cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficiency clustering for low-density microarrays and its application to QPCR

Background: Pathway-targeted or low-density arrays are used more and more frequently in biomedical research, particularly those arrays that are based on quantitative real-time PCR. Typical QPCR arrays contain 96-1024 primer pairs or probes, and they bring with it the promise of being able to reliably measure differences in target levels without the need to establish absolute standard curves for each and every target. To achieve reliable quantification all primer pairs or array probes must perform with the same efficiency. Results : Our results indicate that QPCR primer-pairs differ significantly both in reliability and efficiency. They can only be used in an array format if the raw data (so called CT values for real-time QPCR) are transformed to take these differences into account. We developed a novel method to obtain efficiency-adjusted CT values. We introduce transformed confidence intervals as a novel measure to identify unreliable primers. We introduce a robust clustering algorithm to combine efficiencies of groups of probes, and our results indicate that using n < 10 cluster-based mean efficiencies is comparable to using individually determined efficiency adjustments for each primer pair (N = 96-1024). Conclusions : Careful estimation of primer efficiency is necessary to avoid significant measurement inaccuracies. Transformed confidence intervals are a novel method to assess and interprete the reliability of an efficiency estimate in a high throughput format. Efficiency clustering as developed here serves as a compromise between the imprecision in assuming uniform efficiency, and the computational complexity and danger of over-fitting when using individually determined efficiencies.
On Minimum-Delay Data Block Transport over Two-Connected Mesh Networks

In this paper we investigate the problem of sending data blocks containing finite number of packets over two independent routing paths in mesh networks. The objective is to minimize the average block delay by allocating packets into the two routing paths optimally. Previous researchers have shown that using more paths can reduce packet delay and the rate-based allocation policy is optimal, based on the delay metric solely depending on delay mean of each path. In our research, generalizing the multi-path routing scheme to accommodate data block transport, we first establish an upper bound for the average block delay, depending on both delay mean and variance of each path, and then solve a non-linear optimization problem to obtain the optimal packet allocation policy, which either allocates all the packets to the faster path for blocks of small size or allocate all the packets to both paths in proportion to their service rates for blocks of large size. Contrary to conventional results, our analysis suggests that using additional slower routing path could increase the average block delay in some cases. We further characterize the whole spectrum of optimal packet allocation policies as a function of block sizes, and conclude that the existing rate-based allocation policy is a special case for large data block.
The Use of CaCl2 and other Salts to Improve Surface Finish and Eliminate Vacuoles in ICF Microencapsulated Shells

Polystyrene and poly(α–methylstyrene) (PAMS) shells made by microencapsulation are prone to having vacuoles in the walls and a concommitant surface roughness. These defects can be detrimental to th...
Investigations of step-growth thiol-ene polymerizations for novel dental restoratives.

Summary Objectives The goal of this work was to investigate the feasibility of formulating novel dental restorative materials that utilize a step-growth thiol-ene photopolymerization. Particularly, we are aiming to significantly reduce the polymerization shrinkage and shrinkage stress while retaining adequate physical properties as compared to current dimethacrylatre-based systems. Methods The thiol-ene system is composed of a 4:3 molar mixture of triallyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-trione (TATATO) and pentaerythritol tetramercaptopropionate (PETMP). The simultaneous measurement of shrinkage stress and functional group conversion was performed. Solvent extraction of unreacted monomers and dynamic mechanical analysis on the polymer networks that were formed were also studied. Flexural strength was measured for both filled and unfilled PETMP/TATATO and Bis-GMA/TEGDMA systems. Results Photopolymerization of PETMP/TATATO occurs at a much higher rate, with the maximum polymerization rate six times faster, than Bis-GMA/TEGDMA cured under the identical conditions. The results from the simultaneous measurement of shrinkage stress and conversion showed that the onset of shrinkage stress coincides with the delayed gel point conversion, which is predicted to be 41% for the 3:4 stoichiometric PETMP/TATATO resin composition. The maximum shrinkage stress developed for PETMP/TATATO was about 0.4 MPa, which was only approximately 14% of the maximum shrinkage stress of the Bis-GMA/TEGDMA system. Adequate flexural strength and flexural modulus values were obtained for both filled and unfilled PETMP/TATATO systems. Significance The dramatically reduced shrinkage stress, increased polymerization rate, significance increased functional group conversion, and decreased leachable species are all benefits for the use-of thiol-ene systems as potential dental restorative materials.
Symbolic cache: fast memory access based on program syntax correlation of loads and stores

An increasing cache latency in next-generation processors incurs profound performance impacts in spite of advanced out-of-order execution techniques. One way to circumvent this cache latency problem is to predict the load values at the onset of pipeline execution by exploiting either the load value locality or the address correlation of stores and loads. We describe a new load value speculation mechanism based on the program syntax correlation of stores and loads. We establish a symbolic cache, which is accessed by the content of memory load and store instructions in early pipeline stages to achieve a zero-cycle load. The performance evaluation using SPEC95 and SPEC2000 integer programs with SimpleScalar tools shows that the symbolic cache provides higher accuracy than both the memory renaming and the value prediction scheme, especially when hardware resources are limited.
Texture segmentation using 2-D Gabor elementary functions

Many texture-segmentation schemes use an elaborate bank of filters to decompose a textured image into a joint space/spatial-frequency representation. Although these schemes show promise, and although some analytical work has been done, the relationship between texture differences and the filter configurations required to distinguish them remain largely unknown. This paper examines the issue of designing individual filters. Using a 2-D texture model, we show analytically that applying a properly configured bandpass filter to a textured image produces distinct output discontinuities at texture boundaries; the analysis is based on Gabor elementary functions, but it is the bandpass nature of the filter that is essential. Depending on the type of texture difference, these discontinuities form one of four characteristic signatures: a step, ridge, valley, or a step change in average local output variation. Accompanying experimental evidence indicates that these signatures are useful for segmenting an image. The analysis indicates those texture characteristics that are responsible for each signature type. Detailed criteria are provided for designing filters that can produce quality output signatures. We also illustrate occasions when asymmetric filters are beneficial, an issue not previously addressed. >
Uniform selectively oxidized 2-dimensional VCSEL arrays for VLSI photonics

To achieve high density vertical cavity surface emitting (VCSEL) laser arrays, the material system and device structure must be optimized. Here we employ strain-balanced In/sub 0.27/Ga/sub 0.73/As quantum wells designed to emit at 1.06 /spl mu/m.
Threshold voltage calculation in ultra-thin film SOI MOSFETs using the effective potential

The success of the effective potential method of including quantum confinement effects in simulations of MOSFETs is based on the ability to calculate ahead of time the extent of the Gaussian wave-packet used to describe the electron. In the calculation of the Gaussian, the inversion layer is assumed to form in a triangular potential well, from which a suitable standard deviation can be obtained. The situation in an ultra-thin SOI MOSFET is slightly different, in that the potential well has a triangular bottom, but there is a significant contribution to the confinement from the rectangular barriers formed by the gate oxide and the buried oxide (BOX). For this more complex potential well, it is of interest to determine the range of applicability of the constant standard deviation effective potential model. In this work we include this effective potential model in 3D Monte Carlo calculations of the threshold voltage of ultra-thin SOI MOSFETs. We find that the effective potential recovers the expected trend in threshold voltage shift with shrinking silicon thickness, down to a thickness of approximately 3 nm.
Catecholamines in organs of immunosympathectomized mice.

SummaryIn immunosympathectomized mice at one month after specific antiserum treatment there is almost complete (87–95%) disappearance of norepinephrine in heart, spleen and kidney. There is no change in brain content, but there is a probably significant increase in adrenal norepinephrine content. Values for epinephrine after immunosympathectomy are not significantly altered from control levels, except perhaps in the kidney.
Need for improved societal effort to keep inflammatory bowel disease patients in the labour market

The rate of work disability (WD) among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) varies from a few per cent in some studies to one-third of the IBD population in other studies.1–3 Differences in rates may to some extent depend on whether disability is self-reported or based on actual numbers of patients receiving disability pension (DP). However, even when focusing specifically on the number of patients receiving DP, rates vary markedly between study populations, potentially due to (1) differences in study designs, for example, selective assessment of patients from tertiary referral centres representing the more severely ill part of patients, which may be more likely to receive DP; (2) differences in length of follow-up of populations, if cumulative morbidity is seen as a predictor for DP; and (3) differences between regions or countries in societal acceptance of disease, in effort to help people back at work, or in accepted qualifications for DP. Dr Hoivik and colleagues present the results of a 10-year follow-up study on WD and DP in a well-characterised, population-based and prospectively followed Norwegian IBSEN cohort.3 The IBSEN cohort represents all patients diagnosed with IBD during 1990–1993 (n=843) in a well-defined part of south-eastern Norway. Patients have been followed prospectively from diagnosis of IBD …
MEASURING RESISTANCE IN BLACK WOMEN: THE RESISTANCE MODALITY INVENTORY

The results of a factor analysis conducted on the Resistance Modality Inventory (RMI), an instrument created to measure the construct of psychological resistance, are presented in this paper. The sample was comprised of 206 ethnically diverse black women in the Northeast. A primary focus of this work is the relevance and application of the RMI when working with black women within clinical contexts. The terms black and African American are used interchangeably throughout to describe people of African descent (e.g., Africans, African Caribbeans, African Americans, and Latinos of African descent). Optimal Psychology provides the theoretical underpinnings of resistance theory and is defined and discussed.
Design Principles and Dynamic Front End Reconfiguration for Low Noise EEG Acquisition With Finger Based Dry Electrodes

Dry electrodes are a convenient alternative to wet electrodes for electroencephalography (EEG) acquisition systems. Dry electrodes are subject to a higher amount of noise at the electrode scalp interface and these effects can be worsened due to non-ideal design or improper placement on the head. In this work, we investigate a popular dry electrode design based on a number of resistive ‘finger’ shaped contacts. We conduct experiments comparing designs with varying numbers of fingers using two impedance measurement methods and show that sparser arrangements of fingers are more robust to varying use cases and are more effective at penetrating through hair on the scalp. We then show that these impedance measurement metrics could be used to sort individual fingers within one electrode according to quality of electrical contact. We show that the signals from individual fingers can differ from each other significantly due to differing local effects of impedance and noise, and demonstrate through experimental results that dynamically selecting only a subset of fingers with good contact impedance can improve the overall signal-to-noise ratio of the EEG signal from that electrode.
Abstract 3192: A Descriptive Study of Interventional Management of Stroke III Trial Investigator Recruitment Enhancement Strategies

Purpose: Randomized control trials (RCT) are the gold standard of clinical research, yet most RCTs do not finish on time or on budget of the original proposal. The literature lacks research relevan...
Handling Acid-Producing Material During Construction

Environmental concern during construction has become a serious matter, especially regarding water quality. Earth materials weather rapidly when excavated and in some instances produce deleterious products. One such product is acid drainage (AD). Weathering of Precambrian metasedimentary rocks excavated during road construction in the Southern Appalachian Mountains is a classic example of AD formed in this fashion. Before the problem was recognized, aquatic life was decimated in several “blue ribbon” trout streams. In order to address the problem of how to handle acid-producing material during construction, the Federal Highway Administration initiated studies resulting in development of guidelines. The guidelines suggest procedures for detecting and evaluating potential AD problems and provide suggestions for handling acid-producing material without requiring post-construction mitigation. Geologic mapping is the basic tool for assessing AD potential in an area. However, in covered areas geophysical methods have been applied effectively to detect the sulfide minerals primarily responsible for AD production. To determine the bottom-line as to whether sulfidic material has the potential to generate AD the use of an Acid-Base Accounting analysis has proven successful. If construction encounters acid-producing material and the cost:benefit of the project permits, AD can be successfully abated by encapsulation of the material within specially designed embankments.
Antagonism of choline and heparin in vivo and in vitro.

SummaryThe previously reported antagonism of choline and heparin was studied in vitro and in vivo. When choline and heparin were mixed in whole plasma and the prothrombin time determined, the choline had no effect on the action of heparin. Choline alone slightly prolonged the prothrombin time. Choline and heparin do not combine chemically as shown by spectrophotometric determination. In vivo, choline has no effect on the action of heparin.
Host Habitat Influences on Oviposition by Parasetigena silvestris (R-D), a Larval Parasite of the Gypsy Moth

The larval gypsy moth parasite, Parasetigena silvestris , deposits a greater number of eggs on larvae tethered to red oaks compared to those tethered to white pine. Parasite response to gypsy moth host plant is not based on the density of larvae on oaks. Factors associated with pine bark do not provide conditions which reduce P. silvestris oviposition. Experiments on the role of other specific components of the host's habitat did not provide any evidence of the factors affecting host-habitat selection by P. silvestris .
DETERMINATION OF INORGANIC ARSENIC AND OTHER ARSENIC SPECIES IN DAIRY PRODUCTS BY HPLC-ICP-MS

The method for determination of arsenic species in dairy products by using HPLC-ICP-MS has been developed.The method detection limits of each As species are as follows(count as As):As(Ⅲ)2.0 ng·g-1,As(Ⅴ)3.0 ng·g-1,MMA 2.0 ng·g-1,DMA 1.0 ng·g-1,AsB 1.0 ng·g-1.The accuracy and precision of the method was evaluated by spike recovery testing.Recovery of inorganic arsenic were between 89.8%—99.0% and the relative standard deviation were within 1.09%—3.21%(n=6).Milk samples from the market were analyzed according to the presented method hereby.The result showed that inorganic arsenic in the dairy samples did not exceed national permission limits.
Effects of Dietary Zinc Level on Growth Performance,Immune and Antioxidant Capacity and Metallothionein-I mRNA Expression of Geese Aged from 1 to 4 Weeks

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of dietary zinc level on growth performance,immune and antioxidant capacity and metallothionein-Ⅰ(MT-Ⅰ) mRNA expression of geese aged from 1 to 4weeks,and to determine the optimal dietary level of zinc.A total of 360 one-day-old Qingnonghui geese were randomly divided into 6 groups with 6 replicates per group and 10 geese(half male and half female) per replicate.The dietary zinc levels in each group were 31.28(group Ⅰ),81.28(group Ⅱ),131.28(groupⅢ),181.28(group Ⅳ),231.28(group Ⅴ) and 281.28(group Ⅵ) mg /kg,respectively.The experiment lasted for 28 days.The results showed as follows: 1) when dietary zinc level was 112.51 mg/kg,the average daily gain was the highest; while when dietary zinc level was 106.05 mg/kg,the ratio of feed to gain was the lowest.2) W ith the increasing of dietary zinc level,the organ indices firstly increased,and then followed by a downward trend,the thymus index in group Ⅱ was significantly higher than that in group Ⅰ(P 0.01),the spleen index in groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ was significantly higher than that in group Ⅰ(P 0.01).3) At7 days after the immunization,the antibody titer in group Ⅳ was significantly higher than that in group Ⅰ(P 0.05); at 14 days after the immunization,the antibody titer in groups Ⅲ and Ⅳ was significantly higher than that in group Ⅰ(P 0.05).4) Except the liver total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC) in group Ⅳ,the T-AOC and the activities of catalase(CAT),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),copper zinc superoxide dismutase(CuZn-SOD) in groups Ⅲ and Ⅳ were significantly higher than those in group Ⅰ(P 0.05 or P 0.01),the malonaldehyde(M DA) content in group Ⅲ was the lowest.5) The liver MT-Ⅰ mRNA expression in groups Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ was significantly higher than that of group Ⅰ(P 0.05 or P 0.01).6) The MT-Ⅰ mRNA expression was significantly correlated with body antioxidant capacity.In conclusion,dietary appropriate zinc level can improve the growth performance and immune and antioxidant capacity and MT-ⅠmRNA expression of geese.The requirement of zinc under the condition of high immunity and antioxidant capacity is higher than that under the condition of optimum growth performance.
The effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on expression of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α in normal and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages.

Objective Differentiated macrophages (MO) are the resident tissue phagocytes and sentinel cells of the innate immune response. These cells are major constituents of periapical granulomas. Current studies indicate these activated cells as the source of bone-resorbing cytokines in the periapical granuloma. Periapical inflammation can be mediated by proinflammatory cytokines like interleukin 1s (IL-1s), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), IL-6, and IL-8. Reducing the production of these cytokines may be beneficial for the treatment of periapical lesions. Oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids like docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been linked with anti-resorptive and bone-protective effects. The purpose of this investigation was to study the effect of DHA on the expression of these cytokines by normal and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated MO. We hypothesized that pretreatment of MO with DHA decreases the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by LPS-treated MO. Method and materials THP-1 monocytes were cultured and differentiated into MO. DHA was added to MO in a dose-dependent manner. MO samples were added to the following groups: Group 1, ethanol alone as a solvent control; Group 2, 10 µg/ml of DHA (D1); Group 3, 20 µg/ml of DHA (D2); Group 4, 10 µg/ml of DHA + LPS (DL1); Group 5, 20 µg/ml of DHA + LPS (DL2); Group 6, LPS alone. Reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) followed by ImageJ analysis was used to measure cytokine expression. Results The results show that IL-1s and TNF-α levels for DL and DHA (basal) were significantly lower than the levels in LPS alone. IL-6 was increased in the DL groups. There was no significant change for IL-8. Conclusion DHA at higher concentrations may selectively decrease proinflammatory cytokine production of IL-1s and TNF-α. More studies are needed to verify the anti-inflammatory therapeutic action of agents like DHA omega-3 fatty acids.
Acute exercise attenuates age-associated resistance to insulin-like growth factor I

This study examined the influence of acute exercise on the ability of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) to stimulate protein synthesis in an isolated in vitro soleus muscle preparation in female C57Bl/6 mice aged 5, 12, and 24 mo. Gastrocnemius muscles were analyzed for IGF-I receptor mRNA levels, IGF-I receptor number, and IGF-I receptor binding capacities and affinity constants. IGF-I (20 nM) was unable to stimulate rates of protein synthesis in the 12- and 24-mo-old control animals. These animals demonstrated declines in IGF-I receptor protein. After acute exercise, IGF-I receptor mRNA was elevated, IGF-I receptor protein levels were unaffected, and rates of protein synthesis were stimulated by IGF-I in the 12- and 24-mo-old animals. Acute exercise significantly increased IGF-I receptor binding capacity and affinity constants in the 24- but not the 12-mo-old animals. We conclude that acute exercise can restore the action of IGF-I in aged muscle, potentially by increasing the IGF-I receptor binding capacity and affinity or as a result of factors downstream of the IGF-I receptor.
Cost-Effective Kernel Ridge Regression Implementation for Keystroke-Based Active Authentication System

In this paper, a fast kernel ridge regression (KRR) learning algorithm is adopted with ${O}$ ( ${N}$ ) training cost for large-scale active authentication system. A truncated Gaussian radial basis function (TRBF) kernel is also implemented to provide better cost-performance tradeoff. The fast-KRR algorithm along with the TRBF kernel offers computational advantages over the traditional support vector machine (SVM) with Gaussian-RBF kernel while preserving the error rate performance. Experimental results validate the cost-effectiveness of the developed authentication system. In numbers, the fast-KRR learning model achieves an equal error rate (EER) of 1.39% with ${O}$ ( ${N}$ ) training time, while SVM with the RBF kernel shows an EER of 1.41% with ${O}$ ( ${N} ^{2}$ ) training time.
Performance results of a 300 degrees linear phase modulator for spaceborne communications applications

A phase modulator capable of large linear phase deviation, low loss, and wideband operation with good thermal stability is described. The phase modulator was developed for deep space spacecraft transponder (DST) applications at X-band (8.415 GHz) and Ka-band (32 GHz) downlinks. The design uses a two-stage circulator-coupled reflection phase shifter with constant gamma hyperabrupt varactors and an efficient modulator driver circuit to obtain a phase deviation of +or-2.5 rad with better than 8% linearity. The measured insertion loss is 6.6 dB+or-0.35 dB at 8415 MHz. It is shown that measured carrier and relative sideband amplitudes resulting from phase modulation by sinewave and square modulating functions agree well with the predicted results. >
Polysynthetic Language: Central Siberian Yupik

The structure of the Central Siberian Yupik word is typical of Eskimo in potentially containing long sequences of postbases. Postbases are productive suffixes traditionally considered to be derivational. Such postbases are more likely to belong to ‘productive noninflectional concatenation’ (PNC), a type of morphology that is neither inflectional nor derivational. PNC is syntax-like in displaying full productivity, recursion, potential free order of elements, and interaction with syntax. Indo-European languages may possess a few PNC elements, but only polysynthetic languages have them in large numbers, and it is suggested that PNC elements are a useful way of characterizing polysynthetic languages.
Haberdashery as Ethnography: The Case of Léon Bakst

The focus of this article is on Leon Bakst’s activities as textile and dress designer during the 1910s and early 1920s, especially in the United States. Particular note is made of his interest in questions of nationality—whether Persian, Indian, Siamese, Jewish or American Indian—as reflected in fabrics and clothing. Bakst’s interaction with American patrons, such as the Garretts, is discussed as are his pedagogical and theoretical concerns.
The Tone of Management Forward Looking Statements and Asymmetric Cost Behavior

The documentation of asymmetric cost behavior in response to changes in demand has attracted much scholarly attention over the past decade. Most studies propose that this cost asymmetry is due to the influence of management expectations on their deliberate resource allocation decisions. This study examines empirically the effect of management expectations on cost asymmetry, and, principally, the tension between these expectation-based decisions and constrains imposed on these decisions by two economic drivers of the cost asymmetry — the availability of initial slack resources and adjustment costs. Using the tone in the forward-looking statements (FLS) of a sample of 10-K reports as a measure of management expectations, we document a positive and significant relation between the favorableness of management FLS tone and the degree of cost stickiness. Furthermore, we demonstrate that managers’ expectation-driven decisions can reverse the previously documented anti-sticky cost behavior imposed by high slack resources. Notably, we find the impact of management expectations on the degree of cost asymmetry is strongest when both the initial amount of slack resources and the magnitude of the adjustment costs are high. Conversely, when both the magnitude of the adjustment costs and the initial amount of slack resource are low, management expectations have no impact on the degree of cost asymmetry. Our combined evidence supports the theoretical explanation in the literature that management expectations influence their resource allocation decisions, and indicates that other economic determinants may need to be considered when assessing the impact of these decisions on a firm’s cost structure.
Abstract 3348: UniD: unified and integrated diagnostic pipeline for malignant gliomas based on DNA methylation data

Prognostic and predictive molecular diagnostics for patients with gliomas typically rely on multiple assays, requiring large amounts of tissue and high cost. DNA methylation has been utilized to identify prognostic subsets and high-throughput platforms exist that are suitable for archival tissue. Therefore, we developed a unified and integrated diagnostic pipeline that can assess multiple prognostic and predictive biomarkers using only the Illumina Infinium Methylation array. This pipeline includes two parts: data processing and diagnostic biomarkers. Data processing starts from the raw data and followed with quantitative sample, probe, and batch quality control. The diagnostic biomarkers include a glioma methylation assay that predicts radiation response (GaMA); tumor classification enriched for TCGA expression subclasses; copy number alterations including phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) amplification, and chromosomes 1p/19q co-deletion; CpG island methylation phenotype (G-CIMP); isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation, and O 6 -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter hypermethylation. WHO grade II-IV gliomas were analyzed in both publically available and institutional datasets. A signature was identified to effectively distinguished radiation resistant from radiation sensitive glioma stem-like cells (GSCs). Signature has been applied to 272 TCGA GBM samples from patients who received standard radiotherapy (RT). The survival analysis showed that the subgroup with RT-sensitive and RT-resistant have significant difference in survival time (log-rank test p-value = 0.0016). Gene expression subclasses prediction biomarker was build by using the revised TCGA gene expression subclasses as gold standard. The prediction accuracy in test data set was 83.5% in the homogeneous subgroup, 71.0% in the semi-heterogeneous subgroup, and 62.1% in the heterogeneous subgroup. The prediction accuracy decreased as tumor heterogeneity increased. Certain copy number alteration events were predicted by developing specific signatures. Revised methylation signatures were developed for IDH mutation and G-CIMP status respectively, which can identified 99% of those samples. 230 GBM samples with 450k data available were tested with MGMT methylation-specific real-time PCR for MGMT methylation status. The methylation-based MGMT prediction accuracy reached about 90%. In summary, we have developed a single, FFPE-based pipeline for unified and integrated determination of multiple biomarkers of malignant glioma. Citation Format: Jie Yang, Qianghu Wang, Lihong Long, Ravesanker Ezhilarasan, Erik Sulman. UniD: unified and integrated diagnostic pipeline for malignant gliomas based on DNA methylation data [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3348. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3348
Group Conflict and Group Selection: An Essay on Soico-Political Rivalry between Human Groups

Most contemporary evolutionary biologists share the view that natural selection primarily concerns the differing inclusive fitness of genetic traits carried by individuals in a population. While biologists once also accepted the existence of group selection -- a process by which evolution regularly favors one entire population to another group of the same species -- such a process now is usually viewed as highly unlikely if not impossible. Among humans, however, the existence of language, culture, and socio-political competition between groups for limited resources creates situations not likely to arise in other mammals. Where human societies engage in direct competition, it is not as unusual as some might think that one group will annihilate the other by force. Even where that doesn't occur, a merger and fusion of groups can occur through the evolution of new cultural forms. Examples of the way ethnicity can result in challenges to a modern state as well as historical instances of group conflict are presented as evidence of something akin to group selection, These cases show that cultural transmission and history can lead to processes in human history that would be exceedingly rare if not impossible in species where transmissible social attributes need to be encoded to some degree in genes.
Measurement based mobility emulation platform for next generation wireless networks

The exponential growth of the number of mobile users and their traffic generation makes mobility an intrinsic element to be considered in the design of new protocols and network architecture. In order for future Internet protocols to meet the requirements of advanced mobility services, they should be designed with mobility considerations for various signal propagation scenarios, i.e. various wireless technologies operating in different frequency bands, diverse mobility patterns in different environments ranging from vehicular mobility to pedestrian in urban and suburban scenarios. In this paper we propose “EmuWNet”, an Emulation framework for Wireless Networks, using real-world signal propagation measurements in a controlled testbed environment. This framework will enable network architecture and protocol designers to evaluate the performance of novel Internet protocols in a controlled environment for various mobility scenarios and perform fair comparisons with existing protocols for the same emulated mobility scenarios. In this paper we will demonstrate this functionality by showing how a set of signal measurement traces, whether collected from real-world experimentation or simulation can be replayed using the emulation framework. As a demonstrative example we input real-world signal strength (RSSI) traces for Wi-Fi and LTE from a smartphone into the framework and conduct mobility experiments on the ORBIT testbed, comparing a future Internet non-IP based protocol with TCP/IP based communication.
Collective Behavior, Sociology of

The sociology of collective behavior studies social conditions such as political structures or shared beliefs as they influence noninstitutionalized, unconventional group activity such as panics, crazes, mass delusions, riots, and reform or revolutionary movements. Several approaches to understanding collective behavior will be examined, including Smelser's theory of collective behavior, resource mobilization, the political process model, the political opportunity model, social network analysis, the new social psychology of social movements, and the historical–comparative analysis of revolutions. It will be shown that Smelser's theory focused on social conditions influencing the origin of collective behavior and social movements, whereas subsequent approaches—beginning with resource mobilization—began to shift the basic question being addressed to the conditions influencing success or failure of social movements. However, as Klandermans has indicated, many of the recent categories of analysis are actually similar to those pioneered by Smelser, even if utilized differently. Considering all of these developments, the sociology of collective behavior has become one of the most dynamic and innovative fields in sociology.
Survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): A report of 1444 patients treated within a multidisciplinary program.

e15652Background: The evolution of treatment for HCC has seen novel therapies emerge as front line treatment alternatives. The aim of this study was to report survival in HCC patients treated withi...
Deep transfer learning-based prostate cancer classification using 3 Tesla multi-parametric MRI

The purpose of the study was to propose a deep transfer learning (DTL)-based model to distinguish indolent from clinically significant prostate cancer (PCa) lesions and to compare the DTL-based model with a deep learning (DL) model without transfer learning and PIRADS v2 score on 3 Tesla multi-parametric MRI (3T mp-MRI) with whole-mount histopathology (WMHP) validation. With IRB approval, 140 patients with 3T mp-MRI and WMHP comprised the study cohort. The DTL-based model was trained on 169 lesions in 110 arbitrarily selected patients and tested on the remaining 47 lesions in 30 patients. We compared the DTL-based model with the same DL model architecture trained from scratch and the classification based on PIRADS v2 score with a threshold of 4 using accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve (AUC). Bootstrapping with 2000 resamples was performed to estimate the 95% confidence interval (CI) for AUC. After training on 169 lesions in 110 patients, the AUC of discriminating indolent from clinically significant PCa lesions of the DTL-based model, DL model without transfer learning and PIRADS v2 score ≥ 4 were 0.726 (CI [0.575, 0.876]), 0.687 (CI [0.532, 0.843]), and 0.711 (CI [0.575, 0.847]), respectively, in the testing set. The DTL-based model achieved higher AUC compared to the DL model without transfer learning and PIRADS v2 score ≥ 4 in discriminating clinically significant lesions in the testing set. The DeLong test indicated that the DTL-based model achieved comparable AUC compared to the classification based on PIRADS v2 score (p = 0.89).
Sequential intravesical gemcitabine and docetaxel in the treatment of BCG-naive patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

469Background: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is the standard of care for patients with new non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) after transurethral tumor resection. While BCG has been compar...
Staffing Up and Dropping Out: Unintended Consequences of High Demand for Teachers.

Growing public school enrollment and the need to maintain or improve service to students has increased the demand for teachers, perhaps more rapidly than existing sources can accommodate. While some schools recruit well qualified teachers by offering higher salaries or better working conditions, others may satisfy their need for staff by relaxing hiring standards or assigning novice teachers to difficult classrooms. Schools' hiring policies have consequences for student success. Dropout rates tend to be higher where faculties include a greater percentage of minimally educated teachers or teachers with little experience. The relationship between dropout rate and teacher qualifications is independent of student poverty, school size, and location. A proposed strategy to reduce dropout rates is to encourage higher preparation and employment standards, and to provide appropriate classroom assignments, mentoring, and support for new teachers. A systemic view of public schools, while looking for stable recurring processes, also recognizes the law of unintended consequences. For example, public school enrollment growth has stimulated the need to prepare and hire more teachers. Given compulsory school attendance laws, parent expectations, desired
Great Escape or Path to Self-Expression?: Development and Validation of a Scale of Motivations for Text Messaging

AbstractThe Messaging Motivations Questionnaire (MMQ) is a concise 8-item measure, which consists of two subscales capturing people’s typical motivations to text. The MMQ was developed through focu...
Impact of hydrolysis on surface area and energy storage applications of activated carbons produced from corn fiber and soy hulls

Abstract Complete utilization of lignocellulosic biomass through the creation of value-added coproducts is one of the key strategies of the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) for the cost-effective production of biofuels and biochemicals. A green approach to producing lightweight and high specific surface area (SSA) activated carbons (ACs) from sustainable biomass sources is of great interest to producers and users of energy devices such as batteries and supercapacitors. While direct conversion from biomass has been studied extensively, AC with relatively high surface areas can be produced more cost-effectively when leveraged as a co-product from a biorefinery. In this paper, we discuss the production of high specific surface area activated carbons from residual fiber (fiber remaining after extraction of C5-sugars) generated as part of a C5 biorefinery. The surface, morphological characteristics using SEM and TEM, and energy storage behavior of ACs produced using the C5 extracted residual fiber were evaluated in the present study. The ACs produced from the residual fiber delivered an order of magnitude higher surface area than the one directly from corn pericarp fiber and soy hulls. The surface area of the ACs produced from pre-hydrolysis DDG was only 10 m2/g compared to 689 m2/g for soy hulls whereas after hydrolysis these values increased significantly (DDG: 1700 m2/g and soy hulls: 1300 m2/g). TEM images indicated high exfoliation, explaining the change in surface area values. Under the same current density (500 mA/g) the cycling performance of the ACs increased as the surface area increased significantly.
Assessing Quality of Surgical Real-World Data from an Automated Electronic Health Record Pipeline

Background Significant analysis errors can be caused by nonvalidated data quality of electronic health records data. To determine surgical data fitness, a framework of foundational and study-specific data analyses was adapted and assessed using conformance, completeness, and plausibility analyses. Study Design Electronic health records-derived data from a cohort of 241,695 patients undergoing 412,182 procedures from October 1, 2014 to August 31, 2018 at 3 hospital sites was evaluated. Data quality analyses tested CPT codes, medication administrations, vital signs, provider notes, labs, orders, diagnosis codes, medication lists, and encounters. Results Foundational checks showed that all encounters had procedures within the inclusion period, all admission dates occurred before discharge dates, and race was missing for 1% of patients. All procedures had associated CPT codes, 69% had recorded blood pressure, pulse, temperature, respiration rate, and oxygen saturation. After curation, all medication matched RxNorm medication naming standards, 84% of procedures had current outpatient medication lists, and 15% of procedures had missing procedure notes. Study-specific checks temporally validated CPT codes, intraoperative medication doses were in conventional units, and of the 13,500 patients who received blood pressure medication intraoperatively, 93% had a systolic blood pressure >140 mmHg. All procedure notes were completed within less than 30 days of the procedure and 93% of patients after total knee arthroplasty had postoperative physical therapy notes. All patients with postoperative troponin-T lab values ≥0.10 ng/mL had more than 1 ECG with relevant diagnoses. Postoperative opioid prescription decreased by 8.8% and nonopioid use increased by 8.8%. Conclusions High levels of conformance, completeness, and clinical plausability demonstrate higher quality of real-world data fitness and low levels demonstrate less-fit-for-use data.
Genomic Characterization of Endothelial Enhancers Reveals a Multifunctional Role for NR2F2 in Regulation of Arteriovenous Gene Expression.

Rationale: Significant progress has revealed transcriptional inputs that underlie regulation of artery and vein endothelial cell fates. However, little is known concerning genome-wide regulation of...
Cytoskeletal Disruption after Electroporation and Its Significance to Pulsed Electric Field Therapies.

Pulsed electric fields (PEFs) have become clinically important through the success of Irreversible Electroporation (IRE), Electrochemotherapy (ECT), and nanosecond PEFs (nsPEFs) for the treatment of tumors. PEFs increase the permeability of cell membranes, a phenomenon known as electroporation. In addition to well-known membrane effects, PEFs can cause profound cytoskeletal disruption. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of cytoskeletal disruption after PEFs. Compiling available studies, we describe PEF-induced cytoskeletal disruption and possible mechanisms of disruption. Additionally, we consider how cytoskeletal alterations contribute to cell–cell and cell–substrate disruption. We conclude with a discussion of cytoskeletal disruption-induced anti-vascular effects of PEFs and consider how a better understanding of cytoskeletal disruption after PEFs may lead to more effective therapies.
Future trends for I&M

The field of Instrumentation and Measurement (I&M) is constantly and rapidly changing. These changes manifest themselves as evolutions of technologies and techniques but also as innovations. They come from the technical creativity of people in this field and also from advances in other fields. Conversely, advances in I&M also lead to advances in other fields. Given this two-way relationship, while it is impossible to know the future, we can look at emerging trends across different technological fields and application realms and begin to predict what trends may be at the forefront of I&M over the next five years. These trends can be examined as Trends of Choice and Trends of Consequence (Fig. 1).
Water availability influences the inhibitory effects of mustard seed meal on Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) and Verticillium dahliae

Palmer amaranth, an annual weed, and Verticillium dahliae, a fungal pathogen, can substantially reduce chile pepper yield. On the basis of the results of this study, we clarified implementation strategies for a potential management tactic for Palmer amaranth and V. dahliae in chile pepper: mustard seed meal (MSM). The objectives were to (1) determine MSM effects on Palmer amaranth seedbanks under different moisture levels, (2) measure glucosinolate degradation in soil hydrated to saturation and field capacity, and (3) determine the effects of decreasing moisture availability on MSM control of Palmer amaranth and V. dahliae. To address objective 1, seedbanks with and without MSM were hydrated to levels expected to both inhibit and promote germination (flooded, saturated, −0.03, −0.6 MPa, respectively). For objective 2, soil columns with MSM were held at different moisture levels and sampled over time. For objective 3, Palmer amaranth seeds were incubated with and without MSM, and with polyethylene glycol (PEG) solutions comprising a range of water potentials (0, −0.03, −0.6, −1.0, and −2.0 MPa). These PEG solutions were also used to hydrate MSM in agar plates with plugs of V. dahliae. All experiments were performed in growth chambers with temperatures and light conditions conducive to Palmer amaranth germination and V. dahliae mycelial growth. MSM-induced mortality in Palmer amaranth seedbanks was greater in soil at field capacity than in saturated soil and flooded soil; however, rates of glucosinolate degradation were greatest in saturated soil. Decreasing water availability progressively decreased the efficacy of MSM on Palmer amaranth because MSM was ineffective on nongerminated seeds. When incubated with PEG solutions with water potentials of 0, −0.03, and −0.6 MPa, MSM stopped growth of V. dahliae; however, MSM-induced control of V. dahliae was reduced by water potentials of −1.0 and −2.0 MPa. The results of this study indicate soils hydrated to field capacity maximize MSM-induced control of Palmer amaranth and V. dahliae.
The rise of community choice aggregation and its implications for California’s energy transition: A preliminary assessment:

Community choice aggregation—an emerging electricity supply model allowing residents and businesses to purchase electricity from local governments instead of utilities—is projected to account for 6...
Origin of Capacity Degradation of High-Voltage KVPO4F Cathode

Author(s): Kim, H; Tian, Y; Ceder, G | Abstract: Potassium vanadium fluorophosphate (KVPO4F) is one of the most promising cathode candidates for K-ion batteries because of its high specific capacity, voltage, and energy density. However, reducing its capacity fade remains an important challenge. This work leverages structure and electrochemical analysis to understand the capacity degradation mechanism of the KVPO4F cathode. Interestingly, no structural degradation of the KVPO4F cathode is detected after 200 cycles in the wide voltage window of 5.0-2.5 V (vs K/K+). Instead, the capacity degradation is attributed to electrolyte decomposition at high voltage (g4.5 V vs K/K+), which causes drying of the electrolyte and the formation of insulating layers on the cathode surface, significantly increasing the polarization. The properties of four KPF6- A nd carbonate-based K electrolytes are compared, and 0.7 M KPF6 in ethylene carbonate/propylene carbonate exhibits the highest oxidation stability and results in the best cycling stability for the KVPO4 cathode. These findings suggest that the key to improving the cycling stability of KVPO4F is to develop novel K electrolytes with even higher oxidation stability.