cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elasticity of Sub-micron DNA Molecules Studied with Axial Optical Tweezers

Understanding the elasticity of sub-micron DNA molecules is important because many crucial biological structures and processes occur on this length scale. Using optical tweezers to manipulate DNA molecules, however, is difficult when molecules are shorter than about one micron. The reason is that conventional optical tweezers stretch molecules laterally in the focal plane of the microscope objective, a mode in which steric hindrances from the coverslip and other surface effects are substantial. To overcome the problem, we developed and calibrated an axial optical tweezers that makes this length scale accessible by stretching the molecule in the axial direction of the laser beam. By varying the laser intensity, different stretching forces were applied to the DNA molecule, and the axial position of the tethered microsphere was obtained from its diffraction pattern.We measured the force-extension relationships of four short ds-DNA molecules, which are 1298 bp-, 662 bp-, 390 bp-, and 247 bp-long, using the axial optical tweezers. Using a modified worm-like chain (WLC) model for the extended DNA molecule that incorporates excluded-volume entropic effects from the coverslip and microsphere are taken into account, we obtained effective persistence lengths and excluded-volume forces for these molecules. The fitted values for the persistence length decrease with the contour length of the DNA, which is qualitatively consistent with observations by Seol et al. on longer, micron- and sub-micron sized constructs (Seol 2007). Moreover, the excluded-volume forces are close to the theoretical predictions by Segall et al (Segall 2006).
On the effects of colluded statistical attacks in cooperative spectrum sensing

Cooperative spectrum sensing is vulnerable to attacks from malicious nodes, especially when collusion occurs. In this paper, we analyze the effect of colluded statistical attacks and show that collusion could cause performance degradation in terms of both false-alarm and detection probabilities, which is not possible via independent attacks. Closed-form expressions for system performance under the majority fusion rule are provided for a generalized form of colluded attacks. Then, for specific scenarios of collusion and mimicry attacks, we study the conditions under which the probabilities of false alarm and detection are both degraded.
A randomized dynamic program analysis technique for detecting real deadlocks

We present a novel dynamic analysis technique that finds real deadlocks in multi-threaded programs. Our technique runs in two stages. In the first stage, we use an imprecise dynamic analysis technique to find potential deadlocks in a multi-threaded program by observing an execution of the program. In the second stage, we control a random thread scheduler to create the potential deadlocks with high probability. Unlike other dynamic analysis techniques, our approach has the advantage that it does not give any false warnings. We have implemented the technique in a prototype tool for Java, and have experimented on a number of large multi-threaded Java programs. We report a number of previously known and unknown real deadlocks that were found in these benchmarks.
Region-based rate control and bit allocation for wireless video transmission

In this paper, we propose a joint source-channel region-based rate control algorithm for real-time video transmissions over wireless systems. During the video transmission, the channel throughput available to the video encoder in the wireless systems is inherently variable, due to the retransmission of the error packets using the automatic repeat request (ARQ) error control. The variable data rate of the wireless system is characterized by the packet-level Gilbert two-state Markov Model, the parameters of which are extracted from the statistical properties of the channel information obtained from the wireless channel simulator. The proposed algorithm adopts a fast but effective block-based segmentation method to extract the regions of interest. Unlike traditional bit allocation methods used in the region/content-based rate control, the algorithm exploits the most effective criteria "coding qualities" as quantitative factors to directly control bit allocation among different regions so as to achieve better visual quality in the regions of interest. The computational complexity of the algorithm is low making it suitable for real-time applications. Compared with the MPEG-4 rate control algorithm, our algorithm can effectively enhance the perceptual quality for the regions of interest and significantly reduce the number of frame skipping; thereby, improve the smoothness of the video.
Governing Carbon and Climate in the Cities: An Overview of Policy and Planning Challenges and Options

Urban centres play a crucial role in managing global carbon emissions (mitigation) and reducing vulnerability to climate change (adaptation). This paper describes some of the mitigation and adaptation entry points and challenges for city-relevant planning and policy-making posed by the processes defining urban greenhouse gas emissions, vulnerabilities and adaptive capacities. It finds that although many cities are already responding to the climate challenge, existing initiatives are fragmented and a piecemeal rather than a strategic approach is very common. Frequently mitigation and adaptation responses do not address many of the key drivers and determinants involved (e.g. consumption patterns and equity issues determining differentiated access to the determinants of adaptive capacity), nor do they fit with the issues they are intended to address. This is so because climate responses and the issues they are intended to address are multi-scale in nature because most of the processes involved operate at mul...
The importance of pollen concentration values from coprolites: An analysis of Southwest Texas samples

Abstract This paper presents the information gained from a palynological analysis of 38 coprolites from the lower Pecos region in southwestern Texas. The study was conducted to determine the subsistence and diet of a group of hunter‐gatherers inhabiting Baker Cave, Val Verde County, at approximately A.D. 900. The Baker Cave inhabitants used what was available in their environment for their subsistence and medicinal needs. The probable economic pollen types observed in the samples include the mustard family (Brassicaceae), sotol (Dasylirion), a sunflower type (high‐spine Asteraceae), sagebrush (Artemisia), and grass (Gramineae). An important aspect of this study also provides an example of the application of pollen concentration to coprolite studies. This study indicates that coprolite samples containing over 100,000 pollen grains per gram of material usually contain high frequencies of a few pollen types, most of which are economic and were ingested only a few days before the sample was deposited. Samples...
Micro labs and laser printing: scenarios and solutions

With the advent of laser printers like the HP LaserJet and the Apple LaserWriter, very high quality output using laser technology is readily accessible to microcomputer users. People trying this method of printing quickly decide that it is the method of choice for most applications. However, the popularity of laser printers in public sites can, if unregulated, quickly lead to overuse of what is a relatively high-cost method of printing. This results in excess strain on both the equipment and the operating budget.Panel members from various universities and colleges will relate their experience with laser printing in academic microcomputing facilities. Discussion questions will include: Do they offer free laser printing? If so, do they restrict use to final copies and how do they enforce this restriction? Are laser printers attached to stand-alone print stations or are they accessible from a network? Are there other letter quality printers in the same lab? How much do they spend on maintenance and operations of the laser printer?If they charge for the use of microcomputing facilities, do they assess a lab-usage fee, or change for printing only? Do they change for all letter-quality printers or only for laser printing? Do they charge by means of a vend-a-card box attached to the printer, or do they accept cash per page? How much they charge?What problems have they had, either despite charging, because of it, or because they don't charge?The discussion of and answers to these questions will be invaluable to those developing new microcomputing facilities and should be of interest to those running existing labs as well.
Effect of causal and acausal filters on elastic and inelastic response spectra

With increasing interest in displacement spectra and long-period motions, it is important to check the sensitivity of both elastic and inelastic response spectra to the filtering that is often necessary to remove long period artifacts, even from many modern digital recordings. Using two records of very different character from the M=7.1, 1999 Hector Mine, California, earthquake, we find that the response spectra can be sensitive to the corner periods used in causal filtering, even for oscillator periods much less than the filter corner periods. The effect is most pronounced for inelastic response spectra, where the ratio of response spectra computed from accelerations filtered at 25 and 200 sec can be close to a factor of 2 for oscillator periods less than 5 sec. Published in 2003 by John Wiley Sons, Ltd.
Digital GaAs FET versus Si FET gate delay as predicted from the electron velocity

A FET model that takes into account the effective saturation velocity (including the effect of velocity overshoot), fringing capacitance, and source resistance is discussed. The model is applied to identical differential source-coupled FET logic gates in both GaAs and Si. The simulated gate delay of the Si logic gate is about 2.6 times that of the GaAs gate, thus refuting the common hypothesis that GaAs gate, thus refuting the common hypothesis that GaAs and Si delays should be about equal because their equilibrium saturated electron velocities are about equal. >
Maximal stress-induced transcription from the human HSP70 promoter requires interactions with the basal promoter elements independent of rotational alignment.

Abstract Transcription of the human HSP70 gene is regulated by a complex array of cis-acting promoter elements that respond to conditions that include normal conditions of cell growth and induction following physiological stress. We have examined the requirements of the basal and inducible promoter elements by using promoter mutations and a transient transfection assay. Multiple forms of stress-induced transcription, including heat shock and incubation with heavy metals or amino acid analogs, are mediated by a single heat shock element (HSE) between -105 and -91 consisting of three contiguous 5-base-pair units, NGAAN, that are inverted relative to adjacent units. Maximal inducible expression requires a fully functional basal promoter. Spacing mutations which alter the relative helical orientation of adjacent genetic elements have only minimal effects on basal and stress-inducible expression and show no effects of periodicity. In addition, placement of the HSE adjacent to the basal promoter removes the requirements for a fully functional basal promoter for maximal stress-inducible expression. These results suggest that factors bound at the HSE and the basal promoter can function through multiple interactions.
Leaving No Warriors Behind: The Ancient Roots of a Modern Sensibility

The ethos of leaving no one behind has traditionally animated military forces distinguished by elite status, closed cultures, and frequent operational isolation (e.g., the French Foreign Legion, US Marines, and US Army Rangers). With the recent approval of the Soldier's Creed, however, the exhortation to leave no one behind has been formally disseminated throughout the US Army. This creed, embraced by the media and further popularized by Hollywood cinema, dates back to ancient Greece, specifically to the literary models found in Homer. However, profound changes to the nature of warfare as well as to the structure of the force and the society it serves have dramatically altered the moral and political significance of retrieving the fallen for the US military. Renewed emphasis on returning for not only the wounded but also, more provocatively, the dead, reveals the enduring appeal of aristocratic sentiment to a democratic force. This article traces the roots of this gesture back to the classical epics of Homer and Virgil in order to evaluate the implications of its recent reemergence in popular and military culture. The analysis extends to contemporary film (Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down) and to recent US operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Language: en
Mechanisms of peptide fragmentation from time- and energy-resolved surface-induced dissociation studies: Dissociation of angiotensin analogs

Abstract Energetics and mechanism of dissociation of singly protonated angiotensin III (RVYIHPF) and its analogs RVYIFPF, RVYIYPF, RVYIHAF and RVYIHDF was studied using surface-induced dissociation (SID) in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR MS) specially configured for studying ion activation by collisions with surfaces. The energetics and dynamics of peptide fragmentation were deduced by modeling the time- and energy-resolved survival curves for each precursor ion using an RRKM-based approach developed in our laboratory. Fragmentation mechanisms were inferred from comparison of time- and energy-resolved fragmentation efficiency curves (TFECs) of different fragment ions followed by RRKM modeling of dissociation of angiotensin III into six major families of fragment ions. Detailed modeling demonstrated that dissociation of these peptides is dominated by loss of ammonia from the precursor ion and characterized by a high-energy barrier of 1.6 eV. Loss of NH 3 and subsequent rearrangement of the MH + -NH 3 ion results in proton mobilization and release of ca. 30 kcal/mol into internal excitation of the MH + -NH 3 ion. The resulting highly excited ion accesses a variety of non-specific dissociation pathways with very high rate constants. Fast fragmentation of excited MH + -NH 3 ion forms a variety of abundant b n -NH 3 and a n -NH 3 fragment ions. Abundant XH and HX internal fragments are also formed, reflecting the stability of histidine-containing diketopiperazine structures.
On Applying the Theory of Structuration in Enterprise Architecture Design

The processes used to develop Enterprise Architecture (EA) define a framework that details the infrastructure, specifications and technical requirements needed by an organization. Current EA approaches do not consider the behavioral patterns exhibited by stakeholders and the effects of change introduced by an EA. The failure to recognize and address the impact of stakeholder behavior as an input to, and result of, an EA manifests itself in the EA being either partially implemented or completely abandoned. This paper examines existing EA frameworks lack of recognition of stakeholder behavior as a first-class design consideration and proposes an approach incorporating ideas from the theory of structuration to address stakeholder behavior as a significant input to EA design. The contribution of this paper is the detailing of stakeholder behavior as an important ingredient in an EA and the utilization of aspects of organizational and behavioral theory as a lens to guide stakeholder communication and motivation as a part of the EA development process.
Injector: Mining Background Knowledge for Data Anonymization

Existing work on privacy-preserving data publishing cannot satisfactorily prevent an adversary with background knowledge from learning important sensitive information. The main challenge lies in modeling the adversary's background knowledge. We propose a novel approach to deal with such attacks. In this approach, one first mines knowledge from the data to be released and then uses the mining results as the background knowledge when anonymizing the data. The rationale of our approach is that if certain facts or background knowledge exist, they should manifest themselves in the data and we should be able to find them using data mining techniques. One intriguing aspect of our approach is that one can argue that it improves both privacy and utility at the same time, as it both protects against background knowledge attacks and better preserves the features in the data. We then present the Injector framework for data anonymization. Injector mines negative association rules from the data to be released and uses them in the anonymization process. We also develop an efficient anonymization algorithm to compute the injected tables that incorporates background knowledge. Experimental results show that Injector reduces privacy risks against background knowledge attacks while improving data utility.
A study of routability estimation and clustering in placement

This paper studies the effects of clustering as a pre-processing step and routability estimation in the placement flow. The study shows that when clustering and routability estimation are considered, the placer effectively improves the routed wirelength for the circuits of IBM-PLACE 2.0 standard-cell Benchmark Suite [1] and results in the best average routed wirelength when compared against state-of-the-art academic placers.
LIBMAN-SACKS ENDOCARDITIS: DETECTION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND CLINICAL CORRELATES BY THREE-DIMENSIONAL TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Background Libman-Sacks endocarditis, characterized by Libman-Sacks vegetations, is common in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and is commonly complicated with embolic cerebrovascular disease. Thus, accurate detection of Libman-Sacks vegetations may lead to early therapy and prevention of their associated complications. Although two-dimensional (2D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has high diagnostic value for detection of Libman-Sacks vegetations, three-dimensional (3D) TEE may allow improved detection, characterization, and clinical correlations of Libman-Sacks vegetations. Methods Twenty-nine patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (27 women; mean age, 34 ± 12 years) prospectively underwent 40 paired 3D and 2D transesophageal echocardiographic studies and assessment of cerebrovascular disease manifested as acute clinical neurologic syndromes, neurocognitive dysfunction, or focal brain injury on magnetic resonance imaging. Initial and repeat studies in patients were intermixed in a blinded manner with paired studies from healthy controls, deidentified, coded, and independently interpreted by experienced observers unaware of patients' clinical and imaging data. Results The results of 3D TEE compared with 2D TEE were more often positive for mitral or aortic valve vegetations, and 3D TEE detected more vegetations per study and determined larger sizes of vegetations ( P ≤ .03 for all). Also, 3D TEE detected more vegetations on the anterior mitral leaflet, anterolateral and posteromedial scallops, and ventricular side or both atrial and ventricular sides of the leaflets ( P P ≤ .01 for all). Furthermore, 3D TEE more often detected associated mitral or aortic valve commissural fusion ( P = .002). Finally, 3D TEE detected more vegetations in patients with cerebrovascular disease ( P = .01). Conclusions Three-dimensional TEE provides clinically relevant additive information that complements 2D TEE for the detection, characterization, and association with cerebrovascular disease of Libman-Sacks endocarditis.
Loss and Regeneration of the Esophageal Mucosa in Pemphigoid

Summary Serial esophageal biopsies were studied from a patient with pemphigoid after he had sloughed a cast of the esophageal squamous epithelium. Initial biopsies showed no evidence of esophageal epithelium by conventional histological techniques, whereas jejunal and rectal biopsies were normal. Despite these striking histological findings in the esophagus, clinical symptoms were minimal, although significant abnormalities in esophageal motility could be demonstrated. Histologically detectable epithelial regeneration began during the 4th week following loss of the epithelium, and regeneration appeared to progress at the same rate along the entire length of the esophagus. Esophageal motility reverted toward normal within 2 months after loss of the epithelium. Some residual thinning of the squamous epithelium of the esophagus persisted even after 8 months. No stricture formation has been noted.
The Fossils of Florissant

Herbert W. Meyer, 2003, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C., 258 p. (Hardcover, US $39.99) ISBN: 1-58834-107-0. Herb Meyer's book titled The Fossils of Florissant is one of those books that you can judge by its cover. The spectacular cover photo of a fossil wasp is a perfect introduction to what the rest of this book has to offer, as there are over 220 figures, mostly images of the excellently preserved fossil material found at Florissant. Meyer's book provides a nice introduction to the fossils of Florissant with its outstanding photographs and several detailed chapters describing the history of Florissant, the geological setting of this deposit, an overview of ongoing research, and details about the flora and fauna. Florissant is a well-known treasure among paleobotanists and paleoentomologists, but may not be as widely known to other researchers or the general public. A deposit known for its exceptional preservation, Florissant has often been described (somewhat inaccurately) as an “Insect Pompeii.” The fine-grained sediments of the 34-million-year-old deposit preserve a very diverse flora and fauna (approximately 1700 described species thus far) and include many rare and delicate taxa (including butterflies and flowers). Everything from giant petrified redwoods to small insects and tiny freshwater diatoms can be found at Florissant. Meyer starts his book with an introductory chapter and his second chapter provides the reader with an overview of the history of Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, starting with early tourism in the area. He describes the destruction of several petrified stumps and the loss of vast quantities of fossil material to casual collectors. He then discusses the more well known researchers who have worked at Florissant, including S.H. Scudder, L. Lesquereux, T.D.A. Cockerell, and H.D. MacGinitie (who was Meyer's mentor). The contributions of these early workers to …
Retinal Vascular Development

The circulatory system evolved so that nutrients and chemicals required for cellular function can be efficiently transferred from central organs to the extremities. Because of its importance to the growth and survival of other tissues, the circulatory system forms during early stages of development, and its correct development and early function is absolutely critical for survival of the embryo. During development, blood vessel formation occurs by three processes, the initial formation of vessels from yolk sacs during early embryogenesis, and by the distinct processes of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis during subsequent development [33, 35].
Rhetorical theory in the twenty‐first century: A neo‐classical perspective

Neoclassical rhetorical theory shares much in common with its more visible post‐modern and deconstructionist contemporaries. With these other strands of rhetorical thought neoclassical theory affirms the importance of grounding theory in local conditions and is wary of the potential tyranny of universalizing perspectives. Unlike postmodernism the neo‐classical critique of “universalizing perspectives” is motivated by the need to defend the cognitive and methodological integrity of prudential and ethical reason and to discredit scientistic ideologies which encourage the enlightenment superstition that thought may be reduced to a system.
Protein Synthesis with Ribosomes Selected for the Incorporation of β-Amino Acids.

In an earlier study, β3-puromycin was used for the selection of modified ribosomes, which were utilized for the incorporation of five different β-amino acids into Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). The selected ribosomes were able to incorporate structurally disparate β-amino acids into DHFR, in spite of the use of a single puromycin for the selection of the individual clones. In this study, we examine the extent to which the structure of the β3-puromycin employed for ribosome selection influences the regio- and stereochemical preferences of the modified ribosomes during protein synthesis; the mechanistic probe was a single suppressor tRNACUA activated with each of four methyl-β-alanine isomers (1–4). The modified ribosomes were found to incorporate each of the four isomeric methyl-β-alanines into DHFR but exhibited a preference for incorporation of 3(S)-methyl-β-alanine (β-mAla; 4), i.e., the isomer having the same regio- and stereochemistry as the O-methylated β-tyrosine moiety of β3-purom...
Use of wavelets techniques to discriminate between explosions and natural earthquakes

Abstract Wavelets analysis is used to discriminate between explosions and natural earthquakes. We applied wavelets techniques to analyze the seismograms of a set of mining explosions, reported in catalogs as earthquakes, and compared them with natural earthquakes that occurred in the same region (within a radius of 10 km).
Humanitarian Research and Managing Humanitarian Operations

Humanitarian operations are a critical and challenging activity. The general class of problems in this area are distinct from those in business operations management for a number of reasons. Among these are the focus on minimizing suffering and empowering affected populations, the requirement for ethical and just treatment, the complex and often politically charged problem setting, the need for transparency and accountability, the uncertain and dynamic environment, the distinctive decision-making processes of non-profit and governmental organizations, and the existence of unusual resource constraints. Each of the chapters in this Advances in Managing Humanitarian Operations volume seeks, in different ways, to help us improve our ability to address these problems. This initial chapter emphasizes the importance of the practitioner community to these efforts and it provides a careful overview of the important work contributed to the volume by our many authors.
Learning About Letters Through Handwriting Practice

The influence of visual-motor experiences with written symbols on pre-reading abilities, such as letter knowledge, have been shown to be facilitatory in both correlational studies on very young children and in experimental studies on older children. However, it is not known whether any fine-motor practice will create this benefit, whether it is specific to writing letters, or whether certain ages would benefit most from handwriting practice. Here, we hypothesized that immature fine-motor skill that produces variable forms may be crucial to the beneficial effects of handwriting training – predicting the younger children would benefit more from the training than older children. Preschool-aged children, ages three to five years, were divided into two experimental groups (letter-writing, digit-writing) in a 2x2x2 design: TIME (pre, post), AGE (younger, older), and CONDITION (letter-writing, digit-writing). Each group received six weeks of training. The letter-writing and digit-writing groups practiced writing letters (A-Z) or single digits (0-9), respectively, four times per week. Before and after the training period, each group received assessments targeting letter knowledge directly. We predicted that the younger age group, compared to the older age group, in the letter-writing condition would score significantly higher on the letter knowledge tasks at post-test than at pre-test and that this effect would not occur in the digit-writing group. Results demonstrated that the younger children did show a significantly greater improvement in letter recognition skills than the older age group, but this effect held for both the letter-and digit- writing groups. These results suggest, therefore, that any fine-motor practice at a young age can facilitate letter knowledge.
Economic Viability of Brewery Spent Grain as a Biofuel

This report summarizes an investigation into the technical feasibility and economic viability of use grain wastes from the beer brewing process as fuel to generate the heat needed in subsequent brewing process. The study finds that while use of spent grain as a biofuel is technically feasible, the economics are not attractive. Economic viability is limited by the underuse of capital equipment. The investment in heating equipment requires a higher utilization that the client brewer currently anticipates. It may be possible in the future that changing factors may swing the decision to a more positive one.
AMPLITUDE MODULATION SYSTEMS

This chapter focuses on amplitude modulation systems. During data transmission, the upper frequency limitation is supplied by amplifiers and other electronic devices. In the case of short range transmission, as in the path between the pre-amp and amplifier or between the amplifier and speakers of a hi-fi, these low-frequency signals are sent through wires. A time shift is not considered as distortion in a standard communications system as the exact time of arrival of a transmitted signal is of no importance. The only advantage of single sideband (SSB) over double sideband (DSB) is the economy of frequency usage, that is, SSB uses half the corresponding bandwidth required for DSB transmission of the same information signal. Vestigial sideband (VSB) possesses approximately the same frequency bandwidth advantage of SSB without the disadvantage of difficulty in building a modulator. VSB is a sloppy form of SSB where a vestige, or trace, of the second sideband remains.
Dual-Energy CT and Spot Sign

We read with great interest the article published by Morotti et al, “Effect of CTA Tube Current on Spot Sign Detection and Accuracy for Prediction of Intracerebral Hemorrhage Expansion.”[1][1] We agree with the authors that the spot sign and also the newly described “leakage sign”[2][2]
Google Forms and Sheets for library gate counts

ABSTRACTBuilding usage statistics are vital for supporting causes of funding, space, and staffing, but they can be cumbersome and costly to track and cull for useful data. Institutions already using Google Drive and its apps can implement a free solution to greatly reduce the amount of time and labor involved in utilizing this metric. Google Forms and Google Sheets allow the Binghamton University Libraries to easily and accurately collect gate counts for four separate locations, using automatic calculations to maintain up-to-the-hour reporting ability. With the support of these data, the Libraries are able to support decisions regarding resources, staffing, and hours of operation.
The Botany of Romanticism: Plants and the Exposition of Life

ABSTRACTGerman Romanticism is a thinking of life as exposed. Philosophical conceptions of botanical life are paradigmatic of this. Goethe, Schelling, and Hegel each address the plant in their respective philosophies of nature. This article traces the connections and divergences in their thinking of plants, focusing on the role of love (Goethe), lack (Hegel), and exposure (Schelling) in order to present the plant as a peculiarly apt figure for considerations of life as exposed.
An innovative energy management system for telecom energy network

In this paper an innovative energy management system for telecom energy network is introduced which is specially designed to help customers understand the key working information, know the bottleneck and improve O&M (Operation and Maintenance) efficiency of whole network. The system can provide customers with “Intelligent & Integrated & Internet” energy management and reduce their TCO to the greatest extent.
Breaking iPhones Under CALEA and the All Writs Act: Why the Government Was (Mostly) Right

During the investigation of the 2015 San Bernardino shooting, the government asked a district court to order Apple to draft code that would bypass the password protection system of one of the shooters’ iPhones. A number of experts opined that the All Writs Act (AWA) and the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) prohibited the court from issuing the order. This request was preceded by the holding of a New York District Court, which found that those statutes indeed did protect Apple from such compulsion. Although sympathetic to Apple, I argue that those experts and the New York court misinterpreted CALEA, and that the government’s interpretation of that statute was correct. The court’s ultimate ruling in favor of Apple, however, was the right one based on the discretionary factors governing the AWA’s applicability, set forth by the United States Supreme Court in United States v. New York Telephone Co.
Nonlinear Unfalsified Adaptive Control with Bumpless Transfer and Reset

Abstract: The BHMT (Battistelli-Hespanha-Mosca-Tesi) reset mechanism which is a new scheme to control time-varying plant under the framework of unfalsified adaptive control is investigated. The reset condition is modified based on the gains of the control system components, making it adaptive, free of uncertain parameters, and practically implementable in a switching algorithm. The framework of generalized bumpless transfer system is established for switching of a controller. Performance including stability is proved given that the adaptive stabilization problem is feasible. The proposed switching algorithm is nonlinear time-varying and it can control nonlinear time-varying plant using nonlinear controllers.
Selective Pre-Transplant Nephrectomy: Indications and Perioperative Management

AbstractFrom May 1977 to June 1983, 198 patients were accepted as candidates for renal transplantation at our university. We review our experience with 14 consecutive patients who underwent selective pre-transplant nephrectomy during this interval. Indications for this procedure included recurrent or chronic pyelonephritis, structural abnormalities of the urinary tract predisposing the patient to infection, malignant or renin-dependent hypertension, Goodpasture’s disease, certain cases of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and selected patients with polycystic kidneys. All patients underwent dialysis 1 day preoperatively. Perioperative fluid losses were measured carefully with prompt and vigorous replacement therapy. Patients received an average of 5,890 cc fluid replacement before postoperative dialysis. All patients underwent dialysis within 29 hours postoperatively. There were no postoperative deaths and 8 complications. Selective pre-transplant nephrectomy has spared 93 per cent of potential renal...
The Holy Spirit and Ecumenism: A Shift from Hope to Charity

What animates ecumenical movement toward visible unity? A long-standing answer has been, hope due to the Holy Spirit . But has such hope been influenced by instrumental reason and the modern ideal of progress into expectation of step-by-step realization of visible unity? If so, then how the Spirit animates ecumenism needs new attention. The interior impact of the Spirit occurs first in enlightened charity not hope for unity. Appeal to Aquinas shows that the theological virtue of charity enables appreciative perceptions of gifts and excellences in neighbors. Such appreciation of divided ecclesial neighbors is the ongoing pneumatological wellspring of ecumenism and of the charism of active involvement in the ecumenical movement.
Tumor biomarker testing in non-small-cell lung cancer: A decade of change.

Abstract Introduction Although a growing list of essential genomic/immune-based biomarkers are linked to approved non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) therapies worldwide, few reports have detailed the evolution of NSCLC predictive biomarker assessment in routine clinical practice. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the first one thousand plus NSCLC patient specimens from our institution analyzed for predictive biomarkers from 2004 to 2017 and evaluated patterns of testing as well as correlation with clinical-pathologic characteristics. Results The majority of 1009 NSCLC patients had advanced stages of adenocarcinoma with most tissues obtained from the lung, mediastinal/hilar nodes, or pleura. The majority of testing was performed on cytology or small biopsy specimens. All were tested for EGFR mutations, 895 for ALK rearrangement, 841 for KRAS mutation, 537 for ROS1 rearrangement, and 179 using comprehensive genomic profiling. Implementation of near-universal genomic biomarker testing at our institution for EGFR, ALK, ROS1 and PD-L1 all occurred within the first year following evidence of clinical activity or regulatory body approval of an associated inhibitor. The overall testing failure rate after use of the best specimen for the most common tests was ≤5.5%. A quarter of tumors had a driver oncogene identified (EGFR/ALK/ROS1/BRAF V600E) with an approved oral targeted therapy, with the highest prevalence in those patients with no or light (≤15 pack-years) history of tobacco use. Conclusions Tumor biomarker testing using clinical NSCLC specimens in routine oncologic care evolves rapidly following approval of targeted therapies linked to diagnostic assays. Our practice’s decade plus experience highlights the rapid evolution of biomarker testing and confirms the therapeutic relevance of such testing in all patients—particularly those patients with light/no history of tobacco use.
Interdisciplinary activities in mathematics and science in the United States

This paper outlines the need for interdisciplinary efforts in mathematics and science at university level in the US. It summarizes the different types of activities currently taking place. They are spread along a spectrum from Minimal coordination to complete integration; each having different advantages and disadvantages. Examples of each type or activity are briefly described.
Outlook and Parting Thoughts

In this chapter, we summarize the current status of the field of oxide/semiconductor epitaxy and try to anticipate where this fascinating technology will go next. As improvements are made in oxide on semiconductor epitaxy the question becomes, what can we do with these oxides on semiconductor systems? The electronic properties of complex oxides by themselves have been the subject of extensive research in a field known as oxide electronics. We hope to show how this technology can enable large-scale integration of oxide electronic and photonic devices, including possible hybrid semiconductor/oxide systems. There is incredible potential in the realization of multifunctional devices and monolithic heterogeneous integration of materials and devices with a multitude of exciting opportunities for oxides for decades to come.
Stellenwert des Pneumoperitoneums beim chirurgischen Management einer monströsen Skrotalhernie

Die chirurgische Therapie einer chronischen monstrosen Abdominalhernie bedingt die Reposition des Bruchinhaltes und den spannungsfreien Bauchdeckenverschluss. Eine initiale Laparoskopie simuliert die postoperative Bauchwandspannung. Die Kenntnis und die Bedeutung des praoperativen Pneumoperitoneums bei chronischer Eventeration kann im Zeitalter der allgemein verfugbaren Laparoskopie eine „abdominelle Katastrophe“ mit Darmresektion, Abdominalkompartement oder aufwendiger Bauchdeckenplastik vermeiden. Wir berichten uber den Fall einer langjahrigen monstrosen Skrotalhernie mit akuter Urosepsis bei Harnverhalt.
Cancer Prevention in Humans at High-Risk for Development of Cancer: Prevention of Oral Dysplasia in Humans by Berry Formulations

Oral epithelial dysplasia, which is the precursor lesion for oral squamous cell carcinoma (oral SCC), presents an ideal opportunity for chemoprevention. First, oral dysplastic lesions are visible and can therefore be readily monitored during both the trial and recall phases of treatment. Secondly, in the event that local delivery chemoprevention will be used, the direct visibility enables agent placement. The current standard of care for lesions of moderate dysplasia or higher is complete blade excision or laser ablation. Unfortunately, many of these lesions are recalcitrant to treatment and recur despite the surgeon obtaining microscopically clear margins. Such patients would greatly benefit from effective chemopreventive therapy. The vast majority of oral epithelial dysplasia clinical trials to date, which relied on systemic administration of the chemopreventive, have been largely ineffective due to an inability to obtain therapeutically effective levels of compound at the treatment site without eliciting systemic toxicities. In contrast, a local delivery strategy of an effective chemopreventive compound will provide a therapeutic advantage by providing effective local concentrations without deleterious systemic side effects.
Biomarker Discovery and Utility in Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating disease of prematurity, with no current method for early diagnosis. Diagnosis is particularly challenging, frequently occurring after the disease has progressed to the point of significant and often irreversible intestinal damage. Biomarker research has tremendous potential to advance clinical management of NEC and our understanding of its pathogenesis. This review discusses the need for novel biomarkers in NEC management, evaluates studies investigating such biomarkers, and explains the difficulties associated with translating biomarker discovery into clinical use.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy in Lower Limb Sports Injuries

To outline current evidence on the use of ESWT for the treatment of lower limb sports injuries. There is growing evidence to support the use of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions in the general population. However, research focused on the use of ESWT specifically for lower extremity injuries in the athletic population is more limited. Athletes represent a subgroup of patients that may benefit from ESWT. Compared with injections or surgical interventions, athletes undergoing ESWT often are able to continue sports participation with fewer limitations in activity during treatment. The review identifies considerable variability in study design and treatment protocols that affect the overall quality of evidence. Sports participation was allowed in most studies. One case of plantar fascia tear was identified during ESWT treatment; this injury was self-limited. Most studies report pain-relieving and/or functional benefit with the use of ESWT for common lower extremity tendinopathies, plantar fasciitis, and medial tibial stress syndrome. This review highlights the need for further investigations on optimal methods of ESWT use in athletes given the high prevalence of lower extremity injuries and favorable safety profile for treatment.
TET2 Regulates CD4+ T Follicular Helper Differentiation

DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mechanism that controls T cell differentiation. The ten-eleven translocation (TET) family of methylcytosine dioxygenases converts 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) and other oxidized methylcytosines. TET2 mutations have been identified in angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphomas (AITL), which are derived from CD4+ T follicular helper (TFH) cells. CD4+ TFH cells are a T cell subset that provides essential help for the germinal center reaction and class switching. Here we demonstrate that TET2 regulates murine CD4+ TFH differentiation in vivo . At steady-state, mice with a T cell specific deletion of TET2 (TET2cKO) have intact thymic and peripheral T cell populations. Following acute viral infection with LCMV-Armstrong, TET2 loss promotes CD4+ TFH cell expansion. Examination of the Peyer9s patches (a site of TFH differentiation in response to gut microbes) of wild-type and TET2cKO mice demonstrate an increase in the absolute number of the CD4+ TFH (CXCR5+PD1+) population in TET2cKO mice. Furthermore, there is an increase in the frequency and absolute number of germinal center B cells (characterized by PNA+GL7+ B cells) and an increase in IgA+ B cells in the Peyer9s patches of TET2cKO mice compared to wild-type mice. Ongoing studies are examining the mechanism by which TET2 controls CD4+ TFH expansion. Our data indicate that TET2 is an important regulator of CD4+ TFH cells. Understanding the role of TET2 in normal CD4+ TFH differentiation and its contribution to T cell lymphomagenesis will lead to important insights into the epigenetic and molecular mechanisms underlying AITL pathogenesis Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Development of a Risk Score to Predict Postoperative Delirium in Patients With Hip Fracture.

Background Post-hip fracture surgery delirium (PHFD) is a significant clinical problem in older patients, but an adequate, simple risk prediction model for use in the preoperative period has not been developed. Methods The 2016 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Hip Fracture Procedure Targeted Participant Use Data File was used to obtain a cohort of patients ≥60 years of age who underwent hip fracture surgery (n = 8871; randomly assigned to derivation [70%] or validation [30%] cohorts). A parsimonious prediction model for PHFD was developed in the derivation cohort using stepwise multivariable logistic regression with further removal of variables by evaluating changes in the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC). A risk score was developed from the final multivariable model. Results Of 6210 patients in the derivation cohort, PHFD occurred in 1816 (29.2%). Of 32 candidate variables, 9 were included in the final model: (1) preoperative delirium (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 8.32 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 6.78-10.21], 8 risk score points); (2) preoperative dementia (aOR, 2.38 [95% CI, 2.05-2.76], 3 points); (3) age (reference, 60-69 years of age) (age 70-79: aOR, 1.60 [95% CI, 1.20-2.12], 2 points; age 80-89: aOR, 2.09 [95% CI, 1.59-2.74], 2 points; and age ≥90: aOR, 2.43 [95% CI, 1.82-3.23], 3 points); (4) medical comanagement (aOR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.13-1.81], 1 point); (5) American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status III-V (aOR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.14-1.73], 1 point); (6) functional dependence (aOR, 1.37 [95% CI, 1.17-1.61], 1 point); (7) smoking (aOR, 1.36 [95% CI, 1.07-1.72], 1 point); (8) systemic inflammatory response syndrome/sepsis/septic shock (aOR, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.09-1.65], 1 point); and (9) preoperative use of mobility aid (aOR, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.14-1.52], 1 point), resulting in a risk score ranging from 0 to 20 points. The AUCs of the logistic regression and risk score models were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.76-0.78) and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.76-0.78), respectively, with similar results in the validation cohort. Conclusions A risk score based on 9 preoperative risk factors can predict PHFD in older adult patients with fairly good accuracy.
Magnetic nanotechnology for circulating tumor biomarkers screening: Rational design, microfluidics integration and applications

Magnetic nanotechnology represents a major and promising frontier with great potential to significantly advance the field of liquid biopsies. The last decade has witnessed considerable progress in the research and development of magnetic nanosystems for circulating tumor biomarkers screening. With the emergence of microfluidics, both rational design of magnetic nanomaterials from microfluidic reactors and efficient magnetic screening of circulating tumor biomarkers from microfluidic chips become available. This review focuses on recent advances of magnetic nanoparticles for the screening of circulating tumor biomarkers including circulating tumor cells, exosomes, and nucleic acids. We summarize the established conventional magnetic nanosystems for circulating tumor biomarkers screening, highlight microfluidic reactors-enabled magnetic nanoparticles synthesis, and discuss the emerging roles of microfluidic chips in magnetic screening of circulating tumor biomarkers. In addition, the current challenges and opportunities are provided for guiding future studies.