cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Internet of Things and Machine Learning, Solutions for Urban Infrastructure Management

Urban infrastructure management requires the ability to reason about a large-scale complex system: What is the state of the system? How can it be compactly represented and quantified? How is the system likely to evolve? Reasoning calls for predictive modeling, feedback, optimization, and control. With an understanding of the system state and its likely evolution, how should resources be allocated or policies changed to produce a better outcome? By leveraging data from the Internet of Things, it becomes feasible to perform online estimation, optimization, and control of such systems to help our cities function better. This involves taking traditional applications of mathematical sciences into a large-scale, online, and adaptive setting. We focus in this chapter on two particular applications that are important to effectively manage a city: transportation and municipal water services.
Response of herbaceous layer species to canopy and soil variables in a central Appalachian hardwood forest ecosystem

Previous work has suggested that excess nitrogen (N) alters the degree to which forest canopy versus soil variables influence forest herb communities. This study tested the hypothesis that excess N would shift this influence on individual herb species from soil N availability to stand structural variables that determine light availability to the forest floor. Two watersheds at the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia, USA were used: WS4 and WS3 as untreated reference and treatment watersheds, respectively. WS3 receives 35 kg N/ha/year via aerial application. Herb cover and composition was measured in seven permanent plots/WS from 1991, currently on-going. In 2011, soil moisture and N availability were measured in each plot, along with several variables of canopy structure. Backwards stepwise regression was used to determine relationships between herb cover/individual species and soil/canopy measurements. Herb cover varied spatially with soil resources on WS4, whereas cover varied spatially with canopy structure on WS3. Although results for total herb layer cover supported this hypothesis, results for individual herb species rejected it. This contrast was especially evident for Rubus allegheniensis (blackberry), a nitrophilic species which increased with increasing soil N on both watersheds, but was not correlated with canopy structure on reference WS4, while being correlated with canopy structure on N-treated WS3. Excess N from atmospheric deposition has been shown to decrease plant biodiversity of impacted forests, especially in its effects on herbaceous layer communities. This work demonstrates that one of the mechanisms of such response is in N-mediated changes in the response of herb communities to soil resources and light availability.
The Wealth of Networks: Board Networks and Merger Performance

Are better networked boards better positioned to increase shareholders' wealth? We investigate this question in the context of merger activities. Using director information and acquisition activity of U.S. publicly traded firms from1990 to 2005, we find that better networked firms have significantly better post-merger performance. The calendar time portfolios reveal annual abnormal return differences of 5-10% between central and peripherally networked boards. This finding is supported by a 12% increase in 3-year buy-and-hold abnormal returns. We also find that board networks significantly explain which firms will acquire other firms, which firms will be acquired by others, and when cash will be used as the method of payment. The results are robust to a number of controls and model specifications.
Compartmentation and Functional Mechanisms in Myocardial Failure and Myocardial Infarction

Compartmentation is a term denoting confinement in space (anatomic compartmentation) and function (functional compartmentation). The result of compartmentation is functional specificity and maintenance of anatomic and functional integrity. Under pathologic conditions, spatial and functional integrity and specificity are obliterated. The extent and specificity of damage to anatomic and functional compartmentation depend on the cause of the pathologic condition. If this cause is well defined, the consequences are also clearly discernible. However, if there are several poorly defined causes, the functional changes are diffuse. Myocardial failure and myocardial infarction are cases in point. In the former, the causes are not clearly defined and thus changes in structure and function are poorly outlined. In myocardial infarction, due to regional ischemia both cause and effect are more easily defined. It is the purpose of this report to describe changes in compartmentation and specific mechanism in two conditions: myocardial failure and myocardial infarction.
Allele Frequency Mismatches and Apparent Mismappings in UK Biobank SNP Data

We report here some anomalies discovered in the minor allele frequencies (MAFs) and some likely mismappings found in our analyses of UK Biobank dataset (UKB) and several other databases. We compared the MAFs present in the UKB to those measured in two other UK studies, ALSPAC and TwinsUK, and found a large set of SNPs for which the UKB MAFs are inconsistent. Additionally, even after accounting for population structure effects and other possible causes of spurious correlations, we found many SNPs that appear to be in interchromosomal linkage. Analyzing these interchromosomal linkages carefully, we found that they are all associated with identical sequences on different chromosomes, implying that these SNPs are simply mismapped. Some (but certainly not all) of the MAF disagreements appear to be the result of these mismappings. Our results, including lists of SNPs with inconsistent MAFs and/or apparent interchromosomal linkage, are freely available to download at: http://kunertgraf.com/data/biobank.html
A quantitative enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) to approximate complement-fixing antibody titers in serum from patients with coccidioidomycosis

Abstract Coccidioidomycosis is most frequently diagnosed serologically, and the quantitative test for complement-fixing antibodies is considered prognostically useful. Because complement-fixing antibody testing is complex, labor-intensive, and poorly standardized, an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) alternative would be attractive. In this report, we restrict the complement-fixing, antibody-binding domain to a 200-amino-acid recombinant peptide of the known antigen. Over-lapping truncations of this peptide do not bind complement-fixing antibodies, suggesting that the responsible epitope(s) are conformational. Further, anchoring the antigenic peptide to the ELISA plate by means of a C-terminal biotin-mimic peptide tag instead of allowing the peptide to randomly adhere to the plastic plate improves sensitivity of antibody detection by 1–2 logs in different sera. The newly developed ELISA shows a significant quantitative correlation with complement-fixing antibody titers. This ELISA shows potential as the basis for a new quantitative assay for coccidioidal antibodies.
Quantum cellular automata and quantum field theory in two spatial dimensions

Quantum walks on lattices can give rise to one-particle relativistic wave equations in the long-wavelength limit. In going to multiple particles, quantum cellular automata (QCA) are natural generalizations of quantum walks. In one spatial dimension, the quantum walk can be ``promoted'' to a QCA that, in the long-wavelength limit, gives rise to the Dirac quantum field theory (QFT) for noninteracting fermions. This QCA/QFT correspondence has both theoretical and practical applications, but there are obstacles to similar constructions in two or more spatial dimensions. Here we show that a method of construction employing distinguishable particles confined to the completely antisymmetric subspace yields a QCA in two spatial dimensions that gives rise to the two-dimensional (2D) Dirac QFT. Generalizing to 3D will entail some additional complications, but no conceptual barriers. We examine how this construction evades the ``no-go'' results in earlier work.
Adverse Health Outcomes Associated With Refractory and Treatment-Resistant Hypertension in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort.

Refractory hypertension (RfH) is a severe phenotype of antihypertension treatment failure. Treatment-resistant hypertension (TRH), a less severe form of difficult-to-treat hypertension, has been as...
Resource Allocation for Device-to-Device (D2D) Communications of Uplink Multi-Cell Networks

Device-to-Device (D2D) communications have attracted great attention in the underlaying cellular networks since it a promising way to improve the capacity, energy efficiency, spectral and latency performance of next-generation wireless networks. In order to alleviate the interference caused by D2D user equipment (DUE) and cellular user-equipment (CUE) in uplink multi-cell networks, the intra-cell and inter-cell interference are considered in this work to improve performance for D2D communication underlaying cellular network. This paper proposes a resource allocation scheme to formulate the resource allocation problem through optimization of the utility function, which eventually reflects the system performance concerning network throughput. The formulated optimization problem of maximizing network throughput while guaranteeing predefined service levels to cellular users is non-convex and hence intractable. Thus, the original problem is broken down into two stages. The first stage is the admission control of D2D users while the second one is the power control for each admissible D2D pair and its reuse partner. Our simulation results have indicated that the proposed scheme can offer near-optimal performance and outperforms the algorithms in the literature, in achievable throughput.
A Tale of Two Blogospheres: Discursive Practices on the Left and Right

Discussions of the political effects of the Internet and networked discourse tend to presume consistent patterns of technological adoption and use within a given society. Consistent with this assumption, previous empirical studies of the United States political blogosphere have found evidence that the left and right are relatively symmetric in terms of various forms of linking behavior despite their ideological polarization (Hargittai, Gallo & Kane, 2008; Hindman, 2008; Adamic & Glance, 2005).In this paper, we revisit these findings by comparing the practices of discursive production and participation among top U.S. political blogs on the left, right, and center during Summer, 2008. Based on qualitative coding of the top 155 political blogs, our results reveal significant cross-ideological variations along several important dimensions. Notably, we find evidence of an association between ideological affiliation and the technologies, institutions, and practices of participation across political blogs. Sites on the left adopt more participatory technical platforms; are comprised of significantly fewer sole-authored sites; include user blogs; maintain more fluid boundaries between secondary and primary content; include longer narrative and discussion posts; and (among the top half of the blogs in our sample) more often use blogs as platforms for mobilization as well as discursive production.Our findings speak to two major theoretical debates on the political effects of the Internet and networked discourse. First, the variations we observe between the left and right wings of the U.S. political blogosphere provide insights into how varied patterns of technological adoption and use within a single society may produce distinct effects on democracy and the public sphere. Secondly, our study suggests that the prevailing techniques of domain-based link analysis used to study the political blogosphere to date may have fundamental limitations. The fact that we find evidence of significant cross-ideological variation when we compare intra-domain attributes of political blogs demonstrates that link analysis studies have obscured both the diversity of participatory affordances online as well as the primary mechanisms by which the networked public sphere alters democratic participation relative to the mass mediated public sphere.
Boosting immune response with GM-CSF optimizes primary cryotherapy outcomes in the treatment of prostate cancer: a prospective randomized clinical trial.

We explored the association of prostate cryotherapy and immunomodulation with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GMCSF) in the generation of detectable tumor-specific T- and B-cell responses in men with prostate cancer. A randomized pilot study of patients assigned to either cryotherapy alone (Control group) or in combination with GMCSF (Treatment group). The impact of therapy on the development of T- and B-cell responses against tumor-related antigens was studied using enzyme-linked immune absorbent spot (ELISpot) and protein microarray panels (Sematrix) assays, respectively. Fold changes in response to treatment were calculated by normalization of post-treatment ELISpot values against the mean pre-cryoablation response. Student t tests between treatment and control groups at 4 weeks and 12 weeks across all the antigens were performed. A total of 20 patients were randomized to either control or treatment arm. At 4 weeks after cryotherapy, the treatment group demonstrated an average fold change in cancer antigen-related antibodies of 2.8% above their mean baseline values, whereas controls averaged an 18% change below mean baseline (p < 0.05). At 12 weeks, antibody response in treatment group increased to 25% above baseline, while the average of control group patients remained 9% below baseline (p < 0.05). Patients in treatment group displayed, on average, higher ELISPOT readings for the 4- and 12-week times points (527 vs 481 for PSA and 748 vs 562 for PAP). GMCSF appeared to broadly elevate antibodies against prostate-specific and nonspecific antigens. Prostate antigen-specific T-cell responses were more enhanced over non-prostate-specific responses, preferentially in the treatment group. Our findings suggest a possible therapeutic effect of adjuvant immunotherapy in association with cryotherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Learning About College Major Match: Microfoundations From Dynamic Course-Taking

Using administrative transcript data from a four-year institution, this paper finds that major choice is largely driven by the path dependency from majors’ course requirements, rather than ability sorting as previous works have suggested. This contribution peeks behind the veil cast by previous works using major declarations which confounds ability sorting and path dependency. I separate these mechanisms using a structural course-taking model, featuring how courses inform major match quality and satisfy majors’ course requirements. Counterfactuals show that firstyear courses primarily influence major choice through completed course requirements rather than learned major match qualities, particularly in the Natural Sciences.
Prevention of parturient paresis in a Jersey Herd by feeding anionic salts during the prepartum period

A 30-cow Jersey dairy herd in Wisconsin, USA, was found to have a 75% incidence of parturient paresis (milk fever). It was decided to supplement the diet of the non-lactating cows with an anionic salt mixture, formulated to provide 53 g ammonium chloride, 66 g ammonium sulphate, 123 g magnesium sulphate and 212 g dried distillers' grains (as a carrier) per cow per day. The anionic salts mixture was given to 9 non-lactating cows in their 4th or later lactation. Of these only 1 cow developed parturient paresis, 1 of 2 that did not consume sufficient of the anionic salt mixture. A dose of between 1.5 and 3.0 m-equiv. of supplementary anions per cow per day, dependent on the existing anion-cation balance of the base diet, was believed to be required.
Helicobacter pylori-induced microvascular protein leakage in rats: role of neutrophils, mast cells, and platelets.

Abstract Background/Aims: Previous studies indicate that a water extract of Helicobacter pylori (HPE) can promote neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions in vivo and in vitro. The objectives of this study were to assess whether HPE alters the rate of albumin leakage in rat mesenteric venules and identify the factors that mediate the HPE-induced microvascular dysfunction. Methods: Intravital microscopy was used to continuously monitor leukocyte adherence and emigration and albumin leakage in rat mesenteric venules during superfusion with HPE. Results: HPE increased leukocyte adherence and emigration and microvascular albumin leakage. The enhanced albumin leak could be subdivided into two components: an early (within 10 minutes) and a later (within 30 minutes) phase. HPE also elicited perivenular mast cell degranulation and the formation of platelet-leukocyte aggregates within post-capillary venules. The HPE-induced early phase of albumin leakage was attenuated by pretreatment with a mast cell stabilizer. The HPE-induced late phase of albumin leakage was reduced by monoclonal antibodies directed against either CD11bCD18 or intercellular adhesion molecule 1. A monoclonal antibody against P-selectin also inhibited the HPE-induced platelet-leukocyte aggregation and reduced the later phase of albumin leak. Conclusions: HPE-induced microvascular dysfunction appears to be a consequence of interstitial and intravascular cell-cell interactions.
The Shock Scaffold for Representing 3D Shape

The usefulness of the 3D Medical Axis (MA) is dependent on both the availability of accurate and stable methods for computing individual MA points and on schemes for deriving the local structure and connectivity among these points. We propose a framework which achieves both by combining the advantages of exact bisector computations used in computational geometry, on the one hand, and the local nature of propagation-based algorithms, on the one hand, and the local nature of propagation-based algorithms, on the other, but without the computational complexity, connectivity, added dimensionality, and post processing issues commonly found in these approaches. Specifically, the notion of flow of shocks along the MA manifold is used to identify flow along special points which are represented as 2D sheets. The scaffold not only organizes shape information in a hierarchical manner, but is a tool for the efficient recovery of the scaffold itself and can lead to exact reconstruction. We present examples of this approach for synthetic data, as well as for sherd data from the domain of digital archaeology.
Complex Genetic Systems and Diseases

Most traits of interest in medical (including psychiatric) contexts are complex traits, generally of multifactorial aetiology including genetic factors. These genetic factors may include coding and noncoding sequences (with the variation in the latter being the dominant mode of human genetic variation). Epigenetic factors may also be involved in the aetiology of diseases. The study of genetic aspects of complex traits presents a level of conceptual and technical difficulties not seen elsewhere in genetics. New molecular techniques, especially those that have emerged in the post-genomic era, provide promise for a solution to these problems. Genome-wide association studies have provided evidence for the common disease–common variant hypothesis. However, other studies have noted the importance of rare variants including some with severe effects. The importance of epigenetic factors has recently come to be recognised. Over all, the advances of genomics and the post-genomic era have underscored the complexity of disease aetiology in most cases. Key Concepts: Disease traits are a result of complex developmental interactions between genomic and environmental factors. Complex genetic traits are those that fall between simple Mendelising traits and the quantitative (continuously varying) traits traditionally studied by the methods of quantitative genetics. Many disease traits are complex genetic systems of this sort. The contribution of classical genetics (including quantitative genetics) to the study of most disease traits has been modest. In contrast, recent molecular methods including allele sharing, quantitative trait locus mapping and allelic association studies show more promise. Genome-wide allelic association studies have provided a wealth of new insight and considerable support for the ‘common disease–common variant’ model of disease aetiology. However, rare genetic variants may also be important for the aetiology of some diseases including psychiatric ones. Because of the social and political ramifications of genetic explanations, care must be taken in imputing genetic etiologies to diseases. Keywords: genetic disease; genetic aetiology; genome-wide association studies; common disease–common variant; complex traits; polygenic traits; genomics; genetic reductionism
Native plantations as an important element for biodiversity in vanishing forested landscapes: A study of the near threatened araucaria tit spinetail (Leptasthenura setaria, Furnariidae)

Although forest loss is still a problem worldwide, estimated rates of deforestation have declined in the last decade, primarily because of an increase in the area of tree plantations. This leads to the central question of how suitable plantations are for indigenous species. Native plantations are thought to have higher value for biodiversity than plantations of non-native trees; however, not all studies support this view. We assessed occupancy and density of the araucaria tit spinetail (Leptasthenura setaria, Furnariidae), a near threatened species, in the highly endangered araucaria forests of north-eastern Argentina and in araucaria plantations, which comprise 90% of the remaining habitat for this species. All natural forest remnants were occupied by araucaria tit spinetails. Only 85% of the plantations were occupied; however, density was almost threefold higher in plantations compared with natural forests. Our models indicated that stand age was the most important factor in determining occupancy and density of this bird species in plantations. Plantations <10 years old exhibited lower densities than older plantations. This species does not occur in plantations of non-native trees, but our results indicate that native plantations may provide important habitat for the araucaria tit spinetail, particularly given that most native forest has been removed. Restoration of natural remnants and conservation of old, connected plantations may assure the protection of significant populations of spinetails. The role of native araucaria plantations as habitat for other species merits further examination.
Target Tissues and Innervation Regulate the Characteristics of K+ Currents in Chick Ciliary Ganglion Neurons Developing in situ

The expression of appropriate ensembles of ionic channels is necessary for the differentiation and normal function of vertebrate neurons. Cell- cell interactions may regulate the expression and properties of ionic channels in embryonic neurons. Previous studies have shown that the expression of A-type K+ channels (IA) and Ca2+-activated K+ channels (lK[Ca]) is abnormal in chick ciliary ganglion neurons developing in vitro in the absence of normal cell-cell interactions. Other voltage- activated currents develop normally under these conditions. The present studies were designed to establish the role of the target tissues and the preganglionic innervation in regulating the expression of these currents in embryonic chick ciliary ganglion neurons developing in situ. Surgical manipulations were used to remove the developing optic vesicle, which contains the target tissues, the mid-dorsal region of the midbrain primordium, which contains the preganglionic nucleus, or both, all prior to the formation of the ciliary ganglion. IA and IK[Ca] were then examined in acutely isolated neurons that developed in ovo in the presence (OV+) or absence (OV-) of the normal target tissues, in the presence (MB+) or absence (MB-) of preganglionic innervation, and in the absence of both preganglionic innervation and target tissues (OV- /MB-). The amplitude of IA was unaffected by the operations. However, the activation and inactivation kinetics of IA were two- to threefold faster in OV- or OV-/MB- cells compared to neurons isolated from control OV+ ganglia at embryonic days 11–14 (E11-E14). There were no changes in the voltage dependence of activation or steady-state inactivation, or in the time course of recovery from inactivation. By contrast, neurons isolated from MB- ganglia expressed an IA with amplitude, voltage dependence, and kinetics that were indistinguishable from those of control MB+ and OV+ ganglia. Therefore, interactions with target tissues in the eye play a role in determining the characteristics of IA in developing ciliary ganglion neurons, whereas preganglionic innervation does not. Furthermore, the amplitude of IK[Ca] was reduced by 90–100% in OV-, MB-, and OV-/MB- neurons isolated at E12-E14 as compared to MB+ and OV+ controls. Voltage-activated Ca2+ currents were present at normal amplitudes in all of these neurons. Thus, the expression of IK[Ca] in chick ciliary ganglion neurons is regulated by both target tissue interactions and preganglionic innervation. Therefore, cell-cell interactions are necessary for the expression of a normal ensemble of ionic channels in chick ciliary ganglion neurons developing in situ.
Transoral robotic surgery for sleep apnea in children: Is it effective?

Objectives Children with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) as a result of base of tongue (BOT) or lingual tonsillar hypertrophy do not improve following adenotonsillectomy. In adults, transoral robotic surgery (TORS) offers a means of treating such patients, however the efficacy of this technique for children is not known. In this study, we examine the effectiveness of TORS BOT reduction and lingual tonsillectomy for treatment of pediatric OSAHS. Methods This was a retrospective study of nine patients (5 non-syndromic; 4 syndromic) who underwent isolated BOT reduction and lingual tonsillectomy for OSAHS between 2012 and 2014 at a tertiary care pediatric medical center. Differences between pre and post surgical polysomnograms (PSGs) were utilized to measure the procedural effectiveness. Patient age, sex, body mass index (BMI), developmental status, and comorbid conditions were also examined. Results The average patient age was 10.5 years (range 5.2–18.5). There were 5 males and 4 females. The mean pre-operative obstructive AHI (O-AHI) was 27.1 compared to 10.9 post-operatively (mean difference = 16.1, t = 2.27, p ≤ 0.05). Statistically significant reductions were also noted in hypopneic events (mean difference = 61.3, t = 2.64, p < 0.05) and lowest oxygen saturation (mean difference = 9.0, t = −3.29, p ≤ 0.01). One patient developed a post-operative bleed that was controlled operatively. Conclusions In children with airway obstruction associated with BOT and lingual tonsillar hypertrophy, TORS is a useful and effective tool. Patients’ who underwent TORS demonstrated a significant decrease in obstructive events. All patients reviewed exhibited at least a 50% reduction in O-AHI.
Polymerization of tetrahydrofuran, 2. Equilibrium monomer concentration†

The equilibrium polymerization of tetrahydrofuran was studied at relatively low initial monomer concentrations with 1-methyltetrahydrofurylium hexachloroantimonate as initiator. The equilibrium concentrations of monomer, [M]e, and initiator, [I]e, as well as the equilibrium number-average degree of polymerization, Pn, were determined by means of 1H NMR spectroscopy, and found to follow simplified relations, which were derived from Tobolsky's equations.
CK2α protein levels and CK2 kinase activity are induced upon CD4+ T cell activation and are essential for Th17 cell differentiation (LYM3P.736)

CK2 is a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase that is ubiquitously expressed in all cell types and essential for cell viability. The kinase activity of CK2 promotes a number of pro-survival and pro-inflammatory signaling pathways including PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, and JAK/STAT. These pathways are also essential for CD4+ T cell activation and polarization into effector phenotypes. Here we demonstrate that protein levels of the catalytic subunit of CK2, CK2α, increase dramatically upon in vitro activation of murine CD4+ T cells isolated from the spleen. Furthermore, in in vitro polarizing conditions, CK2α protein levels correlate with expression of Th1 and Th17 lineage specific transcription factors T-bet and RORγt, respectively. CK2 kinase activity also increases upon activation, as measured by phosphorylation of the CK2 specific site S129 on Akt. Using the small molecule inhibitor CX-4945, we demonstrate that CK2 kinase activity is essential for Th17 cell polarization. Our data suggest that CK2 could be targeted in Th17 cell driven autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis and colitis.
Forward dynamics simulations provide insight into muscle mechanical work during human locomotion.

Complex musculoskeletal models and computer simulations can provide critical insight into muscle mechanical work output during locomotion. Simulations provide both a consistent mechanical solution that can be interrogated at multiple levels (muscle fiber, musculotendon, net joint moment and whole body work) and an ideal framework to identify limitations with different estimates of muscle work and the resulting implications for metabolic cost and efficiency.
On the temperature and emission measure of thermal radio bursts

Once the area of a thermal burst region has been determined, it is possible to obtain the temperature and emission measure of the burst by examination of the flux spectrum. Such determinations have been made for three events. Temperatures in the range 2 to 6 × 106K and emission measures in the area of 2.6 to 5.4 × 1049 cm−3 are consistent with radio observations. Electron densities are estimated to be of the order of 1 to 5 ]x 1010 electrons cm−3.
Evolving risk of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia following cancer chemotherapy among adults in the United States, 1975-2008

Therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (tAML) is a rare but highly fatal complication of cytotoxic chemotherapy. Despite major changes in cancer treatment, data describing tAML risks over time are sparse. Among 426 068 adults initially treated with chemotherapy for first primary malignancy (9 US population-based cancer registries, 1975-2008), we identified 801 tAML cases, 4.70 times more than expected in the general population (P < .001). Over time, tAML risks increased after chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 158; Poisson regression Ptrend < .001), declined for ovarian cancer (n = 72; Ptrend < .001), myeloma (n = 62; Ptrend = .02), and possibly lung cancer (n = 65; Ptrend = .18), and were significantly heterogeneous for breast cancer (n = 223; Phomogeneity = .005) and Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 58; Phomogeneity = .007). tAML risks varied significantly by age at first cancer and latency and were nonsignificantly heightened with radiotherapy for lung, breast, and ovarian cancers. We identified newly emerging elevated tAML risks in patients treated with chemotherapy since 2000 for esophageal, cervical, prostate, and possibly anal cancers; and since the 1990s for bone/joint and endometrial cancers. Using long-term, population-based data, we observed significant variation in tAML risk with time, consistent with changing treatment practices and differential leukemogenicity of specific therapies. tAML risks should be weighed against the benefits of chemotherapy, particularly for new agents and new indications for standard agents.
Variable Focal Length Microlens by Low Voltage Electrowetting on Dielectric (EWOD) Actuation

This work presents a design and proposed microfabrication steps for a two-liquid variable focal length capillary microlens. The capillary lens is actuated by electrowetting on dielectric effect. The microlens is made from a dielectric liquid whereas a conducting liquid serves as one of the electrodes for the actuation. The dependence of the microlens focal length on the properties of the dielectric materials is investigated using a model for electrowetting on dielectric effect. The model indicates that low voltage actuation (<20V) is possible by adjusting the dielectric layer thickness. The effect of the microlens size on the focal length is presented. The advantages of a two-liquid capillary microlens are briefly discussed.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Some antecedents and outcomes of brand love

Survey research is employed to test hypotheses involving brand love, a new marketing construct that assesses satisfied consumers’ passionate emotional attachment to particular brands. Findings suggest that satisfied consumers’ love is greater for brands in product categories perceived as more hedonic (as compared with utilitarian) and for brands that offer more in terms of symbolic benefits. Brand love, in turn, is linked to higher levels of brand loyalty and positive word-of-mouth. Findings also suggest that satisfied consumers tend to be less loyal to brands in more hedonic product categories and to engage in more positive word-of-mouth about self-expressive brands.
Deterministic and stochastic dynamic adjustment of capital investment budgets

A firm's rate of return on capital investment projects and its marginal cost of capital are often interrelated, intertemporally changing and otherwise constrained so the firm cannot instantaneously adjust its capital budget. The prolonged adjustment of a firm's capital budget is studied through deterministic and stochastic dynamic models, and possibilities for optimal stochastic control of the budget adjustment process are briefly examined.
Scholarly Information as a Political Economy

Abstract The scholarly information system is not a conventional market. It does follow a particular economic structure, but that structure does not follow orthodox macroeconomics. The multiple players who make up the system do compete and, at times, do cooperate, but not on the grounds of the economic theory of textbooks. An analysis that takes the differences into account is the only way to create an understanding of the system.
Synthesis, Anticancer Activities, and Cellular Uptake Studies of Lipophilic Derivatives of Doxorubicin Succinate

A number of lipophilic 14-substituted derivatives of doxorubicin were synthesized through conjugation of doxorubicin-14-hemisuccinate with different fatty amines or tetradecanol to enhance the lipophilicity, cellular uptake, and cellular retention for sustained anticancer activity. The conjugates inhibited the cell proliferation of human leukemia (CCRF-CEM, 69-76%), colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29, 60-77%), and breast adenocarcinoma (MDA-MB-361, 66-71%) cells at a concentration of 1 μM after 96-120 h of incubation. The N-tetradecylamido derivative of doxorubicin 14-succinate (10) exhibited consistently comparable antiproliferative activity to doxorubicin in a time-dependent manner (IC(50) = 77 nM in CCRF-CEM cells). Flow cytometry analysis showed a 3-fold more cellular uptake of 10 than doxorubicin in SK-OV-3 cells. Confocal microscopy revealed that the conjugate was distributed in cytoplasmic and perinuclear areas during the first 1 h of incubation and slowly relocalized in the nucleus after 24 h. The cellular hydrolysis study showed that 98% of compound 10 was hydrolyzed intracellularly within 48 h and released doxorubicin.
Heat Treatment of AZ91D Mg-Al-Zn Alloy: Microstructural Evolution and Dynamic Response

Magnesium alloys are attracting great interest from the automotive industry because of the potential for weight reduction. An AZ91D cast alloy was studied in the current work to understand the effect of heat treatment on the microstructure and dynamic compressive properties. The selected heat treatments include solution treatment (T4) and solution treatment followed by aging (T6). The as-cast alloy microstructure consists of intermetallic β-phase (Mg17Al12) precipitates surrounded by α + β lamellar eutectic in α-Mg solid solution. The AZ91D-T4 specimens showed small β-phase precipitates along the grain boundaries and regions of eutectic mixture. The T6 heat treatment causes the β-phase platelets in the α + β eutectic to grow and develop into β-precipitates. The difference in the phase morphology reflects into the mechanical properties. The Vickers hardness of the T6 heat-treated specimens was 3.6% higher than the as-cast alloy. The compressive yield strengths of T4 and T6 treated specimens were 1.3% and 43.1% higher than those of as-cast specimens. The high strain rate compression testing resulted in increase in the strength with strain rate for the T4 and T6 specimens. A maximum increase of 42% was observed in T6 specimen tested at a strain rate of 4,000/s in comparison to the quasi-static compression. Under high strain rate compression testing, the T6 heat-treated specimens showed failure of the β-precipitates resulting in increased energy absorption in comparison to the quasi-static compression.
Development of non-destructive bond monitoring techniques for ultrasonic bonders

Abstract Simulation of an ultrasonic bonding tool was performed to formulate and analyse the relationships between the boundary conditions due to loading at the bond-tool interface and the measured parameters, such as the ultrasonic frequency and the input impedance variations during the bonding process. It is believed that improved process monitoring techniques can be developed based on the functional dependence between the ultrasonic frequency, input impedance variations and the boundary conditions at the bond-tool interface. Both experimental and simulation results obtained indicate that a strong dependence exists between the load, resonant frequency and the input impedance in an ultrasonic bonder. Resonant frequency was observed to increase as the loading on the bond surface increases.
Neoadjuvant therapy may lead to successful surgical resection and improved survival in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer

Abstract Background Borderline resectable pancreatic cancers are technically amenable to surgical resection, but are associated with increased risk of locoregional recurrence. Patients with these tumours may be treated with neoadjuvant therapy in an attempt to improve margin-negative resection rates. Methods The University of Cincinnati Pancreatic Cancer Database was retrospectively reviewed. Borderline resectable disease was defined by the following radiographic criteria: (i) short segment occlusion of the superior mesenteric vein (SMV), portal vein (PV) or SMV/PV confluence; (ii) short segment hepatic artery encasement, or (iii) superior mesenteric artery/coeliac artery abutment of Results Twenty-nine patients met the criteria. Of these, 26 underwent a full course of neoadjuvant therapy. Twelve (46%) underwent surgical resection and 14 had tumour progression or were deemed unresectable at laparotomy. The most common neoadjuvant therapy regimen was gemcitabine-based chemotherapy alone (58%). Of those undergoing surgery, 67% had margin-negative (R0) resections and 42% required venous resection. Median survival was 15.5 months for unresected patients and 23.3 months for resected patients. Discussion Borderline resectable pancreatic tumours can be treated neoadjuvantly, resulting in margin-negative resection and survival rates similar to those in initially resectable disease.
Preoperative Serum Brain Natriuretic Peptide and Risk of Acute Kidney Injury After Cardiac Surgery

Background—Acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery is associated with poor outcomes and is difficult to predict. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate whether preoperative brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels predict postoperative AKI among patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods and Results—The Translational Research Investigating Biomarker Endpoints in Acute Kidney Injury (TRIBE-AKI) study enrolled 1139 adults undergoing cardiac surgery at 6 hospitals from 2007 to 2009 who were selected for high AKI risk. Preoperative BNP was categorized into quintiles. AKI was common with the use of Acute Kidney Injury Network definitions; at least mild AKI was a ≥0.3-mg/dL or 50% rise in creatinine (n=407, 36%), and severe AKI was either a doubling of creatinine or the requirement of acute renal replacement therapy (n=58, 5.1%). In analyses adjusted for preoperative characteristics, preoperative BNP was a strong and independent predictor of mild and severe AKI. Compared with the lowest BNP quinti...
What is the velocity of slow light in weakly disordered optical slow-wave structures?

In an optical slow wave structure, even small disorder (e.g., few nanometer roughness) can greatly limit by how much the light velocity is reduced. We derive an analytical result for the slowing factor as a function of (weak) disorder, in agreement with experimental observations.
Functional bioassays utilizing zooplankton: a comparison

Functional zooplankton bioassays based on ingestion, reproduction and respiration are described, with methods for a new ingestion bioassay included. All bioassays are compared using three indices, including the variability of controls, the range of experimental responses, and a listing of contaminants causing inhibition/stimulation of response. The ingestion bioassay showed the greatest range of response, and was sensitive to pesticides, PCBs and heavy metals. It was also commonly characterized by a hormesis response. The reproduction bioassay showed the lowest variability, illustrated a reduced range of response, and was sensitive to nutrients and heavy metals. In one study, the respiration bioassay was sensitive only to PCBs.
Search for ''subthreshold'' production of antiprotons and creation of fractional charges and new particles in relativistic nuclear collisions

A search for ''subthreshold'' production of antiprotons and creation of fractional charges and new particles at 0/sup 0/ in the reaction /sup 28/Si+ /sup 28/Si at 2.1 GeV/nucleon has been made at six secondary rigidities. Except for one p-bar candidate, no evidence for such production is found. A summary of upper limits on the yields for charges -(1/3), -(2/3), -1, -(4/3), and -2 is presented. The results from all six rigidities are combined to yield upper limits of less than 1 particle per 10/sup 4/ to 10/sup 7/ collisions for the mass range 0.1
Additive immunosuppressive effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and corticosteroids on TH1, but not TH2, responses.

Abstract Background: The biologic role of the vitamin D analogue 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 , such as antiinflammatory functions, reduction of cytokine production by T cells, and immunoglobulin production by B cells, has been reported. Such immunomodulatory effects may be potentially useful in dealing with autoimmunity and transplantation. However, whether this hormone has an additive immunosuppressive effect when it is used with corticosteroids has not been investigated, although these agents are commonly used together. Objective: Our purpose was to investigate the additive immunomodulatory effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 on lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production when used with corticosteroids. Methods: To investigate the additive effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 and dexamethasone on suppression of lymphocyte proliferation, normal PBMCs were cultured in anti-CD3 with or without different concentrations of dexamethasone (0-10 -7 mol/L) plus or minus different concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (0-10 -6 mol/L). After 3 days, lymphocyte proliferation was assessed by [ 3 H]-thymidine incorporation. To investigate the additive effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 and dexamethasone on cytokine production, PBMCs were cultured for 3 days in the presence of anti-CD3 with or without 10 -6 mol/L dexamethasone plus or minus 10 -6 mol/L 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 . IFN-γ, IL-5, and IL-13 production in supernatants were measured by ELISA. Results: Our study demonstrated that, at concentrations of 10 -8 , 10 -7 , and 10 -6 mol/L, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 significantly decreased lymphocyte proliferation compared with an ethanol control ( P 50 for dexamethasone was 4 × 10 -9 mol/L in culture without 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3. When 10 -9 mol/L of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 was added to cultures with dexamethasone, IC 50 became 2 × 10 -9 mol/L. Moreover, when 10 -6 , 10 -7 , and 10 -8 mol/L of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 were added in culture with dexamethasone, IC 50 became less than 1 × 10 -9 mol/L. IFN-γ production in culture with either dexamethasone or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 was significantly decreased compared with media or ethanol control ( P P 3 significantly ( P P 3 was combined with dexamethasone, IL-5 and IL-13 production was increased compared with dexamethasone alone ( P Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 has significant additive effects on dexamethasone-mediated inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation. This hormone also has additive effects on inhibition of T H 1 cytokine production when combined with dexamethasone. However, this hormone upregulates T H 2 cytokines and inhibits steroid-mediated suppression of cytokines. These findings demonstrate the potential use of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 as an immunosuppressive agent when combined with corticosteroids in T H 1, but not T H 2, immune responses. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;106:981-5.)
Mutations in mitochondrial‐encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunits I, II, and III genes detected in Alzheimer's disease using single‐strand conformation polymorphism

A "mitochondrial hypothesis" of late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been proposed. Biochemical studies indicate that there is a significant decrease in cytochrome oxidase (CO) activity as well as perturbed CO I and CO III mRNA levels in platelets and brain tissue from Alzheimer's patients. Using the electrophoretic mutation detection technique SSCP and DNA sequencing, we have identified 20 point mutations in the mitochondrial-encoded CO subunits (CO I, II, and III) in AD and age-matched control brain samples. Eight of the mutations are new variants of the mitochondrial genome. The efficiency of SSCP in detecting mutations in the CO subunits was estimated to be 80% when compared to dideoxy sequencing. One of the mutations (at position 9,861) results in a phenylalanine-->leucine substitution at a highly conserved residue in CO III. CO activity was reduced by an average of 35% in all AD brains compared to age-matched control samples, which agrees with previous reports. CO activity in one of the AD brain samples carrying the 9,861 mutation decreased by 80% relative to control brain samples, suggesting that the phenotypic expression of this mutation may result in reduced CO activity and compromised mitochondrial function.
Design of self-checking software

This paper discusses different techniques for constructing a piece of self-checking software for systems where ultra-reliability is required. Self-checking software can be designed to detect software errors, to locate and to stop the propagation of software errors, to assist in the recovery from errors and to verify the integrity of the system. Self-checking techniques can be implemented in the program to check the function, the control sequence and the data of a process. The functional aspects of a process can be monitored to detect infinite loops, incorrect loop terminations, illegal branches and wrong branches. The validity of data of a process can be assured by performing checks on the integrity of data values, the integrity of data structures and the nature of data values. These self-checking capabilities should be implemented during the initial stage of program development. The cost-effectiveness of each technique in the particular operating environment should be evaluated. Only the most cost-effective techniques should be retained and overhead can be reduced considerably by implementing these techniques in hardware.