cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A robust state space model encompassing early-time transients for electromagnetic signal extrapolation

This paper presents a control systems methodology, based on the state space method (SSM), to derive rational transfer function models from time-domain simulated data. Unlike existing methods such as Prony's and pencil of functions, which discard a significant part of the early-time transient response due to instability in model extrapolation, the proposed SSM produces causal, stable, low-order parametric representations for the entire signal using a sequence that includes early-time transients. SSM is applied to model time-domain signatures of highly resonant circuits, such as notch filters and dielectric resonators, and it is shown that excellent model corroboration can be achieved using modest resources.
Formulation for min-max clairvoyant fusion based on monotonic recalibration of statistics

A formulation for min-max clairvoyant fusion (also known as continuum fusion) is developed that exploits the invariance of hypothesis testing statistics to monotonic transformations. In addition to generalizing an earlier formulation based on manipulated thresholds, the new formulation leads to efficient algorithms for two of the most widely advocated fusion "flavors:" one based on combining detectors with the same false alarm rate, and another based on constant detection rate. These algorithms are used to investigate and compare the performance of different detectors for a class of problems that arises from detecting small or weak targets in hyperspectral imagery. The experiments are performed on simulated data from well-defined distributions so as to isolate the effect of different flavors of fusion from the effects of model mismatch.
Recruitment of a ROC1–CUL1 Ubiquitin Ligase by Skp1 and HOS to Catalyze the Ubiquitination of IκBα

Abstract Activation of the transcription factor NF-κB in response to proinflammatory stimuli requires the phosphorylation-triggered and ubiquitin-dependent degradation of the NF-κB inhibitor, IκBα. Here, we show the in vitro reconstitution of the phosphorylation-dependent ubiquitination of IκBα with purified components. ROC1, a novel SCF-associated protein, is recruited by cullin 1 to form a quaternary SCF HOS –ROC1 holoenzyme (with Skp1 and the β-TRCP homolog HOS). SCF HOS –ROC1 binds IKKβ-phosphorylated IκBα and catalyzes its ubiquitination in the presence of ubiquitin, E1, and Cdc34. ROC1 plays a unique role in the ubiquitination reaction by heterodimerizing with cullin 1 to catalyze ubiquitin polymerization.
Economic sustainability and the preservation of environmental assets

The core requirement of sustainability is that current economic activities should not result in an excessive burden on future generations. This criterion is general enough to imply different decision rules for the preservation of environmental assets. Neoclassical economics does not have a sustainability criterion for environmental assets independent of the intertemporal efficiency criterion, which allocates environmental and man-made capital based on projected monetary benefits and costs. This criterion is examined in terms of the feasibility of valuing the benefits of environmental assets, the substitution possibilities between natural and man-made capital, and the ethical grounds for using efficiency as the sole determinant of the allocation of environmental assets. An alternative ecological sustainability criterion is the preservation of safe minimum levels of environmental assets in physical terms rather than the dollar value of a composite of natural and man-made capital. Safe minimum standards for environmental assets constrain the efficiency criterion in order to ensure the sustainability of economic systems. It is argued that the ecological approach to sustainability should limit the economic approach for decisions involving the allocation of environmental assets.
Needed: A Better Theory of Cognitive Organization

This correspondence addresses itself to the question of why computers have had so little practical success in taking over information processing tasks traditionally performed by people. This question is examined in different fields of psychology, education, and linguistics. The major reason why computers have not made more progress is that twe have not had a satisfactory psychological theory of cognitive organization. Some suggestions are made as to how we might converge on a general theory of cognitive organization.
The incidence of invasive fungal infections in neutropenic patients with acute leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes receiving primary antifungal prophylaxis with voriconazole

The objective of this study is to characterize the outcomes of primary antifungal prophylaxis with voriconazole in patients receiving intensive chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We conducted a single center, retrospective, cohort study of consecutive adult patients with AML or MDS at Mayo Clinic between January 1, 2006 and July 1, 2010. The study included patients undergoing induction or first relapse combination chemotherapy who received voriconazole 200 mg orally twice daily as prophylaxis during the neutropenic phase. Patient records were evaluated until 30 days after neutrophil recovery for development of invasive fungal infection (IFI) as defined per EORTC/MSG 2008 criteria with computed tomography scans independently reviewed by a radiologist. Therapeutic drug monitoring and reasons for voriconazole discontinuation were documented. Twenty four episodes of IFI were detected among 165 consecutive patients for an overall incidence of 145 per 1000 patients. The incidence of IFI was 24, 42, and 78 per 1000 patients for proven, probable, and possible infection, respectively. Four patients developed proven IFI (n = 2 Aspergillus spp., n = 2 Rhizopus spp.). Serum voriconazole trough concentrations were available in 39 patients, and no statistically significant difference in voriconazole trough level was observed between those with versus without an IFI. Voriconazole prophylaxis was discontinued in 81 patients due to suspected IFI (n = 24), fever of unknown origin (n = 19), adverse events (n = 23), and other causes (n = 17). Voriconazole as primary IFI prophylaxis is safe and may be beneficial in AML/MDS patients receiving intensive chemotherapy.
Influence of total soluble salt concentration on growth and elemental concentration of winged bean seedlings, Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.

Abstract Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) (L.) DC) seedlings of the accession TPT‐1, were grown in a greenhouse with graded, balanced total soluble salt (TSS) concentrations. After 4.5 days, plant height increased quadratically, with a maximum (149 cm) at 3000 ppm TSS. Seedlings were shortest at 1000 and 10,000 ppm TSS, 44.0 and 79.0 cm, respectively. Fresh weight of shoots increased quadratically with greatest weight, 29.03 g, at 5000 ppm TSS. Percent dry matter increased linearly with increasing TSS. Concentration of N, K and P increased quadratically with an increase in the TSS concentration in the growth medium. Concentration of Ca decreased quadratically with increasing TSS. Among the micronutrients, Fe and Mo concentration was quadratic, both elements were highest in the seedlings at 1000 and 10,000 ppm TSS rates. Concentrations of Mn and Zn increased linearly with increasing TSS. Winged bean seedlings at the 1000 to 3000 ppm TSS rates had spindly stems and a sparse, yellow foliage, typical...
Construction of a D2.B6-Fv-2r Congenic Mouse Strain: Nonlethality of the Homozygous Fv-2r Genotype

Starting from the (C57BL/6 x DBA/2)F1 generation (Fv-2s/Fv-2r), 16 serial backcrosses to mice of the parental DBA/2 strain (Fv-2s/Fv-2s) were bred. In each generation, heterozygous Fv-2s/Fv-2r segregants were selected and backcrossed with a DBA/2 parent. In the 16th generation, Fv-2s/Fv-2r heterozygotes were intercrossed, and Fv-2r/Fv-2r homozygotes were selected for interbreeding to establish a congenic strain, D2.B6-Fv-2r. The successful establishment of this congenic strain is in contrast with previous findings suggesting that homozygosity for the Fv-2r allele might be a lethal genotype on the DBA/2 genetic background. At least 10 centimorgans of Fv-2r-linked chromosomal material originating from the C57BL/6 ancestor remains in the D2.B6-Fv-2r genome, as shown by the continued presence of C57BL/6 alleles at the flanking Kfo-1 and Bgl-s loci. The observed recombination frequency for the intervals between Fv-2 and Bgl-s was 6.8%.
The microenvironment in breast cancer progression: biology and implications for treatment

Breast cancer comprises a heterogeneous group of malignancies derived from the ductal epithelium. The microenvironment of these cancers is now recognized as a critical participant in tumor progression and therapeutic responses. Recent data demonstrate significant gene expression and epigenetic alterations in cells composing the microenvironment during disease progression, which can be explored as biomarkers and targets for therapy. Indeed, gene expression signatures derived from tumor stroma have been linked to clinical outcomes. There is increasing interest in translating our current understanding of the tumor microenvironment to the development of novel therapies.
Sca-1 influences the innate immune response during skeletal muscle regeneration

Efficient muscle regeneration requires the clearance of dead and dying tissue via phagocytosis before remodeling. We have previously shown that mice lacking stem cell antigen-1 (Sca-1) display a de...
Crystal Structure of the Nucleotide Exchange Factor GrpE Bound to the ATPase Domain of the Molecular Chaperone DnaK

The crystal structure of the adenine nucleotide exchange factor GrpE in complex with the adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) domain of Escherichia coli DnaK [heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70)] was determined at 2.8 angstrom resolution. A dimer of GrpE binds asymmetrically to a single molecule of DnaK. The structure of the nucleotide-free ATPase domain in complex with GrpE resembles closely that of the nucleotide-bound mammalian Hsp70 homolog, except for an outward rotation of one of the subdomains of the protein. This conformational change is not consistent with tight nucleotide binding. Two long α helices extend away from the GrpE dimer and suggest a role for GrpE in peptide release from DnaK.
Mass spectrometric imaging as a high-spatial resolution tool for functional genomics: Tissue-specific gene expression of TT7 inferred from heterogeneous distribution of metabolites in Arabidopsis flowers

Laser desorption/ionization (LDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) was used to acquire chemical images of flavonoid metabolites on the surface of wild-type and mutant (tt7) Arabidopsis thaliana flowers. Flavonoids were localized to the petals and carpels of flowers, with tissue heterogeneity in the petals. Specifically, kaempferol and/or its glycosides were abundant in the distal region of petals and quercetin and its downstream flavonoids were highly enriched in the more proximal region of petals. As a result of a mutation in the TT7 gene which blocks the conversion of dihydrokaempferol to dihydroquercetin, the downstream metabolites, quercetin, isohamnetin, and their glycosides, were not observed in the mutant flowers. Instead, the metabolites in an alternative pathway, kaempferol and/or its glycosides, were as highly abundant on the proximal region of the petals as in the distal region. In addition, the combined flavonoid amounts on the proximal region of petals in the wild-type are almost equivalent to the amounts of kaempferol and/or its glycosides in the mutant. This strongly suggests that the expression of the TT7 gene is localized on the proximal part of the petal while the other genes in the upper stream pathway are evenly expressed throughout the petal. Most importantly, this work demonstrates MSI of metabolites can be utilized for the localization of gene expression.
An application of fuzzy logic and Dempster-Shafer theory to failure detection and identification

An approach to failure detection and identification (FDI) is proposed which combines an analytic estimation method and an intelligent identification scheme in such a way that sensitivity to true failure modes is enhanced, while the possibility of false alarms is reduced. The authors use a real-time recursive parameter estimation algorithm with covariance resetting which triggers the FDI routine only when potential failure modes are anticipated. A possibilistic scheme based on fuzzy set theory is applied to the identification part of the FDI algorithm with computational efficiency. At the final stage of the algorithm, an index is computed-the degree of certainty-based on Dempster-Shafer theory, which measures the reliability of the decision. The FDI algorithm has been applied successfully to the detection of rotating stall and surge instabilities in axial flow compressors. >
Thwarting Cyber-Attack Reconnaissance with Inconsistency and Deception

One of the best ways to defend a computer system is to make attackers think it is not worth attacking. Deception or inconsistency during attacker reconnaissance can be an effective way to encourage this. We provide some theory of its advantages and present some data from a honeypot that suggests ways it could be fruitfully employed. We then report on experiments that manipulated packets of attackers of a honeypot using Snort Inline. Results show that attackers definitely responded to deceptive manipulations, although not all the responses helped defenders. We conclude with some preliminary results on analysis of "last packets" of a session which indicate more precisely what clues turn attackers away.
Swarm Control of UAVs for Cooperative Hunting with DDDAS

Abstract Swarm control is a problem of increasing importance with technological advancements. Recently, governments have begun employing UAVs for reconnaissance, including swarms of drones searching for evasive targets. An agent-based simulation for dynamic cooperative cleaning is augmented with additional behaviors and implemented into a Dynamic Data-Driven Applica- tion System (DDDAS) framework for dynamic swarm control.
Lessons from the Sandbox: Is Unexplained Nitrogen Real?

In their review of 24 studies of forest nitrogen (N) budgets, Binkley and others (2000) found that only one of them supported the conclusion that an N accumulation of more than 25 kg N ha 1 y 1 is possible without known symbiotic N2–fixing plants. They contended that, given how well the N cycle is known, new N accumulation pathways are unlikely. They also concluded that the Hubbard Brook sandbox study (Bormann and others 1993) was insufficiently replicated and had low precision in vegetation and soil estimates. Here we reevaluate and extend the sandbox analysis and place the findings in a broader context. Using multiple methods of estimating vegetation N accumulation in pine sandboxes, we arrived at results that differed from the reported rates but still strongly supported large biomass N accumulation. The original study’s conclusions about soil N changes were strengthened when new evidence showed that N accumulated in lower horizons and that the sandboxes were successfully homogenized at the beginning of the experiment. Unexplained ecosystem N accumulation ranged from about 40 to 150 kg ha 1 y 1 , with 95% confidence intervals that did not include zero. No evidence was found that could balance the sandbox ecosystem N budgets without adding unexplained N. Unreplicated experiments, such as the sandboxes, can explore the possibility that N can accumulate in ways not explainable by mass balance analysis, but they cannot quantify the frequency and extent of the phenomenon. New studies should combine substantive microbiological, mass balance, and process research using multiple direct measures of N2 fixation.
Identification of a nucleotide binding site in HIV-1 integrase

HIV-1 integrase is essential for viral replication and can be inhibited by antiviral nucleotides. Photoaffinity labeling with the 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) analog 3′,5-diazido-2′,3′-dideoxyuridine 5′-monophosphate (5N3-AZTMP) and proteolytic mapping identified the amino acid 153–167 region of integrase as the site of photocrosslinking. Docking of 5N3-AZTMP revealed the possibility for strong hydrogen bonds between the inhibitor and lysines 156, 159, and 160 of the enzyme. Mutation of these residues reduced photocrosslinking selectively. This report elucidates the binding site of a nucleotide inhibitor of HIV-1 integrase, and possibly a component of the enzyme polynucleotide binding site.
Phenotypic plasticity's impacts on diversification and speciation

Phenotypic plasticity (the ability of a single genotype to produce multiple phenotypes in response to variation in the environment) is commonplace. Yet its evolutionary significance remains controversial, especially in regard to whether and how it impacts diversification and speciation. Here, we review recent theory on how plasticity promotes: (i) the origin of novel phenotypes, (ii) divergence among populations and species, (iii) the formation of new species and (iv) adaptive radiation. We also discuss the latest empirical support for each of these evolutionary pathways to diversification and identify potentially profitable areas for future research. Generally, phenotypic plasticity can play a largely underappreciated role in driving diversification and speciation.
Extraction of Meaningful Rules in a Medical Database

Clustering enhances the value of existing databases by revealing rules in the data. These rules are useful for understanding trends, making predictions of future events from historical data, or synthesizing data records into meaningful clusters. Through clustering are similar data items grouped together to form clusters. Clustering algorithms usually employ a distance metric based (e.g., Euclidean) similarity measure in order to partition the database such that data points in the same partition are more similar than points in different partitions. In this paper, we study clustering algorithms for data with categorical attributes. Instead of using traditional clustering algorithms that use distances between points for clustering which is not an appropriate concept for Boolean and categorical attributes, we propose a novel concept of HAC (hierarchy of attributes and concepts) to measure the similarity/proximity between a pair of data points. In this study, HAC will be used as an aid to represent medical domain knowledge substructures to simplify the generation process of the databases through clustering. As a result, the research will identify interesting relationships and patterns among the data, and represent them in the form of association rules.
Millimeter-wave asymmetric Fabry-Perot modulators

We have designed, fabricated, and characterized GaAs-AlGaAs (/spl lambda/=864 nm) asymmetric Fabry-Perot modulators with /spl ap/37 GHz modulation frequency response, comparable to the fastest waveguide modulators. The modulation response saturates at high optical powers due to saturation of the excitonic absorption and heating effects, but the frequency response is independent of the incident optical intensity, since it depends only on the RC time constant, and not on the carrier transit time. The device design takes advantage of the fact that the quantum-confined Stark effect is more pronounced at some distance from the absorption edge to achieve a modulator with /spl ges/20 dB contrast and /spl ap/3 dB insertion loss for /spl plusmn/2 V operating voltage, but only 21 fF capacitance. The DC bias used to move the operating point off the absorption edge has the additional benefits of improving the linearity and chirp of the device, as well as the saturation intensity. Here we present measurements of the modulation and photocurrent responses of the modulators, calculate the RC and transit times for the device, analyze the saturation mechanisms, and discuss the linearity and chirp of the device from the perspective of a high-speed digital optical communications system. >
Fire Ant Decapitating Fly Cooperative Release Programs (1994–2008): Two Pseudacteon Species, P. tricuspis and P. curvatus, Rapidly Expand Across Imported Fire Ant Populations in the Southeastern United States

Natural enemies of the imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren S. richteri Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and their hybrid, include a suite of more than 20 fire ant decapitating phorid flies from South America in the genus Pseudacteon. Over the past 12 years, many researchers and associates have cooperated in introducing several species as classical or self-sustaining biological control agents in the United States. As a result, two species of flies, Pseudacteon tricuspis Borgmeier and P. curvatus Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae), are well established across large areas of the southeastern United States. Whereas many researchers have published local and state information about the establishment and spread of these flies, here distribution data from both published and unpublished sources has been compiled for the entire United States with the goal of presenting confirmed and probable distributions as of the fall of 2008. Documented rates of expansion were also used to predict the distribution of these flies three years later in the fall of 2011. In the fall of 2008, eleven years after the first successful release, we estimate that P. tricuspis covered about 50% of the fire ant quarantined area and that it will occur in almost 65% of the quarantine area by 2011. Complete coverage of the fire ant quarantined area will be delayed or limited by this species' slow rate of spread and frequent failure to establish in more northerly portions of the fire ant range and also, perhaps, by its preference for red imported fire ants (S. invicta). Eight years after the first successful release of P. curvatus, two biotypes of this species (one biotype occurring predominantly in the black and hybrid imported fire ants and the other occurring in red imported fire ants) covered almost 60% of the fire ant quarantined area. We estimate these two biotypes will cover almost 90% of the quarantine area by 2011 and 100% by 2012 or 2013. Strategic selection of several distributional gaps for future releases will accelerate complete coverage of quarantine areas. However, some gaps may be best used for the release of additional species of decapitating flies because establishment rates may be higher in areas without competing species.
Periodic Advertising Pulsing in a Competitive Market

The question as to the optimality of advertising pulsing has attracted many researchers over the last half-century. In this paper we specify a market share model in which there are two advertising-setting firms as well as a no-purchase option. The framework is that of a first-order Markov process with three states. The objective of both firms is to maximize profits. We are able to demonstrate, for a diminishing returns advertising function, that the optimal advertising strategy is pulsing. The frequency of the advertising pulse is shown to depend on the magnitude of the market share retention rate (state dependence); the higher it is, the less frequent the advertising. We further find that the optimal advertising budgets do not remain the same when the frequency of pulsing changes. Finally, we show that it is optimal for both firms to advertise in phase.
Adequacy of Representation in Brazilian Class Actions and the Evolution of the Iberoamerican Model Code (La Representación Adecuada en las Acciones Colectivas Brasileñas y el Avance del Código Modelo)

This paper discusses the judicial control of the adequacy of the class representative in the Ibero American Model Code.Este articulo discute el control judicial de la adecuacion del representante en el Codigo Modelo de Procesos Colectivos del Instituto Iberoamericano de Derecho Procesal.
The current status of the change of sex operation.

The syndrome of male transsexualism is characterized by a life-long preference for the feminine role, predicated on the conviction of belonging to the female sex. This conviction is held and persists despite the painfully obvious fact of normal male anatomy and genitalia, before and after puberty, a
Consummatory grooming fragments: A model for periodic behaviors*

Cats with midbrain lesions exhibit an abnormal dissociation between appetitive and consummatory grooming behaviors. Periodic regression analyses of two sets of behavioral data from groups studied in different years revealed a 4-month rhythm, with the same timing in both years. Various long-term endocrine rhythms that may be involved in the rhythmic disintegration of grooming behavior are discussed.
The Preparticipation Sports Evaluation

1. Andrew R. Peterson, MD, MSPH* 2. David T. Bernhardt, MD† 1. *Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. 2. †Departments of Pediatrics and Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Perform a preparticipation history and physical examination and identify children and adolescents who may be at increased risk of morbidity or mortality from sports participation. 2. Recognize that many adolescents make infrequent contact with the medical system and that the mandatory preparticipation evaluation serves as an opportunity to address medical issues not necessarily associated with sports participation. 3. Know the conditions that should be evaluated by a cardiologist before sports participation. 4. Discuss the importance of assessing and documenting neurocognitive function in a preparticipation sports examination. 5. Understand that disqualification from one sport does not imply disqualification from all sports. Sports participation among people of all ages has increased steadily over the past 4 decades. This trend generally has been considered to be a positive development, with conventional wisdom asserting that sports participation teaches leadership and cooperative skills that have a lifelong impact. In addition, as the obesity pandemic worsens, organized sports participation and unstructured play or physical exercise can be a source of needed physical activity for children and adolescents. The pediatrician often is asked to evaluate a child's or adolescent's suitability for sports participation. The purpose of this evaluation has remained constant since it was first described in 1978. (1)(2) The goals are to fulfill the institution's legal and liability requirements, provide some assurance to coaches that athletes will start the season at an acceptable level of health and fitness, provide an opportunity to discover treatable conditions, and aid in predicting and preventing future injuries. The evaluation should be practical and applicable to all sports. The specific objectives of the evaluation …
A modified incubation method reduces analytical variation of soil hydrolase assays

Abstract Given that analytical precision affects the number of biological replicates required to achieve adequate statistical power, and analytical variation is often high for soil assays, we investigated ways to reduce variation of soil hydrolase assays. For two mineral soils (sandy and loamy) and one organic soil (peat), we compared variation of fluorescence for acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase, and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase using incubation methods that differed in assay volume and the ability of reagents to mix. For fluorescence of β-glucosidase and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase from the mineral soils, which had coefficients of variation that exceeded 10% on average, well-mixed, larger volumes significantly reduced variation. This reduction was not observed for fluorescence of acid phosphatase from peat, which had consistently low variation. For all soils tested, thorough mixing of NaOH also reduced variation. Because the goal of enzyme assays is to estimate the total enzyme pool in a sample of soil, modifications to reduce analytical variation, such as those proposed here, should be considered. These modifications can potentially increase our ability to detect treatment differences within the heterogeneous soil matrix.
Abstract A1-14: Discovery of a functional SNP in an estrogen receptor binding site in the IGF1R gene

Estrogen receptor (ER) positive luminal breast cancer represents approx 70% of all newly diagnosed breast cancers. ER is known to drive breast cancer development and progression, and targeting ER has been one of the most successful targeted therapies in oncology. Given the paucity of functional DNA sequence variants (DSVs) within the ER in primary breast tumors, we asked whether DSVs in ER binding sites could contribute to altered hormone response through changes in ER recruitment to DNA. We developed a pipeline to extract DSVs in ER binding sites, and to assess their impact on ER binding in a genome-wide manner, using ChIP-seq data from hormone responsive breast cancer cells. We utilized MACS for peak calling and GATK for calling DSVs including SNVs and short indels. Using 22,143 ER binding sites which overlapped in at least six data sets, we detected 1,409,406 DSVs from 441,855,039 reads. Position weight matrix (PWM) was used to scan the genome for potential ERE motifs, and identified 126 potential DSVs which were predicted to change ER binding. Of those, 29 DSV-containing EREs were in proximity or within estrogen regulated genes. Intriguingly, the top hit was a previously reported SNP within intron 2 of the IGF1R gene (rs62022087), which our data predicted to increase the affinity for ER binding. The ERE lies in a regulatory region characterized by active histone marks such as H3K29ac and H3k4Me1, and recruitment of a number of transcription factors including c-myc, FoxA1, GATA-1, and finally DNase I hypersensitive sites. Further analysis of published ChIP-seq studies on 6 ER+ cell lines and 15 primary tumors revealed that the presence of rs62022087 was associated with the enrichment of reads over the ER binding site, suggesting that the DSV indeed increases binding affinity of ER. Our further in-vitro functional studies confirmed that ER is more preferentially binding to mutant allele vs wild-type allele. In summary, we have shown that our pipeline is capable of predicting potential regulatory DSVs in ER binding sites. Studies are ongoing to understand functional and clinical relevance of rs62022087, especially with respect to crosstalk between estrogen and IGF1 signaling. Citation Format: Amir Bahreini, Amir Bahreini, Lucas Santanas, Peilu Wang, Panayiotis V. Benos, Adrian V. Lee, Adrian V. Lee, Steffi Oesterreich, Steff Oesterreich. Discovery of a functional SNP in an estrogen receptor binding site in the IGF1R gene. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Translation of the Cancer Genome; Feb 7-9, 2015; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(22 Suppl 1):Abstract nr A1-14.
Prevalence rate of nosocomial infection in children′s hospital during past three years

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence rate of nosocomial infections and observe the related factors for nosocomial infections and the use of antibiotics so as to provide evidence for monitoring of the nosocomial infections.METHODS By means of cross-sectional survey,the patients who were hospitalized during 0∶00-24∶00on May 18,2008,Jun 14,2010,and May 16,2012were enrolled in the study,then the unified and standard questionnaire tables were filled out,and the statistical analysis of the data was performed.RESULTS Totally 1137cases of hospitalized patients have been investigated during the three years with the actual investigation rate of 100.0%. The prevalence rate of the nosocomial infection was 3.58% in 2008,1.32% in 2010,2.42% in 2012,the difference in the prevalence rate of nosocomial infections between the three years was not significant.Of all the hospitalized patients with nosocomial infections,the patients with upper respiratory tract infections accounted for 55.56%,the patients with lower respiratory tract infections 25.93%,the patients with gastrointestinal tract infections 18.52%.The utilization rate of antibiotics was 66.49%,the single drug medication accounted for 85.33%,the two-drug medication 13.33%,three-drug medication 1.33%;the submission rate of specimens was 35.33%,showing an upward trend in the three years.The gram-negative bacteria were dominant among the pathogens,accounting for 66.67%.CONCLUSIONTo enhance the management of ward and focus on the infection control in hematology department and neurology department may reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections.
Approximate algorithms for stochastic network design

I study the problems of optimizing a range of stochastic processes occurring in networks, such as the information spreading process in a social network [Kempe et al., 2003; Chen et al., 2010], species migration processes in landscape network [Sheldon et al., 2010; Wu et al., 2013; 2014a; 2014b], virus spreading process in human contact network. In the typical network design framework, the planner can take a set of management actions, such as adding edges, removing nodes and so on, to construct a network in order to benefit the activities occurring in the networks. The set of actions being taken is called a policy. To characterize and measure the properties of the constructed network, a function is defined to map each possible policy to a real value. The goal is to select a least costly policy so that the value of the policy is greater or equal to certain value. Well known network design problems are Steiner tree problem [Hwang et al., 1992], maximum spanning tree problem [Kruskal, 1956], survival network design [Nemhauser et al., 1993] and so on. Over the last decades, substantial research has been done on both the theoretical and algorithmic aspects of these problems [Gupta and Konemann, 2011]. However, the standard network design framework fails to capture certain types of practical problems in which (1) the planner can take much richer set of management actions, such as raising the probabilities of certain edge being present or select the source that triggers the stochastic process; and (2) the function that maps each policy to a real value may be defined using probability and expectation. Some of these aspects have been addressed in recent applications, such as maximizing the spread of an endangered species called Red-CockadedWoodpecker [Sheldon et al., 2010; Kumar et al., 2012]. However, existing solution techniques are not general-purpose frameworks and cannot model a broad class of network design problems. Moreover, the existing techniques that attempt to find high quality policies such as standard mixed integer program (MIP) solver, greedy algorithms or heuristic based methods suffer from limited scalability or poor performance. My thesis contributes to both modeling and algorithm development. My first goal is to define a unifying network design framework called stochastic network design (SND) to model a broad class of network design problems under stochas- ticity. My second goal, which is my major focus, is to design effective and scalable general-purpose approximate algorithms to solve problems that can be formulated by the SND framework.
Reference ranges for short-term heart rate variability measures in individuals free of cardiovascular disease: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Abstract Background Normative values for heart rate variability (HRV) measures from 10-s electrocardiograms (ECG) have not been defined. Methods We reported borderline abnormal ( Results Borderline abnormal and abnormal SDNN and rMSSD varied by sex and race. Borderline abnormal and abnormal SDNN and rMSSD were associated with an increased risk of CVD and all-cause mortality. Conclusions The references ranges provided in this report will guide future research using these common HRV parameters.
A data driven context aware activity recognition system: student research abstract

The smartphone revolution has opened the floodgates for data science. Latest smartphones are equipped with a wide range of sensors that provide high frequency data that is distilled by many pattern recognition algorithms and used for simple and complex activity recognition. However, the extent to which we can predict an activity using a smartphone alone is inhibited primarily by the noise in the sensor data. While it can be used for pattern recognition, using the data for actual calculations thus creating a bridge between the data and our physical world is not possible. Context aware applications are a relatively new area. However, context awareness is not a feature the application offers, rather a prerequisite for it to provide meaningful results. The many running applications on the market, such as the Nike fuel only provide you results once you establish the context i.e. the individual is running, walking or cycling by pushing the appropriate option on the application user interface. While this is efficient, it quickly becomes impractical once we talk about a holistic activity recognition system, where want to recognize and eventually predict the simple or complex activity at all times the individual has a smartphone.
Nationalist Mobilization in Colonial Morocco

Considering that Morocco has always constituted a free, sovereign state … Considering that the regime was supposed to provide Morocco with a set of administrative, financial, and military reforms without affecting the traditional sovereignty of the Moroccan people under the protection of the King; Considering that the Protectorate authorities have instead substituted a system of direct administration and acted to benefit the French colony … Considering that through this system, the French colony was able to capture power and become master of the country’s vital resources to the detriment of the indigenous people; Considering that the regime, using various means, has tried to shatter the unity of the Moroccan people, prevented them from participating effectively in the government of their country, and deprived them of all individual civil liberties … It is decided to demand the independence of Morocco. – Excerpted from the Manifeste de l’Independance , January 11, 1943 “In the streets, clashes between the French and natives are multiplying. The ‘Young Turk’ will tolerate no sign of disrespect; the native woman will no longer put up with a French woman addressing her in the familiar ‘ tu ’ or taking her seat on the bus.... They act against all that is foreign.” – Commandement en chef, Inspection des Affaires Militaires Musulmanes, Note sur l’Evolution de l’Opinion Musulmane de l’Afrique du Nord de 1920 a Nos Jours, Juin 1943. In 1943, nationalist mobilization began in French Morocco: leaders of the newly formed Hizb al-Istiqlal issued a call for independence, and people across the protectorate began to demonstrate publicly against the French and in favor of national independence. This chapter takes a closer look at how nationalist mobilization began and progressed through independence in 1956. It examines the relationship between disruptions in imperial authority and nationalist mobilization using subnational data, and it considers alternative explanations.
Assessment of Capacity

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the theory and practice of assessing civil capacities in older adults who have neurological or psychiatric conditions—focusing specifically on the nature of capacity evaluation within usual health care settings. It is not directed at clinicians who receive the majority of their capacity assessment referrals through the legal system, or for the practicing forensic psychologist, whose background and practice needs vary. It concerns the prospective assessment of capacity, namely a patient in a health care setting who is experiencing an urgent problem where a decision is needed, and does not address retrospective assessment of capacity. “Decision-making capacity,” “capacity,” and “competency” are terms used in different settings and by different disciplines. It is important to understand how these terms have been defined in clinical and legal settings, and how those definitions are evolving. The terms may be misused in some clinical settings, leading to confusion about the assessment task and the implications of the outcome of a clinical assessment. An understanding of the use of these terms can help guide accurate and appropriate geriatric assessment.
Distance preserving maps and combinatorial joint source-channel coding for large alphabets

In this paper we present several results regarding distance preserving maps between nonbinary Hamming spaces and combinatorial (adversarial) joint source-channel coding. In an (α, β)-map from one Hamming space to another, any two sequences that are at least α relative distance apart, are mapped to sequences that are relative distance at least β apart. The motivation to study such maps come from (D, δ)-joint source-channel coding (JSCC) schemes, where any encoded sequence must be recovered within a relative distortion D, even in the presence of δ proportion of adversarial errors. We provide bounds on the parameters of both (α, β)-maps and (D,δ)-JSCC for nonbinary alphabets. We also provide constructive schemes for both, that are optimal for many cases.
Research Note Justice System–Imposed Financial Penalties Increase the Likelihood of Recidivism in a Sample of Adolescent Offenders

Although the use of financial penalties is pervasive in the justice system, there has been limited (and mostly dated) empirical research that has investigated the effect of financial costs incurred...
Measurement of Thermal Conductance

The 6-m long, 45-kG, warm-iron superconducting magnets envisioned for the Energy Doubler stage of the Fermilab accelerator require stiff supports with minimized thermal conductances in order to keep the refrigeration power reasonable. The large number of supports involved in the system required a careful study of their heat conduction from the room temperature wall to the intercepting refrigeration at 20 K and to the liquid helium. For this purpose the thermal conductance of this support was measured by comparing it with the thermal conductance of a copper strap of known geometry. An association of steady-state thermal analysis and experimental thermal conductivity techniques forms the basis of this method. An important advantage is the automatic simulation of the 20 K refrigeration intercept by the copper strap, which simplifies the apparatus considerably.
Policing and Society

This article examines policing as a formal social control institution in society. It explores the history of and development of policing and identifies some of the major phases in the policing movement. Attention is given to the role of policing as a traditionally reactive societal force; reference is also made for viewing police as a proactive element that not merely reacts to crime but actively seeks to reduce crime causing conditions. Policing is examined in several countries and historical developments serve as a basis for offering future prospects for policing.
Spinal Anesthesia for Urologic Surgery in an Infant With Palliated Single Ventricle Physiology

Although commonly practiced in the adult population, spinal anesthesia has seen sporadic use in the pediatric population, being employed historically as a means of avoiding apnea following general anesthesia with halothane. With the emergence of evidence that specific anesthetic agents may affect future neurocognitive outcomes, there has been an increased focus on alternatives to general anesthesia, including spinal anesthesia. However, spinal anesthesia may also have applications in patients with co-morbid conditions that increase the risk of general anesthesia. We present the use of spinal anesthesia during urologic surgery in a 19-month-old boy with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who had undergone surgical palliation. The use of spinal anesthesia in patients with congenital heart disease is reviewed, potential hemodynamic consequences are presented, and the use of spinal anesthesia as an alternative to general anesthesia is discussed. J Med Cases. 2016;7(11):493-497 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc2673w
Emotion, imagination and the world’s furniture

AbstractI scrutinize a view of emotion that was established in the late nineteenth century and bequeathed to subsequent generations of psychological researchers. That view has strong evolutionary undertones so that continuities between humans and other animals have guided psychological research on emotion – both with children and with adults. At the center of this biological view is the idea that an emotion is a set or facial and bodily reactions triggered by a first-hand encounter with a situation of some biological significance – a potential danger, a separation from a caregiver, a sudden noise, or a snake. I argue that such a view obscures two species-specific features of human emotion: (i) the extent to which the emotional valence of a given encounter is signaled by the culture rather than by any intrinsic features; (ii) the ways in which emotion is driven not by first-hand encounters with the world’s furniture but by mental encounters that depend on the human imagination. These two features offer a h...
Tough, armed and omnivorous: Hermodice carunculata (Annelida: Amphinomidae) is prepared for ecological challenges

The bearded fireworm, Hermodice carunculata, is a common species in the marine annelid taxon Amphinomidae. It has a widespread distribution throughout the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Red Seas. We review its environmental tolerances, defence mechanisms and feeding habits to evaluate its potential to survive in changing ocean conditions, to increasingly emerge as a nuisance species and to invade new geographic areas. Hermodice carunculata tolerates a wide range of environmental conditions, including temperature, salinity, oxygen saturation and various types of pollution. It has few natural predators because it is protected by its sharp chaetae and probably by toxins. Hermodice carunculata is best known for consuming live cnidarians, and has been implicated in transmitting coral pathogens, but it also feeds non-selectively on detritus. In the short term, we predict that H. carunculata will be able to withstand many future ecological challenges and possibly contribute to coral reef decline. In the long term, ocean acidification may negatively impact its defence mechanisms and survival. Its invasive potential may be significant. We highlight the gaps in our knowledge about the reproduction and development of this species, the nature and origin of its toxins and role of microbes in their feeding behaviour and defensive strategies.
Defect specific luminescence dead layers in CdS and CdSe

CdS and CdSe are often used in optoelectronic devices whose effectiveness may be dictated by defects in the near surface region. Luminescence is one of the main tools for studying such defects. The...