cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Malignant struma ovarii.

A 41-yr-old woman with known struma ovarii, diagnosed by previous removal of her left ovary for dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia, presented with pelvic pain. Abdominal hysterectomy revealed two abdominal masses that were consistent with thyroid tissue at histopathological examination. She denied symptoms of hyperthyroidism. On physical examination, she had no thyroid nodules, cervical lymphadenopathy, or palpable abdominal masses. LaboratoryevaluationrevealednormalserumTSH(1.35mU/liter)and thyroglobulin (23.3 ng/ml) levels. Tissue from her left ovary obtained 4 yr previously was histologically identical to her abdominal masses. There was no cytological atypia or vascular invasion present. She was diagnosed with peritoneal strumosis, thyroid implants in the peritoneum, from a form of malignant struma ovarii termed highly differentiated follicular carcinoma ofovarianorigin (1).Highlydifferentiated follicular carcinoma of ovarian origin can only be diagnosed once the neoplasm exhibits aggressive behavior by spreading beyond the ovary. Patients with malignant struma ovarii may respond to thyroidectomy followed by radioactive iodine therapy (2, 3). Our patient underwent thyroidectomy and treatment with radioactive iodine (5.55 mBq I). Posttherapy whole body scan after levothyroxine withdrawal revealed uptake in the thyroid bed, abdomen, and pelvis (Fig. 1). Serum TSH and thyroglobulin were 35 mU/liter and 374 ng/ml, respectively, at the time of treatment. Three months after treatment, the patient was feeling well without abdominal discomfort on thyroid hormone replacement. Struma ovarii is generally a benign condition with a very low rate of malignant transformation (4). Typical thyroidtype carcinoma presentation with extraovarian extension is relatively easy to diagnose; however, patients with a benign histological appearance present diagnostic difficulties.
Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human gingiva are capable of immunomodulatory functions and ameliorate inflammation-related tissue destruction in experimental colitis

Aside from the well-established self-renewal and multipotent differentiation properties, mesenchymal stem cells exhibit both immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory roles in several experimental autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In this study, we isolated a new population of stem cells from human gingiva, a tissue source easily accessible from the oral cavity, namely, gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs), which exhibited clonogenicity, self-renewal, and multipotent differentiation capacities. Most importantly, GMSCs were capable of immunomodulatory functions, specifically suppressed peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation, induced expression of a wide panel of immunosuppressive factors including IL-10, IDO, inducible NO synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) in response to the inflammatory cytokine, IFN-γ. Cell-based therapy using systemic infusion of GMSCs in experimental colitis significantly ameliorated both clinical and histopathological severity of the colonic inflammation, restored the injured gastrointestinal mucosal tissues, reversed diarrhea and weight loss, and suppressed the overall disease activity in mice. The therapeutic effect of GMSCs was mediated, in part, by the suppression of inflammatory infiltrates and inflammatory cytokines/mediators and the increased infiltration of regulatory T cells and the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 at the colonic sites. Taken together, GMSCs can function as an immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory component of the immune system in vivo and is a promising cell source for cell-based treatment in experimental inflammatory diseases.
Emergency Department Adherence to American Heart Association Guidelines for Blood Pressure Management in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose—Severely elevated blood pressure (BP) and aggressive BP reduction are both associated with poor outcome in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). In nontissue-type plasminogen activator patients, the American Heart Association recommends antihypertensive therapy only if BP is ≥220/120 mm Hg with a goal of 15% to 25% reduction in the first 24 hours. We hypothesized that patients with AIS often receive antihypertensives in the emergency department below the recommended threshold and that BP reduction is often >20%. Methods—In 2005, AIS cases were ascertained at all 16 hospitals in Greater Cincinnati. BP was recorded at emergency department presentation and before and after antihypertensive treatment. Hypertension was defined as BP ≥220/120 mm Hg. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for comparisons. Results—A total of 1739 patients with AIS met inclusion criteria. Median age was 72 years with 43% male and 25% black. Of 218 treated with antihypertensives, 65 (30.0%) met treatment criter...
Information Diffusion Kernels

A new family of kernels for statistical learning is introduced that exploits the geometric structure of statistical models. Based on the heat equation on the Riemannian manifold defined by the Fisher information metric, information diffusion kernels generalize the Gaussian kernel of Euclidean space, and provide a natural way of combining generative statistical modeling with non-parametric discriminative learning. As a special case, the kernels give a new approach to applying kernel-based learning algorithms to discrete data. Bounds on covering numbers for the new kernels are proved using spectral theory in differential geometry, and experimental results are presented for text classification.
Direct Photon Production in Association With A Heavy Quark At Hadron Colliders

Results of a next-to-leading order calculation of the inclusive cross section for a photon and a heavy quark (charm or bottom), $p\overline{p}/pp\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\gamma}+Q+X$, are presented. Pointlike photon subprocesses through $\mathcal{O}(\ensuremath{\alpha}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}^{2})$ and fragmentation subprocesses through $\mathcal{O}({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}^{3})$ are included. The calculation is performed using a phase space slicing technique so that the effects of experimental cuts can be included. Results for the ratios of the charm and bottom cross sections are presented, and the systematics of the various subprocesses for both the Tevatron and the LHC are compared and contrasted.
Battlespace exploitation vision

The quantity and quality of data collected by military and commercial electro-optic and radar sensors is rapidly increasing. This increase in imagery data has not been accompanied by an increase in the number of image analysts needed to rapidly screen the imagery to locate and identify military targets or other objects of interest. Automatic target recognition (ATR) technology that automates the target detection, classification, and identification process has been a promising technology for at least two decades, and recent advances make the realization of aided target recognition possible. The future military battlespace will be filled with airborne, spaceborne, and land-based sensors observing moving and stationary targets at various locations, from multiple aspects, and at multiple frequencies and wavelengths. Only through the use of computer-assisted data analysis and ATR can the vast amount of data be analyzed within the timelines required by the military. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has a number of programs developing technology to support the exploitation and control of the future battlespace information.
The Myth of Peer Influence in Adolescent Smoking Initiation

The widespread belief that peer influence is the primary cause of adolescent smoking initiation is examined and called into question. Correlational and longitudinal studies purporting to demonstrate peer influence are analyzed, and their limitations described. Qualitative interview studies of adolescent smoking initiation are presented as depicting the more complex role of the peer context. Finally, a new model of the role of peers in smoking initiation is offered, with an emphasis on how adolescents' characteristics lead to the selection of their friends, who then provide a peer context that may or may not support smoking.
Formation of Shallow Boron P+ Junctions Using Sb Amorphization

Shallow P + junctions have been fabricated using reverse-type dopant preamorphization by Sb. The junctions ∼100 nm in depth have leakage current below 10 nA/cm 2 , sheetresistance less than 200 Ω/□ and ideality factor in the range 1.01–1.03. This type of amorphization scheme provides electrical activation of B at low temperature, which is very promising for low temperature processing applications. The importance of process optimization was demonstrated. The electrical results were correlated with residual defect structure observed by cross-sectional TEM.
Dietary flavonoids modulate PCB-induced oxidative stress, CYP1A1 induction, and AhR-DNA binding activity in vascular endothelial cells.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), especially the more coplanar PCBs, have been shown to induce oxidative stress, various transcription factors, and subsequent inflammatory processes critical to atherosclerosis in vascular endothelial cells. Dietary flavonoids such as catechins and quercetin possess antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. To test the hypothesis that flavonoids can modify PCB-mediated endothelial cytotoxicity, endothelial cells were treated with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG; 5 to 50 M) or quercetin (10 to 100 M) with or without PCB 77 (3,3,4,4-tetrachlorobiphenyl, 3.4 M) for 6 h. EGCG and quercetin strongly, and in a concentration-dependent manner, inhibited oxidative stress induced by PCB 77 as measured by DCF fluorescence. The role of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) in the PCB-induced toxicity was investigated. EGCG at 50 M and quercetin at 100 M concentrations markedly inhibited CYP1A1 mRNA levels and enzyme activity. Furthermore, EGCG and quercetin downregulated the PCB 77-mediated increase in aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-DNA binding activity. These data suggest that protective effects of EGCG and quercetin are initiated upstream from CYP1A1 and that these flavonoids may be of value for inhibiting the toxic effects of PCBs on vascular endothelial cells.
A Mechanistic Model to Predict the Cutting Force System for Arbitrary Drill Point Geometry

A mechanistic model is developed to predict the forces for arbitrary drill point geometry. The cutting lips are divided into elements and the elemental forces are determined from a fundamental oblique cutting model. A method is developed to parametrically define the cutting lip in three-dimensional space and to determine the oblique cutting parameters (cutting angles and chip thickness) at each element on the cutting lip. The model does not require calibration experiments for each point geometry. The conical drill is used to determine the model coefficients for a tool and workpiece material combination and these are used for other drill point geometry. Model simulations match experimental data very well for four commercial drill point geometry-the Racon, Helical, Bickford and Double angle drill points.
How community members and health professionals conceptualize medical emergencies: implications for primary care promotion

Access to continuous care through a primary care provider is associated with improved health outcomes, but many communities rely on emergency departments (EDs) for both emergent and non-emergent health problems. This article describes one portion of a community-based participatory research project and investigates the type of education that might be needed as part of a larger intervention to encourage use of a local primary care clinic. In this article we examine how people who live in a low-income urban community and the healthcare workers who serve them conceptualize ‘emergency medical condition’. We conducted forum and focus group discussions with 52 community members and individual interviews with 32 healthcare workers. Our findings indicate that while community members share a common general definition of what constitutes a medical emergency, they also desire better guidelines for how to assess health problems as requiring emergency versus primary care. Pain, uncertainty and anxiety tend to influence their choice to use EDs rather than availability of primary care. Implications for increasing primary care use are discussed.
Harvest quality and factors affecting collection and engraftment of CD34+ cells in patients with breast cancer scheduled for high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood progenitor cell support.

ABSTRACT The use of CFU-GM and CD34+ cell enumeration for assessing harvest quality and factors affecting peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) harvest and engraftment were investigated in 45 women with high-risk and metastatic breast cancer scheduled for dose-intensive cyclophosphamide, thiotepa, and carboplatin (CTCb). PBPC were mobilized with standard breast cancer regimens or cyclophosphamide (1.5 g/m2) and 5 μg/kg/day G-CSF and used together with G-CSF for hematopoietic support post-CTCb. There was a significant correlation between peripheral blood CD34+ cells/μl and harvest CD34+/kg (r = 0.73, p < 0.0001) and between harvest CFU-GM and CD34+ cells/kg (r = 0.5, p < 0.0001). CFU-GM clonogenic assays were of no clinical use beyond that of CD34+ cell enumeration, with the latter allowing for real-time decisions regarding harvesting. Multiple stepwise regression identified the number of prior chemotherapy cycles as the only significant clinical predictor of CD34+ cell yield. For 34 patients proceeding ...
Modeling user reputation in wikis

Collaborative systems available on the Web allow millions of users to share information through a growing collection of tools and platforms such as wikis, blogs, and shared forums. By their very nature, these systems contain resources and information with different quality levels. The open nature of these systems, however, makes it difficult for users to determine the quality of the available information and the reputation of its providers. Here, we first parse and mine the entire English Wikipedia history pages in order to extract detailed user edit patterns and statistics. We then use these patterns and statistics to derive three computational models of a user's reputation. Finally, we validate these models using ground-truth Wikipedia data associated with vandals and administrators. When used as a classifier, the best model produces an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.98. Furthermore, we assess the reputation predictions generated by the models on other users, and show that all three models can be used efficiently for predicting user behavior in Wikipedia. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 3: 126-139, 2010
Altered leptin signaling is sufficient, but not required, for hypotension associated with caloric restriction

Caloric restriction of mammals leads to decreases in blood pressure and heart rate. Although relevant clinically, the mechanisms involved, in terms of hormones and signaling pathways invoked, are currently not known. Circumstantial evidence suggests that leptin signaling may be involved with the bradycardia and hypotension associated with caloric restriction. This hypothesis was specifically tested using leptin-deficient mice (ob/ob) or leptin-receptor rats (Koletsky). Ob/ob mice were hypertensive during the light cycle relative to littermate controls (108 +/- 2 vs. 100 +/- 2 mmHg, respectively). Both ob/ob mice and wild-type mice exhibited hypotension and bradycardia on initiation of a 50% caloric restriction regime, suggesting that the loss of leptin during caloric restriction is not required to explain the cardiovascular effects. Blood pressure in Koletsky rats did not drop in response to caloric restriction during the light cycle, whereas blood pressure in littermate control rats significantly dropped. These data suggest that at least two pathways are involved with cardiovascular effects of caloric restriction: one dependent on leptin signaling and the other independent of the leptin axis.
ECOLOGICAL GAMES IN SPACE AND TIME: THE DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF ANTARCTIC KRILL AND PENGUINS

The distribution and abundance of organisms are affected by behaviors, such as habitat selection, foraging, and reproduction. These behaviors are driven by interactions within and between species, environmental conditions, and the biology of the species in- volved. Although extensive theoretical work has explored predator-prey dynamics, these models have not considered the impact of behavioral plasticity and life-history trade-offs on predicted patterns. We apply a modeling method that allows the consideration of a spatial, dynamic ecological game between predators and prey using a life-history perspec- tive. As an illustrative example, we model the habitat selection of Antarctic krill and penguins during the time when penguins are land-based for reproduction. Although envi- ronmental conditions and the life-history constraints of each species have both direct and indirect effects on both species, the penguin's foraging rule (whether food-maximizing or time-minimizing) has the greatest effect on the qualitative distribution pattern of both species. Size-dependent diel vertical migration of krill also strongly affects penguin foraging patterns. This model generates suggestions for future research and qualitative predictions that can be tested in the field. The application of this method to a specific problem also demonstrates its ability to increase our understanding of important ecological interactions
A novel RPGR mutation masquerading as Stargardt disease

An adult male was referred for a second opinion of his retinal dystrophy. His prior genetic testing identified an ABCA4 gene variant associated with Stargardt disease. He had an affected younger brother, and the rest of his family was reported to be asymptomatic. He wanted to know if he would qualify for any Stargardt gene or stem cell therapy trials. The adult male proband (III:A) experienced blurred central vision, nyctalopia and photophobia since childhood. His best-corrected visual acuity was 20/100 and 20/200, respectively. Fundus examination demonstrated a bull's eye maculopathy and peripapillary atrophy (figure 1). There was no intraretinal pigmentary migration, pisciform flecks, optic disc pallor or retinal vessel attenuation. Fundus autofluorescence revealed a prominent bull's eye pattern. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography showed foveal thinning (figure 2). These findings were not inconsistent with a cone dystrophy such as Stargardt Group II disease. Figure 1 Clinical Imaging. (A–F) Proband (III:1). Colour fundus images showed perifoveal pigment atrophy in a bull's eye pattern that was pronounced in autofluorescent imaging. SD-OCT revealed foveal thinning (arrows), loss of outer plexiform layer, ellipsoid and interdigitation line in both eyes with preservation of this structure outside macular. (G–L) Affected Brother (III:3). A similar bull's eye pattern with marked RPE atrophy was also observed in colour fundus, autofluorescent and SD-OCT images. …
Food Habits of Long-Eared Owls (Asio otus) at a Winter Communal Roost in Texas

Abstract We analyzed mammalian prey from owl pellets recovered at a winter roost of long-eared owls (Asio otus) in northwestern Irion County, Texas. Of 1,232 prey identified, the most common species were cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus, 36%), plains harvest mice (Reithrodontomys montanus, 23%), deer mice (unidentified Peromyscus, 14%), and pygmy mice (Baiomys taylori, 10%). Approximately 80% of the biomass of the diet was the cotton rat. Other important prey were Crawford's gray shrews (Notiosorex crawfordi, 7%), hispid pocket mice (Chaetodipus hispidus, 6%), and Merriam's pocket mice (Perognathus merriami, 2%). These species are rare in the reported diet of long-eared owls and represent the first information on winter food habits in Texas in the southern portion of the range of this owl.
Accurate lifespan estimates cannot be obtained from14C profiles in the crustose lichen Rhizocarpon geographicum (L.) DC.

Abstract Abstract: Radial 14 C/C profiles across three individuals of the crustose lichen Rhizocarpon geographicum (L.) DC. have been determined using accelerator mass spectrometry. These data were used to assess whether lifespan estimates can be determined in this species using 14 C/C isotope ratio measurements. 14 C/C profiles are relatively flat with Δ 14 C values (deviations from the modern radiocarbon standard) for the radial samples displaying a small spread ranging from 130 to 200 per mil. The data are consistent with carbon cycling based on growth patterns involving replacement and fusion of areoles within the thallus as well as or instead of cellular or molecular replacement. Consequently, lifespan estimates cannot be obtained from 14 C/C measurements of this species and the Δ 14 C profiles provide no insights into whether the relationship between size and age is linear or curvilinear in this species.
Minerals and Gems

Mining and mineral engineering are not always popular topics today. Many gemstones and mineral specimens are found during mining operations. The bulk of the minerals are then processed by physical or chemical means. Ceramists should have some knowledge of mineral processing because it can be the clue to understanding why certain impurities are present in powders used to produce high-tech ceramics (hence our discussion of raw materials in Chapter 19), but minerals and gemstones have many commercial, in addition to decorative (ornamental), uses.
Herding Cats

Video search needs effective and efficient techniques for video summarization to enable rapid triage and finding relevant video contents.
Abstract A32: Cell dormancy and tumorigenicity due to PTEN loss

Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy in women, and although many breast cancers are curable via surgery, approximately one quarter maintain a latent and insidious characteristic of slow growth with early metastasis. The loss of the tumor suppressor PTEN is associated with breast cancer stage, increased lymph node status, and disease-related death, and the high rate of loss in primary tumors suggests a potential role in initiation and/or progression of the disease. However, specific cellular alterations in human breast epithelium controlled by PTEN inactivation, which lead to an increased metastatic phenotype, remain poorly defined. Many breast cancers have an activated PI3K pathway either due to PTEN loss or PI3K mutation, while a large fraction of breast tumors carry oncogenic mutations that cause hyperactivation of the MAPK/ERK cascade (20%–25% ErbB2, 5% KRAS, 2% BRAF, 1% HRAS, 1% NRAS). Using the isogenic non-tumorigenic MCF-10A and MCF-10A PTEN-/- cells, we have determined that PTEN-/- cells persist in mouse xenografts while their isogenic counterparts disappear. Although the PTEN-/- cells form small, 2mm tumors, these cells do not produce large growths. Since the current view of cancer is based on a “multi-hit” hypothesis: human cancers display a multitude of genetic and epigenetic changes, and a number of such alterations are required for the step-wise progression of tumor development, the activation of both signaling pathways may cooperate to promote tumorigenesis. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the activation of the MAPK pathway in a PTEN-negative background promotes tumorgenicity. To determine the cooperativity of PTEN loss and the MAPK pathway, we have expressed activated KRAS(V12) in the MCF-10A PTEN-/- cells. The combination of PTEN loss and KRas(V12) expression resulted large tumors within 4 weeks of injection. Interestingly, we discovered that “one-hit” of either PTEN loss or active Ras leads to a cellular persistence in vivo, a characteristic that may have been previously overlooked in more genetically unstable tumor cells. Citation Format: Keyata N. Thompson, Rebecca A. Whipple, Monica S. Charpentier, Amanda E. Boggs, Lekhana Bhandray, Kristi R. Chakrabarti, Stuart S. Martin, Michele I. Vitolo. Cell dormancy and tumorigenicity due to PTEN loss. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Targeting the PI3K-mTOR Network in Cancer; Sep 14-17, 2014; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(7 Suppl):Abstract nr A32.
3-Hydroxybutyric acid interacts with lipid monolayers at concentrations that impair consciousness.

3-Hydroxybutyric acid (also referred to as β-hydroxybutyric acid or BHB), a small molecule metabolite whose concentration is elevated in type I diabetes and diabetic coma, was found to modulate the properties of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) monolayers when added to the subphase at clinical concentrations. This is a key piece of evidence supporting the hypothesis that the anesthetic actions of BHB are due to the metabolite’s abilities to alter physical properties of cell membranes, leading to indirect effects on membrane protein function. Pressure–area isotherms show that BHB changes the compressibility of the monolayer and decrease the size of the two-phase coexistence region. Epi-fluorescent microscopy further reveals that the reduction of the coexistence region is due to the significant reduction in morphology of the liquid condensed domains in the two-phase coexistence region. These changes in monolayer morphology are associated with the diminished interfacial viscosity of the mon...
Influence of Acceptor Structure on Barriers to Charge Separation in Organic Photovoltaic Materials

Energetic barriers to charge separation are examined in photovoltaic polymer blends based on regioregular-poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and two classes of electron acceptors: a perylene diimide (PDI) derivative and a fullerene (PCBM). Temperature-dependent measurements using ultrafast vibrational spectroscopy are used to directly measure the free energy barriers to charge separation. Charge separation in P3HT:PDI polymer blends occurs through activated pathways, whereas P3HT:PCBM blends exhibit activationless charge separation. X-ray scattering measurements reveal that neither the PDI derivative nor PCBM form highly crystalline domains in their polymer blends with P3HT. The present findings suggest that fullerenes are able to undergo barrierless charge separation even in the presence of structural disorder. In contrast, perylene diimides may require greater molecular order to achieve barrierless charge separation.
A Brief History of Oil Rig Fires

Gas and oil exploration and extraction is intrinsically dangerous. Electrical and diesel-fuel operated equipment must be used to power machines that move highly flammable liquids and gases. While extensive precautions are taken to minimize the risks, fires and explosions on rigs and in distribution and storage networks are actually relatively common. In fact, fires and explosions in the Gulf of Mexico region occur more than 128 times each year, on average (Table 10.1).
Changes in the width of the tropical belt due to simple radiative forcing changes in the GeoMIP simulations

Abstract. Model simulations of future climates predict a poleward expansion of subtropical arid climates at the edges of Earth's tropical belt, which would have significant environmental and societal impacts. This expansion may be related to the poleward shift of the Hadley cell edges, where subsidence stabilizes the atmosphere and suppresses precipitation. Understanding the primary drivers of tropical expansion is hampered by the myriad forcing agents in most model projections of future climate. While many previous studies have examined the response of idealized models to simplified climate forcings and the response of comprehensive climate models to more complex climate forcings, few have examined how comprehensive climate models respond to simplified climate forcings. To shed light on robust processes associated with tropical expansion, here we examine how the tropical belt width, as measured by the Hadley cell edges, responds to simplified forcings in the Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP). The tropical belt expands in response to a quadrupling of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and contracts in response to a reduction in the solar constant, with a range of a factor of 3 in the response among nine models. Models with more surface warming and an overall stronger temperature response to quadrupled carbon dioxide exhibit greater tropical expansion, a robust result in spite of inter-model differences in the mean Hadley cell width, parameterizations, and numerical schemes. Under a scenario where the solar constant is reduced to offset an instantaneous quadrupling of carbon dioxide, the Hadley cells remain at their preindustrial width, despite the residual stratospheric cooling associated with elevated carbon dioxide levels. Quadrupled carbon dioxide produces greater tropical belt expansion in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere. This expansion is strongest in austral summer and autumn. Ozone depletion has been argued to cause this pattern of changes in observations and model experiments, but the results here indicate that seasonally and hemispherically asymmetric tropical expansion can be a basic response of the general circulation to climate forcings.
Application of P3 Software in Commissioning Project with Boiler-turbine Units

In the light of commissioning project for the power plant in Shenhua Ningxia Coal Industry,the article discusses the subject that how to optimize the management of the commissioning project with boiler-turbine units by sufficiently utilizing P3 project schedule management software.The bright point of using P3 software in this project is that,tracing the whole commissioning period, the problems of overlapping work groups was solved,and the common target of the whole commissioning system is achieved,which is to chase maximum profit by rationally compressing commissioning time schedule under the conditions of quality guaranteed.
Correlation Analysis of the Installation and Use of Ultraviolet Lamp and Disinfection in The Catering Industry

[Objective]Through the comparative analysis of installation and use of ultraviolet lamp and the disinfection effect in high risk workshop of catering trade,to reflect the relationship between ultraviolet lamp and the sanitary status in such place.[Methods]Microbiological index in the air and table-board of the high risk workshop of catering industry was monitored,and the installation and use of ultraviolet lamp was investigated simultaneously.[Results]Totally 78 catering enterprises and 84 high risk workshops were monitored,qualified rate of total bacterial count was 52.4% and 73.8% respectively.The qualified rate of ultraviolet lamp installation was only 11.9%.The effect of disinfection became better in the workshop with the better installation of ultraviolet lamp.[Conclusion]How to rational use the ultraviolet lamp and improving its qualified rate of installation are significant to improve the sanitary status in catering industry.
The detection on H5N1 avian influenza virus in different organs of a dead case

Objective To understand the distribution and virus load of H5N1 avian influenza virus(AIV) in different organs from a H5N1 AIV dead case. Methods Isolate the H5N1 AIV in BSL-3 lab and assay the TCID50, then use the 10-fold series dilutions of isolate as standards to get the standard curve by fluorescent quantitative PCR. The autopsy samples, including heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and brain, were ground and detected by Real-time PCR. According to the standard curve, virus load of H5N1 AIV was calculated. Results H5N1 AIV can be detected in lung and spleen with the virus load 106.3 TCID50/ml and 104.55 TCID50/ml respectively, while H5N1 AIV can’t be detected in heart, liver, kidney and brain. Conclusion Besides the lung, H5N1 AIV can exist in spleen.
Equivalence of the Logarithmically Averaged Chowla and Sarnak Conjectures

Let λ denote the Liouville function. The Chowla conjecture asserts that $$\displaystyle{\sum _{n\leqslant X}\lambda (a_{1}n + b_{1})\lambda (a_{2}n + b_{2})\ldots \lambda (a_{k}n + b_{k}) = o_{X\rightarrow \infty }(X)}$$ for any fixed natural numbers \(a_{1},a_{2},\ldots,a_{k}\) and non-negative integer \(b_{1},b_{2},\ldots,b_{k}\) with \(a_{i}b_{j} - a_{j}b_{i}\neq 0\) for all \(1\leqslant i <j\leqslant k\), and any \(X\geqslant 1\). This conjecture is open for \(k\geqslant 2\). As is well known, this conjecture implies the conjecture of Sarnak that $$\displaystyle{\sum _{n\leqslant X}\lambda (n)f(n) = o_{X\rightarrow \infty }(X)}$$ whenever \(f: \mathbb{N} \rightarrow \mathbb{C}\) is a fixed deterministic sequence and \(X\geqslant 1\). In this paper, we consider the weaker logarithmically averaged versions of these conjectures, namely that $$\displaystyle{\sum _{X/\omega \leqslant n\leqslant X}\frac{\lambda (a_{1}n + b_{1})\lambda (a_{2}n + b_{2})\ldots \lambda (a_{k}n + b_{k})} {n} = o_{\omega \rightarrow \infty }(\log \omega )}$$ and $$\displaystyle{\sum _{X/\omega \leqslant n\leqslant X}\frac{\lambda (n)f(n)} {n} = o_{\omega \rightarrow \infty }(\log \omega )}$$ under the same hypotheses on \(a_{1},\ldots,a_{k},b_{1},\ldots,b_{k}\) and f, and for any \(2\leqslant \omega \leqslant X\). Our main result is that these latter two conjectures are logically equivalent to each other, as well as to the “local Gowers uniformity” of the Liouville function. The main tools used here are the entropy decrement argument of the author used recently to establish the k = 2 case of the logarithmically averaged Chowla conjecture, as well as the inverse conjecture for the Gowers norms, obtained by Green, Ziegler, and the author.
Implantation potential of each pre-embryo in multiple pregnancies obtained by in vitro fertilization seems to be different.

Endometrial receptivity and pre-embryo quality are the main factors determining embryo implantation in in vitro fertilization. If one embryo implants normally and goes to term, the endometrium can be assumed to be normal. Eighty-one patients (March 1981 to 1987) had transfers of multiple pre-embryos, resulting in multiple pregnancies with at least one reaching term. The number of gestational sacs at 8 to 12 weeks of pregnancy, at 20 weeks, and the number of term pregnancies were studied longitudinally. Twelve patients (14.8%) had 2 pre-embryos transferred, 19 (23.5%) had 3, 21 (25.9%) had 4, 17 (21.0%) had 5, 9 (11.1%) had 6, and 3 (3.7%) had 7. At 20 weeks 18 patients (22.2%) had a single viable fetus, 56 (69.1%) had twins, 6 (7.4%) had triplets, and 1 (1.2%) had quadruplets. A total of 325 pre-embryos were transferred; 178 gestational sacs were observed at 8 to 12 weeks, but only 153 showed fetal heartbeat. Total embryo loss at 8 to 12 weeks was 53.0%; when the "index" embryo was excluded, it reached 61%. Regardless of the number of pre-embryos transferred, only 2.2 embryos on average were able to establish a normal pregnancy. (A) synchronism of the pre-embryos did not affect outcome. Results suggest that with normal endometrial receptivity, the implantation potential of each preembryo is different.
President-elect’s Address

Thank you for creating the opportunity for me to work with you throughout the next year as your president. It’s very humbling to have the honor to serve such an accomplished group of professionals. ![Figure][1] As I thought about the upcoming year, it became quickly obvious that most of
Oceanography background: dissolved chemicals, circulation and biology in the sea

A chemical perspective This book describes a chemical perspective on the science of oceanography. The goal is to understand the mechanisms that control the distributions of chemical compounds in the sea. The “chemical perspective” uses measured chemical distributions to infer the biological, physical, chemical and geological processes in the sea. This method has enormous information potential because of the variety of chemical compounds and the diversity of their chemical behaviors and distributions. It is complicated by the requirement that one must understand something about the reactions and time scales that control the chemical distributions. Chemical concentrations in the sea “remember” the mechanisms that shape them over their oceanic lifetime. The time scales of important mechanisms range from seconds or less for very rapid photochemical reactions to more than 100 million years for the mineral-forming reactions that control relatively unreactive elements in seawater. The great range in time scales is associated with an equally large range in space scales, from chemical fluxes associated with individual organisms to global processes like river inflow and hydrothermal circulation. Studies of chemical oceanography have evolved from those focused on discovering what is in seawater and the physical–chemical interactions among constituents to those that seek to identify the rates and mechanisms responsible for distributions. Although there is still important research that might be labeled “pure marine chemistry,” much of the field has turned to the chemical perspective described here, resulting in a fascinating array of new research frontiers.
Functional droplets that recognize, collect, and transport debris on surfaces

We describe polymer-stabilized droplets capable of recognizing and picking up nanoparticles from substrates in experiments designed for transporting hydroxyapatite nanoparticles that represent the principal elemental composition of bone. Our experiments, which are inspired by cells that carry out materials transport in vivo, used oil-in-water droplets that traverse a nanoparticle-coated substrate driven by an imposed fluid flow. Nanoparticle capture is realized by interaction of the particles with chemical functionality embedded within the polymeric stabilizing layer on the droplets. Nanoparticle uptake efficiency is controlled by solution conditions and the extent of functionality available for contact with the nanoparticles. Moreover, in an elementary demonstration of nanoparticle transportation, particles retrieved initially from the substrate were later deposited “downstream,” illustrating a pickup and drop-off technique that represents a first step toward mimicking point-to-point transportation events conducted in living systems.
Neural Network Model for Thermal Inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium to Elimination in Ground Chicken: Acquisition of Data by Whole Sample Enrichment, Miniature Most-Probable-Number Method.

ABSTRACT Predictive models are valuable tools for assessing food safety. Existing thermal inactivation models for Salmonella and ground chicken do not provide predictions above 71°C, which is below the recommended final cooked temperature of 73.9°C for chicken. They also do not predict when all Salmonella are eliminated without extrapolating beyond the data used to develop them. Thus, a study was undertaken to develop a model for thermal inactivation of Salmonella to elimination in ground chicken at temperatures above those of existing models. Ground chicken thigh portions (0.76 cm3) in microcentrifuge tubes were inoculated with 4.45 ± 0.25 log most probable number (MPN) of a single strain of Salmonella Typhimurium (chicken isolate). They were cooked at 50 to 100°C in 2 or 2.5°C increments in a heating block that simulated two-sided pan frying. A whole sample enrichment, miniature MPN (WSE-mMPN) method was used for enumeration. The lower limit of detection was one Salmonella cell per portion. MPN data wer...
On the Development of a New Nonequilibrium Chemistry Model for Mars Entry

This paper represents a summary of results to date of an on-going effort at NASA Ames Research Center to develop a physics-based non-equilibrium model for hypersonic entry into the Martian atmosphere. Our approach is to first compute potential energy surfaces based on accurate solutions of the electronic Schroedinger equation and then use quasiclassical trajectory calculations to obtain reaction cross sections and rate coefficients based on these potentials. We have presented new rate coefficients for N2 dissociation and CO dissociation and exchange reactions. These results illustrate shortcomings with some of the rate coefficients in Parks original T-Tv model for Mars entries and with some of the 30-45 year old shock tube data. We observe that the shock tube experiments of CO + O dissociation did not adequately account for the exchange reaction that leads to formation of C + O2. This reaction is actually the primary channel for CO removal in the shock layer at temperatures below 10,000 K, because the reaction enthalpy for exchange is considerably lower than the comparable value for dissociation.
Not-so-strange bedfellows: Documentation, description, and sociolinguistics in Gaza

Arabic is often investigated within dialectological frameworks that emerged in the 19th century, though that work now exists alongside decades of variationist sociolinguistic research. The latter method typically produces abundant data, recorded at very high quality, which lend themselves to being transcribed, described and preserved. This paper presents descriptive information on the Arabic dialect of Gaza City, based on recent sociolinguistic fieldwork conducted in the Gaza Strip with 39 speakers from the wider Gaza City community. These descriptive aspects of the dialect are presented as part of a broader discussion regarding the need for a more holistic integration of sociolinguistics and language description and documentation in work on understudied or endangered varieties of Arabic. Resume: La langue arabe est souvent etudiee au sein de cadres dialectologiques ayant emerge au 19e siecle, mais ce travail existe maintenant de compagnie avec quelques decennies de recherches en linguistique variationniste. Cette derniere methode produit generalement des donnees abondantes, en enregistrements de tres haute qualite, se pretant bien a la transcription, a la description et a la conservation. Le present article, qui fournit des informations descriptives sur le dialecte arabe de la ville de Gaza, se fonde sur un travail de terrain sociolinguistique mene recemment dans la bande de Gaza avec 39 locuteurs de la communaute de Gaza. Ces aspects descriptifs du dialecte sont presentes dans le cadre d'une discussion plus large sur la necessite d'une integration plus holistique de la sociolinguistique, ainsi que de la description et de la documentation linguistique, dans des recherches sur les varietes d'arabe peu etudiees ou menacees.
On the use of the Cu2+–iminodiacetic acid complex for double histidine based distance measurements by pulsed ESR

Cu2+ based distance measurements using the double-histidine (dHis) motif by pulsed ESR present an attractive strategy to obtain precise, narrow distance distributions that can be easily related to protein backbone structure (Cunningham et al., Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2015, 54, 633). The Cu2+-ion is introduced as a complex with the iminodiacetic acid (IDA) chelating agent, which enhances binding selectivity to the two histidine residues that are site-selectively placed on the protein through mutagenesis. However, initial results of this method produced weak dipolar modulations. To enhance applicability of the double histidine motif using IDA, we perform a systematic examination of the possible causes of these weak dipolar modulations. We examine the efficiency of the Cu2+-ion to form the Cu2+–IDA complex in solution. In addition, we analyze the selectivity of Cu2+–IDA binding to dHis sites at both α-helical and β-strand environments. Our results indicate that the dHis motif on the β-sheet sites have high affinity towards Cu2+–IDA while the dHis sites on α-helices show poor affinity for the metal-ion complex. We are able to use our new findings to optimize conditions to maximize dHis loading while minimizing both free Cu2+ and unbound Cu2+–IDA complex in solution, allowing us to double the sensitivity of the Double Electron–Electron Resonance (DEER) experiment. Finally, we illustrate how Cu2+-based CW-ESR and DEER can be combined to obtain information on populations of different Cu2+-complexes in solution.
Analysis of adaptive identifiers in the presence of unmodelled dynamics: Averaging and tuned parameters

Adaptive identifiers are designed with the assumption that the order of the plant is known. In this paper we analyze the behavior of a standard identifier when the plant contains additional dynamics, called unmodelled dynamics, which invalidate the known order assumption. The first result of our analysis is an input richness condition which does not depend on the order of the unmodelled dynamics to guarantee persistency of excitation of the regressor. Then we show that the PE condition leads to a BIBO stability property for the identifier. We use the method of averaging to formally define the notion of tuned parameters as the equilibrium of the identifier averaged system. It is shown that the tuned parameters always exist and that the actual parameters converge to some neighborhood of the tuned parameters. From the definition of the tuned parameters, we derive an explicit expression to calculate them and interpret them as the fixed parameter values which minimize the mean squared output error.
Number of Predictors and Multicollinearity: What are their Effects on Error and Bias in Regression?

ABSTRACTThe present Monte Carlo simulation study adds to the literature by analyzing parameter bias, rates of Type I and Type II error, and variance inflation factor (VIF) values produced under various multicollinearity conditions by multiple regressions with two, four, and six predictors. Findings indicate multicollinearity is unrelated to Type I error, but increases Type II error. Investigation of bias suggests that multicollinearity increases the variability in parameter bias, while leading to overall underestimation of parameters. Collinearity also increases VIF. In the case of all diagnostics however, increasing the number of predictors interacts with multicollinearity to compound observed problems.
Abstract 16597: Economic Evaluations of PCSK9 Inhibitors in Reducing Cardiovascular Risk From Societal & United States Payer Perspective

Introduction: We aim to evaluate cost-effectiveness of recent FDA advisory committee recommended PCSK9 inhibitors for reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk from societal & U.S. third-party payer perspective. Methods: A Markov model was used to evaluate costs and effects associated with addition of PCSK9 inhibitor to standard of care (SOC) based on a) estimated 53% 1-year relative risk reduction (SOC 1 year CVD event rate: 2.18%, PCSK9 inhibitor+SOC: 0.95%), b) indirect annual CVD reduction probability (using Framingham risk) via mean 61% LDL lowering among at CV risk patients. The model considers cycles of 1 year. Post CVD events last 5 years, after that time individuals go back to treatment state if no subsequent CVD observed. Health state costs were derived from published evidence. Survival probabilities >1 year were transformed to annual probabilities assumed on survival models. From societal perspective, cost per Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) gained are presented. We estimated payer’s perspective on net benefit balancing treatment vs. avoided cost and premium revenues over patient lifespan. Results: The table highlights societal gains and payer’s net benefit across range of estimated annual drug cost. At willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/QALY, PCSK9 inhibitors appear cost-effective if priced annually at $2500. At annual cost of $10,000, cost/QALY gained with PCSK9 inhibitor is nearly $400,000. From payer’s perspective, approximate net benefit was -$11,000 to -$51,000 per patient treated across annual drug cost range. Net benefits were only positive if treatment priced around $500/year. Conclusion: This study provides insights to facilitate discussion among healthcare stakeholders for considering future PCSK9 inhibitor’s utility balancing estimated benefits while accounting need for additional financial resources. Gaps between social & private benefits need to be aligned for appropriate PCSK9 inhibitors adoption in U.S.