth-generation NH2-terminated poly(amidoamine) (G4-PAMAM) dendrimers. X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopies, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the nanocomposite material. Electrocatalytic activity of the Pt–DEN–PANI–CNT composite was studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometric (CA) techniques. Point-of-zero charge (PZC) measurements showed that the isoelectric point of the composite was at pH 6.8, an important parameter to consider in explaining differences in selectivity of the composite to these various analytes. Measured chronoamperometric signals for AA, H2O2, and AP were found in the concentration ranges of 10 μM–10 mM, 50 μM–8 mM, and 20 μM–1 mM, respectively. Within this series of analytes, the Pt–DEN–PANI–CNT composite can selectively detect both H2O2 and AP, separately, in the presence of the other analytes with rapid current response (<5 s) and good reproducibility.
Appeal of electronic cigarettes in smokers with serious mental illness

Abstract Introduction Up to 75% of people with serious mental illness (SMI) smoke, and most are highly dependent on nicotine, consuming more cigarettes per day than smokers without mental illness. Even with evidence-based treatment, relapses are common, resulting in high morbidity and early mortality from tobacco-related diseases. Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are theoretically safer because they deliver no tar or carbon monoxide; however, their appeal is largely untested in people with SMI. Methods We enrolled 21 chronic smokers with SMI who had failed a quit attempt and were not engaged in cessation treatment. Research staff provided e-cigarettes and instructions on how to use them, and assessed participants weekly for 4 weeks. Results Of the enrolled participants, 19 completed weekly assessments. From baseline to the final study visit, mean self-reported use of combustible tobacco declined from 192 to 67 cigarettes/week (t = 3.62, df = 17, p = 0.005), confirmed by reduction in breath carbon monoxide from 27 ppm to 15 ppm (t = 3.246, df = 18, p = 0.004). Use of e-cigarettes did not escalate over the 4 weeks. Temporary and mild side effects, including dry/sore throat, nausea, dizziness, and cough, were reported by 58% of participants. End of trial ratings of enjoyment, satisfaction compared to regular cigarettes, and willingness to buy e-cigarettes were high (ranging from 3.82–4.51 on a 5-point scale). Conclusions Results of this study suggest that people with SMI may find e-cigarettes an appealing substitute for combustible cigarettes. We found no evidence of increasing nicotine dependence. Further randomized studies are needed to better assess e-cigarette appeal and toxicity.
Estimating breast thickness for dual-energy subtraction in contrast-enhanced digital mammography using calibration phantoms

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced digital mammography (DE CE-DM) uses an iodinated contrast agent to image the perfusion and vasculature of the breast. DE images are obtained by a weighted logarithmic subtraction of the high-energy (HE) and low-energy (LE) image pairs. We hypothesized that the optimal DE subtraction weighting factor is thickness-dependent, and developed a method for determining breast tissue composition and thickness in DE CE-DM. Phantoms were constructed using uniform blocks of 100% glandular-equivalent and 100% adipose-equivalent material. The thickness of the phantoms ranged from 3 to 8 cm, in 1 cm increments. For a given thickness, the glandular-adipose composition of the phantom was varied using different combinations of blocks. The logarithmic LE and logarithmic HE signal intensities were measured; they decrease linearly with increasing glandularity for a given thickness. The signals decrease with increasing phantom thickness and the x-ray signal decreases linearly with thickness for a given glandularity. As the thickness increases, the attenuation difference per additional glandular block decreases, indicating beam hardening. From the calibration mapping, we have demonstrated that we can predict percent glandular tissue and thickness when given two distinct signal intensities. Our results facilitate the subtraction of tissue at the boundaries of the breast, and aid in discriminating between contrast agent uptake in glandular tissue and subtraction artifacts.
Children’s Roles and Fertility: Late Nineteenth-Century United States

This article focuses on the importance of employment and educational roles for children in understanding major aspects of the American fertility transition of the late 1800s. It views the declining economic contribution of children to family income and the increased short-run costs of children from schooling as important factors in explaining variations in marital fertility among parts of the United States, and also for understanding the general downward trend of fertility in the late 1800s. Data on children ever born from the 1910 census are used to analyze variations across states in childbearing among two cohorts of married white women. One cohort (those 70-74 years of age in 1910) did most of their childbearing in the period after the Civil War; while the younger cohort (40-44 in 1910) re-produced mainly in the period just before the turn of the century. Relationships between reproductive behavior of individual mothers and their own children’s roles will also be investigated through a sample of the 1900 manuscript census, based on a 1 in 750 household sample of the 1900 manuscript census (Graham, 1980). Special attention will be devoted to urban-rural variation in the effect of children’s activities on fertility.
Differences in Neurovirulence among Isolates of Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2 in Mice using Four Routes of Infection

Differences in neurovirulence between herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) were investigated using recent clinical isolates and laboratory-passaged strains in intravaginal, intranasal, intraperitoneal, and intracerebral infections of mice. The HSV-2 isolates caused higher death rates in all four infections. No differences in death rate were observed between recent and passaged isolates of either HSV-1 or HSV-2. After intravaginal inoculation, HSV-1 isolates replicated to higher titers in the vaginal mucosa, but HSV-2 isolates produced a higher death rate and a greater frequency of latent infection in lumbosacral ganglia of surviving animals. After intranasal inoculation, HSV-2 isolates again produced a higher death rate, but the frequency of latent infection in trigeminal ganglia was higher with HSV-1 isolates. The data suggest that the HSV-2 isolates have an enhanced capacity to enter and replicate in the central nervous system of mice but that latency is influenced by both virus type and route of inoculation.
Long Term Field Measurement of Micro Meter Crack Response to Climatological and Blast Vibration Induced Effects

This paper compares more than two years of micro meter crack displacement response and structural velocity response of a wood frame house adjacent to an operating aggregate quarry. The same transducers that monitor long term, climatologically induced micro inch crack response also measure dynamic responses induced by blast-induced ground motions, occupant activities and wind gusts. The two story house has been expanded several times, is founded on an irregular basement, framed in wood and clad with wood siding and clapboard. This project is part of a larger research effort of structural health monitoring via autonomous crack monitoring [ACM]. The unusually long monitoring period allowed observation of two maximum, climatologically induced peak crack responses, and as such represents one of the longest periods of continuous observation in the literature. These once a year peak climatological responses are compared with unusually intensive ground motions in excess of that allowed by regulation. Intense ground motions were legally possible because the test house is owned by the quarry and located on the quarry property. These comparisons show that climatic and environmental variations cause greater crack response than ground motions that exceed regulatory limits.
COMPARISON OF OUTCOMES AFTER INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND-GUIDED VERSUS ANGIOGRAPHY-GUIDED DRUG-ELUTING STENT IMPLANTATION IN COMPLEX LESIONS CORONARY INTERVENTIONS: A META-ANALYSIS OF 1522 PATIENTS FROM RANDOMIZED TRIALS

There are conflicting data regarding the benefit of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) over angiography-guided PCI in complex coronary interventions. Electronic databases were searched to identify all relevant trials published through October, 2015. We
The Epilogue to "A Collection of Chen Qubing's Poems And Essays

This paper makes researches on Chen Qubing's life and ideology and gives a brief introduction to A Collection of Chen Qubing's Poems And Essays.
On the Reform of Forensic Authentication:Social Value and Development Orientation

The reform of forensic authentication system has been carried out for more than 10 years.Since the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Forensic Authentication was implemented,rapid progress has been made and favorable results have been achieved in forensic science area. On this paper,social value and development orientation of forensic authentication reform were discussed,reflecting the enlightening value of the forensic authentication system reform to other social reform.
Sequential Monte Carlo sampling for correlated latent long-memory time-series

In this paper, we consider state-space models where the latent processes represent correlated mixtures of fractional Gaussian processes embedded in white Gaussian noises. The observed data are nonlinear functions of the latent states. The fractional Gaussian processes have interesting properties including long-memory, self-similarity and scale-invariance, and thus, are of interest for building models in finance and econometrics. We propose sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods for inference of the latent processes where each method is based on different assumptions about the parameters of the state-space model. The methods are extensively evaluated via simulations of the popular stochastic volatility model.
Phase control of Mn-based spinel films via pulsed laser deposition

Phase transformations in battery cathode materials during electrochemical-insertion reactions lead to capacity fading and low cycle life. One solution is to keep the same phase of cathode materials during cation insertion-extraction processes. Here, we demonstrate a novel strategy to control the phase and composition of Mn-based spinel oxides for magnesium-ion battery applications through the growth of thin films on lattice-matched substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Materials at two extreme conditions are considered: fully discharged cathode MgMn2O4 and fully charged cathode Mn2O4. The tetragonal MgMn2O4 (MMO) phase is obtained on MgAl2O4 substrates, while the cubic MMO phase is obtained on MgO substrates. Similarly, growth of the empty Mn2O4 spinel in the cubic phase is obtained on an MgO substrate. These results demonstrate the ability to control separately the phase of spinel thin films (e.g., tetragonal vs. cubic MMO) at nominally fixed composition, and to maintain a fixed (cubic) phase while varying its composition (MgxMn2O4, for x = 0, 1). This capability provides a novel route to gain insights into the operation of battery electrodes for energy storage applications.
Abstract 3259: LY3127804, a novel anti-Angiopoietin-2 antibody in combination with an anti-VEGFR2 antibody potently inhibits angiogenesis, tumor growth and metastasis

Angiopoeitin-2 (Ang2) is released from endothelial cells only in response to stimulus (e.g. wound healing, tumor growth) and facilitates blood vessel sprouting and inhibits pericyte-endothelial cell interaction via Tie2 signaling. Combination of an anti-Ang2 antibody and aflibercept, a VEGF trap, has been shown to inhibit tumor growth and decrease tumor vascularity in mouse xenograft tumor models (Daly et al., Cancer Res (2013) 73(1):108). Multiple investigational anti-Ang2 antibody therapies are currently in clinical trials. LY3127804 is a humanized and engineered IgG4 isotype antibody that selectively binds to Ang2 with high affinity and neutralizes Ang2 induced phospho-Tie2. LY3127804 inhibits sprouting angiogenesis and increases pericyte coverage in a mouse developmental retinal angiogenesis model and in mice bearing PC3 xenograft tumors. Combination of LY3127804 and DC101, a potent anti-VEGFR2 antibody, exhibits enhanced efficacy when compared to monotherapy in multiple patient derived xenograft models including NSCLC and ovarian cancers. Anti-Ang2 antibody monotherapy alone resulted in marginal reduction of tumor growth and improved overall survival, while DC101monotherapy had greater reduction in tumor volume with no survival benefit in MDA-MB-231 breast orthotopic model. Combination of anti-Ang2 antibody with anti-VEGFR2 antibody shows reduction in tumor volume and improved overall survival. This robust pre-clinical evidence supports testing the combination of anti-Ang2 and anti-VEGFR2 antibodies in the clinic. LY3127804 is currently in Phase 1 clinical trials (NCT02597036) Citation Format: Sudhakar R. Chintharlapalli, Johnny E. Croy, Donmienne Leung, Damien Gerald, Jirong Lu, Philip W. Iversen, Linda N. Lee, Lysiane Huber, Jonathan Tetreault, Rowena Almonte-Baldonado, Jianghuai Xu, Bharathi Ramamurthy, Jennifer A. Pereira, Chi-Kin Chow, Axel-Rainer Hanauske, Volker Wacheck, Laura Benjamin, Ling Liu. LY3127804, a novel anti-Angiopoietin-2 antibody in combination with an anti-VEGFR2 antibody potently inhibits angiogenesis, tumor growth and metastasis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3259.
The U.S. Army Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: 1960-1996

ABSTRACTBackground: Reorganization of the Army and critical assessment of Army Graduate Medical Education programs prompted the Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) Consultant to the Army Surgeon General to initiate a review of current Army OEM residency training. Available information indicated the Army OEM residency at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, was the first and longest operating Army OEM residency. Describing this residency was identified as the first step in the review, with the objectives of determining why the residency was started and sustained and its relevance to the needs of the Army. Methods: Records possibly related to the residency were reviewed, starting with 1954 since certification of physicians as Occupation Medicine specialists began in 1955. Interviews were conducted with selected physicians who had strong affiliations with the Army residency and the practice of Army OEM. Findings: The Army OEM residency began in 1960 and closed in 1996 with the transfer of Army OEM residenc...
The Application of the Fundamentals of Strengthening to the Design of New Aluminum Alloys

ABSTRACT The strengthening methods in nonferrous metals are briefly reviewed. Recent approaches to alloy design of high strength-high temperature aluminum alloys and high strength-low density aluminum alloys are described in terms of fundamental concepts.
Isotherm Tracking by an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle in Drift Mode

Studies of marine physical, chemical, and microbiological processes benefit from observing in a Lagrangian frame of reference. Some of these processes are related to specific density or temperature ranges. We have developed a method for a Tethys-class long-range autonomous underwater vehicle (LRAUV) (which has a propeller and a buoyancy engine) to track a targeted isothermal layer (within a narrow temperature range) in a stratified water column when operating in buoyancy-controlled drift mode. In this mode, the vehicle shuts off its propeller and autonomously detects the isotherm and stays with it by actively controlling the vehicle's buoyancy. The LRAUV starts on an initial descent to search for the target temperature. Once the temperature falls in the target center bracket, the vehicle records the corresponding depth and adjusts buoyancy to hold that depth. As long as the temperature stays within a tolerance range, the vehicle continues to hold that depth. If the temperature falls out of the tolerance range, the vehicle will increase or decrease buoyancy to reacquire the target temperature and track it. In a June 2015 experiment in Monterey Bay, CA, USA, an LRAUV ran the presented algorithm to successfully track a target isotherm for 13 h. Over the isotherm tracking duration, the LRAUV mostly remained in the 0.5 $^\circ $ C (peak-to-peak) tolerance range as designed, even though the water column's stratification kept changing. This work paves the way to coupling an LRAUV's complimentary modes of flight and drift—searching for an oceanographic feature in flight mode, and then switching to drift mode to track the feature in a Lagrangian frame of reference.
Discovering Prerequisite Relationships Among Knowledge Components.

Knowing the prerequisite structure among the knowledge components in a domain is crucial for instruction and assessment. Treating Knowledge Components as latent variables, we investigate how data on the items that test these KCs can be used to discover the prerequisite structure among the KCs. By modeling the pre-requisite relations as a causal graph, we can then search for the causal structure among the latents via an extension of an algorithm introduced by Spirtes, Glymour, and Scheines in 2000. We validate the algorithm using simulated data.
Zika virus: a cause of concern in transplantation?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Worldwide, the number of countries reporting Zika virus (ZKV) infection continues to increase. Although 80% of cases are asymptomatic, ZKV has been identified as a neurotropic virus associated with congenital microcephaly, Guillain-Barre' syndrome, and meningoencephalitis. Until recently, infection in transplant recipients has not been identified. This study will review the existing literature on ZKV infection, laboratory testing, and management in transplant recipients. RECENT FINDINGS Donor-derived transfusion of contaminated blood products and naturally occurring ZKV infections have been recently reported in solid organ and stem cell transplant recipients, ranging from asymptomatic infections to meningoencephalitis. Interpretation of diagnostic testing of ZKV is evolving, with prolonged viral shedding identified in blood, semen, and urine of unclear significance. Serologic testing may be associated with cross-reactivity with other flaviviridae, requiring plaque reduction neutralization testing for confirmation. Thus far, donor screening guidelines for transplantation have not been established. SUMMARY The study reviews the limited existing literature in transplant recipients infected with ZKV, available laboratory testing and management. Ultimately, guidelines are needed for donor screening from high-risk areas, interpretation of studies and management of infected patients to ensure safe transplantation.
State Space Approach for Two-Dimensional Data Smoothing

Abstract A state space approach for two-dimensional data smoothing using spline functions is developed in this paper. This approach not only keeps the results concise and simple, but it also provides the basis for obtaining a recursive algorithm. Minimization of a suitable criterion function results in an optimal solution which can be computed recursively if certain conditions are met. In case a recursive algorithm is feasible, certain spline functions can be used to represent the finite state recursive system. Conditions under which a particular spline function will yield a linear state model are derived. Specific examples are shown for the derivation of recursive smoothing algorithms using spline functions with linear state space models.
Identification of an IL-1-induced gene expression pattern in AR+ PCa cells that mimics the molecular phenotype of AR− PCa cells

Background In immunosurveillance, bone-derived immune cells infiltrate the tumor and secrete inflammatory cytokines to destroy cancer cells. However, cancer cells have evolved mechanisms to usurp inflammatory cytokines to promote tumor progression. In particular, the inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1 (IL-1), is elevated in prostate cancer (PCa) patient tissue and serum, and promotes PCa bone metastasis. IL-1 also represses androgen receptor (AR) accumulation and activity in PCa cells, yet the cells remain viable and tumorigenic; suggesting that IL-1 may also contribute to AR-targeted therapy resistance. Furthermore, IL-1 and AR protein levels negatively correlate in PCa tumor cells. Taken together, we hypothesize that IL-1 reprograms AR positive (AR+) PCa cells into AR negative (AR−) PCa cells that co-opt IL-1 signaling to ensure AR-independent survival and tumor progression in the inflammatory tumor microenvironment. Methods LNCaP and PC3 PCa cells were treated with IL-1β or HS-5 bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) conditioned medium and analyzed by RNA sequencing and RT-QPCR. To verify genes identified by RNA sequencing, LNCaP, MDA-PCa-2b, PC3, and DU145 PCa cell lines were treated with the IL-1 family members, IL-1α or IL-1β, or exposed to HS-5 BMSC in the presence or absence of Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist (IL-1RA). Treated cells were analyzed by western blot and/or RT-QPCR. Results Comparative analysis of sequencing data from the AR+ LNCaP PCa cell line versus the AR− PC3 PCa cell line reveals an IL-1-conferred gene suite in LNCaP cells that is constitutive in PC3 cells. Bioinformatics analysis of the IL-1 regulated gene suite revealed that inflammatory and immune response pathways are primarily elicited; likely facilitating PCa cell survival and tumorigenicity in an inflammatory tumor microenvironment. Conclusions Our data supports that IL-1 reprograms AR+ PCa cells to mimic AR− PCa gene expression patterns that favor AR-targeted treatment resistance and cell survival.
Physiological and immunological responses to Culicoides sonorensis blood-feeding: a murine model

Hematophagous Culicoides spp. biting midges are of great agricultural importance as livestock, equine, and wildlife pests and as vectors of the orbiviruses bluetongue, epizootic hemorrhagic disease and African horse sickness. To obtain a blood meal, midges deposit saliva containing allergens, proteases, and anti-hemostatic factors, into the dermis to facilitate feeding. Infected midges deposit virus along with the myriad of salivary proteins during feeding. The extreme efficiency with which midges are able to transmit orbiviruses is not clearly understood, as much is still unknown about the physiological trauma of the bite and immune responses to saliva deposited during feeding. Of particular interest are the first few hours and days after the bite; a critical time period for any midge-transmitted virus to quickly establish a localized infection and disseminate, while avoiding the hosts’ immune responses. A mouse-midge feeding model using colonized Culicoides sonorensis midges was used to characterize innate mammalian immune responses to blood-feeding. Histological analysis of skin, and cellular and cytokine profiles of draining lymph nodes show Culicoides midge feeding elicited a potent pro-inflammatory Th-mediated cellular response with significant mast cell activation, subcutaneous hematomas, hypodermal edema and dermal capillary vasodilation, and rapid infiltration of leukocytes to the bite sites. Mast cell degranulation, triggered by bite trauma and specifically by midge saliva, was key to physiological and immunological responses and the ability of midges to feed to repletion. Midge feeding causes physiological and immunological responses that would be highly favorable for rapid infection and systemic dissemination orbiviruses if delivered during blood-feeding. Recruitment of leukocytic cells to bitten skin brings susceptible cell populations in proximity of deposited virus within hours of feeding. Infected cells would drain to lymph nodes, which become hyperplastic in response to saliva, and result in robust viral replication in expanding cell populations and dissemination via the lymph system. Additionally, saliva-induced vasodilation and direct breaches in dermal capillaries by biting mouthparts exposes susceptible vascular endothelial cells, thereby providing immediate sites of virus replication and a dissemination route via the circulatory system. This research provides insights into the efficiency of Culicoides midges as orbivirus vectors.
Development Testing of Liquid Metal and Molten Salt Heat Exchangers

In order to investigate the design and fabrication problems inherent in compact, high-performance heat exchangers for aircraft nuclear propulsion applications, extensive development testing was don...
The Asymmetric Impact of Income Inequality on the Relative Consumption of Market and Non-Market Goods

Increasing income inequality has an asymmetric impact on society. Affluent households consume both more market and non-market goods. Middle-class households however, in order to minimize utility loss, must substitute away non-market goods in an effort to maintain proportional consumption of market goods. Utilizing standard Cobb-Douglas utility functions this paper models the resulting asymmetric impact on affluent and non-affluent households. Census data is then used to test these conceptual results within the context of urban sprawl.