cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic accuracy of simpson atherectomy catheter biopsy in detecting pancreaticobiliary malignancy.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Impressive advances have been made in imaging the biliary tree by various modalities in the last few decades. However, the histological diagnosis of stenosing lesions in the biliary ductal system has remained difficult and unreliable. Application of Simpson atherectomy catheter biopsy in obtaining accurate histological diagnosis of bile duct lesions appears promising. The purpose of our study was to determine the clinical accuracy of the Simpson atherectomy catheter biopsy in the evaluation of bile duct strictures. METHODS: A retrospective study of medical records of patients who underwent bile duct biopsy by atherectomy catheter was conducted between 1991 and 1999. During this period, 53 patients underwent 56 endoluminal bile duct biopsies with an atherectomy catheter as part of an obstructive jaundice workup. Histological diagnosis on biopsy was confirmed by subsequent surgical biopsy and/or clinical follow-up. RESULTS: Fifty-four (96%) bile duct biopsies were technically successful in terms of yielding a histological diagnosis. Thirty-one of the 56 (55%) biopsy specimens were positive for malignancy (27 adenocarcinoma, two islet cell-carcinoids, one small cell carcinoma, and one malignant lymphoma). Four (7%) were read by the pathologist as highly suspicious for malignancy, and 19 (34%) specimens were considered negative for malignancy. Sensitivity of atherectomy catheter endoluminal biliary biopsy in this study was 97% with a specificity of 100%. In addition, the positive predictive and negative predictive values of this modality were 100% and 93%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Endoluminal bile duct biopsy by Simpson atherectomy catheter appears to be a highly sensitive and specific method for establishing histological diagnosis of stenosing lesions in the biliary ductal system.
Non-transcriptional regulatory processes shape transcriptional network dynamics

Information about the extra- or intracellular environment is often captured as biochemical signals that propagate through regulatory networks. These signals eventually drive phenotypic changes, typically by altering gene expression programmes in the cell. Reconstruction of transcriptional regulatory networks has given a compelling picture of bacterial physiology, but transcriptional network maps alone often fail to describe phenotypes. Cellular response dynamics are ultimately determined by interactions between transcriptional and non-transcriptional networks, with dramatic implications for physiology and evolution. Here, we provide an overview of non-transcriptional interactions that can affect the performance of natural and synthetic bacterial regulatory networks.
Gravitational fermion production in inflationary cosmology

Abstract We revisit the gravitational production of massive Dirac fermions in inflationary cosmology with a focus on clarifying the analytic computation of the particle number density in both the large and the small mass regimes. For the case in which the masses of the gravitationally produced fermions are small compared to the Hubble expansion rate at the end of inflation, we obtain a universal result for the number density that is nearly independent of the details of the inflationary model. The result is identical to the case of conformally coupled scalars up to an overall multiplicative factor of order unity for reasons other than just counting the fermionic degrees of freedom.
In-flight demonstration of a real-time flush airdata sensing system

A prototype real-time flush airdata sensing system has been developed and flight tested at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. This system uses a matrix of pressure orifices on the vehicle nose to estimate airdata parameters in real time using nonlinear regression. The algorithm is robust to sensor failures and noise in the measured pressures. The real-time flush airdata sensing (FADS) system has been calibrated using inertial trajectory measurements that were bootstrapped for atmospheric conditions using meteorological data. Mach numbers as high as 1.6 and angles of attack greater than 45 deg have been tested. The system performance has been evaluated by comparing the real-time FADS to the ship system airdata computer measurements to give a quantitative evaluation relative to an accepted measurement standard. Nominal agreements of approximately 0.003 in Mach number and 0.20 deg in angle of attack and angle of sideslip have been achieved.
Overcoming the hurdles in using mouse genetic models that block TGF-β signaling

The recent recognition of the importance of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) in mediating many cellular immune functions has popularized the use of mouse models where TGF-β signaling is blocked in specific cell types. However, there are some caveats affiliated with each model. Here we describe and show evidence for some of the limitations of these models and provide insight into ways to improve the utility of these animals for in vivo studies.
Why Clinically Used Tazobactam and Sulbactam Are Poor Inhibitors of OXA-10 β-Lactamase: Raman Crystallographic Evidence†

The clinically used inhibitors tazobactam and sulbactam are effective in the inhibition of activity of class A β-lactamases, but not for class D β-lactamases. The two inhibitors exhibit a complex m...
Iron Oxide Surface-Catalyzed Oxidation of Ferrous Iron by Monochloramine: Implications of Oxide Type and Carbonate on Reactivity

The maintenance of monochloramine residuals in drinking water distribution systems is one technique often used to minimize microbial outbreaks and thereby maintain the safety of the water. Reactions between oxidizable species and monochloramine can however lead to undesirable losses in the disinfectant residual. Previous work has illustrated that the Fe(II) present within distribution systems is one type of oxidizable species that can exert a monochloramine demand. This paper extends this prior work by examining the kinetics of the reactions between Fe(II) and monochloramine in the presence of a variety of iron oxide surfaces. The identity of the iron oxide plays a significant role in the rate of these reactions. Surface area-normalized initial rate coefficients (kinit) obtained in the presence of each oxide at pH ≈6.9 exhibit the following trend in catalytic activity: magnetite > goethite > hematite ≈ lepidocrocite > ferrihydrite. The differences in the activity of these oxides are hypothesized to resul...
COLORECTAL CARCINOMA AND LYMPHOMA

Examination of the clinical, pathological and follow up data on patients who have had a colorectal carcinoma resected at Concord Hospital between 1971 and 1979 has disclosed five patients with a synchronous or metachronous lymphoma. The literature related to this association is reviewed.
Two-dimensional retiming with low memory requirements

This paper considers throughput and memory requirements in architectures which operate on two-dimensional (2D) digital signals. We present a novel technique for retiming a 2D data-flow graph to meet a given throughput constraint while keeping the memory required by the architecture low. This technique, which we call orthogonal two-dimensional retiming, is posed as two linear programming problems which can be solved in polynomial time. Our results show that, for a given throughput constraint, the orthogonal two-dimensional retiming formulation leads to architectures which require less memory than architectures designed using previously known techniques.
The Rat Ear Vein Model for Investigating In Vivo Thrombogenicity of Ultrafine Particles (UFP)

Recent studies in rodents indicate that intravenous or intratracheal administration of ultrafine particles (UFP) increases thrombogenesis in a surgically exposed peripheral vein after photodynamic excitation of intravenously injected rose bengal (RB). We sought to adapt the invasive peripheral vein RB model to a noninvasive monitoring of ear veins under an inverted microscope. Animals received one of the following: an intraperitoneal, intravenous bolus, or intravenously infused dose of RB. An ear vein was illuminated by a green laser, and formation of a thrombus was captured with a digital camera. Only continuous intravenous infusion produced a steady-state RB plasma level and reproducible thrombus responses in different ear veins of the same rat. This system was then used to study the thrombogenic effects of iv-administered positively or negatively charged 60-nm ultrafine polystyrene particles (PSP). Significant dose-dependent enhancement of thrombus formation was found, as indicated by decreased laser illumination time to 33% of baseline values at 0.5 mg/kg. Negatively charged PSP of the same size failed to affect thrombus formation. We also studied the thrombogenic effect of PSP without the use of RB. The findings were the same as with RB, although the illumination time had to be increased. When 0.5 mg/kg was instilled intratracheally, the laser illumination time to form a thrombus was decreased to 42% of the baseline value, suggesting translocation of UFP into the bloodstream. These results are consistent with previous findings using the invasive model, and they validate the use of this non-invasive ear vein model to evaluate thrombogenic effects of UFP deposition in the respiratory tract.
Delayed Induction, Not Impaired Recruitment, of Specific CD8+ T Cells Causes the Late Onset of Acute Hepatitis C

Background & Aims Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is characterized by lack of immune-mediated liver injury despite a high level of HCV replication during the incubation phase, which lasts about 8 weeks. We investigated whether this results from delayed recruitment of HCV-specific T cells and whether it facilitates HCV persistence. Methods Six chimpanzees were infected with HCV; blood and liver samples were collected for 28 weeks and analyzed for immune cells and chemokines. Results Two chimpanzees developed self-limited infections, whereas the remaining 4 developed chronic infections. Levels of the chemokines CXCL10, CXCL11, CCL4, and CCL5 increased in blood and liver samples from all chimpanzees within 1 month of HCV infection. Chemokine induction correlated with intrahepatic type I interferon (IFN) responses in vivo and was blocked by neutralizing antibodies against IFN-β in vitro. Despite the early-stage induction of chemokines, the intrahepatic lymphocytic infiltrate started to increase no earlier than 8 weeks after HCV infection, when HCV-specific, tetramer-positive CD8 + T cells appeared in the circulation. The HCV-specific CD8 + T cells expressed chemokine receptors when they were initially detected in blood samples, so they could be recruited to the liver as soon as they entered the circulation. Conclusions Chemokines are induced during early stages of HCV infection, which requires a type I IFN–mediated response. The delayed onset of acute hepatitis does not result from delayed recruitment of HCV-specific T cells, but could instead be related to a primary delay in the induction of HCV-specific T cells. Divergent outcomes occur without evident differences in chemokine induction and T-cell recruitment.
Integrated switched-capacitor voltage doubler with clock transition periods boosting and transfer blocking techniques

In this paper, a CMOS switched-capacitor voltage doubler is proposed. It employs the techniques of clock synchronization and charge transfer blocking to minimize the reversion loss. The clock transition period detection and boosting circuit modules allow continuous charge action to the output node, which significantly improves operation performances. The proposed voltage doubler was designed using IBM 180nm CMOS process, with a 1.2V supply voltage. Under no-load condition, it achieves 99.92% of ideal voltage level with 8mV voltage ripple, while consuming only 9.6µW of quiescent power. With a load ranging from 20kΩ to 200kΩ, the up-conversion ratio performs 45% better than the prior arts.
PDAS: Processor design automation system

The PDAS (Processor Design Automation System) is a new approach to design automation that uses formal methods to achieve a new level of design power and the ability to formally validate designs. The idea is to develop a design automation system which considers both microprocessor hardware design and design of the corresponding language compiler concurrently. Benchmark programs are used to motivate design decisions and optimize performance. Compiler optimizations are considered during the design of hardware. The system spans language design, compiler design, instruction set design, microarchitecture, and VLSI implementation. >
A novel CDD-OFDM scheme with pilot-aided channel estimation

Cyclic delay diversity (CDD) is a low-complexity standard-conformable transmit diversity scheme for coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. However, it makes channel estimation more challenging due to the increased frequency-selectivity of the equivalent single-input single-output channel. In this paper, we propose a novel CDD-OFDM scheme with pilot-aided channel estimation for any number of transmit antennas. By alternating and optimizing the cyclic delay parameter over adjacent OFDM symbols, we design a simple yet efficient channel estimation scheme and illustrate its excellent performance for the DVB-T application.
Peritoneal nitric oxide is a marker of peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Nitric oxide plays an important role in medi- ating the inflammatory process. The aim of this study was to evaluate if nitric oxide production was increased during peritonitis in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), and the associ- ation with the prognosis. The study population com- prised 21 patients with 22 episodes of peritonitis. Fifteen patients without peritonitis were controls. Nitrate was measured by HPLC and nitrite by the Griess method, to reflect nitric oxide production. Peritoneal dialysate effluent and plasma were collected from six patients during peritonitis and 1 week after treatment to study changes in dialysate:plasma ratio. In 15 patients, nitrite was measured during peritonitis and every 3 days for 2 weeks or until normalized for evolutional changes. The dialysate: plasma ratios of nitrate and nitrite during peritonitis were reduced 26% and 41.5%, respectively, after 1 week of treatment, indicating the peritoneal production of nitric oxide during peritonitis. In the evolutional study, a 5.1-fold increase of peak nitrite levels in bacterial peritonitis (H=13 ) and a 2.5-fold increase in fungal peritonitis (« = 3) were observed compared to controls. Nitrite gradually declined to control levels (9.3 ±7.2 days) after effective antibiotic treatment, but took longer than to normalize leukocyte count in the peritoneal dialysate effluent (3.9+ 1.9 days). In four patients with refractory peritonitis (Candida infection in three, Acinetobacter infection in one), the nitrite levels remained elevated 2-fold despite treatment, and the catheters were removed. It is concluded that nitrite levels in peritoneal dialysate effluent may serve as a marker to assess treatment efficacy in CAPD patients with peritonitis.
Abstract 19791: Echocardiography Derived Velocity Time Integral is Associated with Double Switch Outcomes in Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries

Introduction: Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (CCTGA) is a rare form of congenital heart disease characterized by atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial discordance. Management is controversial; options include observation, physiologic repair and anatomic repair by the double switch operation (DSO). Assessment of morphologic left ventricle (LV) preparedness is key in determining DSO timing, although exact criteria are lacking. Cardiac MRI is the current standard technique to assess LV adequacy prior to DSO. The purpose of our study was to determine if echocardiographic (echo) or MRI measures of the LV predict outcomes. Methods: A retrospective review of CCTGA patients eligible for DSO at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital from 2000-2014 was conducted. Inclusion criteria were: 1) age &lt18 years, 2) adequate pre-surgical echo and MRI images and 3) clinical follow-up information available. Post-processing of echo images was performed to obtain measurements of LV structure and function. Measurements included 5/6 and 2/3 area-length ejection fraction (EF) and mass, LV eccentricity index, LV posterior wall thickness, LV tissue Doppler velocities, tricuspid valve regurgitation severity, pulmonary artery (PA) pressure gradient and PA velocity time integral (VTI). MRI measurements included LV mass and EF. Outcomes included achieving DSO and freedom from death, transplant and heart failure at last follow up. Results: 31 patients met inclusion criteria (7.3 ± 7.8 years). Peak PA VTI correlated significantly with outcomes. Receiver operating curve analysis showed that a VTI of &gt 1.17cm predicted successful DSO and freedom from death, transplant and heart failure at last follow up, with a respective sensitivity of 80% and 83% and specificity of 86% and 78% (AUC 0.88-0.92, p &lt 0.0001). Inter and intra-observer variability for VTI measurements was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficients &gt 0.95). MRI and other echo measurements of LV mass and function as well as PA pressure gradient did not correlate with outcome. Conclusion: PA VTI is a readily available and highly reproducible measurement that reflects morphologic LV performance and predicts outcomes in CCTGA patients better than conventional MRI assessment.
An architecture for a seamless mesh network

For interoffice networks, mesh-based topologies are inherently superior to ring-based topologies. Compared to rings, mesh networks can provide greater provisioning flexibility, more efficient protection, and robustness against a wider range of failures. For an extended mesh network, it is possible for the protection efficiency to approach 100 %. It is feasible to guarantee fast restoration in a mesh network by sacrificing some protection efficiency. Unlike ring-based networks, mesh-based networks can be seamless. This paper presents an architecture for a seamless mesh network that can provide both fast restoration and high efficiency. A network based on this architecture can be extended seamlessly over a large area.
SHape REtrieval contest 2008: CAD models

This paper presents the summary of all the results of the participants in the event SHREC08 — CAD Model Track
Optimization and Use of Peptide Mass Measurement Accuracy in Shotgun Proteomics

Mass spectrometers that provide high mass accuracy such as FT-ICR instruments are increasingly used in proteomic studies. Although the importance of accurately determined molecular masses for the identification of biomolecules is generally accepted, its role in the analysis of shotgun proteomic data has not been thoroughly studied. To gain insight into this role, we used a hybrid linear quadrupole ion trap/FT-ICR (LTQ FT) mass spectrometer for LC-MS/MS analysis of a highly complex peptide mixture derived from a fraction of the yeast proteome. We applied three data-dependent MS/MS acquisition methods. The FT-ICR part of the hybrid mass spectrometer was either not exploited, used only for survey MS scans, or also used for acquiring selected ion monitoring scans to optimize mass accuracy. MS/MS data were assigned with the SEQUEST algorithm, and peptide identifications were validated by estimating the number of incorrect assignments using the composite target/decoy database search strategy. We developed a simple mass calibration strategy exploiting polydimethylcyclosiloxane background ions as calibrant ions. This strategy allowed us to substantially improve mass accuracy without reducing the number of MS/MS spectra acquired in an LC-MS/MS run. The benefits of high mass accuracy were greatest for assigning MS/MS spectra with low signal-to-noise ratios and for assigning phosphopeptides. Confident peptide identification rates from these data sets could be doubled by the use of mass accuracy information. It was also shown that improving mass accuracy at a cost to the MS/MS acquisition rate substantially lowered the sensitivity of LC-MS/MS analyses. The use of FT-ICR selected ion monitoring scans to maximize mass accuracy reduced the number of protein identifications by 40%.
Importance of the B s 0 →μ+μ- branching fractionbranching fraction

We discuss the Bs0→μ+μ- decay channel, which is sensitive to deviations from the standard model. We also consider the Bs0 mixing information that could be obtained from these decays in the framework of the standard model. Finally, we comment on the experimental difficulties of observing the Bs0→μ+μ- channel.
Tubercular Osteomyelitis Clavicle: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION Osteomyelitis of the clavicle is a rare entity particularly in adults. Most infective lesions of the clavicle are traumatic and are not difficult to diagnose. Nontraumatic clavicular lesions, on the other hand, are rare and are difficult to diagnosis. It can also occur as a complication of head and neck surgery and subclavian catheter placement. CASE REPORT We describe this case in a 61-year-old male who presented with a discharging sinus since 2 years at his left shoulder tip with purulent discharge. Clinicoradiologically, patient was diagnosed as a case of pyogenic osteomyelitis of the lateral end of the clavicle. However, biopsy proved it to be a tubercular osteomyelitis. CONCLUSION Discharging sinus along with secondary infection made diagnosis difficult and delayed appropriate treatment. Thus, as skeletal tuberculosis (TB) can mimic any bony pathology, TB has to be included in the differential diagnosis especially at unusual sites.
TBPoint: Reducing Simulation Time for Large-Scale GPGPU Kernels

Architecture simulation for GPGPU kernels can take a significant amount of time, especially for large-scale GPGPU kernels. This paper presents TBPoint, an infrastructure based on profiling-based sampling for GPGPU kernels to reduce the cycle-level simulation time. Compared to existing approaches, TBPoint provides a flexible and architecture-independent way to take samples. For the evaluated 12 kernels, the geometric means of sampling errors of TBPoint, Ideal-Simpoint, and random sampling are 0.47%, 1.74%, and 7.95%, respectively, while the geometric means of the total sample size of TBPoint, Ideal-Simpoint, and random sampling are 2.6%, 5.4%, and 10%, respectively. TBPoint narrows the speed gap between hardware and GPGPU simulators, enabling more and more large-scale GPGPU kernels to be analyzed using detailed timing simulations.
Courts, Legislatures, and Second-Parent Adoptions: On Judicial Deference, Specious Reasoning, and the Best Interests of the Child

Many jurisidictions will allow a gay or lesbian individual to adopt a child, but will not allow each partner of a same-sex couple to adopt a child jointly so that they each might be the legal parent of the same child. This article explores some of the reasons offered for and against permitting second-parent adoptions by lesbian and gay couples, concluding that permitting second-parent adoptions by such couples will promote the best interests of the child and that courts should not always wait for the legislature's explicit authorization before granting such adoptions. The article's focus is on some recent decisions addressing this issue and on the recent congressional attempt to limit second-parent adoptions in the District of Columbia.
The Identity of two Lygus Pests (Hemiptera, Miridae)

The scientific and common names of the insects Lygus elisus Van Duzee and Lygus hesperus Knight have been confused. The insects are now known to be distinct species and are therefore raised from the rank of variety to that of species. Differences between the two insects are given and new common names are proposed.
The solution of certain integral equations by means of operators of arbitrary order

(1990). The Solution of Certain Integral Equations by Means of Operators of Arbitrary Order. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 97, No. 6, pp. 498-503.
Bacterial Ion Channels

Bacterial ion channels were known, but only in special cases, such as outer membrane porins in Escherichia coli and bacterial toxins that form pores in their target (bacterial or mammalian) membranes. The exhaustive coverage provided by a decade of bacterial genome sequencing has revealed that ion channels are actually widespread in bacteria, with homologs of a broad range of mammalian channel proteins coded throughout the bacterial and archaeal kingdoms. This review discusses four groups of bacterial channels: porins, mechano-sensitive (MS) channels, channel-forming toxins, and bacterial homologs of mammalian channels. The outer membrane (OM) of gram-negative bacteria blocks access of essential nutrients; to survive, the cell needs to provide a mechanism for nutrients to penetrate the OM. Porin channels provide this access by forming large, nonspecific aqueous pores in the OM that allow ions and vital nutrients to cross it and enter the periplasm. MS channels act as emergency release valves, allowing solutes to rapidly exit the cytoplasm and to dissipate the large osmotic disparity between the internal and external environments. MS channels are remarkable in that they do this by responding to forces exerted by the membrane itself. Some bacteria produce toxic proteins that form pores in trans, attacking and killing other organisms by virtue of their pore formation. The review focuses on those bacterial toxins that kill other bacteria, specifically the class of proteins called colicins. Colicins reveal the dangers of channel formation in the plasma membrane, since they kill their targets with exactly that approach.
Gamma-Gamma Angular Correlation in Ni 60

The angular correlation of the gamma rays emitted in cascade from the excited states of ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{60}$ has been measured at increments of 10\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} from 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 270\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} with automatic apparatus using sodium iodide detectors and 5819 photomultipliers. For a dilute Co${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ source, the correlation obtained is $W(\ensuremath{\theta})=1+(0.131\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.017){cos}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta}+(0.024\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.017){cos}^{4}\ensuremath{\theta}$. The anisotropy, $\frac{({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{2}+{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{4})}{{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{0}}\ensuremath{\equiv}R$, where $W(\ensuremath{\theta})={\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{0}+{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{2}{cos}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta}+{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{4}{cos}^{4}\ensuremath{\theta}$, is 0.1557 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0010. The expected value of $R$, taking the finite angular resolution of the apparatus into account, is 0.1517. A change in the anisotropy to a value of 0.1453\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0023 due to a chemical change in the source was observed.
Effects of Temperature on unsolvable particles of halogenated butyl rubber stopper for injection

OBJECTIVE To discuss the effects of temperature on the unsolvable particles of halogenated butyl rubber stopper for injection.METHODS Halogenated butyl rubber stopper for injection was researched on different temperatures.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION 1.The more higher the temperature was,the more unsolvable particles separate from the halogenated butyl rubber stopper for injection.2.The test temperature had more influence on the small particles(≥10μm)than on the big particles(≥25μm) of the halogenated butyl rubber stopper for injection.
Multiplexed fluorescence tomography with spectral and temporal data: demixing with intrinsic regularization

We consider the joint use of spectral and temporal data for multiplexed fluorescence molecular tomography to enable high-throughput imaging of multiple fluorescent targets in bulk tissue. This is a challenging problem due to the narrow near-infrared diagnostic window and relatively broad emission spectra of common fluorophores, and the distortion (“redshift”) that the fluorophore signals undergo as they propagate through tissue. We show through a Cramer-Rao lower bound analysis that demixing with spectral-temporal data could result in an order of magnitude improvement in performance over either modality alone. To cope with the resulting large data set, we propose a novel two-stage algorithm that decouples the demixing and tomographic reconstruction operations. In this work we concentrate on the demixing stage. We introduce an approach which incorporates ideas from sparse subspace clustering and compressed sensing and does not require a regularization parameter. We report on simulations in which we simultaneously demixed four fluorophores with closely overlapping spectral and temporal profiles in a 25 mm diameter cross-sectional area with a root-mean-square error of less than 3% per fluorophore, as well as on studies of sensitivity of the method to model mismatch.
Performance study of maximum likelihood receivers and transversal filters for the detection of direct sequence spread spectrum signal in narrowband interference

Linear least squares estimation techniques can be used to enhance suppression of narrowband interference in direct sequence spread spectrum systems. Nonlinear techniques for this purpose have also been investigated recently. The authors derive maximum likelihood receivers for direct sequence signal in Gaussian interference with known second order characteristics. It is shown that if the receiver uses samples from outside the bit interval, then the receiver structure is nonlinear. The bit error rate performances of these receivers are compared to those of linear receivers employing one-sided and two-sided least squares estimation filters, for the case of Gaussian autoregressive interference. The results show that intersymbol interference due to filter taps extending beyond the bit interval cannot be ignored for small processing gains. In some cases, not accounting for intersymbol interference yields too optimistic error estimates, very much away from the true error rates. >
Usability of Biometric Systems

This chapter describes how the biometrics group at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology applied usability testing to improve the performance of government biometric systems. It provides case studies that illustrate the scientific rigor of the research methods and the impact of human factors on fielded biometric systems and offers guidelines for designing biometric systems and integrating biometric devices into systems.
Diabetes Mellitus in Pregnancy

Gestational and pregestational diabetes make up the most common maternal metabolic disorder of pregnancy. Suboptimal control of blood glucose has the potential for serious maternal and neonatal adverse effects. Neonates of diabetic mothers are at risk for congenital malformations, perinatal mortality, preeclampsia, preterm birth, increased birthweight, neonatal hypoglycemia and respiratory distress. The nature and severity of risks depend on the timing and duration of hyperglycemia. Through glycemic control and proper prenatal care, many of these risks can be mitigated. Pediatric providers must be sensitive to the association between a newborn’s risk and the mother’s level of glycemic control, often linked to her adherence to prenatal care.
Astrocytes in the Optic Nerve Head of Glaucomatous Mice Display a Characteristic Reactive Phenotype.

Purpose Optic nerve head astrocytes, a subtype of white-matter astrocytes, become reactive early in the course of glaucoma. It was shown recently that in the DBA/2J mouse model of inherited glaucoma optic nerve astrocytes extend new longitudinal processes into the axon bundles before ganglion cell loss becomes apparent. The present study aims at testing whether this behavior of astrocytes is typical of early glaucomatous damage. Methods Mice expressing green fluorescent protein in individual astrocytes were used to evaluate the early response of astrocytes in the glial lamina of the optic nerve head after increasing the IOP using the microbead occlusion method. Tissue sections from the glial lamina were imaged consecutively by confocal and electron microscopy. Results Confocal and electron microscope images show that astrocytes close to the myelination transition zone in the hypertensive nerve heads extend new processes that follow the longitudinal axis of the optic nerve and invade axon bundles in the nerve head. Ultrastructurally, the longitudinal processes were largely devoid of subcellular organelles except for degenerating mitochondria. Conclusions The longitudinal processes are a common feature of glaucomatous optic nerve astrocytes, whereas they are not observed after traumatic nerve injury. Thus, astrocytes appear to fine-tune their responses to the nature and/or timing of the injury to the neurons that they surround.
Metabolic evolution and the self-organization of ecosystems

Metabolism mediates the flow of matter and energy through the biosphere. We examined how metabolic evolution shapes ecosystems by reconstructing it in the globally abundant oceanic phytoplankter Prochlorococcus To understand what drove observed evolutionary patterns, we interpreted them in the context of its population dynamics, growth rate, and light adaptation, and the size and macromolecular and elemental composition of cells. This multilevel view suggests that, over the course of evolution, there was a steady increase in Prochlorococcus' metabolic rate and excretion of organic carbon. We derived a mathematical framework that suggests these adaptations lower the minimal subsistence nutrient concentration of cells, which results in a drawdown of nutrients in oceanic surface waters. This, in turn, increases total ecosystem biomass and promotes the coevolution of all cells in the ecosystem. Additional reconstructions suggest that Prochlorococcus and the dominant cooccurring heterotrophic bacterium SAR11 form a coevolved mutualism that maximizes their collective metabolic rate by recycling organic carbon through complementary excretion and uptake pathways. Moreover, the metabolic codependencies of Prochlorococcus and SAR11 are highly similar to those of chloroplasts and mitochondria within plant cells. These observations lead us to propose a general theory relating metabolic evolution to the self-amplification and self-organization of the biosphere. We discuss the implications of this framework for the evolution of Earth's biogeochemical cycles and the rise of atmospheric oxygen.
The Art of Creating a Cross-Cultural Dialogue on Screen: "The Way Home "& "The Colour of Fear"

Movies do not merely offer us the opportunity to reimagine the culture we most intimately know on the screen, they make culture. In this age of mixing and hybridity, popular culture, particularly the world of movies, constitutes a new frontier providing a sense of movement, of pulling away from the familiar and journeying into the beyond the world of the other. This work interrogates even as is continually celebrates cinema's capacity to create new awareness, to transform culture right before our very eyes. (bell hooks) Identities are social constructions rather than natural kinds; they are indelibly marked by the oppressive conditions that created them. (AlcoffM as well as voice and muteness, (self-) reflexivity and (self-) healing, relations of power and privilege, politics of exclusion but most importantly inclusive communities and transformative cross-cultural communication are critically addressed in this essay. Methodologically, this essay conceptualizes contemporary cinematography (documentary and fictional) as a form of the most popular modern art and, at the same time, a pedagogical tool, reflective of social reality and simultaneously deliberately creating it through cinematographic representation of cultural dynamics on screen.
Tricyclic heterocycles as precursors to functionalized spirocyclic oximes

Abstract An efficient synthesis of functionalized spirocyclic oximes from tricyclic heterocycles is reported. This novel method accomplishes high diastereoselectivity via an intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with a regenerating Michael linker strategy. Ring opening of the tricyclic N -(trimethylsilyloxy)pyrrolo[3,4- c ]isoxazolidine framework was found to be essential for successful N -alkylation of the tertiary amine on the polymer support. β-Elimination of the quaternary salt releases the spirocyclic oximes from the solid support in overall yields of 45–60%.
Epilogue: Ecology, Culture, and Anthropology

This chapter discusses ecology, culture, and anthropology. Apart from the question of definition, there would seem to be three kinds of cultural ecology from the standpoint of subject matter: those dealing with nonagrarian and tribal-agrarian (isolated) systems, those with accessible agrarian systems, and those with industrial settings. Clearly, the problems associated with industrial systems, and all the others, are very different. In the latter, the human actors must deal directly with natural substances, and cultural style is obviously bound up with the supply of these resources and the way they are used. In the cultural ecology of industrial systems, the majority of people supported by high technology have no direct involvement with natural substances, and their lives are not directly affected by resource-utilization patterns such as land tenure or the yearly round of agronomic activities. The problems susceptible of anthropological research in these two settings are very different. The majority of cultural ecological studies published to date have been made in socially-bounded human communities.
Blossom: A Tensile Social Robot Design with a Handcrafted Shell (Demo Abstract)

We describe the design and implementation of Blossom, a social robot that diverges from convention by being flexible both internally and externally. Internally, Blossom»s actuation mechanism is a compliant tensile structure supporting a free-floating platform. This design enables organic and lifelike movements with a small number of motors and simple software control. Blossom»s exterior is also flexible in that it is made of fabric and not rigidly attached to the mechanism, enabling it to freely shift and deform. The handcrafted nature of the shell allows Blossom to take on a variety of forms and appearances. Blossom is envisioned as an open platform for user-crafted human-robot interaction.
Postoperative chemoradiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer aged 70 or older with positive margins or extranodal extension and the influence of nodal classification.

Background Postoperative concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) improves outcomes for younger adults with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and positive margins or extranodal extension (ENE), but its benefit for older adults is not well established. Methods Patients from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) with HNSCC undergoing curative-intent resection, neck dissection, and postoperative radiation with positive margins or ENE were identified. Results This analysis included 1199 patients aged ≥ 70 years with median follow-up of 42.6 months. Postoperative concurrent CRT was associated with improved overall survival (OS; hazard ratio [HR] 0.752; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.638-0.886) compared to radiation alone in multivariable analysis. Three-year OS was 52.4% with CRT versus 43.4% with radiation (P = .012) in propensity-score matched cohorts. The survival impact of CRT varied by N classification (P = .002 for interaction), with benefit seen only in those with N2 to N3 disease. Conclusion Postoperative concurrent CRT may benefit older patients with HNSCC with positive margins or ENE, particularly those with higher nodal burden.
Glycosylation-associated dysregulation of pyocyanin production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Implications for quorum sensing regulation

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an important opportunistic pathogen associated with high mortality in pneumonia, sepsis, and cystic fibrosis. Lending to its ability to cause severe disease and death is its arsenal of virulence factors and host evasion tactics. In addition to various other regulatory systems, many of P. aeruginosa's virulence factors are regulated by a population density dependent regulatory network known as quorum sensing (QS). Many regulatory systems are impacted by post-translational modifications of proteins. An underexplored physiological aspect of P. aeruginosa is its ability to glycosylate proteins and the subsequent impact of glycosylation on P. aeruginosa physiology and behavior. The goal of this study was to determine whether P. aeruginosa QS is regulated by glycosylation. Here we demonstrate that disruption of glycosylation dysregulates QS phenotypes, notably pyocyanin production, in P. aeruginosa PAO1. In this study, it was initially observed that deletion of the P. aeruginosa neuraminidase, PaNA, caused an increased production of pyocyanin in LB-Lennox broth compared to wildtype bacteria at identical population densities. To confirm that the increased pyocyanin production was due to QS, we performed induction experiments using 10% cell-free media harvested from overnight cultures. To determine whether the QS phenotype observed is specific to pseudaminic acid, the target of PaNA, or if it is a reflection of global changes in glycosylation, we measured QS in a library of mutant bacteria generated in an MPAO1 background containing transposon insertions in various glycosyl-associated enzymes. The pattern of dysregulated QS held true in these mutant strains as well. Overall these data indicate that in P. aeruginosa, glycosylation is an important determinant of QS.
Malaria Parasites Alter Human Odor to Attract Mosquito Vectors.

Several studies have demonstrated that malaria parasites can render vertebrate hosts – including humans – more attractive to biting mosquitoes. A recent study provides evidence that Plasmodium falciparum infection alters the aldehyde composition of human foot odor, and suggests that this may be the proximate cause of increased attraction.
Polychromatic Flow Cytometry

Publisher Summary This chapter presents some of the latest techniques used in our implementation of our 12-color flow cytometric technology. It discusses the reagents, calibration and setup, and analysis of the resulting data, including some of the hurdles and pitfalls encountered. Ideally, each fluorochrome should be conjugated to a wide variety of monoclonal specificities in order to provide a wide range of possible panels; of course, this requires a fairly substantial investment of both fluorochromes and monoclonal antibodies. Regardless of the conjugate used, all mAbs require titration against a target cell population to determine the optimal concentration for staining. It cannot be overemphasized that proper titration and selection of mAb concentration are paramount for successful multicolor analysis. Adding too much antibody conjugate can have as much effect on sample analysis as the addition of too little antibody conjugate. A laboratory Web-based database containing all of the antibody conjugate reagents is used to select the antibody conjugate combinations. This database lists the correct mAb concentration and displays the concentration, specificity, lot number, and location on a laboratory worksheet.
Quantitative modelling biology undergraduate assessment

The Quantitative Modelling Biology Undergraduate Assessment (QM BUGS Version II) assesses undergraduate biology students’ quantitative modelling abilities and confidence. The assessment is intended...
Foreigners in the town. Experience of voluntary immigrants living in a small town

The aim of the paper is to unveil the experiences of voluntary immigrants to Slovakia related to their life in a small Slovak town and to identify opportunities for intervention through social work, particularly experience in the field of interpersonal relations, employment or during studies, and in the economic field. In research, we are interested in voluntary migrants who chose small towns in Slovakia, which are culturally and linguistically homogeneous. We have chosen a qualitative research strategy. Research design is grounded theory. As a research tool, we chose an individual structured interview (In-Depth Interview). For qualitative analysis of data, we used the coding; we set descriptive and inductive codes, subcategories and categories. The subject of research is eight voluntary immigrants to Slovakia who live in small towns for at least one year at the time of research. Thus, they meet the long-term migration criterion. Participants were selected on a deliberate basis to cover the phenomenon of voluntary migration. Due to the chosen research design, theoretical sampling is the case.
CEACAM6 as a candidate biomarker for pelareorep sensitivity in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

746Background: Pelareorep is a proprietary formulation of live, replication-competent, naturally occurring Reovirus Type 3 Dearing strain. A randomized phase II trial of pelareorep in combination w...
The Nutrition-Focused Physical Exam

A key component of the nutritional assessment is the nutrition-focused physical exam (NFPE). Competency in performing this exam and interpreting its findings are paramount to making sound clinical decisions and to correctly diagnosing a patient’s nutritional problem(s). However, research reveals that the NFPE is underutilized and that dietitians and healthcare practitioners lack competency and appreciation for its role in nutritional assessment and the provision of quality care. This chapter aims to engage the dietitian, nutritionist, and healthcare provider in learning more about the rationale, techniques, and clinical findings of the NFPE. Extensive tables on how to perform specific physical examination techniques are accompanied by nutritional and medical interpretations of possible clinical findings. A wide array of signs and functional tests are covered from the head to toe along with comprehensive information on anthropometric measures. The nutrition-focused physical exam provides clinicians with objective methods to assess both insufficiencies and excesses of macronutrients, micronutrients, and fluid status and provides the functional nutrition or medical provider with tools to detect early signs of imbalances in organ systems and physiologic function. Finally, an added benefit of the NFPE is the unique opportunity it provides to connect provider and patient in a healing and potentially transformative manner.
Modeling Behavioral Consistency in Large-Scale Wearable Recordings of Human Bio-Behavioral Signals

Continuously-worn wearable sensors provide an unprecedented opportunity to unobtrusively measure rich bio-behavioral time-series recordings in natural settings such as the workplace. These time-series data can be helpful in inferring broad patterns of behavior such as common routines and daily stress. Many existing approaches either rely on rigid pre-defined notions of activities or use sensitive contextual measurements, such as GPS location or localization within the home, that present privacy concerns and measurement challenges. In this work, we introduce a novel data processing pipeline to model behavioral consistency in a large real-world wearable recording data-set collected in a hospital workplace setting from nurses and direct clinical providers for a period of ten weeks. We use a non-parametric clustering method to generate time series clusters and capture behavioral consistency via the activity curve model. We evaluate the behavioral consistency model under different work roles and conditions such as between different groups of nursing professions and day versus night shift individuals. We also demonstrate that the learned behavioral consistency feature can assist in predicting self-reported work behaviors and anxiety levels.