cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated Command and Control

The chapter investigates application of the developed approach for the support of automated Command and Control (C2). It starts with purely semantic scenario in a distributed environment with fully automatic C2 and overall system organization provided by formal networked interpretation of SGL. A detailed C2, if needed, can also be expressed and implemented in SGL which is shown for a fleet in maritime environment. Other described cases relate to distributed tracing of cruise missiles having complex routes which can be effectively followed and controlled by mobile spatial intelligence spreading through sensor networks; ideas of a possible European missile defense with flexible hierarchical C2 capable of handling many targets simultaneously; also comparing traditional components-based battlefield management with its semantic equivalent in SGL, the latter much simpler and more compact thus improving capability of runtime modification in unpredictable situations.
Ascorbate Transport in Guinea Pig Eyes

Excised guinea pig ciliary body-iris preparations accumulated 1J <C-labeled L-ascorbate. The concentrating mechanism required glucose as well as Na+, K+, and Ca++ ions in the media and is inhibited by ouabain, dinitrophenol, iodoacetate, cyanide, fluoride, desoxycorticosterone, and hydrocortisone. It demonstrates saturation kinetics with increasing concentrations of Lascorbate in the media and is competitively inhibited by D-isoascorbate. Ascorbate is secreted into the aqueous humor of the guinea pig's posterior chamber. By raising the plasma ascorbate level, saturation kinetics can be demonstrated.
Influence of Ethical Investor Relations on the Financial Performance of Listed Firms in Kenya

Purpose: The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of ethical investor relations on the financial performance of listed firms in Kenya. Methodology: The study adopted a causal research design to establish the relationship between ethical leadership and financial performance of companies listed in the Nairobi Securities Exchange using correlation and regression analysis. Primary data was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire. Secondary data was collected from both the listed firms in the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), and information from the sector regulator, the Capital Markets Authority (CMA). The target population of this study was 64 companies listed in the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) with consistency being evaluated between the years 2011 to 2015. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). Results: The study found out that there exists a strong relationship between ethical investor relations and financial performance. The study established that information disclosure, the practice of corporate ethics and vetting of board members being based on ability to achieve the firms’ vision is essential for the listed firms. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends truthful disclosure of information, especially regarding financial statements of the firms.
Mobile Payment Protocol 3D (MPP 3D) by Using Cloud Messaging

Popularity of mobile platform, makes it a proper candidate for electronic payment. However, there are some challenges in this field like privacy protection, security, limitation of mobile networks, and limited capabilities of mobile devices. Traditional e-commerce payment protocols were designed to keep track of traditional flows of data. These protocols are vulnerable to attacks and are not designed for mobile platform. Also, 3D Secure that is an extra security layer of modern payment methods (mainly to prevent card not present fraud), is not proper for mobile platform because of issues like difficulty of viewing authentication pop-up window on a mobile device. In this paper, we propose a new private mobile payment protocol based on client centric model by utilizing symmetric key operations. Our protocol reduces computational cost of Diffie-Hellman key agreement protocol by using algebra of logarithms instead of algebra of exponents, achieves proper privacy protection for payer by involving mobile network operators and generating temporary identities, avoids repudiation attacks by utilizing digital signatures, avoids replay attacks by using random time-stamp generated numbers, and provide better and safer customer experience by utilizing cloud messaging instead of text messaging and pop-up windows in its extra layer of security (3 domain authentication).
Long-Term Growth of Live Oak Propagated from Rhizomic Shoot Cuttings or Seeds

Abstract Rhizomic shoot cuttings of live oak (Quercus virginiana Mill.) were taken from a single tree about 50 years old in late August 1990, rooted, and planted into 2.6 liter (#1) plastic pots. Concurrently, acorns were collected from the same tree and germinated. Trees from both sources were planted into 13 liter (#5) plastic pots in July 1991 and then to the field in July 1992 either directly in the ground, in 37 or 46 cm (14 and 18 in) diameter polypropylene fabric bags buried in the ground, or in 13 liter pots (#5) placed on the surface. Trunk circumference 10 cm (4 in) above the soil line was measured yearly between 1993 and 1999. Initially, trees from rhizomic shoot cuttings grew slower than seedlings based on trunk circumference, diameter, and cross-sectional area. However, there were no statistical differences after 1996 in trunk circumference, diameter and cross-sectional area between the trees propagated from rhizomic shoot cuttings and seeds. Only in 1993, trees in 37 cm (14 in) bags and plas...
The Effect of Experience Congruity on Repurchase Intention: The Moderating Role of Public Commitment

There is scant research examining the impact of posting reviews on the reviewer. To bridge that gap, we investigate the impact of other consumer online reviews (congruent versus incongruent) on the focal consumer’s repurchase intention, and propose that public commitment (posting a review) moderates the relationship. Our findings indicate that, when posting a review about their positive experience, consumers show similar levels of embarrassment regardless of whether other consumer reviews are congruent or incongruent with their own experience. Conversely, when the consumer doesn’t write a review, other consumers’ incongruent reviews induce feelings of embarrassment, thus diminishing attitude certainty and consequent repurchase intention. Additionally, reviewers felt marginally less embarrassed than nonreviewers when they were exposed to other consumers’ incongruent reviews. Conversely, nonreviewers felt less embarrassment than reviewers when exposed to other consumers’ congruent reviews. However, such an ...
Mechanisms of Gliomagenesis

Malignant brain tumors are quickly become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children and young adults, and the incidence of the disease has increased many folds in the elderly over the last decade. Currently, the rapid development of molecular technology provides great promise for understanding the mechanisms of gliomagenesis. A number of genetic abnormalities have been implicated in this malignant process, which are involved in signal transduc-tion, cell cycle control, cell growth, proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. We discus here the genes and pathways believed to be critical in glioma formation and progression.
Simulation Debugging and Visualization in the Möbius Modeling Framework

Large and complex models can be difficult to analyze using static analysis results from current tools, including the Mobius modeling framework, which provides a powerful, formalism-independent, discrete-event simulator that outputs static results such as execution traces. The Mobius Simulation Debugger and Visualization (MSDV) feature adds user interaction to running simulations to provide a more transparent view into the dynamics of the models under consideration. This paper discusses the details of the design and implementation of the feature in the Mobius modeling environment. Also, a case study is presented to demonstrate the new abilities provided by the feature.
Radiology in Swallowing Disorders

Difficulties of swallowing occur in a wide variety of disorders and diseases, overlapping classical medical specialities such as gastroenterology, otolaryngology, neurology, rheumatology and orthopedic surgery. Whatever the disorder or disease, the radiologist’s evaluation of a patient’s swallowing process is strategic in determining which of usually several specialists should become involved in further investigations. Radiologists also participate increasingly in patient management decisions, including swallowing rehabilitation, surgical intervention, and application of feeding devices. The radiologist’s role in the care of patients with swallowing disorders, therefore, is considerably greater than the traditional radiological reporting. This pattern compares with the increasing involvement of radiologists in the overall diagnostic process elsewhere in medicine and with their management of patients as exemplified by interventional radiology.
Model system studies of axial ligation in the oxidized reaction states of cytochrome P-450 enzymes.

Cytochrome P-450 enzymes have been isolated from bacteria, microsomes, and mitochondria and catalyze the insertion of one atom of dioxygen into substrate while the other is reduced to water. The biological and many of the physical properties of these enzymes are summarized elsewhere (Hill et al., 1970a; Ullrich, 1972; Gunsalus et al., 1973; Tomaszewski et al., 1974). Substantial clarification of the nature of P-450 dependent oxygenase reactions has been afforded by isolation of the soluble cytochrome (P-450cam) from Pseudomonas putida grown on camphor. In vitro assembly of the of the enzyme system, which also includes an electron transfer chain comprised of a reductase and the 2Fe–2S protein putidaredoxin, has led to deduction of reaction sequence (1) (Tyson et al., 1972; Gunsalus et al., 1973). In this scheme S = substrate, ox = Fe(III), red = Fe(II), and s-red is the one-electron reduction product of the Fe(II)·O2 form. More recently microsomal P-450 cytochromes have been purified and enzyme systems assembled (Imai and Sato, 1974; van der Hoeven and Coon, 1974; Haugen et al., 1975; Guengerich et al., 1975).
Osteosarcoma in Children

Biological reconstruction of an extremity was performed in seven children undergoing treatment with chemotherapy and tumor resection for osteosarcoma. An allograft was utilized in six patients and an autograft in one. One patient had a local recurrence at 6 months and was treated by hemipelvectomy. Healing at the distal site of the autograft was present prior to the operation. Among the remaining six patients, union occurred in 11 of 12 potential sites of osteosynthesis. Two patients required secondary procedures. All patients have remained free of pulmonary metastases. The patient treated with an autograft developed a secondary (? metastatic) osteosarcoma in the allograft and at other bony sites. Biological reconstruction deserves further investigation as a means of accomplishing limb salvage.
A Drosophila Model for Behavioral Sleep Modification

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder among adults, especially affecting individuals of advanced age or with neurodegenerative disease. Insomnia is also a common comorbidity across psychiatric disorders. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the first-line treatment for insomnia; a key component of this intervention is restriction of sleep opportunity, which optimizes matching of sleep ability and opportunity, leading to enhanced sleep drive. Despite the well-documented efficacy of CBT-I, little is known regarding how CBT-I works at a cellular and molecular level to improve sleep, due in large part to an absence of experimentally-tractable animals models of this intervention. Here, guided by human behavioral sleep therapies, we developed a Drosophila model for behavioral modification of sleep. We demonstrate that restriction of sleep opportunity through manipulation of environmental cues improves sleep efficiency and quality in multiple short-sleeping Drosophila mutants. The response to sleep opportunity restriction requires ongoing environmental inputs, but is independent of the molecular circadian clock. We apply this sleep opportunity restriction paradigm to aging and Alzheimer9s disease fly models, and find that sleep impairments in these models are reversible with sleep restriction, with associated improvement in reproductive fitness and extended lifespan. This work establishes a model to investigate the neurobiological basis of CBT-I, and provides a platform that can be exploited towards novel treatment targets for insomnia.
From Research to Practice: Using Assessment and Early Intervention to Improve Student Success in Introductory Statistics

In this study we used an assessment tool evaluated in a previous study to identify students who were at-risk of not being successful in our introductory statistics course. We then required these st...
Social Exchange in Negotiation: How Relational Accounts Influence Negotiator Behavior

While complex negotiations generally occur within a broader stream of ongoing social exchange, negotiation research typically examines narrowly bounded encounters. We propose a behavioral theory of...
Redesigning hazardous chemicals by learning from structure-based drug discovery

Screening all existing and new commercial chemicals using computational models is a promising alternative to economically and ethically unviable animal tests. High throughput screening (HTS) assays and quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSARs) developed to assess chemical exposure, hazard and risk are a testament to the shift toward cost-effective strategies to protect human and environmental health. While existing computational tools can be used to screen chemicals for toxic endpoints, their utility in informing design of safer chemicals is limited. Rational design of chemicals with minimal biological activity and optimal functional efficacy is the foundational principle of green chemistry; yet, it is also the least-developed field of this discipline. This paper outlines development of a computational framework for designing commercial chemicals, while considering both their biological activity and intended function. The approach resembles computational drug discovery, applied to systematically design out target-specific toxicities utilizing prior knowledge of molecular initiating events (MIE) in adverse outcomes pathways (AOP). Statistical free energy perturbation calculations are employed to demonstrate this approach for organophosphate flame retardants, a prominent class of chemicals of concern. This framework promises a strategy for safer chemical design that allows the practitioner to systematically weigh chemical drivers of toxicity, metabolism and functionality to determine trade-offs and optimal solutions to existing toxic chemicals. Complementing predictive toxicology approaches and design guidelines, this framework could advance the practice of developing safer substitutes, which is presently considered unfavourable due to high costs, prolonged development periods, and the potential of introducing a new mode of toxicity.
Laparoscopic Modified Duhamel Procedure

Our laparoscopic modified Duhamel procedure with a Z-shaped anastomosis is presented along with some technical points. Between 2001 and 2016, a total of 51 children with Hirschsprung’s disease (HD) underwent a laparoscopic modified Duhamel procedure. The frequency of defecation decreased gradually after surgery, and more than half of the patients experienced episodes of constipation during the early follow-up period. However, the need for medication to treat constipation decreased as the children grew older. All patients over 4 years of age, excluding patients with trisomy 21, achieved normal defecation. No patients, other than those with trisomy 21, experienced fecal and/or urinary incontinence. The laparoscopic modified Duhamel procedure provided satisfactory long-term results.
Impact of Phase Sequence on Cycle Length Resonance

The concept of resonant cycle length, that there are certain cycle lengths that may provide excellent progression owing to corridor geometry and other factors, has some currency as a potential stra...
Epigenetic Dysregulation of Candidate Cis-Regulatory Sequences in Hematological Malignancies.

Epigenetic changes (in particular, altered cytosine methylation) have been described in a variety of tumors. The CpG Island Methylator Phenotype (CIMP) is a well-known instance of this phenomenon wherein cytosine methylation is markedly dysregulated (normally hypomethylated loci shift to a methylated state). CIMP has been demonstrated in a number of different cancer types including hematological malignancies like AML. While methylation status has been studied predominantly at CpG islands, we used a novel assay (HELP; Khulan et al., Genome Res. 2006) to look for changes in cytosine methylation in large contiguous regions of the genome. We assessed global patterns of cytosine methylation by HELP analysis in a variety of tumor samples including leukemias and lymphomas. We found significant changes in the global methylation patterns of malignant cells, confirming prior observations of epigenetic dysregulation in these tumor types. We also discovered that the majority of the changes in cytosine methylation are occurring not at CpG islands but at other loci in the genome, including constitutively hypomethylated loci that we are finding to be candidate cis-regulatory sequences. We conclude that cytosine methylation changes in cancer occur much more extensively than analysis of CpG islands alone would indicate, and that the epigenetic dysregulation in cancer may be predominantly targeted to cis-regulatory sequences rather than to promoters.
Keefektifan Layanan Konseling Kelompok terhadap Kematangan Komunikasi Interpersonal Peserta Didik

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui adanya keefektifan layanan konseling kelompok terhadap kematangan komunikasi interpersonal peserta didik. Pendekatan yang digunakan yaitu pendekatan kuantitatif. Jenis penelitiannya eksperimen. Desain penelitian pre-test and post-test. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah peserta didik kelas XI MA Salafiyah Karangtengah Warungpring Pemalang tahun pelajaran 2016/2017 sebanyak 144 peserta didik. Pengambilan sampel menggunakan sampling purposive diambil sebanyak 15 peserta didik. Metode pengumpulan data menggunakan angket, wawancara, observasi dan dokumentasi. Teknik analisis data menggunakan analisis statistik deskriptif presentase dan analisis statistik uji t (t-test). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penghitungan pada pre-test diperoleh skor rata-rata sebesar 93,8 dan pada post-test diperoleh skor rata-rata 130. Hasil simpulan ada keefektifan layanan konseling kelompok terhadap komunikasi interpersonal peserta didik di kelas XI MA Salafiyah Karangtengah Warungpring Pemalang.
Lodestone: A Streaming Approach to Behavior Modeling and Load Testing

It is evident that our technologically-dependent society rightly expects systems engineers to produce systems having increasing levels of security, performance, efficiency, and reliability. In addition, such systems must be able to handle sudden massive amounts of usage as well as withstand cyber-attacks such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS). As such, we must convolve academic and industrial data science approaches to provide theory, systems, and working technologies that can catalyze and propel engineers, developers, and technical professionals of various disciplines toward the ultimate goal of consistent delivery of quality systems. Tools and processes exist for improving the quality-oriented posture of the systems engineering industry; in practice, the most perpetual form of software testing continues to be the rote repetition of test cases through either manual testing or scripted automation of those same manual tests.We describe Lodestone: a real-time data science approach for generating workload in software systems. This real-time approach to load testing uses streaming log data to generate and dynamically update user behavior models, cluster them into similar behavior profiles, and instantiate distributed workload of software systems. We show that Lodestone outperforms Markov4JMeter on JMeter through a qualitative comparison of key feature parameters as well as experimentation based on shared data and models.
Before, After, During: Michael Chertoffs Post-Katrina Arguments

Days before Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Michael Chertoff surprised doctors from coast to coast by declaring himself the principal managerial decision-maker in all national public health c...
Dermatologic Manifestations of Nutritional Deficiency

Dermatologic manifestations of systemic diseases provide distinctive and reliable diagnostic clues that hasten time to intervention and improve overall outcomes. Notably, nutritional deficiencies are a class of diseases with representative and well-established dermatologic associations. Nutritional deficiencies can be primary or secondary and genetic or acquired; however, mucocutaneous findings remain characteristic irrespective of etiology. This review will summarize the major classifications of nutritional deficiencies with a focus on conditions relevant and of greatest impact to the geriatric population. Recent literature has largely supported the well-known, pathognomonic mucocutaneous findings associated with nutritional deficiencies as well as displayed atypical clinical presentations and elucidated pathophysiologic mechanisms, which increases awareness and expands the breadth of knowledge of these disorders. Total and specific micronutrient deficiencies can produce a vast array of mucocutaneous findings. These dermatologic manifestations of nutritional deficiencies are critical for all clinicians to recognize to enable prompt diagnosis and treatment. The geriatric population is specifically at-risk and attentiveness towards subtle signs of disease may substantially improve overall health outcomes.
A Participatory, State–Community–Academic Model to Improve Pregnancy Outcomes in Texas: The Healthy Families Initiative:

BackgroundWhile the Texas infant mortality rate (IMR) is below the Healthy People 2020 objective (5.7 per 1,000 live births), stark differences in IMR are seen across Texas communities. Health indi...
Social Cleavages and War Mobilization in Qing China

We analyze the conditions under which a country’s social structure facilitates or impedes the state’s mobilization of financial resources during civil conflict. Our argument emphasizes the ways in which the central state can divide and conquer social groups in order to empower the state. When social groups cannot solve their coordination problems, they are more likely to rely on the state to protect themselves. We test our theory in the context of the Taiping Rebellion – one of the largest and bloodiest internal conflicts documented in history – using fine-grained, archival data from late imperial China. We show that counties with more clans were more likely to donate to the central state rather than to private militia. Our findings highlight the importance of social structure in facilitating state war mobilization and help understand the Chinese state – a useful, yet understudied, counterpoint to the Euro-centric literature.
Research inequity in the plant sciences

Do all plant biologists worldwide have equal access to novel methods, enabling them to be equally productive, publish, and receive credit for their research? Or does reduced access to cutting-edge techniques in countries with lower financial resources create an inequity for researchers located there? Such disparities and biases do exist within our discipline and must be addressed if we are to move forward as a more just society. Applications in Plant Sciences has taken steps to address this important issue of research inequity, as outlined below. We now call upon the entire botanical community-researchers, editors and reviewers, funding agencies, and publishers-to work together toward a more equitable environment for all researchers around the world.
Exploring Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 diversity for flood inundation mapping using deep learning

Abstract Identification of flood water extent from satellite images has historically relied on either synthetic aperture radar (SAR) or multi-spectral (MS) imagery. MS sensors are limited to cloud free conditions, whereas SAR imagery is plagued by noise-like speckle. Prior studies that use combinations of MS and SAR data to overcome individual limitations of these sensors have not fully examined sensitivity of flood mapping performance to different combinations of SAR and MS derived spectral indices or band transformations in color space. This study explores the use of diverse bands of Sentinel 2 (S2) through well-established water indices and Sentinel 1 (S1) derived SAR imagery along with their combinations to assess their capability for generating accurate flood inundation maps. The robustness in performance of S-1 and S-2 band combinations was evaluated using 446 hand labeled flood inundation images spanning across 11 flood events from Sen1Floods11 dataset which are highly diverse in terms of land cover as well as location. A modified K-fold cross validation approach is used to evaluate the performance of 32 combinations of S1 and S2 bands using a fully connected deep convolutional neural network known as U-Net. Our results indicated that usage of elevation information has improved the capability of S1 imagery to produce more accurate flood inundation maps. Compared to a median F1 score of 0.62 when using only S1 bands, the combined use of S1 and elevation information led to an improved median F1 score of 0.73. Water extraction indices based on S2 bands have a statistically significant superior performance in comparison to S1. Among all the band combinations, HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) transformation of S2 bands provides a median F1 score of 0.9, outperforming the commonly used water spectral indices owing to HSV’s transformation’s superior contrast distinguishing abilities. Additionally, U-Net algorithm was able to learn the relationship between raw S2 based water extraction indices and their corresponding raw S2 bands, but not of HSV owing to relatively complex computation involved in the latter. Results of the paper establishes important benchmarks for the extension of S1 and S2 data-based flood inundation mapping efforts over large spatial extents.
Analysis of Forest Environmental Measurements to Estimate Parameters of Microclimate and Air Pollution Deposition Velocity Models

A method is described for estimating flux densities and deposition of gaseous pollutants for a period of a year or more, using data collected for a period of a few days. The estimates are based on models which characterize the transfer of gases from the atmosphere to the vegetation as a series of resistances. Linear statistical submodels based on experimental data are then used to relate the resistances to the surrounding environment. The models are shown to fit the experimental data reasonably well. Annual values calculated for a young loblolly pine plantation were evaporation 63.2 cm, carbon dioxide exchange 10.5 t/ha, and sulfur dioxide exchange 1.20 kg/ha.
Robot-assisted laparoscopic ureteric reimplantation: extravesical technique.

Objectives To describe our standardised approach to performing robot-assisted extravesical ureteric reimplantation. Patients and Methods A total of 29 children, with high grade (III–V) vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR) underwent robot-assisted extravesical ureteric reimplantation between September 2010 and September 2013. Follow-up renal ultrasonography was performed at 1 month and 3 months and a voiding cysto-urethrogram (VCUG) was obtained at 4 months to assess VUR resolution. Results The mean (range) patient age at the time of surgery was 5.38 (3.0–10.0) years. Postoperative VCUG showed complete resolution of VUR in 32/40 ureters (80%). Of the remaining refluxing ureters, downgrading of VUR on VCUG was shown in 7/8 ureters (87.5%). The mean (range) length of hospital stay was 1.8 (1–3) days. Conclusions In conclusion, robot-assisted extravesical ureteric reimplantation is technically feasible with acceptable resolution of VUR.
Learning from the report-writing behavior of individuals

We describe a briefing system that learns to predict the contents of reports generated by users who create periodic (weekly) reports as part of their normal activity. The system observes content-selection choices that users make and builds a predictive model that could, for example, be used to generate an initial draft report. Using a feature of the interface the system also collects information about potential user-specific features. The system was evaluated under realistic conditions, by collecting data in a project-based university course where student group leaders were tasked with preparing weekly reports for the benefit of the instructors, using the material from individual student reports. This paper addresses the question of whether data derived from the implicit supervision provided by end-users is robust enough to support not only model parameter tuning but also a form of feature discovery. Results indicate that this is the case: system performance improves based on the feedback from user activity. We find that individual learned models (and features) are user-specific, although not completely idiosyncratic. Thismay suggest that approaches which seek to optimizemodels globally (say over a large corpus of data) may not in fact produce results acceptable to all individuals.
Reactions of the carbon-cobalt bond of alkylcobalamins. A reversible dissociation of the carbon-cobalt bond.

The carbon-cobalt bond in cyanoethylcobalamin can be reversibly cleaved to give hydridocobalamin and acrylonitrile. Aerobic decomposition in alkali is first order in both hydroxide ion and cyanoethylcobalamin, although the kinetics is somewhat ambiguous below pH 9. This is the first demonstrated example of alkyl-cobalt cleavage in which the cobalt leaves with the bonding electrons.
On the Modeling and Management of Cloud Data Analytics

A new era is dawning where vast amount of data is subjected to intensive analysis in a cloud computing environment. Over the years, data about a myriad of things, ranging from user clicks to galaxies, have been accumulated, and continue to be collected, on storage media. The increasing availability of such data, along with the abundant supply of compute power and the urge to create useful knowledge, gave rise to a new data analytics paradigm in which data is subjected to intensive analysis, and additional data is created in the process. Meanwhile, a new cloud computing environment has emerged where seemingly limitless compute and storage resources are being provided to host computation and data for multiple users through virtualization technologies. Such a cloud environment is becoming the home for data analytics. Consequently, providing good performance at run-time to data analytics workload is an important issue for cloud management. In this paper, we provide an overview of the data analytics and cloud environment landscapes, and investigate the performance management issues related to running data analytics in the cloud. In particular, we focus on topics such as workload characterization, profiling analytics applications and their pattern of data usage, cloud resource allocation, placement of computation and data and their dynamic migration in the cloud, and performance prediction. In solving such management problems one relies on various run-time analytic models. We discuss approaches for modeling and optimizing the dynamic data analytics workload in the cloud environment. All along, we use the Map-Reduce paradigm as an illustration of data analytics.
Chapter 20. Rational Design of Chemotherapeutic Agents

Publisher Summary The chapter reviews selected areas of biochemistry and molecular biology applicable to the rational design of chemotherapeutic agents. The complex interrelationships between chemical structure, mode of action, and biological activity of chemotherapeutic agents are unlikely to be revealed by a single approach although structure can occasionally be defined at the molecular level by steric and electronic parameters. The problems of distribution, transport, and metabolism introduce additional variables when studying the action of drugs in whole organisms. Molecular orbital calculations have been applied to biochemical compounds and to drug design. Extended Huckel theory was used to determine the preferred conformations of such pharmacologically active molecules as nicotine and pralidoxime. The mechanism of action of penicillin and of puromycin has been explained by conformational analogies between these compounds and normal metabolites. Such analogies often suggest similarities between chemically different classes of compounds more accurately than structure–activity relationships between related congeners. An overview of biochemical pathways for selective inhibition is also presented in the chapter. Special agents of neoplasia are discussed and designs of antiviral agents are described.
An intraoperative brain shift monitor using shear mode transcranial ultrasound: preliminary results.

OBJECTIVE Various methods of intraoperative structural monitoring during neurosurgery are used to localize lesions after brain shift and to guide surgically introduced probes such as biopsy needles or stimulation electrodes. With its high temporal resolution, portability, and nonionizing mode of radiation, ultrasound has potential advantages over other existing imaging modalities for intraoperative monitoring, yet ultrasound is rarely used during neurosurgery largely because of the craniotomy requirement to achieve sufficiently useful signals. METHODS Prompted by results from recent studies on transcranial ultrasound, a prototype device that aims to use the shear mode of transcranial ultrasound transmission for intraoperative monitoring was designed, constructed, and tested with 10 human participants. Magnetic resonance images were then obtained with the device spatially registered to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reference coordinates. Peaks in both the ultrasound and MRI signals were identified and analyzed for both spatial localization and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). RESULTS The first results aimed toward validating the prototype device with MRI showed an excellent correlation (n = 38; R(2) = 0.9962) between the structural localization abilities of the two modalities. In addition, the overall SNR of the ultrasound backscatter signals (n = 38; SNR = 25.4 +/- 5.2 dB, mean +/- SD) was statistically equivalent to that of the MRI data (n = 38; SNR = 22.5 +/- 4.8 dB). CONCLUSIONS A statistically significant correlation of localized intracranial structures between intraoperative transcranial ultrasound monitoring and MRI data was achieved with 10 human participants. We have shown and validated a prototype device incorporating transcranial shear mode ultrasound for clinical monitoring applications.
Monitoring Progress in Vocal Development in Young Cochlear Implant Recipients: Relationships Between Speech Samples and Scores From the Conditioned Assessment of Speech Production (CASP)

Purpose To determine the concurrent validity of the Conditioned Assessment of Speech Production (CASP; Ertmer & Stoel-Gammon, 2008) and data obtained from speech samples recorded at the same interv...
Individual, phase, and weekly variations in daily cycles of wrist activity in freeliving humans.

Abstract Wrist activity was monitored in 17 college students for 11–15 days each. Records of individuals had distinctive patterns, like fingerprints. The subjects all exhibited daily cycles in their activity with activity during the daytime and with period lengths close to 24 h. There was individual variation in average phase (onset 5.3 h, offset 4.5 h, acrophase 6.1 h). Individual subjects all showed 7-day oscillations in their activity patterns associated with the weekly work-leisure schedules. During the leisure weekends, the subjects as a group had a 2.1-h delay in onset, a 1.5-h delay in acrophase, and a 0.8-h shortening in alpha.
Cloud computing: Virtualization and resiliency for data center computing

Cloud computing is being rapidly adopted across the IT industry, driven by the need to reduce the total cost of ownership of increasingly more demanding workloads. Within companies, private clouds are offering a more efficient way to manage and use private data centers. In the broader marketplace, public clouds offer the promise of buying computing capabilities based on a utility model. This utility model enables IT consumers to purchase compute resources on demand to fit current business needs and scale expenses associated with computing resources. Thus, cloud computing offers IT to be treated as an ongoing variable operating expense billed by usage rather than requiring capital expenditures that must be planned years in advance. Advantageously, operating expenses can be charged against the revenue generated by these expenses directly. In contrast, capital expenses incurred by the purchase of a system need to be paid at the time of purchase, but can only be depreciated to reduce the taxable income over the lifetime of the system.
Kainic acid and penicillin: Differential effects on excitatory and inhibitory interactions in the CA1 region of the hippocampal slice

Abstract The effects of kainic acid (KA, 0.05–1.0 μM), and penicillin (PN, 3.4 mM) were studied in the CA1 region of rat hippocampal slices. Three components of the overall input/output function were taken: (1) the amplitude of the presynaptic compound action potential (prevolley) vs stimulation current applied to Schaffer collaterals, (2) the magnitude of the focally recorded synaptic potential (population EPSP) vs prevolley amplitude; and (3) the amplitude of the focally recorded population spike vs population EPSP magnitude. Recurrent inhibition was measured using the antidromic-orthodromic paired pulse method. KA caused a significant and reversible enhancement of all 3 component input/output functions while having no effect on paired pulse inhibition. PN caused a left shift in the EPSP-population spike relationship and decreased or abolished paired pulse inhibition; the other two measures of excitability were not changed. These results suggest that PN and KA differ fundamentally in the mechanisms by which they produce seizures: PN by removing inhibition while not affecting neuronal excitability per se; KA by exerting a generalized excitatory effect on neural membranes and on synaptic function while leaving recurrent inhibition unchanged.
Simple approaches to evaluate competing non-nested models in marketing☆

Abstract In marketing contexts where no economic or behavioral theory exists to guide researchers, or where there are several competing theories, it is important to explore approaches to compare competing model alternatives. These alternatives are often non-nested; in such cases, recourse to recently developed econometric approaches facilitates comparisons between rival models. Using empirical illustrations (involving sales response, innovation diffusion, and market share models), we highlight the relative simplicity of implementing statistical tests to evaluate competing non-nested model alternatives. This expository review also outlines the focus, scope, merits, and demerits of various tests to compare non-nested models, thereby providing a broad basis for selecting an appropriate test for a given non-nested model-comparison context.
The use of lithium levels in the emergency department.

Abstract Most patients on chronic maintenance lithium therapy become toxic at some point during their therapy. Lithium intoxication portends morbidity and mortality. The serum lithium concentration can be used as an adjunct to a physician’s clinical acumen in diagnosing and managing the patient with lithium intoxication.
Predictors of short-term outcomes following endoscopic pituitary surgery.

Objective: Refinement of endoscopic pituitary surgery requires an understanding of the impact of demographic and surgical variables on outcomes. Methods: Multivariate logistic regression and ANOVA models were used to explore variables for association with outcomes in a consecutive series of 57 patients undergoing endoscopic pituitary surgery. Results: The mean duration of surgery was 177 min and was longer in patients with larger tumor size (p = 0.03) and presentation with visual symptoms (p = 0.02) in univariate analyses. The median duration of hospitalization was 3 days and was longer in patients with larger tumors (p = 0.0005). Gross tumor removal was achieved in 89%. Tumor size correlated with extent of tumor removal with an almost 3fold decrease in complete tumor removal for every 1 cm increase in tumor size (p = 0.047). High rates of hormonal control (90%) and improvement in visual symptoms (92%) were noted. Conclusions: High rates of gross tumor removal, hormonal cure and visual field improvement were noted in this series. Markers including tumor size and visual symptoms may be used to stratify patients.
Surface regions of amorphous Si and crystalline Al in an Al-implanted Si crystal

Abstract Implantation of 1 × 10 18 ions / cm 2 of Al at 100 keV into a single crystal of silicon in a 10 −8 Torr vacuum system results in the formation of a 0.3 um surface region containing about 50% Al and 50% Si. Transmission electron microscopy studies show that the Al atoms form crystalline Al of grain size about 100 A, and these grains are embedded in amorphous Si. In contrast to amorphous Si produced by other techniques, the amorphous Si produced by the ion implantation recrystallizes when illuminated with 120 keV electrons.
Selective surgical therapy of the Budd-Chiari syndrome provides superior survivor rates than conservative medical management

Abstract The Budd-Chiari syndrome is an unusual form of portal hypertension caused by hepatic vein occlusion, which results in centrilobular congestion and necrosis. Its overall mortality rate exceeds 50% at 2 years, and optimal treatment remains controversial. To determine optimal therapy on the basis of clinical and angiographic data, we retrospectively analyzed 30 patients with this disease treated at the University of California, Los Angeles or the University of Southern California School of Medicine between 1955 and 1985. Twelve patients were treated conservatively with diuretics, anticoagulants, paracentesis, and/or peritoneal-venous shunt. Eighteen patients were treated by definitive surgery: side-to-side portocaval shunt (four), mesocaval shunt (four), side-to-side splenorenal shunt (one), liver transplantation (two), transatrial membranotomy (TM) (two), TM followed by inferior vena cava reconstruction (IVCR) (one), TM followed by mesocaval shunt (one) simultaneous IVCR and side-to-side portocaval shunt (one), IVCR (one), and azygousatrial shunt followed 4 years later by a splenopulmonary shunt (one). Overall the surgical group had survival rates superior to the medical group, with a 2-year survival rate of 54% for the surgical group vs. 9% for the medical group (p
The possibility of in vitro detection of increased genetic risk for pancreatic cancer.

Abstract It is proposed that genetically-determined cellular markers (growth abnormalities) could be identified in dermal monolayer cultures which detect increased genetic risk for pancreatic cancer.
Role of the Lewisx Glycan Determinant in Corneal Epithelial Cell Adhesion and Differentiation

In this study we demonstrate that in corneal epithelium there is cell-cell contact-regulated expression of a 145-kDa glycoprotein (GP) bearing the glycan determinant Lewis(x) (Le(x)) (Galbeta(1,4)[Fucalpha(1,3)]GlcNAc). This glycoprotein (Le(x)-GP) was expressed in confluent/contact-inhibited cultures but not in sparse cultures of corneal epithelium. In contrast, a 135-kDa glycoprotein bearing precursor, unfucosylated, lactosamine-containing glycans (Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-R) was expressed in sparse cultures. Immunofluorescence staining and confocal microscopy of confluent cultures revealed that in corneal epithelium, Le(x) antigen is located in high density at sites of cell-cell adhesion. In in vitro cell-cell adhesion assays, anti-Le(x), but not anti-sialyl-Le(x) monoclonal antibodies, inhibited the formation of corneal epithelial cell-cell adhesion. Also, when added to confluent cultures, antibodies to Le(x) disrupted the monolayer and caused tightly packed polygonal cells to round up. Analysis of the expression of Fut genes that encode alpha-1,3-fucosyltransferases, the enzymes that generate the Le(x) determinant, revealed that confluent/contact-inhibited cultures of rabbit corneal epithelium contain markedly elevated levels of Fut4 and Fut3/5/6 gene transcripts compared with sparse cultures. These data suggest that the Fut4 and Fut3/5/6 genes are targets of cell-cell contact-regulated signals and that Fut gene products direct cell-cell contact-associated expression of Le(x) on the Le(x)-GP in corneal epithelium. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the expression of Le(x) antigen in the epithelium of adult and developing corneas is related to the stage of differentiation of the cells. Although early differentiated cells robustly expressed Le(x), relatively undifferentiated cells did not, and the expression level was relatively low in terminally differentiated cells. Overall, these data provide evidence that a Le(x)-bearing glycoprotein plays a role through the Le(x) determinant in corneal epithelial cell-cell adhesion, and these data suggest that Le(x)-mediated cell-cell interactions contribute to mechanisms that mediate corneal epithelial cell differentiation.
Language attitudes: An analysis of teacher differences

Based upon a (Q‐type factor analysis, teachers were grouped according to their patterns of rating videotaped speech samples of Black, Anglo, and Mexican‐American children. As in prior research, ratings reflected global judgments of confidence‐eagerness and ethnicity‐nonstandardness. General corroboration xvas found among speech ratings, teachers’ stereotype ratings of different ethnic groups, and the teachers’ academic expectations of children representing such groups. Results held a number of implications regarding the linguistic attitudes of teachers.
A microfluidic chip for real-time studies of the volume of single cells

We report a microfluidic chip that is capable of measuring volume changes in single cells in real-time. Single eukaryotic cells were immobilized in the sensing area and changes in volume in response to hypotonic challenges and drugs were measured using the electrical impedance method. Experiments on MDCK cells showed that the maximum swelling and the time course of swelling vary between individual cells following hypotonic stimulation. The microfluidic chip allows, rapid and convenient change of solutions, enabling detailed studies of various drugs and chemicals that may play important role in cell physiology at the single cell level.
Enzymatic Production of l-Amino Acids from the Corresponding 5-Substituted Hydantoins by a Newly Isolated Bacterium, Bacillus brevis AJ-12299

A bacterium that stereospecifically produces l-valine from 5-isopropylhydantoin was isolated + from soil. It was identified as Bacillus brevis and given the number AJ-12299. l-Valine productivity from l-, d- or dl-5-isopropylhydantoin by B. brevis AJ-12299 was rather low because this bacterium had l-valine degrading-activity. In contrast, the productivity was improved by a mutant the l-valine degradation pathway of which was genetically blocked, and the 5-isopropylhydantoin consumed was stoichiometrically converted to l-valine. The optimal temperature and pH of the reaction were 30°C and 7.0~7.5. The enzyme involved in the reaction was inducible and was strongly induced by the addition of 5-isopropylhydantoin. In addition to l-valine production, this bacterium also produced various aliphatic and aromatic l-amino acids from the corresponding 5-substituted hydantoins.