cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multimodality local therapy for retroperitoneal sarcoma.

Purpose Soft-tissue sarcomas of the retroperitoneum are rare tumors comprising less than 1% of all malignancies. Although surgery continues as the mainstay of treatment, the large size of these tumors coupled with their proximity to critical structures make resection with wide margins difficult to achieve. The role and timing of radiotherapy are controversial. This study updates our institutional experience using multimodality local therapy for resectable retroperitoneal sarcoma and identifies prognostic factors impacting disease control and survival. Methods and Materials Between 1974 and 2007, 58 patients with nonmetastatic retroperitoneal sarcoma were treated with surgery and radiation at the University of Florida. The median age at radiotherapy was 57 years old (range, 18–80 years). Forty-two patients received preoperative radiotherapy and 16 received postoperative radiotherapy. Nineteen patients received 1.8 Gy once daily and 39 patients received 1.2 Gy twice daily. Variables analyzed for prognostic value included age, grade, kidney involvement, histology, de novo versus recurrent presentation, tumor diameter, margin status, radiotherapy sequencing (preoperative vs. postoperative), total radiation dose, fractionation scheme, and treatment era. Results The 5-year overall survival, cause-specific survival, and local control rates were 49%, 58%, and 62%, respectively. Nearly two-thirds of disease failures involved a component of local progression. On multivariate analysis, only margin status was significantly associated with improved 5-year local control (85%, negative margins; 63%, microscopic positive margins; 0%, gross positive margins; p p = 0.0012). Thirty-one Grade 3 or greater toxicities were observed in 22 patients, including two treatment-related deaths (3%). Conclusion For retroperitoneal sarcoma, local control remains a challenge and combined-modality therapy may be associated with significant acute and late morbidity. Our patterns of failure data suggest that improvements in local control may translate into a survival benefit.
Taxol production in bioreactors: Kinetics of biomass accumulation, nutrient uptake, and taxol production by cell suspensions of Taxus baccata

The kinetics of biomass accumulation, nutrient uptake and taxol production of Taxus baccata cell suspensions were examined in three bioreactor configurations, viz. 250-mL Erienmeyerflasks, 1-L working volume pneumatically mixed (PMB), and stirred tank (STB) bioreactors. Qualitatively similar kinetics were observed in all three bioreactor types. Biomass accumulation and specific nutrient uptake rates exhibited biphasic characteristics. Carbohydrate uptake and biomass accumulation substantially ceased when phosphate was depleted from the medium. Phosphate was identified as a possible growth-limiting nutrient. Taxol accumulated exclusively in the second phase of growth. A maximum taxol concentration of 1.5 mg/L was obtained in the PMB which was fivefold greater than that obtained in the Erienmeyer flasks and the STB, but the relative kinetics of taxol production was the same in all three reactor types. Biomass yields were calculated from the kinetic data and a stoichiometry for biomass formation was evaluated. The similarity of kinetics in the three bioreactor configurations suggests that taxol production by T. baccata cell suspensions is amenable to scateup. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Full-chip subthreshold leakage power prediction and reduction techniques for sub-0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS

The driving force for the semiconductor industry growth has been the elegant scaling nature of CMOS technology. In future CMOS technology generations, supply and threshold voltages will have to continually scale to sustain performance increase, control switching power dissipation, and maintain reliability. These continual scaling requirements on supply and threshold voltages pose several technology and circuit design challenges. With threshold voltage scaling, subthreshold leakage power is expected to become a significant portion of the total power in future CMOS systems. Therefore, it becomes crucial to predict and reduce subthreshold leakage power of such systems. In the first part of this paper, we present a subthreshold leakage power prediction model that takes into account within-die threshold voltage variation. Statistical measurements of 32-bit microprocessors in 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS confirm that the mean error of the model is 4%. In the second part of this paper, we present the use of stacked devices to reduce system subthreshold leakage power without reducing system performance. A model to predict the scaling nature of this stack effect and verification of the model through statistical device measurements in 0.18-/spl mu/m and 0.13-/spl mu/m are presented. Measurements also demonstrate reduction in threshold voltage variation for stacked devices compared to nonstack devices. Comparison of the stack effect to the use of high threshold voltage or longer channel length devices for subthreshold leakage reduction is also discussed.
Perioperative thermoregulation in ambulatory anaesthesia and surgery

Thermoregulation is essential during ambulatory surgery because hypothermia increases the incidence of complications and delays recovery. The role of preoperative factors in the development of hypothermia has not been studied in ambulatory surgery. This retrospective study evaluated the impact of preoperative temperature on perioperative hypothermia and the effect of hypothermia on haemodynamics, oxygenation and recovery. The results showed a 32% rate of preoperative hypothermia, with no effect on the development of perioperative hypothermia. Obesity and warm air blanket were associated with less hypothermia. The effects of mild hypothermia were modest in ambulatory surgical patients because they are relatively healthy.
Penetrating eye injury in war.

The percentage of penetrating eye injuries in war has increased significantly in this century compared with the total number of combat injuries. With the increasing use of fragmentation weapons and possibly laser weapons on the battle-field in the future, the rate of eye injuries may exceed the 13% of the total military injuries found in Operations Desert Storm/Shield. During the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), eye injuries revealed that retained foreign bodies and posterior segment injuries have an improved prognosis in future military ophthalmic surgery as a result of modern diagnostic and treatment modalities. Compared with the increasing penetrating eye injuries on the battlefield, advances in ophthalmic surgery are insignificant. Eye armor, such as visors that flip up and down and protect the eyes from laser injury, needs to be developed. Similar eye protection is being developed in civilian sportswear. Penetrating eye injury in the civilian sector is becoming much closer to the military model and is now comparable for several reasons. Language: en
Complex Litigation: CAFA Cacophony

Commentary and analysis of various emerging problems in federal court interpretation and application of the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 (CAFA). Among the problems discussed are: (1) the authority of an MDL judge - after transfer of litigation to the MDL forum - to reconsider the transferor’s judge’s determination of the propriety of a CAFA removal from state court; (2) a defendant’s strategic deployment of removal under CAFA in order to seek enforcement of a mandatory arbitration clause in federal court; (3) determination of the applicability of CAFA’s home-state or local controversy exceptions to removal; and (4) allocations of burdens of proof on federal jurisdictional issues in CAFA removals.
A Global Warming Differential Game

A differential game of global warming is offered. The game involves individual country social utility functions that balance gains from GHG emissions with damages due to global warming. Two state variables are involved, the concentration of anthropogenic GHG in the atmosphere, and the increase in global temperature, compared to preindustrial times, due to the anthropogenic GHG. Temperature increase adjusts gradually to the effect of increased GHG concentration, while the GHG concentration increases with GHG emissions from countries around the globe, and declines due to the absorptive capacity of the environment, a capacity that is negatively affected by the increased global temperature. A cooperative solution is defined, as is an open-loop equilibrium, and a tax policy is offered that induces an open-loop equilibrium which coincides with the cooperative solution. The tax policy offered serves to bring damages from global warming to all countries into the utility function of each individual country.
The Role of Health Locus of Control in Evaluating Depression and Other Comorbidities in Patients with Chronic Pain Conditions, A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective Chronic pain is significantly influenced by behavioral, cognitive, and emotional factors. Few studies have investigated the health locus of control (HLC)—one's belief regarding where control over one's health lies—as it relates to patients with chronic pain. The purpose of this prospective, cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between depression and health/pain locus of control (HLC) in adult patients with persistent pain. Material and Methods A series of questionnaires was administered to chronic pain patients, and these questionnaires were scored and analyzed. Patients were categorized into 3 groups based on health locus of control (internal, chance, powerful-others), which were examined with respect to their depression scores using analysis of variance. Results A total of 131 patients completed the study: 33% belonged to the internal group, 39% in the chance group, and 28% in the powerful-others group. The 3 groups had depression scores of 40 (SD = 8), 47 (SD = 10), and 42 (SD = 8), respectively. We found significant difference in depressions scores between the chance group and the internal group (P < 0.005) with the chance group having higher depression scores compared to the internal group. Conclusions The study shows that patients with an internal locus of control are less depressed compared to patients with fatalistic views on their health/pain in the chance group. The chance dimension of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale was found to be a potential predictor of psychiatric comorbidities such as depression in the chronic pain patient population.
Design and characterization of a dedicated cone-beam CT scanner for detection of acute intracranial hemorrhage

Purpose: Prompt and reliable detection of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) has substantial clinical impact in diagnosis and treatment of stroke and traumatic brain injury. This paper describes the design, development, and preliminary performance characterization of a dedicated cone-beam CT (CBCT) head scanner prototype for imaging of acute ICH. Methods: A task-based image quality model was used to analyze the detectability index as a function of system configuration, and hardware design was guided by the results of this model-based optimization. A robust artifact correction pipeline was developed using GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo (MC) scatter simulation, beam hardening corrections, detector veiling glare, and lag deconvolution. An iterative penalized weighted least-squares (PWLS) reconstruction framework with weights adjusted for artifact-corrected projections was developed. Various bowtie filters were investigated for potential dose and image quality benefits, with a MC-based tool providing estimates of spatial dose distribution. Results: The initial prototype will feature a source-detector distance of 1000 mm and source-axis distance of 550 mm, a 43x43 cm2 flat panel detector, and a 15° rotating anode x-ray source with 15 kW power and 0.6 focal spot size. Artifact correction reduced image nonuniformity by ~250 HU, and PWLS reconstruction with modified weights improved the contrast to noise ratio by 20%. Inclusion of a bowtie filter can potentially reduce dose by 50% and improve CNR by 25%. Conclusions: A dedicated CBCT system capable of imaging millimeter-scale acute ICH was designed. Preliminary findings support feasibility of point-of-care applications in TBI and stroke imaging, with clinical studies beginning on a prototype.
DISRUPTION OF VIRUS BIOSYNTHESIS IN VITRO WITH 6-MERCAPTOPURINE. I. EFFECT ON DNA- AND RNA- VIRUSES.

SummaryIn vitro experiments with 6-mercaptopurine have demonstrated that concentrations of the purine analog as low as 1 μAg/ml effectively disrupt the multiplication of both DNA-viruses (vaccinia, herpes simplex) and RNA-viruses (measles, polio) in established strain Lass cells.
Interrelation of Moisture Content, Storage Temperature, and Dosage on the Effectiveness of Diazinon as a Grain Protectant Against Sitophilus oryzae (L.)

Ramona wheat with a graded moisture range of 10, 13, and 16% was sprayed with acetone solutions containing the amount of diazinon necessary for deposits of 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 ppm when applied at the rate of 10 ml/kg of wheat. Treated samples were stored in airtight, doubled, polyethylene bags inside cabinets thermostatically controlled to maintain 4 conditions of storage temperature, 2 with constant temperatures of 60° and 90°F, 1 with temperatures progressively increasing from 60°F, and another with temperatures progressively decreasing from 90°F at increments of 10°F for each 3-month interval during the year. The 2 criteria used for assessment of the effectiveness of diazinon deposits on wheat were the mortality and reproduction of the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.), exposed to treated grain at various intervals after application of spray. The influence of moisture and temperature on the effectiveness of diazinon deposits was shown by reduced mortalities of the rice weevil, and increased number of progeny with increases in the moisture content or storage temperature of wheat. Dosages of 2.5 ppm and higher killed 100% of adult rice weevils in initial tests made 1 day after spraying, but effective dosage levels ranged from 5 ppm to 20 ppm for protection of test wheat over a long period of time. Less diazinon was required for protection of dry grain than grain stored at higher safe levels of moisture, and wheat stored at low temperatures required less diazinon for protection against the rice weevil than wheat stored at higher temperatures. These results indicate the desirability of adjusting dosages of diazinon to compensate for adverse effects of moisture and temperature that may be found in actual storage of grain.
Effects of water quality on the vector competence of Culex tarsalis (Diptera: Culicidae) for western equine encephalomyelitis (Togaviridae) and St. Louis encephalitis (Flaviviridae) viruses.

The effects of water quality during immature development on the vector competence of adult female Culex tarsalis Coquillett for western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) and St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) viruses was evaluated during 6 field and 4 laboratory experiments. Immatures of the Bakersfield Field Station laboratory strain and the F, progeny of field-collected females were reared in the field or laboratory and then infected by feeding on pledgets, after which remnants (head, thorax, abdomen), legs, and salivary secretions were tested for WEE or SLE virus to estimate infection, dissemination, and transmission rates, respectively. Although the salt content of the 6 larval habitats varied markedly (range, alkalinity 160–1,310 ppm CaCO3, conductivity 460–7,600 μmhos/cm, chlorides 22–1,560 ppm) and significantly altered immature survival, development time, and female body size (wing length), consistent changes in infection, dissemination, or transmission rates were not observed. Susceptibility (ID50) to WEE virus in field strains decreased as a linear function of developmental time, with populations from a dry alkali lake bed (Goose Lake) least susceptible. Three subsequent laboratory experiments that tested the effects of rearing immatures in dilution series of water from Goose Lake failed to produce consistent within or among experiment patterns in vector competence. A 4th laboratory experiment tested changes in NaCI concentration with negative results. Changes in female size was not related to vector competence. These and previous temperature studies indicated that temporal changes in vector competence observed within and among field populations probably were related to intrinsic genetic factors and were not related directly to extrinsic factors in the immature aquatic environment.
Unrecorded Form of Bacterium aurescens, Sole Colon-Group Representative in a Fecal Specimen

Chromogenic members of the colon-group are not unknown. MacConkey1 listed yellow colon-group liquefiers from horse feces, pond water, rain water, roof washings, oats, beans, malt and ears of corn, and he reported a yellow B. coli communis from rain water. Rogers, Clark, and Lubs2 reported that but few grain cultures are without pigment, many being decidedly chromogenic. They stated that this property is correlated with other characters and consequently is of value in classification. In a collection of colon-bacteria from human feces they found chromogenesis almost entirely absent. All their fecal cultures gave a faint yellow color but this was so slight and showed so little variation that it was of no value in differentiation. They did state, however, that there were a few exceptions to this rule. Wood3 reported that 7 of 20 colon-group strains isolated from grains, hay and dried eggs and milk produced yellow pigment. In his Pocomoke river series Perry4 encountered 5 cultures of aerobic, non-sporulating b...
Colonization of Leptoconops kerteszi Kieffer by anautogenous and autogenous reproduction (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

This study of Leptoconops kerteszi Kieffer was conducted in Utah from 1 March 1969 to 15 September 1970. The field studies were concentrated on the sandy shore of the Great Salt Lake and vicinity and the laboratory work at the University of Utah. A colony of L. kerteszi was established and as of 1 September 1970, five generations have been produced. The colony was stocked with larvae collected in the field to produce the parent generation. A medium of oolitic sand, alfalfa leaf meal and dog biscuits was satisfactory for oviposition and larval rearing. Swarming and mating were induced and occurred spontaneously in the colony cages. The life history in the cages was completed in 30 days and in the field may be extended to 250 days. There were several generations in a year. Eggs and larvae overwinter and eggs can survive extended periods of drought and high temperatures. Larvae are seldom found at depths greater than 15 cm and pupation takes place on the surface of the soil. The males swarm and the females mate by entering the swarm or may copulate without swarming. Females readily fed in the colony cages on rabbit, guinea pig and human blood. Autogeny occurs in some females. The females survive about 8 days and each produces from 50 to 95 eggs. About an equal number of eggs are produced by anautogenous and autogenous females.
Effect of Montmorillonite on the Characteristics of Acrylic Resin Complex Water-Absorbent

The complex water-absorbent resin was prepared by water solution co-polymerization under the condition of using acrylic acid as materials, and montmorillonite in different size as inorganic filler. Effect of montmorillonite on the resin's absorption power,water retentivity,toughness,salt resistancy,and temperature tolerance were discussed.The mechanism of the influence was also studied. The results show that the smaller MMT's size is, the lower absorption power is, but the better its water retentivity,toughness,salt resistancy,temperature tolerance are.Resin's characteristics can be improved by using montmorillonite of modest size.
Atmospheric refraction: Applied image analysis and experimental example for index profile with curvature

In this work we consider atmospheric refractive bending and its effects on long-range imaging along a horizontal path. Refraction can impact the ability of a remote sensing or image system to accurately locate objects and determine their apparent proportions. We use a low-cost commercial camera operating in a time-lapse mode for refraction studies and have been recording images of a building that is 15.3 km west of the camera. Based on the paraxial ray equation, a solution for ray height and angle is obtained for a refractive index profile with curvature. A curved index profile can produce the effects of towering (stretching) and stooping (compression). The curvature parameter for the average atmospheric index profile between the camera and target can be derived from an analysis of the images collected by the camera system. We show example images where the building (33 m height) appears to stretch by 5.1 m and calculate a refractive index curvature parameter of 6.0x10 -5 m -2 .
Access for all

In Holding Fast to Dreams, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, President Freeman Hrabowski III reflects on his life and career, from his childhood involvement in the civil rights movement to his growing legacy as an advocate for improving access to STEM higher education. Praising the book as "engaging and thought-provoking," reviewers Isiah M. Warner and Gloria Thomas recount some of the personal stories from this moving memoir.
Metaphor and Inference

I examine the logical relations that hold between metaphors and other statements. I pay special attention to what metaphors entail and what they explain. I show how metaphors work in deductive inference schemas like modus ponens and abductive inference schemas like inference to the best explanation. Following Black and Tourangeau, I argue that metaphor interpretation is abductive inference to the best target explanation for the abstract deductive source entailments of the metaphor. The Black-Tourangeau deductive-abductive method for interpreting metaphors resembles Hempel’s hypothetico-deductive method for interpreting theoretical terms. I round this out with insights from recent post-positivist accounts of confirmation and meaningfulness. I then propose a schema for extending natural inference systems to metaphor interpretations.
The Homophile Movement

Between the 1860s and the 1920s, a homosexual movement had crystallized and expanded in Germany. By the Weimar years, it had grown into a remarkably diverse movement. At the forefront was Magnus Hirschfeld’s Scientific-Humanitarian Committee, which committed itself to a strategy of pursuing research and spreading education in the hope of promoting tolerance. By the mid-1920s, this organization was being guided increasingly by the vision of Kurt Hiller, a young, multitalented lawyer who had already made a name for himself as a radical writer, a political activist, and even a significant figure within the German expressionist movement.1 Hiller hoped to increase the political effectiveness of the committee by bringing it into an alliance with other sex reform groups.
Fingerprinting of Peptides with a Large Channel of Bacteriophage Phi29 DNA Packaging Motor

Nanopore technology has become a highly sensitive and powerful tool for single molecule sensing of chemicals and biopolymers. Protein pores have the advantages of size amenability, channel homogeneity, and fabrication reproducibility. But most well-studied protein pores for sensing are too small for passage of peptide analytes that are typically a few nanometers in dimension. The funnel-shaped channel of bacteriophage phi29 DNA packaging motor has previously been inserted into a lipid membrane to serve as a larger pore with a narrowest N-terminal constriction of 3.6 nm and a wider C-terminal end of 6 nm. Here, the utility of phi29 motor channel for fingerprinting of various peptides using single molecule electrophysiological assays is reported. The translocation of peptides is proved unequivocally by single molecule fluorescence imaging. Current blockage percentage and distinctive current signatures are used to distinguish peptides with high confidence. Each peptide generated one or two distinct current blockage peaks, serving as typical fingerprint for each peptide. The oligomeric states of peptides can also be studied in real time at single molecule level. The results demonstrate the potential for further development of phi29 motor channel for detection of disease-associated peptide biomarkers.
Teen Texting While Driving Factors Influencing this Epidemic Behavior

This study was designed to identify key components that affect teenagers’ intent to text while driving by developing and administering a survey to identify psychological profiles of teenagers who a...
'Inside-out' p120 immunostaining pattern in invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the breast; additional unequivocal evidence of reversed polarity.

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) of the breast is a distinct histologic variant of ductal carcinoma in which tumor cells display reverse polarity. Tumor cells form morula-like clusters and tubular structures suspended in a clear space, with a characteristic “inside-out” pattern.1 Although IMPC can be readily identified by its typical histological features, immunohistochemistry (IHC) for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and sialyl Lewis X can be employed to confirm this “inside-out” pattern, especially where the IMPC component is focal.2 By IHC, EMA highlights the apical pole of the tumor cell membrane, which faces the empty space and the stroma, confirming the reverse polarization. Immunohistochemistry for E-cadherin, a component of adherens-type junction, also demonstrates “inside-out” pattern in IMPC: Positivity in lateral cell borders with sparing of the apical portion of the cell, also referred to as a “cup-shaped” staining pattern.3 Since p120 catenin is bound to the juxtamembrane intracytoplasmic domain of e-cadherin, we proposed that in IMPC, as with E-cadherin, p120 catenin expression should be limited to lateral cell borders with no apical positivity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Plant Development: Differential Growth Rates in Distinct Zones Shape an Ancient Plant Form

A long-standing question in biology is how a group of primordial cells can give rise to complex organs. A new study finds that, in an ancient land plant, growth rate variation patterned by meristematic cells primarily determines shape.
Conformational Rigidity and Protein Dynamics at Distinct Timescales Regulate PTP1B Activity and Allostery.

Protein function originates from a cooperation of structural rigidity, dynamics at different timescales, and allostery. However, how these three pillars of protein function are integrated is still only poorly understood. Here we show how these pillars are connected in Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a drug target for diabetes and cancer that catalyzes the dephosphorylation of numerous substrates in essential signaling pathways. By combining new experimental and computational data on WT-PTP1B and ≥10 PTP1B variants in multiple states, we discovered a fundamental and evolutionarily conserved CH/π switch that is critical for positioning the catalytically important WPD loop. Furthermore, our data show that PTP1B uses conformational and dynamic allostery to regulate its activity. This shows that both conformational rigidity and dynamics are essential for controlling protein activity. This connection between rigidity and dynamics at different timescales is likely a hallmark of all enzyme function.
Intensity-dependent modulation of optically active signals in a chiral metamaterial

Here Rodrigues et al. report an optical metamaterial with tailored chiroptical effects in the nonlinear regime, which exhibits a pronounced shift in its circular dichroism spectrum under a modest level of excitation power.
Parental Perspectives on Pharmacological Clinical Trials: a Qualitative Study in Down Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome

Research studies focusing on parents’ perspectives of pharmacological clinical trials have not kept pace with the number of emerging pharmacologic clinical trials in Down syndrome (DS) and Fragile X syndrome (FXS). Since individuals with DS or FXS have limited cognitive ability to make decisions about their participation in clinical trials, it is important to consider the parents’ perspectives and explore the ways in which decisions are made for their children. Using a semi-structured interview, we enrolled 9 parents of a child(ren) with FXS and 15 with a child with DS to analyze their views, experiences, and knowledge of pharmacological clinical trials. Although our study is preliminary in nature, it revealed that parents are generally supportive of pharmacological clinical trials, yet there may be concerns about safety and long-term implications and consideration for their child in the decision process. There is also parental misunderstanding of the objectives of pharmacological clinical trials; thus, it is important for pharmaceutical companies, study investigators, clinicians/medical professionals, and parent advocacy groups to collaborate to provide appropriate and up-to-date educational resources that fully explain the risks and benefits of clinical trials.
Towards optical brain imaging: getting light through a bone

AbstractOptical imaging and detection in biological samples is severely limited by scattering effects. In particular, optical techniques for measuring conditions beneath the skull and within the bone marrow hold significant promise when it comes to speed, sensitivity and specificity. However, the strong optical scattering due to bone hinders the realization of these methods. In this article, we propose a technique to enhance the transmittance of light through bone. This is achieved by injecting light below the top surface of the bone and utilizing multiple scattering to increase transmittance. This technique suggests that enhancements of 2–6 times may be realized by injection of light 1 mm below the surface of the bone. By enhancing the transmittance of light through bone, we will greatly improve our ability to utilize optical methods to better understand and diagnose conditions within biological media.
Angiostrongyliasis (Rat Lungworm Disease): Viewpoints from Hawai‘i Island

Hawai‘i, particularly east Hawai‘i Island, is the epicenter for angiostrongyliasis in the United States. Case numbers have been increasing and appear to parallel the introduction and spread of the semislug (Parmarion martensi) to east Hawai‘i. The infective larvae in rainwater catchment as a source for household and agricultural water may also play a role. The spread of Angiostrongylus cantonensis as well as the potential introduction of the semislug P. martensi should be a concern to the mainland United States. The State of Hawai‘i should recognize the seriousness of this growing problem and thus collaborate to fund studies to address the growing challenges surrounding angiostrongyliasis.
Flexibilisierung der Planung durch Dezentralisierung und Selbstorganisation

Der Burokratieansatz von Weber und das Scientific Management von Taylor haben die Arbeitsorganisation bis weit in die 80er Jahre hinein gepragt. Die Einfuhrung burokratisch-tayloristischer Arbeitsorganisationsstrukturen ist auf das Anwachsen des staatlichen Verwaltungsapparates und die zunehmende Komplexitat privatwirtschaftlicher Betriebe zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts zuruckzufuhren. Mit der Durchsetzung der industriellen Arbeitsorganisation und dem Trend zur Massenfertigung ergeben sich aus einer zunehmenden Mechanisierung und aus der Erhohung der Betriebsgrosen insbesondere „Verwaltungs- und Fuhrungsprobleme“.
Growth and Properties of Self Assembling Quantum Dots in III–V Compound Semiconductors

In this paper we review the growth mechanisms for self assembling quantum dot structures. In particular we examine issues that are relevant to size uniformity, density and self ordering of the quantum dots. Finally, some of the optical and transport properties of these quantum dots are briefly discussed.
A novel charge sensitive pre-amplifier structure for biological temperature readout applications

Charge sensitive pre-amplifier architectures have been studied for decades for various applications, most of which adopt a gain stage with capacitor feedback to integrate the signal and a reset path to provide DC bias. For the biological temperature readout front-end, we propose a novel structure without the gain stage, which implies a strong potential for fully integrated high frequency applications. The proposed design provides 0.94 mV/pC gain with high conversion linearity while consuming only 1.4 micro watts of power with buffer under a 1.2-V supply rail. The prototype occupying a chip area of 0.038 square millimeter is fabricated in 130 nm standard CMOS process.
Modeling a space-based quantum link that includes an adaptive optics system

Quantum Key Distribution uses optical pulses to generate shared random bit strings between two locations. If a high percentage of the optical pulses are comprised of single photons, then the statistical nature of light and information theory can be used to generate secure shared random bit strings which can then be converted to keys for encryption systems. When these keys are incorporated along with symmetric encryption techniques such as a one-time pad, then this method of key generation and encryption is resistant to future advances in quantum computing which will significantly degrade the effectiveness of current asymmetric key sharing techniques. This research first reviews the transition of Quantum Key Distribution free-space experiments from the laboratory environment to field experiments, and finally, ongoing space experiments. Next, a propagation model for an optical pulse from low-earth orbit to ground and the effects of turbulence on the transmitted optical pulse is described. An Adaptive Optics system is modeled to correct for the aberrations caused by the atmosphere. The long-term point spread function of the completed low-earth orbit to ground optical system is explored in the results section. Finally, the impact of this optical system and its point spread function on an overall quantum key distribution system as well as the future work necessary to show this impact is described.
Correlates of Neuroendocrinology to Depressive Phenomena

The study of depression and depressive manifestations has been facilitated by isolating the specific behavioral continuities and discontinuities that correlate with these aberrant phenomena. Yet another paradigm for approaching the study of depression involves the isolation of specific neuroendocrine correlates that may be associated with these behavioral continuities and discontinuities. By identifying such neuroendocrinological correlates and following them within a developmental framework, a previously unexplored method of diagnosing pathogenesis and categorizing depressive disorders in infants and children may be created. Furthermore, the importance of using dysfunctional brain conditions (primarily biochemical in nature) as a means for deriving etiologies of psychiatric disorders is especially appropriate in the area of depression, where chemical treatment with pharmacological agents has achieved noteworthy success (Biederman & Jellinek, 1984; Brown & Mueller, 1979; Bunney & Davis, 1965).
Effect of Obesity on Total Knee Arthroplasty Costs and Revision Rate.

An increasing number of total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) are performed on obese patients. It is imperative to remain up to date on the effect of obesity on surgical outcomes and reimbursement trends. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact different severities of obesity have on primary and revision TKA, specifically: (1) incidence and trends over time; (2) annual growth rate; and (3) admission costs from 2010 to 2014. A retrospective review of a large commercial private payer database within the PearlDiver Supercomputer application (Warsaw, IN) of TKA procedures was conducted. Patients who underwent TKA and subsequent revision were identified by Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and ninth revision International Classification of Disease (ICD-9) codes. The index procedure was linked with ICD-9 codes for body mass indexes (BMIs) from 70. Statistical analysis was primarily descriptive to demonstrate the revision incidence and reimbursement deviations due to BMI. Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was also calculated. Our query returned a total of 87,607 TKA patients within the study BMI ranges. The majority of patients had a BMI of 40 to 44.9 (12.2%) and least in the BMI >70 (0.2%) range. BMI of 40 to 44.9 had the highest overall 5-year mean reimbursement of $11,521 and the highest overall mean 5-year deviation from normal BMI (19–24) patients of $3,300. The incidence and burden of TKA revision was highest in patients with a BMI of 60 to 69.9 (21 and 17.3%, respectively). Average 5-year revision reimbursement and deviation from normal BMI (19–24) was highest in patients with a BMI of 40 to 44.9 ($13,883 and $4,030, respectively). The number of obese patients receiving TKA is steadily rising. The cost of treating obese patients rises as BMI deviates from normal, as does the incidence of revision surgery. Therefore, surgeons must be active in counseling patients on weight optimization as part of preoperative standard of care.
Understanding the Increased Aggregation Propensity of a Light-Exposed IgG1 Monoclonal Antibody Using Hydrogen Exchange Mass Spectrometry, Biophysical Characterization, and Structural Analysis

Abstract This work compares the conformational stability, backbone flexibility, and aggregation propensity of monomer and dimer fractions of an IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) generated on UVA light exposure for up to 72 h collected by preparative size-exclusion chromatography, compared with unstressed control. UVA light exposure induced covalent aggregation, and fragmentation as measured by size-exclusion chromatography, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and extensive oxidation of specific methionine residues (Met 257, Met 433, and Met 109) in both size fractions identified by reverse phase chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Compared with unstressed mAb, both the monomer and dimer fractionated from 72 h UVA light–exposed mAb had decreased thermal melting temperatures (T m1 ) by 1.4°C as measured by differential scanning calorimetry, minor changes in tertiary structure as measured by near-UV CD, increased monomer loss, and aggregation on accelerated storage at 35°C. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry identified local segments with increased flexibility in C H 2 and C H 3 domains of both size fractions, and decreased flexibility in few segments of F ab and C H 1 domains in the dimer fraction. Segment 247-256 in heavy chain, an established aggregation hotspot in IgG1 mAbs had large increase in flexibility in both size fractions compared with unstressed mAb.
PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS FOR COW SIZE AND SHAPE

SUMMARY Thirty-eight Hereford and 23 Charolais cows, 5 years or older, were maintained in drylot during the lactation (7 months) and postlactation (5 months) phases of a production cycle. Daily feed consumption was regulated to maintain all cows in similar fleshing conditions throughout the production cycle. Cows were weighed biweekly; average weights over the production cycle (12 months) were computed. Chest depth, hook width and body length were measured on each cow when the calves were weaned. Principal components of the matrix of correlations among the three linear measurements and average weight were computed. The first component, interpreted as an indicator of body size, accounted for approximately 75% of the generalized variance. The second component accounted for an additional 12 to 15% of the generalized variance and was interpreted as an indicator of body shape (e.g., endomorphic vs ectomorphic). The correlation between average cow weight and the first principal component was .93, supporting the common use of weight as a measure of cow size.
Does Milk Portion Size or Energy Density Affect Preschool Children’s Lunch Intake?

Government-sponsored programs, such as the Child and Adult Care Food Program, recommend serving age-appropriate portions of lower-energy-dense milk in order to moderate energy intake while promoting a nutrient-dense diet. It is unclear, however, to what extent changes in milk portion size and energy density (ED) affect children’s intake of both milk and the accompanying foods. To evaluate these recommendations, controlled studies are needed to determine if these factors influence children’s intake of a meal served in their usual eating environment. Using a 2-by-2 crossover design, we investigated the influence of typical variations in milk portion size and ED on intake when milk was served with a standard lunch. Experimental meals were served once a week for 4 weeks in childcare classrooms and was consumed ad libitum by 125 children aged 3–5 y (67 boys and 58 girls). Across the 4 meals, unflavored milk was varied in portion size (9 fl. oz. or 6 fl.oz. [recommended]) and ED (3.25% full-fat [0.61 kcal/g] or...
Using Machine Learning to Predict National Hockey League Average Home Game Attendance

Research predicting National Hockey League average attendance is presented. The seasons examined are the 2013 hockey season through the beginning of the 2017 hockey season. Multiple linear regression and three machine learning algorithms – random forest, M5 prime, and extreme gradient boosting – are employed to predict out-of-sample average home game attendance. Extreme gradient boosting generated the lowest out-of-sample root mean square error. The team identifier (team name), the number of Twitter followers (a surrogate for team popularity), median ticket price, and arena capacity have appeared as the top four predictor variables.
An Efficient Method for the Design and Fabrication of 2D Laminate Robotic Structures

Microrobots are constructed based on processes involving lamination of 2D materials and laser ablation. To satisfy the size constraint of the laser cutting field, different microrobotic components are tiled within a square template during the design process. Here we develop a number of automated 2D tiling algorithms that aim to improve microrobot fabrication efficiency. We quantify and compare the performance of a deterministic method, a method based on simulated annealing and expectation maximization, and a method based on potential functions and stochastic gradient descent. These methods automatically tile irregular 2D shapes within a template, and they can be applied to improve the fabrication efficiency of microrobotic components. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this method, we design and fabricate 102 different robot wings in the same setting, which represents over five times improvement compared to previous methods. Flapping experiments with these wings are further conducted to identify the corresponding operating conditions.
nanoHUB.org – always “ON” New Paradigms in Global Scientific Knowledge Transfer, Publishing, and Assessment

Research communities face significant challenges in translating published results to other communities who may utilize the new knowledge in their working environments. nanoHUB has been on the forefront of developing solutions for this problem since 2002. By serving annually over 1.4 million users with an ever-growing collection of 6,250+ resources, including 530+ simulation tools, nanoHUB.org has become “the world's largest nanotechnology user facility” [1]. nanoHUB has become a publisher of a new type of publications: All nanoHUB tools and compact models are now listed in the Web of Science and Google Scholar as proper publications. nanoHUB.org is driving knowledge transfer measured with usage statistics, usage patterns, collaboration patterns, and citation data. Over 35,000 students used nanoHUB simulations in 1,800+ classes at 185 institution. Newly published research tools are typically adopted into classrooms in less than 6 months [2]. 2,200+ literature citations with over 30,000 secondary citations (h-index 82) prove that high quality research can be enabled. The open-source HUBzero platform is now powering many other hubs. The Klimeck research group utilizes nanoHUB to disseminate its Nanoelectronic Modeling tool (NEMO) [3], [4] through 9 easy-to-use apps to model nanowires, quantum dots, 2-D materials, and optical devices [5].
Analysis of the Susceptibility of Smart Home Programming Interfaces to End User Error

Trigger-action platforms enable end-users to program their smart homes using simple conditional rules of the form: if "condition" then "action". Although these rules are easy to program, subtleties in their interpretation can cause users to make errors that have consequences ranging from incorrect and undesired functionality to security and privacy violations. Based on prior work, we enumerate a set of nine classes of errors that users can make, and we empirically study the relationship between these classes and the interface design of eight commercially available trigger-action platforms. Particularly, we examine whether each interface prevents (e.g., via good design) or allows each class of error. Based on this analysis, we develop a framework to classify errors and extract insights that lay a foundation for the design of future trigger-action programming interfaces where certain classes of errors can be mitigated by technical means or by alerting the user of the possibility of an error. For instance, we identify that an analysis of a dataset of functionally-similar trigger-action rules could be used to predict whether certain types of error patterns are about to occur.
Twelve-Month-Old Infants Respond to Speech About Absent Inaccessible Objects.

This article investigated the interplay of 12-month-old infants? perception of affordances for locomotion and their ability to respond to the mention of hidden objects. In Experiment I, a toy was hidden in an ottoman that was placed on a cabinet out of infants? reach. Infants were more likely to look at, point to or approach the ottoman when there were stairs leading to it than when there were none. The stairs did not help infants respond by highlighting the target corner of the room (Experiment II) or by boosting their engagement with the study events (Experiment III). This suggests that infants? perception of the accessibility of the hiding location influences their ability to respond to speech about absent things.
Insights on the Effects of Resveratrol and Some of Its Derivatives in Cancer and Autoimmunity: A Molecule with a Dual Activity

In recent years, the interest in natural compounds exerting immunoregulatory effects has enormously increased. Among these, the polyphenol resveratrol, found in a variety of foods and beverages, including red grapes and red wine, has been demonstrated to exert both in vitro and in vivo biological activities. More specifically, it has antiaging, cardioprotective, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive activities. Due to its anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic and immunoregulatory effects, resveratrol has gained substantial attention for the treatment of cancer or autoimmunity, which represent frequently diagnosed diseases with important consequences for the health of the patients affected. The aim of the present review is to focus on the role of resveratrol in the modulation of cancer as well as of several organ-specific or systemic autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune hepatitis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis.