cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ras Oncogene Activation and Occupational Exposures in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Background Epidemiologic studies of acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) show small increases in risk of disease associated with certain occupations and chemical exposures. Purpose This study was designed to determine whether the presence of mutationally activated ras oncogenes in AML are associated with occupational and chemical exposures. Methods We interviewed 62 patients with newly diagnosed AML (or their next-of-kin), all of whom were enrolled in a national multicenter clinical trial, and 630 healthy control subjects. DNA extracted from patients' pretreatment bone marrow samples was amplified by using the polymerase chain reaction and probed with allele-specific oligonucleotides for activating point mutations at the 12th, 13th, and 61st codons of three protooncogenes: H-ras (also known as HRAS), K-ras (also known as KRAS2), and N-ras (also known as NRAS). Results Patients with ras mutation-positive AML had a higher frequency (six of 10 patients) of working 5 or more years in an a priori high-risk occupation than did patients with ras mutation-negative AML (eight of 52; odds ratio [OR] = 6.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-36). Patients with ras mutation-positive AML were more likely than patients with ras mutation-negative AML to have breathed chemical vapor on the job (OR = 9.1; 95% CI = 1.3-64) or to have had skin contact with chemicals (OR = 6.9; 95% CI = 1.3-37). When ras-positive patients were compared with healthy control subjects, the ORs for occupation and occupational exposures remained elevated, while patients with ras mutation-negative AML showed no increased risk when compared with control subjects. Conclusion Activation of ras proto-oncogenes may identify an etiologic subgroup of AML caused by occupation and chemical exposure. Implication Disease etiology may be better understood if epidemiologic measures of exposure are integrated with molecular assays of the genetic defects responsible for cancer initiation and promotion.
An approach and interface for building generic manufacturing Kanban-systems models

Simulation of manufacturing systems, historically the first major application area of discrete-event process simulation, is becoming a steadily more proactive and important strategy for achieving manufacturing efficiency. Concurrently, lean manufacturing has become a nearly essential corporate strategy to compete successfully in an increasingly austere and global business environment. Furthermore, industrial engineers responsible for supporting successfully competitive manufacturing operations have less and less time available for manipulating details deep within a simulation model in order to evaluate numerous complex alternatives. Convergence among these trends motivated the development of a generic manufacturing Kanban-systems simulator that has Kanban inventory optimization capability, and an accompanying interface, described in this paper.
U.S. Equity Markets and Environmental Policy. The Case of Electric Utility Investor Behavior During the Passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990

We examine electric utilityinvestor reaction surrounding twenty-twomilestones associated with the passage of theClean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Resultssuggest that investors did not react sharply tothe passage of the Amendments. To the extentthat statistically significant effects wereobserved, we interpret the results as moreindicative of investor concern over resolutionof uncertainty surrounding the politicalprocess and resulting provisions than ofconcern over the expected costs of compliancefollowing passage of the Amendments. Weobserved little, if any, difference betweenutilities subject to Phase I restrictions andthose not subject to Phase I. Finally, changesin monthly excess returns appear to haveresulted from changes in U.S. interest ratesand investor concern over power industryderegulation. We view our results as importantbecause any wealth effects due to environmentalregulations represent a real economic costassociated with their implementation. In thissense, we view the results as “good news” forU.S. environmental policy makers.
Gametoclonal Variation in Crop Plants

Gametoclonal variation has been defined as the variation among plants regenerated from gametic cells in culture (Evans et al., 1984; Morrison and Evans, 1987). Therefore, it can be due to changes that result from the culture process itself or to genetic recombination that preceded the formation of the gametes in an inbred, F1, F2, or otherwise heterozygous individual. A separation of these two origins of gametoclonal variation is possible only when gametes have been derived from homozygous lines, and are therefore expected to have little or no variation due to genetic recombination or by comparison of genetic variances of differently derived populations, e.g., doubled haploids (DH) vs. single seed descent (SSD). Attempts can be made to direct gametoclonal variation by imposition of selection agents during the process of haploid derivation. Also, for self-pollinated species, `hybrid sorting’ can be imposed by deriving haploids from the F1 hybrid between two parents that differ by various agronomic attributes. This would provide inbred lines after one generation that should resemble SSD derivatives after many generations. Gametoclonal variants may also express undesirable mutations or ploidy changes.
System-orthogonal functions for sound speed profile perturbation

Empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) are typically derived from direct measurements of the sound speed profile (SSP) and they are orthogonal in regard to the statistics of the SSP uncertainty. Viewed from the output end of a particular sonar system, however, the effect of an error in one EOF is usually coupled with the effect of the error in another due to the strongly nonlinear relation between the SSP parameters and the system response. In this paper, a new set of basis functions, orthogonal in regard to sonar performance measure, is developed to characterize SSP perturbations. The performance measure used is the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) for SSP expansion coefficients derived from a full-field random Gaussian signal model; a closed-form, analytical solution is obtained for both the range-independent and adiabatically range-dependent environments. The derived functions make the CRB matrix diagonal, decoupling the errors in the estimation of the expansion coefficients. Compared to the EOFs, the new set of basis functions depends on both the statistics of the sound speed uncertainty and the sound waveguide propagation property; it incorporates the measurement noise as well. The development makes possible the investigation of the relative significance of the individual basis functions in system response; it also provides a novel framework for optimum acoustic parameterization in adaptive rapid environmental assessment
Orthogonal array experiment for architecting a system of systems responding to small boat attacks

In this work we solve the problem of architecting a conceptual, near-term, cost-effective system of systems (SoS) to respond to small boats used by terrorists to attack maritime commerce traffic and critical shore infrastructures in the United States, by formulating the architecting problem as an assignment problem which is then solved using the orthogonal array experiment. Also known as the Taguchi method in quality control, the orthogonal array experiment is efficient for this class of problems. The optimality of the resulting architecture, called optimal cost-effective architecture, is validated against a heuristically developed architecture and an optimal effective architecture; the latter is obtained also with the orthogonal array experiment approach. The main purpose of this paper is an exploratory application of the Taguchi method to architecting a system of systems. The principal results of the orthogonal array experiment method reported herein underline this successful exploratory work in architecting a system of systems. This method can be extended to architecting other systems of systems. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 10: 241–259, 2007
Deep genetic divergence between disjunct Refugia in the Arctic-Alpine King's Crown, Rhodiola integrifolia (Crassulaceae).

Despite the strength of climatic variability at high latitudes and upper elevations, we still do not fully understand how plants in North America that are distributed between Arctic and alpine areas responded to the environmental changes of the Quaternary. To address this question, we set out to resolve the evolutionary history of the King’s Crown, Rhodiola integrifolia using multi-locus population genetic and phylogenetic analyses in combination with ecological niche modeling. Our population genetic analyses of multiple anonymous nuclear loci revealed two major clades within R. integrifolia that diverged from each other ~ 700 kya: one occurring in Beringia to the north (including members of subspecies leedyi and part of subspecies integrifolia), and the other restricted to the Southern Rocky Mountain refugium in the south (including individuals of subspecies neomexicana and part of subspecies integrifolia). Ecological niche models corroborate our hypothesized locations of refugial areas inferred from our phylogeographic analyses and revealed some environmental differences between the regions inhabited by its two subclades. Our study underscores the role of geographic isolation in promoting genetic divergence and the evolution of endemic subspecies in R. integrifolia. Furthermore, our phylogenetic analyses of the plastid spacer region trnL-F demonstrate that among the native North American species, R. integrifolia and R. rhodantha are more closely related to one another than either is to R. rosea. An understanding of these historic processes lies at the heart of making informed management decisions regarding this and other Arctic-alpine species of concern in this increasingly threatened biome.
New Thinking about the Marker, 1896–1904: Some American Economists on Investment and the Theory of Surplus Captial

Some neglected turn-of-the century American economists, who influenced or participated in the formation of U.S. foreign policy, argued that modern capitalism tended toward recurrent crises as a result of oversaving and surplus capital. These economists held that the construction of an international investment system offered a partial solution to the surplus-capital problem. Focusing on China, U.S. foreign policy at the outset of the twentieth century sought to install the gold-exchange standard in monetary relations between industrial and nonindustrial countries as a condition of such an international investment system.
Correlation Method for Computing Sensitivity Functions on a High-Speed Iterative Analog Computer

During successive high-speed iterative-analog-computer runs, the parameters a 1 , a 2 , . . ., a m of a simulated dynamical system are perturbed by mutually orthogonal binary sequences of perturbations ?a i = ±?a. Each parameter perturbation remains constant during a full 1-ms analog-computer run. Simple correlation of the perturbed solution-sample sequences x(t k )+?x(t k ) with each parameter-perturbation sequence simultaneously produces approximations ?x(t k )/?a i to all the system sensitivity coefficients ?x(t)/?a i as the sampling time t k is automatically stepped. Note that correlation with binary variables requires no multipliers. The new technique is compared to the conventional method requiring separate sensitivity-equation setups for each sensitivity coefficient, and a simple example is presented.
Role of Dislocation Interactions in Decreasing Mobile Threading Dislocation Density and Limiting Strain Relaxation in Si1−xGex Heteroepitaxial Films

In situ substrate curvature measurements obtained during isothermal annealing of Si1-xGex films grown on (001) Si substrates allow determination of the evolution of strain versus time in these films. By coupling the strain relaxation measurements with previous measurements of dislocation velocities in this system, the mobile threading dislocation density and its evolution in the course of strain relaxation can be determined. The results indicate that in the late stage of strain relaxation, the mobile threading dislocation density decreases significantly. Results obtained with samples of two different sizes show that this decrease in mobile dislocation density is not primarily associated with dislocations running out at the edges of the film but with dislocation interactions impeding their further motion. Furthermore, for films thinner than 500 nm the residual strains after annealing are significantly higher than the values predicted by the equilibrium theory of misfit dislocations. The measured residual strains are compared with predictions based on Freund’s treatment of the blocking of a moving threading segment by an orthogonal misfit dislocation in its path. We find that the blocking criterion gives a very good account of the residual strain in Si1-xGex films and that blocking of threading dislocations by other misfit dislocations appears to play an important role in the late stage of strain relaxation.
Aphid Trapping with Black-Light Lamps

Four aphid vectors of barley yellow dwarf virus (the English grain aphid, Macrosiphum avenae (F.); the oat Bird-cherry aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.); the corn leaf aphid, R. maidis (Fitch); and the green bug, Schizphis graminum (Rodani)) were captured in traps employing 15-w filtered (BLE) and unfiltered (BL) ultraviolet fluorescent lamps emitting maximum radiation at 3650 A. The BLB trap captured 3 times as many English grain and corn leaf aphids as the BL trap. There were 2 times as many oat bird-cherry aphids and 6 times as many green bugs in the BLB trap as in the BL trap.
LOWER SERUM CHLORIDE IS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER DIURETIC EFFICIENCY AND ADVERSE POST-DISCHARGE OUTCOMES: INSIGHTS FROM ROSE-AHF

Lower serum chloride (Cl) levels are associated with increased long-term mortality after admission for acute heart failure (AHF). However, the impact of serum Cl on diuretic responses is unknown. Serum Cl levels were measured in 358 sequential subjects with AHF enrolled into ROSE-AHF (Dopamine or
A National Assessment on Patient Safety Curricula in Undergraduate Medical Education: Results From the 2012 Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine Survey.

Objectives Patient safety is a cornerstone of quality patient care, and educating medical students about patient safety is of growing importance. This investigation was a follow-up to a 2006 study to assess the current status of patient safety curricula within undergraduate medical education in North America with the additional goals of identifying areas for improvement and barriers to implementation. Methods Thirteen items regarding patient safety were part of the 2012 Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine annual survey. Questions addressed curriculum content, delivery, and barriers to implementation. Results Ninety-nine clerkship directors (82%) responded. Forty-one (45.6%) reported that their medical school had a patient safety curriculum taught during medical school as compared with 25% in a 2006 survey. Fifteen (20%) reported satisfaction with students' level of safety competency at the end of the clerkship. Barriers to implementation included lack of faculty time (n = 57, 78.1%), lack of trained faculty (n = 47, 65.3%), and lack of a mandate from school's dean's office (n = 27, 38.0%). Conclusions Our study found that less than half of North American medical schools have a formal patient safety curriculum; although this is higher than in 2006, it still exemplifies a major gap in undergraduate medical education.
HBV-DNA levels in serum and breast milk of postpartum women

Objectives To quantitatively analyze hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA in serum and breast milk of HBV carrier postpartum women for information on safety of breast feeding.Methods HBV-DNA in blood,breast milk,and blood of their 24 month old infants from 93 HBV carrier postpartum women were detected by fluorescent quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR).Infants were breast-fed or bottle-fed.Results Forty-four cases of milk were detected HBV-DNA positive in sixty-eight serum HBV-DNA positive postpartum women (64.71%).The percentage of milk HBV- DNA positive was increased with higher blood HBV-DNA level in postpartum women.There was a positive relationship between milk and serum HBV-DNA levels (r = 0.684,P0.05).Milk HBV-DNA positive rate was significantly high- er in HBeAg positive than in HBeAg negative postpartum women (P0.01).No infants were infected by HBV in both breast feeding and bottle feeding groups if their mothers are only HBsAg positive.Conclusions Milk HBV-DNA should be detected in serum HBV-DNA positive postpartum women.Milk HBV-DNA detection have practical values for gui- dance of properly breast feeding.(J Clin Pediatr,2008,26(10):869-871)
Prediction of 19F NMR Chemical Shifts in Labeled Proteins: Computational Protocol and Case Study

The structural analysis of ligand complexation in biomolecular systems is important in the design of new medicinal therapeutic agents; however, monitoring subtle structural changes in a protein’s microenvironment is a challenging and complex problem. In this regard, the use of protein-based 19F NMR for screening low-molecular-weight molecules (i.e., fragments) can be an especially powerful tool to aid in drug design. Resonance assignment of the protein’s 19F NMR spectrum is necessary for structural analysis. Here, a quantum chemical method has been developed as an initial approach to facilitate the assignment of a fluorinated protein’s 19F NMR spectrum. The epigenetic “reader” domain of protein Brd4 was taken as a case study to assess the strengths and limitations of the method. The overall modeling protocol predicts chemical shifts for residues in rigid proteins with good accuracy; proper accounting for explicit solvation of fluorinated residues by water is critical.
Metabolic Asymmetries in Asymptomatic HIV-1 Seropositive Subjects: Relationship to Disease Onset and MRI Findings

Fifteen male homosexual subjects (mean age 31.6 +/- 7.2 yr) who were asymptomatic, but HIV-1 seropositive (HIV+) were compared to 15 male age-matched HIV-1 seronegative (HIV-) subjects using resting PET/FDG studies and MR scans. Mean cerebral metabolic rates for glucose (mg/100 g/min) in the HIV+ and HIV- subjects were 7.7 +/- 1.7 and 7.0 +/- 2.1, (p = 0.44), respectively. An index of regional metabolic asymmetry for the whole brain was 5.8% +/- 3.2% in the HIV+ and 2.7% +/- 2.3% in the HIV- (p = 0.002), and the difference was most prominent in the prefrontal area. Significant asymmetries were found in 10/15 HIV+ subjects, primarily in prefrontal (7/15) and premotor (4/15) regions. MRI scans showed no abnormalities on clinical or quantitative evaluation in HIV+ subjects. Upon follow-up of HIV+ subjects over 18-40 mo, seven became symptomatic, of which two died. There was no relationship between the presence of PET scan abnormalities and earlier onset of symptomatic disease.
Peer Review in the Social Sciences and Humanities at the European Level: The experiences of the European Research Council

In this article, I outline the evaluation process established by the European Research Council (ERC) and present results of the ERC’s funding calls between 2007 and 2012. Because of its European added value, the ERC is a unique funding organization in the European research landscape. Based on a rigorous evaluation process, the ERC dedicates a considerable share of its budget to the social sciences and humanities.
New methods of complex matrix factorization for single-channel source separation and analysis

Throughout the day, people are constantly bombarded by a variety of sounds. Humans with normal hearing are able to easily and automatically cut through the noise to focus on the sources of interest, a phenomenon known as the "cocktail party effect.'' This ability, while easy for humans, is typically very challenging for computers. In this dissertation, we will focus on the task of single-channel source separation via matrix factorization, a state-of-the-art family of algorithms. In this work, we present three primary contributions. First, we explore how cost function and parameter choice affect source separation performance, as well as discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each matrix factorization model. Second, we propose a new model, complex matrix factorization with intra-source additivity, that has significant advantages over the current state-of-the-art matrix factorization models. Third, we propose the complex probabilistic latent component analysis algorithm, which can be used to transform complex-valued data into nonnegative data in such a way that the underlying structure in the complex data is preserved. We also show how these new methods can be applied to single-channel source separation and compare them with the current state-of-the-art methods.
Workshop on Research Directions and Opportunities I: Prospects and Open Problems

This brief summary of the panel is intended to provide highlights of the panel presentations, and, hopefully, indicate some challenging areas for further research.
Does Reading Cause Later Intelligence? Accounting for Stability in Models of Change

This study reanalyzes data presented by Ritchie, Bates, and Plomin (2015) who used a cross-lagged monozygotic twin differences design to test whether reading ability caused changes in intelligence. The authors used data from a sample of 1,890 monozygotic twin pairs tested on reading ability and intelligence at five occasions between the ages of 7 and 16, regressing twin differences in intelligence on twin differences in prior intelligence and twin differences in prior reading ability. Results from a state–trait model suggest that reported effects of reading ability on later intelligence may be artifacts of previously uncontrolled factors, both environmental in origin and stable during this developmental period, influencing both constructs throughout development. Implications for cognitive developmental theory and methods are discussed.
Bringing work stress home: The impact of role conflict and role overload on spousal marital satisfaction

Many previous studies have explored the possibility that work stressors negatively impact the well-being of an individual's spouse with little success. This study aimed to extend the existing literature by exploring boundary conditions of the relationship including the possibility that political skill and gender modify the relationship between role conflict, role overload, and spousal marital satisfaction. It also suggests that men and women differ in their propensity to cope with different types of stressors. Using a sample of 139 matched marital dyads, analytical results generally support these hypotheses. Political skill was a significant moderator of the role conflict–marital satisfaction relationship for the husband-to-wife transaction, but not the wife-to-husband transaction. In addition, political skill was a significant moderator of the role overload–marital satisfaction relationship for the wife-to-husband transaction but not the husband-to-wife transaction. These findings are important to both research and practice in that they highlight the issue of stress crossover and the importance of coping in the workplace. Practitioner points It is advantageous for an employee's marital well-being to deal with work stressors using work-related resources. Males tend to use coping resources to address role conflict, while females divert these resources to role overload.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Properties of La4Zn7P10 and La4Mg1.5Zn8.5P12.

Two new zinc phosphides, La4Zn7P10 and La4Mg1.5Zn8.5P12, were synthesized via transport reactions, and their crystal structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. La4Zn7P10 and La4Mg1.5Zn8.5P12 are built from three-dimensional Zn–P and Zn–Mg–P anionic frameworks that encapsulate lanthanum atoms. The anionic framework of La4Zn7P10 is constructed from one-dimensional Zn4P6, Zn2P4, and ZnP4 chains. The Zn4P6 chains are also the main building units in La4Mg1.5Zn8.5P12. In La4Zn7P10, the displacement of a zinc atom from the origin of the unit cell causes the Zn4 position to split into two equivalent atomic sites, each with 50% occupancy. The splitting of the atomic position substantially modifies the electronic properties, as suggested by theoretical calculations. The necessity of splitting can be overcome by replacement of zinc with magnesium in La4Mg1.5Zn8.5P12. Investigation of the transport properties of a densified polycrystalline sample of La4Zn7P10 demonstrates that it is an n-type sem...
Identification of Friend or Foe: The Laboratory Challenge of Differentiating M-Proteins from Monoclonal Antibody Therapies.

Background: Since the first monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy hit the market in 1996, the number of disorders treated with this class of therapeutics has seen tremendous growth, with over 50 antibody-based therapeutics currently approved for use in the US and Europe. This class of therapeutics recently made profound progress in the treatment of refractory multiple myeloma (MM). Treating MM with the mAbs will challenge the laboratory9s ability to differentiate exogenous mAbs being used to treat patients from endogenous mAbs associated with disease. Content: An overview of the therapeutic mAbs (t-mAbs) developed for the treatment of MM is provided. The anticipated impact of these therapies on patient care, laboratory testing, and clinical research is discussed. Efforts underway to develop strategies and technologies to help laboratories address the growing challenge of mAb interferences are reviewed. Summary: Laboratories can implement risk mitigation strategies at the preanalytical and postanalytical phase of testing to reduce the likelihood of reporting false-positive M-protein results in patients receiving t-mAbs. However, at the analytical phase of testing, current laboratory methods are ill-suited to differentiate between residual disease and residual drugs. Mass spectrometry–based methods might be best positioned to aid laboratories with the rapidly evolving landscape of MM treatment.
On the International Consortium ‘Generosity_Creativity_Solidarity’

The content of this document is only and only an interface – a synthetic one – between any (e-)reader – seeking a kind of partnership/membership to a collectively responsible entity engaged into scientific research focused on a ‘better near/next world’, respectively just this International Consortium ‘Generosity_Creativity_Solidarity’. This Consortium is within its soon more than 10 years of (re)searching for original and more efficient forms of the representation, solving problems (including the ‘complex decision making’), functionally (re)adapting, and structurally (re)structuring the middle and large scale entities [i.e. systems (synergic, non-entropic, ephemeral dynamically featured entities), non/a/meta-systems (entities within their failure of at least one of the synergic, non-entropic, ephemeral dynamically features) and/or other types of Rational Subject’s aggregates within and beyond our (non-)observable and (non-)theoretized objective/subjective world] (self-)generating and/or containing complex global problems. These types of problems, and their recent appearance stand up at a critical societal level of human-machine aggregation within and/or beyond our humankind’s post-Immanuel Kant and post-Adam Smith (e-)spatial-temporality-causality. There is a dual intended paragraph [to this primal intended only and only an interface: any (e-)reader – this International Consortium ‘Generosity_Creativity_Solidarity’] i.e. Two Scientific Direction Studies – Nicolae Bulz’s Ephemeral Contribution.
An Enjoyable Distraction During Exercise Augments the Positive Effects of Exercise on Mood

The hypothesis that an enjoyable distraction during exercise will augment the intensity of positive mood post-exercise was tested. A sample of 84 undergraduate students rated their mood and arousal before and after a standardized exercise, which consisted of walking on a treadmill at a pace of 3.6 mph for 10 minutes. During the work out session, participants watched the same television show, which they previously rated as enjoyable, or not enjoyable. As added controls, a third group exercised with no distraction (the TV was turned off); a fourth group did not exercise, but watched the television show. The results showed that exercise alone was sufficient to increase pleasant mood (95% CI 0.61, 1.46) and that including an enjoyable distraction during exercise significantly augmented pleasant mood compared to all other groups (95% CI 1.58, 2.99; R(2) = 0.29). These results show that the enjoyment of a distraction is a key factor that can augment the intensity of positive mood following exercise. Key pointsThe hypothesis that an enjoyable distraction during exercise will augment the intensity of positive mood post-exercise was tested.The results support this hypothesis by showing for the first time that while exercise alone was sufficient to increase the intensity of positive mood; combining exercise with an enjoyable distraction resulted in significantly greater increases in pleasant mood compared to exercise alone.Accounting for the enjoyment of a distraction type in future studies can increase the sensitivity of research designs used to detect changes in positive mood post-exercise.
Characterizing the optical properties of human brain tissue with high numerical aperture optical coherence tomography

Quantification of tissue optical properties with optical coherence tomography (OCT) has proven to be useful in evaluating structural characteristics and pathological changes. Previous studies primarily used an exponential model to analyze low numerical aperture (NA) OCT measurements and obtain the total attenuation coefficient for biological tissue. In this study, we develop a systematic method that includes the confocal parameter for modeling the depth profiles of high NA OCT, when the confocal parameter cannot be ignored. This approach enables us to quantify tissue optical properties with higher lateral resolution. The model parameter predictions for the scattering coefficients were tested with calibrated microsphere phantoms. The application of the model to human brain tissue demonstrates that the scattering and back-scattering coefficients each provide unique information, allowing us to differentially identify laminar structures in primary visual cortex and distinguish various nuclei in the midbrain. The combination of the two optical properties greatly enhances the power of OCT to distinguish intricate structures in the human brain beyond what is achievable with measured OCT intensity information alone, and therefore has the potential to enable objective evaluation of normal brain structure as well as pathological conditions in brain diseases. These results represent a promising step for enabling the quantification of tissue optical properties from high NA OCT.
Racial bias in sport medical staff's perceptions of others' pain

Unequal treatment based on race is well documented in higher education and healthcare settings. In the present work, we examine racial bias at the intersection of these domains: racial bias in pain-related perceptions among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 sport medical staff. Using experimental vignettes about a student-athlete who injured his/her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), we find, like prior work, that respondents perceived Black (vs. White) targets as having higher initial pain tolerance. Moreover, this bias was mediated by perceptions of social class. We extend prior work by showing racial bias was not evident on other outcome measures, including perception of recovery process pain, likelihood of over-reporting pain, and over-use of drugs to combat pain. This suggests stricter boundary conditions on bias in pain perceptions than had been previously recognized.
High Background Congenital Microcephaly in Rural Guatemala: Implications for Neonatal Congenital Zika Virus Infection Screening.

BACKGROUND Congenital microcephaly is the result of a disturbance in early brain development and can have multiple etiologies. Establishing background prevalence of microcephaly in Zika virus (ZIKV)-affected areas is important for improving identification of ZIKV-affected newborns. However, to date, there is limited consistent guidance for the accurate identification of microcephaly in infants of unknown gestational age, a common concern in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS Occipital frontal head circumference (OFC) obtained from infants (0-13 days) of unknown gestational age at enrollment in a pregnancy registry in rural Guatemala from August 2014 to March 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Trained community health nurses recorded anthropometry in an online database. In April 2015, ZIKV was identified in this population. Gestational age was approximated in 2 ways: presumed term and estimated using z-score of zero for height on modified Fenton growth curves. After which, z-scores for OFC and weight were obtained. Microcephaly and microcephaly background prevalence were estimated using 7 established microcephaly case definitions from national and international organizations and 3 proposed definitions using Fenton growth curves. Independent associations with microcephaly and OFC, including relationship with date of birth, were assessed with prevalence ratios and linear regression. RESULTS For 296 infants, the mean OFC was 33.1 cm (range, 29.5 to 37 cm) and the mean OFC z-score was -0.68. Depending on case definition, 13 to 125 infants were classified as having microcephaly (background prevalence 439 to 4,223 per 10,000 live births), and 1 to 9 infants were classified as having severe microcephaly (<-3 standard deviation [SD]) (34 to 304 per 10,000 live births). Five (1.7%) infants met all the microcephaly case definitions. Weight ≤-1 SD (prevalence rate [PR], 3.77; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6 to 8.8; P=.002) and small for gestational age (PR, 4.68; 95% CI, 1.8 to 12.3; P=.002) were associated with microcephaly. Date of birth was not associated with OFC z-score or OFC after adjusting for gestational age and gender. CONCLUSIONS Estimated background microcephaly is high in rural Guatemala compared with reported rates in Latin America prior to ZIKV epidemic, which has important implications for neonatal screening programs for congenital ZIKV infection. Fenton growth curves offer a standardized approach to the identification of microcephaly in infants of unknown gestational age.
Exploring longitudinal course and treatment-baseline severity interactions in secondary outcomes of smoking cessation treatment in individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Background A double blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial (NCT00253747) evaluating osmotic-release oral system methylphenidate (OROS-MPH) for smoking-cessation revealed a significant interaction effect in which participants with higher baseline ADHD severity had better abstinence outcomes with OROS-MPH while participants with lower baseline ADHD severity had worse outcomes. Objectives This current report examines secondary outcomes that might bear on the mechanism for this differential treatment effect. Methods Longitudinal analyses were conducted to evaluate the effect of OROS-MPH on three secondary outcomes (ADHD symptom severity, nicotine craving, and withdrawal) in the total sample (N = 255, 56% Male), and in the high (N = 134) and low (N = 121) baseline ADHD severity groups. Results OROS-MPH significantly improved ADHD symptoms and nicotine withdrawal symptoms in the total sample, and exploratory analyses showed that in both higher and lower baseline severity groups, OROS-MPH statistically significantly improved these two outcomes. No effect on craving overall was detected, though exploratory analyses showed statistically significantly decreased craving in the high ADHD severity participants on OROS-MPH. No treatment by ADHD baseline severity interaction was detected for the outcomes. Conclusions Methylphenidate improved secondary outcomes during smoking cessation independent of baseline ADHD severity, with no evident treatment-baseline severity interaction. Our results suggest divergent responses to smoking cessation treatment in the higher and lower severity groups cannot be explained by concordant divergence in craving, withdrawal and ADHD symptom severity, and alternative hypotheses may need to be identified.
Real-Time Lost Circulation Estimation and Mitigation

Abstract Lost circulation is a challenging problem particularly in the Dammam formation of the Rumaila field, Iraq. Drilling engineers are challenged to select the optimum value for key drilling parameters such as equivalent circulation density (ECD), yield point (Yp), mud weight (MW), weight on bit (WOB), rate of penetration (ROP) and revelation per minute (RPM) to mitigate mud losses in this formation. Many of these drilling parameters are inter-related and the overall impact of changing key parameters requires extensive drilling experience or study. A multi-regression analysis was performed on mud loss event data for more than 300 wells drilled in the Dammam formation. From this analysis, a model was developed to predict the total mud losses. Mud loss was found to be significantly affected by MW, ECD, and ROP. Models for these key parameters were also developed from the multi-regression analysis. The models were confirmed with additional well data from new wells drilled in the field. The models developed in this work provides a method for setting predicted mud losses, then limiting the operational drilling parameters to mitigate such losses in the future wells in fields with similar lithology. Proactive approaches are made prior to entering the Dammam formation to prevent or mitigate the occurrence of the lost circulation. Key drilling parameters are estimated to use during drilling through this formation. In case preventive measures didn’t work, corrective actions are determined for each type of mud losses to provide effective remedies, minimize non-productive time, and reduce cost. The best lost circulation strategy to the Dammam formation is concluded and summarized depending on a comprehensive statistical work, the most important courses of the international oil companies, technical papers, textbooks, and economic evaluation to determine the successful remedies for each type of losses. These treatments are classified by relying on the mud losses classifications to avoid unwanted consequences due to inappropriate actions.
On the validity of MAPE as a measure of population forecast accuracy

The mean absolute percent error (MAPE) is the summary measure most often used for evaluating the accuracy of population forecasts. While MAPE has many desirable criteria, we argue from both normative and relative standpoints that the widespread practice of exclusively using it for evaluating population forecasts should be changed. Normatively, we argue that MAPE does not meet the criterion of validity because as a summary measure it overstates the error found in a population forecast. We base this argument on logical grounds and support it empirically, using a sample of population forecasts for counties. From a relative standpoint, we examine two alternatives to MAPE, both sharing with it, the important conceptual feature of using most of the information about error. These alternatives are symmetrical MAPE (SMAPE) and a class of measures known as M-estimators. The empirical evaluation suggests M-estimators do not overstate forecast error as much as either MAPE or SMAPE and are, therefore, more valid measures of accuracy. We consequently recommend incorporating M-estimators into the evaluation toolkit. Because M-estimators do not meet the desired criterion of interpretative ease as well as MAPE, we also suggest another approach that focuses on nonlinear transformations of the error distribution.
Comparison of Data Processing Techniques for Convective Heat Transfer Measurements in a Transient Transonic Hot Wind Tunnel

The present study compares two data processing techniques of calculating convective heat transfer coefficient (HTC) for experiments carried out at the Virginia Tech transonic wind tunnel facility. The discussion starts from the physical models and basic assumptions of the two methods denoted as Curve Fitting and Linear Regression, and is followed by application of both methods with the same set of experimental data for a comparative analysis. The linear regression method is found to be superior to the curve fitting method in eliminating the errors caused due to the transient starting up effect of the hot blow down.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Herausforderungen an moderne Szenengraphsysteme am Beispiel OpenSG

Die Entwicklung von Computerhardware schreitet unverandert rasant voran, Moore’s Law hat nichts von seiner Aussagekraft verloren. Aber es gibt Bereiche innerhalb der Computerhardware, die sich noch wesentlich schneller entwickeln. Einer dieser Bereiche ist die Hardware fur dreidimensionale Computergraphik. Hier erfolgte die Leistungsund Komplexitatsentwicklung in den letzen Jahren doppelt so schnell wie Moore’s Law vorhersagt, was dazu fuhrt, dass Anwendungen, die noch vor kurzem Millionen EUR teuren Graphiksupercomputern vorbehalten waren, auf handelsublichen PCs, den sprichwortlichen Aldi-Rechnern, realisiert werden konnen. Die Entwicklung im Consumer-Segment war so rasant, dass sie die Entwicklung im High-End-Bereich uberflugeln konnte (Abb. 1). Nach 2001 hat sich der Schwerpunkt von der Transformationsleistung auf Qualitat verlagert, aber die Entwicklung schreitet unverandert schnell voran. Dies hat bei den Workstation-Herstellern dazu gefuhrt, dass sie die Entwicklung eigener Graphikhardware weitgehend eingestellt haben und statt dessen die Chips der PC-Hersteller wie nVidia und ATI verwendet werden. Eine Konsequenz dieser enormen Preissenkung im Hochleistungsgraphikbereich ist, dass mehr und mehr verschiedene Anwender und Anwendungsgruppen Zugriff auf diese Technologie haben. Diese Anwender kommen sowohl aus dem universitaren als auch aus dem wirtschaftlichen Bereich. An den Universitaten wird jetzt wesentlich mehr Forschung im Bereich interaktive und Echtzeitgraphik betrieben, da die fruher benotigten Spezialrechner mit ihren enorm hohen Einstiegskosten weggefallen sind. Dies fuhrt auch dazu, dass vermehrt neue Erkenntnisse gewonnen und Methoden in der Forschung entwickelt werden konnen, die vollig neue Moglichkeiten eroffnen. Im wirtschaftlichen Bereich denken vermehrt Unternehmen daruber nach, wie sie die aktuellen Entwicklungen fur sich sinnvoll einsetzen konnen. Diese betrifft die einfache Benutzung der jetzt preisgunstiger verfugbaren Hardware, aber auch Umsetzung und Einsatz aktueller Forschungsergebnisse. Ein sich daraus ergebendes Problem ist die Kombination der unterschiedlichen Anforderungen dieser beiden Gruppen. Forschungsgruppen entwickeln ihre Verfahren, so dass sie moglichst flexibel verwendet und leicht verandert werden konnen, um neue Erkenntnisse zu gewinnen. Anwender wollen moglichst wenig mit den Details belastet werden, und die moglichen Verfahren einfach nur nutzen. Die Frage dabei ist, wie man diese unterschiedlichen Anforderungen integrieren kann, und im Bereich Computergraphik gibt es dafur ein wichtiges und weit verbreitetes Konzept: Szenengraphen.
Genetic and Metabolic Conditions for Children with Special Health Care Needs

Public health disease prevention programs have expanded newborn screening to most nations, although lack of access to prenatal and birth care continues to be a major challenge to improving child health and reducing morbidity/mortality in poor, rural, and other disadvantaged regions. Newborn screening involves collection of a few blood spots from a newborn infant’s heel, followed by rapid laboratory analysis, often at a centralized testing facility, and relaying of the test results to the pediatrician for appropriate action. Such testing and rapid reporting are important for some genetic conditions such as phenylketonuria and classical galactosemia, where failure to provide treatment and restricted diets within days can result in severe brain damage, permanent disability, and/or death. Newborn screening started in the 1970s with a core set of tested conditions, including phenylketonuria, sickle-cell anemia and other hemoglobinopathies, galactosemia, and congenital hypothyroidism. Beginning around 2000, the invention of Tandem Mass Spectrometry enabled testing of a wide array of additional amino acid, organic acid, and fatty acid metabolic conditions so that currently in the United States, more than 50 genetic or metabolic conditions are tested. An overview of many of these screened conditions is provided along with resources for more information, although the number of documented, different conditions numbers in the thousands, most of which cannot be diagnosed with current newborn screening technology. The provided resources provide excellent details and emphasize the importance of proper prenatal and postnatal pediatric care and monitoring to identify these conditions if they arise. Most conditions are treatable with proper nutritional restrictions.
Coffee, Colleagues, Conversation: Empower Women and Expand Your Network through the Global Women’s Breakfast

IUPAC has slated February 12, 2019, for a global breakfast entitled “Empowering Women in Chemistry: A Global Networking Event”. Pascarella and Terenzini have noted a relationship between persisting in STEM fields, including chemistry, and networking, mentoring, and engaging with faculty. Consider this a call to plan an event in your area to bring women chemists together for coffee and conversation. Expand your network and be part of a global event.
Three-Stage Discrete-Time Feedback Controller Design

In this chapter, the results of two-stage feedback discrete-time controller design from Chap. 3 are extended to the three-stage feedback controller design of discrete-time, time-invariant, linear systems. In the case of a general discrete-time time-invariant linear system, the three-stage feedback controller design derivations practically parallel the derivations done for continuous-time, time-invariant, linear systems with the difference equations replacing the differential equations and arrive at the same sets of the three nonlinear algebraic equations and the three linear Sylvester algebraic equations. Those equations have to be solved in order to facilitate the considered three-stage feedback controller design. Consequently, assuming that the solutions of the corresponding linear and nonlinear algebraic equations are obtained, all good features of the three-stage feedback controller designed outlined for continuous-time linear systems in Chap. 4 hold in the case of discrete-time linear, time-invariant, systems presented in this chapter.