cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MINPRAN: a new robust estimator for computer vision

MINPRAN is a new robust estimator capable of finding good fits in data sets containing more than 50% outliers. Unlike other techniques that handle large outlier percentages, MINPRAN does not rely on a known error bound for the good data. Instead, it assumes the bad data are randomly distributed within the dynamic range of the sensor. Based on this, MINPRAN uses random sampling to search for the fit and the inliers to the fit that are least likely to have occurred randomly. It runs in time O(N/sup 2/+SN log N), where S is the number of random samples and N is the number of data points. We demonstrate analytically that MINPRAN distinguished good fits to random data and MINPRAN finds accurate fits and nearly the correct number of inliers, regardless of the percentage of true inliers. We confirm MINPRAN's properties experimentally on synthetic data and show it compares favorably to least median of squares. Finally, we apply MINPRAN to fitting planar surface patches and eliminating outliers in range data taken from complicated scenes. >
Economic Incorporation, Civil Inclusion, and Social Ties: Plans to Return Home Among Central Asian Migrant Women in Moscow, Russia

This study uses data from a survey of female labor migrants from three Central Asian countries - Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan - in Moscow, Russia, to examine factors that influence these women's plans to return to their home countries. The conceptual framework considers three types of factors of migrants' attachment to the host society - conomic incorporation, civil inclusion, and social connectedness - while also accounting for migrants' ties to their homelands. The results of multivariate analyses point to the importance of sector and type of employment, income, legal status, experience of ethnically motivated harassment, and social ties to adults relatives and friends in the host society in shaping return plans. In contrast, connections in the home country do not appear to influence the likelihood of having plans to return. These findings are contextualized within the political, socioeconomic, and ethnocultural reality of the post-Soviet world and related to the cross-national scholarship on return migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Echinocandin activity against Aspergillus spp. and the importance of pharmacodynamics

Echinocandins represent a safe and well tolerated option for the therapy of invasive aspergillosis in patients who are unable to tolerate other agents or have refractory disease. In vitro and animal model data provide useful insights into the activity, appropriate dose, and potential role of these agents in invasive aspergillosis. These studies reveal a potentially concerning lack of tissue sterilization when echinocandins are used as monotherapy but clearly show improved survival with increasing doses. Furthermore pharmacodynamic studies suggest that echinocandin doses currently in widespread clinical use may optimize outcomes in invasive aspergillosis. A paucity of clinical data exists examining these agents as monotherapy for invasive aspergillosis and virtually no clinical data exists for using these agents as primary therapy. Further data examining the role of echinocandin monotherapy for invasive aspergillosis is unlikely to be forthcoming in the foreseeable future due to several factors including the aforementioned issues, the relatively small number patients with this infection, and the belief that these agents are potentially best used as part of combination therapy regimens for invasive aspergillosis.
Creating a Repository for the Design and Delivery of Web Services

Existing web service repositories are not well suited to handle the multi-layered representation of web services, nor are they able to support multiple development methodologies. We describe the design and development of a repository called Web Service Crawler that supports both a traditional development methodology for the initial design of services, and an agile approach for the design of composite applications. Web Service Crawler is developed based on a set of theory-based design characteristics, and includes novel facets to represent multi-layered web services, such as workflow, composition, and layer. The positive evaluation results indicate that Web Service Crawler can be used to guide web service designers, as well as enable consumers to more easily find and use services.
High-density and very-low-density lipoprotein have opposing roles in regulating tumor-initiating cells and sensitivity to radiation in inflammatory breast cancer.

Purpose: We previously demonstrated that cholesterol-lowering agents regulate radiation sensitivity of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) cell lines in vitro and are associated with less radiation resistance among IBC patients who undergo postmastectomy radiation. We hypothesized that decreasing IBC cellular cholesterol induced by treatment with lipoproteins would increase radiation sensitivity. Here, we examined the impact of specific transporters of cholesterol (ie lipoproteins) on the responses of IBC cells to self-renewal and to radiation in vitro and on clinical outcomes in IBC patients. Methods and Materials: Two patient-derived IBC cell lines, SUM 149 and KPL4, were incubated with low-density lipoproteins (LDL), very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), or high-density lipoproteins (HDL) for 24 hours prior to irradiation (0-6 Gy) and mammosphere formation assay. Cholesterol panels were examined in a cohort of patients with primary IBC diagnosed between 1995 and 2011 at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Lipoprotein levels were then correlated to patient outcome, using the log rank statistical model, and examined in multivariate analysis using Cox regression. Results: VLDL increased and HDL decreased mammosphere formation compared to untreated SUM 149 and KPL4 cells. Survival curves showed enhancement of survival in both of the IBC cell lines when pretreated with VLDL and, conversely, radiation sensitization in all cell lines when pretreated withmore » HDL. In IBC patients, higher VLDL values (>30 mg/dL) predicted a lower 5-year overall survival rate than normal values (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.9 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-3.45], P=.035). Lower-than-normal patient HDL values (<60 mg/dL) predicted a lower 5-year overall survival rate than values higher than 60 mg/dL (HR = 3.21 [95% CI: 1.25-8.27], P=.015). Conclusions: This study discovered a relationship among the plasma levels of lipoproteins, overall patient response, and radiation resistance in IBC patients and IBC patient-derived cell lines. A more expansive study is needed to verify these observations.« less
Efficient processing of XML containment queries using partition-based schemes

XML query languages provide facilities to query XML data both on their value as well as their structure. A basic operation in processing and optimizing such queries is the containment join, which takes two sets of elements and returns pairs of elements where one is the ancestor (or descendant) of the other. Most of the techniques proposed so far assume that the two sets are already sorted or utilize preexisting indexing schemes. In contrast, a partition-based technique does not require indexing or sorting. Instead, the containment join is processed by dividing the input sets into smaller partitions. In this paper, we present a new partition-based scheme that gracefully adapts to different document sizes. The advantages of our approach are validated through an experimental comparison with previous work. Moreover, the experiments demonstrate that our solution provides a viable alternative to non-partition join algorithms when the input data is neither sorted nor indexed.
GNSS signals — An overview

This paper provides an overview of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals. Today, GNSS comprises two major constellations: (1) the United States' Global Positioning System (GPS), and (2) the Russian Federation's Globalnaya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS). Two other major constellations are being deployed. Additionally, regional systems have been deployed or are planned. Whereas most GNSS timing receivers today rely only upon the legacy GPS signals, it is anticipated in the near future that multi-system receivers will become the norm. This paper describes the characteristics of each of the GNSS signals, and highlights the performance benefits that will be provided to the precise time and frequency community as the GNSS evolves.
Mapping the UMLS Semantic Network into general ontologies.

In this study, we analyzed the compatibility betwee n an ontology of the biomedical domain (the UMLS Semantic Network) and two other ontologies: the Upper Cyc Ontology (UCO) and WordNet. 1) We manually mapped UMLS Semantic Types to UCO. One fifth of the UMLS Semantic Types had exact mapping to UCO types. UCO provides generic concepts and a structure that relies on a larger number of categories, despite its lack of depth in the biomedical domain. 2) We compared semantic classes in the UMLS and WordNet. 2% of the UMLS concepts from the Health Disorder class were present in WordNet, and compatibility between classes was 48%. WordNet, as a general language-oriented ontology is a source of lay knowledge, particularly important for consumer health applications.
Defining a Gradient in a Sample of Sedimentary Rock: ABSTRACT

Three orthogonal planes (two vertical and one horizontal with respect to the recognizable bedding structure) of a core sample of apparently graded graywacke sandstone have been petrographically analyzed in order to determine the characteristics of the lithologic gradients in the specimen. Compositional and textural properties were sampled in thin section according to an orthogonal grid pattern on each of the three faces. Variability among rows and columns (plus interaction) with respect to each petrographic variable was tested by analysis of variance using a two-cross classification. A larger number of properties show significant variability among rows (in a vertical direction) in the two vertical planes of the specimen than in the horizontal plane. Quality control models with confidence limits which expose graphically the trends displayed by individual constituents indicate that feldspar proportion, mica proportion, and quartz grain size show significant gradients in the vertical direction perpendicular to the bedding. Quartz proportion oscillates in a non-systematic fashion, and quartz grain shape shows no trend in the vertical planes of the specimen. The petrographic variability observed in the horizontal plane of the bedding is generally trendless. Independence of the individual gradients is apparent, reflecting the influence of explicit processes on the spatial distribution of the petrographic variables in the rock. Partial trend surfaces show the trends in quartz grain size to be dominant, according to the comparative amounts of variance accounted for by each fitted surface. Again, the major portions of variability are explained by the surfaces in the planes perpendicular to the bedding. The textural homogeneity of the rock in the horizontal (bedding) plane is reflected in the minor trends defined by the surfaces in this direction. These results indicate that only apparent gradients in the lithologic properties of the rock are detectable by these methods. To assess accurately the "real" gradients, rotational transformations, which would bring the faces into complete orthogonality with the trend, and criteria (such as maximum variance explained) should be employed. End_of_Article - Last_Page 337------------
Ellis Island Nation: Immigration Policy and American Identity in the Twentieth Century. By Robert L. Fleegler. (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013. Pp. 270. $49.95.)

In this thoughtful and timely volume, the author focuses on the evolution of the immigration debate during the crucial era between the passage of two major laws about forty years apart in the twent...
MGLU5 RECEPTOR POSITIVE ALLOSTERIC MODULATORS AS PUTATIVE ANTIPSYCHOTIC AGENTS

The glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests that NMethyl-D-Aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor function is dysfunctional in schizophrenia and may be responsible for the positive, negative and cognitive symptoms found in the disorder. One approach to modulate glutamate function is via activation of mGlu5 receptors which enhances NMDA receptor function. mGlu5 positive allosteric modulators enhance the potency of glutamate for the orthosteric site in the mGlu5 receptor subtype and are active in animal models of positive and negative symptoms. Moreover these molecules increase the cortical and hippocampal expression of proteins related to synaptic plasticity and reverse cognitive deficits induced by NMDA receptor antagonists. This overall preclinical profile suggests that mGlu5 positive allosteric modulators may be beneficial across all symptom domains in schizophrenia.
Verifiable and executable theories of design for synthesizing correct hardware

Formally verified hardware synthesis functions have been developed and implemented using high-order logic, automatic theorem provers, and declarative languages. The synthesis functions, which take the form of equivalence-preserving transformations, enable implementations to be related to their specifications in a formally verified manner. As shown by the theory of design for array multipliers, verified synthesis functions produce implementations which are correct by construction, thus avoiding the exponential growth in effort inherent in simulation-based and Boolean comparison-based verification. Theories of design with their verified synthesis functions and correctness theorems represent additional features which would logically extend computer-aided design systems for design synthesis and design verification. >
Parallel Inference for Latent Dirichlet Allocation on Graphics Processing Units

The recent emergence of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) as general-purpose parallel computing devices provides us with new opportunities to develop scalable learning methods for massive data. In this work, we consider the problem of parallelizing two inference methods on GPUs for latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) models, collapsed Gibbs sampling (CGS) and collapsed variational Bayesian (CVB). To address limited memory constraints on GPUs, we propose a novel data partitioning scheme that effectively reduces the memory cost. This partitioning scheme also balances the computational cost on each multiprocessor and enables us to easily avoid memory access conflicts. We use data streaming to handle extremely large datasets. Extensive experiments showed that our parallel inference methods consistently produced LDA models with the same predictive power as sequential training methods did but with 26x speedup for CGS and 196x speedup for CVB on a GPU with 30 multiprocessors. The proposed partitioning scheme and data streaming make our approach scalable with more multiprocessors. Furthermore, they can be used as general techniques to parallelize other machine learning models.
A Functional Variant of Tandem Repeats in Human Telomerase Gene Was Associated with Survival of Patients with Early Stages of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose: Elevated levels of human telomerase ( hTERT ) mRNA in tumors is a marker for poorer survival in patients with stage I non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A functional variant of MNS16A-short tandem repeats in hTERT (S allele) is associated with higher expression levels of hTERT mRNA compared with the MNS16A-long (L) allele. It is unknown, however, whether or not the hTERT MNS16A variant genotype predicts survival of NSCLC patients. Experimental Design: The hTERT genotypes of 808 patients with NSCLC were determined by direct PCR with genomic DNA. Overall median survival times were estimated by the life-table method, and the log-rank test was used to test for homogeneity of the survival curves. Both univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the associations between survival time and the hTERT genotype as well as other known risk factors. Results: The hTERT variant genotype was not associated with overall survival among the 808 patients. However, among 221 patients with stage I or II NSCLC, the S allele was associated with shorter survival time ( P = 0.027, by log-rank test). The adjusted hazard ratios were 1.30 (95% confidence interval, 0.79-2.14; P = 0.310) for the SL-genotype and 2.34 (95% confidence interval, 1.20-4.56, P = 0.012) for the SS-genotype compared with the LL-genotype ( P = 0.021 for trend test). These findings were not evident in 587 patients with stage III or IV NSCLC. Conclusion: The functional MNS16A-SS genotype may be a marker for poorer survival in early-stage NSCLC. Clin Cancer Res; 16(14); 3779–85. ©2010 AACR.
Conformational Coupling in DNA Polymerase Fidelity

The fidelity of DNA polymerases is largely attributable to a two-step nucleotide binding mechanism. In the first step, binding contacts are initially made between the template and the incoming dNTP. The selectivity of this ground-state binding is similar in magnitude to the selectivity seen in forming base pairs in solution. In the second step, a change in protein conformation occurs, which leads to rapid incorporation of the dNTP into the growing polymer. This conformational change appears to occur globally in that it is inhibited by mismatches in the dNTP or in any of the three terminal base pairs of the primer/template. The open conformation allows rapid binding of the dNTP from solution, while the closed conformation provides steric checks for the proper Watson-Crick base pair geometry. This conformational change accounts for the extraordinary fidelity of polymerization and also provides selectivity to the exonuclease by inhibiting polymerization over a mismatch in the primer/template. The overall fidelity approaches one error in 10(10) by a combination of selectivity in polymerization (10(5)-10(6)) and in proofreading (10(3)-10(4)). This paradigm provides the theoretical basis for further investigation of the structural basis for fidelity by pointing to the essential elements of the polymerization reaction that need to be examined in order to evaluate active-site-directed mutants of polymerases to test appropriate structure/function relationships.
Individual Differences in the Neural Basis of Causal Inferencing

This study used fMRI to examine individual differences in the neural basis of causal inferencing. Participants with varying language skill levels, as indexed by scores on the vocabulary portion of the Nelson– Denny Reading Test, read four types of two-sentence passages in which causal relatedness (moderate and distant) and presence or absence of explicit clause connectives were orthogonally varied to manipulate coherence and cohesion during inference generation. Skilled readers showed better neural efficiency (less activation) during all context sentences and during all inference conditions. Increased activation in lessskilled readers was most extensively distributed in the right hemisphere (RH) homologues of left hemisphere (LH) language areas, especially in the most difficult passage types. Skilled readers also showed greater sensitivity to coherence (greater activation and synchronization in moderately related than distantly related passages) whereas less-skilled readers showed sensitivity to cohesion (greater activation and synchronization when clause connectives were present than when they were not). These finding support the hypothesis that skilled reading comprehension requires recruitment of the RH on an ‘‘as needed’’ basis. We describe the dynamic spillover hypothesis, a new theoretical framework that outlines the conditions under which RH language contributions are most likely evoked.
Revisiting the argument for 1‐ versus 2‐vein outflow in head and neck free tissue transfers: A review of 317 microvascular reconstructions

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the benefit of 1-vein versus 2-vein outflow in microvascular free tissue transfers. Methods A retrospective review reflects the experience of 6 surgeons. Analysis included all patients who underwent reconstruction at a single institution between January 2004 and December 2012. Results Three hundred nine patients underwent a total of 317 microvascular free flap reconstructions for head and neck defects. Two hundred thirteen of 317 flaps (67.2%) used 1 venous anastomosis and 104 (32.8%) used 2 venous anastomoses. Venous congestion necessitated urgent take back in 37 of 57 patients (64.9%) requiring exploration for perioperative complications. Thirty of 37 flaps (81.1%) with venous congestion had 1 vein anastomosis, whereas 7 (18.9%) had dual vein outflow (p = .03). Overall flap success was 303 of 317 (95.6%), despite an 18.0% (57 of 317) perioperative take back rate. Conclusion Coapting 2 veins was shown to minimize venous congestion. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2015
Characterization of ethyl chloroformate derivative of β -methylamino- l -alanine

β-Methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) is a neurotoxic amino acid that can be produced by cyanobacteria in aqueous environments. To analyze this compound by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), BMAA must be derivatized to a nonpolar, volatile compound. This can be accomplished by reacting BMAA with ethyl chloroformate. While carrying out electron ionization (EI) mass spectrometric analysis on the 13C-labeled derivative, it was discovered that the formation of an ion with a peak at m/z 245.12 is the result of [CH3CH2O·] loss from the amino groups resulting from α-cleavage. This differs from previous reports that attributed this peak to α-cleavage of the carboxylic ester portion of the BMAA derivative. This finding is important for understanding BMAA derivative mass spectrometric fragmentation patterns and ultimately to properly identifying and quantifying BMAA. Fragmentation pathways for the formation of other major peaks observed in the EI mass spectra are also proposed.
Are target leverage ratios stable? Investigating the impact of corporate asset restructuring

Abstract If firms balance the benefits and costs of leverage, then we might expect corporate asset shocks to trigger a change in corporate target leverage. We investigate the impact of corporate asset restructuring and find that target leverage after restructuring is reduced for downsizing firms and increased for upsizing firms. Changes in target leverage are stabilized by the second year after the restructuring event and are monotonic relative to the degree of restructuring. Decomposition analysis shows that corporate asset restructuring directly and significantly affects target debt ratios. Compared to control firms, downsizing firms adjust claims by repurchasing debt while upsizing firms issue debt securities. As expected, debt repurchases are associated with lower tax liabilities while debt issuance decisions correspond to lower growth proxies and are consistent with a higher adverse selection cost of issuing equity, positive leverage deficit, higher tax liabilities, and lower bankruptcy risk.
Synthesis and in vitro anti-hepatitis B and C virus activities of ring-expanded ('fat') nucleobase analogues containing the imidazo[4,5-e][1,3]diazepine-4,8-dione ring system.

Abstract As part of our structure–activity relationship studies, we report here the synthesis and in vitro anti-HBV and anti-HCV activities of a number of ring-expanded (‘fat’) nucleobases containing the imidazo[4,5- e ][1,3]diazepine-4,8-dione ring system. One of the compounds, ZP-88 , exhibited a good activity/toxicity profile against HBV by inhibition of the synthesis of extracellular virion release (EC 50 = 1.7 μM, CC 50 = 286 μM, SI = 168) and intracellular HBV replication intermediates (EC 50 = 8.4 μM, CC 50 = 286 μM, SI = 34) in cultured human hepatoblastoma 2.2.15 cells. By contrast, most of the compounds tested against HCV had only marginal activity/toxicity profile, although that was still better than that of the reference compound ribavirin.
Manganese in teeth and neurodevelopment in young Mexican-American children.

Abstract Introduction Manganese (Mn) is an essential nutrient but higher exposure has been associated with poorer neurodevelopment in children. Methods We measured Mn levels in prenatal (Mn pre ) ( n =197) and postnatal (Mn post ) dentin ( n =193) from children's shed teeth using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy and examined the relationship with children's scores on the Mental Development Index (MDI) and Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 6, 12, and 24-months. We explored non-linear associations and interactions by sex, blood lead concentrations and maternal iron status during pregnancy. Results A two-fold increase of Mn post levels in dentin was associated with small decreases in MDI at 6-months and 12-months of age. We also observed a non-linear relationship between Mn post levels and PDI at 6-months. We found effect modification by sex for Mn post levels and neurodevelopment at 6-months with stronger effects among girls for both MDI (−1.5 points; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): −2.4, −0.6) and PDI (−1.8 points; 95% CI: −3.3, −0.3). Girls whose mothers had lower hemoglobin levels experienced larger decreases in MDI and PDI associated with Mn pre levels than girls whose mothers had higher hemoglobin levels ( p interaction =0.007 and 0.09, respectively). We did not observe interactions with blood lead concentrations or any relationships with neurodevelopment at 24-months. Conclusions Using Mn measurements in tooth dentin, a novel biomarker that provides prenatal and early postnatal levels, we observed negative transient associations between postnatal Mn levels and early neurodevelopment with effect modification by sex and interactions with prenatal hemoglobin.
Updating XML

As XML has developed over the past few years, its role has expanded beyond its original domain as a semantics-preserving markup language for online documents, and it is now also the de facto format for interchanging data between heterogeneous systems. Data sources expert XML “views” over their data, and other system can directly import or query these views. As a result, there has been great interest in languages and systems for expressing queries over XML data, whether the XML is stored in a repository or generated as a view over some other data storage format.Clearly, in order to fully evolve XML into a universal data representation and sharing format, we must allow users to specify updates to XML documents and must develop techniques to process them efficiently. Update capabilities are important not only for modifying XML documents, but also for propagating changes through XML view and for expressing and transmitting changes to documents. This paper begins by proposing a set of basic update operations for both ordered and unordered XML data. We next describe extensions to the proposed standard XML query language, XQuery, to incorporate the update operations. We then consider alternative methods for implementing update operations when the XML data is mapped into a relational database. Finally, we describe an experimental evaluation of the alternative techniques for implementing our extensions.
Further Evidences of the Non-Sympathomimetic Action of Ephedrine.

In a previous report1 it was shown that the most favorable functional state of the sympathetic nerves in blood vessels, i. e., during sensitization by cocaine, failed to give responses to ephedrine, indicating that the cause of the pressor action of ephedrine was not sympathetic stimulation. Further evidence obtained recently along other lines confirms this result.Three cats (4.5 to 7 cc. per kilo of Fledxt. Ergot, U. S. P.) and 1 dog (1 mgm. par Kg. ergotamine) were ergotized to the point of reversal of the original rises of blood pressure caused by epinephrine, to falls of pressure owing to paralysis of the constrictor sympathetic endings. In these same animals, the rises of blood pressure (before ergot) caused by different doses of ephedrine were invariably obtained when the vasomotor reversals to epinephrine were demonstrated. In other words, the pressor action of ephedrine still occurred after paralysis of the sympathetic constrictor endings, and therefore, was due to muscular stimulation. Figures 1 ...
Electron intensities obtained during backscattered-Mössbauer spectroscopy: I. Comparison between theory and experiment

A simple theoretical model that calculates the percent effect (i.e., ratio of resonant to nonresonant events) and also the spectral area of backscattered-conversion electron Mossbauer spectra is presented for systems containing 26 57 Fe. Attenuation of nonresonant background photons in the absorber is described assuming a simple exponential decay while attenuation of resonant 14.41 keV γ-rays is calculated using the expression derived by Margulies and Ehrman. Four different methods of representing electron transmission in the solid have been compared. Good agreement between model calculations and experimental data are obtained provided suitable electron transmission functions are used. Since the proposed model is also capable of calculating the electron energy spectrum in multilayer films, it provides a new and relatively simple formalism for the determination of depth-profiles from backscattered-electron spectra.
On the Retention Behaviors of 13 Residual Organophosphorus Pesticides in Broccoli on Different Chromatographic Columns in Gas Chromatography

The retention of 13 organophosphorus pesticides(OPP′s) in broccoli on 4 capillary chromatographic columns with different polarities,namely DB-1,DB-5,DB-1701 and DB-35MS was studied using the gas chromatograph Agilant GC 6890 with FPD detector.As shown by the experimental results,by combining use of the DB-5 and DB-1701 columns in series,residues of the 13 OPP′s in broccoli were effectively separated and determined.
Investigation on the Present Situation of Iodine Deficiency Disorders in Linzhi Area

Objective To evaluate the present situation of iodine deficiency disorders(IDD) in the area of Linzhi.Methods Children's goiters were measured by palpation and b-ultrasound.The level of urinary iodine in children and women at the reproductive age was measured.Other parameters measured in this study included the intelligence quotient(IQ) ,health knowledge and the use of iodized salt.The area of endemic cretinism was also searched for new cases.Results A total of 14 towns of 4 counties were investigated.The children's goiter rate as determined by palpation and b-ultrasound was 7.8%(102/1308) and 5.5%(69/1248) ,respectively.The median concentration of urinary iodine of children and women was 189.81 μg/L and 121.25 μg/L,respectively.The percentage of children and women with the concentration of urinary iodine over 100 μg/L was 78.2% and 56.5%,respectively.The children's IQ was 78.4.66.3% of the population consumed iodized salt.25.3% of the population had the knowledge of using iodized salt for the disease prevention.New case of endemic cretinism was not found in the endemic area.Conclusion The incidence of IDD is decreasing rapidly in Linzhi areas,but there are still many risk factors associated with iodine deficiency.
Republication of “Educational Services for the Severely and Profoundly Handicapped1”

Editor’s NoteThe middle part of the 1970s marked the beginning of an era of enhanced concern for the education, treatment, and care of individuals with severe disabilities. For our republished article in this issue of the Journal of Special Education’s (JSE) 50th anniversary volume, we have selected a piece by Dr. Norris Haring, founding President of the advocacy organization known as TASH and one of the individuals, if not THE individual, who was at the forefront of the movement to improve the lives of people with severe disabilities. Working at the University of Washington, Haring and colleagues spearheaded efforts to develop and disseminate interventions and proven practices for this group of individuals with exceptionalities and their families. Looking back, there have been great changes from personnel preparation, parent involvement and training, and community support efforts, but despite important advances in these and other areas, great needs remain.
Application to Lithium

In this work, we apply MAGIS to the enrichment of Li-7. In several ways, lithium is an ideal test-case for MAGIS. Having just two stable isotopes, Li-6 and Li-7, understanding the exact protocol for enriching Li-7 is straightforward. Spectroscopy of lithium isotopes is well understood and adequate laser power is available at the relevant wavelengths in the lithium spectrum. Moreover, despite having a moderate magnetic moment in its ground state, the low mass of both lithium isotopes simplifies magnetic deflection. Besides being an experimentally favorable candidate, Li-7 already has critical applications in nuclear energy that will require massive quantities of highly enriched material. With existing separation methods for lithium posing environmental hazards, our demonstration could be highly relevant for the future of lithium enrichment. In this chapter, we discuss both applications for lithium isotopes and existing methods for lithium enrichment. We proceed to discuss relevant characteristics of the lithium atom, and then outline details of our apparatus including extensive numerical simulations that predict MAGIS performance.
Cobalt: Its Role in Health and Disease

The primarily function of cobalt in humans is based on its role in cobalamin (Cbl, vitamin B12). Therefore, this chapter will focus on the physiological roles of Cbl and the importance of cobalt in human health. Cbl acts as the cofactor for two enzymes, i.e., methylmalonyl-CoA mutase and methionine synthase, in humans. Both enzymes are important for health. In addition, unlike other water-soluble vitamins, there is a unique absorption, delivery, and activation system for Cbl in mammals. Therefore, this chapter will also review the literature on the Cbl transporting system, which is crucial for Cbl function.
Predicting and mitigating congestion for an electric power system under load and renewable uncertainty

Transmission grids have to handle increasing uncertainty as the proportion of renewables in the generation portfolio rises. This necessitates probabilistic modeling of the impact of renewables uncertainty over the near-future state of the grid. We propose an approach to estimate the probability of the occurrence of a congestion event, which is defined as the event when power flow in a transmission line exceeds critical thermal limits or voltage at a bus exits its safety limits. Certain optimal mitigation actions to minimize the chances of experiencing a congestion event are also modeled. A decomposition algorithm is presented to efficiently solve the multi-period power flow-based optimization formulation. Rare-event simulation techniques are used to evaluate the risk of experiencing a congestion event under this operational model to create the congestion forecasts.
Preparation of 8-Aza-7-deazaaristeromycin and -neplanocin A and Their 5′-Homologs

The synthesis of new members of the aristeromycin and neplaoncin A families of carbocyclic nucleosides possessing the 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine ring is reported. For this purpose, an adapted route to 4-amino-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine is described.
What Do I Do Now

The author in this article reports a literature review on the core concepts of a Parse inquiry on the lived experience of feeling sad: unrelenting misery, pondering the irreplaceable (remembering), and persevering with adversity. New conceptualizations of sadness are presented and the question for health professionals is posed: What do we do now?
δ-Space for real-world networks: A correlation analysis of decay centrality vs. degree centrality and closeness centrality

Abstract We analyze a suite of 48 real-world networks and compute the decay centrality (DEC) of the vertices for the complete range of values for the decay parameter δ ∊ (0, 1) as well as determine the Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC) between the DEC δ values and degree centrality (DEG) and closeness centrality (CLC). We observe PCC(DEC δ , DEG) to decrease with increase in δ and PCC(DEC δ , CLC) to decrease with decrease in δ . We define the δ-space r for a real-world network with respect to the DEG, DEC, CLC correlation as the difference between the maximum and minimum δ values under which we observe a particular level of correlation ( r ) between the DEC, DEG and DEC, CLC metrics respectively. We show that the PCC(DEG, CLC) values for the real-world networks exhibit a very strongly positive correlation with the δ-space r values and demonstrate that one could predict the δ-space r value for a real-world network using the PCC(DEG, CLC) value for that network. We also analyze the impact of various topological measures on the δ-space r values for the real-world networks.
Type and Concept in Lazarillo de Tormes : Self-Knowledge and the Spanish Picaresque Narrative

Despite the disputes and controversies that seem to prevail in the criticism devoted to the Spanish picaresque literature, one can at least identify a contention that — to all appearances — is subscribed to by all. I have in mind, of course, the thesis that the genre in question begins to take shape with Lazarillo and is finally established with Guzman de Alfarache, possibly the highest accomplishment in picaresque fiction.1 Even if one were to accept this notion, it would still be true that a basic assumption would have to be admitted along with it, namely, the view that the picaresque narrative is essentially autobiographical. Now, this presupposition is, at best, only suspected, and it is thus never provided with any justification. This may very well be due to the fact that such a foundation would prove elusive to anyone who adopts a sheer historical approach, whether the critic in question stresses the content2 or the form of the works under scrutiny.3 This is all the more surprising when one sees such critics affirming and emphasizing — in one way or another — the autobiographical dimension as intrinsic to this kind of fiction. No one appears to have wondered — so far as I know and in the sense specified below — about the meaning of asserting that the form (and even the significance of works of this sort) is inherently autobiographical. In other words, nobody seems to have been intent on determining how this unusual manner of narration could have possibly arisen at the historical moment in which it did (and precisely as a defining aspect of the new genre). My purpose here is not however to resume a historical inquiry into these matters, however promising such a venture may look from this point of view, since, in all probability, an endeavor of that sort would again make us oblivious of the question at hand. Moreover, I do not believe that a task of such magnitude — no matter how useful and attractive it may be — is within my grasp. But neither do I propose to devote my attention to establish in full the possibility of autobiographical narratives when they are cast in the picaresque mold. An enterprise of this sort is certainly beyond the scope of a study like this, and it would no doubt exceed my competence.
Monoclonal Antibodies in Multiple Myeloma: A New Wave of the Future

In 2015, 2 monoclonal antibodies were approved for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), elotuzumab and daratumumab. Elotuzumab is a monoclonal IgG-κ antibody directed against SLAMF7 (signaling lymphocytic activation molecule F7), a cell surface receptor involved in natural killer cell activation. Daratumumab is a monoclonal IgG-κ antibody that binds to CD38, a transmembrane protein found on the surface of myeloma cells and responsible for cellular adhesion and ectoenzymatic activity. Both elotuzumab and daratumumab act through recruitment of the immune system to enhance cellular cytotoxicity directed against myeloma cells. Elotuzumab requires lenalidomide and dexamethasone combined to enhance progression-free survival in patients with RRMM, and daratumumab has both single-agent and combination activity with either lenalidomide or the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in RRMM. The adverse effect profile of both agents mainly consists of allergic-type infusion reactions. Other considerations for monoclonal antibody use in the treatment of MM include the potential for interference in serum protein electrophoresis testing and cross-reactivity of daratumumab with CD38 present on red blood cells. In the present report, we discussed the clinical development of daratumumab and elotuzumab and newer immunologic approaches to the treatment of MM.
A New Open Humanities: Introduction

EDITOR'S SUMMARY The third annual Virtual Symposium on Information & Technology in the Arts & Humanities, held on April 18 and 19, 2017, centered on a theme of open science in the humanities. Presentations at the Symposium have included topics such as data visualization, historical images, interactive exhibits and linked data. The 2017 theme of open humanities was a starting point for the speakers to consider how open science has and can impact the world of humanities in various ways. Speakers at the symposium discussed analyzing writing practices on the internet using web scrapers, data management in the humanities, visual literacy skills of graduate and undergraduate students and the challenge researchers face in trying to keep up with publications in their field.
Comparative “nocebo effects” in older patients enrolled in cancer therapeutic trials: Observations from a 446-patient cohort

BACKGROUND A nocebo is an inert substance associated with adverse events. Although previous studies have examined the positive (placebo) effects of such inert substances, few have examined negative (nocebo) adverse event profiles, particularly in older patients who have higher morbidity and can experience frequent and severe adverse events from cancer therapy. METHODS This study focused on placebo/nocebo-exposed patients who participated in 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled, cancer therapeutic studies, namely, North Central Cancer Therapy Group trial NCCTG 97-24-51 and American College of Surgeons Oncology Group trial Z9001, with the goal of reporting the comparative, age-based adverse event rates, as reported during the conduct of these trials. RESULTS Among the 446 patients who received only placebo/nocebo and who were the focus of the current report, 161 were aged ≥65 years at the time of respective trial entry, and 5234 adverse events occurred. Unadjusted adverse event rates did not differ significantly between patients aged ≥65 years and younger patients (rate ratio, 1.01; 99% confidence interval, 0.47-2.02), and the findings were similar findings for grade 2 or worse adverse events and for all symptom-driven adverse events (for example, pain, loss of appetite, anxiety). Adjustment for sex, ethnicity, baseline performance score, and individual trial resulted in no significant age-based differences in adverse event rates. Similar findings were observed with an age threshold of 70 years. CONCLUSIONS Adverse events are equally common in older and younger cancer patients who are exposed to nocebo and thus require the same degree of clinical consideration regardless of age. Cancer 2017;123:4193-4198. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
An Overview of the ICF`s Use in Korea

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the overview of the use of the ICF in Korea. Methods: An integrative literature review from its publication in 2001 to May, 2015 was conducted; studies published from 2001 to May, 2015 were searched using RISS, KISS, DBpia, KoreaMed, PubMed, and ISI databases. For inclusion in the review, a study had to be published as a scientific article, must have participation of Korean researchers and developed in Korea, and should provide use of ICF. Results: A total of 108 publications were identified, and 89 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most eligible studies were related to clini cal fields (n=41) and areas with the disabled (n=32). Interestingly, several studies showed how to use and/or adapt ICF in clinical prac tice e.g. reviews and case studies, whereas in the area of the disabled, descriptive studies reported ICF concepts comparing with the cur rent disability policies and laws in Korea. The usage of ICF was found to be at various levels: introducing the ICF concept and model, col lecting data using the ICF checklist, coresets, as well as ICF codes itself and presenting results in the ICF framework, developing measure ment tools based on ICF concepts. Conclusion: Since introduction of the ICF in 2001, the use of the ICF in Korea has increased in different professionals as well as in levels of its applications.
Towards Full Text Shallow Discourse Relation Annotation: Experiments with Cross-Paragraph Implicit Relations in the PDTB.

Full text discourse parsing relies on texts comprehensively annotated with discourse relations. To this end, we address a significant gap in the inter-sentential discourse relations annotated in the Penn Discourse Treebank (PDTB), namely the class of cross-paragraph implicit relations, which account for 30% of inter-sentential relations in the corpus. We present our annotation study to explore the incidence rate of adjacent vs. non-adjacent implicit relations in cross-paragraph contexts, and the relative degree of difficulty in annotating them. Our experiments show a high incidence of non-adjacent relations that are difficult to annotate reliably, suggesting the practicality of backing off from their annotation to reduce noise for corpus-based studies. Our resulting guidelines follow the PDTB adjacency constraint for implicits while employing an underspecified representation of non-adjacent implicits, and yield 62% inter-annotator agreement on this task.
Should family firms internationalize? Evidence from the Survey of Business Owners

The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics and performance of family-owned firms with internationalization. We were motivated to determine if there were significant differences between family-owned firms with internationalization and other firm types, specifically, family-owned firms without internationalization and non-family-owned firms. The study draws on the Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners (SBO) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS). SBO response variables regarding owner demographics, business acquisition, business context, and a number of business performance outcome measures were the outcome variables of interest in this study. A comparison of means was applied to test whether or not there were differences in response variables across the family-owned and non-family-owned firm types. The results indicated that family-owned firms with internationalization, on average, had lower business closures and higher sales than the other firm types, and that firms with internationalization were more efficient in terms of sales per employee and sales per payroll. This study contributes to understanding the characteristics and performance between family-owned and non-family-owned firms in conjunction with those that internationalize and those that did not internationalize. A novel feature of the study experimental design was the incorporation of primary owner characteristics and whether there were any business acquisition, attribute, and performance correlations. The findings suggest practical implications for business growth strategy with regards to exporting, establishing international operations, or outsourcing business functions out of the USA. The study concludes with a discussion of the findings and offers potential future research directions.