cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advantages of variance reduction techniques in establishing confidence intervals for quantiles

Abstract Over the past two decades, U.S. nuclear power plant regulation has increasingly depended on best-estimate plus uncertainty safety analyses. As a result of the shift to best-estimate analyses, the distribution of the output metric must be compared against a regulatory goal, rather than a single, conservative value. This comparison has historically been conducted using a 95% one-sided confidence interval for the 0.95-quantile of the output distribution, which is usually found following the technique of simple random sampling using order statistics (SRS-OS). While SRS-OS has certain statistical advantages, there are drawbacks related to the available sampling schemes and the accuracy and precision of the resulting value. Recent work has shown that it is possible to establish asymptotically valid confidence intervals for a quantile of the output of a model simulated using variance reduction techniques (VRTs). These VRTs can provide more informative results than SRS-OS. This work compares SRS-OS and the VRTs of antithetic variates and Latin hypercube sampling through several experiments, designed to replicate conditions found in nuclear safety analyses. This work is designed as an initial investigation into the use of VRTs as a tool to satisfy nuclear regulatory requirements, with hope of expanded analyses of VRTs in the future.
Substrates and fertilizers for organic container production of herbs, vegetables, and herbaceous ornamental plants grown in greenhouses in the United States

The value of organic greenhouse production in the United States is $112 million, and organic floriculture production has increased 40% in greenhouses since 2008. The U.S. National Organic Program (NOP) guidelines allow organic production in containers. One of the primary concerns for current and potential organic container growers is managing container substrate and plant fertility. This manuscript provides a review of current literature on organic substrates and fertilizers for container grown herbs, vegetables and herbaceous ornamentals according to NOP guidelines. Organic-approved substrates can be purchased from commercial suppliers or produced in house. Many organic substrate components are similar to those used in conventional production (peat moss, pine bark, perlite, vermiculite, rice hulls, and whole pine tree) but lack a synthetic wetting agent. Growers who mix their own substrates often add compost at percentages ranging from 20 to 50%. Compost has high water holding and cation exchange capacity. It is often locally or regionally produced and purchased, which impacts variability and quality. For this reason, growers often need to manage substrates with compost more carefully. Single source or blended organic fertilizers may be incorporated in substrates prior to planting. These are derived from a variety of plant and animal based sources. A small number of mined components may be added to substrate-incorporated fertilizers (i.e. limestone). These fertilizers will typically last for four to five weeks, and are often supplemented with liquid fertilizers for longer-term crops or species with high nitrogen requirements. Liquid fertilizers also tend to be more quickly plant available compared to substrate-incorporated fertilizers. With careful management, it is possible to grow container plants in organic production systems that are comparable to those produced in conventional production systems.
Abstract TP119: Recurrent Thromboembolic Events After Ischemic Stroke in Patients with Cancer

Background: Cancer often causes hypercoagulability, leading to venous and arterial thromboembolic events such as stroke. The rate and type of recurrent thromboembolic events (RTE) in cancer patient...
Numerical tests of a fixed vibrational basis/gaussian bath theory for small molecule dynamics in low-temperature media.

A recently framed quantum/semiclassical treatment for the internal nuclear dynamics of a small molecule and the induced small-amplitude coherent motion of a low-temperature host medium (Chapman, C. T.; Cina, J. A. J. Chem. Phys.2007,127, 114502) is further analyzed and subjected to initial tests of its numerical implementation. In the illustrative context of a 1D system interacting with a 1D medium, we rederive the fixed vibrational basis/Gaussian bath (FVB/GB) equations of motion for the parameters defining the Gaussian bath wave packet accompanying each of the energy eigenkets of the quantum mechanical system. The conditions of validity for the Gaussian-bath approximation are shown to coincide with those supporting approximate population conservation. We perform initial numerical tests of the FVB/GB scheme and illustrate the semiclassical description it provides of coherent motion in the medium by comparing its predictions with the exact results for a high-frequency system harmonic oscillator bilinearly...
Patterns of Attack by Insect Herbivores and a Fungus on Saplings in a Tropical Tree Plantation

We investigated the effects of plant density, plant diversity, and light availability on susceptibility of saplings of Stryphnodendron microstachyum Poeppig & Endlicher to attack by herbivores and pathogens in the lowlands of northeastern Costa Rica. Seedlings of S. microstachyum were planted at either low or high density. High density stands were planted in 2 environments with 2 plant diversities within each environment : monocultures in abandoned pastures (=sun) and in 5-yr-old secondary forest (=shade), or polycultures in which S. microstachyum was planted with 4 other species also in sun and shade. Low density stands consisted of isolated individuals in 4 types of sites (abandoned pasture, secondary forest understory, primary forest understory, and primary forest light gap). Numbers of galls (Diptera : Cecidomyiidae), larvae (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae : Euclystis), and fungal spots (Melanconiales : Pestalotia) were greater in the high density stand than in low density stands, and greater in the shade than in sun. We found no differences in infection between monocultures and polycultures at high density, nor did we find Euclystis larvae or Cecidomyiidae galls in low density stands. Numbers of fungal spots per leaf and density of galls were greater on larger plants. These data suggest that higher plant densities increase the probability of attack by herbivorous insects and leaf pathogens, and that plantations of tropical native tree species in partial shade, as a means of reforestation, run the risk of outbreaks of normally rare plant enemies. Furthermore, the observed positive relation between plant size and attack suggests that plantations of this tree species will become more susceptible to pest outbreaks as the trees mature.
The interrelationship of accreditation and dental education: history and current environment.

The dental school accreditation system plays a critical role in maintaining the quality of dental education and, in turn, the vitality of the dental profession as a learned, self-regulating profession. One of the purposes of accreditation is to ensure that contemporary developments in science,
Impeachment and presidential politics in new democracies

Research on presidentialism has long assumed that presidential impeachment is a rare event, made difficult by design in order to enhance government stability. However, the experience of Third Wave democracies suggests that more presidents have been targets of impeachment attempts than the literature might lead us to expect. In this article I seek to identify the factors that make directly elected presidents more or less vulnerable to impeachment attempts in Third Wave presidential democracies from 1974 to 2003. I find several factors that mobilize deputies against the president: presidential involvement in political scandal, strong presidential powers, and a hostile civil society. Presidents are more likely to fend off such efforts when their party commands a higher share of seats. I also find that popular protest against a president helps to prompt a congressional impeachment drive. Frequent efforts to resolve presidential crises via such legal procedures may explain in part why extra-constitutional mean...
Automatic Dissemination of Text Information using the EBOTS system

World Wide Web contains 170 Terabytes of information [1] and storage estimates show that the new information is growing at a rate of over 30% a year. With the quanta of information growing exponentially, it is important to understand the information semantically to know what concepts are relevant and what are irrelevant. The Evolutionary Behavior Of Textual Semantics (EBOTS) system being developed at University of Arkansas at Little Rock [2] aims at the quantitative reasoning aspect of textual information. In the automatic decision-making mode, the EBOTS system can distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information, discarding irrelevant documents and accepting only relevant information to develop expertise in a particular field. This paper discusses the usefulness of Information Theory in the development of relevance criteria and the results obtained in the context of textual information.
Evaluation of a single-injection method for estimating glomerular filtration rate in dogs with reduced renal function.

Two methods for evaluating glomerular filtration rate (GFR), after single i.v. administration of inulin, were assessed in dogs after partial nephrectomy. The first method, determination of plasma clearance of inulin (PCIn), was taken as the quotient of the administered dose of inulin (1,000 mg) divided by the area under the plasma inulin concentration vs time curve. The second estimate of renal function was obtained from the plasma concentration of inulin 75 minutes after i.v. administration of 1,000 mg: C(75). The values for PCIn and C(75) were related (R2 = 0.955, P < 0.0001 and R2 = 0.867, P < 0.0001, respectively) to a previously validated method for measurement of GFR in dogs, urinary clearance of exogenous creatinine (CCr). Results of this study support use of PCIn and C(75) values to estimate GFR in dogs with reduced renal function. In particular, PCIn and C(75) were closely related to CCr in partially nephrectomized dogs with plasma creatinine concentration within the reference range for clinically normal dogs.
The importance of solid electrolyte interphase formation for long cycle stability full-cell Na-ion batteries

Abstract Na-ion battery, as an alternative high-efficiency and low-cost energy storage device to Li-ion battery, has attracted wide interest for electrical grid and vehicle applications. However, demonstration of a full-cell battery with high energy and long cycle life remains a significant challenge. Here, we investigated the role of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation on both cathodes and anodes and revealed a potential way to achieve long-term stability for Na-ion battery full-cells. Pre-cycling of cathodes and anodes leads to preformation of SEI, and hence mitigates the consumption of Na ions in full-cells. The example full-cell of Na0.44MnO2-hard carbon with pre-cycled and capacity-matched electrodes can deliver a specific capacity of ~116 mAh/g based on Na0.44MnO2 at 1 C rate (1 C=120 mA/g). The corresponding specific energy is ~313 Wh/kg based on the cathode. Excellent cycling stability with ~77% capacity retention over 2000 cycles was demonstrated at 2 C rate. Our work represents a leap forward in Na-ion battery development.
A framework for mapping with biobotic insect networks

We present an approach for global exploration and mapping of unknown environments using a swarm of cyborg insects, known as biobots, for emergency response scenarios under minimal sensing and localization constraints. We exploit natural stochastic motion models and controlled locomotion of biobots in conjunction with an aerial leader to explore and map a domain of interest. A sliding window strategy is adopted to construct local maps from coordinate free encounter information of the agents by means of local metric estimation. Robust topological features from these local representations are extracted using topological data analysis and a classification scheme. These maps are then merged into a global map which can be visualized using a graphical representation, that integrates geometric as well as topological features of the environment. Simulation and experimental results with biologically inspired robotic platform are presented to illustrate and verify the correctness of our approach, which provides building blocks for SLAM with biobotic insects. A framework for mapping with biobotic insect networks is proposed.The approach consists of metric estimation from coordinate-free local encounters.Topological features of the unknown environment are extracted in a robust manner.A methodology for construction of global maps from local maps is proposed.Experimental validation with bio-inspired miniature robots is presented.
Online location recognition for drift-free trajectory estimation and efficient autonomous navigation

Autonomous navigation is a desired capability for mobile robotic platforms, such as UAVs and UGVs. Efficient autonomous navigation, especially in unknown environments, requires accurate localization based on online location recognition. Traditional monocular camera-based location recognition methods can suffer from accuracy, speed and robustness issues. In this paper, a novel online location recognition (OLR) algorithm based on fast and efficient interestpoint detection and feature-based keypoint matching is presented. The OLR incrementally constructs a database of visited locations and robustly recognizes revisited locations, even in complex and cluttered scenes. The OLR capability is quantitatively evaluated using a mobile robot setup in a multi-room office building environment. We further present and validate two applications based on the proposed OLR algorithm. In the first application, the OLR algorithm is integrated with conventional SLAM and an efficient trajectory correction algorithm for drift-free trajectory estimation (DTE) and qualitatively evaluated in the same environment. In the second application, the OLR algorithm is integrated with an exploration strategy for efficient autonomous navigation (EAN) and evaluated using a UAV model in a simulated warehouse environment. Our experiments demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed location recognition algorithm and its utility for drift-free trajectory estimation and efficient autonomous navigation.
Trends in the Molecular Epidemiology and Genetic Mechanisms of Transmitted Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Drug Resistance in a Large US Clinic Population.

Background There are few large studies of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) prevalence and the drug resistance mutations (DRMs) responsible for TDR in the United States. Methods Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease sequences were obtained from 4253 antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive individuals in a California clinic population from 2003 to 2016. Phylogenetic analyses were performed to study linkages between TDR strains and selection pressure on TDR-associated DRMs. Results From 2003 to 2016, there was a significant increase in overall (odds ratio [OR], 1.05 per year [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.03-1.08]; P < .001) and nonnucleoside RT inhibitor (NNRTI)-associated TDR (OR, 1.11 per year [95% CI, 1.08-1.15]; P < .001). Between 2012 and 2016, TDR rates to any drug class ranged from 15.7% to 19.2%, and class-specific rates ranged from 10.0% to 12.8% for NNRTIs, 4.1% to 8.1% for nucleoside RT inhibitors (NRTIs), and 3.6% to 5.2% for protease inhibitors. The thymidine analogue mutations, M184V/I and the tenofovir-associated DRMs K65R and K70E/Q/G/N/T accounted for 82.9%, 7.3%, and 1.4% of NRTI-associated TDR, respectively. Thirty-seven percent of TDR strains clustered with other TDR strains sharing the same DRMs. Conclusions Although TDR has increased significantly in this large cohort, many TDR strains are unlikely to influence the activity of currently preferred first-line ART regimens. The high proportion of DRMs associated with infrequently used regimens combined with the clustering of TDR strains suggest that some TDR strains are being transmitted between ART-naive individuals.
Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Epidemiology and biostatistics are two of the foundations of public health science and practice (Institute of Medicine, 1988). Graduate and undergraduate degrees in schools of public health all include some level of training in these basic disciplines. As an epidemiologist, I consider the training to be vital to provide future researchers and practitioners of public health the analytic reasoning and interpretation skills to (1) understand and interpret research publications, (2) plan and execute research and evaluation studies, (3) provide scientific information about causal evidence, and (4) use information about risk factors and cause to shape programs and policies. For public health practitioners who are epidemiology specialists, the training and the skill set is more complex and expansive. When teaching the complexity of analytic reasoning in epidemiology, we often search for relevant, real world examples that permit us to impart both methods and broader public health content. Disability epidemiology provides a rich opportunity on both counts. It offers intellectually stimulating examples on issues that span the disciplines of both epidemiology and biostatistics. These issues, some of which are discussed in this chapter, relate to everything from pragmatic problems in field research to theoretical frameworks about the impact of risk factors across multiple levels of personal and environmental influences. Special populations, including people with disability (PWD), also offer an opportunity to examine and grapple with the public health challenge of disparities, and through that challenge, to help the disciplines of epidemiology and biostatistics to evolve. Unfortunately, there is an uneasy and even disrespectful relationship between the disability world and the world of public health, including epidemiology, when such an interface exists at all.
Constructing history in middle schools: a social semiotic analysis of texts used in three history classrooms

This ten-month multicase study (Stake, 2006) documents the forms of representation used by three middle school history teachers as part of their daily instruction. This study is framed in theories of social semiotics (Halliday, 1978; Hodge & Kress, 1988; van Leeuwen, 2005), which posit that texts realize any given social system by "not merely expressing it, but actively creating and maintaining it" (Halliday, 1978, p. 172). A semiotic conceptualization of texts includes communication in any mode or combination of modes, including spoken words, gestures, written words, music, images, and more (Kress, 2003). According to this theoretical framework, multimodal texts used within history classrooms realize the discipline of history by instantiating common disciplinary practices, norms, problems, and epistemologies (cf. Brophy, 1996; McDiarmid, Ball, & Anderson, 1989).
Disappointment domains, quality of life, and the impact of mental illness : an evaluation of demographic differences.

DISAPPOINTMENT DOMAINS, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND THE IMPACT OF MENTAL ILLNESS: AN EV ALUA nON OF DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES Christina L. Adkins April 20, 2007 The concept of quality of life (QOL) has been the topic of many research projects, yet several clinically relevant aspects of this concept have been overlooked. Specifically, few studies have addressed the impact of such demographic variables as race and sex on the life domains that have been particularly disappointing to patients with mental illnesses. The current research project aims to contribute to the understanding of the impact these variables have on quality of life, specifically addressing the following hypotheses: I.) Domains of disappointment will vary according to race and sex; 2.) Race and sex will interact to predict which life domain is most disappointing; and 3.) Demographic differences will be detected in the level of disappointment with most disappointing domain. Patients diagnosed with psychotic and affective disorders (n=125) were administered an open-ended, semi-structured interview designed to assess disappointments they have experienced as a result of their mental illness. They were asked to list the goals they have been prevented from accomplishing, which "loss" was
Reduced Intensity Conditioning Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Current Evidence, and Improving Outcomes Going Forward.

Purpose of Review Outcomes for older adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remain poor, and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) remains a potentially curative modality. However, benefits are offset by high rates of non-relapse mortality (NRM) in patients undergoing myeloablative conditioning (MAC) regimens. Reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens can extend this therapy to adults who are unfit for MAC, although at the cost of higher relapse rates. In this review, we discuss evidence to support the usage of RIC regimens, controversies, and potential strategies to improve transplant outcomes going forward.
Outcomes in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices, Pacemakers, and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators Undergoing Single Balloon Enteroscopy.

Objectives Obscure overt gastrointestinal bleeding can be challenging to evaluate in patients with electronic cardiac devices such as continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), pacemakers (PPMs), and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). Limited data exist on the utility and safety of single balloon enteroscopy (SBE) in patients with cardiac devices. We aimed to evaluate the safety, efficacy, diagnostic, and therapeutic outcomes of the aforementioned devices in patients undergoing SBE. Methods A retrospective study was performed using the medical records of 57 patients undergoing SBE at our institution from 2010 to 2014. Patients were divided into two groups: those with cardiac devices and those without. Data on comorbidities, complications, findings, diagnostic, and therapeutic yield were compared. t Test and logistic regression assessed the association between dependent and independent variables. For continuous data, the results were summarized as mean difference and standard deviation. For dichotomous data, the results were summarized as odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals. Results The overall age in patients with cardiac devices was 67.89 ± 6.96 versus 66.03 ± 11.95 years in the control. The cardiac device group was composed of 42.1% women; the control comprised 21.1% women. There were 19 patients with cardiac devices; 8 (LVAD + ICD), 1 (LVAD + PPM + ICD), 2 (PPM + ICD), 6 (PPM), 2 (ICD); 38 patients were in the control group. Patients with cardiac devices were hospitalized more often than patients without devices; this finding was not statistically significant (odds ratio 1.826, 95% confidence interval 0.544-6.128, P = 0.389). Procedure times were longer in the cardiac device group, 65.16 ± 49.92 minutes, when compared with the control, 57.40 ± 20.42, but it also did not reach statistical significance (mean difference 7.758, 95% confidence interval -11.360 to 26.876, P = 0.049). There was no statistically significant difference in major or minor events between patients with cardiac devices and the control group. Diagnostic and therapeutic yield and rebleeding rates were similar across both groups. Conclusions Patients in the cardiac device group did not appear to be at any more significant risk than those without cardiac devices. Furthermore, diagnostic and therapeutic yield and rebleeding rates appear to be similar across both groups. Clinicians may perform SBE in these patients safely and effectively, with good overall outcomes.
Response to comment on 'Palovarotene reduces heterotopic ossification in juvenile FOP mice but exhibits pronounced skeletal toxicity'

We respond to concerns expressed by Pacifici and Shore (2019) about a recent paper (Lees-Shepard and Goldhamer, 2018a) in which we reported that the drug palovarotene can have severe side effects in a mouse model of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.
The “Furry” Phenomenon: Characterizing Sexual Orientation, Sexual Motivation, and Erotic Target Identity Inversions in Male Furries

Furries are individuals who are especially interested in anthropomorphic or cartoon animals (e.g., Bugs Bunny). They often strongly identify with anthropomorphic animals and create fursonas, identities of themselves as those anthropomorphic animals. Some practice fursuiting, or wearing costumes that resemble anthropomorphic animals. Furries have been portrayed as sexually motivated in the media and popular culture, although little empirical research has addressed this issue. If some furries are sexually motivated, they may be motivated by an erotic target identity inversion (ETII): sexual arousal by the fantasy of being the same kinds of individuals to whom they are sexually attracted. Furries with ETIIs would experience both sexual attraction to anthropomorphic animals and sexual arousal by fantasizing about being anthropomorphic animals, because they often change their appearance and behavior to become more like anthropomorphic animals. We surveyed 334 male furries recruited from the Internet about their sexual orientation, sexual motivation, and sexual interests. A large majority of our sample reported non-heterosexual identities (84%) and some degree of sexual motivation for being furries (99%). Male furries also tended to report a pattern of sexual interests consistent with an ETII involving anthropomorphic animals. Both sexual attraction to anthropomorphic animals and sexual arousal by fantasizing about being anthropomorphic animals were nearly universal. Furthermore, male furries tended to be sexually aroused by fantasizing about being the same kinds of anthropomorphic animals to whom they were sexually attracted, with respect to gender and species. This sexual motivation and these unusual sexual interests do not justify discrimination or stigmatization.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE AND RED-S OR FEMALE ATHLETE TRIAD RISK LEVEL:

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE AND RED-S OR FEMALE ATHLETE TRIAD RISK LEVELBACKGROUND:Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) is a term recently introduced by the International Olympic Committee that...
Sounds like a heuristic! Investigating the effect of sound-symbolic correspondences between store names and sizes on consumer willingness-to-pay

Abstract This investigation seeks to demonstrate that matches between the observable size of a retail store and the size-sound symbolism in the store's name can lead to higher consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP), moderated by store size. Namely, utilizing back vowels and voiced consonants, which are linked to larger sizes (versus front vowels and voiceless consonants, which are associated with smaller sizes), in the name of a large retail store leads to higher WTP. However, size-sound symbolism exerts no effect on WTP for small retail stores, indicating that store size is a moderator of the effect. Further, arousal is revealed as the mediating process, and processing fluency is ruled out as an alternative explanation. This study is one of the first to document a moderating influence (store size) on the strength of sound-symbolic effects. The findings help to clarify the ways in which sound symbolism influences consumer responses, hopefully opening further inquiry into additional moderators of sound-symbolic effects.
A pilot study to examine the acceptability and health effects of electronic cigarettes in HIV-positive smokers.

Abstract Introduction Some HIV-positive smokers report ambivalence about quitting. Switching to electronic cigarettes (ECs) may be a viable option to reduce the negative health effects for smokers who are unable or unwilling to quit smoking combustible cigarettes (CCs). This study examined the acceptability and health-related effects of ECs in HIV-positive smokers who were not seeking smoking cessation treatment. Methods HIV-positive smokers (N = 19) were enrolled and followed for 12 weeks. Cartridge-based ECs were provided at baseline, and E-liquid was provided weekly for 8 weeks. At baseline, weeks 1–8, and week 12, EC and CC use, cardiopulmonary function, respiratory symptoms, and carbon monoxide (CO) levels were measured. Results At week 8, cigarettes per day (CPD) were reduced by more than 80%, with reduction maintained at week 12 (p’s Conclusions Switching from CCs to ECs in HIV-positive smokers who are not ready to quit smoking in the next 30 days appears to be feasible. Beneficial effects were seen, such as reduced CPD, reduced CO and CC dependence, and increased motivation to quit. ECs may be promising as a harm reduction approach among HIV-positive smokers who are unable or unwilling to quit smoking.
Spurred by legal tradition or contextual politics? Lessons about judicial dissent from Slovenia and Croatia

Abstract Comparative studies tend to attribute observed differences in judicial dissent to different legal tradition. Divergent dissent behavior of constitutional courts in Slovenia and Croatia, which emerged from a shared legal tradition, casts doubt on the validity of this view. We first clarify the countries’ common legal-historical legacy and identify salient post-Yugoslav between-country differences in party fractionalization, a contextual factor previously shown to influence judicial outcomes. We next argue conceptually that, for a given legal tradition, greater party fragmentation increases the net benefits to justices from dissent. Finally, drawing on a newly-assembled micro-level dataset of constitutional court decisions in Slovenia and Croatia, we demonstrate that country-level party fractionalization is indeed an important determinant of judicial dissent. Our analysis thereby illuminates that underexplored contextual political factors may be no less relevant as a driver of dissent in the courts of law than the conventionally emphasized legal tradition.
Innovation in social services: a systematizing overview based on the EU Research Platform INNOSERV: by Andreas Langer, Johannes Eurich and Simon Güntner, Heidelberg, Springer VS – Multimedia, 2019, 182 pp., pb. ISBN 978-3-658-05176-1

Published in 2019, this book gathers 16 innovative projects from INNOSERV, an EU research platform funded under the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. It is divided...
Dynamic 18F-FDOPA-PET/MRI for the preoperative evaluation of gliomas: correlation with stereotactic histopathology.

Background MRI alone has limited accuracy for delineating tumor margins and poorly predicts the aggressiveness of gliomas, especially when tumors do not enhance. This study evaluated simultaneous 3,4-dihydroxy-6-[18F]fluoro-L-phenylalanine (FDOPA)-PET/MRI to define tumor volumes compared to MRI alone more accurately, assessed its role in patient management, and correlated PET findings with histopathology. Methods Ten patients with known or suspected gliomas underwent standard of care surgical resection and/or stereotactic biopsy. FDOPA-PET/MRI was performed prior to surgery, allowing for precise co-registration of PET, MR, and biopsies. The biopsy sites were modeled as 5-mm spheres, and the local FDOPA uptake at each site was determined. Correlations were performed between measures of tumor histopathology, and static and dynamic PET values: standardized uptake values (SUVs), tumor to brain ratios, metabolic tumor volumes, and tracer kinetics at volumes of interest (VOIs) and biopsy sites. Results Tumor FDOPA-PET uptake was visualized in 8 patients. In 2 patients, tracer uptake was similar to normal brain reference with no histological findings of malignancy. Eight biopsy sites confirmed for glioma had FDOPA uptake without T1 contrast enhancement. The PET parameters were highly correlated only with the cell proliferation marker, Ki-67 (SUVmax: r = 0.985, P = .002). In this study, no statistically significant difference between high-grade and low-grade tumors was demonstrated. The dynamic PET analysis of VOIs and biopsy sites showed decreasing time-activity curves patterns. FDOPA-PET imaging directly influenced patient management. Conclusions Simultaneous FDOPA-PET/MRI allowed for more accurate visualization and delineation of gliomas, enabling more appropriate patient management and simplified validation of PET findings with histopathology.
Some comments on the taxonomy of Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) in western Oregon

In preparing the treatment of Delphinium for a future volume of Flora of Oregon, some taxonomic decisions were made that conflict with the 1997 treatment of the genus by Warnock in Flora of North America. The choice of groups to be recognized is based on the present author’s opinion that rapid evolution of Delphinium taxa occurred in the Willamette Valley following habitat disturbance caused by catastrophic flooding from the late-glacial-age Spokane Floods. Delphinium pavonaceum Ewan, D. leucophaeum Greene, and D. oreganum Howell, which are endemic to the Willamette Valley, may have evolved in the ca. 12,000 years since the floods occurred. These 3 groups are here given species rank, unlike their treatment in Flora of North America. This is in line with how the taxa are viewed by Oregon botanists concerned with the rare and endangered species of the state. Lectotypification is necessary for D. pavonaceum. A further taxonomic change is the reduction of D. basalticum M.J. Warnock to synonymy under D. glareosum Greene.
Optimized Dispatch of Distributed Energy Resources for Resiliency and Power Quality Improvements at the Grid-Edge

Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) installed on low-voltage distribution systems, both utility-owned and nonutility owned may be employed to make improvements to system resiliency and power quality, in addition to simply serving load demand. By selectively dispatching active and reactive power from these existing DERs, improvements in voltage profiles and service availability during adverse events may be achieved. Further benefits can be gained by optimally choosing which DERs to dispatch power from, and the distribution of power from those DERs. For a given operating condition, using Linear Programming methods, optimal power dispatch values for individual DERs can be determined, while considering variables such as voltage gains, losses in the lines and the DERs, and DER reserve capacities. One such optimization technique is developed in this paper, and results from a real-time simulation study on a modified IEEE 13-bus distribution system with three DERs, are being presented. The operation of the optimized DER selection and dispatch algorithm is shown during normal operation of the transmission system when the DERs operate in grid-connected mode. Similar analyses can drive decision making during transmission system failure when the DERs operate in grid-forming or islanded mode.
Pacific North Equatorial Current bifurcation latitude and Kuroshio Current shifts since the Last Glacial Maximum inferred from a Sulu Sea thermocline reconstruction

Abstract The meridional migration of the bifurcation latitude of the Pacific North Equatorial Current (NEC) in the western boundary of the tropical Pacific modulates the strength of the Kuroshio Current. Using salinity reanalysis data, we show the NEC bifurcation latitude also acts as the dominant control on thermocline salinity of the Sulu Sea, just west of the Philippine archipelago, by regulating influx of western Pacific thermocline water via the Luzon Strait. We used oxygen isotopes (δ18O) and Mg/Ca in the thermocline-dwelling foraminifera Globorotalia tumida from Sulu Sea sediment core MD97-2141 to determine past thermocline δ18Ow and salinity variability spanning ∼20–5 ka with an average sampling interval of ∼50 years and infer past changes in the NEC bifurcation latitude. Our Sulu Sea thermocline reconstruction reveals high salinity from ∼18.8–15.5 ka, ∼12.2–11.5 ka, and from ∼9.5–8.5 ka indicating the NEC bifurcation latitude was shifted north and the Kuroshio was weak at those times. Low Sulu Sea thermocline salinity from ∼13.0–12.4 ka, ∼11.5–10.9 ka, and from ∼8.5 ka until the end of the record at ∼5.6 ka indicates the NEC bifurcation latitude was shifted south and the Kuroshio Current was relatively strong. Comparison to other paleoclimate records suggests the observed northward (southward) shifts of the NEC bifurcation latitude were driven by southward (northward) shifts of the Indo-Pacific ITCZ, consistent with modern mechanisms controlling interannual NEC bifurcation variability. The NEC bifurcation latitude shifts likely modulated northward energy transport via the Kuroshio Current and the mean temperature and salinity of the Indonesian Throughflow.
The X-ray Structure of Yeast Inorganic Pyrophosphatase CRYSTAL PROPERTIES

Abstract Single crystals of the yeast enzyme inorganic pyrophosphatase that are suitable for x-ray analysis have been grown. The space group of the crystals is P21. Their unit cell dimensions are: a = 70.4, b = 95.4, c = 52.2 A, and β = 99.8°. There is 1 dimeric enzyme molecule with a molecular weight of approximately 68,000 in the asymmetric unit of the unit cell. The crystal is approximately 57% protein by weight.
Silo: exploiting JavaScript and DOM storage for faster page loads

A modern web page contains many objects, and fetching these objects requires many network round trips-- establishing each HTTP connection requires a TCP handshake, and each HTTP request/response pair requires at least one round trip. To decrease a page's load time, designers try to minimize the number of HTTP requests needed to fetch the constituent objects. A common strategy is to inline the page's JavaScript and CSS files instead of using external links (and thus separate HTTP fetches). Unfortunately, browsers only cache externally named objects, so inlining trades fewer HTTP requests now for greater bandwidth consumption later if a user revisits a page and must refetch uncacheable files. Our new system, called Silo, leverages JavaScript and DOM storage to reduce both the number of HTTP requests and the bandwidth required to construct a page. DOM storage allows a web page to maintain a key-value database on a client machine. A Silo-enabled page uses this local storage as an LBFS-style chunkstore. When a browser requests a Silo-enabled page, the server returns a small JavaScript shim which sends the ids of locally available chunks to the server. The server responds with a list of the chunks in the inlined page, and the raw data for chunks missing on the client. Like standard inlining, Silo reduces the number of HTTP requests; however, it facilitates finer-grained caching, since each chunk corresponds to a small piece of JavaScript or CSS. The client-side portion of Silo is written in standard JavaScript, so it runs on unmodified browsers and does not require users to install special plugins.
A wide-range supply-independent CMOS voltage reference for telemetry-powering applications

This paper reports a voltage reference circuit in standard CMOS process. It exhibits excellent supply independency for a wide input voltage range, which is of great importance in telemetry-powered systems. This circuit is based on the well-known V/sub GS/-reference supply-independent current reference circuit, but it is designed to serve as a voltage reference. While the reference current generated by this circuit varies with the supply voltage, a self-compensating mechanism can be found in voltage-mode operation of the circuit that results in a supply-independent reference voltage. This supply independency is well observed in the static operation of the circuit over an extremely wide input range, and also in its dynamic behavior for high frequency ripples on the input voltage. The circuit has been fabricated using a standard 1.6/spl mu/m CMOS process, and provides 957 /spl mu/V/V static supply dependency, rejects input ripples of up to 8MHz by 60 /spl plusmn/ 3dB, and consumes only 15.8-36.9/spl mu/A when the input voltage varies in the range 2.6-12V.
'Human Rights in the Age of Migration: An Empirical Analysis of the Human Rights of Noncitizens'

Human rights are predicated on one’s status as a human being rather than on one’s membership or political status in any nation-state. Increasingly restrictive immigration control policies and the harsh treatment of irregular migrants and other noncitizens have, however, revealed what some have referred to as a “crisis of human rights,” wherein human rights are administered exclusively as the rights of citizens to the exclusion of others. This paper provides empirical evidence of this citizenship gap by examining the ratification of international human rights treaties that require state parties to extend basic human rights protections to noncitizens across 160 countries from 1990-2008. The data indicate that as the number of foreign-born persons in a country increases the likelihood of ratification decreases significantly. Moreover, despite their otherwise strong commitments to human rights, democracies are not more likely to ratify than non-democracies. In fact, the results indicate that the more democratic a country is the less likely it is to ratify. Thus, while there is an extensive and growing literature on the widening reach of human rights protections and discourse, it seems that in our current era of globalization, irregular migrants and other noncitizens are at the margins of this discussion, if not altogether excluded from it.
Oscillations in Absorption Spectra of Atoms in Magnetic Fields

It is a pleasure to give recognition to M.R.C. McDowell and his many contributions to atomic physics over the years, and also to honor the senior delegates to this Conference, W.R.S. Garton, U. Fano and A. Edmonds, who made the first discoveries that eventually led to the work reported here.
What is a support vector machine

Support vector machines (SVMs) are becoming popular in a wide variety of biological applications. But, what exactly are SVMs and how do they work? And what are their most promising applications in the life sciences?
Offset Pointing Calibrators for Large Radio Telescopes

We present a catalog of pointing calibrators suitable for offset pointing and for determining the pointing constants of large radio telescopes. It contains 3399 strong, compact, and unconfused radio sources with accurate (σαcos δ ≈ σδ ≈ 05) positions from the NRAO Very Large Array Sky Survey (NVSS) uniformly covering the sky north of J2000 δ = -40°. The NVSS images, restored with a θ = 45'' FWHM Gaussian beam, were also convolved to larger beam sizes θ = 90'', 180'', 360'', 540'', and 720''. The catalog lists the maximum beam size θm for which each calibration source remains unconfused and a single Gaussian fit yields an rms position error σ≤ θm/100. For all δ> - 40°, the average angular distance to the nearest calibrator is only 〈〉 ≈ 0.03 rad, so offset pointing from these calibrators may reduce slowly varying pointing errors (caused by incorrect values for the traditional pointing constants, gravitational deformations, differential thermal expansion, refraction, etc.) by factors up to 〈〉-1 ≈ 30.
Initial validation of a computerized version of the UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment (C-UPSA) for assessing functioning in schizophrenia.

Objective This study aimed to validate the Computerized UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment (C-UPSA), a newly developed scale for assessing functional capacity in patients with schizophrenia.
Dichlorvos exposure and human cancer risk: results from the Agricultural Health Study

Objectives We evaluated cancer risk from DDVP (2,2-Dichloroethenyl dimethylphosphate) exposure among pesticide applicators enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort.
Covalent Cross-Linking Accelerates Collagen Enzyme Mechano-Kinetic Cleavage: Nanomechanics Predicts Microscale Behavior

Fibrillar collagens are an integral structural element of tissues throughout the body and help provide tensile strength. These collagens are highly resistant to degradation other than by a small number of collagenolytic enzymes. Examples of tensile mechanical forces in vivo include expansion and contraction of blood vessels, tension on tendons and ligaments, and compression and swelling of cartilage.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
HYDROGEN ADSORPTION AT DISLOCATIONS AND CRACKS IN Fe

Abstract Solute adsorption to dislocations and cracks is considered in both the Boltzmann and Fermi-Dirac models. Explicit sums are developed for the integral amount of solute adsorbed in the defect fields. Examples of the use of the method are presented for the case of hydrogen in iron and compared with earlier results. The similarity of the condensed atmosphere of hydrogen to hydride precipitation is noted and its relevancy to hydrogen embrittlement models is discussed.
Every finite complex is the classifying space for proper bundles of a virtual Poincaré duality group

We prove that every finite connected simplicial complex is homotopy equivalent to the quotient of a contractible manifold by proper actions of a virtually torsion-free group. As a corollary, we obtain that every finite connected simplicial complex is homotopy equivalent to the classifying space for proper bundles of some virtual Poincare duality group.
Prosodic and Syntactic Bootstrapping and Their Clinical Applications

All theories of language development assume that young children must have some means of identifying the relevant units of the language they hear without explicit instruction from adults. Even if ch...
Cation control of dimensionality in isothiocyanate coordination polymers constructed from conformationally flexible 3,3′-bipyridine tethers

Abstract Two isothiocyanate coordination polymers constructed from the conformationally flexible tethering ligand 3,3′-bipyridine (3,3′-bpy) and divalent metal cations have been prepared and characterized via single crystal X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis. [Co(NCS)2(3,3′-bpy)2] (1), wherein the isothiocyanate ligands are coordinated in a trans fashion, manifests stacked two-dimensional (2-D) rhomboid grid layered motifs. In contrast, [Ni(NCS)2(3,3′-bpy)2] (2) possesses a doubly interpenetrated adamantoid three-dimensional (3-D) network despite the presence of trans isothiocyanate ligands. Thus, a metal cation-based control of coordination polymer dimensionality has been revealed in this system, reflective of different donor dispositions allowed by the conformational flexibility of the exobidentate 3,3′-bpy ligand. The 3-D framework of 2 decomposes at a temperature ∼40 °C higher than the 2-D network of 1.
Disappearance of the erythropoietic factor from plasma of anaemic dogs after nephrectomy.

IN previous communications it was shown that bilateral nephrectomy abolished erythropoiesis in the dog1,2, whereas ureter ligation did not impair erythropoiesis despite a similar state of intoxication and malnutrition3. From these observations as well as the demonstration by Jacobson et al.4 that an elevated erythropoietin-level was not obtained in hypoxic rats after nephrectomy, it was suggested that the kidney may be the site of production of one erythropoietic stimulating substance. © 1959 Nature Publishing Group.
Behind shamanism: changing voices of Siberian Khanty cosmology and politics.

Abstract Siberian shamanism has roots in hunting traditions, kinship organization and soul beliefs which have changed under Soviet rule. Aspects of shamanic epistemology and curing survive, although native medical logic sometimes clashes with modern positivist medicine. Assumptions behind Siberian, particularly Khanty, shamanism are examined through analysis of training, seances and cosmology. The changing social context of shamanism is explored in a framework of Soviet pressure to reject shamanic ‘superstitution’ and ‘exploration’. Shamans themselves have adapted their politics, diagnoses and symbolic actions to an increasingly cold social climate. Data results from ethno-historical and field research, including a summer 1975 trip to the Ob-Ugrian Khanty (Ostiak).