cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient doses and projection angle in cone beam CT

Purpose: To investigate how x-ray tube projection angle affects organ and effective doses to patients undergoing a CT examination on a cone beam scanner. Methods: The authors investigated two cone beam CT systems that use a flat panel detector to capture the x-ray pattern transmitted through patients. One system had the flat panel detector and x-ray tube mounted on a conventional CT gantry (gantry CT), whereas the other CT scanner had the x-ray tube and flat panel detector mounted on a C-arm apparatus (C-arm CT).PCXMC software package (version 2.0.1) was used to compute absorbed doses at a constant x-ray beam output as a function of the x-ray tube projection angle. This software uses a mathematical hermaphroditic phantom with a weight of 73.2 kg and a height of 178.6 cm. Average absorbed doses were generated and recorded for five radiosensitive organs (i.e., breast, colon, lung, red bone marrow, and stomach), as well as the corresponding effective dose.Doses for both CT gantries were obtained every 15° of the x-ray tube projection angle, at each of six locations in 10 cm increments along the patient long axis. The authors also investigated the effect on patient dose of filtrations ranging from 2.5 to 9.5 mm Al, with x-ray tube voltages ranging from 80 to 140 kV. Results: There were substantial differences in organdoses as a function of the projection angle, with higher organdoses for anteroposterior projection and lower doses for lateral projections. The maximum to minimum ratios of organdose as a function of the x-ray tube angle were ∼ 2.2 for the lungs, ∼ 3.7 for the colon, ∼ 5.9 for the red bone marrow, ∼ 19.8 for the breast, and ∼ 36 for the stomach. At the same x-ray tube voltage (kV) and intensity (mA s), the ratio of dose maxima for the two cone beam CT geometries for the five organs investigated was 1.85 ± 0.10 , which is mainly attributed to differences in source to isocenter distances. Effective doses varied with x-ray tube angle by a factor of ∼ 2.7 for chest CT examinations and by a factor of ∼ 4.0 for abdomen/pelvis examinations. Changes in the x-ray tube voltage and beam filtration showed the expected changes in absoluteorgandoses, but had little effect on relativedoses. Conclusions: There are major differences in organ and effective dose as the x-ray tube rotates around the patient. The results suggest that the use of x-ray tube current modulation could produce substantial reductions in organ and effective dose for body imaging with cone beam CT.
Integer solutions of by2 + pn = x3

Abstract The equation by 2 + p n = x 3 is regarded as a diophantine equation in the integer variables x , y , and n . Solutions of such equations are explicitly constructed for a large class of parameters b and p . For example, the five families of solutions to the equation y 2 + 11 n = x 3 are given. Indeed, the conditions on b and p and the proofs can be viewed as natural generalization of this special case.
The Effect of Veratryl Alcohol on Manganese Oxidation by Lignin Peroxidases

The extracellular peroxidase isozymes secreted by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium have been classified as manganese peroxidases (isozymes H3, H4, H5, and H9) and lignin peroxidases (isozymes H1, H2, H6, H7, H8, and H10). Recently we reported peroxidase isozyme H2 can also oxidize Mn2+ (Khindaria et al., 1995, Biochemistry 34, 7773-7779). This lignin peroxidase isozyme oxidized Mn2+ with both of the enzyme intermediates, compound I and compound II, at the same rates as manganese peroxidase isozyme H4. The results of single-turnover kinetic studies have now demonstrated that compound I of the other lignin peroxidase isozymes (H1, H6, H7, H8, and H1O) also readily oxidized Mn2+, but that the rate of Mn2+ oxidation by compound II was extremely slow. Compound III rapidly the presence of Mn2+, oxalate, and H2O2. However, upon the addition of veratryl alcohol, the results indicated that veratryl alcohol served to reduce compound II. Under such conditions, compound III did not accumulate, and a steady-state rate of Mn2+ oxidation was observed. The rate of Mn2+ oxidation was the same as for the reduction of compound II by veratryl alcohol. The dependence of the rate of Mn2+ oxidation on the concentration of veratryl alcohol was consistent with a mechanism in which Mn2+ is oxidized by compound I and veratryl oxidized by compound II. Therefore, under physiologically relevant conditions, in which both veratryl alcohol and Mn2+ are present, all lignin peroxidase isozymes would be capable of oxidizing Mn2+ to Mn3+ which can serve as a diffusible oxidant.
National and Regional Population Trends in Tajikistan: Results from the Recent Census

An American geographer and noted specialist on urbanization and population dynamics in the countries of the former Soviet Union reviews the major results of the first post-Soviet census in Tajikistan, conducted in 2000 and only recently released to the public. The author examines salient influences on population change, at both the national and regional level, over the period since the last Soviet census (1989). Presented and discussed in the paper are internal population redistribution resulting from the Tajik civil war (1992-1997), continuing high rates of natural increase among ethnic Tajiks, substantial emigration of non-titular populations (especially Russians and Uzbeks), shifts in the country's ethnic balance, and de-urbanization. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: J11, O18, R23. 3 figures, 4 tables, 29 references.
Paleomagnetic constraints on the assembly of the Old Red Continent

Abstract A model is proposed on the basis of paleomagnetic and geological arguments for the assembly of the Old Red Continent, which in the Devonian comprised North America, the Baltic Shield and Russian platform, as well as a third element called “Armorica”. The latter is thought to have included most of Hercynian Europe and southern England and Wales, as well as possibly the Avalonian terranes of northeastern North America and perhaps some parts of the Atlas ranges and Moroccan Meseta. The model envisions a Late Ordovician (Taconic) collision of North America and Armorica, which are joined in the Late Silurian by the Baltic Shield and Russian platform. Not until the late Early Carboniferous did Gondwana join the Old Red Continent in a collision responsible for a large internal megashear parallel to the Caledonian orogenic belt as well as the Hercynian-Alleghenian orogeny. Subduction of the large Siluro-Devonian ocean between Gondwana and the Old Red Continent is held responsible for the mid-Devonian Acadian orogeny.
Plant Regulators: Insensitivity is in the genes

The cloning of loci determining abscisic acid insensitivity in Arabidopsis has identified a phosphatase and a transcriptional activator that mediate responses to abscisic acid and so regulate plant growth and development.
Analysis of Human Buccal Absorption of Drugs by Physical Model Approach

The studies of Beckett and Moffat on the human buccal absorption of p-n-alkyl phenylacetic, p-halogen phenylacetic, and toluic acids at various buffer pH's were analyzed quantitatively by the physical model approach using a two-phase compartmental diffusion model. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to obtain self-consistent estimates of relevant transport parameters such as the permeabilities of the aqueous diffusion layer and lipoidal membrane and the pKa. Good agreement of the absorption rate-buffer pH profiles between the experimental results and theory was found. The incremental partition constant of the lipoidal biophase for a methylene group with the p-alkyl phenylacetic acid series was found to be 2.22, in agreement with 2.33 obtained previously for the n-alkanoic acids. Halogen substituent constants on the para-position of phenylacetic acid and position constants of a methyl group on the para-, meta-, and ortho-positions of benzoic acid relative to aqueous-buccal membrane partitioning were also determined. After comparing these constants with those in the literature, it appears that the rate-determining environment in the lipoidal buccal membrane has a polarity like isobutanol.
Longitudinal, 3D in vivo imaging of sebaceous glands by coherent anti-stokes Raman scattering microscopy: normal function and response to cryotherapy.

Sebaceous glands perform complex functions, and they are centrally involved in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris. Current techniques for studying sebaceous glands are mostly static in nature, whereas the gland’s main function—excretion of sebum via the holocrine mechanism—can only be evaluated over time. We present a longitudinal, real-time alternative—the in vivo, label-free imaging of sebaceous glands using Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) microscopy, which is used to selectively visualize lipids. In mouse ears, CARS microscopy revealed dynamic changes in sebaceous glands during the holocrine secretion process, as well as in response to damage to the glands caused by cooling. Detailed gland structure, plus the active migration of individual sebocytes and cohorts of sebocytes, were measured. Cooling produced characteristic changes in sebocyte structure and migration. This study demonstrates that CARS microscopy is a promising tool for studying the sebaceous gland and its associated disorders in three dimensions in vivo.
Semantic stream query optimization exploiting dynamic metadata

Data stream management systems (DSMS) processing long-running queries over large volumes of stream data must typically deliver time-critical responses. We propose the first semantic query optimization (SQO) approach that utilizes dynamic substream metadata at runtime to find a more efficient query plan than the one selected at compilation time. We identify four SQO techniques guaranteed to result in performance gains. Based on classic satisfiability theory we then design a lightweight query optimization algorithm that efficiently detects SQO opportunities at runtime. At the logical level, our algorithm instantiates multiple concurrent SQO plans, each processing different partially overlapping substreams. Our novel execution paradigm employs multi-modal operators to support the execution of these concurrent SQO logical plans in a single physical plan. This highly agile execution strategy reduces resource utilization while supporting lightweight adaptivity. Our extensive experimental study in the CAPE stream processing system using both synthetic and real data confirms that our optimization techniques significantly reduce query execution times, up to 60%, compared to the traditional approach.
Composition and hydrothermal pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification performance of grasses and legumes from a mixed-species prairie

Background Mixtures of prairie species (mixed prairie species; MPS) have been proposed to offer important advantages as a feedstock for sustainable production of fuels and chemicals. Therefore, understanding the performance in hydrothermal pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of select species harvested from a mixed prairie is valuable in selecting these components for such applications. This study examined composition and sugar release from the most abundant components of a plot of MPS: a C3 grass (Poa pratensis), a C4 grass (Schizachyrium scoparium), and a legume (Lupinus perennis). Results from this study provide a platform to evaluate differences between grass and leguminous species, and the factors controlling their recalcitrance to pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis.
Pasteurella multocida: from Zoonosis to Cellular Microbiology

In a world where most emerging and reemerging infectious diseases are zoonotic in nature and our contacts with both domestic and wild animals abound, there is growing awareness of the potential for human acquisition of animal diseases. Like other Pasteurellaceae, Pasteurella species are highly prevalent among animal populations, where they are often found as part of the normal microbiota of the oral, nasopharyngeal, and upper respiratory tracts. Many Pasteurella species are opportunistic pathogens that can cause endemic disease and are associated increasingly with epizootic outbreaks. Zoonotic transmission to humans usually occurs through animal bites or contact with nasal secretions, with P. multocida being the most prevalent isolate observed in human infections. Here we review recent comparative genomics and molecular pathogenesis studies that have advanced our understanding of the multiple virulence mechanisms employed by Pasteurella species to establish acute and chronic infections. We also summarize efforts being explored to enhance our ability to rapidly and accurately identify and distinguish among clinical isolates and to control pasteurellosis by improved development of new vaccines and treatment regimens.
The vaccinia virus A56 protein: a multifunctional transmembrane glycoprotein that anchors two secreted viral proteins.

The vaccinia virus A56 protein was one of the earliest-described poxvirus proteins with an identifiable activity. While originally characterized as a haemagglutinin protein, A56 has other functions as well. The A56 protein is capable of binding two viral proteins, a serine protease inhibitor (K2) and the vaccinia virus complement control protein (VCP), and anchoring them to the surface of infected cells. This is important; while both proteins have biologically relevant functions at the cell surface, neither one can locate there on its own. The A56–K2 complex reduces the amount of virus superinfecting an infected cell and also prevents the formation of syncytia by infected cells; the A56–VCP complex can protect infected cells from complement attack. Deletion of the A56R gene results in varying effects on vaccinia virus virulence. In addition, since the gene encoding the A56 protein is non-essential, it can be used as an insertion point for foreign genes and has been deleted in some viruses that are in clinical development as oncolytic agents.
A novel electrochemical method for visual detection of surface inclusions in metallic substrates

An electrochemical method is presented for fast and non-destructive detection of surface inclusions in metals and alloys. Using electrode modification techniques, the sample surface is coated with a dark layer; the non-conductive inclusions remain uncoated and thus appear bright and highly visible. The new technique is demonstrated on different alloys with simulated and real inclusions.
A magnetohydrodynamical model of the inner coma of comet Halley

The magnetometer onboard the Giotto spacecraft observed a diamagnetic cavity surrounding the nucleus of Comet Halley. The location of the boundary of this diamagnetic cavity is determined by a balance between an inward magnetic pressure gradient force and an outward ion-neutral drag force, associated with collisions between the outwardly flowing neutrals and the stagnated ions. A one-dimensional time-dependent MHD model has been developed for the inner coma of Comet Halley, and includes ion-neutral collisions, photochemical production and loss of plasma, and finite conductivity. This model is used to investigate the plasma dynamics in the vicinity of the diamagnetic cavity boundary surface. A narrow transition layer with enhanced plasma density is shown to exist just inside the boundary, although a full understanding of this layer will require a two- or three-dimensional MHD model. The flux of cometary ions into this shocklike layer is removed by electron-ion recombination. The thickness of this layer is determined by the Mach number of the incident flow.
Substrate dependence of morphology in thin film polymer blends of polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate)

We studied the effects of different substrates on the development of the morphologies in thin film polymer blends in as-spun and annealed films. We have utilized thin films of blends of polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) spun cast on Si, Au and Co surfaces, and produced quantitative composition maps with near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) microscopy as a function of annealing time. We observed a marked dependence of the morphologies and the qualitative dynamics on the surface composition. # 2000 Society of Chemical Industry
Catholicism and the Great War: Religion and Everyday Life in Germany and Austria-Hungary, 1914–1922

Introduction 1. Catholicism on the eve of the Great War in Germany and Austria-Hungary 2. Theology and catastrophe 3. The limits of religious authority: military chaplaincy and the bounds of clericalism 4. Faith in the trenches: Catholic battlefield piety during the Great War 5. The unquiet home front 6. A voice in the wilderness: the papacy 7. Memory, mourning, and the Catholic way of war Conclusion Sources Index.
Colorimetric Particle Acidity Analysis of Secondary Organic Aerosol Coating on Submicron Acidic Aerosols

The particle acidity of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) created from ozonolysis of α-pinene in the presence of acidic inorganic seed aerosols was investigated using an indoor Teflon film chamber. Colorimetry integrated with a reflectance UV-Visible spectrometer was used for the first time to dynamically measure the aerosol acidity over time. An external calibration curve was produced based on the correlation between the proton mass (ng) collected on the filter, which was impregnated with metanil yellow, and the absorbance of the reflectance UV-Visible spectra for the protonated and the unprotonated metanil yellow on the filter. Using this calibration curve, the particle acidity of the submicron acidic sulfate aerosol coated with SOA was measured from the reflectance UV-Visible spectra of filter samples. The colorimetric analysis requires a short sampling time (less than 2 m) for SOA studies using the laboratory Teflon film chamber and eliminates extraction of the filter sample with water. Results show tha...
Reconsidering Childfreedom: A Feminist Exploration of Discursive Identity Construction in Childfree LiveJournal Communities

This article employs participant definitional analysis, sensitized with feminist poststructuralism and critical ethnography, to understand three identity construction processes that members of childfree LiveJournal communities participate in: (a) naming childfreedom, (b) negotiating childfreedom, and (c) enacting childfreedom. I argue that childfree identities are contested and sometimes activist. Ultimately, I call for scholars to reconsider the definition of childfree to account for the complex and nuanced identities constructed by individuals who identify as such.
Making the Case for Intrapartum Amnioinfusion

For laboring women and their fetus who are at risk for possible —complications, including fetal heart decelerations and possible meconium staining, infusing solutions into the uterine cavity can work toward providing better newborn outcomes.
STAT1 contributes to HLA class I upregulation and CTL reactivity after anti-EGFR mAb cetuximab therapy in head and neck cancer patients

Squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (HNSCC) cells express low HLA class I and antigen processing machinery (APM) components, such as transporter TAP-1/2, which is associated with the reduced sensitivity to cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) mediated lysis. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in HNSCC and is associated with the poor prognosis. FDA approved anti-EGFR blockade mAb cetuximab inhibits HNSCC proliferation, and induces EGFR-specific CTL. However, the molecular mechanism(s) underlying the EGFR-specific CTL recognition of HNSCC in the therapeutic efficacy of anti-EGFR mAb is still emerging. We show that cetuximab or EGFR knockdown enhanced expression of HLA class I antigens, which is associated with the EGFR expression level on HNSCC. These findings were validated in a prospective trial of neoadjuvant cetuximab therapy. Interestingly, upregulation of HLA-B/C alleles were more pronounced than HLA-A alleles after cetuximab or EGFR knockdown treatment. EGFR signaling blockade or EGFR depletion also enhanced IFN gamma receptor (IFNAR) on HNSCC and augmented induction of HLA class I and TAP-1/2 caused by IFN gamma treatment. Cetuximab or EGFR knockdown enhanced the level of HLA class I, STAT-1, TAP-1/2 in a STAT-1+/+ cell line but not in STAT-1-/- cell line, documenting the STAT-1 dependence of this effect. We also found that Src homology domain-containing phosphatase 2 (SHP-2), which is downstream of EGFR and also overexpressed in SCCHN, can suppress the immunostimulatory effect of cetuximab treatment on HLA class I/STAT-1 upregulation, and dual targeting of EGFR and SHP-2 co-operates in the most efficient reversal of immune escape phenotype. In addition, cetuximab-based EGFR inhibition and SHP-2 depletion enhanced the recognition of HNSCC cells by EGFR 853-861 specific CTL, and enhanced surface presentation of non-EGFR TA, such as MAGE-3 271-279 , indicating that a broad tumor antigen repertoire is processed and presented by HLA/APM upregulation. These findings elucidate a novel immune escape mechanism associated with EGFR signaling through STAT1 suppression and the reversal with cetuximab, which may provide additional targets for on-going mAb-based immunotherapy.
STABILIZATION OF ANTHOCYANINS IN FROZEN TART CHERRIES BY BLANCHING

SUMMARY— Unpitted red tart cherries (Prunus cerasus L. cv. Montmorency) were blanched in steam (100°C) for 0, 30, 45 and 60 sec, then frozen at −20°C. The anthocyanin color of the fruit was determined periodically during frozen storage for 3 months in one experiment and 10 months in another. When the cherries were not allowed to thaw before the analysis, no color loss due to anthocyanin destruction was observed in either the blanched or unblanched cherries. When they were thawed at room temperature (22° C) in single layer for 2 and 4 hr, the unblanched cherries lost 14 and 25% anthocyanin color, respectively; cherries subjected to 45- or 60-sec blanching showed no significant color loss. When the cherries were disintegrated in a Waring Blendor for up to 30 min, the unblanched cherries lost considerable color (70%) after 30 min under oxygen or air, but those blanched for 45 or 60 sec suffered no color loss. Some anthocyanin destruction was Observed in the 30-sec blanch lot. Blending under oxygen was slightly more deleterious to the color than blending under air. Blending under nitrogen minimized the color loss but did not eliminate it. Blanching resulted in a 4–7.5% loss of weight.
Recent advances in the treatment of chronic pain with non-invasive brain stimulation techniques.

Summary Background Brain stimulation is a technique that can guide brain plasticity and thus be suitable to treat chronic pain—a disorder that is associated with substantial reorganisation of CNS activity. In fact, the idea of using invasive and non-invasive brain stimulation for pain relief is not new. Studies from the 1950s investigated the use of this therapeutic method for the treatment of chronic pain. However, recent advancements in the techniques of non-invasive brain stimulation have enhanced their modulatory effects and thus become a new, attractive alternative for chronic pain treatment. Recent developments Recent studies with non-invasive brain stimulation—eg, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)—using new parameters of stimulation have shown encouraging results. These studies explored alternative sites of stimulation, such as the secondary somatosensory cortex (rather than primary motor cortex) for the treatment of chronic visceral pain and new parameters of stimulation, such as repeated sessions of tDCS with 2 mA for the treatment of chronic central pain. Where next? The investigation of non-invasive brain stimulation for therapeutic effects is in its at initial stages; but the preliminary data make us optimistic. Several questions still need to be addressed before any firm conclusion about this therapy is made. Other parameters of stimulation need to be further explored such as theta-burst stimulation and the combination of tDCS and rTMS. The duration of the therapeutic effects is another important issue to be considered, especially because the current devices for brain stimulation do not allow patients to receive this therapy in their homes; therefore, maintenance therapy regimens, as well as the development of portable stimulators, need to be investigated. Further trials must determine the optimum parameters of stimulation. After that, confirmatory, larger studies are mandatory.
Lithium Bis(N,N‐diethylcarbamoyl)cuprate

[71435-48-8] C10H20CuLiN2O2 (MW 270.76) InChI = 1S/2C5H10NO.Cu.Li/c2*1-3-6(4-2)5-7;;/h2*3-4H2,1-2H3;; InChIKey = PTPSPNJSJFPYQU-UHFFFAOYSA-N (carbamoylation of organic halides1, 2) Alternate Name: lithium bis[(diethylamino)carbonyl]cuprate. Solubility: sol THF, HMPA. Preparative Method: prepared in situ under N2; an equimolar reaction of Copper(I) Chloride and Lithium Diethylamide in a mixed solvent of THF and HMPA (4∶1) at −20 °C produced a precipitate of CuNEt2, which was dissolved by an additional 1 equiv of LiNEt2; 2 equiv Carbon Monoxide were absorbed by this homogeneous solution under ambient conditions; the resulting solution was used in the carbamoylation directly.1 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: stable below 80 °C, decomposes partly at 100 °C; air- and moisture-sensitive; handle in a fume hood under inert gas (Ar or N2);1 the hazards of HMPA and CO are well-documented.3
Double Aromaticity in Monocyclic Carbon, Boron, and Borocarbon Rings Based on Magnetic Criteria

The double-arom. character of selected monocyclic carbon, boron, and borocarbon rings is demonstrated by refined nucleus-independent chem. shift (NICS) analyses involving the contributions of individual canonical MOs and their out-of-plane NICS tensor component (CMO-NICSzz). The double aromaticity considered results from two mutually orthogonal Hueckel p AO frameworks in a single mol. The familiar pi orbitals are augmented by the in-plane delocalization of electrons occupying sets of radial (rad) p orbitals. Such double aromaticity is present in B3-, C6H3+, C64+, C4B44+, C6, C5B2, C4B4, C2B8, B102-, B12, C10, C9B2, C8B4, C7B6, C6B8, and C14. Monocyclic C8 and C12 are doubly antiarom., as both the orthogonal pi and radial Hueckel sets are paratropic. Planar C7 and C9 monocycles have mixed arom. (pi) and anti-arom. (radial) systems. [on SciFinder (R)]
Lattice tests of beyond standard model dynamics

Originally developed for quantum chromodynamics at strong coupling, lattice approximations provide an essential tool applicable to any strongly coupled gauge theory. The resolution of the lightweight Higgs puzzle may require new strongly coupled gauge theories at shorter distances. This review introduces the modern lattice tool kit as a combination of analytical and numerical techniques. Numerous applications to new physics with strong coupling gauge theories are presented, and results analyzed.
Histological, histochemical and ultrastructural features of myeloma kidney

Renal disease is a common and serious complication of plasma cell dyscrasias (PCD). In most clinical nephrology centers, a significant number of patients 50 years old or older presenting with proteinuria and/or renal insufficiency are diagnosed every year by serum and urine protein studies and by bone marrow biopsy as having developed kidney disease related to PCD. However, in some cases these laboratory studies are not revealing or are not done and such a diagnosis is made first by renal biopsy. Further, only by renal biopsy will it be possible to determine with certainty which of the several different patterns of renal involvement associated with PCD is present in an individual patient. There are six major morphologic patterns (Table 1) which have now been clearly characterized and differentiated and rarely occur in combination. These patterns have different pathogenetic mechanisms, different prognosis and different responses to therapy [1–9].
Unemployment and Public Budget Impacts of the Auto Bailout

We estimate the impact of the 2009 financial rescue of two large American automobile companies (General Motors and Chrysler) on unemployment in Michigan. We conservatively estimate that the auto bailout saved about 7,700 workers from unemployment each month over a period of four-and-a-half years. This translates to a public savings of between $1.3 and $1.6 billion via lower transfer payments and higher tax revenues.
The CFO and Risk Management

This article first establishes the appropriate objective function as managing the reward/risk ratio to create value, not merely to minimize risk. We will then discuss ways that reward/risk management can create value, and various ways of managing risk. We start with the proposition that risk management is a misnomer that carries with it the dangerous implication that one should always take action to minimize risk. A better objective function is to create value by maximizing the benefit cost ratio relevant to a particular risk.
Provenance-based Integrity Protection for Windows

Existing malware defenses are primarily reactive in nature, with defenses effective only on malware that has previously been observed. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a generation of stealthy, highly targeted exploits and malware that these defenses are unprepared for. Thwarting such malware requires new defenses that are, by design, secure against unknown malware. In this paper, we present Spif, an approach that defends against malware by tracking code and data origin, and ensuring that any process that is influenced by code or data from untrusted sources will be prevented from modifying important system resources, and interacting with benign processes. Spif is designed for Windows, the most widely deployed desktop OS, and the primary platform targeted by malware. Spif is compatible with all recent Windows versions (Windows XP to Windows 10), and supports a wide range of feature rich, unmodified applications, including all popular browsers, office software and media players. Spif imposes minimal performance overheads while being able to stop a variety of malware attacks, including Stuxnet and the recently reported Sandworm malware. An open-source implementation of our system is available.
Intermolecular Forces and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of 1,3,5-Triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) Using Symmetry Adapted Perturbation Theory

The dimer potential energy surface (PES) of 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) has been explored using symmetry adapted perturbation theory based on a Kohn-Sham density functional theory description of the monomers [SAPT(DFT)]. An intermolecular potential energy function was parametrized using a grid of 880 ab initio SAPT(DFT) dimer interaction energies, and the function was used to identify stationary points on the SAPT(DFT) dimer PES. It is shown that there exists a variety of minima with a range of bonding configurations and ab initio analyses of the interaction energy components, along with radial cross sections of the PES near each minimum, are presented. Results of isothermal-isostress molecular dynamics simulations are reported, and the simulated structure, thermal expansion, sublimation enthalpy, and bulk modulus of the TATB crystal, based on the SAPT(DFT) interaction potential, are in good agreement with experiment.
Association of the firewater myth with drinking behavior among American Indian and Alaska Native college students.

The firewater myth (FM) is the notion that American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol and vulnerable to alcohol problems due to biological or genetic differences. Believing that one is vulnerable to problems with alcohol may have negative effects on expectancies and drinking behavior among AI/ANs who drink; however, the association of belief in the FM with alcohol outcomes has not previously been examined. In this study we examined the factor structure of a revised version of the Firewater Myth Scale (FMS; LaMarr, 2003) and the association of belief in the FM with alcohol use, consequences, attitudes, and expectancies with 159 AI/AN college students who drink. On average, participants "slightly agreed" with the FM and scores were normally distributed. There were significant small to moderate positive associations between believing that AI/ANs have a biological vulnerability to problems with alcohol (i.e., the FM) and drinks consumed per week, frequency of heavy episodic drinking, and alcohol consequences, as well as belief in a disease model of "alcoholism," attempts to control drinking, guilt over drinking small amounts of alcohol, both positive and negative alcohol expectancies, temptation to drink heavily, and lack of self-efficacy to drink moderately. Although this is only an initial examination of potential consequences of belief in the FM for AI/AN students who drink, the results suggest that this belief may be harmful and have negative effects on attempts to moderate drinking. (PsycINFO Database Record(c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Anti-Factor VIII C1 Domain Antibodies Are Present in the Plasmas of Patients with Hemophilia and Inhibitors

Abstract Hemophilia A is an X-linked disorder characterized by a deficiency or absence of blood coagulation protein factor VIII (fVIII). Treatment involves replacement of fVIII through infusions for acute bleeding episodes or prevention of bleeding events. Approximately 30% of individuals with severe hemophilia A will develop antibodies to fVIII. Many studies have characterized the antigenic properties of the C2 and A2 domains as these domains are considered the predominant immunogenic domains of the fVIII protein. However, there is increasing evidence that the C1 domain contributes to fVIII function and immune response to fVIII. Our laboratory has produced and purified a murine IgG2ak anti-human C1 domain monoclonal antibody (MAb), designated 2A9. In this study, we characterized the functional properties of MAb 2A9 using standard coagulation testing including its anti-fVIII inhibitor titer by Bethesda assay and its ability to inhibit fVIII binding to von Willebrand factor (VWF) by competition ELISA. In the Bethesda assay, 2A9 has an inhibitor titer of 97 BU/mg and is a type II inhibitor. In addition, MAb 2A9 inhibits fVIII binding to VWF in an ELISA assay with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1 µg/ml. This is in comparison to the potent high-titer inhibitory anti-C2 MAb I89 (IC50 0.02 µg/ml) and a control non-inhibitory anti-A2 MAb ID4 (IC50 > 10 µg/ml). We tested 11 plasma samples from patients with congenital hemophilia with inhibitors in the Emory IRB-approved inhibitor bank. The plasma samples have inhibitory titers ranging from 1 - 188 BU/ml with a median inhibitory titer of 54 BU/ml and mean inhibitory titer 59 BU/ml. The plasmas were tested for the presence of antibodies that compete with anti-C1 domain MAb 2A9 using competition ELISA with fVIII as the antigen. Biotinylated MAb 2A9 was serially diluted and the concentration of antibody required to produce an absorbance at 405 nm of 0.3 was compared between control severe hemophilia A plasma and inhibitor plasma samples. Inhibitor plasma samples that reduced the ELISA titer of MAb 2A9 were considered a competitive inhibitor. Of the 11 inhibitor plasma samples, 4 were found to compete with MAb 2A9. Our study demonstrates that anti-C1 domain antibodies are present in the plasma of patients with hemophilia A and inhibitors. Given the increasing evidence that the C1 domain is important in fVIII function it is likely that these anti-C1 antibodies are clinically relevant. Therefore, domains other than A2 and C2 need to be included in future studies of fVIII B cell epitopes. Download : Download high-res image (47KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 1 . Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Anthraquinone Derivatives in Aqueous Flow Batteries

Anthraquinone derivatives are being considered for large scale energy storage applications because of their chemical tunability and rapid redox kinetics. The authors investigate four anthraquinone derivatives as negative electrolyte candidates for an aqueous quinone-bromide redox flow battery: anthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid (AQS), 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone-2,7-disulfonic acid (DHAQDS), alizarin red S (ARS), and 1,4-dihydroxyanthraquinone-2,3-dimethylsulfonic acid (DHAQDMS). The standard reduction potentials are all lower than that of anthraquinone-2,7-disulfonic acid (AQDS), the molecule used in previous quinone-bromide batteries. DHAQDS and ARS undergo irreversible reactions on contact with bromine, which precludes their use against bromine but not necessarily against other electrolytes. DHAQDMS is apparently unreactive with bromine but cannot be reversibly reduced, whereas AQS is stable against bromine and stable upon reduction. The authors demonstrate an AQS-bromide flow cell with higher open circuit potential and peak galvanic power density than the equivalent AQDS-bromide cell. This study demonstrates the use of chemical synthesis to tailor organic molecules for improving flow battery performance.
Beginning Elementary Mathematics Teachers Negotiating Leadership Responsibilities

Induction has been given much attention in recent years. Research indicates that a comprehensive program with multiple supports for new teachers including reasonable teaching loads and complete curriculum resources are most effective. However, this is not the reality for many beginning teachers. In a study of a two-year, university based, mathematics-specific induction program for elementary teachers, we found many first year teachers were given teacher leadership responsibilities at their schools. These leadership experiences were confounded by school contexts in which curriculum resources were incomplete or competed with the BTs visions of “good” mathematics teaching. Qualitative data included interviews, surveys, written reflections, and researcher field notes from the first year of study. This article reports three first-year teachers’ experiences of significant leadership responsibilities. Findings call for ways to prepare BTs in undergraduate and induction programs for the non-instructional duties in teaching and to develop the agency needed to negotiate school-based contextual constraints.
Molecular Structures and Momentum Transfer Cross Sections: The Influence of the Analyte Charge Distribution

Structure elucidation by ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry methods is based on the comparison of an experimentally measured momentum transfer cross-section to cross-sections calculated for model structures. Thus, it is imperative that the calculated cross-section must be accurate. However, it is not fully understood how important it is to accurately model the charge distribution of an analyte ion when calculating momentum transfer cross-sections. Here, we calculate and compare momentum transfer cross-sections for carbon clusters that differ in mass, charge state, and mode of charge distribution, and vary temperature and polarizability of the buffer gas. Our data indicate that the detailed distribution of the ion charge density is intimately linked to the contribution of glancing collisions to the momentum transfer cross-section. The data suggest that analyte ions with molecular mass ~3 kDa or momentum transfer cross-section 400-500 A2 would be significantly influenced by the charge distribution in nitrogen buffer gas. Our data further suggest that accurate structure elucidation on the basis of IMS-MS data measured in nitrogen buffer gas must account for the molecular charge distribution even for systems as large as C960 (~12 kDa) when localized charges are present and/or measurements are conducted under cryogenic temperatures. Finally, our data underscore that accurate structure elucidation is unlikely if ion mobility data recorded in one buffer gas is converted into other buffer gases when electronic properties of the buffer gases differ. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.
Development and Reproductive Behavior of Mantispa viridis Walker (Neuroptera: Mantispidae)

The development and reproductive behavior of Mantispa viridis Walker was examined in northwestern South Carolina. Campodeiform first instars actively searched spider egg sacs and halted the development of spider eggs that had advanced to the prelarval or larval developmental stages. M. viridis utilized both viable and inviable spider eggs and completed development on as few as five black widow, Latrodectus mactans (F.), eggs. Developmental time from eclosion to adult emergence averaged slightly less than 24 d. Both mated and unmated females produced egg clutches. However, viable clutches were only produced by mated females. Mated females produced a greater number of clutches each containing more eggs than unmated females. Unmated females produced a small number of eggs that embryonated, and in which a mantispid larva developed. However, larvae in these eggs did not eclose. Males were found to have the intertergal membranes between abdominal segments 3 and 4, and 4 and 5 expanded. These membranes were ever...
Using Structural Kinetic Modeling To Identify Key Determinants of Stability in Reaction Networks.

Kinetic modeling is increasingly used to understand the reaction dynamics of metabolic systems. However, one major drawback of kinetic modeling is that appropriate rate parameters required to implement such models are often unavailable. To circumvent this limitation, an approach known as structural kinetic modeling was developed as a way to understand the dynamics of reaction networks without explicitly requiring rate parameters. This study describes a novel approach to use structural kinetic modeling to identify reaction components that contribute most significantly to mediating network stability. We applied this method to analyze the metabolic pathway of glycolysis in yeast. As a result, we identified specific metabolic components that contribute most significantly to defining the stability properties of the glycolysis reaction network and predict the responses of these components to perturbations. These results were validated via comparison to a conventional kinetic model of glycolysis. Thus, applying ...
When generalists behave as specialists: local specialization by American badgers (Taxidea taxus)

Differentiating species according to their relative niche breadth is a common approach in community ecology that can enhance understanding about how species relate to the environment. Although a sp...
Energy metabolism and evaporative water loss in the California ground squirrel

Rates of metabolism and evaporative water loss were investigated inSpermophilus beecheyi. Special attention was paid to the influence of the micro-climate of the animal's burrow on these parameters. Metabolic rate as measured by oxygen consumption is 25 per cent below that predicted from body weight. A new hypothesis is advanced to account for this commonly observed phenomenon in fossorial rodents. In summer, there is an overlap of the region of thermal neutrality and temperature in the animal's burrow but winter burrow temperatures are below thermal neutrality. Evaporative cooling accounts for approximately 20 per cent of the total heat loss in thermal neutrality and at low humidity. Minimization of this heat loss avenue by high humidities did not result in an increase of body temperature or metabolic rate, therefore the dimension of the thermal neutral zone is independent of ambient humidity. By indirect means, evaporative water loss was partitioned into 37 per cent from cutaneous sources and 63 per cent from pulmonary sources. A direct relationship was found between ambient water vapor pressure and evaporative water loss. The relationship between body and ambient temperature was investigated by telemetry. At lower temperatures, the former is maintained at constant levels, but hyperthermia develops above 30 ° C.
Image Processing with Hierarchical Cellular Logic

The use of pyramids, cones, and quadtrees to represent and process images is a way to incorporate aspects of hierarchy into low-level image processing. Hierarchy is important in providing multiple levels of image representation, in terms of resolution or of abstraction. Hierarchy was present in the early perceptron models [Rosenblatt 62], was incorporated in computer graphics [Warnock 67], into data structures [Klinger 71], and into machine vision models [Uhr 71], [Hanson and Riseman 74], [Hanson and Riseman 80]. Hierarchy in machine vision is also suggested by the structure of biological vision systems [Uhr 80].
Civil commitment experiences among opioid users.

Abstract Introduction Civil commitment is an increasingly used policy intervention to combat the opioid epidemic. Yet little is known about persons who get committed and outcomes following commitment for opioid use. In the current cross-sectional study, we compared the characteristics of persons with and without a history of civil commitment, and the correlates of post-commitment abstinence. Methods Between October 2017 and May 2018, we surveyed consecutive persons entering a brief, inpatient opioid detoxification (n = 292) regarding their lifetime experiences with civil commitment for opioid use. Results Participants averaged 34.6 years of age, 27.1% were female, and 78.1% were White. Seventy-eight (26.7%) experienced civil commitment for opioid use at least once in their lifetime. Committed individuals had significantly higher rates of fentanyl, heroin, and injection drug use, drug overdoses, past incarceration, current criminal justice involvement, and past medication treatment for opioid use (p Conclusion Opioid users who experience civil commitment constitute an especially high risk group. A positive commitment experience and post-commitment medication treatment are associated with longer post-commitment abstinence.
Impact of “increased-risk” donor hearts on transplant outcomes: A propensity matched analysis

Abstract Objectives Orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) remains the gold standard for advanced heart failure. Increased risk (IR) donors were categorized by the United Network for Organ Sharing Database (UNOS) according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria. However, the impact of CDC IR donor hearts on the outcome of adult OHT recipients remains unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of adult OHT recipients between CDC IR and non-CDC IR donor grafts. Methods Data were obtained from the United Network for Organ Sharing Databas. All adult patients (age ≥18 years) undergoing OHT from 2004 through 2016 were included (n = 24,751). Propensity scores for CDC IR donors were calculated by estimating probabilities of CDC IR donor graft use using a nonparsimonious multivariable logistic regression model. Patients were matched 1:1 using a greedy matching algorithm based on the propensity score of each patient. The impact of CDC IR donors on the post-transplant outcomes, such as 30-day and overall mortalities, was investigated using Cox-proportional hazards. Overall survival probability analyses were performed. Results Of 24,751 primary heart transplants from 2004 to 2016 with 3584 (14.5%) as IR donors, 6304 transplants were successfully matched (n = 3152 in CDC IR group and non-IR group). There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics in recipients and donors. In the Cox-proportional hazards model for matched subjects, the use of CDC IR grafts was not associated with 30-day (hazard ratio of IR group vs non-IR group 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.87-1.08; P = .57) and overall mortalities (hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.73-1.21; P = .62). Interestingly, post-transplant acute myocardial rejection episodes during hospital stays were found more often in the CDC-IR group, compared with the non-CDC IR group (CDC IR, n = 358 [11.4%]; non-CDC IR, n = 304 [9.6%] P = .03), whereas post-transplant pacemaker placements were performed less frequently in the CDC IR group (CDC IR, n = 80 [2.6%]; non-CDC IR, n = 111 [3.5%] P = .020). Importantly, there was no significant difference in the overall survival probability between CDC IR and non-IR groups in both unadjusted and adjusted survival analyses. Conclusions CDC IR status does not have a significant impact on adult OHT recipient survival probability. Increased use of CDC IR donor grafts can potentially alleviate the persistent and worsening shortage of available donor organs and shorten the waitlist time for heart transplantation.