cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Butterfly wing antineoplastic agents

Eine Voruntersuchung der Insektengruppe Lepidoptera auf anti-tumor-aktive Stoffe fuhrte zu einer detaillierten chemischen Prufung der aus Asien stammenden SchmetterlingeCatopsilia crocale Cramer (Pieridae) undPieris rapae cruavora. Ein bedeutender Teil der Anti-Tumor-Aktivitat scheint ihren Ursprung in der chemischen Substanz Isoxanthopterin zu besitzen.
Hot spot mutations in adenosine deaminase deficiency.

Abstract We have previously characterized mutant adenosine deaminase (ADA; adenosine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.4) enzymes in seven children with partial ADA deficiency. Six children shared common origins, suggesting a common progenitor. However, we found evidence for multiple phenotypically different mutant enzymes. We hypothesized that many of the mutations would be at CpG dinucleotides, hot spots at which spontaneous deamination of 5-methylcytosine results in C to T or G to A transitions. Digestion of DNA from these children with Msp I and Taq I, enzymes recognizing CpG dinucleotides, identified three different mutations, each correlating with expression of a different mutant enzyme. Sequencing of cDNA clones and genomic DNA amplified by polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of C to T or G to A transitions at CpG dinucleotides (C226 to T, G446 to A, and C821 to T, resulting in Arg76 to Trp, Arg149 to Gln, and Pro274 to Leu). A "null" mutation, also found in two ADA-deficient severe combined immunodeficient children, was serendipitously detected as gain of a site for Msp I. Simultaneous loss of a site for Bal I defined the precise base substitution (T320 to C, Leu107 to Pro), confirmed by sequence analysis. To determine the true frequency of hot spot mutation in these children, consecutively ascertained through a newborn screening program, we sequenced cDNA from the remaining alleles. Two others were hot spot mutations (C631 to T and G643 to A, resulting in Arg211 to Cys and Ala215 to Thr), each again resulting in expression of a phenotypically different mutant enzyme. Only one additional mutation (previously identified by us) is not in a hot spot. These seven mutations account for all 14 chromosomes in these children. There is thus a very high frequency of hot spot mutations in partial ADA deficiency. Most of these children carry two different mutant alleles. We were able to correlate genotype and phenotype and to dissect the activity of individual mutant alleles.
Integrating Advertising and Publicity

Using several theories, including Information Integration Theory (IIT), Integrated Information Response Model (IIRM), confirmation effect, and contrast theory, this study investigates the combined effects of advertising and publicity under the varied conditions of exposure sequence, publicity valence, and product attribute consistency. Results obtained through a 2 (sequence: ad then publicity versus publicity then ad) X 2 (attribute variation: same attribute versus different attribute) X 2 (valence of publicity: positive versus negative) within-subjects factorial design show that advertising coupled with positive publicity induces confirmation effects regardless of sequence and attribute consistency, whereas negative publicity combined with advertising mostly produces contrast effects, with mixed results depending on the sequence and attribute consistency. Findings and implications are discussed.
Transverse wake fields due to nonaxisymmetric drive beams in the dielectric wake-field accelerator

The transverse wake fields in a dielectric wake‐field accelerator are calculated for the case of an off‐axis drive beam. The calculation is done taking into account the transverse dimensions of the wake‐field structure including the ratio of inner to outer radii of the dielectric liner S. The results indicate that the m=1 radial transverse wake‐field component is much smaller than the m=0 axial wake field for liners with small hole size (S≤0.2). Therefore, beam breakup instabilities can be avoided, even for large drive beam currents, in dielectric wake‐field accelerators where S is small.
Spatial Relations Between Air Bubbles and Flocculated Kaolinite and Dickite

The optical microscope revealed that when air-saturated dilute aqueous suspensions of coarse kaolinite and dickite crystals were evacuated, negatively charged bubbles formed on and between the particles, which showed characteristic spatial relations to the bubbles and to each other.
Sparse Graph-Based Discriminant Analysis for Hyperspectral Imagery

Sparsity-preserving graph construction is investigated for the dimensionality reduction of hyperspectral imagery. In particular, a sparse graph-based discriminant analysis is proposed when labeled samples are available. By forcing the projection to be along the direction where a sample is clustered with within-class samples that best represented it, the discriminative power can be enhanced. The proposed method has no requirement on the number of labeled samples as in traditional linear discriminant analysis, and it can be solved by a simple generalized eigenproblem. The quality of the dimensionality reduction is evaluated by a support vector machine with a composite spatial-spectral kernel. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed sparse graph-based discriminant analysis can yield superior classification performance with much lower dimensionality as compared to performance on the original data or on data transformed with other dimensionality-reduction approaches.
Visual localization in fused image and laser range data

This paper reports on a method for tracking a camera system within an a priori known map constructed from co-registered 3D light detection and ranging (LIDAR) and omnidirectional image data. Our method pre-processes the raw 3D LIDAR and camera data to produce a sparse map that can scale to city-size environments. From the original LIDAR and camera data we extract visual features and identify those that are most robust to varying viewpoint. This allows us to include only the visual features that are most useful for localization in the map. Additionally, we quantize the visual features using a vocabulary tree to further reduce the map's file size. We then use vision-based localization to track the vehicle's motion through the map. We present results on urban data collected with Ford Motor Company's autonomous vehicle testbed. In our experiments the map is built using urban data from winter 2009, and localization is performed using data collected in fall 2010 and winter 2011. This demonstrates our algorithm's robustness to temporal changes in the environment.
Burden of COPD, asthma, and concomitant COPD and asthma among adults: racial disparities in a medicaid population.

Background: Asthma and COPD are characterized by substantial racial disparities in morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that because African-American patients with these conditions experience greater mortality and morbidity than their white counterparts, they would use more health-care resources when no difference in health insurance exists. Methods: A retrospective, population-based cohort study was conducted using Maryland Medicaid Managed Care patient encounter data. We compared health services utilization and cost outcomes in both African-American and white patients with COPD, asthma, or coexisting COPD and asthma. Results: The study population consisted of 9,131 patients with COPD, asthma, or both conditions. Of the total population, 52% were African American (n 4,723), and 44% were white (n 4,021); all other races were combined into the “unknown race” category to account for the remaining 4% (n 387). After controlling for age, gender, cohort allocation, and comorbidities, we found that African-American adults with COPD, asthma, or coexisting COPD and asthma actually used fewer medical services and accounted for lower medical costs than white adults. Conclusions: Lower health services utilization and medical costs among African-American patients with COPD and asthma may provide a possible explanation for the racial disparities in outcomes of patients with these conditions. (CHEST 2009; 136:405–411) Abbreviations: CCI Charlson comorbidity index; CI confidence interval; OR odds ratio
Carbon Nanotube Array Thermal Interfaces for High-Temperature Silicon Carbide Devices

Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) arrays have been directly synthesized from templated Fe2O3 nanoparticles on the C-face of 4H-SiC substrates by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD), and the room-temperature thermal resistances of SiC-MWCNT-Ag interfaces at 69–345 kPa as well as the thermal resistances of SiC-MWCNT-Ag interfaces up to 250°C (at 69 kPa) have been measured using a photoacoustic technique. The SiC-MWCNT-Ag interfaces with MWCNTs grown on the C-face of SiC achieved thermal resistances less than 10 mm2 K/W, which is lower than the resistances of MWCNT interfaces grown using the same catalysis and growth methods on the Si-face of SiC and Ti-coated SiC. The thermal resistances of the SiC-MWCNT-Ag interfaces exhibit weak temperature dependence in the measured range, indicating that the interfaces are suitable for high-temperature power electronics applications.
Predicting Children's Prosocial and Co‐operative Behavior from Their Temperamental Profiles: A Person‐centered Approach

The goal of this study was to examine how aspects of self-regulation and negative emotionality predicted children’s co-operative and prosocial behavior concurrently and longitudinally using the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Mothers completed measures of children’s temperamental proneness to negative emotionality and self-regulation at 54 months. Teachers and parents completed measures of children’s co-operative and prosocial behavior at 54 months, first grade, and third grade. A latent profile analysis of the temperamental variables revealed four profiles of children: those high in regulation and low in negative emotionality, those moderate in regulation and moderate in negative emotionality, those low in regulation and high in negative emotionality, and finally those who were very low in regulation but high in anger emotionality. Generally, children with profiles that were high or moderate in terms of regulation and low or moderate in terms of negative emotionality were rated as the most prosocial and co-operative. Children with profiles that were less well regulated and who were high in negative emotionality (particularly anger proneness) were rated as less co-operative and prosocial by parents and teachers.
Laser-excited acoustic oscillations in silver and bismuth nanowires

Coherent acoustic oscillations in Bi and Ag nanowire samples were studied with a femtosecond pump-probe technique and detection of the scattered light. The observed optical and acoustic properties reflect the nanostructure of these materials. The electronic and lattice contributions to the excitation of coherent acoustic phonons are described using a two-temperature model. The excitation is performed at different laser fluences, and the high density of optically induced excitations modifies the state of the lattice. A transient state with softening of the lattice was observed in Ag nanowire samples.
Model-Based Fault Diagnosis in Electric Drive Inverters Using Artificial Neural Network

This paper presents research in model based fault diagnostics for the power electronics inverter based induction motor drives. A normal model and various faulted models of the inverter-motor combination were developed, and voltages and current signals were generated from those models to train an artificial neural network for fault diagnosis. Instead of simple open-loop circuits, our research focuses on closed loop circuits. Our simulation experiments show that this model-based fault diagnostic approach is effective in detecting single switch open-circuit faults as well as post-short-circuit conditions occurring in power electronics inverter based electrical drives.
Earning the thanks of Harry and Jack: the journal of the royal United Service institution and world war generalship

Generalship has been a topic of much debate throughout the years and the RUSI Journal has played an active role by publishing many articles on the topic. Russell Glenn here analyses this contribution, and asks whether the improvements in Generalship after the First World War can be attributed to the offerings of the Journal of the Royal United Services Institution? Though it is difficult to establish whether its role has been decisive in the process of improvement, Mr Gleen believes that the Journal has acted as a catalyst for identifying the traits necessary to senior leadership in the period 1914–1948 and has provided food for thought in the field. The Journal has ensured that the generals of the Second World War knew the errors of their predecessors and the expectations they were likely to meet.
DC and pulsed dielectric surface flashover at atmospheric pressure

In a wide variety of high voltage applications surface flashover plays a major role in the system's performance, and yet it has not been studied in great detail for atmospheric conditions with modern diagnostic tools. Environmental conditions to be considered include pressure, humidity, and gas present in the volume surrounding the dielectric. In order to gain knowledge into the underlying process involved in dielectric surface flashover, a setup has been created to produce and closely monitor the flashover event. Within the setup, parameters such as geometry, material, and temporal characteristics of the applied voltage can be altered. Current, voltage, luminosity, and optical emission spectra are measured with nanosecond to subnanosecond resolution. Spatially and temporally resolved light emission data is also gathered along the arc channel
A New Method for Quantifying Color of Insects

ABSTRACT We describe a method to quantify color in complex patterns on insects, using a combination of standardized illumination and image analysis techniques. Two color comparisons were investigated: (1) the percentage of blue in the submarginal band of the hindwing in yellow and dark morph females of Papilio glaucus L., and (2) the percentage of orange hues in the wings of 2 putative subspecies of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, P. g. glaucus L. and P. g. maynardi Gauthier. Live specimens were photographed in a light-box with standardized lighting and a color standard. Digital images were processed in LensEye® software to determine the percentage of selected colors. No significant differences were found in the percentage of blue between yellow and dark morph females, but the percentage of orange hues between P. g. glaucus and P. g. maynardi differed significantly. Color quantification can be a useful tool in studies that require color analysis.
Sexual Offense Adjudication and Sexual Recidivism among Juvenile Offenders

This study compares the recidivism patterns of a cohort of 249 juvenile sexual offenders and 1,780 non-sexual offending delinquents who were released from secured custody over a two and one half year period. The prevalence of sex offenders with new sexual offense charges during the 5 year follow-up period was 6.8%, compared to 5.7% for the non-sexual offenders, a non-significant difference. Juvenile sex offenders were nearly ten times more likely to have been charged with a nonsexual offense than a sexual offense. Eighty-five percent of the new sexual offenses in the follow-up period were accounted for by the non-sex offending delinquents. None of the 54 homicides (including three sexual homicides) was committed by a juvenile sex offender. The implications of the results for recent public policy trends that impose restrictions that are triggered by a sexual offense adjudication are discussed.
Comparison of Facially Amphiphilic versus Segregated Monomers in the Design of Antibacterial Copolymers

A direct comparison of two strategies for designing antimicrobial polymers is presented. Previously, we published several reports on the use of facially amphiphilic (FA) monomers which led to polynorbornenes with excellent antimicrobial activities and selectivities. Our polymers obtained by copolymerization of structurally similar segregated monomers, in which cationic and non-polar moieties reside on separate repeat units, led to polymers with less pronounced activities. A wide range of polymer amphiphilicities was surveyed by pairing a cationic oxanorbornene with eleven different non-polar monomers and varying the comonomer feed ratios. Their properties were tested using antimicrobial assays and copolymers possessing intermediate hydrophobicities were the most active. Polymer-induced leakage of dye-filled liposomes and microscopy of polymer-treated bacteria support a membrane-based mode of action. From these results there appears to be profound differences in how a polymer made from FA monomers interacts with the phospholipid bilayer compared with copolymers from segregated monomers. We conclude that a well-defined spatial relationship of the whole polymer is crucial to obtain synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides (SMAMPs): charged and non-polar moieties need to be balanced locally, for example, at the monomer level, and not just globally. We advocate the use of FA monomers for better control of biological properties. It is expected that this principle will be usefully applied to other backbones such as the polyacrylates, polystyrenes, and non-natural polyamides.
The ignoring paradox: cueing distractor features leads first to selection, then to inhibition of to-be-ignored items.

Observers find a target item more quickly when they have foreknowledge of target-defining attributes, such as identity, color, or location. However, it is less clear whether foreknowledge of nontarget attributes can also speed search. Munneke, Van der Stigchel, and Theeuwes Acta Psychologica 129:101–107, (2008) found that observers found the target more quickly when they were cued to ignore a region of space where a target would not appear. Using a similar paradigm, we explored the effects of cueing nontarget features on search. We found that when we cued observers to ignore nontarget features, search was slowed. The results from a probe-dot detection task revealed that this slowing occurred because, paradoxically, observers initially selected an item appearing in the to-be-ignored color. Finally, we found that cueing nontarget features sped search when placeholders matching the location of the to-be-ignored color preceded presentation of the search display by at least 800 ms; thus, it appears that some limited inhibition of to-be-ignored items occurs following selection. Taken together, these results suggest that observers are unable to explicitly avoid selection of items matching known nontarget features. Instead, when nontarget features are cued, observers select the to-be-ignored feature or the locations of objects matching that feature early in search, and only inhibit them after this selection process.
Analysis of the single event effects for a 90nm CMOS phase-locked loop

A novel approach towards comparing single-event (SE) vulnerability of various components at the function level for a phase-locked loop (PLL) is presented. The technique uses unlock durations and maximum frequency difference after a SE hit to analyze the relative vulnerability of PLL sub-circuits.
Loneliness and blood pressure in older adults: defining connections

Social isolation impairs physiological functioning and shortens lifespan in members of various social species, from fruit flies to mice, rats, rabbits, pigs and chimpanzees. In humans, the mere perception of isolation is sufficient to incur adverse outcomes [1]. We call this perception loneliness. Loneliness confers a unique risk for a wide range of physiological and health outcomes. Prior research has shown that loneliness increases hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical activity, diminishes immunity and alters gene transcription control pathways in ways that favor heightened inflammation. Loneliness has also been shown to prospectively predict a worse profile of cardiovascular risk (e.g., overweight, high systolic blood pressure [SBP], elevated total cholesterol, low levels of high-density lipids, elevated glycated hemoglobin), poor sleep quality and daytime fatigue, diminished likelihood of physical activity, progression of Alzheimer’s disease, and increased risk for mortality [1–3]. Loneliness is related to, but distinguishable from, social isolation and separation. People differ in their need for affiliation (e.g., intro version/extraversion) and in their perceptions of social circumstances, such that low levels of social involvement are perfectly acceptable if not preferable for some individuals, whereas even high levels of social involvement are insufficient to stave off feelings of loneliness among those who perceive their social relationships as defi cient in quality. The distinction between social isolation and loneliness clarifies why aging does not inevitably confer loneliness. Not until oldest old age does the prevalence and intensity of loneliness increase to the high levels seen in young adulthood [4]. Developmentally, it appears that loneliness peaks when one’s sense of connectedness is being forged independently of parents and then again when one’s sense of connectedness is being threatened by the gradual and inevitable loss of a lifetime’s worth of social relationships. At both junctures,
Bursting Regimes in a Reaction-Diffusion System with Action Potential-Dependent Equilibrium

The equilibrium Nernst potential plays a critical role in neural cell dynamics. A common approximation used in studying electrical dynamics of excitable cells is that the ionic concentrations inside and outside the cell membranes act as charge reservoirs and remain effectively constant during excitation events. Research into brain electrical activity suggests that relaxing this assumption may provide a better understanding of normal and pathophysiological functioning of the brain. In this paper we explore time-dependent ionic concentrations by allowing the ion-specific Nernst potentials to vary with developing transmembrane potential. As a specific implementation, we incorporate the potential-dependent Nernst shift into a one-dimensional Morris-Lecar reaction-diffusion model. Our main findings result from a region in parameter space where self-sustaining oscillations occur without external forcing. Studying the system close to the bifurcation boundary, we explore the vulnerability of the system with respect to external stimulations which disrupt these oscillations and send the system to a stable equilibrium. We also present results for an extended, one-dimensional cable of excitable tissue tuned to this parameter regime and stimulated, giving rise to complex spatiotemporal pattern formation. Potential applications to the emergence of neuronal bursting in similar two-variable systems and to pathophysiological seizure-like activity are discussed.
Synergistic Behavior of Tubes, Junctions, and Sheets Imparts Mechano-Mutable Functionality in 3D Porous Boron Nitride Nanostructures

One-dimensional (1D) boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) and 2D hexagonal BN (h-BN) are attractive for demonstrating fundamental physics and promising applications in nano-/microscale devices. However, there is a high anisotropy associated with these BN allotropes as their excellent properties are either along the tube axis or in-plane directions, posing an obstacle in their widespread use in technological and industrial applications. Herein, we report a series of 3D BN prototypes, namely, pillared boron nitride (PBN), by fusing single-wall BNNT and monolayer h-BN aimed at filling this gap. We use density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations to probe the diverse mechano-mutable properties of PBN prototypes. Our results demonstrate that the synergistic effect of the tubes, junctions, and sheets imparts cooperative deformation mechanisms, which overcome the intrinsic limitations of the PBN constituents and provide a number of superior characteristics including 3D balance of strength and toughness,...
The Origin of Neutrino Masses and Physics Beyond the Standard Model

We discuss the simplest models for the generation of neutrinos masses at tree level and one-loop level. The realization of the different seesaw mechanisms in the context of renormalizable SU(5) and SO(10) theories is reviewed. A new mechanism for the generation of neutrino masses at one-loop level is presented. We discuss the first realization of the Type III seesaw mechanism in the context of a renormalizable SU(5) theory, called "Adjoint SU(5)".
The Time Contradiction in Asset Pricing and Asset Management

Investors live in a multi-period, volatile world and base their decisions on theories of asset pricing, and asset allocation, often derived from a single period model. They make assumptions about asset returns and volatilities and use optimizers to set their long term allocations, and often naively rebalance back to these allocations, hire managers etc. Even if they have perfect foresight in predicting asset returns, are they making decisions based on noise or truly useful information? Alternatively, what confidence can one have in these estimates over typical investment horizons of 5-10 years? Or how much time does one need to establish a successful investment outcome as opposed to just experiencing noise? A simple formula designed to examine whether asset managers are lucky or skillful can be used to examine these questions. This analysis suggests that the time window to have high confidence in the efficacy of the approach utilized by most investors is much greater than the typical horizon of these approaches – this is the time contradiction in investments. Alternatively, for a given investment horizon, this methodology suggests the degree of confidence an investor might have in their investment inputs and allocation decisions. Living in a volatile world implies that this confidence is low for short time windows. This time contradiction between required time horizon and that used by investors has interesting implications not only for the investment models and approaches used, including the examination of funded versus unfunded programs, but also for how investors are compared to peers and compensated.
Wood Products: Thermal Degradation and Fire

Wood is a thermally degradable and combustible material. Beneficial applications range from a biomass providing useful, renewable, energy to a building material with unique properties. However, wood products can contribute to unwanted fires and even minor amounts of thermal degradation are known to adversely affect structural properties. On the other hand, certain levels of thermal degradation have also found use in special applications such as exterior claddings or improving tonal qualities of musical instruments. Therefore, understanding thermal degradation and the fire performance of wood can be critical to improving wood’s performance in multiple applications.
Prevention and therapy of serous otitis media by oral decongestant: a double-blind study in pediatric practice

We studied the efficacy of (1) preventing the development of serous otitis media (SOM) by using an oral decongestant in children with acute otitis media and (2) treating SOM with an oral decongestant. In a randomized double-blind study, 190 children were treated for acute otitis media with antibiotics and either pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (Sudafed) or placebo. They were evaluated two weeks later by tympanometry and (independently) by clinical evaluation and pneumotoscopy. There were no significant differences between the two groups, except that males developed SOM significantly more often than did females. Use of decongestant and placebo was continued in 78 patients with SOM for up to four more weeks. Again, there were no siginificant differences between the treatment groups except that patients with an allergic history did significantly worse using a decongestant. Overall there was no benefit from pseudoephedrine in either the prevention or treatment of SOM.
Abstract 1912: Reduction of microRNA-21 by vitamin D compounds during ductal carcinoma in situ transition to invasive ductal carcinoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules of approximately 22 nucleotides in lengths that can negatively control target gene expression post-transcriptionally. There are currently more than one hundred known human miRNAs. miRNAs have been shown to play an important role in the development and progression of various types of cancer. In breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is an early non-invasive precursor, which is known to progress to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) if left untreated. The involvement of miRNAs in the breast cancer progression from DCIS to IDC is still not well understood, and potential regulation of miRNAs by vitamin D compounds during the progression has not been tested. We have previously reported that a novel Gemini vitamin D analog, 1α,25-dihydroxy-20R-21(3-hydroxy-3-deuteromethyl-4,4,4-trideuterobutyl)-23-yne-26,27-hexafluoro-cholecalciferol (BXL0124), inhibits the progression of DCIS to IDC in vivo. To identify miRNAs that could potentially be involved in DCIS progression to IDC, we utilized the MCF10DCIS.com xenograft tumors. MCF10DCIS.com cells (10^6 cells/mouse) were injected subcutaneously into the rear flanks of nu/nu mice. The mice were then treated with BXL0124 (0.1 μg/kg) for 5 weeks. The critical DCIS to IDC transition occurred between weeks 3 and 4 in the in vivo lesions, and several microRNAs were assessed with respect to the DCIS to IDC transition at weeks 3 and 4. Among many miRNAs analyzed, miR-21, miR-24, and miR-140 were up-regulated in IDC lesions compared to DCIS lesions, whereas no marked changes were observed with respect to miR-200c, miR-let-7a, miR-26a, miR-34a, and miR-182. One of the miRNAs identified miR-21, is a well-known oncomir and overexpressed in breast carcinoma, mediating cell survival, proliferation, and metastasis. The increased expression of miR-21 was significant when DCIS lesions progressed to IDC, and this effect was diminished by the treatment with Gemini vitamin D, BXL0124, at week 4. In conclusion, vitamin D compounds reduce the levels of miR-21 during DCIS transition to IDC, potentially contributing to its preventive effects in breast cancer progression. Further investigation of the mechanisms of action by which vitamin D compounds regulate miR-21 should be considered. (This work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute R01-CA127645 and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Grant ES005022). Citation Format: Joseph Wahler, Larry C. Cheng, Hubert Maehr, Milan Uskokovic, Nanjoo Suh. Reduction of microRNA-21 by vitamin D compounds during ductal carcinoma in situ transition to invasive ductal carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1912. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1912
Anastomosis to the rectum

Four hundred sixty-six consecutive procedures involving anastomosis to the rectum were performed between March 1969 and December 1982. Three hundred ninety-six (85 percent) were stapled anastomoses and 70 (15 percent) were hand-sutured anastomoses. The stapled anastomoses were constructed using the GIA® or EEA® instrument, some of the latter utilizing a pull-through technique. The hand-sutured anastomoses were constructed in the pelvic space, or externally as a staged pull-through procedure. A diverting stoma was constructed in all 14 staged pull-through procedures, in 47 of 56 (84 percent) conventional hand-sutured anastomoses, and in 38 of 396 (10 percent) stapled anastomoses. While the majority of very low anastomoses (0 to 5 cm from the dentate line) were stapled, 13 conventional hand-sutured anastomoses and all 14 of the staged pull-through procedures were constructed at this level. One patient (0.2 percent) died as the result of an anastomotic complication. Twelve patients (2.5 percent) had anastomotic complications requiring reoperation. The reoperation rate for stapled anastomoses was six of 396 (1.5 percent). For hand-sutured anastomoses, the reoperation rate was six of 70 (8.6 percent). The results show that, for anastomosis to the rectum, stapling instruments are at least as good as hand-suturing. Both stapling techniques and hand-suturing techniques provide the surgeon the capacity to construct safely very low anastomoses. A temporary, diverting stoma is required much less frequently with stapled than with hand-sutured anastomoses. The need for a permanent colostomy should be determined by the stage and level of disease, the systemic health of the patient, and the patient's anatomy, rather than by the selection of anastomotic technique.
Di-μ-acetato-κ4O:O′-μ-oxido-κ2O:O-bis­[(acetic acid-κO)bis­(1H-imidazole-κN3)magnesium(II)]

Magnesium acetate crystallizes upon reaction with imidazole in dimethyl­formamide at elevated temperatures to form the title magnesium acetate imidazole cluster species, [Mg2(C2H3O2)2O(C3H4N2)4(C2H4O2)2], with two Mg atoms in octa­hedral coordination. The complex has crystallographic twofold rotation symmetry. Each Mg atom is coordinated by two imidazole ligands, two linking acetate bridging ligands, a terminal acetic acid ligand, and a bridging O atom lying on the symmetry axis.
Removal of Particles From the Surface of a Droplet

We present a technique to concentrate particles on the surface of a drop, separate different types of particles, and remove them from the drop by subjecting the drop to a uniform electric field. The particles are moved under the action of the dielectrophoretic force which arises due to the non-uniformity of the electric field on the surface of the drop. Experiments show that depending on the dielectric constants of the fluids and the particles, particles aggregate either near the poles or near the equator of the drop. When particles aggregate near the poles and the dielectric constant of the drop is greater than that of the ambient fluid, the drop deformation is larger than that of a clean drop. In this case, under a sufficiently strong electric field the drop develops conical ends and particles concentrated at the poles eject out by a tip streaming mechanism, thus leaving the drop free of particles. On the other hand, when particles aggregate near the equator, it is shown that the drop can be broken into three major droplets, with the middle droplet carrying all particles and the two larger sized droplets on the sides being free of particles. The method also allows us to separate particles for which the sign of the Clausius-Mossotti factor is different, making particles of one type aggregate at the poles and of the second type aggregate at the equator. The former are removed from the drop by increasing the electric field strength, leaving only the latter inside the drop.© 2008 ASME
Evaluating Methods to Establish Habitat Suitability Criteria: A Case Study in the Upper Delaware River Basin, USA

Defining habitat suitability criteria (HSC) of aquatic biota can be a key component to environmental flow science. HSC can be developed through numerous methods; however, few studies have evaluated the consistency of HSC developed by different methodologies. We directly compared HSC for depth and velocity developed by the Delphi method (expert opinion) and by two primary literature meta-analyses (literature-derived range and interquartile range) to assess whether these independent methods produce analogous criteria for multiple species (rainbow trout, brown trout, American shad, and shallow fast guild) and life stages. We further evaluated how these two independently developed HSC affect calculations of habitat availability under three alternative reservoir management scenarios in the upper Delaware River at a mesohabitat (main channel, stream margins, and flood plain), reach, and basin scale. In general, literature-derived HSC fell within the range of the Delphi HSC, with highest congruence for velocity habitat. Habitat area predicted using the Delphi HSC fell between the habitat area predicted using two literature-derived HSC, both at the basin and the site scale. Predicted habitat increased in shallow regions (stream margins and flood plain) using literature-derived HSC while Delphi-derived HSC predicted increased channel habitat. HSC generally favoured the same reservoir management scenario; however, no favoured reservoir management scenario was the most common outcome when applying the literature range HSC. The differences found in this study lend insight into how different methodologies can shape HSC and their consequences for predicted habitat and water management decisions. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Predicting hardware failure using machine learning

The Weibull distribution has historically been the Reliability Engineer's best tool for describing the probability of failures over time [1]. While this technique is very accurate at describing failure distributions for large populations of components, it works very poorly at predicting the time until failure of an individual component. The mean time until failure is often used to predict times until failure of individual components, but this value may vary greatly with actual times until failure. With the advent of machine learning techniques, the ability to learn from past behavior in order to predict future behavior makes it possible to predict an individual component's time until failure much more accurately. In this paper, we explore the predictive abilities of a machine learning technique to improve upon our ability to predict individual component times until failure in advance of actual failure. Once failure is predicted, an impending problem can be fixed before it actually occurs. This paper brings to light a machine learning approach for predicting individual component times until failure that we will show is far more accurate than the traditional MTBF approach. The algorithm built was able to monitor the health of 14 hardware samples and notify us of an impending failure well ahead of actual failure, providing adequate time to fix the problem before actual failure occurred.
Value of Detection of Tuberculosis Lipoarabinomannan- B and 38 kD-Immunoglobulin G for Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Children

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of antimycobacterial tuberculosis antibody-lipoarabinomannan-B and antigen 5(38 kD)-IgG (LAM-B+38 kD-IgG) in children with tuberculosis.Methods LAM-B+38 kD-IgG in 207 serum samples,43 cerebrospinal fluid, 8 pleural fluid, 5 ascitic fluid,4 gastric juice specimens were obtained from 235 children with tuberculosis and non-tuberculosis were detected by the dot immunogold filtration assay (DIGFA).Results The positive rate of LAM-B+38 kD-IgG in sera was 26.67%(28/105)in tuberculosis group and the false-positive rate of LAM-B+38 kD-IgG in sera was 1.96%(2/102) in non-tuberculosis group. The positive rates of LAM-B+38 kD-IgG in sera in pulmonary tuberculosis group and extrapulmonary tuberculosis were 32.14%(18/56) and 20.41%(10/49), respectively, and there was no significant difference between two groups(P0.05).The positive rate of the antibodies (in sera) in combined-group of bacteriology examination tuberculosis positive results was obviously higher than that of negative group (64.00% vs 34.29%). There was significant difference between two groups (χ~2=5.173 P0.05). In cases who were smear and culture-negative,34.29%cases tested positive for anti-LAM+38 kD-IgG.Conclusion These results suggested that the detection of LAM-B+38 kD-IgG in sera is an useful supplementary tool for diagnosis of tuberculosis in children.
Reliability of Distribution Network with Microgrid

Extensive access of distributed generators(DG) has greatly impacted the reliability of distribution network.Taking microgrid(composed of DG and load) as research subject,this paper aims to analyze the impacts of microgrid on the distribution network reliability.The concept of generating load rate(GLR) is defined and sequential Monte Carlo simulation algorithm is used to analyze the impacts of the types of DG,capacity and operation modes of microgrid.Calculation results show that microgrid can improve the reliability of distribution network,and the different types of microgrid have different effects on the distribution network reliability.
Idiopathic Guttate Hypomelanosis: A Review of its Etiology, Pathogenesis, Findings, and Treatments

Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis is a common acquired leukoderma characterized by multiple, discrete round or oval, porcelain-white macules on sun-exposed areas, especially on the extensor surface of forearms and pretibial areas. It usually affects individuals aged over 40 years and the likelihood of acquiring it increases with age. The exact pathogenesis remains controversial. However, there are several factors that are believed to be involved such as aging, ultraviolet exposure, trauma, genetic factors, autoimmunity, and local inhibition of melanogenesis. Despite the benign course of progression, many patients visit medical centers owing to cosmetic concerns and to confirm the natural course of idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis. Because there is no standard therapy for this condition, numerous medical and surgical treatments including intralesional corticosteroids, topical retinoids, topical calcineurin inhibitors, phenol peeling, cryotherapy, superficial dermabrasion, skin grafting, and ablative and non-ablative lasers have been tested with mixed results. This article will thoroughly review the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentations, histologic, dermoscopic, and ultrastructural findings, and the treatment of idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis.
A shallow-faulting model

Particle motion was examined along the surface trace of a kinematic faulting model in which rupture starts at a point at a shallow depth and spreads with a circular front along a vertical fault plane. The center may either be fixed in position or move in prescribed paths as the radius expands at a constant rate. The offset is a cosine function of a constant shape of the radius. It was found that when rupture is free to spread in all directions along the fault plane, the displacement-time curves are approximately finite ramps. When rupture propagation is hindered in some direction, the displacement curves near the point of hindrance have an abrupt beginning followed by a gradual approach to final value. The apparent rupture along the surface trace shows an initial speed much higher than the actual rupture speed. Kinks are introduced in some displacement curves when the mode of propagation is suddenly changed.
Output Transparency vs. Input Transparency

Government can be transparent about its “outputs”: its regulations and its policies, its findings about air and water quality, its analysis of costs and benefits, its assessment of the risks associated with cigarette smoking, distracted driving, infectious diseases, and silica in the workplace. It can also be transparent about its “inputs”: about who, within government, said what to whom, and when, and why. The argument for output transparency is often very strong, because members of the public can receive information that can help them in their daily lives, and because output transparency can improve the performance of both public and private institutions. Where the public stands to benefit, government should be disclosing outputs even without a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act. In fact it should be doing that far more than it now does. The argument for input transparency is different and often weaker, because the benefits of disclosure can be low and the costs can be high. There is good reason for a large increase in output transparency -- and for caution about input transparency.
Putting the “Gang” in “Eurogang”: Characteristics of Delinquent Youth Groups by Different Definitional Approaches

The purpose of this chapter was to explore the validity of different definitional approaches to identify gang members. We applied three definitions (i.e., self-nomination, friends are gang, and the Eurogang definition) to the same diverse sample of American youth. We conclude that the use of any or all of the three definitions reveals a subsample of youth that are behaviorally and attitudinally distinct from non-gang youth. However, we found a lack of definitional convergence. Less than 10% of the sample of gang youth was classified as gang members by all three definitions. The majority of youth were only considered gang members by one definition. Further investigation showed that while different youth were captured by each definition, the attitudes and behaviors of all groups were relatively similar. A series of multivariate logistic regressions showed that the strongest correlates associated with gang membership were common to all three definitions.
A Reaction Route Approach to Flux Balance Analysis

Background: Flux balance and network-based pathway analyses are theoretical tools aimed to find optimal steady state flux distributions in a metabolic network subject to additional constraints on the rates of the reaction steps. Although these methods are mathematically accurate, there are several physicochemical and computational aspects that are questionable and misleading. In particular, it is well known that the flux balance analysis may result in multiple flux distributions for the same objective function. Results: The flux balance and network-based pathway analyses are reformulated in terms of reaction routes (RRs), a theoretical framework that has been developed by Horiuti over 50 years ago. Not only does the theory of RRs provide the most general and rigorous definition of a pathway, but it also relates the steady state rates of the reaction steps with the rates along RRs or pathways. In this work, we employ the simple relation between the steady state rates of the reaction steps and the rates along RRs (fluxes) established by Horiuti to eliminate the steady state constraints. Conclusion: The newly proposed RR approach represents a powerful tool for a deeper understanding of optimal flux distributions in metabolic reaction systems. Application of the RR approach to several typical systems from the literature surprisingly reveals that an infinite number of flux distributions for the same optimal objective function may be a rule rather than the exception
Digital Forensic Science: Issues, Methods, and Challenges

Digital forensic science, or digital forensics, is the application of scientific tools and methods to identify, collect, and analyze digital (data) artifacts in support of legal proceedings. From a more technical perspective, it is the process of reconstructing the relevant sequence of events that have led to the currently observable state of a target IT system or (digital) artifacts. Over the last three decades, the importance of digital evidence has grown in lockstep with the fast societal adoption of information technology, which has resulted in the continuous accumulation of data at an exponential rate. Simultaneously, there has been a rapid growth in network connectivity and the complexity of IT systems, leading to more complex behavior that needs to be investigated. The goal of this book is to provide a systematic technical overview of digital forensic techniques, primarily from the point of view of computer science. This allows us to put the field in the broader perspective of a host of related areas and gain better insight into the computational challenges facing forensics, as well as draw inspiration for addressing them. This is needed as some of the challenges faced by digital forensics, such as cloud computing, require qualitatively different approaches; the sheer volume of data to be examined also requires new means of processing it.