cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thwarting network stealth worms in computer networks through biological epidemiology

This research developed a system, Rx, to provide early identification and effective control of network stealth worms in digital networks through techniques based on biological epidemiology. Network stealth worms comprise a class of surreptitious, self-propagating code that spread over network connections by exploiting security vulnerabilities in hosts. Past outbreaks due to traditional worms subverted hundreds of thousands of machines. Network stealth worms exacerbate that threat by using clandestine methods to maintain a persistent presence in the network. Biological epidemiology was shown to support the real-time detection, characterization, forecasting, and containment of network stealth worms. Epidemiology describes a scientific methodology in biology that seeks to understand, explain, and control disease. Bio-mathematical modeling led to the development of a mechanism for digital networks to identify worm infection behavior buried in anomaly data, to characterize a worm, and to forecast the temporal spread of a worm. Demographic analysis of the infected hosts revealed the subset of vulnerable machines within the population. The automated response of advanced quarantine used this information to control the spread of an identified worm by isolating both infected and vulnerable machines. The novel contributions of this research included the identification of a network stealth worm at the network-level based on end-host reports while simultaneously characterizing and forecasting the spread of the worm. Additionally, this task offered the technique of advanced quarantine through demographic analysis of the population. This work resulted in a scalable, fault-tolerant strategy that dramatically enhanced the survival rate of network hosts under attack by a stealth worm. Moreover, this approach did not require new hardware, changes to existing protocols, or participation outside the implementing organization. This research showed application to a wider range of challenges. The bio-mathematical models are extensible, allowing Rx to respond to variations on the self-propagating code presented here. The approach is applicable to other forms of malware beyond self-propagating code by interchanging the epidemic model with one more appropriate. Lastly, the strategy allowed anomaly detectors to be sensitive to lower reporting thresholds and a variety of often benign yet potentially useful events.
Memantine binding to a superficial site on NMDA receptors contributes to partial trapping

Although many nervous system disorders are associated with N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor overactivation, pharmacological inhibition of NMDA receptors has typically demonstrated limited clinical value due to debilitating psychotomimetic side-effects. Memantine, however, induces far fewer behavioural side-effects than other NMDA receptor channel blockers such as ketamine, and slows the progressive cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease. Memantine and ketamine inhibit NMDA receptors with similar affinity and kinetics. A prominent mechanistic difference between memantine and ketamine is the degree to which they are ‘trapped’ within the closed channel of NMDA receptors following removal of agonist: ketamine becomes trapped in nearly all NMDA receptors to which it was bound before agonist removal, whereas some bound memantine molecules dissociate after agonist removal, a phenomenon called partial trapping. Here we investigated the mechanism underlying partial trapping of memantine by recombinant NR1/2A NMDA receptors. We found that memantine dissociation from NR1/2A receptors after agonist removal (the process that results in partial trapping) followed an exponential time course with τ= 0.79 ± 0.32 s. Neither membrane voltage depolarization nor maintained presence of memantine after agonist removal affected partial trapping, suggesting that partial trapping does not result from memantine escape through open channels. We tested the hypothesis that partial trapping results from binding of memantine to two sites, a superficial ‘non-trapping’ site and a deep ‘trapping’ site, which cannot be occupied simultaneously. This hypothesis was supported by the lack of ketamine binding to the superficial site, the voltage dependence of partial trapping, and the effect on partial trapping of a mutation near the deep site. The superficial binding site for memantine may, by causing partial trapping, contribute to memantine's unique therapeutic utility.
Whole body detection and imaging of nitric oxide generation in mice following cardiopulmonary arrest: detection of intrinsic nitrosoheme complexes.

Ischemic tissues generate nitric oxide (NO) by direct reduction of tissue nitrite under the acidic conditions that occur during ischemia. In view of the important implications of this enzyme-independent mechanism of NO generation on the pathogenesis and treatment of tissue injury, the NO formation in mice subjected to cardiopulmonary arrest was measured and imaged. Real-time measurement of NO generation was performed by detection of naturally generated NO-heme complexes in tissues using L-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. To distinguish NO generated from nitrite, animals were labeled with isotopically enriched (15)N-nitrite. Mice were infused with nitrite (70 mg/kg, intravenous), cardiopulmonary arrest induced by an overdose of phenobarbital, and transferred to the EPR resonator. Measurements of NO generation were performed on the intact animal at the levels of the head, thorax, and abdomen. At the end of 3 hr, major organs were isolated and analyzed for their NO signal. The NO complexes were found to have maximum levels in lung, heart, and liver. Three-dimensional spatial mapping of the NO complex in the intact animal subjected to cardiopulmonary arrest was performed using EPR imaging techniques. The images also confirmed the maximum formation in the lungs, heart, and liver. The present data reveal that mice subjected to cardiopulmonary arrest generate large amounts of NO, which is nitrite mediated. The observed signal was largely due to heme-bound NO, which accounted for the high concentrations found in these organs. This increased NO formation during cardiopulmonary arrest could contribute to the difficulty of resuscitation after long periods of arrest. Magn Reson Med 45:700-707, 2001.
Optical Gain Analysis of Staggered InGaN Quantum Well Active Regions for Lasers Emitting at 420-500 nm

Staggered InGaN quantum wells are analyzed as improved gain media for laser diodes emitting at 420-500 nm, with enhancement of -48% in the peak gain and differential gain for the staggered structure emitting at 460 nm.
The interlacing of eigenvalues of controlled distributed systems

Evidence is presented indicating that when a resolvable distributed system is controlled by a lumped controller, the resulting eigenvalues with finite exception 'interlace' with the eigenvalues of the original uncontrolled system. >
Unsupervised Induction of Modern Standard Arabic Verb Classes Using Syntactic Frames and LSA

We exploit the resources in the Arabic Treebank (ATB) and Arabic Gigaword (AG) to determine the best features for the novel task of automatically creating lexical semantic verb classes for Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). The verbs are classified into groups that share semantic elements of meaning as they exhibit similar syntactic behavior. The results of the clustering experiments are compared with a gold standard set of classes, which is approximated by using the noisy English translations provided in the ATB to create Levin-like classes for MSA. The quality of the clusters is found to be sensitive to the inclusion of syntactic frames, LSA vectors, morphological pattern, and subject animacy. The best set of parameters yields an Fβ=1 score of 0.456, compared to a random baseline of an Fβ=1 score of 0.205.
Probing Vibrational Dynamics of Hydrogen-Bonded Inclusion Compounds with Inelastic Neutron Scattering and Ab Initio Calculations

Guanidinium organodisulfonates form lamellar host lattices in which adjacent two-dimensional hydrogen-bonded sheets consisting of topologically complementary guanidinium cations (G) and sulfonate moieties (S) are connected by the organodisulfonates, which serve as pillars that support inclusion cavities, between the sheets, which are occupied by guest molecules. Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) at low energies (35−120 meV or 280−970 cm-1) has been performed to probe the lattice dynamics of selected GS inclusion compounds. The pillars and the guests can be easily interchanged to produce inclusion compounds with various host−guest compositions, which can have different solid-state architectures but with retention of lamellar character. The specific host−guest combinations were chosen to evaluate the influence of the host environment on the vibrational modes of the guests, with particular attention paid to the role of pillar−guest isomorphism and lattice architecture. The multicomponent character of these ...
Strategies for Enhancing the Effectiveness of Metagenomic-based Enzyme Discovery in Lignocellulolytic Microbial Communities

Producing cellulosic biofuels from plant material has recently emerged as a key US Department of Energy goal. For this technology to be commercially viable on a large scale, it is critical to make production cost efficient by streamlining both the deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass and fuel production. Many natural ecosystems efficiently degrade lignocellulosic biomass and harbor enzymes that, when identified, could be used to increase the efficiency of commercial biomass deconstruction. However, ecosystems most likely to yield relevant enzymes, such as tropical rain forest soil in Puerto Rico, are often too complex for enzyme discovery using current metagenomic sequencing technologies. One potential strategy to overcome this problem is to selectively cultivate the microbial communities from these complex ecosystems on biomass under defined conditions, generating less complex biomass-degrading microbial populations. To test this premise, we cultivated microbes from Puerto Rican soil or green waste compost under precisely defined conditions in the presence dried ground switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) or lignin, respectively, as the sole carbon source. Phylogenetic profiling of the two feedstock-adapted communities using SSU rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing or phylogenetic microarray analysis revealed that the adapted communities were significantly simplified compared to the natural communities from which they were derived. Several members of the lignin-adapted and switchgrass-adapted consortia are related to organisms previously characterized as biomass degraders, while others were from less well-characterized phyla. The decrease in complexity of these communities make them good candidates for metagenomic sequencing and will likely enable the reconstruction of a greater number of full-length genes, leading to the discovery of novel lignocellulose-degrading enzymes adapted to feedstocks and conditions of interest.
Robotic deployment of sensor networks using potential fields

Deploying large numbers of sensors has been receiving a lot of attention for detection of hazardous biological or chemical substances in public buildings, airports, shallow water harbors, etc. The sensor-carrying robots are in fact agents that facilitate the repositioning of network nodes in order to increase their coverage and accuracy. Wireless network communication is an essential technology in transmitting the sensed and telemetry information between robots, but it has traditionally been addressed separately from mobile robot navigation. In this work we propose to use a potential field framework to control the behavior of the mobile sensor nodes by combining classical robotic team concepts (obstacle avoidance, goal attainment, flight formation, environment mapping and coverage) with traditional sensor network concepts (node energy minimization, optimal data rate and congestion control, routing in ad-hoc networks). Simulation results are used to illustrate the proposed concepts, and an experimental mobile sensor fleet is built at the author's institution.
Scale Invariant Optical Transform

The scale invariance of the Mellin transform and its optical synthesis in real-time are discussed. An initial off-line demonstration of an optical Mellin transform is presented. A scale invariant correlation and a combined Fourier-Mellin transform that is both scale and shift invariant are discussed. Applications of these transforms in optical data processing and optical pattern recognition are emphasized.
A Logical Characterization of Individual-Based Models

Individual-based models are a relatively new approach to modelling dynamical systems of interacting entities, for example molecules in a biological cell. Although they are computationally expensive, they have the capability of modelling systems more realistically than traditional state-variable models. We give a formal definition of individual-based models, which includes state-variable models as a special case. We examine the questions of when state-variable models are sufficient for accurate modelling of a system, and when individual-based models are necessary. We define notions of abstraction and approximation, and give sufficient conditions that imply that an individual-based model can be approximated by a deterministic state-variable model. We also give negative results: examples of individual-based models that cannot be approximated by any state-variable model.
Miniaturized Microstrip-Fed Circular Split Ring Resonator Antenna

A miniaturized microstrip-fed antenna composed of a broadside coupled split ring resonator and an excitation arc-shaped monopole is presented. Numerical and experimental results are presented for an antenna conflguration of 1/25 wavelength in diameter (ka » 0:126). The antenna size including the ground plane is 60 £ 38:5mm 2 and it is operating at 200MHz. Its resonant frequency can be tuned over a good range of frequency without changing the antenna size, which can increase its usable bandwidth using reconflgurable antenna techniques.
Computations on the massively parallel processor at the Goddard Space Flight Center

Described are four significant algorithms implemented on the massively parallel processor (MPP) at the Goddard Space Flight Center. Two are in the area of image analysis. Of the other two, one is a mathematical simulation experiment and the other deals with the efficient transfer of data between distantly separated processors in the MPP array. The first algorithm presented is the automatic determination of elevations from stereo pairs. The second algorithm solves mathematical logistic equations capable of producing both ordered and chaotic (or random) solutions. This work can potentially lead to the simulation of artificial life processes. The third algorithm is the automatic segmentation of images into reasonable regions based on some similarity criterion, while the fourth is an implementation of a bitonic sort of data which significantly overcomes the nearest neighbor interconnection constraints on the MPP for transferring data between distant processors. >
The Action of SKF 688A (Phenoxyethyl Derivative of Dibenamine) upon Certain Functions of the Sympathetic Nervous System in Man

A Dibenamine analogue was administered orally to five hypertensive and 10 normotensive subjects over periods from 14 to 21 days. Its adrenergic blocking effect was studied by observing blood pressure, pulse rate, skin temperature of the toes and the pupillary mechanism. Nasal congestion, weakness, listlessness, dizziness, drowsiness and palpitation were persistent sequelae of adrenergic blocking. The drug was found valuable for investigation of autonomous nervous system functions and may hold promise as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of arterial insufficiency and some types of hypertensive subjects.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL METALLIC PHOTONIC CRYSTAL BASED ON SELF-ASSEMBLED GOLD NANOSHELLS

Three-dimensional metallic photonic crystal is fabricated by self-assembly of gold nanoshells. In order to fabricate highly ordered crystal structure, fabrication parameters such as silica coating thickness, the zeta potential and the concentration of gold nanoshells are carefully controlled and optimized. Highly ordered gold nanoshell opal is fabricated and its structural and optical properties are presented.
MECHANISMS OF THE EFFECTS OF ANEUPLOIDY IN MAMMALS

Article de synthese sur les mecanismes par lesquels un desequilibre du nombre chromosomique resulte en des desordres du developpement et des fonctions chez l'homme et les mammiferes
Identification and Stochastic Control of a Class of Distributed Systems with Boundary Noise

We study the problem of identification and stochastic boundary control of a class of linear partial differential equations characterized by random noise on the boundary. Such a problem does not have an analogue in the case of ordinary differential equations and the phenomena are quite different. We are mainly concerned with an abstract-theoretic formulation of the problem and computational aspects are not discussed. In the formulation, we use a white-noise theory based on Gauss measure in a Hilbert Space (in contrast to the usual Wiener process theory) initiated in [1,2]. Even though the measure is only finitely additive we have the advantage of retaining the original topology introduced for the solution of the p.d.e. Moreover, as noted in [3] the white-noise interpretation is essential to provide a meaningful model where noise on the observation is involved (as here). Another feature is the use of semigroup theory (as opposed to the Lions-Magenes variational theory as in [4]) which although limited to time-invariant systems, helps to separate out those aspects of the problem that are of a more general (if abstract) nature and not specifically tied to properties of the p.d.e. involved, and in this way also to pin-point the latter.
Central masking and neural activity in the cochlear nucleus.

Central masking occurs when the test sound is presented to one ear and the masking sound to the other. The arising threshold shift is very small and rarely exceeds 10 dB. It is maximum when the masking sound is presented in bursts and the threshold is determined at the onset of the bursts. The threshold shift rapidly decreases with the time delay and also as the frequency difference between the test and masking sound increases. A simple theory of central masking is developed on the basis of assumptions that are derived from independent psychophysical and physiological experiments. The theory makes it possible to calculate typical characteristics of single units in the eighth nerve and of certain neural populations of the cochlear nucleus and the medial superior olive. In the present article theoretical and experimental characteristics of cochlear-nucleus units are compared along the intensity, time, and frequency scales. The agreement is practically complete at low and moderate sound pressure levels. Cent...
The Fifth Summit Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement

(1976). The Fifth Summit Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement. The Black Scholar: Vol. 8, Unity and Struggle against Domination, pp. 2-9.
Land Values and Government Agricultural Policy

In recent years there has been inaugurated the greatest medley of monetary, production adjustment, credit, land retirement, and conservation programs that the country has ever seen. To separate statistically the effects of each would require altogether too great an expenditure of energy and would probably yield extraordinarily meager results. Nearly all elements of the program have, however, been designed to raise gross or net farm income either immediately or over a period of years (as in the case of certain soil conservation efforts). There has been great and acrimonious disagreement as to whether production adjustment or monetary revaluation played the greatest role in promoting the rise in farm income from 1933 to 1937-38. There is no time to enter into that debate here but certainly it would be hazardous to attempt to determine statistically not only the effects of these two on the value of land but to take account of the influence of the droughts of 1934 and 1936 as well. In general, the more formal and the larger aspects of government agricultural policy have had diverse and at times conflicting effects on land values. They have, perhaps, contributed, in their immediate effects only moderately if at all to land value stability. Furthermore, the rapid changes in the government's program have added one further element of uncertainty to the real estate market and that fact must be counted as a factor of instability. It would be quite unfair to the present government, however, to rest the case at this point. It would be unfair because the more hopeful outlook for land value stability is to be found in some of the informal rather than the more formal aspects of the government's program. There are a number of these informal aspects of policy that have had some influence but a discussion of six of the most important among the many will serve to make the points that should be presented. I. One of the most important of these informal policies may be labelled "the policy of taking stock." Taking stock is a planwise policy. One of the greatest forces for land value instability in the United States has been the general ignorance in the land market, of the character and quality of land. More than any previous Administration the present one has attempted to make amends for this unfortunate lack of information by supporting and financing plans to classify land and to analyze the experience of the past with
Ventrolateral medullary neurons modulate pressor reflex to muscular contraction

Cardiorespiratory alterations during exercise are mediated through feedback from contracting muscles and descending drive from rostral brain sites such as the posterior hypothalamus. The role of medullary sites, which process this information, was examined in this study. In anesthetized cats, muscular contraction elicited by stimulation of L7 and S1 ventral roots and electrical stimulation of sites in the posterior hypothalamus both evoked increases in arterial pressure, heart rate, and minute ventilation. The reflex increase in arterial pressure produced by muscular contraction was attenuated significantly 15-20 min after bilateral microinjections of an excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptor antagonist, kynurenic acid (KYN), into the ventrolateral medulla (VLM). The reflex increase in arterial pressure evoked by muscular contraction returned to control levels 90 min after VLM microinjections of KYN. Microinjection of KYN into the VLM had no effect on the cardiorespiratory responses to posterior hypothalamic stimulation. These findings suggest that neurons in the VLM modulate the reflex pressor response evoked by muscular contraction. This reflex may be mediated through an interaction with EAA receptors on neurons in the VLM.
The molecular complexity of fertilization: Introducing the concept of a fertilization synapse

The details of sperm-egg interactions remain a relative mystery despite many decades of research. As new molecular complexities are being discovered, we need to revise the framework in which we think about fertilization. As such, we propose that fertilization involves the formation of a synapse between the sperm and egg. A cellular synapse is a structure that mediates cell adhesion, signaling, and secretion through specialized zones of interaction and polarity. In this review, we draw parallels between the immune synapse and fertilization, and argue that we should consider sperm-egg recognition, binding, and fusion in the context of a "fertilization synapse." Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 376-386, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of Intramuscular Injection of Penicillin on Bacterial Spoilage

Abstract The use of penicillin and various other antibiotics for therapeutic purposes is well established. Antibiotics have also been used in nutrition (Jukes, 1955). The bacteriostatic and bacteriolytic effect of various penicillins has been reported to be due to the interference of the synthesis of cell wall mucopeptides (Park and Strominger, 1957). However, the site of interference of cell wall synthesis is unknown. The importance of egg shell structures in resisting microbial spoilage has been amply demonstrated by several workers. Baker and Balch (1962), reported that the egg shell membranes are made up of N-acetylhexosamine blocks. Since penicillin affects the synthesis of cell wall material which is made up of similar building blocks, a study was undertaken to study the effect of therapeutic doses of penicillin on the spoilage of eggs laid by such birds. The eggs from a single strain of White Leghorns, 22 weeks of age, were used. Six…
Effect of methylene blue on blood pH, oxygen and carbon dioxide content.

SummaryInjections of a single large dose of methylene blue intraperitoneally in rats significantly lowered the pH and oxygen and increased the carbon dioxide of venous blood. These effects were believed to be due to hypermetabolism.
Hymns:: An Essay and Bibliogrpahy (Music Mini-Perspectives; no.4)

A survey of some of the more important Christian hymns of the modern era is presented, along with a selected annotated bibliography on the topic.
Efficacy of Turkey Herpesvirus Vaccine Against Marek’s Disease in Broilers

Abstract In three different broiler producing areas in Georgia, a total of 2,500,000, broilers were vaccinated at one day of age with various doses of turkey herpesvirus (HVT) vaccine ranging from 200 to 2600 plaque forming units (PFU) per bird. Approximately 600,000 broilers reared in separate houses on the same farms served as unvaccinated controls. All groups were identified and processed separately. Very little effect on reduction of condemnations for Marek’s disease was realized with doses of vaccine greater than 1000 PFU per bird. If the advantages of weight gains of vaccinated birds were not taken into consideration, 500 PFU per bird gave the best return on money invested for vaccine when the vaccine cost was $50 per thousand doses. However, when the cost of vaccine was reduced to ten dollars per 1000 doses the 1000 PFU dose was more advantageous. A dose of approximately 1000 PFU per bird also yielded a better return on money spent for the HVT vaccine because of the advantages of increased body weight and livability.
Maximal Areas of Reuleaux Polygons

In this paper we provide new proofs of some interesting results of Firey [2] on isoperimetric ratios of Reuleaux polygons. Recall that a Reuleaux polygon is a plane convex set of constant width whose boundary consists of a finite (odd) number of circular arcs. Equivalently, it is the intersection of a finite number of suitably chosen congruent discs. For more details, see [1, p. 128]. If a Reuleaux polygon has n sides (arcs) of positive length (where n is odd and ≥ 3), we will refer to it as a Reuleaux n-gon, or sometimes just as an n-gon. If all of the sides are equal, it is termed a regular n-gon.
Training the Participatory Renaissance Man: Past Creative Experiences and Collaborative Design

Students are frequently trained in a variety of methodologies to promote their creativity in the collaborative environment. Some of the training and methods work well, while others present challenges. A collaborative stimulation approach is taken to extend creative cognition to collaborative creativity, providing new insights into design methodologies and training. An experiment using retrospective protocol analysis, originally conducted to identify the various types of collaborative stimulation, revealed how diversity of past creative experiences correlates with collaborative stimulation. This finding aligns with previous research. Unfortunately, many current engineering design education programs do not adequately provide opportunities for diverse creative experiences. As this study and other research has found, there is a need to create courses in engineering design programs which encourage participation in diverse creative activities.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
A food poisoning caused by Enteroinvasive E. coil

Objective:To investigate and analyze the approach and reason of a food poisoning,so as to provide evidence for food safety management.Methods:Field epidemiological investigation and laboratory detection methods were involved to survey this outbreak.Results:56 of the 319 students had gastrointestinal symptoms after meal.The attack rate was 17.55%.This food poisoning case was caused by O136K78 Enteroinvasive E.coil(EIEC).Conclusion:Management for catering(especially the mass hall) should be strengthened and publicity for "Food hygiene law" should be improved to avoid the incidence of food poisoning and ensure the food safety.
Effect of race on long-term survival of breast cancer patients: transinstitutional analysis from an inner city hospital and university medical center.

Black women have the highest mortality for breast cancer. Our hypothesis is that racial disparities in breast cancer survival persist after controlling for stage of disease and treatment at both a ...
FGF23 Neutralizing Antibody Ameliorates Hypophosphatemia and Impaired FGF Receptor Signaling in Kidneys of HMWFGF2 Transgenic Mice

High molecular weight FGF2 transgenic mice (HMWTg) phenocopy the Hyp mouse, homolog of human X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets with phosphate wasting and abnormal fibroblast growth factor (FGF23), fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), Klotho and mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling in kidney. In this study, we assessed whether short-term (24 h) in vivo administration of FGF23 neutralizing antibody (FGF23Ab) could rescue hypophosphatemia and impaired FGFR signaling in kidneys of HMWTg male mice. Bone mineral density and bone mineral content in 1-month-old HMWTg mice were significantly reduced compared with Control/VectorTg mice. Serum FGF23 was significantly increased in HMWTg compared with VectorTg. Serum phosphate was significantly reduced in HMWTg and was rescued by FGF23Ab. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) was significantly increased in HMWTg but was not reduced by FGF23Ab. 1, 25(OH)2 D was inappropriately normal in serum of HMWTg and was significantly increased in both Vector and HMWTg by FGF23Ab. Analysis of HMWTg kidneys revealed significantly increased mRNA expression of the FGF23 co-receptor Klotho, transcription factor mRNAs for early growth response-1 transcription factor (Egr-1), and c-fos were all significantly decreased by FGF23Ab. A significant reduction in the phosphate transporter Npt2a mRNA was also observed in HMWTg kidneys, which was increased by FGF23Ab. FGF23Ab reduced p-FGFR1, p-FGFR3, KLOTHO, p-ERK1/2, C-FOS, and increased NPT2A protein in HMWTg kidneys. We conclude that FGF23 blockade rescued hypophosphatemia by regulating FGF23/FGFR downstream signaling in HMWTg kidneys. Furthermore, HMWFGF2 isoforms regulate PTH expression independent of FGF23/FGFR signaling. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 610-616, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE CHICKEN CALMODULIN PROMOTER

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the functional analysis of the chicken calmodulin (CaM) promoter. CaM is essential and present in all eukaryotic cells. Therefore, the promoter of the CaM gene must be active in all cells. Eight plasmids containing different lengths of the chicken CaM promoter fused to the Chloramphenicol Acetyl Transferase (CAT) gene were constructed. Promoter activity was determined indirectly by measuring CAT activity in the transfected cells. One region of the promoter, between −480 and −610 produced maximal transcription in all cells. All other regions of the promoter had differential effects depending on cell type and proliferative state. Thus, −660 to −1212 produced a several fold increase in transcription only in CEB cells which suggests that among the cells examined only brain cells may contain a positive transcription factor that interacts with this region of the CaM promoter. These results indicate that the CaM promoter contains multiple regulatory regions with tissue and proliferation dependent specificity.
Ultra-low-power, high-density spintronic programmable logic (SPL)

A non-volatile spintronic programmable logic (SPL), based on a 3-teriminal magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), is presented and simulated using a compact device model. The SPL structure is compatible with CMOS technology and can be fabricated in the back end of line (BEOL). The proposed SPL exploits the gate-voltage-modulated spin Hall effect (V-SHE) switching, which combines the voltage controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) effect and SHE, as a parallel configuration method. The VCMA modulates the coercivity of the MTJ, reducing the critical current for the SHE to change the state of MTJs. This allows the SPL to achieve 100x faster configuration speed due to the parallel configuration, and 32% area reduction because of minimized transistors in the write circuit, compared to conventional spin transfer torque memory (STT-RAM) based programmable logic.
Enrichment of Genetic Variants for Rheumatoid Arthritis within T-Cell and NK-Cell Enhancer Regions.

To identify disease-causative variants, we intersected the published results of a metaanalysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with the set of enhancer regions for 71 primary cell types that was provided by the FANTOM consortium. We first retrieved all single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated (P < 5 × 108) with RA in the GWAS meta-analysis and that are located in any of these enhancer regions. After excluding the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region, we identified 50 such RA-associated SNPs that are located in enhancer regions. Enhancer sets from different cell types were then compared with each other for their number of RA-associated SNPs by permutation analysis. This analysis showed that RA-associated SNPs are preferentially located in enhancers from several immunological cell types. In particular, we see a strong relative enrichment in enhancer regions that are active in T cells (P < 0.001) and NK cells (P < 0.001). Several loci display multiple RA-associated SNPs in tight linkage disequilibrium that are located within the same or neighboring enhancers. These haplotypes may have a greater likelihood to influence enhancer activity than any SNP on its own. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that RA-causative variants often act through altering the activity of immune cell enhancers. The enrichment in T-cell and NK-cell enhancer regions indicates that expression changes in these cell types are particularly relevant for the pathogenesis of RA. The specific SNPs that account for this enrichment can be used as a basis for focused genotype-phenotype studies of these cell types.
Finite horizon discrete-time approximate dynamic programming

Dynamic programming for discrete time system is difficult due to the “curse of dimensionality”: one has to find a series of control actions that must be taken in sequence, hoping that this sequence will lead to the optimal performance cost, but the total cost of those actions will be unknown until the end of that sequence. In this paper, we present our work on adaptive optimal control of nonlinear discrete time system using neural networks. We study the relationships of optimal controls for different control steps and then develop a neural dynamic programming algorithm based on these relationships.
Point-Contact Metal-Insulator-Metal Architecture: A Facile Approach for Material Screening Studies and Beyond

Historically, the point-contact metal-insulator-metal (MIM) architecture constituted the first approach for making MIM diodes for high-frequency rectification applications. Point-contact MIM rectifiers have been shown to operate at frequencies as high as 150 THz. In the last 3 decades, point-contact architectures have given way to more stable planar MIM architectures that are lithographically patterned to yield micro- and nanoscale device areas. But point-contact MIM architectures are still highly useful, for example, in facilitating high-throughput material screening studies. Such screening studies are of critical importance for developing material design rules to help identify optimal MIM materials for various rectification applications. In this chapter, modified approaches to the point-contact MIM architecture are presented. These architectures are employed to study the influence of material properties on rectification performance. This enables the correlation of performance to the work function values of the two metals, the electron affinity of the insulator and the thermodynamic stability of the metal/insulator interface. Material selection criteria are proposed based on these results. From these criteria a two-dimensional MIM material space map is constructed that can help identify and visualize application-specific champion MIM devices based on their material properties such as work function and electron affinity.
The forgotten casualties redux: women, children, and disaster risk

Twenty years ago this journal published an article examining the disproportionate burden of global environmental changes on women and children, highlighting the inequalities in capabilities and opportunities for coping with risks. This retrospective re-examines selected global social and environmental transformations that have increased gendered vulnerability illustrating that over the past two decades, inequalities persist and in some instances have worsened. The social transformations underway—especially widening wealth gaps, large-scale population movements, gendered violence–exacerbate the environmental burdens on women and children even more. Changes in food security, water availability, and air quality continue to produce adverse effects on women and children reducing their ability to cope with everyday risk let alone respond and recover from disasters. Women and children continue to bear the brunt of adverse impacts of disasters and environmental change however we don't know the magnitude or geographic extent of the burden because there is no legacy of data reliability to consistently document these injustices. What gets measured gets done, but in the case of women and children they are often the undocumented victims further reproducing the notion of the forgotten casualties.
Quantification of Inflammatory Markers in Laryngotracheal Stenosis

Objectives (1) Develop a novel method for serial assessment of gene and protein expression in laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS). (2) Assess cytokine expression and determine an immunophenotype in LTS. Study Design A matched comparison of endolaryngeal brush biopsy samples from laryngotracheal scar and normal airway. Setting Tertiary care hospital, 2015-2016. Methods Brush biopsy specimens of laryngotracheal scar and normal trachea were obtained from 17 patients with LTS at the time of operating room dilation and were used for protein and RNA extraction. Gene expression of the TH1 cytokine interferon γ (INF-γ), TH2 cytokine interleukin 4 (IL-4), transforming growth factor β, and collagen 1 (Coll1) was quantified with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cytokine analysis was performed with flow cytometry with a cytometric bead array. Results LTS specimens demonstrated a 13.68-fold increase in Coll1 gene expression versus normal ( P < .001, N = 17). Additionally, IL-4 gene expression showed a 3.76-fold increase ( P < .001, N = 17) in LTS scar. When stratified into iatrogenic LTS and idiopathic subglottic stenosis cohorts, INF-γ gene expression was significantly increased in idiopathic subglottic stenosis ( P = .011). Soluble cytokine measurements were below the limit of detection for reliable quantification and thus could not be assessed. Conclusions Brush biopsies from LTS samples can be successfully utilized for RNA extraction and demonstrate the expected increase in Coll1 gene expression associated with LTS. Preliminary gene expression suggests that abnormal collagen production may be mediated by the TH2 cytokine IL-4 and that increased INF-γ expression may represent a key difference between iatrogenic LTS and idiopathic subglottic stenosis. Further analysis of soluble cytokines is needed to confirm these findings.
A Modest Proposal? Regulating Customer Discrimination Through the Firm

Antidiscrimination law appears to be of two minds. The law aggressively polices discrimination in some realms, while leaving other realms to be governed by the preferences of their participants. In their essay, Professors Katharine Bartlett and Mitu Gulati suggest recalibrating the boundaries of this area of law so that it covers discrimination in an area that the law now leaves largely up to the realm of personal preference: discrimination by customers. While Bartlett and Gulati consider a direct ban on discrimination by customers, they reject this approach in favor of regulating firms. They describe this proposal as “modest.” This Response considers the claim that such a proposal amounts to a modest change in the law, and then addresses the consequences of regulating discrimination by customers through firms. As a descriptive matter, this Response suggests that Bartlett and Gulati’s negligence-like proposal represents a fairly substantial break with current antidiscrimination laws regulating firms. This fact does not necessarily weigh against their proposal. A substantial break in the law may be required to deal with a sufficiently troubling problem. In fact, Bartlett and Gulati’s work might lead us to consider anew whether antidiscrimination law should hold firms to a negligence standard in a broader range of circumstances. As a normative matter, this Response highlights the downsides of regulating customer discrimination through firms, including some of the same concerns — such as efficacy — that motivate Bartlett and Gulati to reject customer liability. These downsides do not require a rejection of firm liability in favor of either customer liability or no liability. However, they must be accounted for in considering the optimal approach. Finally, this Response argues that allowing firms too much leeway to take account of discriminatory customer preferences under a BFOQ-type exception — a concern under Bartlett and Gulati’s proposal — fails to hold firms accountable for their role in cultivating these preferences.
Algorithm 976: Bertini_real: Numerical Decomposition of Real Algebraic Curves and Surfaces

Bertini_real is a compiled command line program for numerically decomposing the real portion of a positive-dimensional complex component of an algebraic set. The software uses homotopy continuation to solve a series of systems via regeneration from a witness set to compute a cell decomposition. The implemented decomposition algorithms are similar to the well-known cylindrical algebraic decomposition (CAD) first established by Collins in that they produce a set of connected cells. In contrast to the CAD, Bertini_real produces cells with midpoints connected to boundary points by homotopies, which can easily be numerically tracked. Furthermore, the implemented decomposition for surfaces naturally yields a triangulation. This CAD-like decomposition captures the topological information and permits further computation on the real sets, such as sampling, visualization, and three-dimensional printing.
High Level Specification and Synthesis of Sequential Logic Modules

Abstract A methodology for synthesizing synchronization constructs in VHDL is presented in this paper. Both asynchronous and synchronous synchronization are treated. Also presented is a methodology to develop synthesis subset for simulation languages and other synthesis issues.
Census Tract Poverty and Racial Disparities in HIV Rates in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, 2009–2014

Previous work has documented associations between poverty and HIV. Understanding of these relationships at local levels could help target prevention efforts; however, HIV surveillance systems do not capture individual-level poverty measures. We utilized the Public Health Disparities Geocoding Project methods to examine HIV rates by census tract poverty. HIV rates and rate ratios were computed by census tract poverty ( 20.0% of individual below the federal poverty level) for all races and stratified by Black and White race using Poisson regression. We observed higher HIV rates in the highest poverty gradient compared to the lowest poverty gradient for all races combined and among White cases. After adjustment, HIV rates were similar across poverty gradients for all comparisons. Our findings suggest that the association between poverty and HIV may differ by subpopulation, while demonstrating the potential for HIV prevention targeting residents of high poverty areas.
A longitudinal monitoring of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) during reduced dosing anthracycline based chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer.

e12666Background: American Society of Echocardiography recommends that echocardiography is performed at baseline and after treatment completion in patients who received a cumulative anthracycline d...
American Health Reformers and the Social Sciences in the Twentieth Century

This essay situates American health reformers, during the first three-quarters of the twentieth century, in the broader context of reform in American social policy and in the tissue of relationships that connected reformist impulses with the social sciences. Reformers came in many stripes, and the tenor of reform ideas changed over the course of the century from the Progressive Era, through the Hoover years, the New Deal, and the post-war liberal consensus and the conservative era that followed. Nevertheless, despite the diversity and the changes, until the late 1960s a broad similarity and continuity marked thinking among reformers about American public policy, about health policy in particular, and about the role in it of social-scientific expertise. In particular most reformers held that maintaining the security of citizens (individuals and families) was a broad, public responsibility; that programs to serve this end typically operated by removing some spheres of life from the dominance of markets or offering shelter from or recourse to the effects of markets; that programs should lie primarily on the national level (or, if below, conform to national parameters); and that programs required technical knowledge, wielded disinterestedly by experts trained especially in the social sciences and working in public, non-profit, and non-partisan institutions.
"Vulnerable" populations--medicine, race, and presumptions of identity.

Asking patients about their race in a manner that suggests it will naturally reveal something about their bodies, health, or risks treats race as equal in influence to factors that affect patients across races or those that are individually determined. This makes patients racial representatives rather than individuals and can obscure more relevant contributors to health. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Genetically Engineered Rat Models for Breast Cancer

Rat mammary cancers generally resemble many features of human breast cancer. With the recent developments in rat genetic engineering, the rat has become an excellent model system to study aspects of the molecular etiology of breast cancer. In this review, we describe the efforts to generate genetically engineered rat models for breast cancer.
Heterogeneous Nitrogen Oxide-Particle Reactions

Abstract Experimental investigations of the rates and mechanisms of heterogeneous reactions involving nitrogen oxides and particles which are either co-emitted from power plants or are resident in the atmosphere are described. Results from experiments involving NO and NO 2 and particulate sulfuric acid, ammonium sulfate, sea salt, and fly ash are presented.