cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lack of association of polymorphisms in homocysteine metabolism genes with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and glaucoma

Purpose: To evaluate genes involved in homocysteine metabolism as secondary risk factors for pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXFS) and the associated glaucoma (PXFG). Methods: One hundred eighty-six unrelated patients with PXFS, including 140 patients with PXFG and 127 unrelated control subjects were recruited from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. All the patients and controls were Caucasian of European ancestry. Seventeen tag SNPs from 5 genes (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [MTHFR], methionine synthase [MTR], methionine synthase reductase [MTRR], methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase [MTHFD1], and cystathionine β-synthase [CBS]) were genotyped. Single-SNP association was analyzed using Fisher’s exact test (unconditional) or logistic regression after conditioning on the effects of age and three LOXL1 SNPs (rs1048661, rs3825942, and rs2165241). Interaction analysis was performed between the homocysteine and LOXL1 SNPs using logistic regression. Haplotype analysis and the set-based test were used to test for association of individual genes. Multiple comparisons were corrected using the Bonferroni method. Results: One SNP (rs8006686) in MTHFD1 showed a nominally significant association with PXFG (p=0.015, OR=2.23). None of the seventeen SNPs tested were significantly associated with PXFS or PXFG after correcting for multiple comparisons (Bonferroni corrected p>0.25). After controlling for the effects of age and three associated LOXL1 SNPs, none of the seventeen tested SNPs were associated with PXFS (p>0.12). No significant interaction effects on PXFS were identified between the homocysteine and LOXL1 SNPs (p>0.06). Haplotype analysis and the set-based test did not find significant association of individual genes with PXFS (p>0.23 and 0.20, respectively). Conclusions: Five genes that are critical components of the homocysteine metabolism pathway were evaluated as secondary factors for PXFS and PXFG. Our results suggest that these genes are not significant risk factors for the development of these conditions.
Carbon Fibers from Oriented Polyethylene Precursors

In this research, an effort is made to produce carbon fibers from a highly ordered and oriented polyethylene fiber. Sulfonation of the fiber is studied as a method of stabilizing this thermoplastic fiber for higher temperatures of carbonization. The effect of time, temperature, tension and medium of sulfonation is being studied systematically. The progress of reactions and the extent of stabilization is studied by thermal analyses (Dif ferential Scanning Calorimetry and Thermogravimetric Analysis). Other techniques like Scanning Electron Microscopy and Instron Tension Testing are used to investigate the changes in morphology of the fibers with stabilization treatment. Also, the properties of the carbon fibers produced from these precursors are investigated.
Heterogeneous reductions of (homohypostrophene)dialkylplatinum(II) complexes provide a useful system for the study of intermediate surface alkyls on platinum [1]

This paper reports a comparison of the ethyl moieties generated on the surface of platinum black during the heterogeneous, platinum-catalyzed hydrogenations of (1,5-cyclooctadiene)diethylplatinum(II) ((COD)PtEt2), of (homohypostrophene)diethylplatinum(II) ((HOP)PtEt2), and of ethylene using D2 in ethyl alcohol-d. In reductions of the platinum complexes, the π-olefin and σ-alkyl organic ligands are converted to alkanes by reaction of the intermediate surface alkyls with surface hydrides, and the platinum(II) becomes part of the platinum(0) surface. These reductions are characterized by two kinetic regimes: one in which the rate of reaction is limited by the mass transport of hydrogen to the surface of the catalyst (the mass transport limited regime, MTL), and one in which the rate is limited by a reaction on the surface of the catalyst (the reaction rate limited regime, RRL). In the RRL regime, the isotopic compositions of the ethanes-dn produced from the reductions of the platinum complexes and of ethylene suggest that the surface ethyls (Et *) generated from each precursor have similar relative rates of isotopic exchange (and thus of C-H bond activation) and of reductive elimination as ethane. In the MTL regime, the Et * derived from each precursor have different reactivities: the Et* generated from (HOP)PtEt2 have reactivities that are more similar to the Et * generated from ethylene than do the Et * generated from (COD)PtEt2.
Self-Adaptive Multimethod Search for Global Optimization in Real-Parameter Spaces

Many different algorithms have been developed in the last few decades for solving complex real-world search and optimization problems. The main focus in this research has been on the development of a single universal genetic operator for population evolution that is always efficient for a diverse set of optimization problems. In this paper, we argue that significant advances to the field of evolutionary computation can be made if we embrace a concept of self-adaptive multimethod optimization in which multiple different search algorithms are run concurrently, and learn from each other through information exchange using a common population of points. We present an evolutionary algorithm, entitled A Multialgorithm Genetically Adaptive Method for Single Objective Optimization (AMALGAM-SO), that implements this concept of self adaptive multimethod search. This method simultaneously merges the strengths of the covariance matrix adaptation (CMA) evolution strategy, genetic algorithm (GA), and particle swarm optimizer (PSO) for population evolution and implements a self-adaptive learning strategy to automatically tune the number of offspring these three individual algorithms are allowed to contribute during each generation. Benchmark results in 10, 30, and 50 dimensions using synthetic functions from the special session on real-parameter optimization of CEC 2005 show that AMALGAM-SO obtains similar efficiencies as existing algorithms on relatively simple unimodal problems, but is superior for more complex higher dimensional multimodal optimization problems. The new search method scales well with increasing number of dimensions, converges in the close proximity of the global minimum for functions with noise induced multimodality, and is designed to take full advantage of the power of distributed computer networks.
Effects of Slash Burning in Overmature Stands of the Douglas-Fir Region

Following clearcutting of old-growth coniferous forests in western Washington and Oregon, pairs of burned and unburned plots were established to determine the effects of normal fall slash burning. Fires consumed nearly all fine fuel, left nearly all logs, and severely burned less than 6 percent of the soil surface. Five years after burning, the estimated rating of fire spread on the burned plots was 27 percent of that on the unburned, and estimated resistance to control was 67 percent. Difference in rate of spread ended at 16 years; difference in resistance to control ended at 12 years. Burning changed species composition of brush and herbage, reduced brush cover for a few years except where Ceanothus sp. invaded, but did not affect total herbaceous cover. Burning did not affect ultimate quantity of natural stocking with commercial conifers that became estab- lished after logging. Forest Sci. 16:258-270. THE ESTABLISHED management system of clearcutting the tall, dense, overmature forests of the Douglas-fir region of western Oregon and Washington usually leaves great quantities of debris after all mer- chantable wood is removed. Limbs up to l0 inches through, masses of small limbs and needles, thick slabs of bark, short chunks of broken trunks, long logs riddled by heart rot, shattered remains of large snags, and moss-coated windfalls of the past 50 years cover most of the ground
Southern California Deep-Water Wave Climate: Characterization and Application to Coastal Processes

Abstract We consider the effect of decadal climate change on the historic wave climate of the Southern California Bight (SCB) using a 50 year hindcast record (1948–98) for waves generated in the North Pacific winter. Deep-water wave height, period, and direction are examined with respect to the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Storms occurring during strong La Nina intervals, when the SOI is greater than 1.0, concurrent with either a cool or warm phase of the PDO, are indistinguishable in wave character. In marked contrast, wave conditions arising from storms during strong El Nino intervals, when the SOI is less than −1.0, concurrent with the PDO cool phase (1948–77), differ greatly from wave conditions of storms during strong El Nino intervals concurrent with the PDO warm phase (1978–98). Our statistical analyses characterize the deep-water winter wave climate as consistent during La Nina intervals (mean values Hs =3.3 m, Ts =13.0 s, α =293°, for the highest 5% ...
Digital Modulation Classification using Temporal Waveform Features for Cognitive Radios

This paper presents a novel digital modulation classification system for cognitive radios using only temporal waveform features. Temporal features extraction is desirable for cognitive radios because it is easy to implement them compared to the extraction of other features types such as spectral features. The features used for classification are extracted from instantaneous amplitude and phase of the digitized intermediate frequency signal. A hierarchical approach is used to first make separations into intermediate subclasses, where some of the subclasses can consist of more than one modulation type. Then a second classifier is used to discriminate between higher order modulation schemes using additional features. Compared to alternative methods, the simulation results show the overall effectiveness of the proposed method in the presence of noise, especially for higher order digital modulations. Particularly, the overall success rate for the classification of seven common digital modulation schemes exceeds 95% at signal to noise ratios ranging from 10 dB to 80 dB.
St. John’s Wort enhances the synaptic activity of the nucleus of the solitary tract

Abstract Objective St. John’s Wort (SJW) extract, which is commonly used to treat depression, inhibits the reuptake of several neurotransmitters, including glutamate, serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Glutamatergic visceral vagal afferents synapse upon neurons of the solitary tract (NST); thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether SJW extract modulates glutamatergic neurotransmission within the NST. Methods We used live cell calcium imaging to evaluate whether SJW and its isolated components hypericin and hyperforin increase the excitability of prelabeled vagal afferent terminals synapsing upon the NST. We used voltage-clamp recordings of spontaneous miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) to evaluate whether SJW alters glutamate release from vagal afferents onto NST neurons. Results Our imaging data show that SJW (50 μg/mL) increased the intracellular calcium levels of stimulated vagal afferent terminals compared with the bath control. This increase in presynaptic vagal afferent calcium by the extract coincides with an increase in neurotransmitter release within the nucleus of the solitary tract, as the frequency of mEPSCs is significantly higher in the presence of the extract compared with the control. Finally, our imaging data show that hyperforin, a known component of SJW extract, also significantly increases terminal calcium levels. Conclusion These data suggest that SJW extract can significantly increase the probability of glutamate release from vagal afferents onto the NST by increasing presynaptic calcium. The in vitro vagal afferent synapse with NST neurons is an ideal model system to examine the mechanism of action of botanical agents on glutamatergic neurotransmission.
The Impact of the Title III Program on Doctoral and Professional Programs at Historically Black Universities: The Stakeholders’ Perspective

The impact of Part B, Section 326, of the Title III program was assessed using data from three historically Black universities. Part B, Section 326, of the Title III program aims at strengthening the resource capacity of historically Black colleges and universities with eligible doctoral and professional programs. The lack of documented impact contributes to ongoing skepticism regarding program efficacy. A web-based survey instrument, with one version for administrators and faculty and another version for students, was used for data collection. The participants were asked to rank the impact of the program using a five-ordered Likert-type scale. The questions were grouped into multiple domains. Findings from this study suggest that increased stakeholder input needs to be utilized when communicating the success of the Title III program for wider support and advocacy.
USE OF SERIAL SECTIONS TO DELINEATE THE STRUCTURE OF PORTHETRIA DISPAR VIRUS IN THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPE

Consecutive serial sections of polyhedra obtained from gipsy moth larvae infected with P. dispar virus revealed bundles of viral rods scattered and oriented at random within the polyhedral body. Each bundle was entirely surrounded by a dense, sharply defined membrane. The rods measured 18 to 22 mµ in diameter and averaged 280 mµ in length. No spherical viral particles were encountered. The effects of variable compression and periodic distortion of the sections on the appearance of the virus are discussed.
Nonmonotonic cryptographic protocols

The paper presents a new method for specifying and analyzing cryptographic protocols. The method offers several advantages over previous approaches. The technique is the first to allow reasoning about nonmonotonic protocols, which are needed for systems that rely on the deletion of information. There is no idealization of protocols; we specify at a level that is close to the actual implementation. We show how the method uncovers the known flaw in the Needham and Schroeder protocol (R.M. Needham and M.D. Schroeder, 1978). We then apply the method to the khat protocol (A.D. Rubin, P. Honeyman, 1993). The analysis reveals a serious, previously undiscovered flaw in the nonmonotonic protocol for long-running jobs. >
Intracellular expression of a host-selective toxin, ToxA, in diverse plants phenocopies silencing of a ToxA-interacting protein, ToxABP1

Summary •ToxA, a host-selective toxin of wheat, can be detected within ToxA-sensitive mesophyll cells, where it localizes to chloroplasts and induces necrosis. Interaction of ToxA with the chloroplast-localized protein ToxABP1 has been implicated in this process. Therefore, we hypothesized that silencing of ToxABP1 in wheat would lead to a necrotic phenotype. Also, because ToxABP1 is highly conserved in plants, internal expression of ToxA in plants that do not normally internalize ToxA should result in cell death. •Reduction of ToxABP1 expression was achieved using Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV)-mediated, viral-induced gene silencing. The BSMV system was modified for use as an internal expression vector for ToxA in monocots. Agrobacterium-mediated expression of ToxA in a dicot (tobacco-Nicotiana benthamiana) was also performed. •Viral-induced gene silencing of ToxABP1 partially recapitulates the phenotype of ToxA treatment and wheat plants with reduced ToxABP1 also have reduced sensitivity to ToxA. When ToxA is expressed in ToxA-insensitive wheat, barley (Hordeum vulgare) and tobacco, cell death ensues. •ToxA accumulation in any chloroplast-containing cell is likely to result in cell death. Our data indicate that the ToxA–ToxABP1 interaction alters ToxABP1 function. This interaction is a critical, although not exclusive, component of the ToxA-induced cell death cascade.
Re: Trends in the Use of Perioperative Chemotherapy for Localized and Locally Advanced Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer: A Sign of Changing Tides

Background Despite the documented survival benefit conferred by neoadjuvant (NAC) and adjuvant chemotherapy (AC), there has been a slow adoption of guideline recommendations for the use of perioperative chemotherapy (POC) in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).
Kalashine, a novel type aporphine-benzylisoquinoline alkaloid

Abstract Berberis orthobotrys produces the new dimer kalashine ( 1 ), together with the previously reported pakistanamine ( 2 ) and pakistanine ( 3 ). Kalashine is the first aporphine-benzylisoquinoline known to be substituted at C-11. Acid catalyzed rearrangement of pakistanamine ( 2 ) in 3N HCl leads to 1-0-methylpakistanine ( 6 ) together with small amounts of 1-0-methylkalashine ( 7 ) and (+)-armepavine ( 8 ). Rearrangement of 2 using methanol containing a little 3N HCl gives about equal amounts of 6 and 1,10-di-O-methylpakistanine ( 9 ).
Stenosing tenosynovitis of the pseudosheath of the tendo Achilles.

This entity consists of a chronic inflammatory process of the peritenon of the tendo Achilles (usually bilateral) at variable points of the tendon itself but usually near the insertion in the Achilles. Its occurrence, not only in runners but in relatively sedentary individuals of both sexes, seems to be the result of microtrauma of stress with insidious onset of local pain in increasing degree with physical activity.Clinically, in the advanced cases, fibrillation, nodulation, and “yellowing” of the edematous tendon occur and probably are a precursor to later ruptures.Pathological changes consist of one or more of the following: a myxomatous degeneration of collagenous tissue; fibrosis; round cell inflammatory infiltrate; and proliferation of fibrovascular connective tissue. The use of steroid injections seems to be of no help and probably is contraindicated.Surgery consists of excision of the entire pseudosheath, allowing the tendon to assume a new, nonconstricting alignment. All but one of the nine patie...
Molecular weight distribution of the heavy wax fraction from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

Little reliable information is available on the carbon-number distribution of Fischer-Tropsch products above approximately C/sub 30/. This article reports on the analysis of the reactor waxes remaining in the liquid phase after several lengthy slurry reactor studies. The analyses were done by high-temperature gas chromatography and gel permeation chromatography. The catalysts were a reduced fused magnetite and a precipitated iron oxide promoted with potassium and copper.
Holographic renormalization group flows and boundary conformal field theories

Solutions of $(d+1)$-dimensional gravity coupled to a scalar field are obtained, which holographically realize interface and boundary conformal field theories (CFTs). The solution utilizes a Janus-like ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{d}$ slicing ansatz and corresponds to a deformation of the CFT by a spatially-dependent coupling of a relevant operator. The boundary conformal field theory solutions are singular in the bulk, but physical quantities such as the holographic entanglement entropy can be calculated.
Role of Larval Sexual Dimorphism, Biased Sex Ratios, and Habitat on the Energetics of a Tropical Chironomid

Larval sex dimorphism, fecundity, and sex ratios have been rarely studied in lotic insects, but can have ecological, energetic, and evolutionary importance. I evaluated the effect of microhabitat quality on larval and pupal sex dimorphism and sex ratios using a Hawaiian chironomid (Telmatogeton torrenticola Terry) and examined differences between sex-corrected and noncorrected biomass and secondary production estimates. Larvae and pupae were collected from two microhabitat types defined by microscale flow hydraulics to test for habitat effects on sex dimorphism, sex ratios, fecundity, standing stock biomass, secondary production, and Production/Biomass (P/B) ratios. Female larvae were more than twice as large as males, and this was more pronounced in pupae. Males were twice as abundant as females, and there was no effect of habitat on fourth-instar density. There was, however, a significant habitat effect on morphology, larval body size, standing stock biomass, secondary production, and P/B ratios. Biomass was not statistically different between sexes, but sex-corrected biomass was significantly lower than noncorrected biomass in both habitats but is likely not biologically significant. Sex-corrected secondary production estimates were 69-85% of noncorrected estimates depending on habitat, and sex correction did have a significant effect on P/B ratios in microhabitats of lower quality. This study is one of the first to address sex dimorphism and sex ratios in estimates of standing stock biomass and secondary production, providing initial evidence that microhabitat quality is important to understanding chironomid population biology and the potential role of sex-related demographics in estimates of productivity.
Changing Regional Emissions of Airborne Pollutants Reflected in the Chemistry of Snowpacks and Wetfall in the Rocky Mountain Region, USA, 1993–2012

Wintertime precipitation sample data from 55 Snowpack sites and 17 National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP)/National Trends Network Wetfall sites in the Rocky Mountain region were examined to identify long-term trends in chemical concentration, deposition, and precipitation using Regional and Seasonal Kendall tests. The Natural Resources Conservation Service snow-telemetry (SNOTEL) network provided snow-water-equivalent data from 33 sites located near Snowpack- and NADP Wetfall-sampling sites for further comparisons. Concentration and deposition of ammonium, calcium, nitrate, and sulfate were tested for trends for the period 1993–2012. Precipitation trends were compared between the three monitoring networks for the winter seasons and downward trends were observed for both Snowpack and SNOTEL networks, but not for the NADP Wetfall network. The dry-deposition fraction of total atmospheric deposition, relative to wet deposition, was shown to be considerable in the region. Potential sources of regional airborne pollutant emissions were identified from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2011 National Emissions Inventory, and from long-term emissions data for the period 1996–2013. Changes in the emissions of ammonia, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide were reflected in significant trends in snowpack and wetfall chemistry. In general, ammonia emissions in the western USA showed a gradual increase over the past decade, while ammonium concentrations and deposition in snowpacks and wetfall showed upward trends. Emissions of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide declined while regional trends in snowpack and wetfall concentrations and deposition of nitrate and sulfate were downward.
Ecological Implications of dividing Plants into Groups with Distinct Photosynthetic Production Capacities

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the ecological implications of dividing plants in groups with distinct photosynthetic production capacities. The productivity of photosynthetic organisms is a fundamental factor in ecological relationships. It is observed that data on plant anatomy, plant physiology, and plant biochemistry have largely converged with the recognition of distinct groups of plants with several distinct characteristics including photosynthetic production capacity. One of the distinguishing characteristics of each plant group is the rate of net photosynthesis which in one major group of plants is two to threefold higher than the second major group of plants. This chapter describes the data which supports the concept of dividing plants in distinct groups in order to analyze some ecological implications and consequences of a particular division. The chapter also describes various criteria's based on which the plants are divided in distinct group. These include anatomical, physiological, and biochemical criteria's. In specific, the chapter considers photosynthetic capacity as a dominating factor in ecology. It states that solar energy is the major energy source and a plant which can add energy two to three times faster into an ecosystem than another plant must be considered when explaining or studying that ecosystem.
Comparison of outer rotor permanent magnet and magnet-less generators for direct-drive wind turbine applications

Interest in using magnet-less switched reluctance generators for wind turbines applications continues to gain popularity. Mainly due to unstable price of the magnet raw material that is one of the main challenges for engineers to forecast the final cost of the wind turbine. This paper presents design of a direct drive switched reluctance generator (DDSRG) for wind turbine applications using Finite-Element Analysis (FEA) tools. The performance, weight, and cost of the proposed DDSRG is compared to a direct-drive permanent magnet generator (DDPMG). The FEA results demonstrate that for the same dimensions, the final cost of the proposed DDSRG is lower when compared to the conventional DDPMG for wind turbine applications. The main drawback of the DDSRG is that it has lower output power than DDPMG for the same dimensions. Also a DDSRG for the same output power as DDPMG has been designed in this paper.
Positive predictive factors for residual disease in re-excision specimens of early stage breast cancer

10604 Background: Breast conservation followed by radiation is the treatment in patients with Stage 0, 1, 2, breast cancer. Patients with positive, close or indeterminate margins on excisional biop...
Magnetic resonance imaging corticospinal tract hyperintensities in progressive supranuclear palsy.

This 77-year-old male with probable progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) diagnosed in 2011 was admitted from a nursing home following a fall. Examination demonstrated parkinsonism, axial rigidity, limited downgaze with 10 degrees of vertical excursion, and slow, hypometric saccades. Repeat imaging was obtained to exclude acute injury. Prior magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) had not shown any evidence of corticospinal tract (CST) degeneration, and the patient exhibited no signs of alternative pathology on clinical examination. Neuroimaging in PSP may show atrophy of the midbrain tegmentum with sparing of the pons, the hummingbird sign, which is reported to be highly sensitive in PSP.1 Corticospinal tract degeneration has been described with motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,2 but is rarely reported with tauopathies.3 Although prior reports have linked CST degeneration and tauopathies,4 with 1 case describing MRI evidence of CST atrophy in a corticobasal degeneration patient,5 this is the first, to our knowledge, of PSP presenting with the evidence of CST degeneration. This supports growing evidence that tauopathies affect both pyramidal and extrapyramidal pathways.2–6 Figure 1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showing a T1-weighted midline sagittal view (A) of a patient with the classic hummingbird sign of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP); the pericallosal hyperintensity represents falx calcification. The ...
Direct Growth of Graphene Nanoribbons for Large-Scale Device Fabrication

Graphene being a zero band gap material hinders the use of its intrinsic form for many applications requiring a moderate band gap, such as field effect transistors and optoelectronic devices. Here we demonstrate a scalable method based on chemical vapor deposition for the direct growth of well-registered graphene nanoribbons on SiO2 substrates with precise control over their width, length, and position. The width of the graphene nanoribbons (∼20 nm) is defined by the thickness of catalyst film, therefore avoiding the diffraction limit of conventional optical lithographic methods. The carrier mobility (over 1000 cm2/V·s) is higher than those previously reported graphene nanoribbons fabricated on SiO2 substrates, thanks to the present transfer-free and contaminant-free direct growth process. This method overcomes many practical limitations of the previously demonstrated methods for the patterning of graphene nanoribbons and is compatible with large-scale fabrication of graphene nanoelectronics.
Applications of PZT and Related Thin Films in Piezoelectric Microsensors

Ferroelectric thin films have been deposited on polycrystalline silicon micromechanical structures to form both physical microsensors and microactuator devices. These devices which include acoustic pressure sensors, infrared detectors, micropositioners, and stepper motors are based on either the piezoelectric or pyroelectric properties of sol-gel Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3 or PbTiO3 deposited on surface-machined microelectromechanical structures. Several materials, micromachining, process integration, and performance issues are introduced in the description of these devices.
Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction: Role of Newer Diagnostic Methods

Abstract Perfusion pressure flow studies and diuretic radionuclide urography were used to evaluate 82 pediatric and adult patients with radiographic evidence of ureteropelvic junction obstruction to assess the significance of hydronephrosis, determine the ikdications for surgery, provide early postoperative results and define the criteria for nonoperative management. The role of these tests in the management of patients with suspected ureteropelvic junction obstruction is discussed.
Client-side cache management for scalable and interactive video streaming

The design of interactive Near Video-on-Demand (NVOD) systems is highly complicated when scalable stream merging is used. We propose an intelligent client-side cache management policy for these systems, allowing and exploiting cache discontinuity. This policy maximizes the percentage of interactive requests serviced from the client's own cache without requiring any resources from the server. The policy caches data from all streams that are being listened to by the client. As the cache becomes full, it purges data according to a purging algorithm. We present three purging algorithms: purge oldest data, purge the furthest data from the customer's playback point, and purge adaptively. Moreover, we experiment with another important decision, which is whether pausing users should continue to listen to streams when the cache becomes full. We evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed cache management policy and purging algorithms under realistic and complex workload through extensive simulations. We analyze many metrics, including waiting and blocking metrics, aggregate delay, cache hit rate, and cache fragmentation, considering a variety of system parameters.
Fast and Efficient Stochastic Optimization for Analytic Continuation

The analytic continuation of imaginary-time quantum Monte Carlo data to extract real-frequency spectra remains a key problem in connecting theory with experiment. Here we present a fast and efficient stochastic optimization method (FESOM) as a more accessible variant of the stochastic optimization method introduced by Mishchenko et al. [Phys. Rev. B 62, 6317 (2000)], and we benchmark the resulting spectra with those obtained by the standard maximum entropy method for three representative test cases, including data taken from studies of the two-dimensional Hubbard model. We generally find that our FESOM approach yields spectra similar to the maximum entropy results. In particular, while the maximum entropy method yields superior results when the quality of the data is strong, we find that FESOM is able to resolve fine structure with more detail when the quality of the data is poor. In addition, because of its stochastic nature, the method provides detailed information on the frequency-dependent uncertainty of the resulting spectra, while the maximum entropy method does so only for the spectral weight integrated over a finite frequency region. We therefore believe that this variant of the stochastic optimization approach provides a viable alternative to the routinely used maximum entropy method, especially for data of poor quality.
Evolution of displacement cascades in Fe–Cr structures with different [001] tilt grain boundaries

ABSTRACTReduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels of Cr concentration between 2.25 and 12 wt% are candidate structural materials for next-generation nuclear reactors. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is used to generate the displacement cascades in Fe–Cr structures with different Cr concentrations by using different primary knock-on atom (PKA) energies between 2 and 10 keV. A concentration-dependent model potential has been used to describe the interactions between Fe and Cr. Single crystals (SCs) of three different coordinate bases (e.g. [310], [510], and [530]) and bi-crystal (BC) structures with three different [001] tilt grain boundaries (GBs) (e.g. Σ5, Σ13, and Σ17) have been simulated. The Wigner–Seitz cell criterion has been used to identify the produced Frenkel pairs. The results show a marked difference between collisions observed in SCs and those in BC structures. The numbers of vacancies and interstitials are found to be significantly higher in BC structures than those fou...
Access Path Selection in Main-Memory Optimized Data Systems: Should I Scan or Should I Probe?

The advent of columnar data analytics engines fueled a series of optimizations on the scan operator. New designs include column-group storage, vectorized execution, shared scans, working directly over compressed data, and operating using SIMD and multi-core execution. Larger main memories and deeper cache hierarchies increase the efficiency of modern scans, prompting a revisit of the question of access path selection. In this paper, we compare modern sequential scans and secondary index scans. Through detailed analytical modeling and experimentation we show that while scans have become useful in more cases than before, both access paths are still useful, and so, access path selection (APS) is still required to achieve the best performance when considering variable workloads. We show how to perform access path selection. In particular, contrary to the way traditional systems choose between scans and secondary indexes, we find that in addition to the query selectivity, the underlying hardware, and the system design, modern optimizers also need to take into account query concurrency. We further discuss the implications of integrating access path selection in a modern analytical data system. We demonstrate, both theoretically and experimentally, that using the proposed model a system can quickly perform access path selection, outperforming solutions that rely on a single access path or traditional access path models. We outline a light-weight mechanism to integrate APS into main-memory analytical systems that does not interfere with low latency queries. We also use the APS model to explain how the division between sequential scan and secondary index scan has historically changed due to hardware and workload changes, which allows for future projections based on hardware advancements.
Hidden Order in Traffic Flows Using Approximate Entropy: An Illustration

The dynamic nature of traffic flows on urban freeways is self-evident. The plots of workday traffic on segments of major roads against time of day display the familiar contours of lumpy, peaked curves. Over the years the peaks have become blunt and the valleys filled, suggesting nearly day long high-volume traffic. At the same time that the average travel speed on congested freeways has gone up, average commute time has either remained steady or increased marginally and the number of accidents per 100 million VMTs has gone down or remained constant (Gordon et al. 1991; BTS 2006). Traffic at high volumes and high speeds or under designed roads should result in more accidents and slower travel times. This has not occurred but traffic has continued to increase. Congested traffic patterns suggest an inherent disorder or randomness. Could it be that there is a hidden order in the congested traffic patterns? It would be helpful to analyze and understand these linear spatial patterns to see the degree to which order/disorder associated with these patterns can be determined.
High efficiency low threshold current 1.3 μm InAs quantum dot lasers on on-axis (001) GaP/Si

We demonstrate highly efficient, low threshold InAs quantum dot lasers epitaxially grown on on-axis (001) GaP/Si substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. Electron channeling contrast imaging measurements show a threading dislocation density of 7.3 × 106 cm−2 from an optimized GaAs template grown on GaP/Si. The high-quality GaAs templates enable as-cleaved quantum dot lasers to achieve a room-temperature continuous-wave (CW) threshold current of 9.5 mA, a threshold current density as low as 132 A/cm2, a single-side output power of 175 mW, and a wall-plug-efficiency of 38.4% at room temperature. As-cleaved QD lasers show ground-state CW lasing up to 80 °C. The application of a 95% high-reflectivity coating on one laser facet results in a CW threshold current of 6.7 mA, which is a record-low value for any kind of Fabry-Perot laser grown on Si.
Abstract TP182: Risk of Acute Ischemic Stroke Increases During Severe Flares of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Introduction: Flares of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been associated with venous thromboembolism, and recent studies suggest an association between IBD and myocardial infarction. The assoc...
Metaphor: Philosophical Theories

This article provides an introduction to the philosophical study of metaphor and a guide for further reading. The focus is the study of metaphor as pursued by analytic philosophy of language, including a brief history and an explanation of the main questions. Among the theories of metaphor described are the Elliptical Simile Theory, Substitution Theory, Comparison Theory, Interaction Theory, Semantic Field Theory, and Perspectival Theory.
Association Between Postdischarge Emergency Department Visitation and Readmission Rates.

Background Hospital readmission rates are publicly reported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); however, the implications of emergency department (ED) visits following hospital discharge on readmissions are uncertain. We describe the frequency, diagnoses, and hospital-level variation in ED visitation following hospital discharge, including the relationship between risk-standardized ED visitation and readmission rates. Methods This is a cross-sectional analysis of Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure, and pneumonia between July 2011 and June 2012. We used Medicare Standard Analytic Files to identify admissions, readmissions, and ED visits consistent with CMS measures. Postdischarge ED visits were defined as treat-and-discharge ED services within 30 days of hospitalization without readmission. We utilized hierarchical generalized linear models to calculate hospital risk-standardized postdischarge ED visit rates and readmission rates. Results We included 157,035 patients hospitalized at 1656 hospitals for AMI, 391,209 at 3044 hospitals for heart failure, and 342,376 at 3484 hospitals for pneumonia. After hospitalization for AMI, heart failure, and pneumonia, there were 14,714 (9%), 31,621 (8%), and 26,681 (8%) ED visits, respectively. Hospital-level variation in postdischarge ED visit rates was substantial: AMI (median: 8.3%; 5th and 95th percentile: 2.8%-14.3%), heart failure (median: 7.3%; 5th and 95th percentile: 3.0%-13.3%), and pneumonia (median: 7.1%; 5th and 95th percentile: 2.4%-13.2%). There was statistically significant inverse correlation between postdischarge ED visit rates and readmission rates: AMI (-0.23), heart failure (-0.29), and pneumonia (-0.18). Conclusions Following hospital discharge, ED treatand- discharge visits are half as common as readmissions for Medicare beneficiaries. There is wide hospital-level variation in postdischarge ED visitation, and hospitals with higher ED visitation rates demonstrated lower readmission rates.
CNTNAP2 stabilizes interneuron dendritic arbors through CASK.

Contactin associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP2) has emerged as a prominent susceptibility gene implicated in multiple complex neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), and schizophrenia (SCZ). The presence of seizure comorbidity in many of these cases, as well as inhibitory neuron dysfunction in Cntnap2 knockout (KO) mice, suggests CNTNAP2 may be crucial for proper inhibitory network function. However, underlying cellular mechanisms are unclear. Here we show that cultured Cntnap2 KO mouse neurons exhibit an inhibitory neuron-specific simplification of the dendritic tree. These alterations can be replicated by acute knockdown of CNTNAP2 in mature wild-type (WT) neurons and are caused by faulty dendrite stabilization rather than outgrowth. Using structured illumination microscopy (SIM) and stimulated-emission depletion microscopy (STED), two super-resolution imaging techniques, we uncovered relationships between nanoscale CNTNAP2 protein localization and dendrite arborization patterns. Employing yeast two-hybrid screening, biochemical analysis, in situ proximity ligation assay (PLA), SIM, and phenotype rescue, we show that these effects are mediated at the membrane by the interaction of CNTNAP2’s C-terminus with calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine protein kinase (CASK), another ASD/ID risk gene. Finally, we show that adult Cntnap2 KO mice have reduced interneuron dendritic length and branching in particular cortical regions, as well as decreased CASK levels in the cortical membrane fraction. Taken together, our data reveal an interneuron-specific mechanism for dendrite stabilization that may provide a cellular mechanism for inhibitory circuit dysfunction in CNTNAP2-related disorders.
Neutrophil extracellular traps prevent HIV infection in the female genital tract

Women acquire human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) mainly through sexual intercourse. However, low transmission rates per sexual act indicate that local immune mechanisms contribute to HIV prevention. Neutrophils represent 10–20% of the genital immune cells in healthy women. Neutrophils mediate mucosal protection against bacterial and fungal pathogens through different mechanisms, including the release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). NETs are DNA fragments associated with antimicrobial granular proteins. Despite neutrophil abundance and central contributions to innate immunity in the genital tract, their role in protection against HIV acquisition is unknown. We found that stimulation of human genital neutrophils with HIV viral-like particles (HIV-VLPs) induced NET release within minutes of viral exposure, through reactive oxygen species-independent mechanisms that resulted in immediate entrapment of HIV-VLPs. Incubation of infectious HIV with pre-formed genital NETs prevented infection of susceptible cells through irreversible viral inactivation. HIV inactivation by NETs from genital neutrophils could represent a previously unrecognized form of mucosal protection against HIV acquisition.
The Operating Expense Budget: One Part of a Manager's Arsenal

When budgets are submitted, the financial department must determine if expected revenues meet expected expenses. The cost of implementing new programs, capital purchases, and operating budget should be less than the overall revenue. If it is not, the manager must reduce the budgets. The manager identifies ways to reduce the supply costs and options for changing practice and systems. Collaborative effort is involved when physician practice must change to meet the budget reduction needs. A reduction in overall expenses is needed to initiate new programs and purchase requested equipment. To prepare and finalize the operating expense budget, the manager needs to foster quality improvement in services, employ negotiation skills, justify budget proposals, redistribute funds, and seek cost-saving methods.
The Detection of Chemical Mutagens with Enteric Bacteria

Mutagens alter DNA. As the DNA of all organisms has the same double helical structure and the same four nucleotides, any organism may be used as an indicator system for mutagens. Bacteria have numerous advantages for the detection of mutagens, and we discuss these and describe various methods and strains. We also discuss the validity of the bacterial tests and their pertinence to human mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.
Die Singularitäten Eines Elementaren Bogens

Es sei P*p ein vom Anfangselement A*a und vom Endelement B*b verschiedenes, sonst beliebiges Element eines elementaren Bogens, das wir fur die folgende Untersuchung festhalten. Wir wollen die Umgebung dieser Stelle naher untersuchen. Zu diesem Zwecke lassen wir das bewegliche Element X*x langs des Bogens die Stelle P*p uberschreiten. Wir prufen den Verlauf der elementaren Bewegungen des Blickstrahls PX im Punkte P und des Spurpunktes fix in der Tangente p, Entweder erleidet die Bewegung von PX beim Uberschreiten des Luckenstrahls p keine Anderung ihres Sinnes, oder es tritt eine Anderung des Bewegungssinnes ein. Im letzteren Falle ist p also ein Umkehrstrahl der Bewegung; wir nennen p dann einen singularen (s) Strahl (eine singulare Tangente) oder eine Wendetangente, Im ersten Fall sprechen wir von einem regularen (r) Strahl (von einer regularen Tangente).
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Anesthetics

Pharmacokinetics (PK) is the study of drug concentration in the body with respect to time. The four major processes affecting drug concentration are drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. In examining the PK processes, this chapter aims to provide considerations in drug absorption, the concept of drug distribution, metabolism and drug interactions, and renal excretion. PK parameters area under the curve (AUC), elimination rate constant (k), half-life (t1/2), clearance (Cl), and volume of distribution (Vd) are introduced to provide clinicians an understanding of the PK of anesthetic agents. Pharmacodynamics (PD) is the study of drug action in the body with respect to time. Taken together, the understanding of PK and PD will aid a clinician in the design of anesthetic doses and dosing frequencies to achieve desired therapeutic effects while minimizing adverse reactions.
Optimal Systolic Blood Pressure Target in Resistant and Non-Resistant Hypertension: A Pooled Analysis of Patient-Level Data from SPRINT and ACCORD.

Abstract Background Prior studies suggest benefits of blood pressure lowering on cardiovascular risk may be attenuated in patients with resistant hypertension compared with the general hypertensive population, but prospective data are lacking. Methods We assessed intensive ( Results Among 14,094 patients, 2710 (19.2%) had baseline apparent resistant hypertension. In adjusted models, an intensive target reduced risk of both outcomes (myocardial infarction/stroke/cardiovascular death: hazard ratio [HR], 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71-0.93; myocardial infarction/stroke/heart failure/cardiovascular death: HR 0.78; 95% CI, 0.69-0.88) as well as stroke (HR 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55-0.94) and heart failure (HR 0.73; 95% CI, 0.59-0.91). An intensive target also appeared to reduce myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death, and all-cause death risk. Benefits were observed irrespective of baseline resistant hypertension status. Conclusions Our findings provide the first evidence to support guidance to treat resistant hypertension to the same blood pressure goal as non-resistant hypertension.