cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SMA: A System-Level Mutual Authentication for Protecting Electronic Hardware and Firmware

Due to the enhanced capability of adversaries, electronic systems are now increasingly vulnerable to counterfeiting and piracy. The majority of counterfeit systems today are of cloned type, which have been on the rise in the recent years. Ensuring the security of such systems is of great concern as an adversary can create a backdoor or insert a malware to bypass security modules. The reliability of such systems could also be questionable as the components used in these systems may be counterfeit and/or of inferior quality. It is of prime importance to develop solutions that can prevent an adversary from creating these non-authentic systems. In this paper, we present a novel system-level mutual authentication approach for both the hardware and firmware. The hardware authenticates the firmware by verifying the checksum during the power-up. On the other hand, firmware verifies the identity of the hardware and cannot produce correct results unless it receives a unique hardware fingerprint, which we call as system ID. We propose two secure protocols, TIDP and TIDS, to construct the system ID and authenticate the system by using this unique ID. We show that our approach is resistant to various known attacks.
Clofarabine Combinations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Salvage: A Dose-Finding Phase I Study of Clofarabine Plus Idarubicin and Clofarabine/Idarubicin Plus Cytarabine (ara-C).

Abstract Clofarabine is a second-generation nucleoside analog with single agent activity in acute leukemias. To try and improve efficacy, various combination trials are being conducted. In studies of clofarabine plus ara-C we reported overall response rates of 41% (CR 24%) in AML salvage and 60% (CR 52%) in untreated elderly AML with acceptable toxicity profile. To explore additional clofarabine combinations in AML we conducted a phase I study of clofarabine (C) with idarubicin (I) [CI] alone and with ara-C (A) [CIA] in pts with relapsed AML and high-grade MDS. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) were defined as ≥ grade 3 drug-related toxicities. Maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was determined by “3+3” method. Thirty-three patients (18 on CI and 15 on CIA) have been treated and are evaluable. Of 18 pts on CI, 6 were primary refractory and 12 in first relapse (median first remission duration [CRD1] 2 mos. [range 0–9]. Eleven pts had abnormal cytogenetics. Fourteen pts received prior ara-C-based regimens, 2 relapsed from allogeneic transplant (SCT). Median age: 57 yrs (range 24–71). Four dose levels have been explored. When C was given at 22.5mg/m2 i.v. daily x 5d and I at 12mg/m2 i.v. daily x 3d, 2 ≥ gr. 3 toxicities (diarrhea, rash, ↑ bili) occurred necessitating dose de-escalation. Subsequent levels included C at 15mg/m2 x 5d/I at 8mg/m2 x 3d (6 pts, 1 ≥ gr.3 toxicity [↑ bili]), C at 18 mg/m2 x 5d, I at 10mg/m2 x 3 d (3 pts, no DLT), and C at 22.5mg/m2 x 5d, I at 10mg/m2 x 3d (3 pts, no DLT). Three (17%) responses (2 CRp, 1 CR) occurred. Of 15 pts on CIA, 4 were primary refractory and 11 in first relapse. Median CRD1 was 9 mos (0–24). Eight pts had an abnormal karyotype. Seven pts received prior ara-C-based regimens and 2 failed unrelated donor SCT. Median age: 58 yrs (23–78). Three dose levels were evaluated. At C 22.5mg/m2 i.v. daily x 5d, I 8mg/m2 i.v. daily x 3d, A 1g/m2 i.v. daily x 5d, 2 of 3 pts developed ≥ gr.3 toxicities (↑ bili, diarrhea) necessitating dose de-escalation. Subsequent levels included C at 15mg/m2 x 5d, I at 6mg/m2 x 3d, A at 0.75g/m2 x 5d (6 pts, 1 with ≥ gr. 3 rash, ↑ bili), and C at 22.5mg/m2 x 5d, I at 6mg/m2 x 3d, and A at 0.75g/m2 x 5d (6 pts, 1 with ≥ gr. 3 ↑ bili). Nine (60%) responses (8 CR, 1 CRp) occurred. Further dose escalation of clofarabine is planned in both trials. The preliminary results indicate feasibility of the combinations. The higher response rates with CIA need to be evaluated in view of different pt. characteristics between the two trials.
Snaring of the right ventricular lead during cavotricuspid isthmus ablation

The presence of a right ventricular (RV) lead may interfere with cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation. We present a new option of lifting the RV lead from the CTI allowing a successful ablation of a CTI-dependent flutter without compromising lead integrity and functionality.
Influence of 16α-Hydroxyprogesterone, 20α-Hydroxyprogesterone and 20β-Hydroxyprogesterone on Progesterone Activity in a Bio-Assay:

SummaryIn the B6D2F1 mouse the MED by Hooker-Forbes bioassay of progesterone was 0.0005 μg; of 20α-hydroxyprogesterone, 0.0004 μg; of 20β-hydroxyprogesterone, 0.00006 μg; of 16α-hydroxyprogesterone, 2.0 μg. Progestin activity of mixtures of progesterone with 16α-hydroxyprogesterone, 20α-hydroxyprogesterone, and 20β-hydroxyprogesterone was measured by the same assay in CHI and B6D2F1 mice. Synergisms, partial antagonisms, and complete antagonisms were exhibited and were shown to depend on the components of the mixtures and their amounts and proportions.
Uretero-Arterio-Enteric Fistula Formation and Stent Thrombosis After Endovascular Treatment of Ureteroarterial Fistula: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Background: Ureteroarterial fistulas (UAFs) are rare life-threatening complications of indwelling ureteral stents. Endovascular repair of these fistulas is now commonly used but the long-term outcomes are unknown. Case Presentation: We present a 51-year-old African American female with history of cervical cancer status after a hysterectomy and radiation. She has bilateral ureteral strictures that were managed with chronic, indwelling ureteral stents. She subsequently developed a right UAF and was treated with an endovascular stent to the external iliac artery. After 2 years, she subsequently developed hematuria and hematochezia and was found to have a uretero-arterial-enteric fistula. We performed an exploratory laparotomy and repair of the fistula. The patient was subsequently managed with indwelling nephrostomy tubes and had no further episodes of bleeding. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of uretero-arterial-enteric fistula after endovascular treatment of UAF. Our experience demonstrates the need for a high index of suspicion and close surveillance after treatment for patients with UAF.
Turtle Geometry. The Computer as a Medium for Exploring Mathematics. By Harold Abelson and Andrea diSessa

(1983). Turtle Geometry. The Computer as a Medium for Exploring Mathematics. By Harold Abelson and Andrea diSessa. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 90, No. 6, pp. 412-415.
Knowledge Based System and Database Management System: An Integrative Framework

Knowledge based management systems has gained significant importance in the last few years, primarily from the enhanced capabilities achieved through integration of the two technologies - artificial intelligence and database management systems. This paper develops a framework for integrating the two technologies. The three dimensional framework links the various knowledge representation schemes with the data models used in databases and the architectures used for linking the knowledge base with the database system. This framework facilitates in communicating the latest developments in the field of knowledge based management systems and also aids the designer in making the appropriate choice from the various options available within the two technologies. The research systems in the field are mapped onto the framework. An analysis of the mapping reveals that some research areas are more popular than others. Rule-based knowledge representation with loose coupling to relational databases are found to be popular for integrating the two systems. Integrated solutions with object-oriented formalisms are also becoming common in recent years. Potential areas for future research are identified. Also, the implications of the research for the practitioner and the strategies for commercial exploitation of KBMS are discussed.
Infertility evaluation and access to assisted reproductive technologies among male military veterans: analysis of the South Florida Veterans Affairs experience

Background: Recent legislation extended coverage for assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to male veterans within the United States Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system. We sought to characterize the appropriateness of male infertility diagnosis and access to assisted reproductive technologies (ART) among men within the local VA healthcare system after passage of the new legislation. Methods: We retrospectively identified male patients within the South Florida VA Network who underwent semen analysis (SA) or were diagnosed with infertility between January 1999 and June 2017. Men were classified by infertility diagnosis and sperm concentration/mL (normal, oligospermia Results: Six hundred twenty-seven men underwent SA or were diagnosed with infertility. Among 474 men with SA, 206 (43.5%) were diagnosed with infertility and 268 (56.5%) were not. Additionally, 153 men received an infertility diagnosis without SA. More men had oligospermia and severe oligospermia after the legislation (1 vs . 6, 1 vs . 10). Of 10 men with severe oligospermia post-legislation, 7 did not proceed to ART consultation due to lack of military service connection to the infertility diagnosis. Conclusions: A substantial proportion of veterans with abnormal sperm concentrations were not diagnosed with infertility, while others carrying an infertility diagnosis did not undergo SA. Most patients clinically eligible for ART did not proceed with further evaluation due to lack of military service connection to their infertility diagnosis.
Technical Female: A Gender Studies Academic in Silicon Valley

What social, economic and material conditions prompt innovations in academic writing? How does the university create time and space for research, reflection and composure? Is a campus environment the only place where writing has such an important role in creating a measure of professional status? Can academics engage with the world beyond the conference circuit and classroom? This chapter is an attempt to answer these questions that have preoccupied my writing over many years, both within and outside the university. I document changes that transpired from my doctoral research and early blogging experiments through to the book publications that enabled me to move careers and countries. Throughout, academic writing is shown to be the primary way I have expressed and transcended the constraints of specific professional locations. Reflecting on this history, the chapter concludes with observations on the role of academic writing in the high-pace technology industry.
Increased Prevalence of Esophageal Eosinophilia in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background The overlap between eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not been extensively examined. We aimed to assess the prevalence of esophageal eosinophilia in patients with IBD. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using diagnostic codes to identify adults with EoE and IBD between 2008 and 2016 at a tertiary care center. Electronic medical records were reviewed to extract clinical, endoscopic, and treatment data. Patients with esophageal eosinophilia and IBD were compared to EoE cases without IBD. Results Of 621 EoE patients and 4,814 IBD patients identified, 35 had a code for both diseases and 12 were confirmed to have overlapping IBD and esophageal eosinophilia. The prevalence of esophageal eosinophilia in IBD was 12/4814 (0.25%), and the prevalence of confirmed EoE in IBD was 5/4,814 (0.10%). There were no substantial clinical, endoscopic, or histologic differences between EoE patients with and without IBD. IBD was diagnosed before esophageal eosinophilia 92% of the time, with an average time between diagnoses of 9.6 years. Of the IBD patients, 71% were started on biologic anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy an average of 7.6 years prior to developing esophageal eosinophilia. Conclusions The prevalence of esophageal eosinophilia in IBD is 5 times higher than expected in the general population (0.25 vs. 0.05%) and EoE in IBD is 2 times higher than expected (0.10 vs. 0.05%). Upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in patients with IBD should merit evaluation not only for upper GI Crohn's disease, but also for esophageal eosinophilia.
Contact tracing for hepatitis C: The case for novel screening strategies as we strive for viral elimination

Contact tracing has been a key element of the public health response to infectious diseases for decades. These practices have been powerful in slowing the spread of tuberculosis, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections. Despite success in other contexts, contact tracing for hepatitis C virus (HCV) has historically been considered infeasible because of a long asymptomatic period, which often makes it difficult to pinpoint the time of acquisition. Additionally, individuals may be reluctant to identify injecting partners because of stigma or fear of criminal repercussions. However, multiple factors - including the improved curability of HCV with advances in direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs), the implementation of age-based screening, and the current opioid epidemic -- have led to rapid changes in the landscape of HCV. HCV is increasingly concentrated among young people who inject drugs (PWID), many of whom are inadequately being reached by current screening practices. With the shift in the population most at risk for HCV and the fundamental changes in how we manage this disease, it's time to also rethink the public health response in identifying and informing those who may have been exposed. Contact tracing programs for HCV can augment existing screening strategies to provide curative treatment for patients and their partners, prevent reciprocal transmission of HCV between risk partners and within networks, and ultimately reach individuals who aren't yet engaged in healthcare and harm reduction. While there remain limitations to contact tracing for HCV, it has the potential to be a powerful tool in slowing the spread of the virus as we attempt to achieve viral elimination.
Bishop’s Miter and Infulae, a Feathered Masterpiece from Museo degli Argenti in Florence

The feathered bishop’s miter and infulae (liturgical headgear and lappets) of the Museo degli Argenti, Florence, are one of seven such sets of Catholic regalia known from Mexico, perhaps one of a group of miters made in the Michoacan area of Mexico that were taken to Spain in 1547 for delivery to
Lasting Effects After Preschool

The Consortium for Longitudinal Studies was formed in 1975. In that year a group of early childhood investigators who had independently conducted experimental infant and preschool programs for low-income children in the 1960s began a series of meetings chaired by Irving Lazar of Cornell University. Originally named the Consortium for Developmental Continuity, the group included: E. Kuno Beller, Temple University; Martin and Cynthia Deutsch, New York University; Ira Gordon, deceased September, 1978; Susan Gray, George Peabody College; Merle Karnes, University of Illinois; Phyllis Levenstein, Verbal Interaction Project; Louise Miller, University of Louisville; Francis Palmer, Merrill-Palmer Institute; David Weikart, High/Score Foundation; Myron Woolman, Institute for Educational Research; and Edward Zigler, Yale University.
Technical Debt Prioritization: A Search-Based Approach

Technical Debt (TD) prioritization is the process of deciding which TD items should be repaid first and which items can be endured until later releases. The goal of the process is to maximize the value of the TD repayment with limited resources. Unfortunately, researchers have indicated the scarcity of TD prioritization techniques and limitations in them. To address these limitations, we propose a novel search-based approach for prioritizing TD using a Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA). The approach indicates which TD items should be repaid to maximize the value of a repayment activity within a specific cost constraint. An empirical evaluation that we performed on 40 Open-Source Software (OSS) systems demonstrated our approach's ability to improve the value of TD repayment by 1,796 over random search. Additionally, a user study that we conducted with developers confirmed the suitability of our approach in industry and its usefulness in improving the value of TD repayment over developers' prioritization by 423.
An array microhabitat device with dual gradients revealed synergistic roles of nitrogen and phosphorous in the growth of microalgae

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are an emerging environmental problem contaminating water resources and disrupting the balance of the ecosystems. HABs are caused by the sudden growth of photosynthetic algal cells in both fresh and marine water, and have been expanding in extent and appearing more frequently due to the climate change and population growth. Despite the urgency of the problem, the exact environmental conditions that trigger HABs are unknown. This is in part due to the lack of high throughput tools for screening environmental parameters in promoting the growth of photosynthetic microorganisms. In this article, we developed an array microhabitat device with well defined dual nutrient gradients suitable for quantitative studies of multiple environmental parameters in microalgal cell growth. This device enabled an ability to provide 64 different nutrient conditions [nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and N : P ratio] at the same time, and the gradient generation took less than 90 min, advancing the current pond and test tube assays in terms of time and cost. Using a photosynthetic algal cell line, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, preconditioned in co-limited media, we revealed that N and P synergistically promoted cell growth. Interestingly, no discernible response was observed when single P or N gradient was imposed. Our work demonstrated the enabling capability of the microfluidic platform for screening effects of multiple environmental factors in photosynthetic cell growth, and highlighted the importance of the synergistic roles of environmental factors in algal cell growth.
Media, Communication, Technology and Progressive Social Change: Exploring an Innovative Cross-disciplinary Understanding of Participatory Communication Using Complexity Theory:

The use of the term 'development' presupposes higher and lower states. Based on the definition, different metrics are used to measure this change and assess the level of development. As words give meaning to this term, it is important to delineate it before we explore it further. Historically, communication for social change scholarship has been pegged within frameworks of predictable social behaviour, while broad scholarly solutions were proposed through theoretical paradigms and mechanistic models for development. Pedagogically, such approaches lend themselves well to understanding the scholarly trends in the field. However, the modernization, dependency, participatory and a number of alternative paradigms, among other approaches, have mostly evolved on a linear, chronological timeline with a tendency to generalize across multiple societies/cultures/nation states. However, such approaches end up not addressing the particular complexities of individual actors in particular societies. In addition, after the end of the Cold War, the shift in this field has been primarily to a North-South debate played out through multilateral agencies on a donor-recipient binary, with people's organizations taking on a more active role in line with the concepts of participatory communication and stakeholder involvement. The pendulum has shifted considerably from the initial focus on economic development to the present broad-based fight for the rights and freedoms of the marginalized with a cultural focus on nurturing egalitarian societies.
Adjustable EMI Shielding on Electronic Packages Realized by Electrolytic Plating

As the electronic packages inside of smartphones and other handhelds further develop in terms of better performance and additional features/sensors, there are challenges rising up regarding the signal quality of each electronic package inside such a unit. The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding of electronic packages has to ensure the signal integrity on a high level. The demands of smartphone designers towards thinner and thinner units do further limit the footprint for a proper EMI shielding of the electronic package. EMI shielding like metal cans do not fit into the space requirements of modern smartphones. Therefore electronic package designers are investigating new ways of shielding electronic packages. New coating techniques of electronic packages like electroplating are investigated in order to realize an effective EMI shielding on electronic packages. This paper will describe the development work by a company specialized in electroplating in order to investigate the approach of electroplated EMI shielding. In comparison to other techniques like sputtering or conductive paste the plating on packaging level does offer the benefits of uniform plating thickness, the possibility to plate soft magnetic metal alloy layers, good coverage on the side walls of a package and finally cost benefits compared to other techniques. On selected packages two electroplated layers consisting of a high conductive metal layer and a soft magnetic metal alloy layer has been plated and investigated regarding their characteristics (coverage, thickness and adhesion). The paper will contain a description regarding plating process variations, layer characterizations and furthermore shielding performance test results carried out by IZM Fraunhofer.
Integrating oral immunotherapy into clinical practice

In 2020, the first food allergy treatment, an oral immunotherapy (OIT) product for peanut allergy, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and a peanut epicutaneous immunotherapy patch was under review. As food allergy therapies become available and widespread, allergy offices will need to adjust practices to be able to offer their patients these new treatments. OIT is an intensive therapy that requires commitment from patients and their families, and open communication with the practice is paramount. OIT may not be the right therapy for every patient, and although identifying good candidates is still an area rich for research opportunity, experience from cohorts and clinical trials provides some insight. It is important to understand the scope of practice for each member of the OIT team based on state regulations for a particular location. Staffing and space will likely dictate how many patients at an individual office could be on active OIT at one time. Emergency medications, supplies, and protocols must be in place. Screening, scheduling, visit procedures, monitoring, home dosing, dose modifications, safety precautions, adverse reactions, and maintenance will be addressed in this article. Finally, adjunct therapies under investigation will be reviewed.
Mapping of Schistosomiasis Haematobia in Zanzibar

Schistosomiasis remains a serious health problem in Africa. Although a strong, coordinated agenda for research on this disease has been in place for the last 50 years in Zanzibar, data storage, retrieval of survey data, and management remain problem areas. We investigated the use of Google Earth (GE) in conjunction with a handheld, global positioning system as a pilot project for managing schistosomiasis control. In this way, risk areas can be surveyed and followed up by visualizing both the distribution of human infections and that of the intermediate snail host together with environmental information. A platform with three spatial databases was created: (1) Distribution of infected humans; (2) Distribution of the intermediate snail host in ponds (infected and not infected specimens); (3) Distribution of the intermediate snail host in streams (infected and non-infected specimens). The GE spatial database increased the efficiency of follow-up case treatment as well as snail control and contributed also to the discovery of previously unknown areas in need of snail control. We conclude that this platform is advantageous not only by being useful for management and visualization of spatial data, but also because it is easy to operate and available free of charge. Also spatial autocorrelation and spatial scan statistics were used to detect the spatial characteristics of the distribution of B. globosus. The results indicated that there was spatial correlation between the snail distribution globally, there were both positive correlation and negative correlation in the local snail sites, and there existed spatial clustering areas of snail sites.
Unmasking the conversation on masks: Natural language processing for topical sentiment analysis of COVID-19 Twitter discourse

In this exploratory study, we scrutinize a database of over one million tweets collected from March to July 2020 to illustrate public attitudes towards mask usage during the COVID-19 pandemic. We employ natural language processing, clustering and sentiment analysis techniques to organize tweets relating to mask-wearing into high-level themes, then relay narratives for each theme using automatic text summarization. In recent months, a body of literature has highlighted the robustness of trends in online activity as proxies for the sociological impact of COVID-19. We find that topic clustering based on mask-related Twitter data offers revealing insights into societal perceptions of COVID- 19 and techniques for its prevention. We observe that the volume and polarity of mask-related tweets has greatly increased. Importantly, the analysis pipeline presented may be leveraged by the health community for qualitative assessment of public response to health intervention techniques in real time.
Concurrent Chemoradiation and Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields, 200 kHz) for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma May Increase the Rate of Distant Recurrence.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Current standard of care for glioblastoma (GBM) includes concurrent chemoradiation and maintenance temozolomide (TMZ) along with Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields). Preclinical studies suggest TTFields and radiation treatment have synergistic effects. Secondary analysis of EF14 trial demonstrated TTFields treatment may increase the rate of distant recurrence. We report our experience evaluating areas of progression in our pilot clinical trial of concurrent chemoradiation with TTFields. MATERIALS/METHODS This is a single arm pilot study (clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT03477110). Adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) with KPS ≥ 60 with newly diagnosed GBM were eligible. All patients received concurrent scalp-sparing radiation (60 Gy in 30 fractions), standard concurrent TMZ (75 mg/m2 daily), and TTFields. Maintenance therapy included standard TMZ and continuation of TTFields. Radiation treatment was delivered through TTFields arrays. Incidence and location of progression was documented. Distant recurrence was defined as recurrence more than 2 cm from primary enhancing lesion. RESULTS A total of 30 patients were enrolled on the trial. Twenty were male, and ten were female, with median age 58 years (19-77 years). Median KPS was 90 (70-100). Median follow-up was 8.9 months (1.6-21.4 months). Twenty (66.7%) patients had an unmethylated MGMT promotor status and ten (33.3%) patients had a methylated promoter status. Nineteen patients (63.3%) had progression, with median PFS of 7.6 months (range 1.6 to 12.7 months). Five patients (26%) of patient presented with distant recurrence, with median distance from primary lesion of 5.1 cm (2.26-9.12 cm). No distant infratentorial progression was noted. CONCLUSION Concurrent chemoradiation with TTFields for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma may increase the incidence of distant recurrence. This finding is suggestive of improved local control of primary site. Further data are needed to validate this finding. AUTHOR DISCLOSURE A. Ali: None. M.Z. Niazi: None. V. Bar-Ad: None. M. Werner-Wasik: Advisory Board; ASTRA Zeneca. Stock; Illumina. leading operations of the committee; NRG Oncology. D.W. Andrews: None. C. Farrell: None. J. Evans: None. K. Judy: None. J. Glass: None. N. Martinez: None. I. Alnahhas: None. I. Chervoneva: None. W. Shi: Independent Contractor; Wenyin Shi. Research Grant; Novocure, Brainlab, Regeneron. Consultant; Varian, Brainlab, Zai lab.
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine Simian Varicella Virus antibody titers in infected rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

BACKGROUND Simian varicella virus (SVV) is a primate herpesvirus that causes a natural varicella-like disease in Old World monkeys and may cause epizootics in facilities housing nonhuman primates. SVV infection of nonhuman primates is used as an experimental model to investigate varicella pathogenesis and to develop antiviral strategies. METHODS An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect SVV antibodies in infected rhesus macaque monkeys. RESULTS An ELISA determined SVV antibody titers following experimental infection. SVV IgG was detected by day 14 post-infection and remained elevated for at least 84 days. CONCLUSIONS The SVV ELISA is a safe and rapid approach to confirm SVV seropositivity and to determine SVV antibody titers in naturally and experimentally SVV-infected monkeys. In addition to being a useful diagnostic assay to rapidly confirm acute disease or past SVV infection, the SVV ELISA is a valuable epidemiological tool to determine the incidence of SVV in non-human primate facilities.
The road to utopia: A future for generative programming

The future of software engineering lies in automation and will exploit the combined strengths of generative programming, domain-specific languages, and automatic programming. While each of these areas is still in its infancy, a spectacularly successful example of their combination was realized twenty-five years ago: relational query optimization. In this paper, I chart the successes and mindset used by database researchers to generate efficient query processing programs automatically. I argue that the road that they have so successfully followed is the same road that the generative programming, domain-specific languages, and automatic programming communities are now traversing.
A general model for memory interference in a multiprocessor system with memory hierarchy

The problem of memory interference in a multiprocessor system with a hierarchy of shared buses and memories is addressed. The behavior of the processors is represented by a sequence of memory requests with each followed by a determined amount of processing time. A statistical queuing network model for determining the extent of memory interference in multiprocessor systems with clusters of memory hierarchies is presented. The performance of the system is measured by the expected number of busy memory clusters. The results of the analytic model are compared with simulation results, and the correlation between them is found to be very high.
Endoscopic ultrasound in pancreatic diseases: Indications, limitations, and the future

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is a significant advance in the diagnosis and management of pancreatic disease. This article reviews the application of endosonography for detection of pancreatic masses, staging of pancreatic cancer, detection of pancreatic endocrine tumors, management of cystic pancreatic lesion, diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis, and many other emerging indications. Indications and limitations of endosonography in pancreatic diseases are discussed. The exciting possibilities of EUS-guided intervention in pancreatic diseases and other futuristic indications are explored.
Analytical Potential Fields and Control Strategies for Motion Planning

We present a novel method for robot motion planning that constructs a network of collision free paths using a randomized search over a potential field in Configuration Space. Our method finds local minima and then connects them to form a graph, which we call a roadmap. We use a gradient search scheme to find the local minima very efficiently and accurately. To find a path between two configurations, it is then a simple matter to connect given start and goal configurations to the roadmap and to use a standard graph search algorithm to search the roadmap. The construction of the roadmap can be done in parallel with very little communication.
The unreasonable effectiveness of martingales

1 Three questions. • Let G be a d-regular graph on n vertices where 3 ≤ d < n. Perform bond percolation with p = 1/d-1 and let C1 be the largest open cluster. Is E|C1| = O(n2/3)? (This is well known, and sharp, for d = n - 1, the Erdos-Renyi random graph.) • Let G be an infinite connected graph with maximal degree d. Does simple RW on G always satisfy pt(x, y) ≤ C(d)/√ t? • Simple RW on {0, 1}k, started uniformly, is a stationary, reversible Markov chain that for t < k/4, escapes at a positive speed (in the l1 metric) from its starting point. Is there a chain with these properties in the l2 metric? And on a tree?
Cutting Edge: NKG2ChiCD57+ NK Cells Respond Specifically to Acute Infection with Cytomegalovirus and Not Epstein–Barr Virus

CMV induces the expansion of a unique subset of human NK cells expressing high levels of the activating CD94-NKG2C receptor that persist after control of the infection. We investigated whether this subset is CMV specific or is also responsive to acute infection with EBV. We describe a longitudinal study of CMV(-) and CMV(+) students who were acutely infected with EBV. The NKG2C(hi) NK subset was not expanded by EBV infection. However, EBV infection caused a decrease in the absolute number of immature CD56(bright)CD16(-) NK cells in the blood and, in CMV(+) individuals, induced an increased frequency of mature CD56(dim)NKG2A(+)CD57(+) NK cells in the blood that persisted into latency. These results provide further evidence that NKG2C(+) NK cells are CMV specific and suggest that EBV infection alters the repertoire of NK cells in the blood.
Semantic Web and Peer-to-Peer Technologies for Distributed Learning Repositories

Metadata for the World Wide Web is important, but metadata for Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks is absolutely crucial. In this paper we discuss the open source project Edutella and related projects, which combine semantic web and peer-topeer technologies in order to make distributed learning repositories possible and useful. We describe the main services of the Edutella network infrastructure and its architecture based on the exchange of RDF metadata, starting with the query service as one of the core services of Edutella. We discuss the Edutella Common Data Model (ECDM) as basis for the Edutella query exchange language (RDFQEL-i) implementing distributed queries over the Edutella network, and discuss as one example an O-Telos-Peer with native Datalog query and inference capabilities. We then sketch a new P2P routing topology which minimizes broadcast traffic and distance between the peers in such a network, as well as a modification language needed for supporting distributed update and annotation. A short section discusses the changing role of adaptation in these distributed repositories (as open corpus hypermedia instead of the closed ones investigated in most research projects so far). Finally, we discuss an application of the Edutella network for digital libraries (OAI-P2P) and the use of Edutella in the ELENA project which aims to create smart spaces for learning.
Surviving Administrative Mandates (from a Department Chair's Perspective)

It should come as no surprise that both the amount and pace of administrative work that departments must accomplish at almost all higher education institutions has increased substantially over the past 10 years. If this is news to you just talk to your department administrator—if she/he has time to have a pleasant conversation. After all, for most institutions, operations budgets have been cut and professional and classified staff have been reduced, while at the same time, administrative work has escalated in response to increases in student enrollments, greater demands for accountability, the increasing importance of fund raising efforts, and the generation of sponsored research. No wonder that the lives of department chairs, administrators, and other professional and classified staff have become more challenging. The increase in administrative work at the department level is largely a function of increases in administrative mandates.
Plasticity-triggered architectural effects in periodic multilayers with wavy microstructures

Abstract Despite considerable presence of periodic multilayers with wavy architectures in nature and technology, little simulation data is available on their response. A recent investigation of wavy multilayers comprised of alternating elastic and elastic-perfectly plastic plies has revealed the important role that plasticity plays on their post-yield response relative to the corresponding flat configurations [Khatam, H., Pindera, M.-J., 2009b. Parametric finite-volume micromechanics of periodic materials with elastoplastic phases. Int. J. Plasticity 25 (7), 1386–1411]. Herein, we extend this investigation by considering the effect of elastic layer thickness on the post-yield response at several fixed elastic phase volume fractions using the parametric finite-volume direct averaging micromechanics (FVDAM) theory. The layer thickness is shown to have a substantial impact on the post-yield response whose extent depends on the loading mode and waviness amplitude, in contrast with the minimal impact on the homogenized elastic moduli. Decreasing the layer thickness at sufficiently high fixed volume fractions decreases the extent of strain hardening under transverse normal loading, as well as the maximum normal and shear stresses in the stiff layers, reducing the possibility of failure and thus potentially enhancing durability. The opposite holds under transverse shear loading for low waviness amplitudes. The presented results provide a framework for tailoring the elastoplastic response of multilayers with sinusoidally varying plies under different loading modes.
Right-to-work laws and union density: New evidence from micro data

Although union density is much lower in Right-to-Work (RTW) states than in states permitting union shops, most studies have found that after correcting for omitted-variable and simultaneity biases, RTW laws do not have independent impact on union density. However, these studies typically use data sets which include certain government, agricultural, supervisory and transportation workers who are not subject to RTW legislation thus diluting the effect of RTW laws. When these employees are excluded from the data set, we find that RTW laws do significantly affect union density in the private sector.
A Boundary Condition Relaxation Algorithm for Strongly Coupled, Ablating Flows including Shape Change

Implementations of a model for equilibrium, steady-state ablation boundary conditions are tested for the purpose of providing strong coupling with a hypersonic flow solver. The objective is to remove correction factors or film cooling approximations that are usually applied in coupled implementations of the flow solver and the ablation response. Three test cases are considered - the IRV-2, the Galileo probe, and a notional slender, blunted cone launched at 10 km/s from the Earth's surface. A successive substitution is employed and the order of succession is varied as a function of surface temperature to obtain converged solutions. The implementation is tested on a specified trajectory for the IRV-2 to compute shape change under the approximation of steady-state ablation. Issues associated with stability of the shape change algorithm caused by explicit time step limits are also discussed.
Nematic order in nanoscopic liquid crystal droplets.

We have used atomistic molecular-dynamics simulations to model the detailed molecular configuration of 5CB $(4\ensuremath{-}n\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{pentyl}\ensuremath{-}{4}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{cyanobiphenyl})$ molecules in the form of a nanoscopic liquid crystal droplet in a vacuum microgravity environment. We find the equilibrium state of droplets consisting of as few as 26 or 50 molecules to exhibit significant nematic ordering. The shape of the droplets is also anisotropic, but there is little angular correlation between the nematic director and the long axis of the droplet. Some tendency to micelle formation is observed in droplets of 50 molecules.
Keep Rowing: Amitai Etzioni and History

Reflecting on the most recent stage of his career, the communitarian, Amitai Etzioni, gives three reasons for what he perceives as his loss of influence. First, the media prefers an argument between strongly opposed positions, but Etzioni is neither liberal nor conservative. Second, the media prefers specialized intellectuals, but Etzioni has refused to “stick to his knitting.” Third, Etzioni has taken an unpopular, dovish position on China. I argue that Etzioni is mistaken about the reasons for his and communitarianism’s rise and perceived fall and offer a more optimistic assessment than he does of the potential influence of his thought. I use this local problem of historical interpretation to question Etzioni’s global interpretation of modern history.
Why do fragile X carrier frequencies differ between Asian and non-Asian populations?

Asian and non-Asian populations have been reported to differ substantially in the distribution of fragile X alleles into the normal ( 199 CGG repeats) size classes. Our statistical analyses of data from published general-population studies confirm that Asian populations have markedly lower frequencies of premutation alleles, reminiscent of earlier findings for expanded alleles at the Huntington's Disease locus. To examine historical and contemporary factors that may have shaped and now sustain allele-frequency differences at the fragile X locus, we develop a population-genetic/epigenetic model, and apply it to these published data. We find that founder-haplotype effects likely contribute to observed frequency differences via substantially lower mutation rates in Asian populations. By contrast, any premutation frequency differences present in founder populations would have disappeared in the several millennia since initial establishment of these groups. Differences in the reproductive fitness of female premutation carriers arising from fragile X primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI) and from differences in mean maternal age may also contribute to global variation in carrier frequencies.
Noise in the news.

Abstract A brief survey is given of recent activities related to noise. Pertinent developments in research, standards, and legislation are included.
Ethics for the Pediatrician: Pediatric Research Ethics: Evolving Principles and Practices

1. Renee D. Boss, MD, MHS* 1. *Assistant Professor, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md. Evidence-based medicine requires a foundation of excellent research. Yet, research in infants and children inherently poses potential risks to these vulnerable populations. The academic pediatrician may experience an ethical conflict in his or her dual roles as a clinician, with a primary interest in benefiting the individual child, and as a researcher, with an interest in advancing science and benefiting society. Understanding the evolution of ethical principles for pediatric research permits insight into current principles and the challenges of putting such principles into practice. This information is critical for both the pediatrician designing human research protocols and the pediatrician whose patients are enrolled in those protocols. Although documented cases of research involving pediatric subjects date 2 and 3 centuries in the past, systematic examination and regulation of human research began in the early 1900s. Initially, this oversight occurred in just a few nations. As the ethical principles of human research became more widely recognized over time, accountability at the national or international level historically has been uncertain. The ethical principles of consent and noncoercion were among the first to be applied to human research. In their earliest manifestations, these principles resulted in the exclusion of children from medical research. In 1900, the Prussian Ministry of Religious, Educational, and Medical Affairs prohibited research involving subjects who were not fully competent to provide consent, including children. (1) Without legal binding power, it is unclear what impact the directive had on medical research at the time; research involving children likely continued. In 1931, the Reich government refined distinctions between therapeutic and nontherapeutic research and continued to exclude children from both. Although German principles of human …
The prevalence of frequent binge eating and bulimia in a nonclinical

This study examined the prevalence of bulimia and frequent binge eating in female college students. Additionally, sex differences in binge eating and in labeling one's behavior as binge eating were assessed. All students in an introductory psychology course, 485 women and 327 men, were subjects. Of all students, 49% reported binge eating. Significantly more women than men reported binge eating and labeled their behavior as such. While 56% of the women reported binge eating, only 7.2% reported eight or more episodes per month. Approximately 4% of the women sampled fulfilled operationalized DSM-III criteria for bulimia.
Detection and Clinical Management of Cervical Pathology in the Era of HPV

While infection with high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) is central to cervical carcinogenesis, natural history studies show that both low- and high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions are very early manifestations of HR-HPV infection. Most high- and low-grade lesions are self limited, and only those HR-HPV infections capable of persisting for decades are at risk of progression. Our new understanding of the natural history of HPV associated lesions has dramatically changed cervical cancer screening, classification and management of cervical lesions. As an increasing proportion of women are vaccinated against those oncogenic-HPVs responsible for most cervical cancers, the positive predictive value of cytology and HPV testing for identification of women at risk for cancer will decrease. New biomarkers, capable of identifying those high-grade lesions which are truly at risk of progression and need treatment, will need to be developed to serve as adjuncts to morphology and patient management.
Polarographic determination of isosorbide dinitrate

Abstract Isosorbide dinitrate and two isomeric isosorbide mononitrates are shown to be polarographically reducible in aqueous sodium perchlorate or potassium chloride solution. The current, measured at −1.6 v, versus the saturated calomel electrode is proportional to the concentration of organic nitrate in the 10–100‐μg/ml range. Inorganic nitrate produces no interference. However, the mononitrate isomers produce an additive response to isosorbide dinitrate and cannot be determined individually. The polarographic method is applicable to single‐tablet assay for content uniformity determination, with precision and accuracy comparable to automated colorimetric analysis. Comparison is made between replicate analyses obtained polarographically and by IR and automated colorimetric analysis for six different commercially available formulations. The polarographic determination is sensitive, specific for nitrate esters, precise, requires little sample preparation, and utilizes relatively inexpensive apparatus.
Empirical models of miss rates

Abstract In this paper, we introduce an empirical model for the cache miss rate of parallel applications in shared-memory multiprocessors. A few samples are collected by simulating an application with small input data sets and a statistical extrapolation technique is applied to produce analytical models of the miss rate. The analytical prediction of the various miss rates for very large input data obtained from empirical models is extremely accurate for most applications.