cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complete Response (CR) to Induction Therapy in Patients (pts) with Myc+ and Double Hit Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) Is Associated with Prolonged Progression-Free Survival (PFS).

Abstract 2693 Background: Aggressive B-cell NHL harboring a c-MYC rearrangement (myc+) with or without t(14;18) is associated with shortened PFS and overall survival (OS) (Savage, Blood 2009; Johnson, Blood 2009). Clinical presentation, risk-assessment, and therapies vary among pts and institutions. We reviewed pts with myc+ and double hit NHL treated at the Ohio State University (OSU) from Aug 2008-Jan 2012 to determine factors associated with prolonged PFS and OS. Methods: Pts with de-novo B-cell NHL who were myc+ by FISH break-apart probe were included. Pts with Burkitt9s, follicular, and transformed NHL were excluded. Most pts were also evaluated for presence of t(14;18) by FISH, and those myc+ pts with t(14;18) were classified as double hit NHL. Response was determined by PET/CT at the completion of first-line therapy. Associations between myc+ and clinical characteristics were described. PFS and OS were defined from date of diagnosis to date of relapse or death. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were performed to assess relationships of selected clinical variables with PFS and OS. Results: Of 49 myc+ pts, 55% were male, and median age at diagnosis was 62 (range: 23–83). Morphologically, 30 pts had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 10 pts had B cell lymphoma unclassifiable with features intermediate between diffuse large B cell and Burkitt lymphoma (BCLU), and 9 pts had high grade NHL not otherwise specified. Twenty-eight pts had ECOG performance status ≤1, and 40 pts had stage III-IV disease. Twelve pts had bone marrow involvement, and 26 pts had bulky disease ≥5cm. IPI was ≥3 in 24 pts, and median Ki-67 was 90% (range: 45–100). Twenty-nine of 43 assessed pts (67%) were positive for t(14;18). Therapies included R-CHOP (N=17), R-EPOCH (N=17), Burkitt9s-like (ie, R-HyperCVAD, R-CODOXM/IVAC, or R-CHOP with high dose methotrexate; N=11), or other (N=4). No pts underwent autologous transplant in first remission. Twenty-nine pts (59%) achieved a complete response (CR), 2 pts had a partial response, 1 pt had stable disease, 8 pts had progressive disease (PD), and 9 pts died before response assessment (5 pts after cycle 1, 3 pts after cycle 2, and 1 pt after cycle 3). With a median follow-up of 26.2 months (mos; range: 4.8–45.0), the median PFS for all pts was 16.6 mos (95%CI: 9.6 - not reached=NR), and median OS was 37.7 mos (95%CI: 15.7–NR). Median PFS was 3.9 mos for pts without CR vs. not yet reached in pts with CR (p Conclusion: While myc+ NHL, with or without t(14;18), has historically been associated with inferior PFS and OS, achievement of a CR with front-line therapy was indicative of a favorable PFS and OS vs. those who do not achieve CR. Additional evaluation of myc+ aggressive NHL is needed to characterize pre-treatment factors associated with achievement of CR and to further evaluate the association of CR to induction therapy with survival outcomes. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
MPI-F: An Efficient Implementation of MPI on IBM-SP1

This article introduces MPI-F an efficient implementation of MPI on the IBM-SP1 distributed memory cluster. After discussing the novel and key concepts of MPI and how they relate to an implementation, the MPI-F system architecture is outlined in detail. Although many incorrectly assume that MPI will not be efficient due to its increased functionality, MPI-F performance demonstrates efficiency as good as the best message passing library currently available on the SP1.
More chemo or home hospice? Narrative results from an N-of-1 trial

Words matter. They have tremendous power to heal or hurt. And although the patients we care for in oncology and palliative medicine often die from, or despite, their neoplastic illness; caregivers and loved ones often hold onto the words that clinicians share with them during their times of struggle and grief. In this narrative, the author (as first person) reflects on some systemic challenges he faced in dealing with illness and loss when his father battled two distinct neoplastic processes. He explores the commonalities and differences that he experienced as a palliative care physician, and how that has guided his medical practice moving forward. Moreover, he shares his observations regarding breaking bad news, code status discussions, and transitioning to hospice-as a cautionary tale to all clinical providers that what we say to patients and families matters. He encourages clinicians to avoid losing sight of the power and responsibility we all have to provide optimal, patient-centered care.
Profiling the transcriptome with RNA SPOTs

Single-molecule FISH (smFISH) has been the gold standard for quantifying individual transcript abundances. Here, we scale up multiplexed smFISH to the transcriptome level and profile 10,212 different mRNAs from mouse fibroblast and embryonic stem cells. This method, called RNA sequential probing of targets (SPOTs), provides an accurate, flexible, and low-cost alternative to sequencing for profiling transcriptomes.
Sirt1 Overexpression Suppresses Fluoride-induced p53 Acetylation to Alleviate Fluoride Toxicity in Ameloblasts Responsible for Enamel Formation

Low-dose fluoride is an effective caries prophylactic, but high-dose fluoride is an environmental health hazard that causes skeletal and dental fluorosis. Treatments to prevent fluorosis and the molecular pathways responsive to fluoride exposure remain to be elucidated. Previously we showed that fluoride activates SIRT1 as an adaptive response to protect cells. Here, we demonstrate that fluoride induced p53 acetylation (Ac-p53) [Lys379], which is a SIRT1 deacetylation target, in ameloblast-derived LS8 cells in vitro and in enamel organ in vivo. Here we assessed SIRT1 function on fluoride-induced Ac-p53 formation using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Sirt1 knockout (LS8Sirt/KO) cells or CRISPR/dCas9/SAM-mediated Sirt1 overexpressing (LS8Sirt1/over) cells. NaF (5 mM) induced Ac-p53 formation and increased cell cycle arrest via Cdkn1a/p21 expression in Wild-type (WT) cells. However, fluoride-induced Ac-p53 was suppressed by the SIRT1 activator resveratrol (50 µM). Without fluoride, Ac-p53 persisted in LS8Sirt/KO cells, whereas it decreased in LS8Sirt1/over. Fluoride-induced Ac-p53 formation was also suppressed in LS8Sirt1/over cells. Compared to WT cells, fluoride-induced Cdkn1a/p21 expression was elevated in LS8Sirt/KO and these cells were more susceptible to fluoride-induced growth inhibition. In contrast, LS8Sirt1/over cells were significantly more resistant. In addition, fluoride-induced cytochrome-c release and caspase-3 activation were suppressed in LS8Sirt1/over cells. Fluoride induced expression of the DNA double strand break marker γH2AX in WT cells and this was augmented in LS8Sirt1/KO cells, but was attenuated in LS8Sirt1/over cells. Our results suggest that SIRT1 deacetylates Ac-p53 to mitigate fluoride-induced cell growth inhibition, mitochondrial damage, DNA damage and apoptosis. This is the first report implicating Ac-p53 in fluoride toxicity.
Investigation of green and sustainable solvents for direct arylation polymerization (DArP)

Direct arylation polymerization (DArP) is an emerging method for conjugated polymer synthesis. It alleviates typical synthetic routes from toxic, hazardous materials, such as pyrophorphoric organolithium or highly-toxic stannane reagents. The progress and development of synthetic methodologies for DArP have allowed for the preparation of conjugated polymers with a minimization or exclusion of undesired couplings, such as branching (β) defects and donor–donor or acceptor–acceptor homocouplings. This has allowed for conjugated polymers prepared using DArP to converge upon or surpass the performance of polymers prepared using conventional polymerization methods, e.g. Stille or Suzuki, when integrated into polymer bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Considering that DArP has the potential to become the industrial-scale method for conjugated polymer synthesis, determining the compatability of environmentally benign, non-hazardous, and low-cost solvents with DArP is imperative. Herein, we report the application of green and sustainable solvents, such as 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, cyclopentyl methyl ether, diethylcarbonate, and γ-valerolactone, for DArP towards the preparation of poly[(2,5-bis(2-hexyldecyloxy)phenylene)-alt-(4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole) (PPDTBT) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), where optimal conditions are derived based on the molecular weight, yield, and characterization (NMR, XRD, and UV-vis) for the aforementioned polymers. We find that cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) provides the best polymerization products with an Mn up to 41 kDa for PPDTBT and with yields up to 98%, which is the highest reported to our knowledge for this polymer prepared using DArP. Application of CPME to P3HT resulted in Mn values of 12 kDa with 93% regio-regularity (RR) and no detectable β-defects.
Current dorsal myelographic column and dural diameter reduction rules do not apply at the cervicothoracic junction in horses.

Previously published myelographic studies do not report findings at the junction between the seventh cervical (C7) and first thoracic vertebrae (T1). Modern digital radiographic equipment allows improved visualization of C7-T1. Based on clinical experience, we hypothesized that 50% reduction of the dorsal myelographic column or 20% reduction of the dural diameter, criteria commonly used as a supportive finding for spinal cord compression in the cervical vertebral column, do not apply at C7-T1. A myelographic study was performed on 12 healthy, neurologically normal horses. Our hypothesis was confirmed; using established criteria eight of 12 horses would have been classified as having evidence of spinal cord compression at C7-T1. The dorsal myelographic column reduction at C7-T1 was 48 ± 12%, while the C6-C7 dorsal myelographic column reduction was 33 ± 17% (mean ± standard deviation) (P = 0.010). The dural diameter reduction at C7-T1 (22.0 ± 6.7%) was significantly greater than the dural diameter reduction at C6-C7 (13.2 ± 9.5%) (P = 0.0007). Further measurements and comparisons suggested that the apparent greater reduction of dorsal myelographic column and dural diameter at C7-T1 was due to larger intravertebral measurements at C7 rather than smaller intervertebral values at C7-T1. Based on these findings, alternative criteria should be used at C7-T1 when assessing clinical cases for cervical stenotic myelopathy. Reduction of the dorsal myelographic column by 60% or of the dural diameter by 30% would avoid high numbers of false positive myelographic cases at C7-T1.
Allelochemicals and Alimentary Ecology: Heterosis in a Hybrid Zone?

Proper interpretation of differential survival, growth, and reproduction of phytophagous insects on various host plants depends on our ability to discriminate between a large number of plant characteristics, insect characteristics, and environmental factors that influence the preingestive acceptability (Ahmad, 1983; Miller and Strickler, 1984) and post-ingestive suitability of food plants (Scriber and Slansky, 1981; Berenbaum, 1985, 1986). Research over the last several years has addressed these various concerns in considerable detail for leaf-chewing Lepidoptera and has made it more feasible to differentiate between environmental and/or food plant effects and heritable physiological adaptations (Scriber, 1983, 1984a; Rausher, 1984; Whitham et al., 1984; Slansky and Scriber, 1985; Mattson and Scriber, 1985).
Developments in the Production of Iron Doped and High-Aspect-Ratio SiGDP to Glass Capsules

AbstractLarge-diameter (>1600-μm), thin-walled (<5-μm) glass capsules suitable for use in the intertial confinement fusion program have been successfully manufactured using the silicon doped glow discharge polymer (SiGDP) conversion process. The SiGDP conversion process not only enhances the capabilities of high-aspect-ratio glass capsule fabrication, it also is instrumental in the manufacture of iron doped glass capsules (up to 1 at. % iron) for mix experiments.
Longitudinal Effects of Developmental Bisphenol A Exposure on Epigenome-Wide DNA Hydroxymethylation at Imprinted Loci in Mouse Blood.

Background: Epigenetic machinery plays an important role in genomic imprinting, a developmental process that establishes parent-of-origin–specific monoallelic gene expression. Although a number of ...
As If Percutaneous ASD Closure Needed More Proof

One of the most important achievements in cardiovascular medicine over the past several decades has been the success and widespread adoption of less invasive, transcatheter treatment for a variety ...
Trends in Receipt of Contraceptive Services: Young Women in the U.S., 2002-2015.

Introduction In order to understand adolescent girls’ and young women's use of contraceptive services, this paper examines trends in receipt of contraceptive services, focusing on provider type and payment source. Methods The analysis uses nationally representative data from females aged 15–25 years in the 2002, 2006–2010, and 2011–2015 National Surveys of Family Growth. In 2018, summary measures for receipt of any contraceptive service, the type of provider visited and payment used were created and compared across survey years and age groups (15–17 and 18–25 years). Results From 2002 to 2011–2015, the proportion of adolescent girls aged 15–17 years relying on publicly funded clinics for contraceptive care fell from 47% to 24% (95% CI=38.4%, 55.0% and 95% CI=19.0%, 29.9%), whereas the proportion relying on private providers increased from 49% to 69% (95% CI=40.7%, 57.1% and 95% CI=61.6%, 76.2%). A significant, but smaller, shift away from clinics occurred among women aged 18–25 years. Over the same period, use of health insurance to pay for contraceptive services among all females aged 15–25 years increased from 68% to 81% (95% CI=64.7%, 71.3% and 95% CI=78.5%, 83.8%), whereas the proportion who had private insurance during the year, but did not use it to pay for contraceptive care, declined from 21% to 9% (95% CI=18.3%, 23.5% and 95% CI=6.8%, 10.7%). Conclusions Private providers now provide the bulk of contraceptive services to adolescent girls and young women, with reduced reliance on publicly funded clinics. Supporting private practices in providing confidential and comprehensive family planning services must be a priority. Publicly funded clinics remain an important safety-net provider of contraceptive care for adolescent girls and young women.
Pay Gap among Executives and Firm Value

We simultaneously study the determinants of the pay gaps among top executives and their impact on firm value. We find that firms that require additional incentives to reduce shirking, such as the ones with high capital intensity and the ones with volatile stock performance, have higher pay gaps than other firms. On the other hand, firms that rely on efficient cooperation to survive and succeed, such as technology-intensive firms and firms with financial distress, tend to have lower pay gaps. We further find that firm value is impaired if the pay gap arrangements deviate substantially from the firm’s optimal range. Corporate governance can explain such deviation. CEO entrenchment is likely to lead to higher than optimal pay gaps. On the other hand, strong governance can result in lower than optimal pay gaps. We also document a substitution effect among various incentive mechanisms. When the alignment of interests improves, the pay gap level reduces and so does the effect of pay gap on firm value.
Microscale Investigation of the Impact of Surfactant Structure on the Residual Trapping in Natural Porous Media

Residual trapping of a nonwetting phase in a porous medium is directly impacted by the relative magnitude of capillary, viscous, and gravity forces. Ratios of these forces control the sequence by w...
Neuroeconomics of Asset-Price Bubbles: Neuroimaging and Digital Technology for the Prediction and Prevention of Major Bubbles

Asset-price bubbles challenge the explanatory and predictive power of standard economic theory, so neuroeconomic measures should be explored as potential tools for improving the predictive power of standard theory. This exploration is begun by reviewing results from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of lab asset-price bubbles and herding behavior (i.e., following others' decisions). These results are consistent with a neuroeconomics-based hypothesis of asset-price bubbles. In this view, decision making during bubble or non-bubble periods of financial-market activity is driven by, respectively, evolutionarily ancient or new neurocircuitry. Neuroimaging studies that test this or other neuroeconomics-based hypotheses of asset-price bubbles may yield a bubble-related biomarker (e.g., low trade-related lateral neocortical activity associated with traders’ herding-based decisions). Wearable functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology could determine the prevalence of such a biomarker among financial-market participants, thereby enabling the real-time detection of an emerging bubble. Mechanisms are described by which this early-warning signal could be exploited in self-regulatory or government-administered policies for financial-system stabilization. Digital technology may offer an even more readily achievable alternative to neuroimaging (e.g., behavioral precursors to price bubbles may be identified in analyses of investors’ interactions with asset-trading platforms). In summary, neuroimaging- or digital technology-based financial-system regulation may be useful for distinguishing bubble from non-bubble periods and preventing major asset-price bubbles. To clarify the role of cognitive distortions in these cyclical periods, price is classified as a heuristic that yields bubble or crash biases.
Effect of d-cycloserine on fear extinction training in adults with social anxiety disorder

Preclinical and clinical data have shown that D-cycloserine (DCS), a partial agonist at the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor complex, augments the retention of fear extinction in animals and the therapeutic learning from exposure therapy in humans. However, studies with non-clinical human samples in de novo fear conditioning paradigms have demonstrated minimal to no benefit of DCS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of DCS on the retention of extinction learning following de novo fear conditioning in a clinical sample. Eighty-one patients with social anxiety disorder were recruited and underwent a previously validated de novo fear conditioning and extinction paradigm over the course of three days. Of those, only 43 (53%) provided analyzable data. During conditioning on Day 1, participants viewed images of differently colored lamps, two of which were followed by with electric shock (CS+) and a third which was not (CS-). On Day 2, participants were randomly assigned to receive either 50 mg DCS or placebo, administered in a double-blind manner 1 hour prior to extinction training with a single CS+ in a distinct context. Day 3 consisted of tests of extinction recall and renewal. The primary outcome was skin conductance response to conditioned stimuli, and shock expectancy ratings were examined as a secondary outcome. Results showed greater skin conductance and expectancy ratings in response to the CS+ compared to CS- at the end of conditioning. As expected, this difference was no longer present at the end of extinction training, but returned at early recall and renewal phases on Day 3, showing evidence of return of fear. In contrast to hypotheses, DCS had no moderating influence on skin conductance response or expectancy of shock during recall or renewal phases. We did not find evidence of an effect of DCS on the retention of extinction learning in humans in this fear conditioning and extinction paradigm.
Phonetic convergence to Southern American English: Acoustics and perception

Phonetic convergence is linguistically and socially selective. The current study examined the constraints on this selectivity in convergence to Southern American English by non-Southern Americans in a word shadowing task. Participants were asked either to repeat the words after the model talker, to repeat the words after the model talker from Louisville, KY, or to imitate the way the model talker from Louisville, KY, said the words, in a between-subject design. Acoustic analysis of the participants' productions revealed significant phonetic convergence on word duration and back vowel fronting, but not on /aɪ/ monophthongization, across all three instruction conditions. These findings suggest social selectivity such that convergence on stereotyped variants is avoided, but convergence to a talker with a non-prestigious variety is not. A perceptual assessment of convergence confirmed the acoustic results, but also revealed significantly more convergence in the explicit imitation condition than in the two repetition conditions. These findings suggest that explicit instructions to imitate lead to greater convergence overall, but do not completely override social selectivity. A comparison of the acoustic and perceptual assessments of convergence indicates that they provide complementary insights into specific features and holistic patterns of convergence, respectively.
Management of difficult-to-treat Clostridioides difficile in a patient with chronic osteomyelitis

A 61-year-old male patient being treated with intravenous antibiotics for left foot osteomyelitis presented to the hospital septic, with several days of worsening abdominal pain, bloating and watery bowel movements. Investigation revealed that the patient had severe, treatment-resistant Clostridioides difficile colitis. He was initially treated with oral vancomycin and intravenous metronidazole, which was switched to oral fidaxomicin. After no improvement in the patient's symptoms, he was treated with two faecal microbiota transplants. He was offered a third faecal microbiota transplant but declined. The patient was placed back on oral fidaxomicin and saw ultimate resolution of his symptoms. This case provides an example of a treatment pathway for refractory C. difficile infection.
A Whole Hospital Conversion From Tiotropium Handihaler to Institutional Size Tiotropium Respimat Using Common Canister

Background: Tiotropium HandiHaler posed significant issues to respiratory care and pharmacy even with our common canister approach. We looked for alternatives to improve respiratory therapist (RT) workflow and to manage cost. We piloted the non-institutional size tiotropium Respimat due to the increase use in the outpatient settings. At the time of the initial trial Respimat was not available in an institutional size. Our findings showed that the non-institutional size was cost prohibitive, however improved RT workflow. In July of 2018 the institutional size was made available. For the above reasons we evaluated the institutional size Respimat using common canister. Methods: All patients receiving tiotropium by Handihaler from 1/18 onwards were converted to the non-institutional size Respimat and administered by common canister. On 7/18 Respimat was converted to the institutional size and administered by common canister. We compared the actual pharmacy costs of non-institutional and institutional size Respimat, both administered with common canister. Costs with 100% or no common canister delivery were estimated. Results: Costs: HandiHaler (5 capsules) $37.22, $7.44 per day; non-institutional size Respimat (30 doses) $333.02, $11.10 per day; institutional size Respimat (14 doses) $36.29, $2.59 per day. Pre-intervention monthly HandiHaler cost was $3,481. Average non-institutional size Respimat monthly cost using common canister was $11,375, a 3.27 fold increase in cost. Common canister was used 72% of the administrations. Average Institutional size Respimat monthly cost using common canister was $1,641, a 53% reduction in HandiHaler cost. Common canister was used 76% of the administrations. Treatments on influenza and isolation patients were done without common canister. Estimated average monthly cost of institutional size Respimat without common canister would be $1,212, a 14% reduction in HandiHaler cost. Conclusions: Tiotropium delivered by institutional size Respimat is cost effective compared with HandiHaler. Significant additional cost savings can be achieved with common canister. Delivery with the HandiHaler can be eliminated. Disclosures: Acevedo - consultant for Monaghan Medical and Sunovion.
Justice and Jesuit Legal Education: A Critique

In April 1997, less than a year after I first joined the faculty, I was invited to participate in a panel discussion entitled “Law and Justice: Are They Still Connected?” The panel was organized not by a fellow faculty member, but by then Law School chaplain, Brother James Zullo, F.S.C. He did so in response to a request from several third-year students who had expressed an interest in the subject. Following the brief formal presentation, the panel members invited questions from the students in attendance. A particularly memorable comment and question came from a young woman about to graduate. In a moment of incredulous reflection she complained that this was her third and final year of law school, yet this was the first time in any of her classes that she could recall any meaningful discussion of justice. She explained that the absence of this sort of discussion was especially disappointing because she had attended a Jesuit university for her undergraduate studies where such discussions had regularly taken place, and that she had been attracted to Loyola’s law school because of its Jesuit identity. Indeed, she had come to Loyola with the expectation that justice, in the context of law, would be a vital part of the curriculum. This, it turned out, had not been the case. Thus, she wanted to know why discussions concerning the meaning and importance of justice were not at the heart of Loyola’s efforts to prepare future lawyers for the practice of law. Why was it, she asked, that justice did not play a more prominent role in the
Geographic disparities in violent crime during the COVID-19 lockdown in Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2018-2020.

This study uses two cluster detection techniques to identify clusters of violent crime during the 3 months of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in Miami-Dade County compared to that during an equivalent period in 2018 and 2019. Violent crime data from the Miami-Dade Central Records Bureau were analyzed. The Local Indicators of Spatial Association statistics and a space‐time permutation statistic were used to identify clusters of violent crimes and outliers, and Global Moran’s I tool was used to assess spatial patterning in violent crime. Neighborhood disadvantage data were obtained from the American Community Survey 5-year estimates linked with arrest locations. Violent crime arrests fell by 7.1% in 2020. Arrests were concentrated in predominantly Black disadvantaged neighborhoods in the northern part, and similar results were produced for core clusters by the two cluster techniques with positive global Moran’s I for all study years. Although accounting for only 17% of the county population, nearly half of violent crime arrests were for Black or African American. Males comprised most violent crime arrests. Crime prevention and intervention efforts should be focused on both high-risk places and offenders.
A Fault-Tolerant Approach for Hybrid Modular Multilevel Converter Using Negative Voltage Levels

This paper focuses on the operation of hybrid modular multilevel converter and proposes an effective approach that guarantees the full performance of the converter even in post-fault condition. The main novelty of this paper is utilizing negative arm voltage levels in a way to compensate the missed voltage. After the fault occurrence, the DC component of the arm voltages as well as the DC-link voltage are adjusted based on the fault states to restore the nominal balanced line-to-line voltage in the post-fault condition. In comparison with the previous methods, the proposed method does not add any hardware to the circuit to restore the nominal output voltage. The capacitor voltage of submodules, also, does not increase after fault occurrence. Therefore, the converter can maintain its nominal line-to-line voltage in post-fault condition without extra implementation costs or overdesign requirements. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, detailed simulation and experimental results are provided.
Book review: Osmund Bopearachchi and Suchandra Ghosh, eds, Early Indian History and Beyond: Essays in Honour of B. D. Chattopadhyaya

Osmund Bopearachchi and Suchandra Ghosh, eds, Early Indian History and Beyond: Essays in Honour of B. D. Chattopadhyaya. New Delhi: Primus Books, 2019, 561pp.
A Survey of Attacks and Countermeasures in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Security is an essential service for wired and wireless network communications. The success of mobile ad hoc network (MANET) will depend on people ’s confidence in its security. However, the characteristics of MANET pose both challenges and opportunities in achieving security goals, such as confidentiality, authentication, integrity, availability, access control, and non-repudiation. We provide a survey of attacks and countermeasures in MANET in this chapter. The countermeasures are features or functions that reduce or eliminate security vulnerabilities and attacks. First, we give an overview of attacks according to the protocol layers, and to security attributes and mechanisms. Then we present preventive approaches following the order of the layered protocol layers. We also put forward an overview of MANET intrusion detection systems (IDS), which are reactive approaches to thwart attacks and used as a second line of defense.
The Use of Amiloride Analogs to Probe Adaptations of the Proximal Tubuiar Na + /H + Antiporter in Response to a Reduction in Renal Mass

One of the earliest manifestations of an acute reduction in renal mass is an elevation of the glomerular filtration rates of the remaining nephrons. Within 24 hrs of removing one kidney fluid reabsorption is increased in the proximal tubule, providing an effective mechanism for reclaiming the bulk of the increased filtered load of solutes and water. Since this enhanced tubular reabsorption can be demonstrated in vitro, it follows that the adaptation is intrinsic to the tubular epithelial cell and is not dependent upon extratubular factors (1).
Connections to Logic

Publisher Summary One can specify a language and then study what sets or relations might have exact definitions that can be formulated in that language. The goal is to show that every computable set is definable in this language. This connection between computability and definability has some consequences. The following proposition supplies closure results under union, intersection, and substitution of total computable functions. The study of definability in formal languages is an important part of logic.
A Survey of Derived Triple Systems

Publisher Summary This chapter surveys derived triple system. A triple system is said to be derived from the quadruple system and is called, naturally, a derived triple system (DTS). A triple system can be extended to a quadruple system if and only if it is a derived triple system. The necessary and sufficient conditions for a quadruple system S(3,4, n) to exist is that n = 2 or 4 mod 6. As the spectrum for triple systems S(2,3, u ) is that u = 1 or 3 mod 6, it is concluded that there exists a DTS of every possible order. Results on DTS that come from results in finite geometries or from finite field constructions are well established and in any event are of minor consequence.
Non-host resistance toColletotrichum lagenariumin pumpkin and squash is not primarily associated with β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase activities☆

Disease symptoms typical of anthracnose were observed in cucumber, pumpkin and squash after infiltrating leaves with a conidial suspension ofColletotrichum lagenarium, but symptoms developed only in cucumber when droplets of the conidial suspension were applied to the leaf surface. There was no difference in the germination of conidia or in appressorium formation on leaf surfaces of cucumber, pumpkin or squash plants; however, penetration was markedly reduced into pumpkin and squash with or without systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and into cucumber with SAR. Little β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase activities were detected in challenged pumpkin and squash leaves without symptoms even 5 days after inoculation in leaf surfaces. However, the enzymes were detected in pumpkin and squash leaves with symptoms, and activities of the enzymes were greater than those in cucumber. These results suggest that β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase activities are not primary initial defence compounds associated with non-host resistance of pumpkin and squash toC. lagenarium.
World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft (WoW) is the most successful massively multiplayer online role playing game. Itboth represents and influences its genre and has become the focus of a range of scholarly studies. Many have used rigorous social science theories and methods ranging from qualitative ethnography to quantitative analysis of census data. Researchers have examined many aspects of this virtual world, including culture, role playing, group formation, connections with external social actors and economic markets. The player population is global in scope and a vast online community operating outside WoW has created an array of wikis, blogs, guild websites, and add-on software programs. Due to its size and complexity, WoW has become a proving ground for new research methods and a school for scientists who wish to study other online communities in future. Keywords: cyberculture; human–computer interaction; MMORPG; sociology of culture and media; video games
Reaeration Prediction in Natural Streams

The reaeration coefficient can be shown to be proportional to the vertical mass transfer coefficient at the surface and inversely proportional to the square of the average depth. After evaluation and simplification, this can be expressed as k2 = Cu\D*\N/h. The constant is evaluated from experimental data for various scales of flow and the resulting single equation is shown to have greater accuracy, cover a wider range of flow scales, and be less sensitive to variations in basic data than any of the presently used methods of prediction.
Associations between exposure to ambient benzene and PM(2.5) during pregnancy and the risk of selected birth defects in offspring.

Abstract Objective A growing number of studies have investigated the association between air pollution and the risk of birth defects, but results are inconsistent. The objective of this study was to examine whether maternal exposure to ambient PM 2.5 or benzene increases the risk of selected birth defects in Florida. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of singleton infants born in Florida from 2000 to 2009. Isolated and non-isolated birth defect cases of critical congenital heart defects, orofacial clefts, and spina bifida were identified from the Florida Birth Defects Registry. Estimates of maternal exposures to PM 2.5 and benzene for all case and non-case pregnancies were derived by aggregation of ambient measurement data, obtained from the US Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality System, during etiologically relevant time windows. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each quartile of air pollutant exposure. Results Compared to the first quartile of PM 2.5 exposure, higher levels of exposure were associated with an increased risk of non-isolated truncus arteriosus (aPR 4th Quartile , 8.80; 95% CI, 1.11–69.50), total anomalous pulmonary venous return (aPR 2nd Quartile , 5.00; 95% CI, 1.10–22.84), coarctation of the aorta (aPR 4th Quartile , 1.72; 95% CI, 1.15–2.57; aPR 3rd Quartile , 1.60; 95% CI, 1.07–2.41), interrupted aortic arch (aPR 4th Quartile , 5.50; 95% CI, 1.22–24.82), and isolated and non-isolated any critical congenital heart defect (aPR 3rd Quartile , 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02–1.25; aPR 4th Quartile , 1.33; 95% CI, 1.07–1.65). Mothers with the highest level of exposure to benzene were more likely to deliver an infant with an isolated cleft palate (aPR 4th Quartile , 1.52; 95% CI, 1.13–2.04) or any orofacial cleft (aPR 4th Quartile , 1.29; 95% CI, 1.08–1.56). An inverse association was observed between exposure to benzene and non-isolated pulmonary atresia (aPR 4th Quartile , 0.19; 95% CI, 0.04–0.84). Conclusion Our results suggest a few associations between exposure to ambient PM 2.5 or benzene and specific birth defects in Florida. However, many related comparisons showed no association. Hence, it remains unclear whether associations are clinically significant or can be causally related to air pollution exposures.
Intrinsic stress in silicon nitride and silicon dioxide films prepared by various deposition techniques

Summary form only given. The mechanical stress caused by silicon nitride and silicon dioxide films on
Nonideal habitat selection by a North American cavity excavator: pecking up the wrong tree?

Nonideal habitat selection occurs when preferred habitat attributes differ from those associated with increased fitness. These mismatches have been widely studied in open cup-nesting birds, but the relationship between habitat-associated preferences and fitness in cavity-nesting birds has received relatively little attention. We studied patterns of preference and fitness during 2006–2007 in an Idaho, USA, population of Red-naped Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus nuchalis S.F. Baird, 1858). Using a suite of nonparametric tests, we examined the associations between habitat attributes and both nesting-area preferences and nest productivity (number of fledglings per pair) across four spatial scales. Nest productivity was associated with tree- and cavity-scale attributes, whereas preference was associated with attributes of home ranges. Live trees and southeasterly oriented cavities had higher nest productivity but were not preferred. Microclimates in nests with these attributes may enhance nestling survival, whereas no...
Compressing to VC Dimension Many Points

Any set of labeled examples consistent with some hidden orthogonal rectangle can be “compressed” to at most four examples: An upmost, a leftmost, a rightmost and a bottommost positive example. These four examples represent an orthogonal rectangle (the smallest such rectangle that contains them) that is consistent with all examples.
Information Seeking over the Course of Illness: The Experience of People with Fibromyalgia

Objective Although there is literature addressing the fibromyalgia illness experience, there has been limited work concerning how people with fibromyalgia utilize health information. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the information needs and information-seeking patterns of such individuals, and how these might change over time. Methods Data were collected through an online survey of fibromyalgia-related information behaviours (N = 190). The participants were recruited through two methods: an email invitation sent out over a university listserv including faculty, staff and students, and invitational posts on fibromyalgia discussion boards on various health-related websites. Results Respondents used the internet most frequently, but also placed great value on information from others, including healthcare practitioners, family and friends. Among the online sources, organization websites, health portals and health-related social networking sites were most frequently used. Topics of interest to people with fibromyalgia vary as they move from an initial stage of confusion, to diagnosis and eventually to a stage of equilibrium in which they are satisfied with their management of their condition. Aside from symptoms and treatments, topics often reflect a need to understand the meaning of their condition and coping skills. Conclusion The areas of information need identified in the present study can be used to tailor patient education materials and information services to address contextual and temporal factors in the illness experiences of those with fibromyalgia. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nuclear membrane proteins are present within rimmed vacuoles in inclusion-body myositis

The rimmed vacuoles within muscle in inclusion-body myositis (IBM) are structures of uncertain origin. Two hypotheses have been proposed for their formation: that they develop as a consequence of abnormal lysosomal function or in association with the breakdown of myonuclei. We tested the latter hypothesis by studying muscle samples from 14 patients with IBM and 18 controls using immunohistochemistry for nuclear membrane proteins, examining semithin sections, and performing electron microscopy. We found that in IBM muscle vacuoles were immunoreactive for the inner nuclear membrane proteins emerin and lamin A/C. Myonuclei with fragmented or focally absent nuclear membranes were present in immunohistochemical and electron microscopy studies. The association of nuclear membrane proteins with rimmed vacuoles confirms the hypotheses that rimmed vacuoles in IBM form in association with myonuclear pathology and that IBM differs from other inflammatory myopathies in that abnormalities of myonuclei are more prominent.
Determination of diagnostic x-ray spectra with characteristic radiation using attenuation analysis

An analytical method to compute x-ray spectra from attenuation data utilizing the Laplace transformation has been extended to include characteristic radiation. It is based on an a priori technique of determining the ratio of characteristic radiation exposure to the total radiation exposure in diagnostic spectra. The technique is shown to produce characteristic intensities in good agreement with experimentally determined values.
Usefulness of oral quinidine-mexiletine combination therapy for sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias as assessed by programmed electrical stimulation when quinidine monotherapy has failed

Abstract In patients presenting with sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias, when oral quinidine monotherapy fails as determined by programmed electrical stimulation, the degree of benefit observed with combination therapy with mexiletine is debated. We prospectively studied 20 consecutive patients (16 men and 4 women) aged 33 to 77 years (mean age, 62 ± 11 years) who were treated with maximally tolerated quinidine and mexiletine combination therapy and who had ventricular tachyarrhythmias induced at baseline and during oral quinidine monotherapy. Coronary artery disease was present in 19 patients (95%). Programmed electrical stimulation was performed at 2 drive train cycle lengths with up to 3 extrastimuli at two ventricular sites. During follow-up study with combination quinidine-mexiletine therapy ventricular tachyarrhythmias were rendered noninducible in four patients (20%). The remaining 16 patients showed a significant slowing of their tachycardia cycle length (267 ± 56 msec baseline vs 320 ± 75 msec with quinidine vs 345 ± 53 msec with combination therapy, p p = not significant) and in the mean ventricular effective refractory period (246 ± 25 msec baseline vs 281 ± 37 msec after quinidine vs 290 ± 25 msec with combination quinidine-mexiletine therapy, p
Robust control design for integration of energy storage into frequency regulation

An H∞-based decentralized robust control approach is proposed in this paper to integrate energy storage into primary frequency control and to address increased frequency deviations introduced by renewable energy sources (RESs). The proposed new primary frequency control design is formulated as an H∞ minimization problem with decentralized static output feedback. The three objectives are: 1) to minimize frequency deviations; 2) to minimize the use of energy storage devices; 3) to minimize the ramp rates required from conventional generators. A so-called frequency separation objective is achieved, i.e. low frequency variations of the RES power fluctuations are balanced by the conventional generators while the high frequency variations are compensated by the storage device. The detailed derivation of an interconnected power system model based on component-level models is provided to facilitate the control design. In order to evaluate the performance loss due to controller decentralization, a centralized counterpart of the proposed approach is presented and tested as well. Simulation results on the WECC 9-bus test system illustrate the performance of the proposed control.
Spatial summation in relation to the dynamics of warmth sensation

Signals f rom thermal ly sensi t ive r ecep to r s in the skin provide useful and important information to the organism. Heating and cooling set into motion the rmoregula tory re f lexes that help to maintain constant internal body tempera ture , With intense heating, withdrawal re f lexes help to prevent ser ious t issue damage. Sensations of warmth, heat, and pain, produced by heating the skin, provide a basis for behavioral t empera ture regulat ion and (non-reflexive) escape f rom noxious st imulation.
Multicolor Optical Microvariability in S5 0716+714

We report the results of a study of multicolor optical microvariability in the Blazar S5 0716+714. S5 0716+714 was observed in the B and I bands continuously for five consecutive nights in 2003 March. This is the first study to apply color analysis, structure function, and cross-correlation analysis on an optical data set with the temporal coverage and photometric quality that characterizes this data. The source displayed variability on timescales from days to tens of minutes in both bands. Discrete events in the light curves lead to the determination of a range in the size of the emission regions of R ? 1.07 ?1015 cm to R ? 9.8 ?1015 cm, adopting ? = 20 from Nesci et?al. Hysteresis loops were found in plots of the B-band flux (F B ) and the ratio of the B to the I-band flux (F B/I ); these loops were found to be clockwise for dips in the light curves and counterclockwise for bursts. Their directionality and the symmetric nature of the flares are consistent with the flux variations being dominated by the light crossing time of the emission region and not its intrinsic electron cooling or acceleration timescales. The variability between B and I bands is highly correlated with no significant lags between the B and I-band flux variations detected. Significant lags were detected between the flux in the B band (F B ) and the B/I flux ratio (F B/I ). A structure function analysis shows similar slopes in both bands, lying in the range of ?1.0 to ?2.0, indicating that the observed variability is the result of a fractional noise process, consistent with the variations arising from a turbulent process. A differential I-band calibration for comparison star 4 from the sequence of Villata et?al. is also provided.
SU-FF-T-363: Proton Dose in Heterogeneous Lung Tissue — A Monte Carlo Study

Purpose: We investigate the effect of mesoscopic structure of lung tissue on the dose distribution of therapeuticproton beams. Materials and Methods: We develop a simplified computational model for lung tissue consisting of a spatially uniform suspension of air filled spheres in a water matrix, the air filled spheres representing the alveoli (inhomogeneous lung, IL). For comparison purposes, a homogeneous lung tissue model consisting of water, but of the same density as the IP model (homogeneous lung, HL), is developed. HL may be considered representative of lung tissue in Computed Tomography based protontreatment planning. A uniform spread‐out Bragg peak (SOBP) is constructed from pristine Bragg peaks, in water. Dose distributions are calculated for IL and HL using the Monte Carlo code MCNPX v.2.5.0. Results:Proton dose distributions show degradation in the distal fall‐off of the SOBP in IL (12 mm) relative to the HL (7 mm). The range of the SOBP, defined as the distal 90% of the SOBP is reduced by 5 mm in the IL relative to HL. Conclusion: The mesoscopic structure of lung tissue influences the dose distribution of therapeuticproton beams to a clinically significant degree. These influences are not captured by CT based treatment planning systems.