cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract IA08: Pharmacogenomics of anticancer agent toxicity in different populations

With over 28 million cancer survivors worldwide, there is a heightened awareness of the long-term toxicities resulting from treatment and their impact on quality of life in cancer survivors. Understanding genomic factors contributing to cancer related symptom burden would be highly beneficial to cancer patients. Preclinical studies using HapMap lymphoblastoid cell lines have indicated inter-individual and inter-population differences in cellular sensitivity to chemotherapeutics (as a representation of toxicity). The differences can be explained, to some extent, by variation in: 1) genetics; 2) gene expression and; 3) modified cytosines. Although this preclinical model provides a means to elucidate the genetic, transcriptomic and molecular underpinnings of population differences in sensitivity to chemotherapeutics, lymphoblastoid cell lines do not represent tissues of toxicity (peripheral neurons, kidney, cardiac cells, hair cells). To this end, clinical genome wide association studies (GWAS) of chemotherapeutic toxicity have been conducted. Unfortunately, most patients in these studies have been white subjects of European descent with an under representation of minorities. Since it is known that allele frequencies of polymorphisms within important pharmacogenes differ among different populations, there is a need to perform GWAS in under represented populations. Unfortunately, GWAS in oncology continue to widen the disparity gap because of the lack of knowledge of genetic variants that put minority populations at risk for chemotherapeutic toxicity. Citation Format: M. Eileen Dolan. Pharmacogenomics of anticancer agent toxicity in different populations. [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 IA08.
Exploring the Link Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and inflammation-Related Medical Conditions: An Epidemiological Examination

There have been few epidemiological studies exploring the link between PTSD and inflammation using population-based samples. This study examined the relation between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and inflammation-related medical conditions using data from the 2013–2014 New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Using a representative sample of 1,527 residents in New York City, the association between PTSD and 17 inflammation-related medical conditions were examined. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted, adjusting for demographic characteristics and lifetime depression. PTSD was strongly associated with increased odds for hypercholesterolemia, insulin resistance, angina, heart attack, and emphysema with the greatest odds observed for heart attack (OR= 3.94) and emphysema (OR= 4.06). But PTSD was also associated with lower odds for hypertension, type 1 diabetes, asthma, coronary heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and a failing kidney with the lowest odds observed for type 1 diabetes (OR= 0.43). These findings suggest a complex link between PTSD and inflammation-related medical conditions.
Statistical Power for Postlicensure Medical Product Safety Data Mining

Objective: To perform sample size calculations when using tree-based scan statistics in longitudinal observational databases. Methods: Tree-based scan statistics enable data mining on epidemiologic datasets where thousands of disease outcomes are organized into hierarchical tree structures with automatic adjustment for multiple testing. We show how to evaluate the statistical power of the unconditional and conditional Poisson versions. The null hypothesis is that there is no increase in the risk for any of the outcomes. The alternative is that one or more outcomes have an excess risk. We varied the excess risk, total sample size, frequency of the underlying event rate, and the level of across-the-board health care utilization. We also quantified the reduction in statistical power resulting from specifying a risk window that was too long or too short. Results: For 500,000 exposed people, we had at least 98 percent power to detect an excess risk of 1 event per 10,000 exposed for all outcomes. In the presence of potential temporal confounding due to across-the-board elevations of health care utilization in the risk window, the conditional tree-based scan statistic controlled type I error well, while the unconditional version did not. Discussion: Data mining analyses using tree-based scan statistics expand the pharmacovigilance toolbox, ensuring adequate monitoring of thousands of outcomes of interest while controlling for multiple hypothesis testing. These power evaluations enable investigators to design and optimize implementation of retrospective data mining analyses.
The Primary Results of the Treating Adult Smokers at Risk for Weight Gain with Interactive Technology (TARGIT) Study.

Objective To evaluate whether a behavioral weight management program combined with a smoking cessation program delivered via interactive technology could prevent postcessation weight gain. Methods Three hundred and thirty young adult smokers, age 18 to 35 years, were randomized to a smoking cessation program alone (comparison group), which included behavioral counseling and nicotine replacement, or to a behavioral weight management program adapted from the Look AHEAD trial plus the same smoking cessation program (intervention group). Results The Treating Adult Smokers at Risk for Weight Gain with Interactive Technology study randomized 164 participants to the comparison group and 166 participants to the intervention group. On average, the participants gained 0.91 kg after 24 months in the trial (comparison group + 1.45 kg and intervention group + 0.32; P = 0.157). The only variable systematically affecting weight change over time was smoking abstinence, in which those who were abstinent, on average, gained 0.14 kg more per month compared with those who continued to smoke (P < 0.001). In exploratory analyses, the intervention participants who were abstinent at 6 months had numerically smaller weight gains compared with abstinent participants in the comparison group, but these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions Providing an intensive weight gain prevention program combined with a smoking cessation program via interactive technology was not associated with greater long-term weight gain prevention.
Exploring Characteristics of Children Presenting to Counseling for Grief and Loss

To date, researchers exploring childhood bereavement have largely relied on unstandardized assessment instruments and/or have independently evaluated specific constructs rather than factoring in the dimensionality of loss. The purpose of this study was to utilize psychometrically established instruments to examine the multivariate shared relationship between characteristics of bereaved children referred for counseling--their ages, genders, ethnicities, types of loss, and life stressors—and their behavioral manifestations as well as the relationship between these characteristics and levels of parent-child relational stress. Utilizing archival clinical files, we examined these characteristics from bereaved children (N = 98) whose parents sought counseling services from two university-based counseling clinics. Two canonical correlational analyses (CCA) were conducted to examine the following: (1) relationship between characteristics of bereaved children and their subsequent behavioral manifestations, (2) relationship between characteristics of bereaved children and levels of parent-child relational stress. Correlational findings from this study provided insight into bereaved children’s manifestations of loss and levels of parent-child relational stress as contingent upon these specific characteristics. Specifically, results indicated a strong relationship between age and bereaved children’s behavioral manifestations. This finding reinforced the importance for clinicians to understand developmental implications when working with bereaved children. Furthermore, caregivers who reported minimal overall external stressors also reported less parent-child relational interference. This finding further emphasizes the importance for caregivers to maintain utmost stability for bereaved children.
The Lp consistency of error density estimator in censored linear regression

This paper considers, under Lp-norm, the global property for the smooth estimator of error density function in linear regression with right censored data. For any 1 ⩽ p < ∞, we investigate the Lp-norm of the difference between the kernel density estimator and the true density function f(t). We obtain the convergence rate (in probability) for , where μ is a measure on the Borel sets of the real line.
Hitler’s Fremde Heere Ost: German military intelligence on the eastern front 1942–45

Seventy years after the total collapse of Hitler’s Third Reich historians are still sifting through its ashes and attempting to piece together the morbid tapestry of Germany’s sinister regime and i...
Malignant Transformation of Angiomyolipoma

Angiomyolipomas are well recognized but uncommon tumors that can involve the kidney. To our knowledge a well documented case of malignant change of angiomyolipoma has never been reported. We report a case of renal angiomyolipoma and leiomyosarcoma with a clearly identified transition of benign to malignant elements seen in the resected tissue.
The team approach to management of the polytrauma patient.

A highly coordinated team effort stabilizes and manages victims of polytrauma. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Effect of Testosterone on FGF2, MRF4, and Myostatin in Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism: Relevance to Muscle Growth.

CONTEXT Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)2 is an important stimulatory modulator of satellite cells in skeletal muscle. Satellite cells play a cardinal role in muscle growth and repair. OBJECTIVE We evaluated whether skeletal muscle expression of FGF2 and muscle growth and differentiation factors are reduced in patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) and whether testosterone replacement therapy results in their restoration. DESIGN This is a secondary analysis of a previously completed trial of testosterone replacement in men with type 2 diabetes and HH. SETTING Clinical Research Center at a university. PATIENTS Twenty-two men with HH and 20 eugonadal men were compared at baseline. INTERVENTIONS Twelve men with HH were treated with intramuscular injections of 250 mg testosterone every 2 weeks for 22 weeks, and 10 men received placebo injections. Quadriceps muscle biopsies and blood samples were obtained before and after testosterone therapy. OUTCOME MEASURES AND RESULTS The expression of FGF2 and FGF receptor (FGFR)2 in skeletal muscle of men with HH was significantly lower than that in eugonadal men by 57% and 39%, respectively (P < 0.05). After 22 weeks of testosterone, the expression of FGF2 increased, whereas that of myogenic regulatory factor (MRF)4 and myostatin decreased significantly. There was no change in expression of FGFR2, myogenin, or myogenic differentiation protein in the skeletal muscle. Plasma FGF2 and IGF-1 concentrations increased after testosterone therapy. CONCLUSIONS These data show that testosterone is a major modulator of FGF2, MRF4, and myostatin expression in skeletal muscle. These effects may contribute to the increase in muscle mass after testosterone therapy.
Physical Activity and the Development of Substance Use Disorders: Current Knowledge and Future Directions

Physical activity and exercise are positive health behaviors that have been shown to reduce the risk of physical and psychological diseases. There is a strong rationale that physical activity could be a protective factor against the development of substance use disorders (SUDs), which include some of the most common mental health conditions such as tobacco and alcohol use disorder. This review examined the epidemiological literature to describe the associations of physical activity and substance use across the lifespan. The findings indicated that physical activity is positively associated with current and future alcohol use but negatively associated with tobacco and other drug use, with the strongest support originating from adolescent and young adult samples. Considerably less data exist on physical activity and other drug use in later life. Limitations in previous studies, such as the indeterminate measurement of physical activity and absence of clinical SUD endpoints, should be addressed in future investigations to provide clarity regarding the strength and directions of these relationships among different substances and populations.
Cyclic Sieving for Plane Partitions and Symmetry

The cyclic sieving phenomenon of Reiner, Stanton, and White says that we can often count the fixed points of elements of a cyclic group acting on a combinatorial set by plugging roots of unity into a polynomial related to this set. One of the most impressive instances of the cyclic sieving phenomenon is a theorem of Rhoades asserting that the set of plane partitions in a rectangular box under the action of promotion exhibits cyclic sieving. In Rhoades's result the sieving polynomial is the size generating function for these plane partitions, which has a well-known product formula due to MacMahon. We extend Rhoades's result by also considering symmetries of plane partitions: specifically, complementation and transposition. The relevant polynomial here is the size generating function for symmetric plane partitions, whose product formula was conjectured by MacMahon and proved by Andrews and Macdonald. Finally, we explain how these symmetry results also apply to the rowmotion operator on plane partitions, which is closely related to promotion.
Influence of Water on Structure, Dynamics, and Electrostatics of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Ionic Liquids in Charged and Hydrophilic Confinement between Mica Surfaces.

Water is ubiquitous in the environment and is the origin for operational constraints in ionic-liquid based electrolytes for supercapacitors. In this study, the influence of water on the interfacial...
A Highly Reconfigurable Bit-Level Duty-Cycled TRF Receiver Achieving −106-dBm Sensitivity and 33-nW Average Power Consumption

This letter presents a reconfigurable wake-up receiver, which obtains −106-dBm sensitivity with power consumption as low as 33 nW. Bit-level duty cycling provides 68-dB RF gain at sub- $\mu \text{W}$ average power consumption, improving sensitivity over other sub- $\mu \text{W}$ receivers. The receiver rejects interference using a compact RF MEMS filter and a fully automatic gain and offset control loop. Digital tuning of dc power, latency, and sensitivity provides high levels of flexibility to enable a wide variety of applications, spanning latency from 240 ms to 5 s, dc power consumption from 288 nW to 33 nW, and sensitivity from −106 dBm to −103 dBm. Three example modes are presented to highlight the range of this tuning.
Academic E-Mail Overload and the Burden of "Academic Spam".

This article presents an editorial perspective on the challenges associated with e-mail management for academic physicians. We include 2-week analysis of our own e-mails as illustrations of the e-m...
Joint Hybrid Beamforming and Dynamic Antenna Clustering for Massive MIMO

This paper offers a new approach for antenna clustering and hybrid beamforming applicable to massive MIMO systems. Simultaneous clustering and hybrid beamforming across Tx and Rx antennas is an NP-hard problem. To address this issue, first, the paper proposes an antenna clustering that is applied to both Tx and Rx. In this regard, antenna arrays at Tx and Rx are modeled as a Bipartite graph and for the first time, one bi-clustering algorithm, Spectral Co-Clustering algorithm, is applied to achieve simultaneous clustering. Next, singular vectors of subchannels, which are the channels between subantenna arrays of Tx and Rx, are comprised to determine optimal precoders/combiners. Performance evaluations in terms of Tx-Rx data streaming sum-rate demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Phase Transitions in Finite Random Networks

We analyze ensembles of random networks with fixed numbers of edges, triangles, and nodes. In the limit as the number of nodes goes to infinity, this model is known to exhibit sharp phase transitions as the density of edges and triangles is varied. In this paper we study finite size effects in ensembles where the number of nodes is between 30 and 66. Despite the small number of nodes, the phases and phase transitions are clearly visible. Concentrating on 54 nodes and one particular phase transition, we use spectral data to examine the structure of a typical graph in each phase, and see that is it very similar to the graphon that describes the system as n diverges. We further investigate how graphs change their structure from that of one phase to the other under a natural edge flip dynamics in which the number of triangles is either forced downwards or allowed to drift upwards. In each direction, spectral data shows that the change occurs in three stages: a very fast stage of about 100 edge flips, in which the triangle count reaches the targeted value, a slower second stage of several thousand edge flips in which the graph adopts the qualitative features of the new phase, and a very slow third stage, requiring hundreds of thousands of edge flips, in which the fine details of the structure equilibrate.
Impact of Lesion Location on Longitudinal Myelin Water Fraction Change in Chronic Multiple Sclerosis Lesions

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To examine the impact of lesion location on longitudinal myelin water fraction (MWF) changes in chronic multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions. Relative hypoxia, due to vascular watershed regions of the cerebrum, has been implicated in lesion development but impact on ongoing demyelination is unknown. METHODS Forty-eight patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive MS had two MWF scans with fast acquisition, spiral trajectory, and T2prep (FAST-T2) sequence, at an interval of 2.0 (±.3) years. Lesion location was identified based upon cerebral lobe and relation to the ventricles. Change in MWF was assessed using a mixed effects model, controlling for lesion location and patient covariates. RESULTS Average age was 42.3 (±12) years, mean disease duration was 9.7 (±9.1) years, and median Expanded Disability Status Score (EDSS) was 2.5 (±2.3). The majority of 512 chronic lesions was located in the frontal and parietal lobes (75.6%) and more often periventricular (44.7%). All occipital lesions were periventricular. The average lesion MWF decreased from baseline (.07 ± .03) to 2 years (.06 ±.03) P < .01. Lesions within the occipital lobe showed a significant reduction in MWF as compared to other lobes. CONCLUSIONS Chronic lesions in the occipital lobe showed the greatest reduction in MWF. Neuroanatomical localization of lesions to the occipital horns of the lateral ventricles, a watershed region, may contribute to ongoing demyelination in this lesion type.
Six Dimensions of the Tautological Object

In the previous chapter Johns had already sketched out three modes of the tautological object; (1) a realist mode whereby the object will always exist outside of the encounters it has with humans. (2) An implicated mode whereby the specific object will interact with other specific objects regardless of a human experiencing such interactions. (3) An implicated mode whereby a human will always see the object as X and not as some indifferent lump of matter. In this chapter Johns continues looking at the different modes of the object by analysing specific conditions of the object as we know it; (1) temporality of the object, (2) spatiality of the object. (3) the subject’s dependency upon memory when activating the use of an object. (4) the speeds in which we go about using objects (does an object have a specific speed in which to engage with?). (5) the future dimension of use; the extrapolation of temporal and spatial continuity within the use of an object. (6) the historical dimension of use; how objects show certain historical paradigms of use.
Ergonomic Design and Development of a Reusable Facemask: ASTM Level 3

We proposed a new facemask extending the life of a medical-grade facemask. A reusable sleeve made from a ProCool® athletic jersey mesh fabric that has been developed with a Silvadur™ technology would be added to reduce their impact on the environment and enhance the comfort for the wearer. This study will assess wearers’ perceptions and acceptance of the proposed facemask compared to the current commercial facemask offerings. The expected results are increased fit for the wearer and an increase in comfort by alleviating pressure on ears and abrasion of mask skin. With the addition of the sleeve, it is expected that the mask can be worn longer, leading to a decrease in the number of facemasks that end up in landfills. The proposed ASTM level 3 facemask prototype will generate valuable ergonomic design guidelines in the medical and protective clothing industries.
RadRemind!—an Automated Paging System for Reminding Radiology Residents of Their Roles and Responsibilities

Tasks which are scheduled at irregular intervals afford greater scheduling flexibility but are also more difficult to remember. Difficulty remembering clinical tasks not only create potential inefficiencies in patient care but were also identified as a source of anxiety among our residents. We implemented RadRemind! an automated system of pager notifications in order to improve patient care and reduce residents’ anxiety. RadRemind! utilizes only an external shared APACHE, MySQL, PHP server. A set of CRON jobs activate a PHP script which pulls information from our resident schedule as JSON data. It then identifies the appropriate residents to notify and then sends a cURL request to a web-based paging service to trigger notifications to residents’ pagers. Each activation of the script was logged in an SQL database. An anonymous survey assessing multiple aspects of efficacy was sent to residents after 3 months of implementation. Seventeen of 29 residents responded to the survey. Residents reported a mean of 2 successful reminders (defined as responsibilities which had been otherwise forgotten prior to the page notification) in the last month which was found to be statistically significant via one-sample t test (t = 3.3, p < 0.01). Paired t test showed a statistically significant (t = 2.9, p = 0.01) decrease of 2 points in reported anxiety. Repeated measures analysis of variance found a statistically significant variation in reported utility (F(3,16) = 15.9, p < 0.01)) by type of reminder such that reminders for interventional radiology call were found to be more useful than reminders for other tasks. Use of an automated paging system is an effective method of reminding residents of irregularly scheduled responsibilities and is associated with reduced scheduling related anxiety.
Tenseless times

I develop a new theory of times. I show how to analyze times as tenselessly describable “abstract” (causally-inert) entities. Some philosophers make use of ersatz times, which are abstract entities such as maximal states of affairs that bear earlier than and later than relations to one another. Although these times are normally thought to exemplify A-properties (such as being present) that cannot be expressed in a purely tenseless language, I explain how a tenseless theory can accommodate abstract times. I do this by (1) defending Rasmussen’s tenseless presentism against a recent objection, and (2) getting on the table a new theory of time that combines eternalism with a B-series of genuine, abstract times. The result is a new way to think about a familiar category: time.
Reproductive autonomy and feelings of control over pregnancy among emerging adult clients in a Utah (USA) contraceptive initiative study

Abstract Objective Research has called for more exploration into how reproductive autonomy (which includes agency over pregnancy decisions) is related to structural, relational, and individual elements. Thus, we use surveys to investigate how one potential indicator of reproductive autonomy—feelings of control over pregnancy—may relate to structural, relational, and individual factors in emerging adults’ (age 18–24) lives. Methods Using survey data from 2594 emerging adult women participating in a contraceptive initiative in Utah (USA), we analyzed level of agreement with the statement: “I feel that I have control over whether or not I get pregnant,” exploring relationships between sociodemographic characteristics and agreement with the statement. We used chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression to investigate relationships between individual, relational, and structural factors and feelings of control. Results Most participants (86%) agreed with the statement (n = 2231), while the remainder were neutral or disagreed. Participants reporting poverty-level incomes (RRR: 1.80; 95 %CI 1.25–2.59) and previous unwanted pregnancies (RRR: 2.74; 95 %CI: 1.56–4.81) were more likely to describe “neutral” feelings of control. Conclusion Findings indicate a relationship between feelings of control over pregnancy and several factors, and these results may help identify reproductive autonomy access gaps among emerging adults. More work should investigate these relationships as well as the meaning of “neutral” responses when it comes to assessments of control over pregnancy. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT02734199, Registered 12 April 2016.
Systems development project team management: a resource‐based view

This paper presents a resources-based theory perspective of managing a SAP project team in order to realize a sustainable competitive advantage. Resource-based theory suggests that resources which are durable, not easily replicable, and imperfectly mobile can be effectively leveraged by the firm in order to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage over its competitors. The analysis which is presented in this paper suggests that the effective implementation of the SAP system by a firm requires not only an acquisition of a high level of technical expertise, but a change in organizational culture from one which rewards individual brilliance to one which encourages project teams. This will create an environment in which the success of any individual in his job is critically dependent on the skills possessed by the other team members. This will render the human component of the SAP resource imperfectly mobile and increase the capability of the firm to leverage this resource in order to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.
Junction Transistor Applications

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a consistent treatment of junction transistor circuits. The general philosophy of junction transistor circuits is quite similar to that of electron tube circuits. This structural similarity is not on a one-to-one basis, but ways of thinking and methods of analysis can, in many cases, be transferred directly from one field to the other. One of the reasons for this is that the transistors and vacuum tubes are, with good approximation, linear active networks, so that the theory of these networks can be applied directly to both. However, essential differences exist since the transistors are bilateral even at low frequencies. For practical circuitry, the absence of the cathode heater and the availability of both n-p-n and p-n-p transistors is of importance. There exist at present at least two other junction three-electrode semiconductor devices and two four-electrode devices. The survey presented is limited to junction transistor triodes, since relatively little work on circuitry has been done for other junction devices.
Recycled Mushroom Compost Suppresses Bird's Nest Fungi in Landscape Mulch

Mushroom compost blended into landscape mulch has been reported to suppress sporulation of artillery fungi (Sphaerobolus spp). In this paper, mushroom compost is also shown to inhibit growth and sporulation of a common bird’s nest fungus in landscape mulch. Field plots containing 0, 10, 20, 40, or 100% (by volume) mushroom compost blended with a common landscape mulch were naturally infested with a bird’s nest fungus (Cyathus stercoreus (Schweinitz) de Toni). Compost at percentages ≥ 40% signifi cantly reduced growth and sporulation of the bird’s nest fungus. It is likely that mushroom compost contains populations of benefi cial microbes that are antagonistic to, or feed on, various species of fungi.
Trp2 regulates entry of Ca2+ into mouse sperm triggered by egg ZP3.

In many cells, receptor activation initiates sustained Ca2+ entry which is critical in signal transduction1. Mammalian transient receptor potential (Trp) proteins, which are homologous to the Drosophila photoreceptor-cell Trp protein, have emerged as candidate subunits of the ion channels that mediate this influx. As a consequence of overexpression, these proteins produce cation currents that open either after depletion of internal Ca2+ stores or through receptor activation2. However, determining the role of endogenous Trp proteins in signal transduction is complicated by the absence of selective antagonists. Here we examine Trp function during sperm–egg interaction. The sperm acrosome reaction is a Ca2+-dependent secretory event that must be completed before fertilization. In mammals, exocytosis is triggered during gamete contact by ZP3, a glycoprotein constituent of the egg's extracellular matrix, or zona pellucida (ZP). ZP3 activates trimeric G proteins and phospholipase C and causes a transient Ca2+ influx into sperm through T-type Ca2+ channels3. These early responses promote a second Ca2+-entry pathway, thereby producing sustained increases in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) that drive acrosome reactions4. Our results show that Trp2 is essential for the activation of sustained Ca2+ influx into sperm by ZP3.
An advanced flight path management system for low-altitude helicopter flight

Addresses results obtained from development and piloted evaluations of an advanced flight path management (FPM) system prototype and an architecture for its incorporation into the US Army special operations aircraft (ASOA) integrated avionics system (IAS). Prototype implementation, for piloted evaluation in the Flight Simulation Laboratory, made use of IBM PS/2 Model 80 processors with i860 accelerator cards, token rings, and MIL-STD-1553B data buses. The software environment included the IBM C language and the AIX operating system. Results presented include replanning response times, path tracking, data bus requirements, and required processor throughput. >
Spectral photoluminescence and Raman investigations of surface treatments on InP

Results of photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopy measurements on the effects of different chemical and thermal treatments on the surface properties of InP are presented. From the Raman spectra, values of the surface potential and depletion width are calculated, which allow values of surface recombination velocity to be extracted from the PL data. The PL data provide unambiguous confirmation of the degradation of the unprotected InP surface at temperatures over 200 degrees C. >
Infill-sampling design and the Cost of classification errors

The criterion used to select infill sample locations should depend on the sampling objective. Minimizing the global estimation variance is the most widely used criterion and is suitable for many problems. However, when the objective of the sampling program is to partition an area of interest into zones of high values and zones of low values, minimizing the expected cost of classification errors is a more appropriate criterion. Unlike the global estimation variance, the cost of classification errors incorporates both the sample locations and the sample values into an objective infill-sampling design criterion.
A15 structure formation in TiPd

Abstract Vapor phase formation of thin films in the Ti-Pd alloy system is investigated using magnetron sputter deposition. Crystalline as-deposited structures are produced with nominal compositions of 20, 25 and 30 at.%Pd. The high temperature b.c.c. phase is produced on room temperature substrates via quenching from the vapor phase. An A15 structure of Ti 3 Pd is rigorously identified for the first time, in agreement with predictions from electronic structure calculations.
Introduction to “Ethnographic Emergences”

This introduction situates the articles in this “In Focus” in terms of the history of anthropological theory. I argue that the objects under ethnographic scrutiny here compel a rethinking of ethnography as a method and a retooling of the theoretical apparatus of the discipline. Such fields as medicine, science, media, law, and environment pose challenges to modernist analytical toolkits because they are always already complex hybrids of nature and culture. They do not stay put inside their own analytical frames. They are also autodocumentary and make use of the shift in perspective between general and particular to generate knowledge—much as anthropology does. This introduction is an argument for an anthropology of emergence that is not content to settle for mere descriptive adequacy but that uses its objects to unsettle anthropological claims to knowledge.
Can cardiac troponin T level be used to predict survival of patients awaiting renal transplantation

Cardiac troponin T (cTnT) levels are often elevated in chronic kidney disease and correlate with survival of patients receiving dialysis. This commentary discusses a recent paper by Hickson et al. that investigated whether a single cTnT measurement can predict survival of patients on the waiting list for renal transplantation. Elevated cTnT levels (>0.01 ng/ml) were associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and ischemia or resting ventricular wall motion abnormalities on dobutamine stress echocardiography, and also predicted mortality independently of age, diabetes or history of heart disease. Although the authors recommend intensive cardiac evaluation in patients with high cTnT levels on transplantation waiting lists, predicting who is at highest risk of dying on the waiting list has no practical utility unless an intervention can reliably lower that risk. Until then, the time patients spend on dialysis should be minimized by rapid referral for transplantation, prompt and appropriate waitlisting and widespread encouragement of living donation.
Class Warfare in the United States, Part 1

Immigration and American Unionism. Vernon M Briggs, Jr. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2001. The Shadow Welfare State: Labor, Business, and the Politics of Health Care in the United States. Marie Gottschalk. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2000.
The Theory, Practice, and Evaluation of the Phenomenological Method as a Qualitative Research Procedure

This article points out the criteria necessary in order for a qualitative scientific method to qualify itself as phenomenological in a descriptive Husserlian sense. One would have to employ (1) description (2) within the attitude of the phenomenological reduction, and (3) seek the most invariant meanings for a context. The results of this analysis are used to critique an article by Klein and Westcott (1994), that presents a typology of the development of the phenomenological psychological method.
Prediction of Lumbar Motion Segment Angles Using Trunk Angle and Antrhopometry

Objective: To develop a simple method for dynamically assessing lumbar motion segment angles that accounts for individual variability and remains inexpensive to apply. Background: Current biomechanical models do not dynamically assess motion segment angles. This results in inaccurate separation of overall spinal load into shear and compression. Methods: Twenty-nine males performed sagittally symmetric exertions. Anthropometry and sensor data were input into a geometric model to compute L5/S1 through T12/L1 motion segments angles. Linear regression equations were developed using anthropometry and trunk angle. These equations were applied to an independent set of four subjects with known angles. The trunk angle used here was compared to a commonly used trunk angle measure for widespread usability. Results: The L5/S1 through L2/L3 models are predictive of motion segment angles. Conclusions: Motion segment models developed here require simple, inexpensive measurements of torso angle and anthropometry. They ar...
Dentists’ levels of evidence-based clinical knowledge and attitudes about using pit-and-fissure sealants

ABSTRACT Background Although the prevalence of pit-and-fissure sealants in children in the United States is low, the problem is magnified in low-income children. A small proportion of Florida's low-income children receive any preventive dental services, including sealants. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study to assess whether Florida's dentists provide sealants as a preventive measure in their practices, their attitudes and their levels of evidence-based clinical knowledge about appropriate sealant use according to the American Dental Association (ADA) recommendations. The authors also assessed whether the number of years since graduation and reliance on peers or colleagues for regular clinical information were associated with dentists’ knowledge. Methods The authors administered a 25-item pretested questionnaire to a convenience sample of general and pediatric dentists (n = 163) at the 2013 Florida National Dental Convention in Kissimmee, Fla. The authors conducted multivariate linear regression modeling to predict dentists’ levels of evidence-based clinical knowledge. Results Years since graduation ( P = .2) and reliance on peers or colleagues for regular clinical information ( P = .6) did not predict higher knowledge. Male dentists ( P = .003) and those who accepted children enrolled in Medicaid as new patients ( P = .01) had significantly more knowledge compared with their counterparts. Conclusions Most participating dentists used sealants in their practices and had high levels of positive attitudes about using sealants. Overall knowledge regarding the appropriate use of sealants, however, was low. Practical Implications For practicing dental professionals, the authors recommend disseminating evidence-based recommendations for the use of dental sealants via continuing education courses and other possible modalities. They also recommend that dental schools update their existing courses or modules about sealants by integrating the ADA's recommendations.
Spatial breakdown in spatial construction: Evidence from eye fixations in children with Williams syndrome

We investigated the role of executive and spatial representational processes in impaired performance of block construction tasks by children with Williams syndrome (WS), a rare genetic defect that results in severely impaired spatial cognition. In Experiment 1, we examined performance in two kinds of block construction tasks, Simple Puzzles, in which block faces contained a single color, and Complex, in which some block faces contained an arrangement of two colors. WS and control children were comparable in their ability to solve simple puzzles, and showed similar eye-fixation patterns, suggesting that basic executive processes were intact. However, WS children were severely impaired in their ability to solve complex puzzles. In these puzzles, WS children fixated the complex puzzle models and checked their partial solutions less often than normal children, but they were comparable in their ability to detect errors in their copies and almost exclusively made repairs to copies that were, in fact, incorrect. We conjecture that the abnormal fixation patterns were a consequence of impoverished spatial representations, rather than a cause of it. This conjecture was tested in Experiment 2, where we examined children's capacity to match and place individual blocks without engaging the complex executive processes required to carry out a complete puzzle solution. We found serious deficiency among WS children in both aspects of spatial representation. Moreover, estimates of the errors in representing the identity and location of model blocks derived from Experiment 2 provided a good account of the observed errors in the block construction task of Experiment 1.
Discussion of Dr. Glen Gabbard's paper “A Neurobiological Perspective on Mentalizing and Internal Object Relations in Traumatized Borderline Patients”

Abstract This discussion first focuses on the danger of reductionism in relating biological structures to psychic structures, an important point made by Dr. Gabbard's paper. The discussion proposes a developmental interactionism between body and mind. The concept of the self–a psychological structure–serves to illustrate the complexity of relating this psychic structure to the underlying biological centers involved. The discussion then turns to the relationship between alternatives in the activation of the amygdala–prefrontal cortex–hippocampus circuit and the contextualization of negative affect. The effects of trauma on this circuit, in promoting pathological intensification of negative affect activation is relevant for the treatment of borderline personality disorder, as Dr. Gabbard pointed out. The question is raised to what extent psychodynamic psychotherapy may modify or bypass very early predisposing memory engrams of traumatic experiences. Both Dr. Gabbard and the discussant agree on the fundamental function of transference/countertransference analysis to modify the consequence of early trauma, but differ regarding the value of a constructivist as contrasted to an objectivist approach to transference analysis.
Tactical media practices in Italy: The case of Insu^tv

This article focuses on two main questions that frame the status of contemporary Italian media: What happens when the democratic potential of the media is smothered by the cemented ties between television and politics? And how do alternative media initiatives in Italy engage this rapprochement of media and citizenship in the 21st century? This article addresses these issues by examining the origins and ramifications of one such initiative known as Telestreet project. The first part of the analysis traces the history and objectives of Telestreet as a bottom-up approach to broadcasting; in the second section, I focus on a Neapolitan street TV project, Insu^Tv, as a successful case in point of this activist approach to local media making; the last section of the article focuses on in-depth interviews with the activists behind Insu^Tv and their efforts to create independent communication tools and reclaim an active and activist role in the Italian media flows.
Convergence rate of the dominant mode rejection beamformer for a single interferer

The dominant mode rejection (DMR) adaptive beamformer (ABF) is a reduced-rank version of the standard minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) ABF. DMR uses a structured estimate of the covariance matrix derived from an eigendecomposition of the sample covariance matrix. This paper exploits results from random matrix theory to fit a distribution for the SINR loss of the DMR ABF in the single interferer case. Monte Carlo simulations confirm the accuracy of these expressions. SINR loss quantifies the rate at which the performance of the DMR ABF converges to the performance of the optimal processor. For the single interferer case, the mean SINR loss only depends on the number of snapshots.
Mobile decision support and business intelligence: an overview☆

Decision-making occurs in many places. Mobile decision support provides a technology solution that enables decision-makers to bring powerful decision-aiding capabilities with them while on the go. Business intelligence and data-driven decision support especially benefit from mobile computing. The effectiveness of mobile decision support is constrained by the features of applications, the quality of data used and the ability of decision-makers to interpret information and act upon it in real time. The constraints imposed by hardwired, desktop computing no longer exist. Constraints imposed by application design, data limitations and decision support users themselves remain a concern of designers. Basic decision support concepts must be understood to develop new applications that use the capabilities of mobile devices, cloud-based delivery, and real-time alerts and interactions.
Method of securing resource-constrained wireless enabled devices via channel randomness

Securing wireless communication with resource-constrained devices is considered. A low-complexity method is proposed for periodically refreshing symmetric encryption keys between two communicating parties with low overheads on system resources. Coupling the method with stream-ciphers offers an attractive alternative to traditional security methods for wireless protocols such as ZigBee.
Functional Analysis of a Mutation in PAX9 Associated with Familial Tooth Agenesis in Humans

Pax9 is a paired domain-containing transcription factor that plays an essential role in the patterning of murine dentition. In humans, mutations in PAX9 are associated with unique phenotypes of familial tooth agenesis that mainly involve posterior teeth. Among these, a frameshift mutation (219InsG) within the paired domain of PAX9 produces a protein product associated with a severe form of molar agenesis in a single family. The objectives of this study were to gain new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of the 219InsG mutation and its role in tooth agenesis. Here we describe functional defects in DNA binding and transactivation of mutant 219InsGPax9. Although wild type Pax9 binds to the high affinity paired domain recognition sequences, e5 and CD19-2(A-ins), the 219InsGPax9 mutant protein was unable to bind to these cognate DNA-binding sites. In co-transfection assays, wild type Pax9 activated reporter gene transcription although the mutant was transcriptionally inactive. Immunolocalization data show that Pax9 and 219InsGPax9 proteins are synthesized in mammalian cells but that the nuclear localization of the mutant Pax9 protein is altered. Furthermore, transactivation by the full-length Pax9 protein from paired domain binding sites was not impaired by the 219InsGPax9 mutant. The latter did not alter the DNA binding activities of wild type Pax9 in gel mobility shift assays. The combined defects in DNA binding activities and transactivation function of mutant 219InsGPAX9 likely alter the selective activation and/or repression of PAX9 effector genes during odontogenesis. This loss-of-function of PAX9 most likely results in its haploinsufficiency during the patterning of dentition and the subsequent loss of posterior teeth.
Performance prediction for concurrent database workloads

Current trends in data management systems, such as cloud and multi-tenant databases, are leading to data processing environments that concurrently execute heterogeneous query workloads. At the same time, these systems need to satisfy diverse performance expectations. In these newly-emerging settings, avoiding potential Quality-of-Service (QoS) violations heavily relies on performance predictability, i.e., the ability to estimate the impact of concurrent query execution on the performance of individual queries in a continuously evolving workload.This paper presents a modeling approach to estimate the impact of concurrency on query performance for analytical workloads. Our solution relies on the analysis of query behavior in isolation, pairwise query interactions and sampling techniques to predict resource contention under various query mixes and concurrency levels. We introduce a simple yet powerful metric that accurately captures the joint effects of disk and memory contention on query performance in a single value. We also discuss predicting the execution behavior of a time-varying query workload through query-interaction timelines, i.e., a fine-grained estimation of the time segments during which discrete mixes will be executed concurrently. Our experimental evaluation on top of PostgreSQL/TPC-H demonstrates that our models can provide query latency predictions within approximately 20% of the actual values in the average case.