cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Believability of Hallucinations as a Potential Mediator of Their Frequency and Associated Distress in Psychotic Inpatients

The aim of the current study was to examine how belief in the validity of hallu- cinations relates to the association between hallucination frequency and associated distress. In a sample of inpatients with psychotic symptoms, results demonstrated that hallucination be- lievability predicted later distress after controlling for symptom frequency. In addition, results were consistent with the hypothesis that hallucination believability mediated the frequency- distress link. Recent randomized controlled trials have supported the efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy for schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. Further evidence suggests that cognitive behavioral approaches that incorporate mindfulness and acceptance-based strategies may be effective in reducing the believability of positive symptoms. Future trials incorporatinglongitudinaldesignsandmoredetailedassessmentsofthesevariablesareneeded.
Volume Expansivities and Isothermal Compressibilities of Imidazolium and Pyridinium-Based Ionic Liquids

From ambient- and high-pressure density measurements, we report the volume expansivities and isothermal compressibilities of four room-temperature ionic liquids and 1-methylimidazole at temperatures between 298.2 and 343.2 K and pressures to 206.9 MPa. The compounds studied are 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C4mim][PF6]), 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C8mim][PF6]), 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C8mim][BF4]), and N-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate ([NBuPy][BF4]). The density is affected by the natures of the anion, cation, and substituents on the cation, with lower densities observed for longer alkyl chains. Density decreases fairly linearly with increasing temperature but at a rate less than that for molecular organic compounds. In addition, the high-pressure measurements reveal that ionic liquids are significantly less compressible than organic solvents, with isothermal compressibility values similar to that of water. The high-pressure density dat...
Embedded Operating Systems

Many of the systems and devices used in our modern society must provide a response that is both correct and timely. More and more computer systems are built as integral parts of many of these systems to monitor and control their functions and operations. These embedded systems often operate in environments where safety is a major concern. For real-time embedded applications in which task deadlines must be satisfied, a real-time operating system (RTOS) with an appropriate scheduler for scheduling tasks with timing constraints must be used. This article introduces the basics of RTOSs, covering task synchronization, scheduling, memory management, and input/output. Keywords: embedded systems; real-time systems; operating systems; scheduling; memory management; input/output; task synchronization; mutual exclusion
Impact of Topological Characteristics on Consensus Building in Multiagent Systems

This paper represents a network of nodes as a graph and investigates the impact of topological characteristics on consensus building. The properties evaluated are the algebraic connectivity ratio, average path, average cluster coefficient, average matching index, modularity, and the average participation. The consensus is measured by the average number of state updates that the system requires to get the global scope of the task at hand. Factor analysis and regression analysis are applied to analyze the impact of the topological characteristics, to understand the dependencies among them and to reduce the dimensionality of the analysis. A theoretical study is provided to support the results obtained by the statistical method. The insights from the analysis are discussed.
Reverse Remodeling With Left Ventricular Assist Devices: A Review of Clinical, Cellular, and Molecular Effects

Over the last 2 decades, numerous advancements in medical therapies have improved patient outcomes in heart failure (HF). However, a significant number of patients still progress to end-stage HF, in which treatment options are largely limited to cardiac transplantation. As patient demands for transplant continue to exceed the supply of available organs, mechanical assist devices—specifically, the left ventricular assist device (LVAD)—were initially introduced as a bridge to cardiac transplantation. LVADs have 2 important beneficial effects. First, LVADs are placed in parallel to the native left ventricle (LV), causing pressure and volume unloading of the LV. Second, LVADs restore cardiac output and subsequent perfusion to the organs. As a result of these 2 effects, it became evident that some patients had actual improvement in LV function after LVAD placement. The term reverse remodeling was used to describe the improvement in myocardial function that was observed in patients with a seemingly end-stage disease. With reverse remodeling, a new hope for the treatment of HF was born—using LVADs as a bridge to recovery; however, to date, this promise has largely been unrealized. This probably is reflective of the fact that the sequela of mechanical ventricular unloading are quite complex and appear to involve the engagement of competing biological pathways including regression of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy as well as progressive cell atrophy. Although the promise of ventricular recovery still persists, its actualization will await a more comprehensive dissection of these competing biological processes. This review will discuss the beneficial clinical effects of LVAD support as well as review what is known about the cellular and molecular response to mechanical unloading and mechanisms of reverse remodeling. Key research findings have been summarized in the Table. View this table: Table. Summary of Research of LVAD Support on Clinical Effects and the Cellular and Molecular Changes That May Contribute to Reverse …
PCS network using subcarrier multiplexed fiber optic links: capabilities and limitations

Network infrastructure for PCS will play an important role because of the huge amount of investments involved. Among the access network, switching network, and signalling network, the paper focuses on the access network using a subcarrier multiplexed optical fiber link (SCMOL) between the small passive radio base station (PRBS) in each microcell and the central base station (CBS). First, the required number and size of the future microcells are quantified for a typical large city, like New York City. Then, the capacity of subcarrier multiplexed optical fiber link for microcellular environment is quantified in terms of the coverable cell radius by PRBS with SCMOL, and the length of the SCMOL. Finally, the growth of subscription ratio and its implication on the backbone network architecture is studied and possible solutions are suggested. It is shown that careful system design and network planning is required along with a suitable backbone network architecture in order to fully utilize the great potential of optical subcarrier multiplexing in PCS.
Effectiveness of Lane Direction Arrows as Pavement Markings in Reducing Wrong-Way Movements on Two-Way Frontage Roads

The principal objective of this research was to conduct a before-and-after study of the impacts of using lane direction arrows on a two-way frontage road to determine if the arrows could reduce wrong-way movements for vehicles exiting the freeway. A recent national survey related to all-white pavement markings indicated that 94% of the 851 drivers surveyed correctly interpreted the intended meaning of the arrows to indicate the proper lanes for travel. The authors believed that this high comprehension rate could be useful in helping drivers at locations where a potential for driving in the wrong direction exists. Video surveillance of a two-way frontage road before and after installation of lane direction pavement marking arrows was conducted. It was observed that at the selected location, approximately one of every 13 drivers exiting the freeway to the frontage road acted as though the frontage road were a one-way section and incorrectly chose the left lane for travel. Significant reductions were observed in wrong-way driving after the installation of two lane direction pavement marking arrows downstream from the exit ramp. After the installation, only one of 150 vehicles selected the incorrect lane. Researchers concluded that lane direction pavement marking arrows had a beneficial effect on safety at the study location and recommended expanded efforts to determine other locations that could benefit from this treatment. Although the evaluation was limited to one study site, the strength of the results suggests that the treatment would be beneficial at other similar locations.
Student-designed Bluetooth radio in silicon-on-sapphire

The core of a fully-integrated Bluetooth receiver has been designed in a 0.5 um Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) process by a team of 11 students during the Spring 2000 semester. Unlike previously reported RFIC development work done by graduate students in the course of their research, this design was completed in the context of a classroom setting in a single semester. The receiver incorporates a number of research efforts underway at the authors' institution, providing a wide range of students with exposure to state-of-the-art design methods. Details of both the class structure and of the Bluetooth architecture being studied are discussed. Measurements taken from an early prototype circuit in SOS are also reported.
Autosomal dominant familial dyskinesia and facial myokymia: Single exome sequencing identifies a mutation in adenylyl cyclase 5

Background Familial dyskinesia with facial myokymia (FDFM) is an autosomal dominant disorder that is exacerbated by anxiety. In a 5-generation family of German ancestry, we previously mapped FDFM to chromosome band 3p21-3q21. The 72.5-Mb linkage region was too large for traditional positional mutation identification. Objective To identify the gene responsible for FDFM by exome resequencing of a single affected individual. Participants We performed whole exome sequencing in 1 affected individual and used a series of bioinformatic filters, including functional significance and presence in dbSNP or the 1000 Genomes Project, to reduce the number of candidate variants. Co-segregation analysis was performed in 15 additional individuals in 3 generations. Main Outcome Measures Unique DNA variants in the linkage region that co-segregate with FDFM. Results The exome contained 23 428 single-nucleotide variants, of which 9391 were missense, nonsense, or splice site alterations. The critical region contained 323 variants, 5 of which were not present in 1 of the sequence databases. Adenylyl cyclase 5 (ADCY5) was the only gene in which the variant (c.2176G>A) was co-transmitted perfectly with disease status and was not present in 3510 control white exomes. This residue is highly conserved, and the change is nonconservative and predicted to be damaging. Conclusions ADCY5 is highly expressed in striatum. Mice deficient in Adcy5 develop a movement disorder that is worsened by stress. We conclude that FDFM likely results from a missense mutation in ADCY5. This study demonstrates the power of a single exome sequence combined with linkage information to identify causative genes for rare autosomal dominant mendelian diseases.
An Approach to Relational Web Service Composition

This paper addresses the composition problem for relational Web services. The relational service composition problem considers the use of available relational services to answer complex Web services that may not be answered by a single service but may be collectively answered by a set of services. We present a method to reduce the time complexity of service composition based on condition transitive matrices.
Infantile Myofibromatosis: A Case Report

: A male infant had three nodules on the left cheek, right forearm, and right neck. Biopsy specimen revealed infantile myofibromatosis (IM). Further evaluation revealed a solitary pulmonary nodule in the right middle lobe located far from mediastinal structures, which had no evidence of tumor enlargement on follow-up tomographic scan. Immunoperoxidase studies were negative for desmin and positive for actin. This is a potentially life-threatening multiorgan system disease; however, if lesions are limited mainly to the skin and soft tissues, the prognosis becomes more favorable. Although many reports suggest spontaneous and complete healing of the cutaneous lesions, our patient had profound atrophy at lesion sites as resolution occurred.
Vanadium oxide thermal microprobes for nanocalorimetry

Highly sensitive thermal microprobes are presented, consisting of curved cantilevers with vanadium oxide thermistors located at their tips. The cantilevers are realized by stress-engineered metal thin films and the thermistors consist of reactively sputter-deposited vanadium pentoxide. The thermistors are electrically contacted through the stressed metal layer, and at the same time thermally insulated from the substrate due to the relatively small thickness and large length of the cantilevers. We propose to apply these novel thermal microprobes in a nanocalorimetry system, in order to lower the cost and increase the sensitivity of the measurements.
Pseudallescheriasis as an Aggressive Opportunistic Infection in a Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient

Pseudallescheria boydii is a low-virulence fungus that is the main causative agent of posttraumatic mycetoma in a nonimmunocompromised host. Immunocompromised patients are at high risk for locally invasive or disseminated Pseudallescheria infection. However, aggressive opportunistic infections due to P boydii are reported infrequently because it morphologically resembles other fungi, especially Aspergillus species, on tissue histology; therefore, such infections are not identified and treated properly. We report a case of disseminated P boydii infection in a patient following bone marrow transplantation. The identity of the fungus was not recognized until microbiologic culture results became available. Our case illustrates the importance of recognizing this fungus as an opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients, as well as the need for culture of biopsy material for proper identification so that appropriate therapy can be instituted.
A qualitative investigation that applies an ecological strengths-based perspective to veterans' experience of reintegration into civilian life

ABSTRACTReintegration to civilian life continues to be challenging for many veterans despite numerous programs that were developed to assist with this process. Emerging literature suggests veteran engagement in volunteer organizations promotes their reintegration. Our exploratory study applies an ecological strengths-based framework to enhance our knowledge of veteran volunteerism and reintegration in the context of a disaster relief organization: Team Rubicon. Findings suggest ecological factors, such as re-creating a familiar culture of camaraderie among veterans and building upon individual strengths that allow veterans to apply their specialized skills, helped instill feelings of connectedness and contribution to their respective civilian communities.
Key Factors Affecting the Reproducibility of Synthesis and Growth Mechanism of Near-Infrared Absorbing Hollow Gold Nanospheres

Hollow gold nanospheres (HGNs) with near-infrared (NIR) surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption are highly desired for many applications including photothermal ablation therapy (PTA) of cancer; however, they are challenging to synthesize at relevant resonant wavelengths in a reproducible manner. In this work, we have systematically varied the reaction parameters to determine the origin of the irreproducibility of synthesis. This allows for much finer control of the synthesis, including homogeneous NIR absorbing HGNs that were characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy and electron microscopy (EM) techniques. We have found that cobalt seed particle growth time plays a more critical role than previously realized and is one of the most important parameters for high synthetic reproducibility. The results also provide new insight into the mechanism of cobalt seed and HGN growth, which further aids the successful synthesis of high quality HGNs with strong and tunable NIR SPR absorption.
Nucleation of microbiologic calcification by proteolipid.

SummaryThe component of crude phospholipid responsible for B. matruchotii calcification was isolated. Crude phospholipid, extracted from the microorganism, was separated into five fractions by column chromatography. A single, protein-containing fraction catalyzed apatite formation in a metastable calcium phosphate solution. The nucleating fraction was identified as a proteolipid.This work was supported by a grant from The Procter & Gamble Company. Amino acid analysis was done by Dr. E. P. Lazzari. Able technical assistance was provided by Mary Anita Stull.
Comment: Qualls's Nonsensical Analysis of Nonexistent Works

James Barber's predictive theory of presidential behavior has evoked varied reactions, which have ranged from praise for its sensitization of readers to the fact that personality affects presidential performance, to criticisms for the emphasis that the theory places on personality, to questions about the validity of the theory. This article addresses itself to the criticisms and the questions. Concerning the questions, it shows, first, that in analyzing presidents, Barber assumes the validity of “character” – the core construct of the theory. It shows, second, that Barber's earlier research on Connecticut legislators, from which “character” derives, does not empirically establish the construct. Concerning the criticisms, the article isolates a possible origin of the psychological reductionism evident in Barber's explanations of presidential performance. The article identifies a similar reductionism in Barber's legislative research and attributes this reductionism to a fallacious extra-empirical argument.
Turgut Var: his work and accomplishments in the field of tourism

I am honoured to write a Portrait for Professor Turgut Var. I have known Var for over 25 years. In his and my native language, Turkish, there is an expression which goes, “he is the teacher of the ...
Effective Advocacy for Aid Effectiveness

Advocacy is strongly supporting an idea or a cause and the process of influencing decision makers about that idea or cause. In international development, advocacy is targeted towards political institutions to ensure that their policies are responsive to people’s needs. Advocates often raise an issue or identify gaps in policies and propose solutions.
Breakdown Characteristics of Binary Gas Mixtures SF_6-N_2 and SF_6-CO_2 Under 0.1～0.25 MPa Atmosphere Pressures

Owing to its high reliability,security and small size,the cubicle gas insulated switchgear(C-GIS),in which the SF6 gas is utilized as the principal insulating medium,is widely adopted in power system.However,due to high cost and strong greenhouse effect of SF6,it is urgently needed to reduce the amount of SF6 used in C-GIS or not to use it.According to the lower pressure inside C-GIS cabinet,the feasibility of replacing pure SF6 gas by gas mixture composed of SF6 is researched.In this research,circular plate electrodes are adopted to simulate uniform electric field and the breakdown characteristics of binary gas mixtures of SF6-CO2 and SF6-N2 under different gas mixing ratios and different forms of voltages,namely the power frequency voltage and negative polarity of lightning surge,in uniform electric field with lower atmosphere pressures within the range from 0.1 MPa to 0.25 MPa inside C-GIS cabinet are respectively researched.Test results show that when atmosphere pressure is lower than 0.25 MPa,the insulation strength of gas mixture can reach to the same as insulation strength of pure SF6 gas by raising the atmosphere pressure of SF6 gas mixture appropriately.Results of this research offer key teat basis for the design and manufacture of new type of C-GIS cabinet.
Pelvic Abscess Following Appendicitis Presenting as a Scrotal Abscess

Abstract A pelvic abscess presenting as a left scrotal abscess following perforated appendicitis has not been reported previously. We describe this unusual presentation and discuss the pathophysiology involved.
Familial Breast Cancer

The first documentation of familial clustering of breast cancer in modern times was published in 1866 by a French surgeon who reported ten cases of breast cancer in four generations of his wife’s family; four other women in this family died as a result of hepatic tumors (Brocca 1866). Given the strong influence of molecular genetics in medicine in recent years, there is a tendency to assume that familial clustering of disease results from genetically inherited predisposition. However, other explanations for familial clustering of breast cancer are possible and include: (1) geographically limited environmental exposure to carcinogens which might affect an extended family living in close proximity, (2) culturally motivated behavior that alters risk factor profile, such as age at first live birth, and (3) socioeconomic influences that, for example, might result in differing dietary exposures. In addition, multiple complex inherited genetic factors likely influence the extent to which a risk factor for breast cancer plays a role in any one individual; such modifying effects are likely to be shared among genetically similar members of an extended family. Although non-inherited factors certainly play a role in familial clustering of breast cancer, recent advances have provided unequivocal evidence for the presence of breast cancer susceptibility genes responsible for 5%–10% of all breast cancer. Yet much remains to be understood about the number of heritable factors involved, the function of such genes which, when functioning normally appear to prevent the development of breast cancer and the prevalence of such genetic mutations within various populations.
When does chest CT require contrast enhancement

Computed tomography (CT) plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of many clinical conditions[1][1] involving the chest wall, mediastinum, pleura, pulmonary arteries, and lung parenchyma. The need for enhancement with intravenous (IV) contrast depends on the specific clinical
Militarization, generational conflict, and the Eritrean refugee crisis

The Northeast African nation of Eritrea was at once best known for its three- decade nationalist revolution and struggle for liberation from Ethiopia (1961–1991). Today, however, it is known as one of the most militarized societies in the world and one of the highest producers of refugees. Far from the vision of popular social justice, freedom, and prosperity embodied in the official nationalist discourse and the hopes of a war-weary citizenry, the “African country that works” (Hammer 1996) has ensnared its citizens in a web of compulsory military and national service, political repression, social mistrust, and economic deprivation. These harsh realities have affected none so much as the youthful “heirs” of Eritrea’s celebrated revolution, the warsay generation, who make up the bulk of the swelling military and constitute the majority of refugees and asylum seekers to leave the country in recent years.
Ultrahigh resolution VUV-XUV source

A VUV-XUV source, continuously tunable from 72 nm and longer, with pulse peak power from 10 W to 1 kW and a bandwidth of <200 MHz has been constructed. This laser-based source combines the advantages of the versatility of a synchrotron radiation source, the simplicity of a tabletop system, and the spectral and temporal purity of a laser light source, it has been successfully applied to study the hyperfine splittings and isotope shifts in krypton.
Mesenteric inflammatory veno-occlusive disease (MIVOD): an emerging and unsuspected cause of digestive tract ischemia

Background: Mesenteric inflammatory veno-occlusive disease (MIVOD) is a new clinicopathological entity and an unsuspected cause of digestive tract ischemia in the 17 patients reviewed in this article. Patients and Methods: Of this series, MIVOD occurred twice as often in men as in women, and the age of affected patients ranged from 24 to 78 years. Unexplained ischemic bowel disease was the most common clinical presentation of MIVOD. All patients required surgical exploration and underwent resection of ischemic or gangrenous bowel. None of the patients had a known underlying systemic vasculitis, connective tissue disease, inflammatory bowel disease, infection, drug allergy, or ingestion of food contaminants or toxins. Results: In general, a correct diagnosis of MIVOD is possible in virtually all cases only after careful histological examination of the resected specimens because the endoscopic biopsy findings may be inconclu sive. The inflammatory infiltrate of active MIVOD may be lymphocytic, necrotizing, granulomatous, or mixed, and thrombosis is almost invariably alo present. The late changes Of MIVOD, concentric or eccentric myoin timal hyperplasia and occlusive phlebosclerosis, represent organized thrombi. Conclusion: MIVOD probably occurs more commonly than is generally recognized. To a casual observer the presence of thrombosis may overshadow the inflammatory component ofa veno-occlusive disease, especially in the absence of arterial vasculitis many cases of MIVOD can conceivably go undiagnosed.
Effect of block copolymer morphology controlled by casting-solvent quality on pervaporation of butanol/water mixtures

Motivated by the need for developing membranes for biofuel purification, we made pervaporation membranes by casting a polystyrene-b-polydimethylsiloxane-b-polystyrene (SDS) triblock copolymer using toluene, cyclohexane, and hexane as casting solvents. The three solvents have different affinities for each of the blocks of the SDS, which enables the creation of membranes with different nano-morphologies using the same block copolymer. These membranes were used in pervaporation experiments with butanol/water mixtures as the feed solution. We quantify the effect of morphology on butanol and water permeabilities. Poorly-ordered granular morphology, obtained from hexane-cast membranes, is optimal for selective butanol transport. Butanol permeability was a more sensitive function of morphology than water permeability. Butanol uptake measurements showed that morphology had negligible effects on solubility. Therefore, we attribute the dependence of permeability on morphology to differences in diffusivities.
A Microfluidic Model of Hemostasis Sensitive to Platelet Function and Coagulation

Hemostasis is the process of sealing a vascular injury with a thrombus to arrest bleeding. The type of thrombus that forms depends on the nature of the injury and hemodynamics. There are many models of intravascular thrombus formation whereby blood is exposed to prothrombotic molecules on a solid substrate. However, there are few models of extravascular thrombus formation whereby blood escapes into the extravascular space through a hole in the vessel wall. Here, we describe a microfluidic model of hemostasis that includes vascular, vessel wall, and extravascular compartments. Type I collagen and tissue factor, which support platelet adhesion and initiate coagulation, respectively, were adsorbed to the wall of the injury channel and act synergistically to yield a stable thrombus that stops blood loss into the extravascular compartment in ~7.5 min. Inhibiting factor VIII to mimic hemophilia A results in an unstable thrombus that was unable to close the injury. Treatment with a P2Y12 antagonist to reduce platelet activation prolonged the closure time two-fold compared to controls. Taken together, these data demonstrate a hemostatic model that is sensitive to both coagulation and platelet function and can be used to study coagulopathies and platelet dysfunction that result in excessive blood loss.
A framework for the quantitative assessment of performance-based system resilience

Abstract Increasing system complexity and threat uncertainty require the consideration of resilience in the design and analysis of engineered systems. While the resilience engineering community has begun to converge on a definition and set of characteristics for resilience, methods for quantifying the concept are still limited in their applicability to system designers. This paper proposes a framework for assessing resilience that focuses on the ability of a system to absorb disruptions, recover from them, and adapt over time. The framework extends current approaches by explicitly considering temporal aspects of system responses to disruptions, volatility in system performance data, and the possibility of multiple disruption events. Notional system performance data is generated using the logistic function, providing an experimental platform for a parametric comparison of the proposed resilience metric with an integration-based metric. An information exchange network model is used to demonstrate the applicability of the framework towards system design tradeoff studies using stochastic simulations. The presented framework is domain-agnostic and flexible, such that it can be applied to a variety of systems and adjusted to focus on specific aspects of resilience.
A SCREENING MEDIUM AND METHOD TO DETECT SEVERAL MYCOTOXINS IN MOLD CULTURES1

A single culture medium consisting of rice powder (5%), corn steep liquor (4%), and agar (2%) was tested as a substrate for mycotoxin production using 34 known toxinogenic mold strains. Aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, sterigmatocystin, penicillic acid, patulin, citrinin, and zearalenone were each detectable in 4 days of incubation at 25 C using this medium. Extraction of melted agar cultures, in screw cap test tubes, with hot chloroform (55 C) followed by cooling to resolidify the agar greatly facilitated and simplified the extraction process and eliminated the need for separatory funnels. Mycotoxins were detected by treating developed thin-layer chromatographic plates with ammonia fumes, p-anisaldehyde, and phenylhydrazine and then viewing the chromatoplates under ultraviolet and white lights.
Transient Immunological and Clinical Effectiveness of Treating Mice Bearing Premalignant Oral Lesions With PD-1 Antibodies

A carcinogen-induced premalignant oral lesion model that progresses to oral cancer was used to examine the impact of blocking PD-1 on cytokine expression and on progression of lesions to cancer. The results of this study show increased production of IL-2 and the inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-17 and TNF-α by spleen cells of lesion-bearing mice that were treated with PD-1 antibody for 1 week compared to cytokine production by spleen cells of lesion-bearing mice treated with control antibody. Production of IFN-γ increased at 3 weeks of PD-1 antibody treatment, although production of the other Th1 and inflammatory mediators declined. By 5 weeks, levels of these cytokines declined for both control and PD-1 antibody-treated mice. Flow cytometric analysis for IFN-γ-expressing cells showed shifts in CD4+ cells expressing IFN-γ consistent with the changes in cytokine secretion. Whether or not treatment generated reactivity to lesions or HNSCC was determined. Spleen cells from PD-1 antibody-treated mice were stimulated by lysates of premalignant lesion and HNSCC tongue tissues to produce increased levels of Th1 and select inflammatory cytokines early in the course of PD-1 antibody treatment. However, with continued treatment, reactivity to lesion and HNSCC lysates declined. Analysis of clinical response to treatment suggested an early delay in lesion progression but, with continued treatment, lesions in PD-1 antibody-treated mice progressed to the same degree as in control antibody-treated mice. Overall, these results show an early beneficial response to PD-1 antibody treatment, which then fails with continued treatment and lesion progression.
The rediscovery of the mind

In this book, the philosopher John Searle presents a wide-ranging and pugnacious critique of much of mainstream cognitive science. In particular, he argues that con- sciousness is the “central mental phenomenon” [p. xi], and therefore the proper object of cognitive science research, yet he believes that the field has either ignored conscious- ness or has failed to address it adequately. Searle thinks that most of the dominant philosophical views about the mind and about consciousness are inconsistent with sci- entific fact or everyday experience. Searle is familiar to members of the artificial intelligence community as one of the field’s most vocal critics, starting, at least, with [
Biomonitoring method for the analysis of chromium and cobalt in human whole blood using inductively coupled plasma - kinetic energy discrimination - mass spectrometry (ICP-KED-MS).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed a biomonitoring method to rapidly and accurately quantify chromium and cobalt in human whole blood by ICP-MS. Many metal-on-metal hip implants which contain significant amounts of chromium and cobalt are susceptible to metal degradation. This method is used to gather population data about chromium and cobalt exposure of the U.S. population that does not include people that have metal-on-metal hip implants so that reference value can be established for a baseline level in blood. We evaluated parameters such as; helium gas flow rate, choice and composition of the diluent solution for sample preparation, and sample rinse time to determine the optimal conditions for analysis. The limits of detection for chromium and cobalt in blood were determined to be 0.41 and 0.06 μg L−1, respectively. Method precision, accuracy, and recovery for this method were determined using quality control material created in-house and historical proficiency testing samples. We conducted experiments to determine if quantitative changes in the method parameters affect the results obtained by changing four parameters while analyzing human whole blood spiked with National Institute of Standard and Technology traceable materials: the dilution factor used during sample preparation, sample rinse time, diluent composition, and kinetic energy discrimination gas flow rate. The results at the increased and decreased levels for each parameter were statistically compared to the results obtained at the optimized parameters. We assessed the degree of reproducibility obtained under a variety of conditions and evaluated the method's robustness by analyzing the same set of proficiency testing samples by different analysts, on different instruments, with different reagents, and on different days. The short-term stability of chromium and cobalt in human blood samples stored at room temperature was monitored over a time period of 64 hours by diluting and analyzing samples at different time intervals. The stability of chromium and cobalt post-dilution was also evaluated over a period of 48 hours and at two storage temperatures (room temperature and refrigerated at 4 °C). The results obtained during the stability studies showed that chromium and cobalt are stable in human blood for a period of 64 hours.
Coming to Terms with Change: Contemporary Policy Responses

In recent years, New Bedford has faced particularly challenging conditions related to a regional and national trend of economic prosperity from 2000 to 2006 that was followed by a sudden and powerful economic collapse in the form of the foreclosure crisis and the Great Recession from 2007 to 2011. During this tumultuous decade, city planners continued to respond to depopulation in the same ways as in past decades. But not exactly the same. In this chapter, I offer a systematic examination of that government response to both (1) a legacy of depopulation, and (2) a boom and bust in the first decade of the twenty-first century.
4–13: Austrians and the Holocaust (1)

As an undergraduate (1918–1921), Hayek attended the Spannkreis Sunday morning sessions (organized by a person who later aspired to be the sole Nazi theoretician) before founding his own Geistkreis. Hayek also contributed to what later became known as the Ahnenpas, or ancestor passport: the Nazi certification of ‘Aryan lineage’—a version of which his brother and mother must have used to join the Nazi Party. In Gibraltar in 1944, Hayek recommended that rent control be eliminated—which would have forced many working-class people to relocate to Spain, where Franco’s Fascist regime was undertaking its own Holocaust. In 1962, Hayek sent his Constitution of Liberty to Salazar, the dictator of Catholic Portugal, to ‘assist’ him ‘to design a constitution which is proof against the abuses of democracy.’
Derrida's Rethinking of Professorial Authority

In this paper I argue that Derrida's writings on education contain a profound rethinking of professorial authority. I first outline the sources of professorial authority and describe how they were traditionally conceived in France at the time when Derrida was working. I then show how Derrida challenges and transforms these sources, focusing in particular on a new relation to knowledge, a new relation to the state, and a new understanding of charisma that emerge from his work.
Inwardly Rectifying Potassium (Kir) Channels Represent a Critical Ion Conductance Pathway in the Nervous Systems of Insects

A complete understanding of the physiological pathways critical for proper function of the insect nervous system is still lacking. The recent development of potent and selective small-molecule modulators of insect inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels has enabled the interrogation of the physiological role and toxicological potential of Kir channels within various insect tissue systems. Therefore, we aimed to highlight the physiological and functional role of neural Kir channels the central nervous system, muscular system, and neuromuscular system through pharmacological and genetic manipulations. Our data provide significant evidence that Drosophila neural systems rely on the inward conductance of K+ ions for proper function since pharmacological inhibition and genetic ablation of neural Kir channels yielded dramatic alterations of the CNS spike discharge frequency and broadening and reduced amplitude of the evoked EPSP at the neuromuscular junction. Based on these data, we conclude that neural Kir channels in insects (1) are critical for proper function of the insect nervous system, (2) represents an unexplored physiological pathway that is likely to shape the understanding of neuronal signaling, maintenance of membrane potentials, and maintenance of the ionic balance of insects, and (3) are capable of inducing acute toxicity to insects through neurological poisoning.
Pedestrian GraphSLAM Using Smartphone-Based PDR in Indoor Environments

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) for pedestrians is a relatively new approach for the indoor localization problem. With the advancements in smartphone technology, pedestrian SLAM has transitioned towards utilizing smartphones' integrated sensors through Pedestrian Dead-Reckoning (PDR) techniques. In this paper, we present a novel approach for indoor user localization, trajectory tracking and mapping through GraphSLAM: modeling the spatial structure of a user's positions as a graph optimization problem. The paper proposes (1) a new algorithm for calibrating the heading measurements acquired through the smartphone sensors for PDR, and (2) a heading-detection stage as a pre-processing stage for GraphSLAM. Experiments were conducted using an iPhone 7 within an academic building with different users. The proposed algorithms were able to overcome the drift errors in heading measurements and provide accurate estimates for users' locations and movement trajectories.
Nitrogen Fixation and Denitrification in the Intertidal and Subtidal Environments of Tomales Bay, California

We have examined contemporaneous nitrogen fixation and denitrification at two intertidal and three subtidal sites in Tomales Bay, California over a seasonal cycle. At subtidal sites, denitrification dominates, whereas nitrogen fixation dominates the intertidal sites. Potential rates of denitrification in intertidal sites fluctuate and can be up to one-half the nitrogen-fixation rate; therefore, the net input of fixed nitrogen to intertidal systems varies. Intertidal and subtidal sites appear to play quantitatively distinct roles in the internal, microbially mediated nitrogen cycle in Tomales Bay. However, the limited areal extent of intertidal regions (5% of total sedimentary area) minimizes their contribution of fixed nitrogen to the bay ecosystem. This intertidal input by nitrogen fixation amounts to only 3% of the nitrogen lost during subtidal denitrification.
Recurrent and Persistent Nevi

Persistent nevi are nevi which reappear at the scar produced by an incomplete removal. Supposedly the residual melanocytes from the excision proliferate along the dermo-epidermal junction where the active melanin synthesis makes the nevus visible.
Visual System in the Brain

The visual system in the brain refers to both subcortical and neocortical structures. In primates and other animals, the retina projects primarily to the superior colliculus and pretectum of the midbrain and to the lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus. The retina distributes different information to each of these structures through the specific projections of different types of ganglion cells. In the retino-geniculate pathway, three ganglion cell types define three parallel functional streams that reach striate cortex, V1. The visual cortex consists of a large number of distinct areas that are defined by various combinations of architectonic, connectional, physiological, topographic, and behavioral criteria. Each cortical area sends projections to a limited subset of areas. The laminar pattern of the origin and termination of these pathways defines feedforward, feedback, and lateral directions between pairs of areas. These laminar features allow the characterization of an anatomical hierarchy of visual areas. Embedded within this hierarchy are several types of functional streams: a dorsal stream that processes ‘where’ objects are and a ventral stream that processes the ‘what’ of objects. At lower levels of the hierarchy, three functional streams arise that are related to color and brightness, form, and motion processing. These three streams are segregated into functional modules within areas V1 and V2 that are then disseminated to higher cortical areas. Human visual cortex can be subdivided into a number of discrete cortical areas on the basis of visual topography and/or architecture. Thus, the human visual cortex contains a number of areas that are very similar to those found in the occipital lobe of macaque monkeys and other non-human primates.
A Theory for the Origin of a Self-Reproducing Chemical System by Natural Selection from Short, Random Oligomers

A simple chemical system named an autogen, consisting of two short oligonucleotide sequences, coding for two simple catalytic peptides, would be capable of genetic self-reproduction if certain boundary conditions are satisfied. Limited catalytic ability, short oligomer sequences, and relatively low accuracy are shown to be adequate for exponential increase in population due to autocatalysis in a hypercyclic organization. This theory may be capable of experimental verification, with spontaneous emergence of a self-reproducing system in the laboratory by natural selection.
Ethnographies of Home and Homelessness

Ethnographies can provide rich details of the lives of marginalised people, including the homeless. We include in our definition of homeless those sleeping in homeless shelters or out of doors (sleeping rough in the United Kingdom), staying very temporarily with family and friends (‘crashing’ or doubled up), and sleeping in transient accommodations such as those found in single-room occupancy (SRO) hotels of old downtowns. The best ethnographies let the voices of the people be heard, do not try to present a homogeneous rendering of a community, suggest the causes of the issue, and, at their best, point to solutions that are culturally congruent and acceptable to the population who might benefit from prevention or direct services. Ethnographies of homeless communities lead to the realisation that the aetiology of homelessness is itself culturally determined, and we focus here on the causes of homelessness in North America as well as internationally. As a contrast to ethnographies of homeless groups, we consider ethnographies of home, which is a concept central to almost any study of a community, as people yearn for a previously remembered life that provided them with the feelings of comfort and security that the word home implies.
Engineering Implications of Ground Motions on Welded Steel Moment Resisting Frame Buildings

Although tall buildings are relatively few in the Los Angeles area, more than 150 buildings with welded steel moment resisting frames were significantly damaged during the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. The number of damaged buildings and the level of damage surprised many engineers and building officials. This study summarizes an analysis of free-field ground motions at the location of 228 buildings for which post-earthquake engineers’ reports, as well as weld inspections, were available. The study shows how vulnerable the pre-Northridge type welds are during seismic events, and how typical geotechnical ground motion parameters such as PGA and PGV are useful in assessing damage levels. The study may be used to estimate average damage levels and/or probabilities of building damage, for the Northridge Earthquake in adjoining localities and may also be used to estimate damage thresholds for future earthquakes, or in zones affected by previous earthquakes, including the 1987 Whittier, and 1989 Loma Prieta earthquakes.
Primary pulmonary angiosarcoma: case reports and review of the literature.

Pulmonary artery angiosarcoma is a rare malignant vascular tumor with an aggressive clinical course and a poor prognosis. Hemoptysis and shortness of breath have been reported as common clinical pr...
Review: We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe, by Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson

We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe . By Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson. 2017. Riverhead Books. (ISBN13: 9780735211513). 368 pp. Paperback, $18.00. A cartoonist and a physicist are collaborating to explain what the state-of-the-art knowledge in physics is, what we don't know yet, why we don't know it yet, and how scientists attempt to learn more about it. The book is written in a ludic way, with a lot of funny cartoons …
Fundamental Limits and Tradeoffs on Disturbance Propagation in Linear Dynamical Networks

We investigate performance deterioration in linear consensus networks subject to external stochastic disturbances. The expected value of the steady state dispersion of the states of the network is adopted as a performance measure. We develop a graph-theoretic methodology to relate structural specifications of the coupling graph of a linear consensus network to its performance measure. We explicitly quantify several inherent fundamental limits on the best achievable levels of performance and show that these limits of performance are emerged only due to the specific interconnection topology of the coupling graphs. Furthermore, we discover some of the inherent fundamental tradeoffs between notions of sparsity and performance in linear consensus networks.