cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Denial of the Synthetic A Priori

In his essay “Logical Empiricism”, in the anthology Twentieth Century Philosophy, Professor Feigl writes: “All forms of empiricism agree in repudiating the existence of synthetic a priori knowledge.” 2 Schlick makes the same point even more forcibly: “The empiricism which I represent believes itself to be clear on the point that, as a matter of principle, all propositions are either synthetic a posteriori or tautologous; synthetic a priori propositions seem to it to be a logical impossibility.”3 The denial of synthetic a prioris is a major thesis of the logical empiricist position, being found in the writings of most of the leaders of the movement.4 The reason for its importance is fairly clear. It provides a formula on which the empiricists can base their critique of traditional philosophy. To use Ayer's phrase, denial of the synthetic a priori results in “the elimination of metaphysics”. The philosophical tradition to which the empiricists are opposed and whose “metaphysics” they wish to eliminate can be called, somewhat loosely, rationalism.
Technology management: a brief review of the last 40 years and some thoughts on its future

During the last 40 years, much progress has been made in engineering and technology management education. The situation has changed from a handful of degree-granting programs, mostly at the master's level, such as those at UCLA, Pittsburgh, Case Western, and the Rensselaer Institutes of technology, to over 100 in the US alone and another 54 abroad. Here, the author presents a brief review of the last 40 years of technology management as well as some of his thoughts on its future. >
Cross-feature analysis for detecting ad-hoc routing anomalies

With the proliferation of wireless devices, mobile ad-hoc networking (MANET) has become a very exciting and important technology. However, MANET is more vulnerable than wired networking. Existing security mechanisms designed for wired networks have to be redesigned in this new environment. In this paper, we discuss the problem of intrusion detection in MANET. The focus of our research is on techniques for automatically constructing anomaly detection models that are capable of detecting new (or unseen) attacks. We introduce a new data mining method that performs "cross-feature analysis" to capture the inter-feature correlation patterns in normal traffic. These patterns can be used as normal profiles to detect deviation (or anomalies) caused by attacks. We have implemented our method on a few well known ad-hoc routing protocols, namely, Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) and Ad-hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV), and have conducted extensive experiments on the ns-2 simulator. The results show that the anomaly detection models automatically computed using our data mining method can effectively, detect anomalies caused by typical routing intrusions.
Checkpointing distributed applications on mobile computers

The integration of mobile/portable computing devices within existing data networks can be expected to spawn distributed applications that execute on mobile hosts (MHs). For reliability, it is vital that the global state of such applications be checkpointed from time to time. A global checkpoint consists of a set of local checkpoints, one per participant. This paper first identifies the problems in recording a consistent global state of mobile distributed applications. The location of a MH within the static network varies with time and therefore, a MH will first need to be located ("searched") in order to obtain its local checkpoint. Moreover, MHs often (voluntarily) disconnect from the network; a disconnected MH is not reachable from the rest of the network This means that a (disconnected) MH may not be available to provide its local checkpoint. Lastly, a MH is not equipped with stable storage; disk space at a MH is not considered stable due to vulnerability of MHs to loss, theft and physical damage. Therefore, an alternative stable repository is required to save local checkpoints of MHs. This paper presents a checkpointing algorithm for MHs that satisfies these constraints. >
Digital image correlation measurement of resin chemical and thermal shrinkage after gelation

A method for measuring chemical shrinkage and coefficient of thermal expansion during cure and post-gelation is presented based on digital image correlation to record the in situ stress-free strain field in a thermosetting polymer. An independent determination of the resin cure kinetics was required to relate the chemical shrinkage strain and coefficient of thermal expansion to the degree of cure. The changes in the coefficient of thermal expansion were observed from the initial heating to final cooling of the sample. The results obtained are shown to compare favorably with results previously found by other techniques. The proposed method provides a simple and reliable procedure to measure the evolution of thermo-chemical shrinkage properties of the resin during the cure cycle.
Simulating cold season snowpack: Impacts of snow albedo and multi-layer snow physics

This study used numerical experiments to investigate two important concerns in simulating the cold season snowpack: the impact of the alterations of snow albedo due to anthropogenic aerosol deposition on snowpack and the treatment of snow physics using a multi-layer snow model. The snow albedo component considered qualitatively future changes in anthropogenic emissions and the subsequent increase or decrease of black carbon deposition on the Sierra Nevada snowpack by altering the prescribed snow albedo values. The alterations in the snow albedo primarily affect the snowpack via surface energy budget with little impact on precipitation. It was found that a decrease in snow albedo (by as little as 5–10% of the reference values) due to an increase in local emissions enhances snowmelt and runoff (by as much as 30–50%) in the early part of a cold season, resulting in reduced snowmelt-driven runoff (by as much as 30–50%) in the later part of the cold season, with the greatest impacts at higher elevations. An increase in snow albedo associated with reduced anthropogenic emissions results in the opposite effects. Thus, the most notable impact of the decrease in snow albedo is to enhance early-season snowmelt and to reduce late-season snowmelt, resulting in an adverse impact on warm season water resources in California. The timing of the sensitivity of snow water equivalent (SWE), snowmelt, and runoff vary systematically according to terrain elevation; as terrain elevation increases, the peak response of these fields occurs later in the cold season. The response of SWE and surface energy budget to the alterations in snow albedo found in this study shows that the effects of snow albedo on snowpack are further enhanced via local snow-albedo feedback. Results from this experiment suggest that a reduction in local emissions, which would increase snow albedo, could alleviate the early snowmelt and reduced runoff in late winter and early spring caused by global climate change, at least partially. The most serious uncertainties associated with this part of the study are a quantification of the relationship between the amount of black carbon deposition and snow albedo—a subject of future study. The comparison of the spring snowpack simulated with a single- and multi-layer snow model during the spring of 1998 shows that a more realistic treatment of snow physics in a multi-layer snow model could improve snowpack simulations, especially during spring when snow ablation is significant, or in conjunction with climate change projections.
Emerging Strategies for Treating Brain Metastases from Breast Cancer

Brain metastasis is an end stage in breast cancer progression. Traditional treatment options have minimal efficacy, and overall survival is on the order of months. The incidence of brain metastatic disease is increasing with the improved management of systemic disease and prolongation of survival. Unfortunately, the targeted therapies that control systemic disease have diminished efficacy against brain lesions. There are reasons to be optimistic, however, as emerging therapies have shown promise in preclinical and early clinical settings. This review discusses recent advances in breast cancer brain metastasis therapy and potential approaches for successful treatment.
A predistortion linearization system for high power amplifiers with low frequency envelope memory effects

This paper proposes an RF envelope predistortion linearization system that utilizes a combination of an analog envelope predistortion (APD) working in conjunction with a digital look-up table (LUT) based adaptive envelope predistortion (DPD). The APD system is used as an inner loop to correct slowly varying changes in gain, effectively compensating for long time constant memory effects. The DPD forms the outer loop that corrects the distortion over a wide bandwidth. The APD/DPD combination showed up to 6 dB improvement over the DPD alone for a 90W PEP power amplifier.
Interconnect scaling: signal integrity and performance in future high-speed CMOS designs

The impact of new interconnect materials and various circuit design techniques on both performance and signal integrity in future high-speed CMOS is investigated. Specifically, this work examines the use of copper, low-k dielectrics, repeaters, driver sizing and novel design techniques with respect to crosstalk and delay in the 0.25 to 0.07 /spl mu/m generations. We show crosstalk to be very important in scaled ULSI interconnects and steps such as reduced aspect ratios and asymmetric pitches should be used to ensure signal integrity.
Reducing human fall injuries using a mobile manipulator

Falls among elderly persons are both common and have significant negative impacts on their immediate and long-term health. In this paper, we consider whether current mobile manipulators could reduce the severity of injuries caused by human falls, and we focus on developing simple strategies toward this purpose. We present a simulation of a fall scenario that includes a humanoid and a mobile manipulator that can manipulate the humanoid at one or more points. Using metrics, we estimate the severity of injury to a human from a fall, and then we evaluate these metrics across four scenarios for interactions between the robot and the humanoid. We conduct experiments with a PR2 robot and a 20 degree-of-freedom humanoid. We parameterize the humanoid with human biometric data including mass distributions, link lengths, joint ranges of motion, and link centers of mass to approximate human fall behavior. Utilizing the full, but limited, force of its arms, the robot was able to reduce the median injury to the human as assessed by the metrics. However, scenarios where the robot's intervention exacerbated injuries did occur, which indicates that algorithms to reduce fall damage must be carefully designed and applied to avoid worsening fall injuries.
Spin-off Creation in a National Research Institution: Technological and Industrial Implications

The present work takes into account the creation of Spin-off companies in CNR, Italian National Research Council, up to 2012. The aim is to analyze the relations of Spin-offs with CNR, their technological sector and their industrial performance. Several types of data are exploited and analyzed. Studied topics encompass relations with CNR Departments, geographical distribution, local research and industrial context. The main analysis relies on budgetary and industrial sector data, in order to measure the performance of CNR Spin-offs. Their performance is also compared with suitable benchmarks of firms and academic Spin-offs. The evolution of the context is also considered in the study. The study of the activity of CNR in fostering the creation of knowledge-intensive firms offers an insight on the role of National Research Institutions, and in particular of the specific case.
An evaluation of the effects of hyper-natural components of interaction fidelity on locomotion performance in virtual reality

Virtual reality (VR) locomotion techniques that approximate real-world walking often have lower performance than fully natural real walking due to moderate interaction fidelity. Other techniques with moderate fidelity, however, are intentionally designed to enhance users' abilities beyond what is possible in the real world. We compared such hyper-natural techniques to their natural counterparts on a wide range of locomotion tasks for a variety of measures. The evaluation also considered two independent components of interaction fidelity: bio-mechanics and transfer function. The results show that hyper-natural transfer functions can improve locomotion speed and some aspects of user satisfaction, although this can come at the expense of accuracy for complicated path-following tasks. On the other hand, hyper-natural techniques designed to provide biomechanical assistance had lower performance and user acceptance than those based on natural walking movements. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the effects of interaction fidelity and designer intent for VR interaction techniques.
Trends in Renal Transplantation Rates in Patients with Congenital Urinary Tract Disorders.

Purpose: Improved bladder and renal management benefit patients with congenital uropathy and congenital pediatric kidney disease. This may translate to delayed initial renal transplantation in these patients, and improved graft and patient survival. Our primary study purpose was to determine whether patients with congenital uropathy and congenital pediatric kidney disease have demonstrated later time to first transplantation and/or graft survival.Materials and Methods: SRTR (Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients) was analyzed for first renal transplant and survival data in patients with congenital uropathy and congenital pediatric kidney disease from 1996 to 2012. Congenital uropathy included chronic pyelonephritis/reflux, prune belly syndrome and congenital obstructive uropathy. Congenital pediatric kidney disease included polycystic kidney disease, hypoplasia, dysplasia, dysgenesis, agenesis and familial nephropathy.Results: A total of 7,088 patients with congenital uropathy and 24,315 with conge...
Carbonatite associated with ultramafic diatremes in the Avon Volcanic District, Missouri, USA: Field, petrographic, and geochemical constraints

Abstract Here we report field, petrographic, and geochemical analyses of the southeast Missouri Avon Volcanic District intrusive rocks and present the first combined textural and geochemical evidence for the presence of a primary magmatic carbonatite phase among ultramafic dikes, pipes, and diatremes of olivine melilitite, alnoite, and calciocarbonatite. The δ13CVPDB values measured for primary calciocarbonatite as well as carbonates in olivine melilitite and alnoite rocks range from − 3.8‰ to − 8.2‰, which are within the typical range of mantle values and are distinct from values of the carbonate country rocks, 0.0‰ to − 1.3‰. The carbonate oxygen isotope compositions for the intrusive lithologies are in the range of 21.5‰ to 26.2‰ (VSMOW), consistent with post-emplacement low temperature hydrothermal alteration or kinetic fractionation effects associated with decompression and devolatilization. Metasomatized country rock and breccia-contaminated igneous lithologies have carbonate δ13CVPDB values gradational between primary carbonatite values and country rock values. Unaltered sedimentary dolomite breccia and mafic spheroids entrained by calciocarbonatite and the lack of microstratigraphic crystal growth typical of carbonate replacement, also exclude the possibility of hydrothermal replacement as the cause of the magmatic-textured carbonates. Rare earth element (REE) patterns for the alnoite, olivine melilitite, and carbonatite are similar to each other with strong light REE enrichment and heavy REE depletion relative to MORB. These patterns are distinct from those of country rock rhyolite and sedimentary carbonate. These data suggest that rocks of the Avon Volcanic District represent a single ultramafic-carbonatite intrusive complex possibly derived from a single mantle source.
Interlab comparison of elemental analysis for low ambient urban PM2.5 levels.

There is growing concern about the accuracy of trace elemental analysis of ambient particulate matter (PM) samples. This has become important because ambient PM concentrations have decreased over the years, and the lower filter loadings result in difficulties in accurate analysis. The performance of energy-dispersive X-ray reflectance spectrometry was evaluated at Harvard School of Public Health using several methodologies, including intercomparison between two other laboratories. In reanalysis of standard films as unknown samples following calibration, the HSPH ED XRF measurements represented good performance: 2% errors in precision and 4% errors in accuracy. Replicate analysis of ambient air filters with low PM2.5 levels indicated that S, K, Fe, and Ca showed excellent reproducibility, most other quantifiable elements were below 15% error, and the elements with larger percent of flagged measurements had less in precision. Results from the interlaboratory comparison demonstrated that most quantifiable el...
Multiple intracellular recording from atrial and sino-atrial cells: correlation with contractile tension.

In the course of microelectrode studies of rabbit atria in this laboratory it was noted that cells in the region of the sino-atrial node failed to respond to as high frequencies of electrical stimulation as did atrial cells. The present study was undertaken to investigate this phenomenon by means of simultaneous recording of atrial and sino-atrial cell action potentials. An effort was made to correlate the contractile response with the electrical activity of atrial muscle.Methods. ITirgin female albino rabbits were sacrificed by a blow on the neck and quickly exsanguinated. The thorax was opened and the entire heart quickly removed and dropped into oxygenated Tyrode solution. as modified by Hoffman and Suckling 1. In this solution, through which oxygen (95%)-carbon dioxide (5%) constantly bubbled, the combined atria were carefully separated from the ventricles and then mounted in a Plexiglas bath containing Tyrode solution. The bath was oxygenated through a diffusion dish which was incorporated into the c...
Corneal Infections in Mice with Toxin A and Elastase Mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The data presented indicate that in experimental infections of the mouse cornea, toxin A of Pseudomonas aeruginosa contributes to the organism's pathogenicity, whereas active elastase may not be required. After traumatization, corneas were infected with wild-type parental toxin A-producing strains, two toxin A-deficient mutants (Tox-), or an elastase mutant. The infections produced by both Tox- mutants were less severe than infections produced by their parental strains. Furthermore, the Tox- mutants were not able to persist in the eyes as long as their parental strains. Addition of subdamaging doses of exogenous toxin A to eyes infected with the Tox- mutant PA103-29 significantly increased is virulence. The course of infection and the resulting corneal damage produced by the elastase mutant were indistinguishable from those of its parental strain.
Evidence for an I = 0, J = 0 K0K0 State

A two-channelS-matrix analysis of K1K1 threshold enhancement of CERN and Argonne experiments indicates the existence of anI=0,J=0,\({\rm K}^0 \bar {\rm K}^0 \) state with a binding energy ∼80 MeV and rules out the S*(1068) resonance.
Cutaneous lymphoma: Kids are not just little people

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are non-Hodgkin lymphomas that predominantly affect older patients. Onset of cutaneous lymphoma in childhood is rare, but it can present as early as the first decade of life. In both adults and children, the diagnosis of cutaneous lymphoma can be challenging because inflammatory dermatoses can mimic CTCL both clinically and histologically. The clinicopathologic manifestations can be similar in adults and younger individuals; however, differences in the prevalence of certain CTCL variants among age groups exist. Whereas the classic Alibert-Bazin-type mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome represent the overwhelming majority of adult cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, in younger individuals, certain mycosis fungoides variants, such as hypopigmented MF, are over-represented and Sezary syndrome is extremely rare. CD30+ lymphoproliferative diseases, which include lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) and primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), represent the second most common subtype of CTCL in both adults and children; however, in the pediatric population, most of these are represented by LyP, and primary cutaneous ALCL is very rare. The prognosis is stage dependent, and the most significant prognostic factor in MF is the extent of skin involvement and the presence or absence of extracutaneous disease. The overwhelming majority of pediatric patients present with early-stage disease, and progression to more advanced stages, such as tumor stage, erythrodermic MF, and large cell transformation, which can be seen in adults, is very rare. The choice of treatment, regardless of age, is dependent on the extent of skin involvement and the presence or absence of extracutaneous disease.
Computer Arithmetic and Verilog HDL Fundamentals

Verilog Hardware Description Language (HDL) is the state-of-the-art method for designing digital and computer systems. Ideally suited to describe both combinational and clocked sequential arithmetic circuits, Verilog facilitates a clear relationship between the language syntax and the physical hardware. It provides a very easy-to-learn and practical means to model a digital system at many levels of abstraction. Computer Arithmetic and Verilog HDL Fundamentals details the steps needed to master computer arithmetic for fixed-point, decimal, and floating-point number representations for all primary operations. Silvaco Internationals SILOS, the Verilog simulator used in these pages, is simple to understand, yet powerful enough for any application. It encourages users to quickly prototype and de-bug any logic function and enables single-stepping through the Verilog source code. It also presents drag-and-drop abilities. Introducing the three main modeling methodsdataflow, behavioral, and structuralthis self-contained tutorial Covers the number systems of different radices, such as octal, decimal, hexadecimal, and binary-coded variations Reviews logic design fundamentals, including Boolean algebra and minimization techniques for switching functions Presents basic methods for fixed-point addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, including the use of decimals in all four operations Addresses floating-point addition and subtraction with several numerical examples and flowcharts that graphically illustrate steps required for true addition and subtraction for floating-point operands Demonstrates floating-point division, including the generation of a zero-biased exponent Designed for electrical and computer engineers and computer scientists, this book leaves nothing unfinished, carrying design examples through to completion. The goal is practical proficiency. To this end, each chapter includes problems of varying complexity to be designed by the reader.
Implications of process error in selectivity for approaches to weighting compositional data in fisheries stock assessments

Lack-of-fit in a stock assessment model can be related to both data weighting and the treatment of process error. Although these contributing factors have been studied separately, interactions between them are potentially problematic. In this study we set up a simple simulation intended to provide general guidance to analysts on the performance of an age-structured model under differing assignments of compositional data weight and process variance. We compared cases where the true sample size is under-, ‘right-’ or over-weighted, and the degree of process variance (in this case temporal variability in selectivity) is under, correctly, or overestimated. Each case was evaluated with regard to estimation of spawning biomass, and MSY-related quantities. We also explored the effects of the estimation of natural mortality, steepness, as well as incorrectly specifying process error in selectivity when there is none. Results showed that right-weighted estimation models assuming the correct degree of process error performed best in estimating all quantities. Underweighting produced larger relative errors in spawning biomass, particularly when too much process error was allowed. Conversely, overweighting produced larger errors mainly when the degree of process error was underestimated. MSY-related quantities were sensitive to both the estimation of natural mortality, and particularly steepness. We suggest that data weighting and the treatment of process error should not be considered independently: estimation is most likely to be robust when process error is allowed (even if overestimated) and when compositional data are not excessively down-weighted.
IQGAP1 Scaffold-MAP Kinase Interactions Enhance Multiple Myeloma Clonogenic Growth and Self-Renewal.

Despite improved outcomes in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM), virtually all patients relapse and ultimately develop drug-resistant disease. Aberrant RAS/MAPK signaling is activated in the majority of relapsed/refractory MM patients, but its biological consequences are not fully understood. Self-renewal, as defined by the long-term maintenance of clonogenic growth, is essential for disease relapse and we examined the role of RAS/MAPK activation on MM self-renewal by targeting IQ motif-containing GTPase activating protein 1 (IQGAP1), an intracellular scaffold protein required for mutant RAS signaling. We found that loss of IQGAP1 expression decreased MAPK signaling, cell cycle progression, and tumor colony formation. Similarly, a peptide mimicking the WW domain of IQGAP1 that interacts with ERK inhibited the clonogenic growth and self-renewal of MM cell lines and primary clinical specimens in vitro as well as tumor initiating cell frequency in immunodeficient mice. During MM progression, self-renewal may be enhanced by aberrant RAS/MAPK signaling and inhibited by targeting IQGAP1.
Using a spatial synoptic climatological classification to assess changes in atmospheric pollution concentrations

A spatial synoptic climatological classification is developed for assessing spatial and temporal changes in atmospheric pollution concentrations. Based upon surface weather data for the conterminous United States for 1984, daily maps are produced depicting areas influenced by similar weather conditions. The classification is developed by applying principal components analysis to a daily matrix of 141 stations by 24 weather elements, chosen to represent both thermal/moisture conditions and surface air flow. The principal component scores are grouped using a two-stage clustering technique. The result is a map showing lobes of air which have relatively homogeneous meteorological characteristics and correspond to surface weather map features. The classification is then related to atmospheric concentrations of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide in nine cities. High concentrations are found in stable air masses and during strong anticyclonic control, whereas low concentrations occur in moist, unstable air mass...
Interrogating Everyperson's Roles in Today's Slaveries

Slavery slavery everywhereWhat it may be we all know.Slavery slavery anywhereWhat it may be no one knows.Slavery slavery everywhereWhat role do we play within it?“Modern day slavery,” “contemporary forms of slavery,” and “modern forms of slavery.” Today, these terms are used interchangeably virtually throughout the world to describe a variety of contemporary forms of exploitation. These forms of exploitation include the trafficking of human beings for labor and sex; child labor; child sexual exploitation; the commercial sexual exploitation of adults, and forced labor and the indentured servitude of adult men and women, and of male and female children. These forms of exploitation were legally defined as “human trafficking,” after lengthy international and domestic debates. Now, amid deeper and more widespread knowledge of the existence of human trafficking, the term “slavery” has become shorthand for all exploitation that was labelled “human trafficking.” In the context of the increasing use of the term “slavery,” this paper interrogates today’s “slaveries,” and explores questions regarding Everyperson’s connection to these forms of exploitation
Scalar Casimir energies in M4 >= N for even N.

We construct a Green's-function formalism for computing vacuum-fluctuation energies of scalar fields in 4+N dimensions, where the extra N dimensions are compactified into a hypersphere S/sup N/ of radius a. In all cases a leading cosmological energy term u/sub cosmo/proportionala/sup N//b/sup 4+N/ results. Here b is an ultraviolet cutoff at the Planck scale. In all cases an unambiguous Casimir energy is computed. For odd N these energies agree with those calculated by Candelas and Weinberg. For even N, the Casimir energy is logarithmically divergent: u/sub Casimir/--(..cap alpha../sub N//a/sup 4/)ln(a/b). The coefficients ..cap alpha../sub N/ are computed in terms of Bernoulli numbers.
Casting call: The expanding nature of actorhood in U.S. firms, 1960–2010

Abstract Organizational scholars today routinely refer to firms as “actors.” In contemporary uses, the term conveys identity, sovereignty and the capacity for purposive action. Understood in this way, the conceptualization of the firm as an actor is significant in that it diverges from descriptions of the firm as, for example, a “legal fiction” that is the aggregation of individual interests via a web of contracts or merely a vehicle for powerful owners to achieve their goals. In this paper, we draw on a content analysis of 300 annual reports from a sample of 80 large U.S. public firms to examine changes in the extent and nature of actorhood portrayals among businesses between 1960 and 2010. Our examination of how firms presented themselves in their annual reports indicates that society's view of firms as actors both expanded and qualitatively changed during this timeframe. We find that firms increasingly depict themselves as entities with values, agency and responsibility on a growing range of social and economic issues, all of which are consistent with modern notions of actorhood. This transformation corresponds to broader cultural shifts, such as the trend towards managerialism and the explosion of hard and soft law. Overall, we show that institutional pressures do more than provide a set of institutional constraints for “embedded agency”: More fundamentally, cultural shifts constitute firms as actors.
Fabrication and characterization of carbon nanofibers from polyacrylonitrile/pitch blends

Continuous carbon nanofibers had been widely studied based on different processing methods and precursors. Especially, electrospinning was introduced as a versatile method for fabricating ultrathin fibers. However, as the limitation of precursor, pitch had not been well studied due to its viscosity and miscibility problem. A comprehensive study on the electrospinning of the blends [pitch and polyacrylonitrile (PAN)] was explored. Thermodynamic miscibility was studied by using differential scanning calorimeter. Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy was used to show interaction and potential reaction between pitch and PAN molecules. Finally, smooth, continuous, and cylindrical carbon nanofibers were successfully fabricated by electrospinning technique. Based on Raman analysis result, the addition of pitch enhanced the carbon crystallite which improved the overall electrical conductivity and modulus of nanofibers. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45388.
The Travails of Criticality: Understanding Peter McLaren's Revolutionary Vocation. An Article Review of Peter McLaren, "Pedagogy of Insurrection" (New York: Peter Lang, 2015).

This is an article review of Peter McLaren’s Pedagogy of Insurrection (New York: Peter Lang, 2015). While it seeks to position McLaren’s work within the context of critical pedagogy, this paper als...
Fish Assemblages in a Beaver-Influenced Successional Landscape

Beavers are increasingly viewed as “ecological engineers,” having broad effects on physical, chemical, and biological attributes of north-temperate landscapes. We examine the influence of both local successional processes associated with beaver activity and regional geomorphic boundaries on spatial variation in fish assemblages along the Kabetogama Peninsula in Voyageurs National Park, northern Minnesota, USA. Based on the results, we present a hierarchical conceptual model suggesting how geomorphic boundaries and beaver pond succession interact to influence fish assemblage attributes. The presence of a productive and diverse fish assemblage in headwater streams of north-temperate areas requires the entire spatial and temporal mosaic of successional habitats associated with beaver activity, including those due to the creation and abandonment of beaver ponds. The ultimate impact of the local successional mosaic on fishes, however, will be strongly influenced by the regional geomorphic context in which the mosaic occurs.
Full- Versus Part-Day Kindergarten for Children With Disabilities: Effects on Executive Function Skills

Responding to a robust body of literature suggesting that children’s early educational experiences are critical, policymakers have implemented and expanded the provision of full-day kindergarten (F...
Living in Verse: Sites of the Poetic Imagination

This chapter explores the multiple sites in which the poetic imagination is operative. Four such sites may be identified. The first is experience—how one relates to the world, both inner and outer; the second, the challenge of bringing experience to language; the third, the process of researchers/interpreters discerning what is said; and the fourth, the process of writing, wherein researchers/interpreters seek to articulate the meaning and significance of what has been disclosed. In view of these sites, one may wonder what can be learned about “real life” and whether it has any bearing upon psychological science. But insofar as “real life” is itself poetically figured, one may begin to wonder in a different way and thereby begin to reimagine the very meaning of science.
Varicella Zoster Infections in Bone Marrow Transplants

In the 1950s corticosteroids and, shortly thereafter, other antimetabolites were introduced into clinical practice. Within a few years varicella zoster virus (VZV) was recognized as a cause of serious and life-threatening infection in the immunosuppressed host. It is apparent that cytotoxic therapy, administered for a variety of diseases, profoundly affects the host’s ability to respond to VZV. The severity and the frequency of VZV infections varies with the intensity and duration of the therapy. Organ transplantation, particularly bone marrow transplantation (BMT), is associated with some of the most intense immunosuppressive regimens and therefore is among the highest- risk categories for life-threatening VZV infection. Patients such as those with cancer, collagen vascular disorders, asthma, nephrotic syndrome, rheumatic heart disease, eczema, etc., treated with single or multiple cytotoxic agents and/or radiotherapy are to varying degrees at risk for serious VZV infections. Even short courses of steroids (≤3 weeks) have been associated with severe and fatal VZV infections.
Teaching First-year Civil Procedure and Other Introductory Courses by the Problem Method

I have been teaching the first-year course in Civil Procedure for twenty years, first for five years at Ohio Northern University, and for the last fifteen years at the University of Baltimore, where I also teach a required second-year course in Evidence. When I first started teaching Civil Procedure, I used a fairly typical case method. I was never very happy with this approach for teaching a course in which one of my major goals was getting the students to learn to read, interpret and apply the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (“Federal Rules”). Gradually, I began to develop sets of my own problems which I used to teach some of the classes. Eventually, I developed enough problems, so that I could teach the entire first semester of the two-semester course by the problem method. Within the last several years I have developed enough additional problems to teach both semesters of Civil Procedure and also the Evidence course entirely by the problem method. There has been an ongoing debate within legal education as to the relative merits of various teaching methods, especially the case method and the problem method. Yet even some supporters of the problem method believe that it is more suited to smaller, advanced upper-level courses than to large sections of first-year courses, and other basic courses such as Evidence. I have developed a variation of the problem method that I think works well with these courses, especially when the courses are rule or statute oriented, rather than common-law subjects. In this article I will describe my particular brand of teaching by the problem method, and explain how and why I use it. I will also try to evaluate its benefits and shortcomings. Finally, I will provide some practical guidance for other law faculty who would like to try such an approach.
Abstract 2539: CTLA-4 blockade for hormone refractory prostate cancer: Dose-dependent induction of CD8+ T cell activation and clinical responses

CTLA-4 is a costimulatory molecule expressed on activated T cells that delivers an inhibitory signal to these T cells. CTLA4 blockade with antibody treatment has been shown to augment T cell responses and anti-tumor immunity in animal models and is being developed as an immunotherapy for cancer patients. We performed a phase I trial in patients with metastatic, hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) where sequential cohorts of 3-6 patients were treated with escalating doses (0.5, 1.5 or 3 mg/kg) of ipilimumab, a fully human anti-CTLA-4 antibody (Medarex/BMS), given IV on day 1 of each 28-day cycle x 4 cycles. Patients also received GM-CSF (sargramostim, Berlex) 250 mg/m2/d SC on days 1-14 of the 28-day cycles. Patients were monitored for toxicity as well as for T cell activation. PSA and radiographic tests were performed at baseline and through therapy to evaluate for clinical response. 24 patients have been treated in the initial phase of this study. Of 6 patients treated on the highest dose level (3.0 mg/kg x 4), 3 (50%) had confirmed PSA declines of >50%, and one of these patients had a partial response in hepatic metastases. Immune-related adverse events associated with ipilimumab treatment were also seen more frequently at higher doses of treatment. Expansion of CD25+CD69+ CD8 T cells was also seem primarily at the highest dose level. The treatment also induced an antibody and CD8 T cell immune response to NY-ESO-1. These results demonstrate that CTLA-4 blockade induces not only the expansion of activated effector CD8 T cells in vivo in cancer patients, but also can induce from the endogenous T cell repertoire of these patients T cells that are specific for tumor-associated antigens. CD8 T cell activation, toxicity, and clinical responses also appear to be dose-dependent. Supported by NIH P50 CA89520.
Substance Abuse Education in the D.C. Public Schools

The absence of drug abuse education on an ongoing basis leaves a tremendous void in the curriculum of the D.C. public schools. The current academic population by and large has been subjected to the sensational aspects of drug abuse in conjunction with the events of the late sixties via the mass communications media. The romanticism and mystique associated with certain drugs further increases the misinformation potential that is traditionally inherent with drug abuse. The need for drug abuse education is urgent, especially in the inner city and among members of ethnic minorities. Previous drug abuse education was not always relevant to ethnic target groups. It employed stereotyped scare tactics that just did not work. In relating to the D.C. schools, the Physical Education Department was utilized by the Institute as a point of entry. Drug abuse has been characterized in some circles as deviant and an expression of self hate, excelling in physical competition has historically been a natural counter-action to this so-called self hate. The Physical Education Department was a logical starting point. This paper will identify methods of educating students and sensitizing teachers to the ramifications of drug abuse.
Initial injectable therapy in type 2 diabetes: Key considerations when choosing between glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists and insulin.

Abstract Managing type 2 diabetes is complex and necessitates careful consideration of patient factors such as engagement in self-care, comorbidities and costs. Since type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease, many patients will require injectable agents, usually insulin. Recent ADA-EASD guidelines recommend glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) as first injectable therapy in most cases. The basis for this recommendation is the similar glycemic efficacy of GLP-1 RAs and insulin, but with GLP-1 RAs promoting weight loss instead of weight gain, at lower hypoglycemia risk, and with cardiovascular benefits in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. GLP-1 RAs also reduce burden of glucose self-monitoring. However, tolerability and costs are important considerations, and notably, rates of drug discontinuation are often higher for GLP-1 RAs than basal insulin. To minimize risk of gastrointestinal symptoms patients should be started on lowest doses of GLP-1 RAs and up-titrated slowly. Overall healthcare costs may be lower with GLP-1 RAs compared to insulin. Though patient-level costs may still be prohibitive, GLP-1 RAs can replace 50–80 units of insulin daily and reduce costs associated with glucose self-monitoring. Decisions regarding initiating injectable therapy should be individualized. This review provides a framework to guide decision-making in the real-world setting.
Long Non-coding RNA Based Cancer Classification using Deep Neural Networks

Recent studies indicate that lncRNA plays key roles in tumorigenesis and misexpression of lncRNAs can lead to change in expression profiles of various target genes involved in different aspects of cancer progression. However, research on classifying multiple cancer types using only lncRNA is rarely found. In this paper, we explored the capability of lncRNA in classifying cancer types by employing four deep neural networks - multi-layer perceptron (MLP), longshort- term memory (LSTM), convolutional neural network (CNN) and deep autoencoder (DAE). For experiment, RNA-seq expression values from TCGA for 8 cancers - BLCA, CESC, COAD, HNSC, KIRP, LGG, LIHC, and LUAD - are used. The combined dataset consists of 3656 patients with expression values for 12309 lncRNAs. The performance of the models in terms of accuracy ranges from 94% to 98%, which shows lncRNA expression profiles as the better signature compared to the mRNA expression profiles in classifying cancer types.
A combined effect of Cavacurcumin, Eicosapentaenoic acid (Omega-3s), Astaxanthin and Gamma -linoleic acid (Omega-6) (CEAG) in healthy volunteers- a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Summary Background Inflammation plays a key role and is one of the early steps in the pathogenesis of endothelial function, thereby increasing the risk of hypertension (HTN), coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke and several other risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We assessed the efficacy for improving cardiovascular health (blood pressure, inflammation and endothelial reactivity) over a 4-week intervention period in healthy individuals. Methods We performed a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial to investigate Curcumin, Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Astaxanthin and Gamma –linoleic acid (GLA) (CEAG) supplements with 80 individuals (30 men and 50 women). The mean age of participants was 48.8 ± 16.0 years. Participants were enrolled and randomized to active or placebo and followed for 4 weeks. Paired and Independent T-tests were used to analyze the mean differences between and within groups. Results The primary endpoints of the study were the effect on inflammatory markers (IL-6, CRP), endothelial function and blood pressure at 4 weeks. There was a significant reduction in mean SBP at 4 weeks in the CEAG group compared to placebo [mean ± SD 4.7 ± 6.8 (p = 0.002)]. Relative to placebo, active group showed a significant decrease in High sensitivity C Reactive Protein (hsCRP) (−0.49 ± 1.9 vs + 0.51 ± 2.5, p = 0.059) and blunted increase in IL-6 (+0.2 vs + 0.4 in placebo, p = 0.60). Conclusion Inflammatory markers were reduced or blunted by CEAG, with a robust increase in both EPA levels and the fatty acid index. Furthermore, systolic BP was reduced over 4 weeks with concurrent improvement in endothelial function. Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT03906825 .
Determinants of geographical inequalities for DTP3 vaccine coverage in sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract Childhood immunization is one of the most effective health interventions, making it a key indicator of progress towards universal health coverage. In the last decade, improvements in coverage have been made globally, however, slow progress has been documented in sub-Saharan Africa with considerable subnational variations. We explore potential drivers of equitable immunization services based on subnational DTP3 coverage estimates. Using vaccine coverage at the 5 by 5 km area from 2000 to 2016, we quantify inequality using three measures. We assess the shortfall inequality which is the average deviation across subnational units from that with the highest coverage for each country. Secondly we estimate the threshold index, the proportion of children below a globally set subnational coverage target, and lastly, a Gini coefficient representing the within-country distribution of coverage. We use time series analyses to quantify associations with immunization expenditures controlling for country socio-economic and population characteristics. Development assistance, maternal education and governance were associated with reductions in inequality. Furthermore, high quality governance was associated with a stronger relationship between development assistance and reductions in inequality. Results from this analysis also indicate that countries with the lowest coverage suffer the highest inequalities. We highlight growing inequalities among countries which have met national coverage targets such as South Africa and Kenya. In 2016, values for the shortfall inequality ranged from 1% to 43%, the threshold index from 0% to 100% and Gini coefficient from 0.01 to 0.37. Burundi, Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Rwanda, and Sao Tome and Principe had the least shortfall inequality ( Immunization program investments offer promise in addressing inequality, however, domestic mechanisms for resource implementation and accountability should be strengthened to maximize gains in coverage.
15 – Fundamental Solutions for Degenerate Parabolic Equations

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the construction of a candidate for a fundamental solution and the existence, smoothness, and certain bounds for a fundamental solution Γ. The underlying assumptions were that (aij, (x)) is uniformly positive definite and aij, bi are bounded and uniformly Holder continuous. The chapter presents a proof of how if aij, bi are Lipschitz continuous, uniformly in compact sets, then, for any Borel set A, Px,( ξ(t) ∈A) = ∫A Γ (x, t, y)dy, where Γ(x, t, y) = Γ(x, t, y, 0). It presents a case where L is a degenerate elliptic operator. The concept of a fundamental solution Γ, if taken in the sense of the equation Px,( ξ(t) ∈A) = ∫A Γ (x, t, y)dy, still makes sense. The chapter explains interior and boundary estimates. It also explains estimates near infinity, behavior of ξ (t) near S.