cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prognostic predictors and outcomes in patients with abnormal myocardial perfusion imaging and angiographically insignificant coronary artery disease

Background. Abnormal stress myocardial perfusion imaging studies (SMPI) with angiographically insignificant coronary artery disease (ICAD) have often been labeled “false positive” scans. We evaluated the prognostic predictors and outcomes in an unselected patient population having abnormal SMPI and ICAD (study group) over a 24 month period of follow-up. Methods. Retrospective study of consecutive patients who had SMPI and subsequent coronary angiography showing ICAD within 6 months of index scan with matched control group with normal scans. Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) were defined as the first occurrence of death or myocardial infarction (MI). Patients were followed up to 24 months from the time of their SMPI to identify the development of MACE. Results. One hundred and twenty five patients formed the study group and one hundred and thirty six patients formed the control group. Over a two-year follow up, approximately 13% of the study group had MACE as compared to 4.2% in the control group (P=022). Abnormal SMPI, EF<40% and chronic kidney disease (GFR<60 ml/min) were independent predictors of MACE in the study group. In multivariate analysis for MACE prediction, chronic kidney disease remained the sole independent predictor regardless of size or severity of perfusion abnormalities (P<.001). Conclusion. Patients with abnormal SMPI and ICAD have a 13% event rate of MACE over a two-year follow up. CKD seems a very important marker of a higher risk subgroup amongst such patients.
Visualization in teaching and learning mathematics

The twenty papers in the book give an overview of research analysis, practical experience, and informed opinion about the role of visualization in teaching and learning mathematics, especially at the undergraduate level. Visualization, in its broadest level. Visualization, in its broadest sense, is as old as mathematics, but progress in computer graphics has generated a renaissance of interest in visual representations and visual thinking in mathematics. Six of the papers in this volume deal broadly with philosophical, pedagogical, or technological issues in visualization. The remaining papers address the role of visualization in three-dimensional geometry, calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, complex analysis, numerical analysis, stochastic processes, and statistics. Most of these papers discuss the role of interactive computer graphics in teaching and learning mathematical ideas.
Characterization of the flow over a cylinder moving harmonically in the cross-flow direction

Abstract The flow over a stationary cylinder is self-excited with a specific natural frequency fN. When the cylinder is moved harmonically in the cross-flow direction, the response of the flow (in terms of the lift force) will contain two frequencies, namely, the natural frequency fN and the excitation frequency fE. When fE is close to fN, the natural flow response will be entrained by the excitation, and the response will be periodic with frequency fE, and dynamicists refer to this phenomenon as lock-in or synchronization. When fE is away from fN, the flow will be either periodic with a period that is multiple of the excitation period (i.e., period-n) and dynamicists refer to this phenomenon as secondary synchronization or quasiperiodic consisting of two incommensurate frequencies, or chaotic. We use modern methods of non-linear dynamics to characterize these responses and show that the route to chaos is torus breakdown.
Xylanase production by Trichoderma longibrachiatum

Abstract The effects of carbon source, substrate concentration, culture pH, and spore inoculum concentration on production of extracellular xylanase and cellulase were examined. Very low enzyme activities were obtained with growth on glucose, xylose, and cellobiose, while significantly higher levels were produced from lactose and arabinose. Higher levels of both enzymes were generated from alpha cellulose, wood pulp, and fibrous paper waste than from purified xylan. However, the ratio of xylanase to cellulase activity was higher with pure xylan. High levels of both xylanase and cellulase activity were obtained when the culture was grown on lactose plus xylan. A factorial experiment showed that spore and substrate concentration had significant effects on xylanase yield, and that an interaction existed between these two variables. Highest levels of xylanase were generated with cultures grown on 1% wood pulp at pH 7.0 using an inoculum of 10 5 spores ml -1 . Maximal xylanase activity was observed at pH 4.8-5.5 at 55°C using a 30-min assay. The type of xylan used as substrate and the method of reducing sugar detection significantly affected measured xylanase activity.
Corn stover conversion to biofuels: DOE’s preparation for readiness in 2012

Today, the United States Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 focuses on biofuels support research and development (R and D) needed to enable achieving respective volumetric and cost targets. Indeed, the worldwide objective is to bring us closer to independence from transportation fuels derived from fossil resources. This Special Issue highlights key areas of science and technology that impact the rollout of viable corn stover biofuels processes by 2012.
pKa analysis for the zinc-bound water in human carbonic anhydrase II: Benchmark for "multiscale" QM/MM simulations and mechanistic implications.

To quantitatively explore the applicability of the generalized solvent boundary potential (GSBP) based QM/MM approach as a “multiscale” framework for studying chemical reactions in biomolecules, the structural and energetic properties of the Human Carbonic Anhydrase II (CAII) are analyzed and compared to those from periodic boundary condition (PBC) simulations and available experimental data. Although the atomic fluctuations from GSBP based simulations are consistently lower compared to those from PBC simulations or crystallographic data, the fluctuations and internal coordinate distributions for residues in the proximity of the active site as well as diffusion constants of active-site water molecules are fairly well described by GSBP simulations. The pKa of the zinc-bound water, calculated with a SCC-DFTB/MM-GSBP based thermodynamic integration approach, agrees well with experiments for the wild type CAII. For the E106Q mutant, however, a 9 pKa unit downward shift relative to the wild type is found in co...
Increased levels and activity of E2F1 transcription factor in myelodysplastic bone marrow.

The bone marrow of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) shows excessive intramedullary apoptosis, particularly in S-phase cells. In the light of previous reports that showed a link between experimental overexpression of the E2F1 transcription factor and apoptosis in the S phase, we compared the status of E2F1 protein in bone marrow mononuclear cells of MDS patients with that of healthy donors. Nearly 67% of MDS marrow samples showed higher expression of E2F1 transcription factor than in healthy donors. The retinoblastoma gene product, Rb, is a major negative regulator of E2F1 activity; however, Rb protein levels were found to be normal in MDS marrow samples. Amplification of genomic DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed no E2F1 gene amplification or mutation in the Rb-binding region of E2F1 in MDS patients, nor was transcriptional up-regulation noted when E2F1 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were estimated with realtime reverse transcriptase-PCR. Furthermore, the overexpression of E2F1 was paralleled by its increased transcriptional activity, as reflected by the increased mRNA levels for one of its target genes, dihydrofolate reductase. Importantly, in a subset of the studied MDS patients for whom a simultaneous measurement of apoptosis in S-phase cells was possible, the E2F1 protein levels showed a significant positive correlation with this phenomenon. Previously, increased E2F1 activity in human disease had been found primarily as a consequence of Rb derailment. Hence, the observation in MDS of increased E2F1 activity in the presence of normal Rb levels is novel and unique, and E2F1 activity in association with apoptosis in S-phase cells may thus have significant therapeutic implications.
Determination of the local environment surrounding pyrene in supercritical alkanes : A first step toward solvation in supercritical aviation fuels

We report quantitative data on the local microenvironment surrounding a model organic solute (pyrene) dissolved in several supercritical components of aviation fuels (n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane). Toward this end, we use static fluorescence spectroscopy to determine whether these supercritical alkanes influence the local microenvironment surrounding pyrene in a way similar to other supercritical fluids (e.g., CO2, CF3H, C2H6, H2O). Steady-state fluorescence measurements indicate that, in all alkanes studied, there is an increase in local fluid density surrounding the pyrene molecule relative to the fluid bulk density (solute−fluid density augmentation). The maximum in this local density augmentation occurs at approximately one-half the fluid critical density and subsequently decreases at higher fluid densities. These results are fully consistent with observations for pyrene in other supercritical fluid systems (i.e., CO2, H2O). The maximum relative local density augmentation increases with in...
Political structure and foreign policy learning: Are democracies more likely to act on the lessons of history?

This paper assesses the impact of domestic political structure on whether a state's foreign policy will reflect the lessons of history. The paper focuses on one theory of learning in foreign policy, the formative events model. Drawing on social psychology and public opinion literatures, two arguments are made as to why the foreign policies of democracies may be more likely to reflect the lessons of formative events than those of non‐democracies. Another argument, based on a bureaucratic learning model, is made as to why the foreign policies of non‐democracies may be more likely than those of democracies to reflect the lessons of formative events. These hypotheses are then tested on behavior in three areas, alliances, crisis bargaining, and extended deterrence. The results indicate limited support for the hypothesis that the foreign policies of democracies are more likely to reflect the lessons of formative events than those of non‐democracies.
Vibrational circular dichroism of matrix-isolated molecules

Abstract Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra are reported for (+), (−) and (±) α-pinene, and (−) s-pinine, isolated in argon matrices at ≈ 18 K. These are the first observations of VCD of matrix-isolated molecules. Spectra are limited to the CH stretching region (2800–3100 cm−1). In all cases, the VCD spectra are substantially more structured than the corresponding room-temperature spectra, as a result of much narrower linewidths. Further, VCD magnitudes are greater due to decreased cancellation of overlapping transitions with oppositely signed VCD. The largest anisotropy ratios observed are >5 × 10−4 and are larger than any reported for room-temperature solutions of organic molecules. This technique will permit substantially more definitive evaluations of theoretical calculations of VCD.
Towards rational molecular design: derivation of property guidelines for reduced acute aquatic toxicity

One of the most elusive yet significant goals of green chemistry is the routine design of commercially useful chemicals with reduced toxicological hazard. The main objective of this study was to derive property guidelines for the design of chemicals with reduced acute aquatic toxicity to multiple species. The properties explored included chemical solubilities, size, shape and molecular orbital energies. Physicochemical properties were predicted using Schrodinger's QikProp, while frontier orbital energies (HOMO, LUMO and HOMO–LUMO gap) were determined based on AM1 and DFT calculations using Gaussian03. Experimental toxicity data included acute toxicity thresholds (LC50) for the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas; 570 compounds), the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes; 285 compounds), a cladoceran (Daphnia magna; 363 compounds) and green algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, 300 compounds). Mechanistically-driven qualitative and quantitative analyses between the in-silico predicted molecular properties and in vivo toxicity data were explored in order to propose property limits associated with higher probabilities of acutely safe chemicals. The analysis indicates that 70–80% of the compounds that have low or no acute aquatic toxicity concern by EPA guidelines to the four species have a defined range of values for octanol-water partition coefficient (logPo/w) and ΔE (LUMO–HOMO gap). Compounds with logPo/w values less than 2 and ΔE (AM1) greater than 9 eV are significantly more likely to have low acute aquatic toxicity compared to compounds that do not meet these criteria. These results are mechanistically rationalized. Our work proposes design guidelines that can be used to significantly increase the probability that a chemical will have low acute toxicity to the four species studied, and potentially other aquatic species.
Potato Late Blight in the Columbia Basin: An Economic Analysis of the 1995 Epidemic.

ABSTRACT The cost of managing late blight in potatoes during a severe epidemic caused by new, aggressive strains of Phytophthora infestans in the Columbia Basin of Washington and Oregon in 1995 was documented. The mean number of fungicide applications per field varied from 5.1 to 6.3 for early- and midseason potatoes, and from 8.2 to 12.3 for late-season potatoes in the northern and southern Columbia Basin, respectively. In 1994, a year when late blight was not severe, the mean number of fungicide applications per field made to early- and midseason potatoes was 2.0; whereas late-season potatoes received a mean of 2.5 applications. The mean per acre cost of individual fungicides applied varied from $4.90 for copper hydroxide to $36.00 for propamocarb + chlorothalonil. Total per acre expenses (application costs plus fungicide material) for protecting the crop from late blight during 1995 ranged from $106.77 to $110.08 for early and midseason potatoes in different regions of the Columbia Basin and from $149....
Flourishing Adaptive Systems (FAS)

Humans are not just complex adaptive systems; we are flourishing adaptive systems (FAS), because we have human aspirations and tend to flourish. Our wisdom system is multidimensional, and it develops over time. A flourishing adaptive system is guided by its wisdom system to achieve a higher purpose. It seems plausible to augment human practice by developing 8 particular dimensions of wisdom or “wisdom senses”. Further exploration of these 8 wisdom senses could lead to designing “wise organizations”, and even developing “synthetic flourishing adaptive systems”, exploring the frontiers of “artificial wisdom”.
Quantitative tissue motion analysis of digitized M-mode images: gestational differences of fetal lung.

Quantitative analysis of transmitted cardiac motion in fetal lung is evaluated by applying correlation techniques to digitized M-mode images in 21 patients, subdivided into two subgroups by gestational age: (I) 25-30 weeks (11 patients), and (II) >_35 weeks (10 patients). The corresponding numbers of M-mode images analyzed for each group are 23 and 18, respectively. This partition is expected to reflect functionally "immature" and "mature" lungs. The estimated maximum mean radial deformation per unit epicardial excursion, (r>, is calculated from the two-time, spatially averaged correlation function obtained between diastolic and systolic M-mode lines. The collective results for each subgroup are (r> I = 0.79 + 0.11 (sem) and (r> II : 0.62 + 0.13 (sem). The analysis presented, albeit in a limited population, is indicative of a trend in accordance with qualitative observations of Birnholz and Farrell (1985). M-mode analysis, as indicated by Adler et al. (1989) is a potentially useful technique to quantify such tissue motion.
Priorities for the Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in the United States

background The prevention of active tuberculosis through the treatment of latent tuberculosis infection is a major element of the national strategy for eliminating tuberculosis in the United States. Targeted treatment for persons who are at the highest risk for reactivation tuberculosis will be needed to achieve this goal. A more precise assessment of the lifetime risk of reactivation tuberculosis, usually estimated at 5 to 10 percent, could help to identify patients who are at the highest risk and motivate them to complete treatment. Currently, the rate of completion of treatment is low. methods Published reports were reviewed to obtain estimates of the risk of tuberculosis among persons with a positive tuberculin skin test. Using these data, I constructed a model to estimate the lifetime risk of tuberculosis among persons with specific medical conditions. results The lifetime risk of reactivation tuberculosis is 20 percent or more among most persons with induration of 10 mm or more on a tuberculin skin test and either human immunodeficiency virus infection or evidence of old, healed tuberculosis. The lifetime risk is 10 to 20 percent among persons with recent conversion of a tuberculin skin test and among most persons younger than 35 years of age who are receiving infliximab therapy and have induration of 15 mm or more on a tuberculin skin test. The risk is also 10 to 20 percent among children five years of age or younger who have induration of 10 mm or more on a tuberculin skin test. conclusions Persons with these characteristics should be targeted for intensive efforts to ensure full treatment of latent tuberculosis. Improved rates of completion of treatment among such persons could help to eliminate tuberculosis in the United States.
On fair allocations

Abstract This paper examines the effects of fairness on economic behavior and allocations, where fairness is defined as the absence of envy among consumers. We use the benefit function to investigate the welfare cost of fairness. We show how fairness generates a form of altruism, captured by a “fair expenditure” function that depends on the distribution of welfare. We define the most efficient fair allocations and explore the implications of fairness for economic behavior, pricing and redistribution policies.
Identical tasks and counter variables in an integer programming-based approach to verification

Analysis of concurrent systems is plagued by the state explosion problem. The constrained expression analysis technique uses necessary conditions, in the form of linear inequalities, to verify certain properties of concurrent systems without enumerating the system's states. While effective against the state explosion due to interleaving, the technique fails to yield a tractable analysis if the size of the components themselves grow exponentially due to the use of variables in the components. As a partial solution to this problem, we present a technique for representing certain program variables as integer programming variables. We also present a synergistic technique for efficiently representing many identical components in the context of an integer programming analysis. >
Simulating electrostatic energies in proteins: Perspectives and some recent studies of pKas, redox, and other crucial functional properties

Electrostatic energies provide what is arguably the most effective tool for structure–function correlation of biological molecules. Here, we provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art simulations of electrostatic energies in macromolecules, emphasizing the microscopic perspective but also relating it to macroscopic approaches. We comment on the convergence issue and other problems of the microscopic models and the ways of keeping the microscopic physics while moving to semi-macroscopic directions. We discuss the nature of the protein dielectric “constants” reiterating our long-standing point that the dielectric “constants” in semi-macroscopic models depend on the definition and the specific treatment. The advances and the challenges in the field are illustrated considering different functional properties including pKa's, redox potentials, ion and proton channels, enzyme catalysis, ligand binding, and protein stability. We emphasize the microscopic overcharging approach for studying pKa's of internal groups in proteins and give a demonstration of power of this approach. We also emphasize recent advances in coarse grained models with a physically based electrostatic treatment and provide some examples including further directions in treating voltage activated ion channels. Proteins 2011; © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Multiple Virginity and Other Contested Realities in Taipei's Foreign Club Culture

In this article I explore the constructed realms of thought in the club Laowai and other western-style nightclubs in Taipei, Taiwan. These contested realities revolve around notions of foreign and local, masculine and feminine. In examining Taiwanese women's portrayal of selves as chaste in the setting of a pick-up bar we can explore the complicated web of contradictory messages in which purity is constructed and the foreign is simultaneously exalted and despised. In exploring these issues I address Taiwanese women's sexuality in relation to the representational appeal of, and ambivalence towards, western men. This, in turn, ties in with contested fantasies within one social space. The resulting analysis suggests that to reduce club cultures to the singular, even in one club, is a conceptual error, for there are several overlapping realities in any given locale.
Effects of starvation and refeeding on the excretion of urinary steroid metabolites in mice with different genetic background

Abstract Gas chromatographic steroid metabolic profiling procedures have been applied to investigations of the effects of starvation and refeeding in mice. Urinary steroid metabolites were quantitatively followed during the starvation—refeeding experiments for mice with different genetic backgrounds. Some quantitative alterations were noted for certain congenic strains of mice. The metabolites which exhibited such quantitative variations were tentatively identified by means of combined gas chromatography—mass spectrometry.
A Comparison of TMR With Alternative Fault-Tolerant Design Techniques for FPGAs

With growing interest in the use of SRAM-based FPGAs in space and other radiation environments, there is a greater need for efficient and effective fault-tolerant design techniques specific to FPGAs. Triple-modular redundancy (TMR) is a common fault mitigation technique for FPGAs and has been successfully demonstrated by several organizations. This technique, however, requires significant hardware resources. This paper evaluates three additional mitigation techniques and compares them to TMR. These include quadded logic, state machine encoding, and temporal redundancy, all well-known techniques in custom circuit technologies. Each of these techniques are compared to TMR in both area cost and fault tolerance. The results from this paper suggest that none of these techniques provides greater reliability and often require more resources than TMR.
Impact of Income and Different Generation Cohorts on Nursery Products and Landscaping Project Spending

Socioeconomic factors influencing consumer demand for nursery products and landscape projects were investigated using consumer survey data collected from North Carolina in 2008. Tobit models were estimated for censored dependent variables, budget expenditure shares on nursery products, and landscape spending. The most significant factors influencing the share of income spent on nursery products were age and household income. The elderly and baby boomers tend to spend less on bedding plants, perennials, and outdoor hardscapes than Generations X and Y. The income elasticities suggest that the amount spent on outdoor living projects is sensitive to changes in household income, whereas spending in vegetable plants and chemicals is less responsive to income.
Stabilization of Bursting in Respiratory Pacemaker Neurons

Synaptic and endogenous pacemaker properties have been hypothesized as principal cellular mechanisms for respiratory rhythm generation. This rhythmic activity is thought to originate in the pre-Botzinger complex, an area that can generate fictive respiration when isolated in brainstem slice preparations of mice. In slice preparations, external potassium concentration ([K+]o) is typically elevated from 3 to 8 mm to induce rhythmic population activity. However, elevated [K+]o may not simply depolarize respiratory neurons but also change rhythm-generating mechanisms by inducing or altering pacemaker properties. To test this, we examined the membrane potential (Vm) of nonpacemaker neurons and endogenous bursting properties of pacemaker neurons before and after blockade of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic input in 3 mm [K+]o artificial CSF (aCSF). Most pacemaker neurons (82%) ceased to burst in 3 mm [K+]o aCSF after blockade of glutamatergic transmission. In all of these, endogenous bursting was restored on additional blockade of glycinergic and GABAergic inhibition. Thus, bursting properties are suppressed by endogenous synaptic inhibition, the level of which may determine whether network rhythmicity is generated in 3 mm(n = 12) or 8 mm (n= 40) [K+]o aCSF. In 3 mm[K+]o aCSF, synaptically isolated pacemaker neurons (n = 22) continued to burst over a wide range of imposed Vm. Furthermore, theVm of synaptically isolated pacemaker neurons was not significantly affected (p = 0.1; n = 10) when [K+]o was changed from 8 to 3 mm, whereas isolated nonpacemakers hyperpolarized (p
Data mining and knowledge discovery in databases: implications for scientific databases

Data mining and knowledge discovery in databases (KDD) promise to play an important role in the way people interact with databases, especially scientific databases where analysis and exploration operations are essential. The author defines the basic notions in data mining and KDD, defines the goals, presents motivation, and gives a high-level definition of the KDD process and how it relates to data mining. The author then focuses on data mining methods. Basic coverage of a sampling of methods is provided to illustrate the methods and how they are used. The author covers a case study of a successful application in science data analysis: the classification of cataloging of a major astronomy sky survey covering 2 billion objects in the northern sky. The system can outperform human as well as classical computational analysis tools in astronomy on the task of recognizing faint stars and galaxies. The author also covers the problem of scaling a clustering problem to a large catalog database of billions of objects.
A NONLINEAR PROGRAMMING TECHNIQUE TO DEVELOP LEAST COST FORMULATIONS OF SURIMI PRODUCTS

Optimization programming techniques were applied to develop the least cost formulations for Pacific whiting surimi-based seafood (PWSBS). To develop the quality constraint functions, texture and color of whiting surimi gels were determined by torsion test and colorimeter, respectively. Whiting surimi gels were produced by heating at 90C for 15 min with 2% NaCl, five final moisture contents (74, 76, 78, 80, 82%), and various combinations of beef plasma protein (0-2%), potato starch (0-8%), and two whey protein concentrates (0-8%). Due to the nonlinear constraint functions describing texture and color, a nonlinear programming search technique was required to solve the least cost model for PWSBS. Results for representative target quality constraints are reported in this study and show that whey protein concentrate both increases the texture properties and remains economically competitive with other ingredients which similarly influence functionality in PWSBS.
Breakdown characteristics of Argon in partial vacuum under kHz pulsed voltage for point-to-point electrode geometry

Power devices and systems operating in partial vacuum environment are usually susceptible to partial discharges, corona, or volume discharge, more than the ones operating in atmospheric conditions. In most cases, it is important to understand the characteristics of the discharge such as the space-charge distribution, the electron energy distribution, and collision processes in which the species are involved. Breakdown and spectroscopic studies of the discharge are the most commonly used methods of obtaining such information. In this paper, the breakdown characteristics of Argon for the point-to-point electrode geometry under partial vacuum of 0.1 Torr to 3 Torr, for kHz and dc applied fields are presented. A unipolar pulsed signal at frequencies from 20–220 kHz is applied to electrodes, and the breakdown voltage vs pressure data is recorded. This data is compared with the dc breakdown data under the same experimental conditions. Breakdown voltage as a function of frequency for three different pressure values, namely 0.4 Torr (the minimum breakdown voltage), 0.8 Torr, and 1.2 Torr also recorded to demonstrate the frequency effects on the breakdown voltage. Furthermore, three different frequencies, namely 20 kHz, 50 kHz, and 100 kHz with varying duty cycle from 10% to 90% are used in the experiments to determine the duty cycle effects on the breakdown voltage. For these experiments the pressure is kept at a constant. Current-voltage, optical emission waveforms, and optical spectroscopic data of the argon discharge, collected as a function of time, are presented also.
Intramural left atrial hematoma complicating mitral annular calcification

Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is a common incidental finding in elderly individuals that may rarely lead to serious clinical consequences. We describe an elderly woman with a rapidly growing left atrial mass detected by echocardiography. The mass was thought to be either a thrombus or neoplasm but was identified at autopsy as an intramural left atrial hematoma originating from an abscess within a heavily calcified mitral annulus. The patient was an 86-year-old black woman with a medical history significant for diabetes, hypertension, and multi-infarct dementia. Before admission she was discharged from another institution after treatment for presumed pericarditis. An echocardiogram at that time was significant for mitral annular calcification and a small
Automated energy optimization of HTTP requests for mobile applications

Energy is a critical resource for apps that run on mobile de- vices. Among all operations, making HTTP requests is one of the most energy consuming. Previous studies have shown that bundling smaller HTTP requests into a single larger HTTP request can be an effective way to improve energy efficiency of network communication, but have not defined an automated way to detect when apps can be bundled nor to transform the apps to do this bundling. In this paper we propose an approach to reduce the energy consumption of HTTP requests in Android apps by automatically detecting and then bundling multiple HTTP requests. Our approach first detects HTTP requests that can be bundled using static analysis, then uses a proxy based technique to bundle HTTP requests at runtime. We evaluated our approach on a set of real world marketplace Android apps. In this evaluation, our approach achieved an average energy reduction of 15% for the subject apps and did not impose a significant runtime overhead on the optimized apps.
A Social Priming Data Set With Troubling Oddities

ABSTRACTA recent paper by Chatterjee, Rose, and Sinha (2013) reported impressively large “money priming” effects: incidental exposure to concepts relating to cash or credit cards made participants much less generous with their time and money (after cash primes) or much more generous (after credit card primes ). Primes also altered participants’ choices in a word-stem completion task. To explore these effects, we carried out re-analyses of the raw data. A number of strange oddities were brought to light, including a dramatic similarity of the filler word-stem completion responses produced by the 20 subjects who contributed most to the priming effects. We suggest that these oddities undermine the credibility of the paper and require further investigation.
Thermal Modeling of Workpiece Temperature in MQL Deep-Hole Drilling

This study investigates the workpiece temperature in minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) deep-hole drilling. An FEA-based inverse heat transfer model is developed to estimate the heat generation based on temperature inputs from embedded thermocouples. The temperature distribution in the workpiece is then calculated by the inverse solutions. The method is validated experimentally using a 10 mm carbide drill drilling cylindrical iron workpiece under both dry and MQL conditions. The calculated temperature distribution shows good agreement with experimental temperature measurements. This study demonstrates that the heat generated on the hole wall surface is as significant in workpiece temperature as that on the hole bottom surface in deep-hole drilling.© 2010 ASME
Proximity Dependent Attentional Biases in Patients with a Chronic Stroke (PD7.010)

Objective: To learn how right (RHD) versus left hemispheric strokes (LHD) influence attentional biases in proximal and distal space. Background Typically patients with acute RHD often demonstrate left-sided neglect, whereas patients with chronic RHD often do not show evidence of bias on tests such as line bisection. These tests are also most often performed in peripersonal space. Since the right hemisphere allocates attention to distal space, patients with chronic RHD may show attentional biases in distal versus proximal space. Design/Methods: We asked 29 patients who sustained a unilateral stroke, a mean of 3.4 years prior to testing, to perform line bisections. There were 19 LHD, 10 RHD and 9 neurologically healthy participants. Subjects attempted to bisect 60 lines in proximal space (30 cm from the subject) and 60 lines in distal space (167 cm from the subject). Visual angle and line length were controlled for space of presentation. Results: A repeated measure mixed design ANOVA, comparing bisection performance between the patient and control groups showed patients with RHD deviated to the left of both controls and patients with LHD in proximal space (ipsilesional neglect). In distal space, patients with RHD deviated to the right (contralesional neglect) of these groups, f (2, 35) = 6.325, p = .005. Post-hoc analyses revealed that proximal and distal space line bisections in patients with RHD were significantly different, t(9) = 3.092, p =.013. Conclusions: Lateralized damage in patients with a chronic stroke influences spatial bias judgment in proximal versus distal space. Previous research suggests that the right hemisphere may be dominant for processing the spatial information in distal space. In our sample, when compared to controls, patients with RHD had more severe contralesional neglect in distal space. Supported by: University of Florida & Malcom Randall VA Medical Center. Disclosure: Dr. Haque has nothing to disclose. Dr. Williamson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Burtis has nothing to disclose. Dr. Estalilla has nothing to disclose. Dr. Heilman has received personal compensation for activities with law firms as a consultant.Dr. Heilman has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Journal Watch.
Design and Realization of Meteorological Information Platform Based on RIA WebGIS Open Source

The open source software and the technology of FLEX are described first.A solution of RIA WebGIS system is proposed.The framework structure and implementation mechanisms of this system are elaborated.Then a real-time display platform of meteorological information of automatic weather stations in Jiangxi province is developed based on the RIA WebGIS framework.The front part of the system is developed using Flex and OpenScales;the map service is based on GeoServer;PostgreSQL/PostGIS is used for the spatial database.In this system,inquire,real-time display of the meteorological elements,and the general GIS functions are achieved.
Identifying Novel Modifier Genes Regulating von Willebrand Factor Levels in Mice.

Plasma von Willebrand factor (VWF) levels are highly variable in the normal human population, and twin studies suggest that two-thirds of this variability is heritable. Only one-third of this genetic component is explained by ABO blood group, with the factors responsible for the majority of the effect still unknown. These putative VWF modifier genes contribute to the wide variability in bleeding severity among patients with von Willebrand disease (VWD), as well as the frequent difficulty in establishing this diagnosis. We previously mapped four loci responsible for variable plasma VWF levels among several inbred mouse strains, which we termed Mvwf 1-4 (modifier of Vwf ). We have identified the mutant alleles for Mvwf1 , a variant in a glycosyltransferase with homology to a human blood group antigen, and Mvwf2 , a mutation in the Vwf gene itself. For the current study we chose two inbred strains with 3.5-fold divergent VWF plasma levels, C57BL/6J and WSB/EiJ, neither of which carries the Mvwf1 or Mvwf2 alleles. F1 hybrid mice were backcrossed onto C57BL/6J to generate 200 N2 progeny, followed by determination of plasma VWF levels by ELISA. A dense genome scan of 149 markers, an average of one marker every 10 centimorgans, was performed on genomic DNA from all 200 N2 mice by the Mammalian Genotyping Service at the Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation. Analysis of the data with the R/qtl statistical package identified two major candidate loci with significant evidence for linkage to VWF levels. The first locus ( Mvwf5 ) mapped to a region containing the Vwf gene itself on chromosome 6, with a logarithm of the odds (LOD) score of 12.1. Preliminary studies of Vwf mRNA from F1 mice by primer extension SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) analysis suggest that Mvwf5 exerts its effect at the level of Vwf transcription or mRNA stability. A second potential modifier ( Mvwf6 ) localized to chromosome 10 with a LOD score of 4.6, and displayed additive effects with Mvwf5 . Two additional suggestive loci mapped to murine chromosomes 4 and 5, with LOD scores of 2.4 and 3.4, respectively. The former locus maps to the same region of chromosome 4 as Mvwf3 , a candidate modifier previously identified in an F2 intercross between the strains A/J and CASA/RkJ. In summary, we have identified a 2 nd natural Vwf gene variant among inbred mice ( Mvwf5 ), a novel VWF regulatory locus on murine chromosome 10 ( Mvwf6 ), and 2 other possible VWF modifiers on chromosomes 4 and 5. Surprisingly, two of six Mvwf loci characterized to date correspond to hypomorphic mutations at the Vwf gene itself and appear to interact with modifier loci on other chromosomes. Similar interactions are likely to explain the extensive variability in plasma VWF levels observed in the general human population as well as among patients with VWD.
Vaccines for adults in an age of terrorism.

Vaccines are an effective, safe, and relatively inexpensive means of preventing infection; thus, they are important tools for fighting biological terrorism. Two diseases, anthrax and smallpox, for which vaccines are not available to the general public are discussed. Three other vaccines--tetanus toxoid, influenza vaccine, and hepatitis B vaccine--generally recommended for adults, may be in short supply as a result of recent acts of terrorism. Language: en
Role of adenoidectomy in chronic nasal obstruction after nasal steroid therapy failure.

Abstract Objective To identify clinical characteristics of pediatric patients that failed nasal steroid therapy for management of chronic nasal obstruction and to evaluate the efficacy of adenoidectomy in this subset of patients. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Tertiary care academic center. Subjects Analysis was performed on children that underwent adenoidectomy between 2011 and 2015 for chronic nasal obstruction refractory to nasal steroids. Results Seventy-four cases were identified. Average age of presentation was 3.6 years. Pre-operatively, 25.7% of patients had known asthma, 16.2% reported respiratory allergies, and 20.3% reported use of systemic antihistamines. The most common pre-operative symptoms included mouth breathing (82.4%), nasal congestion (81.1%), snoring (71.6%), and rhinorrhea (37.8%). Average adenoid size was 68% pre-operatively. Ninety-eight percent of patients experienced improvement or resolution of their symptoms following adenoidectomy. Conclusions This study demonstrates average rates of respiratory allergies, but high rates of asthma among patients that fail nasal steroid therapy for chronic nasal obstruction. Adenoidectomy is a highly efficacious intervention in this subset of patients.
Association Between Cirrhosis and Stroke in a Nationally Representative Cohort.

Importance Cirrhosis is associated with hemorrhagic and thrombotic extrahepatic complications. The risk of cerebrovascular complications is less well understood. Objective To investigate the association between cirrhosis and various stroke types. Design, Setting, and Participants We performed a retrospective cohort study using inpatient and outpatient Medicare claims data from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2014, for a random 5% sample of 1 618 059 Medicare beneficiaries older than 66 years. Exposures Cirrhosis, as defined by a validated diagnosis code algorithm. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was stroke, and secondary outcomes were ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage as defined by validated diagnosis code algorithms. Results Among 1 618 059 beneficiaries, 15 586 patients (1.0%) had cirrhosis (mean [SD] age, 74.1 [6.9] years; 7263 [46.6%] female). During a mean (SD) of 4.3 (1.9) years of follow-up, 77 268 patients were hospitalized with a stroke. The incidence of stroke was 2.17% (95% CI, 1.99%-2.36%) per year in patients with cirrhosis and 1.11% (95% CI, 1.10%-1.11%) per year in patients without cirrhosis. After adjustment for demographic characteristics and stroke risk factors, patients with cirrhosis had a higher risk of stroke (hazard ratio [HR], 1.4; 95% CI, 1.3-1.5). The magnitude of association appeared to be higher for intracerebral hemorrhage (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.5-2.4) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (HR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.7-3.5) than for ischemic stroke (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.5). Conclusions and Relevance In a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries, cirrhosis was associated with an increased risk of stroke, particularly hemorrhagic stroke. A potential explanation of these findings implicates the mixed coagulopathy observed in cirrhosis.
Associations of Bar and Restaurant Smoking Bans With Smoking Behavior in the CARDIA Study: A 25-Year Study

Indoor smoking bans have often been associated with reductions in smoking prevalence. However, few studies have evaluated their association with within-person changes in smoking behaviors. We linked longitudinal data from 5,105 adults aged 18-30 years at baseline from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study (1985-2011) to state, county, and local policies mandating 100% smoke-free bars and restaurants by census tract. We used fixed-effects models to examine the association of smoking bans with within-person change in current smoking risk, smoking intensity (smoking ≥10 cigarettes/day on average vs. <10 cigarettes/day), and quitting attempts, using both linear and nonlinear adjustment for secular trends. In models assuming a linear secular trend, smoking bans were associated with a decline in current smoking risk and smoking intensity and an increased likelihood of a quitting attempt. The association with current smoking was greatest among participants with a bachelor's degree or higher. In models with a nonlinear secular trend, pooled results were attenuated (confidence intervals included the null), but effect modification results were largely unchanged. Findings suggest that smoking ban associations may be difficult to disentangle from other tobacco control interventions and emphasize the importance of evaluating equity throughout policy implementation.
Evaluation of the mucosal inflammatory responses to equine cyathostomins in response to anthelmintic treatment.

Abstract Members of Cyathostominae are pervasive parasites of equids that can cause larval cyathostominosis, a potentially life-threatening disease that occurs when a multitude of encysted larvae synchronously excyst from the wall of the large intestine. Moxidectin and fenbendazole are the two current labeled drugs that target the encysted larval stages; however, there is limited knowledge of the local inflammatory response to the larvae and to the two treatments in clinically healthy horses. This study is the first to evaluate the local inflammatory response to cyathostomin larvae and to larvicidal treatment at 2 and 5 weeks post treatment. Thirty-six ponies with naturally acquired cyathostomin infections were randomly allocated into 3 groups: Group 1, fenbendazole at 10 mg/kg for 5 days, Group 2, a single dose of moxidectin at 0.4 mg/kg, and Group 3, untreated controls. Tissue samples from the cecum and dorsal and ventral colons were used for histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluation. Tissues were stained with routine hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) for light microscopy and immunohistochemically for MAC387, CD20, and CD3 for differentiation of activated macrophages, B cells, and T cells, respectively. Semiquantitative scores were assigned for all inflammatory cell types and fibrous connective tissue. Larvae observed by light microscopy were enumerated and classified by stage. Mucosal ulcerations and submucosal granulomas were also enumerated. Mean macrophage scores were higher in the moxidectin group than the fenbendazole group (p = 0.0185) and the control group had a higher activated macrophage score than both treatment groups (p = 0.0104, p = 0.0004). T lymphocyte scores were higher in the moxidectin group when compared to the control group (p = 0.0069). Goblet cell hyperplasia scores were elevated at 5 weeks post treatment compared to 2 weeks post treatment (p = 0.0047) and were elevated in the ventral colon compared to the dorsal colon (p = 0.0301). Eosinophil scores were elevated surrounding degenerative larvae when compared to intact larvae (p = 0.0001). Mucosal ulcerations were found only in the control group at 2 weeks post treatment. This study found subtle inflammatory differences between treatment groups but provided new information about goblet cells and eosinophils in relation to encysted cyathostomin larvae.
Epigenetic Biomarkers in Melanoma

Epigenetics, defined in its most basic sense as a stable heritable change in gene function that is not a result of changes in the actual DNA sequence, has been one of the fastest growing fields of cancer research over the past decade. DNA promoter methylation is known to directly inhibit gene expression and is a common occurrence during tumor formation and progression. This action may lead to the formation of a heterochromatic environment at the promoter or other sites by histone deacetylases to further suppress target genes.