cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cumulative Damage Survival Models for the Randomized Complete Block Design

A continuous time discrete state cumulative damage process {X(t), t ≥ 0} is considered, based on a non-homogeneous Poisson hit-count process and discrete distribution of damage per hit, which can be negative binomial, Neyman type A, Polya-Aeppli or Lagrangian Poisson. Intensity functions considered for the Poisson process comprise a flexible three-parameter family. The survival function is S(t) = P(X(t) ≤ L) where L is fixed. Individual variation is accounted for within the construction for the initial damage distribution {P(X(0) = x) | x = 0, 1, …,}. This distribution has an essential cut-off before x = L and the distribution of L – X(0) may be considered a tolerance distribution. A multivariate extension appropriate for the randomized complete block design is developed by constructing dependence in the initial damage distributions. Our multivariate model is applied (via maximum likelihood) to litter-matched tumorigenesis data for rats. The litter effect accounts for 5.9 percent of the variance of the individual effect. Cumulative damage hazard functions are compared to nonparametric hazard functions and to hazard functions obtained from the PVF-Weibull frailty model. The cumulative damage model has greater dimensionality for interpretation compared to other models, owing principally to the intensity function part of the model.
Task-dependent neural representations of salient events in dynamic auditory scenes

Selecting pertinent events in the cacophony of sounds that impinge on our ears every day is regulated by the acoustic salience of sounds in the scene as well as their behavioral relevance as dictated by top-down task-dependent demands. The current study aims to explore the neural signature of both facets of attention, as well as their possible interactions in the context of auditory scenes. Using a paradigm with dynamic auditory streams with occasional salient events, we recorded neurophysiological responses of human listeners using EEG while manipulating the subjects’ attentional state as well as the presence or absence of a competing auditory stream. Our results showed that salient events caused an increase in the auditory steady-state response (ASSR) irrespective of attentional state or complexity of the scene. Such increase supplemented ASSR increases due to task-driven attention. Salient events also evoked a strong N1 peak in the ERP response when listeners were attending to the target sound stream, accompanied by an MMN-like component in some cases and changes in the P1 and P300 components under all listening conditions. Overall, bottom-up attention induced by a salient change in the auditory stream appears to mostly modulate the amplitude of the steady-state response and certain event-related potentials to salient sound events; though this modulation is affected by top-down attentional processes and the prominence of these events in the auditory scene as well.
Facial feature determinants of perceived infant attractiveness

Previous studies of infant facial characteristics that influence adult behavior have used drawings to vary infant facial features. The present study used actual infant faces rather than drawings. Facial feature variations were related to adults' perceptions of infant cuteness using a multiple correlational approach. Ten photographs at each of six age levels were rated for cuteness; then 14 facial features were measured. Results suggest that studies using line drawings have varied facial features beyond the range found among actual infants. Nevertheless, facial feature combinations were predictive of perceived cuteness; a cute infant is likely to have short and narrow features, large eyes and pupils, and a large forehead. The potential impact of perceived attractiveness on the organization of adult—infant relationships is discussed.
Improved Inference of Relationship for Pairs of Individuals

Linkage analyses of genetic diseases and quantitative traits generally are performed using family data. These studies assume the relationships between individuals within families are known correctly. Misclassification of relationships can lead to reduced or inappropriately increased evidence for linkage. Boehnke and Cox (1997) presented a likelihood-based method to infer the most likely relationship of a pair of putative sibs. Here, we modify this method to consider all possible pairs of individuals in the sample, to test for additional relationships, to allow explicitly for genotyping error, and to include X-linked data. Using autosomal genome scan data, our method has excellent power to differentiate monozygotic twins, full sibs, parent-offspring pairs, second-degree (2°) relatives, first cousins, and unrelated pairs but is unable to distinguish accurately among the 2° relationships of half sibs, avuncular pairs, and grandparent-grandchild pairs. Inclusion of X-linked data improves our ability to distinguish certain types of 2° relationships. Our method also models genotyping error successfully, to judge by the recovery of MZ twins and parent-offspring pairs that are otherwise misclassified when error exists. We have included these extensions in the latest version of our computer program RELPAIR and have applied the program to data from the Finland-United States Investigation of Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (FUSION) study.
Effect of syringe filter and i.v. administration set on delivery of propofol emulsion.

Propofol emulsion was studied to determine the effects of filtration and of passage through an i.v. administration set on drug concentration. To study syringe filter effects, propofol emulsion samples (Diprivan Injection, 10 mg/mL) were discharged through either a 5-mm filtering needle or a standard needle. To determine the effects of the i.v. administration set on propofol delivery, a diluted dispersion containing approximately 2 mg/mL was prepared from propofol emulsion and 5% dextrose injection. This formulation was siphoned into a 6-foot length of administration set tubing, from which samples were withdrawn at 0, 30, 60, and 120 minutes. Another 2-mg/mL diluted dispersion of propofol and 5% dextrose injection was placed in a glass reservoir and delivered through a 6-foot i.v. set at a rate of 1.75 mL/min, which corresponds to a low dosage rate of 0.05 mg.kg-1.min-1. Samples of the effluent were collected at 0, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Samples collected from all three tests were assayed by using high-performance liquid chromatography. The mean propofol concentrations in the filtered and unfiltered samples were 96.05% and 96.09% of label claim, respectively, after discharge through needles; the difference was not significant. In the static study of the i.v. tubing effects, a 31.54-34.74% loss of propofol occurred after 120 min. In the study of propofol flowing through the i.v. tubing, the concentration dropped slightly in the initial sample, which was taken after the propofol was placed in the tubing. The concentration remained essentially constant for the first hour and then declined, with an overall average loss of 7.70%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Beware the Rush to Presumption, Part C: A Public Choice Analysis of the Affordable Care Act's Interim Final Rules

Federal agencies issued eight major interim final regulations in 2010 to quickly implement major provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Our previous reviews found that the regulatory impact analyses for these regulations were seriously incomplete, often omitting significant benefits, costs, or regulatory alternatives. Analysis of equity was cursory at best. For these regulations, the quality and use of regulatory analysis fell well below the standards set by other federal agencies and even by HHS. This paper demonstrates that the low-quality analysis was a predictable result of the way that the administration and Congress chose to manage the regulatory process. Presidential and congressional decisions, in turn, reflected the political incentives both actors faced in 2010. This suggests that institutional rather than personal factors explain the poor quality of analysis and decisions that occur when agencies implement important presidential priorities in the face of tight legislative deadlines. To promote transparency and informed decision making, additional checks and balances in the regulatory process are needed to prevent politics from short-circuiting analysis.
Management choices in diabetic end-stage renal disease

A functioning kidney transplant provides the uraemic diabetic patient a greater survival with greater rehabilitation than does either CAPD or maintenance haemodialysis. There are no reports, however, of prospective controlled studies of dialysis versus kidney transplantation in diabetic patients whose therapy was assigned randomly. For the minority ( < 10%) of diabetic ESRD patients who have insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), serious consideration should be devoted to performance of a combined pancreas and kidney transplant to cure diabetes. No matter which ESRD therapy has been elected, optimal rehabilitation in diabetic ESRD patients requires that effort be devoted to recognition and management of co-morbid conditions. Uraemia therapy, whether CAPD, haemodialysis or a kidney transplant should be individualized to the patient's specific medical and family circumstances. Attention to control of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia may slow the course of macrovascular disease, particularly of the coronary arteries, which threatens long-term survival of diabetic kidney recipients. Pretransplant cardiac evaluation is mandatory to identify and correct silent coronary artery disease that may be severe and life threatening. Survival is continuously improving in treating ESRD in diabetes by dialytic therapy, renal transplantation, and in IDDM, by combined pancreas and kidney transplantation. This inexorable progress in therapy reflects multiple small advances in understanding of the pathogenesis of extrarenal micro- and macrovasculopathy in an inexorable disease, coupled with safer immunosuppression.
Self-estimated intellectual abilities: Stability, determinants, and gender differences

There is a long history of investigations of self-concept and self-estimates of intellectual abilities, yet there remains controversy regarding the underlying determinants of individual differences in self-estimated abilities, and there are also key questions regarding the patterns of gender differences in over/under estimations. In a four-year longitudinal study of high school students, we assessed self-estimated abilities (general intelligence, verbal, and math abilities), objective abilities, and a set of personality, interest, and related trait measures. Individual differences in self-estimated abilities were found to be relatively stable (average year-to-year test–retest reliabilities of .61 (g), .73 (Verbal) and .73 (Math)). Gender differences in self-estimated abilities largely paralleled objective ability differences, indicating an overall lack of gender differences in over/under estimations. Self-estimated abilities were well-predicted by objective abilities, and affective and conative traits. We address the implications of these results for the expression of self-concept constructs.
The Effect of Listing Price Changes on the Selling Price of Single-Family Residential Homes

Sellers of unsold residential real estate usually have difficulty deciding whether to change the listing price and, if so, by how much. The purpose of this study is to determine what factors lead to listing price changes and the effect of listing price changes on the net selling price received by sellers. This study uses a sample of 13,461 single-family home sales in which 4308 had a selling price reduction during the listing period. The average original listing price for properties with one or more listing price changes is 18 % larger compared to properties where the listing price is unchanged; this difference narrows to 9.7 % when comparing final listing prices. The results indicate that the probability of a listing price reduction and the percent reduction are positively associated with house size, vacant property status, and a weak economy. A sample selection bias appears to exist for list price reduction properties, and while overpricing of properties often leads to a listing price reduction, the effect of a listing price change on the net selling price is estimated to be two to three times the given reduction in the listing price.
The impact of Customer Baseline Load (CBL) calculation methods on Peak Time Rebate program offered to residential customers

Abstract This paper investigates the impact of CBL's performance on PTR programs offered to the residential customers. For the purpose of analysis, HighXofY (NYISO), exponential moving average (ISONE), regression methods and their adjusted forms are first introduced and then employed to calculate the CBL. Irish Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) smart metering trial dataset is used for this analysis. Furthermore, the metrics of accuracy, bias and Overall Performance Index (OPI) are introduced and then applied to carry out error analysis. Residential customers as opposed to industrial customers show a high degree of unpredictability due to multitudes of non-correlated personal and household activities. Therefore, an approach is also proposed in this paper to harness the randomness of individual customers’ consumption. Also, it is necessary to examine how the metrics affect DR programs financially for the sake of reaching a valid conclusion about the overall performance of CBL methods. Consequently, a PTR program for a case of 260 customers is investigated as a case study. Results from this case study as well as their discussion are provided at the end.
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty in the Setting of Infection

Introduction: The most common reported complications with RSA have been instability and infection, with higher rates of infection reported in RSA than anatomic shoulder replacement. This chapter focuses on the application of RSA in the setting of infection, including a review of the literature and outcomes, preferred method of treatment, and key points and pearls. Conclusions: Increased rates of infection in RSA are likely due to a larger subacromial–glenohumeral dead space, limited viable soft tissue coverage due to a lack of rotator cuff integrity, or surgeon experience. Because of the indolent nature of the common shoulder pathogen, Propionibacterium acnes, infection is difficult to identify and surgeons should maintain a high degree of suspicion, even when initial testing does not suggest infection because of the poor sensitivity of common preoperative and intraoperative tests. For the majority of chronic infections, two-stage exchange is currently the most common choice for management. Revision to RSA via a one- or two-stage exchange has shown satisfactory outcomes in regard to reinfection rates. Reimplantation requires appropriate development of all soft tissue planes and adequate soft tissue releases to optimize shoulder range-of-motion and joint stability and depending on bone loss could require bone grafting.
Long term performance of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules

This paper presents the results of electrical performance measurements of 90 crystalline silicon PV modules following long-term outdoor continue exposure. The modules form the PV array of the first grid-connected PV system in Algeria. This grid connected PV system was installed in Algeria (CDER) at Bouzareah site is effectively operating since June 2004. The analysis have shown that all the PV modules are still creating power but less than the rated power. A mathematical model has been used in order to perform PV module testing at different irradiance and temperature conditions. The different parameters can be computed mainly from the open-circuit voltage, the short-circuit current, the voltage and current at maximum power point. Electrical measurements have shown different degradations of current-voltage parameters. All the modules presented a decrease of the nominal power. However, this decrease is different from one module to another.
Fostamatinib, an oral spleen tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Fostamatinib is a selective inhibitor of spleen tyrosine kinase which has a role in the pathogenesis of RA. Multiple RCTs have been performed to study the effects of fostamatinib. The objective of this study was to perform a meta-analysis to analyze the efficacy and safety of fostamatinib in the management of RA. We searched PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane CENTRAL through 11/9/15. Random effect model was used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence interval. We measured outcomes with efficacy analysis using ACR20/50/70 response criteria and safety with adverse events. Five studies were included in the meta-analysis with total of 2105 patients including 1419 in fostamatinib group and 686 in placebo. Fostamatinib was effective in achieving ACR20, ACR50 and ACR70 responses compared to placebo (48 vs. 32.8 %, OR 1.86, 95 % CI 1.32–2.62, P = 0.0004, I 2 63 %; 26.4 vs. 12.5 %, OR 2.50, 95 % CI 1.93–3.23, P < 0.00001, I 2 0 % and 12.7 vs. 4.4 %, OR 3.00, 95 % CI 1.99–4.51, P < 0.00001, I 2 0 %, respectively). Response to fostamatinib was rapid and significant effect on ACR20 response was seen by week 1 (OR 3.70, 95 % CI 2.33–5.87, P < 0.00001, I 2 42 %). Safety analysis showed an increased risk of infection (OR 1.59, 95 % CI 1.2–2.11; P = 0.001; I 2 0 %), diarrhea (OR 3.54; 95 % CI 2.43–5.16; P < 0.00001; I 2 2 %), hypertension (OR 2.55, 95 % CI 1.54–4.22, P = 0.0003; I 2 42 %) and neutropenia (OR 5.68, 95 % CI 1.97–16.42, P = 0.001, I 2 35 %) and showed a trend toward the increase in ALT ≥3 times ULN (OR 1.76, 95 % CI 0.99–3.13; P = 0.05; I 2 0 %). This meta-analysis concludes that fostamatinib has moderate effect in the treatment of RA with mostly mild-to-moderate adverse events and dose-dependent, transient neutropenia and hypertransaminasemia.
Reticulocyte Folate Concentration: A Tool To Monitor Immediate Folate Availability

The utilization of folic acid during erythropoiesis is widely known and accepted in medical literature and deficiency is known to cause a characteristic megaloblastic anemia resulting from the inhibition or ineffective synthesis of DNA. Although the resultant megaloblastic anemia may take considerable time before evidence or symptoms present, there are more acute changes visualized on peripheral smear that are representative of a functional folate deficiency. In addition to erythrocyte macrocytosis, hypersegmentation of neutrophils can also be seen. Often times, despite these visualized changes measurement of serum folate and/or total red cell folate yields a result within the accepted “normal” range of the assay. It has been demonstrated that these visualized characteristics represent a functional folate deficiency and can be overcome with folic acid supplementation regardless of the measured folic acid levels indicating a yet to be understood mechanism of folate utilization. Here, we sought to measure the folic acid levels in the earliest erythrocyte progenitors in peripheral circulation, the reticulocytes. Methods Reticulocytes were isolated using anti-CD71 (the transferrin receptor) coated magnetic beads. After separation, a sample slide was made utilizing methylene blue for visual confirmation of reticulocyte isolation. The reticulocytes were then lysed with citric acid and a Nanodrop-1000 spectrophotometer was used to determine absorbance at 413 nanometers. This absorbance was used to determine the sample hemoglobin concentration from a simple calibration curve. The sample folic acid level was then determined using the lysing method utilizing mouse monoclonal anti-folate binding protein, paramagnetic particles coated in anti-mouse IgG, human serum albumin and milk folate binding protein. Results were calculated as nanogram of folate per gram of hemoglobin. Results Twenty-five samples from normal individuals, not taking folate supplements, were analyzed. The range of results was 2.51 to 17.38 with a mean level of 9.61. Conclusion This protocol effectively and efficiently allows for isolation of reticulocytes in numbers high enough for measurement of folate in nanogram per gram of hemoglobin. By this method we show the normal reticulocyte folate level to be approximately 3-15 ng/g of Hgb. This figure is consistent with the normal red cell folate concentration. Further analysis is planned for comparing these results in patients with a suspected functional folate deficiency but “normal” red cell folate levels. Efficient isolation of reticulocytes and measurement of folate levels will allow us to probe the underlying cause of acute folate deficiency seen in very sick patients. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Complications of Transabdominal Radical Nephrectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma

AbstractOur data from 193 patients demonstrate that most renal cell carcinomas can be removed with acceptable mortality and morbidity by transabdominal, transperitoneal radical nephrectomy through an upper midline incision. During this study only 12 tumors were removed via a different approach. Four patients, all with stage IV disease, died postoperatively, for an operative mortality of 2.1 per cent. The intraoperative and postoperative complication rates were 20.7 and 19.1 per cent, respectively. The most common complication was injury to the spleen, which occurred in 24 patients (12.4 per cent) and probably represents the greatest potential disadvantage of this approach.
Main group nanoparticle synthesis using electrical explosion of wires

Abstract In this study a selection of different main group nanoparticles (NPs) were produced using electrical explosion of wires (EEW) with metal core diameters less than 40 nm. Different metals were investigated from the s -block and p -block of the Periodic Table: Mg, Ge and Sn gave metal NPs; Al and Si gave mixtures of metal NPs and metal-carbide NPs. This is the first report of Ge and Mg NPs produced by EEW in liquid media. As with previous observations in work with d -block metals, the product distribution is driven by the thermodynamic stability of the NP products. Aluminum and silicon wires were exploded to produce core–shell NPs, consisting of a metal core surrounded by a metal carbide shell. We used polymerization initiation by electron-rich metallic nanoparticles (PIERMEN) as a capping technique for the reactive NPs using epoxides as monomers. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed generally spherical particles with the metallic core embedded in a polymer matrix. Most NPs were small ( 50 nm), although there is a broad size distribution with some larger particles ( ∼ 100 nm). Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) was used to confirm the crystalline identity of the metallic NPs and the capping agents were characterized using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. No crystalline oxides were observed for any metals used. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)/thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to study the NP behaviors upon heating under air up to 800 ∘ C and the product oxides were characterized by PXRD.
Religious Freedom, Authoritarianism, and Inter-Religious Conflict: A Theoretical Framework

In the past decade, there has been significant increase on the incidents of inter-religious violence in numerous Muslim-majority countries. The increased incidents of inter-religious conflicts in both societies received plenty of attention from scholars and policymakers alike. What are the underlying causes of these conflicts? How does past political alignment and alliances of different religious groups contribute to these conflicts? The rise of inter-religious violence in the Islamic World has often been attributed to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and revivalist Islamic social movements in the political realm of these countries. However, this study argues that Islamic fundamentalism is not sufficient in explaining the rise of inter-religious conflict in Muslim-majority countries. Instead, they occurred due to the coalitional pacts and alliances between Christian minorities to support authoritarian rulers that suppressed Muslim political activists in these countries. A new theoretical framework to analyze the cause of inter-religious violence in the Islamic World is introduced in this essay. The theory proposes that religious minorities are making alliances with authoritarian regimes because they believe the regime could better protect its interests than a regime dominated by members of the dominant religion. However, their decision to ally with the ruling authoritarian regime will worsened its relations with the dominant majority religion in this society. As the authoritarian regime collapses, the likelihood of inter-religious conflict between religious minorities and the majority religion in this society will also increase as well. This study uses a comparative historical analysis of two Muslim-majority countries, Indonesia and Egypt, to find the empirical data to support the above theoretical arguments.
Mobile app permissions awareness

When asked about permissions to download apps most, if not all, of us have been guilty of clicking the "agree" button without considering permission risks. To be honest the only way to download the app is by agreeing to "all" permissions since there is no option for partial permissions. Many popular Android apps including Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Skype, Twitter, and Instagram get user permissions during installation. These permissions include recording with the phone audio and video at any time, calling contacts without additional permissions, and modifying the USB storage contents. Lack of education and awareness about permissions may have significant negative consequences. This research evaluates effectiveness of a demo app with visual ques to increase permissions awareness and avoid negative consequences.
How to Deal with Missing Data and Galton’s Problem in Cross-Cultural Survey Research: A Primer for R

Multiple imputation (MI) has become the preferred method for dealing with missing data in survey research. MI involves three steps: creating m multiply imputed complete datasets; estimating models on each of the m datasets using any standard statistical procedure; combining the resulting multiple estimates of each statistic of interest. This paper provides R programs for MI, and offers some advice for employing MI with data drawn from the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample (SCCS). A second set of R programs combines estimates from the m imputed data sets, and also deals with the problem of network autocorrelation effects, i.e., Galton’s Problem or the non-independence of cases, using two-stage instrumental variables (IV) regression. The objective of the paper is to provide programs, advice and explanations that will help researchers employing cross-cultural survey data, especially the SCCS, to deal with the twin problems of missing data and network autocorrelation effects, using the open source statistical package R. The paper is intended to complement a recent suite of publications by Dow and Eff where both theoretical and empirical issues underlying these two problems are discussed in detail.
The Activity and Toxicity of Dasatinib in Relapsed or Plateau-Phase Multiple Myeloma.

Abstract Dasatinib (Sprycel®) is an orally administered inhibitor of multiple tyrosine kinases, which has been approved for the treatment of CML in chronic phase, accelerated phase or blast phase with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy including imatinib. In vitro studies have demonstrated that dasatinib inhibits the viability of multiple myeloma cell lines. Based on the in vitro activity of dasatinib against multiple myeloma, we initiated an open label, single-arm Phase II trial of dasatinib in relapsed, refractory or plateau-phase multiple myeloma; planned enrollment is 21 patients (pts). Treatment consists of dasatinib 70 mg p.o. twice daily continuously. The primary endpoint of the study is the overall response rate (CR+PR). Secondary endpoints include the time to response, duration of response, time to progression as well as tolerability and safety of dasatinib in this population. To date, 13 pts have been enrolled. The median age is 58 (range 38–76). Stage at diagnosis was: IIA (1 pt), IIIA (11), IIIB (1); 9 pts had IgG paraprotein and 4 had IgA. Median beta2-microglobulin at study entry was 3.2 (range 1.2–13). The median number of prior therapies was 2 (range 1–14); 12 pts had undergone prior autologous stem cell transplant. At enrollment, 7 pts had progressive disease and 6 pts had plateau phase disease, defined as at least 3 months with a stable paraprotein level (±25%) following the most recent therapy. At a median follow-up of 39 days (range 1–134 days), results are as follows: 4 patients have stable disease (SD); 7 patients had progressive disease (PD); 1 pt discontinued therapy due to toxicity (Grade II diarrhea, flushing and fatigue); 1 pt is not yet evaluable for response. Of those who remain on therapy, the median time on therapy is 39 days (range 1–134); 4 of these 5 patients had plateau phase disease at enrollment. Of those who discontinued therapy for PD, median time on therapy was 46 days (range 15–91); 6 of these 8 patients had PD at the time of enrollment. Toxicities have been manageable. Hematologic toxicities were more pronounced in the patients who had cytopenias at baseline. There was 1 episode of Grade III neutropenia, 4 episodes of Grade III anemia, 2 episodes of Grade III thrombocytopenia, and 3 episodes of Grade IV thrombocytopenia. Grade III non-hematologic toxicities have included: pneumonia (3 pts), acute renal failure (2), headache (1), epistaxis (2), febrile neutropenia (1), pulmonary edema (1), GI bleed (1), fatigue (2), hypertension (1), and hip pain (1). There was 1 episode of grade IV hypoglycemia. Enrollment and evaluation of responses/toxicities are ongoing. The protocol is being amended to allow for dose escalation to dasatinib 100 mg b.i.d. for stable disease at 8 weeks on therapy.
Authenticated side channel via physical layer fingerprinting

Fingerprint embedding at the physical layer is a demonstrably powerful technique for secure message authentication. In this article, we build upon the general framework for embedding physical layer fingerprints to create an authenticated side channel for minimal cost. The authentication is enabled with the use of a low-power tag superimposed upon the message waveform; the signaling over the side channel is performed with the choice of tag that depends on secret keys shared by the legitimate transmitter and receiver. The side channel may be used for various purposes, including key exchange. We present a design and analysis of the establishment, operation, and performance of the side channel. To conclude, we discuss simulation results that validate the theory and demonstrate the viability of the approach.
Associated production of intermediate-mass Higgs or Z boson with tt-bar pair in gamma gamma collisions.

Photon-photon linear colliders can be realized by the laser back-scattering technique in the next-generation linear ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ colliders. Here the associated productions of an intermediate-mass Higgs (IMH) or $Z$ boson with a $t\overline{t}$ pair in $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ collisions are studied. Since IMH is very unlikely to decay into a $t\overline{t}$ pair, $t\overline{t}H$ production is the only direct channel to probe the Higgs-top Yukawa coupling in the case of an IMH. $t\overline{t}Z$ production can be a potential background to $t\overline{t}H$ if the Higgs mass is close to ${m}_{Z}$. As an alternative to its parent ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ collider, $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}t\overline{t}H(Z)$ productions are compared with the corresponding productions in the ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ collisions.
Skin irritation testing of antimicrobial conjugated electrolytes.

Each year, the United States spends about $20 billion to treat people who have been infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria. Even so, the development of new antibiotics has slowed considerably since the mid-20th century. As a result, researchers are looking into developing synthetic compounds and materials with antimicrobial activities such as those made by the Schanze and Whitten groups [ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 3, 2820 (2011)]. Previously, they have demonstrated that poly(phenylene ethynylene) (PPE) based electrolytes and oligomeric end-only phenylene ethynylene (EO-OPE) based electrolytes possess strong biocidal activity. However, before the PPE and OPE can be used with humans, skin irritation tests are required to ensure their safety. In this work, in vitro skin assays are used to predict in vivo irritation. Tissues were conditioned for 24 h, exposed to test substances for 1 h, and then tested for viability using colorimetric and cytokine assays. Concentrations up to 50 μg/ml were tested. Viabi...
Patterns of fixation during face recognition: Differences in autism across age:

Difficulties with face recognition increase from adolescence to adulthood in autism, reflecting a lack of typical late development. We examined whether this reflects differences in the development of patterns of fixation to eyes and mouths during face recognition. Children, adolescents, and adults (aged 7-30) with and without autism completed the Cambridge Face Memory Test while gaze was recorded. Average duration and number of fixations were calculated for eyes and mouth regions of interest, defined individually for each face image in the task. All groups and age groups made more and longer fixations to eyes than mouths. However, during face memorization, typically developing children and adults, but not adolescents, made more fixations to eyes than did their peers with autism. During face recognition, typically developing children and adults made shorter fixations on mouths than did their peers with autism; this pattern was reversed in adolescence, with adolescents with autism making more fixations to mouths than typically developing adolescents. Results suggest that group differences in patterns of fixations to faces change with age. Furthermore, different relationships between patterns of fixations and face recognition performance in typical development and autism suggest that these differences contribute, at least in part, to difficulties in autism.
End-to-end wireless digital communication system of FPGA based software defined radio

This paper describes the design and implementation of an End-to-End digital wireless communication system (E2E) system on the Zynq-7000 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and Evaluation Development (Zed) Board with an Analog Devices AD9364 Wideband Transceiver from a model-based design system. Furthermore, the paper presents the design path to reconfigure the software controlled logic blocks for additional functionality such that the E2E system could be rapidly redeployed. The results will show how to realize the E2E system and the BER vs. distance plot will verify the theoretical expectation between uncoded and coded modulation for over the air transmission and reception.
jGRASP: an integrated development environment with intuitive visualizations for teaching hard concepts in Java: pre-conference workshop

jGRASP is a lightweight IDE that provides automatic generation of visualizations that directly support the teaching of major concepts in CS1 and CS2. These concepts include control structures, classes, interfaces, objects, inheritance, polymorphism, composition, and data structures. The integrated visualizations are intended to overcome the mismatch between what we want to teach and what most IDEs provide in the way of support for learning. The workshop will include tutorials with example programs to demonstrate how instructors can improve the learning and programming experience of their students with jGRASP. Participants are encouraged to bring programs from their own courses. jGRASP is freely available (http://www.jgrasp.org/).
Pregrowth Hormone Messenger RNA: Glucocorticoid Induction and Purification from Rat Pituitary Cells

For several years, our laboratory has been engaged in studies of the biosynthesis of growth hormone by the rat pituitary. These studies have had two goals, which are clearly interdependent. The first goal has been the elucidation of the steps involved in the synthesis of growth hormone. Thus, we hope ultimately to be able to provide a complete description at the molecular level of the structure and transcription of the growth hormone gene, the structure of the resultant RNA transcript, the processing of this transcript into mature cytoplasmic growth hormone messenger RNA (mRNA), the structure of the primary protein product of the translation of this mRNA, and the processing of this primary translation product into mature growth hormone. The second goal has involved an understanding of the hormonal regulation of the expression of the growth hormone gene. Studies with a number of model systems have suggested that steroid hormones regulate specific gene expression at a pretransla-tional level, via a general mechanism that involves localization in the nucleus of steroid bound to a specific cytoplasmic receptor (reviewed in Yamamoto and Alberts, 1976). We showed some years ago that glucocor-ticoid hormones such as hydrocortisone stimulate the production of growth hormone by cultured rat pituitary cells (Bancroft et al., 1969). Our second goal has thus been to determine both the step(s) in the production of growth hormone at which glucocorticoid hormones act and the molecular mechanisms whereby the stimulation by glucocorticoids is exerted.
Spatial clustering of metal and metalloid mixtures in unregulated water sources on the Navajo Nation - Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, USA.

Abstract Contaminant mixtures are identified regularly in public and private drinking water supplies throughout the United States; however, the complex and often correlated nature of mixtures makes identification of relevant combinations challenging. This study employed a Bayesian clustering method to identify subgroups of water sources with similar metal and metalloid profiles. Additionally, a spatial scan statistic assessed spatial clustering of these subgroups and a human health metric was applied to investigate potential for human toxicity. These methods were applied to a dataset comprised of metal and metalloid measurements from unregulated water sources located on the Navajo Nation, in the southwest United States. Results indicated distinct subgroups of water sources with similar contaminant profiles and that some of these subgroups were spatially clustered. Several profiles had metal and metalloid concentrations that may have potential for human toxicity including arsenic, uranium, lead, manganese, and selenium. This approach may be useful for identifying mixtures in water sources, spatially evaluating the clusters, and help inform toxicological research investigating mixtures.
Effect of the structure of sap material on interdiffusion between it and copper at high pressures

1. A study was made of interdiffusion between copper, on the one hand, and an SAP alloy (7% A12O3) with different structural states of its alumina constituent and ADO-grade aluminum, on the other, at 550°C (annealing time 2 h) and 640°C (annealing time 1 h) under conditions of normal and high (25 kbar) pressures. 2. The coefficient of interdiffusion between copper and SAPc. material with a lamellar alumina structure is an order of magnitude smaller than the coefficient of interdiffusion in a pair composed of copper and SAP material with a uniformly distributed, dispersed oxide phase formed as a result of extrusion.
SINGULAR PERTURBATIONS AND THE LINEAR STATE REGULATOR PROBLEM

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses singular perturbations and the linear state regulator problem. To obtain the asymptotic solution, one first give the optimal control as a linear function of the states x and z through a matrix K(ɛ). Knowing K, the original system becomes a linear singular perturbation problem on the infinite interval t ≥ 0.
Sleep-Related Idiopathic Nonobstructive Alveolar Hypoventilation

The International Classification of Sleep Disorders (2nd edition) lists a number of disorders under the heading ‘Sleep-Related Hypoventilation/Hypoxemic Syndromes.’ All share the attribute of abnormal gas exchange during sleep that may also be present while awake. Neurological, neuromuscular, or respiratory disease (including obstructive sleep apnea) most frequently underlies hypoventilation/hypoxemic syndromes. Less commonly, an idiopathic, nonobstructive form may occur in extremely obese individuals or, rarely, in those of normal body habitus. Pathogenesis in extreme obesity may involve largely unknown homeostatic mechanisms that seek to decrease work of breathing by accepting a certain degree of hypercapnia. Alternatively, central nervous system (CNS) resistance to leptin or abnormalities related to other neurohumoral agents may contribute. In those of normal body habitus, subtle lesions in CNS respiratory control centers and/or derangements in neurohumoral agents or their receptors may be causative but have yet to be elucidated. Treatment now usually involves noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in order to provide nocturnal (and sometimes daytime) ventilatory support.
Chapter 19 – Additional Topics on Optimum Design

In this chapter, some additional topics that are useful for practical applications of optimization are presented. The concept of meta-models is explained. It involves developing simplified models for complex analysis problems. For this, the response surface method (RSM) is presented and illustrated. Design of experiments is explained, which can help in determining the sample points for development of meta-models. The ideas of orthogonal arrays and discrete design using orthogonal arrays are explained and illustrated. Then the robust design approach, developed by Taguchi in 1980s, is presented and illustrated. This approach has many practical applications and has been used in many industries to produce robust designs and processes. Finally, the topic of reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) is presented. The basic ideas of design under uncertainty are presented. Background material related to this topic is also reviewed. Calculation of reliability index for structural design problems is explained and illustrated.
Chapter 15 Structure, Function, and Post-translational Regulation of C4 Pyruvate Orthophosphate Dikinase

Pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase is a cardinal enzyme of the C4 pathway. Its role in C4 photosynthesis is to catalyze the regeneration of PEP, the primary carboxylation substrate from pyruvate, Pi, and ATP in the chloroplast stroma of leaf-mesophyll cells. It is the most abundant of C4 enzymes, comprising up to 10% of the soluble protein of C4 leaves, and thus may exert a limitation on the rate of CO2 assimilation into the C4-cycle. Studies dating back to the 1970s documented its biochemical properties as related to its role in C4 photosynthetic process. Later studies originating in the early 1980s discovered how the enzyme is regulated in a light/dark manner by reversible phosphorylation of an active-site threonine. A bifunctional protein kinase/protein phosphatase with unprecedented properties, the PPDK Regulatory Protein (RP), was identified as the enzyme catalyzing this reversible phosphorylation event. However, the gene encoding this unusual enzyme had eluded cloning for some two decades until modern cloning methods allowed its recent isolation from maize. Although the enzyme properties of C4-PPDK are well understood, the molecular basis of its post-translational light/dark regulation by RP is poorly understood. Because of the significance of PPDK regulation to the C4-photosynthetic process, this chapter addresses the current state-of-knowledge on how C4-PPDK is post-translationally regulated by its companion regulatory enzyme, RP. This includes proposed models that describe how phosphorylation of PPDK by RP leads to complete inactivation of enzyme activity and the mechanism regulating the direction of RP’s opposing PPDK-dephosphorylation and PPDK-phosphorylation activities. Also reviewed are the recent bioinformatic analyses of the RP polypeptide primary structure. These revealed that vascular plant RP represents a fundamentally new and novel kind of protein kinase with evolutionary origins in PPDK-containing anaerobic bacteria.
Semi-supervised Multi-instance Interpretable Models for Flu Shot Adverse Event Detection

It is important to track adverse events that occur due to flu shots as those could pose a serious threat to public health. Traditional adverse event reporting systems suffer from poor timeliness and a severe lack of data. In contrast, social media like Twitter and Facebook have become ubiquitous real-time social sensors where user states are indicated swiftly and extensively. However, little work has focused on adverse event detection using social media because of several challenges that have not been jointly solved: 1) message sparsity with irrelevant topics, 2) the difficulty of labeling health states, and 3) scalability in parameter optimization. To address these problems simultaneously, this paper presents a new semi-supervised multi-instance learning model to detect potential adverse events reflected by social media, which will facilitate the further clinical verification and prompt intervention. Specifically, given only user-level labels, this model interpretably identifies the user’s adverse-event-indicative messages by employing a multi-instance learning strategy; unlabeled users’ messages are also utilized to improve classifier performance by a semi-supervised term. Two models and corresponding algorithms, namely the non-smooth Semi-Supervised Multi-instance (nSSM) algorithm and the smooth Semi-Supervised Multi-instance (sSSM) algorithm, have been developed to optimize parameters accurately and efficiently. Experiments on a synthetic dataset and a real Twitter dataset confirm that our model outperforms other baseline models. Case studies show interesting interpretable patterns including key messages, keywords, and several common symptoms found in adverse-relevant tweets extracted by our methods.
Hit by a Train: Injury Burden and Clinical Outcomes.

Abstract Background Few data exist regarding the train vs. pedestrian (TVP) injury burden and outcomes. Objective This study aimed to examine the epidemiology and outcomes associated with TVP injuries. Methods This is a retrospective National Trauma Databank study (January 2007 to July 2012) including trauma patients sustaining TVP injury. Demographics, injury data, interventions, and outcomes were abstracted. Patients injured by a train were compared to patients who sustained an automobile vs. pedestrian (AVP) injury. Results Of the 152,631 patients struck by ground transportation during the study time frame, 1863 (1.2%) were TVP. Median TVP age was 38 years (interquartile range [IQR] 24–50 years), 81.6% were male, median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 13 (IQR 6–24). TVP patients were more severely injured (ISS 13 vs. 9; p Conclusions TVP is associated with a significant injury burden. These patients have a significantly higher need for immediate operation and more complicated hospital course.
Professional Nursing Education about the Alcohol and Drug Dependent Person

The Alcoholism Nursing Program at the University of Washington School of Nursing was initiated in the fall of 1972. Supported by a grant from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, it is the only nursing program of its kind in the United States. In the fall of 1978 the program will be expanded to include drugs of abuse other than alcohol and will be retitled the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Nursing Program.