cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lazy revocation in cryptographic file systems

A crucial element of distributed cryptographic file systems are key management solutions that allow for flexible but secure data sharing. We consider efficient key management schemes for cryptographic file systems using lazy revocation. We give rigorous security definitions for three cryptographic schemes used in such systems, namely symmetric encryption, message-authentication codes and signature schemes. Additionally, we provide generic constructions for symmetric encryption and message-authentication codes with lazy revocation using key-updating schemes for lazy revocation, which have been introduced recently. We also give a construction of signature schemes with lazy revocation from identity-based signatures. Finally, we describe how our constructions improve the key rotation mechanism in the Plutus file system
Critical Role of LTB4/BLT1 in IL-23–Induced Synovial Inflammation and Osteoclastogenesis via NF-κB

IL-23 activates the synthesis and production of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) in myeloid cells, which modulate inflammatory arthritis. In this study we investigated the role of LTB4 and its receptor LTB4R1 (BLT1) in synovial inflammation and osteoclast differentiation. Specifically, we used IL-23 in vivo gene transfer to induce arthritis in mice and showed that elevated serum LTB4 and synovial expression of 5-lipoxygenase correlated with increased disease severity by histological evaluation and paw swelling compared with GFP gene transfer controls. To further investigate the effect of the LTB4 pathway in bone loss, we performed osteoclast differentiation assays by stimulating with M-CSF and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand bone marrow cells derived from BLT1+/+ and/or BLT1-/- mice and used quantitative PCR for gene expression analysis in terminally differentiated osteoclasts. Deficiency in BLT1 resulted in the upregulation of osteoclast-related genes and an increase in the formation of giant, multinucleated TRAP+ cells capable of F-actin ring formation. Additionally, BLT1 deficiency showed an increase of phosphorylated NF-κB and phosphorylated IκB levels in osteoclasts. We also performed real-time calcium imaging to study the effect of BLT1 deficiency in receptor activator of NF-κ-B ligand-induced activation of intracellular calcium flux in vitro. Our data show that LTB4 and its receptor BLT1 exacerbate synovial inflammation in vivo and bone resorption in vitro, suggesting that LTB4 and BLT1 could be effectively targeted for the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases.
The Collision Between Non-Profits and the Cities Over the Property Tax: Possible Solutions

Many cities have their property tax bases eroded by the high percentage of exempt non-profit entities. Some of these entities are justified in their tax-exempt status, but many are not. This chapter in Property Tax Exemptions for Charities: Mapping the Battlefield, applauds efforts to reform the property tax exemption for non-profits in cities. The chapter proposes a narrow definition of “non-profit” in order to increase the amount of taxable property in cities, eliminating low-income cities subsidizing higher-income suburbs. The chapter proposes seven politically realistic proposals for reforming the property tax exemption for “non-profits” within the existing legal structure, as opposed to the politically unpalatable, and perhaps unconstitutional elimination of the property tax exemption in favor of explicit cash subsidies.
The Microglial Fractalkine Receptor is Not Required for Activity-dependent Plasticity in the Mouse Visual System

Microglia have recently been implicated as key regulators of activity-dependent plasticity, where they contribute to the removal of inappropriate or excess synapses. However, the molecular mechanisms that mediate this microglial function are still not well understood. Although multiple studies have implicated fractalkine signaling as a mediator of microglia-neuron communications during synaptic plasticity, it is unclear whether this is a universal signaling mechanism or whether its role is limited to specific brain regions and stages of the lifespan. Here, we examined whether fractalkine signaling mediates microglial contributions to activity-dependent plasticity in the developing and adolescent visual system. Using genetic ablation of fractalkine's cognate receptor, CX3 CR1, and both ex vivo characterization and in vivo imaging in mice, we examined whether fractalkine signaling is required for microglial dynamics and modulation of synapses, as well as activity-dependent plasticity in the visual system. We did not find a role for fractalkine signaling in mediating microglial properties during visual plasticity. Ablation of CX3 CR1 had no effect on microglial density, distribution, morphology, or motility, in either adolescent or young adult mice across brain regions that include the visual cortex. Ablation of CX3 CR1 also had no effect on baseline synaptic turnover or contact dynamics between microglia and neurons. Finally, we found that fractalkine signaling is not required for either early or late forms of activity-dependent visual system plasticity. These findings suggest that fractalkine is not a universal regulator of synaptic plasticity, but rather has heterogeneous roles in specific brain regions and life stages.
An improved rotated staggered-grid finite-difference method with fourth-order temporal accuracy for elastic-wave modeling in anisotropic media

Abstract The rotated staggered-grid (RSG) finite-difference method is a powerful tool for elastic-wave modeling in 2D anisotropic media where the symmetry axes of anisotropy are not aligned with the coordinate axes. We develop an improved RSG scheme with fourth-order temporal accuracy to reduce the numerical dispersion associated with prolonged wave propagation or a large temporal step size. The high-order temporal accuracy is achieved by including high-order temporal derivatives, which can be converted to high-order spatial derivatives to reduce computational cost. Dispersion analysis and numerical tests show that our method exhibits very low temporal dispersion even with a large temporal step size for elastic-wave modeling in complex anisotropic media. Using the same temporal step size, our method is more accurate than the conventional RSG scheme. Our improved RSG scheme is therefore suitable for prolonged modeling of elastic-wave propagation in 2D anisotropic media.
Protective effect of sulforaphane against retinal degeneration in the Pde6rd10 mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited diseases characterized by the death of rod photoreceptors, followed by the death of cone photoreceptors, progressively leading to partial or complete blindness. Currently no specific treatment is available for RP patients. Sulforaphane (SFN) has been confirmed to be an effective antioxidant in the treatment of many diseases. In this study, we tested the therapeutic effects of SFN against photoreceptor degeneration in Pde6brd10 mice.Methods: rd10 mice and C57/BL6 wild-type (WT) mice were treated with SFN and saline, respectively, from P6 to P20. Electroretinography (ERG), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and western blot were tested, respectively, at P21 for the analysis of retinal function, retinal cell apoptosis or death and the protein express of GRP78/BiP (TUNEL) as a marker of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.Results: Compared with the saline group, the SFN-treated group showed significantly higher ERG a-wa...
Subverting the status quo? Climate debt, vulnerability and counter-hegemonic frame integration in United Nations climate politics – a framework for analysis

This article analyzes distinct articulations and forms of political integration of the frame ‘climate debt’ in United Nations climate politics from 2000 to 2015. In analysis of this case study, the...
Abstract 17760: Short- and Long-Term Association of Atrial Fibrillation Catheter Ablation With Left Atrial Volume and Function: A Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Study

Introduction: Catheter ablation is widely used to improve rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the short- and long-term changes in left atrial (LA) volume and function...
The Neurotropic Properties of AAV-PHP.B Are Limited to C57BL/6J Mice.

Improved delivery of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors to the CNS will greatly enhance their clinical utility. Selection of AAV9 variants in a mouse model led to the isolation of a capsid called PHP.B, which resulted in remarkable transduction of the CNS following intravenous infusion. However, we now show here that this enhanced CNS tropism is restricted to the model in which it was selected, i.e., a Cre transgenic mouse in a C57BL/6J background, and was not found in nonhuman primates or the other commonly used mouse strain BALB/cJ. We also report the potential for serious acute toxicity in NHP after systemic administration of high dose of AAV.
Memory Forensic Challenges Under Misused Architectural Features

With increasingly complex cyber attacks occurring every day, memory-based forensic techniques are becoming instrumental in digital investigations. Forensic examiners can unravel what happened on a system by acquiring and inspecting in-memory data. However, the foundation of this analysis can be invalidated if the memory acquisition has been altered. In this paper, we study the feasibility of malicious software misusing architectural features to sabotage memory forensics. The misuse of two architectural features, namely, physical address layout and secure containers, is presented. The first architectural feature explored in this paper is the physical address layout. It is used by the northbridge to route memory access to either physical memory or I/O devices on x86 platforms. Observing this design choice, we propose Hidden in I/O Space (HIveS), which manipulates CPU registers to alter the physical address layout to conceal memory. The system uses a novel I/O shadowing technique to lock a memory region named HIveS memory into I/O address space to prevent access. Two novel techniques, blackbox write and TLB camouflage , are developed to further protect the unlocked HIveS memory against memory forensics while allowing access for attackers. The second architectural feature explored in this paper is hardware-aided secure execution technology. More specifically, hardware-enforced memory encryption in Intel secure guard extension is used in malicious enclave software (Malclaveware) to prevent introspection and memory forensics. A prototype of HIveS is built and tested against a set of memory acquisition tools for both Windows and Linux running on the x86 platform. Malclaveware is also prototyped in Windows to demonstrate the risk. More importantly, we proposed countermeasures and mitigations for the newly discovered attacks. Through these discussions, we aim to raise the awareness of the potential risks of misusing hardware architectural features.
Abstract 11148: Effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on In-Hospital Mortality in Patients With Myocardial Infarction

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common chronic disorder characterized by repetitive episodes of apnea, resulting in intermittent asphyxia and arousal from sleep. OSA is associated with adverse medical outcomes, including amplified sympathetic activity and fluctuations in blood pressure and heart rate. Studies have shown higher prevalence and incidence of hypertension among patients with OSA. Patients with OSA had a higher incidence of cardiovascular events included stroke and myocardial infarction (MI). OSA is also linked to higher cardiovascular disease morbidity. Hypothesis: This study investigated the impact of OSA on in-hospital mortality in patients with MI. Methods: We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a publicly available database of inpatient care. We analyzed the mortality among MI victims with OSA compared to patients without OSA. Ultimately the care of over 840,000 patients with MI was analyzed for the primary endpoints. Analyses were adjusted for demographics, comorbid con...
Internal Conversion Coefficient of the 53-keV Gamma Ray Emitted in the Decay of Ru103

Publisher Summary This chapter describes internal conversion coefficient of the 53-keV gamma ray emitted in the decay of Ru103. The excited state at 93 keV of Rh103 decays to the lower energy state at 40 keV by the emission of a 53-keV gamma ray. The internal conversion coefficient of the gamma ray has been measured. It is essential to be sure about the spin and parity of the 93-keV level to assign spin and parity to the levels at 538 and 650 keV. Therefore, in an experiment described in the chapter, the measurement of the internal conversion coefficients of the 53-keV gamma ray was undertaken. For the detection of the gamma rays, two NaI(Tl) crystals were used. Selecting the 440- and 555-keV gamma rays emitted in the decay of Ru103 in the fixed channel respectively, the low energy region of the coincidence spectrum was scanned. The thinner NaI(Tl) crystal was the detector used for the low energy radiations.
Anatomical Considerations: Spine and Sacrum

• In children and adults, metastases are both the most frequent tumor of bone and the most frequent tumor of the axial skeleton
Ubiquitin-free routes into the proteasome.

The majority of proteasome substrates identified to date are marked for degradation by polyubiquitinylation. Exceptions to this principle, however, are well documented and can help us understand the process proteasomes use to recognize their substrates. Examples include ornithine decarboxylase, p21/Cip1, TCRα, IκBα, c-Jun, calmodulin and thymidylate synthase. Degradation of these proteins can be completely ubiquitin-independent or coexist with ubiquitin-dependent pathways. Uncoupling degradation from ubiquitin modification may reflect the evolutionary conservation of mechanisms optimized for highly specialized regulatory functions.
Added mass of thin flat plates of arbitrary shapes with possible openings

Abstract We present results for the added mass and moment of inertia of infinitely thin plates of arbitrary shapes in an infinite potential field. The problem is modeled using a hypersingular boundary-integral equation and is treated directly using a Galerkin approach without regularization. The results are used to fill some gaps in the literature of the values of added mass for these plates, particularly those plates with openings or holes and we compare the exact numerical results with those obtained by simply subtracting the added mass or inertia from those of the full plate (an algebraic approximation). The algebraic approximation gives incorrect values compared with actual three-dimensional results.
Trajectories of Posttraumatic Stress and Depression in Police and Community Members Following the Violence during Civil Unrest in Ferguson, Missouri

Longitudinal research following discreet traumatic events reveals distinct symptom trajectories in untreated survivors of trauma. Trajectories within communities exposed to shared, prolonged violence involving subgroups differing in perspectives, and roles during the event have not been studied. This study examined trajectories of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and depressive symptoms secondary to exposure to violence during civil unrest in citizens (n = 311) and law enforcement (n = 255) over 1.5 years following exposure. Latent class growth modeling was used to examine trajectories of PTS and depressive symptoms. Four-class quadratic solutions for both PTS and depressive symptoms demonstrated best fit. Similar patterns emerged for such that most participants were classified as resistant (57% and 67%, respectively), followed by resilience (23.8% and 17.2%), chronic (12.6% and 12.0%), and worsening (6.1% and 4.4%). When all predictors were entered in a single model, race, and membership in citizen or law enforcement groups did not distinguish trajectories of recovery. Higher income and social support emerged as consistent protective factors against PTS and depressive symptoms, while trauma history emerged as a risk factor for PTS. Women were more at risk for depressive symptoms only. Implications for improving police/civilian relations in Ferguson, Missouri, and other communities are discussed.
Ethics and Financial Markets: The Role of the Analyst

The ethical issues that financial professionals face are no different from the ethical issues in any profession—or, indeed, the day-to-day dilemmas we all face. These issues are readily resolved through the use of three simple questions: Does this violate the law? Is this honest? What if I were on the other side? These three basic ethical standards are often complicated, extrapolated, rationalized, refined, and confused as those in the financial markets grapple with what they believe are more complex ethical issues today than in the past. But as this review shows, the ethical issues in the financial markets today are no different from those that managers of money and assets, financial advisers, and analysts have faced over the centuries.
Abstract CT038: Results of a Phase Ib trial of an autologous cell vaccine for newly diagnosed glioblastoma

Background: We evaluated an autologous cell vaccine, a combination of GBM tumor cells and an antisense molecule against insulin-like growth factor type 1 receptor DNA/mRNA (IGF-1R AS ODN), in adults with newly diagnosed GBM (NCT02507583). Methods: Tumor cells collected during resection were treated ex vivo with IGF-1R AS ODN, encapsulated in biodiffusion chambers with IGF-1R AS ODN, irradiated, then implanted in an abdominal acceptor site on the first post-operative day. Four vaccine exposures were evaluated: lowest (10 chambers implanted for 24 hours); lower (10 / 48 hours); higher (20 / 24 hours); and highest (20 / 48 hours). Standard of care (SOC; ie, radiotherapy and temozolomide) was initiated after 4-6 weeks. Randomization was halted after patient 23 and subsequent patients received the highest exposure. Evaluation of safety and tumor responses were the primary and secondary objectives, respectively. Exploratory objectives included assessment of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The SOC comparator group was an antecedent cohort of 35 newly diagnosed, GBM patients treated at the same center. Results: Thirty-three patients were enrolled between September 1, 2015 and March 1, 2018. Six, 5, 5, and 17 patients received the lowest, lower, higher, and highest exposures. Median (range) follow-up was 13 (4-39) months. As of the January 1, 2019 cutoff, no vaccine-related adverse events were observed. Seventeen of 33 (51.5%) remained progression-free, 12 of whom are alive and functioning well. The autologous cell vaccine significantly prolonged PFS and OS vs. SOC (Table). Survival advantages were conferred by the highest exposure to the autologous cell vaccine and good T cell function prior to surgery. Conclusions: This vaccine was well-tolerated and prolonged PFS and OS when compared with SOC alone. Citation Format: David W. Andrews, Samantha Garcia, Kevin D. Judy, Larry A. Harshyne, Sanjana Govindarajan, Lawrence Kenyon, Kiran Talekar, Adam Flanders, Kofi-Buaku Atsina, Lyndon Kim, Nina L. Martinez, Wenyin Shi, Maria Werner-Wasik, Mikhail Prosniak, Mark T. Curtis, Rhonda Kean, Emily Bongiorno, Sami Sauma, Kara Pigott, Charles B. Scott, D Craig Hooper. Results of a Phase Ib trial of an autologous cell vaccine for newly diagnosed glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr CT038.
Sustainability of safe foods: Joint environmental, economic and microbial load reduction assessment of antimicrobial systems in U.S. beef processing

Various antimicrobial interventions are applied sequentially in the beef processing industry to reduce microbial load on beef products by using intensive inputs (e.g., chemicals, energy), high strength wastewater, and potentially result in meat discoloration. This study serves as the first analysis to jointly evaluate environmental and economic assessment with its microbial load reduction of proposed antimicrobial systems in the U.S. beef processing industry to identify relatively sustainable systems that minimize environmental and economic impacts while providing microbial safe meat. Specifically, forty potential sequential antimicrobial systems were proposed and evaluated from three perspectives: microbial load reduction, environmental, and economic impacts, by meta-analysis, life cycle assessment, and operational cost analysis orderly. The results show that the antimicrobial systems applying steam pasteurization during the main intervention offer high microbial load reduction (>4.2 log CFU/cm2 reduction from a hypothetical initial contamination at 5.0 log CFU/cm2). Human health impact (31.0 to 65.6%) and ecosystem toxicity (3.6 to 12.5%), eutrophication (11.9 to 15.5%) and global warming (6.4 to 22.2%) are the main contributors to the overall environmental single score among the forty antimicrobial systems. Antimicrobial chemicals (up to 82.8%), wastewater treatment (up to 12.7%), and natural gas (up to 10.7%) are the three major drivers of operational cost for sanitizing 1000 kg hot standard carcass weight (HSCW). Devalued (discolored) meat due to contact with heat from steam pasteurization or hot water wash has a considerable increase in economic ($4.5/1000 HSCW) and environmental (especially at farm stage) impacts. Certain antimicrobial systems (e.g., water wash followed by steam pasteurization) were found to be more promising with satisfactory effectiveness, better environmental and cost performance under uncertainty (1000 Monte Carlo simulations). Results from this study can guide the U.S. beef processing industry to advance sustainability while protecting human health from foodborne illness.
How does batch normalization help optimization

Batch Normalization (BatchNorm) is a widely adopted technique that enables faster and more stable training of deep neural networks (DNNs). Despite its pervasiveness, the exact reasons for BatchNorm's effectiveness are still poorly understood. The popular belief is that this effectiveness stems from controlling the change of the layers' input distributions during training to reduce the so-called "internal covariate shift". In this work, we demonstrate that such distributional stability of layer inputs has little to do with the success of BatchNorm. Instead, we uncover a more fundamental impact of BatchNorm on the training process: it makes the optimization landscape significantly smoother. This smoothness induces a more predictive and stable behavior of the gradients, allowing for faster training.
Pronunciation research in recent dissertations

Abstract This editorial looks at L2 pronunciation dissertations from 2017 and 2018 to see what topics were of interest in research, to examine trends, and to suggest ideas for the future. The largest group of dissertations reflect interest in instruction and instructional interventions. These interventions look at a wide variety of features, types of instruction (e.g., implicit vs. explicit), different L1-L2 combinations, and the importance of materials in teacher training. The next most common topic was perception, followed by prosody (including stress, intonation, tone and fluency) and acquisition. English and Spanish were the most frequently studied L2s, indicating a need for L2 pronunciation in less commonly researched languages.
“Welfare impact of electricity subsidy reforms in Pakistan: A micro model study”

Abstract Electricity subsidies in developing countries have always been debated in economics circles. Despite their popular appeal of providing relief to the poor, the research has proven otherwise. They increase the magnitude of deadweight loss and taper consumer welfare. However, complete withdrawal of a subsidy will make electricity unaffordable for the underprivileged. Therefore, in the context of developing countries, there is a need to determine the optimal level of subsidy, which will have the least economic impact and benefit the maximum number of users. Pakistan has been marred by deep energy crises and the government is forced to provide very large subsidies for electricity. Using Pakistan as a case study, this study uses a uniform and non-uniform price increase to determine the optimal level of electricity subsidies. This study employs a micro-model technique for the calculation of deadweight and welfare losses when the price of electricity is increased uniformly or non-uniformly across different consumption groups. This study also introduces a targeted subsidy approach for curbing the mounting deadweight loss due to immense electricity subsidies. Our research has identified that the targeted subsidy approach not only generates fiscal savings but also improves the welfare of the vulnerable in society.
Interobserver Reliability of the Coronary Artery Disease Reporting and Data System in Clinical Practice.

PURPOSE This study aimed to evaluate interobserver reproducibility between cardiothoracic radiologists applying the Coronary Artery Disease Reporting and Data System (CAD-RADS) to describe atherosclerotic burden on coronary computed tomography angiography. METHODS Forty clinical computed tomography angiography cases were retrospectively and independently evaluated by 3 attending and 2 fellowship-trained cardiothoracic radiologists using the CAD-RADS lexicon. Radiologists were blinded to patient history and underwent initial training using a practice set of 10 subjects. Interobserver reproducibility was assessed using an intraclass correlation (ICC) on the basis of single-observer scores, absolute agreement, and a 2-way random-effects model. Nondiagnostic studies were excluded. ICC was also performed for CAD-RADS scores grouped by management recommendations for absent (0), nonobstructive (1 to 2), and potentially obstructive (3 to 5) CAD. RESULTS Interobserver reproducibility was moderate to good (ICC: 0.748, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.639-0.842, P<0.0001), with higher agreement among cardiothoracic radiology fellows (ICC: 0.853, 95% CI: 0.730-0.922, P<0.0001) than attending radiologists (ICC: 0.711, 95% CI: 0.568-0.824, P<0.0001). Interobserver reproducibility for clinical management categories was marginally decreased (ICC: 0.692, 95% CI: 0.570-0.802, P<0.0001). The average percent agreement between pairs of radiologists was 84.74%. Percent observer agreement was significantly reduced in the presence (M=62.22%, SD=15.17%) versus the absence (M=80.91%, SD=17.97%) of modifiers, t(37.95)=3.566, P=0.001. CONCLUSIONS Interobserver reliability and agreement with the CAD-RADS terminology are moderate to good in clinical practice. However, further investigations are needed to characterize the causes of interobserver disagreement that may lead to differences in management recommendations.
MRGPRX2 Activation by Rocuronium: Insights from Studies with Human Skin Mast Cells and Missense Variants.

Perioperative hypersensitivity (POH) to the neuromuscular blocking drug (NMBD) rocuronium was previously thought to be IgE and mast cell (MC)-mediated. However, the recent seminal observation that rocuronium induces degranulation in murine peritoneal MCs (PMCs) via Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor B2 (MrgprB2) led to the idea that POH to this drug involves the activation of MRGPRX2 (human ortholog of MrgprB2). Furthermore, based on the demonstration that a patient with POH to rocuronium displayed three missense mutations (M196I, L226P and L237P) in MRGPRX2’s transmembrane domains, it was proposed that this hypersensitivity reaction resulted from aberrant activation of this receptor. We found that rocuronium at 20 µg/mL caused degranulation in mouse PMCs via MrgprB2 but required at least 500 µg/mL to induce degranulation in human MCs via MRGPRX2. Furthermore, RBL-2H3 cells transiently expressing M196I, L226P and L237P variants did not display enhanced degranulation in response to rocuronium when compared to the wild-type receptor. These findings provide the first demonstration that rocuronium induces degranulation in human MCs via MRGPRX2. Furthermore, the important differences between MrgprB2 and MRGPRX2 and the inability of rocuronium to induce enhanced response in cells expressing MRGPRX2 variants suggest that the mechanism of its POH is more complex than previously thought.
Analysis of an E-shaped Patch Using CMA and CMT

The impedance bandwidth of a microstrip patch antenna may be increased by additional resonances in the antenna structure. This work uses Characteristic Mode Analysis to show that the E-shaped patch operates in this manner and that its operation is well-modeled by Coupled Mode Theory.
Sarcopenia and modified Glasgow Prognostic Score predict postsurgical outcomes in localized renal cell carcinoma

Background Body composition and inflammation are gaining importance for prognostication in cancer. This study investigated the individual and combined utility of the preoperative skeletal muscle index (SMI) and the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) for estimating postoperative outcomes in patients with localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC) undergoing nephrectomy. Methods The authors performed a retrospective review of 352 patients with localized RCC. SMI was measured via computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Patients met the criteria for sarcopenia by body mass index- and sex-stratified thresholds. Multivariable and Kaplan-Meier analyses of associations of sarcopenia and mGPS with overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were performed. Variables were analyzed independently and combined into risk groups: low risk (nonsarcopenic, low mGPS), medium risk (sarcopenia only), medium risk (inflammation only), and high risk (sarcopenic, high mGPS). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze risk groups in comparison with the Stage, Size, Grade, and Necrosis (SSIGN) score and the modified International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) score. Results The majority of the patients were at stage pT3 (63%), 39.5% of the patients were sarcopenic, and 19.3% had an elevated mGPS at the baseline. The median follow-up time was 30.4 months. Sarcopenia and mGPS were independently associated with worse OS (hazard ratio for sarcopenia, 1.64; P = .006; hazard ratio for mGPS, 1.72; P = .012), CSS, and RFS. Risk groups had an increasing association with worse RFS (P = .015) and CSS (P = .004) but not OS (P = .087). ROC analyses demonstrated a higher area under the curve for risk groups in comparison with the SSIGN and IMDC scores at 5 years. Conclusions Sarcopenia and an elevated mGPS were associated with worse clinical outcomes in this study of patients with localized RCC. This has implications for preoperative prognostication and treatment decision-making. Lay summary Kidney cancer is a disease with a wide variety of outcomes. Among patients undergoing surgical removal of the kidney for cancer that has not spread beyond the kidney, many are cured, but some experience recurrence. Physicians are seeking ways to better predict who is at risk for recurrence or death from kidney cancer. This study has evaluated body composition and markers of inflammation before surgery to predict the risk of recurrence or death after surgery. Specifically, low muscle mass and an elevated inflammation score (the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score) have been associated with an increased likelihood of recurrence of kidney cancer and death.
Using the CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard to Promote Organizational Change.

Purpose:To measure the impact of tying adoption of evidence-based worksite health promotion (WHP) interventions to annual organizational strategic objectives, as measured by the Centers for Disease...
Transverse electrooptic properties of antiferroelectric lead containing thin films

The transverse electrooptic effect was observed in solution-coated lead zirconate thin films. The electric-field-induced birefringent shift exhibited a characteristic response which differed from the normal butterfly-like loops for ferroelectric materials. The observed unique response in lead zirconate thin films was related to their antiferroelectric nature and the electric-field-induced antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition. Under an appropriate static bias electric field, the material possesses two distinguishable birefringent states associated with the two remanent polarization states of the material. The thin films were also found to acquire a permanent birefringence once a sufficiently high electric field was applied to the virgin materials. Two types of mechanisms are proposed for utilizing the antiferroelectric thin films for optical memory in optoelectronic devices. The first makes use of the permanent orientation of the material induced by an initial electric field. The second involves the switching between the two distinguishable birefringent states of the material under a bias field with electric pulses. >
Wage Determination for Regular Hired Farm Workers: An Empirical Analysis for Georgia

Regular hired farm workers, performing 150 days or more of farm work annually, became increasingly important in the 1970's. The number of regular hired workers in the United States increased by almost 50 percent during the decade, while the number of seasonal workers, operators, and unpaid family workers declined. Pricing of regular hired labor is investigated through estimation of three nested wage determination models in a case study analysis for Georgia. Micro-level data on individual workers were used to analyze the effects of general human capital, farm worker duties, local labor market conditions, and farm characteristics on wage rates.
Behavioral Factors Affecting the Retirement Decision

We have examined the impact of factors such as Income level, Health Status, Life Expectancy, Unemployment rate, Capacity Utilization, S&P 500 Returns on the retirement decision of the population between the age groups 55-64 and 65 & older over the period of 29 years between 1971-2000. For the age group 55-64, we found that the Income level, Life Expectancy, Unemployment Rate and Capacity Utilization influence the retirement decision. For the age group 65 & older, Income level, Health Status, Capacity Utilization and Unemployment Rate are the factors influencing retirement decision. Interestingly, we found that our results supported the findings of Costa (1999) that shows the Health Status is not a significant factor influencing the retirement decision. This finding contradicted the majority of the previous studies suggesting that Health Status is indeed one of the important factors contributing the retirement decision.
I Grow Old: T. S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and Inventions of the March Hare 100 Years On

This essay describes the origin and significance of T. S. Eliot’s early notebook, first published in 1995 as Inventions of the March Hare. Eliot’s first triumphs, including “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and “Portrait of a Lady,” germinated in this workshop. The essay summarizes the place these early, published poems held in the criticism for 80 years, from 1915 through 1995. It then considers how the critical conversation about Eliot’s early development changes significantly with the publication of the notebook, when the unknown apprentice poems are restored alongside their more famous companions.
X 2e: A general quantitative approach to the calculation of (e,2e) and related processes

Abstract We present a new variational approach for calculating ( e , 2 e ) and ( γ , 2 e ) processes. We consider the general theory for the electron-impact ionization of atomic hydrogen and we deduce a formula for the scattering amplitude in terms of a surface integral over a five-dimensional hypersurface. We consider configuration space to be divided into three regions separated by five-dimensional hypersurfaces. We calculate the R-matrix on the surface of the innermost hypersurface using a variationally determined two-electron R -operator, a linear operator that relates function values to normal derivatives on the innermost bounding hypersurface inside which the function satisfies the Schrodinger equation. We then use the Light Walker propagation technique, modified by the symmetry condition at r s = r f , to propagate our variationally determined R-matrix through a large volume until we reach the boundary of our second hypersurface. We calculate the S-matrix on this hypersurface and use it to remove the incoming flux and deduce the outgoing wave which is matched to one that has been brought in from some asymptotically large distance. It is shown that it is possible to reduce the five-dimensional integral over the hypersurface to a single numerical integration, times a finite sum over angular terms, thus facilitating the evaluation of the scattering amplitude. The method we propose is computationally efficient. Results will be presented for a number of simple test cases.
Finite-Difference Formulation of a World Ocean Model

The finite-difference formulation of a multi-level primitive equation ocean model is described. The formulation is suitable for irregular geometry such as that of the world ocean. The second-order, energetically consistent techniques of Bryan [1969] and Takano [1974] are followed.
On the detection of independent finger movements through two forearm myoelectrodes

This study analyses forearm muscle contractions that occur during movements of individual fingers. An amplitude threshold is implemented on the multiplied backwards difference (MOBD) of the signal to determine when a muscle contraction occurs, and is followed by a windowed variance threshold of the MOBD to determine which finger contracted. The purpose is to create a low-cost, computationally efficient method to determine specific finger contractions from the forearm. This method was able to differentiate the ring finger from the other fingers, which in comparison had a variance approximately ten times higher.
Attempt, Conspiracy, and Incitement to Commit Genocide

In these brief commentaries to the U.N. Genocide Convention, I explore three criminal law modes of liability as they apply to the international crime of genocide. Part I analyzes attempt to commit genocide and uncovers a basic tension over whether attempt refers to the genocide itself (the chapeau) or the underlying offense (such as killing). Part I concludes that the tension stems from the fact that the crime of genocide itself is already inchoate in nature, since the legal requirements for the crime do not require an actual, completed genocide, in the common-sense understanding of the term, but only a prohibited act with the intent of destroying the group in whole or in part. Part II explores the curious fate of both conspiracy and incitement to commit genocide under current international criminal law. Conspiracy to commit genocide was applied at the ad hoc tribunals but rejected by the drafters of the Rome Statute, thus leading to serious confusion over its status under customary law, while incitement to commit genocide is burdened by uncertainty over its inchoate status. Part III then concludes with a brief, speculative discussion of state responsibility for genocide for these modes of liability.
Pancreas dorsal lobe agenesis and abnormal islets of Langerhans in Hlxb9-deficient mice

In most mammals the pancreas develops from the foregut endoderm as ventral and dorsal buds. These buds fuse and develop into a complex organ composed of endocrine, exocrine and ductal components1,2. This developmental process depends upon an integrated network of transcription factors. Gene targeting experiments have revealed critical roles for Pdx1, Isl1, Pax4, Pax6 and Nkx2-2 (refs 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10). The homeobox gene HLXB9 (encoding HB9) is prominently expressed in adult human pancreas11, although its role in pancreas development and function is unknown. To facilitate its study, we isolated the mouse HLXB9 orthologue, Hlxb9. During mouse development, the dorsal and ventral pancreatic buds and mature β-cells in the islets of Langerhans express Hlxb9. In mice homologous for a null mutation of Hlxb9, the dorsal lobe of the pancreas fails to develop. The remnant Hlxb9–/– pancreas has small islets of Langerhans with reduced numbers of insulin-producing β-cells. Hlxb9–/– β-cells express low levels of the glucose transporter Glut2 and homeodomain factor Nkx 6-1. Thus, Hlxb9 is key to normal pancreas development and function.
Bile duct dyskinesia. Clinical and manometric study.

Abstract Unexplained right upper quadrant symptoms have often been attributed to bile duct dyskinesia. In this study we evaluated the pressure profile of the sphincter of Oddi in 10 patients with recurrent episodes of right upper quadrant pain, intermittent mild transaminasemia, and a normal pancreatobiliary tract. Nine healthy volunteers served as control. A triple-lumen catheter with an external diameter of 1.7 mm and recording sites at 2-mm intervals was introduced into the papilla through the endoscope. Ductal pressure, basal sphincter of Oddi pressure, and the amplitude and propagation direction of the phasic contractions of the sphincter were determined in patients and subjects. All measurements were performed relative to duodenal pressure, which was taken as zero. There was no significant difference between patients and subjects in the amplitude and frequency of phasic contractions of sphincter of Oddi. In contrast, the patients demonstrated a higher sphincter of Oddi pressure (p
A variable temperature study of the transport properties of aqueous solutions of VOSO4 and NH4VO3 in 2 M H2SO4

Abstract Variable temperature ionic conductivity, viscosity and 1H NMR spin-lattice relaxation times, linewidths and chemical shifts measurements were determined for various concentrations of aqueous ammonium metavanadate (NH4VO3) and vanadyl sulfate (VOSO4) over the temperature range of 20–100 °C. Concentration ranges of 0.05–2 M and 0.05–0.2 M were investigated for VOSO4 and NH4VO3 respectively in 2 M H2SO4. Results show ion and proton transport processes that are mediated strongly by increasing solution viscosity, especially in the case of VOSO4. Activation energies calculated from ionic conductivity and solution viscosity show greater energy being needed for translational ion dynamics with increasing concentration for both solutions. Additionally, data suggest that with greater metal ion concentration ion association is more prevalent for the vanadyl ion. The differences between the transport capabilities of the two solution are discussed in terms of the 1H NMR, ionic conductivity and viscosity data.
An Evaluation of Ductility and Detailing Requirements of Bearing Wall Buildings Using Data from the March 3, 1985, Chile Earthquake

Abstract The expected earthquake response of bearing wall buildings is investigated using data from the March 3, 1985 Chile earthquake. The study includes an examination of proportioning and detailing requirements for Chilean and U.S. bearing wall construction. Based on the requirements, minimum stiffnesses and strengths are characterized. Recorded ground motions in Vin˜a del Mar, Chile and the western U.S. are analyzed and compared. Drifts and global displacement ductilities are estimated. Based on the findings related to drift and ductility, the need for concrete confinement at wall boundaries is investigated analytically. The analytical studies indicate that boundary confinement is not always necessary at wall boundaries. The performance of bearing wall buildings in the Chilean earthquake and the analytical studies conducted herein indicate that the form of construction used in Chile is a viable construction option in the United States.
A graph theory-based 'expert system' methodology for structure-activity studies

A new graph theory-based methodology is proposed for the statistical evaluation of the link between the structure and the chemical/biological activity of organic molecules. The computer-aided analysis involves the heuristic processing of molecules as chemical graphs which are decomposed into their component subgraphs. Common topological features among the subgraphs are then statistically isolated, and a set of rules is developed that can be used to explain the activities of the analyzed compounds as well as predict the activities of new compounds. The validity of the methodology is demonstrated by its application to actual experimental data.
Thin film lithium niobate on sapphire for SAW applications

Abstract Deposition of LiNbO3 thin films on R-cut (0112) sapphire by rf magnetron sputtering has been systematically investigated and repeatable epitaxial relationships between LiNbO3 thin film and sapphire substrate were observed. As a result, the effect of sputtering parameters on deposition of LiNbO3 thin films was determined. Optimal conditions for deposition of high quality (1120), (0112) and (1010) LiNbO3 thin films were found. A filter was successfully fabricated by forming interdigital transducers (IDT) on the surface of a (1010) LiNbO3 thin film on (0112) sapphire. The frequency response curve was measured, and the results are compared with a theoretical model.
Impairment of Insulin-mediated Glucose Metabolism by Hyperosmolality in Man

The deterioration of glucose tolerance and insulin resistance observed in states of hypertonic dehydration are commonly ascribed to a concomitant increase in circulating insulin counterregulatory hormones. To examine the effect of hyperosmolality per se on carbohydrate metabolism, tissue sensitivity to insulin was assessed by means of the euglycemic insulin clamp technique and simultaneous 3H-3-glucose kinetic analysis. Eight healthy volunteers participated in three protocols: (1) In the hyperosmolal study, serum osmolality was raised from 280 +/- 1 to 302 +/- 1 mosm/kg by a primed continuous infusion of hypertonic mannitol. Following 2 h of hypertonicity, a euglycemic insulin clamp study was performed. The plasma insulin concentration was acutely raised and maintained at 147 +/- 20 microU/ml, while plasma glucose was maintained at basal levels; (2) In the control insulin clamp study, isotonic sodium chloride was infused instead of mannitol. No significant change in serum osmolality was observed during the control study; (3) To examine the effect of mannitol per se on insulin-mediated glucose metabolism, isotonic mannitol was infused in a third study to raise the plasma mannitol level to a similar extent as observed during the infusion of hypertonic mannitol. The serum tonicity did not change during the isotonic mannitol infusion. Insulin-mediated glucose utilization (M) was 6.69 +/- 0.51 mg/kg X min in the control study and decreased to 5.84 +/- 0.40 mg/kg X min following the exposure to hyperosmolality (P less than 0.05).2+ +/- 0.60 versus 4.30 +/- 0.43 mg/kg X min per microU/ml X 100).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)