cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Numerical simulation of CO2 leakage from a geologic disposal reservoir including transitions from super- to sub-critical conditions, and boiling of liquid of CO2

The critical point of CO{sub 2} is at temperature and pressure conditions of T{sub crit} = 31.04 C, P{sub crit} = 73.82 bar. At lower (subcritical) temperatures and/or pressures, CO{sub 2} can exist in two different phase states, a liquid and a gaseous state, as well as in two-phase mixtures of these states. Disposal of CO{sub 2} into brine formations would be made at supercritical pressures. However, CO{sub 2} escaping from the storage reservoir may migrate upwards towards regions with lower temperatures and pressures, where CO{sub 2} would be in subcritical conditions. An assessment of the fate of leaking CO{sub 2} requires a capability to model not only supercritical but also subcritical CO{sub 2}, as well as phase changes between liquid and gaseous CO{sub 2} in sub-critical conditions. We have developed a methodology for numerically simulating the behavior of water-CO{sub 2} mixtures in permeable media under conditions that may include liquid, gaseous, and supercritical CO{sub 2}. This has been applied to simulations of leakage from a deep storage reservoir in which a rising CO{sub 2} plume undergoes transitions from supercritical to subcritical conditions. We find strong cooling effects when liquid CO{sub 2} rises to elevations where it begins to boil and evolve a gaseous CO{sub 2} phase. A three-phase zone forms (aqueous - liquid - gas), which over time becomes several hundred meters thick as decreasing temperatures permit liquid CO{sub 2} to advance to shallower elevations. Fluid mobilities are reduced in the three-phase region from phase interference effects. This impedes CO{sub 2} upflow, causes the plume to spread out laterally, and gives rise to dispersed CO{sub 2} discharge at the land surface. Our simulation suggests that temperatures along a CO{sub 2} leakage path may decline to levels low enough so that solid water ice and CO{sub 2} hydrate phases may be formed.
Projective-plane iteratively decodable block codes for WDM high-speed long-haul transmission systems

Low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes are excellent candidates for optical network applications due to their inherent low complexity of both encoders and decoders. A cyclic or quasi-cyclic form of finite geometry LDPC codes simplifies the encoding procedure. In addition, the complexity of an iterative decoder for such codes, namely the min-sum algorithm, is lower than the complexity of a turbo or Reed-Solomon decoder. In fact, simple hard-decoding algorithms such as the bit-flipping algorithm perform very well on codes from projective planes. In this paper, the authors consider LDPC codes from affine planes, projective planes, oval designs, and unitals. The bit-error-rate (BER) performance of these codes is significantly better than that of any other known foward-error correction techniques for optical communications. A coding gain of 9-10 dB at a BER of 10/sup -9/, depending on the code rate, demonstrated here is the best result reported so far. In order to assess the performance of the proposed coding schemes, a very realistic simulation model is used that takes into account in a natural way all major impairments in long-haul optical transmission such as amplified spontaneous emission noise, pulse distortion due to fiber nonlinearities, chromatic dispersion, crosstalk effects, and intersymbol interference. This approach gives a much better estimate of the code's performance than the commonly used additive white Gaussian noise channel model.
GEF-H1 Mediated Control of NOD1 Dependent NF-κB Activation by Shigella Effectors

Shigella flexneri has evolved the ability to modify host cell function with intracellular active effectors to overcome the intestinal barrier. The detection of these microbial effectors and the initiation of innate immune responses are critical for rapid mucosal defense activation. The guanine nucleotide exchange factor H1 (GEF-H1) mediates RhoA activation required for cell invasion by the enteroinvasive pathogen Shigella flexneri. Surprisingly, GEF-H1 is requisite for NF-κB activation in response to Shigella infection. GEF-H1 interacts with NOD1 and is required for RIP2 dependent NF-κB activation by H-Ala-D-γGlu-DAP (γTriDAP). GEF-H1 is essential for NF-κB activation by the Shigella effectors IpgB2 and OspB, which were found to signal in a NOD1 and RhoA Kinase (ROCK) dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that GEF-H1 is a critical component of cellular defenses forming an intracellular sensing system with NOD1 for the detection of microbial effectors during cell invasion by pathogens.
Salivary testosterone determination in studies of child health and development.

Abstract Measurement of hormones in children's saliva has excited interest because of numerous potential applications in developmental studies. Although assays of children's saliva for some hormones (e.g., cortisol) are widely available and used, the availability and use of assays of children's saliva testosterone is restricted. By adapting a commercially available serum testosterone kit, our laboratory has developed a reliable, efficient, and highly sensitive procedure for measuring testosterone in children's saliva that does not require separation or extraction. The minimum detection limit was 0.8 pg/mL. Intraassay coefficients of variation (CV) were between 3.66 and 6.78% at concentrations 9.25 to 86.41 pg/mL, and interassay CVs were between 5.70 and 6.61% at concentrations of 7.3 to 118.51 pg/mL. The standard curve was highly reproducible (Mslope = −0.70 andMr= 0.99). Method accuracy, determined by spike recovery, and linearity, determined by serial dilution, were 99.20 and 92.80%, respectively. Values from matched serum and saliva samples showed strong linear relationships. The assay captured near 99.09% of the range of individual differences in boys' (N= 90) and girls' (N= 85), ages 8–12, am and pm salivary testosterone levels. This assay can be easily applied to the investigation of testosterone–behavior relations in the context of studies on child health and development. It may help many child development researchers improve or expand their research activities.
Controls on Radial Growth of Mountain Big Sagebrush and Implications for Climate Change

Mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. vaseyana) covers large areas in arid regions of western North America. Climate-change models predict a decrease in the range of sagebrush, but few studies have examined details of predicted changes on sagebrush growth and the potential impacts of these changes on the commu- nity. We analyzed effects of temperature, precipitation, and snow depth on sagebrush annual ring width for 1969 to 2007 in the Gunnison Basin of Colorado. Temperature at all times of year except winter had negative correlations with ring widths; summer temperature had the strongest negative relationship. Ring widths correlated positively with precipita- tion in various seasons except summer; winter precipitation had the strongest relationship with growth. Maximum snow depth also correlated positively and strongly with ring width. Multiple regressions showed that summer temperature and either winter precipitation or maximum snow depth, which recharges deeper soil horizons, are both important in controlling growth. Overall, water stress and perhaps especially maximum snow depth appear to limit growth of this species. With predicted increases in temperature and probable reduced snow depth, sagebrush growth rates are likely to decrease. If so, sagebrush populations and cover may decline, which may have substantial effects on community com- position and carbon balance.
A six-degree-of-freedom magnetically levitated variable compliance fine-motion wrist: design, modeling, and control

A high-performance six-degree-of-freedom magnetically levitated fine-motion wrist with programmable compliance is described. Design considerations, a discussion of the major elements of the device, and issues of modeling, kinematics, dynamics, and control are presented. A prototype wrist which has been built and controlled successfully is discussed. Experimental results, including high bandwidth position control, compliant control, and the emulation of several mechanisms through software gain setting which establish the use of magnetically levitated robot wrists as an option for manipulation tasks requiring high precision and fine compliant motions, are included. >
Physical limitations of antenna

A discussion of minimum possible antenna quality factor (Q) is first presented . Based on the spherical wave function theory, the maximum possible ratios of gain to Q for both directional antenna and omnidirectional antenna are examined and new upper limits for both cases have been obtained. Universally applicable numerical results and some related discussions are also included.
The motor theory of speech perception revised

A motor theory of speech perception, initially proposed to account for results of early experiments with synthetic speech, is now extensively revised to accommodate recent findings, and to relate the assumptions of the theory to those that might be made about other perceptual modes. According to the revised theory, phonetic information is perceived in a biologically distinct system, a ‘module’ specialized to detect the intended gestures of the speaker that are the basis for phonetic categories. Built into the structure of this module is the unique but lawful relationship between the gestures and the acoustic patterns in which they are variously overlapped. In consequence, the module causes perception of phonetic structure without translation from preliminary auditory impressions. Thus, it is comparable to such other modules as the one that enables an animal to localize sound. Peculiar to the phonetic module are the relation between perception and production it incorporates and the fact that it must compete with other modules for the same stimulus variations.
Oral consumption of electrokinetically modified water attenuates muscle damage and improves postexercise recovery.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of consuming electrokinetically modified water (EMW) on attenuating muscle damage and improving functional recovery following a single bout of is...
Item Difficulty and Answer Changing.

The author replicates some earlier results and extends the analysis to show interactions with student performance and item difficulty.
Engineering-Driven Statistical Adjustment and Calibration

Engineering model development involves several simplifying assumptions for the purpose of mathematical tractability, which are often not realistic in practice. This leads to discrepancies in the model predictions. A commonly used statistical approach to overcome this problem is to build a statistical model for the discrepancies between the engineering model and observed data. In contrast, an engineering approach would be to find the causes of discrepancy and fix the engineering model using first principles. However, the engineering approach is time consuming, whereas the statistical approach is fast. The drawback of the statistical approach is that it treats the engineering model as a black box and therefore, the statistically adjusted models lack physical interpretability. This article proposes a new framework for model calibration and statistical adjustment. It tries to open up the black box using simple main effects analysis and graphical plots and introduces statistical models inside the engineering m...
Cyclic and diagonal products on a matrix

We unify the theory of cyclic and diagonal products of elements of matrices. We obtain some new results on diagonal similarity, diagonal equivalence, complete reducibility and total support.
Restless legs complaint in African-American and Caucasian hemodialysis patients.

Abstract Objectives : To compare the prevalence of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) symptoms in older African–American and Caucasian chronic renal failure patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD). Background : Few data are available about the prevalence of RLS in racial groups, although it has been suggested that the African–American population is at lower risk relative to the Caucasian population. Chronic renal failure patients on HD are known to be at increased risk for RLS. Methods : In-person interviews with 308 chronic renal failure patients aged 60–87 living in Georgia being treated by in-center HD. Results : More Caucasian patients than African–American patients reported experiencing RLS symptoms during the past 6 months (68 vs. 48%; P =0.0006). In a logistic regression analysis, African–American patients' reduced risk of RLS complaint was independent of patients' age, gender, education, body mass index (BMI), months on dialysis, diabetes as primary diagnosis, presence of cardiovascular comorbidity, and average number of weekly hours of HD. Conclusions : Our data suggested a lower prevalence of RLS among older African–American than among older Caucasian patients on chronic HD. Further study is needed to determine whether this difference also occurs in idiopathic RLS and/or at different ages. The possibility of systematic reporting differences related to race should also be considered.
Cascaded authentication

The author addresses a problem that has arisen in building distributed systems in which incomplete trust exists and program composition is necessary. The problem is to permit authentication for both access control and accounting when cascading invocations. The problem can be identified as one of providing cascaded authentication. The author has developed a mechanism she calls passports that are passed along with each stage of the cascade and digitally signed at each transition. The information thus signed is that which is critical to the authentication. The focus is both on recognizing the problem and on devising a solution that is efficient enough to be usable, although there will be some cost associated with such a mechanism. >
Consortia's critical role in developing medical countermeasures for re-emerging viral infections: a USA perspective.

Viral infections, such as Ebola, severe acute respiratory syndrome/Middle East respiratory syndrome and West Nile virus have emerged as a serious health threat with no effective therapies. These infections have little commercial potential and are not a high priority for the pharmaceutical industry. However, the academic community has been active in this area for many years. The challenge is how to take this academic virology knowledge into a drug discovery and development domain. One approach is the use of consortia and public–private partnerships – this article highlights ongoing efforts in the USA. Public funds, such as those from government sources, can support research efforts that do not to appear to have commercial value. The key to success is finding a way to combine the different cultural and operational values and reward systems into a productive collaboration to identify new antivirals.
Electrochemically Deposited Sb and In Doped Tin Sulfide (SnS) Photoelectrodes

Semiconducting tin sulfide (SnS) was deposited electrochemically from electrolytes containing Sn and S precursors and conditions optimized to maximize its performance as a photoelectrode. Films composed of primarily orthorhombic SnS were electrodeposited on titanium substrates from electrolyte containing 20 mM SnSO4 and 100 mM Na2S2O3 at pH 2.5. For deposition a cathodic pulse of −1.25 V vs Ag/AgCl was applied for 2.75 s followed by a 0.25 s pulse of +0.25 V vs Ag/AgCl repeated for 30–45 min. The films were annealed in argon at 300 °C for 3 h. The addition of SbCl3 ( 5%) the dopants resulted in the formation of secondary phases of Sb and...
Surface faceting dependence of thermal transport in silicon nanowires.

Surface faceting on sidewalls is ubiquitously observed during crystal growth of semiconductor nanowires. However, predicting the thermal transport characteristics of faceted nanowires relevant to thermoelectric applications remains challenging. Here, direct molecular dynamics simulations show that thermal conductivity is considerably reduced in crystalline Si nanowires with periodic sawtooth faceting compared to nanowires of same size with smooth sidewalls. It is discovered that surface phonon scattering is particularly high with {100} facets, but less pronounced with {113} facets and remarkably low with {111} facets, which suggests a new means to optimize phonon dynamics for nanoscale thermoelectric devices. This anomaly is reconciled by showing that the contribution of each facet to surface phonons is due to diffuse scattering rather than to backward scattering. It is further shown that this property is not changed by addition of an amorphous shell to the crystalline core, similar to the structure of experimental nanowires.
Microstructure Evolution in Metal Interconnects

Grain growth is the key process in the development of the microstructure of deposited metal films. Grain boundaries in turn exert a dominant influence on the properties of interconnects in integrated circuits. In addition to the practical importance of the phenomena, grain growth in films is of considerable fundamental interest because of the possibility of comparing the predictions of models with observations. The thermodynamic basis for the limiting grain size resulting from grain growth in sheets (or films) was laid by Mullins and subsequently cxtcndcd by Walton et al. to the case of interconnects. In their treatments grain growth stagnates when the forces resulting form the grain boundary excess energy are balanced by the pinning force resulting from grooving. Surface energy anisotropy can drastically modify this equilibrium and even lead to the result that there is no limiting grain size. The basic phenomenology of grain growth in films has been modelled and investigated experimentally. In situ experiments provide a direct comparison with models and confirm many of the predictions based on models. Specifically in the context of lines the effects of grooving on the top and side surfaces are predicted to result in a critical ratio of width to thickness above which a fully bamboo structure cannot be achieved. This is verified by observations.
Punctuated Humanitarianism: Palestinian Life between the Catastrophic and the Cruddy

With a more than sixty-seven-year displacement, the Palestinian refugee case is an extreme instance of a widespread phenomenon: the need for humanitarian organizations that are oriented toward emergency to respond to circumstances that are “protracted.” Humanitarian practice does change as needs on the ground change, but long-term need and displacement poses both definitional and practical challenges for this work. The broad trajectory of Palestinian refugee experience has moved from “crisis” to chronic needs—what Elizabeth Povinelli calls “cruddy” conditions. Povinelli specifically contrasts suffering that is “catastrophic, crisis-laden, and sublime” with that which is “ordinary, chronic, and cruddy.” Palestinians share experiences of poverty and immobility with others around the world who are part of what is sometimes referred to as the “precariat.” It is this sort of suffering, which often persists below the threshold of an “event,” that Povinelli terms cruddy.
A Series Approximation for Negative Binomial Parameter Estimation

One parameter of the negative binomial distribution (NBD) model of repeat purchase loyalty is obtained by an iterative search procedure on an implicit equation. This note presents an extremely accu...
Structure of Mixed-Monolayer-Protected Nanoparticles in Aqueous Salt Solution from Atomistic Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) protected by a grafted ligand monolayer are commonly used for applications in biosensing, bioimaging, and drug delivery, in part because of the ability to tune surface properties by modifying the composition of the protecting ligands. If the surface monolayer contains multiple distinct ligand species, the AuNPs are referred to as mixed-monolayer-protected particles. A typical mixed monolayer consists of two linear alkanethiol ligands, with one ligand species end-functionalized to confer aqueous solubility. However, the inclusion of multiple ligand species raises questions of how the nanoscale morphology and the relative lengths of the two ligands can affect properties, considerations that are unnecessary for single-component monolayers. In this work, we use atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to model the structure of mixed-monolayer-protected AuNPs in aqueous salt solution under typical biological conditions. We focus on identifying changes in the monolayer structure as a ...
Stress and Resistivity in Reactively Sputtered Amorphous Metallic Ta-Si-N Films

We have measured the stress and the electrical resistivity of Ta-Si-N films deposited in an rf magnetron system by reactive sputtering of Ta5 Si3 target in an Ar-N2 mixture. The stress was determined by measuring the curvature of thin Si substrates with a stylus instrument. The atomic composition was established from backscattering spectra. The resistivity was derived from four-point probe measurements. The stress, the resistivity, and the atomic composition were studied as a function of various processing parameters (total pressure, gas composition). The stress is always compressive and can be changed from 0.38–1.48 GPa by such means. The resistivity is principally a function of the nitrogen composition and rises as the nitrogen amount increases. The results are compared with those reported for other amorphous metallic alloys.
Novel imaging approaches to cerebrovascular disease

Imaging techniques available to the physician treating neurovascular disease have substantially grown over the past several decades. New techniques as well as advances in imaging modalities continuously develop and provide an extensive array of modalities to diagnose, characterize, and understand neurovascular pathology. Modern noninvasive neurovascular imaging is generally based on computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, or nuclear imaging and includes CT angiography, CT perfusion, xenon-enhanced CT, single-photon emission CT, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance angiography, MR perfusion, functional magnetic resonance imaging with global and regional blood oxygen level dependent imaging, and magnetic resonance angiography with the use of the noninvasive optional vessel analysis software (River Forest, Ill). In addition to a brief overview of the technique, this review article discusses the clinical indications, advantages, and disadvantages of each of those modalities.
Impact of Repeatedly Failing a High School Exit Exam: Voices of English Language Learners

This qualitative study explored the perceived psychological impact of repeated failures on a high school exit examination (HSEE). We interviewed eight self-identified English language learners (ELLs), whose ages ranged from 20 to 29. All participants were attending tutoring HSEE programs at urban community colleges in New England. Using a modified grounded theory approach (Goldkuhl and Cronholm in Int J Qual Methods 9:187–205, 2010), interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed. The interviewees perceived many more negative effects than benefits of failing a HSEE. They reported adverse effects on academic motivation, emotions, goals, and self-perceptions. Despite these perceived adverse effects, they identified both individual (efforts, goals, self-reflection and positive mindset, positive self-perceptions) and environmental protective factors (encouragement, instructional support and emotional support) that helped them persist in attempting to pass the HSEE. The findings from study have implications for educational and psychological research, policy and practice.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Over the past 8 years we have used 8-week MBCT groups adapted for PTSD, as well as longer PTSD exposure-based groups incorporating MBCT techniques and “curriculum” with combat veterans seeking treatment for PTSD of various ages who served in a number of combat deployments. We have provided MBCT with veterans who served in Korea, Vietnam, Somalia, Kuwait, and Iraq (“Operation Desert Storm,” 1991), Afghanistan (“Operation Enduring Freedom/OEF,” 2001–2015), and Iraq (“Operation Iraqi Freedom, OIF,” 2003–2010, “Operation New Dawn, OND,” 2010–2015). Many of these veterans also had major depression and/or chronic pain issues in addition to PTSD. We have been very interested that the majority of veterans who participated said they found the groups and the mindfulness techniques useful, and most report they often enjoy doing the mindfulness exercises. Most have also shown a high level of engagement, and the dropout rate from MBCT in younger OEF/OIF veterans has tended to be lower than is usual for this population.
Frontier Economics: Why Entrepreneurial Capitalism is Needed Now More than Ever

Here in the United States and around the world, we have entered what might be called the era of “frontier economics.” Older, easier sources of growth are drying up and, as a result, the prospects for continued dynamism and prosperity hinge more than ever before on the pioneering entrepreneurial upstarts that explore and extend the technological frontier. As a consequence, the political imperative to maintain satisfactory economic performance is putting national economies under ongoing pressure to free up markets and knock down artificial barriers to competition - in other words, to make their particular versions of capitalism more entrepreneurial. The purpose of this paper is to offer a general explanation of this trend and the social forces driving it.
A low-temperature (<or= 500 degrees C) silicon-germanium MOS thin-film transistor technology for large-area electronics

N- and p-channel MOS thin-film transistors (TFTs) have been fabricated in LPCVD (low-pressure chemical vapor deposited) polycrystalline silicon-germanium (poly-SiGe) films using a low-temperature (maximum process temperature 550 degrees C) fabrication process. Since a poly-SiGe TFT technology allows the use of lower anneal temperatures and shorter anneal times than a poly-Si TFT technology, it is attractive for large-area electronics applications. >
How rosé became high class: Categorical divestment and evaluation

Abstract Elite consumption is increasingly described through theories of omnivorous taste, driven by the pursuit of authenticity. However, the literature on classification, cultural logics, and semiotic codes has the potential to offer a complementary perspective on the dynamics involved in the valorization of cultural objects as high-status. The case of rose wine—and the newfound status the category gained from 2001 to 2011—provides an illustrative case. Based on analysis of elite wine writing during this period, I show how critics redefined rose as commensurable with European traditions of winemaking and worthy of elite lifestyles of leisure. Rose was not accepted on its own terms—high-status critics appropriated rose through a process of “categorical divestment.” Through explicit and implicit comparisons, rose was recast as a serious wine and stripped of its feminine, low-status associations. Critics then invested the category with new meanings, using elite consumers and lifestyles as the referents for its worth.
Current and Emerging Potential of Magnetoencephalography in the Detection and Localization of High-Frequency Oscillations in Epilepsy

Up to a third of patients with epilepsy are medically intractable and need resective surgery. To be successful, epilepsy surgery requires a comprehensive preoperative evaluation to define the epileptogenic zone (EZ), the brain area that should be resected to achieve seizure-freedom. Due to lack of tools and methods that measure the EZ directly, this area is defined indirectly based on concordant data from a multitude of presurgical non-invasive tests and intracranial recordings. However, the results of these tests are often insufficiently concordant or inconclusive. Thus, the presurgical evaluation of surgical candidates is frequently challenging or unsuccessful. To improve the efficacy of the surgical treatment, there is an overriding need for reliable biomarkers that can delineate the EZ. High frequency oscillations (HFOs) have emerged over the last decade as new potential biomarkers for the delineation of the EZ. Multiple studies have shown that HFOs are spatially associated with the EZ. Despite the encouraging findings, there are still significant challenges for the translation of HFOs as epileptogenic biomarkers to the clinical practice. One of the major barriers is the difficulty to detect and localize them with non-invasive techniques, such as magnetoencephalography (MEG) or scalp electroencephalography (EEG). Although most literature have studied HFOs using invasive recordings, recent studies have reported the detection and localization of HFOs using MEG or scalp EEG. MEG seems to be particularly advantageous compared to scalp EEG due to its inherent advantages of being less affected by skull conductivity and less susceptible to contamination from muscular activity. The detection and localization of HFOs with MEG would largely expand the clinical utility of these new promising biomarkers to an earlier stage in the diagnostic process and to a wider range of patients with epilepsy. Here, we conduct a thorough critical review of the recent MEG literature that investigates HFOs in patients with epilepsy, summarizing the different methodological approaches and the main findings. Our goal is to highlight the emerging potential of MEG in the non-invasive detection and localization of HFOs for the presurgical evaluation of patients with medically refractory epilepsy (MRE).
Temperature- and size-dependent growth and movement of the North Pacific giant octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) in the Bering Sea

ABSTRACTOctopus growth and movement occurs during all life stages and have implications for survival, food web dynamics and reproduction. From 2009 to 2011, 1714 North Pacific giant octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) were tagged and recaptured in the eastern Bering Sea with visible implant elastomers to better understand the ecology of this data-poor species. Over this period, 246 of the tagged individuals were recaptured. In autumn, when temperatures were warmest, E. dofleini had higher growth rates and moved more than in the colder winter months. For both short- and long-term recaptures, small octopus grew faster than large octopus. Movement of octopus over short- and long-term periods was low for very small and very large octopus and high for median-sized octopus, which is likely to be a function of maturity status and reproductive activities. Approximately 80% of recaptures moved less than 2 km from the initial tagging location for time periods up to a year, suggesting long-term site fidelity. As tempera...
Abstract 1769: The clinical outcome of stage I lung adenocarcinoma patients with or without activating EGFR mutation

Purpose: Advanced stage lung adenocarcinoma patients with activating EGFR mutation have better survival result after EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor developed. The prevalence of EGFR mutation is high in Asian lung adenocarcinoma patients. The difference of clinical outcome of stage I lung adenocarcinoma patients with or without activating EGFR mutation was unclear. Our aim of study is to evaluate the clinical outcome between wild and mutated stage I lung adenocarcinoma. Patients and Methods: We had 343 Stage I lung adenocarcinoma patients who received surgical resection from January 2010 to April 2014. The preliminary data of EGFR mutation in 167 patients was done. Sanger method of direct PCR, scorpion & ARMS method or ABI allele specific TagMan PCR were used to check the EGFR mutation status of these patients’ samples. The selection of these methods was depended on purity of tumor samples. Results: There were 93 stage IA patients and 74 stage IB patients. Sixty-four (69%) patients had activating EGFR mutations in stage IA patients, and fifty (68%) patients had activating EGFR mutations in stage IB patients. The survival of stage IA and IB were similar in patients with or without EGFR mutations. The patients without mutated EGFR had better progression free survival in IA and IB patients, especially in the IB patients, although the significance did not be reached in small preliminary sample size. Conclusion: The survival was similar in stage IA or IB lung adenocarcinoma with or without EGFR mutations. Patient without EGFR mutation had better progression free survival although there was no statistical significance between patients with or without EGFR mutations. We will collect more patients’ data for analysis. Citation Format: Yueh-Fu Fang. The clinical outcome of stage I lung adenocarcinoma patients with or without activating EGFR mutation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1769. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1769
Big Data and software engineering: prospects for mutual enrichment

Software engineering has evolved over the last 50 years, initially as a response to the so-called software crisis (the problems that organizations had producing quality software systems on time and on budget) of the 1960s and 1970s. Software engineering (SE) has been defined as “the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software; that is, the application of engineering to software”. Software engineering has developed a number of approaches to areas such as software requirements, software design, software testing, and software maintenance. Software development processes such as the waterfall model, incremental development, and the spiral model have been successfully applied to produce high-quality software on time and under budget. More recently, agile software development has gained popularity as an alternative to the more traditional development methods for development of complex systems. Within the last decade or so, advances in technologies such as mobile computing, social networks, cloud computing, and the Internet of things have given rise to massive datasets which have been given the name Big Data (BD). Big Data has been defined as data with 3Vs—high volume, velocity, and variety. Big Data contains so much data that low probability events are captured in the data. These events can be discovered using analytics methods and turned into actionable intelligence which can be used by businesses to gain a competitive advantage. Unfortunately, the very scale of BD often renders inadequate SQL-based relational database systems which have formed the backbone of data intensive systems for the last 30 years, requiring new NoSQL technologies to be effective. In this paper, we will explore how well-established SE technology can be adapted to support successful development of BD projects, as well as how BD techniques can be used to increase the utility of SE processes and techniques. Thus, BD and SE may mutually support and enrich each other.
Differential amplify-and-forward cooperative relaying in a software-defined radio testbed with an aerial relay node

In this work, we implement and demonstrate differential amplify-and-forward (DAF) cooperative relaying as a novel diversity technique to combat bit errors and outages common in airborne environments. By using differential modulation and demodulation, we reduce the system complexity by avoiding channel estimation which is often unreliable or computationally costly in dynamic environments with mobile nodes. We further simplify the requirements of the relay node by employing amplify-and-forward relaying where the relay amplifies the incoming signal and retransmits at a different frequency assignment. We implemented DAF relaying using the GNU Radio software platform and Universal Software Radio Peripherals (USRPs). We designed a pilot sequence specifically for differential modulation and implemented frame level synchronization which can combine frames properly at the destination node for joint decoding even when some frames are dropped either from the direct link or relay link. We verified simulation results of DAF relaying in a controlled test in an anechoic chamber and showed that cooperative relaying achieves significantly lower bit error rate compared to direct link transmission and two-hop relaying schemes. We then validated our system outdoors with an airborne relay node and demonstrated our results.
Improvement of supply chain efficiency with a computer learning game

Supply chains are notoriously inefficient, displaying wild inventory oscillations in response to changes in customer purchases. Many analyses have shown that the oscillations and the effectiveness of management attempts to minimize them depend strongly on the extent and nature of information exchange between the entities in the chain. However, very few supply chains have invested in the information technology that could improve their performance. A new immersive interactive learning object game has been developed that encourages the exploration of information technology investment strategies. It does this by dramatically demonstrating the impact information technology can have in reducing overall supply chain costs.
CORRECTING FOR HEADER HEAT LOSSES WHEN TESTING SOLAR COLLECTORS

ABSTRACT During collector testing, differential temperature measurements across solar collectors are taken at some distance from the actual inlet and outlet of the collector. Even though the headers (the pipe sections from the temperature measuring locations to the collector) are usually insulated, heat losses occur. The systematic error in thermal efficiency introduced by header heat losses can be significant, even for well insulated headers. The current ASHRAE Standard 93-77 sets limits for these header heat losses but does not contain any procedure for evaluating and correcting for them. Large systematic errors due to header heat losses can be eliminated by performing a header heat loss test and applying the resulting correction.
Salivary Gland, Thyroid, and Parathyroid Neoplasms: Molecular Features

Tumors involving the salivary, thyroid, and parathyroid glands in the pediatric age group range from benign tumors, to indeterminant malignant potential tumors to frankly malignant tumors. In addition, certain tumors may be associated with hereditary syndromes. During the past several decades, cytogenetics and molecular genetics have provided certain tumor-defining features. With the advent of rapid sequencing techniques, further definition of these tumors and identification of molecular targets for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment have been identified. This chapter reviews the molecular features of salivary, thyroid, and parathyroid gland tumors.
The electoral cost of coalition participation: Can anyone escape?:

It is a well-established empirical finding that governments on average lose votes during their time in office. This exploratory analysis examines whether all members of coalition governments suffer...
A mighty stream of membrane proteins

A symposium in June 2018 sponsored by the Center on Membrane Protein Production and Analysis, a unit of the New York Structural Biology Center, focused on the structures of proteins residing in biological membranes. Explicit emphasis was placed on currently developing technologies aimed at determining such structures and at understanding their dynamics, mechanisms and complex interactions.
Neurobiological substrates of persistent working memory deficits and cocaine-seeking in the prelimbic cortex of rats with a history of extended access to cocaine self-administration.

Abstract Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is associated with prefrontal cortex dysfunction and cognitive deficits that may contribute to persistent relapse susceptibility. As the relationship between cognitive deficits, cortical abnormalities and drug seeking is poorly understood, development of relevant animal models is of high clinical importance. Here, we used an animal model to characterize working memory and reversal learning in rats with a history of extended access cocaine self-administration and prolonged abstinence. We also investigated immediate and long-term functional changes within the prelimbic cortex (PrL) in relation to cognitive performance and drug-seeking. Adult male rats underwent 6 days of short-access (1 h/day) followed by 12 days of long-access (6 h/day) cocaine self-administration, or received passive saline infusions. Next, rats were tested in delayed match-to-sample (DMS) and (non)match-to-sample (NMS) tasks, and finally in a single context + cue relapse test on day 90 of abstinence. We found that a history of chronic cocaine self-administration impaired working memory, though sparing reversal learning, and that the components of these cognitive measures correlated with later drug-seeking. Further, we found that dysregulated metabolic activity and mGlu5 receptor signaling in the PrL of cocaine rats correlated with past working memory performance and/or drug-seeking, as indicated by the analysis of cytochrome oxidase reactivity, mGlu5 and Homer 1b/c protein expression, as well as Arc mRNA expression in mGlu5-positive cells. These findings advocate for a persistent post-cocaine PrL dysfunction, rooted in ineffective compensatory changes and manifested as impaired working memory performance and hyperreactivity to cocaine cues. Considering the possible interplay between the neural correlates underlying post-cocaine cognitive deficits and drug-seeking, cognitive function should be evaluated and considered when developing neurobiologically-based treatments of cocaine relapse.
A Comparison of Stereo-Matching Cost between Convolutional Neural Network and Census for Satellite Images

Stereo dense image matching can be categorized to low-level feature based matching and deep feature based matching according to their matching cost metrics. Census has been proofed to be one of the most efficient low-level feature based matching methods, while fast Convolutional Neural Network (fst-CNN), as a deep feature based method, has small computing time and is robust for satellite images. Thus, a comparison between fst-CNN and census is critical for further studies in stereo dense image matching. This paper used cost function of fst-CNN and census to do stereo matching, then utilized semi-global matching method to obtain optimized disparity images. Those images are used to produce digital surface model to compare with ground truth points. It addresses that fstCNN performs better than census in the aspect of absolute matching accuracy, histogram of error distribution and matching completeness, but these two algorithms still performs in the same order of magnitude.
We are all connected: rock art ontologies in the Southwestern U.S

ABSTRACTMembers of Indigenous communities in Arizona and New Mexico explain that petroglyphs and rock paintings serve as animate, tangible, and enduring connections among places, ancestors, and con...
Different Molecular Consequences of the 1;19 Chromosomal Translocation in Childhood B - Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

The prognostically important 1;19 chromosomal translocation can alter the E2A gene on chromosome 19p13 in childhood B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), leading to formation of a fusion gene (E2A-PBX1) that encodes a hybrid transcription factor with oncogenic potential. It is not known whether this molecular alteration is a uniform consequence of the t(1;19) or is restricted to translocation events within specific immunologic subtypes of the disease. Therefore, we studied leukemic cells from 25 cases of B-cell precursor ALL, with or without evidence of cytoplasmic Ig mu heavy chains (cIg); 17 cases had the t(1;19) by cytogenetic analysis. Leukemic cell DNA samples were analyzed by Southern blotting to detect alterations within the E2A genomic locus; a polymerase chain reaction assay was used to identify expression of chimeric E2A-pbx1 transcripts in leukemic cell RNA; and immunoblotting with anti-Pbx1 antibodies was used to detect hybrid E2A- Pbx1 proteins. Of 11 cases of cIg+ ALL with the t(1;19), 10 had E2A- pbx1 chimeric transcripts with identical junctions and a characteristic set of E2A-Pbx1 hybrid proteins. Each of these cases had E2A gene rearrangements, including the one in which fusion transcripts were not detected. By contrast, none of the six cases of t(1;19)-positive, cIg- ALL had evidence of rearranged E2A genomic restriction fragments, detectable E2A-pbx1 chimeric transcripts, or hybrid E2A-Pbx1 proteins. Typical chimeric E2A-pbx1 transcripts and proteins were detected in one of eight cIg+ leukemias in which the t(1;19) was not identified by cytogenetic analysis, emphasizing the increased sensitivity of molecular analysis for detection of this abnormality. We conclude that the molecular breakpoints in cases of cIg- B-cell precursor ALL with the t(1;19) differ from those in cIg+ cases with this translocation. Leukemias that express hybrid oncoproteins such as E2A-Pbx1 or Bcr-Abl have had a poor prognosis in most studies. Thus, molecular techniques to detect fusion genes and their aberrant products should allow more timely and appropriate treatment of these aggressive subtypes of the disease.
Cranial or postcranial-Dual origin of the pectoral appendage of vertebrates combining the fin-fold and gill-arch theories?

Two main theories have been used to explain the origin of pectoral and pelvic appendages. The "fin-fold theory" proposes that they evolved from a trunk bilateral fin fold, while Gegenbaur's theory assumes they derived from the head branchial arches. However, none of these theories has been fully supported. The "fin-fold" theory is mainly often accepted due to some existing developmental data, but recent developmental studies have revived Gegenbaur's theory by revealing common mechanisms underlying the patterning of branchial arches and paired appendages. Here I review developmental data and many others lines of evidence, which lead to a crucial question: might the apparent contradictions between the two theories be explained by a dual origin of the pectoral appendage, that is, the pectoral girdle and fin/limb being mainly related to the head and trunk, respectively? If this is so then (a) the pectoral and pelvic girdles would not be serial homologues; (b) the term "developmental serial homologues" could only potentially be applied to the pectoral and pelvic fins/limbs. Fascinatingly, in a way this would be similar to what Owen had already suggested, more than 170 years ago: that the pectoral and pelvic girdles are mainly related to the head and trunk, respectively.
Introductory Remarks on Regulation of Pineal Indoleamine Synthesis

The isolation and identification of the active principle in the bovine pineals causing blanching of the tadpole skin, initiated the modern era of pineal research. This compound was identified by Lerner and coworkers (1958) as methoxy-N-acetylserotonin and named melatonin. The characterization of melatonin, the presence of relatively large concentrations of the biogenic amine serotonin (Giarman and Day, 1959) and the noradrenergic innervation in the rat pineal (Kappers, 1960) stimulated pineal research in this organ in a variety of disciplines. This led to the elucidation of the biosynthesis and action of melatonin and its regulation, gave important insights regarding the generation of circadian rhtyhms, and the interaction between nerves and hormone producing cells.