INL Control System Situational Awareness Technology Annual Report 2012

The overall goal of this project is to develop an interoperable set of tools to provide a comprehensive, consistent implementation of cyber security and overall situational awareness of control and sensor network implementations. The operation and interoperability of these tools will fill voids in current technological offerings and address issues that remain an impediment to the security of control systems. This report provides an FY 2012 update on the Sophia, Mesh Mapper, Intelligent Cyber Sensor, and Data Fusion projects with respect to the year-two tasks and annual reporting requirements of the INL Control System Situational Awareness Technology report (July 2010)

Slime-mold beetles.

167 p. : ill., maps ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 166-167).The Agathidium concinnum, A. pulchrum, A. compressidens, A. iota, and A. oniscoides groups are revised. The following new species are described: A. akallebregma, n.sp., A. akrogeneios, n.sp., A. amae, n.sp., A. andersoni, n.sp., A. appalachium, n.sp., A. aztec, n.sp., A. bituberculum, n.sp., A. bushi, n.sp., A. carolinense, n.sp., A. chauliodoum, n.sp., A. cheneyi, n.sp., A. cortezi, n.sp., A. disgregum, n.sp., A. divaricatum, n.sp., A. erythromelas, n.sp., A. fawcettae, n.sp., A. framea, n.sp., A. gallititillo, n.sp., A. georgiaense, n.sp., A. gomezae, n.sp., A. grandidentatum, n.sp., A. grumum, n.sp., A. hamulum, n.sp., A. hidalgoense, n.sp., A. hirsutum, n.sp., A. hyle, n.sp., A. impensum, n.sp., A. invisitatum, n.sp., A. iota, n.sp., A. iridescens, n.sp., A. kimberlae, n.sp., A. lobosternum, n.sp., A. marae, n.sp., A. megoniscoides, n.sp., A. microphthalmum, n.sp., A. multidentatum, n.sp., A. nimbosilva, n.sp., A. oaxacaense, n.sp., A. oculeum, n.sp., A. oedema, n.sp., A. oregonense, n.sp., A. pocahontasae, n.sp., A. popocatepetlae, n.sp., A. potosii, n.sp., A. recurvatum, n.sp., A. rhamphastes, n.sp., A. rumsfeldi, n.sp., A. sejunctum, n.sp., A. skoliosternum, n.sp., A. stenomma, n.sp., A. stephani, n.sp., A. tenangoense, n.sp., A. triangularum, n.sp., A. tribulograndum, n.sp., A. tribulosum, n.sp., A. tumidiventre, n.sp., A. vaderi, n.sp., A. vesperpressidens, n.sp. The following new synonyms are proposed: A. assimile Fall, A. municeps Fall, and A. falli Hatch = A. angulare Mannerheim, new synonyms; A. alticola Fall = A. athabascanum Fall, new synonym; A. contiguum Fall, A. varipunctatum Hatch, and A. striolum Hatch = A. picipes Fall, new synonyms; and A. californicum Horn and A. alutaceum Fall; = A. exiguum Melsheimer, new synonyms. Lectotypes are designated for the following species: A. angulare, A. californicum, A. concinnum Mannerheim, A. dentigerum Horn, A. difficile Matthews, A. effluens Mannerheim, A. exiguum, A. globatile LeConte, A. laetum Fall, A. pulchrum LeConte, A. rotundulum Mannerheim, A. rubellum Fall, A. ruficorne LeConte, and Phalacrus difformis LeConte

Understanding racial differences in health-related quality of life in a population-based cohort of breast cancer survivors

Although racial disparities in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among women with breast cancer (BC) are well documented, less is known about HRQOL changes over time among women of different races. Our objective was to assess racial differences in HRQOL during active treatment and survivorship phases of BC care

A framework for improving early detection of breast cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: A qualitative study of help-seeking behaviors among Malawian women

Many women in Africa are diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. We explored Malawian breast cancer patients’ perspectives about their diagnosis and ability to access care to identify help-seeking behaviors and to describe factors influencing delay

Attitudes and Intentions Regarding Abortion Provision Among Medical School Students in South Africa

Although South Africa liberalized its abortion law in 1996, significant barriers still impede service provision, including the lack of trained and willing providers. A better understanding is needed of medical students’ attitudes, beliefs and intentions regarding abortion provision

Developing a discrete choice experiment in Malawi: eliciting preferences for breast cancer early detection services

BackgroundIn Malawi, routine breast cancer screening is not available and little is known about women’s preferences regarding early detection services. Discrete choice experiments are increasingly used to reveal preferences about new health services; however, selecting appropriate attributes that describe a new health service is imperative to ensure validity of the choice experiment.ObjectiveTo identify important factors that are relevant to Malawian women’s preferences for breast cancer detection services and to select attributes and levels for a discrete choice experiment in a setting where both breast cancer early detection and choice experiments are rare.MethodsWe reviewed the literature to establish an initial list of potential attributes and levels for a discrete choice experiment and conducted qualitative interviews with health workers and community women to explore relevant local factors affecting decisions to use cancer detection services. We tested the design through cognitive interviews and refined the levels, descriptions, and designs.ResultsThemes that emerged from interviews provided critical information about breast cancer detection services, specifically, that breast cancer interventions should be integrated into other health services because asymptomatic screening may not be practical as an individual service. Based on participants’ responses, the final attributes of the choice experiment included travel time, health encounter, health worker type and sex, and breast cancer early detection strategy. Cognitive testing confirmed the acceptability of the final attributes, comprehension of choice tasks, and women’s abilities to make trade-offs.ConclusionApplying a discrete choice experiment for breast cancer early detection was feasible with appropriate tailoring for a low-income, low-literacy African setting

Quality of Life Changes during the Pre- to Post-Diagnosis Period and Treatment-Related Recovery Time in Older Women with Breast Cancer

Healthcare providers have little population-based evidence about health-related quality of life (HRQOL) changes, from the pre- to post-diagnosis period, and treatment-related recovery time for women ages 65 and older diagnosed with breast cancer

Influence of liquid structure on diffusive isotope separation in molten silicates and aqueous solutions

Molecular diffusion in natural volcanic liquids discriminates between isotopes of major ions (e.g., Fe, Mg, Ca, and Li). Although isotope separation by diffusion is expected on theoretical grounds, the dependence on mass is highly variable for different elements and in different media. Silicate liquid diffusion experiments using simple liquid compositions were carried out to further probe the compositional dependence of diffusive isotopic discrimination and its relationship to liquid structure. Two diffusion couples consisting of the mineral constituents anorthite (CaAl{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8}; denoted AN), albite (NaAlSi{sub 3}O{sub 8}; denoted AB), and diopside (CaMgSi{sub 2}O{sub 6}; denoted DI) were held at 1450°C for 2 h and then quenched to ambient pressure and temperature. Major-element as well as Ca and Mg isotope profiles were measured on the recovered quenched glasses. In both experiments, Ca diffuses rapidly with respect to Si. In the AB–AN experiment, D{sub Ca}/D{sub Si} ~ 20 and the efficiency of isotope separation for Ca is much greater than in natural liquid experiments where D{sub Ca}/D{sub Si} ~ 1. In the AB–DI experiment, D{sub Ca}/D{sub Si} ~ 6 and the efficiency of isotope separation is between that of the natural liquid experiments and the AB–AN experiment. In the AB–DI experiment, D{sub Mg}/D{sub Si} ~ 1 and the efficiency of isotope separation for Mg is smaller than it is for Ca yet similar to that observed for Mg in natural liquids. The results from the experiments reported here, in combination with results from natural volcanic liquids, show clearly that the efficiency of diffusive separation of Ca isotopes is systematically related to the solvent-normalized diffusivity—the ratio of the diffusivity of the cation (D{sub Ca}) to the diffusivity of silicon (D{sub Si}). The results on Ca isotopes are consistent with available data on Fe, Li, and Mg isotopes in silicate liquids, when considered in terms of the parameter D{sub cation}/D{sub Si}. Cations diffusing in aqueous solutions display a similar relationship between isotopic separation efficiency and D{sub cation} =D{sub H 2 O} , although the efficiencies are smaller than in silicate liquids. Our empirical relationship provides a tool for predicting the magnitude of diffusive isotopic effects in many geologic environments and a basis for a more comprehensive theory of isotope separation in liquid solutions. We present a conceptual model for the relationship between diffusivity and liquid structure that is consistent with available data

A Pan-HPV Vaccine Based on Bacteriophage PP7 VLPs Displaying Broadly Cross-Neutralizing Epitopes from the HPV Minor Capsid Protein, L2

Current human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines that are based on virus-like particles (VLPs) of the major capsid protein L1 largely elicit HPV type-specific antibody responses. In contrast, immunization with the HPV minor capsid protein L2 elicits antibodies that are broadly cross-neutralizing, suggesting that a vaccine targeting L2 could provide more comprehensive protection against infection by diverse HPV types. However, L2-based immunogens typically elicit much lower neutralizing antibody titers than L1 VLPs. We previously showed that a conserved broadly neutralizing epitope near the N-terminus of L2 is highly immunogenic when displayed on the surface of VLPs derived from the bacteriophage PP7. Here, we report the development of a panel of PP7 VLP-based vaccines targeting L2 that protect mice from infection with carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic HPV types that infect the genital tract and skin.L2 peptides from eight different HPV types were displayed on the surface of PP7 bacteriophage VLPs. These recombinant L2 VLPs, both individually and in combination, elicited high-titer anti-L2 IgG serum antibodies. Immunized mice were protected from high dose infection with HPV pseudovirus (PsV) encapsidating a luciferase reporter. Mice immunized with 16L2 PP7 VLPs or 18L2 PP7 VLPs were nearly completely protected from both PsV16 and PsV18 challenge. Mice immunized with the mixture of eight L2 VLPs were strongly protected from genital challenge with PsVs representing eight diverse HPV types and cutaneous challenge with HPV5 PsV.VLP-display of a cross-neutralizing HPV L2 epitope is an effective approach for inducing high-titer protective neutralizing antibodies and is capable of offering protection from a spectrum of HPVs associated with cervical cancer as well as genital and cutaneous warts

An Integrated TCGA Pan-Cancer Clinical Data Resource to Drive High-Quality Survival Outcome Analytics

For a decade, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program collected clinicopathologic annotation data along with multi-platform molecular profiles of more than 11,000 human tumors across 33 different cancer types. TCGA clinical data contain key features representing the democratized nature of the data collection process. To ensure proper use of this large clinical dataset associated with genomic features, we developed a standardized dataset named the TCGA Pan-Cancer Clinical Data Resource (TCGA-CDR), which includes four major clinical outcome endpoints. In addition to detailing major challenges and statistical limitations encountered during the effort of integrating the acquired clinical data, we present a summary that includes endpoint usage recommendations for each cancer type. These TCGA-CDR findings appear to be consistent with cancer genomics studies independent of the TCGA effort and provide opportunities for investigating cancer biology using clinical correlates at an unprecedented scale. Analysis of clinicopathologic annotations for over 11,000 cancer patients in the TCGA program leads to the generation of TCGA Clinical Data Resource, which provides recommendations of clinical outcome endpoint usage for 33 cancer types