cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploiting Gossip for Self-Management in Scalable Event Notification Systems

Challenges of scale have limited the development of event notification systems with strong properties, despite the urgent demand for consistency, reliability, security, and other guarantees in applications developed for sensitive tasks in large enterprises. These issues are the focus of Quicksilver, a new multicast platform targeted to large- scale deployments. An initial version of the system can support large numbers of overlapping multicast groups, high data rates and groups with large numbers of members. However, Quicksilver still requires manual help when discovering the system configuration and can't easily enforce certain types of application monitoring and integrity constraints. In this paper, we propose to extend Quicksilver by introducing gossip mechanisms, yielding a self-managed event notification platform. The two technologies are presented through a single interface and appear to end users as live distributed objects, side-by- side with other kinds of typed components.
Capillary losses from ground water

A method is presented for estimating the discharge of ground water by evapotranspiration of water rising from the water table by capillarity. ‘Potential capillary water loss’ is defined as a measure of the ability of the capillary interstices of a soil to raise water from the water table to the ground surface. Published equations describing soil-moisture movement and published graphs relating capillary conductivity and capillary potential are used to derive expressions of the relation between ‘potential capillary water loss’ and depth to the water table in a given soil. On the basis of these theoretical relationships, graphs are drawn that show how the depth to the water table affects the ability of a particular soil to raise water to the ground surface under given conditions. The application of these methods is discussed in relation to the estimation of ground-water losses by capillary rise, the determination of potential evapotranspiration, and the analysis of soil-tank data. Their essential agreement with empirical profiles of capillary potential obtained in soil tanks demonstrates their usefulness.
F response latency determination

F response latencies were analyzed. Data were obtained from normal subject as well as in sequential studies recorded from the author. Based on series of 10 F responses, mean in comparision to minimal latency values are more reproducible and provide a statistically consistent measure of F wave conduction. The data also indicate an inherent variability in F wave latencies between groups of 10 responses. The results are consistent with F waves in normal subjects discharging from subpopulations of a motoneuron pool.
The epidemic of obesity.

As the obesity epidemic spreads, concern about the significant health and economic consequences has also grown. Obesity has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases, almost 300,000 deaths each year, and $117 billion in direct and indirect annual costs in the United States alone. In this article we review the recent trends in overweight and obesity, summarize the lifestyle factors that influence the increasing prevalence of obesity, and discuss the health and economic impact of the obesity epidemic.
Toward optimal disk layout of genome scale suffix trees

Suffix trees provide for efficient indexing of numerous sequence processing problems in biological databases. We address the pivotal issue of improving the search efficiency of disk-resident suffix trees by improving the storage layout from a statistical learning viewpoint. In particular, we make the following contributions: we (a) introduce the Q-Optimal Disk Layout(Q-OptDL) problem in the context of suffix trees and prove it to be NP-Hard, and (b) propose an algorithm for improving the layout of suffix trees that is guaranteed to perform asymptotically no worse than twice the optimal disk layout.
Genetic Disorders and the Ethical Status of Germ-Line Gene Therapy

Recombinant DNA technology will soon allow physicians an opportunity to carry out both somatic cell- and germ-line gene therapy. While somatic cell gene therapy raises no new ethical problems, gene therapy of gametes, fertilized eggs or early embryos does raise several novel concerns. The first issue discussed here relates to making a distinction between negative and positive eugenics; the second issue deals with the evolutionary consequences of lost genetic diversity. In distinguishing between positive and negative eugenics, the concept of malady is applied as a definitional criterion for identifying genetic disorders that could qualify for germ-line therapy. Because gene replacement techniques are currently unavailable for humans, and because even if they were possible the number of people involved would be quite small, the loss of diversity concern seems moot. Finally, we discuss the issue of iatrogenic disorders associated with gene therapy and discuss several 'real world considerations.'
Adaptive group sequential design for phase II clinical trials: a Bayesian decision theoretic approach.

Bayesian decision theoretic approaches (BDTAs) have been widely studied in the literature as tools for designing and conducting phase II clinical trials. However, full Bayesian approaches that consider multiple endpoints are lacking. Since the monitoring of toxicity is a major goal of phase II trials, we propose an adaptive group sequential design using a BDTA, which characterizes efficacy and toxicity as correlated bivariate binary endpoints. We allow trade-off between the two endpoints. Interim evaluations are conducted group sequentially, but the number of interim looks and the size of each group are chosen adaptively based on current observations. We utilize a loss function consisting of two components: the loss associated with accruing, treating, and monitoring patients, and the loss associated with making incorrect decisions. The performance of our Bayesian modeling, and the operating characteristics of decision rules under a wide range of loss function parameters are evaluated using seven scenarios in a simulation study. Our method is illustrated in the context of a single-arm phase II trial of bevacizumab, gemcitabine, and oxaliplatin in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MEMMU: Memory expansion for MMU-less embedded systems

Random access memory (RAM) is tightly constrained in the least expensive, lowest-power embedded systems such as sensor network nodes and portable consumer electronics. The most widely used sensor network nodes have only 4 to 10KB of RAM and do not contain memory management units (MMUs). It is difficult to implement complex applications under such tight memory constraints. Nonetheless, price and power-consumption constraints make it unlikely that increases in RAM in these systems will keep pace with the increasing memory requirements of applications.We propose the use of automated compile-time and runtime techniques to increase the amount of usable memory in MMU-less embedded systems. The proposed techniques do not increase hardware cost, and require few or no changes to existing applications. We have developed runtime library routines and compiler transformations to control and optimize the automatic migration of application data between compressed and uncompressed memory regions, as well as a fast compression algorithm well suited to this application. These techniques were experimentally evaluated on Crossbow TelosB sensor network nodes running a number of data-collection and signal-processing applications. Our results indicate that available memory can be increased by up to 50p with less than 10p performance degradation for most benchmarks.
Reversible morphological transitions of polystyrene-b-polyisoprene micelles

Reversible morphological transitions of diblock copolymer micelles in dilute solutions were monitored by light scattering and atomic force microscopy for two different polymer samples near the calculated morphological boundaries. These transitions were induced solely by temperature changes. At 25 °C, a sample of polystyrene-b-polyisoprene diblock micelles with a polystyrene block of 20.6 kDa and a polyisoprene block of 6 kDa was observed to form cylindrical micelles in heptane, a selective solvent for polyisoprene. Upon heating to 35 °C, the sample adopted a spherical micelle morphology. When the sample was cooled back to 25 °C, cylindrical micelles were once again observed. In addition, a reversible transition from vesicles to cylindrical micelles, upon heating from 25 to 40 °C, was observed for a second diblock sample with the same polystyrene block (20.6 kDa) and a shorter polyisoprene block of 4.3 kDa. The change in morphology upon heating was found to be much faster then the reverse process upon cooling.
Bacteriocin production augments niche competition by enterococci in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract

Enterococcus faecalis is both a common commensal of the human gastrointestinal tract and a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. Systemic infections with multidrug-resistant enterococci occur subsequent to gastrointestinal colonization. Preventing colonization by multidrug-resistant E. faecalis could therefore be a valuable approach towards limiting infection. However, little is known about the mechanisms E. faecalis uses to colonize and compete for stable gastrointestinal niches. Pheromone-responsive conjugative plasmids encoding bacteriocins are common among enterococcal strains and could modulate niche competition among enterococci or between enterococci and the intestinal microbiota. We developed a model of colonization of the mouse gut with E. faecalis, without disrupting the microbiota, to evaluate the role of the conjugative plasmid pPD1 expressing bacteriocin 21 (ref. 4) in enterococcal colonization. Here we show that E. faecalis harbouring pPD1 replaces indigenous enterococci and outcompetes E. faecalis lacking pPD1. Furthermore, in the intestine, pPD1 is transferred to other E. faecalis strains by conjugation, enhancing their survival. Colonization with an E. faecalis strain carrying a conjugation-defective pPD1 mutant subsequently resulted in clearance of vancomycin-resistant enterococci, without plasmid transfer. Therefore, bacteriocin expression by commensal bacteria can influence niche competition in the gastrointestinal tract, and bacteriocins, delivered by commensals that occupy a precise intestinal bacterial niche, may be an effective therapeutic approach to specifically eliminate intestinal colonization by multidrug-resistant bacteria, without profound disruption of the indigenous microbiota.
Oxidation of Polyisoprene Popcorn Polymer. II. Gravimetric Analysis

Abstract Water, carbon dioxide, and condensable condensate produced during the oxidation of polyisoprene popcorn polymer were determined gravimetrically. For pure polyisoprene popcorn polymer from which 4.6% soluble polymer and volatiles were removed, the rates of water and carbon dioxide production during the early stages of the autoxidation were linear and amounted to approximately 2 moles of water and 0.2 moles of carbon dioxide for every 10 moles of oxygen reacted. The generally accepted scheme for polyisoprene oxidation must be modified to account for the water production. Two possible routes for its synthesis are: ROOH + ROOH → RO· + ROO· + H2O ROOH → RO· + ·OH HO· + R → R· + H2O
Seasonal Distribution of Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Host Strains in Agricultural and Turf Grass Habitats

Male fall armyworm moths( Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith)) were captured in pheromone traps over a 16- to 24-mo period in selected sites in southern Florida. Molecular markers were used to determine whether individuals were of one of two host strains (historically designated "rice-strain" and "corn-strain"). Trapsplaced in agricultural areass howed a population peak in the spring (MarchÐMay) and fall (OctoberÐDecember), with a prolonged decline in numbers in summer (JulyÐOctober) and a smaller reduction in mid-winter (January). The host strain distribution during these periods varied signiÞcantly, suggesting strain-speciÞc and seasonal population patterns. Both strains were captured in substantial numbers during the spring peak, but surprisingly, only the rice-strain showed an increase in capture rates during the fall, despite the presence of sweet corn throughout this period. Trap captures in a sod (turfgrass) farm were composed almost entirely of the rice-strain and showed a bimodal seasonal distribution similar to that seen in the agricultural areas, with peaks in the spring and fall. These results represent the Þrst indication that the two host strains might have substantially different population dynamics in the overwintering agricultural areas of Florida and suggest that the rice-strain is the predominant fall armyworm pest during the fall and winter growing periods. It further indicates that the two strains can display a markedly different response to seasonal environmental cues. The implications of these Þndings on our understanding of fall armyworm migration are discussed.
Inferior Vena Cava Stent-Graft Sepsis

We present the case of a patient with a complicated medical history, which included stent grafting as a life-saving measure for an iatrogenic inferior vena cava (IVC) injury. For persistent sepsis secondary to stent-graft infection, the patient underwent extraction of 2 IVC stent grafts, primary repair of a duodenal-caval fistula, and repair of the IVC with an allograft vein patch. Discussion of this case sought to shed light on the intricacies involved in medical decision making in an era of advanced medical technology.
Modeling of Coherent and Incoherent Rayleigh Crosstalk in Conventional Optical Links

Performance of Rayleigh-dominated transmission is modeled using approximated and exact noise power spectral densities (PSDs) and results are compared to experimental measurements for nonreturn-to-zero, return-to-zero, and duobinary modulation formats. Both models accurately predict penalties associated with coherent Rayleigh crosstalk for all three formats with typical accuracy within 1 dB. For incoherent Rayleigh crosstalk, the numerical model using exact PSDs improves prediction accuracy by as much as 4 dB over the analytic model. The large, previously unexplained disagreement is attributed to the set of analytic approximations. Our results indicate that a rigorous description of the channel spectrum should be used when calculating impairments caused by incoherent Rayleigh crosstalk, particularly in very dense wavelength-division-multiplexed systems requiring a narrow optical filtering.
Review: antidepressants are effective for the treatment of major depressive disorder in individuals aged 55 years or older.

Tedeschini E, Levkovitz Y, Iovieno N, et al. Efficacy of antidepressants for late-life depression: a meta-analysis and meta-regression of placebo-controlled randomized trials.J Clin Psychiatry 2011; 72: 1660–8.
A Difficult Abdomen: Clinical Course-Based Management

For the practicing general surgeon, the management of complicated abdominal wall defects remains a challenging problem. Complex or recurrent abdominal wall defects might be the result of a failed prior attempt or of multiple attempts at surgical closure, severe trauma, necrotizing or other significant infections, radiation necrosis, or tumor resection. Decisions regarding technique for abdominal wall reconstruction are based on an assessment of the defect by location, the layers involved, and the etiology. Reconstructive options include direct tissue closure, prosthetic mesh, local advancement, regional flaps, distant flaps, or combined flaps and mesh. Previous studies have examined the results of specific techniques for using mesh or flaps, but not in a population of patients with complex abdominal hernias. Repairing such defects requires knowledge of the anatomy, surgical expertise, and awareness of the different techniques and supportive materials that will help close a complex abdominal wall defect and reconstitute an effective abdominal wall.
Genius and Greatness

The terms genius and greatness are often used interchangeably in reference to historic achievers, but what is the actual correspondence between these two concepts? The answer begins by examining the two alternative definitions of genius, namely, historiometric genius and psychometric genius. Next, the analysis turns to greatness, focusing on its three main manifestations: exceptional creativity, outstanding leadership, and prodigious performance. Kant's definition of genius is used to indicate the circumstances in which genius and greatness converge into a single phenomenon. However, it is also shown when both historiometric and psychometric genius diverge from true greatness.
Bounded relative orbits about asteroids for formation flying and applications

Abstract The relative motion about 4179 Toutatis is studied in order to investigate the feasibility of formation flying as an alternative concept for future asteroid exploration missions. In particular, the existence of quasi-frozen orbits about slowly rotating bodies allows us to compute families of periodic orbits in the body-fixed frame of the asteroid. Since these periodic orbits are of the center×center type, quasi-periodic invariant tori are calculated via fully numerical procedures and used to initialize spacecraft formations about the central body. Numerical simulations show that the resulting in-plane and out-of-plane relative trajectories remain bounded over long time spans; i.e., more than 30 days.
The Modular Aerial Sensing System

AbstractSatellite remote sensing has enabled remarkable progress in the ocean, earth, atmospheric, and environmental sciences through its ability to provide global coverage with ever-increasing spatial resolution. While exceptions exist for geostationary ocean color satellites, the temporal coverage of low-Earth-orbiting satellites is not optimal for oceanographic processes that evolve over time scales of hours to days. In hydrology, time scales can range from hours for flash floods, to days for snowfall, to months for the snowmelt into river systems. On even smaller scales, remote sensing of the built environment requires a building-resolving resolution of a few meters or better. For this broad range of phenomena, satellite data need to be supplemented with higher-resolution airborne data that are not tied to the strict schedule of a satellite orbit. To address some of these needs, a novel, portable, high-resolution airborne topographic lidar with video, infrared, and hyperspectral imaging systems was in...
Primary myeloma interaction and growth in coculture with healthy donor hematopoietic bone marrow.

Background Human primary myeloma (MM) cells do not survive in culture; current in vitro and in vivo systems for growing these cells are limited to coculture with a specific bone marrow (BM) cell type or growth in an immunodeficient animal model. The purpose of the study is to establish an interactive healthy donor whole BM based culture system capable of maintaining prolonged survival of primary MM cells. This normal BM (NBM) coculture system is different from using autologous BM that is already affected by the disease.
Ch. R-5 Mechanisms of Oil Displacement by Microorganisms

Abstract Mechanisms of oil displacement at the oil-brine-sand interfaces by bacteria were investigated by microscopic observations and capillary pressure changes using unconsolidated, thin, reservoir flow cells. Three genera of bacteria, Bacillus, Pseudomonas , and Clostridium , were injected into water-wet and oil-wet cells of unconsolidated sand, saturated with brine and crude oil. The flow cells were placed under a microscope for visual and photographic observations. The flow cells were connected to a manometer to examine the complete capillary pressure hysteresis loop before and after introduction of bacteria. The thin reservoir flow cells were first saturated with brine, and then displaced to irreducible water saturation with crude oil. Oil and brine displacements were then made to determine the complete capillary pressure relationship. Next, the bacteria and nutrients were introduced and incubated in the flow cell for 24–48 hours. Microscopic observations were recorded photographically. After incubation, oil and brine displacements were again made to determine the capillary pressure hysteresis loop. During incubation, some emulsification of the oil at the oil-brine-sand interfaces were observed. Biogenic gas production caused pressure increases in the flow cells. Final measurements of the capillary pressure hysteresis loop showed decreases in residual oil saturation of 9–24% and changes in wettability to more water-wet systems. This work shows the potential of microbial enhanced oil recovery, and investigates some of the mechanisms of oil displacement by three genera of bacteria. These considerations are important with regard to the technical feasibility of microbial enhancement of oil recovery.
"What's in a name?": A brief foray into the history of insanity in England and the United States.

It is a pleasure to celebrate the inauguration of the Sadoff Library of Forensic Psychiatry and Legal Medicine. As a historian who has spent many hours in the College of Physicians of Philadelphia library making extensive use of its rich collections in the history of medicine, public health, and
Group Influence and Brand Choice Congruence

Purchase decisions are made in and influenced by their social environment [1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8]. In our recent study [9], for example, it was found that group influence affects brand choice differently for different products and that brand choice congruence within groups varies significantly among test products. For products high in social involvement (e.g., cigarettes, beer), the power of group cohesiveness in predicting brand choice was greater than for products low in social involvement (e.g., deodorant). Thus, the study indicated that differences in the explanatory power of group cohesiveness are rooted symbolically in the nature of the product and the interpersonal situation in which it is used. These findings, with respect to the effect of symbolic product involvement in interpersonal interaction, suggest that investigations of group influence on brand choice should focus on both the symbolic nature of the product and group structure and decision processes. This exploratory study sought an explanation of group influence through a consideration of both. Correlates of group influence were examined in seven product contexts.
The Effects of Caffeine on Performance and Stress in an Abbreviated Vigilance Task

Recently, Temple, Warm, Dember, LaGrange, & Matthews (1996) described a 12-min computerized vigilance task which duplicates the vigilance decrement and the workload (NASA-TLX) and stress characteristics (Dundee Stress State Questionnaire) of vigils lasting 30 min or more. The abbreviated task may be useful in situations wherein long-duration tasks are precluded, e.g., performance assessment batteries, neuropsychological testing, and brain imaging. The present experiment extended this line of investigation by demonstrating that performance on the abbreviated task is enhanced (signal detections were increased and the decrement attenuated) by caffeine — a drug which benefits long-duration vigilance tasks. The enhancement effect associated with caffeine was limited to performance, however, suggesting that the drug influences factors which control signal detection but not those which control task-induced stress.
Effect of Process Parameters on the Surface Roughness of Overhanging Structures in Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing

Abstract The development of additive manufacturing has allowed for increased flexibility and complexity of designs over formative and subtractive manufacturing. However, a limiting factor of additive manufacturing is the as-built surface quality as well as the difficulty in maintaining an acceptable surface roughness in overhanging structures. In order to optimize surface roughness in these structures, samples covering a range of overhang angles and process parameters were built in a laser powder bed fusion system. Analysis of the surface roughness was then performed to determine a relationship between process parameters, angle of the overhanging surface, and surface roughness. It was found that the analysis of surface roughness metrics, such as Rpc , Rsm , and Rc , can indicate a shift between surfaces dominated by partially melted powder particles and surfaces dominated by material from the re-solidified melt track.
Portopulmonary Hypertension and Hepatopulmonary Syndrome

Liver disease and portal hypertension may have a deleterious effect on the pulmonary microcirculation. Vasoactive molecules damage the vascular endothelium, resulting in two clinically distinct pathologies: (1) vasodilatation and shunt formation leading to hypoxia and hepatopulmonary syndrome and (2) vasoconstriction and increased vascular resistance, which cause pulmonary hypertension. Both entities are progressive diseases and, if untreated, will lead to early mortality. Hepatopulmonary syndrome causes progressive hypoxia but may be reversed by liver transplantation. The more severe the hypoxia at the time of liver transplantation, however, the higher the risk of the procedure and the longer the recovery time. Portopulmonary hypertension is also a progressive disease with increasing resistance to flow in the pulmonary microcirculation with medial hyperplasia and eventual fibrosis. The increasing rise in pulmonary vascular resistance causes right heart dysfunction and eventual failure. Portopulmonary hypertension requires intensive medical therapy to control the hypertension and to allow the right ventricle to adjust to the extra work. Liver transplantation may reverse portopulmonary hypertension, but it may progress after transplantation or remain static. Continued medical therapy is often required after transplantation. The risk for undergoing liver transplantation increases as the pulmonary vascular resistance increases and the right ventricular function is compromised. If there is significant pulmonary fibrosis, then a double-lung transplant also may be indicated.
No Major Constraints

The mathematical content of this chapter is well known, and can be found in any reasonable book on multivariable calculus, e.g. Fleming (1977). Nevertheless, the chapter serves two purposes. First, it presents a wish list, an ideal for which we address the smooth optimization problem comprehensively. We pose certain questions more easily asked now than later. Second, the chapter samples some of the applications of smooth optimization theory to economic analysis.
Parse that data! Practical tips for preparing your raw data for analysis

Abstract Data analysis is a central task in the workflow of data scientists, researchers, software engineers, business analysts, and just about every professional who needs to work with data. The first mundane step in data analysis is preparing raw data , which can originate from a diverse variety of sources such as: • logs from a web server, • outputs from a scientific instrument, • exported data from an online survey, • data dump from a 1970s government database, or • reports prepared by external consultants.
Microfluidic Approaches for Biomechanics of Red Blood Cells

Studies of cellular mechanics have led to important advances in our understanding of the physiological processes of human diseases as well as provided adjunct biophysical markers for disease diagnosis and therapeutic evaluations. Microfluidic assays allow novel manipulations of single cells quickly and effectively under a physiologically appropriate environment. This paper briefly summarizes our two recently developed microfluidic techniques for probing mechanics of diseased human red blood cells (RBCs). In particular, the in vitro microvascular model allowed characterization of blood micro-rheology in terms of cellular velocity and capillary obstructions under transient hypoxic conditions. These analyses suggested novel mechanics indicators of disease severity and drug treatment in sickle cell anemia. The second microfluidic technique allowed rapid characterization of electrically coupled mechanics of cell membranes from a dielectrophoresis-induced uniaxial stretching of single RBCs. The obtained force-deformation curves agreed well with the independent studies reported in literature for both healthy RBCs and those influenced by Plasmodium falciparum. These findings clearly demonstrated the capabilities of microfluidics in quantitative, mechanical measurements of RBCs and can be potentially applied to other cell types.
Abstract C75: Community Factors, Socio-Demographics, and Colorectal Cancer Screening among Community-Dwelling Adults in Southeastern Virginia

National colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates have increased in recent decades, however, those living in medically underserved areas may not have experienced comparable screening increases. We evaluated the association of community characteristics including designation as a health professional shortage area [yes vs. no] and percent living in a rural area with CRC screening [up-to-date vs. not up-to-date] among a community-dwelling sample of adults age eligible for screening (50-75 years). Data were from a cross-sectional, mailed survey sent to a random sample of 2,527 residents of southeastern Virginia in spring 2013. N=1567 eligible respondents returned the survey (62% response rate). Respondents were 28% African American and an average age of 62 years (sd=6.9). Seventy-one percent reported being up-to-date with CRC screening. A logistic regression was run to predict the probability of being up-to-date with CRC screening given the community factors, while controlling for race, education, and insurance status. Despite 68% living in a rural area and 40% living in a designated health professional shortage area, these variables were not statistically significant predictors of screening status in adjusted models. However, all other variables included in the model were statistically significant (p Citation Format: Carrie Miller, Jennifer Elston Lafata. Community Factors, Socio-Demographics, and Colorectal Cancer Screening among Community-Dwelling Adults in Southeastern Virginia. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr C75.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment.

Importance Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder associated with significant impairment and a lifetime prevalence of 1% to 3%; however, it is often missed in primary care settings and frequently undertreated. Objective To review the most current data regarding screening, diagnosis, and treatment options for OCD. Evidence Review We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycINFO to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analyses, and systematic reviews that addressed screening and diagnostic and treatment approaches for OCD among adults (≥18 years), published between January 1, 2011, and September 30, 2016. We subsequently searched references of retrieved articles for additional reports. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews were prioritized; case series and reports were included only for interventions for which RCTs were not available. Findings Among 792 unique articles identified, 27 (11 RCTs, 11 systematic reviews or meta-analyses, and 5 reviews/guidelines) were selected for this review. The diagnosis of OCD was revised for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, which addresses OCD separately from anxiety disorders and contains specifiers to delineate the presence of tics and degree of insight. Treatment advances include increasing evidence to support the efficacy of online-based dissemination of cognitive behavioral therapies, which have demonstrated clinically significant decreases in OCD symptoms when conducted by trained therapists. Current evidence continues to support the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as first-line pharmacologic interventions for OCD; however, more recent data support the adjunctive use of neuroleptics, deep-brain stimulation, and neurosurgical ablation for treatment-resistant OCD. Preliminary data suggest safety of other agents (eg, riluzole, ketamine, memantine, N-acetylcysteine, lamotrigine, celecoxib, ondansetron) either in combination with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or as monotherapy in the treatment of OCD, although their efficacy has not yet been established. Conclusions and Relevance The dissemination of computer-based cognitive behavioral therapy and improved evidence supporting it represent a major advancement in treatment of OCD. Although cognitive behavioral therapy with or without selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors remains a preferred initial treatment strategy, increasing evidence that supports the safety and efficacy of neuroleptics and neuromodulatory approaches in treatment-resistant cases provides alternatives for patients whose condition does not respond to first-line interventions.
In-Vitro and in-Vivo Synergistic Effect of Melphalan and Dual DNA Repair Inhibition in Multiple Myeloma

Abstract High dose melphalan is commonly used in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Resistance to melphalan has been linked to the ability to repair DNA damage. To test whether DNA repair inhibitors overcome resistance to melphalan and and also have a direct anti-MM effect, we tested MM cell lines RPMI8226 and U266 in-vitro and in-vivo, using a NOD/SCID/ gamma null (NSG) xenograft model. RPMI8226 and U266 cells were initially treated in-vitro with the PARP inhibitor ABT-888. Using a proliferative assay, myeloma cells appeared sensitive to ABT-888 with low GI50 values (8.7μM for RPMI8226 cells, 49μM for U266 cells) and increased γH2AX foci, which persisted at 24 hours after treatment. This was confirmed in methycellulose colony assay where ABT-888 treatment reduced RPMI8226 colonies by 35% (p=0.002). Next we showed synergistic cytotoxicity between ABT-888 and melphalan. In both RPMI8226 and U266 cells strong synergy was displayed with a combination index (CI) less than 1 in proliferative assays (CI 0.5 and 0.3 at 50% proliferation respectively). Combination ABT-888 and melphalan treated cells underwent accelerated senescence compared to cells treated by melphalan alone (27% versus 51% βGal+ staining at 24 hours, p=0.02). This was confirmed by upregulation of senescence related genes p16 (1.6 fold increase) and p21 (1.5 fold increase). We did not find significant difference in apoptosis by Annexin V/ PI staining. Given that increased non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) activity has been shown to lead to resistance to melphalan, we tested whether an inhibitor of NHEJ could be synergistic with PARP inhibition and melphalan. Treatment with the DNA-PK inhibitor NU7026 at 10μM in addition to ABT-888 at 4μM resulted in 46% reduction in proliferation in RPMI8226 cells and 52% in U266 cells. When used in combination with melphalan chemotherapy, the dual DNA repair inhibitor therapy showed marked synergy in RPMI8226 cells with a combination index of 0.39. Finally we tested the ability of the combination of ABT-888 and melphalan to treat myeloma in-vivo. NSG mice were injected via tail vein with 5x106 RPMI8226 cells. Control (untreated) mice subsequently developed myeloma infiltrating the marrow, spleen and axial skeleton, with hind limb paralysis occurring at a median of 42 days. Treated mice received intraperitoneal injections of ABT-888 (3 times a week), or melphalan (weekly) or a combination of both agents starting on day 28 post-injection of MM cells for a total of 3 weeks. Using ABT-888, melphalan and a combination of both agents, median survival of mice was progressively prolonged (44 vs. 67 vs. 107 days, respectively) (p=0.02). Here we show that PARP and DNA-PK inhibition synergizes with melphalan in myeloma cells lines, providing a rationale for the addition of these agents to conditioning chemotherapy. In addition, we also show a direct anti-myeloma activity of these agents without the use of alkylator chemotherapy. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Challenges to delivery and effectiveness of adjuvant radiation therapy in elderly patients with node-positive vulvar cancer.

Abstract Objective To examine adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) use, patterns of RT delivery, and clinical outcomes in older patients with node-positive vulvar cancer. Methods Using SEER-Medicare linked data, we identified 444 patients (age≥66years) with node-positive squamous cell vulvar carcinoma, without distant metastases, and treated with primary surgery between 1991 and 2009. We used claims to examine RT use and the following delivery metrics: 1) completion of ≥20 fractions, 2) treatment duration Results Median age was 78years (interquartile range [IQR]=74–83). Median follow-up was 17months (IQR=9–40). Three hundred six patients (69%) received RT. Three delivery metrics were associated with improved outcomes: completion of ≥20 fractions, treatment duration P =0.001; CSS HR=0.58, 95% CI=0.40–0.85, P =0.005). Patients not achieving RT metrics demonstrated marginal improvements in disease outcomes over surgery alone (OS HR=0.73, 95% CI=0.55–0.99, P =0.04; CSS HR=0.76, 95% CI=0.52–1.11, P =0.16). Notably, only 51% of patients who received RT achieved all benchmarks. Conclusions In this cohort of older women with node-positive vulvar cancer, achieving metrics for RT delivery was an important factor for optimizing disease benefits from treatment.
Hybrid spiking-based multi-layered self-learning neuromorphic system based on memristor crossbar arrays

Neuromorphic computing systems are under heavy investigation as a potential substitute for the traditional von Neumann systems in high-speed low-power applications. Recently, memristor crossbar arrays were utilized in realizing spiking-based neuromorphic system, where memristor conductance values correspond to synaptic weights. Most of these systems are composed of a single crossbar layer, in which system training is done off-chip, using computer based simulations, then the trained weights are pre-programmed to the memristor crossbar array. However, multi-layered, on-chip trained systems become crucial for handling massive amount of data and to overcome the resistance shift that occurs to memristors overtime. In this work, we propose a spiking-based multi-layered neuromorphic computing system capable of online training. The system performance is evaluated using three different datasets showing improved results versus previous work. In addition, studying the system accuracy versus memristor resistance shift shows promising results.
Testing for marginal linear effects in quantile regression

This paper develops a new marginal testing procedure to detect the presence of significant predictors associated with the conditional quantiles of a scalar response. The idea is to fit the marginal quantile regression on each predictor one at a time, and then base the test on the t-statistics associated with the most predictive predictors. A resampling method is devised to calibrate this test statistic, which has non-regular limiting behavior due to the selection of the most predictive variables. Asymptotic validity of the procedure is established in a general quantile regression setting in which the marginal quantile regression models can be misspecified. Even though a fixed dimension is assumed to derive the asymptotic results, the proposed test is applicable and computationally feasible for large-dimensional predictors. The method is more flexible than existing marginal screening test methods based on mean regression, and has the added advantage of being robust against outliers in the response. The approach is illustrated using an application to an HIV drug resistance dataset.
Identification of Structural Changes on a Movable Bridge

Movable bridges are unique structures in terms of their design, operation and maintenance. Florida has the highest number of bascule type movable bridges in the United States. According to Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) engineers, movable bridges maintenance cost is considerably higher than that of a fixed bridge because of the problems encountered due to their proximity to waterways and special operational demands. Therefore, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) can be used to track and evaluate incidents, anomalies, damage and deterioration in movable bridges. In this study, two most critical structural problems of a pilot movable bridge are monitored and evaluated by using a correlation based data analysis method. It is shown that the proposed methodology can be used to monitor the structural condition of the movable bridges effectively using traffic induced strain data.
Ring, Morgan So High a Blood: The Story of Margaret Douglas, the Tudor that Time Forgot New York: Bloomsbury USA 368 pp., $35.00, ISBN 978–2632866059 Publication Date: April 2017

Morgan Ring's work, So High a Blood: The Story of Margaret Douglas, the Tudor that Time Forgot, contains dramatic storytelling that attempts to cross over the boundaries of traditional academic wri...
A Prospective Look at the Link Between Frailty and Shoulder Function in Asymptomatic Elderly Individuals.

Introduction The relationship between shoulder function and overall function in the elderly patients is not well understood. It is hypothesized that there is an increased tolerance of shoulder dysfunction in this population. The purpose of our study was to investigate and better understand the relationship between shoulder function, general musculoskeletal health, and frailty in the elderly patients. Materials and Methods The dominant shoulders of 75 individuals aged ≥65 years without known dominant shoulder pathology were assessed. Demographic data were collected. Functional evaluation was conducted by administering the Constant, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), and the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) questionnaires. Shoulder range of motion and strength were measured and the Fried frailty phenotype was calculated. Mean age of the patients was 73.6 years. Sixty-seven percent of the patients were female. Mean body mass index was 31.2 kg/m2. Results Twenty-eight percent of the patients reported the use of an assistive device for ambulation. As frailty increased among the 3 Fried frailty phenotypes (robust, prefrail, and frail), patients had statistically significant lower mean Constant scores (P < .0001), ASES scores (P < .0001), higher overall SMFA scores (P < .0001), and an increase in the use of assistive device for ambulation. Individuals who reported the use of an assistive device for ambulation had lower Constant and ASES scores (P < .0001 and P = .045, respectively) and higher overall SMFA scores (P < .0001). There was no evidence of correlation between body mass index and any of the other measures. Conclusions Frailty and the use of an assistive device for ambulation correlate with poor shoulder function in patients who do not register shoulder complaints and have no known shoulder pathology. Level of Evidence Level IV, Prognostic.
Uniqueness of the Bistable Traveling Wave for Mutualist Species

For a system of reaction–diffusion equations that models the interaction of n mutualist species, the existence of the bistable traveling wave solution has been proved where the nonlinear reaction terms possess a certain type of monotonicity. However the problem of whether there can be two distinct traveling waves remains open. In this paper we use a homotopy approach incorporated with the Liapunov–Schmidt method to show that the bistable traveling wave solution is unique. Our method developed in this paper can also be applied to study the existence and uniqueness of traveling wave solutions for some competition models.
Discussion of “Differential Market Reactions to Revenue and Expense Surprises”

Ertimur et al. (2003, this issue) study the difference in the market;s reaction to revenue versus expense surprises. The discussion first reviews their main findings and assesses the paper's potential contributions. Alternative explanations are then considered for the base-line result that the market reacts more to revenue surprises than to expense surprises. The hypothesized reasons for revenue surprises to matter more are critiqued, as are the tests of the hypotheses, and potential extensions that would link these test to financial statement analysis are suggested. Finally, two aspects of the assessment of how the reaction to revenue and expense surprises differs across value and growth firms are discussed: The definitions of value and growth firms and the potential benefits of assessing why analyst revenue forecasts are (not) observed for many value (growth) firms.
Optimal ADI - Parameters

It is generally agreed that the alternating-direction implicit iterative methods for the solution of the finite-difference approximations to partial differential equations, in particular those of elliptic type, are the best, even with a geometric distribution of the parameters. It can be established rigorously in the case of the “model problem”, that the approximate attenuations per cycle of the component of the dominant eigenvector are as follows
Predicting Generated Story Quality with Quantitative Measures

The ability of digital storytelling agents to evaluate their output is important for ensuring high-quality human-agent interactions. However, evaluating stories remains an open problem. Past evaluative techniques are either model-specific--- which measure features of the model but do not evaluate the generated stories ---or require direct human feedback, which is resource-intensive. We introduce a number of story features that correlate with human judgments of stories and present algorithms that can measure these features. We find this approach results in a proxy for human-subject studies for researchers evaluating story generation systems.
Beyond Pharmacotherapy: Lifestyle Counseling Guidance Needed for Hypertension

The 2017 hypertension guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association provide little guidance regarding specific lifestyle and behavioral approaches to prevent and...
Continuous-energy Monte Carlo neutron transport on GPUs in the Shift code

Abstract A continuous-energy Monte Carlo neutron transport solver executing on GPUs has been developed within the Shift code. Several algorithmic approaches are considered, including both history-based and event-based implementations. Unlike in previous work involving multigroup Monte Carlo transport, it is demonstrated that event-based algorithms significantly outperform a history-based approach for continuous-energy transport as a result of increased device occupancy and reduced thread divergence. Numerical results are presented for detailed full-core models of a small modular reactor (SMR), including a model containing depleted fuel materials. These results demonstrate the substantial gains in performance that are possible with the latest-generation of GPUs. On the depleted SMR core configuration, an NVIDIA P100 GPU with 56 streaming multiprocessors provides performance equivalent to 90 CPU cores, and the latest V100 GPU with 80 multiprocessors offers the performance of more than 150 CPU cores.