cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mutations of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 p6Gag Domain Result in Reduced Retention of Pol Proteins during Virus Assembly

One of the crucial steps in the assembly of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and other retroviruses is the incorporation and retention of all the key viral enzymes in released virions. The viral enzymes protease, reverse transcriptase, and integrase of HIV-1 are initially synthesized as Gag-Pol fusion polyproteins. It has been shown that the incorporation of Gag-Pol polyproteins during virus assembly requires the Gag domains that are shared by the Gag and Gag-Pol precursors. We now report that truncation of the C-terminal p6 domain of HIV-1 Gag, which is present in the Gag precursor but not in the Gag-Pol precursor, drastically reduced the amount of Pol proteins in the mutant virions. Mutations in the lentivirus conserved motif P(T/S)APP in p6 also drastically reduced the amount of Pol proteins in mutant virions. The steady-state levels of Gag-Pol precursors and cleaved Pol proteins in the transfected cells were not affected by mutations in p6. The incorporation of unprocessed Gag-Pol precursors into p6 mutant virions was detected when the viral protease was mutated, suggesting that the interactions among mutant Gag molecules and Gag-Pol precursors were not significantly affected. These results suggest that the p6 domain of HIV-1 Gag may play an important role in recruiting or retaining cleaved Pol proteins during virus assembly.
A new optimization heuristic for continuous and integer decisions with constraints in simulation

In this paper, a new metaheuristic optimization approach is developed for the mixed integer decisions with constraints within a simulation model. Each decision variable is handled by an optimizer that uses a machine learning technique. At the beginning of each iteration, the decisions are selected randomly from their decision distributions. The performance evaluation is estimated during a short simulation run. The optimizers modify their selection distributions for the decisions that prove to be "good" performance judged against an advancing threshold value. Then, a new set of decisions is generated for the next run. When the average performance reaches a good competency, the threshold value is advanced to a higher level. Thus, the optimizers are forced to learn toward the optimal solution. In this paper, after brief explanation of the approach, we present an application to a challenging engineering problem dealing with pressure-vessel design.
Composition Effects On Recording Properhe.s Of COPTCR thin film Media

The effects of different composition of CoPtCr thin-film media on macromagnetic and recording parameters have been studied. Increasing Cr percentage in the magnetic alloy drops M/sub s/, and consequently M/sub r/ for films of similar squareness, requiring a greater thickness value to achieve the same M/sub r/ delta product. Resolution at high recording densities degrades with higher M/sub r/ delta as expected. For fixed M/sub r/ delta , resolution drops with the higher delta values as predicted by the thickness loss factor in the Wallace equation. Low M/sub r/ high delta films have worse resolution, but an improvement in media noise is noted. It could be argued that this results from greater exchange decoupling from higher intergranular Cr concentrations in the high Cr content, low M/sub r/ alloys. It is speculated that the noise reduction results from the lower magnetostatic interactions in the film from the decreased value of M/sub s/. Recording densities and head-medium spacings have reached a point where the thin-film media thickness can become a significant loss factor for the short wavelength signals. >
Metabolic regulation of collagen gel contraction by porcine aortic valvular interstitial cells

Despite a high incidence of calcific aortic valve disease in metabolic syndrome, there is little information about the fundamental metabolism of heart valves. Cell metabolism is a first responder t...
Kestrel: a programmable array for sequence analysis

Kestrel is a programmable linear systolic array processor designed for sequence analysis. Among other features, Kestrel includes an 8-bit word, a single-cycle add-and-minimize instruction, and efficient communication using systolic shared registers. This paper describes Kestrel's functional units in detail, and examines each of their effects on system performance. With prototypes currently in progress, we expect to complete a full Kestrel array, with between 512 and 1024 processing elements, by 1997.
On channel capacity per unit cost

Memoryless communication channels with arbitrary alphabets where each input symbol is assigned a cost are considered. The maximum number of bits that can be transmitted reliably through the channel per unit cost is studied. It is shown that, if the input alphabet contains a zero-cost symbol, then the capacity per unit cost admits a simple expression as the maximum normalized divergence between two conditional output distributions. The direct part of this coding theorem admits a constructive proof via Stein's lemma on the asymptotic error probability of binary hypothesis tests. Single-user, multiple-access, and interference channels are studied. >
Evaluation of the enhanced amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test for direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in respiratory specimens.

Abstract Objective.—To evaluate the performance of the enhanced Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test (E-MTD), for the direct detection of M tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in respiratory specimens. Design.—Two hundred seventy-four respiratory specimens from 151 patients in respiratory isolation were tested with the E-MTD, and the results were compared with the results of mycobacterial smear, culture, and the earlier form of the test, MTD-1. Results.—Forty-one specimens were culture positive for mycobacteria (20 MTBC and 21 nontuberculous mycobacteria), 23 of which were smear positive (16 MTBC, 7 nontuberculous mycobacteria). Twenty-four specimens were positive by E-MTD, and 21 were positive by MTD-1. Of the 20 MTBC culture-positive specimens, 19 were positive by the E-MTD and 19 were positive by the MTD-1. The remaining specimens were MTBC negative by all methods. After resolution of discrepancies, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 95.2%, 100%, 100%, 99.6% for th...
Identification of a New Glycerol-3-phosphate Acyltransferase Isoenzyme, mtGPAT2, in Mitochondria

Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) catalyzes the initial and rate-limiting step of glycerolipid synthesis. Two distinct GPAT isoenzymes had been identified in mammalian tissues, an N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)-sensitive isoform in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane (microsomal GPAT) and an NEM-resistant form in the outer mitochondrial membrane (mtGPAT). Although only mtGPAT has been cloned, the microsomal and mitochondrial GPAT isoforms can be distinguished, because they differ in acyl-CoA substrate preference, sensitivity to inhibition by dihydroxyacetone phosphate and polymixin B, temperature sensitivity, and ability to be activated by acetone. The preponderance of evidence supports a role for mtGPAT in synthesizing the precursors for triacylglycerol synthesis. In mtGPAT-/- mice, PCR genotyping and Northern analysis showed successful knockout of mtGPAT; however, we detected a novel NEM-sensitive GPAT activity in mitochondrial fractions and an anti-mtGPAT immunoreactive protein in liver mitochondria, but not in microsomes. Rigorous analysis using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that the anti-mtGPAT immunoreactive proteins in wild type and mtGPAT-/- liver mitochondria have different isoelectric points. These results suggested the presence of a second GPAT in liver mitochondria from mtGPAT-/- mice. Characterization of this GPAT activity in liver from mtGPAT null mice showed that, unlike the mtGPAT activity in wild type samples, activity in mtGPAT knockout mitochondria did not prefer palmitoyl-CoA, was sensitive to inactivation by NEM, was inhibited by dihydroxyacetone phosphate and polymixin B, was temperature-sensitive, and was not activated by acetone. We conclude that a novel GPAT (mtGPAT2) with antigenic epitopes similar to those of mtGPAT is detectable in mitochondria from the livers of mtGPAT-/- mice.
Sustained antihypertensive response with Minizide: long-term follow-up in a multicentre study.

The safety and effectivenessofprazosin hydrochloride combined with poly­ thiazide for the treatment of hypertension was studied in four European countries by ten investigators. One-hundred and seventy-sevenadult male and female patients. 91% with essential hypertension, were treatedfor an average of 7 months. Reductions from placebo-controlled baseline blood pressure exceeded 15% over the 8-week short-term phase of the study withfurther reductions ofup to 22% observed at the end ofthe study. Ninety-six per cent of all patients completed therapy with a diastolic blood presssureof90 mm Hg or less. Most patients were adequately controlled on 2 tablets or less once daily. Each tablet contained 0·5 mg prazosin hydrochloride and0·25 mg polythiazide. Long-term toleration was excellent. Side-effects were typicalof those expected with antihypertensive medication and nearly all were reported during the first 8 weeks oftreatment with no interruption or discontinuation ofdrug. Nearly all patients werefollowed throughout for laboratory changes. There were minimal changes consistent with the therapy and there was no pattern indicativeoftoxic potential. It is concluded that the drug combination, Minizide, is effective and well tolerated as initial and long-term therapy in hypertension and that the convenient dosage regimen will lead to enhanced treatment compliance for this chronic condition.
On Becoming a Bayesian: Early Correspondences between J Cornfield and LJ Savage

Jerome Cornfield was arguably the leading proponent for the use of Bayesian methods in biostatistics during the 1960s. Prior to 1963, however, Cornfield had no publications in the area of Bayesian statistics. At a time when frequentist methods were the dominant influence on statistical practice, Cornfield went against the mainstream and embraced Bayes. The goal of this paper is (i) to explore how and why this transformation came about and (ii) to provide some sense as to who Cornfield was and the context in which he worked.
Theory of edges of leaves

We performed experiments in which tearing pieces of plastic produced a fractal boundary. Similar patterns are commonly observed at the edges of leaves. These patterns can be reproduced by imposing metrics upon thin sheets. We present an energy functional that provides a numerical test-bed for this idea, and derive a continuum theory from it. We find ordinary differential equations that provide minimum energy solutions for long thin strips with linear gradients in metric, and verify both numerically and experimentally the correctness of the solutions.
Comparison of two LQG-based methods for disturbance rejection

When the disturbances acting on a system reflect the dynamics of the process generating them (i.e. disturbances other than white noise), this information can be exploited for the design of disturbance rejection controllers. Two modern control approaches for designing linear disturbance rejection controllers are discussed: disturbance modeling and frequency shaping of cost functionals. Both methods are extensions of linear-quadratic-Gaussian theory. It is shown that although the philosophies used to develop the two control schemes are very different, there is a distinct relationship between them. This is formalized by showing that the two methods are equivalent for the single-input-single-output case. The duality of the two methods is discussed for the multi-input-multi-output case. >
Application of a Wall-Solar Chimney for Passive Cooling of Dwellings

Energy consumption is an important issue and has become a great concern during last the few decades, where most energy consumption is utilized for conditioning buildings. The solar chimney is a natural ventilation technique that has the potential to save energy use in buildings as well as maintain comfortable indoor quality. The objective of the current study is to examine the effects of the wall-solar chimney on airflow distribution and thermal conditions in a room. In the current work, computational fluid dynamics was used to model a solar chimney. The time-dependent conservation equations for mass, momentum and energy were solved with the k-e turbulence equations using ANSYS Fluent. Previous literature, that utilized numerical modeling to study the solar chimney for different dimensions of chimney geometry, only considered a two-dimensional solar chimney with one-directional heat transfer. In the current study, the solar chimney was modeled three-dimensionally for a more realistic simulation of actual flow and thermal condition of the room. Experimental and numerical data from literature were used to validate the current model, and the results agreed very well. The current study showed that the flow in the solar chimney system can be either laminar or turbulent depending on the parameters of the system, and that the effect of the chimney inlet is more significant than that of the air gap on the flow regime. This study also developed a new characteristic Rayleigh number Ra* relating the chimney inlet and the air gap, which showed good consistency with the prediction of the flow regime. The investigations on Ra* and the flow regime indicated that the flow becomes turbulent for Ra* ∼ 0.8 × 108. Lastly, the potential improvements of the designs were discussed by observing the flow and thermal condition of the room.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Is classroom evaluation related to actual effectiveness of classroom speeches

This article reports two experiments conducted to determine whether the actual classroom grades awarded “speeches to convince” coincide with the speeches’ persuasive effectiveness.
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION AND METABOLISM OF NEWLY ABSORBED VITAMIN A IN THE RAT

SUMMARY Chylomicrons containing newly absorbed labeled vitamin A were injected intravenously into normal intact rats, and the tissue distribution of radioactivity was observed for several days. Chylomicrons were used so that the vitamin could be administered physiologically, in the form in which it is normally absorbed. ‘The total recovery of lipid-soluble radioactivity in the entire animal varied from 92% after 17 min to 63% after 24 hr to 56% after 6 days. At all times approximately two-thirds of the recovered radioactivity was found in the liver. Substantial amounts of radioactivity were also found in the kidneys and in the total depot fat, and small but significant amounts of labeled vitamin A were found in the plasma, small intestine, lungs, and adrenals. After 8 hr, labeled retinyl esters predominated in all tissues except plasma, with small aniounts of labeled retinol also being present. Quantitatively significant amounts of labeled retinal or retinoic acid were not observed. The composition of labeled retinyl esters was remarkable in showing a consistent predominance of saturated esters in all tissues. Marked differences were, however, seen in the relative amounts of labeled retinyl palmitate and stearate in different tissues. During the first 24 hr 3.7% of the injected radioactivity was excreted as expired COS, 3.5% was excreted as water-soluble compounds in the urine, and 8.7y0 was excreted in the bile. The biliary metabolites apparently consisted of a heterogeneous mixture of polar compounds, some of which were present as glucuronic acid conjugates.
GIS—The Basics Series: Helpful Hints and Best Practices

SPRS Florida Region will host a series of seminars. Presented by Al Karlin, Southwest Florida Water Management District, these three seminars will take place this month. Be sure to register at the link below.
Small Angle Light Scattering from the Polymeric Solid State

The Rayleigh scattering of visible light from a polymeric solid provides information about its morphology. Scattering arises because of fluctuations in average refractive index (density), anisotropy and orientation of optic axes. These contributions may be distinguished from observations of scattering polarization. Scattering theory may be developed based upon calculations from model structures or else upon statistical theory. In the former, model parameters (radii of spheres, lengths of rods, etc.) are calculated, whereas in the latter, correlation functions are obtained by Fourier inversion. Applications are discussed for phase separation of amorphous polymers, spherulite growth and deformation.
The Average and Marginal Product of Farm Labor in Underdeveloped Economies

R EDUCING underemployment of labor in the agricultural sector of the economy is generally regarded as one of the most fruitful approaches to the amelioration of the low-income problem in underdeveloped areas of the world. Knowledge of the schedule of marginal productivity of labor in agriculture, and particularly of the regional variation in that schedule, is of critical importance in making decisions concerning the desirability of developing additional employment opportunities, in choosing the form such employment opportunities might best take, and in planning the location of such opportunities once decided upon. In this paper, we suggest a modification of the traditional model in labor productivity theory, test a portion of the hypothesis presented against certain empirical data and draw some implications of practical significance from the model and data presented.
A dual mode microbubble pressure and flow sensor

We present the first microbubble (μB) based dual mode sensor for static pressure and liquid flow. The transducer harnesses the inverse pressure-volume relation and high precision electrochemical impedance measurement (2% RSD) to monitor size of electrolytically generated μBs. By altering sensor orientation, static pressure measurement (0–20 mmHg) or flow rate was transduced (0–1000 μL/min). The design targets chronic in vivo monitoring applications and therefore incorporates the following features: non-hermetic packaging, absence of moving parts, low power consumption (<5 μW), and biocompatible construction (Parylene and Pt).
Architecture: The richness of indetermination

Not knowing what architecture is should be the most pressing challenge of architecture. It could be thanks to this confusion that a new environment of questioning and creative challenges could flourish. Architecture could once again become the basis for a meaningful tale within cities, weaving together material and immaterial heritage. Buildings constitute places that people inhabit from within and not as something outside of their realm. Spatial and temporal realities are inherent to the design of buildings while they are not necessarily inherent in the design of objects. The most valuable tool for architecture or design students is therefore the encouragement of critical, imaginative and independent thinking through his/her own discoveries in making.
Rapid test of dengue virus by real-time quantitative PCR

Objective To test dengue virus by real-time quantitative PCR. Methods The serum of suspect patient with dengue virus infection was collected. Dengue virus RNA was detected by real-time PCR assay and its serum IgM antibody was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The A value of suspect patient's serum antibody in seventh day was 0.236 and 0.237(the critical value was 0.250), and the serum IgM antibody of patient was positive in thirteenth day. A large number of dengue virus RNA was detected in the second day after onset of clinical symptoms. The mRNA expression level decreased after treatment. Dengue Ⅲ virus RNA was detected in the second day by real-time quantitative PCR, but negative in the thirteenth day. Conclusion Real-time fluorescent PCR was an ideal method for rapid dengue virus infection test with high accuracy and sensitivity.
Using the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program model for sustained reduction in hospital infections.

Background Prompted by the high number of central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), our institution joined the national On the CUSP: Stop BSI initiative. We not only report the significant impact that the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) had in reducing CLABSI, but also report catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in 2 intensive care units (ICUs). Methods At our community-based academic health care system, 2 ICUs implemented CUSP tools and developed local interventions to reduce CLABSI and other safety problems. We measured CLABSI, CAUTI, and VAP during baseline, the CUSP period, and a post-CUSP period. Results CLABSIs decreased from 3.9 per 1,000 catheter days at baseline to 1.2 during the CUSP period to 0.6 during the post-CUSP period (rate ratio, 0.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.07-0.35). CAUTIs decreased from 2.4 per 1,000 patient days to 1.2 during the post-CUSP period (rate ratio, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.24-0.65). VAP rate decreased from 2.7 per 1,000 ventilator days to 1.6 during the CUSP and post-CUSP periods (rate ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.30-1.10). Device utilization decreased significantly in both ICUs. Conclusions Implementation of CUSP was associated with significant decreases in CLABSI, CAUTI, and VAP. The CUSP model, allowing for implementation of evidence-based practices and engagement of frontline staff, creates sustainable improvements that reach far beyond the initial targeted problem.
Electromagnetic Environment Complexity Metrics Model

By studying signals of equipment,a signal to noise ratio space is defined.and a complexity metrics model is proposed.In accordance with the distribution of signals from electromagnetic radiation source and the SNR threshold of receiver,the whole space is divided into several SNR sub-spaces.The electromagnetic environment of the complexity is determined by the position of receivers in SNR space.Finally,the model is validated with simulation.
Balloon ureteral occlusion: a new reversible technique in the management of ureteral fistulas.

AbstractWe describe a new simple endourological technique, temporal balloon ureteral occlusion, that is able to interrupt completely the ureteral urine flow while preserving the ureteral integrity and avoiding the pitfalls of permanent ureteral occlusion.
Amine reactive dyes: an alternative to estimate membrane integrity in fish sperm cells.

Fluorescent dyes that binds irreversibly to cellular amines, come in several available emission spectra, and do not poses health concerns were used to evaluate membrane integrity in fish sperm cells. The objectives of the present study were to determine: (1) a working dye concentration for fish sperm samples, and (2) if the traditional propidium iodide/SYBR-14 staining combination was comparable with the amine reactive dye (ARD) methods at identifying cell populations with intact and compromised membranes after sperm activation, refrigerated storage, and exposure to cryoprotectant and surfactant. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) sperm were obtained by stripping, and pooled samples (in triplicate) were used in all tests. Six dilutions of the amine dye (ranging from 0.625 to 0.02 μl/ml) were evaluated, and compared with the traditional staining protocol. A concentration of 0.5 μl/ml ARD was selected to be used in subsequent assays. Sperm suspensions were activated with deionized water to simulate urine contamination. After 10 s, osmolality was increased to stop activation, and the procedure was repeated in 10-s intervals until the sperm remained activated for 120 consecutive sec; membrane integrity was analyzed at each time interval. For the storage assay, sperm suspensions were prepared in Hanks' balanced salt solution at 302 mOsm/kg osmolality (HBSS302), HBSS354 and HBSS402, and evaluated every 2 h for 8 h, and every 24 h for 72 h. Cryoprotectant toxicity was tested by diluting sperm suspensions in HBSS340 with methanol at 5, 10 and 15% final concentrations. Surfactant toxicity was tested by diluting sperm suspensions in HBSS354 with Triton X-100 at 0.2, 0.15 and 0.1 mM final concentrations. In each toxicity assay, membrane integrity was tested every 20 min for 80 min. The number of membrane-intact cells significantly decreased across time in all treatments (P < 0.05). Significant differences between staining protocols were observed after activation and after exposure to methanol at 10 and 15%, and to Triton X-100 (P < 0.05). The average difference, however, was minor (between 1 and 6% in average) in relation to the typical values used for decision making based on this assay. Results showed that this method has the potential to contribute greatly to the standardization of cryopreservation in aquatic species.
IL-36γ Augments Host Defense and Immune Responses in Human Female Reproductive Tract Epithelial Cells.

IL-36γ is a proinflamatory cytokine which belongs to the IL-1 family of cytokines. It is expressed in the skin and by epithelial cells (EC) lining lung and gut tissue. We used human 3-D organotypic cells, that recapitulate either in vivo human vaginal or cervical tissue, to explore the possible role of IL-36γ in host defense against pathogens in the human female reproductive tract (FRT). EC were exposed to compounds derived from virus or bacterial sources and induction and regulation of IL-36γ and its receptor was determined. Polyinosinic–polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), flagellin, and synthetic lipoprotein (FSL-1) significantly induced expression of IL-36γ in a dose-dependent manner, and appeared to be TLR-dependent. Recombinant IL-36γ treatment resulted in self-amplification of IL-36γ and its receptor (IL-36R) via increased gene expression, and promoted other inflammatatory signaling pathways. This is the first report to demonstrate that the IL-36 receptor and IL-36γ are present in the human FRT EC and that they are differentially induced by microbial products at this site. We conclude that IL-36γ is a driver for epithelial and immune activation following microbial insult and, as such, may play a critical role in host defense in the FRT.
516. Chimeric Antigen Receptors With Distinct Signaling Domains Can Reprogram T Cells

We report that our model system allowed for CAR-grafted primary human T cells to have a burst of over 5 population doublings after a single stimulation. Additionally, BBz CAR T cells proliferate for longer in vitro. In addition to these quantitative differences between the 28z and 4-1BBz CARs, certain qualitative differences were seen in context of inhibitory checkpoint markers, metabolic reprograming and gene signatures. Taken together, these studies have significant implications on the design of future CARs for adoptive therapy. These results shed preliminary insights on the differences in survival of CAR T cells reported in clinical trials.
Dream Big: Exploring Empowering Processes of DREAM Act Advocacy in a Focal State

This original, qualitative research analyzed in-depth interviews with five undocumented, college-age, Latino DREAM Act advocates in a single state. An organizational empowerment framework was utili...
MathIOmica-MSViewer: a dynamic viewer for mass spectrometry files for Mathematica.

MathIOmica-MSViewer is an add-on graphical user interface utility for the Mathematica software system which facilitates the visualization and exploration of spectra from open format mass spectrometry files (mzXML and mzML standard community formats). The viewer was designed for simplicity and handling of large mass spectrometry data files. To facilitate searches, users may use search filters for the spectra based on mass to charge ratios and retention times, and visualize precursor spectra associated to a parent spectrum. Availability The viewer is available as a Mathematica notebook (MathIOmica-MSViewer.nb) at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.321385. The software is provided under an MIT License. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Mass Spectrometry published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Are we underestimating the economic costs of wildfire smoke? An investigation using the life satisfaction approach

Abstract Understanding the economic costs imposed by wildfire smoke is important to evaluating competing fire management approaches and setting appropriate mitigation budgets. The nascent literature on wildfire smoke costs has largely examined the indirect health costs associated with individuals’ exposure to smoke. However, this ignores the direct costs of wildfire smoke, that is, the costs that smoke creates by directly affecting an individual's utility. Direct costs may arise from smoke-induced changes in visibility of scenic amenities or disruptions to ecosystem services that individuals see value in preserving. For the first time, the life satisfaction approach is applied to estimate wildfire smoke economic costs faced by individuals from direct and indirect sources. Using nationally-representative data from the US Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System over 2006–2010, results suggest that US adults are willing to pay $373 [95% CI: $86.8, $659.2] to avoid one day of wildfire smoke over their county of residence within a six month period. Residents of rural areas are willing to pay $130 more to avoid one smoke day than urban residents. These results are higher than extant willingness to pay estimates of indirect smoke-induced health impacts, suggestive that the true costs of wildfire smoke are larger than previously estimated.
Empirical statistical inference attack against PHY-layer key extraction in real environments

Traditional cryptographic secret key establishment mechanisms are facing challenges with the fast growth of high-performance computing, and can be very costly in many settings, e.g. in wireless ad-hoc networks, since they consume scarce resources such as bandwidth and battery power. As an alternative, link-signature-based (LSB) secret key extraction techniques have received many interests in recent years. It is believed that these mechanisms are secure, based on the fundamental assumption that wireless signals received at two locations separated by more than half a wavelength apart are uncorrelated. However, recently it has been observed that in some circumstances this assumption does not hold, rendering LSB key extraction mechanisms vulnerable to attacks. This paper studies empirical statistical inference attacks (SIA) to LSB key extraction, whereby an attacker infers the signature of a target link, and henceforce recovers the secret key extracted from that signature, by observing the surrounding links. Different from prior work that assumes a theoretical link-correlation model for the inference, our study does not make any assumption on link correlation. Instead, ours is taking a machine learning method for link inference based on empirically measured link data. Machine learning (ML) algorithms are developed to launch SIA under various realistic scenarios. Our experiment results show that even without making assumptions on link correlation, the proposed inference algorithms are still quite effective, and can reduce the key search space by many orders of magnitudes compared to brutal force search.
The management of pediatric renovascular hypertension: a single center experience and review of the literature

Abstract Introduction Renal artery occlusive disease is poorly characterized in children; treatments include medications, endovascular techniques, and surgery. We aimed to describe the course of renovascular hypertension (RVH), its treatments and outcomes. Methods We performed literature review and retrospective review (1993–2014) of children with renovascular hypertension at our institution. Response to treatment was defined by National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group on High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents at most-recent follow-up. Results We identified 39 patients with RVH. 54% (n=21) were male, with mean age of 6.93 ± 5.27 years. Most underwent endovascular treatment (n=17), with medication alone (n=12) and surgery (n=10) less commonly utilized. Endovascular treatment resulted in 18% cure, 65% improvement and 18% failure; surgery resulted in 30% cure, 50% improvement and 20% failure. Medication alone resulted in 0% cure, 75% improvement and 25% failure. 24% with endovascular treatment required secondary endovascular intervention; 18% required secondary surgery. 20% of patients who underwent initial surgery required reoperation for re-stenosis. Mean follow-up was 52.2 ± 58.4 months. Conclusions RVH treatment in children includes medications, surgical or endovascular approaches, with all resulting in combined 79% improvement in or cure rates. A multidisciplinary approach and individualized patient management are critical to optimize outcomes. Type of Study Retrospective comparative study Level of evidence Level III
Perceived improvements and challenges following sequential bilateral cochlear implantation in children and adults.

Objective: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sequentially implanted bilateral cochlear-implant (biCI) recipients to examine functional aspects of communication that are affected by lis...
Bootstrap inversion technique for atmospheric trace gas source detection and quantification using long open-path laser measurements

Abstract. Advances in natural gas extraction technology have led to increased activity in the production and transport sectors in the United States and, as a consequence, an increased need for reliable monitoring of methane leaks to the atmosphere. We present a statistical methodology in combination with an observing system for the detection and attribution of fugitive emissions of methane from distributed potential source location landscapes such as natural gas production sites. We measure long (> 500 m), integrated open-path concentrations of atmospheric methane using a dual frequency comb spectrometer and combine measurements with an atmospheric transport model to infer leak locations and strengths using a novel statistical method, the non-zero minimum bootstrap (NZMB). The new statistical method allows us to determine whether the empirical distribution of possible source strengths for a given location excludes zero. Using this information, we identify leaking source locations (i.e., natural gas wells) through rejection of the null hypothesis that the source is not leaking. The method is tested with a series of synthetic data inversions with varying measurement density and varying levels of model–data mismatch. It is also tested with field observations of (1) a non-leaking source location and (2) a source location where a controlled emission of 3.1 × 10−5 kg s−1 of methane gas is released over a period of several hours. This series of synthetic data tests and outdoor field observations using a controlled methane release demonstrates the viability of the approach for the detection and sizing of very small leaks of methane across large distances (4+ km2 in synthetic tests). The field tests demonstrate the ability to attribute small atmospheric enhancements of 17 ppb to the emitting source location against a background of combined atmospheric (e.g., background methane variability) and measurement uncertainty of 5 ppb (1σ), when measurements are averaged over 2 min. The results of the synthetic and field data testing show that the new observing system and statistical approach greatly decreases the incidence of false alarms (that is, wrongly identifying a well site to be leaking) compared with the same tests that do not use the NZMB approach and therefore offers increased leak detection and sizing capabilities.
Starting where you are, revisiting what you know: A letter to a first-year teacher addressing the hidden curriculum

ABSTRACTWritten as a letter to a first-year teacher, the author—acting as a mentor, veteran teacher—critically conceptualizes the hidden curriculum using the work of Jackson (1968), Anyon (1980), a...
UNILATERAL COMPLETE OBSTRUCTION OF THE PRIMARY BRONCHUS IN TWO JUVENILE MACAWS (ARA SPP.)

Abstract Two juvenile macaws presented independently with clinical signs associated with respiratory signs that included coughing, wheezing, and increased respiratory effort and rate. Whole body radiographis were obtained from one patient, and were considered normal. Computed tomography identified unilateral complete primary bronchial obstruction in both cases. Tracheoscopy was performed in both cases and identified a partial obstruction of the syrinx in one case. Biopsy samples collected during tracheoscopy were submitted for microbial culture. Aspergillus spp. was isolated and treatment was unsuccessful for this macaw. The second case was euthanized upon diagnosis. In both cases, a complete necropsy confirmed the primary bronchial obstruction and fungal organisms were identified, consistent with Aspergillus spp. As demonstrated by these two cases, radiography and tracheoscopy do not allow for the diagnosis of primary bronchial obstruction in birds. Therefore, a computed tomography scan is recommended to accurately diagnose this condition in avian patients.
Summary and Future Research

An industry failure analysis database was used to evaluate the relative impact of EOS phenomena on device failure across the different product families and to identify the dominant EOS-related failure mechanisms affecting different products. A set of different devices was selected as test vehicles for this analysis. A test procedure was specified and used to consistently reproduce the dominant failure mechanisms observed in the field for the selected set of devices. Two kinds of unipolar stresses were used square-pulse testing and ESD-HBM. Stressing a number of units for each selected device type allowed us to determine the power- and current-to-failure profiles for individual devices. Detailed failure analysis results indicated that the specified test procedure consistently reproduced the given set of dominant failure mechanisms. The differences seen in the measured power profiles were qualitatively explained by failure analysis in terms of the the failure location, the layout style, and the stress level. Qualitative correlation was found between the layout style and the device’s ability to sustain EOS/ESD stress as measured by the power profiles. It was shown that good IC ESD-HBM performance does not guarantee adequate EOS robustness. The power-to-failure profile was introduced to evaluate design changes of I/O protection structures in view of EOS hardness. The results in Chapter 2 suggested that power-to-failure profiles can be used to set the design goals for I/O protection against EOS and ESD and could be used as a relative measure of EOS hardness of I/O protection circuits.
When corruption is not a crime: ‘innocent’ white politicians and the racialisation of criminality in Brazil

ABSTRACTIn northeastern Brazil, a small number of political families have ruthlessly clung to power for centuries. Members of these seigniorial clans have grown accustomed to the benefits of public...
Blind Multi-class Ensemble Learning with Dependent Classifiers

In recent years, advances in pattern recognition and data analytics have spurred the development of a plethora of machine learning algorithms and tools. However, as each algorithm exhibits different behavior for different types of data, one is motivated to judiciously fuse multiple algorithms in order to find the “best” performing one, for a given dataset. Ensemble learning aims to create such a high-performance meta-learner, by combining the outputs from multiple algorithms. The present work introduces a simple blind scheme for learning from ensembles of classifiers. Blind refers to the combiner who has no knowledge of the ground-truth labels that each classifier has been trained on. While most current works presume that all classifiers are independent, this work introduces a scheme that can handle dependencies between classifiers. Preliminary tests on synthetic data showcase the potential of the proposed approach.
Pericardial Effusion, Tamponade, and Constrictive Pericarditis

Although limited in number, pericardial disorders are clinically important in that they may mimic other disorders and may have life-threatening effects. Effective treatments are typically available if the diagnosis is made. Echocardiography remains a vitally important part of the bedside evaluation for pericardial disease and associated hemodynamic effects. The most frequently encountered and important pericardial disorders are pericardial effusion and tamponade, constrictive pericarditis, and acute pericarditis. Less common pericardial disorders include congenital absence of the pericardium, pericardial cysts, and pericardial tumors.
Ethanol's effects on acid neutralization by motor oils

Abstract Sulfuric-acid neutralization by motor oils in the presence of ethanol was investigated for the first time by quantitatively visualizing the fate of acid drops in five off-the-shelf commercial motor oils via capillary video-microscopy. For all the oils at room temperature, there was neutralization when ethanol was absent, whereas little neutralization was exhibited when ethanol was present. A very different behavior was exhibited at 100 °C, with rate of acid neutralization being much faster in the presence of ethanol than in absence. With 1% ethanol and temperature of 100 °C, acid droplets were neutralized in 2 min, whereas at room temperature droplets expanded ∼35% in diameter after 60 min with little neutralization. The reported phenomena may affect engine behavior and tribology.
Magnetic Analysis of Symmetrical 3-Phase Y-Core Inductors

Three-phase inductors have a wide-variety of applications, such as line and inverter filters. Coupled three phase inductors are typically smaller than three single-phase inductors; and symmetrical three-phase inductors are advantageous over asymmetrical inductors in terms of reduced negative-sequence components, and in terms of mass and loss. This paper sets forth a magnetic design model of a symmetrical three-phase inductor. The model is meant to be used in the context of multi-objective optimization based design. The model is numerically and experimentally validated.
Acquired Buried Penis in Adults: A Review of Surgical Management

Abstract Introduction Acquired buried penis (ABP) is a urologic condition that has significant morbidity and negative effect on quality of life, including but not limited to sexual function, hygiene, micturition, and self-image. This disease process is characterized by a wide degree of variability and severity that requires a patient-specific approach and significant flexibility on the surgeon’s behalf. Aim To review and present the current evaluation and surgical management of this rare and complex patient population. Methods A structured review of the English language literature from 1970 to June 2018 was performed using the PubMed and MEDLINE medical databases. Queried terms included “buried penis,” “concealed penis,” “hidden penis,” “adult buried penis,” “cicatricial penis,” “trapped penis,” “inconspicuous penis,” “scrotoplasty and obesity,” “penile release,” “penile skin graft,” “penile reconstruction,” and “pubic lift.” Papers were individually reviewed for their utility and applicability to the management of adult ABP. Manuscripts focusing on pediatric patients were excluded. Main Outcome Measure Current surgical management options for adult ABP are heterogenous but focus on preserving shaft length while improving cosmesis and voiding function. Results Surgical versatility remains critical for successful outcomes. However, recent advances in surgical techniques for correction of adult ABP focus on the use of skin grafting to cover the shaft, along with lipectomy and/or scrotoplasty to further aid penile exposure. Collaboration with multiple surgical services is often required to achieve optimal outcomes. Conclusion ABP is a complex urologic condition with equally complex surgical treatment options. Care must be taken when planning a surgical intervention, and support from plastic or general surgery may be required. However, with careful selection, surgical correction frequently leads to significant improvement in function and quality of life. Smith-Harrison LI, Piotrowski J, Machen GL, et al. Acquired Buried Penis in Adults: A Review of Surgical Management. Sex Med Rev 2020;8:150–157.
Donald Trump’s immigration speech: How metaphors function to convey messages

This study analyzes the immigration speech delivered by Donald J.Trump during his 2016 presidential election campaign in Arizona. Using the tenor-vehicle model of metaphor, the study identifies an ...
Estimating The Cost Of Delayed Generic Drug Entry To Medicaid.

Delays in market entry of generic drugs are common. This study sought to identify the prevalence of delayed entry, the reasons for the delays, and the delays’ effects on Medicaid spending in a rece...
Expression of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii periplasmic carbonic anhydrase in Escherichia coli and transgenic tobacco plants

32 Introduction 32 Materials and methods 35 Plasmid constructions 35 Antibody production 38 Expression in £•. co// 41 Production of transgenic tobacco plants 42 Preparation of protein extracts 42 SDS-PAGE and immunoblots 43 RNA extraction and analysis 44 Activity assays 44 Results 45 Expression of Chlamydomonas periplasmic CA in E. coli 45 Expression of Chlamydomonas periplasmic CA in transgenic plants 45 Post-translational processing of periplasmic CA 48 Localization of periplasmic CA in transgenic tobacco 48 Comparison of inhibition of C A from C. reinhardtii versus TLi transgenic 53 Discussion 53 Literature cited 61 4. GENERAL SUMMARY 67 5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 69
Direct and indirect effects of parental involvement, deviant peer affiliation, and school connectedness on prosocial behaviors in U.S. Latino/a youth:

Parental involvement has been associated with increased adolescent prosocial behaviors, but we know little about the peer and school-level explanatory mechanisms behind these associations. The curr...
Farm Acreage Shocks and Food Prices: An SVAR Approach to Understanding the Impacts of Biofuels

The last ten years have seen tremendous expansion in biofuels production, particularly in corn ethanol in the United States, at the same time that commodity prices (e.g., corn) have experienced significant spikes. While supporters claim that biofuels are renewable and carbon-friendly, concerns have been raised about their impacts on land use and food prices. This paper analyzes how U.S. crop prices have responded to shocks in acreage supply; these shocks can be thought of as a shock to the residual supply of corn for food. Using a structural vector auto-regression framework, we examine shocks to a crop's own acreage and to total cropland. This allows us to estimate the effect of dedicating cropland or non-crop farmlands to biofuels feedstock production. A negative shock in own acreage leads to an increase in price for soybeans and corn. Our calculations show that increased corn ethanol production during the boom production year 2006/2007 explains approximately 27% of the experienced corn price rise.
White student leaders’ deflections of diversity conversations

Peer socialization agents (PSAs) play an important role in transmitting messages about the culture of higher education institutions (i.e. norms, values, practices, and assumptions) to new students,...
A multifidelity method for a nonlocal diffusion model

Abstract Nonlocal models feature a finite length scale, referred to as the horizon, such that points separated by a distance smaller than the horizon interact with each other. Such models have proven to be useful in a variety of settings. However, due to the reduced sparsity of discretizations, they are also generally computationally more expensive compared to their local differential equation counterparts. We introduce a multifidelity Monte Carlo method that combines the high-fidelity nonlocal model of interest with surrogate models that use coarser grids and/or smaller horizons and thus have lower fidelities and lower costs. Using the multifidelity method, the overall computational cost of uncertainty quantification is reduced without compromising accuracy. It is shown for a one-dimensional nonlocal diffusion example that speedups of up to two orders of magnitude can be achieved using the multifidelity method to estimate the expectation of an output of interest.