cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Notes on Parasitic Hymenoptera Associated with a Gelechiid Moth, Metzneria lappella, in the Common Burdock, and Description of a New Species of Agathis (Braconidae)

Observations are summarized on 3 hymenopterans associated with the burdock seed caterpillar, Metzneria lappella (L.), in North Dakota. These include Agathis metzneriae Muesebeck (described and illustrated here), and Hyssopus benefactor (Crawford), which are primary parasites of the caterpillar, and Perilampus fulvicornis (Ashmead), a hyperparasite of A. metzneriae . All these occurrences constitute new host and new locality records.
Nursing care of posterior cranial fossa tumors during operation in children

Objective:To investigate the main points of intra-operative nursing of posterior cranial fossa tumors in children.Methods:The clinical features in 34 sick children with posterior cranial fossa tumor were analysed retrospectively,entirety care program was utilized,nursing care plan was instituted and effectually enforced.Results:The microscopic tumorectomy was enfored in all 34 cases by prone position and successfully spent the period of operation,without complication.Conclusion:It is beneficial for postoperative recovery in sick children with posterior cranial fossa tumor by close observation,efficacious guard and preventing the occurrence of complication.
Experience in Treatment of entric Atersia

Purpose To study further the operation program and perioperactive teatment principle of congenital enteric atresia Metods 68 case of entric atresia teared from feb. 1994 to feb. 2002 were systematically analysed retrospectively. Enter-ectomy of both atresic ends and primary oblique monolayer enteroanastomosis was performed with perioperative TPN through peripheral veins 28 cases were nasally fed the Chinese herbs - Composite Major Drastic Purgative Decoction for bad recovery of intestinal function from the 4th day after operation . Results 56 cases survived opration , the cure rate was 82. 35percent Conclusion It is decisive in the teatment of enteric atresia to ennsure unobstrction and favorable healing of anastomatic staoma by choosing the proper operation procedure . The key points determinning success or failure of an operation lies in perioperation nursing and teatment. TPN through peripheral veins , being easy to oprate and nurse as wellas basically meeting the needs of body nutrition and development, is an effective safety measure. The Chinese herbs , Composite Major Drastic Purgative Decoction , used in cases with bad recovery of intestinal function is hepful to the recovery of distal intestinnal function.
SpermCheck * : a simplified screening assay for immunological infertility †

SpermCheck (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, CA), a new screening test for regional surface antibodies on motile sperm, uses monodispersed latex microspheres of uniform size as a vehicle to link rabbit antihuman immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM) and provides both negative and positive control sera, as well as sufficient buffer for sperm preparation in ambient CO2 atmosphere. When compared with reference data available for the immunobead test (IBT), the direct protocol (semen) for SpermCheck yielded 94.4% sensitivity with 100% specificity; the indirect protocol (serum) provided a sensitivity of 100% with 94.7% specificity. The microspheres of SpermCheck maintain a nearly uniform concentration per volume, with none to negligible clumping. The greater difference between the optical densities of latex and cytoplasm allows use of a light microscope for the rapid assessment of the percent of regional binding rather than the phase-contrast microscope required for the IBT. SpermCheck eliminates many difficulties encountered with the IBT, making SpermCheck a convenient screening assay for use in the physician's office.
Oxygen consumption of the left ventricle during transapical left ventricular bypass

This study relates oxygen consumption of the left ventricle (MVO2) during variable degrees of left heart bypass and during total bypass with graded reduction of left ventricular pressure work, culminating in complete left ventricular decompression (left ventricular systolic pressure 3.0 ± 3.6 mm Hg). The model uses transapical left ventricular bypass and incorporates a unique reservoir allowing graded to total left ventricular decompression. Left ventricular pressures can be adjusted with an accuracy of ±5 mm Hg. In five pigs MVO2 was determined by measuring left coronary artery blood flow (LCBF) electromagnetically. Blood samples for oxygen content were taken from the aorta and the coronary vein draining the left ventricle. Heart rate, cardiac output, and mean aortic, pulmonary artery, and central venous pressures were maintained within narrow variations of control levels. Total left heart bypass decreased LCBF 8.3% and MVO2 18.1%; total left heart bypass with complete left ventricle decompression reduced LCBF 31% and MVO2 60.4% from control values. Thus reduced oxygen utilization during left ventricular bypass was primarily due to a reduced oxygen uptake, not to a diminished oxygen supply. Circulatory assistance without left ventricular decompression has minimal effect on myocardial oxygen utilization. Assist devices which do not decompress the left ventricle will not reduce adequately the left ventricular oxygen requirements.
SU-G-BRA-01: A Real-Time Tumor Localization and Guidance Platform for Radiotherapy Using US and MRI

Purpose: To develop and validate a real-time motion management platform for radiotherapy that directly tracks tumor motion using ultrasound and MRI. This will be a cost-effective and non-invasive real-time platform combining the excellent temporal resolution of ultrasound with the excellent soft-tissue contrast of MRI. Methods: A 4D planar ultrasound acquisition during the treatment that is coupled to a pre-treatment calibration training image set consisting of a simultaneous 4D ultrasound and 4D MRI acquisition. The image sets will be rapidly matched using advanced image and signal processing algorithms, allowing the display of virtual MR images of the tumor/organ motion in real-time from an ultrasound acquisition. Results: The completion of this work will result in several innovations including: a (2D) patch-like, MR and LINAC compatible 4D planar ultrasound transducer that is electronically steerable for hands-free operation to provide real-time virtual MR and ultrasound imaging for motion management during radiation therapy; a multi- modal tumor localization strategy that uses ultrasound and MRI; and fast and accurate image processing algorithms that provide real-time information about the motion and location of tumor or related soft-tissue structures within the patient. Conclusion: If successful, the proposed approach will provide real-time guidance for radiation therapy without degrading image or treatment plan quality. The approach would be equally suitable for image-guided proton beam or heavy ion-beam therapy. This work is partially funded by NIH grant R01CA190298
What is extreme about Mises’s extreme apriorism?

There is something extreme about Ludwig von Mises’s methodological apriorism, namely, his epistemological justification of the a priori element(s) of economic theory. His critics have long recognized and attacked the extremeness of Mises’s epistemology of a priori knowledge. However, several of his defenders have neglected what is (and what has long been recognized by his critics to be) extreme about Mises’s apriorism. Thus, the argument is directed less against Mises than against those contributions to the secondary literature that assert his methodological moderation while overlooking what the most prominent critics have found extreme about Mises’s apriorism. Defending Mises as a merely moderate apriorist because he held only a narrow part of the foundation of economics to be a priori is a straw-man defense against criticisms of his apriorism as epistemologically extreme.
Chemical Stabilization and Electrochemical Destabilization of the Iron Keggin Ion in Water.

The iron Keggin ion is identified as a structural building block in both magnetite and ferrihydrite, two important iron oxide phases in nature and in technology. Discrete molecular forms of the iron Keggin ion that can be both manipulated in water and chemically converted to the related metal oxides are important for understanding growth mechanisms, in particular, nonclassical nucleation in which cluster building units are preserved in the aggregation and condensation processes. Here we describe two iron Keggin ion structures, formulated as [Bi6FeO4Fe12O12(OH)12(CF3COO)10(H2O)2]3+ (Kegg-1) and [Bi6FeO4Fe12O12(OH)12(CF3COO)12]1+ (Kegg-2). Experimental and simulated X-ray scattering studies show indefinite stability of these clusters in water from pH 1–3. The tridecameric iron Keggin-ion core is protected from hydrolysis by a synergistic effect of the capping Bi3+ cations and the trifluoroacetate ligands that, respectively, bond to the iron and bridge to the bismuth. By introducing electrons to the aqueous ...
Cognitive Radio Experiments using Reconfigurable BEE2

The idea of cognitive radios has created a great interest in academic and industrial research. As a result, there are a large number of proposals for their physical and network layer functionalities. However, most of these research results rely on a theoretical analysis or computer simulations. In order to enable this technology and fully understand system design issues in its implementation, these theoretical results should be verified and demonstrated in realistic scenarios through physical implementation and experimental studies. In this paper, we present an experimental platform based on the Berkeley Emulation Engine 2 (BEE2) that can facilitate the development of physical and network layer functionalities for cognitive radios. We take spectrum sensing as an example that incorporates both signal processing and networking techniques to show how this platform could be used to conduct comprehensive research in cognitive radios. In particular, we focus on energy and cyclostationary detectors and indoor network cooperation.
Comparison between Simulation-based Training and Lecture-based Education in Teaching Situation Awareness. A Randomized Controlled Study

Rationale: Situation awareness has been defined as the perception of the elements in the environment within volumes of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future. Intensivists often make time-sensitive critical decisions, and loss of situation awareness can lead to errors. It has been shown that simulation-based training is superior to lecture-based training for some critical scenarios. Because the methods of training to improve situation awareness have not been well studied in the medical field, we compared the impact of simulation vs. lecture training using the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT) score.Objectives: To identify an effective method for teaching situation awareness.Methods: We randomly assigned 17 critical care fellows to simulation vs. lecture training. Training consisted of eight cases on airway management, including topics such as elevated intracranial pressure, difficult airway, arrhythmia, and shock. Dur...
Immunotherapy for Esophageal and Gastric Cancer

PD-L1 upregulation occurs in approximately 40% of gastroesophageal cancers. However, unlike other solid tumors, there is minimal PD-L1 expressed on the cancer cells; rather, expression occurs predominantly on infiltrating myeloid cells. Preliminary clinical data involving single-agent PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in metastatic gastroesophageal cancer have reported response rates of 22%-27% for patients with PD-L1+ tumors and 10%-17% for unselected patients. The phase III ONO-4538-12 (ATTRACTION 2) trial has demonstrated an improved overall survival for nivolumab compared with placebo for patients with heavily pretreated gastric cancer. In the future, we will need better biomarkers to select those most likely to respond and/or identify patients who may need combination immunotherapeutics or alternate strategies. A number of subsets of gastric cancer with different immune signatures, most notably tumors positive for Epstein-Barr virus and microsatellite instability, have been identified, with approximately 50% and 94% PD-L1+ staining seen on tumor cells and immune cells in the EBV subtype and approximately 33% and 45% PD-L1+ staining seen on tumor cells and immune cells in MSI high tumors. Both subtypes demonstrate PD-L1+ immune cells with tumor-infiltrating patterns, unlike the more commonly seen PD-L1+ immune cells at the invasive margin. PD-L2 expression has been reported in 52% of esophageal adenocarcinomas but little is known about the expression of other immune checkpoints. Additional factors that suggest gastroesophageal cancers may respond to checkpoint inhibition include the high somatic mutation burden and the link with chronic inflammation. Here we provide a comprehensive review of the checkpoint inhibitor data published to date in advanced esophagogastric cancers and rationalize how the immune microenvironment in these diverse tumors can explain response or resistance to immunotherapeutics.
Assessment of Coulomb Friction in Modeling Joint Mechanics via a Parameter Study of Dissipation

Coulomb friction has been found to be very useful in many problems involving macroslip, and it is indeed a standard tool in critical calculations involving damping of moving components in jet engines. On the other hand, there is very little published evidence of problems involving partial slip where micro-modeling using Coulomb friction has been demonstrated to reproduce experimental results. Presented here is a systematic study comparing experimental data with fine-mesh finite element predictions for a category of “simple lap joints.” A thorough parametric study is used to explore the limitations of Coulomb friction in simultaneously capturing the behavior of partial-slip interfaces under a variety of loading conditions. From the results of the study, it is evident that though there is some value to finite element modeling of joints in partial slip using Coulomb friction, there are substantial limitations to those predictions. In particular, the Coulomb friction model is unable to capture the power-law relationship between dissipation and applied force, and the calibrated models are able only to span macroslip regimes or microslip regimes, but not both.
The effects of convergence ratio on the implosion behavior of DT layered inertial confinement fusion capsules

The wetted foam capsule design for inertial confinement fusion capsules, which includes a foam layer wetted with deuterium-tritium liquid, enables layered capsule implosions with a wide range of hot-spot convergence ratios (CR) on the National Ignition Facility. We present a full-scale wetted foam capsule design that demonstrates high gain in one-dimensional simulations. In these simulations, increasing the convergence ratio leads to an improved capsule yield due to higher hot-spot temperatures and increased fuel areal density. High-resolution two-dimensional simulations of this design are presented with detailed and well resolved models for the capsule fill tube, support tent, surface roughness, and predicted asymmetries in the x-ray drive. Our modeling of these asymmetries is validated by comparisons with available experimental data. In 2D simulations of the full-scale wetted foam capsule design, jetting caused by the fill tube is prevented by the expansion of the tungsten-doped shell layer due to prehe...
Advance directives and knowledge of future selves

A number of concerns have been raised with respect to advance directives. Advance directives are intended to allow a person who is currently capable of giving informed consent to determine how they are to be treated at a later time at which they are not competent to give such consent. For example, an advance directive such as a living will might specify that should a patient face severe dementia, certain forms of treatment should not be provided if needed to prolong life. Or an individual might fill out a do-not-resuscitate order asking not to be revived in the event of a heart attack. This article discusses three distinct arguments that have been offered against the legitimacy of some or all advance directives. After laying out each argument, focus is given to a potential response to one of the arguments in particular, an argument labelled the “Ignorance Argument”. The argument contends that the potential application of any advance directive is plagued by a host of epistemic issues that are serious enough to hamper the very expression of autonomy advance directives are designed to allow for. A possible response to the argument is developed. The response suggests that the argument may place unduly severe constraints on the type of self-knowledge needed to underwrite the expression of a person’s autonomy through the creation of an advance directive. The response identifies some connections between the different arguments. An answer is also given to a recent criticism, offered by Eric Vogelstein (2016), which questions the existence of the type of autonomy needed to underwrite advance directives.
Building nanoparticles using diamondoids structures as a carrier of the drug: Density functional theory study

Building nanoparticles of Aluminum phosphide (AlP) have been prepared byDensity functional theory method. These particles have been built on thediamondoids structures by raising carbon atoms and put atoms equivalent atomicnumber. Atomic number for Aluminum is (13) and Phosphorus is (15). It can beused these structures to the drug delivery .Depend on electronic structure andvibration properties of AlP nanocrystal. In order to full investigate, gap energy,electrostatic potential, density of states, tetrahedral angle, dihedral angle, bondlength, IR intensity, Raman spectrum. The results show that AlP diamondoids arenano-particles, structural properties as close as possible to those of bulkzincblende structure. The values of the energy gap diamantine is (3.5 eV) withrespect to the bulk value (2.5 eV). The green color signifies the neutralelectrostatic potential. This means that diamantane insulating material and thishelps us in the bonding process with the drug without that interact with anymedication is delivery medicine to the affected places. Dihedral and tetrahedralangles in AlP-diamantane near ideal bulk zincblende value of this angle valuesreflect the stability of diamondoids structures which is useful for our study to getthe inert and no harm structures after bonding there with different drugs to use itas drugs carriers. The bond lengths in AlP-diamantane found at 2.38 A and theexperimental value of AlP bulk bond length at 2.293 A. IR intensity ofdiamondoids divided into two regions depending on the properties of vibration orthe gap separation them and Raman spectrum active. UV Visible spectrum ofdiamondoids structure the Excitation energy equal to (1.8849 eV), the wavelength Absorption is (657.79 nm).
Does Calipered Kinematically Aligned TKA Restore Native Left to Right Symmetry of the Lower Limb and Improve Function

Abstract Background Kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty (KA TKA) strives to restore the native left to right symmetry of the lower limb; however, the reproducibility of achieving this target is unknown. The present study determined the proportion of patients with left to right symmetry and the improvement in patient-reported function after calipered KA TKA. Methods A review of 562 postoperative scanograms identified 102 patients (53 women) with a KA TKA in one limb, no other skeletal abnormalities in either limb, and symmetrical rotation between limbs on the scanogram. All patients were treated with primary TKA that used caliper measurement of the thicknesses of the femoral bone and tibial bone resections to kinematically align the components. The hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle, distal lateral femoral angle (DLFA), and proximal medial tibial angle (PMTA) were measured. Patient-reported Oxford Knee Score (OKS) measured preoperative and postoperative functions. Results The proportion of patients with a difference in the HKA angle, DLFA, and PMTA between limbs within ±3°, >3° varus, and Conclusion Calipered KA TKA restored native left to right symmetry of the HKA angle, DLFA, and PMTA in nearly all patients with negligible risk of varus alignment of the tibial component with respect to the native tibial joint line. The mean postoperative OKS indicated clinically important improvement in patient-reported function.
Inhaled Cryptococcus neoformans elicits allergic airway inflammation independent of Nuclear Factor Kappa B signalling in lung epithelial cells

SUMMARY Pulmonary challenge with the ubiquitous fungus Cryptococcus neoformans results in allergic airway inflammation (AAI) characterized by robust recruitment of eosinophils and T-cells producing type 2 cytokines to the lungs. Previous studies have demonstrated a critical role for NFκB activation within lung epithelial cells (LECs) in driving AAI in response to protein allergens, yet the role of LEC-intrinsic NFκB in promoting AAI following exposure to C. neoformans is poorly understood. To investigate the role of LEC-intrinsic NFκB in promoting AAI following C. neoformans challenge, we utilized IKK∆LEC mice, which lack canonical NFκB activation specifically within LECs. IKK∆LEC and littermate control mice were intranasally challenged with 106 CFU of C. neoformans strain 52D, and lung tissues collected at 7, 14, and 21 days post infection to assess the development of AAI. Notably, the absence of epithelial NFκB signaling did not affect the magnitude or kinetics of lung eosinophilia when compared to the response in wild-type control mice. The total numbers of lung T-cells producing the type 2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13 also were unchanged in IKK∆LEC mice. Furthermore, IKK∆LEC mice showed no defect in the recruitment of protective IFNγ-producing CD4 T-cells to the lungs, fungal clearance, or host survival as compared to controls. Immunofluorescence imaging surprisingly revealed no evidence of nuclear localization of NFκB in LECs in response to C. neoformans challenge, indicating that NFκB is not activated within these cells. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that NFκB signaling within LECs does not promote AAI observed in response to C. neoformans. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A Cross-Layer and Optimized Privacy Method in Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks

Vehicular networks has been recently proposed to connect vehicles and form ad-hoc networks. Many safety and information-entertainment related applications have thus been proposed. These applications, however, potentially have unique privacy challenges. For example, the vehicle’s network identity is strictly linked to the owner’s identity due to the insurance liability. In this paper, we propose cross-layer privacy protection protocols including initialization, joining and exiting protocols. In addition, we also analytically discuss the optimization of the quantity of pseudonyms to save costs. The analytical and numerical results showed the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Optimal sizing of energy storage for community microgrids considering building thermal dynamics

This paper proposes an optimization model for the sizing of energy storage for community microgrids considering the building thermal dynamics and customer comfort preference. The proposed model minimizes the annualized cost of the community microgrid, including energy storage investment, purchased energy cost, demand charge, energy storage degradation cost, voluntary load shedding cost, and the cost associated with customer discomfort due to room temperature deviation. The decision variables are the power and energy capacity of invested energy storage. In particular, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are assumed to be scheduled intelligently by the microgrid central controller while maintaining the indoor temperature in the comfort range set by customers. For this purpose, the detailed thermal dynamic characteristics of buildings has been integrated into the optimization model. Numerical simulations show significant cost reduction with the proposed model. The impacts of various costs on the optimal solution are investigated through sensitivity analysis.
Local Linear Estimation for Spatial Random Processes with Stochastic Trend and Stationary Noise

We consider the problem of estimating the trend for a spatial random process model expressed as Z(x) = μ(x) + e(x) + δ(x), where the trend μ is a smooth random function, e(x) is a mean zero, stationary random process, and {δ(x)} are assumed to be i.i.d. noise with zero mean. We propose a new model for stochastic trend in $\mathbb {R}^{d}$ by generalizing the notion of a structural model for trend in time series. We estimate the stochastic trend nonparametrically using a local linear regression method and derive the asymptotic mean squared error of the trend estimate under the proposed model for trend. Our results show that the asymptotic mean squared error for the stochastic trend is of the same order of magnitude as that of a deterministic trend of comparable complexity. This result suggests from the point of view of estimation under stationary noise, it is immaterial whether the trend is treated as deterministic or stochastic. Moreover, we show that the rate of convergence of the estimator is determined by the degree of decay of the correlation function of the stationary process e(x) and this rate can be different from the usual rate of convergence found in the literature on nonparametric function estimation. We also propose a data-dependent selection procedure for the bandwidth parameter which is based on a generalization of Mallow’s Cp criterion. We illustrate the methodology by simulation studies and by analyzing a data on surface temperature anomalies.
Assessing Interaction Strategies for Health IT: An Entropy Based Approach

We proposed new metrics based on information entropy to capture characteristics of screen use and switching among information display screens. These metrics reflect differences in the regularity of...
Operant Conditioning and Clinical Psychology

The application of operant conditioning to issues confronting clinical psychology has a strong foundation in the basic science of B. F. Skinner. The use of operant principles in clinical psychology focuses on altering the environment to increase useful behaviors or decrease clinically maladaptive behaviors. Modern operant theory continues to extend the original model and the scope of the clinical problems it can address, and new therapies continue to be developed.
An inter-comparison of black-carbon-related instruments in a laboratory study of biomass burning aerosol

Black carbon (BC)-containing particles are the most strongly light absorbing aerosols in the atmosphere. Measurements of BC are challenging because of its semi-empirical definition based on physica...
Trauma Screening in Recently Immigrated Youth: Data from Two Spanish-Speaking Samples

There have been large, recent increases in the number of children and families migrating from Central America to the U.S. to escape regional cartel and gang violence. The rate of trauma exposure in recently immigrated youth from Central America is therefore alarmingly high and current trauma symptom measures have not been evaluated for use in this population. The broad goal of this study was to report on the psychometric properties of one such measure in two studies of recently immigrated youth. Data collected included self-report of recent immigrants from Central America attending public high school in the Southwestern U.S. and caregiver-report from a sample of Central American immigrants who arrived in the U.S. within the last 24 hours and reported on trauma symptoms in their children. Aims included providing descriptive data and examining inter-item correlations and factor structure. Results indicated trauma symptoms far exceeding published cutoff levels as well as adequate internal consistency and inter-item correlations. Findings of the current studies suggest a pressing need for the assessment of trauma symptoms among recently immigrated youth from Central America, in which the rates of exposure and symptoms were striking.
Acute bladder decentralization in hound dogs: Preliminary results of effects on hypogastric nerve electroneurograms and detrusor pressure responses to spinal root and hypogastric nerve stimulation.

Objective We aimed to refine electroneurogram techniques for monitoring hypogastric nerve activity during bladder filling, and then examined nerve activity in normal intact versus acutely decentralized bladders. Methods Effects of electrical stimulation of hypogastric nerves or lumbar ventral roots on detrusor pressure were examined, as were effects of isoflurane versus propofol anesthetics on hypogastric nerve stimulation evoked pressure. Hypogastric nerve activity was then recorded using custom-made bipolar cuff electrodes during bladder filling before and after its transection between the spinal cord and electrode to eliminate efferent nerve signals. Results Electrical stimulation of hypogastric nerves evoked low amplitude detrusor pressures that did not differ between the two anesthetics. Upper lumbar (L2) ventral root stimulation evoked detrusor pressures were suppressed, yet not eliminated, after transection of hypogastric nerves and all spinal roots below L5. Afferent and efferent hypogastric nerve activity did not change with bladder filling in neuronally intact bladders yet decreased in decentralized bladders. No change in afferent activity was observed during bladder filling in either intact or decentralized bladders. Conclusions These findings indicate that a more complete decentralized bladder model should include transection of lumbosacral spinal roots innervating the bladder as well as hypogastric nerves. These refined electroneurogram recording methods may be suitable for evaluating the effectiveness of nerve transfer surgeries for bladder reinnervation by monitoring sensory activity in the transferred nerve.
Targeted radionuclide therapy for patients with metastatic pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma: From low-specific-activity to high-specific-activity iodine-131 metaiodobenzylguanidine

Low-specific-activity iodine-131–radiolabeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (I-131-MIBG) was introduced last century as a potential systemic therapy for patients with malignant pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas. Collective information derived from mainly retrospective studies has suggested that 30–40% of patients with these tumors benefit from this treatment. A low index of radioactivity, lack of therapeutic standardization, and toxicity associated with intermediate to high activities (absorbed radiation doses) has prevented the implementation of I-131-MIBG’s in clinical practice. High-specific-activity, carrier-free I-131-MIBG has been developed over the past two decades as a novel therapy for patients with metastatic pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas that express the norepinephrine transporter. This drug allows for a high level of radioactivity, and as yet is not associated with cardiovascular toxicity. In a pivotal phase two clinical trial, more than 90% of patients achieved partial responses and disease stabilization with the improvement of hypertension. Furthermore, many patients exhibited long-term persistent antineoplastic effects. Currently, the high-specific-activity I-131-MIBG is the only approved therapy in the US for patients with metastatic pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas. This review will discuss the historical development of high-specific-activity I-131-MIBG, its benefits and adverse events, and future directions for clinical practice applicability and trial development.
Uma Contribuição Crítica ao “Ensino da Educação das Relações Étnico-Raciais” nas Ciências Sociais

espanolEn este articulo se opera la verificacion de la afirmacion presentada en el Proyecto Pedagogico del Curso (PPC) de Ciencias Sociales de una Institucion Federal de Ensenanza Superior (IFES) de que en el se contempla la nsenanza de la “Educacion de las Relaciones Etnicos-Raciales”, en virtud de la determinacion de la Resolucion del Consejo Nacional de Educacion (CNE)/CP n° 01, de 17 de julio de 2004. Despues de analizar los programas analiticos de cada una de las materias indicadas en al PPC de dicho curso, como comprobacion de que se estaria contemplando la ensenanza mencionada arriba, y, consecuentemente, analizar las respectivas referencias bibliograficas de las disciplinas a traves de la lectura de algunos libros y articulos contenidos en estas referencias, se concluye que el curso no atiende las determinaciones legales.Palabras clave: Ensenanza. Educacion. Relaciones Etnico-Raciales.Ciencias Sociales. IFES. EnglishIn the present article, the authors verify the statement, contained inthe Pedagogical Project of the Social Sciences Course of the FederalInstitution of Higher Education (IFES), that it contemplates the teachingof “Education of Ethnic-Racial Relations”, due to the determinationof the Resolution of the National Council of Education (CNE)/CP No 01, June 17, 2004. After to analyze the analytical programs ofeach of the disciplines indicated in the PPC, as proof that it wouldbe contemplating the teaching mentioned above, and, consequently,to analyze the respective bibliographical references from disciplinesthrough the reading of some books and articles contained in thesereferences, it is concluded that course is not accomplishing the determinations of the legal norms.Keywords: Teaching. Education. Ethnic-Racial Relations. SocialSciences. IFES. portuguesNo presente artigo se verifica a afirmacao apresentada no Projeto Pedagogicodo Curso (PPC) de Ciencias Sociais de uma Instituicao Federalde Ensino Superior (IFES) de que ele contempla o ensino da “Educacaodas Relacoes Etnico-Raciais”, em virtude da determinacao da Resolucaodo Conselho Nacional de Educacao (CNE)/CP n° 01, de 17 de junhode 2004. Apos a analise dos programas analiticos de cada uma dasdisciplinas indicadas no PPC do referido curso, como prova de que eleestaria contemplando o ensino acima citado, e, consequentemente, aanalise das respectivas referencias bibliograficas das disciplinas pormeio da leitura de alguns livros e artigos contidos nestas referencias,conclui-se que o curso nao esta atendendo as determinacoes das normaslegais.Palavras-chave: Ensino. Educacao. Relacoes Etnico-Raciais. CienciasSociais. IFES.
The Formation of Nano-voids in electroless Cu Layers

The electrical reliability of multilayer high density interconnection printed circuit boards (HDI-PCBs) is mainly affected by the thermo-mechanical stability of stacked micro via interconnections. Here, a critical failure mode is the stress related crack between the electrolytically filled via and the target pad, commonly known as target pad separation. The junction includes two Cu-Cu-interfaces, one between the target Cu pad and the thin electroless Cu layer and the second between electroless Cu and electrolytic Cu. In this paper we will show that state-of-the-art electroless Cu plating processes are able to provide solid, completely recrystallized and highly reliable stacked via junctions. Defect free interfaces were achieved by using ionic Pd-activators and electroless Cu baths with a cyanide based stabilizer system. Cyanide free electroless Cu baths tend more to the formation of nanometer sized defects, discovered via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). In this case a precise adjustment of single stabilizer components is mandatory to achieve defect free layers. The defects are hollow and were identified as “nano voids”. A critical density of these nano voids weakens the interface, predefines the crack path and reduces the overall reliability of the junction. A precise localization of the nano voids within the junction was enabled by detecting the Ni-containing electroless Cu layer via TEM-Ni mapping. Slower volume exchange of the electroless Cu solution within the blind micro via (BMV) substantially increases the nano void density. The ability of nano voids to migrate and coalesce at elevated temperatures was investigated as well.
Race, gender, and scholarly impact: Disparities for women and faculty of color in clinical psychology.

Objective We sought to determine if gender and race are associated with scientific impact, scholarly productivity, career advancement, and prestige. Methods Publicly available data on publications, h-index, advancement, and prestige were assessed across core faculty in all American Psychological Association-accredited clinical psychology programs at R1 institutions in the United States (87 programs, 918 scientists). Results There were significant effects of both gender and race on productivity and impact, which were most apparent among the most senior faculty. Men and white faculty in associate and full professor ranks had higher scholarly productivity and impact. Among associate professors, men were more likely to get tenure earlier, even when controlling for scientific impact (h-index). Neither gender nor race was associated with prestige among full professors. Conclusion These findings, along with under-representation of non-White faculty across levels (11.2%) and women at the full professor level (42.8%), suggest disparities in academic clinical psychology that must be addressed.
25 Years of millimeter plasma diagnostic systems

The paper will cover the author's experience with millimeter plasma diagnostic systems during the past twenty-five years at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Comparisons will be made of the various microwave components and RF sources that were used from the late 1950's up to the present time. The systems requirements and data acquisition methods over the period will also be compared.
Identifying emerging mental illness utilizing search engine activity: A feasibility study

Mental illness often emerges during the formative years of adolescence and young adult development and interferes with the establishment of healthy educational, vocational, and social foundations. Despite the severity of symptoms and decline in functioning, the time between illness onset and receiving appropriate care can be lengthy. A method by which to objectively identify early signs of emerging psychiatric symptoms could improve early intervention strategies. We analyzed a total of 405,523 search queries from 105 individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD, N = 36), non-psychotic mood disorders (MD, N = 38) and healthy volunteers (HV, N = 31) utilizing one year's worth of data prior to the first psychiatric hospitalization. Across 52 weeks, we found significant differences in the timing (p<0.05) and frequency (p<0.001) of searches between individuals with SSD and MD compared to HV up to a year in advance of the first psychiatric hospitalization. We additionally identified significant linguistic differences in search content among the three groups including use of words related to sadness and perception, use of first and second person pronouns, and use of punctuation (all p<0.05). In the weeks before hospitalization, both participants with SSD and MD displayed significant shifts in search timing (p<0.05), and participants with SSD displayed significant shifts in search content (p<0.05). Our findings demonstrate promise for utilizing personal patterns of online search activity to inform clinical care.
Competencies Required of Engineering Students Conducting International Projects

Given the importance of students working in international environments, this study identifies the important competencies that engineering students need so that they could work effectively. The list of competencies was identified using a realist synthesis methodology. The context of the research was thirty-seven U.S. students who worked on twenty-two international projects with companies and research centers in India. The outcome was development of multi-media case studies based on the projects. The students spent a semester preparing for the project, eight weeks working on the project, and a semester developing the case studies. Each project was evaluated and students interviewed to identify the competencies that were utilized by the students. Analysis of these evaluations showed that successful projects trained the students to be competent in the technology domain of the project and encouraged them to communicate well with their counterparts.
A Circular Vibrating Electrode with Enhanced Mass Transfer for High-Performance Electrochemical Sensors

Many electrochemical sensing applications are limited by the mass transfer processes. In this study, an out-of-plane vibrating working electrode is developed to improve the mass transfer properties in a liquid environment. The electrode is fabricated by depositing gold on a polymer substrate that can be actuated into vibration by the piezoelectric effect. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation and electrochemical experiments are carried out to investigate the mass transfer rate under the influence of a vibrating substrate in a fundamental mode. Both the simulation and experiment results indicate that by combining vibration and proper working electrode design, an optimal mass transfer per unit area (or current density) can be achieved.
Imaging beta-amyloid (Aβ) burden in the brains of middle-aged individuals with alcohol-use disorders: a [11C]PIB PET study.

No in vivo human studies have examined the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) neuropathology in individuals with alcohol-use disorder (AUD), although recent research suggests that a relationship between the two exists. Therefore, this study used Pittsburgh Compound-B ([11C]PiB) PET imaging to test the hypothesis that AUD is associated with greater brain amyloid (Aβ) burden in middle-aged adults compared to healthy controls. Twenty healthy participants (14M and 6F) and 19 individuals with AUD (15M and 4F), all aged 40–65 years, underwent clinical assessment, MRI, neurocognitive testing, and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Global [11C]PiB standard uptake value ratios (SUVRs), cortical thickness, gray matter volumes (GMVs), and neurocognitive function in subjects with AUD were compared to healthy controls. These measures were selected because they are considered markers of risk for future AD and other types of neurocognitive dysfunction. The results of this study showed no significant differences in % global Aβ positivity or subthreshold Aβ loads between AUD and controls. However, relative to controls, we observed a significant 6.1% lower cortical thickness in both AD-signature regions and in regions not typically associated with AD, lower GMV in the hippocampus, and lower performance on tests of attention as well as immediate and delayed memory in individuals with AUD. This suggest that Aβ accumulation is not greater in middle-aged individuals with AUD. However, other markers of neurodegeneration, such as impaired memory, cortical thinning, and reduced hippocampal GMV, are present. Further studies are needed to elucidate the patterns and temporal staging of AUD-related pathophysiology and cognitive impairment. Imaging β-amyloid in middle age alcoholics as a mechanism that increases their risk for Alzheimer’s disease; Registration Number: NCT03746366 .
Diel redox cycle of manganese in the surface Arctic Ocean

Knowledge of the chemical speciation of particulate manganese (pMn) is important for understanding the biogeochemical cycling of Mn and other particle-reactive elements. Here, we present the synchr...
Beurteilung der Instrumente des Nachhaltigkeitscontrollings

Im folgenden Kapitel wird in die Thematik des Nachhaltigkeitscontrollings und des okologieorientierten Rechnungswesens eingefuhrt. Dabei wird auf die verschiedenen Ansatze und Kategorien des okologieorientierten Controllings eingegangen, die als methodische Basis fur das Nachhaltigkeitscontrolling dienen. Im Rahmen dieser Einfuhrung wird auf Basis der Literatur ein Uberblick uber die wichtigsten Instrumente der okologieorientierten Bewertungsverfahren und des Umweltkostenmanagements gegeben. Hierbei zeigt sich, dass die Instrumente MFCA und CF in Anbetracht der Zielstellung – der Entwicklung eines innovativen, integrierten okologie- okonomieorientierten Instruments zur Unterstutzung nachhaltigen Erfolgs – geeignet sind. Aus diesem Grund werden diese in einem zweiten Schritt naher untersucht und ausfuhrlich dargestellt.
Circuit implementation of a 2-D gradient source localizer [temperature localization]

Gradient field localization, such as chemical and heat source location, is a complex problem, yet few designs have been proposed. Examples are locating fires, thermal leaks in insulation, explosive vapors, illegal substances, and chemical leaks. In this paper, we propose one 4 sensor stationary array to localize the direction-of-arrival (DOA) of a temperature source and model the approach on our previous biologically-inspired array processing technique. Several variants of the algorithm are shown, and with each degree of sophistication, it significantly reduces the DOA variance caused by noisy measurement conditions. Next, a clean 4/8-sensor version of the array was constructed, and it is shown that sensor cooperation improves the adaptation in diffusive, turbulent, and noisy environments.
A machine text-inspired machine learning approach for identification of transmembrane helix boundaries

In this paper, we adapt a statistical learning approach, inspired by automated topic segmentation techniques in speech-recognized documents to the challenging protein segmentation problem in the context of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR). Each GPCR consists of 7 transmembrane helices separated by alternating extracellular and intracellular loops. Viewing the helices and extracellular and intracellular loops as 3 different topics, the problem of segmenting the protein amino acid sequence according to its secondary structure is analogous to the problem of topic segmentation. The method presented involves building an n-gram language model for each ‘topic' and comparing their performance in predicting the current amino acid, to determine whether a boundary occurs at the current position. This presents a distinctly different approach to protein segmentation from the Markov models that have been used previously and its commendable results is evidence of the benefit of applying machine learning and language technologies to bioinformatics.
Experimental evaluation of the greedy and random algorithms for finding independent sets in random graphs

This work is motivated by the long-standing open problem of designing a polynomial-time algorithm that with high probability constructs an asymptotically maximum independent set in a random graph. We present the results of an experimental investigation of the comparative performance of several efficient heuristics for constructing maximal independent sets. Among the algorithms that we evaluate are the well known randomized heuristic, the greedy heuristic, and a modification of the latter which breaks ties in a novel way. All algorithms deliver on-line upper bounds on the size of the maximum independent set for the specific input-graph. In our experiments, we consider random graphs parameterized by the number of vertices n and the average vertex degree d. Our results provide strong experimental evidence in support of the following conjectures: for d = c · n (c is a constant), the greedy and random algorithms are asymptotically equivalent; for fixed d, the greedy algorithms are asymptotically superior to the random algorithm; for graphs with d ≤ 3, the approximation ratio of the modified greedy algorithm is asymptotically < 1.005. We also consider random 3-regular graphs, for which non-trivial lower and upper bounds on the size of a maximum independent set are known. Our experiments suggest that the lower bound is asymptotically tight.