cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generality, efficiency, and neutrality : Must laws be general to be legitimate?

James Buchanan and Roger Congleton advocate a constitutional generality norm: a requirement that government programs provide benefits and require contributions uniformly across society. They regard generality as a necessary condition of political legitimacy, and justify it by reference to the liberal ideal of neutrality, and to an ideal of political efficiency they define. argue, however, that they offer a weak conception of generality, which would guarantee neither neutrality nor efficiency. I conclude that their appeal to generality has an ideological character, whereby it distracts attention from the implicit goals and concrete effects of policies they advocate in its name.
Rapid detection of rare geospatial events: earthquake warning applications

The paper presents theory, algorithms, measurements of experiments, and simulations for detecting rare geospatial events by analyzing streams of data from large numbers of heterogeneous sensors. The class of applications are rare events - such as events that occur at most once a month - and that have very high costs for tardy detection and for false positives. The theory is applied to an application that warns about the onset of shaking from earthquakes based on real-time data gathered from different types of sensors with varying sensitivities located at different points in a region. We present algorithms for detecting events in Cloud computing servers by exploiting the scalability of Cloud computers while working within the limits of state synchronization across different servers in the Cloud. Ordinary citizens manage sensors in the form of mobile phones and tablets as well as special-purpose stationary sensors; thus the geospatial distribution of sensors depends on population densities. The distribution of the locations of events may, however, be different from population distributions. We analyze the impact of population distributions (and hence sensor distributions as well) on the efficacy of event detection. Data from sensor measurements and from simulations of earthquakes validate the theory.
Sommerfeld's fine structure constant and born's reciprocity

Abstract The problem of the electronic charge distribution together with that of the magnitude of Sommerfeld's fine structure constant α = 2πe2/hc = 1/137 is reduced to a linear homogeneous integral equation for the density amplitude ψ. The kernel depends on the parameter a, and every value of α determines an eigenfunction. One eigen value a and one eigenfunetion is selected by an additional condition which is, the energy balance.The results are based on a hyperbolic sine relation between the momentum measurements of an inside and an outside observer, and on a similar relation between the space measurements of the two observers. Whereas the relations in momentum space are derived from the familiar Einstein energy-momentum equation, the space geometry of the particle is obtained by an application of the principle of reciprocity of M. Born.
RECOVERY OF VITAMIN A IN PROCESSED FOODS MADE FROM FORTIFIED FLOURS

The recovery of vitamin A in processed foods made from fortified flours and recovery of vitamin A in some of them after shelf storage were studied. Products prepared were white pan bread, corn bread, corn mush, cakes, pancakes, spaghetti, and corn curls. Retention generally was 90% or more (range 79-105%) in fresh products made from flours stored less than 6 months, with similar retentions (range 72-108%) when the products were stored at room temperature for 5 or 6 days, except for corn curls where retention in the fresh product was less than 50%.
Assessing atherosclerotic plaque morphology: comparison of optical coherence tomography and high frequency intravascular ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: OCT can image plaque microstructure at a level of resolution not previously demonstrated with other imaging techniques because it uses infrared light rather than acoustic waves. OBJECTIVES: To compare optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging of in vitro atherosclerotic plaques. METHODS: Segments of abdominal aorta were obtained immediately before postmortem examination. Images of 20 sites from five patients were acquired with OCT (operating at an optical wavelength of 1300 nm which was delivered to the sample through an optical fibre) and a 30 MHz ultrasonic transducer. After imaging, the microstructure of the tissue was assessed by routine histological processing. RESULTS: OCT yielded superior structural information in all plaques examined. The mean (SEM) axial resolution of OCT and IVUS imaging was 16 (1) and 110 (7), respectively, as determined by the point spread function from a mirror. Furthermore, the dynamic range of OCT was 109 dB compared with 43 dB for IVUS imaging. CONCLUSIONS: OCT represents a promising new technology for intracoronary imaging because of its high resolution, broad dynamic range, and ability to be delivered through intravascular catheters.
High-Grade Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity

High-grade carcinoma of the oral cavity is considered to be an aggressive malignancy associated with a poor prognosis. The tumors are often considered to be relatively radiosensitive. Because previous reviews of oral cavity cancer have contained few patients with grade 4 lesions, little is known about the true behavior of these tumors. Information was collected on 80 patients with high-grade carcinoma of the oral cavity to determine the clinical findings and optimal treatment of this tumor. Primary tumor location, presence of neck metastasis, and clinical stage did not affect survival. Tumor size was a significant risk factor. The 5-year survival rate for patients with high-grade carcinoma treated by combination surgery and radiation (52%) was significantly greater (p ≤ 0.05) than that for patients treated by radiation alone (28%) or surgery alone (24%). This study is the first to describe the clinical course of a large number of patients exclusively with high-grade carcinoma of the oral cavity.
Physical and Psychosocial Effects of Wii Fit Exergames Use in Assisted Living Residents A Pilot Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the physical and psychosocial effects of the Wii Fit exergames incorporating self-efficacy theory on assisted living residents. The study was a quasi-experimental pre/post-test design. Thirty-two participants were recruited from two assisted living facilities. Sixteen participants received the Wii Fit exergames incorporating self-efficacy theory twice a week for 4 weeks. The other participants received a health education program. Physical function, fear of falling, depression, and quality of life were evaluated. T tests were used for data analysis. After the 4-week intervention, the Wii Fit group showed significant improvements in balance (p < .01), mobility (p < .01), and depression (p < .05). The education group showed no significant improvement in any of the outcomes. Integrating concepts of self-efficacy theory with the exergames show promise as a potential tool to improve and maintain physical and psychosocial health for older adults.
Sudden cardiac arrest from primary electrical diseases: provoking concealed arrhythmogenic syndromes.

Cardiac arrest most commonly occurs as a consequence of acute myocardial ischemia or develops with identifiable substrate such as scar because of previous myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, or hypertrophy.1,2 Despite extensive noninvasive and invasive evaluation, cardiac arrest remains unexplained without evidence of structural heart disease in ≈10% of individuals surviving sudden cardiac arrest.1,2 Autopsy data confirm that a similar minority of victims of sudden death have no identifiable cardiac abnormality at postmortem evaluation.1,2 It is now recognized that inherited electrophysiological abnormalities, termed primary electrical diseases, are the common underlying cause of these unexplained cardiac arrests. Such tragic events disproportionately affect people <40 years old.1,2 These conditions include Wolff-Parkinson White syndrome, long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT).3–9 The remaining patients without such distinct electrophysiological abnormalities are generally categorized as having idiopathic ventricular fibrillation.1–3 It is evident that implementing appropriate screening and therapeutic strategies is dependent on accurate identification of those affected. The diagnosis of these conditions remains a vexing challenge for clinicians because the conditions commonly are not identifiable with standard clinical evaluation. In this respect, they are considered concealed arrhythmogenic syndromes, which manifest only intermittently or with specific provocative maneuvers. Article p 2228 Although Brugada syndrome can present with the characteristic right bundle-branch block and persistent ST-segment elevation, latent or intermittent forms of the condition commonly make the diagnosis difficult.4,5 The ECG can be modulated by changes in autonomic balance, body temperature, glucose levels, and the administration of drugs.4,5 The subtle ST-segment shifts can be difficult to diagnose even with provocative measures. β-Adrenergic stimulation commonly normalizes the ECG. It is now …
Twitter Users vs. Quitters: A Uses and Gratifications and Diffusion of Innovations Approach in Understanding the Role of Mobility in Microblogging

Twitter, the most popular microblogging service by the end of 2009, has gained much interest among Computer-Mediated Communication scholars and practitioners. As a new social medium, Twitter shows distinguished characteristics such as text-based posts of up to 140 characters delivered in real-time, and via multiple access modes including the Web, SMS, and mobile device applications. Interestingly, and in spite of an explosive growth in 2009, Twitter is also experiencing higher dropout rates compared to other social networking sites giving rise to the term Twitter Quitter. This study will examine which factors influence Twitter Quitters in their decision to discontinue Twitter’s use through the use of perceived motivations and innovation related constructs. Uses and Gratifications (UG) and Diffusion of Innovation theory (IDT) are employed to frame the theoretical background. Also, this study will offer support for the effects of mobile device usage to access Twitter on self-reported motivations and perceived outcomes of using Twitter. An online survey will be used to collect data from 300 undergraduate students at a large U.S. mid-western university. A Partial Least Squares (PLS)-based data analysis will be used to provide support for which constructs explain differences between Twitter users and Twitter quitters. Also, the influence of mobile device use on the continuance or discontinuance of Twitter will be examined. Implications for both theory and practice, as well as suggestions for further research will also be presented.
Low bit rate coding of Earth science images

The approach is based on some advances in the area of variable rate residual vector quantization considered separately, and in conjunction with subband image decomposition. Comparisons illustrate the improvement in performance attributable to this approach relative to the JPEG coding standard. >
Immature CD4+CD8+ Thymocytes and Mature T Cells Regulate Nur77 Distinctly in Response to TCR Stimulation

The orphan steroid receptor, Nur77, is thought to be a central participant in events leading to TCR-mediated clonal deletion of immature thymocytes. Interestingly, although both immature and mature murine T cell populations rapidly up-regulate Nur77 after TCR stimulation, immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes respond by undergoing apoptosis, whereas their mature descendants respond by dividing. To understand these developmental differences in susceptibility to the proapoptotic potential of Nur77, we compared its regulation and compartmentalization and show that mature, but not immature, T cells hyperphosphorylate Nur77 in response to TCR signals. Nur77 resides in the nucleus of immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes throughout the course of its expression and is not found in either the organellar or cytoplasmic fractions. However, hyperphosphorylation of Nur77 in mature T cells, which is mediated by both the MAPK and PI3K/Akt pathways, shifts its localization from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. The failure of immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes to hyperphosphorylate Nur77 in response to TCR stimulation may be due in part to decreased Akt activity at this developmental stage.
Digital radiometers for earth science

Digital microwave radiometers replace as much of the conventional analog circuitry in a radiometer as possible with an analog-to-digital converter followed by a high speed Digital Signal Processing (DSP) stage. Digital technology adds capabilities to a radiometer that would otherwise be much more difficult (and often cost prohibitive) to include. The quality of each of the performance enhancements enabled by digital radiometry (e.g. spectral resolution, RFI detectability threshold, and full Stokes polarization purity) is dependent on certain aspects of the digital technology (e.g. number of bits of digitization, digitization oversampling rate, length of transverse digital filters, number of internal bits utilized by the DSP algorithm, and core memory and logic block sizes in the DSP chip). These dependencies are examined and current and projected radiometer performance capabilities estimated given the current and projected state of the art in DSP technology.
DSM-III and the College Mental Health Setting: The University of Massachusetts Experience.

Abstract A quality assessment study was conducted at a university mental health service to review the diagnostic practices of staff members using the DSM-III as well as to develop standards in recordkeeping practices. The DSM-III was adopted as the standard diagnostic system within the agency to provide a shared conceptual framework and a uniform standard in diagnoses, for quality assessment purposes. Conditions Not Attributable to a Mental Disorder and Adjustment Disorders were the most frequently used categories on Axis I while Dependent Personality traits were most frequently recorded on Axis II. The results are in keeping with a developmental perspective for young adults and with a short-term treatment approach. However, the results may also be viewed as reflecting the conservatism of staff members in their use of psychiatric nomenclature for record-keeping purposes. “Oral Contraceptive Use and the Risk of Endometrial Cancer,” THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL CANCER AND STEROID HORMONE STUDY. Use of co...
Spreading and training in overloaded CDMA with low-complexity receivers

This paper focusses on system design issues associated with unknown channel state information (CSI) in overloaded CDMA systems equipped with a multiuser linear minimum mean-squared error (MMSE) receiver. The received powers depend on the channel fading gains which are estimated using training sequences. Using the partial CSI obtained from training, we provide an algorithm for the design of spreading sequences in order to maximize the least signal to interference ratio (SIR) among all the users. The effect of training and estimation error on the performance of the receiver is analyzed with per-user ergodic capacity as a performance measure. Numerical results are provided to illustrate the superior performance of our system design when compared to designs based on generalized Welch-bound equality (WBE) sequences.
The Human Relations Ideology An Analysis of the Social Origins of a Belief System

This paper examines cultural, institutional, and motivationalfactors which have produced acceptance of the human relations approach in industrial organizations. The unique relationship existing between the postwar emergence of human relations and academic sociology is analyzed for its simultaneous impacts on the ideology and on the development and institutionalization of sociology itself.
Miniaturized metamaterial-inspired antennas

The juxtaposition of materials having positive and negative effective properties allows the attainment of electrically small resonators. It has been demonstrated that these miniaturized resonators, as near-field resonant parasitic (NFRP) elements, facilitate the realization of electrically small radiators (antennas) and scatterers. A variety of metamaterial-inspired NFRP configurations from microwave to optical wavelengths will be used to illustrate the associated design concepts and their advantages in practical applications.
Effect of a randomized controlled exercise trial on bone outcomes: influence of adjuvant endocrine therapy

Bone loss is a significant clinical problem for female cancer survivors (FCS) and increases fracture risk. The aim of the Yale Fitness Intervention Trial (Yale FIT) was to determine the effects of a 12-month aerobic-resistance exercise intervention compared to a home-based physical activity group on bone outcomes [bone mineral density (BMD)] and biomarkers bone turnover). Early postmenopausal FCS (N = 154) were randomized to the exercise intervention (3 times/week) or to a home-based physical activity group. Calcium (1200 mg) and Vitamin D (400 IU) supplements were provided to both groups. BMD was measured at baseline and 12 months. No significant difference in BMD was observed for the exercise vs home-based group. However, subjects on Tamoxifen or no endocrine therapy did not significantly lose BMD, with the exception of the femoral neck (FN). In contrast subjects on aromatase inhibitors (AIs) had significant BMD loss at all sites. The majority of subjects had sufficient serum levels of Vitamin D (>20 ng/mL) but there was significantly less bone loss in subjects in the 20-29 ng/mL range at the LS (p = 0.01), hip (p = 0.03), and GT (p = 0.008) compared to lower or higher levels. Exercise stimulates bone remodeling but the intervention was not superior for BMD outcomes at one year. The dose of the osteogenic stimulus in the intervention has been effective in preserving BMD in healthy postmenopausal women but it may be inadequate for survivors with chemotherapy-induced menopause and for those on adjuvant AI therapy.
Exploiting On-Device Image Classification for Energy Efficiency in Ambient-Aware Systems

Ambient-aware applications need to know what objects are in the environment. Although video data contains this information, analyzing it is a challenge esp. on portable devices that are constrained in energy and storage. A naive solution is to sample and stream video to the cloud, where advanced algorithms can be used for analysis. However, this increases communication energy costs, making this approach impractical. In this article, we show how to reduce energy in such systems by employing simple on-device computations. In particular, we use a low-complexity feature-based image classifier to filter out unnecessary frames from video. To lower the processing energy and sustain a high throughput, we propose a hierarchically pipelined hardware architecture for the image classifier. Based on synthesis results from an ASIC in a 45 nm SOI process, we demonstrate that the classifier can achieve minimum-energy operation at a frame rate of 12 fps, while consuming only 3 mJ of energy per frame. Using a prototype system, we estimate about 70 % reduction in communication energy when 5 % of frames are interesting in a video stream.
Nanostructured Tin Catalysts for Selective Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Formate

High surface area tin oxide nanocrystals prepared by a facile hydrothermal method are evaluated as electrocatalysts toward CO2 reduction to formate. At these novel nanostructured tin catalysts, CO2 reduction occurs selectively to formate at overpotentials as low as ∼340 mV. In aqueous NaHCO3 solutions, maximum Faradaic efficiencies for formate production of >93% have been reached with high stability and current densities of >10 mA/cm(2) on graphene supports. The notable reactivity toward CO2 reduction achieved here may arise from a compromise between the strength of the interaction between CO2(•-) and the nanoscale tin surface and subsequent kinetic activation toward protonation and further reduction.
Effect of digitoxin on creatinine and histamine output of the isolated heart.

SummaryThe perfusion fluid from isolated hearts of cats, rabbits and rats contains creatinine and histamine. There is a species variation in the excretion of these substances. When digitoxin (1:40,000) is added to the perfusion fluid, the creatinine output of the heart is not significantly altered in the 3 species studied. However, the histamine output of the cat and the rabbit heart decreases, while that of the rat heart remains unchanged. The isolated rat heart is much more resistant toward digitoxin than the cat and rabbit hearts.
DEVELOPMENTAL INSTABILITY AND HIGH MERISTIC COUNTS IN INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDS OF SALMONID FISHES.

Interspecific hybrids have been proposed to have reduced developmental stability in comparison to their parental species because the parental genomes have not undergone selection for the maintenance of developmental stability when they occur together. We present data from four interspecific hybrids of salmonid fishes that support this view. Natural hybrids of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) with brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and laboratory hybrids of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) with Yellowstone (Salmo clarki bouvieri), westslope (S. c. lewisi), and coastal (S. c. clarki) cutthroat trout all have higher levels of fluctuating asymmetry than either of their parental species raised in the same environment. Thus, the hybrids have reduced developmental stability. The hybrids do not have meristic counts intermediate to the counts of the parental species. The hybrids usually have counts as high as the species with the higher count for those characters that differ between the parental species and often have higher counts for those characters that do not differ between the parental species. We suggest that the tendency for interspecific hybrids to have high meristic counts may be related to differences between the species in the length and timing of the developmental periods during which the counts of the characters are determined.
Rehabilitation of the injured hand.

SUMMARY The gradual development of hand surgery as an area of specialization has led to the development of rehabilitative efforts that have complemented this trend. This has led to further specialization in hand therapy as a primary endeavor. Specific efforts in the areas of rehabilitation for soft tissue, bone, tendon, and nerve injuries have facilitated functional restoration of the injured hand.
Gould’s Belt and Supershells

New methods of analysing various observational data will be used to delineate spatial structures that are present in the interstellar medium (ISM) in the local galactic neighborhood, which is here defined to encompass a region centered on the Sun and extending to a distance of approximately 500 parsecs.
S-2 : MicroRNA regulation of T cell cytokine responses

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important and nearly ubiquitous regulators of gene expression in multicellular eukaryotes. Although they mediate only modest repression of each of their direct mRNA targets, miRNAs have surprisingly powerful effects in a wide variety of biological processes. In helper T cells, the miRNA pathway is required for robust proliferation, survival, differentiation and cytokine production. With over 1000 distinct human miRNAs discovered in the past decade, the current challenge is to identify the particular miRNAs that operate in helper T cells and integrate them into the regulatory networks that determine their cell fate decisions and effector functions. We use functional rescue screens to identify miRNAs that inhibit or enhance the differentiation of T helper cell subsets and their production of effector cytokines. This approach has uncovered novel regulatory circuits that influence Th1, Th2, and Th17 cell responses. Combined bioinformatic, biochemical, and gene expression analyses reveal the direct targets of functionally relevant miRNAs and dysregulated programs of gene expression downstream of these targets. Systematic interrogation of the functional roles of direct targets reveals regulatory networks coordinated by miRNA action, and demonstrates how the co-evolution of miRNAs and their target genes can be exploited to discover unexpected genes and pathways that regulate cytokine production. Funding: NIH R01HL109102, P01HL107202, U19CA179512; Dana Foundation; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Brief Report: The Prevalence of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Identified by the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an inherited neurocutaneous disorder associated with neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The frequency of ASD/NF1 co-occurrence has been subject to debate since the 1980s. This relationship was investigated in a large population-based sample of 8-year-old children identified with ASD (N = 12,271) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. Twenty-two (1-in-558) children with ASD had diagnosed NF1, exceeding NF1 general population estimates by four to five fold. Children with ASD/NF1 versus ASD without NF1 were significantly less likely to receive a community-based ASD diagnosis (p = 0.04) and understand non-verbal communication (p = 0.001). These findings underscore the importance of including social-communication ability among relevant developmental concerns in children with NF1.
Defense and Immune Systems

The complex of defensive strategies characterizing invertebrate immune systems and response is reviewed. These include the role of pathogen recognition molecules and evolutionary aspects concerning a number of molecular components. Effective humoral responses to invasive pathogens rely on a first level based on melanization and phenoloxidase activity and on specific pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Other invertebrate defensive pathways reviewed include lectin-mediated complement and activation, antimicrobial peptides and heat shock proteins, with pathways for nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species, and lysozymes. Cellular defense processes include phagocytosis by immunocytes, lysosomes, encapsulation and hemolymph coagulation. Some aspects concerning selectivity, specificity and evasion are also reviewed, with host resistance and tolerance.
Optical properties of non-absorbing mineral dust components and mixtures

ABSTRACTMineral dust is the second largest emission by mass into the atmosphere. Aerosol particles affect the radiative forcing budget by directly scattering and absorbing light, acting as cloud condensation and ice nuclei, and by providing surfaces for heterogeneous chemistry. Factors that affect how the particles scatter and absorb light include their composition, shape, size, and concentration. In this study, we characterize the most common components of mineral dust, quartz, and aluminosilicate clay minerals. In addition, we apply our results from calcite, feldspars, quartz, and aluminosilicate clay minerals to model the optical properties of Arizona test dust (ATD). We use cavity ring-down spectroscopy to measure the extinction cross sections of size-selected particles, electron microscopy to characterize the size selection, and Mie theory as well as the discrete dipole approximation as models. For quartz, the extinction cross sections can be well modeled assuming the particles are spheroids or spher...
The Brachypterous Ground-Litter-Inhabiting Species of Rhyopsocus Hagen (Psocodea: ‘Psocoptera’: Trogiomorpha: Psoquillidae) from Southwestern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala, with Descriptions of Two New Species

ABSTRACT This work is aimed at the species-level identification of the brachypterous forms of the genus Rhyopsocus found primarily in ground litter throughout southwestern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala. Characters for separation of species used in the present study and in past studies are reviewed critically. A revised definition of Rhyopsocus is given, based in part on venation of macropterous forms. The structure of the complex Rhyopsocus phallosome is compared to that of the species of the genus Psoquilla Hagen. Two new species of Rhyopsocus are described, both from southwestern United States and known to extend into Mexico. The descriptions of Rhyopsocus maculosus Garcia Aldrete, Rhyopsocus micropterus Mockford, Rhyopsocus texanus (Banks) and Rhyopsocus concavus Garca Aldrete are augmented with some new characters. A key to the brachypterous forms of Rhyopsocus species occurring in the area under study is presented. The question of whether the species dealt with here form a clade within Rhyopso...
Drones and Dirty Hands

The period known as the “War on Terror” has prompted a revival of interest in the idea of moral dilemmas and the problem of “dirty hands” in public life. Some contend that a policy of targeted killing of terrorist actors is (under specified but not uncommon circumstances) an instance of a dirty-handed moral dilemma – morally required yet morally forbidden, the least evil choice available in the circumstances, but one that nevertheless leaves an indelible moral stain on the character of the person who makes the choice. In this chapter we argue that, while dirty hands situations do exist as a persistent problem of political life, it is generally a mistake to classify policies of target killing (such as the current US policy) as examples of dirty hands. Instead, we maintain, such policies, if justified at all, must ordinarily be justified under the more exacting standards of just war theory and its provisions for justified killing – in particular the requirement that (with limited and defined exceptions) non-combatants be immune from intentional violence. Understanding this distinction both clarifies the significance of dirty hands as a moral phenomenon and also forestalls a set of predictable and all-too-easy appropriations of the concept to domains it was never intended to address.
Immune Therapy for Sarcomas

Absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) recovery rapidly occurring at 14 days after start of chemotherapy for osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma is a good prognostic factor. Conversely, lymphopenia is associated with significantly decreased sarcoma survival. Clearly, the immune system can contribute towards better survival from sarcoma. This chapter will describe treatment and host factors that influence immune function and how effective local control and systemic interventions of sarcoma therapy can cause inflammation and/or immune suppression but are currently the standard of care. Preclinical and clinical efforts to enhance immune function against sarcoma will be reviewed. Interventions to enhance immune function against sarcoma have included regional therapy (surgery, cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation, electroporation, and radiotherapy), cytokines, macrophage activators (mifamurtide), vaccines, natural killer (NK) cells, T cell receptor (TCR) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, and efforts to decrease inflammation. The latter is particularly important because of new knowledge about factors influencing expression of checkpoint inhibitory molecules, PD1 and CTLA-4, in the tumor microenvironment. Since these molecules can now be blocked using anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies, how to translate this knowledge into more effective immune therapies in the future as well as how to augment effectiveness of current interventions (e.g., radiotherapy) is a challenge. Barriers to implementing this knowledge include cost of agents that release immune checkpoint blockade and coordination of cost-effective outpatient sarcoma treatment. Information on how to research clinical trial eligibility criteria and how to access current immune therapy trials against sarcoma are shared, too.
Theory of Affinity Chromatography

Affinity chromatography, based on specific biological recognition and selective binding, in general requires a nonlinear adsorption relationship for mathematical description. Binding chemistry and kinetics depend on steric and intermolecular force effects. Mass transfer processes such as convective dispersion, fluid-to-particle mass transfer, and intraparticle diffusion will influence the dynamics of the separation. Purification processes based on affinity binding are usually semicontinuous with alternating loading and elution steps. Hydrophobic and ionic interactions can interfere with the affinity adsorption and degrade the quality of the separation. A general theory for column affinity chromatography is presented, and special cases are analyzed. For example, models are discussed assuming adsorption equilibrium or with mass transfer controlling.
Anesthesia for Intestinal Transplantation

The diagnosis of irreversible intestinal failure confers significant morbidity, mortality, and decreased quality of life. Patients with irreversible intestinal failure may be treated with intestinal transplantation. Intestinal transplantation may include intestine only, liver-intestine, or other visceral elements. Intestinal transplantation candidates present with systemic manifestations of intestinal failure requiring multidisciplinary evaluation at an intestinal transplantation center. Central access may be difficult in intestinal transplantation candidates. Intestinal transplantation is a complex operation with potential for hemodynamic and metabolic instability. Patient and graft survival are improving, but graft failure remains the most common postoperative complication.
Evaluation of Cohesive Soil Mixed With Fly Ash and Reinforced With Nylon Fibre

Black cotton soil is a expansive soil. And mostly found in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, this soil is highly unstable and it should be stabilize for carry out construction work. Materials like fly ash, rise husk, nylon fiber are used to make soil stable. Addition of such material will increase the physical, chemical and engineering properties of soil. Some of the properties which are improved are CBR value, shear strength, liquidity index, plasticity index, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and bearing capacity, etc. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of fly ash in stabilization of Black cotton soil. Mainly UCS and other properties of soil were calculated. The tests were conducted on Soil-Fly Ash mixtures, by increasing the Fly Ash percentage in Black cotton soil like 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, and then the soil was tested on Soil-Fly Ash - Fibre mixture by adding the fiber in increasing order like 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%. Results were obtained for mixed proportion of 75% soil and 25% fly ash which has unconfined compressive strength of 173 KN/m2. And by adding 1% of nylon fiber in same proportion of soil – fly ash the unconfined compressive strength increased to 243.12 KN/m2. Increase in UCS value can help in reducing the thickness of earthen roads and pavements and increase the bearing capacity and shear strength of soil. With analysis of results it was found that the fly ash along with nylon fiber has good potential to be used as an additive for improving engineering properties of expansive soil.
An Overview of Constitutive Models

This chapter highlights a number of friction models that are used to study the behavior within an interface, including Coulomb friction, viscous friction, stiction, Stribeck friction, the LuGre model, the Jenkins element, the Iwan element, and the Bouc–Wen hysteresis model amongst others. At present, there is no predictive model of friction; however, several models have demonstrated the ability to reproduce the hysteretic behavior of an interface accurately once calibrated. From an assessment of the current state of the art, three trends emerge. First, an improved physical understanding of the mechanisms of friction is needed. Second, new strategies for accounting for model form error could improve the applicability of existing friction models. Third, with improved physical understanding and better strategies for managing model form error, a potential path forward may result in a two-model process: a highly detailed model that is used to predict the friction parameters for a specific system and a less detailed model that uses those results convoluted with new model form error strategies to simulate the dynamics of the system of interest.
Optimizing system models for simulation efficiency

This chapter describes algorithmic ways to transform a multi-threaded SystemC model into a non-threaded model for simulation efficiency. Such a transformation must be correctness preserving, and the transformed model must simulate the original model. We show simulation results to establish the efficiency enhancement by the systematic transformation.
Chapter 34 – Proton Therapy for Spinal Chordomas and Chondrosarcomas

Abstract Background: Negative surgical margins are uncommon for skull base, spinal/paraspinal sarcomas. As such, preoperative and/or postoperative radiation therapy is often recommended to improve local control (LC). Surgical resection achieving negative margins and delivery of adequate radiation therapy dose is challenging because of the neighboring delicate structures in these anatomical locations. Material and Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed search engine. Relevant peer-reviewed articles written in English were the basis for the findings described in this chapter. Results: Surgery can be morbid for some patients in these locations and negative margins are hard to achieve. Radiation therapy helps with LC, and advances in technology have enabled the safer delivery of higher doses of radiation therapy. Conclusions: Radiation therapy appears to improve LC of chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the base of skull and spine. Prospective randomized data are scarce limiting the ability to make definitive treatment recommendations.
Oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane using MoO3/Fe2O3 catalysts in a cyclic redox mode

Abstract Oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of ethane offers large reductions in energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions when compared to conventional steam cracking for ethylene production; however, catalytic ODH of ethane using co-fed O2 requires expensive air separation. As an alternative, we are investigating novel core-shell catalysts that utilize lattice oxygen (O2−) as the sole oxidant and operate in a cyclic redox mode. In this work, redox catalysts having 1, 3 and 6 monolayer (ML) equivalents of MoO3 on α-Fe2O3 and a stoichiometric ferric molybdate, Fe2(MoO4)3, were prepared, characterized by powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse-reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and evaluated for ethane ODH in a cyclic redox mode at 600 °C. The characterization data are consistent with a core-shell structure for the calcined MoO3/Fe2O3 catalysts with a mixed Mo-Fe oxide surface layer. H2 and ethane TPR evidence that the shell inhibits Fe2O3 reduction and decreases the ethane combustion activity of the fully oxidized catalyst. Covering the Fe2O3 core with MoO3 also increases ODH activity and ethylene selectivity. In cyclic redox mode at 600 °C, ethylene selectivity was 57–62% for catalysts with 3 and 6 ML equivalents of MoO3.
The Role of the Left Atrial Appendage in Stroke and Arrhythmia Provocation

The review will provide an overview of the potential use of left atrial appendage (LAA) exclusion in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), highlighting the benefits and risks involved with LAA exclusion. LAA ligation leads to electrical isolation of the LAA and a decrease in LA mass which is associated with a decrease in AF burden and occasional termination of AF in patients with persistent AF. This potential new indication will further expand the use of LAA exclusion and necessitate planning of combining LAA exclusion with catheter ablation for both stroke prevention and antiarrhythmic benefits. Operator experience and training leads to lower adverse events rendering LAA occlusion a safe and effective strategy for stroke reduction in a carefully selected patient population. Widespread use of the LAA occlusion devices is limited by the need for adequate technical training and operator learning curve, risk of complications, and lack of direct comparative data with novel anticoagulants. LAA closure as an adjunct to pulmonary vein isolation may expand upon the use of current closure devices.
Psychosis in Multiple System Atrophy (P2.119)

Objective: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of psychotic symptoms in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA). Background: Symptoms of psychosis, including hallucinations and delusions, are frequent in patients with Parkinson disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. However, the prevalence of psychosis in MSA is unknown. Design/Methods: Longitudinal study and web-based patient questionnaire. Consecutive patients with probable MSA without previous history of psychiatric disorders were prospectively enrolled in a longitudinal observational study. The presence of hallucinations and delusions was determined during a standardized clinical interview and quantified with the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms in Parkinson disease (SAPS-PD). Patients underwent full evaluation of visual acuity, cognition (MoCA), motor function and disease severity (UMSARS). A web-based questionnaire with 40 yes/no questions to evaluate the prevalence of symptoms of MSA, including items on psychosis, was sent by e-mail on April 2017 to patients registered in the Global MSA Patient Registry (GLOMSAR). Results: Of 31 consecutive patients with probable MSA (17 men; 64±8 years old; 13 MSA-P and 14 MSA-C), 6 (19%) had positive symptoms of psychosis including delusions and/or hallucinations. All but one patient had the cerebellar phenotype (MSA-C). Auditory hallucinations occurred in 4 patients, visual hallucinations in 4, persecutory delusions in 3, and jealousy delusions in 3. No patient reported somatic or tactile hallucinations. Psychosis symptoms were severe and refractory to treatment in 2 cases with MSA-C, both of whom died within 12 months of psychosis onset. Psychotic symptoms were not associated with levodopa or other antiparkinsonian medication treatment, visual acuity, cognitive or depression scores, or disease duration. 155 registrants with MSA, of whom 21% reported hallucinations, completed the web-based registry. Conclusions: Psychotic symptoms occur in around 20% of patients with MSA, the vast majority of whom have MSA-C. Severe refractory psychotic symptoms appear to be associated with poor prognosis. Study Supported by: National Institutes of Health (U54 NS065736) and Dysautonomia Foundation, Inc. Disclosure: Dr. Palma has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Lundbeck. Dr. Palma has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Clinical Autonomic Research. Dr. Martinez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Norcliffe-Kaufmann has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kaufmann has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Lundbeck Inc.
Importance of Emotion Regulation Training for Children and Adolescents

Emotion regulation is a critical component of affect education that has attracted a significant amount of research and clinical interest. This aspect of emotion education has not been overlooked in that strategies to downregulate excessive and maladaptive emotion are included in a wide variety of Tier 1, 2, and 3 interventions. Emotion regulation is a complex concept; however, even developing a definition has currently generated discussion and debate resulting in no agreed upon definition (Bridges, Denham, & Ganiban, 2004; Eisenberg & Spinrad, 2004; Greenberg, 2007; Hoeksma, Oosterlaan, & Schipper, 2004).
Issues and Challenges of Drug Development from Cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria are a rich source of diverse bioactive natural products. We discuss the cyanobacterial metabolites and their analogs that are in different stages of clinical trial. Despite many potent biological activities, very few cyanobacterial compounds have entered clinical trials. We discuss various challenges facing drug development from them and their prospects as ideal candidates for novel drug discovery.
Pricing mechanisms for crowdsourcing markets

Every day millions of crowdsourcing tasks are performed in exchange for payments. Despite the important role pricing plays in crowdsourcing campaigns and the complexity of the market, most platforms do not provide requesters appropriate tools for effective pricing and allocation of tasks. In this paper, we introduce a framework for designing mechanisms with provable guarantees in crowdsourcing markets. The framework enables automating the process of pricing and allocation of tasks for requesters in complex markets like Amazon's Mechanical Turk where workers arrive in an online fashion and requesters face budget constraints and task completion deadlines. We present constant-competitive incentive compatible mechanisms for maximizing the number of tasks under a budget, and for minimizing payments given a fixed number of tasks to complete. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this framework we created a platform that enables applying pricing mechanisms in markets like Mechanical Turk. The platform allows us to show that the mechanisms we present here work well in practice, as well as to give experimental evidence to workers' strategic behavior in absence of appropriate incentive schemes.
Communication II (Endocrine Control)

This chapter is answering questions such as: how is the operation of trillions of our cells coordinated? What kind of communications exists in human body? Cells communicate with each other either directly, or through signaling molecules to relay signals from outside and inside the cells. The communications via molecules called ligands can be direct or indirect. In direct cell communication, ligands are bound to the surface of the cell. Soluble, diffusible ligands are used for communication between the cells that are not physically connected or are separated by long distances. The target cells have specialized proteins known as receptors, which are located on the cell surface but anchored in the cell membrane. Ligand can be any molecule, but in the case of endocrine regulation, it is specific hormone.
Nanometer-accuracy distance measurements between fluorophores at the single-molecule level.

Light microscopy is a powerful tool for probing the conformations of molecular machines at the single-molecule level. Single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer can measure intramolecular distance changes of single molecules in the range of 2 to 8 nm. However, current superresolution measurements become error-prone below 25 nm. Thus, new single-molecule methods are needed for measuring distances in the 8- to 25-nm range. Here, we describe methods that utilize information about localization and imaging errors to measure distances between two different color fluorophores with ∼1-nm accuracy at distances >2 nm. These techniques can be implemented in high throughput using a standard total internal reflection fluorescence microscope and open-source software. We applied our two-color localization method to uncover an unexpected ∼4-nm nucleotide-dependent conformational change in the coiled-coil "stalk" of the motor protein dynein. We anticipate that these methods will be useful for high-accuracy distance measurements of single molecules over a wide range of length scales.
Tutor, salon, convent: the formation of women philosophers in early modern France

Excluded from the university, women authors in early modern France acquired their philosophical culture from other venues. The tutorial, the salon, and the convent school are three of the era’s most prominent institutions involved in the development of this philosophical culture for women. The writings of the poet Madame Deshoulieres, the salonniere Madame de Sable, and the abbess Angelique de Saint-Jean Arnauld d’Andilly illustrate how these institutions shaped their respective philosophical interests and imparted a particular style and set of thematic concerns to their philosophical works.