cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Standard model anatomy of WIMP dark matter direct detection. I. Weak-scale matching

We present formalism necessary to determine weak-scale matching coefficients in the computation of scattering cross sections for putative dark matter candidates interacting with the Standard Model. We pay particular attention to the heavy-particle limit. A consistent renormalization scheme in the presence of nontrivial residual masses is implemented. Two-loop diagrams appearing in the matching to gluon operators are evaluated. Details are given for the computation of matching coefficients in the universal limit of WIMP-nucleon scattering for pure states of arbitrary quantum numbers, and for singlet-doublet and doublet-triplet mixed states.
Pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis: a vascular hypothesis.

YSTEMIC SCLEROSIS, or scleroderma, is a generalized multisystem S disease in which the cutaneous features dominate the patient’s appearance, but visceral involvement determines the patient’s survival. Historically, scleroderma was thought to be an affliction of the skin, but cumulative evidence of visceral involvement led Goetzl to propose the term “progressive systemic sclerosis” (the lack of progression in many patients has led recent observers to use the term “systemic sclerosis” as essentially synonymous with scleroderma). In both the identification and early investigation of scleroderma, emphasis centered on the late-stage fibrosis; more recent interest has been in the widespread vascular involvement and its potential as a unifying pathogenetic concept. The study and review of the 261 cases of systemic sclerosis seen at ColumbiaPresbyterian Medical Center over the past 20 yr has led to a conceptual scheme, speculative in part, of etiology and pathophysiology which emphasizes the vascular tree as a target organ in systemic sclerosis. This hypothesis, linking inflammatory, proliferative, and indurative phases of the vascular lesion, is presented on a background of the general features of systemic sclerosis and is extended to highlight specific points in the management of organ involvement. Since several recent reviews provide excellent, detailed coverage of the disease, only those aspects which contribute to our understanding of this hypothesis will be included here.2*4*5J’ CLINICAL FEATURES Systemic sclerosis primarily victimizes middle-aged women. Though the literature reports about a three-to-one ratio of females to males, our experience approaches a four-to-one ratio.4*8*8 While Medsger and Masi report the incidence to be equal in blacks and whites,6 80% of our series is white; however, the large number of referral patients probably accounts for this difference. A reported incidence rate of 2-12 cases per million people per year reveals the uncommon, but
Surface Area Measurement of Functionalized Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Single-walled carbon nanotubes have been functionalized and the specific surface areas of the functionalized nanotubes measured. Contrary to expectations, functionalization leads to a decrease in specific surface area compared to that of the unfunctionalized nanotubes. Treatment with a concentrated 1:1 nitric/sulfuric acid mixture followed by high-temperature baking at 1000 °C was found to increase the specific surface area of the nanotubes. For the unfunctionalized SWNTs, this treatment increases the specific surface area (SSA) by 20%. In the case of SWNTs functionalized by n-butyl groups the increase in the SSA was nearly 2-fold with the value increasing from 410 (drying at 110 °C) to 770 m2/gm (acid and bake treatment followed by drying at 110 °C). For the ozonized SWNTs, the SSA increases more than 3-fold from 381 (drying at 110 °C) to 1068 m2/gm (acid and bake treatment followed by drying at 110 °C). SEM images indicate that the nanotubes rebundle in the solid state with an average bundle size of 10−...
The relationship between securities' abnormal price movements and Wall Street Journal news

Abstract This study investigates the nature of the news which appear in the Wall Street Journal in the periods surrounding abnormal price movements of securities. A news classification system is developed. This system classified the news for a sample of firms whose stock underwent abnormal price changes. Our findings are inconsistent with the efficient market hypothesis. The nature of the news regarding the average firm precedes the abnormal price changes.
Artificial Nest Cavity Used Successfully By Native Species and Avoided by European Starlings

Abstract We describe a weather-durable cavity design used successfully by cavity-nesting species native to the eastern USA and, although accessible, avoided by European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). The artificial nest cavity was constructed using 9.5-cm inside diameter polyvinyl chloride tubes cut to 27.5-cm lengths. The tubes were mounted horizontally with 5.1-cm entry holes drilled through one of the capped ends. Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis), House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon), and Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) nested in 49 of 100, newly mounted tubes on utility poles in north-central Ohio, USA from April through June 2009. These species nested in 85% of the tubes during the same period in 2010 and fledged young from 94.1% of nests. We added 10 nest tubes (27.5-cm long × 17-cm inside diam) at sites similar to the smaller tubes in 2010. Two of the larger tubes were used by nesting starlings and six by native species. Cavity vertical depth has been shown to be an important feature in starling nes...
Promoting or Suppressing Transition to Weak Turbulence in Porous Media Convection via Feedback Control

A method of using feedback control to promote or suppress the transition to chaos in porous media convection is demonstrated in this paper. Feedback control is used in the present paper to provide a comparison between an analytical expression for the transition point to chaos and numerical results. In addition it is shown that such a feedback control can be applied as an excellent practical means for controlling (suppressing or promoting) chaos by using a Magyari transformation. The latter shows that the controlled model can be transformed into the uncontrolled one via a simple transformation of variables implying that the main effect the feedback control has on the solution is equivalent to altering the initial conditions. The theoretical and practical significance of such an equivalent alteration of the initial conditions is presented and discussed.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Inhibition of the production of infectious herpes simplex virus by clofibrate

Abstract The antihyperlipidemic drug clofibrate reduces the yield of infectious herpes simplex virus type 1 from suspension cultures of HEp-2 cells. This reduction in virus titer follows a log dose response over the dose range tested without evidence of drug toxicity to the host cells. A late maturation function of the virus, perhaps envelopment at the nuclear membrane, is a likely target for clofibrate's effects, since the drug is inhibitory when added as late as 7 hr after infection.
Updating Reliability of Steel Miter Gates on Locks and Dams Using Visual Inspection Results

Abstract As both reliability analyses and systematic inspection programs for the world’s infrastructure gain increased usage and prominence, it becomes more important to use the information from routine visual inspections to update lifetime reliability assessments and resulting life-cycle inspection/repair strategies. The Army Corps of Engineers currently uses reliability analyses to economically justify the major rehabilitation of navigation structures. This paper illustrates how the Condition Index visual inspections for locks and dams can be modified and used to update the reliability analysis of a steel miter gate. The miter gates on two existing locks and dams along the Mississippi River are used as examples for corrosion and fatigue deterioration. The approach used is applicable to any structure where the inspection condition states are quantitative and a model exists to relate visual inspection results to the actual deterioration state of the structure.
Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Indicates Silencing of Tumor Suppressor Genes in Uterine Leiomyoma

Background Uterine leiomyomas, or fibroids, represent the most common benign tumor of the female reproductive tract. Fibroids become symptomatic in 30% of all women and up to 70% of African American women of reproductive age. Epigenetic dysregulation of individual genes has been demonstrated in leiomyoma cells; however, the in vivo genome-wide distribution of such epigenetic abnormalities remains unknown. Principal Findings We characterized and compared genome-wide DNA methylation and mRNA expression profiles in uterine leiomyoma and matched adjacent normal myometrial tissues from 18 African American women. We found 55 genes with differential promoter methylation and concominant differences in mRNA expression in uterine leiomyoma versus normal myometrium. Eighty percent of the identified genes showed an inverse relationship between DNA methylation status and mRNA expression in uterine leiomyoma tissues, and the majority of genes (62%) displayed hypermethylation associated with gene silencing. We selected three genes, the known tumor suppressors KLF11, DLEC1, and KRT19 and verified promoter hypermethylation, mRNA repression and protein expression using bisulfite sequencing, real-time PCR and western blot. Incubation of primary leiomyoma smooth muscle cells with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor restored KLF11, DLEC1 and KRT19 mRNA levels. Conclusions These results suggest a possible functional role of promoter DNA methylation-mediated gene silencing in the pathogenesis of uterine leiomyoma in African American women.
Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray studies of Lactobacillus jensenii enolase.

Recombinant Lactobacillus jensenii enolase fused to a C-terminal noncleavable His tag was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized by sitting-drop vapor diffusion. A complete data set was collected to 3.25 A resolution. The crystals belonged to space group I4, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 145.31, c = 99.79 A. There were two protein subunits in the asymmetric unit, which gave a Matthews coefficient V M of 2.8 A3 Da−1, corresponding to 55.2% solvent content.
A unified approach for teaching root locus and bode compensator design

In an undergraduate controls course taught with a standard textbook, students often lose sight of the "forest" of control systems design because they struggle to master the numerous control system algorithm "trees" found in this textbook. As an alternative, the authors of this paper propose a design approach that is common for a large variety of compensators using both the more intuitive root locus design and the more practical Bode design methods. This approach is based on a simple procedure for root locus Proportional-Derivative (PD) design. In this paper, the Bode design procedures for three compensators: lead, PI, and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) are developed from this simple PD design. Procedures for rate feedback, lag and PI-lead (practical PID) compensators have also been developed using this approach. The proposed Bode design procedures are very similar to the procedures developed for root locus design published previously. An example of a lead design from an undergraduate control system laboratory demonstrating this approach is presented.
Selected Research from Hot Chips 24

This introduction to the special issue introduces the articles selected for publication from Hot Chips 24.
Mechanisms of Hypertension Associated With BAY 43-9006

Purpose BAY 43-9006 (sorafenib) is an inhibitor of Raf kinase, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor-2, and angiogenesis in tumor xenografts. The current study investigated the incidence, severity, and mechanism of blood pressure (BP) elevation in patients treated with BAY 43-9006. Patients and Methods Twenty patients received BAY 43-9006 400 mg orally twice daily. BP and heart rate were measured at baseline and then every 3 weeks for 18 weeks. VEGF, catecholamines, endothelin I, urotensin II, renin, and aldosterone were measured at baseline and after 3 weeks of therapy. We assessed vascular stiffness at baseline, after 3 to 6 weeks of therapy, and again after 9 to 10 months of therapy. Results Fifteen (75%) of 20 patients experienced an increase of ≥ 10 mmHg in systolic BP (SBP), and 12 (60%) of 20 patients experienced an increase of ≥ 20 mmHg in SBP compared with their baseline value, with a mean change of 20.6 mmHg (P < .0001) after 3 weeks of therapy. There were no statistically signi...
Nitrosylation and nitration of mitochondrial complex I in Parkinson's disease

Impairment of the mitochondrial electron transport chain has been suggested to be a critical factor in the neuropathogenesis of Parkinson ’ s disease (PD), as inhibition of mitochondrial complex I (CI) activity is consistently detected in PD patients as well as in mitochondrial toxin models of the disorder. Increased levels of various reactive oxygen and nitrogen species appear to contribute to CI inhibition and mitochondrial dysfunction in PD. Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) such as nitric oxide (NO) and its metabolite peroxynitrite (PN) may inhibit CI activity via several different mechanisms including S-nitrosylation, nitration, and protein thiol formation. Studies using various cell and animal PD models have demonstrated that selective mitochondrial CI inhibition in dopaminergic cells may be due to both NO-mediated S-nitrosylation and nitration of CI sub-units. Strategies to modulate mitochondrial NO levels will therefore likely be a promising approach to enhance mitochondrial function and protect dopaminergic neurons against oxidative or nitrosative insult.
Effect of stilbestrol on pregnancy compared to the effect of a placebo

Abstract One hundred ninety pregnant women received increasing doses of stilbestrol. Treatment was begun by at least the twentieth week of pregnancy and continued through the thirty-fifth week of pregnancy, unless the patient delivered or aborted while on the treatment. The dose of stilbestrol began with 6.3 mg. to 50 mg. a day and ended with 137.5 mg. a day. Two hundred three similar women received an indistinguishable placebo and provided a fair comparison. The stilbestrol had no effect on pre-eclampsia, prematurity, fetal weight and survival, or the size of the placenta. The importance of adequate controls is discussed.
HYBRID CHAOS SYNCHRONIZATION

The problem of hybrid chaos synchronization is investigated, where a digital response subsystem is designed to synchronize with an analog drive subsystem. The approach taken is a new prediction-based digital redesign for a continuous-time observer embedded in the response via an optimal linearization approach of the nonlinear chaotic systems. Three typical but topologically quite different chaotic systems, Chua's circuit, Duffing oscillator, and Chen's system, are simulated thereby validating the novel design proposed in this paper.
Simulation Studies for Nonlinear-Transmission-Line Based Ultrafast Rise Times and Waveform Shaping for Pulsed-Power Applications

The generation of high-voltage electrical pulses with very fast rise times is important for several pulsed-power applications. Although several techniques and devices have been used to generate ultrashort rise-time pulses, most suffer from problems relating to reliability, lifetime, and power-handling capacity. Here, the concept of using nonlinear transmission lines is used for attaining ultrashort rise times and pulse sharpening. Numerical simulations are carried out using barium strontium titanate as the dielectric system. The concept is based on using the nonlinear voltage-dependent capacitance of the granular material. The presence of internal grains increases the breakdown strength and also provides for a nonlinear voltage-dependent capacitance that depends on the internal grain size. The output characteristics of transmission lines based on such nonlinear material are simulated. Our results clearly demonstrated rise-time shortening. The results were in agreement with some published experimental data.
A Fully Dynamic Graph Algorithm for Recognizing Interval Graphs

We present the first dynamic graph algorithm for recognizing interval graphs. The algorithm runs in O(nlog n) worst-case time per edge deletion or edge insertion, where n is the number of vertices in the graph. The algorithm uses a new representation of interval graphs called the train tree, which is based on the clique-separator graph representation of chordal graphs. The train tree has a number of useful properties and it can be constructed from the clique-separator graph in O(n) time.
The Phish-Market Protocol: Secure Sharing Between Competitors

One way banks mitigate phishing's effects is to remove fraudulent websites or suspend abusive domain names. The removal process, called a "take-down," is often subcontracted to specialist firms, who refuse to share feeds of phishing website URLs with each other. Consequently, many phishing websites aren't removed. The take-down companies are reticent to exchange feeds, fearing that competitors with less comprehensive lists might free-ride off their efforts. Here, the authors propose the Phish-Market protocol, which enables companies to be compensated for information they provide to their competitors, encouraging them to share. The protocol is designed so that the contributing firm is compensated only for those websites affecting its competitor's clients and only those previously unknown to the receiving firm. The receiving firm, on the other hand, is guaranteed privacy for its client list. The protocol solves a more general problem of sharing between competitors; applications to data brokers in marketing, finance, energy exploration, and beyond could also benefit.
Development of acid-sensitive copolymer micelles for drug delivery*

In recent years, supramolecular micellar assemblies formed from amphiphilic block copolymers have been receiving attention as potential drug carriers. The size of the car- riers is ideal for avoiding rapid renal exclusion and reticuloendothelial uptake, and enables them to be targeted to certain tissues such as tumors. One important issue determining the ef- fectiveness of a micellar drug carrier is the ability to control the time over which drug release takes place, or to possibly trigger drug release at a specific location or time. The mildly acidic pH encountered in tumor and inflammatory tissues as well as in the endosomal and lyso- somal compartments of cells has inspired the development of micellar carriers capable of re- leasing their drug load in response to small changes in pH. One approach to the development of these systems has been to incorporate "titratable" groups such as amines and carboxylic acids into the copolymer backbone, thus altering the solubility of the polymer upon proto- nation and disrupting micelle formation. Another approach has been to incorporate acid- degradable linkages into the copolymer, either for direct attachment of the drug, or to cause a structural change of such magnitude that micellar integrity is lost and the drug is released.
Characterization of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells by Use of an Internal Pt Voltage Probe

DC and ac impedance measurements were performed on yittria-stabilized ZrO 2 electrolytes to separate bulk properties from interfacial phenomena. A Pt voltage probe was buried directly into the solid yittria-stabilizied ZrO 2 electrolyte via screen-printing tape cast layers. DC measurements of solid oxide fuel cells were performed with an internal Pt voltage probe to determine ohmic and nonohmic drops for the total cell during operation. AC impedance measurements were also utilized to show a good correlation between the total cell impedance and the sum of the two half-cell impedances.
Hierarchical Variance Analysis for Analog Circuits Based on Graph Modelling and Correlation Loop Tracing

Process variations play an increasingly important role on the success of analog circuits. State-of-the-art analog circuits are based on complex architectures and contain many hierarchical layers and parameters. Knowledge of the parameter variances and their contribution patterns is crucial for a successful design process. This information is valuable to find solutions for many problems in design, design automation, testing, and fault tolerance. In this paper, we present a hierarchical variance analysis methodology for analog circuits. In the proposed method, we make use of previously computed values whenever possible so as to reduce computational time. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method provides both accuracy and computational efficiency when compared with prior approaches.
Ovine fetal lung fluid response to atrial natriuretic factor.

The fetal lung is an important site of fluid production and is postulated to serve a regulatory role in fetal fluid balance. To assess the role of atrial natriuretic factor on fetal lung liquid production, we studied the effect of intravenous atrial natriuretic factor infusion on tracheal fluid production in fetal sheep with chronic vascular and tracheal catheters. Ovine fetuses (mean gestation=130 days ± 1 day) received successive 40-minute intravenous infusions of increasing doses of synthetic fragment 1-28 atrial natriuretic factor (5, 25, and 100 ng/min · kg −1 ). In response to the 25 ng/min · kg −1 infusion, fetal tracheal fluid production decreased from 1.2 ± 0.3 ml/10 min to 0.6 ± 0.2 ml/10 min ( p −1 infusion (0.5 ± 0.2 ml/10 min). There was a significant inverse correlation between tracheal fluid production and fetal plasma atrial natriuretic factor levels (r = −0.61, p
Yoga as an Experimental Intervention for Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis

In order to study the possible effects of Yoga on cognitive function in multiple sclerosis (MS), we have set up six-month-long classes that meet for 90 minutes once a week. The format for the class follows the Iyengar approach to Hatha-Yoga, which utilizes "props" such as chairs, blankets, or straps that aid the less supple/strong body in achieving the Yoga poses. In particular, people with MS can suffer from balance problems, limb weakness, numbness, and fatigue. Iyengar Yoga thus lends itself particularly well to formulating a class for students with MS. This paper describes the actual Yoga intervention for people with MS and discusses some of the problems in experimental design and logistics encountered in setting up the study.
The effect of trauma backboards on computed tomography radiation dose

Aim To assess the effect of trauma backboards on the radiation dose at computed tomography (CT) when using automatic tube current modulation (ATCM). Materials and methods An anthropomorphic phantom was scanned with two commercially available CT systems (GE LightSpeed16 Pro and Siemens Definition AS+) without and with backboards. Tube current–time product (mAs), and CTDIvol (mGy) were recorded for each examination. Thermoluminescent dosimeters were used to measure skin entrance dose in the pelvis and breast. Statistical significance was determined using a two-sample t-test. In addition, an institutional review board-approved retrospective image review was performed to quantify the frequency of backboard use during CT in the emergency department. Results There was a statistically significant increase in maximum tube current–time product (p Conclusions Using backboards during CT with ATCM can significantly increase the radiation dose. Although the decision to maintain patients on backboards is multifactorial, attempts should be made to minimise backboard use during CT when possible.
The possible roles of environmental factors and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in the prevalence of thyroid diseases in Vietnam era veterans

Purpose of review 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) profoundly affects the immune system in experimental animals. TCDD was a contaminant in defoliants used in the Vietnam War, and is known to cause prolonged activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in humans. Chronic exposure to TCDD is associated with an increased prevalence of certain chronic diseases, lymphomas and leukemias. The AhR is a transcription factor that responds to cellular metabolites as well as to environmental substances. We review how TCDD and the AhR alter thyroid metabolism directly, and how recent experimental and clinical findings on TCDD and immunity are related to autoimmune thyroid diseases. Recent findings TCDD exaggerates the normal responses of the AhR to endogenous activators, affecting dendritic cells, regulatory T cells (T(reg)), T(helper)17 (T(h)17) and T(helper)22 (T(h)22) cells. A recent study on approximately 225 000 veterans of the Vietnam era found that those who served in Vietnam or were otherwise exposed to defoliants had a 2.5-fold to three-fold higher prevalence of the diagnosis of Graves' disease, compared to Veterans who served elsewhere. Summary The balance between T(reg), T(h)17 and T(h)22 cells is disrupted by TCDD, resembling what has been found clinically in Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and in animal models of these diseases. By altering the immune balance in susceptible individuals, chronic TCDD exposure may influence the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid diseases.
Mathematical modeling of the circadian dynamics of the neuroendocrine-immune network in experimentally induced arthritis.

The circadian dynamics of important neuroendocrine-immune mediators have been implicated in progression of rheumatoid arthritis pathophysiology, both clinically as well as in animal models. We pres...
GIS-based Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Aging-Involved Accidents: a Case Study of Three Counties in Florida

Roadway accidents claim more than 30,000 lives each year in the United States, and they continue adversely affecting people’s well-being. This problem becomes even more challenging when aging populations are considered due to their vulnerability to accidents. This is especially a major concern in Florida since the accident risk is increasing proportionally to the population growth of aging Floridians. This study investigates the spatial and temporal patterns of aging people-involved accidents using geographical information systems (GIS)-based methods via a case study of three urban counties in Florida, selected based on their high aging-involved accident rates. A series of spatial analytic methods are utilized to explore accident patterns, including a network distance-based kernel density estimation method, which provides an unbiased distribution of the accidents over the local roadways. An accident density ratio measure is also developed in order to understand how accidents involving aging people occur at different locations than those of the general population. Results indicate that high risk locations for aging-involved accidents show different spatial and temporal patterns than those for other age groups. Investigating these distinct patterns at a high spatio-temporal scale can lead to better aging-focused transportation plans and policies.
Molecular Simulation of the DPPE Lipid Bilayer Gel Phase: Coupling between Molecular Packing Order and Tail Tilt Angle.

The structural properties and thermal stability of dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) in the ordered gel phase have been studied by molecular dynamics simulation using two force fields: the Berger united-atom model and the CHARMM C36 atomistic model. As is widely known, structural features are sensitive to the initial preparation of the gel phase structure, as some degrees of freedom are slow to equilibrate on the simulation time scale of hundreds of nanoseconds. In particular, we find that the degree of alignment of the lipids’ glycerol backbones, which join the two hydrocarbon tails of each molecule, strongly affects the tilt angle of the tails in the resulting structures. Disorder in the backbone correlates with lower tilt angles: bilayer configurations initiated with aligned backbones produced tilt angles near 21° and 29° for the Berger and C36 force fields, respectively, while structures initiated with randomized backbone orientations showed average tilt angles of 7° and 18°, in closer agreem...
Marriage and Private Lament in Mary Wroth’s Urania

In 1621, the bookstalls of London featured an unusual offering: The Countess of Montgomery’s Urania, a romance that only thinly veiled its autobiographical tales of illicit love. More startlingly, the title page announced the author as “the right honorable the Lady Mary Wroath, Daughter to the right Noble Robert Earle of Leicester, and Neece to the ever famous, and renowned Sir Phillips Sidney knight. And to the most exelent Lady Mary Countesse of Pembroke late deceased.” Urania was not only unique as an English work of fiction by a woman, it also trumpeted its author’s extraordinary social position and family connections.1 Although Wroth claimed not to have intended its publication, Urania’s exposure of its author could hardly have been more daring, given the time’s biases against print publication, against women reading — much less writing — romances, and against women as extramarital lovers. The book met with anger and mockery, forcing the author to apologize and withdraw it from circulation.2 Wroth’s foray into print contrasts sharply with her heroines’ view of public exposure: they hide the contents of their hearts and the products of their pens. Queen Pamphilia, Urania’s most avid poet, is the “most distressed, secret, and constant Lover,” who “never in all her extremest sufferings” tells her story outright, but withdraws for self-communion to a bower as “delicate without, as shee was faire, and darke within as her sorrowes” (90–91).
Safety, feasibility, and optimization of intra-arterial mitoxantrone delivery to gliomas.

Mitoxantrone is a highly cytotoxic antineoplastic drug, however, its poor penetration of the blood–brain barrier has limited its role in the treatment of brain cancers. We hypothesize that intra-arterial (IA) delivery of mitoxantrone may enhance its capacity for regional brain deposition thus expanding its potential as a brain tumor therapy agent. In this study we assessed the dose-response characteristics as well as the feasibility and safety of mitoxantrone delivery to the brain and specifically to gliomas in a rodent model. We show that delivery optimization utilizing the technique of intra-arterial transient cerebral hypoperfusion (IA-TCH) facilitates achieving the highest peak- and end- brain drug concentrations as compared to intravenous and IA delivery without hypoperfusion. Additionally, we observed significant tumor-specific uptake of mitoxantrone when delivered by the IA-TCH method. No untoward effects of IA-TCH delivery of mitoxantrone were observed. The IA-TCH method is shown to be a safely tolerated and feasible strategy for delivering mitoxantrone to tumors in the glioma model tested. Additional investigation is warranted to determine if IA-TCH delivery of mitoxantrone produces clinically relevant benefit.
Profiles of Peritraumatic Emotions

ABSTRACTResearchers have identified peritraumatic emotions as important predictors of who will develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. However, such investigations have not examined full profiles of emotions, perhaps because of the typical emphasis on fear or other Criterion A2 emotions. Such an examination could help us identify which peritraumatic emotions are prominent, and how they relate to important posttrauma outcomes. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify distinct profiles of peritraumatic emotions and their correlates using a comprehensive survey of peri- and posttraumatic reactions. We conducted a latent profile analysis of peritraumatic emotions in 398 undergraduate students who reported a DSM–IV A1 trauma and then compared the resulting profiles on trauma type, PTSD, depression, and posttraumatic cognitions. Six distinct profiles emerged: 3 had consistently low, medium, or high levels across the range of emotions, with 3 others primarily characterized by low shame and guil...
A novel CMOS-compatible hybrid material and device platform for reconfigurable integrated nanophotonics

T development of ultra-compact integrated nanophotonic structures for communications, sensing, and signal processing has been of great interest lately. Recent progress in the development of miniaturized high-Q microresonators has resulted in orders of magnitude reduction in the size of functional integrated photonic structures. The possibility of low-power tuning of the resonance features in these structures has made the formation of reconfigurable photonic structures possible. Among existing CMOS-compatible substrates, silicon (Si) and silicon nitride (SiN) have been used the most. Despite impressing progress in Si-based and SiN-based integrated photonics, neither substrate alone can be used for practical applications. Si (despite its good reconfigurability) suffers from strong nonlinear effects (especially at high light intensities) and relatively large free-carrier loss while SiN (with one order of magnitude lower loss and lower nonlinearity compared to Si) is very hard to tune. Thus, a reliable material system that combines ultra-loss-loss and high power handling with efficient and fast reconfigurability is of high demand in integrated nanophotonics. In this talk, the author will first demonstrate the recent achievements in the development and optimization of hybrid multi-layer CMOS-compatible material systems (e.g., SiN/Si, multi-layer Si/SiO2, etc.) to address all the practical requirements of ultra-fast and ultra-compact integrated photonic structures. Using these hybrid material systems, the author will demonstrate a series of ultra-compact and high-performance reconfigurable photonic devices and subsystems that are formed by using high Q resonators. The use of these devices and subsystems for realization of densely-integrated reconfigurable photonic chips for signal processing applications will be discussed.
Endocrine Cancers: Defying the Paradigms.

Endocrine cancers, studied for the boards and then largely forgotten by medical oncologists, comprise a set of rare but very interesting tumors with a diverse clinical spectrum. Few tumors are more aggressive than adrenocortical cancer or more lethal than anaplastic thyroid cancer. And few are more
Laparoscopy Compared With Laparotomy for Debulking Ovarian Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE:To compare 3-year survival, length of hospitalization, perioperative mortality, risk of readmission, and residual disease associated with laparoscopic and laparotomic interval debulking surgery among women with epithelial ovarian cancer.METHODS:We used the National Cancer Database to ident
Metabolic engineering of Actinobacillus succinogenes provides insights into succinic acid biosynthesis

Actinobacillus succinogenes, a Gram-negative facultative anaerobe, exhibits the native capacity to convert pentose and hexose sugars to succinic acid (SA) with high yield as a tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediate. In addition, A. succinogenes is capnophilic, incorporating CO2 into SA, making this organism an ideal candidate host for conversion of lignocellulosic sugars and CO2 to an emerging commodity bioproduct sourced from renewable feedstocks. In this work, we report the development of facile metabolic engineering capabilities in A. succinogenes, enabling examination of SA flux determinants via knockout of the primary competing pathways-namely, acetate and formate production-and overexpression of the key enzymes in the reductive branch of the TCA cycle leading to SA. Batch fermentation experiments with the wild-type and engineered strains using pentose-rich sugar streams demonstrate that the overexpression of the SA biosynthetic machinery (in particular, the enzyme malate dehydrogenase) enhances flux to SA. Additionally, removal of competitive carbon pathways leads to higher-purity SA but also triggers the generation of by-products not previously described from this organism (e.g., lactic acid). The resultant engineered strains also lend insight into energetic and redox balance and elucidate mechanisms governing organic acid biosynthesis in this important natural SA-producing microbe.IMPORTANCE Succinic acid production from lignocellulosic residues is a potential route for enhancing the economic feasibility of modern biorefineries. Here, we employ facile genetic tools to systematically manipulate competing acid production pathways and overexpress the succinic acid-producing machinery in Actinobacillus succinogenes Furthermore, the resulting strains are evaluated via fermentation on relevant pentose-rich sugar streams representative of those from corn stover. Overall, this work demonstrates genetic modifications that can lead to succinic acid production improvements and identifies key flux determinants and new bottlenecks and energetic needs when removing by-product pathways in A. succinogenes metabolism.
On mitigation of pilot spoofing attack

In a time-division duplex (TDD) multiple antenna system, the channel state information (CSI) can be estimated using reverse training. A pilot contamination (spoofing) attack occurs when during the training phase, an adversary also sends identical training (pilot) signal as that of the legitimate receiver. This contaminates channel estimation and alters the legitimate beamformimg design, facilitating eavesdropping. A recent approach proposed superimposing a random sequence on the training sequence at the legitimate receiver and then using the minimum description length (MDL) criterion to detect pilot contamination attack. In this paper we augment this approach with joint estimation of both legitimate receiver and eavesdropper channels, and secure beamforming, to mitigate the effects of pilot spoofing. The proposed mitigation approach is illustrated via simulations.
Abstract 24077: Differential, Sex Related, Response To High-fat Diet In Mice Impairs Cardiac Autophagy And Mitophagy

Introduction: Premenopausal women, as well as females in animal studies, have a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases and a reduced myocardial susceptibility to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury....
A Molecular Tool Kit for Fungal Biotechnology

Fungal biotechnology increasingly relies on a set of tools to facilitate genetic manipulations for better economic outcomes (Table 3.1). In this chapter I will review some of the newer tools and technologies that can be used to advance biotechnology programs with fungi. For the purposes of this chapter I have focussed on tools applicable to heterotrophic filamentous ascomycetes, by far the most important fungi for biotechnology, but with some creativeness, these techniques can likely be adapted for a broader range of fungi. It is important to point out that the success or efficiency of any particular technology is generally fungal-specific. For example, rates of protoplast regeneration, transformation frequency, and degree of gene targeting are all variable depending on the fungal species and even the genetic background of particular strains.
Methods in macroeconomic forecasting uncertainty analysis: an assessment of the 2015 National Defense Stockpile Requirements Report

To sustain the essential civilian economy and provide for the national defense during a national emergency scenario, the United States Department of Defense (U.S. DoD) maintains a stockpile of strategic and critical materials that are key to the functionality of the national industrial base. The National Defense Stock Piling Act (50 U.S. Code 98) mandates the existence of the National Defense Stockpile, as well as a biennial requirements report provided to the U.S. Congress by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), which guides the selection of the types and quantities of materials in the National Defense Stockpile (NDS). Estimates of potential material shortfalls, or the differences between material demands and supplies, under the assumptions and prescriptions of a “Base Case” national emergency planning scenario are a primary component of the report. The National Defense Stock Piling Act also mandates that a variety of parametric sensitivity studies of the Base Case be included in the NDS report. In compliance with this aspect of the law, the baseline macroeconomic forecast that drives Base Case material demand estimates is systematically perturbed and then used to calculate adjusted material shortfalls, characterizing the sensitivity of material shortfall estimates to macroeconomic forecast uncertainty. Ultimately, this process leads to a better understanding of the impact of economic forecasting errors, which are a proxy for forecast uncertainty, on the material shortfall estimates contained in the NDS requirements report. The mathematical characterization of shortfall estimate uncertainties potentially motivates more conservative stockpiling policies, such as worst-case planning practices designed to hedge against maximum downside risks. While many approaches to the perturbation analysis are reasonable, a specific method for examining uncertainty was consistently implemented in past NDS reports and reused for the 2015 NDS Requirements Report. This paper quantifies the sensitivity of the NDS recommendations to macroeconomic forecasting errors and describes the methods used to conduct the sensitivity analysis. These methods are compared and contrasted to showcase the current techniques employed by the DoD to quantify its exposure to critical material risk.
Regulation of Insulin Receptor Pathway and Glucose Metabolism by CD36 Signaling

During reduced energy intake, skeletal muscle maintains homeostasis by rapidly suppressing insulin-stimulated glucose utilization. Loss of this adaptation is observed with deficiency of the fatty acid transporter CD36. A similar loss is also characteristic of the insulin-resistant state where CD36 is dysfunctional. To elucidate what links CD36 to muscle glucose utilization, we examined whether CD36 signaling might influence insulin action. First, we show that CD36 deletion specific to skeletal muscle reduces expression of insulin signaling and glucose metabolism genes. It decreases muscle ceramides but impairs glucose disposal during a meal. Second, depletion of CD36 suppresses insulin signaling in primary-derived human myotubes, and the mechanism is shown to involve functional CD36 interaction with the insulin receptor (IR). CD36 promotes tyrosine phosphorylation of IR by the Fyn kinase and enhances IR recruitment of P85 and downstream signaling. Third, pretreatment for 15 min with saturated fatty acids suppresses CD36-Fyn enhancement of IR phosphorylation, whereas unsaturated fatty acids are neutral or stimulatory. These findings define mechanisms important for muscle glucose metabolism and optimal insulin responsiveness. Potential human relevance is suggested by genome-wide analysis and RNA sequencing data that associate genetically determined low muscle CD36 expression to incidence of type 2 diabetes.
Studying Humans to Inform Interactive Narrative Technology

This chapter describes the rationale behind studying humans in collaborative story domains to better inform interactive narrative technology practices. It describes two exemplar projects, the study of tabletop gamemasters and improvisational actors. It discusses how these projects point to a potential future direction of interactive narrative technology research.
Sustainability of Activated Sludge Processes

Recent studies revealed that two-thirds of US coastal systems are moderately to severely impaired because of excess nutrient loading, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, and, therefore, the need for more efficient treatment procedures for wastewater is greater than ever. Activated sludge process has been used for a century for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment. This process can achieve high efficiency of biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and nutrient removal. In order to improve the effluent wastewater quality and reduce the point-source nutrient loading on the water bodies, adequate information and knowledge must be acquired. Sustainable solutions to the wastewater treatment technologies can reduce the carbon footprint and the use of chemicals, and save energy and operational cost. The sustainability of activated sludge processes depends upon efficient nutrient and organic carbon removal and efficient sludge/biomass handling and processing. This chapter will introduce readers to the background information on the nutrients and their effects on the environment, different sustainable removal practices for nitrogen and phosphorus from municipal wastewater, and the microbiology of biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal, and finally, the chapter will conclude with a discussion on the need for process optimization and resource recovery.
Modifiable disease risk, readiness to change, and psychosocial functioning improve with integrative medicine immersion model

Background—Stroke, diabetes, and coronary heart disease (CHD) remain leading causes of death in the United States and are largely attributable to lifestyle behaviors. Integrative medicine can provide a supportive partnership that focuses on improving health by identifying and implementing lifestyle changes based upon personal values and goals. Objective—This prospective observational study was designed to assess the effectiveness of an integrative medicine intervention on modifiable disease risk, patient activation, and psychosocial risk factors for stroke, diabetes, and CHD. Design—Sixty-three adults participated in a 3-day comprehensive, multimodal health immersion program at Duke Integrative Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina. Participants received follow-up education, physician support, and telephonic health coaching between the immersion program and the endpoint 7 to 9 months later. Primary Outcome Measures—Psychosocial functioning, read iness to change health behaviors, and risk of developing diabetes, stroke, and CHD were assessed at baseline and endpoint. Results—Although cardiac risk remained unchanged (P = .19) during the study period, risk of diabetes (P = .02) and stroke (P < .01) decreased significantly. Perceived stress remained unchanged, but improvements were seen in mood (P < .05) and relationship satisfaction (P < . 004). Patients became more activated towards self-management of health (P <.001), endorsed greater readiness to change health behaviors (P <.01), and reported increased aerobic exercise (P <.001) and stretching (P = .006) following the intervention.
A User Controlled Approach for Securing Sensitive Information in Directory Services

Enterprise directory services are commonly used in enterprise systems to store object information relating to employees, computers, contacts, etc. These stores can act as information providers or sources for authentication and access control de- cisions, and could potentially contain sensitive information. An insider attack, partic- ularly if carried out using administrative privileges, could compromise large amounts of directory information. We present two solutions for protecting directory services information from insider attacks. The first is a centralized approach utilizing a cus- tomized virtual directory server. The second is a distributed approach using existing key management infrastructure and a new component called a Personal Virtual Direc- tory Service. We explain how these solutions interact with existing directory services and client applications. We also show how impact to existing users, client applications, and directory services are minimized, and how we prevent insider attacks from revealing protected data. We compare and contrast both solutions, including potential tradeoffs, administrative overhead, and enterprise systems impact. Additionally, our solution is supported by implementation results showing the impact to client performance and directory storage capacity.
Bioreactors in Regenerative Medicine

Abstract In this chapter, we discuss basic principles, advancements, and future outlooks related to bioreactors that are used to produce tissues and organs. We discuss the use of bioreactors in basic research and clinical applications. In particular, we focus on some of developments in bioreactors for two distinctly different organ systems, lung and bone, that have been actively studied in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine because of their significant clinical impact.