cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organic petrology and geochemistry of Eocene Suzak bituminous marl, north-central Afghanistan: Depositional environment and source rock potential

Abstract Organic geochemistry and petrology of Eocene Suzak bituminous marl outcrop samples from Madr village in north-central Afghanistan were characterized via an integrated analytical approach to evaluate depositional environment and source rock potential. Multiple proxies suggest the organic-rich (TOC ∼6 wt.%) bituminous marls are ‘immature’ for oil generation (e.g., vitrinite Ro 1) indicating organic input from marine algae and/or bacterial biomass, and sterane/hopane ratios are low (0.12–0.14). Monoaromatic steroids are dominated by C28 clearly indicating a marine setting. High gammacerane index values (∼0.9) are consistent with anoxia stratification and may indicate intermittent saline-hypersaline conditions. Stable C isotope ratios also suggest a marine depositional scenario for the Suzak samples, consistent with the presence of marine foraminifera including abundant planktic globigerinida(?) and rare benthic discocyclina(?) and nummulites(?). Biomarker 2α-methylhopane for photosynthetic cyanobacteria implies shallow photic zone deposition of Madr marls and 3β-methylhopane indicates presence of methanotrophic archaea in the microbial consortium. The data presented herein are consistent with deposition of Suzak bituminous marls in shallow stratified waters of a restricted marine basin associated with the southeastern incipient or proto-Paratethys. Geochemical proxies from Suzak rock extracts (S content, high polar content, C isotopes, normal (αααR) C27–29 steranes, and C29/C30 and C26/C25 hopane ratios) are similar to extant data from Paleogene oils produced to the north in the Afghan-Tajik Basin. This observation may indicate laterally equivalent strata are effective source rocks as suggested by previous workers; however, further work is needed to strengthen oil-source correlations.
Retrospective Blinded Review of Interpretational Diagnostic Discrepancies in Surgical Pathology: 18 Years of Experience at a Tertiary Care Facility

We evaluated our quality assurance (QA) methods and QA consensus conference model for assessing the rate of interpretational diagnostic errors and trend of errors. Using monthly QA reports from review of frozen section- permanent section correlation and amended reports, all cases with interpretational diagnostic errors were identified. Retrospective blinded review of study cases were independently performed by all staff pathologist and subsequently discussed in QA conference sessions. 277 (.07%) interpretational errors were identified from 1993-2010. Errors with patient consequences comprised 15% of all errors, 4% of which were major errors. More than half (57%) of the errors were identified on review of frozen section- permanent section correlation and accounted for 64 % of all errors with patient consequence and 45% of major errors. Comparison of errors between two equally divided time periods (1993-2001 and 2002-2010) showed significant error reduction (p< 0.05). 64% of all errors, 61% of errors with patient consequence and 73% of major errors were a consequence of incorrect interpretation of the biologic behavior of the neoplasm. To conclude, we propose this quality assurance model as an effective tool for assessing interpretational errors, particularly those with significant patient consequences, enhancing participation of pathologists and reducing errors.
Trapping of CH3O formed from CO + H2

Methoxy formed on Al2O3 from13CO and H2 coadsorption on Ni/Al2O3 was trapped by C2H5OH adsorption and temperature-programmed reaction (TPR). The presence of excess C2H5OH significantly increases the rate of13CH3OH and (13CH3)2O formation. The13CH3OH forms by the reaction of C2H5OH with13CH3O on Al2O3. In the absence of C2H5OH,TPR following13CO and H2 coadsorption did not produce significant amounts of13CH3OHor(13CH3)2O.
Influence of Electrostatics on Small Molecule Flux through a Protein Nanoreactor

Nature uses protein compartmentalization to great effect for control over enzymatic pathways, and the strategy has great promise for synthetic biology. In particular, encapsulation in nanometer-sized containers to create nanoreactors has the potential to elicit interesting, unexplored effects resulting from deviations from well-understood bulk processes. Self-assembled protein shells for encapsulation are especially desirable for their uniform structures and ease of perturbation through genetic mutation. Here, we use the MS2 capsid, a well-defined porous 27 nm protein shell, as an enzymatic nanoreactor to explore pore-structure effects on substrate and product flux during the catalyzed reaction. Our results suggest that the shell can influence the enzymatic reaction based on charge repulsion between small molecules and point mutations around the pore structure. These findings also lend support to the hypothesis that protein compartments modulate the transport of small molecules and thus influence metaboli...
Unstructured Numerical Simulation of Experimental Linear Plasma Actuator Synthetic Jet Flows

This paper presents a comparison between experimental data and computational results for the linear plasma synthetic jet actuator (L-PSJA). The L-PSJA conguration consists of two exposed electrode strips separated by an embedded electrode, similar to two linear dielectric barrier discharge actuators being placed back-to-back. Experiments have shown that the resulting oweld is similar to a surface jet, and by pulsing the power to the electrodes an oscillatory oweld similar to a synthetic jet can be produced. The computational model used for the plasma forcing is the Suzen{Huang plasma actuator model which has been placed in an imcompressible, unstructured grid code. Both quiescent and crossow conditions are simulated and compared to the available experimental measurements. The objective is to assess the capabilities of the plasma actuator model for the L-PSJA conguration.
UFT: mechanism of drug action.

This article details both the contribution of the purine nucleoside analogs to the current management of relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and the role of pentostatin (Nipent) in that management. Of the three purine nucleoside analogs, pentostatin has received the least attention with regard to the management of indolent NHL. Although data in the literature appear to indicate that fludarabine (Fludara) and 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (cladribine [Leustatin]) are more active in NHL, this conclusion could be flawed because many of the studies investigating pentostatin in indolent NHL have contained a large number of patients previously treated with the other purine analogs. As these agents are most likely cross-resistant, it is unfair to conclude that pentostatin is less active. Recently, there has been interest in using a new, more protracted schedule of 2 mg/m2/d of pentostatin for 5 days. Although the schedule used in the trials conducted in indolent NHL might not be optimal, pentostatin has nevertheless shown significant activity in these disorders.
The Epidemiology of Antisocial Behavioral Syndromes in Adulthood: Results From the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III.

OBJECTIVE To present current, nationally representative US findings on prevalence, correlates, psychiatric comorbidity, disability, and treatment of DSM-5 antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and adulthood antisocial behavioral syndrome without conduct disorder before 15 years of age (AABS). METHOD Face-to-face interviews were conducted with respondents (N = 36,309) in the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. DSM-5 alcohol, nicotine, and specific drug use disorders and selected mood, anxiety, trauma-related, eating, and personality disorders were assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-5. RESULTS Prevalences of ASPD and AABS were 4.3% and 20.3%, respectively, and were highest among male, white, Native American, younger, and unmarried respondents, those with high school or less education, lower incomes, and Western residence. Both antisocial syndromes were significantly associated with 12-month and lifetime substance use, dysthymia/persistent depressive, bipolar I, posttraumatic stress, and borderline and schizotypal personality disorders (odds ratios [ORs] = 1.2-7.0). ASPD was additionally associated with 12-month agoraphobia and lifetime generalized anxiety disorder (ORs = 1.3-1.6); AABS, with 12-month and lifetime major depressive and 12-month generalized anxiety disorders (ORs = 1.2-1.3). Both were associated with significant disability (P < .001 to .01). Most antisocial survey respondents were untreated. CONCLUSIONS One in 4 US adults exhibits syndromal antisocial behavior, with similar sociodemographic and psychiatric correlates and disability regardless of whether onset occurred before 15 years of age, illustrating the clinical and public health significance of both ASPD and AABS. In addition to laying groundwork for estimates of social and economic costs, and further etiologic and nosologic research, these findings highlight the urgency of effectively preventing and treating antisocial syndromes, including investigation of whether treatment for comorbidity hastens symptomatic remission and improves quality-of-life outcomes.
The ϕ-Integral Method for X-Ray Residual Stress Measurements

Residual stress measurements were made on a ground rail steel (0.75 %C) using the newly developed ϕ-integral method and the conventional ψ-differential method. The strains were measured as a function of the azimuth angle ϕ, the angle of rotation about an axis perpendicular to the specimen surface, from 0° to 360° in steps of 15°, at fixed tilt angles ψ, the angle between the normals to the specimen surface and the reflecting planes (hkl), set between 0° and 45° in steps of 9°. It was found that plotted as a function of ϕ is not periodic with the period of 180° and consequently exhibits the so-called ψ-splitting when plotted as a function of sin2ψ at constant ϕ. The Fourier coefficients of the function plotted versus ϕ were used to evaluate the strain tensor in the integral method. Assuming that isotropic elasticity theory is applicable, the stress tensor was calculated, and excellent agreement was found between the values determined with the ϕ integral and ψ-differential methods.
Approaches for building bioactive elements into synthetic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

Bone tissue engineering (BTE) is emerging as a possible solution for regeneration of bone in a number of applications. For effective utilization, BTE scaffolds often need modifications to impart biological cues that drive diverse cellular functions such as adhesion, migration, survival, proliferation, differentiation, and biomineralization. This review provides an outline of various approaches for building bioactive elements into synthetic scaffolds for BTE and classifies them broadly under two distinct schemes; namely, the top-down approach and the bottom-up approach. Synthetic and natural routes for top-down approaches to production of bioactive constructs for BTE, such as generation of scaffold–extracellular matrix (ECM) hybrid constructs or decellularized and demineralized scaffolds, are provided. Similarly, traditional scaffold-based bottom-up approaches, including growth factor immobilization or peptide-tethered scaffolds, are provided. Finally, a brief overview of emerging bottom-up approaches for generating biologically active constructs for BTE is given. A discussion of the key areas for further investigation, challenges, and opportunities is also presented.
Uncertainty in evidence synthesis limits clinical applicability of a clinical and cost-effectiveness analysis of induction of labour methods

Commentary on: Alfirevic Z, Keeney E, Dowswell T, et al. Methods to induce labour: a systematic review, network meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis. BJOG 2016;123:1462–70[OpenUrl][1]. The goal of induction of labour (IOL) is to achieve vaginal delivery by stimulation of uterine contractions before the spontaneous onset of labour. Variations in the management of IOL likely affect rates of caesarean delivery (CD), particularly the use of cervical ripening agents for the unfavourable cervix. This systematic review and meta-analysis looks at the various methods of labour induction and compares them from a clinical and cost-effectiveness perspective. This was a review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) examining pharmacological, mechanical and complementary (ie, acupuncture) interventions to induce labour. Outcomes included were vaginal delivery not achieved within 24 hours (VD24); uterine hyperstimulation with fetal heart rate (FHR) changes; CD; serious maternal and neonatal morbidity or … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DBJOG%26rft.volume%253D123%26rft.spage%253D1462%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx
Inhibition of glioblastoma dispersal by the MEK inhibitor PD0325901

Dispersal of glioblastoma (GBM) cells leads to recurrence and poor prognosis. Accordingly, molecular pathways involved in dispersal are potential therapeutic targets. The mitogen activated protein kinase/extracellular signal regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway is commonly dysregulated in GBM, and targeting this pathway with MEK inhibitors has proven effective in controlling tumor growth. Since this pathway also regulates ECM remodeling and actin organization − processes crucial to cell adhesion, substrate attachment, and cell motility – the aim of this study was to determine whether inhibiting this pathway could also impede dispersal. A variety of methods were used to quantify the effects of the MEK inhibitor, PD0325901, on potential regulators of dispersal. Cohesion, stiffness and viscosity were quantified using a method based on ellipsoid relaxation after removal of a deforming external force. Attachment strength, cell motility, spheroid dispersal velocity, and 3D growth rate were quantified using previously described methods. We show that PD0325901 significantly increases aggregate cohesion, stiffness, and viscosity but only when tumor cells have access to high concentrations of fibronectin. Treatment also results in reorganization of actin from cortical into stress fibers, in both 2D and 3D culture. Moreover, drug treatment localized pFAK at sites of cell-substratum adhesion. Collectively, these changes resulted in increased strength of substrate attachment and decreased motility, a decrease in aggregate dispersal velocity, and in a marked decrease in growth rate of both 2D and 3D cultures. Inhibition of the MAPK/ERK pathway by PD0325901 may be an effective therapy for reducing dispersal and growth of GBM cells.
Weighting of Different Environmental Impact Categories

LCA is a comprehensive tool to systematically assess a multitude of impact categories that are to be considered when investigating or comparing the environmental and human health impacts of products or processes over their useful life. However, impact categories are not readily comparable. You may encounter an LCA study that shows one product performs better for climate change but is more toxic to plants and animals than another product. Which one is the better? How do you choose? To make matters worse, most LCA studies involve far more than 2 impact categories, and typically have at least 5 and as many as 10 or more. As the number of impact categories increases, the complexity of the investigation increases and the ease decision-making decreases. Comprehensive coverage of impact categories can lead to a catatonic state of indecision, a.k.a. information overload.
A framework for fast test generation at the RTL

We present a framework for high quality functional test generation at the RTL. The method utilizes static learning to derive cross cycle relationships which helps the search algorithm make inferences about the potential execution path in the next cycle. Additionally, dynamic taint analysis is adapted to model behavioral propagation. Finally, an ant colony optimization swarm intelligence algorithm is combined with an operator level behavioral coverage metric. We show that the method can be used to generate high quality functional test patterns at the RTL. By leveraging RTL code for test generation, we can generate test vectors with comparable levels of coverage up to 100× times faster than gate level ATPG and more than 10× faster than mixed level generation techniques. Additionally, without gate level information, we are able to approach the highest levels of coverage seen by previous techniques and in the case of circuits with deep narrow states, we are able to greatly exceed gate level ATPG performance including generating patterns for b12word and FABSCALAR, which prior ATPG techniques are unable to sufficiently handle.
Experimental Studies and Mathematical Models of Human Problem Solving Performance in Fault Diagnosis Tasks

One of the reasons often given for employing humans in systems is their supposed abilities to react appropriately and flexibly in failure situations (Johnson, Rouse, and Rouse, 1980). On the other hand, we seem to hear increasingly about incidents of “human error”. The apparent inconsistency of these two observations can cause one to wonder what role the human should actually play. This question has led us to pursue a series of investigations of human problem solving performance in fault diagnosis tasks. Using three different fault diagnosis scenarios, we have studied several hundred subjects, mostly maintenance trainees, who have solved many thousands of problems. The results of these studies have led to the development of three mathematical models of problem solving behavior. The three tasks, results of the eight experiments, and the three models will be reviewed in this paper.
Evaluating the Credibility Using Prior Convictions: An Empirical Study of Rule 609 and Suggestions for Practical Reform

Rule 609 of the Federal Rule of Evidence allows a party to impeach a witness with his or her prior criminal convictions. It is fair to say that this rule is the most criticized of all the Rules of Evidence; scholars have been calling for its reform or outright abolition for decades. These critics argue that the rule relies on propensity evidence which has very little probative value in evaluating a witness’s truthfulness on the stand, and that — especially when used to impeach a criminal defendant — the evidence carries a high risk of unfair prejudice and often prevents defendants from testifying at trial. What has been missing from the debate so far is what is actually happening when judges apply Rule 609 in the courtroom. This article conducts an empirical study of Rule 609 in order to determine how the rule operates in practice. It first presents the results of a survey of law students and federal district court judges to determine how much probative value and unfair prejudice each group perceives exist for different types of prior convictions. The survey finds some differences between the groups, but overall it notes a surprising consensus that crimes of theft have a high probative value for proving lack of credibility, while other types of conviction do not. The article then examines how federal district court judges are actually applying Rule 609 in the courtroom. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, it shows that federal court judges do not routinely admit prior convictions to impeach criminal defendants, and that (consistent with the survey) judges tend to admit theft crimes more often than almost any other type of conviction. The review of district court decisions does indicate some extreme outliers and an unexplained and troubling tendency to admit crimes of drug possession. Thus, the conclusion of the article proposes a modest reform to Rule 609, which encourages the admission of theft crimes to impeach witnesses, but precludes the use of other types of criminal convictions as impeachment evidence.
The Algebra and Geometry of Polyhedra.

THE success that analytic geometry has had in reducing many geometric questions to algebraic ones sometimes gives the im pression that we can ignore the geometry and concentrate on the algebra. In fact the two areas are complementary and together yield much deeper and more elegant results than either does separately. This has been commented on before (for example, see Farrell and Ranucci 1973). The cardboard and-rubber-band method of constructing polyhedra described so beautifully by B. Stewart in Adventures among the Toroids (1970, p. 20) is of inestimable value in the classroom. It enables the students to experi ment and discover for themselves all the possibilities described here. Some advance preparation is required, however. A large supply of triangles and squares of uniform size (2 inches on a side is convenient and economical) should be constructed before hand by the students, and a sufficient num ber of rubber bands (lv4" long, available in office supply stores as number 10) should be obtained. The topic in this article could be done immediately after a discussion of Euler's formula, and the analysis presented here is much easier than that involved in the investigation of deltahedra (polyhedra all of whose faces are equilateral triangles) described in Beck, Bleicher, and Crowe, (1969). In this article I would like to give a further example in three-dimensional geometry that is easily done in the class room. Imagine that we have a box full of triangles and a box full of squares and we want to build a convex polyhedron with them. We insist that our polyhedron use some of each kind of polygon and that every vertex have the same number and arrangement of these polygons. If we de cide to use m triangles and squares at each vertex then we immediately have the in equality.
Diseases of the Upper GI Tract

Diseases of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract can be evaluated by a variety of imaging modalities, including barium fluoroscopy, CT, ultrasound, MR, PET-CT, PET-MR, and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). Fluoroscopic examinations remain helpful for detecting a variety of benign conditions, especially in the esophagus, whereas cross-sectional imaging techniques are particularly useful for diagnosing and staging malignant tumors. This review therefore first considers radiologic evaluation of nonneoplastic conditions and then neoplastic conditions of the upper GI tract.
Sonification in an Artistic Context

After only 18 years, the 21st century might already be called the century of data. Internet usage has boomed and terabytes of data are being generated every day. Hence, it comes as no surprise that these data are used in ways other than originally intended. Data visualization as well as data sonification has become a widespread practice for scientific and artistic purposes. In the case of their use in artistic contexts, visualization and sonification are not limited to simply conveying information to users. Artists can use data to control specific elements of their works such as musical or visual parameters, reinterpreting the data, and creating awareness and engagement. In doing so, the artists transform abstract data into an aesthetic experience. This chapter focuses on sonification and discusses some projects that use the pair “data-sound” as a key building block. Looking at these projects, an aesthetic framework for sonification in an artistic context is then proposed.
Cross-correlation analysis of pulse wave propagation in arteries: in vitro validation and in vivo feasibility.

The stiffness of the arteries is known to be an indicator of the progression of various cardiovascular diseases. Clinically, the pulse wave velocity (PWV) is used as a surrogate for arterial stiffness. Pulse wave imaging (PWI) is a non-invasive, ultrasound-based imaging technique capable of mapping the motion of the vessel walls, allowing the local assessment of arterial properties. Conventionally, a distinctive feature of the displacement wave (e.g. the 50% upstroke) is tracked across the map to estimate the PWV. However, the presence of reflections, such as those generated at the carotid bifurcation, can bias the PWV estimation. In this paper, we propose a two-step cross-correlation based method to characterize arteries using the information available in the PWI spatio-temporal map. First, the area under the cross-correlation curve is proposed as an index for locating the regions of different properties. Second, a local peak of the cross-correlation function is tracked to obtain a less biased estimate of the PWV. Three series of experiments were conducted in phantoms to evaluate the capabilities of the proposed method compared with the conventional method. In the ideal case of a homogeneous phantom, the two methods performed similarly and correctly estimated the PWV. In the presence of reflections, the proposed method provided a more accurate estimate than conventional processing: e.g. for the soft phantom, biases of -0.27 and -0.71 m · s-1 were observed. In a third series of experiments, the correlation-based method was able to locate two regions of different properties with an error smaller than 1 mm. It also provided more accurate PWV estimates than conventional processing (biases: -0.12 versus -0.26 m · s-1). Finally, the in vivo feasibility of the proposed method was demonstrated in eleven healthy subjects. The results indicate that the correlation-based method might be less precise in vivo but more accurate than the conventional method.
No sólo el fuego de Benjamín Prado: entre el exilio y la posmemoria

This article analyzes the characterization of Latin American exile after the Spanish Civil War, as shown in the novel No solo el fuego (1999) by Benjamin Prado. It also deals with the manner in which its characters relate to the past, casting a positive light on those who approach memory as an active, critical, and reflexive task. The article relies on the distinction between a Plutarquian and an Ovidian notion of exile, as characterized by Claudio Guillen in his article “El sol de los desterrados”. When it comes to the discussion of memory, the article draws from Marianne Hirsch’s characterization of memory in her seminal volume Family Frames: Photography, Narrative, and Postmemory as well as Beatriz Sarlo’s questioning of this notion in her essay Tiempo pasado: cultura de la memoria y giro subjetivo. In addition, the article further underlines the importance of the novel as a turning point in Prado’s narrative trajectory; most of the stylistic traits associated with the so-called “Generacion X” in Spain during the last decade of the 20th century have been left behind.
The Intramolecular Diels-Alder Reaction: Reactivity and Stereocontrol

Chapter One covers the range of dienes and dienophiles that have been used in the intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction, with some comments about the methods by which they can be prepared. This chapter addresses two other areas of interest : the factors that govern the rate of the intramolecular Diels- Alder reaction, and, in reactions leading to the formation of one or more new chiral centers, the factors that govern the stereochemical outcome of the cyclization.
The relationships between student perception of constructivist learning environment, self-directed learning readiness, problem-solving skills, and teamwork skills

Constructivism is a recent educational philosophical development. This study was designed to ascertain the level of constructivism implemented in the Industrial technology program as observed by students. The study also sought to determine the level of constructivism students' desire, and the relationship between what they observed and what they preferred. The faculty view of the implementation was also collected. A comparison was made between the faculty view of the level of constructivism and the student view of the amount of constructivism being used. An instrument for the aspects of constructivism was used for data collection, three parts were an Australian validated and reliable instrument. The fourth part about problem solving was prepared, validated and tested for reliability at Iowa State University. The faculty instrument was a modification of the questions toward faculty perception rather than the student view. Interviews were made with several students, the results confirming what were determined by the instrument. A high correlation existed between students who observed a higher level of constructivism practices being used with higher scores on problem-solving and teamwork skills than for their peers. Satisfactory indices of a good fit between a hypothesized model and the observed data led to the development of a structural equation model. This model suggested that student learning in an constructivist environment could improve their self-directed learning readiness, problem-solving skills and teamwork skills.
Radiation transport effects in the target chamber gas of the laser fusion power reactor SIRIUS-P

The authors present results from radiation-hydrodynamics calculations which show the central role resonant self-absorption plays in reducing radiative energy loss rates in high-gain ICF target chamber plasmas. Calculations were performed using a non-LTE radiative transfer model which they have recently coupled to their target chamber radiation-hydrodynamics code. The lower radiation fluxes escaping the plasma, which occur due to the self-absorption of line radiation in their optically thick cores, lead to significantly lower temperature increases at the surface of the target chamber first wall. The calculations were performed for the SIRIUS-P laser-driven direct-drive ICF power reactor. In this conceptual design study, high-gain targets release approximately 400 MJ of energy in the center of a gas-filled target chamber. The target debris ions and x-rays are stopped in the gas, and the energy is reradiated to the chamber wall over a much longer time scale. Because the time scales are comparable to the time it takes to thermally conduct energy away from the first surface, the thermal stresses and erosion rates for the first wall are greatly reduced.
Toward attribute-based access control policy in industrial networked systems

The definition of a correct Access Control Policy is a fundamental step in the design of a secure information system. However, the complexity of modern systems makes critical the choice upon which model to use for such definition. This is becoming particularly true for Industrial Networked Systems, where a correct access control policy must cover all the different and ever evolving interactions between all of its heterogeneous sub-systems at different levels of the production process. In this paper, with the support of an example of a typical industrial system, we highlight the limitations of the well known and widely used Role Based Access Control policy model and we propose an alternative model, built on the ideas of the Attribute Based Access Control model, showing how it can be leveraged to easily define complex access control policies in Industrial Networked Systems. We provide also a preliminary analysis on the kind of conflicts or anomalies that such expressive model can introduce.
Estimation of Leaf Nitrogen Content of Winter Wheat Based on Akaike’s Information Criterion

Nitrogen is one of the important indices for evaluation of crop growth and output quality. At present, there are a lot of researches on the estimation of crop nitrogen content, but most of the studies do not consider whether the model established by vegetation index and crop nitrogen content is the best. The purpose of this study was to estimate the nitrogen content of wheat leaves and to establish a method and the optimal model for monitoring nitrogen content in wheat leaves. Spectral reflectance of leaves and concurrent leaf nitrogen content parameters of samples were acquired in during 2013 and 2014 wheat growth season, in Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences. 17 vegetation indices related to nitrogen content were chosen, and the relationship between related vegetation indices and leaf nitrogen content were built for screening vegetation indices with variable importance projection (VIP). Choosing first 10 different vegetation indices after ranking with VIP value as the independent variable for estimating nitrogen content of leaf in wheat. And the number of vegetation indices was gradually increased from top 4 to 10. The leaf nitrogen content estimation model with different vegetation indices can be built using the integrated model of variable importance projection (VIP) - partial least squares (PLS). At the same time, Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) value was calculated in different estimation model, and the AIC value of 7 different estimation model was compared. Then the optimal model with 5 vegetation indices was selected, which AIC value is the lowest. The optimal model was validated by leave one out cross-validation method. The result, (1) the comprehensive interpretation ability of the first 10 spectral indices on the nitrogen content of winter wheat leaves was PSSRc, GMI-2, SR705, RI-half, ZM, GMI-1, PSSRb, RI-3 dB, VOGc and CIred edge. (2) The optimal model with 5 vegetation indices was selected from 7 models. (3) The decision coefficient (R2) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) of the optimal model respectively were 0.73 and 0.33. The R2 and RMSE of wheat by validating were 0.73 and 0.33, respectively. The study showed: (1) The VIP-PLS model has higher ability to estimate the nitrogen content of leaf in wheat, which laying an important foundation for improving the precision of forecasting winter wheat leaf nitrogen content with remote sensing. (2) The AIC method can be used to select the optimal model, and the selected model has the higher predictive ability. And the optimal estimation model of wheat LNC can be obtained based on AIC.
Kisor v. Wilkie on Deference to Federal Agencies

Who should decide the disputed meaning of laws and regulations in American democracy: legislatures, courts, or executive branch agencies? Chevron deference is a long-standing Supreme Court standard that federal agencies with expertise in a specific area must be given deference if federal law is unclear. Auer deference adds that federal agencies should have that power when they interpret their own regulations. These doctrines have been questioned in recent years as violations of the separation of powers. Kisor provides guidance on who defines the meaning of regulations and the balance of power between federal agencies and courts.
Sustained Interleukin-10 Transgene Expression Following Intra-Articular AAV5-IL-10 Administration to Horses.

Joint trauma leads to post-traumatic inflammation with upregulation of inflammatory cytokines and degradative enzymes. If severe enough, this response can lead to irreversible post-traumatic osteoa...
Significance of isolated deletion (20q) in donor cells after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Deletion of the long arm of chromosome 20 [del(20q)] is a well-described chromosomal abnormality in de novo myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS); however, findings of isolated del(20q) is not considered ...
Improving the Quality of Hospital Antibiotic Use: Impact on Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Infections in Children

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is considered a rapidly growing global public health emergency. Neonates and children are among patients for whom antibiotics are largely prescribed and for whom the risk of AMR development is high. The phenomenon of increasing AMR has led to the need to develop measures aimed at the rational and effective use of the available drugs also in children and antimicrobial stewardship (AS), which is one of the measures that in adults has showed the highest efficacy in reducing antibiotic abuse and misuse, appears as an attractive approach. The aim of this manuscript is to analyze the basic principles and strategies of pediatric AS. To this end, we searched in PubMed articles published in years 2000 to 2019 containing "antimicrobial resistance," "antibiotic use," "antimicrobial stewardship," and "children" or "pediatric" as keywords. Our review showed that the balance between multi-resistant organisms and new antimicrobials is extremely precarious. The AS tools are the most important weapon at our disposal to stem the phenomenon. Careful monitoring of prescriptions, continuous training of prescribing physicians and collaboration with highly qualified multidisciplinary staff, creation of local and national guidelines, use of rapid diagnostic tests, technological means of support, and research activities by testing new broad-spectrum antibiotics are mandatory. However, all of these measures must be supported by adequate investment by national and international health organizations. Only by making AS daily practice, through the use of financial resources and dedicated staff, we can fight AMR to ensure safe and effective care for our young patients.
Real-world outcomes of patients with BRAF-mutated mCRC treated in the United States.

4030Background: BRAF mutations portend a poor prognosis in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Recent trials have hypothesized that using more aggressive triplet-based chemotherapy regimens such a...
Real-World Tumor Response of Palbociclib Plus Letrozole Versus Letrozole for Metastatic Breast Cancer in US Clinical Practice

Limited information exists regarding tumor response to palbociclib plus an aromatase inhibitor (AI) versus AI alone in real-world practice. To evaluate the real-world tumor response of palbociclib plus letrozole (PAL+LET) versus LET alone as first-line treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative metastatic breast cancer (HR+/HER2‒ MBC) in routine US clinical practice. This retrospective analysis included HR+/HER2‒ MBC patients who initiated PAL+LET or LET as first-line treatment between February 2015 and September 2018 in the Flatiron Health Analytics database. Patients were followed until December 2018. Real-world best tumor response (rwBTR) was determined based on physicians’ assessment of radiologic evidence for change in burden of disease. Of the 1383 eligible patients who initiated PAL+LET or LET as first-line therapy in the Flatiron database, 968 patients had ≥ 1 tumor response assessment (662 received PAL+LET and 306 received LET). The rwBTR rate (complete response+partial response) in the first-line setting was 59.8% in the PAL+LET group and 39.2% in the LET group (odds ratio 2.31 (95% CI 1.75‒3.04), P < 0.0001). After 1:1 propensity-score matching, the rwBTR rate was 58.6% in the PAL+LET group versus 39.1% in the LET group (odds ratio 2.21 (95% CI 1.50‒3.25), P < 0.0001). This real-world analysis demonstrated that HR+/HER2‒ MBC patients were more likely to respond to PAL+LET compared to LET. These findings further showed the effectiveness of PAL+LET therapy in the real-world setting and support the combination as a standard of care for MBC. Pfizer; NCT04176354; registered November 25, 2019
Rapid Escalation of High-Volume Exercise during Caloric Restriction; Change in Visceral Adipose Tissue and Adipocytokines in Obese Sedentary Breast Cancer Survivors

Aerobic exercise reduces risk for breast cancer and recurrence and promotes visceral adipose tissue (VAT) loss in obesity. However, few breast cancer survivors achieve recommended levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) without supervision. In a two-cohort study, feasibility of 12 weeks of partially supervised exercise was started concomitantly with caloric restriction and effects on body composition and systemic risk biomarkers were explored. In total, 22 obese postmenopausal sedentary women (including 18 breast cancer survivors) with median age of 60 and BMI of 37 kg/m2 were enrolled. Using personal trainers twice weekly at area YMCAs, MVPA was escalated to ≥200 min/week over 9 weeks. For cohort 2, maintenance of effect was assessed when study provided trainer services were stopped but monitoring, group counseling sessions, and access to the exercise facility were continued. Median post-escalation MVPA was 219 min/week with median 12-week mass and VAT loss of 8 and 19%. MVPA was associated with VAT loss which was associated with improved adiponectin:leptin ratio. In total, 9/11 of cohort-2 women continued the behavioral intervention for another 12 weeks without trainers. High MVPA continued with median 24-week mass and VAT loss of 12 and 29%. This intervention should be further studied in obese sedentary women.
Quantitative analysis of transcription start site selection in Saccharomyces cerevisiae determines contributions of DNA sequence and RNA Polymerase II activity

DNA sequence at Transcription Start Sites (TSSs) is a key determinant of initiation by RNA Polymerase II (Pol II). To function as a TSS, an initiation compatible sequence must be specified by a promoter in an appropriate chromatin context. We report the development of a method for quantitative analysis of transcription initiation by Pol II that involves construction of DNA libraries of barcoded promoter variants, production of RNA transcripts, and analysis of transcript 59 ends and transcript yields (Pol II MAssively Systematic Transcript End Readout, "Pol II MASTER"). Using Pol II MASTER, we measure the efficiency of transcription initiation during promoter scanning by Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pol II for ~1 million unique TSS sequences. Furthermore, we employ Pol II MASTER to determine how Pol II activity, known to widely alter TSS selection in vivo, alters TSS efficiencies across our promoter variants. Pol II MASTER recapitulates known critical qualities of Saccharomyces cerevisiae TSS -8, -1, and +1 positions while demonstrating that surrounding sequences modulate initiation efficiency over a wide range. We discover functional interactions between neighboring sequence positions, indicating that adjacent positions likely function together. We demonstrate that initiation efficiencies are altered for +1 A TSSs relative to +1 G TSSs when Pol II activity is perturbed through genetic means. Pol II MASTER provides data for predictive models of TSS initiation efficiency at genomic promoters.
Calculating the Baseline Incidence in Patients Without Risk Factors: A Strategy for Economic Evaluation

Economic and epidemiological models need various inputs to estimate the occurrence of events in different subsets of the population, such as the incidence of events for patients with risk factors compared with those without. However, the baseline event incidence for patients without risk factors (incidence_no_risk) may not be reported in the literature, therefore the event incidence in the population (incidence_pop) is commonly used in its place as the baseline. However, this is problematic because incidence_pop is a weighted average of a heterogeneous population. We therefore developed a method for deriving the incidence for persons without risk factors (incidence_no_risk) by adjustment of incidence_pop. We calculated incidence_no_risk using the relative risk for events due to risk factors (RR_risk), incidence_pop, and the prevalence of the risk factor (pRF), which are typically available in the literature. Since the incidence for patient with risk factors (incidence_risk) can be expressed as incidence_risk = incidence_no_risk × RR_risk, we found that incidence_no_risk = incidence_pop/((RR_risk × pRF) + (1 − pRF)). We validated the equation by modeling the fracture incidence in high-risk patients in an osteoporosis transition-state model. With incidence_pop used as the baseline fracture incidence, the model overestimated hip fractures in the study population (10.72 fractures/1000 patient-years). After adjustment of incidence_pop using incidence_no_risk as the baseline incidence, the model accurately predicted hip fractures (2.27/1000 patient-years). Therefore, incidence_no_risk can be calculated using this method based on the event incidence for the study population, the relative risk increase associated with the risk factor, and the prevalence of the risk factor.
Assembly-disassembly purification and characterization of microtubule protein without glycerol.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the methods for isolating microtubule protein from hog and beef brain, along with the procedures for fractionating microtubule protein into separate tubulin and microtubule-associated protein (MAP) fractions. Microtubules are prominent components of the cytoplasmic matrix and perform important functions as cytoskeletal elements for the determination of cell shape and as key elements in intracellular motility such as mitosis and the translocation of cell organelles. The purification methods described in the chapter are based on the temperature dependence of microtubule polymerization. Microtubule assembly is an equilibrium process involving free tubulin subunits and microtubule polymers. Warm temperature (37°C) shifts the equilibrium to favor polymer, whereas cold temperature (0°C) shifts the equilibrium to favor free dissociated subunits. An assembly–disassembly procedure that does not employ glycerol was originally used to purify microtubules from extracts of hog brain. MAPs bind to tubulin in large quantity and co-purify in constant stoichiometry to tubulin through several successive cycles of in vitro assembly–disassembly.
Signaling New Product Introductions

Abstract Preannouncements of new product introductions is a prevalent practice in high-technology industries. The timing of preannouncements is a central construct and may vary from a few days to 2 years. An empirical analysis based on a telephone survey of 217 senior marketing managers in computer hardware and software manufacturing firms showed that the timing of preannouncements is contingent on factors that are product related (purchase cycle length, learning requirements, and switching costs), design related (forecast horizon), and industry related (perceived competitive elasticity). The length of preannouncement is important and can significantly influence the chances of a successful product launch.
Beyond Ontology: Levinas and the Ethical Frame in Film

From its beginning, film set forth a new scene for ethical and moral engagement. For more than a century, film’s frame and image have opened fresh space for enacting ethical and moral conflicts and dilemmas. To scholars and critics such as Andre Bazin, it became apparent that in film matters of aesthetics influence ethical and moral questions (Bazin 2005, 39–40). As Dudley Andrew says: ‘In cinema, aesthetic issues lead immediately to moral ones’ (Andrew 2005, xxi). Today, the connection between aesthetic and ethical issues in film acquires new meaning from the relationship between time and ethics as described so differently by Gilles Deleuze, Paul Ricoeur, and Emmanuel Levinas. While only Deleuze directly addresses and discusses cinema, the work of all three on the relationship of time and ethics to a variety of issues – movement, space, otherness, identity, selfhood, and narrative – also pertains to and informs the interaction between aesthetic and ethical issues in film. Indeed, Deleuze and Ricoeur contrive compelling theories, concepts, and operations concerning time, movement and narrative that facilitate film’s participation in ethical discourse. From a Levinasian perspective, their work provides tools and means for relating film and Levinasian ethical language to each other. Individually and collectively, Deleuze, Ricoeur, and Levinas seek a discordant and disruptive temporal order for re-engaging ethical and moral exigencies and investing new ideas and fresh imagination in a revivified ethical debate. In this debate, aesthetic issues and ethical issues in film continue the process of mutual regeneration.