cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Engineering Aspects of Hyperthermia Therapy

The continuing accrual of positive results in clinical cancer trials of adjunctive, synergistic hyperthermia therapy remains a strong motivation for the development of improved hyperthermia equipment and software. Indeed, the lack of needed engineering tools can be viewed as the major stumbling block to hyperthermia's effective clinical implementation. Developing clinically effective systems will be difficult, however, because (a) it requires solving several complex engineering problems, for which (b) setting appropriate design and evaluation goals is currently difficult owing to a lack of critical biological, physiological, and clinical knowledge, two tasks which must (c) be accomplished within a complicated social/political structure.
A 1.5 GHz high-Q receiver based on current reuse

In this paper, an FBAR-based low power low-IF RF receiver prototype is presented. The receiver front-end uses a current reuse structure for reduced power consumption. The stacked LNA-Mixer-VCO (LMV) block implements RF amplification, frequency down conversion and IF amplification. The differential Colpitts VCO utilizes a high-Q FBAR, realizing an LO with phase noise of −139 dBc/Hz at 1MHz frequency offset achieving a FoM of 200dB. A second high-Q FBAR resonator is used for impedance matching at the LNA input, achieving an |S11| of −22 dB. The LMV cell has a 52 dB voltage gain. In addition, a four-stage IF amplifier converts the analog IF output to rail-to-rail digital signal at the output.
Mechanistic Studies with Potent and Selective Inducible Nitric-oxide Synthase Dimerization Inhibitors

Abstract A series of potent and selective inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitors was shown to prevent iNOS dimerization in cells and inhibit iNOS in vivo. These inhibitors are now shown to block dimerization of purified human iNOS monomers. A 3H-labeled inhibitor bound to full-length human iNOS monomer with apparent K d ∼1.8 nm and had a slow off rate, 1.2 × 10−4s−1. Inhibitors also bound with high affinity to both murine full-length and murine oxygenase domain iNOS monomers. Spectroscopy and competition binding with imidazole confirmed an inhibitor-heme interaction. Inhibitor affinity in the binding assay (apparent K d values from 330 pm to 27 nm) correlated with potency in a cell-based iNOS assay (IC50 values from 290 pm to 270 nm). Inhibitor potency in cells was not prevented by medium supplementation with l-arginine or sepiapterin, but inhibition decreased with time of addition after cytokine stimulation. The results are consistent with a mechanism whereby inhibitors bind to a heme-containing iNOS monomer species to form an inactive iNOS monomer-heme-inhibitor complex in a pterin- andl-arginine-independent manner. The selectivity for inhibiting dimerization of iNOS versus endothelial and neuronal NOS suggests that the energetics and kinetics of monomer-dimer equilibria are substantially different for the mammalian NOS isoforms. These inhibitors provide new research tools to explore these processes.
Immediate use of an arteriovenous prosthetic graft for life-saving dialysis in a child

Background Autologous arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are the current gold standard for vascular access in hemodialysis (HD). However, in pediatric patients, specific clinical settings may contraindicate the procedure, thus mandating the use of a prosthetic graft (PG).
Simulating forest and habitat change in south-east Alaska with the landscape model PAYSAGE

We used the landscape model PAYSAGE to demonstrate the use of GIS and simulation models for ecosystem management over a portion of Mitkof Island in the Tongass National Forest. The objectives of the study were to: 1) depict the natural heterogeneity in environment and resource distributions across the study area; 2) quantify changes in vegetation and vertebrate habitats (brown creeper, orange-crowned warbler, marten) during the period of commercial timber harvest (1954 to the present); and 3) simulate likely long-term changes in vegetation and vertebrate habitat under three management scenarios – the Tongass Forest Plan, the wildlife habitat conservation strategy, and the Pacific Fisheries Task Force strategy. The results indicated that productive forest lands and vertebrate habitats are naturally patchy in the study area due to topography and climate. This natural fragmentation was exacerbated by past logging, which targeted high-productivity old growth stands. This stand type was reduced in area by 76 per cent from 1954 to 1994. Patch density and mean patch size decreased during this time while mean nearest neighbour distance increased. Simulations of the three management scenarios for a 200-year period projected relatively minor differences in landscape patterns among the scenarios. This is because the forest plan scenario is relatively restrictive in timber harvest and because most of the area protected in the other two scenarios does nor currently support old growth. We discuss the role of decision-support tools such as PAYSAGE in adaptive ecosystem management and evaluate limitations of the model.
A novel approach for the simultaneous determination of iodide, iodate and organo-iodide for 127I and 129I in environmental samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

In aquatic environments, iodine mainly exists as iodide, iodate, and organic iodine. The high mobility of iodine in aquatic systems has led to 129I contamination problems at sites where nuclear fuel has been reprocessed, such as the F-area of Savannah River Site. In order to assess the distribution of 129I and stable 127I in environmental systems, a sensitive and rapid method was developed which enables determination of isotopic ratios of speciated iodine. Iodide concentrations were quantified using gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC−MS) after derivatization to 4-iodo-N,N-dimethylaniline. Iodate concentrations were quantified by measuring the difference of iodide concentrations in the solution before and after reduction by Na2S2O5. Total iodine, including inorganic and organic iodine, was determined after conversion to iodate by combustion at 900 °C. Organo-iodine was calculated as the difference between the total iodine and total inorganic iodine (iodide and iodate). The detection limits of iodide-...
The Daimones of C. S. Lewis

The eldila of C. S. Lewis's science fiction trilogy hold a unique position in the author's cosmology. Lewis derived these spirits, angels or daimones chiefly from Apuleius’ De Deo Socratis, although the authorial voice cites medieval sources. He, moreover, acknowledged their existence in the material universe. His willingness to accept a pagan divinity results from his understanding of Graeco-Roman myth as a distorted revelation of truth and his own spiritual and intellectual relationship with Apuleius over many years.
Course Types in Schizophrenia: An Analysis of European and American Studies

There have only been a dozen studies in the world literature which have followed patients across decades after their first admissions. Persistent findings of wide heterogeneity in long-term outcome functioning have broadened and challenged the pessimistic view of outcome held by many clinicians with short-term and narrowly defined caseloads. This report compares and contrasts three very long-term followup studies completed in the past 15 years which have also documented course as well as outcome. Ciompi's schematic representation of longitudinal courses has been augmented by data from the Vermont and Burghblzli studies and sheds new light on the underlying hidden heterogeneity within samples. Two case studies present vivid portraits of very different trajectories taken over time and illuminate the processes under scrutiny.
STUDY OF INSTANT SYSTEM AVAILABILITY

In this paper, we study the instant availability A(t) of a repairable system by integral equation. We have proved initial monotonicity of availability, and derived lower bounds of A(t) and average availability. The availabilities of two systems are compared.
Predicting performance of refrigerants using the Peng–Robinson Equation of State

Abstract In this paper, we present a process to use the Peng–Robinson Equation of State as implemented in REFPROP 8.0 [E.W. Lemmon, M.L. Huber, M.O. McLinden, NIST Reference Fluid Thermodynamic and Transport Properties – REFPROP, NIST Standard Reference Database 23 – Version 8.0, 2007] to easily and quickly evaluate the performance potentials of a large number of refrigerants in an idealized vapor compression refrigeration cycle. By knowing only a refrigerant's normal boiling point temperature and its molecular structure, one can use the Peng–Robinson Equation of State to predict the absolute mean percentage errors for the Coefficient of Performance and the Volumetric Cooling Capacity for the group of refrigerants given in B. Saleh, M. Wendland [Screening of pure fluids as alternative refrigerants, Int. J. Refrigeration 29 (2006) 260–269] to within approximately 2.0% and 10.6%, respectively, of both BACKONE [B. Saleh, M. Wendland, Screening of pure fluids as alternative refrigerants, Int. J. Refrigeration 29 (2006) 260–269] and the default, high-accuracy equations in REFPROP. If, in addition to the normal boiling point temperature, one were to use known values for the critical temperature, critical pressure, and critical density, the mean percentage errors for the Coefficient of Performance and the Volumetric Cooling Capacity are then within approximately 1.8% and 3.7%, respectively, of both BACKONE and REFPROP. Finally, when including a known value for the ideal gas specific heat at constant pressure, the mean percentage errors for the Coefficient of Performance and the Volumetric Cooling Capacity are within approximately 1.5% and 2.7%, respectively, of both BACKONE and REFPROP. Therefore, the three approaches presented in this paper can be effective tools to evaluate the performance potentials of a large number of refrigerants, including newer ones where only a limited amount of experimental data may be available.
Effect of chloride on the structure of fluoroaluminate glasses studied by XPS

The effect of chlorine on the structure of AlF3/YF3-based fluoride glasses was studied by XPS. The changes in the bonding state of cations with increase of chlorine content were all investigated by measuring the composition-depend- dent changes in the relative concentration and binding energy of related cations. It was proposed that the chlorine replaces the bridging fluorine by which the [AlFn] and [YFm] polyhedra are connected and result in the formation of [AlFn-uClu] and [YFm-vClv] polyhedra. In the low BaCl2 content region ( 6 mol %), the chlorines replace more fluorines in the already formed [AlFn-uClu] polyhedra and do not attack other [AlF] polyhedra, while the composition of [YFm-vClv] polyhedra does not change.
Alcaeus on the career of Myrsilos: Greeks, Lydians and Luwians at the east Aegean-west Anatolian interface

This paper examines the evidence for the life and career of the Lesbian tyrant Myrsilos. Following an examination of the ancient testimonia for Myrsilos in the text of Alcaeus and later sources, the name Myrsilos is then considered in relation to the Hittite royal name Mursilis, Myrsilos as an alternate name for the Lydian king Kandaules and various toponyms in Lydia and Caria that appear to be derived from the same underlying name or title. The consequences of the distribution of these names is then considered in the cultural and historical context of the Aegean-Anatolian interface, with implications for early Lesbian history and cultural continuity from the Late Bronze Age down to the Archaic period.
A new type system for secure information flow

Abstract: With the variables of a program classified as L (low, public) or H (high, private), we wish to prevent the program from leaking information about H variables into L variables. Given a multi-threaded imperative language with probabilistic scheduling, the goal can be formalized as a property called probabilistic noninterference. Previous work identified a type system sufficient to guarantee probabilistic noninterference, but at the cost of severe restrictions: to prevent timing leaks, H variables were disallowed from the guards of while loops. Here we present a new type system that gives each command a type of the form \tau_1 cmd \tau_2; this type says that the command assigns only to variables of level \tau_1 (or higher) and has running time that depends only on variables of level \tau_2 (or lower). Also we use types of the form \tau cmd n for commands that terminate in exactly n steps. With these typings, we can prevent timing leaks by demanding that no assignment to an L variable may sequentially follow a command whose running time depends on H variables. As a result, we can use H variables more flexibly; for example, under the new system a thread that involves only H variables is always well typed. The soundness of the type system is proved using the notion of probabilistic bisimulation.
School/Nonschool Friendship Patterns in Early Adolescence:

This research examined the school/non school ecology of early adolescent friendship activity using data from a sample of 292 junior high school students. Principal components analyses of friendship measures revealed distinct dimensions for activities that occur during and outside school with the best school friend Social skill and environment related obstacles to seeing school friends outside school were also identified. Additional analyses indicated that activity with the best school friend was more frequent during rather than outside school and that environmental obstacles interfered to a greater extent with seeing school friends outside school than did social skill problems. Activity with the best school friend during and outside school was related to self-esteem among boys but not among girls. The discussion addresses the ecological context of early adolescent friendships and promising directions for future research.
Additions to the Known U.S. Distribution of Latrodectus geometricus (Araneae: Theridiidae)

The range of the brown widow spider Latrodectus geometricus C. L. Koch includes much of Africa and South and Central America. This medically important spider has been recently introduced to Japan, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Hawaii, and California. After the identification of the brown widow spider in New Orleans, LA, and southern Mississippi, surveys in the southeastern United States were conducted from the fall of 2006 through February 2008. We found populations of brown widow spiders in Georgia, Texas, and multiple localities in southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi. In Mississippi, specimens were collected as far north as a county bordering Tennessee. In New Orleans, the brown widow spider has been commonly collected from various locations where human contact is likely.
Race and the lifecourse: readings from the intersection of race, ethnicity, and age

While intersectionality is an increasingly utilized theoretical framework within the social sciences, little research has examined how the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and other...
Free Energies of Ion Binding in the Bacterial CLC-ec1 Chloride Transporter with Implications for the Transport Mechanism and Selectivity

The chloride channel/transporter family of proteins facilitates anion transport across biological membranes. There is extensive physiological and bioinformatic evidence that the channels and transporters are closely related. Each monomer of a homodimeric CLC transport protein contains a narrow selectivity filter. Investigating the ion binding properties inside the filter is crucial for understanding key mechanistic states during ion transit. Here computer simulations are used to explore the free energies of Cl– ions in the binding sites of the wild-type CLC-ec1 transporter and its mutant E148A. Specifically, a local molecular field theory approach for free energy calculations is exploited to compute the absolute free energies in water and in the protein binding sites. The calculations indicate a close synergy between anion binding and protonation of the external glutamate gate. Electrostatic differences between the bacterial CLC-ec1 and eukaryotic CmCLC transporters revealed by these and other simulations...
Tailoring The Pore Size of Hypercrosslinked Polymer Foams

Organic analogues to inorganic zeolites would be a significant step forward in engineered porous materials and would provide advantages in range, selectivity, tailorability and processing. Rigid molecular foams or organic zeolites would not be crystalline materials and could be tailored over a broader range of pore sizes and volumes. A novel process for preparing hypercrosslinked polymeric foams has been developed via a Friedel-Crafts polycondensation reaction. A series of rigid hypercrosslinked foams have been prepared using simple rigid polyaromatic hydrocarbons including benzene, biphenyl, m-terphenyl, diphenylmethane, and polystyrene, with p-dichloroxylene (DCX) or divinylbenzene (DVB) as the crosslinking agent. Transparent gels are formed suggesting a very small pore size. After drying the foams are robust and rigid. Densities of the resulting foams can range from 0.15 g/cc to 0.75 g/cc. Nitrogen adsorption studies have shown that by judiciously selecting monomers and crosslinking agent along with the level of crosslinking and the cure time of the resulting gel, the pore size, pore size distribution, and the total surface area of the foam can be tailored. Surface areas range from 160 to 1,200 m{sup 2}/g with pore sizes ranging from 6{angstrom} to 2,000{angstrom}. Further evidence of the uniformity of the foams and their pore sizesmore » has been confirmed by high resolution TEM.« less
Cp*IrIII-Catalyzed Oxidative Coupling of Benzoic Acids with Alkynes

Cp*Ir(III) complexes have been shown to catalyze the oxidative coupling of benzoic acids with alkynes in methanol at 60 °C to form a variety of isocoumarins. The use of AgOAc as an oxidant was required to facilitate significant product formation. Alkyl alkynes were shown to be more reactive substrates than aryl alkynes, and a number of functional groups were tolerated on benzoic acid. Combined mechanistic and computational studies (BP86) revealed that (1) C–H activation occurs via an acetate-assisted mechanism; (2) C–H activation is not turnover limiting; and (3) the oxidant oxidizes the reduced form of the catalyst via an Ir(I)–Ir(II)–Ir(III) sequence.
The Socratic Gymnasium: Learning Lessons of Life through Physical Education.

What constitutes appropriate practice in physical education? NASPE suggests the outcome of a physical education program should be that adolescents have gained the skills and knowledge to be physically active for a lifetime. Furthermore, a physically educated person consistently demonstrates responsible personal and social behavior in physical activity settings. The question thus becomes, how do physical education teachers accommodate all of these aspects of appropriate practice into a single unified integrated system that includes equal emphasis on the physical, cognitive, and affective aspects of physical education? My contention is that the answer lies in what I shall refer to as the Socratic gymnasium. The main pillars of the Socratic gymnasium are the combined utilization of a tactical games approach (TGA), sport education (SE), and teaching personal and social responsibility (TPSR), all of which are constructivist instructional models.
The Application of the Optical Technology in Smart Grid

This paper introduces the application of the optical technology in the construction of strong and smart grid,which involves communication,sensor measurements,,and utilization of new energy.Each application principle and prospects are specified in detail.The necessity of researching the optical technology in construction of strong and smart grid is mentioned.
Investigation of Proposed Activity of Clarithromycin at GABAA Receptors Using [11C]Flumazenil PET

Clarithromycin is a potential treatment for hypersomnia acting through proposed negative allosteric modulation of GABAA receptors. We were interested whether this therapeutic benefit might extend to Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients because GABAergic neurotransmission is implicated in postural control. Prior to initiating clinical studies in PD patients, we wished to better understand clarithromycin’s mechanism of action. In this work we investigated whether the proposed activity of clarithromycin at the GABAA receptor is associated with the benzodiazepine binding site using in vivo [11C]flumazenil positron emission tomography (PET) in primates and ex vivo [3H]flumazenil autoradiography in rat brain. While the studies demonstrate that clarithromycin does not change the Kd of FMZ, nor does it competitively displace FMZ, there is preliminary evidence from the primate PET imaging studies that clarithromycin delays dissociation and washout of flumazenil from the primate brain in a dose-dependent fashion. Thes...
The Process of Specifying Packages

This chapter is about building package specifications and understanding them. Given an English description, how should we tackle the problem of specifying a package to fit the description? How do we begin? What are the steps in the process — can we build upon (or “reuse”) previous specifications? How can we figure out the consequences of a specification? When are we finished?
Outcomes of Patients with Relapsed/Refractory (R/R) B-Cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) Post Blinatumomab Failure

Introduction: Blinatumomab is a first-in-class Bispecific T-cell engaging (BiTE) antibody targeting CD19-positive malignant cells and CD3-positive T cells. It has shown activity in both R/R B-cell ALL and with persistent minimal residual disease (MRD). However, despite a 50% response rate with blinatumomab, the duration of response is very short with many pts experiencing relapse. The goal of this study is to assess the outcome of patients with R/R B-cell ALL post blinatumomab failure. Methods: We reviewed 40 patients with R/R ALL treated with blinatumomab at our institution between 1/2012 and 1/2015. Of the 40 patients treated, 30 were either refractory (n=18) or lost their response (n=12) after initially achieving a complete response or complete response with incomplete count recovery (CRi). We analyzed the clinical characteristics and survival of these 30 patients who failed blinatumomab. Results: Clinical characteristics of the 30 patients with blinatumomab failure are summarized in Table 1. Best response to blinatumomab was CR in 9 pts and CRi in 3 with a median duration of response of 3 months (range, 1-8 months). After a median follow-up of 6.8 months (range 4.8- 31 months) from blinatumomab failure, 8 patients (27%) remain alive. The median overall survival was 6.4 months and the estimated 12-month survival rate was 36%. The median survival was 3 and 11 months for patients refractory to blinatumomab and those who relapsed after a previous response, respectively (p=0.179). Furthermore, there was a trend for better outcome post blinatumomab failure if the drug was administered as first, second, or third and beyond salvage therapy with a median survival of 19, 11, and 5 months, respectively (p= 0.248). Following blinatumomab failure, 11 patients received inotuzumab ozogamicin salvage therapy as a single agent in 5 or in combination with mini-hyper-CVD in 6 [Jabbour E et al; EHA 2015]. Eight patients responded for an overall response rate of 73% for a median duration of 6 months (range, 1.2-30 months). Overall, 9 patients underwent allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT), 5 of them post salvage therapy with inotuzumab. Seven of them remain alive in CR at the last follow-up. The 1-year survival rates were 83% and 11% for patients who received an allo-SCT and those who did not, respectively (p Conclusions: Overall, the outcome of patients with R/R ALL post blinatumomab failure is poor with a median survival of 6.4 months. Inotuzumab ozogamicin is a good salvage therapy option allowing patients with refractory disease to proceed with allo-SCT that remains the only curative approach for these patients. Disclosures Cortes:Teva: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; BerGenBio AS: Research Funding; Ariad: Consultancy, Research Funding; Astellas: Consultancy, Research Funding; Ambit: Consultancy, Research Funding; Arog: Research Funding; Celator: Research Funding; Jenssen: Consultancy.
Predicting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Advance Care Planning Using the Integrated Behavioral Model.

PurposeTo explain and predict racial or ethnic disparities in advance care planning (ACP) behaviors among American adults by using the Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM) and the Precaution Adoption ...
Unnecessary diagnostic tests often obtained for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Background Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a common cause of vertigo prompting patients to seek medical treatment. Diagnosis is made by identifying characteristic nystagmus with positional testing (e.g., Dix-Hallpike maneuver) during a clinical examination. Although diagnosis can be accurately made by non-specialists, costly diagnostic tests are frequently obtained. We examined diagnostic tests ordered and use of specialty consultations in the evaluation of patients eventually diagnosed in our clinic with BPPV. Material/methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 193 consecutive adult patients referred to our otoneurology clinic and subsequently diagnosed with isolated BPPV of the posterior canal from 2003 to 2008. In all cases, symptoms resolved after treatment. Results One hundred thirty-six patients (71%) underwent at least one test, and no tests were diagnostic. The test most frequently ordered was brain magnetic resonance imaging (n=76), followed by audiogram (n=64), serologic tests (n=42), brain computed tomographic scan (n=32), caloric electronystagmography (n=24), and magnetic resonance angiography (n=23). Internists and otolaryngologists evaluated the same number of patients (n=75) prior to being seen in our clinic, and neurologists saw the next largest group (n=52). Family and emergency physicians evaluated 22 and 16 patients, respectively. The number of diagnostic tests ordered did not significantly vary from 2003 to 2008. Conclusions Patients with isolated BPPV undergo many tests of no yield despite the definitive test for diagnosis being a bedside maneuver. Increased use of tests for positional nystagmus likely would improve diagnostic yield and decrease costs in evaluating patients with this common disorder.
Correction of dropped head deformity through combined anterior and posterior osteotomies to restore horizontal gaze and improve sagittal alignment

The aim of this study is to present our technique for a large focal correction of a partially flexible dropped head deformity through combined anterior and posterior osteotomies, as well as anterior soft tissue releases. One patient with dropped head deformity underwent an anterior and posterior osteotomy with anterior soft tissue release. The patient recovered well, with postoperative radiographs demonstrating significant improvement in coronal and sagittal alignment. His C2–C7 sagittal vertical axis improved from 7.5 cm preoperatively to less than 4 cm postoperatively and his C2–C7 sagittal Cobb improved from 35° of kyphosis to 10° of lordosis. In this report, we present our technique for a large focal correction of a partially flexible dropped head deformity through combined anterior and posterior osteotomies and anterior soft tissue releases. These more conservative osteotomies permitted gradual deformity correction and alleviated the need for pedicle subtraction osteotomy. We were able to restore horizontal gaze and improve sagittal malalignment. Although the technique we present here is one of many possible options for managing the deformity, we believe this combined approach is safe and effective and well tolerated by patients.
Noisy Active Management

Lower skill of the active management industry can imply greater fee revenue, value added, and investor performance. Such outcomes arise in a competitive equilibrium in which portfolio choices of active managers partially echo those of noise traders and also contain manager-specific noise. Both sources of noise reduce managers’ skill to identify mispriced securities and thereby produce alpha. However, lower skill also means a given amount of active management corrects prices less and thus competes away less alpha. The latter effect can outweigh managers’ poorer portfolio choices, so that investors rationally allocate more to active management when its skill is lower.
Convergence of Sequences of Linear Fractional Transformations and of Continued Fractions

Recently Piranian and Thron [3] gave a classification of the convergence behavior of sequences of linear fractional transformations. They were interested in part in providing tools which might be helpful in deriving results for continued fractions. No such applications have as yet been forthcoming. In this article we consider the classification problem for a more restricted set of sequences, namely those that map the unit circular disk into itself.
Compressive stress distribution in prestressed concrete and its effect on railroad crosstie design

Abstract Recently, track mileage with concrete crossties has been increasing throughout the world. In North America, for example, approximately 30 million crossties are currently in service on Class I freight railroads. It is essential to understand the concrete crosstie bearing capacity and flexure behavior for both design and safety purposes. The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Recommended Practices and Australian Standard’s (AS) current flexural design methodologies consider rail seat loads to be vertically transferred to the neutral axis. However, the International Union of Railways (UIC) assumes rail seat loads are distributed at a 45 degree angle to the neutral axis. This load distribution behavior is commonly seen in the design of concrete corbels and spread footings, but is not well documented in the design of concrete crossties, and different assumptions (i.e. in AREMA and UIC design methods) will result in different designs. Better understanding the load distribution in concrete crossties will help to improve the design of concrete crossties and optimize their performance. This study presents preliminary results from an on-going research project at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) focused on concrete crosstie mechanical behavior. A parametric study using three-dimensional (3D) finite element modeling (FEM) was performed to investigate stress distribution below the rail seat and quantify the corresponding distribution angles in prestressed concrete crosstie under static wheel loading. Laboratory experiments were also performed and successfully validated the results obtained from the numerical simulations. The results from both numerical simulation and laboratory experiments indicate the stress distribution angle under rail seat is not constant which disagrees with the assumptions in UIC 713R. Moreover, the stress distribution angle under rail seat is found to be sensitive to crosstie support conditions, and its value follows a direct relationship with rail seat load magnitude. The findings from this study can help to optimize prestressed concrete crosstie bearing capacity design.
Repair of a mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm in a neonate using an everted jugular vein patch.

Abstract A 43-day-old boy presented with bacteremia after umbilical artery catheterization. Duplex ultrasound examination revealed a 1.1- × 1.6-cm mycotic infrarenal aortic aneurysm and an incidental asymptomatic occluded right common iliac artery. Resection and repair were completed by creating an everted, double-layered internal jugular vein patch. Screening ultrasound examination 10 months postoperatively demonstrated successful repair.
Editorial: The Innate and Adaptive Immune Response Are Both Involved in Drug-Induced Autoimmunity.

Drug-induced autoimmunity is an intriguing phenomenon that has been described in the medical literature at least since 1945, with a report from the Medical Corps of the Army of the United States describing a case of systemic lupus erythematosus induced by sulfadiazine (1). While an autoantibody response in drug-induced autoimmunity is more universal, the spectrum of clinical autoimmunity is variable and likely influenced by host genetics including genetic variants predisposing to autoimmunity and genetic variants affecting drug metabolism. Indeed, a large proportion of patients who take procainamide or hydralazine develop autoantibodies, but a smaller fraction develops clinical drug-induced autoimmunity, usually characterized by skin involvement, arthritis, serositis, and constitutional symptoms. In some patients, however, a chronic or severe autoimmune disease can develop. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Varieties of Parthood

We assume that there are multiple varieties of parthood, or multiple relations that are importantly similar to parthood, and that are related to each other by specific principles we consider. We are motivated by the idea that the class of these relations is closed under certain operations, so that, for example, the transitive closure of one variety of parthood is itself a variety of parthood. Another type of principle we embrace is that parthood relations can be merged to form new ones. We show that our principles about this class yield well-defined formal patterns that connect in clear ways to familiar forms of mereology, including Classical Extensional Mereology. We introduce a novel closure condition on the class, involving what we will call the overlap-inclusion of a given relation. We connect this notion to the classical mereological axiom of Strong Supplementation. We introduce a notion of sameness of structure that is slightly weaker than the standard notion of isomorphism, that we call quasi-isomorphism. We then study some formal patterns that govern the merging of a new domain and part-like relation with an old domain and relation, together with our closure conditions. Our main result is that, under a natural general assumption about how new things relate to old ones, we can show that, when we ignore the differences between quasi-isomorphic structures, there is basically only one way to extend the old structure: all additions are quasi-isomorphic to a substructure of a certain natural extension of the original, which is itself quasi-isomorphic to a Classical Mereology.
Developmental Neurotoxicology of Lead: Neurobehavioral and Neurological Impacts

Abstract Childhood lead intoxication has been recognized clinically for over a century. Large cohort studies were instituted in the 1970s to better define the overt symptoms and behavioral problems present in exposed children. Multiple prospective studies concluded that exposure to lead at low doses has an effect on the intellectual attainment of children, even at blood lead concentrations below 10 μg/dL. A common observation among these studies is the nonlinear dose–response relationships between blood lead and neurodevelopmental metrics. A continuing focus in animal studies has been to define the neuronal mechanisms operative during early development at environmentally relevant levels of exposure. Chronic exposure was found to diminish hippocampal neurotransmission and impair synaptic plasticity, as well as performance on tests of learning and memory. In addition, Alzheimer’s pathogenesis has been shown to be influenced by lead exposure occurring early in life. These advances have led to a clearer understanding of the mechanisms underlying lead-induced deficits in exposed children.
AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE ROLE OF IT MATERIALITY IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY INNOVATION

Knowledge needs to traverse through social and cognitive boundaries as it is transformed from information to innovation. Little is known, however, regarding what, if any, role various IT material constraints and affordances play in supporting multidisciplinary innovations involving the complexities of heterogeneous knowledge. The notion of affordance has been used in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) to describe the action opportunities afforded by IT functionalities. By IT materiality, we refer to a set of “features that provide opportunities for and constraints on actions” (Leonardi and Barley 2008). We propose and empirically test a model to address this gap by drawing from the concepts of affordance, social structure theory, and the design of IT functionalities. We hypothesize that the impact of cognitive heterogeneity on innovation performance will be mediated by knowledge coordination and perspective taking. Further, we hypothesize that this relationship will be moderated by the material affordances of IT.
CCN4 shifts melanoma cells from a fragile proliferative state to a resilient metastatic state

While deregulated intracellular signaling initiates melanoma, intercellular crosstalk within the tumor microenvironment, often coordinated by soluble factors, is essential for melanoma progression and metastasis. One such secreted matricellular protein, cellular communication network factor 4 (CCN4), stimulates metastasis in other malignancies. Here, we report that CCN4 expression is associated progressively with reduced overall survival in patients with primary melanomas. To reveal the roles of CCN4 in melanoma progression, we used mouse melanoma models and knocked out Ccn4 using a homology-directed repair CRISPR/CAS9 system to generate pools of Ccn4-knockout cells. In vitro assays supported previous findings using clones generated using a double nickase-based CRISPR/CAS9 system that CCN4 promoted an epithelial - mesenchymal-like transition in melanoma cells and stimulated invasion and metastasis. We also found that, while Ccn4 knockout enhanced cell growth in optimal 2D culture conditions, the knockout suppressed certain cell survival signaling pathways and rendered cells less resistant to stress conditions. Tumor cell growth assays at sub-optimal conditions in vitro, quantitative analysis of tumor growth assays in vivo, and transcriptomics analysis of human melanoma cell lines suggested that CCN4 repressed cell growth and simultaneously enhanced cell survival. The collective role of CCN4 suggests a potential therapeutic target for limiting metastatic invasion in melanoma and a biomarker for metastatic potential.
Future Pharmacological Therapies of Portal Hypertension

To provide an overview of recent pharmacological treatments for portal hypertension evaluated in early clinical trials, with particular emphasis on the pathophysiological basis of their use. In patients with compensated cirrhosis, even small decreases in portal pressure (as small as 1 mmHg) are associated with a lower probability of decompensation. In patients with decompensated cirrhosis, portal pressure “response” to non-selective beta-blocker (NSBB) therapy is associated with a lower mortality. When present, significant portal hypertension persists even after the elimination of the etiology of cirrhosis and this justifies the continued development of new drugs that target portal hypertension. Over several decades, we have gained great depth in the understanding of portal hypertension, its mechanisms and complications. NSBBs, which act by reducing portal venous inflow (an extrahepatic target), are effective in reducing portal pressure and have been the mainstay of therapy for portal hypertension in the last 35 years—being effective in preventing decompensation and variceal hemorrhage. However, because not all patients will have a sufficient response to NSBB and some may be intolerant to NSBB, alternative drugs or drugs that will augment the effect of NSBB on portal pressure are being tested in pre-clinical and early-clinical trials. Many of these drugs target more than one of the intrahepatic or extrahepatic mechanisms implicated in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension in cirrhosis. Out of these proposed therapies, statins have emerged as the most promising new pharmacological therapy for the treatment of portal hypertension.
Barriers to the Implementation of Specialized Reading Instruction in Secondary Co-Taught Classrooms: An Exploratory Study.

This exploratory research underscores Bandura’s social learning theory on collective agency to investigate co-teaching partners’ collaboration regarding reading instruction for students with disabi...
Ab Initio Study of the Hypercloso Boron Hydrides BnHn and BnHn-. Exceptional Stability of Neutral B13H13

The neutral hypercloso boron hydrides BnHn (n = 5−13, 16, 19, 22) and the boron hydride radical monanion BnHn- (n = 5−13) have been studied at the B3LYP/6-31G* and higher levels of density functional theory. The pairing and capping principles help rationalize the lowest energy structures. Neutral boron hydrides BnHn with n = 3p + 1 (p = 2−7) all have one boron atom on a 3-fold axis. Loss of one electron from BnHn2- (n = 5−13) is predicted to be exothermic except for B12H122-. This, the most stable and aromatic dianion, has a 10.9 kcal/mol (B3LYP/6-311+G**//B3LYP/6-31G*) adiabatic ionization potential. The relative stabilities of the neutral and monanion boron hydrides were evaluated using the equation B2H2x + (n − 2)BHinc → BnHnx, in which x = 0 and −1 and BHinc is the energy difference between B3H5 (C2v, planar) and B2H4 (D2h). Removing two electrons from aromatic dianions changes the nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS) from negative (aromatic) to positive (antiaromatic) except for neutral B6H6, B...
Metamorphic testing of Android graphics drivers

My MET 2019 invited talk will focus on GraphicsFuzz, a technique and tool for automated metamorphic testing of the shader compiler components of graphics drivers. Starting out as a research project at Imperial College London, GraphicsFuzz led to a spin-out company of the same name, which was acquired by Google in 2018. The technology has since been open sourced and is being used by Google to test Vulkan and OpenGL ES graphics drivers and supporting tools.
Hashed binary search sampling for convolutional network training with large overhead image patches

Very large overhead imagery associated with ground truth maps has the potential to generate billions of training image patches for machine learning algorithms. However, random sampling selection criteria often leads to redundant and noisy-image patches for model training. With minimal research efforts behind this challenge, the current status spells missed opportunities to develop supervised learning algorithms that generalize over wide geographical scenes. In addition, much of the computational cycles for large scale machine learning are poorly spent crunching through noisy and redundant image patches. We demonstrate a potential framework to address these challenges specifically, while evaluating a human settlement detection task. A novel binary search tree sampling scheme is fused with a kernel based hashing procedure that maps image patches into hash-buckets using binary codes generated from image content. The framework exploits inherent redundancy within billions of image patches to promote mostly high variance preserving samples for accelerating algorithmic training and increasing model generalization.
Weak Bonds in a Biomimetic Adhesive Enhance Toughness and Performance

Developing future high performance adhesives is predicated upon achieving properties including strength and ductility. However, designing tough materials that are simultaneously strong and soft is usually contradictory in nature. Biological materials including shells and wood achieve impressive toughness by using weak bonds to connect larger structures at several length scales. Here, we show that this toughness design approach can be applied to synthetic adhesives. A biomimetic adhesive polymer, poly(catechol-acrylic acid), was examined in conjunction with several compounds containing two organic functional groups. In a typical example, the diol ethylene glycol decreased the overall system modulus. Performance was seen to increase significantly. Spectroscopic and physical methods indicated that these bifunctional additives created an interpolymeric network of weak hydrogen bonds. Material toughness was enhanced when breakable bonds were available to dissipate mechanical stresses while leaving the surrounding matrix intact. These discoveries illustrate how a biological materials strategy of interplay between strength and ductility can be achieved with sacrificial bonds in an adhesive. Such an approach may be a general principle applicable to designing higher performance electronics, transportation, and aerospace systems.
Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia with bone marrow transplantation.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia is curable by bone marrow transplantation (BMT), especially when patients are treated while in the chronic phase. Bone marrow may be procured from his to compatible siblings, matched unrelated donors, or by autologous harvest with cryopreservation. Depletion of donor T cells may decrease the incidence of graft-versus- host disease, but leads to higher rates of relapse and graft failure. The malignant clone may persist or reappear at the molecular or chromosomal level without necessarily leading to clinical relapse after BMT.
Controversy and debate on credibility ceilings. Paper 3: errors in the statistical justification for the "credibility ceiling" method remain uncorrected.

Abstract Background and Objective We previously claimed that the credibility ceiling for meta-analyses is fundamentally flawed. We respond to Dr. Ioannidis' rebuttal of those claims. Methods We use statistical reasoning. Results We agree with Dr. Ioannidis on some general points about the limitations of statistical sensitivity analyses. But critically, his response has entirely sidestepped responding to the crux of our argument, namely a direct mathematical demonstration that the method simply does not do what it was claimed to do. We reiterate that if our claim were false, it could be persuasively refuted if Dr. Ioannidis were to identify inaccuracies in our mathematical argument, which he has not done. Dr. Ioannidis had also dismissed as “absurd” the thought experiments we had used to illustrate the method's misleading conclusion; we explain why these examples still stand. Conclusion Given that the crux of our argument remains unaddressed, we continue to recommend against use of the credibility ceiling method. We are, however, sympathetic to what seem to be the underlying aims of the method, if not the execution. Developing principled methods to address those aims would be useful.
Framing the Youth-Led Movement for Gun Violence Prevention: How News Coverage Impacts Efficacy in Generation Z, Millennials, and Gen X:

The American youth-led movement for gun violence prevention (YMGVP) that emerged after the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, has received tremendous media ...
Encephalitozoon cuniculi infection in cats: European guidelines from the ABCD on prevention and management.

Overview:Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a common obligate intracellular microsporidian parasite of rabbits that is increasingly recognised as a pathogen of cats and other mammalian species. These guid...