cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Structure of Interphases Formed by Plasma Polymerized Acetylene Films and Steel Substrates

The goal of this research was to determine the molecular structure of interfaces between plasma polymerized acetylene films and steel substrates and to elucidate the mechanisms by which the films adhere to the substrates. Inductively-coupled, RF-powered plasma reactors interfaced to an FTIR spectrometer and to an XPS spectrometer were used to deposit films ranging in thickness from a few tens of nanometers to approximately one nanometer onto polished steel substrates. As the thickness of the films was decreased, features in the XPS and FTIR spectra that were characteristic of the bulk of the films decreased in intensity and features characteristic of the interface increased in intensity. A band was observed near 1706 cm−1 in FTIR spectra of the thickest films and attributed to carbonyl groups. Bands were observed near 1600 and 1045 cm−1 in spectra of the thinnest films and attributed to iron carboxylate and iron alkoxide groups that were responsible for adhesion of the films to the substrates. Oxygen required to form these groups was available from water or oxygen molecules adsorbed onto the walls of the reactor.
An optimal policy for nonstationary inventory problems with service level constraint

This paper considers a general inventory control problem with nonstationary stochastic demand and service level constraint. By analyze the inventory relationship between the decision making periods, a new inventory model is established, which regressively estimate the inventory cost from the last replenishment period to the first. Then a solution algorithm is provided, and the optimal solution has the nonstationary (s, S) form. Comparison with existing method illustrates the optimality of the proposed method.
Immunogenetic studies of rhesus monkeys

To assay for transplacental immunization in rhesus monkeys, sera from 253 postpartum females, 31 virgin females, and 40 males were tested for erythrocyte agglutinins. Nineteen percent of the mothers exhibited antibodies, but less than three percent of the virgin females or males did so. Antibodies were detected in 26 percent of the mothers who bore blood group-incompatible infants, in contrast to only eight percent of the mothers with compatible offspring. Thus, blood group incompatibility may lead to transplacental alloimmunization of the rhesus female. Unlike the situation in humans, hemolytic disease was not observed, even when the erythrocytes of the newborn rhesus were coated with maternal antibodies.
Narratives at work: story telling as cooperative diagnostic activity

The diagnostic process for copiers involves narration of the process, including a description of the state of the machine. This follows from the fact that copiers are elaborate assemblages of relatively simple mechanisms, and the problem in diagnosis is not so much the testing of components as keeping track of the tests and making sense of their results. The anecdotal re-telling of this narrative to one's associates constitutes the mechanism for incorporating the diagnostic experience into the community expertise. These anecdotes are remembered and used or referred to during the diagnosis of other difficult problems or when seeking help. Individual expertise is in part the ability to interpret the anecdotes, to abstract the information about the machine from the context of the story. The participation of the community in remembering and using these anecdotes gives the community the flexibility to adapt to the unforeseen problems which are necessarily part of the service function.
Aerosol indirect effects in a multi-scale aerosol-climate model PNNL-MMF

Abstract. Much of the large uncertainty in estimates of anthropogenic aerosol effects on climate arises from the multi-scale nature of the interactions between aerosols, clouds and dynamics, which are difficult to represent in conventional general circulation models (GCMs). In this study, we use a multi-scale aerosol-climate model that treats aerosols and clouds across multiple scales to study aerosol indirect effects. This multi-scale aerosol-climate model is an extension of a multi-scale modeling framework (MMF) model that embeds a cloud-resolving model (CRM) within each vertical column of a GCM grid. The extension allows a more physically-based treatment of aerosol-cloud interactions in both stratiform and convective clouds on the global scale in a computationally feasible way. Simulated model fields, including liquid water path (LWP), ice water path, cloud fraction, shortwave and longwave cloud forcing, precipitation, water vapor, and cloud droplet number concentration are in reasonable agreement with observations. The new model performs quantitatively similar to the previous version of the MMF model in terms of simulated cloud fraction and precipitation. The simulated change in shortwave cloud forcing from anthropogenic aerosols is −0.77 W m−2, which is less than half of that (−1.79 W m−2) calculated by the host GCM (NCAR CAM5) with traditional cloud parameterizations and is also at the low end of the estimates of other conventional global aerosol-climate models. The smaller forcing in the MMF model is attributed to a smaller (3.9 %) increase in LWP from preindustrial conditions (PI) to present day (PD) compared with 15.6 % increase in LWP in stratiform clouds in CAM5. The difference is caused by a much smaller response in LWP to a given perturbation in cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations from PI to PD in the MMF (about one-third of that in CAM5), and, to a lesser extent, by a smaller relative increase in CCN concentrations from PI to PD in the MMF (about 26 % smaller than that in CAM5). The smaller relative increase in CCN concentrations in the MMF is caused in part by a smaller increase in aerosol lifetime from PI to PD in the MMF, a positive feedback in aerosol indirect effects induced by cloud lifetime effects from aerosols. The smaller response in LWP to anthropogenic aerosols in the MMF model is consistent with observations and with high resolution model studies, which may indicate that aerosol indirect effects simulated in conventional global climate models are overestimated and point to the need to use global high resolution models, such as MMF models or global CRMs, to study aerosol indirect effects. The simulated total anthropogenic aerosol effect in the MMF is −1.05 W m−2, which is close to the Murphy et al. (2009) inverse estimate of −1.1±0.4 W m−2 (1σ) based on the examination of the Earth's energy balance. Further improvements in the representation of ice nucleation and low clouds in MMF are needed to refine the aerosol indirect effect estimate.
Thin Film Cadmium Zinc Telluride Solar Cells

A process for fabricating thin film heterojunction solar cells with cadmium zinc telluride (Cd1-xZnxTe) absorbers is described. Cd1-xZnxTe films with composition from 0lesxles0.6 were deposited by a simple vapor transport (VT) process at 550degC onto moving CdS-coated substrates. Post-deposition thermal treatment in halide vapor ambient yielded high photocurrent, limited primarily by window layer optics. Similar cell performance is demonstrated for ZnCl2 and CdCl2 vapors using treatment protocols which retain film composition. Solar cell efficiency >12% has been achieved for cells with 0 8.5% has been achieved for cells with 0.1 < x < 0.3 (1.58 < Eg < 1.60eV). No enhancement of Voc with increasing band gap has been found and may be related to window-absorber interfacial reactivity and resulting junction non-uniformity
From mass production to mass customization: Postponement of inventory differentiation

Customers are demanding. They want customized products and services, and they want their orders filled more quickly than before. To cope, companies often struggle to predict customer demand while remaining both efficient and flexible. As this article explains, one strategy for addressing a demanding marketplace is postponement, which refers to organizing operations so that, at the point of differentiation, work-in-process can be made into multiple versions of the product as close as possible to the point when demand is known. Postponement involves delaying the movement or assembly of mass-produced product until after a customer order is received. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The role of models, software tools, and applications in high performance computing

In this paper we identify and discuss technical issues we consider crucial to the HPCC program. The focus is on the usefulness of scalable parallel computers for National Challenge problems. We identify three interrelated aspects of usefulness: performance, programmability, and the role of an application-driven design philosophy. We discuss the importance of algorithm design and computational model development and advocate the design of libraries and software environments to bridge the gap between algorithm designer and application programmer. Finally, we consider the role of applications for solving National Challenge problems. "This work was supported by the Advanced Research Projects Agency under contract DABT63-92-C-0022. The conlenl of the information does nol necessarily re:!lect the position or policy or the Uuited States Government and no official endorsement should be inferred.
The art of ecosystem-based fishery management

The perception that ecosystem-based fishery management is too complex and poorly defined remains a primary impediment to its broadscale adoption and implementation. Here, I attempt to offer potenti...
Data Replication and Power Consumption in Data Grids

While data grids can provide the ability to solve large-scale applications which require the processing of large amounts of data, they have been recognized as extremely energy inefficient. Computing elements can be located far away from the data storage elements. A common solution to improve availability and file access time in such environments is to replicate the data, resulting in the creation of copies of data files at many different sites. The energy efficiency of the data centers storing this data is one of the biggest issues in data intensive computing. Since power is needed to transmit, store and cool the data, we propose to minimize the amount of data transmitted and stored by utilizing smart replication strategies that are data aware. In this paper we present a new data replication approach, called the sliding window replica strategy (SWIN), that is not only data aware, but is also energy efficient. We measure the performance of SWIN and existing replica strategies on our Sage green cluster to study the power consumption of the strategies. Results from this study have implications beyond our cluster to the management of data in clouds.
An Environmentally Friendly Decontamination Protocol for Ground Water Sampling Devices

Several detergent-washing/air-drying decontamination protocols were tested to determine their ability to remove residual contamination from two types of ground water sampling devices. We tested a relatively simply constructed device, a bailer, and a much more complex, and theoretically more difficult to decontaminate, bladder pump. The devices were decontaminated after sampling ground water that was contaminated with organics that varied in their hydrophobic nature and propensity to be sorbed by the materials in the devices. These studies showed that a hot-detergent wash, hot-water rinse, and hot-air drying protocol was effective.
THERMAL AND INFRARED SPECTRUM ANALYSES OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC ANDERSONITES

The thermal decompositions of natural and synthetic andersonites were studied. Two partly overlapping dehydration steps and three partly overlapping decarbonation steps were observed. The second dehydration and the first decarbonation steps also partly overlap. During decarbonation, the gradual formation of sodium diuranate and monoclinic and hexagonal phases in the Na2U2O7-CaUO4−x system was proved. The results were correlated with measured infrared spectra using site and factor group analysis and X-ray structure analysis. The chemical formula inferred for natural andersonite, Na2Ca[UO2(CO3)3] ≃ 5.6H2O, agrees with that proposed for its synthetic analogue.
Moving Forward with Common Core State Standards Implementation: Possibilities and Potential Problems

The standards-based education reform has reshaped curriculum in the United States. This reform came about in large part as a result of the 1983 report A Nation at Risk (U.S. Department of Education, 1983), which urgently warned that something needed to be done to fix failing schools across the nation. This report undoubtedly transformed teaching and learning in schools, despite the fact that almost three decades later our nation still faces the problem of poor student achievement (Dee & Jacob, 2010; Toch, 2012). The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 was an attempt to use recommendations from the earlier report to reform education practices, but it had questionable success. The current attempt to address student achievement concerns written by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA) is the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) initiative (NGA & CCSSO, 2010). Although not fully implemented yet, there are already foreseeable advantages and disadvantages to the new standards. This perspective piece examines the possibilities and potential problems of this newest reform effort as it relates to social justice and the skills required for current and future educators to implement it.
Geometry, basis set, and correlation energy dependence of computed protonation energies of imino bases

Etude de ces influences sur l'energie de protonation a l'azote de HN=CHR avec R=H, CH 3 , NH 2 , OK ou F
Structural basis for cooperative interactions of substituted 2-aminopyrimidines with the acetylcholine binding protein

Heretofore, ligand recognition at each subunit interface of the acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP) has been found to be independent of the other interfaces, representing a disconnection between the properties of the AChBP and the full receptor that it is intended to model. These results comprise the first examples of cooperative binding with the extracellular domain, providing insights into the structural basis for interactions between subunits. Within a single series of congeneric molecules, both positively and negatively cooperative behaviors toward AChBP are manifest. Hence, a distinct mode of binding to the agonist-competitive antagonist site is established in the AChBP protein.
Computational and biochemical identification of a nuclear pore complex binding site on the nuclear transport carrier NTF2.

Nuclear transport carriers interact with proteins of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) to transport their cargo across the nuclear envelope. One such carrier is nuclear transport factor 2 (NTF2), whose import cargo is the small GTPase Ran. A domain highly homologous to the small NTF2 protein (14 kDa) is also found in a number of additional proteins, which together make up the NTF2 domain containing superfamily of proteins. Using structural, computational and biochemical analysis we have identified a functional site that is present throughout this superfamily, and our results indicate that this site functions as an NPC binding site in NTF2. Previously we showed that a D23A mutant of NTF2 exhibits increased affinity for the NPC. The mechanism of this mutation, however, was unknown as this region of NTF2 had not been implicated in binding to NPC proteins. Here we show that the D23A mutation in NTF2 does not result in gross structural changes affecting other known NPC binding sites. Instead, the D23 residue is located in an evolutionarily important region in the NTF2 domain containing superfamily, that in NTF2, is involved in binding to the NPC.
Integrated Circuit Applications

The worldwide sales of integrated circuits (ICs) exceeded sales of discrete semiconductor devices in 1977 by a considerable margin (the figures being $3.5 billion and $3 billion, respectively). About $1.8 billion was spent for MOS ICs and the balance for bipolar circuits. About $750 million of the total was for circuits classified as linear rather than digital. This chapter begins with a discussion of linear circuit applications.
Genetic Engineering of Plum (Prunus domestica L.) for Plant Improvement and Genomics Research in Rosaceae

Fruit trees are among the most recalcitrant of plants to regenerate adventitious shoots. In most woody fruit species, transformation and regeneration are difficult and often limited to a few genotypes or to seedlings (Petri and Burgos, 2005). This feature is the major limiting factor preventing the development of gene transfer technologies for fruit trees (Petri and Scorza, 2008). Such barriers slow the ability to relate the wealth of Prunus structural data, namely from peach, directly to testable questions of agricultural relevance. However, plum has been one of the more successful rosaceaous fruits to regenerate and transform, especially among Prunus species. A number of regeneration protocols have been reported from different tissues of European plum (Prunus domestica L.), such as leaf explants (Bassi and Cossio, 1991; Csanyi et al., 1999; Escalettes and Dosba, 1993; Mikhailov and Dolgov, 2007; Nowak et al., 2004), or seed-derived tissues (Mante et al., 1989, 1991) (Table 1). Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation has been the principal technique applied to plum. One publication reported the use of Agrobacterium rhizogenes, but no transgenic shoots were recovered (Escalettes et al., 1994). There are few reports of regeneration of transformed plum shoots from clonal explants in European plum (Table 2). In these reports, transformation efficiencies are low and the varieties used as explant sources are generally of limited or local importance. Furthermore, in most cases, only marker genes were introduced into the plant genome, with few reports of modification of agronomically important traits (Escalettes et al., 1994; Mikhailov and Dolgov, 2007; Mikhailov et al., 2007; Yancheva et al., 2002). The most successful transformation/regeneration protocol reported in plum has been developed in the authors’ laboratory (USDA, Kearneysville), using embryonic
Who is the Customer and What are We Selling? Employer-Based Objectives for the Ethical Competence of Law School Graduates

In this article, the authors argue that law schools can substantially improve ethics instruction by defining clear objectives based on the needs of law firms, corporate-counsel offices, government agencies, and other employers of lawyers, for basic ethical competencies.
Spatial variation in osteon population density at the human femoral midshaft: histomorphometric adaptations to habitual load environment.

Intracortical remodeling, and the osteons it produces, is one aspect of the bone microstructure that is influenced by and, in turn, can influence its mechanical properties. Previous research examining the spatial distribution of intracortical remodeling density across the femoral midshaft has been limited to either considering only small regions of the cortex or, when looking at the entirety of the cortex, considering only a single individual. This study examined the spatial distribution of all remodeling events (intact osteons, fragmentary osteons, and resorptive bays) across the entirety of the femoral midshaft in a sample of 30 modern cadaveric donors. The sample consisted of 15 males and 15 females, aged 21-97 years at time of death. Using geographic information systems software, the femoral cortex was subdivided radially into thirds and circumferentially into octants, and the spatial location of all remodeling events was marked. Density maps and calculation of osteon population density in cortical regions of interest revealed that remodeling density is typically highest in the periosteal third of the bone, particularly in the lateral and anterolateral regions of the cortex. Due to modeling drift, this area of the midshaft femur has some of the youngest primary tissue, which consequently reveals that the lateral and anterolateral regions of the femoral midshaft have higher remodeling rates than elsewhere in the cortex. This is likely the result of tension/shear forces and/or greater strain magnitudes acting upon the anterolateral femur, which results in a greater amount of microdamage in need of repair than is seen in the medial and posterior regions of the femoral midshaft, which are more subject to compressive forces and/or lesser strain magnitudes.
Infectious Diseases Fellowship Training: Another Viewpoint

According to some observers, an oversupply of physicians in general, and of infectious disease (ID) specialists in particular, already exists; if not, oversupply may be imminent. More stringent licensing requirements, mandatory accreditation for specialty programs, and legislation restricting Medicare expenditure on direct education may help to keep the numbers of specialists down. However, once saturation is reached, it will persist longer in ID than in other, older subspecialties. In the future, many ID specialists may spend much of their time evaluating conditions that have no obvious relation to an infectious disease. Rather than an unfortunate waste, however, ID training will be advantageous in these circumstances because of the excellent background acquired in evaluating histories and performing thorough physical examinations and the emphasis placed on cost-effective use of antimicrobial agents. Physicians well trained in ID are likely to be cost conscious in the use of the laboratory as well as parsimonious in the use of drugs. A further lowering of costs probably results from contributions of these physicians to hospital formulary committees and infection control programs. Thus, residents in internal medicine who wish ID training should be given the opportunity; they will be better internists for the experience.
3D obstacle detection using a single camera

This paper aims at detecting obstacles using a single camera in an unknown three dimensional world, for 3D motion of an unmanned air vehicle. Obstacle detection is a pre-requisite for collision-free motion of a UAV through 3D space. Most research towards vision based obstacle detection and avoidance has been done for 2D planar motion of ground robots and using active sensors like laser range finders, sonar, radar etc. Passive camera based research has mostly been done, either using stereo vision (multiple cameras) or, by developing a prior expectation map of the world and its comparison with the new image data. In this paper, an attempt has been made to find a 3D solution of the obstacle detection problem using a single camera in an unknown world. The equations developed and the simulations results presented here, show that a 3D model of the scene can be generated from 2D image information from a single camera flying through a very small arc of lateral flight around the object, without the need of capturing images from all sides as in a typical ‘structures from motion’ problem. The forward flight simulation results show that the depth extracted from forward motion is in fact usable for large part of the image, which is a significant contribution of this work.
Basal Cells of Prostate in Fine-Needle Aspiration

Fine-needle aspiration in conjunction with a transrectal core biopsy was performed on a 58-year-old man who presented with a prostate nodule. The aspirate contained many cell clusters that were negative for prostatic acid phosphatase and cytologically appeared to be basal cells. The entity of basal cell hyperplasia of the prostate is discussed with reference to its appearance in aspiration cytologic examination. Emphasis is placed upon the possibility that these cells may be mistaken for cancer cells.
A Method for Analyzing New Formulation Decisions

Because of inflation and supply shortages, managements increasingly have had to consider product reformulation as a means of keeping production costs down and retail prices competitive. An analytic...
Investigation on Emergency Rescue Planning of Enterprises against Chemical Hazards in Changsha Area

Objective To know the actual situation that the enterprises with hazardous chemicals prepare for the emergency rescue planning against chemical hazards.Methods 261 enterprises,which produce or store the hazardous chemicals,were reviewed with special questionnaire.Results 210 enterprises(80.5%)have prepared for the emergency rescue planning.However,the simulating training and inadequate budget were very urgent problems for most enterprises. The cooperation mechanism with other partners needs to be perfected.Conclusion The written planning is a eyewash and the running of this planning is very important.The enterprises should pay more attention to simulating training and keep it active.
The role of robotics in selective thoracic surgical problems: Technical considerations

While robotics and automation have been used in science and industry for over three decades, there have been few applications of this technology within the medical field. Two major forces have resulted in the application of robotics in medicine: (1) The quest of the military to provide remote expert surgery by means of robots in the field, and (2) the shortcomings of video-endoscopic techniques of the 1980s and 1990s when applied to more complex surgical procedures. Both instances have required better binocular visualization coupled with enhanced dexterity, and remote instrument manipulation. While a number of surgical robotic systems have been proposed, the first practical surgical robot was the Green Telepresence Surgery System. This system was designed to restore to the surgeon the native and intuitive abilities which were lost with laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery: 3D visualization, dexterous precise surgical instrument manipulation, and sense of touch from input of force feedback sensory manipulation. Furthermore this system was designed to provide the expertise of a surgeon anywhere worldwide through telesurgery. In this chapter we review almost entire pathology of the thorax that can be approached using robotics. The enhanced dexterity of the daVinci Robot has enabled the application of video-assisted thoracic surgery to a number of complex procedures, but in particular to (1) totally endoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer, (2) endoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, (3) endoscopic resection of mediastinal masses, (4) endoscopic thymectomy for myasthenia gravis, and (5) endoscopic transthoracic esophageal myotomy for achalasia.
Ritual Reluctance: The Poetics of Discontinuity in Gravity's Rainbow

In The Crying of Lot 49. as Oedipa watches The Courier's Tragedy. the narrator explains that in Act IV of the play "a new mode of expression takes over. It can only be called a kind of ritual reluctance." The narrative discourse of Gravity's Rainbow enacts. on an epic scale, precisely this "ritual reluctance," and it does so, at least in part, in order to extend the possibilities of narrative language for representing non-temporal, non-causal, non-continuous aspects of hunan reality. The twin verbal chords of "continuity" and "discontinuity" are struck repeatedly in Gravity's Rainbow. beginning with the epigraph to "Beyond the Zero": "Nature does not know extinction; all it knows is transformation. Everything science has taught me, and continues to teach me, strengthens my belief in the continuity of our spiritual existence after death." Lance Ozier has treated the figural calculus of continuity, and several critics have explicitly or implicitly treated the question of continuity in discussing Pynchon's cinematic narrative techniques. But while these various critical studies suggest the complicated terrain of the terms "continuity" and "discontinuity" in the novel, they do not explain how or why Pynchon focuses so much energy on the concepts of narrative continuity and discontinuity. Nor do they explain how narrative continuity and discontinuity relate to Pynchon's figurative uses of the terms "continuity" and "discontinuity" in the text. These are the twin objects of this essay.
The Effects of Three Potentially Preventable Complications on Outcome After Severe Closed Head Injury

In an effort to study the effects of severe head injury in the United States, the National Institutes of Health and six medical centers joined in a cooperative prospective study, The Traumatic Coma Data Bank. The pilot phase of this study, data from 581 patients consecutively admitted to these centers were entered into a common computer data bank using an agreed upon terminology and common data collection instruments. In this report we analyse the effect on outcome of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) and two other common complications of head injury, pre-hospitalization shock and hypoxia. These three factors were chosen because it was felt that they all were at least potentially treatable or preventable.
Chord functions and equichordal problems

Section 5.3 was devoted to point X-rays of planar convex bodies. This chapter takes a wider perspective in two important ways. First, the objects of interest will sometimes be star bodies. The class of star bodies contains the class of convex bodies, and the larger class is not only natural, but, as we shall see in Chapter 8, essential in certain circumstances. Second, we shall consider data of a more general type, the i -chord functions of a star body, where i is a real number. Such a function deals with i th powers of distances from the origin to the boundary of the body, and, when i = 1, reduces to the ordinary X-ray at the origin. Again, there is a very definite purpose for this generalization. Many of the results in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 will yield, via Theorem 7.2.3 in the next chapter, corresponding information on the determination of bodies by their i th section functions. For example, glance ahead at Corollary 7.2.11, which implies that there are nonspherical convex bodies in E 3 with all of their sections by planes through the origin having the same area. The connection is simple; to calculate the area of such a section, one integrates the square of the radial function, so 2-chord functions are implicated. By allowing i to take other values, problems of the equichordal type can also be treated in a unified manner. The action here centers around the famous equichordal problem.
Menopausal Hormone Therapy Is Associated With Increased Risk of Fecal Incontinence in Women After Menopause

Background & Aims Low estrogen levels can contribute to development of fecal incontinence (FI) in women after menopause by altering neuromuscular continence mechanisms. However, studies have produced conflicting results on the association between menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and risk of FI. Methods We studied the association between MHT and risk of FI among 55,828 postmenopausal women (mean age, 73 years) who participated in the Nurses' Health Study, were enrolled since 2008, and with no report of FI. We defined incident FI as a report of at least 1 liquid or solid FI episode per month during 4 years of follow-up from self-administered, biennial questionnaires administered in 2010 and 2012. We used Cox proportional hazard models to calculate multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for FI risk in women receiving MHT, adjusting for potential confounding factors. Results During more than 185,000 person-years of follow-up, there were 6834 cases of incident FI. Compared with women who never used MHT, the multivariate hazard ratio for FI was 1.26 (95% CI, 1.18−1.34) for past users of MHT and 1.32 (95% CI, 1.20−1.45) for current users. The risk of FI increased with longer duration of MHT use ( P trend ≤ .0001) and decreased with time since discontinuation. There was an increased risk of FI among women receiving MHT that contained a combination of estrogen and progestin (hazard ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.10–1.70) compared with estrogen monotherapy. Conclusions Current or past use of MHT was associated with a modestly increased risk of FI among postmenopausal women in the Nurses' Health Study. These results support a potential role for exogenous estrogens in the impairment of the fecal continence mechanism.
Abstract 27: Galectin-3 Binding Protein: A New Factor Promoting Venous Thrombosis

Galectin-3 binding protein (Gal-3BP) was detected in procoagulant microparticles from mice and patients with venous thrombosis (VT), in prior studies from our laboratory. However, the mechanistic role of Gal-3BP and Galactin-3 (Gal-3) in the pathophysiology of thrombosis is unknown. Our hypothesis is that Gal-3BP and Gal-3 are critical to thrombus formation. Methods: Mice : Using our inferior vena cava ligation mouse model of VT, microparticle samples from thrombosed and non-thrombosed wild type mice were analyzed for Gal-3BP. We then either neutralized Gal-3BP, using an antibody (Anti-M-Gal-3BP), or utilized Gal-3 knock-out (Gal-3 KO) mice, compared to mice given saline as controls (NaCl). We evaluated thrombus weight (TW), inflammatory cell counts, and the cell source of the molecules Gal-3BP and Gal-3 using western blot. Patients: Microparticles and plasma samples from patients who were positive or negative for VT were tested for Gal-3BP using ELISA. Results: Mice : Two days after thrombosis, blocking Gal-3BP significantly reduced both vein wall inflammatory cells ( p =0.0369) and TW ( p =0.0024), compared to NaCl. In Gal-3 KO mice, TW was significantly smaller versus controls ( p =0.0061). We found Gal-3BP on microparticles and platelets while Gal-3 was on monocytes. Patients : Gal-3BP was significantly elevated in microparticles ( p =0.0495) and in plasma ( p =0.0400), versus patients negative for VT. Conclusions: We demonstrated a clear link between Gal-3BP and VT, in both mice and patients. This is the first time that Gal-3BP has been shown to be involved with thrombus formation, making it a promising biomarker and potential target for therapeutic interventions of VT.
The International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM) 2016: putting systems biology to work.

Between December 8–10, 2016, the International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM 2016) was held in Houston, Texas, USA. The conference included eight scientific sessions, four tutorials, one poster session, four highlighted talks and four keynotes that covered topics in 3D genome structure analysis and visualization, next generation sequencing analysis, computational drug discovery, medical informatics, cancer genomics and systems biology. Systems biology has been a main theme in ICIBM 2016, with exciting advances were presented in many areas of systems biology. Here, we selected seven high quality papers to be published in BMC Systems Biology.
Validating the Electronic Cardiac Arrest Risk Triage (eCART) Score for Risk Stratification of Surgical Inpatients in the Postoperative Setting: Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective:Assess the accuracy of 3 early warning scores for predicting severe adverse events in postoperative inpatients.Summary of Background Data:Postoperative clinical deterioration on inpatient hospital services is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and cost. Early warning scores ha
Evaluation of the quality scoring system of hard red spring wheat using four different roller mills

Wheat quality laboratories need a scoring system for efficient segregation of wheat samples. A comprehensive and objective scoring system was developed to assist the evaluation of end-use quality of hard red spring (HRS) wheat. The overall quality score consisted of (1) wheat, (2) milling, (3) flour and dough, and (4) baking quality scores. Subscores attained from various quality tests were subdivided into individual categories. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the quality scoring system. Since flour quality is highly influenced by experimental milling procedures, four different laboratory roller mills were compared for the scoring system using 12 HRS wheat samples. Although the mill type varied significantly (p < 0.001) for the overall quality scores, they appeared to be consistent for ranking of wheat samples, showing significant correlation coefficients (r ≥ 0.74, p < 0.01) between different mill types. Quad. Sr. mill was specifically identified to be more suitable for dough and bread-making quality evaluation of HRS wheat due to the higher consistency with a long-flow MIAG mill. The overall quality scores also showed a significant (p < 0.001) variation among wheat samples, indicating that the scoring system could be useful to segregate HRS wheat samples for end users and breeders. Abbreviation: HRS: Hard Red Spring; MN: Minnesota; MT: Montana; ND: North Dakota; SD: South Dakota; OVA: Overseas Varietal Analysis; Quad: Quadrumat; AACCI: American Association of Cereal Chemist International; SKB: Sandstedt Kneen and Blish; SAS: Statistical Analysis System; ANOVA: Analysis of Variance; LSD: Least Significant Difference; ERE: Extensograph Resistance to Extension; SDS: Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
Neurologic complications of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients (P4.162)

Objective: To describe multiple cases of neurologic complications, including myasthenia gravis, Guillian Barre syndrome, myositis, and hearing loss which occurred after exposure to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Background: Checkpoint inhibitors are increasingly used in the treatment of a variety of cancers, including renal cell carcinoma, melanoma, NSCLC, lymphoma, bladder cancer, and head and neck cancers. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are associated with T-cell reactions to self-antigens in addition to anti-cancer effects. Complications in multiple organ systems have been associated with this treatment, including skin, GI tract, kidney, liver, pancreas, and endocrine system abnormalities. Increasingly under-recognized are the neurologic side effects that occur with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, including the development of myasthenia gravis, myositis, as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome and hearing loss. Design/Methods: We report two cases of myasthenia gravis resulting after administration of PDL-1 inhibitors nivolumab and durvalumab, as well as CTLA-4 inhibitor tremelimumab with positive acetylcholine antibodies and positive decremental response on nerve conduction study. These drugs were used to treat a patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the parotid gland and a patient with non-small cell lung cancer. We also report a case of Guillian Barre syndrome resulting three weeks after administration of ipilimumab for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, and a case of myositis resulting after administration of atezolizumab, a PDL-1 inhibitor, which was given for the treatment of a urachal malignancy, with features of myasthenia gravis. Also reported is a case of hearing loss attributed to recent administration of pembrolizumab in a patient with metastatic melanoma. Results: Not Applicable Conclusions: Patients who have received immune checkpoint inhibitors for treatment of a primary malignancy are at risk to develop neurologic complications, including myasthenia gravis, Guillian Barre syndrome, and myositis. Patients who present with weakness, dysphagia, ptosis, and dysphonia after exposure to a checkpoint inhibitor should be screened fully for these conditions. Disclosure: Dr. Youssef has nothing to disclose. Dr. Woodman has nothing to disclose.
Multivariate Voronovskaya Asymptotic Expansions for General Singular Integrals

In this chapter, we continue with the study of approximation properties of smooth general singular integral operators over R N , N ≥ 1. We present multivariate Voronovskaya asymptotic type results and give quantitative results regarding the rate of convergence of multivariate singular integral operators to unit operator. We list specific multivariate singular integral operators that fulfill this theory. This chapter is based on [2].
Reversible hyperglycemic homonymous hemianopia.

We report a 67-year-old female diabetic with homonymous hemianopia as the presenting sign of nonketotic hyperglycemia.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was abnormalwith diffuse bilateral hyperintense white matter changes. A follow-up MRI scan 15 years later showed persisting abnormality.Her hemianopic visual field loss was reversed after correction of her hyperglycemia. Diabetes mellitus should be considered with the sudden onset of a homonymous hemianopia.
El retablo de Isenheim: religión, arte y medicina

Northern Europe at the beginning of the 16th Century was in turmoil as a result of religious and political dissention, epidemics of plague, syphilis, ergotism, and famine, and the threat of the Ottoman Empire. In Alsace, a fulcrum between Germany, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands, Grunewald painted his celebrated and complex altarpiece at Isenheim in a convent chapel of the Antonine religious order that kept a hospital for the care of patients suffering from ergotism, plague, syphilis and other illnesses. The ten paintings of this altarpiece convey a series of religious, medical and political meanings, with the scenes of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection being thought to play an integral part of the curative process. This was because patients could be soothed by comparing their suffering to that of Christ on the cross and could console themselves by the Resurrection. The portrait of Christ in the cross is astounding in its realism and naturalism. It represents, with great pathological veracity, a tortured body in agony, a break with previous traditional representations of this event. Impressive pathological detail is also given to a figure in the Temptation scene. The entire work is suffused with religious connotations provided by the composition, the forms and the richness and sophisticated use of colors. Although Grunewald’s paintings are few and the facts of his personal life sparse, it is known he married a Jewish woman, supported the peasant revolts, and was probably a Lutheran in a Catholic area. While Grunewald is considered the epitome of a German artist, the universal projections of his art have influenced physicians and the artistic productions of many painters, writers, musicians and sculptors throughout the world.
Reduction of a Model Describing Ozone Oscillations in the Troposphere: Example of an Algorithmic Approach to Model Reduction in Atmospheric Chemistry

We consider a simplified reaction mechanism from tropospheric chemistryconsisting ofsix chemical species involved in ten dynamic processes. The concentrations of all six speciesundergo temporal oscillation for some parameter values. An asymptoticapproach to reduction of the original six-variable model to a four-variable version is considered together with detailed explanation of the procedure as well as discussion of conditions under whichthe reduction is possible. The reduced system nearly quantitatively represents the oscillating behavior of thefull model and allows elucidation of its basic dynamical features. This approach also can be used to compare various small models of atmospheric chemistry, and to determine their underlying dynamic structure. The method can be systematically appliedto larger atmospheric models.
The Future of Sports Dispute Resolution

I was Vice President of the U.S. Olympic Committee and when—like some of my former colleagues here—I was on the Athlete’s Counsel for the U.S. Olympic Committee, part of my duties were to review every athlete complaint filed for the U.S. Olympic Committee. Although I was a partner at Latham & Watkins for the last fifteen years, I have run a large international private equity firm, and I am constantly in, unfortunately, cases and arbitrations where courts either try to interfere in arbitrations throughout Asia, South America, and Turkey. Today I will speak about arbitrations from the International Council of Arbitration for Sport’s (ICAS) perspective. I think that it is important to talk about “what.” What should be done? What is happening? What could be done? What might happen in the future? I also think it is important to talk about “how.” I do not usually talk at sports law associations and to other practitioners. I like to talk to law schools. I like to do that because what concerns me most is that I do not think we have good thinking about this. I think we confuse a lot of issues. In law school, commentary, and scholarly works, I think that is critical in helping people understand what they are doing.
Re-inscribing propositions: historic cartography and Philippine claims to the Spratly Islands

This paper draws on critical cartographic studies to analyse the territorial evolution of the Philippines and problematize how Filipino politicians leverage historic maps to bolster claims in the S...
Modern treatments and future directions for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients

Over the course of the past decade-plus, the therapy of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma has seen incredible advances in the domains of diagnostic evaluation, active medical therapy, and response evaluation. This manuscript reviews the evaluation and management of newly diagnosed active multiple myeloma, with a focus on major clinical trials and IMWG recommendations. The paper describes a current approach for the initial evaluation and workup for patients with putative active myeloma, with consideration towards potential MRD-directed therapeutic approaches and future clinical trials, and then discusses management with a focus on induction regimens with attention primarily to modern three and four-drug combinations for transplant-eligible and transplant-ineligible patients, and those with organ dysfunction. Finally, this article briefly reviews minimal residual disease directed therapy approaches, primarily in the context of whether eligible patients should be referred for high dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell rescue. Maintenance therapy for both transplant eligible and ineligible patients is discussed elsewhere in this issue.
Modern Plant Metabolomics for the Discovery and Characterization of Natural Products and Their Biosynthetic Genes

Abstract Metabolomics has become an integral part of a broad understanding of the plant phenome. It involves large-scale quantitative and qualitative analyses of metabolites present in plant tissues. Metabolomics can generally be divided into targeted and non-targeted analyses. Every year, new tools are developed and used to better understand unknown metabolomes. These tools help to identify new metabolites but also increase our understanding of biosynthetic pathways that were inexplicable using only genomics data. This article reviews existing and new metabolomics tools and their integrated utility in the discovery of plant biosynthetic genes. It covers literature and data from approximately 2010–19. This article provides a basis for an average reader to understand how plant metabolites are identified, validated, and used to understand their biosynthetic origin using integrated genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics.
Chapter 16 – Brain Sex

This chapter is about differences between the male and the female human brain from fetus through adulthood. The differences discussed are structural (e.g. size of certain brain areas), chemical (e.g. amount of neurotransmitters in certain brain regions), physiological (e.g. metabolic activity in certain brain regions during a specific state, differences in reproductive hormone control systems), psychological (aggression, sex role, gender identity), and cognitive (e.g. verbal fluency, visual-spatial ability). For our purposes, we discuss humans; much is known about this topic in other mammals such as the laboratory rat, but it turns out that other mammals may differ somewhat from humans in this regard.