cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Piezo High Accuracy Surgical Osteal Removal (PHASOR): A Technique for Improved Cranial Window Surgery in Mice

Multiphoton microscopy has been widely adapted for imaging neurons in vivo. Repeated imaging requires implantation of a cranial window or repeated thinning of the skull. Cranial window surgery is typically performed with a high speed rotary drill, and many investigators find it challenging to prevent the drill from damaging the delicate dura and blood vessels. Extensive training and practice is required to remove the bone without damage to underlying tissue and thus cranial window surgery can be difficult, time consuming, and produce tissue damage. Piezoelectric surgery, which is extensively used for maxillofacial and dental surgery, utilizes ultrasonic vibrations to remove bone without damaging soft tissues. We have developed a method applying piezoelectric surgery to improve cranial window surgery in mice in preparation for multiphoton imaging. Comparisons within our lab find that the method requires less surgery time and has a lower average rate of complications due to dural bleeding than cranial window surgery with a rotary drill.
Seltzer: Modern Jewish History 1914-1945

This section provides a sequential overview of events affecting the Jewish community in the land of Israel between World War I and World War II. Perhaps the most significant factor to affect the Yishuv is the rising tension between Jewish and Arab relations. In spite of this Arab threat Jews were divided amongst themselves. For example, Seltzer writes that the World Zionist Organization was at odds with “leaders of the Union of Zionist Revisionists.” The Revisionists, a highly militant organization “advocated active retaliation against Arab attacks. With the World at the brink of another World War and Arab leaders in pursuit of all out war with Israel “the British published a White paper announcing that there would be no partition of Palestine.” This policy statement made void Britain’s earlier position to partition Palestine between Jews and Arabs. Seltzer suggests that Britain’s position to abandon their commitment to the Yishuv was based on an effort to maintain peaceful relations with Arab countries, fearing the likelihood of a Second World War.
Superfund — Ergebnisse und Erfahrungen bei der Suche nach Neuen Lösungen für Alte Probleme

Nach der Aufnahme von uber zweiunddreisigtausend Deponien mit potentiell gefahrlichen Abfallstoffen in das Superfund-Kataster und zehn Jahre nach Inkrafttreten der ersten Verordnung, die sich mit aufgegebenen Deponien fur gefahrlichen Sondermull und mit schadstoffbelasteten Boden befast, hat die Umweltbehorde der Vereinigten Staaten (EPA = Environmental Protection Agency) ein Programm entwickelt, das die Sanierung von Deponien fur gefahrlichen Sondermull aus dem Anfangsstadium zur vollen Entfaltung bringt. 1980 wurde noch angenommen, das ein Sanierungsprogramm schnell durchfuhrbar sei, und das die Mehrzahl der Deponien innerhalb von funf Jahren saniert sein wurden. Heute, nach den Erganzenden Verordnungen und der Neuautorisierung des Super-funds 1986 (SARA = Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act) umfast das Programm Forschungsarbeiten, die Entwicklung von Technologien und andere Elemente, deren entscheidende Bedeutung fur die dauerhafte Sanierung anerkannt ist. Das Sanierungsprogramm ist bis zum Stadium der Deponiebehandlung fortgeschritten, in dem die Arbeiten an den am starksten mit gefahrlichem Sondermull belasteten Deponien der Hauptgegenstand unserer Tatigkeit sind.
Damage control of caval injuries in a porcine model using a retrievable Rescue stent

Abstract Objective Early hemorrhage control before the operating room is essential to reduce the significant mortality associated with traumatic injuries of the vena cava. Conventional approaches present logistical challenges on the battlefield or in the trauma bay. A retrievable stent graft would allow rapid hemorrhage control in the preoperative setting when endovascular expertise is not immediately available and without committing a patient to the limitations of current permanent stents. This study details a refined retrievable Rescue stent for percutaneous delivery that was examined in a porcine survival model of penetrating caval hemorrhage. Methods A retrievable caval stent was reduced in delivery profile to a 9F sheath using finite element analysis. The final stent was constructed with a “petal and stem” design using nitinol wire followed by covering with polytetrafluoroethylene. Seven Yorkshire pigs (79-86 kg) underwent 22F injury of the infrarenal vena cava with intentional class II hemorrhage (1200 mL). Percutaneous deployment of the Rescue stent was used to temporize hemorrhage for 60 minutes, followed by resuscitation with cell saver blood and permanent caval repair. Hemorrhage control was documented with photography and angiography. Vital signs were recorded and laboratory values were measured out to 48 hours postoperatively. Data were examined with a repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results The profile of the caval Rescue stent was successfully reduced from 16F to 9F while remaining within fracture and shape memory limits for nitinol. In addition, both rapid deployment and recapture were preserved. Following intentional hemorrhage after caval injury, animals revealed a significant drop in mean arterial pressure (average, 30 mm Hg), acidosis, and elevated lactate level compared with before injury. Compared with uncontrolled hemorrhage, which resulted in death in Conclusions A retrievable Rescue stent achieved rapid percutaneous hemorrhage control after a significant traumatic injury of the vena cava and allowed successful recovery of all injured animals. Further development of this approach may have utility in preoperative damage control of caval injuries.
Conceptual, Structural, and Practical Challenges to Ethical Allocation of Research Funds.

In “Health Research Priority Setting: The Duties of Individual Funders,” Leah Pierson and Joe Millum (2018) deliver an impressive analysis of research funding disparities, a neglected topic in bioe...
Pseudoaneurysm of the Superficial Temporal Artery—Two Case Reports of a Rare Entity:

In this paper, the authors present two case reports with patients who presented at different institutions for traumatic aneurysmal dilation of temporal vessels. The first case is a 18-year-old male...
Gender difference in clinical conditions among hospitalized adults with myotonic dystrophy.

INTRODUCTION In this study we examined gender differences in adult hospitalizations with myotonic dystrophy (DM). METHODS From the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2010-2014, we identified 1,891 adult hospitalizations with a DM diagnosis and constructed a comparison group of hospitalizations without DM using propensity score matching. We calculated relative risk by gender for 44 clinical diagnoses that each accounted for at least 5% of DM hospitalizations. RESULTS Hospitalizations with DM were longer (4.8 vs. 4.1 days, P < 0.0001) and more costly ($13,241 vs. $11,458, P < 0.0001) than those without DM. More than half (25 of 44) of the conditions co-occurring with DM hospitalizations did not differ in their relative risks by gender. For those that differed by gender, only 5 were specific to DM, compared with hospitalizations without DM. DISCUSSION Our findings highlight the importance of comprehensive and coordinated care for DM rather than gender-oriented care in the inpatient setting. Muscle Nerve 59:348-353, 2019.
Phenazine Antibiotic-Inspired Discovery of Bacterial Biofilm-Eradicating Agents.

Bacterial biofilms are surface-attached communities of slow-growing and non-replicating persister cells that demonstrate high levels of antibiotic tolerance. Biofilms occur in nearly 80 % of infections and present unique challenges to our current arsenal of antibiotic therapies, all of which were initially discovered for their abilities to target rapidly dividing, free-floating planktonic bacteria. Bacterial biofilms are credited as the underlying cause of chronic and recurring bacterial infections. Innovative approaches are required to identify new small molecules that operate through bacterial growth-independent mechanisms to effectively eradicate biofilms. One source of inspiration comes from within the lungs of young cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, who often endure persistent Staphylococcus aureus infections. As these CF patients age, Pseudomonas aeruginosa co-infects the lungs and utilizes phenazine antibiotics to eradicate the established S. aureus infection. Our group has taken a special interest in this microbial competition strategy and we are investigating the potential of phenazine antibiotic-inspired compounds and synthetic analogues thereof to eradicate persistent bacterial biofilms. To discover new biofilm-eradicating agents, we have established an interdisciplinary research program involving synthetic medicinal chemistry, microbiology and molecular biology. From these efforts, we have identified a series of halogenated phenazines (HPs) that potently eradicate bacterial biofilms, and future work aims to translate these preliminary findings into ground-breaking clinical advances for the treatment of persistent biofilm infections.
Book Review: Helping Students Learn in a Learner-Centered Environment by Terry Doyle (Stylus, 2008)

Excerpt: According to Terry Doyle in his book Helping Students Learn in a Learner-Centered Environment, “Most important, this book has been written to answer the single most asked question I hear when working with faculty groups: How do I help my students adjust to a learner-centered practice?” As desired, Doyle has offered some excellent answers for faculty struggling to transform their students into lifelong learners.
Momentum and the Halloween Indicator: Evidence of a new seasonal pattern in momentum returns

Abstract We report that momentum loser and winner portfolios earn much higher returns over November to April (winter) compared with May to October (summer). Specifically, the average monthly loser (winner) portfolio return is −0.46% (0.77%) over summer, and 1.72% (2.50%) over winter. This seasonal pattern is consistent with the relatively superior performance of the broader equity market over winter months (the “Halloween Indicator”). A modified momentum strategy designed to exploit this seasonal pattern has a much higher average return and Sharpe ratio than the conventional momentum strategy.
Critical Self-Reflection as Disruption: A Black Feminist Self-Study

As the PK-12 student population grows more diverse, the teaching population steadfastly continues to be white middle-class women (NCES, 2016). Critical teacher educators understand the importance of preparing pre-service teachers to become culturally responsive and sustaining (CR/S) practitioners by engaging in culturally relevant education (CRE). Critical teacher educators, particularly those of color from historically marginalized groups, can be important advocates in the struggle to strengthen the teaching candidate pool of CR/S practitioners. Building a cadre of teachers, who are poised to decolonize minds and spaces, sustains the work of many teacher educators of color. However, the acts of teaching and learning in most institutions of education are inundated with oppressive norms such as white privilege, xenophobia and anti-blackness. It is this reality in which I, a Black female junior teacher educator, attempt to disrupt normative teaching practices within a special education course. This self-study examined insight derived from a focus group as well as from my self-reflections conducted over the course of two semesters (Spring 2018 to Fall 2018). Using a qualitative methodological approach, the findings indicated tensions between my vulnerable position of being a junior faculty member and my desire to dismantle normative deficit practices through critical self-reflection.
BLINK: bit-sparse LSTM inference kernel enabling efficient calcium trace extraction for neurofeedback devices

Miniaturized fluorescent calcium imaging microscopes are widely used for monitoring the activity of a large population of neurons in freely behaving animals in vivo. Conventional calcium image analyses extract calcium traces by iterative and bulk image processing and they are hard to meet the power and latency requirements for neurofeedback devices. In this paper, we propose the calcium image processing pipeline based on a bit-sparse long short-term memory (LSTM) inference kernel (BLINK) for efficient calcium trace extraction. It largely reduces the power and latency while remaining the trace extraction accuracy. We implemented the customized pipeline on the Ultra96 platform. It can extract calcium traces from up to 1024 cells with sub-ms latency on a single FPGA device. We designed the BLINK circuits in a 28-nm technology. Evaluation shows that the proposed bit-sparse representation can reduce the circuit area by 38.7% and save the power consumption by 38.4% without accuracy loss. The BLINK circuits achieve 410 pJ/inference, which has 6293x and 52.4x gains in energy efficiency compared to the evaluation on the high performance CPU and GPU, respectively.
Examining Students Reasoning in Physics Through the Lens of the Dual Process Theories of Reasoning: The Context of Forces and Newton’s Laws

Prior research identified a common phenomenon observed in introductory physics courses (and beyond): Students often demonstrate competent reasoning on one task, but not on another, closely related task. Sometimes, students simply do not possess the formal knowledge necessary to reason productively (referred to as mindware). In other cases, students seem to abandon the formal reasoning in favor of more appealing intuitive ideas. These observed inconsistencies can be accounted for by the dual process theories of reasoning, which assert that cognition relies on two thinking processes. The first process is fast, intuitive, and automatic; the second is slow, rule-based, and effortful. The tendency toward mediating automatic responses via productive engagement of the slow and analytic process is called the cognitive reflection skills. We present results from an empirical investigation suggesting that both mindware and cognitive reflection skills play key roles in physics performance. Moreover, even in the presence of mindware, students with low cognitive reflection skills tend to reason intuitively on certain types of physics tasks. We argue that efforts directed toward the development of instructional interventions that take into account tendencies in student reasoning are critical for achieving further improvements in physics performance.
Spontaneous Tumor Lysis Syndrome in T-Cell Leukemia.

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a constellation of metabolic derangements that occur as a consequence of rapid cell turnover in malignancy and the release of intracellular solutes - potassium, phosphate, and nucleic acid metabolites. TLS classically occurs following chemotherapy, with severe renal failure. However, the entity referred to as spontaneous TLS occurs without a precipitating factor of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, steroid therapy, or immunotherapy and can develop in both hematologic and solid malignancies. Here, we report a rare case of a patient who presented with nonspecific symptoms, hyperphosphatemia, hyperuricemia, but hypercalcemia, resultant acute renal failure, with a large mediastinal mass and a pericardial effusion, who was later found to have spontaneous TLS. The workup led to the diagnosis of T-cell leukemia. Spontaneous TLS is often the first manifestation of occult or undetected malignancy, making this oncologic emergency a challenge to manage. The early diagnosis and prompt treatment of spontaneous TLS can reduce morbidity and mortality for patients with an otherwise curable disease.
BLAST: bridging length/timescales via atomistic simulation toolkit

The ever-increasing power of supercomputers coupled with highly scalable simulation codes has made molecular dynamics an indispensable tool in applications ranging from predictive modeling of materials to computational design and discovery of new materials for a broad range of applications. Multi-fidelity scale bridging between the various flavors of molecular dynamics, i.e., ab-initio, classical, and coarse-grained models has remained a long-standing challenge. Here, we introduce our framework BLAST (Bridging Length/Timescales via Atomistic Simulation Toolkit) that leverages machine learning principles to address this challenge. BLAST is a multi-fidelity scale bridging framework that provides users with the capabilities to train and develop their own classical atomistic and coarse-grained interatomic potentials (force fields) for molecular simulations. BLAST is designed to address several long-standing problems in the molecular simulation community, such as unintended misuse of existing force fields due to knowledge gap between developers and users, bottlenecks in traditional force field development approaches, and other issues relating to the accuracy, efficiency, and transferability of force fields. Here, we discuss several important aspects in force field development and highlight features in BLAST that enable its functionalities and ease of use.
A pilot study: Quantify lung volume and emphysema extent directly from two-dimensional scout images

PURPOSE The potential to compute volume metrics of emphysema from planar scout images was investigated in this study. The successful implementation of this concept will have a wide impact in different fields, and specifically, maximize the diagnostic potential of the planar medical images. METHODS We investigated our premise using a well-characterized chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cohort. In this cohort, planar scout images from computed tomography (CT) scans were used to compute lung volume and percentage of emphysema. Lung volume and percentage of emphysema were quantified on the volumetric CT images and used as the "ground truth" for developing the models to compute the variables from the corresponding scout images. We trained two classical convolutional neural networks (CNNs), including VGG19 and InceptionV3, to compute lung volume and the percentage of emphysema from the scout images. The scout images (n = 1,446) were split into three subgroups: (1) training (n = 1,235), (2) internal validation (n = 99), and (3) independent test (n = 112) at the subject level in a ratio of 8:1:1. The mean absolute difference (MAD) and R-square (R2) were the performance metrics to evaluate the prediction performance of the developed models. RESULTS The lung volumes and percentages of emphysema computed from a single planar scout image were significantly linear correlated with the measures quantified using volumetric CT images (VGG19: R2 = 0.934 for lung volume and R2 = 0.751 for emphysema percentage, and InceptionV3: R2 = 0.977 for lung volume and R2 = 0.775 for emphysema percentage). The mean absolute differences (MADs) for lung volume and percentage of emphysema were 0.302 ± 0.247L and 2.89 ± 2.58%, respectively, for VGG19, and 0.366 ± 0.287L and 3.19 ± 2.14, respectively, for InceptionV3. CONCLUSIONS Our promising results demonstrated the feasibility of inferring volume metrics from planar images using CNNs.
The potential role of fungal volatile organic compounds in Aspergillus flavus biocontrol efficacy

Abstract Pre-harvest application of inherently non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus strains is an effective biocontrol strategy to minimize aflatoxin contamination of agricultural commodities, but researchers still do not fully understand how A. flavus biocontrol strains establish control over aflatoxigenic fungi. In this in vitro study, we tested the potential for A. flavus volatile organic compounds (VOCs), identified from a previous study, to serve as regulators of mycotoxin production. We exposed four Aspergillus strains (one non-aflatoxigenic and three aflatoxigenic) to five VOCs unique to aflatoxigenic A. flavus, and five VOCs unique to non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus, to study their impacts on growth as well as production of two mycotoxins: aflatoxin and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). We found that growth of the fungi was not severely impacted by VOCs. However, toxin production was greatly affected and highly variable between strains and VOCs. Two non-aflatoxigenic VOCs (3-octanone and trans-2-methyl-2-butenal) significantly reduced aflatoxins in all aflatoxigenic strains. Two other non-aflatoxigenic VOCs (2,3-dihydrofuran and decane) significantly reduced aflatoxin levels in all aflatoxigenic strains and each VOC completely inhibited CPA production in one aflatoxigenic strain. Our findings offer evidence that the mechanism of control implemented by biocontrol strains may involve chemosensing through the production of one or more VOCs. These findings can be used to identify natural selectable markers for improved biocontrol strains or to supplement current biocontrol efforts through post-harvest exposure to VOC-related chemicals that mimic the presence of biocontrol strains.
Hispanic Ethnicity and Cervical Cancer Precursors Among Low-Income Women in Arizona.

Purpose: In the United States, Hispanics are more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer compared to Non-Hispanic Whites. Annually, 250,000 to 1 million women are diagnosed with a precursor to CC. The aim of this study was to assess whether Hispanics have a higher prevalence of cervical dysplasia compared to Non-Hispanics Whites among a population of low-income women. Patients and Methods: We analyzed the results of 10,911 cervical cytology tests administered between 2003 and 2016 that were funded through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) program for low-income, uninsured women entitled the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). In the state of Arizona, the program is called the Well Women HealthCheck Program (WWHP). Logistic regression was used to identify increased risk of dysplasia, including low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL/ICC), and multinomial logistic regression was used to assess increased likelihood for LSIL and HSIL/ICC as separate categories. Results: In the crude analysis, Hispanic ethnicity was modestly associated with higher prevalence of LSIL (odds ratio (OR)=1.39, 95% CI=1.01-1.91), but this association was not statistically significant after adjusting for confounders. However, in the final models, lower income was independently associated with LSIL (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.55, 95% CI=1.30-1.44), while smoking (aOR=2.88, 95% CI=1.21-6.84) and no history of Pap test within five years (aOR=3.54, 95% CI=1.61-6.99) were independently associated with HSIL. Conclusion: After adjusting for confounding in a sample of low-income women with comparable Pap screening rates, ethnicity was not associated with greater prevalence of abnormal pap smears. However, other variables were independently associated with LSIL and HSIL. The higher proportion of LSIL cases among lower income individuals compared to those with higher incomes, and the higher proportion of HSIL cases observed among those screened least regularly stresses the importance of programs like WWHP: programs that target low-income, uninsured women. These programs help save lives.
Strategies for the Development of Music Education Philosophy for Preservice Music Teachers: A Literature Review:

The purpose of this literature review was to analyze and synthesize pedagogical approaches related to developing music education philosophy for preservice music teachers. The literature that I iden...
The Effect of Metformin Use on Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Mortality Post-Myocardial Infarction

Animal studies showed that the use of metformin after myocardial infarction (MI) resulted in a protective effect on cardiac myocytes. In this study, we examined the effect of metformin in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and post-MI mortality. We reviewed charts of patients with MI admitted to the UAMS medical center. Baseline characteristics and 12-month follow up data were collected. Patients were classified into three groups: Control group- no DM (n = 464), Metformin group- DM + MI (n = 88) and No-Metformin group- DM + MI (n = 168). First, we compared Metformin and No-Metformin groups to the Control group. Second, we performed propensity-score matching in patients with DM, and compared Metformin to No-Metformin groups. All-cause 30-day and 12-month mortality was significantly higher in the No-Metformin group compared to controls (13.5 vs 9.3 % p = 0.03 at 30 days, 23.7 vs 15.9 % p = 0.03 at 12 months). However, all-cause 30-day and 12-month mortality were similar in the Controls and Metformin group (9.3 vs 6.8 % p = 0.93 at 30 days, 15.9 vs 11.4 % p = 0.97 at 12 months). Mean LVEF on presentation (45 % in the three groups) and at follow up (47.84, 46.38 and 43.62 % in Control, Metformin, and No-Metformin groups, respectively) were not statistically different. There were no significant differences in regard to re-hospitalization, re-intervention, new stroke, CHF development, new MI, or identifiable arrhythmias. Metformin was an independent predictor of lower 30-day and 12-month all-cause mortality in patients with DM (HR 0.25, p = 0.02 and HR 0.32, p = 0.01, respectively). In the matched analysis, 30-day all-cause mortality was significantly higher in the No-Metformin compared to the Metformin group (21.1 vs 8.8 %, p = 0.05). However the difference in 12-month all-cause mortality did not reach statistical significance (24.6 vs 15.8 %, p = 0.15). This proof-of-concept study shows that use of metformin in patients with DM is associated with lower 30-day all-cause mortality and tendency for a lower 12-month all-cause mortality following MI without discernible improvement in LVEF.
A Question of Balance: Free Radicals and Cochlear Homeostasis

The cochlea features multiple epithelia with a host of cell types, all of which must work together to support transduction. They achieve this by creating the correct fluid environment for sensory hair cells, including required ion concentrations, electrical potentials, and nutrients. This arrangement has led to variation by epithelium and cell type with respect to how cells communicate and exactly what is being communicated. Part of this communication is likely mediated by oxidants such as superoxide, peroxide, and nitric oxide (NO). These may have very different effects, depending on concentration, which in turn may vary with the local concentration of NO synthases and redox-sensitive factors such as NFκB and AP-1. When the adaptive range of oxidants is exceeded, local injury may result. This chapter focuses on the cochlea as an interdependent system of cells types having different tasks, chemistries, and potentially different sensitivities to oxidative stress. The interdependence of the organ of Corti and cochlear lateral wall is emphasized.
A Full-Core Resonance Self-Shielding Method Using a Continuous-Energy Quasi–One-Dimensional Slowing-Down Solution that Accounts for Temperature-Dependent Fuel Subregions and Resonance Interference

A correction-based resonance self-shielding method is developed that allows annular subdivision of the fuel rod. The method performs the conventional iteration of the embedded self-shielding method...
The Blanching Process

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the process of blanching in the preparation of vegetables for freezing, canning, or dehydration. It describes blanching as a preliminary treatment in the canning process and freezing process. The objective of blanching as a pretreatment of vegetables for canning is the removal of tissue gases; the shrinking of the material so that adequate fills can be contained in the can; and the heating of the material prior to filling so that a vacuum will be obtained after heat processing and boiling. Blanching is necessary as a part of the preparation for freezing preservation to inactivate the enzymes in the tissues and to shrink the material so as to conserve space in packing. The inactivation of the enzymes is very important in this process because no final cook or sterilization is used previous to freezing, and freezing storage, at least at the temperatures commonly employed, does not prevent undesirable deterioration in flavor, odor, and color on the part of the enzymes in the tissues. Many studies have been conducted to determine the effects of steam and water blanching on the vegetables so processed. The relative merits of water-blanching versus steam-blanching have been studied. It seems that steam-blanching is the more effective of the two for the conservation of soluble nutrients. The chapter mentions some of the special techniques for blanching, such as steam pressure and electronic blanching. It presents investigations that have been conducted to determine the causes for the development of off -flavors, colors, and aromas when unblanched and underblanched vegetables are held in frozen storage.
Trustworthy whole-system provenance for the Linux kernel

In a provenance-aware system, mechanisms gather and report metadata that describes the history of each object being processed on the system, allowing users to understand how data objects came to exist in their present state. However, while past work has demonstrated the usefulness of provenance, less attention has been given to securing provenance-aware systems. Provenance itself is a ripe attack vector, and its authenticity and integrity must be guaranteed before it can be put to use. We present Linux Provenance Modules (LPM), the first general framework for the development of provenance-aware systems. We demonstrate that LPM creates a trusted provenance-aware execution environment, collecting complete whole-system provenance while imposing as little as 2.7% performance overhead on normal system operation. LPM introduces new mechanisms for secure provenance layering and authenticated communication between provenance-aware hosts, and also interoperates with existing mechanisms to provide strong security assurances. To demonstrate the potential uses of LPM, we design a Provenance-Based Data Loss Prevention (PB-DLP) system. We implement PBDLP as a file transfer application that blocks the transmission of files derived from sensitive ancestors while imposing just tens of milliseconds overhead. LPM is the first step towards widespread deployment of trustworthy provenance-aware applications.
Interaction Coverage Meets Path Coverage by SMT Constraint Solving

We present a novel approach for generating interaction combinations based on SMT constraint resolution. Our approach can generate maximal interaction coverage in the presence of general constraints as supported by the underlying solver. It supports seeding with general predicates, which allows us to combine it with path exploration such that both interaction and path coverage goals can be met. Our approach is motivated by the application to behavioral model-based testing in the Spec Explorer tool, where parameter combinations must be generated such that all path conditions of a model action have at least one combination which enables the path. It is applied in a large-scale project for model-based quality assurance of interoperability documentation at Microsoft.
Extending the diffusion approximation to the boundary using an integrated diffusion model

The widely used diffusion approximation is inaccurate to describe the transport behaviors near surfaces and interfaces. To solve such stochastic processes, an integro-differential equation, such as the Boltzmann transport equation (BTE), is typically required. In this work, we show that it is possible to keep the simplicity of the diffusion approximation by introducing a nonlocal source term and a spatially varying diffusion coefficient. We apply the proposed integrated diffusion model (IDM) to a benchmark problem of heat conduction across a thin film to demonstrate its feasibility. We also validate the model when boundary reflections and uniform internal heat generation are present.
Fundamentals of neural networks: architectures, algorithms, and applications

1. Introduction. 2. Simple Neural Nets for Pattern Classification. 3. Pattern Association. 4. Neural Networks Based on Competition. 5. Adaptive Resonance Theory. 6. Backpropagation Neural Net. 7. A Sampler of Other Neural Nets. Glossary. References. Index.
Electrically stimulating prefrontal cortex at retrieval improves recollection accuracy

Neuroimaging and brain damage studies suggest that dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is involved in the cognitive control of episodic recollection. If dlPFC is causally involved in retrieval, then transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of this brain region should increase recollection accuracy, especially when recollection is difficult and requires cognitive control. Here, we report the first brain stimulation experiment to directly test this hypothesis. We administered tDCS to dlPFC immediately after studying to-be-learned material but just prior to recollection testing, thereby targeting retrieval processes. We found that stimulation of dlPFC significantly increased recollection accuracy, relative to a no-stimulation sham condition and also relative to active stimulation of a comparison region in left parietal cortex. There was no significant difference in the size of this increase between hemispheres. Moreover, these dlPFC stimulation effects were behaviorally selective, increasing accuracy only when participants needed to recollect difficult information. Electrically stimulating dlPFC allowed people to more accurately recollect specific details of their experiences, demonstrating a causal role of dlPFC in the retrieval of episodic memories.
Raman spectroscopy coupled with advanced statistics for differentiating menstrual and peripheral blood

Body fluids are a common and important type of forensic evidence. In particular, the identification of menstrual blood stains is often a key step during the investigation of rape cases. Here, we report on the application of near-infrared Raman microspectroscopy for differentiating menstrual blood from peripheral blood. We observed that the menstrual and peripheral blood samples have similar but distinct Raman spectra. Advanced statistical analysis of the multiple Raman spectra that were automatically (Raman mapping) acquired from the 40 dried blood stains (20 donors for each group) allowed us to build classification model with maximum (100%) sensitivity and specificity. We also demonstrated that despite certain common constituents, menstrual blood can be readily distinguished from vaginal fluid. All of the classification models were verified using cross-validation methods. The proposed method overcomes the problems associated with currently used biochemical methods, which are destructive, time consuming and expensive.
Goals of genetic counseling

The goals of genetic counseling have differed over the past three decades. Two schools of thought are prominent in reviewing past literature. One upholds the goal of preventing birth defects and genetic disorders while the other promotes a goal of improved psychological well-being in client adaptation to a genetic condition or risk. Both types of goals emphasize that clients should make their own reproductive decisions; however, the former relies on clients making decisions that will reduce the impact of genetic disorders. The differences in the types of goals may be due to the training and orientation of genetics health care providers, socio-cultural views, or priorities of health care settings. Regardless, there are ample reasons to dismiss the prevention of birth defects as a goal. This mini-review recommends use of genetic counseling sub-specialties as a framework for considering different client needs and thus different counseling goals and specific aims in the reproductive, pediatric/adult, and common disease settings. Given the extent of new genetic information, technologies, and the need to evaluate genetic counseling practice, genetics health care providers should work toward arriving at consensus on the goals of genetic counseling, and in doing so, the needs of clients should be considered.
Cloning and expression of genes encoding Haemophilus somnus antigens.

Abstract A genomic library of Haemophilus somnus 2336, a virulent isolate from a calf with pneumonia (later used to reproduce H. somnus experimental pneumonia), was constructed in the cosmid vector pHC79. The gene bank in Escherichia coli DH1 was screened by filter immunoassay with convalescent-phase serum, which reacted with several outer membrane antigens of H. somnus. On Western blotting (immunoblotting) of immunoreactive colonies, five clones were found to express proteins which comigrated with H. somnus surface antigens. Three clones (DH1 pHS1, pHS3, and pHS4) expressed both a 120-kilodalton (kDa) antigen and a 76-kDa antigen, one clone (DH1 pHS2) expressed only the 76-kDa antigen, and the fifth clone (DH1 pHS5) expressed a 60-kDa antigen. The 120-kDa and 76-kDa antigens were found internally, whereas the 60-kDa protein was detected in the DH1 pHS5 culture supernatant as membrane blebs or insoluble protein. Both the H. somnus 120-kDa antigen and the recombinant 120-kDa antigen had immunoglobulin Fc-binding activity. Restriction endonuclease mapping demonstrated that the genomic DNA inserts of clones expressing the 76-kDa antigen shared a common 28.4-kilobase-pair region, and the three clones also expressing the 120-kDa antigen shared an additional 7.0-kilobase-pair region. The restriction endonuclease map of pHS5, which expressed the 60-kDa antigen, was not similar to the maps of the other four plasmids. Since these three H. somnus antigens reacted with protective convalescent-phase serum, the recombinants which express these proteins should be useful in further studies of protective immunity in bovine H. somnus disease.
The 8200 year B.P. event in the slope water system, western subpolar North Atlantic

[1] Stable isotope, trace metal, alkenone paleothermometry, and radiocarbon methods have been applied to sediment cores in the western subpolar North Atlantic between Hudson Strait and Cape Hatteras to reveal the history of climate in that region over the past ∼11 kyr. We focus on cores from the Laurentian Fan, which is known to have rapid and continuous accumulation of hemipelagic sediment. Although results among our various proxy data are not always in agreement, the weight of the evidence (alkenone sea surface temperature (SST), δ18O and abundance of Globigerinoides ruber) indicates a continual cooling of surface waters over Laurentian Fan, from about 18°C in the early Holocene to about 8°C today. Alternatively, Mg/Ca data on planktonic foraminifera indicate no systematic change in Holocene SST. The inferred long-term decrease in SST was probably driven by decreasing seasonality of Northern Hemisphere insolation. Two series of proxy data show the gradual cooling was interrupted by a two-step cold pulse that began 8500 years ago, and lasted about 700 years. Although this event is associated with the final deglaciation of Hudson Bay, there is no δ18O minimum anywhere in the Labrador Sea, yet there is some evidence for it as far south as Cape Hatteras. Finally, although the 8200 year B.P. event has been implicated in decreasing North Atlantic ventilation, and hence widespread temperature depression on land and at sea, we find inconsistent evidence for a change at that time in deep ocean nutrient content at ∼4 km water depth.
On the Evolution of Noncommutative Harmonic Analysis

(1978). On the Evolution of Noncommutative Harmonic Analysis. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 85, No. 7, pp. 525-548.
TGF‐β‐induced Foxp3+ regulatory T cells rescue scurfy mice

Scurfy mice have a deletion in the forkhead domain of the forkhead transcription factor p3 (Foxp3), fail to develop thymic-derived, naturally occurring Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (nTreg), and develop a fatal lymphoproliferative syndrome with multi-organ inflammation. Transfer of thymic-derived Foxp3+ nTreg into neonatal Scurfy mice prevents the development of disease. Stimulation of conventional CD4+Foxp3(-) via the TCR in the presence of TGF-beta and IL-2 induces the expression of Foxp3 and an anergic/suppressive phenotype. To determine whether the TGF-beta-induced Treg (iTreg) were capable of suppressing disease in the Scurfy mouse, we reconstituted newborn Scurfy mice with polyclonal iTreg. Scurfy mice treated with iTreg do not show any signs of disease and have drastically reduced cell numbers in peripheral lymph nodes and spleen in comparison to untreated Scurfy controls. The iTreg retained their expression of Foxp3 in vivo for 21 days, migrated into the skin, and prevented the development of inflammation in skin, liver and lung. Thus, TGF-beta-differentiated Foxp3+ Treg appear to possess all of the functional properties of thymic-derived nTreg and represent a potent population for the cellular immunotherapy of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Computation of shock wave/target interaction

Computational results of shock waves impinging on targets and the ensuing diffraction flowfield are presented. A number of two-dimensional cases are computed with finite difference techniques. The classical case of a shock wave/cylinder interaction is compared with shock tube data and shows the quality of the computations on a pressure-time plot. Similar results are obtained for a shock wave/rectangular body interaction. Here resolution becomes important and the use of grid clustering techniques tend to show good agreement with experimental data. Computational results are also compared with pressure data resulting from shock impingement experiments for a complicated truck-like geometry. Here of significance are the grid generation and clustering techniques used. For these very complicated bodies, grids are generated by numerically solving a set of elliptic partial differential equations.
Experimental validation of a performance model for scarfed nozzles

The results of an experimental investigation into the performance of scarfed nozzles are presented. This investigation was conducted to establish the range of applicability of a performance prediction model. Factors that influence the applicability of the model are the presence of three-dimensional flow and/or boundary-layer separation. The influence of these factors on the performance of scarfed nozzles was experimentally investigated by statically firing specially designed solid rocket motors that employed various scarfed nozzle configurations. The data from these firings were used to determine applicability limits for the performance model. The results of the test program and the applicability limits obtained are presented.
Management of isolated renal fossa recurrence following radical nephrectomy.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma in the renal fossa without distant metastatic disease is an infrequent occurrence. Management of this lesion can be challenging, with relatively few series in the literature. We describe our use of surgical extirpation with adjuvant intraoperative radiation.Materials and Methods: The University of California, San Francisco Urologic Oncology database and the University of California, San Francisco Radiation Oncology database were queried for all patients with locally recurrent renal fossa recurrence. Only patients with recurrence of renal cell carcinoma in the renal fossa were included. Survival, complications and the use of adjuvant therapy in the form of intraoperative radiation therapy were noted.Results: A total of 14 patients were treated for this lesion between 1990 and 2003. Mean time to recurrence was 40 months (range 5 to 180). Only 1 patient was symptomatic preoperatively, while in 13 disease had been detected on routine computerized tomog...
Respiratory alkalosis and abdominal pain heralding Candida hepatitis. Occurrence in patients with acute leukemia in remission

• Two patients with acute leukemia in remission experienced hepatic candidal infection initially seen as chronic respiratory alkalosis, abnormalities of liver function, and abdominal pain. The occurrence of these signs and symptoms in patients with leukemia should warrant a presumptive diagnosis of visceral candidal infection and the consideration of empiric antifungal therapy while awaiting culture and biopsy results. (Arch Intern Med1982;142:1495-1497)
Role of the sterol superlattice in the partitioning of the antifungal drug nystatin into lipid membranes.

Nystatin isolated from Streptomyces is a polyene antibiotic that is frequently used in the treatment and prophylaxis of fungal infections. Here, the fractional sterol concentration dependencies of the partition coefficient for partitioning of nystatin into ergosterol/dimyristoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC), cholesterol/DMPC, ergosterol/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine (POPC), and ergosterol/POPC/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylethano lam ine (POPE) multilamellar vesicles have been determined fluorometrically at 37 degrees C using approximately 0.3-1.0 mol % sterol concentration increments over a wide concentration range (e.g., 18-54 mol % sterol). This unconventional approach of varying membrane sterol content, in contrast to previous studies using large sterol concentration increments (e.g., 10 mol %), leads to a striking observation. The partition coefficient of nystatin changes dramatically with membrane sterol content in a well-defined alternating manner, displaying a local minimum at or very close to the critical sterol mole fractions (e.g., 20.0, 22.2, 25.0, 33.3, 40.0, and 50.0 mol % sterol) predicted for sterols regularly distributed in either hexagonal or centered rectangular superlattices. In ergosterol/DMPC bilayers, for example, there is a >3-fold increase in nystatin partitioning with a minute change (approximately 1 mol %) in sterol content on either side of the critical sterol mole fraction, 25.0 mol %. These results provide semifunctional evidence supporting the sterol regular distribution model [Chong, P. L.-G. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 91, 10069-10073]. More importantly, these results reveal a new membrane phenomenon, that is, that nystatin partitioning is affected by the extent of sterol regular distribution in the plane of the membrane. This phenomenon occurs not only in saturated (e.g., DMPC) but also in unsaturated (e.g., POPC) lipid membranes, and persists in the presence of polar headgroup heterogeneity (e.g., POPC/POPE). This membrane property points to a new method for studying the interactions of polyene antibiotics with sterol-containing membranes, and the need to consider the membrane sterol content of the target cells when administering nystatin or other polyene antibiotics.
Coevolution of competitive market structures in the context of Mobile OS industry

Technoeconomics of modern telecommunication business depicts a competitive complex structure. Proposed in this paper is a stochastical growth model that describes the business performance of competing telecommunication companies (telcos) such as mobile platforms. The underlying competition is modelled as coevolving pre-predator system and hence, the growth/decay profile of the competitors is deduced. The model is applied to econometric forecasting via artificial neural network-based simulations. Example results pertinent to real-world data on the temporal dynamics of competing/co-evolving competitors known in Mobile OS industry, (like Android, Symbian and iPhone) are presented demonstrating the efficacy of forecast feasibility as well as the validity of the model proposed.
Security and Management: The Ubiquitous Mix

Standards based management capabilities are becoming widely available in many network and distributed applications products; but unsecured access to the control capabilities they offer could allow accidental or deliberate damage to the network transmission and application services. Also, standards based security capabilities for such products are emerging that will require remote management of their security mechanisms, and security auditing.