cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Goodness of fit of an assigned set of scores for the analysis of association in a contingency table

The problem of association between two attributes in ap×q contingency table can be looked upon as the problem of relationship between two vector variablesx andy. If there is only one true non-zero canonical correlation betweenx andy, the association between the two attributes is of rank 1 and in this case, one set of scores is adequate to describe the association completely; these scores are nothing but the coefficients in the canonical variates corresponding to the true non-zero canonical correlation. Given a set of hypothetical scoresα1,α1,⋯,αp for the rows, one is interested in testing their goodness of fit. Tests for this are suggested in this paper. For obtaining these tests, a preliminary result about direction and collinearity factors in discriminant analysis, whenS irrelevant variables are eliminated, is needed. This is derived in part one of this paper.
Application of a New Mechanistic Decline Curve Method to Kern County Oil Fields

Field production data from Kern County acquired from the California state database was analyzed for production decline. A decline curve methodology based on fluid flow mechanisms was used. The model reveals a linear relationship between the oil production rate and the reciprocal of the oil recovery. Existing decline curve methods often either overestimate or underestimate reserves, and are mostly empirical in origin. The current approach not only provides a method to estimate reserves, but because of its basis on fluid flow mechanisms, can also be used to infer regional reservoir properties that may be useful in production decisions. Oil wells from six producing oil fields in Kern County were analyzed using this decline curve method and two parameters, a0, the production rate index, which measures the recovery rate, and b0, the gravity index, were mapped regionally. Since the two parameters are associated with capillary pressure and relative permeability, conclusions can be made about the geological properties of the reservoirs from the derivation of the a0 and b0 parameters. This will aid in determining which regions are more prolific, and provide a correlation based on physics to infer reserves, and reservoir rock and fluid properties. It was found that fields with higher a0 and b0 values have higher oil recovery. This study demonstrates the applicability of this decline curve analysis and provides an alternative to empirical methods.
A conjugate composed of nerve growth factor coupled to a non-toxic derivative of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin type A can inhibit neurotransmitter release in vitro

Nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor binding, internalisation and transportation of NGF has been identified as a potential route of delivery for other molecules. A derivative of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin type A (LHN) that retains catalytic activity but has significantly reduced cell-binding capability has been prepared and chemically coupled to NGF. Intact clostridial neurotoxins potently inhibit neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular junction by proteolysis of specific components of the vesicle docking/fusion complex. Here we report that the NGF-LHN/A conjugate, when applied to PC12 cells, significantly inhibited neurotransmitter release and cleaved the type A toxin substrate. This work represents the successful use of NGF as a targeting moiety for the delivery of a neurotoxin fragment.
Low complexity OFDM MIMO system based on channel correlations

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is known for its efficiency in combating frequency selectivity in wireless channels. Multiple transmit and/or multiple receive (MIMO) antennas can be employed with OFDM to achieve higher diversity or capacity. In traditional OFDM MIMO systems, transmitter beamforming and receiver combining are done in the frequency domain, which requires one discrete Fourier transform (DFT) per antenna. As recently proposed, transmitter beam-forming and receiver combining can be done in time domain, and only one DFT is needed at either the transmitter or the receiver. System complexity can thus be greatly reduced at the cost of slight performance loss. We investigate the low-complexity OFDM MIMO system where the transmitter has partial side information, specifically, the knowledge of channel correlations. We show that in multiple input single output (MISO) case, time domain beamforming can be used to do two-dimensional eigen-beamforming. For MIMO case, we derive design criteria for the transmitter beamforming and receiver combining weighting vectors, and show some suboptimal solutions. Simulations show that the performance degradation of the low-complexity combining is small.
A functional genomic model for predicting prognosis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

The course of disease for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is highly heterogeneous. Prognostic models rely on demographic and clinical characteristics and are not reproducible. Integrating data from genomic analyses may identify novel prognostic models and provide mechanistic insights into IPF. Total RNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was subjected to microarray profiling in a training (45 IPF individuals) and two independent validation cohorts (21 IPF/10 controls, and 75 IPF individuals, respectively). To identify a gene set predictive of IPF prognosis, we incorporated genomic, clinical, and outcome data from the training cohort. Predictor genes were selected if all the following criteria were met: 1) Present in a gene co-expression module from Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) that correlated with pulmonary function (p 1.5 and false discovery rate (FDR) < 2 %; and 3) Predictive of mortality (p < 0.05) in univariate Cox regression analysis. “Survival risk group prediction” was adopted to construct a functional genomic model that used the IPF prognostic predictor gene set to derive a prognostic index (PI) for each patient into either high or low risk for survival outcomes. Prediction accuracy was assessed with a repeated 10-fold cross-validation algorithm and independently assessed in two validation cohorts through multivariate Cox regression survival analysis. A set of 118 IPF prognostic predictor genes was used to derive the functional genomic model and PI. In the training cohort, high-risk IPF patients predicted by PI had significantly shorter survival compared to those labeled as low-risk patients (log rank p < 0.001). The prediction accuracy was further validated in two independent cohorts (log rank p < 0.001 and 0.002). Functional pathway analysis revealed that the canonical pathways enriched with the IPF prognostic predictor gene set were involved in T-cell biology, including iCOS, T-cell receptor, and CD28 signaling. Using supervised and unsupervised analyses, we identified a set of IPF prognostic predictor genes and derived a functional genomic model that predicted high and low-risk IPF patients with high accuracy. This genomic model may complement current prognostic tools to deliver more personalized care for IPF patients.
The role of sediment composition on the bioavailability of laboratory-dosed sediment-associated organic contaminants to the amphipod, Diporeia (spp.)

AbstractBioavailability of sediment-associated contaminants depends on contaminant and sediment characteristics and organism behavior and physiology. Bioavailability of a sediment-associated contaminant can be defined by the uptake clearance. Uptake clearance is the volume or mass of the source compartment scavenged of contaminant per mass of organism per time. For non-polar organic contaminants, carbon normalization has been suggested as a means of normalizing the relative bioavailability among sediments of differing compositions. To examine this, amphipods, Diporeia spp., were exposed to five Lake Michigan sediments and one soil from Florissant, MO, each spiked with selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners. The uptake clearances (ks) were then determined. The PAH congeners were generally less bioavailable, based on ks, than the PCB congeners after accounting for contaminant hydrophobicity. The ks values generally declined as the fraction of fine particl...
A U.S. Perspective on the Adverse Reactions from Traditional Chinese Medicines

Background. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) are popular in the United States and Asian and non-Asian consumers are using the product for disease treatment and health prevention. As more people are using TCM products, there are increased reports on adverse reactions. This review will focus on adverse reactions due to TCM as reported in the literature. Methods. The review is based on MedLine search of literatures using keywords including: herbs, herbal, traditional Chinese medicines with toxicity, adverse effects, death, drug interaction and pharmacokinetic. In addition, specific searches were performed using the above keywords with the common name and the scientific name of the plant product. Results. The causes of adverse reactions associated with TCM are diverse. They include variability in active/toxic ingredients due to growing conditions, use of inherent toxic herbs causing toxicity, overdose of herbs, drug-herb interactions especially with pharmaceuticals that have narrow therapeutic index, coexisting diseases, and idiosyncratic reactions like allergy, hepatitis and anaphylaxis. Other adverse reactions can be due to manufacturing and quality problems causing adulteration, misidentification, substitution of one herb with another, variability in the amount of active ingredients, use of pharmaceuticals without identifying on the labels, improper processing and preparation, and contamination. Conclusions. To minimize the adverse reactions from TCM and protect the public, there must be adequate laws and regulations to ensure that products are manufactured with the highest standards. Manufacturers should be licensed by regulatory agency and manufactured under good manufacturing practice. TCM products must be evaluated for their safety before marketing. Proper labeling and good surveillance systems shall ensure the protection of the consumers.
Contra-Diction: Countering Bad Press about Higher Education with Institutional Vision

This article summarizes findings from several investigations that have performed a DICTION-based content analysis of the mission and vision statements of distinctive types of academic institutions. Key linguistic components found to constitute a well-conceived, viable, and easily diffused institutional vision were isolated, measured, and compared to normative scores gathered from a nation-wide sample of colleges and universities. Findings revealed significant stylistic differences across institution types regarding clarity, complexity, pragmatics, optimism and the ability to unify the campus community, as well as key differences between mission and vision statements. In doing so, they provided a prescription for how mission and vision statements can better serve as guiding, governing, and self-promotional documents, particularly in times of crisis, change and negative press.
PLASMA OXYTOCIN CONCENTRATION AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS: A REVIEW OF CURRENT EVIDENCE AND DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

There is substantial recent interest in the role of oxytocin in social and affiliative behaviors-animal models of depression have suggested a link between oxytocin and mood. We reviewed literature to date for evidence of a potential relationship between peripheral oxytocin concentration and depressive symptoms in humans. Pubmed(®) and PsychINFO(®) were searched for biomedical and social sciences literature from 1960 to May 19, 2015 for empirical articles in English involving human subjects focused on the relationship between peripheral oxytocin concentration and depressive symptoms, excluding articles on the oxytocin receptor gene, or involving exogenous (i.e. intranasal) administration of oxytocin. Eight studies meeting criteria were identified and formally reviewed. Studies of pregnant women suggested an inverse relationship between oxytocin level and depressive symptom severity. Findings in nonpregnant women were broadly consistent with the role of oxytocin release in response to stress supported by animal studies. The relationship between oxytocin and depression in men appeared to be in the opposite direction, possibly reflecting the influence of gonadal hormones on oxytocinergic functioning found in other mammalian species. Overall, small sample sizes, heterogeneity in study designs, and other methodological limitations may account for inconsistent findings. Future research utilizing reliable oxytocin measurement protocols including measurements across time, larger sample sizes, and sample homogeneity with respect to multiple possible confounders (age, gender, race and ethnicity, ovarian status among women, and psychosocial context) are needed to elucidate the role of oxytocin in the pathogenesis of depression, and could guide the design of novel pharmacologic agents.
A Vector Extension of Loewner’s Differential Equation

Loewner’s differential equation [7] $$t\frac{\partial } {{\partial {\kern 1pt} t}}f\left( {t,z} \right) = \phi \left( {t,z} \right)z\frac{\partial } {{\partial {\kern 1pt} z}}f\left( {t,z} \right) $$ (1) arises in the estimation theory of Riemann mapping functions. We consider (1) in a vector setting with operator valued Herglotz functions Φ(t,z). Notions of geometric function theory are lost in this generality, but the intuitive idea of an expansive flow remains. Mathematically, it is more convenient to think of the flow as contractive in reverse time. In the scalar case, a classical subordination theorem [9] implies that the evolution transformations for (1), T(a,b): f(b,z) → f(a,z), are contractive in the Dirichlet space if a≤b. For different reasons, a similar result holds in the vector extension. The proof of the Bieberbach conjecture [2] and its power extensions [3], [11] yield other examples. As an illustration of the vector theory, we discuss a result from [11] which includes and extends the example of the Dirichlet space.
Episodic Molecular Evolution of Some Protein Hormones in Primates and Its Implications for Primate Adaptation

The order Primates is one of the most speciose placental orders. According to the tabulation of the living mammalian species by Wilson and Reeder (1993), there are 233 primate species. Only four other orders: Rodentia, Chiroptera, Carnivora, and Eulipotyphla consist of more species than primates. There are also roughly twice as many fossil species of primates. Therefore, a large number of speciation events occurred during the course of primate evolution since the initial radiation of plesiadapiforms in the Paleocene (Fleagle, 1999). Primates exhibit a diverse array of evolutionary tempos. For instance, the genera Aotus, Tarsius, and Macaca seem to have stayed morphologically the same for tens of millions of years, whereas some genera show remarkable rates of evolution within a relatively short time period (Fleagle, 1999). A good
Oral pretreatment with liposomal glutathione attenuates reperfusion injury in rabbit isolated hearts.

Abstract:Reactive oxygen species are a key mediator of myocardial reperfusion injury. Endogenous cellular defenses against reactive oxygen species often become overwhelmed after ischemia and reperfusion. Therefore, exogenous supplementation of various antioxidant compounds has been hypothesized to p
Carbonic Anhydrase Isozymes in Cultured Friend Leukemic Cells

SummaryCarbonic anhydrase isozymes I and II (CA I and CA II) were assayed in cultured Friend leukemic cells by radial im-munodiffusion. In dimethyl sulfoxide-treated cultures, CA I levels remain constant or decrease somewhat, while CA II levels increase. However, in untreated control cultures both CA I and CA II levels increase.We thank Ms. Ya-Shiou L. Yu for technical assistance.
Selective Pure-Phase Synthesis of the Multiferroic BaMF4 (M = Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, and Zn) Family

A low temperature, high yield hydrothermal route has been discovered for the phase-pure synthesis of the multiferroic BaMF4 (M = Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, and Zn) family. The synthesis involves the use of CF3COOH instead of HF in an aqueous medium and, under the correct conditions, produces pure and polycrystalline BaMF4. In addition to the synthetic description, second-harmonic generation, thermogravimetric, and differential scanning calorimetry data are presented.
Hemoglobin Content of Rural Primary and Middle School Students in Huairou District of Beijing

[Objective]To study the hemoglobin distribution and incidence of low hemoglobin in rural primary and middle school students in Huairou district of Beijing,provide a scientific basis for promoting their growth and development. [Methods]The blood samples were collected from ring finger of 1076 primary and middle school students in rural area of Huairou district,and the cyanide methemoglobin method that WHO recommended were applied. [Results]Among 1076 primary and middle school students,the incidence rate of anemia was 4.18%.The anemia rate of 14-year-old age group(6.09%) was significantly higher than that of other age groups.The anemia rate of girls(11.01%) was higher than that of boys(1.65%) significantly(χ2=8.781,P0.01). [Conclusion]The anemia has adverse effect on the growth and development of primary and middle school students,and it is necessary to carry out the active intervention measures.
Multiresidue matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction and gas chromatographic screening of nine chlorinated pesticides in catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) muscle tissue

A multiresidue technique for extraction and gas chromatographic screening of 9 insecticide (lindane, heptachlor, aldrin, heptachlor epoxide, p,p'-DDE, dieldrin, endrin, p,p'-TDE, and p,p'-DDT) residues in catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) muscle tissue is presented. The 9 insecticides, plus dibutyl chlorendate internal standard, were fortified into catfish muscle tissue (0.5 g) and blended with 2 g C18 (octadecylsilyl derivatized silica reverse-phase material). The C18/muscle tissue matrix blend was fashioned into a column by adding the blend to a 10 mL syringe barrel containing 2 g activated Florisil. The insecticides were then eluted from the column with acetonitrile (8 mL), and a portion (2 microL) of the acetonitrile eluate was then directly analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Unfortified blank controls were treated similarly. The resultant extracts contained pesticide analytes (31.25-500 ng/g) free of interfering compounds when analyzed. Correlation coefficients for the 9 extracted pesticide standard curves (linear regression analysis, n = 5) ranged from 0.9967 (+/- 0.0018) to 0.9999 (+/- 0.0001). Average percentage recoveries (82 +/- 4.8% to 97 +/- 3.6%, n = 25 for each insecticide), interassay (5.0 +/- 2.7% to 16.9 +/- 6.5%, n = 25 for each insecticide) and intraassay (1.8 to 4.7%, n = 5 for each insecticide) variabilities were indicative of an acceptable methodology for the analysis and screening of these residues in catfish muscle tissue.
An exploration of recreational activities while travelling relative to psychographic tendencies

Through focusing on active and adventure tourism, a niche of travel becoming increasingly relevant today, this study investigated the association between the preferred recreation activities of individuals while travelling and their psychographic profile characteristics based on Plog’s [(1972). Why destination areas rise and fall in popularity. Paper presented to the Travel Research Association, Southern California Chapter, Los Angeles] model of allocentricity and psychocentricity. Additionally, we investigated the relevancy of this model using individual’s preferred vacation destinations. The activities most likely for respondents to participate in while on vacation were walking, beach activities (sunbathing, walking, and collecting shells), nature walking, swimming, wildlife/nature viewing, and hiking. Results indicated an association between respondent psychographic scores and their projected activity preferences while on vacation.
The dreams of Aelius Aristides: A psychological interpretation

The topic of this article is the religious experience of Aelius Aristides, a second century A.D. sophist. Aristides was a member of the cult of Asclepius, a Greco-Roman religious healing cult. Aristides recorded his experiences in this cult and this personal narrative includes detailed descriptions of many of Aristides’ dreams. This unusual diary is called the Sacred Tales. Our psychological analysis of Aristides’ religiosity will begin by assessing the numerical frequency of the dream images appearing in the manifest-contents of Aristides’ dreams. Our identification of the predominant images in the manifest contents of Aristides’ dreams will help us to decode the latent unconscious meaning of several of Aristides’ dreams. Our goal is to identify the main source of Aristides’ psychological problems.
A Life of Counsel

Locke was born in 1632, seven years after the accession of Charles I, and at the start of a decade when the King attempted to rule without the assistance of Parliament. He died in 1704, the loyal subject of Queen Anne and a man who had both witnessed and helped to shape the political and intellectual changes which transformed seventeenth-century England into a comparatively tolerant, politically powerful, and economically prosperous nation-state. He was born at Wrington in Somerset into an undistinguished family of local officials and landowners, some of whose predecessors had worked as clothiers and tanners. The village of Pensford, where he was raised, enjoyed a diversified economy where dairy farming, cattle grazing, brewing, and cloth making were undertaken in a labour-intensive setting. An emphasis upon the virtue of hard work, and a corresponding censure of idleness and vagrancy, was sounded from both the bench and the pulpit, with the minister who baptised Locke, Samuel Crook, expounding Scripture as the touchstone of God’s intentions and as the basis of rules regulating conduct. Locke’s father was a lawyer and small landowner whose fortunes never rose beyond the status of clerk to the justices of the peace in Somerset, but the Calvinist Presbyterian leanings of the elder Locke persuaded him that service in the parliamentary army during the Civil War was the only acceptable course for committed Protestants who saw the church of William Laud as the willing instrument of arbitrary royal authority.
Low complexity optical flow using neighbor-guided semi-global matching

This paper presents Neighbor-Guided SemiGlobal Matching (NG-fSGM), a new method for optical flow. It is based on SGM, a popular dynamic programming algorithm for stereo vision, where the disparity of each pixel is calculated by aggregating local matching costs over the entire image to resolve local ambiguity in texture-less and occluded regions. Unlike conventional SGM, NG-fSGM operates on a subset of the search space that has been aggressively pruned based on neighboring pixels' information. Our proposed method achieves a fast approximation of SGM with significantly simpler cost aggregation and flow computation. Compared to a prior SGM extension for optical flow, the proposed NG-fSGM provides about 9x reduction in the number of computations and 5x reduction in the memory requirement with only 0.17% accuracy degradation when evaluated with Middlebury benchmark test cases.
Vitamin D Deficiency in Adult Sickle Cell Patients.

Abstract Introduction Vitamin D levels in adult black Americans with sickle cell disease (SCD) are comparatively lower than those found in the general population of black Americans. The objectives of this study were to examine the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in adults with various subtypes of sickle cell disease and identify risk factors for vitamin D deficiency. Methods In a retrospective study serum Vitamin D25(OH)D and/or VitaminD1,25(OH)2D levels were obtained in 120 subjects with sickle cell disease. Baseline studies also included LFTs, total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, and creatinine levels. In a portion of subjects that were treated with oral ergocalciferol vitamin D levels and chemistries were obtained within 6 months of treatment. Data was statistically analyzed with Welch two sample t-tests and individual simple linear regressions (including logarithmic values) for each variable. Results Vitamin D25(OH)D levels were found to be significantly lower in a group of subjects with Hgb SS disease, than in a group with other subtypes of sickle cell disease. In both groups combined, significant ( p = 0.05) and clinically suggestive negative correlations with Vitamin D25(OH)D were seen for total bilirubin and total protein, respectively. When total bilirubin and total protein levels were compared between the Hgb SS and HgbS/other groups, t-test revealed these levels were significantly higher in the Hgb SS group levels at p p = 0.005, respectively. Implications Low total Vitamin D25(OH)D levels in adults with sickle cell disease may be a reflection of chronic inflammation and overall disease severity.
RF/wireless indoor activity classification

Abstract Recent developments in noninvasive radar measurement of small-scale motion offer great potential for indoor activity classification in applications such as health diagnostics, health monitoring, surveillance, occupancy sensing, and animal research. Combined with wireless body area networks and indoor localization technology, the measurement and recognition of biological motion patterns will shape the future of home and workplace security, safety, and comfort. This chapter will focus on Doppler radar-based sensing systems for activity monitoring. The organization of the chapter is as follows: background information and recent developments, followed by the theory of Doppler radar sensing in activity classification, experimental results for potential applications, and related challenges.
Design and optimization of shale gas energy systems: Overview, research challenges, and future directions

Abstract The “shale revolution” has been a game changer in the global energy market and raised the importance of optimal design and operations of shale gas energy systems. This article highlights key challenges and identifies potential research opportunities in the corresponding area. A brief introduction of shale gas energy systems and their significant impacts are first presented, followed by a comprehensive overview and classification of relevant publications. Based on the literature review, we further investigate and discuss the research challenges of developing integrated, sustainable shale gas energy systems under the guidance of “triple bottom line” and integrated approaches of material flow analysis and life cycle optimization. Leveraging the large amount of data from shale gas industry, data-driven optimization methods could open up new research opportunities for hedging against uncertainty in design and operations of shale gas energy systems. Moreover, potential opportunities are explored by introducing game theory into modeling and optimization of decentralized shale gas systems with multiple stakeholders. The benefits of enabling emerging technologies/operations are discussed as well.
The brain's immune system hibernates in response to systemic injury.

In a small cohort of prostatectomy patients, systemic inflammation influenced the brain’s immune response and cognition.
Optimal Dose of Epidural Dexmedetomidine Added to Ropivacaine for Epidural Labor Analgesia: A Pilot Study.

Background. Dexmedetomidine combined with local anesthetics can decrease the concentration of epidural ropivacaine. However, the optimal dose of epidural dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine for labor analgesia is still uncertain. This study investigated the effect of adding different dose of epidural dexmedetomidine to ropivacaine during epidural labor analgesia. Methods. One hundred women were randomly assigned to one of the four groups (Groups A, B, C, and D received 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 μg/ml of dexmedetomidine plus 0.1% ropivacaine, resp.). The onset of epidural anesthesia and stages of labor were studied, and pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Hemodynamic parameters and fetal heart rate were monitored. Apgar scores and umbilical artery pH were recorded. The side effects, if any, were recorded also. Results. The addition of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 μg/ml of dexmedetomidine to 0.1% ropivacaine provided safe and effective analgesia, but 1 μg/ml of dexmedetomidine resulted in increasing incidence of motor block. The hemodynamic parameters were similar between groups ( ). Side effects in Group D were significantly higher than those in the other three groups ( ). Conclusions. When dexmedetomidine is combined with 0.1% ropivacaine, the optimal concentration of dexmedetomidine is 0.5 μg/ml for epidural labor analgesia (this trial is registered with ChiCTR-OPC-16008548 ).
Bacteriophage evolution differs by host, lifestyle and genome.

Whether phage genetic mosaicism generates a spectrum of diversity or discrete populations is unclear. Two phage evolutionary modes are described here that differ in the extent of horizontal gene transfer depending on host, lifestyle and genetic constitution
Regular Languages and Circuit Complexity

In this chapter we connect the algebraic and automaton-theoretic themes of the first part of the book with the questions from circuit complexity considered in Chapter VIII.
P089 How accurate is RT-PCR typing for HLA-DPB1 alleles?

Aim RT-PCR is a rapid method to determine HLA antigens and many laboratories utilize this assay for deceased donor typing. However, HLA-DPB1 allele level results are typically reported to UNOS without confirmation by high-resolution typing methods. Our aim was to compare the accuracy of RT-PCR to sequence based testing (SBT) in order to asses the frequency of incorrect reporting. Methods HLA-DPB1 typing on 79 deceased donors previously typed using RT-PCR reagents (Linkage Bioscience) was confirmed using SBT methods. DPB1 typing results obtained by the different methods were compared. All discrepant results were verified by LabType SSO. Results In 99% (78/79) of the cases, RT-PCR produced the same allele pairing results obtained by SBT; in the remaining case, discrepant results were obtained between RT-PCR and SBT. LabType SSO determined that the SBT result was inaccurate. The manufacturer suggested that the erroneous SBT result was most likely due to the lack of exon 3 sequence information for the allele in question. In 43% (34/79) of the cases, RT-PCR detected an ambiguous combination that included multiple common and well-documented (CWD) alleles. In 21 of the ambiguous combinations, the alternative allele was in the same G group as the reported allele; in 13 cases, the alternative allele was in a different G group and three were reported incorrectly. In the remaining non-ambiguous cases, one incorrect tying was chosen based on frequencies of the alleles, however, the CWD allele was later ruled out by SBT (Fig. 1). Download : Download high-res image (88KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions In general, RT-PCR methods are an efficient and accurate way to determine HLA-DPB1 alleles prior to organ allocation. However, in some situations, higher resolution methods such as SBT or SSO may be required to resolve common ambiguities and ensure that accurate typing results are reported. A procedure for revising reported alleles in the UNOS database may need to be adopted to help quantify the true prevalence of HLA-DPB1 alleles in the population.
User-Generated Content: The “Voice of the Customer” in the 21st Century

It doesn’t take an academic paper to point out the prominence that companies like Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, etc. have had on our popular culture today. Many see it as an efficient communication mechanism (Web 2.0 if you will) in comparison to email and static content postings which now, remarkably only 15 years later after the internet ’launch’, some people see as “old school”. In some sense, Andy Warhol’s prediction of “15 minutes fame” for each and any one of us can now be “self-generated” through our own hard work and user-generated content. Thus, with all of this impact (societally) as backdrop, where does it leave many of us, as academics? The answer, and I hope this essay provides some impetus for that, is not on the sidelines.
AB0247 Evaluation of rheumatoid arthritis cases with high anti-ccp antibody level

Background Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (Anti-CCP Ab) are well-established serological markers that show high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Furthermore, Anti-CCP Ab is reported to be associated with bone erosions of RA. Therefore, Anti-CCP Ab positive RA patient can be a candidate for intensive treatment. Objectives Upper measurement limit of Anti-CCP Ab increased recently up to 1200 units. High level of Anti-CCP Ab may be a predictor of the profound therapy for RA. To understand the importance of Anti-CCP Ab level, we evaluated RA patients with high titer Anti-CCP Ab in relationship to the other activity markers of RA and the intensity of the treatment for RA. Methods Total of 186 RA patients with Anti-CCP Ab higher than 30 units was included in this study. Baseline markers such as CRP, MMP-3, RF and anti-CCP Ab were measured at the entry of the study. Relationship among these markers ware evaluated and examined using statistical significance for the single-factor ANOVA and the multiple comparisons. Among those cases 131 cases were treated conservatively with biologics and/or DMARDs and were followed up more than one year. We graded them from I to IV by the intensity of the treatment. Grade I: Biological agent. Grade II: Methotrexate (MTX) more than 12mg or combination with more than 3 DMARDS Grade III: MTX 6–11mg or combination with two recommended DMARDS Grade IV: single use of DMARDS including MTX less than 5mg. Results There was no relationship between titers of Anti-CCP Ab and titers of RF. We found significant statistical correlation between anti-CCP antibody titers and inflammatory markers such as CRP and MMP-3. There was significant statistical correlation between CRP and MMP-3. In terms of treatment intensity, strong intensity group showed high titer of anti-CCP Ab and CRP. Titer of RF and MMP-3 level did not have any relationship with the treatment intensity. In cases treated with biologics, anti-CCP Ab and CRP were significantly higher compared to non-biologic case group. In 80% of cases treated with biologics titer of anti-CCP was more than 200 units. However, non-biologic treatment was continued in more than 50% of cases with anti-CCP Ab higher than 200 units. Conclusions Even though we treated cases based on the severity of the symptoms of the patient and response in laboratory data, high anti-CCP Ab titers and CRP at the base line were most associated with the treatment intensity after 1 year. The results of our study suggest that the titer of anti-CCP Ab can be better a predictor of the treatment intensity than MMP-3 and RF. Disclosure of Interest None declared
Characterization of tumor vascular permeability using natural dextrans and CEST MRI

Purpose To investigate the use of natural dextrans as nano-sized chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI probes for characterizing size-dependent tumor vascular permeability. Methods Dextrans of different molecular weight (10, 70, 150, and 2000 kD) were characterized for their CEST contrast. Mice (N = 5) bearing CT26 subcutaneous colon tumors were injected intravenously with 10 kD (D10, 6 nm) and 70 kD (D70, 12 nm) dextran at a dose of 375 mg/kg. The CEST-MRI signal in the tumors was assessed before and approximately 40 min after each injection using a dynamic CEST imaging scheme. Results All dextrans of different molecular weights have a strong CEST signal with an apparent maximum of approximately 0.9 ppm. The detectability and effects of pH and saturation conditions (B1 and Tsat ) were investigated. When applied to CT26 tumors, the injection of D10 could produce a significant "dexCEST" enhancement in the majority of the tumor area, whereas the injection of D70 only resulted in an increase in the tumor periphery. Quantitative analysis revealed the differential permeability of CT26 tumors to different size particles, which was validated by fluorescence imaging and immunohistochemistry. Conclusions As a first application, we used 10- and 70-kD dextrans to visualize the spatially variable, size-dependent permeability in the tumor, indicating that nano-sized dextrans can be used for characterizing tumor vascular permeability with dexCEST MRI and, potentially, for developing dextran-based theranostic drug delivery systems. Magn Reson Med 79:1001-1009, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Clinical Correlation of the Histoculture Drug Response Assay for Head and Neck Cancer

Gelfoam® histoculture was utilized to develop the histoculture drug response assay (HDRA) for head and neck cancer. Specimens of head and neck tumors were evaluated for sensitivity to the following drugs: cisplatinum (CDDP), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and the combination of CDDP and 5-FU. In the first clinical study at UCSD, 10 of 12 patients with tumors that were drug sensitive in Gelfoam® histoculture had either complete or partial response clinically. Comparisons of HDRA results, obtained with [3H]thymidine incorporation as the endpoint were made with clinical responses, i.e., complete response, partial response, or no response. The overall accuracy of the HDRA was 74% in this correlative clinical trial; the predictive positive value was 83%, the sensitivity was 71%, and the specificity was 78%. Seven of 11 patients with HDRA-resistant tumors demonstrated no response for a predictive negative value of 64%. In a subsequent study at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, tumor specimens from 41 to 42 patients undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer were successfully evaluated by the HDRA. The histocultured tumors were treated with 5-FU and/or CDDP and a control group received no drug treatment. After completion of drug treatment, the relative cell survival in the tumors was determined using the MTT endpoint. Sensitivity was defined as a tumor inhibition rate (IR) of greater than 30%. Survival comparisons were performed using the generalized Wilcoxon test for the comparison of Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Resistance to 5-FU was observed in 13 cases (32%), to CDDP in 13 cases (32%), and to both agents in 11 cases (27%). The 2-year cause-specific survival was significantly greater for patients sensitive to 5-FU than patients who were resistant (85% vs. 64%), CDDP (86% vs. 64%), or both agents (85% vs. 63%). These results demonstrate the clinical usefulness of the HDRA for head and neck cancer.
A review on metrics for ontology evaluation

Ontology helps semantic systems to establish a model of the world in order to derive machine processed knowledge. It represents formally the concepts, objects, properties and establishes the relationship between them. By providing the structure and semantics for data representation ontology has opened an avenue for appropriate representation of the world for specific and explicit sharing of knowledge without ambiguities. The use of ontology in various applications and the availability of ontology on the web have increased. Ontology should be evaluated from various perspectives to determine the quality of ontology before use or reuse. Ontology evaluation is one of the key phases in ontology development. The ontology should be accurate and provide the accurate results to a user. Unless the quality of the ontology is assured the accuracy of the results cannot be guaranteed. Metrics is used to measure the quality of ontology from different dimensions. This paper explores various metrics used for ontology evaluation and investigates the underlying mechanisms.
CURRENT CAPABILITIES IN MATHEMATICAL PROGRAMMING

An effort will be made to present information useful to one who has a specific optimization problem to solve or is concerned with the development of efficient procedures for the solution of classes of problems. We can now make estimates of the difficulty of solving some types of problems–for example, large-scale linear programming problems–and indicate the bounds of practicality, in terms of problem size and complexity and presence or absence of constraints, of other classes of optimization problems. Results from comparisons of nonlinear programming techniques will be presented, and the directions in which fruitful research is currently being done indicated. Distinction will be made among those procedures which are interesting or promising, those which are well understood, and those for which reliable and usable computer routines exist.
Autoregressive and Maximum Likelihood Spectral Analysis Methods

Three power spectral density estimation problems are considered in this presentation. These are the estimation of power spectral density for a single scalar time series (or equivalently a line array), estimation of power spectral density matrices for vector valued time series, and the estimation of wavenumber or frequency-wavenumber spectra for random fields. The paper is primarily a tutorial coverage of autoregressive (also called maximum entropy) and maximum likelihood methods of spectral analysis. In addition to standard material on these subjects a recent generalization of the Burg algorithm from scalar to vector time series is included.
Instabilities of isotropic perfectly elastic materials in simple shear

In our paper on inequalities in finite elastic strain Toupin [1] and I have related various plausible static inequalities to one another. All these inequalities concern general deformations, in which the principal stretches may be varied independently. Intentionally we refrained from considering special deformations.
A Second-Order Adaptive Sharp-Interface Method for Incompressible Multiphase Flow

The present method combines the advantages of the Cartesian-grid approach, second-order coupled level set and volume-of-fluid approach, and the dynamic adaptive mesh refinement(AMR) procedure to treat complex three-dimensional problems with sharp interfaces. Its accuracy and robustness are demonstrated by its application to bubble dynamics, ship hydrodynamics, and “water crown” computation. It is shown to capture or preserve sharp slip-lines, phase boundaries remarkably well.
COMPARING THE EFFECT OF CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAMS ON BODY COMPOSITION AND CARDIAC BIOMARKERS IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a critical component of coronary artery disease (CAD) management that has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death. The clinical efficacy of the two CR programs at UCLA - a well-established, traditional exercise-based program and a new intensive
The Analysis System of Online Monitoring and Disturbance Source Locating for Subsynchronous Oscillation Based on D5000 Platform

With the rapid development of power grid, new energy access, power electronic devices, series compensation devices and high voltage direct current transmission are widely used, which makes subsynchronous oscillation occurring more and more frequently in power system, and brings great hidden danger to the safe and stable operation of power grid. It is particularly important to implement online monitoring and disturbance source locating of subsynchronous oscillation quickly and accurately. This article use interpolation FFT algorithm and transient energy flow method to implement the analysis system of online monitoring and disturbance source locating for SSO. At the same time, the practicability and accuracy of subsynchronous disturbance monitoring and oscillation source locating provided by the system are fully verified by comparing the actual data of the actual power grid operation data and the output case data of the simulation system. The operation of the system provides a powerful tool for dispatchers to deal with the subsynchronous oscillation events quickly, and ensure the safety and stability of the operation of the large power grid better.
Landscape, Water Quality, and Weather Factors Associated With an Increased Likelihood of Foodborne Pathogen Contamination of New York Streams Used to Source Water for Produce Production.

There is a need for science-based tools to (i) help manage microbial produce safety hazards associated with preharvest surface water use, and (ii) facilitate comanagement of agroecosystems for competing stakeholder aims. To develop these tools an improved understanding of foodborne pathogen ecology in freshwater systems is needed. The purpose of this study was to identify (i) sources of potential food safety hazards, and (ii) combinations of factors associated with an increased likelihood of pathogen contamination of agricultural water Sixty-eight streams were sampled between April and October 2018 (196 samples). At each sampling event separate 10-L grab samples (GS) were collected and tested for Listeria, Salmonella, and the stx and eaeA genes. A 1-L GS was also collected and used for Escherichia coli enumeration and detection of four host-associated fecal source-tracking markers (FST). Regression analysis was used to identify individual factors that were significantly associated with pathogen detection. We found that eaeA-stx codetection [Odds Ratio (OR) = 4.2; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.3, 13.4] and Salmonella isolation (OR = 1.8; CI = 0.9, 3.5) were strongly associated with detection of ruminant and human FST markers, respectively, while Listeria spp. (excluding Listeria monocytogenes) was negatively associated with log10E. coli levels (OR = 0.50; CI = 0.26, 0.96). L. monocytogenes isolation was not associated with the detection of any fecal indicators. This observation supports the current understanding that, unlike enteric pathogens, Listeria is not fecally-associated and instead originates from other environmental sources. Separately, conditional inference trees were used to identify scenarios associated with an elevated or reduced risk of pathogen contamination. Interestingly, while the likelihood of isolating L. monocytogenes appears to be driven by complex interactions between environmental factors, the likelihood of Salmonella isolation and eaeA-stx codetection were driven by physicochemical water quality (e.g., dissolved oxygen) and temperature, respectively. Overall, these models identify environmental conditions associated with an enhanced risk of pathogen presence in agricultural water (e.g., rain events were associated with L. monocytogenes isolation from samples collected downstream of dairy farms; P = 0.002). The information presented here will enable growers to comanage their operations to mitigate the produce safety risks associated with preharvest surface water use.
Rapid Prototyping of Microactuators by Integrating 3D Printed Polymeric Structures with NiTi Thin Film

This work demonstrates the first sputtered thin-film nickel-titanium (NiTi) shape-memory alloy (SMA) actuators combined with direct 3D printing of polymeric structures. Resulting actuators are fast to prototype, reliable and stable (up to 5000 cycles), and can utilize complex geometries challenging to achieve with conventional MEMS microfabrication. The actuator design uses 3D printed polymer as the passive layer in unimorph actuators, adding significant versatility to the actuator design. An actuator designed for high force-displacement was fabricated with a $15\ \ \mu \mathrm{m}$ thick polymer layer and characterized by applying currents up to 18 ma (7.3 mW, producing ∼156°C) resulting in a maximum displacement of $3.3\ \mu \mathrm{m}$ and ∼0.9 mN blocking force. Dynamic operation with falling/rising times of 20.1 ms/9.8 ms and 33.5 Hz maximum operation frequency was also demonstrated.