cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF THE EFFECT OF NEIGHBORHOOD DISADVANTAGE ON DELINQUENCY

esearch examining the relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and adolescent offending typically examines only the influence of residential neighborhoods. This strategy may be problematic as 1) neighborhoods are rarely spatially independent of each other and 2) adolescents spend an appreciable portion of their time engaged in activities outside of their immediate neighborhood. Therefore, characteristics of neighborhoods outside of, but geographically proximate to, residential neighborhoods may affect adolescents’ propensity to engage in delinquent behavior. We append a spatially lagged, distance-weighted measure of socioeconomic disadvantage in “extralocal” neighborhoods to the individual records of respondents participating in the first two waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997 Cohort (N = 6,491). Results from negative binomial regression analyses indicate that the level of socioeconomic disadvantage in extralocal neighborhoods is inversely associated with youth offending, as theories of relative deprivation, structured opportunity, and routine activities would predict, and that the magnitude of this effect rivals that of the level of disadvantage in youths’ own residential neighborhoods. Moreover, socioeconomic disadvantage in extralocal neighborhoods suppresses the criminogenic influence of socioeconomic disadvantage in youths’ own neighborhoods, revealing stronger effects of local neighborhood disadvantage than would otherwise be observed.
High Altitude Sickness

Publisher Summary Acute mountain sickness (AMS) encompasses a wide spectrum of ill effects, ranging in severity from minor discomfort to life-threatening emergencies. The two major life-threatening manifestations of AMS are pulmonary edema and cerebral edema. These are extremes in a continuum of which milder forms of AMS are common and probably under recognized. The incidence, severity, and duration of AMS are highly correlated to the speed of ascent, the ultimate height reached, and the level of physical exertion. The incidence of AMS is unrelated to gender or to recent respiratory illness; however, the development of high altitude pulmonary edema is related to strenuous exercise, exposure to cold, and the presence of underlying pulmonary vascular disease. The overall clinical picture is one of pulmonary and cerebral vascular hypertension, heightened sympathetic activity, and generalized fluid retention, accompanied by altered vascular permeability. Prophylactic administration of acetazolamide at 10 mg per kg given in two to three oral doses 8 h apart beginning prior to ascent significantly improves arterial partial oxygen upon acute exposure to high altitude.
Propaganda and the Partisan War in Ljubljana 1943–45

Marching into the Province of Ljubljana in September 1943 on the heels of the capitulating Italians, the Germans hoped quickly to re-establish order and pacify this strategic central European communication and transportation nexus. Instead they were absorbed, willingly or not, into a pre-existing vicious civil war between the Communist-led resistance force, the Osvobodilna fronta (OF — Liberation Front), and their anti-Communist opponents, many of whom had collaborated with the Italians. The Germans would enter as the third and least convincing element in a triangular propaganda struggle for the hearts and minds of the Slovene population of the province. The propaganda that was utilised by the three belligerents in the province would reflect not only each faction’s ideological predisposition, but also their relationships with one another, the mindset of their intended target and the growing realisation that Germany would lose the war.
Von Hippel-Lindau Disease: Familial Symptom Clusters

The clinical manifestations and prevalence of von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (HLS) were reported from the Department of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-Universitat, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, and Department of Pathology, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
Strong Limit Theorems for Sums of Random Variables Defined on a Finite Markov Chain

Let {X k ,J k } be a bivariate sequence of random variables, where J k is a finite ergodic Markov chain. Assume the random variables X k are conditionally independent given {Jk}. By decomposing \( {{S}_{n}} = \sum\nolimits_{{k = 1}}^{n} {{{X}_{k}}} \) the sum of i.i.d. random variables plus two ‘remainder’ terms, it is proved that Sn satisfies both the Strong Law of Large Numbers and the Law of the Iterated Logarithm under the conditions of finite first and second moments, respectively, of [Xk|Jk-1, Jk]
Flight-test evaluation of small form-factor LiDAR and radar sensors for sUAS detect-and-avoid applications

Despite well over a decade of intensive research and development efforts, detect-and-avoid (DAA) technology remains in an immature state for medium and large unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and is in its very infancy for small UAS (sUAS). Routine Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) operations will not be achieved until this technological impasse has been surpassed. Although a multi-system/multi-sensor approach is known to be the robust solution, sUAS platforms are challenged to host such an equipment suite in addition to their revenue-generating payload for commercial applications. Recent developments in small form-factor LiDAR and radar sensors may prove to be vital components in the overall DAA solution for sUAS. These types of sensors are being developed primarily for the autonomous ground vehicle market, but may be adapted for UAS applications. This paper documents a series of ground and flight tests conducted to evaluate the performance of both a small form-factor LiDAR and radar sensors. Obstacle detection range versus obstacle size is determined for both sensors in static and dynamic flight modes.
Pyrolysis of forest residues: An approach to techno-economics for bio-fuel production

Abstract The techno-economics for producing liquid fuels from Maine forest residues were determined from a combination of: (1) laboratory experiments at USDA-ARS’s Eastern Regional Research Center using hog fuel (a secondary woody residue produced from mill byproducts such as sawdust, bark and shavings) as a feedstock for pyrolysis to establish product yields and composition, and (2) Aspen Plus® process simulation for a feed rate of 2000 dry metric tons per day to estimate energy requirements and equipment sizes. The simulated plant includes feedstock sizing and drying, pyrolysis, hydrogen production and hydrotreatment of pyrolysis oils. The biomass is converted into bio-oil (61% yield), char (24%) and gases (15%) in the pyrolysis reactor, with an energy demand of 17%. The bio-oil is then hydrotreated to remove oxygen, thereby producing hydrocarbon fuels. The final mass yield of gasoline/diesel hydrocarbons is 16% with a 40% energy yield based on the dry biomass fed, this yield represents a fuel production of 51.9 gallons per dry metric ton of feedstock. A unique aspect of the process simulated herein is that pyrolysis char and gases are used as sources for both thermal energy and hydrogen, greatly decreasing the need to input fossil energy. The total capital investment for a grass-roots plant was estimated to be US$427 million with an annual operational cost of US$154 million. With a 30 year project life, a minimum fuel selling price was determined to be US$6.25 per gallon. The economic concerns are related to high capital costs, high feedstock costs and short hydrotreating catalyst lifetimes.
Rituximab Maintenance Following High Dose Therapy and Autologous Stem Cell Rescue after RICE Cytoreduction Improves Event Free and Overall Survival

BACKGROUND: The role of rituximab (R) as a component of therapy for relapsed and refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is controversial. We have previously reported that the addition of rituximab to ICE (RICE) second-line chemotherapy improved outcomes (Kewalramani, 2004). Furthermore, a small phase II study performed at Stanford University (Horwitz et al, 2004) suggested improvement in event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) with the addition of rituximab maintenance therapy following high dose therapy and autologous stem cell rescue (HDT/ASCR) in rituximab naive patients. However, it is unknown if there is benefit of rituximab maintenace in patients (pts) receiving rituximab as part of pre-HDT cytoreduction. METHODS: We retrospectively identified pts with relapsed and refractory DLBCL who underwent uniform pre-HDT/ASCR cytoreduction with RICE between 1999 and 2006. Pts proceeded to HDT/ASCR if they had a response to RICE chemotherapy. The earlier pts (n=38) did not receive any maintenance (NM) and a subsequent cohort (n=43) was treated with post ASCR rituximab (MR) on one of two regimens (R wkly x 4 at day + 42 and day + 180, n=26 or R q8 wks x 6 starting on day+29, n=17). RESULTS: Median follow up for surviving pts is 2.9 yrs: 4 yrs in the NM group; and 2.2 yrs in the MR group. The 3 yrs EFS is 43% and 84% and OS is 59% and 89% for the NM and MR groups, respectively. A Cox regression model was constructed to include disease status (relapsed v refractory), maintenance rituximab (yes v no) and second-line IPI (LR v LI-HR). Disease status (p = .04) and rituximab maintenance (p = .003) were significant for OS. Only maintenance rituximab was significant for EFS (p CONCLUSION: Maintenance rituximab therapy post HDT/ASCR was well tolerated by patients and in this small sample significantly associated with improvement in EFS and OS. A prospective trial is currently underway to fully evaluate maintenance therapy versus observation (CORAL 50-03B).
Concurrent electrophysiology and TPM/OCT imaging of long-term implanted electrodes (Conference Presentation)

Microelectrodes implanted in the brain cause mechanical damage to the tissue that mediate neuroinflammation and eventual encapsulation by microglia and astrocytes. Electrophysiological signals recorded from implants used in brain-computer interfaces (BCI) degrade over time, limiting their usefulness, but the precise causes and progression are not fully understood. We are investigating the dynamics of brain morphological changes and neuroinflammation with a multimodal approach to better understand the potential causes of implant failure. We performed weekly optical coherence tomography (OCT)-guided two-photon microscopy (TPM) in the region around microelectrodes inserted under a cranial window concurrent with electrophysiological recordings. Transgenic mouse cohorts studied include Thy1-YFP, Cx3cr1, and GFAP-GFP to image neurons, microglia, and astrocytes, respectively. Single-shank, 16-channel, Michigan-style microelectrodes were inserted under the window at a 15-20° angle with an insertion depth up to cortical layer 5. Single-unit and local field potential (LFP) recordings were collected for 15 minutes while the animals moved freely in their home cages. Cellular and vascular morphology were monitored using TPM and OCT at timepoints matched to the recordings. In preliminary data, we observed a decay of neural firing rates in most of the channels after implantation. The relationship between electrophysiological measures (e.g., neural firing rate, LFP power) and neural/vascular morphological measurements (e.g., cell density, glial migration, blood flow changes) will be quantified. The multimodal approach combining electrophysiology and optical imaging provides a broader picture of the multifactorial nature of the response to implanted electrodes. Understanding and accounting for the response may lead to better BCI designs and approaches.
Stacking distribution in a carbon black

The distribution of the number of layers in stacks formed by parallel and equidistant layer domains has been analyzed from the profiles of the (002) reflections using the WARREN- BODENSTEIN equations. The analysis revealed that the distribution follows the MAXWELL-BOLTZMANN law. According to this distribution the probability of finding q parallel and equidistant layer domains decreases exponentially with q. The coefficient of the exponent completely defines the profiles of the (002) reflections.
High-Frequency Trading, Stock Volatility, and Price Discovery

High-frequency trading has become a dominant force in the U.S. capital market, accounting for over 70% of dollar trading volume. This study examines the implication of high-frequency trading for stock price volatility and price discovery. I find that high-frequency trading is positively correlated with stock price volatility after controlling for firm fundamental volatility and other exogenous determinants of volatility. The positive correlation is stronger among the top 3,000 stocks in market capitalization and among stocks with high institutional holdings. The positive correlation is also stronger during periods of high market uncertainty. Furthermore, I find that high-frequency trading is negatively related to the market’s ability to incorporate information about firm fundamentals into asset prices. Stock prices tend to overreact to fundamental news when high-frequency trading is at a high volume. Overall, this paper demonstrates that high-frequency trading may potentially have some harmful effects for the U.S. capital market.
Propagation of ion acoustic wave energy in the plume of a high-current LaB 6 hollow cathode

A frequency-averaged quasilinear model is derived and experimentally validated for the evolution of ion acoustic turbulence (IAT) along the centerline of a 100-A class, ${\mathrm{LaB}}_{6}$ hollow cathode. Probe-based diagnostics and a laser induced fluorescence system are employed to measure the properties of both the turbulence and the background plasma parameters as they vary spatially in the cathode plume. It is shown that for the three discharge currents investigated, 100 A, 130 A, and 160 A, the spatial growth of the total energy density of the IAT in the near field of the cathode plume is exponential and agrees quantitatively with the predicted growth rates from the quasilinear formulation. However, in the downstream region of the cathode plume, the growth of IAT energy saturates at a level that is commensurate with the Sagdeev limit. The experimental validation of the quasilinear model for IAT growth and its limitations are discussed in the context of numerical efforts to describe self-consistently the plasma processes in the hollow cathode plume.
Immunomodulatory Effects of Antimicrobial Drugs

This article focuses on the immunomodulatory effects of antimicrobial drugs. Since the literature in this field is large and growing, we chose to limit the scope of our article by focusing on benef...
An Analysis of Pulsating Subdwarf B Star EPIC 203948264 Observed During Campaign 2 of K2

We present a preliminary analysis of the newly–discovered pulsating subdwarf B (sdB) star EPIC 203948264. The target was observed for 83 days in short cadence mode during Campaign 2 of K2 , the two–gyro mission of the Kepler space telescope. A time–series analysis of the data revealed 22 independent pulsation frequencies in the g –mode region ranging from 100 to 600 μ Hz (0:5 to 2:8 hours). The main method we use to identify pulsation modes is asymptotic period spacing, and we were able to assign all but one of the pulsations to either l = 1 or l = 2. The average period spacings of both sequences are 261:34 ± 0.78 s and 151:18 ± 0.34 s, respectively. The pulsation amplitudes range from 0.77 ppt down to the detection limit at 0.212 ppt, and are not stable over the duration of the campaign. We detected one possible low–amplitude, l = 2, rotationally split multiplet, which allowed us to constrain the rotation period to 46 days or longer. This makes EPIC 203948264 another slowly rotating sdB star.
Mechanism of inhibition of taurolithocholate-induced retrieval of plasma membrane MRP2 by cyclic AMP and tauroursodeoxycholate.

Taurolithocholate (TLC) produces cholestasis by inhibiting biliary solute secretion in part by retrieving MRP2 from the plasma membrane (PM). Tauroursodeoxycholate (TUDC) and cAMP reverse TLC-induced cholestasis by inhibiting TLC-induced retrieval of MRP2. However, cellular mechanisms for this reversal are incompletely understood. Recently, we reported that TLC decreases PM-MRP2 by activating PKCe followed by phosphorylation of myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS). Thus, cAMP and TUDC may reverse TLC-induced cholestasis by inhibiting the TLC/PKCe/MARCKS phosphorylation pathway. We tested this hypothesis by determining whether TUDC and/or cAMP inhibit TLC-induced activation of PKCe and phosphorylation of MARCKS Studies were conducted in HuH-NTCP cell line and rat hepatocytes. Activation of PKCe was determined from the translocation of PKCe to PM using a biotinylation method. Phosphorylation of MARCKS was determined by immunoblotting with a phospho-MARCKS antibody. TLC, but not cAMP and TUDC, activated PKCe and increased MARCKS phosphorylation in HuH-NTCP as well in rat hepatocytes. Treatment with TUDC or cAMP inhibited TLC-induced activation of PKCe and increases in MARCKS phosphorylation in both cell types. Based on these results, we conclude that the reversal of TLC-induced cholestasis by cAMP and TUDC involves, at least in part, inhibition of TLC-mediated activation of the PKCe/MARCKS phosphorylation pathway.
Does local dynamic stability during unperturbed walking predict the response to balance perturbations? An examination across age and falls history.

Abstract Background Older adults are at an exceptionally high risk of falls, and most falls occur during locomotor activities such as walking. Reduced local dynamic stability in old age is often interpreted to suggest a lessened capacity to respond to more significant balance challenges encountered during walking and future falls risk. However, it remains unclear whether local dynamic stability during normal, unperturbed walking predicts the response to larger external balance disturbances. Research question We tested the hypothesis that larger values of local dynamic instability during unperturbed walking would positively correlate with larger changes thereof due to optical flow balance perturbations. Methods We used trunk kinematics collected in subjects across a spectrum of walking balance integrity – young adults, older non-fallers, and older fallers – during walking with and without mediolateral optical flow perturbations of four different amplitudes. Results We first found evidence that optical flow perturbations of sufficient amplitude appear capable of revealing independent effects of aging and falls history that are not otherwise apparent during normal, unperturbed walking. We also reject our primary hypothesis; a significant negative correlation only in young adults indicated that individuals with more local dynamic instability during normal, unperturbed walking exhibited smaller responses to optical flow perturbations. In contrast, most prominently in older fallers, the response to optical flow perturbations appeared independent of their baseline level of dynamic instability. Significance We propose that predicting the response to balance perturbations in older fallers, at least that measured using local dynamic stability, likely requires measuring that response directly.
Nonprescription medications for respiratory symptoms: Facts and marketing fictions.

BACKGROUND There are many nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medications available on pharmacy shelves marketed for relief of respiratory symptoms. The number of such medications has been increasing. OBJECTIVE This review provides an evidence-based examination of OTC products used for respiratory symptoms. METHODS Antihistamines, decongestants, mucolytics, antitussives, and intranasal steroids were selected as the most common OTC medications taken by adults and children for various respiratory symptoms. Controlled clinical trials of efficacy were identified by searching a medical literature data base. Those trials and key publications related to the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the products were reviewed. RESULTS Comparisons of the various OTC antihistamines' ability to suppress the effects of histamine were related to their clinical benefit. Intranasal corticosteroids are the preferred agents for maintenance therapy of persistent nasal congestion and are highly effective for symptoms of inhalant allergy other than allergic conjunctivitis. The disconnect between marketing claims and evidence was demonstrated for antihistamines and oral alpha-1 adrenergic agonist decongestants. Data for OTC mucolytics and antitussives were insufficient to justify their use based on the evidence. CONCLUSION There was little relationship between marketing claims and evidence regarding OTC medications used for respiratory symptoms. Analysis of data supported cetirizine, levocetirizine, and fexofenadine as the most effective of the OTC antihistamines. There were no data that supported the use of oral phenylephrine as a decongestant. Neither OTC mucolytics or antitussives provided sufficient evidence to justify their use.
Governance monitors or market rebels? Heterogeneity in shareholder activism:

Agency theory is the dominant theory of shareholder activism and argues that activist investors function as external governance monitors. Agency theory predicts that activist investors will tend to...
Nourishing Life: Russell and the 20th-Century British Peace Movement, 1900-18

By now it is fairly commonplace knowledge that Bertrand Russell, despite rumours to the contrary, was never a pacifist. No doubt he helped give currency to those rumours by sometimes calling himselfa pacifist, though at other times he vehemently denied ever being one.! Perhaps this confusion was due in part to the sort of ambivalence he expressed to Lady Ottoline Morrell early in the Great War: "I hardly know what I think. I don't think war always wrong.... I find I can't take Tolstoy's extreme position, and short of that it is so hard to know where to draw the line."2 Russell would probably have appreciated, and approved of, the sort of rigorous analysis that Martin Ceadel has recently applied to the use of the terms pacifist and pacifism. 3 Certainly, his careful definitions will be helpful to those who still conceive of pacifism as something one can be partly or mainly or even a little bit. Ceadel illustrates that pacifism is "an exacting personal faith" which cannot be, and never has been, successfully transformed into a political instrument. 4 Thus, we can safely say that Bertrand Russell was never a pacifist because at every stage of his long career, Russell's involvement in the peace movement was always intensely political. How then are we to describe Russell? Ceadel would call him a "pacificist", an unlovely though historically authentic title. s Since one can confidently predict that, however accurate, pacificism is too ugly to receive a decent hearing, perhaps Jo Vellacott provides the best starting point for describing Russell's place in the constellation of peacemakers. Vellacott calls him a "pragmatic pacifist" or one to whom "peace was of generally overriding importance ... and the route to obtaining or preserving it was negotiable."6 Russell described himself in very much the same way just after he had announced his support for the Allied war effort against Hitler. 7 The plea of pragmatism might help to explain Russell's running the gamut
Disease-Induced Alterations in Carbohydrate Metabolism

Carbohydrate metabolism in plants is controlled largely by photosynthesis and respiration which occur in distinct subcellular sites. In chloroplasts, light energy is used to generate ATP and reducing power (NADPH) which in turn are used to assimilate CO2 and produce photosynthetic intermediates. Additionally, chloroplasts have enzymes for metabolizing starch and the excess chemical energy produced during daylight hours. The exchange of intermediates between the chloroplast and the cytoplasm is regulated by specific membrane-bound translocation molecules and the dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP)/inorganic phosphate translocator molecule that exchanges one DHAP produced in photosynthesis for a cytoplasmic inorganic phosphate molecule (Heber, 1974). The cytoplasmic DHAP is then converted into various intermediates by glycolysis and is ultimately respired by mitochondria to produce ATP and reducing power (NADH). Normally, because of the absence or low activity of translocation molecules, there is little exchange of ATP, reducing power, and sugars between the chloroplast and the cytoplasm.
GG-13 ‘EpiTOF’ – a new method for characterizing the epigenetic landscape in SLE

Background SLE is a complex disease with very few approved therapeutic options. Unique opportunities exist to characterize blood cells, tissues such as kidney and skin, urine, serum and plasma as part of ongoing longitudinal cohort studies such as Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP) and Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence (ACE), and investigator initiated or company-sponsored clinical trials. The epigenome, in particular, is an area of great interest. Materials and methods We have recently published a new method called Epigenetic Time of Flight (EpiTOF), a mass cytometry based method that enables broad characterization of posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of histones in health and disease. Our initial studies demonstrated marked heterogeneity in younger vs older healthy adults. Twin studies showed that ∼70% of variation is related to environment. Twenty-two different populations of blood cells were profiled, and the PTMs alone were sufficient to identify cell populations, even in the absence of cell surface markers. Results Blood derived from multiple diseases was provided through the ACE Collaborative Network and local Stanford investigators and subjected to EpiTOF analysis followed by complex computational analysis. I will present ongoing studies in SLE, SSc, RA, IBD, JIA, vaccines, and infectious diseases using EpiTOF. Conclusions EpiTOF and other multiplexed assays (such as autoantibody profiling) of samples derived from SLE patients, as well as patients with related autoimmune diseases, have tremendous potential and should be included in all clinical trials, with a goal to better understand pathogenesis and to identify novel therapeutic targets. Acknowledgements NIAID/DAIT, Henry Gustav Floren Trust, Baxter Foundation, and many patients with SLE who have provided samples.
How to Talk with Patients About Vaccines

Talking about vaccines with patients who have concerns or questions can be difficult, given the abundant misinformation surrounding vaccines in the media and communicated by peers. A presumptive approach to vaccinating on time should be the framework you use when you approach vaccination. When you encounter a patient who is hesitant about receiving vaccines, whether he/she has just a few specific questions or seems more reluctant overall, how you discuss vaccines is very important. We provide a five-step strategy to work with vaccine hesitant patients: 1) Establish empathy and credibility; 2) Briefly address specific concerns, if any; 3) Pivot to disease risk; 4) Convey vaccine effectiveness; 5) Give a strong and personalized recommendation.
Caching in Energy Harvesting Aided Internet of Things: A Game-Theoretic Approach

The Internet of Things (IoT) sensing service enables users to monitor the ambient environment by fetching data from IoT sensors. The explosive growth of mobile users and IoT applications injects massive traffic to the IoT network and also speeds up the drainage of sensor batteries. Caching at the IoT gateway (GW), which stores the IoT data and directly send them to the users, can avoid activating sensors too frequently, hence reducing the traffic in the IoT network as well as the energy consumption of sensors. To overcome the limited energy capacity of sensors, energy transmitters (ETs) are deployed to charge them. Practically, the GW and ETs may be owned by different operators, and the GW operator needs to incentivize ETs to provision the charging service. In this paper, we formulate a Stackelberg game in the cache-enabled energy harvesting aided IoT framework to improve the user quality of service. Caching strategies, incentive strategies, and ET transmission power strategies are jointly optimized to find the Stackelberg equilibrium by our proposed alternative direction approach. Simulation results elicit the benefits of our framework and demonstrate the performances of our proposed algorithm.
Serial Reciprocity in the Workplace: The Influence of Servant Leadership

Servant leadership has experienced a recent surge of popularity among researchers. Notwithstanding this, the influence that servant leaders have on followers’ serial reciprocal behaviors (i.e., rec...
Unleashing the Power of Multi-Server PIR for Enabling Private Access to Spectrum Databases

The emergence of IoT is driving rapid growth in the use of wireless devices around the world. In addition, 5G, through its support for large numbers of devices, is expected to unleash the full potential of IoT globally. The growing number of wireless devices and the massive traffic stemming from the emergence of these technologies will result in a dramatic increase in the demand for spectrum resources. Dynamic spectrum sharing, enabled through cognitive radio network technology, emerges as a key solution for coping with these rising spectrum demands. One important approach that is currently being adopted as a potential solution for promoting dynamic spectrum sharing is the deployment and reliance on white space geo-location spectrum databases for locating spectrum availability in the TV white space. Despite the great benefits these databases offer in terms of their ability to help locate spectrum opportunities for secondary usage, they suffer from location privacy issues, as users need to reveal their location in the process of querying these databases for spectrum availability. Knowing that their whereabouts may be exposed, users can be discouraged from querying the databases, thereby hindering the adoption and deployment of this technology in future generation networks. In this article, we focus on the location privacy problem in database-driven dynamic spectrum access. Specifically, we present and compare key approaches that aim to protect the location information of secondary users in database-driven spectrum sharing and discuss some key research challenges that remain unaddressed.
Membrane Transport in Hepatic Clearance of Drugs II: Zonal Distribution Patterns of Concentration-Dependent Transport and Elimination Processes

Purpose. The objective of the present simulation study was to investigate the effects of hepatic zonal heterogeneity of membrane transporter proteins and intrinsic elimination activities on hepatic clearance (CL) and drug concentration gradient profiles in the sinusoidal blood and hepatocytes. Methods. The model used in the simulations assumes an apparent unidirectional carrier-mediated transport and a bidirectional diffusion of substrates in the hepatic sinusoidal membrane as well as a nonlinear intrinsic elimination. Three different distribution patterns of the transporter and the metabolizing enzyme along the sinusoidal flow path were used for the simulations. The effects of changes in the Michaelis-Menten parameters for those nonlinear processes, and in the unbound fractions of the drug in blood and tissue components were investigated. Results. Significant differences in CL occurred when the distribution patterns of the transporter and/or the metabolizing enzyme activities were altered under nonlinear conditions. The highest CL values were observed when the transporter and the metabolizing enzyme had similar distribution patterns within the liver acinus, while opposite distribution patterns produced the lowest CL values. Tissue concentration profiles were significantly affected by the distribution patterns of the transporter, but the changes in blood concentration profiles were relatively small. Altering protein binding in blood produced significant changes in CL, and blood and tissue concentration gradients, while altering protein binding in tissue affected only drug accumulation patterns within hepatocytes, regardless of the distribution patterns of the transporter or the metabolizing enzyme. Conclusions. The present simulations demonstrate that hepatic zonal heterogeneities in the transporter and the metabolizing enzyme activities can significantly influence hepatic clearance and/or drug concentration gradient profiles in the sinusoidal blood and hepatocytes.
Engineering biomaterial microenvironments to promote myelination in the central nervous system.

Abstract Promoting remyelination and/or minimizing demyelination are key therapeutic strategies under investigation for diseases and injuries like multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal cord injury, stroke, and virus-induced encephalopathy. Myelination is essential for efficacious neuronal signaling. This myelination process is originated by oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) in the central nervous system (CNS). Resident OPCs are capable of both proliferation and differentiation, and also migration to demyelinated injury sites. OPCs can then engage with these unmyelinated or demyelinated axons and differentiate into myelin-forming oligodendrocytes (OLs). However this process is frequently incomplete and often does not occur at all. Biomaterial strategies can now be used to guide OPC and OL development with the goal of regenerating healthy myelin sheaths in formerly damaged CNS tissue. Growth and neurotrophic factors delivered from such materials can promote proliferation of OPCs or differentiation into OLs. While cell transplantation techniques have been used to replace damaged cells in wound sites, they have also resulted in poor transplant cell viability, uncontrollable differentiation, and poor integration into the host. Biomaterial scaffolds made from extracellular matrix (ECM) mimics that are naturally or synthetically derived can improve transplanted cell survival, support both transplanted and endogenous cell populations, and direct their fate. In particular, stiffness and degradability of these scaffolds are two parameters that can influence the fate of OPCs and OLs. The future outlook for biomaterials research includes 3D in vitro models of myelination / remyelination / demyelination to better mimic and study these processes. These models should provide simple relationships of myelination to microenvironmental biophysical and biochemical properties to inform improved therapeutic approaches.
Measurement of acetone emission using a compact midinfrared dual-comb spectrometer

We present a compact, mid-infrared (MIR) dual-comb spectrometer using difference- frequency generation. The spectrometer covers 3 μm - 4 μm, within the functional group region.We demonstrate detection of acetone in a controlled-release experiment.
A review of the empirical assessment of processes in ethnic–racial socialization: Examining methodological advances and future areas of development

Abstract A rapid increase in the empirical literature on ethnic–racial socialization has led to the development of numerous assessments that capture various aspects of the ethnic–racial socialization process. To examine the methodological advances, this paper uses the Process Model of Ethnic–Racial Socialization (PMERS) to systematically review the assessment of ethnic–racial socialization among ethnic minority families in order to review how existing measures assess differential processes of ethnic–racial socialization. Using PsycINFO, ERIC, IngentaConnect, and JSTOR databases, 41 measures were identified that report information on the ethnic–racial socialization process. Findings suggest that existing measures largely consist of explicit assessments of parental and/or youth beliefs and verbal behaviors as measures of the ethnic–racial socialization process. Few measures have captured the behavioral and affective domains of the ethnic–racial socialization process and the implicit and subtle transmission of messages regarding race and ethnicity. Further, methodological approaches in the assessment of ethnic–racial socialization have largely used self-report surveys, suggesting the need for integration of other methods. Areas for future development are discussed using the PMERS framework.
Exploring dynamical phase transitions with cold atoms in an optical cavity

Interactions between atoms and light in optical cavities provide a means of investigating collective (many-body) quantum physics in controlled environments. Such ensembles of atoms in cavities have been proposed for studying collective quantum spin models, where the atomic internal levels mimic a spin degree of freedom and interact through long-range interactions tunable by changing the cavity parameters1–4. Non-classical steady-state phases arising from the interplay between atom–light interactions and dissipation of light from the cavity have previously been investigated5–11. These systems also offer the opportunity to study dynamical phases of matter that are precluded from existence at equilibrium but can be stabilized by driving a system out of equilibrium12–16, as demonstrated by recent experiments17–22. These phases can also display universal behaviours akin to standard equilibrium phase transitions8,23,24. Here, we use an ensemble of about a million strontium-88 atoms in an optical cavity to simulate a collective Lipkin–Meshkov–Glick model25,26, an iconic model in quantum magnetism, and report the observation of distinct dynamical phases of matter in this system. Our system allows us to probe the dependence of dynamical phase transitions on system size, initial state and other parameters. These observations can be linked to similar dynamical phases in related systems, including the Josephson effect in superfluid helium27, or coupled atomic28 and solid-state polariton29 condensates. The system itself offers potential for generation of metrologically useful entangled states in optical transitions, which could permit quantum enhancement in state-of-the-art atomic clocks30,31. Interactions between light and an ensemble of strontium atoms in an optical cavity can serve as a testbed for studying dynamical phase transitions, which are currently not well understood.
Change of PAF and TNF-α in neonatal rat model of necrotizing enterocolitis

Objective To study the change of platelet-activating factor(PAF)and tumor necrosis fac-tor-α(TNF-α)density in neonatal rat model of necrotizing enterocolitis,and analyze the correlation between the PAF、TNF-α levd and the scoring of intestinal injury.The aim is to explore the function of PAF and TNF-α in NEC.Methods According to 2 x 2 factor analysis,32 neonate Sprague-Dewley rats(48 hours olds)were divided into 4 groups(A,B,C and D,8 rats each group).Group A was made into NEC models as follows:separate from mother rats and feeding with rat milk substitute,hypoxia(100%N2)for 90 second and 4℃cold exposure for 10 minutes,twice a day during 3 consecutive days;Group B was given formula feeding alone,not hypoxia and cold exposure.Group C was given rat milk feeding,the same hypoxia and cold exposure as group A,Group D was control group,given rat milk feeding,not hypoxia and cold exposure.On the 4th day all the subjects were sacrificed and the intestine around ileocecal junction were obtained to evaluated by stained with H&E for histological analysis and score.The mean scores more than 2 were considered NEC.The contents of PAF,TNF-α in homogenate of intestinal tissue were measured by ELISA(Kits bought from Shanghai Langka Company).Kruskal-Wallis H test,Spearman correlation analysis were used to analyze difference among various groups.α=0.05 was considered significant.Results The score of histopatholigical and the contents of PAF,TNF-α had significant difference among groups(P＜0.01).By spearman correlation analysis,the relations of the degree of intestinal injury and the contents of PAF,TNF-α in intestinal tissue were positive(rpAF=0.71,rTNF-α=0.81,P＜0.05).Conclusion Endogenous PAF and TNF-α in intestine tissue are probably the critical factors for the development of NEC.As risk factors,they are involed in the development of NEC.It indicated that the concentrations of PAF and TNF-α in intestine tissue had a positive correlation with the severity of NEC and can inflect the degree of intestine mucosa lesions. Key words: Necrotizing enterocolitis; Neonatal rat; Animal model; Platelet-activating factor; Tumor necrosis factor-α
The Use of Embolic Protection Devices during Lower Extremity Peripheral Vascular Interventions.

Background The use of embolic protection device (EPD) during lower extremity peripheral vascular interventions (PVI) has been reported, but its impact on outcomes is unclear. The goal of this study was to assess the use and outcomes of EPDs during PVI. Methods All PVI between 2010 and 2014 in the Vascular Study Group of New England (VSGNE) database were reviewed. The characteristics of patients and lesions treated with EPD were identified. A propensity-matched control group without EPD was selected. The outcomes of both groups were compared, and a multivariable analysis was performed. Results There were a total of 10,875 procedures. EPD was used in 2% of the procedures. From 2010 to 2014, EPD use significantly increased from 1.1 to 3.5% (P Conclusions EPD use during PVI has significantly increased. Despite EPDs increasing procedural complexity and time, they do not seem to have any impact on PVI outcomes. Additional studies are needed to characterize which patients would benefit from EPDs.
Biomass Energy with Geological Sequestration of CO2: Two for the Price of One?

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the technical feasibility and economic implications of combining biomass energy systems with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology, resulting in energy products with negative net atmospheric carbon emissions. CCS has emerged as an important alternative for mitigating atmospheric emissions. Combining CCS technologies with biomass energy systems (biomass-CCS) would generate useful energy products and effectively remove CO2 from the natural carbon cycle for geologic timescales. The primary focus of CCS technology development has been to provide a mechanism to substantially reduce atmospheric carbon emissions from the current mix of fossil energy resources. This represents an efficient strategy for biomass-based carbon mitigation and a mechanism for offsetting emissions sources elsewhere in the economy, fundamentally changing the role of biomass in achieving deep emissions reductions. The chapter also outlines and develops crude engineering-economic models of two potential systems based on IGCC and bio-ethanol technologies. The results of these models provide a basis for comparison with more conventional mitigation technologies. This comparison suggests that, depending on biomass feedstock costs, biomass technologies with carbon capture may be competitive with other mitigation options in the electric sector. Regardless of this intra-sector attractiveness, however, emissions offsets generated by biomass energy systems with CO2 sequestration are likely to be more cost effective than many direct mitigation options outside the electric sector.
Simulation of plasma loading of high-pressure RF cavities

Muon beam-induced plasma loading of radio-frequency (RF) cavities filled with high pressure hydrogen gas with 1% dry air dopant has been studied via numerical simulations. The electromagnetic code SPACE, that resolves relevant atomic physics processes, including ionization by the muon beam, electron attachment to dopant molecules, and electron-ion and ion-ion recombination, has been used. Simulations studies have been performed in the range of parameters typical for practical muon cooling channels.
Should We Screen Cord Blood For ABO Incompatibility

Background: Routinetperformance of blood group and direct coombs test (DCT) on cord blood is controversial. At our institution, from 2007-2013, cord blood type and DCT was obtained for every newborn born to O positive mothers. For newborns with ABO incompatibility, first bilirubin check occurred at 6 hours of life. Phototherapy would commence in newborn nursery if needed with transfer to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for intensive phototherapy or additional intervention, including IVIG and exchange transfusion. Beginning 2014, routine cord blood group and DCT was no longer performed. First bilirubin level …
Triacylglycerol lipidome from human meibomian gland epithelial cells: Description, response to culture conditions, and perspective on function.

Abstract Preliminary work has shown that select triacylglycerols (TAGs) are upregulated in a preclinical model of MGD, suggesting that TAGs may be an important outcome variable in research involving human meibomian gland epithelial cells (HMGECs). The purpose of this study was to explore the HMGEC TAG lipidome in culture conditions known to influence differentiation. HMGECs were differentiated in DMEM/F12 with 10 ng/ml EGF, FBS (2% or 10%), and rosiglitazone (0, 20, or 50 μM) for two or five days. Following culture, lipids were extracted, processed, and directly infused into a Triple TOF 5600 mass spectrometer (SCIEX, Framingham, MA) with electrospray ionization. MS and MS/MSALL spectra were acquired in the positive ion mode and performed with the SWATH technology. Only the TAGs that were present in all 48 samples were included in the analysis. Multiple regression techniques were utilized to assess the effects of each factor (FBS, rosiglitazone, and culture duration) on each expressed TAG. The HMGEC TAG lipidome consisted of 115 TAGs with 42–62 carbons and zero to 10 double bonds. Fatty acyl chains had 14 to 26 carbons and zero to five double bonds. C18:1 (oleic acid, 25/115, 21.7%) and C16:0 (palmitic acid, 16/115, 13.9%) were the most common fatty acids. FBS, rosiglitazone, and culture duration were significant predictors for 93 TAGs (80.9%) with R2 values ranging from 0.20 to 0.77 (p
FLARIM v2.0, an improved method to quantify transcript-ribosome interactions in vivo in the adult Drosophila brain

Neural injury triggers striking immune reactions from glial cells, including significant transcriptional and morphological changes, but it is unclear how these events are coordinated to mount an effective immune response. Here, we present a new variant of the Fluorescence assay to detect ribosome interactions with mRNA (FLARIM), which we term FLARIM v2.0, to visualize single immune gene transcripts and association with ribosomes in glia responding to neurodegeneration. Specifically, using an in vivo axotomy assay in Drosophila, we show that matrix metalloproteinase-1 (Mmp-1) mRNAs and associated ribosomes are detected in distal processes of reactive glia where they are actively engulfing degenerating axonal material, suggesting that local translation is an important component of the glial immune response to axotomy. This work also validates our enhanced FLARIM assay as a promising tool to investigate mechanisms of mRNA transport and translation in a wide range of in vitro and in vivo paradigms.
Delineating a '15-minute city': an agent-based modeling approach to estimate the size of local communities

With progressively increased people living in cities, and lately the global COVID-19 outbreak, human mobility within cities has changed. Coinciding with this change, is the recent uptake of the '15-Minute City' idea in urban planning around the world. One of the hallmarks of this idea is to create a high quality of life within a city via an acceptable travel distance (i.e., 15 minutes). However, a definitive benchmark for defining a '15-Minute City' has yet to be agreed upon due to the heterogeneous character of urban morphologies worldwide. To shed light on this issue, we develop an agent-based model named 'D-FMCities' utilizing realistic street networks and points-of-interest, in this instance the borough of Queens in New York City as a test case. Through our modeling we grow diverse communities from the bottom up and estimate the size of such local communities to delineate 15-minute cities. Our findings suggest that the model could be helpful to detect the flexibility of defining the extent of a '15-minute city' and consequently support uncovering the underlying factors that may affect its various definitions and diverse sizes throughout the world.