cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a mechanical testing assay for fibrotic murine liver

In this article, a novel protocol for mechanical testing, combined with finite element modeling, is presented that allows the determination of the elastic modulus of normal and fibrotic murine livers and is compared to an independent mechanical testing method. The novel protocol employs suspending a portion of murine liver tissue in a cylindrical polyacrylamide gel, imaging with a microCT, conducting mechanical testing, and concluding with a mechanical property determination via a finite element method analysis. More specifically, the finite element model is built from the computerized tomography (CT) images, and boundary conditions are imposed in order to simulate the mechanical testing conditions. The resulting model surface stress is compared to that obtained during mechanical testing, which subsequently allows for direct evaluation of the liver modulus. The second comparison method involves a mechanical indentation test performed on a remaining liver lobe for comparison. In addition, this lobe is used for histological analysis to determine relationships between elasticity measurements and tissue health. This complete system was used to study 14 fibrotic livers displaying advanced fibrosis (injections with irritant), three control livers (injections without irritant), and three normal livers (no injections). The moduli evaluations for nondiseased livers were estimated as 0.62 +/- 0.09 kPa and 0.59 +/- 0.1 kPa for indenter and model-gel-tissue (MGT) assay tests, respectively. Moduli estimates for diseased liver ranged from 0.6-1.64 kPa and 0.96-1.88 kPa for indenter and MGT assay tests, respectively. The MGT modulus, though not equivalent to the modulus determined by indentation, demonstrates a high correlation, thus indicating a relationship between the two testing methods. The results also showed a clear difference between nondiseased and diseased livers. The developed MGT assay system is quite compact and could easily be utilized for controlled evaluation of soft-tissue moduli as shown here. In addition, future work will add the correlative method of elastography such that direct controlled validation of measurement on tissue can be determined.
Oxidative Stress Biology and Cell Injury During Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) affects approximately 170 million individuals worldwide and is expected to alter the lives of at least 366 million individuals within a future span of 25 years. Of even greater concern is the premise that these projections are underestimated since they assume obesity levels will remain constant. Type 1 insulin-dependent DM accounts for only 5-10 percent of all diabetics but represents a highly significant health concern, since this disorder begins early in life and leads to long-term complications. In contrast, Type 2 DM is recognized as the etiology of over 80 percent of all diabetics and is dramatically increasing in incidence as a result of changes in human behavior and increased body mass index. Yet, the pathological consequences of these disorders that involve the both the neuronal and vascular systems are intimately linked through the pathways that mediate oxidative stress. Here we highlight some of the relevant oxidative pathways that determine insulin resistance through reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial dysfunction, uncoupling proteins, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. These pathways are ultimately linked to protein kinase B (Akt) and the insulin signaling pathways that determine the initial onset of glucose intolerance and the subsequent course to apoptotic cell injury. Through the elucidation of these targets, improvement in current strategies as well as the development of future clinical applications can move forward for both the prevention and treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 DM.
Prevention of blindness and priorities for the future

The impact of visual loss has profound implications for the person affected and society as a whole. The majority of blind people live in developing countries, and generally, their blindness could have been avoided or cured. Given the current predictions that the number of blind people worldwide will roughly double by the year 2020, it is clear that there is no room for complacency. As the world’s population increases and as a greater proportion survives into late adulthood, so the number of people with visual loss will inexorably rise. Given the success of programmes in combating the most common causes of blindness (infectious diseases and malnutrition) which generally affect the young, and the projected demographic shift, age-related eye disease will become increasingly prevalent. Effective preventive measures for these diseases can only be established as more is known about their etiology. As the longevity of the world’s population increases, the visual requirements at the workplace are also changing. People with low vision may be at a disadvantage in many common activities, and may face unemployment - particularly in technological societies. The definition of blindness needs to be rethought, to ensure that people with ‘‘economic’’ blindness are not forgotten. Efforts should be made to recognize and treat those affected at an early stage, for the benefit of the individual and society.
Improved automatic left ventricular border detection in cineangiograms using dynamic spider models

Dynamic spider models were used for automated left ventricular border detection in biplane angiograms. The model consists of a set of medial involution chords of a confined region which encompasses the contraction area of a left ventricular silhouette. To identify a left ventricular silhouette is to find a congruence transformation so that a deformity measure between the mapped model and an image is minimized. The left ventricular border can then be determined within the aligned confined region of the model. The current algorithm is simpler, faster, and more robust than previously reported solutions. Clinical evaluation in 50 patients has shown distinct improvements. The accuracy rate in model registration was 93% versus 80%, and in border determination 74% versus 70%. >
Glial hypertrophy is associated with synaptogenesis following motor‐skill learning, but not with angiogenesis following exercise

Rats reared from weaning in a complex environment have an increase in (1) glial surface area, (2) capillary volume, and (3) the number of synapses, per neuron. In that paradigm it has not been possible to determine whether the glial increase more closely correlates with the increase in synaptic numbers or with angiogenesis. More recently we have found that rats that exercised had an increase in the density of capillaries without an increase in the synaptic numbers, whereas rats that learned new motor skills had a greater number of synapses per neuron without an increase in the density of capillaries. Those findings provided the opportunity to investigate whether changes in glial volume in the cerebellum correspond to changes in the number of synapses or in capillary volume. Glial area fraction estimates were obtained using point counts on electron micrographs from the previous studies. The skill learning group had a greater volume of molecular layer per Purkinje cell, and also a greater volume of glia per Purkinje cell, than rats in either an inactive group or rats in two exercise groups. No significant differences were found in glial volume per synapse and glial volume per capillary across groups, although there was a tendency for glial volume per capillary to be lower in the exercise groups. The data indicate that glial volume correlates with synaptic numbers and not with capillary density. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
THE EVOLUTION OF A LAYERED MANUFACTURING INTERCHANGE FORMAT

Over the last several years we have developed the Berkeley Solid Interchange Format (SIF) for layered manufacturing data exchange. By building both design software that outputs SIF as well as manufacturing software that processes the SIF input files, we gained insights into the concerns of both sides of data exchange ‐ insights which often led to major changes in successive versions of the format. In this paper, we share some of the most important lessons we learned (many of which are applicable to all geometric data exchange, not merely for layered manufacturing) and explain how they shaped SIF.
Simple and compact Hz-level linewidth laser system via improved mounting configuration of a reference cavity

We report a simple, robust 1-Hz linewidth laser system enabled by an improved mounting strategy for optical reference cavities used for laser frequency stabilization.
Acoustic correlates of stress in Turkish Kabardian

This paper reports results of an acoustic study of stress in the Turkish dialect of the Northwest Caucasian language, Kabardian. Stressed syllables were found to have consistently higher fundamental frequency and characteristically greater duration and intensity than unstressed syllables. No evidence was found for secondary stresses. Schwa and, to a lesser extent, /ɐ/ were shown to undergo slight raising as their duration in unstressed syllables decreased. This gradient raising is likely due to coarticulatory overlap with adjacent consonants rather than a categorical shift in vowel quality. Considerations of articulatory effort rather than perceptual dispersion predict both the categorical alternation between stressed /aː/ and unstressed /ɐ/ in Kabardian and the non-categorical raising of schwa and /ɐ/ in unstressed syllables.
Mother-infant interaction and acculturation: II. Behavioural coherence and correspondence in Japanese American and South American families

This study examined cultural generality and specificity in relations among and between mothers' and infants' behaviours in 37 Japanese American and 40 South American acculturating families. Few relations among mothers' behaviours emerged, except for that between mothers' social behaviour and other types of maternal behaviour, which appear to reflect the common collectivist orientation of these two cultural groups. Few relations among infants' behaviours emerged, suggesting that there is independence and plasticity in infant behavioural organisation. Several expected relations between mothers' and infants' behaviours emerged, pointing to some universal characteristics in motherinfant interactions.
Synthesis and Pharmacological Characterization of C4-Disubstituted Analogs of 1S,2S,5R,6S-2-Aminobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,6-dicarboxylate: Identification of a Potent, Selective Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Agonist and Determination of Agonist-Bound Human mGlu2 and mGlu3 Amino Terminal Domain Structures.

As part of our ongoing research to identify novel agents acting at metabotropic glutamate 2 (mGlu2) and 3 (mGlu3) receptors, we have previously reported the identification of the C4α-methyl analog of mGlu2/3 receptor agonist 1 (LY354740). This molecule, 1S,2S,4R,5R,6S-2-amino-4-methylbicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,6-dicarboxylate 2 (LY541850), exhibited an unexpected mGlu2 agonist/mGlu3 antagonist pharmacological profile, whereas the C4β-methyl diastereomer (3) possessed dual mGlu2/3 receptor agonist activity. We have now further explored this structure–activity relationship through the preparation of cyclic and acyclic C4-disubstituted analogs of 1, leading to the identification of C4-spirocyclopropane 5 (LY2934747), a novel, potent, and systemically bioavailable mGlu2/3 receptor agonist which exhibits both antipsychotic and analgesic properties in vivo. In addition, through the combined use of protein–ligand X-ray crystallography employing recombinant human mGlu2/3 receptor amino terminal domains, molecular mod...
Estimating vaccine efficacy from household data observed over time.

Estimation of vaccine efficacy has traditionally focused on the reduction in susceptibility to infection, or the vaccine efficacy for susceptibility (VES). However, a vaccine, such as a prophylactic HIV vaccine, may also lower the infectiousness of a vaccinated person who became infected. The relative reduction in infectiousness due to vaccination is the vaccine efficacy for infectiousness (VEI). Estimation of VEI is challenging because it requires information on exposure to infection, and gathering this type of information is often expensive and difficult, or even impossible. Household studies are expected to provide more information on who is exposed to whom. In a previous paper, we developed a method for estimating VES and VEI from a household study where only the final outbreak data are available. However, the resulting estimates were quite unstable. In this work, we develop a survival model for the estimation of VES and VEI from household data where the time of infection is known for every study participant. Using stochastic simulations, we show that the proposed method significantly reduces the bias and mean square error in the estimation of both VES and VEI as compared to the method based on final outbreak data. We also show that when time-to-event data are available, a household study produces more robust estimators than a same-size study of unrelated individuals. In addition, we investigate the bias in estimating VES and VEI due to misclassification of infection status when only illness data, rather than true infection data, are available. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pediatric tumours: liver tumours

Pediatric liver tumors account for approximately 1% of all liver tumors and up to 2% of all pediatric malignancies [1,2]. While the overall incidence of liver tumors is rare, the liver remains the third most common organ of origin for solid abdominal tumors in the pediatric population [3]. The majority of pediatric liver tumors, both benign and malignant, occur (almost) exclusively in children. Benign tumors account for one-third of all pediatric hepatic neoplasms and include infantile hepatic hemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia, mesenchymal hamartoma, and hepatic adenoma [2-5]. Malignant neoplasms account for the remaining two-thirds of pediatric liver tumors. The most common malignancies are hepatoblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma, undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma, and biliary rhabdomyosarcoma [4-6]. While the majority of these tumors are unique to children, focal nodular hyperplasia, hepatocellular adenomas, and hepatocellular carcinoma have counterparts in adults. The presentation, risk factors, and imaging appearance of these overlapping tumors differs in the pediatric population as compared to adults [7,8]. Even though there are a number of different liver tumors, the radiologist can often make a confident diagnosis based on the clinical information and imaging appearance of the mass [9,10]. The purpose of this lecture is to describe the imaging work-up for pediatric liver masses and then discuss each tumor, focusing on its unique clinical and imaging features.
CosmoSpec: Fast and detailed computation of the cosmological recombination radiation from hydrogen and helium

We present the first fast and detailed computation of the cosmological recombination radiation released during the hydrogen (redshift z’ 1300) and helium (z’ 2500 and z’ 6000) recombination epochs, introducing the code CosmoSpec. Our computations include important radiative transfer e ects, 500-shell bound-bound and free-bound emission for all three species, the e ects of electron scattering and free-free absorption as well as interspecies (Heii ! Hei ! Hi) photon feedback. The latter e ect modifies the shape and amplitude of the recombination radiation and CosmoSpec improves significantly over previous treatments of it. Utilizing e ective multilevel atom and conductance approaches, one calculation takes only’ 15 seconds on a standard laptop as opposed to days for previous computations. This is an important step towards detailed forecasts and feasibility studies considering the detection of the cosmological recombination lines and what one may hope to learn from the ’ 6:1 photons emitted per hydrogen atom in the three recombination eras. We briefly illustrate some of the parameter dependencies and discuss remaining uncertainties in particular related to collisional processes and the neutral helium atom model.
Clenbuterol, a beta2-adrenoceptor agonist, reduces scoliosis due to partial transection of rat spinal cord

Injury to the spinal cord often results in abnormal lateral curvature of the spine, or scoliosis, that is associated with neuromuscular weakness. The lateral curvature of the spine is thought to be...
Tunability of giant Rashba spin splitting in BiTeI

Giant Rashba spin splitting was recently discovered in bismuth tellurohalide (BiTeI) [K. Ishizaka et al., Nat. Mater. 10, 521 (2011)]. In this work, biaxial strain is used to modify the interatomic interaction in BiTeI, and the strain dependence of spin splitting is determined theoretically by first-principles density functional calculations. Large tunability is found for the Rashba energy ${E}_{\mathrm{R}}$, momentum offset ${k}_{\mathrm{R}}$, and coupling constant ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{R}$, showing that the spin splitting in BiTeI can be significantly modified by atom-atom interaction in a solid. The maximum values of ${E}_{\mathrm{R}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{R}$ occur at strain $\ensuremath{\eta}=\ensuremath{-}1.5%$. Furthermore, tensile strain is shown to favor the increase of ${k}_{\mathrm{R}}$, and compressive strain favors the increase of ${E}_{\mathrm{R}}$. Moreover, contrast of the spin splittings between the electron at CBM and the hole at VBM reveals that ${E}_{\mathrm{R}}^{e}$ of the electron and ${E}_{\mathrm{R}}^{h}$ of the hole display drastically different behaviors under tensile strains. However, under compressive strains, the strain dependencies of ${E}_{\mathrm{R}}^{e}$ and ${E}_{\mathrm{R}}^{h}$ are interestingly similar (so are the strain dependencies of ${k}_{\mathrm{R}}^{e}$ and ${k}_{\mathrm{R}}^{h}$). By examining microscopic electron states, the anomalous Bi-I interaction is found to be important for the spin splitting in BiTeI, and qualitative explanation for the strain dependence of the spin splitting is provided.
Degree Distribution Dynamics for Disease Spreading with Individual Awareness

Behavioral responses triggered by the perceived risk of experiencing the disease represent a key ingredient in the spread of epidemics across human population. In this paper, two forms of individual awareness (i.e., the risk perception of an emerging epidemic) are addressed: Contact awareness that increases with individual contact number, and local awareness that increases with the fraction of infected contacts. By extending the probability generating functionology, the author shows that it is possible to track the evolution of the degree distributions among susceptible and infected individuals when the underlying network of contacts is represented by a semi-random configuration model. It is hopefully to shed some light on the dynamic aspects of networked epidemiological models.
70 EFFICACY, SAFETY, AND TOLERANCE OF ESOPHAGOGASTRODUODENOSCOPY WITH COMBINED MIDAZOLAM PLUS FENTANYL VERSUS MIDAZOLAM ALONE.

Introduction Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is usually done under conscious sedation. In the USA most EGDs are performed with a combination of a short-acting benzodiazepine and a narcotic. The benefit of using one or two drugs has remained unproven. Objective To evaluate adequacy, tolerance and possible differences in security of conscious sedation in upper endoscopy using midazolam alone vs midazolam plus fentanyl. Materials and Method We included patients older than 18 years old who underwent elective, diagnostic outpatient EGD. Patients where randomized to receive either the combination of fentanyl/midazolam (F/M) or midazolam alone (M). The dose of medication was decided by the endoscopist. The adequacy of sedation obtained was assessed with a questionnaire answered by the physician at the end of the procedure and by the patient 24-72 hours after endoscopy. Patients were contacted by telephone and asked (1) about their tolerance classified as excellent/good vs fair/poor; (2) degree of recollection of the procedure: none or vague recollection vs remembers good part of it/everything; and (3) level of pain during the procedure: none or mild vs moderate or extreme discomfort. Results We collected data from 71 patients. Thirty-four patients were assigned to the M group and 37 to the F/M group. Deviation of protocol or early termination because of poor tolerance occurred in 4 patients in the M group and 2 in the F/M group. Based on the endoscopist evaluation, there was no difference in the patient9s tolerance: excellent/good in 63.3% of patients in the M group and 82.8% in the F/M group (p: .074). We were not able to contact one patient after EGD (M group). Per patient9s assessment: excellent/good tolerance was found in 93% of the M group and 94% in the F/M group (p: 1.0); no or minimal recollection in 82.8% (F/M) vs 89.6% (M) (p: .49); no/mild discomfort in 91.4% in the F/M group vs 93.1% in the M group (p: 1). No difference in duration of the procedure was found between the 2 groups. No complications during endoscopies were reported. Mean dose of midazolam in the single-drug group was 3.5 mg and 2.5 mg in the combination group. Mean dose of fentanyl was 78.5 μg. Conclusion In diagnostic upper endoscopy an adequate level of sedation can be obtained safely with either midazolam or midazolam + fentanyl.
A preliminary study on multiple antibiotic resistance and gene cassettes SXT of Vibrio cholerae

Objective To discuss the multiple antibiotic resistance of Vibrio cholerae in Fujian province,and to analyze the correlation between genes SXT,sulⅡ,dfr18,dfrA1 and antibiotic resistance phenotype. Methods 100 isolates of Vibrio cholera were randomly selected from reserved bacteria strains of 1994 to 2005in Fujian province.Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed on 21 antibiotics by modified K-B method recommended by WHO.Antibiotic resistance genes SXT,sulⅡ,dfr18,dfrA1 were amplified by PCR.The correlation between antibiotic resistance gene and resistance phenotype was analyzed by SPSS statistics software.Results The overall multidrug resistance rate was 63%among tested isolates in Fujian.The drugs used included furadantin,furazolidone,streptomycin,polymyxin B,sulfamethoxazole and SXT.Antibiotic resistance genes SXT,sulⅡ,dfr18,dfrA1 are related to SXT resistance. Conclusions The multidrug resistance rate of Vibrio cholerae in Fujian is relatively high.Some SXT related genes have been identified.However,the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance need to be further explored.
Teaching shared memory parallel concepts with OpenMP

Curriculum 2013 brings parallelism into the CS curricular mainstream. This hands-on workshop lets faculty with little or no background in parallel computing explore parallel concepts using OpenMP. OpenMP is a platform independent, industry-standard library for shared-memory parallel programming supported by all modern C/C++ compilers. The workshop introduces the basics of OpenMP multithreading using parallel patterns, including single program multiple data (SPMD) execution, fork-join threading, and pragmas for parallel loops, parallel blocks, mutual exclusion, etc. The workshop includes: (i) an overview of OpenMP, (ii) self-paced hands-on experimentation with the OpenMP programs, and (iii) a discussion of how these may be used to achieve the goals of Curriculum 2013. Workshop materials will be distributed from csinparallel.org. Participants will receive and explore 15 short programs designed to help students understand multithreading concepts, plus longer programs that use OpenMP to solve significant problems. A participant may explore these programs on their own laptop, provided it has installed a C/C++ compiler that supports OpenMP (e.g., gcc 4.2 or later Visual Studio 2008 or later). Those comfortable with the command-line may explore the programs on our remote servers using a laptop or tablet with a suitable SSH client. Laptop recommended.
Multimodal architecture for emotion in robots using deep learning

These days, some robots have emotional state (expression and recognition) to make Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) and Robot-Robot Interaction (RRI) better. In this article we analyze what it means for a robot to have emotion and distinguishing emotional state for communication from an emotional state as a mechanism for the organization of its behavior with humans and robots by convolutional neural network (CNN). We discuss these relations and explain why it can be more effective by CNN for having better emotion in the robots. Here, we present a multimodal system for Emotions in Robots by CNN.
Developing an HIV Behavioral Surveillance System for Injecting Drug Users: The National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System:

While disease surveillance for HIV/AIDS is now widely conducted in the United States, effective HIV prevention programs rely primarily on changing behavior; therefore, behavioral data are needed to inform these programs. To achieve the goal of reducing HIV infections in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in cooperation with state and local health departments, implemented the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System (NHBS) for injecting drug users (IDUs) in 25 selected metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) throughout the United States in 2005. The surveillance system used respondent-driven sampling (RDS), a modified chain-referral method, to recruit IDUs for a survey measuring HIV-associated drug use and sexual risk behavior. RDS can produce population estimates for specific risk behaviors and demographic characteristics. Formative assessment activities-primarily the collection of qualitative data-provided information to better understand the IDU population and implement the surveillance activities in each city. This is the first behavioral surveillance system of its kind in the U.S. that will provide local and national data on risk for HIV and other blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections among IDUs for monitoring changes in the epidemic and prevention programs.
Using Undergraduate Teaching Assistants in Small Classes

Undergraduate teaching assistants have been used in many classes, over many years, and at many institutions. The literature primarily focuses on the practice in a university environment with large classes. We focus instead on the use of undergraduate teaching assistants in the small college, small class environment. We have been employing students in this capacity for over 15 years and have gained some insight on how best to use these undergraduate teaching assistants in the small classroom setting. We believe these conclusions can inform the design of other undergraduate teaching assistant programs.
Nonabsorbable Iron Binding Polymers Prevent Dietary Iron Absorption for the Treatment of Iron Overload

Chronic iron overload is a serious condition that develops as a consequence of long-term accumulation of iron, eventually overwhelming iron storage systems and causing oxidative stress and subsequent organ damage. Current pharmaceuticals used to treat iron overload typically suffer from toxicities leading to relatively high rates of adverse events. To address this need, we designed a new class of nonabsorbable iron binding polymers (IBPs) that bind and sequester iron within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. IBPs were synthesized by cross-linking polyallylamine containing various amounts of conjugated 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA). In vitro studies indicated that IBPs possessed high affinity, substantial binding capacity, and excellent selectivity toward iron. Moreover, in vivo studies demonstrated that IBPs showed no signs of side effects in mice and increased fecal iron excretion when compared to a similar dose of cross-linked polyallylamine. IBPs are a novel, nonabsorbed oral therapeutic agent that ma...
Anesthetic Agents: Neurotoxics or Neuroprotectives?

Annually, millions of surgeries are carried out worldwide under general anesthesia. Patients undergoing elective or emergency procedures may have important comorbidities affecting significant functions such as cardiovascular, neurologic, and metabolic. Physicochemical and pharmacological properties differ between anesthetic drugs. Different molecular reactions within the human body are triggered by surgery and anesthesia. Cellular protective mechanisms against any kind of insult may be either enhanced or attenuated under general anesthesia. An extensive literature supporting neurotoxic effects of anesthetic drugs has been published in animal models including nonhuman primates, whereas human data are limited. Surgery and anesthesia exposure may be related to a higher incidence of neurological dysfunction mostly in extreme age patients (children and older patients). Postoperative cognitive dysfunction, delirium, and progression of previously diagnosed neurodegenerative disorders are some of the unsatisfactory clinical outcomes. Apoptosis has been described as a common mechanism triggered by intracellular reactions after anesthesia exposure. Nevertheless, some anesthetics may inhibit these pathways limiting cellular injury. Some anesthetics are associated with a protective effect as a result of enzymatic modulation and activation of antiapoptotic proteins.
El español entre dos mundos. Estudios de ELE en lengua y literatura

Esta obra recoge un total de dieciseis articulos que versan sobre la ensenanza del espanol desde diferentes perspectivas. Dividido en cuatro grandes secciones de variada extension —“Estudios lingui...
Direct Intervention into Domestic Affairs by the United Nations

When United Nations forces in the Congo assumed responsibility for such activities as maintenance of local law and order, a significant portion of the reserved domain of a national state was under international jurisdiction. The shift from national to international jurisdiction had previously been of a horizontal nature, simply an addition to the topics an international organ could discuss for the purpose of recommending to governments procedures for settlement of disputes or solutions to problems. In the Congo situation the shift was vertical, or in depth, for the United Nations bypassed the national government to deal directly with the people.
Distinguishing mechanisms for alternans in cardiac cells using constant-diastolic-interval pacing

Alternans, a proarrhythmic dynamical state in which cardiac action potentials alternate between long and short durations despite a constant pacing period, traditionally has been explained at the cellular level using nonlinear dynamics principles under the assumption that the action potential duration (APD) is determined solely by the time elapsed since the end of the previous action potential, called the diastolic interval (DI). In this scenario, APDs at a steady state should be the same provided that the preceding DIs are the same. Nevertheless, experiments attempting to eliminate alternans by dynamically adjusting the timing of pacing stimuli to keep the DI constant showed that alternans persisted, contradicting the traditional theory. It is now widely known that alternans also can arise from a different mechanism associated with intracellular calcium cycling. Our goal is to determine whether intracellular calcium dynamics can explain the experimental findings regarding the persistence of alternans despite a constant DI. For this, we use mathematical models capable of producing alternans through both voltage- and calcium-mediated mechanisms. We show that for voltage-driven alternans, action potentials elicited from a constant-DI protocol are always the same. However, in the case of calcium-driven alternans, the constant-DI protocol can result in alternans. Reducing the strength of the calcium instability progressively reduces and finally eliminates constant-DI alternans. Our findings suggest that screening for the presence of alternans using a constant-DI protocol has the potential for differentiating between voltage-driven and calcium-driven alternans.
Data analysis using hadoop MapReduce environment

This project deals with analysis of YouTube data using Hadoop MapReduce framework on a cloud platform AWS. Hadoop multi node cluster is setup on private cloud called AWS (Amazon Web Services). Within AWS, I have set up EC2 instances with one name node and 5 data nodes. The video statistics obtained from the API is stored into the HDFS (Hadoop Distributed File System) and the data processing is done by the MapReduce system.
Cor Pulmonale Revisited. From Ferrer and Harvey to the Present

The term cor pulmonale has traditionally been used as a synonym for right heart failure due to chronic respiratory diseases, although this condition is less frequently seen in the modern era because of the use of long-term oxygen therapy along with aggressive measures directed at optimizing ventilation and gas exchange. The mechanisms by which adaptation or maladaptation of right heart structure and function in the broader setting of pulmonary vascular disease, either intrinsic to the pulmonary circulation or due to respiratory diseases, have garnered considerable interest along with the development of medical and surgical treatments for pulmonary hypertension. Thus, the right heart is no longer considered an "innocent bystander" in pulmonary hypertension, but rather a key component in its pathophysiology. Furthermore, the status of right heart function is a major determinant of outcome. Accordingly, the right heart has become a potential, appealing target for novel therapies to treat hypertensive pulmonary vascular disease.
Limits of Gate Dielectrics Scaling

Abstract This chapter discusses limits of gate dielectric scaling for advanced metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). We will review details of hafnium oxide (HfO2) gate oxide and how HfO2 can be modified to hafnium oxynitrides (HfON) and hafnium lanthanum oxynitrides (HfLaON) to increase dielectric constant for continuous equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) scaling. Bilayer hafnium oxide/titanium oxide (HfO2/TiO2) as a higher ‘k’ dielectric option for FinFET gate length (Lg) scaling is discussed. Interfacial layer (IL) scaling technologies for overall EOT scaling are also covered in this chapter. Ab-initio modeling results to evaluate ternary and quaternary gate oxide for higher ‘k’ dielectrics options, and effective metal work functions calculations to optimize and develop new metal gates are discussed. New gate dielectric reliability failure mechanisms due to three dimensional natures of FinFET devices are reviewed. Thermal oxide equivalent quality deposited silicon dioxide (SiO2) using atomic layer deposition (ALD) with post-treatments (e.g., plasma nitridation and anneals) as a high voltage input/output (I/O) gate oxide with silicon-germanium channel (SiGe) results are shown. Finally, we give a brief overview of silicon germanium pFET channel material as a gate dielectric scaling knob, and how it can enable continued EOT scaling without reliability degradation.
ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Post-treatment Follow-up Prostate Cancer

Abstract Diagnosis and management of prostate cancer post treatment is a large and complex problem, and care of these patients requires multidisciplinary involvement of imaging, medical, and surgical specialties. Imaging capabilities for evaluation of men with recurrent prostate cancer are rapidly evolving, particularly with PET and MRI. At the same time, treatment options and capabilities are expanding and improving. These recommendations separate patients into three broad categories: (1) patients status post–radical prostatectomy, (2) clinical concern for residual or recurrent disease after nonsurgical local and pelvic treatments, and (3) metastatic prostate. This article is a review of the current literature regarding imaging in these settings and the resulting recommendations for imaging. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.
14 – Sex Differences in Developmental Plasticity of Behavior and the Brain

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the literature on sex differences in behavioral vulnerability and discusses possible mechanisms for this phenomenon, including differences in neural responses to the environment. Considerable evidence indicates that among humans, males are more vulnerable than females during development. Males have a higher incidence of autism, dyslexia, stuttering, childhood seizures, cerebral palsy, and hyperactivity. Males are less likely to cope successfully with major stressors during childhood, such as separation from the primary caretaker, parental illness or discord, or absence of the father. Thus, males appear to be more vulnerable and variable sex during development, while females appear to be more buffered against extremes. At present, the causes for male variability are not known. The developmental surge in androgens represents the major difference between the sexes during development and is probably involved at least indirectly. While human sex differences are an interaction of biological and cultural influences, the sex differences in animals are usually viewed as relatively pure manifestations of biological factors. However, Moore and Morelli have found more maternal licking of the anogenital regions of male than of female rat pups. This differential treatment of male and female offspring may be considered an analog to sex differences in parental expectations in humans.
Friedrich August von Hayek and the Mirage of Social Justice

This chapter will apply Mario Bunge’s systemism to the notion of social justice. The key idea argued here is that, while society is a system, whose composition consists of individuals who have and pursue values, to claim “society”itself has values is to endorse a holistic metaphysics. Social justice is an emergent property of a social system and not a property of individuals living outside of society; it will be an ontologically viable concept only if it can be shown to arise from individual values and not float independently above them.
Broken local anesthetic needles: a case series of 16 patients, with recommendations.

ABSTRACT Background Local anesthetic needle fractures occur rarely. Since reports are uncommon, the mechanism and optimal treatment remain controversial. Methods The author reviewed 16 cases of needle fracture that were reported during a 25-year period in one academic institution. Results Of 16 needle fractures, 15 occurred in connection with an inferior alveolar nerve block, and one occurred in connection with a posterior superior alveolar block. Of the 16 fractures, 13 involved a 30-gauge needle. Five of the patients involved were younger than 10 years. The oldest patient was 28 years old. In all cases, a surgeon retrieved the needle, often with radiological guidance, while the patient was under general anesthesia in an operating room. Conclusions and Clinical Implications Most needle fractures occur during the administration of inferior alveolar nerve blocks, often with 30-gauge needles and in children who are reported to have moved suddenly and violently as the dentist gave the injection. Dentists should avoid burying any needle up to the hub (so as to ensure the possibility of immediately retrieving the needle intraorally), avoid using 30-gauge needles to administer inferior alveolar nerve blocks and avoid bending the needle before inserting it.
Prym Varieties I

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the first steps in a purely algebraic version (in all characteristics except two) of the Riemann–Prym–Wirtinger–Schottky–Jung theory of double coverings of one curve (or compact Riemann surface) over another. It also tries to incorporate some of the interesting generalizations of this theory in the thesis of Fay. The basic idea is this: π: → C is a double covering, where C and are nonsingular complete curves with Jacobians J and . The involution ι : →C interchanging sheets extends to ι : → J , and up to some points of order two, splits into an even part J and an odd part P , the Prym variety. The Prym P has a natural polarization on it, but only in two cases—where π has zero or two branch points—there is a unique principal polarization on P and, hence, a theta divisor Ξ ⊂ P.
An Impulse Radio PWM-Based Wireless Data Acquisition Sensor Interface

A sensor interface circuit based on impulse radio pulse width modulation (IR-PWM) is presented for low power and high throughput wireless data acquisition systems (wDAQ) with extreme size and power constraints. Two triple-slope analog-to-time converters (ATC) convert two analog signals, each up to 5 MHz in bandwidth, into PWM signals, and an IR transmitter with an all-digital power amplifier combines them while preserving the timing information by transmitting impulses at the PWM rising and falling edges. On the receiver side, an RF-LNA followed by an envelope detector recovers the incoming impulses, and a T-flipflop reverts the impulse sequence back to PWM to be digitized by a time-to-digital converter (TDC). Detailed analysis and design guideline on ATC was introduced, and a proof-of-concept prototype was fabricated for a capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer imaging system in a 0.18- $\mu \text{m}$ HV CMOS process, occupying 0.18 mm2 active area and consuming 3.94 mW from a 1.8 V supply. The proposed TDC in this prototype yielded 7-bit resolution, while the entire wDAQ achieved 5.8 effective number of bits at $2 \times 10$ MS/s.
Data-Driven Optimal Control Using Transfer Operators

In this paper, we propose a data-driven approach for control of nonlinear dynamical systems. The proposed data-driven approach relies on transfer Koopman and Perron-Frobenius (P-F) operators for linear representation and control of such systems. Systematic model-based frameworks involving linear transfer P-F operator were proposed for almost everywhere stability analysis and control design of a nonlinear dynamical system in previous works [1]–[3]. Lyapunov measure can be used as a tool to provide linear programming-based computational framework for stability analysis and optimal control design of a nonlinear system. In this paper, we show that the Lyapunov measure-based framework can extended to a data-driven setting, where the finite dimensional approximation of linear transfer P-F operator and optimal control can be obtained from time-series data. We exploit the positivity and Markov property of P-F operator to provide linear programming based approach for designing an optimally stabilizing feedback controller.
Lou Sullivan Diaries: 1970–1973

In his diaries from 1970 to 1973, we see Sullivan realizing that there is something different about his desires and feelings, leading him to feel isolated and alone. He finally admits to himself that, even though he was assigned the gender of female at birth, he feels like a man. Even more challenging to this realization is the fact that he is definitely attracted to men. He fears that his boyfriend, Tom, will leave him, and at the same time, he thinks Tom is the only one who understands him. Tension develops in their “open” relationship as Sullivan dates Sean, and Tom falls for “another” woman. When Tom moves to Berkeley, Sullivan, now on his own in Milwaukee, identifies as a transvestite, and struggles with how to describe himself as a gay man. He begins, occasionally, to call himself Lou. He is overjoyed to find a gay man, Lawrence, who recognizes Sullivan as a man and engages in a sexual relationship with him. The chapter ends with Sullivan’s visit to Berkeley to see Tom.
Novel Radar Waveform Optimization for a Cooperative Radar-Communications System

We develop and present a novel minimum estimation error variance waveform design method. The method optimizes the spectral shape of a unimodular radar waveform such that the performance of a joint radar-communications system that shares spectrum is maximized. We also develop the novel spectral water-filling successive interference cancelation data rate, which employs the continuous spectral water-filling algorithm to obtain the optimal communications power spectrum. We perform a numerical study to compare the performance of the new technique with the previously derived spectral mask shaping method. The global estimation rate and the data rate capture the radar and the communications performance, respectively.
Brain Metastases from Biliary Tract Cancers: A Case Series and Review of the Literature in the Genomic Era.

Background Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are highly fatal malignancies that make up less than 1% of all cancers. BTC is often diagnosed at an unresectable stage; surgical resection remains the only definitive treatment. Brain metastases (BMs) from BTC are extremely rare, and few studies on patients with BMs from BTC exist. The aim of this study was to identify clinical characteristics associated with poor prognosis for patients with BMs from BTC. Materials and methods We performed a retrospective review of electronic medical records for patients with BMs from BTC managed at Mount Sinai Hospital from 2000 to 2017. Data on patient characteristics, magnetic resonance imaging findings, treatment regimens, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Results We identified 1,910 patients with BTC. Nine patients developed BMs, with an incidence of 0.47%. Of these nine patients, six had intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, two had extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and one had gallbladder cancer. Six (66.7%) patients had one BM, one (11.1%) patient had two BMs, and two (22.2%) patients had three or more BMs. Four (44.4%) patients underwent BM resection, and seven (77.8%) received BM radiation. Median overall survival from time of BM diagnosis was 3.8 months (95% confidence interval 0.1-16.9). Conclusion Development of BMs from BTC is rare; however, prognosis is less than 4 months. BM diagnosis can occur within 2 years of primary diagnosis. As targeted therapeutics emerge, future studies ought to focus on identifying genomic BM markers associated with BTC subtypes. Implications for practice In the largest retrospective study of biliary tract cancer brain metastases, the clinical presentation and outcomes are reported of nine patients with an extremely rare clinical entity. The genomic literature and potential therapeutic targets for these patients with limited treatment options is comprehensively and exhaustively discussed.