cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cochlear effects of indacrinone are not altered by penicillin

Indacrinone is a loop diuretic structurally related to ethacrynic acid. Indacrinone is a racemic mixture. Previous studies have shown that the (-) enantiomer caused reduction of endocochlear potential (EP) and elevation of compound action potential (CAP) threshold (Rybak and Whitworth, 1987a). It has been demonstrated that organic acids such as penicillin, probenecid and sodium salicylate prevent the reduction of EP normally observed after furosemide administration (Rybak et al., 1992a). The present study was designed to determine whether penicillin pretreatment could prevent changes in EP and CAP threshold in (-)-indacrinone treated chinchillas. Adult chinchillas were anesthetized with ketamine and pentobarbital. A microelectrode was advanced into the scala media using the round window approach, and CAP responses to clicks were measured. One group was treated with (-)-indacrinone 100 mg/kg via the jugular vein. A second group of animals received penicillin 50 mg/kg i.v. thirty minutes before (-)-indacrinone. The mean EP change in the indacrinone-treated animals was 38.38 +/- 19.32 millivolts (mv). The reduction of EP in the group receiving penicillin was 24.43 +/- 20.74 mv (P > 0.09). The mean CAP threshold changes in animals receiving indacrinone was 20 +/- 14.14 dB whereas those pretreated with penicillin showed a threshold shift of 21.43 +/- 20.35 dB (P > 0.05). These findings are consistent with previous studies which showed that the effect of ethacrynic acid on the EP and CAP was not changed by the pretreatment with penicillin (Rybak et al., 1990).
In search of allosteric modulators of α7-nachr by solvent density guided virtual screening

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) are pentameric ligand gated ion channels whose activity can be modulated by endogenous neurotransmitters as well as by synthetic ligands that bind the same or distinct sites from the natural ligand. The subtype of α7 nAChR has been considered as a potenial therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. Here we have developed a homology model of α7 nAChR based on two high resolution crystal structures with Brookhaven Protein Data Bank (PDB) codes 2QC1 and 2WN9 for threading on one monomer and then for building a pentamer, respectively. A number of small molecule binding sites are identified using Pocket Finder (J. An, M. Tortov, and R. Abagyan, Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 4.6, 752-761 (2005)) of Internal Coordinate Mechanics (ICM). Remarkably, these computer-identified sites match perfectly with ordered solvent densities found in the high-resolution crystal structure of α1 nAChR, suggesting that the surface cavities in the α7 nAChR model are likely binding sites of small molecules. A high throughput virtual screening by flexible ligand docking of 5008 small molecule compounds was performed at three potential allosteric modulator (AM) binding sites of α7 nAChR using Molsoft ICM software (R. Abagyan, M. Tortov and D. Kuznetsov, J Comput Chem 15, 488-506, (1994)). Some experimentally verified allosteric modulators of α7 like CCMI comp-6, LY 7082101, 5-HI, TQS, PNU-120596, genistein, and NS-1738 ranked among top 100 compounds, while the rest of the compounds in the list could guide further search for new allosteric modulators.
Simple ureas derived from diisocyanates and their liquid chromatography on a 5-cm column

Abstract Aliphatic and aromatic diisocyanates were converted to ureas by a chromophoric derivatizing reagent. The ureas were isolated in the pure form and characterized by various methods including nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. A chromatographic analytical separation of the urea test solutions was established. The method was used to demonstrate the derivatization of the isocyanates and direct determination of the produced ureas from the reaction mixture.
Estrogen, stress and the brain: progress toward unraveling gender discrepancies in major depressive disorder.

Women are twice as likely as men to develop major depressive disorder (MDD) and, while the neurobiological factors underlying this discrepancy are yet to be identified, estrogen almost certainly plays a role. MDD can be precipitated or exacerbated by exposure to stress and there is substantial evidence to sugget that estrogen can interact with stress systems to produce unique stress effects in females. This review integrates current research in animal models regarding estrogen–stress interactions in three areas of the brain known to be relevant to MDD: the hippocampus, the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. The results from these studies are discussed in the context of MDD, and their implications for future treatment of MDD in women are explored.
The vital statistics method of estimating net migration by age cohorts.

The focus of this paper is the development and testing of a method of estimating deaths which occur during a decade to aging birth and death cohorts, so that it may be possible to estimate net migration by the vital statistics (VS) method for age cohorts. Until now the VS method has been used only in making estimates of total net migration.
Distributed network utility maximization using event-triggered augmented Lagrangian methods

Many problems associated with networked systems can be formulated as network utility maximization (NUM) problems. Dual decomposition is a widely used distributed algorithm that solves the NUM problem. This approach, however, uses a step size that is inversely proportional to measures of network size such as maximum path length or maximum neighborhood size. As a result, the number of messages exchanged between nodes by dual decomposition scales poorly with respect to these measures. This paper investigates the use of an event-triggered communication scheme in distributed NUM algorithms. Under event triggering, each agent broadcasts to its neighbors when a local “error” signal exceeds a state dependent threshold. In particular, this paper proposes an event-triggered distributed NUM algorithm based on the augmented Lagrangian methods. The algorithm converges to the optimal solution. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm reduces the number of message exchanges by two orders of magnitude, and is scale-free with respect to the above two measures of network size.
The Leper in Medieval Islamic Society

To the Western mind, no disease is so fearsome and horrible as leprosy. Leprosy still conveys the suggestion of physical repulsiveness, moral perversion, and promiscuous infection; the leper is the archetypal outcast, society's pariah and sometimes its scapegoat. We have inherited such ideas about the disease and its victim largely from the Middle Ages; since that time the leper has become a familiar figure in Western literature and art.2 The formation of these beliefs regarding lepers tells us a good deal about the nature of European Christian society in the medieval period what was despised and cast out is as revealing about social attitudes as what was cherished and preserved.3 The leper affords similar insight into the nature of traditional Islamic
Experimental Infection of Goats, Sheep and Calves with the Large Colony Type of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides:

Goats, sheep and calves were inoculated intravenously with strain Y3343 of the large colony type of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides isolated from a goat with polyarthritis. The goats and sheep died of septicemia (one was killed in extremis) within eight days. The goats had leukopenia and granulocytopenia. Coagulopathy was indicated in some goats; the fibrinogen titer, prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times increased with the progress of disease and the number of platelets decreased dramatically in one goat. Goats and sheep had cellulitis at the site of inoculation, pleural hemorrhages, pneumonia, myocarditis, renal infarcts, glomerulitis, adrenal cortical necrosis, enteritis, focal splenic necrosis, polyarthritis and lymphadenitis. Vasculitis and thrombi were seen occasionally, suggesting that vascular changes, perhaps together with coagulopathy, had a role in pathogenesis. One of two experimental calves developed a slight fever, arthritis and minor inflammation of adrenal tissue. Calves seen less susceptible to the mycoplasma organism given intravenously than do goats or sheep.
Oil Source Identification Using Diagnostic Biomarker Ratio Analyses

ABSTRACT The foremost questions asked about spilled oil are its source, quantity in various compartments of the environment, and the risk and consequences associated with various levels of oil with...
Rickettsia‐like organisms in the blue‐eyed plecostomus, Panaque suttoni (Eigenmann & Eigenmann)

. Intracytoplasmic organisms resembling rickettsia were observed in tissues of two blue-eyed plecostoitius, Panaqae suttoni (Eigenmann & Eigenmann), a tropical freshwater fish. Gross lesions were limited to renomegaly and splenomegaly. Cytopathological and histopathological examination of the various tissues revealed numerous small, discrete, coccoid organisms in the cytoplasm of monocytes as well as tissue macrophages of the spleen, heart, kidney and sometimes liver. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that these organisms were within membrane-bound vacuoles and had a morphology resembling rickettsia.
Distal Femoral Valgus Deformity Following Plate Fixation of Pediatric Femoral Shaft Fractures

Background: This study investigated the frequency and potential risk factors associated with the development of distal femoral valgus deformity following plate fixation of diaphyseal femoral fractures in children. Methods: Records of eighty-five skeletally immature patients who underwent plate fixation of a diaphyseal femoral fracture at a tertiary-care pediatric center from January 2003 to December 2010 were reviewed. Demographic data and clinical information were analyzed. Radiographic measurement of the distance from the distal plate edge to the distal femoral physis and of the anatomic lateral distal femoral angle was performed. Development of distal femoral valgus deformity was defined as a change in the anatomic lateral distal femoral angle of ≥5° in the valgus direction. Logistic regression analysis and contingency tables were used to relate the development of distal femoral valgus deformity with retention of hardware, patient age, fracture site, plate-to-physis distance, and the location of a bend in the plate at fixation. Results: Midshaft fractures (45%) were more common than proximal or distal diaphyseal fractures. Intraoperatively, the plate was bent proximally or distally, or both, in 80% of the patients. Distal femoral valgus deformity of ≥5° was seen in ten patients, eight of whom had distal diaphyseal fractures. Three of the ten patients developed symptoms as a result of the distal femoral valgus deformity that required at least one unplanned additional surgical procedure. On the basis of the statistical analysis, patients with a plate-to-physis distance of ≤20 mm (relative risk= 12.77, p = 0.005) and a distal fracture (relative risk = 11.0, p < 0.001) were at a significantly higher risk of developing distal femoral valgus deformity. Although not clearly an independent factor, a distal bend was also found to be associated with distal femoral valgus deformity (p = 0.004) but was not predictive of the pathology. Conclusions: Distal femoral valgus deformity occurred in 30% of patients with distal diaphyseal fractures and in 12% overall. We advocate long-term monitoring of patients with femoral plate fixation, particularly those in whom the plate is placed ≤20 mm from the distal femoral physis. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Severe eosinophilic fasciitis: comparison of treatment with D-penicillamine plus corticosteroids vs. corticosteroids alone

Objectives: To compare the therapeutic effectiveness of corticosteroids (CS) alone vs. CS plus d-penicillamine (d-Pen) in severe eosinophilic fasciitis.Method: A long-term prospective non-randomized trial of d-Pen plus CS vs. CS alone in patients with severe eosinophilic fasciitis, defined as clinically apparent cutaneous fibrotic involvement affecting more than 15% body surface area (BSA) or more than 10% BSA with joint flexion contractures.Results: Sixteen patients with severe eosinophilic fasciitis entered the study. Ten patients received d-Pen plus CS and six received CS alone. Affected BSA decreased from an average of 29% to 8.9% in the d-Pen plus CS group compared to a decrease in affected BSA from 28% to 22.83% in the CS-alone group. The reduction in affected BSA in the d-Pen plus CS group was significantly greater than in the CS-alone group (p = 0.038). Clinical improvement occurred in all d-Pen plus CS patients compared to only 33.3% of CS-alone patients (p = 0.008). There was no difference in ov...
To hunt or not to hunt? A feeding enrichment experiment with captive large felids

It is often difficult to promote the successful performance of feeding behaviors in zoos, especially for carnivores. Feeding enrichment provides these opportunities and often improves behavioral indications of an animal's well-being and the experience of the zoo visitor. The effectiveness of two different feeding enrichment techniques was evaluated on five subjects in two species of felids: African lions and Sumatran tigers. The activity budgets of each cat were compared before, during, and after enrichment, focusing on activity levels, frequency and variety of feeding behaviors, and occurrence of stereotypic behaviors. The presentation of live fish increased the variety and frequency of feeding behaviors, while presentation of horse leg bones increased the frequency of these behaviors. Fish reduced the tigers' stereotypic behavior from 60% of scans to 30% of scans on the day of presentation, and this change was maintained for 2 days following enrichment. Bone presentation also reduced stereotypic behavior and increased nonstereotypic activity in both species. Both of these techniques appear to have sustained effects on behavior lasting at least 2 days after presentation, which may indicate their ability to alter the animals' underlying activity patterns. Zoo Biol 22:189–198, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Evaluation of Performance of Four Genotypic Methods for Studying the Genetic Epidemiology of Aspergillus fumigatus Isolates

In the present investigation, 49 Aspergillus fumigatus isolates obtained from four nosocomial outbreaks were typed by Afut1 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and three PCR-based molecular typing methods: random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, sequence-specific DNA primer (SSDP) analysis, and polymorphic microsatellite markers (PMM) analysis. The typing methods were evaluated with respect to discriminatory power (D), reproducibility, typeability, ease of use, and ease of interpretation to determine their performance and utility for outbreak and surveillance investigations. Afut1 RFLP analysis detected 40 types. Thirty types were observed by RAPD analysis. PMM analysis detected 39 allelic types, but SSDP analysis detected only 14 types. All four methods demonstrated 100% typeability. PMM and RFLP analyses had comparable high degrees of discriminatory power (D = 0.989 and 0.988, respectively). The discriminatory power of RAPD analysis was slightly lower (D = 0.971), whereas SSDP analysis had the lowest discriminatory power (D = 0.889). Overall, SSDP analysis was the easiest method to interpret and perform. The profiles obtained by PMM analysis were easier to interpret than those obtained by RFLP or RAPD analysis. Bands that differed in staining intensity or that were of low intensity were observed by RAPD analysis, making interpretation more difficult. The reproducibilities with repeated runs of the same DNA preparation or with different DNA preparations of the same strain were high for all the methods. A high degree of genetic variation was observed in the test population, but isolates were not always similarly divided by each method. Interpretation of band profiles requires understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for genetic alternations. PMM analysis and Afut1 RFLP analysis, or their combination, appear to provide the best overall discriminatory power, reproducibility, ease of interpretation, and ease of use. This investigation will aid in planning epidemiologic and surveillance studies of A. fumigatus.
Around a quarter of all older people have disability during the last 2 years of life, with prevalence higher among women and those aged over 80 years

Commentary on: Smith AK, Walter LC, Miao Y, et al. Disability during the last two years of life. JAMA Intern Med 2013;173:1506–13.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] The rapidly growing number of disabled elderly is expected to tax health delivery systems, whose focus has been the management of disease rather than the prevention and management of disability. The burden of caring for the disabled rests largely with family caregivers, who commonly experience physical and emotional strain. The network of community services designed to assist caregivers is fragmented, variable and costly. The … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJAMA%2BIntern%2BMed%26rft.volume%253D173%26rft.spage%253D1506%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1001%252Fjamainternmed.2013.8738%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F23836120%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.8738&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=23836120&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febnurs%2F17%2F4%2F124.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000324461200006&link_type=ISI
Acute adenosine preconditioning is mediated by p38 MAPK activation in discrete subcellular compartments.

Although acute adenosine preconditioning (PC) is well established, the signaling pathways mediating this cardioprotection remain unclear. Because adenosine receptor agonists activate p38 MAPK and t...
Contributions of Different Fatty Acid Sources to Very Low-Density Lipoprotein-Triacylglycerol in the Fasted and Fed States

Context: The liver’s regulation of fatty acids (FAs) postprandially may contribute to risk of metabolic diseases. Objective: Measurements of steady-state metabolism were used to investigate sources of FAs used for very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-triacylglycerol (TG) synthesis during fasting and feeding in vivo. Design/Intervention: Subjects were duodenally fed a formula labeled with the stable isotope glyceryl tri-palmitate-d31 and iv infused with [1,2,3,4-13C4]-palmitatic acid and [1-13C1]-acetate to quantitate the liver’s use of FAs originating from adipose tissue and de novo lipogenesis. Setting/Participants: This study of healthy men (n = 12; body mass index, 24.4 ± 2.7 kg/m2) was conducted at a General Clinical Research Center. Main Outcome Measures: Concentrations of metabolites during fasting and feeding, sources of FAs used for lipoprotein synthesis, rate of appearance of serum nonesterified FA (NEFA), and VLDL-TG were measured. Results: During fasting, 77.2 ± 14.0% of VLDL-TG was derived from...
An empirical study on the effects of test type ordering on overall test efficiency

The order in which the various test types are applied can have an impact on the overall efficiency of the test operation. Furthermore, the speed at which the tests can be executed and the latency of defect detection are also important factors. In this paper, we evaluate an exhaustive set of test orderings over a variety of assumed execution parameters to analyze their effects on overall tester time consumption.
The school psychologist as behavioral ecologist

Abstract Some psychologists involved in the implementation of applied behavioral psychology in educational systems must increasingly attend to the ecological impact of such interventions. An ecological orientation emphasizing system-like interdependencies among environment, organism, and behavior suggests several substantial additions to conventional role functions of behavioral school psychologists. Such functions involve taking an active part in evaluating and assessing second-order consequences of behavioral interventions. Recommendations for functional and procedural changes are provided within this framework.
Comparison of direct and concentrated acid-fast smears to identify specimens culture positive for Mycobacterium spp

Microscopic examination of respiratory specimens for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) plays a key role in the initial diagnosis of tuberculosis, monitoring of treatment, and determination of eligibility for release from isolation. The objective of this study was to compare the sensitivity obtained with smears for detection of AFB (AFB smears) made directly from respiratory specimens (direct AFB smears) to that obtained with parallel smears made from concentrates of the specimens (concentrated AFB smears). A total of 2,693 specimens were evaluated; 1,806 were from the University of California Irvine Medical Center Medical Microbiology Laboratory (UCIMC), which serves a tertiary-care hospital with outpatient clinics, and 887 were from the Microbial Disease Laboratory at the California Department of Public Health (MDL), which receives specimens from outpatient facilities and clinics on Pacific islands. Of the 353 AFB culture-positive specimens at UCIMC, there was a statistically significant difference in the sensitivity of the direct AFB smear (34%) and that of the smear made from the concentrated specimen (58%) (P < 0.05). This was also true for the 208 specimens positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, for which the sensitivity of the direct smear was 42% (87 of 208) and that for the smear made from the concentrated specimen was 74% (154 of 208). At MDL, where all but 1 of the 45 culture-positive specimens grew M. tuberculosis, the sensitivity of the smear made from the concentrated specimen was 93% (42 of 45) and was not significantly higher than the sensitivity of the direct smear, which was 82% (37 of 45). By combining the results from both laboratories, 42 patients from whom at least three specimens were received were culture positive for M. tuberculosis. The cumulative results for the initial three specimens from these patients showed that the direct smear detected M. tuberculosis in 81% of these patients, whereas the smear made from the concentrate detected M. tuberculosis in 91% of these patients. In summary, when all culture-positive specimens are considered, the sensitivity of the direct smear compared to that of a smear made from the concentrated specimen was significantly different overall in the two different laboratory settings. However, this difference was reduced only if the cumulative results for the initial three specimens received from patients who were culture positive for M. tuberculosis were evaluated.
Current-drive enhancement limited by carrier velocity saturation in deep-submicrometer fully depleted SOI MOSFETs

Simulations and measurements of SOI MOSFETs are presented with analytical insight to reveal the severe limitation of current-drive enhancement caused by carrier velocity saturation in the deep-submicrometer fully depleted device. For L=0.1 mu m, the enhancement, which tends to result from the suppressed body charge and electric field in the thin-film device, is virtually negated by the velocity saturation driven by the high longitudinal electric field. >
Enterprise Architecture facilitates adopting Agile development methodologies into a DoD acquisition

The role of the Contract Data Requirements List [CDRL] in the DoD acquisition process is to provide the authoritative list of required artifacts for a given procurement. It forms an appendix to the acquisition contract, and includes delivery information and a schedule for each, typically mapped to milestone events such as the Preliminary Design Review [PDR] or the Critical Design Review [CDR] in the DoD Acquisition Waterfall Lifecycle. A number of CDRLs were proposed for the Joint Mission Planning Systems [JMPS] Framework, including a number of artifacts specific to the architecture and design of the application. Alignment with the DoD Acquisition Waterfall Lifecycle milestone events posed significant challenges to the program, given the contractor's proposed Agile development methodology. Many of these architectural and design documents carried a delivery-schedule expectation that placed them in conflict with the best practices and anticipated benefits of Agile, including the principle of “design only as much as is necessary to build features”. Using the Enterprise Architect tool, the contractor was able to produce a “living design” used daily by the development team, including architects, designers, developers, integrators, and testers. The tool provided capabilities that facilitated templates for various CDRLs, including the Systems Architecture Description [SAD], the Software Design Description [SDD], and the Interface Design Description [IDD], allowing on-demand generation of snapshots of the architecture and detailed design as it evolved, providing the appropriate level of documentation of the as-built system. The result better addressed the contractual intent of the CDRLs, to provide subsequent platform developers an accurate and up-to-date understanding of the architecture and design of the JMPS Framework, while better preserving the integrity of the development of the Enterprise Architecture within the selected Zachman Framework, and in the context of the contractor's Agile methodology.
Early MRI and outcomes of untreated patients with mild or improving ischemic stroke.

Objective: To determine the frequency of early neurologic deterioration with infarct expansion (ENDIE) and poor outcomes among ischemic stroke patients not treated with reperfusion therapies because of rapidly improving or mild symptoms (RIMS) and to study the predictive value of hyperacute MRI in these patients. Methods: We identified consecutive patients with symptoms of acute stroke undergoing multimodal MRI within 6 hours of onset without evidence of hemorrhage on imaging. Medical records were reviewed for evidence of early neurologic deterioration within 48 hours. All deteriorating patients had repeat MRI to ascertain causes of worsening. Poor outcome was defined as a discharge modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of ≥3. Results: We identified 74 patients with stroke symptoms ≤6 hours from onset. Forty had RIMS, and 39 did not receive reperfusion therapies because of RIMS. Among these 39, 4 experienced ENDIE, and 8 were discharged with mRS score of ≥3. Eight of the 39 patients had large-vessel occlusions on MR angiography. Three of 8 patients with large-vessel occlusion as against only one of 31 patients without occlusion had ENDIE (odds ratio [OR] 18, 95% CI 1.6 to 209, p = 0.02). Four of 8 patients with large-vessel occlusion as against 4 of 31 patients without occlusion had a discharge mRS score of ≥3 (OR 7, 95% CI 1.2 to 38, p = 0.04). Conclusions: About 10% of patients eligible for acute reperfusion therapy excluded on the basis of mild or rapidly improving symptoms show early neurologic deterioration with infarct expansion within 48 hours, and about 20% show poor outcome at discharge. Persisting large-vessel occlusion substantially increases the risk of early worsening and poor functional outcome.
Existence as a Perfection: A Reconsideration of the Ontological Argument

Anselm's two ‘ontological’ arguments rest upon three fundamental assertions:(1) The idea of God is the idea of a being than which nothing more perfect is conceivable.(2) Whatever exists in the understanding and outside the understanding is more perfect than whatever exists in the understanding alone. (Prosologion 2)(3) Whatever cannot be conceived not to exist is more perfect than whatever can be conceived not to exist. (Proslogion 3)
Using model‐based systems engineering as a framework for improving test and evaluation activities

Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approaches are based on a paradigm shift from document-centric engineering to model-based engineering. Although MBSE methods are intended to apply across the entire system life cycle, one area that has not received much attention to date is the role of test and evaluation. Test and evaluation activities provide information that reduces the uncertainty about system performance, effectiveness, and suitability. This uncertainty reduction becomes particularly important within the context of defense systems, which can cost billions of dollars. This paper describes a methodology that uses an MBSE framework and Monte Carlo simulation to define uncertainty reduction goals for test planners to use in developing test strategies and detailed test designs for evaluating technical performance parameters. As tests are completed, physical models can be updated with test data and additional analyses conducted with combat models to determine if the system meets user requirements. The methodology is demonstrated through a simple case study involving a series of tests to predict the landing performance of an aircraft. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 16:
Hedging bank market risk with futures and forwards

Abstract This paper investigates the effectiveness for futures and forward hedging strategies that can be employed by large US banking firms with exposure to interest rate and foreign exchange risks. By measures of volatility reduction (VR) and value at risk (VaR), we find that while a single direct hedge performs no worse than a composite hedge in alleviating interest rate risk, it outperforms the composite hedge in reducing foreign exchange risk for banks that manage interest rate risk separately from foreign exchange risk. Also, the integrated hedge of both interest rate and foreign exchange risk with a single instrument of interest rate futures effectively outperforms the corresponding hedge with composite instruments in terms of reducing risks. The integrated hedge with currency forwards alone shows the poorest hedging effectiveness.
Pulsed Excimer Laser Processing of AlN/GaN Thin Films

A KrF (248 nm) excimer laser with a 38 ns pulse width was used to study pulsed laser annealing of AIN/GaN bi-layers and dopant activation of Mg-implanted GaN thin films. For the AIN/GaN bi-layers, cathodoluminescence (CL) showed an increase in the intensity of the GaN band-edge peak at 3.47 eV after pulsed laser annealing at an energy density of 2000 mJ/cm2. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry of a Mg-implanted A1N (75 nm thick)/GaN (1.0 μm thick) thin-film heterostructure showed a 20% reduction of the 4He+ backscattering yield after laser annealing at an energy density of 400 mJ/cm2. CL measurements revealed a 410 nm emission peak indicating the incorporation of Mg after laser processing.
Improved Global Convergence Probability Using Independent Swarms

In global optimization it may sometimes be more efficient to perform multiple independent optimization runs with a limited number of fitness evaluations in place of a single run with an equal number of total fitness evaluations. This is especially true for problems with a number of widely separated local optima in the design space because a single optimization has a larger probability of becoming entrapped in a local optimum than multiple independent runs. This approach can be further exploited by utilizing parallel computation. Some preliminary results of an investigation on the feasibility of multiple independent optimizations are reported. I. Nomenclature Pi = individual optimization global convergence probability Pc = multiple optimization cumulative global convergence probability Cr = convergence ratio N = number of optimization runs Nc = number of globally converged optimization runs nfe = number of fitness evaluations nb = budget of fitness evaluations allocated to solving problem ni = allowed fitness evaluations for each independent optimization nl = number of fitness evaluations required by optimization algorithm to find minima se = standard error
Sex and intimacy among patients with implantable left-ventricular assist devices.

Background and research objective Left-ventricular assist devices (LVADs) sustain and improve the quality of life of people living with an advanced stage of heart failure. Past research focused on the development and advancement of LVAD technology, complications, and survival rates. Limited research addressed the psychosocial aspects of living with an LVAD, yet research related to sexual functioning and intimacy is lacking. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe sex and intimacy among adults living with an LVAD. Participants and methods We used an interpretive phenomenological study to explore the experiences of adults living with a long-term implantable LVAD, including the effect of the LVAD on their intimate and sexual functioning. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 7 men and 2 women, 31 to 70 years of age, who had lived with the LVAD at home for at least 3 months. Interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed. The wholistic and selective approach by van Manen (Researching Lived Experience: Human Science for an Action Sensitive Pedagogy. Albany, NY: SUNY Press; 1990) guided the analysis and interpretation of the transcribed interviews. Data were organized and coded into words and phrases using qualitative software. Results and conclusion Three themes emerged from the data: (a) improved sexual relations with LVAD, (b) sexual adjustment, and (c) nonsexual intimacy. The themes identified were consistent with the concept of normalcy from the theory of self-care. Participants reported that as the LVAD improved their overall health, their sexual functioning also improved. Participants also reported an increased sense of connectedness and intimacy with their partners even in the absence of sexual intercourse. Participants discussed ways in which they continued to develop intimate relationships even in the presence of limitations in structural and functional integrity. The knowledge derived from this study can be used as a guide for healthcare providers in counseling LVAD recipients on psychosocial and sexual health essential for achieving an optimum quality of life.
Urinary excretion of three oral cholecystographic agents in man.

SummaryThe excretion of 3 oral cholecystographic agents in the urine has been studied in 3 normal subjects in experimental cross-over design, following administration of standard diagnostic dosages...
Generation and characterization of a new solid form of trehalose.

We have identified and characterized a new solid form of trehalose, the δ form (Tδ) using 13C solid-state NMR spectroscopy (SSNMR). Tδ is formed from dehydrations of trehalose dihydrate (Th) performed at or below 100 °C, and it is generated concurrently with the α form of trehalose (Tα) and amorphous trehalose (Tam); the β form of trehalose (Tβ) has been observed in some dehydrated samples. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) studies of samples containing Tδ do not indicate the presence of the new form. Tδ is metastable: upon exposure to temperatures above 80 °C, it converts to either Tα or Tam, and upon exposure to ambient humidity, it reverts to Th.
MSVC Reactive Voltage Control Based on 110 kV Voltage Class

Aiming at multiple voltage classes and uneconomical reactive compensation as well as frequent switching of switches in China, the paper proposes to install MSVC under a 110 kV voltage class in 220 kV substation. By analyzing work principle and characters of 110 kV class MSVC, the paper brings forward a dynamic reactive compensation strategy based on seven-region diagram method for comprehensive adjustment on reactive power and voltage; besides, it gives a method of calculating the capacity for installation of reactive compensation device at 110 kV side. The calculation result shows that it can reduce switching of reactive compensation device, maintain stability of 110 kV bus voltage and improve power factor by means of reactive power control of 110 kV MSVC. Therefore, the device has good application prospect and is worth promotion.
Lightweight Examination of DLL Environments in Virtual Machines to Detect Malware

Since it becomes increasingly difficult to trick end users to install and run executable files from unknown sources, attackers refer to stealthy ways such as manipulation of DLL (Dynamic Link Library) files to compromise user computers. In this paper, we propose to develop mechanisms that allow the hypervisor to conduct lightweight examination of DLL files and their running environment in guest virtual machines. Different from the approaches that focus on static analysis of the DLL API calling graphs, our mechanisms conduct continuous examination of their running states. In this way, malicious manipulations to DLL files that happen after they are loaded into memory can also be detected. In order to maintain non-intrusive monitoring and reduce the impacts on VM performance, we avoid examinations of the complete DLL file contents but focus on the parameters such as the relative virtual addresses (RVA) of the functions. We have implemented our approach in Xen and conducted experiments with more than 100 malware of different types. The experiment results show that our approach can effectively detect the malware with very low increases in overhead at guest VMs.
Predictions for the northern coast of the shear rheology map: XXLAOS

A new paradigm of rheological characterization, oscillatory simple shear with infinite forcing amplitudes, is introduced by Khair (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 791, 2016, R5). This pushes the technique of large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) to have two extremely large amplitudes (both strain-rate and strain), which we might call XXLAOS. Model-specific analytical predictions are derived for a suspension of nearly spherical rigid particles subject to Brownian rotational diffusion. The work illuminates a new regime of rheological characterization that may serve as a distinct proving ground for constitutive model selection and for probing the flow physics of rheologically complex fluids.
Women’s Rights and Equality: Egyptian Constitutional Law

This chapter charts the genealogy of the language of “women’s equality” in successive Egyptian constitutions, culminating in the 2012 constitution in which the liberal language of women’s rights and equality converged with Islamist political aims. In the aftermath of the 2011 revolution, the new Egypt converted the fervor of revolutionary change into the civil liberties of a new constitutionalism. This partly involved the re-institution, or re-constitution, of the existing power structure, even with the guarantee of new liberties for women. This sexual contract is the counterpart of citizenship’s social contract in a liberal secular order. Its origins lie in secular state politics (both colonial and post-colonial) that depend heavily on religion for its legitimization, religion that is said to reside in the family, in women’s bodies, in the sexual contract, and in the inviolability of private property.
University-Community Collaboration to Promote Healthy Mothers and Infants: The Relationships and Parenting Support (RAPS) Program.

Research highlights the vulnerability of Black mothers and their infants, who experience higher rates of stress, preterm birth, low birth weight, and infant mortality than other racial groups. This article describes the development and implementation of the Relationships and Parenting Support (RAPS) Program, a community-based, family-focused stress reduction program for expectant and new mothers and their support partners. Program participants lived in an urban, isolated, African-American community in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. University faculty and community members worked together to examine the problem of teen pregnancy, neighborhood risks to the well-being of mothers and infants, and programmatic strategies to support families. Qualitative and quantitative data for the RAPS Program suggested benefits to program participants but also challenges in effectively carrying out community-engaged scholarship efforts. Lessons learned in developing and implementing this project are discussed.
Estimation of time-varying decision thresholds from the choice and reaction times without assumptions on the shape

When a decision is made based on a series of samples of evidence, the threshold for decision may change over time. Here we propose a one-shot algorithm that gives the entire threshold from the choice and decision times. Combined with a standard gradient descent procedure, the algorithm can efficiently identify the correct shape of the threshold without any hyperparameter for the threshold.
Insulin-mediated signaling facilitates resistance to PDGFR inhibition in proneural hPDGFB-driven gliomas.

Despite abundant evidence implicating receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK), including the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), in the pathogenesis of glioblastoma (GBM), the clinical use of RTK inhibitors in this disease has been greatly compromised by the rapid emergence of therapeutic resistance. To study the resistance of proneural gliomas that are driven by a PDGFR-regulated pathway to targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors, we utilized a mouse model of proneural glioma in which mice develop tumors that become resistant to PDGFR inhibition. We found that tumors resistant to PDGFR inhibition required the expression and activation of the insulin receptor (IR)/insulin growth-like factor receptor (IGF1R) for tumor cell proliferation and survival. Cotargeting IR/IGF1R and PDGFR decreased the emergence of resistant clones in vitro . Our findings characterize a novel model of glioma recurrence that implicates the IR/IGF1R signaling axis in mediating the development of resistance to PDGFR inhibition and provide evidence that IR/IGF1R signaling is important in the recurrence of the proneural subtype of glioma in which PDGF/PDGFR is most commonly expressed at a high level. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(4); 705–16. ©2017 AACR .
Seawater-flooding events and impact on freshwater lenses of low-lying islands: Controlling factors, basic management and mitigation

Abstract An unprecedented set of hydrologic observations was collected after the Dec 2008 seawater-flooding event on Roi-Namur, Kwajalein Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. By two days after the seawater flooding that occurred at the beginning of dry season, the observed salinity of water withdrawn by the island’s main skimming well increased to 100% seawater concentration, but by ten days later already decreased to only 10–20% of seawater fraction. However, the damaging impact on the potability of the groundwater supply (when pumped water had concentrations above 1% seawater fraction) lasted 22 months longer. The data collected make possible analyses of the hydrologic factors that control recovery and management of the groundwater-supply quality on Roi-Namur and on similar low-lying islands. With the observed data as a guide, three-dimensional numerical-model simulation analyses reveal how recovery is controlled by the island’s hydrology. These also allow evaluation of the efficacy of basic water-quality management/mitigation alternatives and elucidate how groundwater withdrawal and timing of the seawater-flooding event affect the length of recovery. Simulations show that, as might be expected, by adding surplus captured rainwater as artificial recharge, the freshwater-lens recovery period (after which potable groundwater may again be produced) can be shortened, with groundwater salinity remaining lower even during the dry season, a period during which no artificial recharge is applied. Simulations also show that the recovery period is not lengthened appreciably by groundwater withdrawals during recovery. Simulations further show that had the flooding event occurred at the start of the wet season, the recovery period would have been about 25% (5.5 months) shorter than actually occurred during the monitored flood that occurred at the dry-season start. Finally, analyses show that artificial recharge improves freshwater-lens water quality, making possible longer use of groundwater as a water supply throughout each year, even when no seawater flooding has occurred.
Adolescents' Daily Worry, Morning Cortisol, and Health Symptoms

Abstract Purpose To assess short-term effects of daily worries on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and later implications for adolescents' health symptoms. We hypothesized that heightened worry would be associated with stronger next-morning cortisol awakening response (CAR) to prepare the body for the demands of the upcoming day. Guided by biological adaptation to stress theories, we also hypothesized that dysregulated CAR would heighten associations between worries and later health symptoms, while also testing direct associations between worries and dysregulated CAR and health. Methods Ninety-nine late adolescents during waves 5 and 6 of a longitudinal study reported on 26 worries for 10 days. On 3 of the 10 days, participants also provided morning saliva samples that were assayed for cortisol to capture the CAR. At both waves, participants reported on 22 common health symptoms. Results Multilevel models showed significant within-person associations between high daily worries and next-morning heightened CAR for females. Contrary to expectation, worries were inversely related to concurrent health symptoms. For the whole sample, CAR moderated the effect of worries on later health symptoms: Worries were positively associated with health symptoms in adolescents with high CAR and inversely associated with health symptoms for those with low CAR. Conclusions In this sample of typically developing adolescents, worries alone do not increase the risk for common health complaints and may be somewhat protective in the short run. However, high worries in the context of high CAR appear to increase the risk for health symptoms.
A Large Scale Network Model To Obtain Interwell Formation Characteristics

Limited data availability and poor data quality make it difficult to characterise many reservoirs. For waterflooded reservoirs, production and injection data provide information from which injector-to-producer connections can be inferred. In this research, well locations and injection and production rate data are used to develop a reservoir-scale network model. A Voronoi mesh divides the reservoir into node volumes, each of which contains a well. Bonds connect the nodes with conductance values that are inferred from the rate data. The inverse problem minimises the mean-squared difference between computed and observed production data by adjusting the conductances between nodes. A derivative free optimisation algorithm is used to minimise the mean-squared difference. This coarse network model approach is fast and efficient because it solves for a small number of unknowns and is less underdetermined than correlation-based methods. The reservoir network model has promise as a reservoir description tool because of its modest data requirements, flexibility, efficiency, interpretability, and dynamism. [Received: July 17, 2015; Accepted: January 14, 2016]
Burwell and Space: Inner, Outer, Environmental and Acoustical

Burwell transcended the limitations of his earliest work in punk and art-rock while retaining its unvarnished simplicity, putting it in the service of a specific dramatic point of view. Whether the source material of one of Burwell’s scores lies in folk music (as it often does), or hymnody (almost as often), or a kind of generalized, rock-based harmony refracted through an orchestral setting (most of the time), they all impart an immediate sense of place and of the varied, complex human relationships that unfold within it.
The Making of a Pathogen.

Enterococci are opportunistic pathogens, hard to eradicate because of their unusually robust resistance to antibiotics, disinfectants, and desiccation. In recent work, Lebreton et al. (2017) show that traits promoting survival in hospitals were acquired upon adaptation to terrestrial life when Enterococci split from marine ancestors 400 million years ago.