cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Considering adjuvant therapy for stage II melanoma.

Melanoma is among the few cancers that demonstrate an increasing incidence over time. Simultaneously, this trend has been marked by an epidemiologic shift to earlier stage at diagnosis. Before 2011, treatment options were limited for patients with metastatic disease, and the median overall survival was less than 1 year. Since then, the field of melanoma therapeutics has undergone major changes. The use of anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD1 immune checkpoint inhibitors and combination BRAF/MEK inhibitors for patients with BRAF V600 mutations has significantly extended survival and allowed some patients to remain in durable disease remission off therapy. It has now been confirmed that these classes of agents have a benefit for patients with stage III melanoma after surgical resection, and anti-PD1 and BRAF/MEK inhibitors are standards of care in this setting. Some patients with stage II disease (lymph node-negative; American Joint Committee on Cancer stage IIB and IIC) have worse melanoma-specific survival relative to some patients with stage III disease. Given these results, expanding the population of patients who are considered for adjuvant therapy to include those with stage II melanoma has become a priority, and randomized phase 3 clinical trials are underway. Moving into the future, the validation of patient risk-stratification and treatment-benefit prediction models will be important to improve the number needed to treat and limit exposure to toxicity in the large population of patients with early stage melanoma.
Release and suppression: forest layer responses to emerald ash borer ( Agrilus planipennis )-caused ash death

Emerald ash borer-caused canopy gaps alter resource availability which affects woody plant community dynamics in eastern US forests. Our findings indicate that both canopy trees and seedlings are impacted by the disturbance. Seedlings of sugar maple and introduced woody plants benefited most from ash death, perhaps because they are adapted to ephemeral resource fluctuations. Ash, Fraxinus spp., mortality caused by emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, results in canopy gaps which could increase resource availability and profoundly affect eastern US forests. We tested two mechanisms: (1) EAB-caused ash decline releases growth of upper forest layers (non-ash canopy and subcanopy trees), constraining any release of lower forest strata; (2) EAB-caused ash decline increases canopy openness, releasing lower strata (shrub and seedling layer). Sites representing a gradient of ash mortality were sampled throughout western Ohio to investigate how forest strata relative growth rates (RGRs) relate to EAB-caused ash mortality. Models including individual and additive effects of ash mortality and upper strata effects on woody seedlings were also investigated. Greater RGR of non-ash canopy trees, particularly maple (Acer spp.), was found in sites with more poor condition ash. Abundance of introduced seedlings was correlated with greater ash mortality and shrub cover. Sugar maple seedling height growth improved with ash loss and more subcanopy basal area (BA). Sites with greater subcanopy BA had greater introduced seedling recruitment and native seedling survival. We found evidence to support both mechanisms. Our findings indicate species best adapted to ephemeral resource fluctuations, specifically sugar maple and introduced seedlings, benefited most from ash death.
E-174 Severity of vasospasm associated with development of collaterals following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Introduction Cerebral collateral circulation has been studied extensively in ischemic stroke where it has been shown to be a predictor of reperfusion, final infarct size, and outcome. Little is known about the significance of the collaterals in the setting of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). We sought to evaluate the effect of cerebral vasospasm on the development of cerebral collaterals following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and the effects of the later on delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Methods We retrospectively evaluated 64 aSAH patients with evidence of DCI between day 5 and 7, enrolled in a prospectively maintained observational cohort study. Angiograms were evaluated by 4 blinded neurointerventionalists. We compared good collateral grades to poor collateral grades, additionally we compared enrolled individuals with any collaterals versus patients who had no collaterals. Results Inter-rater reliability for collateral grades was substantial (weighted kappa 0.632). Mild vasospasm was more frequent in patients with poor collateral grades compared to patients with good collateral grades (32% vs 4% p=0.012). There was no difference between the collateral groups with regards to DCI, functional or cognitive outcome. Patients adjudicated to have any collaterals were more likely to have severe vasospasm (62% vs 33% p=0.023) and less likely to have mild vasospasm (37% vs 9% p=0.007). In a multivariable model, vasospasm severity remained associated with collateral status, while aneurysm location was not. Conclusions The severity of vasospasm following aSAH was associated with the development of collaterals. There was no difference between collateral grades with regards to DCI or outcome. Disclosures F. Al-Mufti: None. N. Manning: None. M. Crimmins: None. K. Amuluru: None. N. Majmundar: None. M. El-Ghanem: None. V. Patel: None. S. Agarwal: None. S. Park: None. J. Willey: None. H. Kamel: None. S. Connolly: None. P. Meyers: None. J. Claassen: None.
Heart Failure in Humans Reduces Contractile Force in Myocardium From Both Ventricles

This study measured how heart failure affects the contractile properties of the human myocardium from the left and right ventricles. The data showed that maximum force and maximum power were reduced by approximately 30% in multicellular preparations from both ventricles, possibly because of ventricular remodeling (e.g., cellular disarray and/or excess fibrosis). Heart failure increased the calcium (Ca2+) sensitivity of contraction in both ventricles, but the effect was bigger in right ventricular samples. The changes in Ca2+ sensitivity were associated with ventricle-specific changes in the phosphorylation of troponin I, which indicated that adrenergic stimulation might induce different effects in the left and right ventricles.
From Genetics to Molecular Oscillations: The Circadian Clock in Neurospora crassa

Due to the Earth’s rotation, a consistent day/night cycle dictates the environment of most organisms, many of which have adapted a circadian clock in order to anticipate these drastic daily changes. The fungus Neurospora crassa is one such organism. Due to its strength as a model system, molecular and genetic research in N. crassa has greatly contributed to our understanding of the molecular architecture that produces circadian rhythms. In this review, we cover the advances in our understanding of the molecular circadian clock that were enabled via research using N. crassa as a tool, with a particular emphasis on the studies that drove a better understanding of clock mechanisms in other organisms, including clocks in other fungi and higher eukaryotes.
H and N systematics in thermally altered chondritic insoluble organic matter: An experimental study

Abstract A series of experiments was performed to constrain the chemical and isotopic evolution of insoluble organic material (IOM) during hydrothermal alteration at temperatures ranging from 250 °C to 450 °C at 50 MPa. Experiments involved IOM that was extracted from the Murchison (CM2) meteorite or synthesized by aqueous carbonization of dextrose. Flash (dry) pyrolysis experiments at 400 – 1000 °C were also conducted with Murchison IOM to distinguish between the effects of hydrothermal and thermal degradation. Extended reaction times (up to 3905 h) were employed to establish D/H equilibria between IOM and H2O. The H isotope compositions of the H2O used in the experiments ranged from δD = −447‰ to 3259‰. Results revealed that the extent of the IOM H isotope evolution strongly depends on the δD composition of the coexisting H2O with minimal temperature effects. The empirical relationship that describes the isotope exchange between IOM and H2O is as follows: δDIOM (‰) = 0.643 (±0.007) * δDH2O (‰) – 86 (±8) Based on this empirical relationship, two models are proposed for the H2O-IOM H exchange. The first assumes that all H in IOM is exchangeable and that the redistribution of H-bearing moieties with temperature results in an “apparent” eorganics-H2O = −357‰. The second model considers a higher eorganics-H2O (−131‰), in accordance with theoretical studies, and assumes the presence of two H reservoirs, one that undergoes H isotope exchange with H2O and one that does not. In this case, 74% of the H in IOM is exchangeable with H2O. In our experiments, the hydrothermally altered Murchison IOM lost labile 15N enriched N-H moieties. Experiments that included 15N-labelled NH3(aq) found that there was only minor N exchange with IOM. Furthermore, the experimental data show that the extent of H and N loss is temperature and process dependent. This results in the decoupling of N/C and H/C atomic ratio systematics between hydrothermal alteration and flash (dry) pyrolysis, with much more limited changes in H/C and N/C after flash pyrolysis. In the light of the experiments, two models for the range of bulk and IOM H isotope compositions of the aqueously altered CI, CM, and CR chondrites are explored. The very D-rich IOM compositions, relative to the bulk compositions, cannot be explained by a fully exchangeable IOM with a reasonable value for eorganics-H2O (i.e.,
Abstract P41: Mental health and coping during COVID-19 among cancer patients and survivors

Background and Purpose: Until a vaccine is widely available, adherence to COVID-19 preventive behaviors is the most effective way to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. While there is a general paucity of information on COVID-19 infection and its impact on cancer patients, immunocompromised individuals, such as cancer patients, are likely at greater risk for both COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. In addition, a cancer diagnosis can cause stress, anxiety, depression, psychological distress, and poor quality of life. While the recommendations for COVID-19 parallel the common recommendations for managing infection risk, the enhanced social isolation and limited social distancing can be even more difficult for patients resulting in increased risk for psychological distress and deteriorations in health outcomes. Depressive disorders frequently result in substantial functional impairment, as well as increased emotional, economic, and productivity costs. It is important to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic impacts psychological and psychosocial factors, as well as health behaviors of cancer patients and survivors, and how various contextual factors may play risk and protective roles. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to determine differences in stress, mental health and coping behaviors, and adherence to COVID-19 preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic among three groups of adults (in active cancer treatment, cancer survivors, and those without a history of cancer). This study focuses on determining how sociodemographic characteristics and cancer status influence COVID-19 mental health/coping mechanisms, as well as how mental health/coping mechanisms and cancer status may predict adherence to preventive COVID-19 behaviors. Methods: Panel survey firm Qualtrics was used to administer an online survey among 897 U.S. adults in May of 2020. Quota sampling was utilized to ensure a sample consisting of approximately one-third: cancer patients currently in treatment (32.0%, n = 287), cancer survivors not currently in treatment (33.6%, n=301), and respondents with no cancer history (34.4%, n = 309). Survey items assessed demographic variables, depression, coping, and adherence to COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Results and Discussion: Preliminary analyses show that cancer patients report higher levels of depressive symptoms than survivors and the control group. In addition, cancer patients in active treatment use both avoidance and approach-focused coping more frequently than both survivors and the control group. Regression analyses show that avoidance coping predicts lower adherence to COVID-19 preventive behaviors, while approach-focused coping predicts higher adherence. Analyses are ongoing. Citation Format: Jeanine P.D. Guidry, Carrie A. Miller, Bernard F. Fuemmeler. Mental health and coping during COVID-19 among cancer patients and survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Meeting: COVID-19 and Cancer; 2021 Feb 3-5. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(6_Suppl):Abstract nr P41.
The sociology of emotions

1. Conceptualizing emotions sociologically 2. Dramaturgical and cultural theorizing on emotions 3. Ritual theorizing on emotions 4. Symbolic interactionist theorizing on emotions 5. Symbolic interactionist theorizing on emotions with psychoanalytic elements 6. Exchange theorizing on emotions 7. Structural theorizing on emotions 8. Evolutionary theorizing on emotions 9. Prospects for a sociology of emotions.
Stitching Together the Experiences of Disabled Knitters

Knitting is a popular craft that can be used to create customized fabric objects such as household items, clothing and toys. Additionally, many knitters find knitting to be a relaxing and calming exercise. Little is known about how disabled knitters use and benefit from knitting, and what accessibility solutions and challenges they create and encounter. We conducted interviews with 16 experienced, disabled knitters and analyzed 20 threads from six forums that discussed accessible knitting to identify how and why disabled knitters knit, and what accessibility concerns remain. We additionally conducted an iterative design case study developing knitting tools for a knitter who found existing solutions insufficient. Our innovations improved the range of stitches she could produce. We conclude by arguing for the importance of improving tools for both pattern generation and modification as well as adaptations or modifications to existing tools such as looms to make it easier to track progress
Unique Characterization of Spatiotemporal Neuronal Network Activity

We apply the Triple Correlation Uniqueness (TCU) theorem to the most basic representation of network spiking activity, the raster, to prove that third-order (triple) correlation uniquely characterizes spiking activity in the brain. As a consequence, the three-node (triple) motifs comprising the triple correlation are fundamental building blocks of neuronal activity. By analysing the putative flow of information in these motifs, we group all possible motifs into fourteen motif-classes. These motif-classes embody well-known and well-studied properties in neuroscience, e.g. spike rate, local dynamics, synchrony, feedback, feedforward, convergence, and divergence. We show that motifs with some of these properties---divergence, convergence, and feedforward---are far more prevalent in the triple correlation; and thus, these properties contribute more to characterizing neural activity than do the other properties. In the frequency domain, the triple correlation is the bispectrum, which characterizes the phase-relationship between spike trains and the relationships between frequency bands. We apply these analyses to example rasters to illustrate the dependence of our characterization on the firing patterns underlying neural activity.
Systems Thinking for Tackling Organizational Problems: A Healthcare Setting Case Study

This paper presents a conceptual framework for using systems thinking to solve cross-departmental problems in a healthcare setting. The General Electric Co. (GE) Work-Out methodology is adopted as an instance of systems engineering methodologies to coordinate the problem-solving journey by bringing all departments together to discuss the issue and generate solutions collectively. Two cases were examined: the period before applying the proposed framework (C1); and the period during the implementation of the framework (C2). The evaluation metrics were calculated for both cases and then compared. The results suggest that the proposed framework is powerful in reducing the resistance to the generated solutions because frontline employees were closely involved in the solution creation process. The estimated Acceptance of proposed solutions was 50% for C1 and 80% for C2. The estimated Resistance was 50% for C1 and 20% for C2. The number of meetings to generate solid solutions that can be implemented to solve the problem was three two-hour meetings in C2. C1 had many meetings scattered along a period of about five months. This paper focused on the solution generation process and the reduction of potential resistance among process stakeholders. However, to completely evaluate the approach, the implementation phase should be taken into consideration as well. This study demonstrated the role of systems thinking to effectively generate solutions for crossdepartmental problems while minimizing the resistance among process stakeholders. By implementing the Work-Out methodology, common solutions for most of the process stakeholders were reached and approved for implementation.
Peer Coaching to Improve Diabetes Self-Management Among Low-Income Black Veteran Men: A Mixed Methods Assessment of Enrollment and Engagement

Purpose We undertook a study to ascertain patient characteristics associated with enrollment and engagement in a type 2 diabetes peer health coaching program at an urban health care facility serving predominantly Black veteran men, to improve the targeting of such programs. Methods A total of 149 patients declined enrollment in a randomized controlled trial but provided sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial information. A total of 290 patients enrolled and were randomized to 2 peer coaching programs; they provided sociodemographic, clinical, and survey data, and were analyzed according to their level of program engagement (167 engaged, 123 did not engage) irrespective of randomization group. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 14 engaged participants. Results Patients who enrolled were more likely to be Black men, have higher levels of education, have higher baseline hemoglobin A1c levels, describe their diabetes self-management as "fair" or "poor," and agree they "find it easy to get close to others" (P Conclusion Individuals with greatest perceived need were more likely to enroll in our trial of peer coaching, but the only factor associated with engagement was finding one's coach to support autonomy. Our findings reinforce the importance of training and ensuring fidelity of peer coaches to autonomy-supportive communication styles for participant engagement. In tailoring peer support programs for Black men, future research should elucidate which shared characteristics between participant and peer coach are most important for engagement and improved outcomes.Visual abstract.
A Review of Techniques of Crime Scene Inves tigation

The original publication of this book was entitled Crime Detection—Modern Methods of Criminal Investigation and was written by Arne Svensson and Otto Wendel in 1955. An English translation was made available. In 1965, the second edition appeared with the same title and authors plus Joseph D. Nickle as editor. Now, 16 years later, the third edition appears with a name change and a third author. Despite the fact that the esteemed Arne Svensson and Otto Wendel of the Criminal Investigation Department of Stockholm, Sweden, are still the two lead authors, this appears to be an almost entirely American book. The dozens of persons who are acknowledged as having contributed to this edition are nearly all from the United States or Canada.
Direct simulation monte carlo aerosol dynamics : Coagulation and collisional sampling

Nuclear aerosols can originate from severe core damage in light water reactors, core disruptive accidents in fast reactors, nuclear accidents during nuclear material transport, at waste disposal sites, or from explosions and can evolve under natural transport processes as well as under the influence of engineered safety features. Such aerosols can be hazardous for the equipment inside the reactor and when leaked to the environment pose potential risks to the public. However, the computation of aerosol evolution is complicated, and an exploration of the direct simulation Monte Carlo technique to elucidate the role of various physical phenomena that influence the evolution, and eventually to help develop a production computer program, has been undertaken. We have extended here the previous work in important new directions by including most coagulation mechanisms such as Brownian, gravitational, and turbulence. We have also explored the Metropolis algorithm for sampling particles. We have found that the Metropolis algorithm permits efficient simulation of a much larger number of particles because it does not require precomputation and periodic update of the collisional matrix after each collision, unlike the direct sampling method.
Forensische Analyse komplexer Unix-Dateisysteme

Vortrag der GI-Jahrestagung: Sicherheit in komplexen, vernetzten Umgebungen, Workshop im Rahmen der Jahrestagung 2005 der Gesellschaft fur Informatik Informatik LIVE!, 19. - 22. September 2005 in Bonn, Deutschland
DSP system design using the BEE hardware emulation environment

This paper describes the design, analysis, and estimation features currently implemented in the Berkeley-Emulation Engine (BEE) system. BEE is an integrated rapid prototyping and design environment for communication and digital signal processing (DSP) systems. The hardware portion of the system consists of four multi-FPGA based processing units, each capable of emulating 10 million ASIC (application specific integrated circuits) equivalent gates at an overall system clock rate up to 60 MHz. The integrated software design flow enables the users to rapidly input the design using synchronous data-flow diagram, then automatically generates both the FPGA implementation for real-time rapid prototyping and a cycle-accurate, bit-true, and functionally equivalent ASIC implementation. The BEE design environment support rapid design turn-around and early performance analysis, without full synthesis or hardware mapping, from the high-level design entry.
Synthesis of entecavir and its novel class of analogs.

Due to the slow kinetics of viral clearance and the spontaneous genetic variability of hepatitis B virus (HBV), antiviral therapy of chronic hepatitis B remains a clinical challenge. Entecavir (S.10; a 2′-deoxy carbocyclic guanosine analog with an exo-cyclic double bond on the 5′-position; Fig. 14.7.1) has been approved in the U.S. for the therapy of chronic hepatitis B. Entecavir is synthesized from d-ribose via a key allylic alcohol (S.3) intermediate. This intermediate is also utilized to synthesize entecavir-modified carbocyclic nucleosides S.13, S.15, S.19, and S.22. Curr. Protoc. Nucleic Acid Chem. 47:14.7.1-14.7.17. © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: carbocyclic nucleoside; entecavir; Mannich reaction; Hoffman elimination reaction; Mitsunobu coupling
Morality in the Philosophy of Thomas Hobbes: The Reciprocity Interpretation of Hobbes's Moral Philosophy

[N]ot being circumscribed within reasonable bounds, their reason becomes invisible. ( A Discourse of Laws , p. 106) Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself … is the natural law, having its beginning with rational nature itself. (EW II, 263–264) We have seen that neither Hobbes's definition of a Law of Nature nor the function reliably served by the Laws of Nature lends particular support to traditional desire-based derivations of those laws. We have also surveyed some of the problems that attend familiar versions of desire-based, duty-based, and definitional derivations. In this chapter I offer a derivation of Hobbes's Laws of Nature that I believe avoids the problems of alternative derivations, fits well with Hobbes's positions on the definition and function of the Laws of Nature, comports with his declared method, and enjoys substantial textual support. OVERVIEW OF THE INTUITIVE ARGUMENT Hobbes has a conception of correct philosophical method that requires him to argue from commonly agreed definitions by a series of linked syllogisms designed to reveal the logical connections among terms. Ideally, philosophical argument should proceed entirely analytically, and so nonanalytic premises (including probabilistic causal claims) are generally inappropriate to Hobbes's project of demonstrating his Laws of Nature. However, it makes sense to distinguish between those improperly synthetic premises that are harmful to Hobbes's project and those that while improperly synthetic are nonetheless benign. Hobbes is engaged in the practical project of showing his countrymen that they have a good and sufficient reason to submit to the authority of their existing government.
Spatially fixed patterns account for the spike and wave features in absence seizures.

Despite genetic, morphological and experimental in vivo data implying fixed abnormalities in patients with absence seizures, attempts to find highly consistent features in the 3-Hz spike-and-wave pattern recorded during sequential seizures from the same subject have been largely unsuccessful. We used a new data decomposition technique called Independent Component Analysis (ICA) to separate multiple spike-and-wave episodes in the EEG recorded from five subjects with absence seizures into multiple consistent components. Each component corresponded to a temporally-independent waveform and a fixed spatial distribution. Almost all components separated by the ICA algorithm had overlapping, largely frontal spatial distributions. The analysis unmasked 5-8 components from each subject that were consistently activated across all seizures, with no components detected that were selectively activated by one seizure and not another. The “spike” and “wave” features noted in the EEG of every subject were each separated by the ICA algorithm into two or more components. Other components were active only at the beginning of each seizure or were related to ongoing brain activity not directly related to the 3Hz spike-and-wave pattern. By contrast, randomly selected spatial patterns used for data decomposition resulted in components that were uninformative, similar to simply changing the montage for viewing the EEG. Our results suggest that despite previously described variability in the raw EEG, certain highly specific spatial distributions of activation are reproducible across seizures. These may reflect ictal and non-ictal brain activity consistently activating the same group of neurons.
Software for Survival Analysis

Statistical software for survival analysis is discussed. We examine the abilities of five major software packages, BMDP, SAS, SPSS, S-PLUS, and STATA to perform basic calculations for censored data. Packages are compared based on their performance in computing summary statistics, in hypothesis testing, in performing Cox semiparametric regression modeling, and in performing parametric regression modeling. Keywords: SAS ; BMDP ; SPSS ; STATA ; S-PLUS; microcomputer packages
The New Money

Professor Macintosh analyzes the strategic advantages and disadvantages of credit cards for buyers and sellers. She concludes that Internet commerce needs electronic money in order to achieve its full potential. Professor Macintosh further reasons that the Internet needs "global electronic currencies" that can serve as universal media of exchange, global units of account, and stable stores of value. However, burdensome laws and regulations could delay, or even preclude, the emergence of electronic money. Professor Macintosh concludes that federal regulations and uniform state laws designed to combat money laundering should not apply to electronic payment products. Also, Congress and the state legislatures should work to repeal outdated laws that stand in the way of electronic money.
Welfare Impacts of Ocean Acidification: An Integrated Assessment Model of the US Mollusk Fishery

As atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations increase, the world’s oceans are absorbing CO2 at a faster rate than at any time in the past 800,000 years. While this reduces the amount of the most prevalent greenhouse gas in the atmosphere it also causes changes in seawater chemistry, collectively known as ocean acidification. One of the known ecological impacts of ocean acidification is a reduced ability of some marine calcifiers to form shells and skeletons. Mollusks and reef building corals are particularly vulnerable. Understanding how these biophysical impacts affect social welfare is a critical step in crafting and evaluating policies that reduce CO2 emissions. There is an extensive body of literature estimating the economic impacts of climate change but very little research has been done on how ocean acidification could affect social welfare. This paper proposes an integrated biogeochemical-economic model to estimate the social welfare impacts of ocean acidification in the US mollusk fishery. To demonstrate the model two pathways for global greenhouse gas emissions are compared: a baseline path and a policy path in which CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. These pathways provide input for integrated earth systems models, generating forecasts of changes to sea water chemistry and mollusk production. A two-stage demand system estimates the utility function parameters needed to calculate compensating variation for avoided increases in the prices of oysters, scallops, clams and mussels. The model estimates annual compensating variation for the mitigation path relative to baseline conditions.
HIDDEN LEVERS OF INTERNET CONTROL

Battles over the control of information online are often fought at the level of Internet infrastructure. Forces of globalization and technological change have diminished the capacity of sovereign nation states and media content producers to directly control information flows. This loss of control over content and the failure of laws and markets to regain this control have redirected political and economic battles into the realm of infrastructure and, in particular, technologies of Internet governance. These arrangements of technical architecture are also arrangements of power. This shift of power to infrastructure is drawing renewed attention to the politics of Internet architecture and the legitimacy of the coordinating institutions and private ordering that create and administer these infrastructures. It also raises questions related to freedom of expression in the context of this increasing turn to infrastructure to control information. This article explores the relationship between governance and infr...
Hubble Space Telescope Observations of the Middle-aged Pulsar 0656+14

Multiwavelength spectral observations of middle-aged (τ~104-106 yr) isolated pulsars enable one in principle to separate thermal radiation emitted from the neutron star surface and nonthermal radiation from its magnetosphere. We have previously detected the middle-aged radio and soft X-ray pulsar 0656+14 with the Hubble Space Telescope Faint Object Camera (FOC) long-pass filter F130LP. In the present Letter we report new FOC observations of this pulsar with three broadband filters: F430W, F342W, and F195W. The optical-UV spectral flux can be fitted with a two-component spectral model that combines a power-law spectrum with a Rayleigh-Jeans spectrum. The nonthermal component with the power-law index α=1.4−0.7+ 0.6 dominates at λ3000 A. The thermal component is characterized by the Rayleigh-Jeans parameter, G ≡ T6(R10/d500)2, where T=106T6 K is the brightness temperature, R=10R10 km is the neutron star radius as seen by a distant observer, and d=500d500 pc is the distance. For a plausible extinction, E(B-V)=0.03, we obtained G=3.6+ 1.6−2.0. The observed shape of the optical-UV spectrum of PSR 0656+14 differs drastically from those of both younger pulsars (Crab, 0540-69, Vela) and the older pulsar Geminga.
Response stratification and survival analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with intra-arterial therapy using MR imaging-based arterial enhancement fraction.

Purpose To investigate the feasibility that arterial enhancement fraction (AEF) is associated with response of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following intra-arterial therapy (IAT) and to compare AEF response with currently used tumor response metrics. Materials and Methods The AEF, Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), modified RECIST (mRECIST), and European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) of the largest treated index lesion and AEF of the tumor-free hepatic parenchyma was measured on representative axial images in 131 patients (108 male; mean age, 61.9 years). Clinical measures and patient survival were assessed. Statistical analysis included Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the COX proportional hazards model. Results After IAT, the mean AEF of the tumor decreased by 22% (66.7–44.8%, P < 0.0001), while the mean AEF of the tumor-free parenchyma remained unchanged (27.2–26.5%, P = 0.50). Median survival of all 131 patients with liver cancer was 17 months. Patients were stratified into AEF-responders if they had an AEF-decrease ≥35% (AEF-responders: n = 67; AEF-nonresponders: n = 64). AEF-responders survived longer than nonresponders (34.8 months versus 10.8 months, hazard ratio = 0.39; P < 0.0001). Responders according to RECIST, mRECIST, or EASL did not survive significantly longer compared with nonresponders. Conclusion Evaluating the AEF values based on tri-phasic MRI is associated with tumor response in patients with unresectable HCC treated with IAT. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;40:1103–1111. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Brief Report: spuriously low serum IgG4 concentrations caused by the prozone phenomenon in patients with IgG4-related disease.

Objective To determine the frequency of the prozone effect in patients with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). Methods After identifying the prozone effect in an index patient with IgG4-RD, we examined additional samples to determine the frequency of this phenomenon. Thirty-eight serum samples obtained from patients with IgG4-RD whose results had been reported previously were retested. The serum IgG4 concentrations determined by this repeat analysis were compared with the originally reported values. Results In 10 (26%) of 38 patients, the originally reported IgG4 values were falsely low; the prozone effect was identified in each of these 10 samples. Correction of the prozone effect by sample dilution led to revision of the mean serum IgG4 concentration in the 10 samples, from 26 mg/dl to 2,008 mg/dl (normal range 2.4–121 mg/dl). All 10 patients whose samples were affected by the prozone effect had active IgG4-RD. Failure to detect the elevated serum IgG4 concentrations had a direct impact on the decision not to institute treatment in these patients. Conclusion The prozone effect may lead to major underestimations of IgG4 concentrations in patients with IgG4-RD and offers a potential explanation for the poor correlation observed between disease activity and serum IgG4 levels in some patients. This phenomenon should be considered if the serum IgG4 measurement appears discordant with the clinicopathologic diagnosis and the clinical assessment of disease activity.
Social responsibility and resource extraction: Are Chinese oil companies different?

Abstract In order to meet China’s rapidly increasing demand for oil, Chinese oil companies have been investing in oil production around the world. This article addresses one specific aspect of the more generalized fears expressed about China’s increasing demand for natural resources which is the impact that its oil companies will have on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement. In doing so, it limits its analysis to the three main Chinese oil companies: the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and their investments in sub-Saharan Africa. While acknowledging that Chinese oil companies are unlikely to push resource-rich governments to promote democracy or respect human rights, fears of their negative impact on CSR in the resource extractive industries are misconceived and overblown. Such fears are based on fundamental misconceptions of what CSR can do and how much its Western proponents have achieved. They are also based on misconceptions of the role of Chinese oil companies in global energy markets and they do not withstand a critical comparative evaluation of the respective CSR performance of Western and Chinese oil companies. In addressing the question posed in our title – are Chinese oil companies really different on CSR? – the answer is yes, but the differences are not all that big nor do they matter all that much.
Successful Treatment of Atrioesophageal Fistula by Cervical Esophageal Ligation and Decompression

Atrioesophageal fistula is a rare yet devastating complication of transcatheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. This condition requires urgent intervention, but the optimal treatment strategy is yet to be defined. Reported therapies range from endoscopic stenting to direct atrial repair or reconstruction while on cardiopulmonary bypass. Here, we describe the successful management of an atrioesophageal fistula by cervical esophageal ligation and decompression, along with gastric drainage.
Integrity of polydioxanone sutures: A case report

Abstract Certain conditions have been found to hasten the breakdown of absorbable PDS™ (polydioxanone) sutures. It is important that surgeons handle the sutures carefully to avoid premature breakdown.
Modeling Monkeys: A Comparison of Computer-Generated and Naturally Occurring Foraging Patterns in Two Species of Neotropical Primates

We present a series of computer-generated foraging models (random movement, olfactory navigation, and spatial memory) designed to examine the manner in which sensory cues and cognitive skills might be used by rainforest monkeys to locate patchily distributed feeding sites. These simulations are compared with data collected in the Amazon Basin of northeastern Peru on the foraging patterns of two species of neotropical primates, the moustached tamarin monkey (Saguinus mystax) and the saddle-back tamarin monkey (Saguinus fuscicollis). The results indicate that, although tamarins may rely on olfactory cues to locate nearby feeding sites, their foraging patterns are better explained by an ability to maintain a detailed spatial map of the location and distribution of hundreds of feeding trees in their home range. There is evidence that such informationis retained for a period of at least several weeks and is used to minimize the distance traveled between widely scattered feeding sites. The use of computer simulations provides a powerful research tool for generating predictive models regarding the role of memory and sensory cues in animal foraging patterns.
DNA as a metrology standard for length and force measurements with optical tweezers

Optical tweezers have broad applications in studies of structures and processes in molecular and cellular biophysics. Use of optical tweezers for quantitative molecular-scale measurement requires careful calibration in physical units. Here we show that DNA molecules may be used as metrology standards for force and length measurements. Analysis of DNA molecules of two specific lengths allows simultaneous determination of all essential measurement parameters. We validate this biological-calibration method experimentally and with simulated data, and show that precisions in determining length scale factor (∼0.2%), length offset (∼0.03%), force scale factor (∼2%), and compliance of the traps (∼3%) are limited only by current measurement variation, much of which arises from polydispersity of the microspheres (∼2%). We find this procedure to be simpler and more convenient than previous methods, and suggest that it provides an easily replicated standard that can insure uniformity of measurements made in different laboratories.
Characteristics of underwater ambient noise at a proposed tidal energy site in puget sound

Ambient underwater acoustics data are presented for one year at a potential tidal energy site in Admiralty Inlet, WA (USA) with maximum currents exceeding 3 m/s. The site, at a depth of approximately 60 meters, is located near shipping lanes, a local ferry route, and a transit area for many cetacean species. A key finding is that the statistical distribution of total sound pressure levels are dependent on tidal currents at the site. Pseudosound, cobbles shifting on the sea bed, and vibrations induced by forces on the equipment are possible explanations. Non-propagating turbulent pressure fluctuations, termed pseudosound, can mask ambient noise, especially in highly energetic environments suitable for tidal energy development. A statistical method identifies periods during which changes in the mean and standard deviation of the one-third octave band sound pressure levels are statistically significant and thus suggestive of pseudosound contamination. For each deployment, recordings with depth averaged tidal currents greater than 1 m/s are found to be contaminated, and only recordings with currents below this threshold are used in the subsequent ambient noise analysis. Mean total sound pressure levels (0.156 – 30 kHz) over all recordings are 117 dB re 1µPa. Total sound pressure levels exceed 100 dB re 1µPa 99% of the time and exceed 135 dB re 1µPa 4% of the time. Commercial shipping and ferry traffic are found to be the most significant contributors to ambient noise levels at the site, with secondary contributions from rain, wind, and marine mammal vocalizations. Post-processed data from an AIS (Automatic Identification System) receiver is used to determine the location of ships during each recording. Referencing 368 individual recordings with the distance between the ferry and the site obtained from AIS data, the source level of the ferry is estimated to be 179 ± 4 dB re 1µPa at 1m with a logarithmic spreading loss coefficient of 18.
A model-independent calculation of the alpha and beta stability of superheavy nuclei

The point functions of the Garvey-Kelson nuclidic mass relation are projected, enabling the construction of an entire mass table in the superheavy region. The stability of these nuclei against alpha and beta decay is calculated and it is found that, although Z = 114 may well be a magic proton number, other isotones of N = 184 have longer alpha half-lives. Furthermore all isotopes of Z = 126 are found to be both alpha and beta unstable.
Generalized Scalable Multiple Copy Algorithms for Molecular Dynamics Simulations in NAMD.

Computational methodologies that couple the dynamical evolution of a set of replicated copies of a system of interest offer powerful and flexible approaches to characterize complex molecular processes. Such multiple copy algorithms (MCAs) can be used to enhance sampling, compute reversible work and free energies, as well as refine transition pathways. Widely used examples of MCAs include temperature and Hamiltonian-tempering replica-exchange molecular dynamics (T-REMD and H-REMD), alchemical free energy perturbation with lambda replica-exchange (FEP/λ-REMD), umbrella sampling with Hamiltonian replica exchange (US/H-REMD), and string method with swarms-of-trajectories conformational transition pathways. Here, we report a robust and general implementation of MCAs for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in the highly scalable program NAMD built upon the parallel programming system Charm++. Multiple concurrent NAMD instances are launched with internal partitions of Charm++ and located continuously within a single communication world. Messages between NAMD instances are passed by low-level point-to-point communication functions, which are accessible through NAMD’s Tcl scripting interface. The communication-enabled Tcl scripting provides a sustainable application interface for end users to realize generalized MCAs without modifying the source code. Illustrative applications of MCAs with fine-grained inter-copy communication structure, including global lambda exchange in FEP/λ-REMD, window swapping US/H-REMD in multidimensional order parameter space, and string method with swarms-of-trajectories were carried out on IBM Blue Gene/Q to demonstrate the versatility and massive scalability of the present implementation.
Acute and relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in IL-4- and α/β T cell-deficient C57BL/6 mice

Abstract Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis follows a chronic relapsing course in several inbred strains of mice. To address the role of T cells in recovery and relapse, the clinical course of EAE was compared in C57BL/6 (B6) normal and immunodeficient mice following active immunization with MOG p35–55 or adoptive transfer of encephalitogenic peptide-specific T cell lines. The course of actively-induced EAE in B6 wild-type and IL-4 −/− mice was similar. B6 IL-4 −/− mice recovered normally from acute passive EAE, but did not relapse in contrast to wild-type B6 mice. EAE was progressive in B6 RAG −/− and α / β TCR −/− mice, but the disease course could be arrested by infusion of normal spleen cells. When non-activated MOG peptide-specific T cells were transferred to wild-type or α / β TCR −/− mice, spontaneous disease ensued in the mutants only.
A novel use of constrained sintering to determine the viscous Poisson's ratio of densifying materials

Abstract This paper describes a novel technique, based on the concept of pressureless constrained sintering and the viscous analogy, for determining the viscous Poisson’s ratio of sintering materials. The method involves measuring the sintering rate of a free-sintered specimen, and a specimen constrained by two non-sintering layers. Representative data for a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) material are reported. The viscous Poisson’s ratio varied from 0.25 at ∼74% density to about 0.45 at ∼93%, which agrees well with model predictions. The method applies only during the intermediate stage of densification, because the material is viscous during this period of sintering.
12C decay of 24Mg following nuclear inelastic scattering

Abstract The decay of 24Mg into two ground-state 12C nuclei following inelastic scattering of 15 MeV/nucleon 24Mg by a 12C target was studied. Three states at excitation energies in 24Mg of 21.9, 23.6 and 24.8 MeV were observed. Their spins, Jπ=2+ and, most likely, 0+ (2+) and 0+, respectively, have been inferred from the 12C12C angular correlations.
Progress towards a dual-isotope trapped mercury ion atomic clock: Further studies of background gas collision shifts

As part of an on-going effort to build a dual-isotope ion trap clock based on the 199Hg+ and 201Hg+ ground state hyperfine transitions, we continue to characterize the systematic sensitivities of the 201Hg+ 29.9GHz clock transition. Here we present an extension to the previous 201Hg+ collision shift measurement for helium[1] to other background gases. We also measured the collision shifts in the 199Hg+ 40.5GHz clock transition in the same physical system. We find that frequency sensitivities to collisions with background gas for the two isotopes agree within a factor of two. We will also discuss planned collision shift measurements with co-trapped 199Hg+ and 201Hg+, as an important step towards a dual-isotope atomic clock.