cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diversity combining for the Z-channel

Corrupted packets that cause retransmission requests in automatic retransmission request (ARQ) systems can be reused. They can be combined with additional stored copies of the transmitted packet in order to obtain a single packet which is more reliable than any of the constituents. A scheme which suits the Z-channel is proposed here and the performance is analyzed under different coding assumptions.
The Impact of a Blood Conservation Program in Complex Aortic Surgery.

Objective: Recent Society of Thoracic Surgeons and Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (STS/SCA) guidelines highlight the safety of blood conservation strategies in routine cardiac surgery. We evaluated the feasibility and impact of such a program in complex aortic surgery. Methods: Between March 2010 and October 2011, 63 consecutive aortic replacement procedures were performed: aortic root (n = 17; 27%), ascending aorta (n = 15; 23.8%), aortic arch (n = 19; 30.2%), descending aorta (n = 8; 12.7%), and thoracoabdominal aorta (n = 4; 6.3%). Aortic dissections were present in 32 patients. A multidisciplinary approach to blood conservation included minimal perioperative crystalloid, small priming circuits, hemoconcentration, meticulous hemostasis, and tolerance of postoperative anemia (hemoglobin of ≥ 7mg/dL). Results: Operative mortality was 11.1%. Multivariate predictors of mortality were low preoperative hematocrit (HCT, P = 0.05) and endocarditis (P = 0.021). Seventy-four percent of patients required no intraoperative packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusion. For nondissection patients, 80.6% required ≤ 1 U of intraoperatively compared to 54.3% in STS benchmark data (P < 0.0001). During the hospital stay, 24 patients (39%) received no pRBCs and 34 patients (54%) received ≤ 1 U of pRBCs. Multivariate predictors of pRBC transfusion were low preoperative HCT (P = 0.04) and cardiopulmonary bypass time (P = 0.01). Discharge hemoglobin/HCT values were 8.7/26.3 compared to preoperative 12.1/35.5 (p < 0.001). Complications were absent in 94% (32/34) of patients receiving ≤1 U compared to 59% (17/29) in patients who received ≥ 2 U (P = 0.001). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that a perioperative blood conservation management strategy can be extended to complex aortic surgery and is associated with better clinical outcomes.
Abstract B12: Inhibition of the transcription factor Ikaros augments the tumoricidal capacity of CD8+ T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptor

Recent success of adoptive transfer of T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) in patients with blood-borne malignancies has resulted in growing enthusiasm to apply the same approach to treat solid tumors. CAR-expressing T cells, however, will likely face many challenges that will limit their efficacy in solid tumors. One possible obstacle will be the intrinsic negative feedback system that prevent continuing T cell responses. The transcription factor Ikaros, which has been shown to suppress endogenous T effector functions through epigenetic remodeling of cytokine gene loci, may be one such negative regulator. Here we show that anti-mesothelin CAR (mesoCAR) T cells with reduced levels of Ikaros consistently mediate better in vitro cell killing and in vivo tumor regression than their wild-type counterparts. This increased anti-tumor activity was accompanied by increased persistence of mesoCAR T cells, as well as increased IFN-γ production. Enhanced cytolytic activity was also evidenced in mesoCAR T cells with reduced Ikaros, which could be partially explained by increased CD107a upregulation and Granzyme B production. Reduction in the Ikaros level in mesoCAR T cells did not affect T cell receptor and CAR signaling, but was able to render them more resistant to soluble inhibitory factors like TGF-β and adenosine. In summary, inhibition of the transcriptional repressor Ikaros in CAR T cells could be an attractive strategy to overcome immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and enhance their tumoricidal capacity. Further clinical development is warranted. Citation Format: Shaun O9Brien, Rajan M. Thomas, Steven M. Albelda, Andrew D. Wells, Liang-Chuan S. Wang. Inhibition of the transcription factor Ikaros augments the tumoricidal capacity of CD8+ T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptor. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy: A New Chapter; December 1-4, 2014; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2015;3(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B12.
President of the Board of Trade

Before he could settle down as President of the Board of Trade, Churchill had to vacate his parliamentary seat and fight a by-election — indeed as it turned out, two by-elections. The need for certain ministers on appointment to vacate their seats in the Commons was a tiresome legacy of the Regency Act of 1707, which was designed to limit the powers of the Crown to give places to Members of Parliament. Churchill found ranged against him at Manchester North-West not only his Conservative opponent of the 1906 election, William Joynson-Hicks, but also a Socialist of uncompromising views, Dan Irving of the Social-Democratic Federation, a small body which had no links with the Labour Party. Fortunately, the Socialist challenge was not very significant with such a candidate in such a constituency; and H. G. Wells, the distinguished Socialist novelist, went out of his way to publish a long statement urging electors to support Churchill rather than Irving, because he showed ‘the spirit of our movement’ and moreover was more likely to be able to defeat JoynsonHicks.1 But Churchill could not feel confident of success in the contest, for the great tide of enthusiasm for Liberalism and for Free Trade had ebbed somewhat since 1906. The trade cycle had turned downwards, and the resulting depression revived the Tariff Reform agitation — though what success it would have in Lanca?shire remained to be seen.
Interleukin-6: A Constitutive Modulator of Glycoprotein 130, Neuroinflammatory and Cell Survival Signaling in Retina

Objective: The interleukin-6 (IL-6) family of cytokines and their signal transducer glycoprotein (gp130) are implicated in inflammatory and cell survival functions in glaucoma. There are several avenues for interdependent modulation of IL-6 family members and gp130 signaling. Here we investigated whether IL-6 modulates gp130 and related neuroinflammatory, cell survival and regulatory signaling in both healthy and glaucomatous retina. Methods: In naive and glaucomatous (Microbead Occlusion Model), wildtype (WT) and IL-6 knockout (IL-6-/-) mice, we examined gp130 protein expression and localization, using western blot and immunohistochemistry. Gene targets related to IL-6 and gp130 signaling and pertinent to neuroinflammation (TNFα, IL-1β), cell health (Bax, Bcl-xl) and STAT3 regulation (Socs3) were quantified using qRTPCR. Results: In the naive retina, IL-6-/- retina contained significantly less gp130 compared to WT retina. This IL-6- related decrease in gp130 was accompanied by a reduction in mRNA expression of TNFα, Socs3 and Bax. After 4 weeks of microbead-induced ocular hypertension, both microbead- and saline-injected (control) eyes of IL-6-/- mice exhibited higher expression of TNFα, compared to WT mice. IL-1β expression was also reduced specifically in IL-6-/- retina with microbead-induced glaucoma. While saline and microbead injection l increased Bcl-xl and Socs3 mRNA in both WT and IL-6-/- mice, IL-6-/- deficiency led to smaller increases for both Bcl-xl and Socs3. Conclusions: Our findings support a role for IL-6 in setting baseline parameters for neuroinflammatory, cell health and gp130 regulatory signaling that can impact the nature and magnitude of retinal responses to glaucomarelated stressors.
Dispositional self-control: relationships with aerobic capacity and morning surge in blood pressure

The psychological, behavioral and psychosocial implications of self-control are well established, but relatively little is known about its implications for physical health. This study examined the association between self-control and two important indicators of cardiovascular risk: morning blood pressure surge (MBPS) and maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max). Undergraduate students (N = 78) completed a measure of dispositional self-control (Brief Self-Control Scale), participated in a 24-h ambulatory assessment of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP), and completed the YMCA Cycle Ergometer Submaximal Test. Regression analyzes yielded a significant positive relationship between self-control and VO2max. Results also indicated a significant negative association between self-control and MBPS, independent of average 24-h blood pressure and VO2max scores. These findings expand our understanding of the relationship between dispositional self-control and MBPS. Study limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
Planar Matching in Streams Revisited

We present data stream algorithms for estimating the size or weight of the maximum matching in low arboricity graphs. A large body of work has focused on improving the constant approximation factor for general graphs when the data stream algorithm is permitted O(n polylog n) space where n is the number of nodes. This space is necessary if the algorithm must return the matching. Recently, Esfandiari et al. (SODA 2015) showed that it was possible to estimate the maximum cardinality of a matching in a planar graph up to a factor of 24+epsilon using O(epsilon^{-2} n^{2/3} polylog n) space. We first present an algorithm (with a simple analysis) that improves this to a factor 5+epsilon using the same space. We also improve upon the previous results for other graphs with bounded arboricity. We then present a factor 12.5 approximation for matching in planar graphs that can be implemented using O(log n) space in the adjacency list data stream model where the stream is a concatenation of the adjacency lists of the graph. The main idea behind our results is finding "local" fractional matchings, i.e., fractional matchings where the value of any edge e is solely determined by the edges sharing an endpoint with e. Our work also improves upon the results for the dynamic data stream model where the stream consists of a sequence of edges being inserted and deleted from the graph. We also extend our results to weighted graphs, improving over the bounds given by Bury and Schwiegelshohn (ESA 2015), via a reduction to the unweighted problem that increases the approximation by at most a factor of two.
Housing and the Grassroots: Using Local and Expert Knowledge to Preserve Affordable Housing:

Planning practice has had to balance the adversarial relationships necessary to challenge existing and dysfunctional or unjust policies and the collaborations necessary to solve problems and create...
Guiding Cognitive Processing During Learning with Animations: Commentary on Parts III and IV

Animation can be a useful addition to the instructional designer’s toolbox, but techniques are needed to help guide learners’ cognitive processing during learning with animations. One technique is to add instructional design features intended to guide learners’ cognitive processing, such as adding visual signaling to guide how the learner selects and organizes material from animations depicting how a dynamic system works (e.g., De Koning & Jarodzka, 2017, this volume) or adding orientation references intended to guide how the learner selects what to attend to in animations of three-dimensional objects (e.g., Berney & Betrancourt, 2017, this volume). Another technique is to prompt the learner to use active learning strategies intended to guide how the learner selects and organizes material from the animation, such as asking the learner to produce drawings based on an animated lesson (e.g., Lowe & Mason, 2017, this volume; Stieff, 2017, this volume) or answer questions (e.g., Ploetzner & Breyer, 2017, this volume). Overall, the chapters in Parts III and IV of this volume examine how to help learners process instructional animations in ways that lead to useful learning outcomes.
Results of the 2015 National Certified Pharmacy Technician Workforce Survey.

Purpose The results of the 2015 National Certified Pharmacy Technician Workforce Survey are described. Methods A survey was e-mailed to a randomized sample of 5,000 certified pharmacy technicians (CPhTs) throughout the United States, with response reminders employed. Survey items eliciting demographic and work characteristics and work life attitudes were generated from the literature and qualitative interviews. This study aimed to describe job satisfaction, sources of stress, profession and employer commitment, education and training, and reasons for entry into the profession among CPhTs and determine relationships between those variables and CPhTs’ level of involvement in various work activities, with particular attention paid to differences in practice setting. Frequency statistics, correlation analysis, and means testing were used to meet study objectives and identify significant differences. Results A total of 516 CPhTs currently working as a pharmacy technician responded to the survey. The CPhTs reported high levels of involvement in more traditional activities but less involvement in those that involve greater cognitive load. Respondents reported moderate levels of job satisfaction and commitment and somewhat high levels of stress overall. Most CPhTs chose to be a pharmacy technician because they desired to enter a healthcare field and help people and were recruited. CPhTs derived benefit from all aspects of education and training evaluated and most from on-the-job training. Perceived value of education and training was associated with higher satisfaction and commitment and with lower stress. There were a number of differences in these work life attitudes across practice settings and by involvement in various job functions. Conclusion The results of the survey indicated that job satisfaction and commitment were moderate and that stress levels were somewhat high among CPhTs. There were a number of differences in work life attitudes across practice settings and by involvement in various job activities.
Relation of Intake Rate to Length of Run in Surface Irrigation

Relationship between intake rate of soil and length of run in surface irrigation with regard to amount of water lost below root zone through deep percolation; nomograph is included from which perce...
Cyber Victimization and Depression among Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Buffering Effects of Parental Mediation and Social Support.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the buffering effect of parental mediation of technology use and social support from parents on the association between cyber victimization and depression, assessed over one year. Participants were 113 7th through 9th graders from the Midwestern United States (age ranged from 12 to 17 years old; 86% were male) who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. They completed questionnaires on their perceptions of parental mediation of technology use, perceived social support from parents, and self-reported face-to-face and cyber victimization and depression at Wave 1. One year later, at Wave 2, they completed a questionnaire on their depression. Results indicated that the associations between cyber victimization and depression were more negative at higher levels of perceived parental technology mediation and social support, while these associations were more negative at lower levels of these variables, after controlling for face-to-face victimization and Wave 1 depression.
Affective profiles and academic success in a college science course

Abstract The current study identified affective profiles and examined their relations to behavioral engagement and disengagement as well as achievement among undergraduate students enrolled in a college anatomy course ( N = 278). Cluster analysis was used to identify four affective profiles: Positive , Deactivated , Negative , and Moderate-Low . Students in the Positive and Deactivated profiles were more engaged, less disengaged, and earned higher grades on subsequent exams than those in Moderate-Low and Negative profiles, which did not differ from one another. Subsequent analyses indicated that the relation of affective profiles to achievement was mediated through engagement. Results provide support for the importance of examining students’ mixed affective experiences in terms of both valence and activation dimensions, adding important contributions to largely variable-oriented literature on academic affect and its relation to engagement and achievement.
The impact of the new National Bone Health Alliance (NBHA) diagnostic criteria on the prevalence of osteoporosis in the United States: supplementary presentation

We evaluated the prevalence of osteoporosis using the osteoporosis diagnostic criteria developed by the National Bone Health Alliance (NBHA), which includes qualified fractures, FRAX score in addition to BMD. The expanded definition increases the prevalence compared to BMD alone definitions; however, it may better identify those at elevated fracture risk. Recently an NBHA working Group published a paper in OI with recommendations for expanding the criteria that would constitute an osteoporosis diagnosis in postmenopausal women and in men over age 50 for use in the US - Siris et al., Osteoporosis International 25(%): 1439-1443, 2014. The recommendations have now been endorsed by NOF, ASBMR and a number of professional medical groups and appear in the NOF Clinician's Guide. The new diagnostic criteria continue to include a T-score by DXA of spine or hip that is less than or equal to -2.5, but alternatively also include a hip fracture with or without BMD testing or a vertebral, pelvis, proximal humerus and in some cases a distal forearm fracture in a person with low bone mass, or a FRAX score that meets or exceeds the NOF Guide osteoporosis treatment cut point.
β-Alanine and N-terminal cationic substituents affect polyamide–DNA binding

Minor-groove binding hairpin polyamides (PAs) bind specific DNA sequences. Synthetic modifications can improve PA–DNA binding affinity and include flexible modules, such as β-alanine (β) motifs to replace pyrroles (Py), and increasing compound charge using N-terminal cationic substituents. To better understand the variations in kinetics and affinities caused by these modifications on PA–DNA interactions, a comprehensive set of PAs with different numbers and positions of β and different types of N-cationic groups was systematically designed and synthesized to bind their cognate sequence, the λB motif. The λB motif is also a strong binding promoter site of the major groove targeting transcription factor PU.1. The PA binding affinities and kinetics were evaluated using a spectrum of powerful biophysical methods: thermal melting, biosensor surface plasmon resonance and circular dichroism. The results show that β inserts affect PA–DNA interactions in a number and position dependent manner. Specifically, a β replacement between two imidazole heterocycles (ImβIm) generally strengthens binding. In addition, N-terminal cationic groups can accelerate the association between PA and DNA, but the bulky size of TMG can cause steric hindrance and unfavourable repulsive electrostatic interactions in some PAs. The future design of stronger binding PA requires careful combination of βs and cationic substituents.
Detection of phytocannabinoids from buccal swabs by headspace solid phase microextraction – gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME), which is a solvent-free extraction technique, was configured with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to detect phytocannabinoids from buccal swabs. The HS-SPME extraction procedure, i.e. extraction time, extraction temperature, thermal desorption parameters as well as headspace derivatization, were evaluated to extract major phytocannabinoids from the headspace of air-dried buccal swab samples. Sub micrograms of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) spiked onto buccal swabs could be extracted and detected by the HS-SPME-GC/MS approach. The analytical system can be readily automated without the use of solvent extraction. No interference peaks for phytocannabinoids were found in the total ion chromatograms obtained from the tested buccal swabs using cotton as the substrate. Interference background can also be minimized by using selected ion monitoring. This analytical approach potentially could be adopted to detect marijuana smokers by the identification of residual phytocannabinoids from oral cavities for forensic applications.
Update on CP-Violation

In the surroundings of a lovely, medieval, walled town high on a mountain, it is perhaps not inappropriate to begin with a few historical observations. First, it has been slightly more than 50 years since Dirac proposed his famous equation which has contained in it, intrinsic in its structure, the notion of antimatter. And completely independent, without knowledge of the theoretical developments, Carl Anderson discovered the positron, the antimatter twin of the electron. Now, of course, we are very sophisticated and recognize that the existence of antimatter — symmetric with matter — is a natural consequence of the joining of relativity and quantum mechanics.1
Understanding Evolving University-Industry Relationships

Manifest changes in the means by which universities seek to transfer scientific and technical knowledge are apparent after two decades of experience with new legal, economic and policy environments aimed at accelerating the translation of academic research into commercial products. These changes have affected the internal specifications of institutional missions and altered behavioral norms for faculty. U.S. universities have become thede factoworldwide template for what Clark (1998) has termed “entrepreneurial universities.”
Nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptors modulate the discriminative stimulus effects of oxycodone in C57BL/6 mice.

Abstract Background Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) receptor ligands have shown efficacy as putative analgesics and can modulate the abuse-related effects of opioids, suggesting therapeutic applications. The discriminative stimulus effects of a drug are related to their subjective effects, a predictor of abuse potential. To determine whether activation of NOP receptors could alter the subjective effects of an abused opioid analgesic, a novel oxycodone discrimination was established in mice, characterized with positive and negative controls, and its expression evaluated with a NOP receptor agonist. Methods Adult male C57BL/6 mice were trained to discriminate 1.3 mg/kg oxycodone from vehicle in a two-lever operant procedure. The discrimination was characterized with naloxone challenge, and generalization tests with the μ-opioid receptor agonists, heroin and morphine, and the κ-opioid receptor selective agonist, U50488. Subsequently, effects of the NOP agonist Ro64-6198 were evaluated with and without oxycodone. Results Oxycodone generalization occurred in a dose-dependent manner and was reversed by naloxone pretreatment. Heroin and morphine, but not U50488, substituted for oxycodone. Co-treatment of 1 mg/kg Ro64-6198 with the oxycodone training dose reduced % oxycodone lever responding (%OLR) and restored response rates to vehicle control levels. J-113397, a NOP antagonist, reversed these effects. Co-administration of 1 mg/kg Ro64-6198 with a range of oxycodone doses resulted in rightward dose-effect curve shifts in %OLR and response rates compared to oxycodone alone. Conclusions These results provide additional evidence that NOP receptor activation can modulate the subjective effects of opioid analgesics and represent the first characterization of oxycodone’s discriminative stimulus effects in mice.
Marxism and Anarchism: Their Contradictions

The defeat of the revolutions of 1848 marked the replacement of radical republicanism with Marxism and anarchism, which became the two great streams of the left. Seemingly, the ensuing titanic struggle between anarchism and socialism had been resolved by the Russian Revolution. Since the early 1990s and the implosion of the Soviet Union, anarchist thought, as exemplified by the Occupy Movement, has regained widespread currency. Anarchism offers no potential of overcoming capitalism. Marxism is essentially incompatible with anarchism, with few possibilities of collaboration. A strategic vision of a renewed left, informed by Marxism, would benefit from incorporating some practices identified with anarchism—such as more systematic democratic processes and the fostering of communities evidencing genuine concern for their members' cultural and material needs. The scarcity of these communitarian practices in Communist countries and Communist parties outside of the socialist bloc contributed to their failure in the 20th century. Read More: https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/siso.2018.82.3.360
Constraint Satisfaction as a Planning Process

Constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) are closely related to a large class of engineering problems, especially planning and design problems. Many attempts have been made to address CSPs and several techniques have been developed for that purpose. These techniques widely differ from each other and usually they impose a specific representation of the problem: a unified formalism is still lacking. In this paper, we discuss how the planning paradigm can be used to solve a CSP. A planner is used as a top-level control process, guiding the search for a solution and producing an appropriate solution plan when the problem is solvable. The CSP is described by a goal stating which constraints should be satisfied. The planner produces a non-linear plan at an abstract level where the different steps needed to achieve the goal are partially ordered. At the bottom level, numerical and symbolic methods are chosen in the order defined by the plan and can be executed to produce a solution to the CSP. This is very efficient in the case where one wants to vary a parameter over a certain range and to study its influence on other values for a given CSP.
The Collagen IV Nephropathies

Inherited disorders of type IV collagen account for a significant percentage of patients with persistent hematuria. The two major forms of familial hematuria, Alport syndrome and thin basement membrane nephropathy, arise from mutations that affect a glomerular basement network composed of α(alpha)3, α(alpha)4, and α(alpha)5 type IV collagen chains. Patients with Alport syndrome exhibit a progressive nephropathy associated with sensorineural deafness and ocular anomalies, while the symptoms of thin basement membrane nephropathy are confined to the kidney and progressive nephropathy is unusual. Approximately 80 % of patients with Alport syndrome have X-linked disease due to mutations in COL4A5, which encodes the α(alpha)5(IV) chain. About 15 % have autosomal recessive disease due to mutations in both alleles of the COL4A3 or COL4A4 gene, which encode the α(alpha)3(IV) and α(alpha)4(IV) chains, respectively. Thin basement membrane nephropathy is typically an autosomal dominant disorder; heterozygous mutations in COL4A3 or COL4A4 are found in about 50 % of affected families. A less common form of familial hematuria, hereditary angiopathy associated with nephropathy, aneurysms, and muscle cramps (HANAC syndrome), is caused by mutations that affect another basement membrane type IV collagen network that consists of α(alpha)1(IV) and α(alpha)2(IV) chains. HANAC syndrome arises from mutations in the COL4A1 gene.
How to multiply matrices faster

The exponent of matrix multiplication.- Correlation between matrix multipilcation and other computational problems. Bit-time, bit-space, stability, and condition.- The speed-up of the multiplication of matrices of a fixed size.
Spectral Theory for the Hyperbolic Plane

In our discussion of spectral theory we naturally start with the hyperbolic plane itself, the primary example of a hyperbolic surface of infinite area.
Synthesis and characterization of CAPE derivatives as xanthine oxidase inhibitors with radical scavenging properties

Inhibitors of the enzyme xanthine oxidase (XO) with radical scavenging properties hold promise as novel agents against reperfusion injuries after ischemic events. By suppressing the formation of damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS) by XO or scavenging ROS from other sources, these compounds may prevent a buildup of ROS in the aftermath of a heart attack or stroke. To combine these two properties in a single molecule, we synthesized and characterized the non-purine XO inhibitor caffeic acid phenethylester (CAPE) and 19 derivatives using a convenient microwave-assisted Knoevenagel condensation protocol. Varying systematically the number and positions of the hydroxyl groups at the two phenyl rings, we derived structure-activity relationships based on experimentally determined XO inhibition data. Molecular docking suggested that critical enzyme/inhibitor interactions involved π-π interactions between the phenolic inhibitor ring and Tyr914, hydrogen bonds between inhibitor hydroxyl groups and Glu802, and hydrophobic interactions between the CAPE phenyl ring and non-polar residues located at the entrance of the binding site. To effectively scavenge the stable radical DPPH, two hydroxyl groups in 1,2- or 1,4-position at the phenyl ring were required. Among all compounds tested, E-phenyl 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)acrylate, a CAPE analog without the ethyl tether, showed the most promising properties.
Extensive Embolization of Splanchnic Artery Aneurysms due to Segmental Arterial Mediolysis

Aim Segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) is a rare non-atherosclerotic, non-inflammatory, non-infectious arteriopathy in middle-aged patients that tends to affect medium-sized splanchnic arteries typically leading to dissecting aneurysms which in case of rupture have a high mortality. Treatment options include watchful waiting and endovascular or surgical intervention. There are no official treatment guidelines and to the best of our knowledge, there has not been any report of extensive exclusion of multiple splanchnic vessel regions in affected patients to date. Materials and Methods We retrospectively examined the outcome of extensive splanchnic embolization in four patients suffering from SAM between 2011 and 2016 with follow-up periods of up to 7 years. Results One patient presented with abdominal pain due to rupture of aneurysms of the pancreaticoduodenal arcade, one with abdominal pain due to dissection, and two were clinically asymptomatic but displayed rapidly progressing disease over the course of 12 months. All patients were treated with complete exclusion of the diseased vessel segments by coiling all branches to and from the diseased segment. In three cases the main hepatic artery was excluded completely. In one case, the complete vascular bed of the celiac axis was excluded by coiling the distal vessel branches and placing a stent graft over the orifice of the celiac trunk. During a follow-up period of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 7 years after intervention, there were no immediate or long-term complications except for a temporary arterio-portal fistula. Interestingly, no new diseased areas of SAM were detected afterwards. Conclusion Extensive endovascular exclusion of the entire diseased arterial segment with coils seems to be a safe and effective treatment option in patients with SAM presenting with ruptured or rapidly growing aneurysms. Provided that patients have normal liver function and proper portal venous flow, risk of hepatobiliary complications seems to be low even after extensive embolization. Key points: Citation Format
Low Swing — Low Frequency Rotary Traveling Wave Oscillators

This paper presents the design and implementation of low-swing, low-frequency rotary traveling wave oscillators (RT-WOs). Low-swing rotary clocks are designed to operate with low-swing D flip-flops. A methodology is proposed to perform dynamic frequency scaling for integer division ratios of 3 to n to generate low-frequency rotary clocks at target frequencies. SPICE-based experiments are performed on the ISPD'10 benchmark circuits operating at 100 MHz, 200 MHz, and 500 MHz. The low-swing, low-frequency resonant rotary clock based designs are compared against full-swing and low-swing traditional designs operating at the same frequency and voltage level. The results show that the low-swing rotary clock based ISPD'10 designs at 500 MHz consume 61% and 43% lower power on comparison to the traditional full-swing and low-swing designs, respectively, where the traditional designs are implemented with a PLL, and a bounded-skew tree.
Assessing the utility of non-surgical treatments in the management of vocal process granulomas.

Objective To determine whether patients would have equivalent or improved outcomes when receiving non-surgical management versus surgical removal for vocal process granulomas. Methods A chart review was performed for 53 adults with vocal process granulomas. All patients received baseline anti-reflux treatment consisting of twice-daily proton pump inhibitors and vocal hygiene education. Further treatment approaches were divided into non-surgical (i.e. inhaled corticosteroids, voice therapy, botulinum toxin injections) and surgical groups. Subjective parameters (Voice Handicap Index 10 and Reflux Symptom Index) and outcomes were tabulated and statistically compared. Cause of granuloma was also analysed to determine if this influenced outcomes. Results Of 53 patients, 47 (89 per cent) experienced reduction in granuloma size, while 37 (70 per cent) experienced complete resolution. The rate of complete granuloma resolution after initial treatment strategy alone was significantly higher in non-surgical compared to surgical patients (67 and 30 per cent, respectively; p = 0.039). No difference in outcome was seen between iatrogenic and idiopathic granulomas. Conclusion Non-surgical patients were more likely to experience initial treatment success than those who underwent surgical removal. Continued emphasis should be placed on conservative treatment options prior to surgery for patients with this condition.
Aqueous enzymatic protein and lipid release from the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Advances in biochemical and molecular manipulation have led to increased biomass productivity and oil accumulation in the microalgae C. reinhardtii. However, scalable processes for the recovery of oil and other valuable biomolecules, such as protein, from C. reinhardtii are scarce. The use of aqueous enzymatic extraction, a non-solvent and environmentally friendly bioproduct recovery method, provides an opportunity to design an integrated process for oil and protein fractionation to reduce bioenergy and bioproducts costs. Based on the mechanistic understanding of biomolecule distribution and compartmentalization, an aqueous enzymatic treatment for the release of internally stored lipid bodies was designed. Application of a C. reinhardtii-produced protease, autolysin, for lysis of the microalgae cell wall was followed by a secondary treatment with trypsin for chloroplast disruption and lipid body release. Protein recovery after the primary treatment with autolysin indicated a 50.1 ± 4.2% release of total soluble protein and localization of lipid bodies still in the chloroplast. The development of a secondary enzyme treatment (trypsin) for chloroplast and lipid body lysis demonstrated a high percent of remaining lipids (73 ± 7%) released into the supernatant. The results indicate that the application of an enzymatic treatment scheme for protein and oil recovery is a promising alternative to traditional extraction processes.
Persistent Joint Pain Following Arthropod Virus Infections.

Persistent joint pain is a common manifestation of arthropod-borne viral infections and can cause long-term disability. We review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of arthritogenic alphavirus infection. The global re-emergence of alphaviral outbreaks has led to an increase in virus-induced arthralgia and arthritis. Alphaviruses, including Chikungunya, O’nyong’nyong, Sindbis, Barmah Forest, Ross River, and Mayaro viruses, are associated with acute and/or chronic rheumatic symptoms. Identification of Mxra8 as a viral entry receptor in the alphaviral replication pathway creates opportunities for treatment and prevention. Recent evidence suggesting virus does not persist in synovial fluid during chronic chikungunya infection indicates that immunomodulators may be given safely. The etiology of persistent joint pain after alphavirus infection is still poorly understood. New diagnostic tools along and evidence-based treatment could significantly improve morbidity and long-term disability.
Optimal Cloud Network Control with Strict Latency Constraints

The timely delivery of resource-intensive and latency-sensitive services (e.g., industrial automation, augmented reality) over distributed computing networks (e.g., mobile edge computing) is drawing increasing attention. Motivated by the insufficiency of average delay performance guarantees provided by existing studies, we focus on the critical goal of delivering next generation real-time services ahead of corresponding deadlines on a per-packet basis, while minimizing overall cloud network resource cost. We introduce a novel queuing system that is able to track data packets’ lifetime and formalize the optimal cloud network control problem with strict deadline constraints. After illustrating the main challenges in delivering packets to their destinations before getting dropped due to lifetime expiry, we construct an equivalent formulation, where relaxed flow conservation allows leveraging Lyapunov optimization to derive a provably near-optimal fully distributed algorithm for the original problem. Numerical results validate the theoretical analysis and show the superior performance of the proposed control policy compared with state-of-the-art cloud network control.
Promoting Effectiveness in Sustainable Design

Abstract Sustainable design of engineered products and systems is fantastically challenging. Think up a technology that protects the environment and perhaps a business model cannot be developed for it. Think up a business model for the technology that resonates with the market and consumers use so much of the technology that Earth would have been better without it. In the meantime the landscape is constantly shifting due to transient regulations, technology potential, and knowledge about anthropogenic impacts on Earth. This presentation focuses on the effectiveness of sustainable design and emphasizes the need to simultaneously evaluate market success, environmental impact, and meeting societal needs under regulatory constraints. The paper provides framework approaches to concept generation and design validation that facilitate the evaluation of design sustainability. The presentation that will accompany this paper will discuss research case studies from the University of Michigan and evaluate them against these frameworks as illustrative examples.
Justifiable Homicide: A Study of the Application of Nonculpable Deadly Force in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), Ohio, 1958–1982

Justifiable Homicides (JHs) which occurred during a quarter century in a metropolitan community were studied with respect to four points: characteristics of the victims; type of assailants, that is, civilians or law enforcement personnel (LEP); temporal patterns; and circumstances surrounding the fatal incident. Victims were overwhelmingly “city” males age 15 and older, with higher homicide rates for nonwhite victims. The great majority of the victims were slain by solitary civilians of their same race, one fourth of whom were women. Those slain by LEP were younger, more often unmarried, and less likely to be under the influence of alcohol. Long-term temporal patterns were reflected in changing rates of homicides in general. Rates of JH were compared and contrasted with those of culpable homicide (CH). Similarities were observed between overall and age-specific rates of JH and CH. Short-term temporal patterns were indicated by the time of occurrence of the homicidal incidents. Similarities were observed between JH and CH with respect to hour of day, day of week, and month of year. Most JHs by civilians occurred during or immediately following a quarrel. The majority of JHs by LEP were in self-defense when the victims were committing a crime or resisting arrest. The percent of JH in the overall homicide toll decreased throughout the 25-year interval. Inasmuch as JH by civilians remained a relatively constant fraction of all homicides until the final years of this study, the decline in percent of JH in the overall homicide toll largely reflects decreased JH by LEP.
The conversion of the carcinogen N-hydroxy-2-fluorenylacetamide to o-amidophenols by rat liver in vitro. An inducible enzymatic reaction.

Abstract The enzymatic conversion of the carcinogenic arylhydroxamic acid, N-hydroxy-2-fluorenylacetamide, to the o-amidophenols, N-(1-hydroxy-2-fluorenyl)acetamide and N-(3-hydroxy-2-fluorenyl)acetamide, referred to as the isomerization of N-hydroxy-2-fluorenylacetamide, by cell fractions of rat liver has been studied. Cell fractions prepared from the livers of normal rats were unable to perform the reaction. Isomerization was stimulated by 3-methylcholanthrene and several other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons administered 24 hours preceding the preparation of the cell fractions. Since dl-ethionine inhibited the stimulation of the formation of the o-amidophenols by 3-methylcholanthrene and since the inhibition was counteracted by the concurrent administration of dl-methionine, the isomerization appeared to be an induced enzymatic reaction. The isomerization proceeded optimally at a pH near 7 in phosphate buffer, Tris buffer, or deionized water and, in contrast to the microsomal p-hydroxylation of N-2-fluorenylacetamide, did not require a NADPH-generating system. N-2-Fluorenylacetamide, the substrate for the NADPH-dependent formation of the p-amidophenols, N-(7-hydroxy-2-fluorenyl)acetamide and N-(5-hydroxy-2-fluorenyl)acetamide, did not serve as a substrate for the isomerization. The isomerization was dependent on the synergistic action of two components. One of these was inducible and associated with the microsomal fraction of rat liver. The second component, localized in the soluble fraction of normal rat liver, was not dialyzable and, upon gel filtration of the soluble fraction on polyacrylamide gel, was eluted with the macromolecules excluded from the gel. Resolution of the soluble fraction on DEAE-cellulose into five subfractions and assay of each fraction indicated that the highest activity was associated with a group of proteins eluted with dilute sodium phosphate buffer at pH 4.6. The formation of the reduced metabolites, N-2-fluorenylacetamide and 2-fluorenamine, by each fraction paralleled the formation of the o-amidofluorenols. These results and the further observation that the products of the isomerization and of the reduction were present, in all fractions, in a constant proportion suggested a common intermediate for both reactions. On the basis of these data, the isomerization has been tentatively formulated as a two-step reaction. In the first step N-hydroxy-2-fluorenylacetamide is dehydroxylated to a positively charged amidonium ion by an enzyme in the soluble fraction of rat liver. The second step in which hydroxyl ions add to the electrophilic carbon atoms 1 and 3 of the resonance forms of the amidonium ion yields the o-amidofluorenols. The induced microsomal enzyme is presumed to participate in this step of the reaction. Alternatively, hydride ions may be transferred to the positively charged nitrogen of the amidonium ion to give N-2-fluorenylacetamide and, via deacetylation, 2-fluorenamine.
Role of Metal Ions in Reactions Catalyzed by Pig Heart Triphosphopyridine Nucleotide-dependent Isocitrate Dehydrogenase II. EFFECT ON CATALYTIC PROPERTIES AND REACTIVITY OF AMINO ACID RESIDUES

Abstract The TPN-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase of pig heart, which is here shown not to contain zinc or manganese as essential constituents, is most effectively activated by divalent manganous ions. On the basis of the effect of isocitrate concentration on the apparent Michaelis constant for manganous ion and the reciprocal influence of manganous ion concentration on the apparent Michaelis constant for isocitrate, as well as the results of studies of the direct binding of manganous ion and isocitrate (Colman, R. F., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, (1969) 191, 469; Villafranca, J. J., and Colman, R. F. (1972), J. Biol. Chem., 247, 209), it is concluded that the metal-isocitrate complex is the actual substrate for the enzyme. Significant activation is exhibited by divalent manganous, cadmium, zinc, cobaltous, and magnesium ions; whereas calcium and strontium function as competitive inhibitors with respect to manganese. The first five metals exhibit differential ability to enhance the rate of the over-all oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate, decarboxylation of oxalosuccinate, over-all reductive carboxylation of α-ketoglutarate and reduction of oxalosuccinate. The metals also differ in their ability to influence the course of chemical modification of the enzyme by diazo-1H-tetrazole. Manganous ion potentiates the inactivation by the reagent by increasing the availability of lysyl residues; zinc and cadmium increase the inactivation by the reagent but do so by altering the reactivity of residues other than lysyl residues; and magnesium and cobaltous ions do not observably influence the modification reaction. It is concluded that the catalytic activity and the conformation of isocitrate dehydrogenase is determined in part by the particular metal which is functioning as activator.
Management Strategies for Community Acquired Pneumonia

The past decade has witnessed dramatic changes in the etiology, diagnosis, and management of community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Due to the wide variation in practice patterns, physicians and professional societies have taken the lead in developing practice guidelines. To better understand the range of these multiple protocols, various stages of the disease and treatment are described and compared. Experts agree that CAP management should include: defining a correct diagnosis, identifying high risk populations in order to determine the severity of the disease, recommending appropriate treatment therapies, and obtaining positive and cost beneficial outcomes.
Asymptotic Methods in Semiconductor Device Modeling

For a general introduction to semiconductors see the books of Markovich [1] and Mock [2]. On January 8, 1988 Michael Ward (CALTECH and IBM at Yorktown Heights) has presented some results of his thesis [3] and of joint work by Ward, Cohen and Odeh [4] on semiconductors and posed several problems. In sections 8.1, 8.2 we shall describe his presentation for the MOSFET and PNPN problems, and in section 8.3 we shall provide a solution to the problem he posed (in section 8.1).