cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incidence of AD may decline in the early 90s for men, later for women: The Cache County study

Objectives: To characterize the incidence of AD among the elderly population of Cache County, UT, noted for its longevity and high response rates; to explore sex differences; and to examine whether AD incidence plateaus or declines in extreme old age. Methods: Using a multistage screening process in 1998 and 1999, and reexamining 122 individuals who had been identified 3 years earlier as cognitively compromised but not demented, the authors found 185 individuals with incident dementia (123 with AD) among 3,308 participants who contributed 10,541 person-years of observation. Adjusting for nonresponse and screening sensitivity, the authors estimated the incidence of dementia and of AD for men and women in 3-year age intervals. Multivariate discrete time survival analysis was used to examine influences of age, sex, education, and genotype at APOE , as well as interactions of these factors. Results: The incidence of both dementia and AD increased almost exponentially until ages 85 to 90, but appeared to decline after age 93 for men and 97 for women. A statistical interaction between age and the presence of two APOE -e4 alleles indicated acceleration in onset of AD with this genotype; the interaction of age and one e4 suggested more modest acceleration. A statistical interaction of sex and age indicated greater incidence of AD in women than in men after age 85. Conclusions: The incidence of AD in the Cache County population increased with advancing age, but then peaked and declined among the extremely old. The presence of APOE -e4 alleles accelerated onset of AD, but did not appreciably alter lifetime incidence apparent over a span of 100 years.
Mammalin tyrosinase. Stoichiometry and measurement of reaction products

The substrates and intermediates involved in the conversion of tyrosine or 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine into melanin by autooxidation, or tyrosinases (monophenol, dihydroxyphenylalanine:oxygen oxidoreductases, EC 1.14.18.1) of mushroom or mammalian melanocyte origin, was studied by a variety of enzymic assays, and by amino acid analysis. It was found that the classic pathway of melanin formation was followed, and that the proposed alternate pathway involving formation of the intermediate 3,4,6-trihydroxyphenylalanine was not a functional route, since nascent trihydroxyphenylalanine was not detectable. The ability of isolated mammalian tyrosinases to convert tyrosine into dihydroxyphenylalanine was unequivocably demonstrated. The polymerization of monomers into melanin was followed by the use of specifically labelled precursors, and the data indicate that uncyclized and carboxylated derivatives are not incorporated into the polymer in vitro. It was found that although in most respects the melanin produced from tyrosine by mushroom and mammalian tyrosinses are similar, the control mechanisms involved in the expression of melanin formation in these organisms must differ greatly.
Modeling of InAs/GaInSb/AlSb type-II mid-IR interband cascade lasers

To investigate InAs/GaInSb/AlSb type-II mid-IR interband cascade lasers, an eight-band k p model with envelope function approximation is used to compute band structures, wavefunctions, and optical transition matrix elements. The equation for multi-component envelope functions is solved by the finite element method. The strain effect is treated by Pikus-Bir method and the terms up to second order of wavevector are included. The possible non-uniform electric field effect in the cascade laser structure is considered appropriately. The optical gain, radiative current density, internal loss due to intervalence subband transitions are obtained as the function of injection carrier density in the cascade laser at different temperatures. The implications of our calculated results on device performance are discussed.
Titration alkalinity of seawater

Abstract The titration system is described that was used to measure the total alkalinity of seawater (TA) during the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the equatorial Pacific. It consists of a piston titrator, a pH meter, and a glass thermostated cell. Since the new pH meters and titrators have RS232 interfaces the system can be easily connected to a personal computer. The computer programs used to carry out the titration and to determine TA, pH sw (pH on the seawater scale), and TCO 2 from the full titration curve are described. A typical titration takes 20 min and consists of 25 points. Six separate titration cells were calibrated to be used on three systems at sea. The reliability of the electrodes was examined by titrations of 0.7 m NaCl with HCl at a pH near 3 and using seawater buffers at a pH near 8. Although most electrodes did not have Nernstian behavior over the entire pH range, all gave precise values of TA for a given solution. The individual cells were calibrated using standard Na 2 CO 3 and seawater standards prepared in our laboratory and Certified Reference Material (CRM) provided by Dickson. The cells gave reliable values of TA, but the values of pH sw were low (0.02) and values of TCO 2 were high (20 μmol kg −1 ) due to the non-Nernstian behavior of the electrodes at a pH near 8.0. If the slope determined from the buffers is used, the titrations yield reliable values of TA, TCO 2 and pH sw . Measurements on Dickson standards with the three cells at sea indicate that the systems have a reproducibility of ±2–4 μ mol kg −1 in TA. The titration values of TCO 2 determined on the CRMs and the samples collected at sea were about 17 ± 6 μ mol kg −1 (fall) and 20 ± 6 μ mol kg −1 (spring) too high. This offset in TCO 2 is independent of depth and is due to the non-Nernstian behavior of the electrodes. The offset is not due to unknown protolytes.
Defining Multi-Resolution Networks for Flow Contingency Management

This paper describes a network modeling approach developed to support Flow Contingency Management, a component of the strategic traffic flow management system in the Next Generation Air Transportation System. The overall concept and associated modeling framework described in this paper provide a set of requirements for defining the network structure. Specifically, the network must be designed to allow a queuing model to propagate stochastic flows and analyze the impact of flow constraints as well as demandshaping controls. In addition, the network topology must result in a computationallytractable framework to support strategic timeframe decision making. To address these needs, a network model that uses multiple levels of resolution to represent various National Airspace System resources is proposed. Specifically, it is proposed that a boundary forming an area(s) of interest be defined, within which resources are represented at a greater level of detail than resources outside the area(s). Finally, an example problem, based on historic traffic and weather, is used to validate the effectiveness of using multiple levels of resolution within the network model and analyze the benefits and costs associated with proposing various boundaries on the area of interest.
Alternatives to coal and candles: wind power in China

China is in a unique position to be able to exploit her vast wind resources to satisfy both the rapidly growing energy demand which fuels her economy as well as needs of approximately 72 million people who live in rural areas and have no access to conventional electricity services. China, mainly through the e!orts of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, has already successfully disseminated over 150,000 small-scale wind electric generators which power households in rural areas, through a well-coordinated combination of local research and development, technology transfer, industry support, end-user incentives, and an infrastructure for information dissemination and technical training. In this paper, we review China’s utilization of wind energy and discuss how it can be increased for both rural electri"cation and the rapidly growing power sector. We "nd that novel approaches in technical implementation of wind power use may help to better meet China’s needs. Use of hybrid systems may help to provide higher quality, more reliable power for rural households and villages than is currently provided through wind-only systems. Grid-connected wind power, which currently is more costly and less reliable than coal power, can become cost-competitive and more reliable through local, mass production of wind turbines combined with storage systems. We examine governmental support, through policy, infrastructure development and "nancial incentives, that have fostered the successes of dissemination of small-scale wind turbines and also the support, or lack thereof, that has hindered commercial development of large-scale wind power. We "nd that a better policy and regulatory framework is the most important measure that China can take to increase the use of this indigenous, clean resource. ( 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Pneumothorax

Many diagnostic and therapeutic options exist for the evaluation and treatment of patients with pneumothorax. Guidelines from US and European professional societies and individual expert opinions differ in the approach to patient care. Advances in diagnostic techniques, such as real-time thoracic ultrasound, have added to the evaluation strategy. It is important for medical trainees and providers to become familiar with techniques utilized worldwide as they may be encountered in clinical practice. We review current evidence, expert recommendations, and compare professional society guidelines discussing the various diagnostic and management options for patients with pneumothorax to assist physicians and trainees involved in the care of hospitalized and outpatient adults who have primary, secondary, and traumatic iatrogenic pneumothorax. Management of traumatic non-iatrogenic pneumothorax is beyond the scope of this article, thus, not reviewed here.
KINETIC MODELING OF DOPANT AND IMPURITY SURFACE SEGREGATION DURING VAPOR PHASE GROWTH: MULTIPLE MECHANISM APPROACH

We propose a new kinetic model for surface segregation during vapor phase growth that accounts for multiple segregation mechanisms, including mechanisms for terrace mediated exchange and step edge mediated exchange. The major result of the model is an analytic expression for the experimentally measured segregation length and profile broadening that can be readily calculated without the need for numerical simulations. We compare the model to experimental measurements for the temperature dependence of segregation of Sb in Si(001). The model is able to accurately describe both the anomalous segregation at low temperature and the transition between equilibrium and kinetically limited segregation at high temperature. An excellent agreement is obtained using realistic energies and pre-exponential factors for the kinetic rate constants. The model can be applied to other segregating systems in planar geometries, including metallic and III-V semiconducting thin films.
Derivation of learning vector quantization algorithms

A formal derivation of three learning rules for the adaptation of the synaptic weight vectors of neurons representing the prototype vectors of the class distribution in a classifier is presented. A decision surface function and a set of adaptation algorithms for adjusting this surface which are derived by using the gradient-descent approach to minimize the classification error are derived. This also provides a formal analysis of the Kohonen learning vector quantization (LVQ1 and LVQ2) algorithms. In particular, it is shown that to minimize the classification error, one of the learning equations in the LVQ1 algorithm is not required. An application of the learning algorithms for designing a neural network classifier is presented. The performance of the classifier was tested and compared to the K-NN decision rule for the Iris real data set. >
Rapid, Modified Kirby-Bauer Susceptibility Test with Single, High-Concentration Antimicrobial Disks

A rapid (6-7 hr), modified Kirby-Bauer disk-susceptibility method, by which derivatives of tetrazolium dyes are used to enhance delineation between areas of growth and zones of inhibition, has been developed. Inoculated petri plates, prepared by the Kirby-Bauer method, were sprayed, after 6 to 7 hr of incubation (37 C), with aqueous solutions of MTT-tetrazolium or INT-tetrazolium resulting in readily detectable zones of inhibition. Excellent correlation was obtained between the modified test and the standard Kirby-Bauer test when challenged with a variety of gram-negative bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus strains. Additionally, the modified test has demonstrated reproducibility comparable to the standard Kirby-Bauer test. It is demonstrated that the modified test is applicable to susceptibility determinations with representative, commercially available antimicrobial disks. This applicability indicates that the modified method could provide rapid in vitro guidelines for in vivo therapy.
A method for adaptive beamforming based on an inverse QR decomposition

The inverse QR-based decomposition algorithm is applied to adaptive beamforming. The inverse QR algorithm employs orthogonal rotation operations to update the filter weights thereby preserving the inherent stability properties of the QR method for solving the recursive least squares (RLS) problem. The weight vector for the beamformer is updated in a recursive way while avoiding the highly serial backsubstitution step required in the QR algorithm for solving the RLS estimation problem. Furthermore, the inverse Cholesky factor of the inverse QR algorithm is always a full rank while the Cholesky factor of the direct QR algorithm may be of deficient rank. We have demonstrated the utility of the inverse QR algorithm in constrained (as well as unconstrained) adaptive filtering applications such as adaptive beamforming by modifying the recursive updates required in the algorithm for this application. Simulation results show that the inverse QR algorithm possesses rapid initial convergence typical of RLS-based algorithms and also maintains the long-term stability properties of the orthogonal rotation methods. >
High-throughput sequencing of peptoids and peptide-peptoid hybrids by partial edman degradation and mass spectrometry.

A method for the rapid sequence determination of peptoids [oligo(N-substituted glycines)] and peptide−peptoid hybrids selected from one-bead-one-compound combinatorial libraries has been developed. In this method, beads carrying unique peptoid (or peptide−peptoid) sequences were subjected to multiple cycles of partial Edman degradation (PED) by treatment with a 1:3 (mol/mol) mixture of phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC) and 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (Fmoc-Cl) to generate a series of N-terminal truncation products for each resin-bound peptoid. After PED, the Fmoc group was removed from the N-terminus and any reacted side chains via piperidine treatment. The resulting mixture of the full-length peptoid and its truncation products was analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry, to reveal the sequence of the full-length peptoid. With a slight modification, the method was also effective in the sequence determination of peptide−peptoid hybrids. This rapid, high-throughput,...
Effective Transformation Strain in Binary Elastic Composites

This communication concerns the strain in a binary elastic composite when one component undergoes a transformation such as a martensitic phase change. The results are significant when the transforming phase has elastic properties which are different from those of the matrix material. The estimates are pertinent to transformation toughening of ceramic composites. Experimental data for transformation toughening are reviewed in the context of the theoretical results.
Facilitating Software Traceability Understanding with ENVISION

Although understanding the traceability among software artifacts is well recognized as significant to multiple software engineering activities, the software traceability problem remains intractable since software engineers are very prone to get lost in the huge amounts of traceability information, and are unable to distill the required information effectively and efficiently. This paper proposes a special visualization technique - ENVISION, which is intended to facilitate major software traceability understanding tasks with viewing, navigating, focusing, searching, filtering, etc. ENVISION leverages hyperbolic tree viewpsilas strength on elegant "focus+context" display, and compensates its restriction on net-structured data by designing a transformation from net-structured data to tree-structured data and extending the original data navigation policy. Also, ENVISION provides other useful functions like dual visualization mode, historical navigation path, round trip visualization. ENVISION is implemented in Eclipse for a traceability visualizing prototype and an empirical study is conducted based on it.
A graphical model approach for inferring large-scale networks integrating gene expression and genetic polymorphism

Graphical models (e.g., Bayesian networks) have been used frequently to describe complex interaction patterns and dependent structures among genes and other phenotypes. Estimation of such networks has been a challenging problem when the genes considered greatly outnumber the samples, and the situation is exacerbated when one wishes to consider the impact of polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes. Here we describe a multistep approach to infer a gene-SNP network from gene expression and genotyped SNP data. Our approach is based on 1) construction of a graphical Gaussian model (GGM) based on small sample estimation of partial correlation and false-discovery rate multiple testing; 2) extraction of a subnetwork of genes directly linked to a target candidate gene of interest; 3) identification of cis-acting regulatory variants for the genes composing the subnetwork; and 4) evaluating the identified cis-acting variants for trans-acting regulatory effects of the target candidate gene. This approach identifies significant gene-gene and gene-SNP associations not solely on the basis of gene co-expression but rather through whole-network modeling. We demonstrate the method by building two complex gene-SNP networks around Interferon Receptor 12B2 (IL12RB2) and Interleukin 1B (IL1B), two biologic candidates in asthma pathogenesis, using 534,290 genotyped variants and gene expression data on 22,177 genes from total RNA derived from peripheral blood CD4+ lymphocytes from 154 asthmatics. Our results suggest that graphical models based on integrative genomic data are computationally efficient, work well with small samples, and can describe complex interactions among genes and polymorphisms that could not be identified by pair-wise association testing.
Modeling of fault tolerance in neural networks

The authors present an analytical technique for assessing the fault tolerance of neural networks. The basis of the technique is developed through an analogy with magnetic spin systems using statistical mechanics. It is shown that neural networks can be analyzed using statistical mechanics. Simulated results are compared with analytical results, showing that the analytical model does indeed conform to the simulation model. The primary example presented is an associative memory. >
Histiocytoid cardiomyopathy presenting with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

A 14 month old African American girl with a history of Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome presented to the emergency department apnoeic, cyanotic, and without a pulse. She had suddenly become limp and unarousable. She did not respond to resuscitative efforts and was pronounced dead. The patient had been diagnosed with WPW when she was 6 months old, after an irregular rhythm was noted in a routine examination. ECG showed normal sinus rhythm with infrequent preventricular contractions, a delta wave, a PR interval of 0.06 seconds, and a QRS interval …
Dietary Factors Influencing Calcium and Bone Metabolism: Introduction

Although the nutritional need of calcium for ade quate bone mineralization and maintenance is widely appreciated, the impact of other nutrients on bone health is less understood. Dietary sodium, potassium, phosphate and caffeine are each known to alter calcium metabolism, and thus could potentially affect bone. For example, increases in dietary intakes of sodium and caffeine increase urinary calcium, whereas increased consumption of phosphate and potassium decreases urinary calcium. Concerns have arisen that overly generous consumption of sodium, caffeine and phosphate may be detrimental to bone, as may be low dietary intakes of potassium, especially when dietary calcium intakes are simultaneously in adequate. Although the changes in urinary calcium excretion and calcium metabolism caused by these four dietary factors seem to be small, these small changes over long times of exposure may have a significant impact on bone. For example, Heaney and Recker (1982) noted that "a negative calcium balance of 1.0 mmol/
A Standardized DNA Variant Scoring System for Pathogenicity Assessments in Mendelian Disorders

We developed a rules-based scoring system to classify DNA variants into five categories including pathogenic, likely pathogenic, variant of uncertain significance (VUS), likely benign, and benign. Over 16,500 pathogenicity assessments on 11,894 variants from 338 genes were analyzed for pathogenicity based on prediction tools, population frequency, co-occurrence, segregation, and functional studies collected from internal and external sources. Scores were calculated by trained scientists using a quantitative framework that assigned differential weighting to these five types of data. We performed descriptive and comparative statistics on the dataset and tested interobserver concordance among the trained scientists. Private variants defined as variants found within single families (n = 5,182), were either VUS (80.5%; n = 4,169) or likely pathogenic (19.5%; n = 1,013). The remaining variants (n = 6,712) were VUS (38.4%; n = 2,577) or likely benign/benign (34.7%; n = 2,327) or likely pathogenic/pathogenic (26.9%, n = 1,808). Exact agreement between the trained scientists on the final variant score was 98.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) (98.0, 98.9)] with an interobserver consistency of 97% [95% CI (91.5, 99.4)]. Variant scores were stable and showed increasing odds of being in agreement with new data when re-evaluated periodically. This carefully curated, standardized variant pathogenicity scoring system provides reliable pathogenicity scores for DNA variants encountered in a clinical laboratory setting.
Beitrag zur Interpretation von Stromdichte‐Nebenmaxima in potentiodynamischen Polarisationskurven von Chromstählen

Eingehende Untersuchungen an verschiedenen Chromstahlen in H2SO4 zeigen, das das in der Literatur mehrfach beschriebene Nebenmaximum der Strom dichte in potentiodynamisch aufgenommenen Polarisationskurven bei + 300 m VH hauptsachlich durch Wasserstoff-oxydation und nicht durch die Auflosung von angereichertem Nickel verursacht wird, Die Berechtigung solcher Untersuchungen, die keine Aussagen uber die Korrosion im stationaren Zustand erlauben, wird kurz diskutiert. Contribution to the interpretation of secondary current density maxima in potentiodynamic polarization curves of chromium steels Detailed investigations into the behaviour of veraious chromium steels in sulfuric acid show, that the secondary current density peak in the potentiodynamic polarization curve at + 300 mVH is mainly due to hydrogen oxidation, and not to the dissolution of enriched nickel. The authors discuss the justification of such investigations which do not enable any conclusion with reference to the corrosion under stationary conditions.
Acceptability of Physician Directed Academic Detailing to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening: an Application of the RESPECT Approach.

Background: In developing effective interventions to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in at risk populations, a necessary first requirement is feasibility. This paper describes how the RESPECT approach to health education guided the conceptualization and implementation of physician-directed academic detailing (AD) to increase practice-wide CRC screening uptake. Methods: Physician-directed AD was one intervention component in a large educational randomized controlled trial to increase CRC screening uptake. Study participants, primarily urban minority, were aged 50 or older, insured for CRC screening with no out-of-pocket expense and out of compliance with current screening recommendations. The trial was conducted in the New York City metropolitan area. Participants identified their primary care physician; 564 individuals were recruited, representing 459 physician practices. Two-thirds of the physician practices were randomized to receive AD. The RESPECT approach, modified for AD, comprises: 1) Rapport, 2) Educate, but don’t overwhelm, 3) Start with physicians where they are, 4) Philosophical orientation based on a humanistic approach to education, 5) Engagement of the physician and his/her office staff, 6) Care and show empathy, and 7) Trust. Feasibility was assessed as rate of AD delivery. Results: The AD was delivered to 283 (92.5%) of the 306 practices assigned to receive it; 222/283 (78.4%) delivered to the doctor. Conclusion: The AD was feasible and acceptable to implement across a range of clinical settings. The RESPECT approach offers a framework for tailoring educational efforts, allowing flexibility, as opposed to strict adherence to a highly structured script or a universal approach.
Humoral bone morphogenetic protein 2 is sufficient for inducing breast cancer microcalcification.

Microcalcifications are an important diagnostic marker for breast cancer on mammograms, yet the mechanism of their formation is poorly understood. Indeed, there is presently no short-latency, high-...
Alterations in the Body Potassium Content in Cirrhosis of the Liver

Summary Determinations of the exchangeable potassium content (Ke) by the radioisotopic method were performed on 13 subjects with cirrhosis of the liver, four of whom had ascites. Twelve of the 13 initial values were below the range found in normal subjects, the remaining value was in the lower normal range. Repeat determinations were performed on 6 subjects. The 3 subjects without ascites showed a significant increase in Ke following a week or more of treatment with a high protein, high carbohydrate, low fat diet, supplementary vitamins. In the 3 subjects with ascites no significant change in Ke occurred, even after the administration of an oral supplement of potassium. The results suggest that an intracellular deficiency of potassium is commonly present in cirrhosis of the liver, that this deficit is not correctable once hepatic decompensation has occurred.
Influence of Plowdown Dates and Cultural Practices on Spring Moth Emergence of the Pink Bollworm

Several plowdown dates and various cultural practices on cotton were evaluated for effects on spring moth emergence of Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders). Results indicated that spring moth emergence is progressively higher with each delay in plowdown; the range in plowdown dates was from Oct. 2–6 to Jan. 5 in the 1967–68 study and from Sept. 3 to Jan. 3 in 1968–69. Various cultural practices affected spring moth emergence. Best results were obtained where plant residue was removed, indicating that a significant portion of the population had remained in the bolls. The greatest spring moth emergence occurred where only a stalk-shredding operation was performed.
Rearing Lygus Bugs on Artificial Diets12

Lygus hesperus Knight and the tarnished plant bug, L. Lincolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), were successfully reared from egg to adult on artificial diets containing alfalfa meal and other nutrients. Adults laid eggs when they were fed these diet. Also, nymphs were reared and adults laid eggs on a diet without plant extracts. The bugs were fed liquid diets through Parafilm® membranes, and adults were induced to oviposit in devices constructed for that purpose. Diets and methods are described in detail. Development of all stages on artificial diets was similar to that on green beans; however, diet-fed adults had a shorter lifespan.
HLA class I antigen cell surface expression is preserved on acute myeloid leukemia blasts at diagnosis and at relapse

Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) class I molecules restrict the interaction between cytotoxic T cells and target cells. Abnormalities in HLA class I antigen expression and/or function may provide tumor cells with a mechanism for escaping immune surveillance and resisting T cell-based immunotherapies. The potential for applying T cell-based immunotherapy in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has stimulated interest in analyzing HLA class I antigen expression on leukemic blasts in this disease. Little information is available in the literature. We have analyzed HLA class I antigen expression on bone marrow samples from 25 newly diagnosed AML patients by indirect immunofluorescence staining with monoclonal antibodies. Five of these patients were also studied at relapse. Leukemic blasts were resolved from normal lymphocytes by staining with anti-CD45 antibody; CD45 expression is dim on leukemia cells, but bright on lymphocytes. HLA class I antigen expression was higher on leukemic blasts than on autologous lymphocytes in all but one case. Moreover, there was no significant change in HLA class I antigen expression at relapse. These results suggest that abnormalities in HLA class I antigens are infrequent in AML and should not represent a major obstacle to the application of T cell-based immunotherapies in this disease.
A Real Time Technique for Measuring Parameters of Sonar Pulse

To measure the parameters of sonar pulse, a high precision and automatic sonar pulse measuring technique is developed. The technique compresses the input signal with large dynamic range via programmed gain control. It can measure the amplitude,pulse width and period of the input sonar pulse. It can measure the frequency of the CW pulse also. The parameters can be recorded by the system. The results from tests at tank and reservoir demonstrated that the technique has characteristics as follows: accurate parameter measurement,input with large dynamic range,ability of weak signal detection and anti-jamming.
Epidemiological analysis of imported malaria in Changzhou city from 2011 to 2013

Objective To understand the epidemic characteristics of imported malaria in Changzhou city in the past 3years. Methods The malaria epidemic data of disease report,case questionnaire survey and special investigation reports inChangzhou city during 2011-2013 were collected,and the database was established with Excel. The clinical manifestation,diagnosis and treatment,microscopic examination results were classified and analyzed. Results The 73 malaria casesreported from 2011 to 2013 were all foreign imported cases. The cases were mainly distributed in Jintan city and Liyang City,and occured throughout the year. The patients were all males aged between 24 and 60 years old,most of patients were youngmen,and were migrant workers and technical workers. 16 patients came from Angola(21.9%),14 patients from Nigeria(19.2%),and 13 patients from Equatorial Guinea(17.8%). The main clinical manifestation was fever,and the average intervalbetween disease onset and initial medical visit was 3.1d. There were 38 cases of newly diagnosed(52.1%) and 35 cases ofrecrudescence(47.9%). The first medical institution was mainly in county-level medical institutions(42.5%) and CDCs(27.4%). The consistency rate of confirmed institution with first medical institution was 87.7%. 70 cases were laboratoryconfirmed,accounting for 95.9%. The microscopic examination results showed there were 53 Plasmodium falciparum malariacases(75.7%),14 Plasmodium ovale malaria cases(20.0%),2 Plasmodium malaria cases(2.9%),and 1 Plasmodium vivax case(1.4%). Conclusion The major epidemic characteristics of malaria in Changzhou City were foreign imported,most of them were infected with Plasmodium falciparum and infected in hyperendemic areas of Africa.
Formal methods for intellectual property composition across synchronization domains

A significant part of the System-on-a-Chip (SoC) design problem is in the correct composition of intellectual property (IP) blocks. Ever increasing clock frequencies make it impossible for signals to reach from one end of the chip to the other end within a clock cycle; this invalidates the so-called synchrony assumption, where the timing of computation and communication are assumed to be negligible, and happen within a clock cycle. Missing the timing deadline causes this violation, and may have ramifications on the overall system reliability. Although latency insensitive protocols (LIPs) have been proposed as a solution to the problem of signal propagation over long interconnects, they have their own limitations. A more generic solution comes in the form of globally asynchronous locally synchronous (GALS) designs. However, composing synchronous IP blocks either over long multicycle delay interconnects or over asynchronous communication links for a GALS design is a challenging task, especially for ensuring the functional correctness of the overall design. In this thesis, we analyze various solutions for solving the synchronization problems related with IP composition. We present alternative LIPs, and provide a validation framework for ensuring their correctness. Our notion of correctness is that of latency equivalence between a latency insensitive design and its synchronous counterpart. We propose a trace-based framework for analyzing synchronous behaviors of different IPs, and provide a correct-by-construction protocol for their transformation to a GALS design. We also present a design framework for facilitating GALS designs. In the framework, Kahn process network specifications are refined into correct-by-construction GALS designs. We present formal definitions for the refinements towards different GALS architectures. For facilitating GALS in distributed embedded software, we analyze certain subclasses of synchronous designs using a Pomset-based semantic model that allows for desynchronization toward GALS.* *This project received support from CCF-0417340 (CRCD), CCF-0237947 (CAREER), and CCF-0702316 (NSF).
Octreotide in hyperinsulinism

In a limited number of case reports in infants, octreotide raised the blood glucose concentrations and decreased glucose requirements sufficiently to avoid pancreatectomy. This response occurs in the presence of frequent feedings and diazoxide therapy, and lasts from 1 month to greater than 5 years. As expected, octreotide reduces growth indices such as growth factors and growth rate in short-term assessment. However, an insufficient sample size, a lack of follow-up, and poor study design provide inconclusive data. Among the few case reports in adults with benign or malignant insulinoma, octreotide can significantly raise blood glucose concentrations. In long-term follow-up, octreotide has alleviated or reduced the frequency of hypoglycemic episodes for periods of 5 months to 2.5 years. Octreotide was administered subcutaneously in regimens of 100-1500 micrograms in three to four divided doses or as a continuous infusion. Continuous subcutaneous infusion may be attempted in patients intolerant to intermittent administration. Octreotide may worsen existing hypoglycemia as result of suppressing glucagon and growth hormone in the presence of unresponsive pancreatic hyperinsulinism. While the long-term effects of growth remain undetermined, current findings suggest octreotide may provide a reasonable addition or alternative to diazoxide in controlling symptoms of congenital hyperinsulinism. Octreotide may be useful in management of hypoglycemic symptoms in adult patients requiring medical treatment for insulinoma who are refractory or intolerant of diazoxide. Additional long-term studies are needed to address the cost effectiveness of octreotide therapy, identify patients most likely to respond, and determine the impact of octreotide on height.
Alzheimer's disease: the silver tsunami of the 21(st) century.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a fatal progressive neurodegenerative disorder, has no cure to date. One of the causes of AD is the accumulation of amyloid-beta 42 (As42) plaques, which result in the onset of neurodegeneration. It is not known how these plaques trigger the onset of neurodegeneration. There are several animal models developed to (i) study etiology of disease, (ii) look for genetic modifiers, and (iii) identify chemical inhibitors that can block neurodegeneration and help to find cure for this disease. An insect model of Drosophila melanogaster has also provided new insights into the disease. Here we will discuss the utility of the Drosophila eye model to study Alzheimer's disease.
Middleware Architecture for Federated Control Systems

A federated control system (FCS) is composed of autonomous entities, such as cars, thatcooperate to provide a global behavior, such as traffic control. A middleware is a convenient mechanismto separate software infrastructure, as a layer, from other FCS components. Element abstraction is a model for designing, implementing, and operating software components on this infrastructure layer.
Peripheral Nerve Regeneration by Artificial Nerve Guides

It is more than 20 years since artificial nerve guides (or conduits) were introduced into clinical practice as a reliable alternative to autograft. They are basically cylindrical conduits inside which a regenerating nerve stump may find protection and guidance. Early guides were made of silicone and were not biodegradable; they were shown to support nerve regeneration but, subsequently, were considered responsible for stenosis of the regenerated nerve in several instances, which required their removal. Degradable guides have been proposed and are now widely used. An overview of the clinical outcome of artificial nerve guides in peripheral nerve-gap injuries has shown that they perform at least as well as autografts in gaps that are no longer than 20 mm, bringing the significant advantage of avoiding donor site sacrifice and morbidity. The present knowledge and limitations of contemporary nerve guides are illustrated; research to improve the present designs is discussed.
MDCT and clinicopathologic characteristics of small bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) in 102 patients: A single-institute experience.

10547 Background: SB is the 2nd most common site of GISTs and has worse prognosis than gastric GIST. We evaluated clinical presentation, pathology and imaging features of SB GIST. Methods: Imaging ...
Scaling Proteome-Wide Reactions of Activity-Based Probes.

Unified analysis of complex reactions of an activity-based probe with proteins in a proteome remains an unsolved challenge. We propose a power expression, rate = kobs[Probe]α, for scaling the progress of proteome-wide reactions and use the scaling factor (0 ≤ α ≤ 1) as an apparent, partial order with respect to the probe to measure the “enzyme-likeness” for a protein in reaction acceleration. Thus, α reports the intrinsic reactivity of the protein with the probe. When α = 0, the involved protein expedites the reaction to the maximal degree; when α = 1, the protein reacts with the probe via an unaccelerated, bimolecular reaction. The selectivity (β) of the probe reacting with two proteins is calculated as a ratio of conversion factors (kobs values) for corresponding power equations. A combination of α and β provides a tiered system for quantitatively assessing the probe efficacy; an ideal probe exhibits high reactivity with its protein targets (low in α) and is highly selective (high in β) in forming the p...
Protein engineering: Redirecting membrane machinery.

The ability to solubilize membrane proteins while retaining their native function is a persistent challenge. Re-engineering of the membrane protein DsbB into a soluble cytoplasmic version maintained its activity and enabled recompartmentalization of the periplasmic DsbAB disulfide bond–forming system.
Ensemble-Based Storm Surge Forecasting Models

AbstractAccurate prediction of storm surge is a difficult problem. Most forecast systems produce multiple possible forecasts depending on the variability in weather conditions, possible temperature levels, winds, etc. Ensemble modeling techniques have been developed with the stated purpose of obtaining the best forecast (in some specific sense) from the individual forecasts. In this work a statistical methodology of evaluating the performance of multiple ensemble forecasting models is developed. The methodology is applied to predicting storm surge in the New York Harbor area. Data from three hurricane events collected from multiple locations in the New York Bay area are used. The methodology produces three key findings for the particular test data used. First, it is found that even the simplest possible way of creating an ensemble produces results superior to those of any single forecast. Second, for the data used and the events under study the methodology did not interact with any event at any location s...
A passive 461 MHz AlN-CMOS RF front-end for event-driven wakeup receivers

This paper presents a fully passive front-end operating at 461 MHz, as a building block for implementation of wakeup receivers in sensor networks. We use an Aluminum Nitride (AlN) microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator for impedance transformation in order to achieve passive voltage boost at the input of a quadratic envelope detector, fabricated in a 130nm CMOS process. Each individual block is co-designed to maximize overall voltage gain so that the resulting dc output can be detected by ultra-low power (ULP) digital circuitry. Integration of these two technologies results in the reduction of node size and achieves superior performance at higher frequencies.
Socioeconomic Mobility, Identity, and Health: Experiences That Influence Immunology and Implications for Intervention

By many accounts, young people from modest socioeconomic backgrounds who succeed in education and secure gainful employment should expect to experience better physical health as a result of their elevated social position. However, increasing evidence indicates that experiences of socioeconomic mobil
A Potential User’s Personal Perspective

Having a long involvement in research on both the teaching of creativity and creative teaching, the author examines the previous chapters from the personal perspective of a potential user. He begins with the question of teaching creatively, providing some of his own examples of creative techniques. He then turns to the question for teaching for creativity, again offering some additional illustrations. The author closes by dealing with the most difficult issue: teaching creatively for creativity.
The role of STAG2 in bladder cancer.

Abstract Stromal Antigen 2 (STAG2) is one of four components of the cohesin complex and predominantly functions in sister chromatid cohesion and segregation. STAG2 is the most frequently mutated cohesin subunit and was recently identified as a gene that is commonly altered in bladder cancer. The significance of these mutations remains controversial. Some studies associate loss of STAG2 expression with low stage and low grade bladder tumors, as well as with improved clinical outcomes. In other cases, STAG2 inactivation has been shown to be a predictor of worse outcome for these patients. The role of STAG2 in aneuploidy also remains controversial. Loss of STAG2 is associated with significant changes in chromosome number in certain cell lines, while in others, aneuploidy is not induced or results remain inconclusive. At this time, little is known about the influence of STAG2 on cellular migration, invasion, proliferation, and cell death, and such studies are required to determine the role of STAG2 in bladder cancer and other malignancies.
Mixed-Method Evaluation of a Cadaver Dissection Course for General Surgery Interns: An Innovative Approach for Filling the Gap Between Gross Anatomy and the Operating Room.

Objective To evaluate an innovative whole cadaver dissection curriculum designed to focus on teaching procedure-relevant anatomy and surgical skills to surgery interns. Design A mixed methods explanatory sequential design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative evaluations was used to evaluate the cadaver dissection course. Quantitative data were prospectively collected and retrospectively reviewed in order to compare anatomy knowledge and operative skills before and after the course. In the qualitative phase, open-ended telephone interviews were conducted in order to explore the major strengths and weaknesses of the course and gain a more in-depth understanding of resident perceptions and attitudes toward the course. Setting All UCLA categorical surgery interns who have undergone the cadaver dissection curriculum between the years 2010 to 2016 were recruited for evaluation and interview. Participants From 2010 to 2016, 6 to 7 categorical surgery interns were enrolled in the cadaver dissection course each year. Results Anatomy practical examination scores increased following implementation of the course from 50.5% to 83.5% (p Conclusions We believe that cadaver dissection courses offer a superior educational model for teaching clinically relevant anatomy as well as surgical skills. We found improvements in anatomy knowledge and technical skills, and trainees expressed strongly favorable views of the program.
Role of Inflammation in Drug-Induced Liver Injury

The innate immune response plays important roles in drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in both the pathogenesis of the injury and its resolution. Drug-induced liver inflammation contributes to the progression of injury from agents that cause intrinsic hepatotoxicity, such as acetaminophen, and this contribution can involve numerous inflammatory cells and soluble mediators. Activation of the innate immune system occurring independently of drug administration, such as from exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide, can interact with numerous drugs to enhance hepatotoxicity. This interaction has provided the basis for animal models of idiosyncratic DILI. This chapter provides a discussion of the various inflammatory factors that can contribute to DILI by emphasizing animal models and using several drugs as examples.
Measuring Risk Attitudes in Risk Analysis

Approximately 50,000 people die every year in automobile accidents, but no life has yet been lost in the United States due to a nuclear accident. Despite these facts, many people show little concern for automobile safety issues, but oppose nuclear power because they believe it is unsafe. It is clear that an individual’s attitudes toward the risks associated with different technologies will vary significantly from case to case. An understanding of the factors that influence these attitudes could be helpful to public policy makers, especially those who are managing the introduction of new technologies.