cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Opportunistic Interference Management Increases the Capacity of Ad Hoc Networks

We introduce a new multiuser diversity concept with which multiple transmitters can communicate without causing significant interference to each other. The new scheme called {\it opportunistic interference management} significantly reduces the feedback required in distributed MIMO systems, and requires an encoding and decoding complexity that is similar to that of point-to-point communications. We show that our proposed {\it opportunistic interference management} scheme achieves a per-node throughput capacity of $\Theta\left(\frac{\log (T(n))}{\sqrt{n}T(n)}\right)$ in a wireless network of $n$ nodes and communication range of $T(n)=\Omega(\sqrt{\log n})$. This represents a gain of $\Theta(\log (T(n)))$ compared to simple point-to-point communication. Hence, {\it opportunistic interference management} provides an alternative approach to distributed MIMO systems with significantly less feedback requirements among nodes, which makes this approach far more practical than distributed MIMO systems.
Cars or buses: computer simulation of a social and economic dilemma

We report computer simulation experiments to model the dilemma of using cars or mass transportation in large cities. The individual Pavlovian agents may cooperate with each other for the collective interest (public transportation) or may defect, i.e., pursue their selfish interests by driving their cars. Their decisions to cooperate or defect accumulate over time to produce a resulting collective order that determines the success or failure of the transportation system. The results show that it is quite possible to achieve a situation when the enormous majority of people prefer using mass transportation to driving cars.
Late Reconstruction for Brachial Plexus Injury

Traumatic brachial plexus injuries are devastating and management is complex. Treatment involves a multidisciplinary approach. Primary reconstruction involves nerve repair, grafting, and transfer techniques. Secondary reconstruction includes microneurovascular free-functioning muscle transfer, tendon transfers, and arthrodesis to improve or restore function. These procedures are indicated when patients present more than 12 months from injury or when primary reconstruction procedures fail, and should focus on elbow flexion and shoulder stability. A free-functioning muscle transfer is often indicated for elbow flexion, with double free-functioning muscle transfers providing possible prehension. Shoulder reconstruction focuses on restoring stability to the glenohumeral joint and restoring abduction. This article outlines these techniques, their principles, and important details.
A kinetic model for free-radical crosslinking co-polymerization of styrene/vinylester resin

Vinylester resin is a major thermoset polymer used In low temperature composite manufacturing processes, such as the Seemann Composite Resin Infusion Molding Process (SCRIMP). In this study, the effect of temperature on the cure kinetics of vinylester resin in the range of 35 to 90°C was investigated using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR). A mechanistic kinetic model was developed to simulate the reaction rate and conversion profiles of vinylester vinylene and styrene vinyl groups, as well as the total reaction action rate and conversion. Experimental results from DSC and FUR at different temperatures were compared with model predictions. The glass transition temperature of the vinylester resin cured at different temperatures was identified and used to monitor the final conversion change. A series of SCRIMP molding experiments were conducted. The developed kinetic model in conjunction with a heat transfer model was used to simulate the temperature and conversion changes inside the SCRIMP-molded composites.
B Lymphocyte “Original Sin” in the Bone Marrow Enhances Islet Autoreactivity in Type 1 Diabetes–Prone Nonobese Diabetic Mice

Effective central tolerance is required to control the large extent of autoreactivity normally present in the developing B cell repertoire. Insulin-reactive B cells are required for type 1 diabetes in the NOD mouse, because engineered mice lacking this population are protected from disease. The Cg-Tg(Igh-6/Igh-V125)2Jwt/JwtJ (VH125Tg) model is used to define this population, which is found with increased frequency in the periphery of NOD mice versus nonautoimmune C57BL/6 VH125Tg mice; however, the ontogeny of this disparity is unknown. To better understand the origins of these pernicious B cells, anti-insulin B cells were tracked during development in the polyclonal repertoire of VH125Tg mice. An increased proportion of insulin-binding B cells is apparent in NOD mice at the earliest point of Ag commitment in the bone marrow. Two predominant L chains were identified in B cells that bind heterologous insulin. Interestingly, Vκ4-57-1 polymorphisms that confer a CDR3 Pro-Pro motif enhance self-reactivity in VH125Tg/NOD mice. Despite binding circulating autoantigen in vivo, anti-insulin B cells transition from the parenchyma to the sinusoids in the bone marrow of NOD mice and enter the periphery unimpeded. Anti-insulin B cells expand at the site of autoimmune attack in the pancreas and correlate with increased numbers of IFN-γ-producing cells in the repertoire. These data identify the failure to cull autoreactive B cells in the bone marrow as the primary source of anti-insulin B cells in NOD mice and suggest that dysregulation of central tolerance permits their escape into the periphery to promote disease.
Regional Differences in Dialysis Care and Mortality among American Indians and Alaska Natives

American Indians/Alaska Natives (AIANs) compose a heterogeneous population that includes geographically distinct tribal communities, many with high rates of ESRD. Regional features of dialysis care and mortality are unknown in this population. Here, we describe the structure of dialysis care and mortality of adult AIANs who initiated maintenance dialysis during 1995-2008 in different regions of the US. Overall, 13,716 AIANs received dialysis at 2054 facilities. Approximately 10% (n = 197) of these facilities provided care to two-thirds (n = 9011) of AIANs. AIANs from the Southwest and Alaska were concentrated in relatively few dialysis facilities whereas those in the Eastern US and Pacific Coast were distributed more diffusely. Despite comparably high rates of poverty, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, annual mortality rates were lower in the Southwest (13.9%) compared with the Southern Plains (23.2%), Alaska (21.2%), Eastern US (20.0%), Northern Plains (20.8%), and Pacific Coast (22.0%). These regional differences were consistent over time and persisted after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical variables and area-based poverty. In conclusion, regional differences in the structure of dialysis care and patient mortality exist among AIANs. Southwestern AIANs experience the highest concentration of dialysis care and the lowest mortality. Our findings suggest that an area-based approach examining the care structure of relatively few dialysis facilities may delineate determinants of these differences and improve the quality of care to many AIAN communities.
Team Research at the Biology–Mathematics Interface: Project Management Perspectives

The success of interdisciplinary research teams depends largely upon skills related to team performance. We evaluated student and team performance for undergraduate biology and mathematics students who participated in summer research projects conducted in off-campus laboratories. The student teams were composed of a student with a mathematics background and an experimentally oriented biology student. The team mentors typically ranked the students' performance very good to excellent over a range of attributes that included creativity and ability to conduct independent research. However, the research teams experienced problems meeting prespecified deadlines due to poor time and project management skills. Because time and project management skills can be readily taught and moreover typically reflect good research practices, simple modifications should be made to undergraduate curricula so that the promise of initiatives, such as MATH-BIO 2010, can be implemented.
Does a history of substance abuse and illness chronicity predict increased impulsivity in bipolar disorder

Abstract Background Impulsivity is a common feature shared by bipolar disorder (BD) and substance use disorder (SUD). SUD and recurrent mood episodes are considered to be risk factors for poor outcome in BD. However, the association between impulsivity, illness chronicity and SUD in BD remains unexplored. Methods 103 BD patients with and without a lifetime history of SUD (36.82±11.34 years, 40 males) were recruited. Participants completed the SCID interview and were administered measures of impulsivity including the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) and selected tests of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Hierarchical regression analyses explored the relationship between illness chronicity, SUD, and impulsivity. Results Variance in the BIS, number of false alarms on the Rapid Visual Processing task and other impulsivity indicators of the Cambridge Gambling Task (CGT) was not explained by the chosen variables. Only an increased number of commission errors in the negative condition of the Affective Go/No Go task was significantly associated with illness chronicity. Furthermore there was a trend suggesting a relationship between a lifetime history of SUD and increased propensity to risk-taking during the CGT. Limitations Potential limitations include medication and patients׳ remission status from SUD. Conclusions Contrary to our expectations impulsivity was generally not predicted by indicators of illness chronicity or SUD. While impulsivity could still be a marker of BD that is present before the onset of the disorder, the link between the number of mood episodes and specific indicators of impulsivity may be related to mechanisms of neuroprogression.
Epidemiology and Etiology

Epidemiologic research of MDS has been fairly limited in comparison to other hematopoietic cancers (such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML)), no doubt due to difficulty in case-finding from a historical lack of reporting of MDS in cancer registries. MDS incidence has been recently reported in multiple studies since the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3rd edition listed MDS as malignant, spurring its inclusion in cancer registries worldwide. The largest studies to date report rates (per 100,000 person-years) of 3.3 in the USA, 3.2 in Australia, and 1.8 in Europe. Nevertheless, these are likely underestimates based on evidence of incomplete reporting and underdiagnosis. Accepted causes of MDS are limited at this time to treatment-related chemotherapy and radiation and occupational exposure to benzene. Multiple case–control studies of potential lifestyle and environmental risk factors for MDS have been conducted, usually within the hospital setting. Probable causes, supported by multiple epidemiologic studies as well as similar findings for AML, are smoking, obesity, solvents and pesticides (without knowledge of specific exposures). Future research could contribute importantly with detailed (and preferably quantitative) assessment of specific exposures (e.g., specific types of pesticides), refined definition of homogeneous case groups by patterns of chromosomal abnormalities to identify etiologically relevant subgroups, and expanded investigation to include MDS cases previously missed because of incomplete reporting to registries or “underdiagnosis.”
Eat or Be Eaten

A quiet symphony is heard in the background as I write in the corner of my favorite bakery. The music is a beautiful marriage of instruments; a blend of the soft sounds of oboes, violins, cellos, and the forcefulness of the brass instruments provides an inspiring atmosphere. If I concentrate on the music, a remarkable phenomenon occurs. Although the symphony as a whole continues, I can focus my hearing on the individual melodies of a single set of instruments within the song (Fig. 3.1). First, I concentrate on the soulful cry of the oboe, a sad melody that slowly climbs the scale. Next, I switch my focus on the French horns. This forceful staccato sound brings to mind a determined cavalry riding across a battlefield. The deep-voiced cellos sound like rolling thunder. Finally, I return to the symphony as a whole. Instead of listening to the individual voices of the instruments, I choose to integrate the individual notes of each instrument into the symphony and let the perfect harmony wash over me. Our auditory system processes stimuli in a very different way than our visual system.
The Ultrastructure of Meiosis in Woronina Pythii (Plasmodiophoromycetes)

During cleavage of cystogenous plasmodia, nuclei of Woronina pythii underwent one meiosis I-like division. The division was centric, closed with polar fenestrations, and characterized by the format...
Cell growth and matrix invasion of EBV-immortalized human B lymphocytes is regulated by expression of α(v) integrins

alpha(v) integrins have been shown to play an important role in epithelial-derived cell migration, cell growth and tumor invasion/metastasis, however their role on cells of hematopoietic origin is less clear. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a human herpesvirus associated with several lymphoproliferative disorders in man, induces expression of alpha(v) integrins on transformed B lymphocytes. In the studies reported here, we show that EBV infection increases alpha(v), beta3 and beta5 integrin subunit mRNAs as well as upregulates the expression of the alphavbeta3 integrin protein on human B cells. Among the nine different EBV proteins expressed in latently infected B cells (nuclear and plasma membrane-associated), only LMP1, LMP2A and EBNA2 were shown to selectively transactivate the alpha(v) integrin promoter. Treatment of EBV-transformed B cells with alpha(v) antisense oligonucleotides specifically reduced cell surface expression of alpha(v) integrins, inhibited cell growth in low serum, reduced cell invasion in matrigels and decreased expression of metalloprotease, MMP9. These studies indicate that alpha(v) integrins play a significant role in EBV-induced B-lymphocyte proliferation and invasion. Strategies to interfere with alphav integrin expression and/or function may therefore be of potential value in the treatment of EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders.
An approach for conducting epidemiological surveillance in industry.

There are three unresolved issues in epidemiological surveillance: 1) should surveillance be hypothesis generating, 2) how much effort should be put into the design and data collection of a surveillance project, and 3) can useful surveillance be done with questionable data? It is concluded that epidemiological surveillance should be approached as an epidemiology study that examines the potential association between specific exposure and disease. This would include 1) a feasibility study to determine if surveillance on a particular subject is possible, 2) a detailed protocol, and 3) plans for data reduction, interpretation of findings, and worker communication. Epidemiological surveillance must be well planned and resourced to be used as a screening mechanism for occupational illness or injury excess, monitoring the health of workers exposed to specific substances, or setting priorities for future special studies. Language: en
Recent Results in Surface Area Theory

from a set A of a "space X" into a "space Y." Let us say explicitly that T is meant to be single valued but not necessarily one-one; that is, each wGA is mapped into one and only one p = p(w) E Y (image of w), that all these p =p(w), wEA, form a set T(A) C Y (graph) of T, but each pE T(A) may be the image of more than one wEA, even infinitely many wEA (counter images of p). Real functions of one real variable, parametric curves, surfaces, etc., are examples of such mappings, and the analytical entities attached to (T, A) may be called total variation, length, area, etc., or, more generally, line integrals, surface integrals, etc. The last concepts are usually introduced under very restrictive conditions on T, but recently it has been recognized that length, area, etc., can be introduced under the mere hypothesis of continuity of T (and even this may not be required), and that the finiteness of the length [area, etc. ] assures the existence of a line integral [surface integral, etc.]. This viewpoint has been illustrated for curves in a previous article [II]. * Here we discuss the analogous approach for surfaces, which entails a much deeper connection with topology and measure theory than for curves. Total variation of real functions of one real variable and related concepts have been illustrated in another article [I]. t
Differentiation of Chronic Lung Diseases

It is now believed that most cases up to now diagnosed as emphysema or chronic bronchitis really belong in a third category, “chronic airways obstruction.” That the introduction of this diagnosis clarifies rather than adds to the confusion prevalent with regard to pulmonary obstructive processes is brought home in terms of the specific problems confronting the clinician in managing his patient.
Addressing Perceived Skill Deficiencies in Student Affairs Graduate Preparation Programs.

This article explores existing literature on perceived skill deficiencies among entry-level student affairs practitioners. Through a review of recent literature, seven perceived skill deficiencies were identified, including budgeting and financial management, strategic planning, research and assessment, legal knowledge and standards, supervision, technological competence, and institutional and campus politics. Content analysis of graduate preparation program websites was used to determine the degree to which each of these deficiencies are purported to be addressed.
Distributive Processing by the Iron(II)/α-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Catalytic Domains of the TET Enzymes Is Consistent with Epigenetic Roles for Oxidized 5-Methylcytosine Bases

The ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins catalyze oxidation of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) residues in nucleic acids to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxycytosine (5caC). These nucleotide bases have been implicated as intermediates on the path to active demethylation, but recent reports have suggested that they might have specific regulatory roles in their own right. In this study, we present kinetic evidence showing that the catalytic domains (CDs) of TET2 and TET1 from mouse and their homologue from Naegleria gruberi, the full-length protein NgTET1, are distributive in both chemical and physical senses, as they carry out successive oxidations of a single 5mC and multiple 5mC residues along a polymethylated DNA substrate. We present data showing that the enzyme neither retains 5hmC/5fC intermediates of preceding oxidations nor slides along a DNA substrate (without releasing it) to process an adjacent 5mC residue. These findings contradict a recent report by Crawford et al...
Where Did You Go: Personalized Annotation of Mobility Records

Recent advances in positioning technology have generated massive volume of human mobility data. At the same time, large amount of spatial context data are available and provide us with rich context information. Combining the mobility data with surrounding spatial context enables us to understand the semantics of the mobility records, e.g., what is a user doing at a location, e.g., dining at a restaurant or attending a football game). In this paper, we aim to answer this question by annotating the mobility records with surrounding venues that were actually visited by the user. The problem is non-trivial due to high ambiguity of surrounding contexts. Unlike existing methods that annotate each location record independently, we propose to use all historical mobility records to capture user preferences, which results in more accurate annotations. Our method does not assume the availability to any training data on user preference because of the difficulties to obtain such data in the real-world setting. Instead, we design a Markov random field model to find the best annotations that maximize the consistency of annotated venues. Through extensive experiments on real datasets, we demonstrate that our method significantly outperforms the baseline methods.
Fast, slow and endless variation drives global development

AbstractThis article explores the dynamics of institutional adaptation in fast-growing, highly interconnected polities in the developing world, and challenges the thesis in modernization theory which posits that economic growth and thus higher per-capita income lead over time to democracy. One mechanism often proposed to explain this link is the idea that economic growth and higher per capita income in a society lead individual citizens in that society to become more receptive to democratic values and norms, and that this receptivity can pave the way for the birth of democracy. Yet evidence increasingly demonstrates that the link is at best tenuous and often not empirically valid. Why have many fast-growing economies and modernizing societies not made a transition to democracy, as predicted by modernization theory? This paper addresses this question, with ideas from complex adaptive systems and evolutionary social psychology, as well as case analyses of Turkey and China.
Conclusion: Forging a Critical Path—Other Considerations for Pursuing the FWP’s Literary Legacies

This concluding chapter considers other avenues for exploring the FWP’s imprint on American literature—including the communities of writers that the Project engendered in its regional offices; the genre of historical fiction that surged after the war as exemplified by the work of former federal writer Frank Yerby; and the Project’s pioneering techniques in merging grassroots historiography with creative writing, which anticipated the rise of creative non-fiction in the postwar era. But the challenge of qualifying the FWP’s literary influence always rests on the available number of archival materials. Saul Bellow’s fictional work echoes the Project’s techniques, but few archival documents from the FWP bear his name. Nevertheless, attempting to reread the work of former federal writers through the lens of the Writers’ Project allows for a fresh perspective on these writers, while allowing us to reconsider the conventional boundaries between Depression-era and postwar literature.
Electromagnetic chirp of a compact binary black hole: A phase template for the gravitational wave inspiral

The gravitational waves (GWs) from a binary black hole (BBH) with masses ${10}^{4}\ensuremath{\lesssim}M\ensuremath{\lesssim}{10}^{7}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{M}}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ can be detected with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) once their orbital frequency exceeds ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}--{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{Hz}$. The binary separation at this stage is $a=O(100){R}_{\mathrm{g}}$ (gravitational radius), and the orbital speed is $v/c=O(0.1)$. We argue that at this stage, the binary will be producing bright electromagnetic (EM) radiation via gas bound to the individual BHs. Both BHs will have their own photospheres in x-ray and possibly also in optical bands. Relativistic Doppler modulations and lensing effects will inevitably imprint periodic variability in the EM light curve, tracking the phase of the orbital motion, and serving as a template for the GW inspiral waveform. Advanced localization of the source by LISA weeks to months prior to merger will enable a measurement of this EM chirp by wide-field x-ray or optical instruments. A comparison of the phases of the GW and EM chirp signals will help break degeneracies between system parameters, and probe a fractional difference $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}v$ in the propagation speed of photons and gravitons as low as $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}v/c\ensuremath{\approx}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}$.
Bioactivation of toxicants by cytochrome P450-mediated dehydrogenation mechanisms

Normal cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of toxicants proceeds through an electron or hydrogen atom abstraction mechanism that generally produces hydroxyl radical equivalents bound to prosthetic heme iron and eventually leads to oxygenated products through a hydroxyl rebound mechanism (Ortiz de Montellano, 1995). In a growing number of examples, certain P450 enzymes initiate oxidation of toxicants through the first step of one-electron abstraction (or hydrogen atom abstraction), but subsequently catalyze a second-electron oxidation that leads to dehydrogenated (desaturated) products. Many of these products are highly reactive electrophiles that initiate toxicities through binding to proteins and/or DNA (Yost, 1997; Guengerich and Kim, 1991; Lewis et al. 1996; Han et al. 1990). The precise chemical environments of the active sites of the enzymes that direct selective dehydrogenation, rather than hydroxylation, are not known. Several of the enzymes that catalyze dehydrogenation of toxicants are selectively expressed in respiratory tissues (Pelkonen and Raunio, 1997; Mace et al. 1998), and much of our work (Thornton-Manning et al. 1996; Lanza et al. 1999) has addressed the mechanisms of dehydrogenation by several human lung-expressed enzymes such as CYP2F1 (Nhamburo et al. 1990) and CYP4B1 (Nhamburo et al. 1989).
Fly-ash cenosphere/clay blended composites for impact resistant tiles

Abstract In this paper, blended fly-ash cenospheres/clay composites are explored as potential material for roofing tiles. In view of impact on roofs during hailstorms, the goal is to improve the impact resistance of roofing tile materials. It is hypothesized that the impact damage resistance of tiles can be improved while reducing their densities by incorporating hollow fly-ash cenospheres with base clay. Towards that, four types of composites, namely clay, clay + filler, clay + fly-ash and clay + filler + fly-ash are fabricated and evaluated under dynamic impact loading with 1 J impact energy. Changes in microstructure, densities and degree of damage in the four types of composites are compared. The addition of fly-ash cenospheres appears to improve the structural integrity of the tiles by reducing gaps observed in clay tiles. The highest reduction in density is observed in clay + fly-ash composites of approximately 36% as compared to clay samples. Whereas, a reduction in the degree of damage of about 22% and 26% are observed in clay + fly-ash and clay + filler + fly-ash specimens, respectively. Even though clay + filler and clay + filler + fly-ash manifested higher peak forces and lower degree of damage than clay + fly-ash composite, the reduction of densities are only 3.48% for clay + filler and 29.85% for clay + filler + fly-ash. Therefore, a combined consideration of degree of damage and density of composites reveals that clay + fly-ash composites are superior as compared to clay and other composites investigated in this study.
Improving the effectiveness of searching for isomorphic chains in superword level parallelism

Most high-performance microprocessors come equipped with general purpose Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) execution engines to enhance performance. Compilers use auto-vectorization techniques to identify vector parallelism and generate SIMD code so that applications can enjoy the performance benefits provided by SIMD units. Superword Level Parallelism (SLP), one such vectorization technique, forms vector operations by merging isomorphic instructions into a vector operation and linking many such operations into long isomorphic chains. However, effective grouping of isomorphic instructions remains a key challenge for SLP algorithms. In this work, we describe a new hierarchical approach for SLP. We decouple the selection of isomorphic chains and arrange them in a hierarchy of choices at the local and global levels. First, we form small local chains from a set of preferred patterns and rank them. Next, we form long global chains from the local chains using a few simple heuristics. Hierarchy allows us to balance the grouping choices of individual instructions more effectively within the context of larger local and global chains, thereby finding better opportunities for vectorization. We implement our algorithm in LLVM, and we compare it against prior work and the current SLP implementation in LLVM. A set of applications that benefit from vectorization are taken from the NAS Parallel Benchmarks and SPEC CPU 2006 suite to compare our approach and prior techniques. We demonstrate that our new algorithm finds better isomorphic chains. Our new approach achieves an 8.6% speedup, on average, compared to non-vectorized code and 2.5% speedup, on average, over LLVM-SLP. In the best case, the BT application has 11% fewer total dynamic instructions and achieves a 10.9% speedup over LLVM-SLP. CCS CONCEPTS • Computer systems organization $\rightarrow$ Single instruction, multiple data; • Software and its engineering $\rightarrow$ Compilers; Source code generation;
Dual-rate L 1 adaptive controller for cyber-physical sampled-data systems

This paper proposes a dual rate output-feedback control approach for sampled-data MIMO systems with non-linear uncertainties. Design and analysis of L 1 adaptive controller is extended to sampled-data systems framework. The controller is designed for detection of zero-dynamics attacks and uncertainty compensation. A sufficient condition on the sampling time of the digital controller is obtained that ensures stability of the closed-loop system. It is shown that the proposed controller can recover the performance of a continuous-time reference system. A simulation study of an automatic voltage regulator is provided to validate the theoretical finding.
A preliminary study of serum IgE against cross‐reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCD) in client‐owned atopic dogs

Background Cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCD) are defined carbohydrate portions of glycoprotein cell surface molecules common to many plant and insect species. Mammalian species recognize CCD as foreign antigens and can mount humoral immune responses against them. Approximately 20-37% of grass and venom allergic people possess circulating IgE against CCD; these antibodies are generally considered clinically irrelevant. Anti-CCD IgE is, however, recognized as a cause of false positive, clinically incongruent serum allergen test results in people; this phenomenon has not been investigated in animals. Objective To determine if anti-CCD IgE could be detected in sera of client-owned atopic dogs and how frequently it is found. Animals Sera from 38 dogs with a clinical diagnosis of atopic dermatitis and prior serological evidence of IgE antibodies, defined as a positive result to at least one mite and pollen (of any type). Methods Sera were analysed for IgE against CCD and environmental allergens with a commercially available multiplex enzyme-labelled allergen-specific IgE assay. Results Anti-CCD IgE was detected in nine of 38 (24%) of atopic dog sera. As with their human counterparts, all dogs with anti-CCD IgE had strong serological reactivity to grass pollens. Conclusions and clinical importance Anti-CCD IgE can confound serological allergen testing in people; the same might be true in dogs. Further studies are warranted to investigate the clinical implications of anti-CCD IgE in dogs, including the potential for these antibodies to affect serum allergen-specific IgE assays used for clinical diagnosis, and whether they are relevant to clinical disease.
“I Speak Frankly Because You Are My Friend”: Leonid Ilich Brezhnev’s Personal Relationship with Richard M. Nixon

Drawing on historian Frank Costigliola’s accent on the importance of “emotional belief” in understanding how statesmen formulate foreign policy, I apply this cultural approach to diplomacy in considering Soviet leader Leonid Ilich Brezhnev’s personal relationship with President Richard M. Nixon. Appreciating both the merits and difficulties in employing this “soft” methodology to diplomacy, I draw on recently published documents, memoirs, and available archival material to examine the evolution of Brezhnev’s relationship with Nixon at three summit meetings held in Moscow in 1972, in Washington in 1973, and, again in Moscow in 1974, weeks before Nixon’s resignation. I argue that Brezhnev’s emotional belief convinced him of the need to go beyond the evidence to cultivate a personal relationship with Nixon based at first on suspicion, then on cautious courting, and eventually on trust so that Brezhnev could achieve his aims of promoting the cause of peace.
Preliminary study of fission defenses against low-volume DoS attacks on proxied multiserver systems

Multiserver applications deployed in the public cloud infrastructure continue to be plagued by significant threat of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks by large scale botnets, including very notable attack instances just this past Fall. Previously, proposed cloud-based defenses have attempted to address different aspects of this problem including: a proactive moving target approach to combat the reconnaissance phase where the botnet ascertains the identities (IP addresses) of the proxy (indirection) servers, and client-to-proxy-server assignment shuffling to deal with volumetric attacks. In this paper, we describe a “fission” quarantine approach to deal with low-volume DoS attacks targeting the application servers. We then overview a developing attack-defense emulation platform. Finally, we give the results of a preliminary, model based numerical evaluation of the performance and cost of fission defense.
Cardiac Catheterization and Selective Coronary Angiography: Current Status and Limitations

Cardiac catheterization and selective coronary angiography has revolutionized the evaluation of cardiac anatomy and physiology over the past three decades. In an age of advanced noninvasive cardiac imaging, selective coronary angiography remains the gold standard for defining cardiac anatomy. In addition to defining the site, severity, and morphology of coronary lesions, cardiac catheterization provides the most accurate quantitative assessment of cardiac structure and hemodynamics.
Development of Divergent Synthetic Methods of Pyrimidobenzothiazine and Related Tricyclic Heterocycles

Cu(II)-mediated novel oxidative intermolecular ortho C–H functionalization using tetrahydropyrimidine as the directing group has been investigated. Reaction of 2-phenyl-1,4,5,6- tetrahydropyrimidine with Cu(OAc)2 in the presence of H2O in DMF followed by triphosgene treatment affords pyrimido[1,2-c][1,3]benzoxazine derivatives in good yields. This reaction is applicable to the formations of C–N and C–S bonds using various nucleophiles. In addition, a simple and practical synthetic method of pyrimido[1,2-c][1,3]benzothiazin-6-imines and related tricyclic heterocycles by SNAr reaction has also been developed. Treatment of 2-(2-haloaryl)tetrahydropyrimidines with NaH and heterocumulene such as CS2, isothiocyanates, and isocyanates in DMF provides the desired cyclization products regioselectively. These methods provide direct access to PD 404182 and related compounds.
Transforming Growth Factor-Beta and other Cytokines in Experimental and Human Diabetic Nephropathy

Genetic, hemodynamic, and metabolic factors are important in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. This chapter, complementing the coverage of related chapters in this book, will focus on some of the metabolic mediators, especially the various cytokines and growth factors, with particular focus on the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Various mediator factors and signal transduction pathways interact in an intricate circuitry of autocrine, paracrine, and even endocrine mechanisms when the kidney is chronically exposed to high ambient glucose concentrations. The effects of high glucose on renal cells may arise because of increased metabolism of glucose through the polyol pathway [1], increased de novo synthesis of diacylglycerol (DAG) with activation of protein kinase C (PKC) [2, 3], activation of the hexosamine pathway [4], or increased nonenzymatic glycation of proteins [5, 6]. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of many soluble mediators in diabetic renal disease (reviewed in [7, 8]) including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), endothelin, angiotensin II (AII), prostanoids, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), leptin, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Some features of these mediators will be highlighted here, after providing a detailed account of the crucial role that TGF-β plays in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. Additionally, the discussion will summarize the evidence linking the diverse mediators to the overactivity of the TGF-β system in diabetic renal disease.
Chronic Neurological Diseases Caused by Slow Infections

Until recently, most subacute and chronic progressive degenerative diseases of the human nervous system were of unknown etiology. They generally occur sporadically, though some are familial. None can be cured. When kuru was found to be caused by a serially transmissible filterable agent,(80) it established that a chronic degenerative central nervous system (CNS) disease of humans was a “slow” infection.(211) Since that demonstration, several other chronic diseases of the human brain have also been attributed to slow infections, either with unconventional self-replicating agents resembling that causing kuru(79) (the nature of which remains disputed(195,202) or with common conventional viruses (Table 1). In this chapter, we review both types of slow infection, beginning with those caused by conventional viruses.
Keeping Unwanted Donkeys and Elephants out of Your Inbox: The Case for Regulating Political Spam

This Article focuses on the growing but largely unexamined phenomenon of political spam. Although political spam lies at the nexus of two important developments in recent years-the increasing government regulation of unsolicited communication and the growing use of Internetbased media in political campaigns-it has for the most part been ignored. This Article scrutinizes the reasons underlying lawmakers and commentators' failure to deal with the political spam problem and argues that leaving the issue unaddressed is a mistake. It contends that political spam can and should be regulated as part of a general measure restricting the use of all unsolicited bulk e-mails. In order to do so, this Article lays out the scope of the political spam problem by tracing its escalating use in recent elections. It then considers how the various mechanisms contained in current and proposed laws regulating other forms of unsolicited communication, including commercial spam, telemarketing telephone calls, and blast faxing, can be applied to political spam, and evaluates the efficacy of the various measures. Next, this Article examines the constitutional and policy issues surrounding the potential regulation of political spam. Finally, it offers an innovative model piece of legislation that would curb political spam without compromising candidates' free speech rights or the legitimate use of e-
No Performance or Affective Advantage of Drinking versus Rinsing with Water during a 15-km Running Session in Female Runners

The advantage of ingesting fluids during endurance exercise lasting < 90 min has recently been challenged, but literature confirming or disputing this case is limited, particularly for female athletes. This study examined the effects of consuming water versus mouth rinsing with water during a running time trial. Recreationally active female runners (n = 19) completed two, 15-km time trials on an outdoor course in temperate environment (~20oC; 87% RH) separated by at least one week in a randomized cross-over study design. Participants consumed 355 ml of water (DW) during their run or mouth rinsed (MR) with water from a handheld water bottle every 3 km for 5 s with physiological, perceptual, and affective variables assessed. DW or MR did not affect completion time (79.8 ± 8.1 min and 79.2 ± 8.2 min, p = 0.23), HR (p = 0.35), or RPE (p = 0.73), respectively. Sweat losses were greater (p = 0.03) for DW: 1.47 ± 0.34 L compared to MR: 1.28 ± 0.27 L; however, thirst sensation was not significantly different for MR: 6.7 ± 1.4 compared to DW: 6.2 ± 1.6. A significant effect was exhibited for time (p < 0.01) but not condition for Feeling Scale and Felt Arousal Scale or Energetic and Tense Arousal. Carrying only one smaller fluid container for MR versus a larger or multiple water bottles/backpack systems used for water consumption can reduce fluid load carried during extended duration runs without altering performance or affect for runs of 1.0-1.5 h. MR may also be beneficial to decrease thirst without ingesting fluid for runners that limit exercise fluid consumption because of gastrointestinal discomfort concerns.
Let’s play the search game: Strategic and behavioral properties of sponsored search auction mechanisms

Abstract This paper develops a model of buyer (consumer) and seller (advertiser) strategic behavior in sponsored search auctions. Through its various extensions, the model is able to predict the effect of different ranking and payment policies on auction performance in terms of consumer surplus as well as advertisers’ and search engine profits. The theoretical model demonstrates that 1) payment policies should not have an effect on auction performance, 2) ranking policies that do not include the advertiser’s bid as a ranking criterion should not have an effect on auction performance 3) policies that use advertisers’ bids as the single ranking criterion should be just as good as using advertisers’ bids combined with other criteria over which advertisers have no short-term influence (e.g., relevance and click-through rate), 4) some sort of a coordination mechanism is necessary in order for buyers and sellers to achieve a fully efficient outcome, however, coordination should prove much more difficult when the bid is not used as at least one of the ranking criteria, 5) decreasing the number of sponsored links shown to consumers and displaying product prices should improve coordination and increase the likelihood of a fully efficient outcome. We use economically-motivated human subjects and the methods of experimental economics to test the first two of the model’s predictions. We investigate six different sponsored search auction formats: two different pricing policies (pay-per-transaction and pay-per-click) and three different ranking policies (rank by relevance, rank by click-through rate, & rank by both relevance and click-through rate). As predicted by the model we find no significant effect due to difference in ranking policies. However, contrary to the model’s predictions, we find significant differences in total surplus due to payment policies. We discuss two behavioral effects that could be the reason for these differences.
Apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma with perineural metastasis in a cat

Case summaryA 15-year-old female spayed domestic shorthair cat was presented for hyporexia and acute development of L4–Cd myelopathy (urinary incontinence, pelvic limb paresis with hyporeflexia and...
Chance Favors the Prepared Mind- a Quality Improvement Initiative Through a Mock Code Based Educational Curriculum for Pediatric Residents in a Community Hospital

Background: The initial actions of the hospital staff that arrive first to the site of a pediatric emergency are critical. Using mock code simulation for training has been shown to decrease fears and anxiety, improve communication among team members, and increase knowledge and familiarity with pediatric resuscitation guidelines, which translates directly to improved quality of care and patient safety. Community hospitals may be limited by resources, funding and staffing, preventing the use …
Production Campaign Planning Under Learning and Decay

Problem definition: We analyze a catalyst-activated batch-production process with uncertainty in production times, learning about catalyst-productivity characteristics and decay of catalyst perform...
The Use of a Statewide Prescription Drug Monitoring Program by Emergency Department Physicians.

Background Little is known about how emergency physicians have used Wisconsin's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). Objective To characterize emergency physician knowledge and utilization of the program and how it modifies practice. Methods Online survey data were collected 1 year after program implementation. Descriptive statistics were generated and qualitative responses were grouped by content. Results Of the 63 respondents, 64.1% had used the program. Lack of a DEA number and knowledge about how to sign up were the most common barriers to registration. Over 97% of program users found it useful for confirming suspicion of drug abuse and 90% wrote fewer prescriptions after program implementation. Time constraints and the difficult log-in process were common barriers to use. More users than nonusers stated that their workplace was supportive of program use. Conclusions Although barriers exist, PDMP utilization appears useful to emergency physicians and associated with modifications to patient management.
Transglutaminase-2 of pancreatic cancer cells assembles a CXCL12-keratin 19-coat that mediates the resistance to immunotherapy

Abstract To enhance efficacy of cancer immunotherapy, we must discover how adenocarcinomas resist PD-1-directed therapy. In a mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA), it has been shown that inhibiting the chemokine receptor, CXCR4, overcomes resistance to anti-PD-L1. Here, we show that the PDA cancer cells exhibit an extracellular, covalent complex between keratin 19 (KRT19) and CXCL12, the ligand for CXCR4, which is produced by the cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF). PDA tumors containing gene-edited cancer cells that cannot express KRT19 or transglutaminase-2 (TGM2) lack the CXCL12-coat, are infiltrated with T cells, and regress during treatment of tumor-bearing mice with anti-PD-1. Therefore, TGM2 of pancreatic cancer cells enables their escape from immune attack by capturing the immune suppressive chemokine of the CAF. These findings may explain the resistance to immunotherapy of multiple human adenocarcinomas in which we find this CXCL12-coat. One Sentence Summary Gene editing murine pancreatic cancer cells to prevent their CXCL12-coat assembly enables T cell-directed immunotherapy to eliminate tumors.
Hierarchical assembly of ZnO nanowire trunks decorated with ZnO nanosheets for lithium ion battery anodes

Hierarchical architectures composed of nanomaterials in different forms are essential to improve the performance of lithium-ion battery (LIB) anodes. Here, we systematically studied the effects of hierarchical ZnO nanostructures on the electrochemical performance of LIBs. ZnO nanowire (NW) trunks were decorated with ZnO NWs or ZnO nanosheets (NSs) by successive hydrothermal synthesis to create hierarchical three-dimensional nanostructures. The branched ZnO NSs on the ZnO NW trunk exhibited a two-fold higher specific gravimetric capacity compared to ZnO NWs and branched ZnO NWs on ZnO NW trunks after 100 cycles of charging–discharging at 0.2C (197.4 mA g−1). The improvement in battery anode performance is attributable to the increased interfacial area between the electrodes and electrolyte, and the void space of the branched NSs that facilitates lithium ion transport and volume changes during cycling.