cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A tree-search algorithm for signal detection and parameter estimation in multi-user communications

The problem of simultaneously detecting the information bits and estimating signal amplitudes and phases in a K-user asynchronous direct-sequence spread-spectrum multiple-access communication system is addressed. The joint maximum-likelihood (ML) estimator has a computational complexity that is exponential in the total number of bits transmitted, and thus does not represent a practical solution to the problem. An estimator that combines a suboptimum tree-search algorithm with a recursive least-squares estimator of complex signal amplitude is considered. The complexity of this estimator is O(K/sup 2/) computations per decoded bit, and its performance is very close to that of the joint ML receiver. This receiver has the advantage that the transmitted signal powers and phases are extracted from the received signal in an adaptive fashion without the use of a test sequence. >
Detecting anomalous behavior in microcontrollers using unintentional radio frequency emissions

This paper proposes a process of utilizing Correlation-Based Anomaly Detection (CBAD) on Unintentional RF (Radio Frequency) Emissions (URE) as a method of detecting anomalous behavior in microcontrollers. The number of counterfeit devices and malicious code being found in military systems is increasing. Therefore, an effective method of detecting anomalous behavior is required to determine whether the device is functioning properly. This may be accomplished by comparing the current operations of a device against a pre-established baseline.
Meeting Human Material need and Satisfying Human Wants Through Workplace and Marketplace Cooperation

While strongly endorsed and encouraged by personalist economists, workplace community — the deliberate and systematic molding of individual workers into an effective team for the accomplishment of a common task — developing community at the intra-firm level clearly is not unique to personalist economics. At that level, the need to unify individuals into work groups is self-evident even if it is not always apparent as to how this is best accomplished. In this regard, personalist economics instructs and is instructed by the real world in areas such as employment security, labor-management relations, gain sharing, and participative management.
Partnering with immigrant communities: Action through literacy, by G. Campano, M. P. Ghiso, and B. J. Welch

The book Partnering With Immigrant Communities: Action Through Literacy documents the first 5 years of a 10-year study on a partnership called the Community Literacies Project (CLP) in Philadelphia...
Computation of Generation Rejection in On-Line Dynamic Security Assessment Using a New Hybrid Method

Abstract This paper presents a MUI (Marginally Unstable Injection) method which is a variation of the so-called hybrid methods to incorporate energy functlon analysis into conventional time-domain simulation for transient stability assessment. Using the concept Slow Energy Function (SEF) and a sequence of short pseudo-faults, the proposed method provides an improved stability index by impelling a stable system to a marginally unstable state. The resulting stability index is then utilized for estimating the amount of generation rejection required to maintain transient stability Within a framework of on-line dynamic security assessment. The technique developed is applied to a 700-bus North America system.
Scale-sensitivity: A cognitive resource basic to music perception

A tone-scramble is a rapid, randomly ordered sequence of pure tones. Chubb, Dickson, Dean, Fagan, Mann, Wright, Guan, Silva, Gregersen, and Kowalski [(2013). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 134(4), 3067-3078] showed that a task requiring listeners to classify major vs minor tone-scrambles yielded a strikingly bimodal distribution. The current study sought to clarify the nature of the skill required in this task. In each of the "semitone" tasks, all tone-scrambles contained eight each of the notes G5, D6, and G6 (to establish G as the tonic) and eight copies of a target note. The target note was either A♭ or A in the "2" task, B♭ or B in the "3" task, C or D♭ in the "4" task, E♭ or E in the "6" task, and F or G♭ in the "7" task. On each trial, the listener strove to classify each stimulus according to its target note. Performance was best (and nearly equal) in the 2, 3, and 6 tasks, intermediate in the 4 task and worst in the 7 task. The results were well-described by a model in which a single cognitive resource controls performance in all five semitone tasks. This resource is called "scale sensitivity" here because it seems to confer general sensitivity to variations in scale in the presence of a fixed tonic.
WPD for Detecting Disturbances in Presence of Noise in Smart Grid for PQ Monitoring

Power quality (PQ) monitoring has been an important issue in smart grid (SG). PQ study involves the detection of the disturbances/events in different power system signals of the SG communication. Detecting disturbances in power system signals itself is a very difficult task and it becomes even more difficult when there are noises in the signal. The detection efficiency of the disturbances is highly downgraded by the noise, which corrupts the detection capability of the system, and hinders the localization and classification of the disturbances. In this work, a PQ monitoring system based on wavelet packet decomposition (WPD) is proposed to detect five different types of disturbances in the presence of noise. The proposed system utilizes the interscale and intrascale relationship of the WPD coefficients for the detection of the PQ disturbances upon noise removal. The correlation among the WPD coefficients exits both within its own scale and across its adjoining scales. For the evaluation, the presented method is applied both on the simulated and real SG disturbance signals obtained from frequency disturbance recorder (FDR), phasor measurement unit (PMU), and power system load. Comparative results are presented with wavelet decomposition.
The influences of incremental pluton growth on magma crystallinity and aureole rheology: numerical modeling of growth of the Papoose Flat pluton, California

The Papoose Flat pluton in the White-Inyo Range, California, is one of the best examples of forcefully emplaced plutons within an arc crust, having internal fabrics and a contact aureole that deformed in a ductile manner. A 2-D numerical model for the thermo-rheological evolution of the pluton–wall rock system is proposed. We explore how the frequency of magma input, from instantaneous, episodic to continuous, affects magma chamber crystallinity and rheology of both the pluton and its contact aureole. We model pluton growth in the depth range of 10–13 km, which is at the brittle–ductile transition of the crust, and in the 7–4 km depth range, where the host rocks are initially brittle. For incremental growth (episodic and continuous), the pluton begins as a sill. With subsequent injections to the bottom, the pluton grows into a laccolith. Results of mid-crustal models show that the ductile region above the Papoose Flat pluton is related to thermal weakening. The ductile region during incremental growth is 100–150 m thick, matching the observed thickness. It is ten times thinner than in the instantaneous growth model. In episodic and continuous models, the upper part of the pluton is fully or quasi-crystalline throughout growth. During continuous growth, it is likely to remain ductile with potential for the development of solid-state fabrics. During episodic growth, strain rates within the pluton during each injection may become sufficiently high to cause embrittlement of magma. In no case a ductile aureole develops above the pluton at the upper-crustal level, but may develop below the pluton, which serves as thermal insulator. Thus, the pluton’s floor may sag. During incremental growth, most of the pluton is below the solidus and brittle. The results suggest that large volcanic eruptions are unlikely to occur by slow pressurization of magma chambers; instead they require rapid injections of large melt volumes.
Complete Genome Sequences of Two Strains of the Meat Spoilage Bacterium Brochothrix thermosphacta Isolated from Ground Chicken.

ABSTRACT Brochothrix thermosphacta is an important meat spoilage bacterium. Here we report the genome sequences of two strains of B. thermosphacta isolated from ground chicken. The genome sequences were determined using long-read PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) technology and are the first complete genome sequences reported for B. thermosphacta.
Updates in Fetal Wound Healing and Scar Prevention

Periocular scarring can result in devastating clinical consequences including but not limited to disfigurement, amblyogenic ptosis, and visually threatening eyelid retraction. Understanding the principles of wound healing is important to prevent or reduce these devastating consequences and their psychosocial repercussions. In this chapter, we will review the basic principle of wound healing from the initial time of tissue injury and through the latest stages of scar remodeling. We will also review newer clinical and experimental modalities employed to date for the treatment or prevention of scar formation.
Review of Transition and Vocational Interventions for Youth and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The persistence of disappointing employment outcomes for youth and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) indicates the importance of efforts to prepare them for the workplace. We conducted a systematic review of intervention/follow-up intervention studies on employment skills and outcomes for youth and adults with ASD. We reviewed 39 studies in terms of their participant characteristics, research methodologies, intervention features, and employment outcomes. These studies highlight practices and programs that promote vocational skill acquisition, improve employment outcomes, and provide collateral benefits (e.g., mental health, confidence, time management). It is unclear, however, which individuals with ASD are likely to benefit most from particular interventions. We offer implications for practice and research to improve employment experiences of youth and adults with ASD.
Specifics of Aneurysm Treatment Distal Aneurysms

Abstract Distal intracranial aneurysms comprise only a small minority of intracranial aneurysms, yet carry a higher risk of morbidity, and should thus be treated aggressively. Distal intracranial aneurysms should be divided into true aneurysms (saccular or fusiform) and pseuodoaneurysms (mycotic, traumatic, dissecting, neoplastic), each with distinct treatment ramifications. Treatment can be undertaken by both endovascular and open surgical means, depending on the aneurysm etiology. When possible, true aneurysms should be treated with preservation of the parent vessels; however, pseudoaneurysms usually cannot be cured unless a normal vessel is reached on either side, making trapping with or without bypass or parent artery sacrifice, often feasible due to the distal location, a more successful method of treatment.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Personal Cognitive Augmentation: Utterance/Intent Relationships, Brittleness and Personal Cognitive Agents

The popularity of applying intelligent agents is moving business into a new age of actionable information production. Managing the introduction and operation of such entities in an enterprise is a critical factor board rooms will face as the trend continues. Thus, it is important now to develop tools that measure their effectiveness. This paper seeks to understand the efficacy of these agents I call Personal Cognitive Agents (PCA). At their infancy, PCAs are subject to a disconnect between what the human operator intends and what the PCA understands as operator intent. A relationship exists between what is uttered by the operator and the operator’s intent. I establish a metric called utterance intent relationship (UIR) for this purpose and seek to determine UIR’s viability as a universal tool to measure an agent’s effectiveness in human/agent symbiosis.
Health Care Demand, Empirical Determinants of

Economic theory provides a powerful but incomplete guide to the empirical determinants of health care demand. This article seeks to provide guidance on the selection and interpretation of demand determinants in empirical models. The author begins by introducing some general rules of thumb derived from economic and statistical principles. A brief review of the recent empirical literature next describes the range of current practices. Finally, a representative example of health care demand is developed to illustrate the selection, use, and interpretation of empirical determinants.
Convergence in Distribution of a Markov Process Generated by I.I.D. Random Matrices

1. The aim of this paper is to study a discrete time Markov process (η n ) on the state space S = {0, 1} V , V a countable set (of sites), where the transition rule is governed by a |V|-dimensional random matrix X with nonnegative integers as entries. Thus, we have: $${\eta _{n + 1}} = {X_{n + 1}}{\eta _n},{\text{ }}n \geqslant 0$$ (1.1) where (X j ) is an i.i.d sequence of copies of X (independent of η 0). We are interested in the asymptotic behavior of (η n ). We will also discuss in the last section a finite dimensional analog of this problem when S = [0, ∞)V, |V| = d < ∞, and X is a d × d nonnegative matrix. But, in what follows (in the first four sections), the discussion is restricted to the infinite dimensional context.
Contrast echocardiography improves the accuracy and reproducibility of left ventricular remodeling measurements: a prospective, randomly assigned, blinded study.

Abstract OBJECTIVES We sought to assess the impact of contrast injection and harmonic imaging, on the measure by echocardiography of left ventricular (LV) remodeling. BACKGROUND Left ventricular remodeling is a precursor of LV dysfunction, but the impact of contrast injection and harmonic imaging on the accuracy or reproducibility of echocardiography is unclear. METHODS We prospectively collected LV images by using simultaneous methods. Then, LV volumes were measured off-line, in blinded manner and in random order. The accuracy of echocardiography was determined in comparison to electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) in 26 patients. The reproducibility of echocardiography was assessed by three blinded observers with different training levels in 32 patients. RESULTS End-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV) and ejection fraction (EF), as measured by EBCT (195 ± 55, 58 ± 24 and 137 ± 35 ml and 71 ± 5%, respectively) and echocardiography with harmonic imaging and contrast injection (194 ± 51, 55 ± 20 and 140 ± 35 ml and 72 ± 4%, respectively), showed no differences (all p > 0.15) and excellent correlations (all r > 0.87). In contrast, echocardiography using harmonic imaging without contrast injection underestimated the EBCT results (all p 0.18). Consequently, intrinsic patient differences represented a larger and almost exclusive proportion of global variability with contrast injection for EDV (94 vs. 79%), ESV (93 vs. 82%), SV (87 vs. 53%) and EF (84 vs. 41%), as compared with harmonic imaging without contrast injection (all p CONCLUSIONS For assessment of LV remodeling, echocardiography with harmonic imaging and contrast injection improved the accuracy and reproducibility, as compared with imaging without contrast injection. With contrast injection, variability was almost exclusively due to intrinsic patient differences. Therefore, when evaluation of LV remodeling is deemed important, assessment after contrast injection should be the preferred echocardiographic approach.
Doing Away with the No Miracles Argument

The recent debate surrounding scientific realism has largely focused on the “no miracles” argument (NMA). Indeed, it seems that most contemporary realists and anti-realists have tied the case for realism to the adequacy of this argument. I argue that it is mistake for realists to let the debate be framed in this way. Realists would be well advised to abandon the NMA altogether and pursue an alternative strategy, which I call the “local strategy”.
Functional Development of Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase Gene Expression in Livestock Species

Fatty acid composition is an important component of foods derived from livestock species, as it contributes to both the healthfulness and the functionality of beef, lamb, pork, and dairy products. The most highly regulated and most abundant fatty acid in animal tissues and dairy products is oleic acid (18:1n-9). Oleic acid is synthesized by the ∆9 desaturase, stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase (SCD), which also is responsible for the conversion of trans-vaccenic acid to cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). In livestock species, SCD catalytic activity and gene expression are greatest in adipose tissue depots, followed by skeletal muscle, intestinal mucosa, and liver. SCD gene expression is highly up-regulated in bovine preadipocytes immediately preceding lipid filling. A single gene encodes SCD in cattle (chromosome 26), sheep (chromosome 22), and pigs (chromosome 14), although a pseudogene (SCD-5) has been identified in brain white and gray matter. While it is questionable that sufficient CLA is present in beef, lamb, or dairy products to provide significant health benefits, the quantity of oleic acid can be increased by gram quantities given appropriate production practices. In particular, dietary unsaturated fatty acids can effectively depress SCD gene expression, whereas dietary saturated fatty acids increase SCD gene expression. The effects of unsaturated fatty acids on SCD gene expression appear to be independent of PPARγ and almost certainly reflect the presence of a polyunsaturated fatty acid response element that is completely conserved across livestock species. Although oleic acid strongly depresses SCD gene expression in differentiating adipocytes and myoblasts, it may act as a paracrine factor, promoting adipogenic gene expression in adjacent myoblasts.
Antioxidants and the Skin

This highly illustrated book brings together many concepts related to skin care and antioxidant usage in one convenient text. The second edition now contains the latest antioxidants being marketed, and an analysis of risks and benefits associated.
Informing Human Trafficking Clinical Care Through Two Systematic Reviews on Sexual Assault and Intimate Partner Violence.

Background:There is a lack of evidence on the clinical management of patients who have suffered human trafficking. Synthesizing the evidence from similar patient populations may provide valuable in...
Can interventions affect commitment demand? A field experiment on food choice

Abstract Despite a growing literature examining the use of commitment devices to address self-control problems, little is known about the mechanisms driving commitment demand. In a field experiment among participants of a food delivery program, we test the impact of two interventions on food choice and commitment demand: 1) providing information and 2) additionally providing experience with a commitment device that restricts participants to choosing healthy foods. We find that both interventions significantly increase short-term healthy food choices compared to a no intervention control group. A month after we implement the interventions, we offer all participants the opportunity to take up the commitment device restricting themselves to healthy foods. Both interventions double Post-Treatment commitment demand, with larger and more robust effects in the experience treatment. To address concerns about the welfare impacts of our interventions, we examine participants’ satisfaction with their food selections, and find no evidence that restricting choice decreases participants’ welfare. Our work suggests that a substantial fraction of people are naive about the benefits of commitment devices, and there is scope for policy interventions to increase commitment demand.
Characterization of airborne particle release from nanotechnology-enabled clothing products

This study investigated airborne particle release from seventeen nanotechnology-enabled clothing items, including eleven items that were advertised as containing silver nanoparticles. Clothing wear was simulated using an abrader, where the rotating clothing samples came in contact with felt abrader wheels, and size distribution and concentration of the released particles were measured using a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer and Aerodynamic Particle Sizer. Through the use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, silver was detected in all eleven products advertised as containing silver, and its concentration varied from approximately 1 ppm to ~1.5×105 ppm depending on the product. Nano-sized particles, as well as larger agglomerates, were released from all investigated products with concentrations as high as ~2×104 particles/cm3; the concentration and size distribution varied substantially from product to product, and silver-based clothing tended to release smaller and higher number concentrations of particles than products where fibers were formulated using nanotechnology. Examination of the released particles using TEM confirmed the presence of manufactured nanoparticles; airborne sample analysis using SEM/EDS showed that the released particles contained Ag as well as other metals. This study can be valuable for the risk assessment of nanotechnology-based consumer goods, especially clothing containing silver.
Dynamic self-reconfiguration of unmanned aerial vehicles to serve overloaded hotspot cells

Abstract Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) networks can provide wireless coverage to users when cellular infrastructure is unavailable. Each UAV covers a circular area, called a hotspot cell, and serves the users in it. Natural disasters can cause unpredictable mobility of users, randomly overloading some cells, called hot zones, for different time intervals. Along with an efficient initial deployment, this paper presents a two-fold approach to handle hot zones. First, the loads in overlapped sections are redistributed to neighbors. Second, a distributed algorithm is run that dynamically repositions the least number of UAVs to serve the maximum possible users. Additionally, to balance the user demand and supply of wireless coverage, adjacent UAVs are allowed to swap their positions. Simulation results show improvement in the network performance using the parameters: packet delivery ratio, data served per unit of depleted energy, service discontinuity time, and the total amount of data served.
Whitehead Torsion in the CW Category

The geometry in Chapter II and the algebraic analysis of Chapter III are synthesized in the definition: If (K, L) is a pair of finite, connected CW complexes such that K ↯ L then the torsion of (K, L)—written τ(K, L)—is defined by $$ \tau (K,L) = \tau (C(\tilde K,\tilde L)) \in Wh({\pi _1}L) $$ where (K, L) is the universal covering of (K,L).
Supporting Elementary Teacher's Reflections on Equity in CS Education: A Case Study Approach

The dearth of women and people of color in the field of computer science is a well-documented phenomenon. Following Obama's 2016 declaration of the need for a nationwide CS for All movement in the US, educators, school districts, states and the US-based National Science Foundation have responded with an explosion of activity directed at developing computer science learning opportunities in K-12 settings. A major component of this effort is the creation of equitable CS learning opportunities for underrepresented populations. As a result, there exists a strong need for educational research on the development of equity-based theory and practice in CS education. This poster session reports on a work-in-progress study that uses a case study approach to engage twenty in-service elementary school teachers in reflecting on issues of equity in CS education as part of a three-day CS professional development workshop. Our work is unfolding in the context of a four-year university/district research practice partnership in a mid-sized city in the Northeastern United States. Teachers in our project are working to co-design integrated CS curriculum units for K-5 classrooms. We developed four case studies, drawn from the first year of our project, that highlight equity challenges teachers faced in the classroom when implementing the CS lessons. The case studies follow the "Teacher Moments" template created by the Teaching Systems Lab in Open Learning at MIT. The case study activity is meant to deepen reflection and discussion on how to create equitable learning opportunities for elementary school students. We present preliminary findings.
TRPing the homeostatic alarm - Melanoma cells are selectively vulnerable to TRPML1 deletion.

Abstract To thrive in otherwise inhospitable conditions, cancer cells utilize endolysosomes to impose homeostatic control over cellular metabolism and growth. In a recent study, Kasitinon et al. demonstrate a requirement for the endolysosomal channel, TRPML1, in proliferation and survival of melanoma cells. This study adds to a growing list of cancers that exhibit selective vulnerability to the loss of TRPML1.
Spontaneous Third Ventriculostomy in Krabbe Disease.

Abstract Introduction Spontaneous third ventriculostomies have been reported in relation to obstructive hydrocephalus and increased intracranial pressure and are most commonly seen as disruption of the floor of the third ventricle. Hydrocephalus has been reported in patients with Krabbe disease; however, it is clinically difficult to monitor for hydrocephalus in patients with Krabbe disease as symptoms of increased intracranial pressure may overlap with symptoms of Krabbe disease. We describe a case series of spontaneous third ventriculostomy and hydrocephalus, likely in response to increased intracranial pressure, in patients with infantile Krabbe disease. Methods Brain magnetic resonance images of patients with infantile Krabbe disease were retrospectively analyzed to assess for ventricular size and presence of spontaneous third ventriculostomies. A brain atlas was used to standardize the calculation of ventricular size. Mid-sagittal, T2-weighted images around the third ventricle were assessed for spontaneous third ventriculostomies. Developmental outcomes were measured with a series of standardized and validated tests. Results Seventy-five patients with infantile Krabbe disease were evaluated. Twelve cases of spontaneous third ventriculostomies were identified. Head circumference (SE = 8.07; P Conclusions Spontaneous third ventriculostomies, likely in the context of increased intracranial pressure, were identified in patients with Krabbe disease. Although difficult to assess, our study highlights the importance of monitoring for increased intracranial pressure, which can result in spontaneous third ventriculostomies, in patients with infantile Krabbe disease.
The Strategy and Technology of Conflict

Using a simple bargaining game, we investigate how strategic interactions are shaped by preferences, technology, and endowments. We study whether changes in relative military capabilities make conf...
Origin and adaptation of green-sensitive (RH2) pigments in vertebrates.

One of the critical times for the survival of animals is twilight where the most abundant visible lights are between 400 and 550 nanometres (nm). Green-sensitive RH2 pigments help nonmammalian vertebrate species to better discriminate wavelengths in this blue-green region. Here, evaluation of the wavelengths of maximal absorption (λmax s) of genetically engineered RH2 pigments representing 13 critical stages of vertebrate evolution revealed that the RH2 pigment of the most recent common ancestor of vertebrates had a λmax of 503 nm, while the 12 ancestral pigments exhibited an expanded range in λmax s between 474 and 524 nm, and present-day RH2 pigments have further expanded the range to ~ 450-530 nm. During vertebrate evolution, eight out of the 16 significant λmax shifts (or |Δλmax | ≥ 10 nm) of RH2 pigments identified were fully explained by the repeated mutations E122Q (twice), Q122E (thrice) and M207L (twice), and A292S (once). Our data indicated that the highly variable λmax s of teleost RH2 pigments arose from gene duplications followed by accelerated amino acid substitution.
Substrate Recognition by the Class II Lanthipeptide Synthetase HalM2

Class II lanthipeptides belong to a diverse group of natural products known as ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). Most RiPP precursor peptides contain an N-terminal recognition sequence known as the leader peptide, which is typically recognized by biosynthetic enzymes that catalyze modifications on the C-terminal core peptide. For class II lanthipeptides, these are carried out by a bifunctional lanthipeptide synthetase (LanM) that catalyzes dehydration and cyclization reactions on peptidic substrates to generate thioether-containing, macrocyclic molecules. Some lanthipeptide synthetases are extraordinarily substrate tolerant, making them promising candidates for biotechnological applications such as combinatorial biosynthesis and cyclic peptide library construction. In this study, we characterized the mode of leader peptide recognition by HalM2, the lanthipeptide synthetase responsible for the production of the antimicrobial peptide haloduracin β. Using NMR spectroscopic techniques, in vitro binding assays, and enzyme activity assays, we identified substrate residues that are important for binding to HalM2 and for post-translational modification of the peptide substrates. Additionally, we provide evidence of the binding site on the enzyme using binding assays with truncated enzyme variants, hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, and photoaffinity labeling. Understanding the mechanism by which lanthipeptide synthetases recognize their substrate will facilitate their use in biotechnology, as well as further our general understanding of how RiPP enzymes recognize their substrates.
A combined approach of convection-enhanced delivery of peptide nanofiber reservoir to prolong local DM1 retention for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma treatment.

Background Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a highly lethal malignancy that occurs predominantly in children. DIPG is inoperable and post-diagnosis survival is less than 1 year, as conventional chemotherapy is ineffective. The intact blood-brain barrier (BBB) blocks drugs from entering the brain. Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) is a direct infusion technique delivering drugs to the brain, but it suffers from rapid drug clearance. Our goal is to overcome the delivery barrier via CED and maintain a therapeutic concentration at the glioma site with a payload-adjustable peptide nanofiber precursor (NFP) that displays a prolonged retention property as a drug carrier. Methods The post-CED retention of 89Zr-NFP was determined in real time using PET/CT imaging. Emtansine (DM1), a microtubule inhibitor, was conjugated to NFP. The cytotoxicity of the resulting DM1-NFP was tested against patient-derived DIPG cell lines. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated in animals bearing orthotopic DIPG, according to glioma growth (measured using bioluminescence imaging) and the long-term survival. Results DM1-NFP demonstrated potency against multiple glioma cell lines. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration values were in the nanomolar range. NFP remained at the infusion site (pons) for weeks, with a clearance half-life of 60 days. DM1-NFP inhibited glioma progression in animals, and offered a survival benefit (median survival of 62 days) compared with the untreated controls (28 days) and DM1-treated animal group (26 days). Conclusions CED, in combination with DM1-NFP, complementarily functions to bypass the BBB, prolong drug retention at the fusion site, and maintain an effective therapeutic effect against DIPG to improve treatment outcome.
Chapter 12 – Complement

The complement system comprises a group of serum proteins involved in both innate host defense mechanisms and the adaptive immune response. In 1895, Jules Bordet described a serum factor that assists (complements) antibody to rid the body of invading pathogens. Bordet demonstrated that complement, but not antibody, is inactivated by heating serum to 56 °C for 30 min. By 1926, the first four components of complement had been identified, although the order of interaction of these components (C1, C4, C2, C3) remained unknown for almost 30 years. Subsequent investigations identified a total of five additional proteins in the complement system. Components 5 through 9 were isolated in the 1960s. Activation of complement by antibody–antigen complexes constitutes the classical pathway. In 1954, Louis Pillemer described a second path of complement activation that did not require antibody and thus is a part of the innate host defense mechanisms. This properdin, or alternate, pathway is evolutionarily older than the classical (antibody-mediated) pathway although the two pathways produce identical biological effects (induction of inflammation, opsonization, chemotaxis, vasodilation, and cell lysis). Finally, studies begun in the 1970s demonstrated the existence of a third pathway of complement activation, the lectin pathway. Like the classical pathway, the lectin pathway is activated through the binding of C1 to the surface of a pathogen. Similar to the alternate pathway, activation through the lectin pathway can occur in the absence of antibody.
Regulation of lipid metabolism in pancreatic beta cells by interferon gamma: A link to anti-viral function.

Abstract Interferons (IFN) have been shown to alter lipid metabolism in immune and some non-hematopoietic cells and this affects host cell response to pathogens. In type 1 diabetes, IFNγ acts as a proinflammatory cytokine that, along with other cytokines, is released during pancreatic beta cell autoinflammation and contributes to immune response and beta cell dysfunction. The hypothesis tested herein is that IFN modifies beta cell lipid metabolism and this is associated with enhanced anti-viral response and beta cell stress. Treatment of INS-1 cells with IFNγ for 6 to 24 h led to a dynamic change in TAG and lipid droplet (LD) levels, with a decrease at 6 h and an increase at 24 h. The later accumulation of TAG was associated with increased de novo lipogenesis (DNL), and impaired mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Gene expression results suggested that IFNγ regulates lipolytic, lipogenic, LD and FAO genes in a temporal manner. The changes in lipid gene expression are dependent on the classical Janus kinase (JAK) pathway. Pretreatment with IFNγ robustly enhanced anti-viral gene expression induced by the viral mimetic polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid (PIC), and this potentiating effect of IFNγ was markedly attenuated by inhibitors of DNL. The IFNγ-induced accumulation of lipid, however, was insufficient to cause endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. These studies demonstrated a non-canonical effect of IFNγ in regulation of pancreatic beta cell lipid metabolism that is intimately linked with host cell defense and might alter cellular function early in the progression to type 1 diabetes.
Malignant Skin Tumors in Children

Primary skin malignancies are uncommon in children, and both benign and metastatic tumors surpass them in frequency. However, the resulting low index of suspicion may lead to a delay in diagnosis and treatment. Underlying factors associated with skin malignancies in children include giant congenital melanocytic nevi, xeroderma pigmentosum, albinism, Gorlin syndrome, immunodeficiency disorders, radiotherapy, and bone marrow and solid organ transplantation, among others [1–3].
Data Science in Chemical Engineering: Applications to Molecular Science

Chemical engineering is being rapidly transformed by the tools of data science. On the horizon, artificial intelligence (AI) applications will impact a huge swath of our work, ranging from the disc...
Current concepts in tracheobronchomalacia: diagnosis and treatment

Airway collapse from dynamic tracheobronchomalacia (TBM), static compression from vascular compression, and/or tracheobronchial deformation are challenging conditions. Patients are best assessed and managed by a multidisciplinary team in centers specializing in complex pediatric airway disorders. Suspicion is made through clinical history and physical examination, diagnosis of location and severity by dynamic 3-phase bronchoscopy, and surgical treatment planning by MDCT and other studies as necessary to completely understand the problems. The treatment plan should be patient-based with a thorough approach to the underlying pathology, clinical concerns, and combined abnormalities. Patients should undergo maximum medical therapy prior to committing to other interventions. For those children considered candidates for surgical intervention, all other associated conditions, including vascular anomalies, chest wall deformities, mediastinal lesions, or other airway pathologies, should also be considered. Our preference is to correct the airway lesions at the same operation as other comorbidities, if possible, to prevent multiple reoperations with their attendant increased risks. We also strongly advocate for the use of recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring in all cases of cervical or thoracic surgery to minimize the risks to vocal cord function and laryngeal sensation. Studies that evaluate the effect of these interventions on the patient and caregiver's quality of life are needed to fully grasp the impact of TBM on this challenging patient population.
What do clinicians want? Understanding frontline addiction treatment clinicians’ preferences and priorities to improve the design of measurement-based care technology

Background Measurement-based care (MBC) is the practice of routinely administering standardized measures to support clinical decision-making and monitor treatment progress. Despite evidence of its effectiveness, MBC is rarely adopted in routine substance use disorder (SUD) treatment settings and little is known about the factors that may improve its adoptability in these settings. The current study gathered qualitative data from SUD treatment clinicians about their perceptions of MBC, the clinical outcomes they would most like to monitor in MBC, and suggestions for the design and implementation of MBC systems in their settings. Methods Fifteen clinicians from one publicly-funded and two privately-funded outpatient SUD treatment clinics participated in one-on-one research interviews. Interviews focused on clinicians' perceived benefits, drawbacks, and ideas related to implementing MBC technology into their clinical workflows. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded to allow for thematic analysis using a mixed deductive and inductive approach. Clinicians also completed a card sorting task to rate the perceived helpfulness of routinely measuring and monitoring different treatment outcomes. Results Clinicians reported several potential benefits of MBC, including improved patient-provider communication, client empowerment, and improved communication between clinicians. Clinicians also expressed potential drawbacks, including concerns about subjectivity in patient self-reports, limits to personalization, increased time burdens, and needing to learn to use new technologies. Clinicians generated several ideas and preferences aimed at minimizing burden of MBC, illustrating clinical changes over time, improving ease of use, and improving personalization. Numerous patient outcomes were identified as "very helpful" to track, including coping skills, social support, and motivation for change. Conclusions MBC may be a beneficial tool for improving clinical care in SUD treatment settings. MBC tools may be particularly adoptable if they are compatible with existing workflows, help illustrate gradual and nonlinear progress in SUD treatment, measure outcomes perceived as clinically useful, accommodate multiple use cases and stakeholder groups, and are framed as an additional source of information meant to augment, rather than replace, existing practices and information sources.
entumecimiento subjetivo: dispositivo de lectura de la época

El presente trabajo articula a la categoria Entumecimiento Subjetivo como una alternativa de colocacion para leer las realidades sociales contemporaneas. A raiz de experiencias coyunturales de alta tension emocional, el entumecimiento se piensa para responder y resignificar el espacio psiquico limbico con sensacion de desconexion en que los sujetos se encuentran cuando el contexto ejerce lo dominante para mantener tendencias hegemonicas. La categoria sirve de dispositivo para reconocer aquello que bloquea la visualizacion de horizontes posibles de cambio, pero tambien para ver la potencialidad de desencadenar conciencias y esperanzas que respondan a las preocupaciones sociales mas sentidas. Lo subjetivo, lo social, lo sistemico y lo hegemonico son elementos que se complementan y tensionan entre si constantemente, lo cual llena de contenido a lo que se quiere articular, y permite la oportunidad de participar en la transformacion con sentido de los propios contextos sociales. This work articulates the Subjective Numbness category as a placement alternative to read contemporary social realities. As a result of conjunctural experiences of high emotional tension, numbness is thought to respond and resignify the limbic psychic space with a feeling of disconnection in which the subjects find themselves when the context exerts the dominant to maintain hegemonic tendencies. This category serves as a device to recognize what blocks the visualization of possible horizons of change, but also to see the potentiality of unleashing consciences and hopes that respond to the most felt social concerns. The subjective, social, systemic, and hegemonic are elements that constantly complement and tension each other, which fills with content what one wants to articulate, and the understanding of these tensions opens the opportunity to participate in the meaningful transformation of their own social contexts.
Immunological Disorders: Hereditary

Inherited immunological disorders include a diverse range of diseases characterized by susceptibility to one or more classes of infections, immune dysregulation (autoimmunity) or both. Keywords: severe combined immunodeficiency; agammaglobulinemia; autoimmunity; common variable immunodeficiency; gene therapy
NSLoadGen: a testbed for notification services

During the past years a lot of work on Notification Services has been focused on features like scalability, transactions, persistence, routing algorithms, caching, mobility, etc. However, less work has been invested on how to evaluate or compare such systems. The selection of the most appropriate Notification Services for a particular application scenario is crucial and today available tools are bound to a particular implementation. If the Notification Service under test does not fulfill the application requirements then a new try with other Notification Service needs to be started from scratch: the description of the workload characterization and its injection cannot be reused. In this paper we introduce NSLoadGen (Notification Services Load Generator), a testbed platform that supports the definition of real-life scenarios, the simulation of these scenarios against notification services, and finally generating vast data that can be used to precisely evaluate it. NSLoadGen is not targeted at any specific Notification Services, but rather is generic and adaptable. It has been designed to support a wide variety of Notification Services characteristics, hiding the many differences among messaging products/specifications (e.g. Java Message Service [1]) and, at the same time, it is easily extensible to support new implementations. This paper covers the different steps the tool follows (scenario definition, scenario simulation and result collection), the proposed approach, as well as relevant design and implementation details.
Corrupted DNS Resolution Paths: The Rise of a Malicious Resolution Authority

We study and document an important development in how attackers are using Internet resources: the creation of malicious DNS resolution paths. In this growing form of attack, victims are forced to use rogue DNS servers for all resolution. To document the rise of this “second secret authority” on the Internet, we studied instances of aberrant DNS resolution on a university campus. We found dozens of viruses that corrupt resolution paths, and noted that hundreds of URLs discovered per week performed drive-by alterations of host DNS settings. We used the rogue servers discovered in this analysis to document numerous live incidents on the university network. To measure this problem on the larger Internet, we generated DNS requests to most of IPv4, using a unique label query for each request. We found 17 million hosts responding, and further tracked the resolution path they used to reach our NS. Unable to find plausible harmless explanations for such a large number of open recursive hosts, we queried 600,000 of these open resolvers for “phishable” domains, such as banks and anti-virus companies. We found that 2.4% of this subsample would reply with incorrect answers, which extrapolates to 291,528 hosts on the Internet performing either incorrect or malicious DNS service. With DNS resolution behavior so trivially changed, numerous malware instances in the wild, and so many other hosts providing incorrect and misleading answers, we urge the security community to consider the corruption of the resolution path as an important problem.
Equivalent Hydraulic Pipe for Parallel Pipes

Methods are defined for reducing two or more parallel pipes to a single hydraulically equivalent pipe for analysis using the Darcy-Weisbach equation that allows the friction factor to depend upon the flow conditions in the pipe, as well as the roughness of the pipe wall. The motivation for reducing groups of parallel pipes to single equivalent pipes is to reduce computer costs associated with analyses of large piping networks. Comparisons of the saving in computer execution time achieved in network analysis by utilizing the equivalent pipe technique are given for different methods of solving large networks. For the real system used in this comparison one method of solution required only one-quarter of the time if parallel pipes were formed first. The recommendation is that existing network analysis computer programs incorporate in their code the creation of hydraulic equivalent pipes for all groups of parallel pipes.
1991 IEEE Annual Conference on Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects, 28th, San Diego, CA, July 15-19, 1991, Proceedings

Various papers on nuclear science are presented. The general topics addressed are: basic mechanisms of radiation effects, dosimetry and energy-dependent effects, isolation technologies, device radiation response and hardening, microcircuit radiation response and hardening, single-event phenomena, hardness assurance and testing techniques, spacecraft charging, space environments and effects.
Generalized juvenile gastrointestinal polyposis. A hereditary syndrome.

Generalized juvenile gastrointestinal polyposis was recognized in 3 members of a kindred. This hereditary syndrome is characterized by the development of numerous juvenile polyps of the stomach, small intestine, colon, or rectum in various combinations. Juvenile type polyps may be present at birth or become manifest later as a developmental abnormality. These polyps may produce acute or chronic gastrointestinal blood loss and repeated bouts of intussusception. Operative treatment should be conservative to preserve maximal gastrointestinal function since juvenile polyps are hamartomas and not premalignant. Generalized juvenile gastrointestinal polyposis appears to be a hereditary syndrome quite distinct from juvenile polyposis coli, familial (adenomatous) polyposis of the colon, and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. A classification of hereditary polypoid diseases of the gastrointestinal tract is proposed, using the microscopic characteristics of the polyps per se as the basis for delineating the several distinct syndromes.