cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stability and convergence of TCP-like congestion controllers in a many-flows regime

With the rapid growth of Internet, parameter design and analysis for large-scale networks has become a topic of active interest. Since simulation of such large scale systems is not easy, deterministic fluid models have been widely used for both qualitative understanding of the behavior, as well as parameter design for such networks. In this paper, we first study a deterministic fluid model for Internet congestion control when there are multiple TCP-like flows present. We provide conditions under which such a system is globally asymptotically stable in the presence of feedback delay. We then study the corresponding system with the addition of web mice and other nonresponsive flows modeled as stochastic disturbances. We show that, when there are a large number of flows, choosing parameters based on the global stability criterion for the deterministic system (with the noise replaced by its mean value) ensures global stability for the stochastic system as well. Numerical examples and simulation results with some popular active queue management mechanisms validate the parameter choices from analysis. The results indicate that a system with multiple TCP-like flows is globally stable as long as the bandwidth-delay product per flow is not very small.
Providing Quality Primary Care to Older Adults

trend for older adults to seek care from non-primary care specialists at a higher rate than in the recent past. In 2005, 43% of ambulatory care visits by patients aged 65 and over were to primary care physicians and 57% were to non-primary care specialists. In 1980, 62% of ambulatory care visits by patients aged 65 and over were to primary care physicians and 38% were to non-primary care specialists. 2 The expanded use of subspecialists by the Medicare population is particularly striking among older adults with multiple chronic illnesses. During 1999, older adults with 5 or more chronic illnesses received medical services from a mean of 13.8 unique physicians. 3 This trend away from the traditional role of the primary care physician in the care of older adults places these patients at risk for poor continuity of care, adverse drug events, and the iatrogenic consequences of the over-utilization of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. To improve the quality and control the costs of medical care for older adults, primary care physicians, and especially family physicians, must reassert their central role in the care of older adults. This issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine includes several articles that provide specific new findings that can help inform the care of older patients in the family physician’s office. These articles also illustrate some key principles that can lead to improved primary care for older patients. Two articles address the vexing problems of when and how to screen for prostate cancer in older men and what is the best treatment approach for localized prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the United States. The incidence increases with age and is rare in men younger than 40. In autopsy studies in which the entire prostate is examined, incidental histologic evidence of prostate cancer is found in 80% of men older than 80. 4 Using practice-based research networks in the Northeast, Hudson and colleagues 5 studied the use of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening test among middle-aged and older men. This study found that men aged 75 years and older are receiving PSA testing at a rate of 74.6%, which is comparable to the screening rates for men aged 50 to 74 years. The authors point out that this high rate of screening among older men is not consistent with evidence-based practice guidelines. Of most interest, the authors conclude that PSA screening rates were lower in offices with more effective intraoffice communication among office staff and between staff and patients. No direct evidence exists to show that early
The Promise and Peril of Real Options

In recent years, practitioners and academics have made the argument that traditional discounted cash flow models do a poor job of capturing the value of the options embedded in many corporate actions. They have noted that these options need to be not only considered explicitly and valued, but also that the value of these options can be substantial. In fact, many investments and acquisitions that would not be justifiable otherwise will be value enhancing, if the options embedded in them are considered. In this paper, we examine the merits of this argument. While it is certainly true that there are options embedded in many actions, we consider the conditions that have to be met for these options to have value. We also develop a series of applied examples, where we attempt to value these options and consider the effect on investment, financing and valuation decisions.
A phase I study of bevacizumab (BV) plus ABT-510 in patients with advanced solid tumors

3541 Background: BV is a potent inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with broad clinical activity both alone and in combination. ABT-510 is a 9 amino acid synthetic analog of the ...
Abstract 29: PCSK9 Association With Lipoprotein(a)

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against PCSK9 lower plasma LDL-cholesterol levels by increasing the lifespan of LDL receptors (LDLR). Significant effects on lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] have also been observed, but the mechanism for this is neither known nor intuitive since Lp(a) is not cleared by LDLR. Our and other laboratories have shown that PCSK9 associates with LDL in plasma. Here, we aimed to study whether PCSK9 also associates with Lp(a) particles and whether this association depends on Lp(a) levels and/or apo(a) size. Using sandwich ELISA we determined that plasma PCSK9 is indeed associated with Lp(a) particles in patient with high Lp(a) levels (>30mg/dl). We then isolated LDL and Lp(a) fractions from plasma of 8 patients with high Lp(a) levels, ranging from 36 to 224 mg/dl, and determined PCSK9 and apoB levels as well as apo(a) isoforms. Our results show a 17.8 fold higher PCSK9/apoB ratio for Lp(a) compared with LDL (Fig. 1A), which suggests a preferential distribution of PCSK9 with Lp(a), at least in hi...
Reliability Assessment of Passives for 300C using HALT

Highly accelerated life testing (HALT) is used to quickly assess the reliability of passive components for geothermal applications operating at 300°C ambient temperature. The HALT methodology uses combined stresses to accelerate the failure of capacitors and resistors. This paper describes the test methodology, special fixture designed, and results on capacitors and resistors. Life models for the components are presented. A process to modify component terminations is presented to make them appropriate for 300°C.
Enhanced gene targeting to evaluate Lynch syndrome alterations.

The identification of gene alterations that predispose individuals to disease has resulted in an explosion in genetic diagnostics. Because diseases like cancer susceptibility may result in debilitating surgery that has physical, emotional, and realized costs, it is important to get the diagnosis right. The obvious solution is to combine simple DNA genotype analysis with evocative phenotype analysis (1). However, a simple phenotypic analysis for the complex progressions of cancer that often includes dozens of attendant mutations (2) seemed largely destined to fail. Enter Lynch syndrome, a dominant predisposition to colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, and upper urinary tract cancers that is caused by heterozygous germ-line mutations in the mismatch repair (MMR) system (3). MMR recognizes and repairs mismatched nucleotides that principally arise from polymerase misincorporation during replication (4). When MMR is defective, spontaneous mutation rates dramatically increase, accelerating the evolution of tumors (mutator hypothesis) (5). The simplicity of Lynch syndrome cause-and-effect belies the enigma of genetic diagnostics, which has uncovered abundant missense variants of unknown significance (VUS) that pepper the entire coding regions of the core human MMR genes (Fig. 1). In PNAS, two papers provide useful solutions to the genotype–phenotype problem of Lynch syndrome diagnostics. In the first, van Ravesteyn et al. (6) developed an improved rapid gene-targeting methodology for mouse embryonic stem cells that then allowed Houlleberghs et al. (7) to advance functional analysis of Lynch syndrome VUS in mammalian cells. Fig. 1. The location of MSH2 variants of unknown significance on the MSH2–MSH6 protein structure. The MSH2 class 3 VUS from the InSIGHT Colon Cancer Gene Variant Database (9) were mapped to their location (green dots) on the MSH2 (purple)–MSH6 (blue) structure bound to a DNA mismatch (22). MMR is a relatively simple excision–resynthesis process that requires MutS homologs (MSH) to recognize the mismatch and transmit this recognition along the … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: rfishel{at}osu.edu or cheinen{at}uchc.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Analysis and Design of Novel Column Geometries for Micro- Gas Chromatography

Novel column geometries for micro-gas chromatography applications are studied using traditional computational fluid dynamics and the numerical Toolbox, a suite of codes designed to model the flow of low-velocity liquids and gases through microfluidic components. Transport is modeled in columns with circular cross-section undergoing a 90ϒ bend to determine what effect sequences of such bends have on analyte transport. We also explore flow in columns with a semi-circular cross section that include grooves cut into the flat column surface to promote transport across the channel. The modeling demonstrates that, even at low Reynolds number, sequences of left and right turns redistribute the fluid within the cross-section, and grooves added to a flat channel wall can generate a secondary flow that is strong enough to redistribute the fluid within the cross section in a relatively short length of channel.
Automated immunohistochemical estrogen receptor in fixed embedded breast carcinomas.

The authors immunohistochemically assessed the presence of estrogen receptor (ER) in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 68 breast carcinomas by an automated method using Pronase® (CalBiochem, La Jolla, CA) predigestion and alkaline phosphatase detection (Method 1). These results were compared with those obtained by an automated peroxidase-antiperoxidase method with DNase pretreatment of fixed embedded sections (Method 2), with ER immunostain on frozen sections (Method 3), and with biochemical results (dextran-coated charcoal cytosolic [DCC] assay). Compared with the DCC assay, Methods 1, 2, and 3 gave sensitivities of 54%, 25%, and 89%, respectively. The sensitivity for Method 1 was increased to 74% in those cases with DCC results showing greater than 50 fmol/mg protein. These findings indicate that ER immunohistochemical studies on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues (as assayed by Method 1) provide useful clinical information when the results are positive. A negative result, especially if surrounding normal elements are not positive, may indicate no receptors, receptor levels less than 50 fmol/mg protein, or improper tissue preservation. In the absence of fresh tissue for ER assay by DCC assay or of frozen sections for immunostaining, and with an understanding of its limitations, this method may be useful.
Effects of small forest openings on the breeding bird community in a Vermont hardwood forest

We examined the response of a forest bird community to the presence of small openings created by patch clear-cutting 0.4-ha plots within an extensive northern hardwood forest. We conducted bird censuses (June) and habitat measurements (July-August) in 102 census plots at four distances from openings in 1991 and 1992. Of 19 habitat variables measured, none differed significantly among forest plots at any distance from clear-cuts. Thirty-five (70%) of 50 bird species encountered during censusing were Neotropical migrants. Bird species richness did not differ as a function of distance from openings. However, species composition in plots within openings was least similar to that in plots farthest into forest, and most similar between the two distance categories farthest from openings. The movement of several forest-interior species away from openings, the addition of early-successional colonists in openings, and a high abundance of interior-edge species near openings contributed to the difference in species composition between openings and forest plots. As a group, Neotropical forest-interior migrants were significantly less abundant in openings than at any distance from them, and less abundant 50 m from openings than 200 m from them. Neotropical interior-edge migrants were significantly more abundant 50 m from openings than at any other distance. Nearctic migrants and nonmigrants did not respond to the presence of small openings. Of three locally common avian nest predators, none became more abundant in the openings. Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater), also common locally, were never observed in or near the openings. Overall, bird species diversity increased in forested areas containing small openings due to the addition of edge and open-area nesters, but several forest-interior species were adversely affected by the presence of openings.
Analyze the Reason and Solution of Frequent Security Incidents on Campus

Recently,the frequent occurrence of security incidents on campus,has aroused widespread public concern and government attention.This article analyzed the reasons of security incidents on campus from aspects of the social structure,the psychological factors,the objective situation on campus,the effect of similar event' s demonstration and the weak sense on legal analysis of criminal,and so on.At the same time,proposed the solutions to this problem that the strengthening minority groups' social security,establishing and perfecting its interests demand and coordination mechanism,starting the law about campus' s safety and paying great attention to civic education-oriented measures,and so on.In order to evoke the power of the whole society to reduce the occurrence of the campus massacre.
Intelligent Automation in Collaborative Systems

Intelligent automation has been a source of research and debate within the design community for several decades. When adding intelligent automation to single-user systems, two critical issues must be addressed. First, sufficient knowledge must be acquired about the user and her context to make high-level inferences at runtime. Second, the automation must be useful and delivered in a manner that does not impair the user's domain activity. These issues are equally relevant for collaborative systems. However, collaborative systems offer a potential solution to these problems by virtue of their privileged position as mediating artifacts within a collaborative process. Because coordination information must be exchanged through the system, there is an opportunity for the system to gain insights into user activities and context. Because mediating artifacts add structure to the information that passes through them to improve coordination, this information is made more accessible to standard AI algorithms. Thus, within a design solution for coordination problems in groupware, a solution to some of the issues with intelligent automation can also be found. Empirical evidence from a testbed domain is presented that validates this approach, along with a discussion of how the approach can be generalized to other collaborative systems.
Abstract 548: Characterization of myeloid cells in bladder cancer

Both cancer-associated inflammation and tumor-mediated immune suppression have been linked with expansion of myeloid cells in multiple tumor types, including bladder [1]. We previously observed a predominance of M2-like macrophages in mouse bladder tumors [2]. However, little is known about the characteristics of these myeloid cells in human bladder cancer. In this study, we analyzed myeloid cells from tumor tissues collected from patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. We used flow cytometry to characterize the different subsets of these myeloid cells.Myeloid cells were identified in the bladder tissue. Our results showed that bladder cancer patients have two major CD11b + CD33 + myeloid derived suppressor cell subsets: granulocyte-type HLADR − CD15 + cells and monocyte-type HLADR + CD14 + cells. Analysis of CD45 + CD11b + cells demonstrated that bladder tumors are dominated by phenotypical M2-like (CD163 + CD80 lo ) CD163 + M2 macrophages. The primary treatment modality for bladder cancer is Bacillus Calmete-Guerin (BCG), a live attenuated mycobacterium that is instilled into the bladder via a urethral catheter [3]. This agent remains one of the most effective immune therapies to date. However, though it is effective in prevention of tumor recurrence, response is heterogeneous and tumor recurrence is observed in up to 50% of patients over time. The predominance of immunosuppressive myeloid cells subsets among TILs in human bladder cancer suggests myeloid cells could be potential targets for therapeutic intervention in bladder cancer. We investigated the role of macrophages in BCG therapy in the MB49 bladder cancer model. Depletion of macrophages by liposomal clodronate (LC) during MB49 tumor challenge resulted in decreased tumor growth compared to BCG monotherapy suggesting that macrophages have a critical role in BCG immunotherapy. This study characterizes these myeloid populations in bladder cancer patients and also investigates their potential role in bladder cancer development and therapeutic response. References: 1. Eruslanov, E., et al., Circulating and tumor-infiltrating myeloid cell subsets in patients with bladder cancer. International journal of cancer. Journal international du cancer, 2012. 130(5): p. 1109-1119. 2. Svatek, R.S. et al., Sequential intravesical mitomycin plus Bacillus Calmette-Guerin for non-muscle-invasive urothelial bladder carcinoma: translational and phase I clinical trial. Clinical Cancer Research, 2015. 21(2): p. 303-11 3. Askeland, E.J., et al., Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy: BCG and Beyond. Advances in urology, 2012. 2012: p. 181987. Citation Format: Neelam Mukherjee, Xiang Ru Zhao, Niannian Ji, Robert S. Svatek. Characterization of myeloid cells in bladder cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 548.
A special flux-weakening control scheme of pmsm - incorporating and adaptive to wide-range speed regulation

This paper presents a special flux-weakening control scheme for permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSM) over wide speed range. In contrast to conventional two-loop (d-, q-axis) control methods, the proposed control scheme achieves both flux-weakening and speed control simultaneously using only one speed/flux-weakening controller. The controller automatically generates both the required demagnetizing and torque-producing currents based on the crossing-coupling effects between d- and q-axes. Additional futures of the proposed controller include 1) not requiring knowledge of motor parameters and dc bus voltage of power inverter, and 2) preventing saturation of the current regulators under any load conditions. Therefore, this scheme is adaptive to the variation of motor parameters and load levels. The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is verified by both computer simulation and experimental results
Network reconfiguration with relaxed radiality constraint for increased hosting capacity of distribution systems

Electrical distribution systems are experiencing higher amount of distributed generation (DG), which originates from societal and environmental concerns, economical benefits of local generation, and more deregulated energy systems. While having numerous advantages, the presence of DG in the system is limited by several constraining factors. In this paper, in order to allow for higher hosting capacity of the distribution system, a network reconfiguration scheme is presented to select the best network topology to maximize allowable DG penetration while satisfying steady state voltage and current limits. The network reconfiguration technique relaxes the radiality constraint of the system to search for possible radial and meshed optimal configurations. A modified genetic algorithm has been used to solve the reconfiguration problem. The results of the reconfiguration problem are then presented for a 69 bus test system showing higher hosting capacity for distribution system meshed configurations. Moreover, the results of the proposed network reconfiguration approach are compared with the time-consuming method of repetitive power flow, verifying selection of the optimum configuration by the presented method. As side benefits, voltage profile and real power losses have been shown to improve in such optimum configurations.
Can we weather proof our insurance?: Can we weather proof our insurance?

The last few years were particularly volatile for the insurance industry in North America and Europe, bringing a record number of claims due to severe weather. According to a 2013 World Bank study, annual average losses from natural disasters have increased from $50 billion in the 1980s to about $200 billion nowadays. Adaptation to such changes requires early recognition of vulnerable areas and the extent of the future risk due to weather factors. Despite the well‐documented impact of climate change on the insurance sector, there exists a relatively limited number of studies addressing the effect of the so‐called “normal” extreme weather (i.e., higher frequency and lower individual but high cumulative impact events) on the insurance dynamics. To reduce financial repercussions of such weather events, we develop a nonlinear attribution analysis of integer‐valued insurance claims and atmospheric variables. Using data‐driven nonparametric procedures, we identify triggering thresholds, or tipping points, leading to an increase in the number of claims. We develop a new data‐adaptive method to compare tails of observed and projected weather variables and employ its outcomes to assess future dynamics of insurance claims. We illustrate our approach by application to modeling and forecasting of flood‐related home insurance claims in Norway.
Physical activity and smoking beyond high school: A latent growth curve mediation model throught global physical self concept and peer smoking

A34 A previous cross-sectional study from our group found that global physical self-concept (GPSC) mediates the relation between physical activity (PA) and adolescent smoking. However, it was not clear whether those effects persisted beyond high school. Further, as peer smoking is a key correlate of adolescent smoking, it is possible that adolescents involved in team sport, an environment eschewing smoking, will be less likely to affiliate with peers who smoke, therefore less likely to smoke. Extending our past study, we tested these possibilities in a four wave latent growth curve model (LGCM), assessing indirect paths from 12th grade PA and team sport participation to baseline smoking and smoking trend through peer smoking and GPSC in a sample of 985 young adults (age 18 at baseline). The LGCM fit reasonably well, chisquare (60. 985)=110.94, p =.0001, CFI=.98, RMSEA=.03, WRMR=.69. As expected, both team sport and PA had significant negative indirect effects on baseline smoking. However, only team sport had a significant negative effect through peer smoking. Only one variable had a significant indirect effect on smoking trend, GPA, through peer smoking, GPSC, and through the former and then through baseline smoking. >The findings of this study are consistent with our past findings, suggesting that GPSC indeed mediates the relationship between PA and smoking. The findings also suggest an alternative pathway through peer smoking. Engaging in alternative environments precluding smoking, such as team sports, may indeed protect by reducing exposure to peer smoking. Moreover, although not initially hypothesized, GPA is a key predictor of reduced smoking beyond high school.
Abstract B40: Lineage selective extracellular matrix interactions required for metastatic lung cancer

Abstracts: AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; November 30-December 3, 2015; Austin, TX Background: Lung cancers are biological heterogeneous malignancies with poor prognosis. The underlying mechanisms of this heterogeneity and their biological consequences for metastasis are poorly understood. We previously examined the molecular relationship between epithelial differentiation states, airway regeneration, lung cancer subtypes, and clinical outcome. By integrating genomics, bioinformatic, and experimental models of lung cancer metastasis, we identified a subset of metastatic lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) defined by its expression of a novel cell lineage gene expression program (Cheung et al., Cancer Cell 2013) . Results: Here we further define the molecular characteristics of this aggressive LUAD subgroup and find that it is driven by epigenetic silencing of know tumor suppressive non-coding RNAs, including mir-34a-c. This in turn activates genes encoding for specific extracellular matrix (ECM) interacting proteins. These ECM proteins include proteoglycans abundant in the inflammatory stroma of human lung cancers and lung tissue from patients with pulmonary fibrosis. Over-expressions of these proteoglycans and their corresponding cell surface receptors are defining features of recognized LUAD histotypes. In an experimental mouse model, genetic perturbations of these ECM/cell surface interactions inhibits the metastasis re-initiating capacity of LUAD cells to distant organs such as the brain. Significantly, these ECM-tumor cell interactions may also be disrupted using targeted agents currently in clinical trials. Conclusions: Our data provide a mechanistic link between the effectors of airway homeostasis, pulmonary fibrosis, and metastasis initiation by specific lung cancers. Consequently, we provide rational strategies to re-position current therapies to target the tumor microenvironment of metastatic lung adenocarcinomas. Citation Format: Don X. Nguyen. Lineage selective extracellular matrix interactions required for metastatic lung cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; 2015 Nov 30-Dec 3; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(7 Suppl):Abstract nr B40.
Isothermal titration calorimetry in a polymeric microdevice

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology can enable the integration of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) on a single chip for direct thermodynamic characterization. However, existing ITC microdevices either do not yet allow proper control of reaction conditions for thermodynamic characterization of biomolecular reaction systems or do not yet suitable for practical applications because of a lack of reliability, high costs, and other issues. This paper aims to address these limitations with polymeric MEMS-based quantitative ITC measurements. The polymer-based ITC device design eliminates the use of silicon and exploits the low thermal conductivity of the polymer substrate to achieve thermal isolation of reaction samples in the absence of any complex or fragile freestanding structures. The low-cost availability of polymers and the elimination of the freestanding structures simplify the fabrication process, increase the fabrication yield, reduce the device cost, and improve the device reliability. During the ITC device operation, reactants and reference solutions are introduced to their respective measurement chambers, and the reaction-induced differential thermal power is measured and used to compute the thermodynamic binding parameters associated with the reaction. The potential utility of the device has been demonstrated with quantitative ITC measurements of a model reaction system in which the ligand BaCl2 is titrated into the receptor 18-C-6 at a concentration of 2 mM.
Role of body mass index in school-aged children with lower urinary tract dysfunction: Does weight classification predict treatment outcome?

Summary Introduction Lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunction comprises a large percentage of pediatric urology referrals. Childhood obesity is a major health concern, and has been associated with voiding symptoms. We assessed the impact of body mass index (BMI) on treatment outcomes of children presenting with LUT or bladder–bowel dysfunction (BBD). Study design Children aged 5–17 years diagnosed with non-neurogenic LUT dysfunction and no prior urologic diagnoses were identified. Patient demographics including BMI, lower urinary tract symptoms, constipation, medical and psychologic comorbidities, imaging, and treatment outcomes were evaluated. BMI was normalized by age and gender according to percentiles: underweight 95th percentile. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of treatment response. Results During an 18-month period, 100 children (54 girls, 46 boys) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age at diagnosis was 7.7 ± 2.4 years, and mean length of follow-up 15.3 ± 13.1 months. Sixty-nine patients were a normal weight, 22 were overweight, and nine were obese. Fifteen percent of the children had complete treatment response, 63% partial response, and 22% non-response. On univariate analysis, children with elevated BMI (p = 0.04) or history of urinary tract infection (p = 0.01) were statistically more likely to not respond to treatment. Controlling for all other variables, children with BMI > 85th percentile had 3.1 times (95% CI 1.11–8.64; p = 0.03) increased odds of treatment failure (Table). Discussion BBD management includes implementation of a bowel program and timed voiding regimen, with additional treatment modalities tailored on the basis of the prevailing symptoms. We observed that school-aged children with a BMI ≥ 85th percentile were over three times more likely to experience treatment failure when controlling for all other patient characteristics including constipation and a history of urinary tract infection. Limitations of the study include the relatively small sample size, lack of uroflow with electromyography to confirm the presence or the absence of detrusor sphincter dyssynergia, and inconsistent anticholinergic dosing. Conclusions Nearly one-third of school-aged children presenting to our institution with LUT or BBD were overweight or obese when normalized for age and gender. Children with LUT dysfunction and elevated BMI are significantly less likely to experience treatment response. Table . Multivariate analysis. Relationship between specific patient characteristics and treatment outcome using logistic regression. Variable Beta (SE) OR 95% CI for OR p Intercept −4.53 (1.57) – – 0.004 Sex 0.52 (0.54) 1.68 0.58–4.85 0.33 Age (years) 0.05 (0.11) 1.05 0.85–1.29 0.66 BMI 1.13 (0.52) 3.09 1.11–8.64 0.03 UTI 1.33 (0.52) 3.78 1.35–10.56 0.01 Medical comorbidities −0.90 (0.63) 0.41 0.12–1.39 0.15 Psych comorbidities 0.43 (0.56) 1.53 0.51–4.56 0.45 BMI = body mass index; UTI = urinary tract infection.
Midnight Rambles from Micheaux to Lee: An Analysis of a Century of Shaping the Black Brand Through Film

Branding is the process of creating an intentional and unique image in the public mind. #oscarssowhite. #blacklivesmatters. #marriageforall. Economic equity and social justice advocates globally recognize the value of a breakout hashtag. In light of the deeply troubled branding of persons of African descent in America as “Black” and therefore “other”, it is vital to explore the power visual images have had in cementing the “Black” image in American society. This essay examines the equally persistent yet futile efforts of the most prolific Black filmmakers at the start and close of the 20th century — Oscar Micheaux and Spike Lee, to create agency and counter narratives to reshape the Black brand. Using Critical Discourse Analysis, political economic theory and other analytic communications tools, the focus is specifically about the use of film to shape public perception of African-Americans, what is referred to as “the Black brand”. The essay highlights a particular branding challenge for today’s filmmaker, regardless of race. Be it towards one commercial brand, or an entire ethnic community, brands are shaped by public perception, and visual imagery is a powerful force for building the kind and strength of our connection with any brand. If you aspire to influence public opinion about the Black brand — what do you think of when you think of Black people? Is it laugh-out-loud funny or are your eyes starting to well with tears of a brutal and violent legacy of suffering from enslavement, rape, and lynch mob murders? This paper analyzes the efforts and results of Oscar Micheaux and Spike Lee across 100 years of American film in their efforts to influence national perspectives on the Black brand near the start of the 20th and 21st Century respectively. Examining Micheaux’s and Lee’s texts, this paper arrives at several conclusions and highlights questions for future research. In the face of an onslaught of counter and oppositional imagery across all media forms, a conclusory point is that successful efforts to shape public perception of a particular ethnic group — in this instance, the Black “brand” — involves conscious, cross-racial and cross-platform partnerships in order to move the needle forward, a nod to the reality that Black-Americans do not control the production studios, distribution platforms (though there has been some recent growth in this area), and advertising channels critical to achieve the audience share necessary to enable film production to grow as a viable tool for reshaping racialized stereotypes.
Synergistic use of ultrasound and sonic motion for removal of dental plaque bacteria

Proving that an idea has merit for further investigation is one of the earliest steps in product development. This proof of concept can be effectively studied in a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment where ideas can be quickly tested in a manner related to final product use. In this article, the authors demonstrate the fecundity of a multidisciplinary environment by reviewing their early work that shows that ultrasound could be added to a power toothbrush to enhance the removal of dental plaque bacteria. They hypothesized that sonic brush head motion would generate bubbles in a dentifrice so that ultrasound beamed into that slurry would cause those bubbles to expand and contract in a manner that would dislodge the plaque bacteria adherent to the tooth surfaces. In this work, Streptococcus mutans bacteria adherent to various surfaces was used as a model of dental plaque on human teeth. Prototype power toothbrushes were created using commercially available and custom components so that the ultrasound and sonic processes could be individually modified and applied. Research demonstrated that the combination of sonic and ultrasound processes could synergistically remove S mutans biofilm. This finding established the proof of concept that eventually led to the development of a power toothbrush that uses both ultrasound and sonic activity.
The establishment of alder on peatland and its possible role in afforestation.

This paper outlines the progress made to date in peat afforestation in Northern Ireland. A brief description is given of the type of ploughing machinery used. A new system of layout was adopted in 1953. There have been a number of changes introduced to the original planting methods. Intense pre-draining is no longer carried out, and there have also been changes in the method of deep-ploughing used. Greater use will be made of natural barriers, such as streams and main drains, as compartment boundaries. Other developments include an increase in road intensity and fire breaks. The problem of growth check is described and the current methods used to alleviate it are explained...
Phase I trial of dimethyl fumarate, temozolomide, and radiation therapy in glioblastoma multiforme.

2060Background: Evidence is increasing for altered immune responses in malignant gliomas. Tumor-associated microglia/macrophages infiltrate human glioma tissue and produce cytokines that promote gl...
Contextualizing Developmental Math Content into Introduction to Sociology in Community Colleges

Across community colleges in the United States, most students place into a developmental math course that they never pass. This can leave them without the math skills necessary to make informed dec...
Guidance of Visual Search by Memory and Knowledge

To behave intelligently in the world, humans must be able to find objects efficiently within the complex environments they inhabit. A growing proportion of the literature on visual search is devoted to understanding this type of natural search. In the present chapter, I review the literature on visual search through natural scenes, focusing on the role of memory and knowledge in guiding attention to task-relevant objects.
Reasoning in Decision Making Under Uncertainty and Decisions of Risk in a Game of Chance

We present a design-based research study that aimed to enhance the stochastic reasoning of 48 Spanish students (Grade 7, age 12) when making decisions in situations involving uncertainty and risk during a game of chance task called Integer Addition Bingo. Grounded in a review of the literature, the task was designed with the aim of improving students’ learning and reasoning about risk management through a process of understanding the random nature of the game, and operationalizing risk management. A qualitative retrospective analysis was performed to identify the structural static aspects of students’ reasoning. Then, a retrospective analysis of the functional dynamic aspects of students’ reasoning led to the identification of six different learning trajectories.
A Viable Nontesting Method to Predict the Lifetime of LED Drivers

As the weakest links in light-emitting diode (LED) luminaires, LED drivers dominate the luminaire lifetime. This paper proposes a viable method to predict the reliability and lifetime of LED drivers. It obtains the failure rate of LED drivers using part stress analysis based on the failure rate models provided in MIL-HDBK-217F N2 (MIL) and then uses the Weibull distribution model to estimate the lifetime of LED drivers. In order to improve the accuracy, the original failure rate models in MIL of the dominant components, such as aluminum electrolytic capacitors, are replaced with more accurate models. As an experimental verification of the proposed method, the lifetime estimation from accelerated life testing (ALT) is also presented. The lifetime profile of a quasi-flyback LED driver based on 24/7 operation is obtained using the proposed method and compared with the ALT result. The consistency between the two methods well demonstrates the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method.
A parental requirement for dual-specificity phosphatase 6 in zebrafish

Signaling cascades, such as the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, play vital roles in early vertebrate development. Signals through these pathways are initiated by a growth factor or hormone, are transduced through a kinase cascade, and result in the expression of specific downstream genes that promote cellular proliferation, growth, or differentiation. Tight regulation of these signals is provided by positive or negative modulators at varying levels in the pathway, and is required for proper development and function. Two members of the dual-specificity phosphatase (Dusp) family, dusp6 and dusp2, are believed to be negative regulators of the ERK pathway and are expressed in both embryonic and adult zebrafish, but their specific roles in embryogenesis remain to be fully understood. Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology, we generated zebrafish lines harboring germ line deletions in dusp6 and dusp2. We do not detect any overt defects in dusp2 mutants, but we find that approximately 50% of offspring from homozygous dusp6 mutants do not proceed through embryonic development. These embryos are fertilized, but are unable to proceed past the first zygotic mitosis and stall at the 1-cell stage for several hours before dying by 10 h post fertilization. We demonstrate that dusp6 is expressed in gonads of both male and female zebrafish, suggesting that loss of dusp6 causes defects in germ cell production. Notably, the 50% of homozygous dusp6 mutants that complete the first cell division appear to progress through embryogenesis normally and give rise to fertile adults. The fact that offspring of homozygous dusp6 mutants stall prior to activation of the zygotic genome, suggests that loss of dusp6 affects gametogenesis and/or parentally-directed early development. Further, since only approximately 50% of homozygous dusp6 mutants are affected, we postulate that ERK signaling is tightly regulated and that dusp6 is required to keep ERK signaling within a range that is permissive for proper embryogenesis. Lastly, since dusp6 is expressed throughout zebrafish embryogenesis, but dusp6 mutants do not exhibit defects after the first cell division, it is possible that other regulators of the ERK pathway compensate for loss of dusp6 at later stages.
Tunable Inductors Using Integrated Vanadium Dioxide Phase Change Thin Films

This paper presents tunable inductors designed with vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin film to implement tunability. Two types of configurations, a single line coil inductor and a dual line coil inductor, are proposed. Tunable inductance is realized by thermally controlling VO2 thin film stub to be an insulator or a conductor. The measurements of inductors are taken in the frequencies range from 0.01 GHz to 10 GHz. The electrical model has been developed to derive the corresponding inductance. The results show that the tuning range is about 69% when the temperature changes from room temperature to above the critical temperature of 68°C.
Cluster Equilibria. Relevance to the Energetics and Reactivity of Surface Bound Fragments

The possibility of connections between the properties of clusters on the one hand and surfaces on the other has stimulated a considerable amount of research in the area of cluster chemistry. [13] Much has concerned structure (geometric and electronic) and spectroscopic properties and the successes have been detailed elsewhere. [4, 5] Hence, it is highly appropriate that the other half of cluster chemistry, that concerned with reactivity, be examined in light of possible connections with surface reactivity. What follows is a review of studies of cluster reactivity, mainly drawn from our own work, with an emphasis on its relevance to the reactivity of molecules on surfaces.
Preparation and mechanical properties of Al2O3 reinforced by submicrometer Co particles

Al2O3/Co composites were fabricated by vacuum hot-pressing a mixture of α-Al2O3 powder and a fine cobalt powder. Submicron-sized cobalt particles were uniformly dispersed into the Al2O3 matrix, and the dispersed type was a more inter-/intragranular one with increases of cobalt content up to 40 wt% Co addition. The growth of cobalt particles occurred with increasing cobalt content. At 50 wt% Co addition, however, the growth as well as coalescence of cobalt particles occurred. The phases formed in the Al2O3/Co composites were f-Co(fcc), h-Co(hcp), α-Al2O3, and a small amount of graphite. Significant improvements in bending strength (from 341 to 771 MPa) and fracture toughness (from 3.7 to 6.7 MPaċm1/2) of the Al2O3/40 wt% Co(23 vol% Co) composite compared to monolithic Al2O3 were achieved by dispersing submicron-sized Co particles into the Al2O3 matrix. The improvement in bending strength was attributed to the compressive thermal residual stress in the matrix Al2O3 induced by the mismatch of the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between the matrix Al2O3 grains and cobalt particles during cooling from hot-pressing temperature. The fracture toughness of the composite was enhanced by crack bridging, crack deflection, and compressive thermal residual stress.
Determination of Surface Tension of Succinonitrile Using a Surface Light Scattering Spectrometer

Liquid/vapor interfacial surface tensions of succinonitrile, NC(CH2)2CN, were measured using noninvasive surface light scattering (SLS) spectroscopy. Succinonitrile (SCN) has been and is being used extensively in materials science and fluid physics research, for example, in several theoretical and numerical studies of dendritic growth. It is an established model material with several essential physical properties accurately known with the exception of the liquid/vapor surface tension, γ1v, at various temperatures. Using the SLS spectrometer, we have experimentally determined the liquid/vapor surface tension of SCN in the temperature range from just above its melting point (58.1°C) to 118°C using this noninvasive method. Previous measurements of SCN surface tension are extremely limited. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to measure the surface tension of succinonitrile noninvasively at melt and elevated temperatures. The SLS spectroscopy is relatively new and unique. This technique has several advantages over classical methods: it is noninvasive, has a good accuracy, and can be used to measure the surface tension and viscosity simultaneously, although the viscosity results are not discussed here. The accuracy of values obtained from this technique on some standard liquids is better than 2% for the surface tension and about 10 to 15% for viscosity. Our measurements gave γ1v=42.28−0.0629T±0.2 (mN·m-1), with T in °C, and the viscosity at 60°C is 2.68±0.3 cp for pure SCN.
Neotropical Pristaulacus Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Aulacidae), Species with Acute Anterolateral Mesonotal Projections

The Neotropical species of Pristaulacus Kieffer with acute anterolateral projections on the mesonotum are revised. Twenty-one species are included, distributed from Mexico to northern Argentina: P. ambiguus (Schletterer), P. anteruber Smith, n. sp., P. argutus Smith, P. biannulatus Smith, n. sp., P. brasiliensis (Kieffer), P. decemdentatus Kieffer, P. femurrubrum Smith, P. haemorrhoidalis (Westwood), P. haemorrhoidellus (Westwood), P. maculatus (Schletterer), P. nobilis (Westwood), P. omnis Smith, n. sp., P. punctatus Smith, P. ruficeps (Westwood), P. ruficollis (Cameron), P. sexdentatus Kieffer, P. spinifer (Westwood), P. tria Smith, P. tridentatus Smith, P. vittatus Smith, n. sp., and P. zonatipennis Roman. A key separating this group of species from other Pristaulacus and to species is provided.
Electroencephalogram-Based Prognosis of Cardiac Surgery — A Long-Term Follow-Up Study

Hansotia et al. [1] reported on the use of electroencephalogram (EEG) in determining the immediate outcome of cardiac surgery. During a two year period between 1970 and 1972, 117 patients undergoing cardiac operations were studied. EEGs were recorded pre-operatively, in the recovery room (up to 12 hr. post-operatively), 24 hr., 2 days, 7 days, and at regular weekly intervals if abnormal. Operative and anesthesia data were correlated with EEG findings. All patients had normal EEGs pre-operatively. On the basis of EEG criteria, four groups were identified: Group I — The EEG remained normal throughout the postoperative period (41 patients); Group II — Diffuse, nonspecific EEG abnormalities in the recovery room, followed by a normal EEG thereafter (25 patients); Group III — Abnormal EEG in the recovery room with essentially no change throughout the remainder of the hospital stay (40 patients); and Group IV — Abnormal EEG in the recovery room with a progressively worsening pattern until the patient died (11 patients).