cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Web-based cooperation with BSCW: A case study

Although using the World-Wide Web as an information system has been practised for quite a while, there are only a few applications using the Web as a cooperation medium. The emergence and widespread adoption of the World-Wide Web offers a great potential in supporting cross-platform cooperative activities within widely dispersed working groups. The BSCW project (Basic Support for Cooperative Work) is attempting to realize this potential by development of Web-based tools providing cross-platform multimedia collaboration services to groups. In this paper we describe the BSCW system that we developed from 1994 onwards in order to support workgroup cooperation on the Web. The cooperation medium is based on the concept of a shared workspace where the communication between the workgroup members takes place. The paper gives an overview of the system architecture, studies the application field of multi-national project coordination and the development of the platform over the last six years and its adoption to the demand of more than 100,000 users from all over the world.
19F Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Crystallographic Studies of 5-Fluorotryptophan-Labeled Anthrax Protective Antigen and Effects of the Receptor on Stability

The anthrax protective antigen (PA) is an 83 kDa protein that is one of three protein components of the anthrax toxin, an AB toxin secreted by Bacillus anthracis. PA is capable of undergoing several structural changes, including oligomerization to either a heptameric or octameric structure called the prepore, and at acidic pH a major conformational change to form a membrane-spanning pore. To follow these structural changes at a residue-specific level, we have conducted initial studies in which we have biosynthetically incorporated 5-fluorotryptophan (5-FTrp) into PA, and we have studied the influence of 5-FTrp labeling on the structural stability of PA and on binding to the host receptor capillary morphogenesis protein 2 (CMG2) using 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). There are seven tryptophans in PA, but of the four domains in PA, only two contain tryptophans: domain 1 (Trp65, -90, -136, -206, and -226) and domain 2 (Trp346 and -477). Trp346 is of particular interest because of its proximity to the C...
Enhanced Test Compaction for Multicycle Broadside Tests by Using State Complementation

Multicycle tests support test compaction by allowing each test to detect more target faults. The ability of multicycle broadside tests to provide test compaction depends on the ability of primary input sequences to take the circuit between pairs of states that are useful for detecting target faults. This ability can be enhanced by adding design-for-testability (DFT) logic that allows states to be complemented. This article describes a test compaction procedure that uses such DFT logic to form a compact multicycle broadside test set for transition faults where the tests use constant primary input vectors. The use of complemented states also allows the procedure to increase the transition fault coverage beyond the transition fault coverage of a broadside test set. The procedure has the option of increasing the switching activity of the tests gradually in order to explore the tradeoff between the number of tests, the fault coverage, and the switching activity.
Vulnerability analysis of large-scale dynamical networks to coordinated attacks

We study the vulnerability of large-scale linear dynamical networks to coordinated attacks. We consider scenarios in which an attacker can tamper with the links connecting the network components and can also manipulate input injections at the nodes. When these two types of attacks take place simultaneously, the attack is referred to as a coordinated attack. We assume that network links are attacked with a certain probability and that malicious data is injected at the input ports. We employ Markov jump linear systems to model link-based attacks and the system input matrix to model data injection attacks. System theoretic vulnerability metrics developed in earlier work are used to analyze network vulnerability to coordinated attacks. These measures of vulnerability allow us to characterize the impact of coordinated attacks and the difficulty associated with detecting them. Finally, we analyze the vulnerability of coordinated attacks on the New England 39 bus power network.
The Use of a Radioreceptorassay of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin for the Diagnosis and Management of Ectopic Pregnancy

The radioreceptorassay of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), with a sensitivity of 50 pg or 3 mIU/ml of plasma, has provided almost 100% reliability in detecting pregnancy after the first missed cycle. This test may be performed within 1 hour and is ideally suited to the clinical detection of ectopic pregnancy, especially in patients who require immediate surgical intervention. Thirteen patients with suspected ectopic pregnancy were evaluated by the radioreceptorassay, one of whom was followed with four separate determinations. The results of the assay were subsequently compared with those of hemagglutination pregnancy tests, clinical symptoms, and pathologic findings. All of the patients were diagnosed accurately by the radioreceptorassay, even when hemagglutination tests yielded a false indication of pregnancy. By this assay, the hCG levels during ectopic pregnancies are generally lower than those found during a normal intrauterine pregnancy; in addition, pregnancy may be detected much earlier (prior to the rupture) than is possible by hemagglutination tests. Furthermore, the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy may be excluded for patients admitted to the hospital with acute abdominal emergencies.
Processing of velocity observations from Ice-Tethered Profilers

Ocean velocity in the Arctic is estimated using a three-axis acoustic travel-time current meter onboard an Ice-Tethered Profiler (ITP). The ITP is moored on an ice floe, with the current meter measuring velocity past the sensor as it profiles vertically through the water column along an inclined wire and translates horizontally with the motion of the overlying sea ice. Accurate estimates of ocean velocity rely on simultaneous estimates of instrument pitch, roll, and heading, the velocity at which the sensor crawls along the wire, and the velocity of the overlying sea ice. An inertial measurement unit is used to derive instrument pitch, roll, and heading from a three-axis flux-gate compass, accelerometer, and angle rate gyro. Instrument speed along the wire is derived from pressure as measured by the CTD. Hourly GPS fixes of the surface package are used to estimate ice velocity. Pre-deployment calibrations are preformed to determine magnetometer, accelerometer, pitch, roll, and heading biases. Post-deployment calibration parameters are determined to account for remaining biases. Post-deployment parameters are chosen so that there is no obvious bias related to wire angle, velocity estimates when the profiler is stationary versus moving, or upward versus downward profiles. These procedures are described as implemented for the second-generation velocity sensor deployed in the Arctic Ocean on five Ice-Tethered Profilers during 2013–2015.
Case report of an isolated fracture of the anatomic neck of the scapula

Isolated fractures of the anatomic neck of the scapula are extremely rare. To our knowledge, seven such fractures have been previously reported in the literature with radiographic documentation. We describe another such case and review the anatomy contributing to deformity in this injury pattern. As with previous cases of this fracture pattern, the plane of the fracture divided the scapular body from the glenoid fossa, with a short spike of the lateral border of the scapular body attached to the glenoid fragment. The glenoid fragment demonstrates a unique pattern of inferior displacement and valgus alignment due to the deforming forces produced by the anatomic structures spanning the fracture. This unstable fracture was fixed through a modified Judet posterior approach and yielded excellent results.
PM-21A REVERSE GENETIC SCREEN FOR DRIVERS OF GBM

INTRODUCTION: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant and most common primary brain tumor. There is no curative chemotherapeutic regimen for GBM, and its invasiveness greatly limits efficacy of surgery and radiation therapy. Molecular drivers of GBM growth, maintenance, and invasion need to be identified to develop effective therapies. METHODS: We selected 50 genes found to be overexpressed in a high proportion of GBM in comprehensive sequencing and gene expression analysis studies by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Parsons et al 2008). We hypothesized a common subset of these genes directly promote tumor initiation or maintenance downstream of initiating genetic alterations, and screened them in vivo. A cDNA for each of these genes and SV40 large T antigen (TAg) was cloned into a separate Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon plasmid. The cDNA delivery plasmids were stereotactically injected into the lateral ventricles of neonatal mice in batches of 9, along with the TAg vector to facilitate tumor formation and a SB transposase expression plasmid containing a firefly luciferase transposon. We monitored tumor development by luciferase imaging. RESULTS: Tumors developed in a subset of mice, the majority of which were highly infiltrative with vascular proliferation and histologically resembled grade 3 glioma. Injection of the HIF1a cDNA was associated with infiltrative tumors in our model and has been implicated in glioma infiltration previously. UBE2C, CCNE2, and EZH2 cDNAs were associated with reduced tumor latency and may drive glioma cell proliferation. We are testing these cDNAs individually in vivo and in vitro to confirm their roles in driving infiltration and proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: We used a SB transposon-based reverse genetic mouse model to screen for common GBM drivers. Of the 50 genes screened, we identified 4 strong candidates which may drive tumor cell proliferation and infiltration.
The Olympic Games and the Environment

es with regard to these three ideal types of governance would have helped the reader to understand the choice of issues being addressed. Another element missing from this book was theoretical reflections on a general level. Every now and then the authors mention different kinds of cultural premises as well as local visions and shifts between liberal, Keynesian and ‘‘developmental’’ models of governance, which leads me to ask if these changes are due to discourses of governance spreading internationally among political leaders and implemented with respect to local cultural premises as kinds of governmentality with local variances. The material presented could also lead to questioning the stability of the recent structure of the global capitalist market, where the four cities are benefitting from low transportation costs and huge differences in wages and profitability between different regions in the world. How long will this situation last, and how risky would it be to invest all strategic planning on the presumption that this situation will last? Another question that remains unanswered is, What caused the transformation from a period dominated by the rebuilding of the nation states after WWII and its focus on central state planning and public welfare systems? The widely spread governmentality of the period from 1950 to 1980 is a shadow of a former period in a presentation that focuses almost exclusively on the thirtyyear period from 1980 to 2010, when neoliberalism came to dominate the thinking of political leaders worldwide. A more basic discussion of the differences between these two periods might have given the analysis an interesting perspective. All together, Struggling Giants generates interesting issues and questions, stirring the reader’s mind with its magnificent material. The Olympic Games and the Environment, by John Karamichas. Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. 242pp. $90.00 cloth. ISBN: 9780230228610.
Efficient inference of hidden Markov models from large observation sequences

The hidden Markov model (HMM) is widely used to model time series data. However, the conventional Baum- Welch algorithm is known to perform poorly when applied to long observation sequences. The literature contains several alternatives that seek to improve the memory or time complexity of the algorithm. However, for an HMM with N states and an observation sequence of length T , these alternatives require at best O ( N ) space and O ( N 2 T ) time. Given the preponderance of applications that increasingly deal with massive amounts of data, an alternative whose time is O ( T )+poly( N ) is desired. Recent research presents an alternative to the Baum-Welch algorithm that relies on nonnegative matrix factorization. This document examines the space complexity of this alternative approach and proposes further optimizations using approaches adopted from the matrix sketching literature. The result is a streaming algorithm whose space complexity is constant and time complexity is linear with respect to the size of the observation sequence. The paper also presents a batch algorithm that allow for even further improved space complexity at the expense of an additional pass over the observation sequence.
Observation of the anomalous refractive index of a critical binary fluid. [Methanol-cyclohexane]

The first observation of the anomaly in the real part of the refractive index of a critical binary fluid (methanol--cyclohexane) is reported. A theoretical relation was obtained for the refractive index of a binary mixture in the vicinity of its critical point which agrees with the experimental results within the experimental error. More precise experiments are in progress. (auth)
Wedelolactone, an anti-inflammatory botanical, interrupts c-Myc oncogenic signaling and synergizes with enzalutamide to induce apoptosis in prostate cancer cells

The c-Myc gene encodes an oncoprotein transcription factor that is frequently upregulated in almost all cancer types and is the subject of intense investigation for management of cancer because of its pleiotropic effects controlling a spectrum of cellular functions. However, due of its nonenzymatic nature, development of suitable strategies to block its protein-protein or protein-DNA interaction is challenging. Thus, c-Myc has been recognized as an elusive molecular target for cancer control, and various approaches are in development to inhibit c-Myc transcriptional activity. We observed that wedelolactone (WDL), an anti-inflammatory botanical compound, severely downregulates the expression of c-Myc mRNA in prostate cancer cells. Moreover, WDL dramatically decreases the protein level, nuclear accumulation, DNA-binding, and transcriptional activities of c-Myc. c-Myc is a transforming oncogene widely expressed in prostate cancer cells and is critical for maintaining their transformed phenotype. Interestingly, WDL was found to strongly affect the viability of Myc-activated prostate cancer cells and completely block their invasion as well as soft agar colony formation in vitro WDL was also found to downregulate c-Myc in vivo in nude mice xenografts. Moreover, WDL synergizes with enzalutamide to decrease the viability of androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells via induction of apoptosis. These findings reveal a novel anticancer mechanism of the natural compound WDL, and suggest that the oncogenic function of c-Myc in prostate cancer cells can be effectively downregulated by WDL for the development of a new therapeutic strategy against Myc-driven prostate cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(11); 2791-801. ©2016 AACR.
A row-column summing readout architecture for SiPM based PET imaging systems

Recent developments in the area of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) detectors using Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) have demonstrated the feasibility of higher resolution PET scanners due to a significant reduction in the detector form factor. However, reduced size implies a corresponding increase in the detector density, resulting in a proportional rise in the number of channels interfacing a SiPM array with the digital backend. This paper explores a row-column-diagonal decoding architecture to simplify and reduce the required channels between the individual elements in the SiPM array, and the backend digital electronics. Accumulation of noise presents itself as a challenge to the row-column summation architecture. This may lead to an increased chance of false triggering as compared to a more traditional approach with dedicated single-channel readout for each individual SiPM. This work explores various circuit implementation approaches for threshold detection as applied to front-end electronics, which minimizes the accumulation of dark noise, and reduces the possibility of a false triggering event. Current comparator topologies are explored in the context of fastest turn-on time and the impact of realizing these threshold detection techniques in the context of our row-column summation architecture. The proposed readout electronics is currently being realized in STMicroelectronics 130 nm CMOS process.
Mouse Models Reveal the Role of Pendrin in the Inner Ear

In 1896, Vaughan Pendred, MD, wrote a case report about two siblings that presented with hearing loss and goiter. This initial report was followed over the next 100 years with additional cases, and the condition became known as Pendred syndrome. The underlying gene, SLC26A4, which codes for the protein pendrin, was discovered in 1997, and mutations of SLC26A4 have since been recognized to underlie not only Pendred syndrome but also nonsyndromic hearing loss associated with an enlargement of the vestibular aqueduct (EVA) and variable deficits in vestibular function. In 2001, Dr. Lorraine Everett, in a team led by Dr. Eric Green, reported the first mouse model that recapitulates EVA, deafness, and vestibular dysfunction. This and other mouse models have proven to be tremendously valuable in the quest to understand the role of pendrin in hearing and vestibular function. This chapter summarizes work on these mouse models that are revealing the role of pendrin in the inner ear.
Abstract 144: Astrocyte-Derived Interleukin-15 Accelarates Ischemic Brain Injury

Background and Purpose: Astrocytes play a pivotal role in post-ischemic brain inflammation, but the relevant astrocyte-derived mediators of ischemic brain injury remain to be defined. This study aims to investigate the impact of astrocyte-derived factors such as IL-15 on ischemic brain injury. Methods and Results: We show that IL-15 is a prominent factor relased by astrocytes after brain ischemia in a mouse model of transient focal brain ischemia. To further eluciate the biological functions of astrcoyte-derived IL-15 in ischemic stroke, we generated a glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter-controlled IL-15-expressing transgenic mouse line (GFAP-IL-15 tg ). We demonstrate that astrocyte-specific overproduction of IL-15 leads to larger brain infarcts, worse neurodeficits and enhanced lymphocyte infiltration. In GFAP-IL-15 tg mice, we found increased accumulation and activation of CD8 + T and natural killer (NK) cells after cerebral ischemia. Importantly, depletion of either CD8 + T or NK cells in GFAP-IL-15 tg mice prior to cerebral ischemia attenuates the accelerated brain infarction and neurodeficits. Of note, CD8 + T and NK cells are within the proximity of astrocytes in the post-ischemic brain and either knockdown of IL-15 receptor α or blockade of cell-to-cell contact diminishes the activation and effector function of CD8 + T and NK cells caused by astrocytic overproduction of IL-15, suggesting that astrocytic IL-15 is delivered in trans to target cells. Additionally, CD8 + T and NK cells are seen closely adjacent to IL-15-producing astrocytes in acute ischemic lesions of postmortem human brain tissues, implying that astrocytic IL-15-mediated brain injury may be relevant to human stroke. Conclusion: These findings indicate that astrocytic IL-15 contributes to post-ischemic brain damage.
Molecular basis of diseases of the Nervous System

Abstract The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of cellular components organized in a complex structure that is unlike other organ systems. At the macroscopic level, the parenchyma of the CNS can be categorized into two structurally and functionally unique components: gray and white matter. The CNS can be divided into a number of anatomic regions, each with specific neurologic or cognitive functions. Disease or damage to these regions produces neurologic or cognitive deficits that correlate with the anatomic location and extent of disease. There are several ways to divide these structures. The main divisions are the cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord. Developmental neuropathology encompasses a broad variety of cerebral malformations and functional impairments caused by disturbances of brain development, manifesting during ages from the embryonic period through adolescence and young adulthood. The neurologic and psychiatric manifestations of neurodevelopmental disorders range widely depending on the affected neural systems and include such diverse manifestations as epilepsy, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, breathing disorders, ataxia, autism, and schizophrenia. In terms of morbidity and mortality, the spectrum is extremely broad: the mildest neurodevelopmental disorders can be asymptomatic, whereas the worst malformations often lead to intrauterine or neonatal demise. This chapter focuses on the genetic disorders of brain development, caused by mutations of gene loci or chromosomal regions with important neurodevelopmental functions.
Incremental-Precision Based Feature Computation and Multi-Level Classification for Low-Energy Internet-of-Things

This paper presents a novel technique to reduce energy consumption of a machine learning classifier based on incremental-precision feature computation and classification . Specifically, the algorithm starts with features computed using the lowest possible precision. Depending on the classification accuracy, the features of the previous level are combined with features of the incremental-precision to compute the features in higher-precision. This process is continued till a desired accuracy is obtained. A certain threshold that allows many samples to be classified using a low-precision classifier can reduce energy consumption, but increases misclassification error. To implement hardware which provides the required updates in precision, an incremental-precision architecture based on data-path decomposition is proposed. One novel aspect of this work lies in the design of appropriate thresholds for multi-level classification using training data such that a family of designs can be obtained that enable trade-offs between classification accuracy and energy consumption. Another novel aspect involves the design of hardware architectures based on data-path decomposition which can incrementally increase precision upon demand. Using a seizure detection example, it is shown that the proposed incremental-precision-based multi-level classification approach can reduce energy consumption by 35% while maintaining high sensitivity, or by about 50% at the expense of 15% degradation in sensitivity compared with similar approaches to seizure detection in literature. The reduction in energy is achieved at the expense of small area, timing and memory overheads as multiple classification steps are used instead of a single step.
Pivoting in an Outcome Polyhedron

In many types of linear, convex and nonconvex optimization problems over polyhedra, a global optimal solution can be found by searching the extreme points of the outcome polyhedron Y instead of the extreme points of the decision set polyhedron Z. Since the dimension of Y is often significantly smaller than the dimension of Z, and since the structure of Y is often much simpler than the structure of Z, such an approach has the potential to often yield significant computational savings. This article seeks to motivate these potential savings through both general theory and concrete examples. The article then develops two new procedures. The first procedure is linear-programming based and finds an initial extreme point of an outcome polyhedron Y. The second procedure provides a mechanism for moving from a given extreme point y of Y along any chosen edge of Y emanating from y until a neighboring extreme point to y is reached. As a by-product of the second procedure, as in the pivoting process of the simplex method, a complete algebraic description of the chosen edge can also be easily obtained.
On the Approximation of Solutions to Multiple Criteria Decision Making Problems

This paper presents an adaptive precision method based on cubic splines and a new scalarization procedure, which constructs approximations to the surface of noninferior points. It is particularly well suited for the two or three criteria optimization problems, but it can also be used to some extent for high dimensional problems. An important aspect of this method is that it is quite efficient, since it computes no more points than necessary to ensure a prescribed level of precision of approximation.
The Concentration of Malonyl-Coenzyme A and the Control of Fatty Acid Synthesis in Vivo

An enzymatic method has been developed for the measurement of malonyl-CoA in perchloric acid extracts of liver. With this method the relative activities of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase have been studied in vivo by comparing the diet-induced changes in malonyl-CoA concentrations with rates of 3H2O incorporation into fatty acids. Malonyl-CoA concentrations were low in the fat-fed or 48-hours starved animal (0.004 to 0.006 µmole per g wet weight) but approached normal-fed levels (0.013 µmole per g wet weight) within 3 hours of refeeding the starved animal. The highest concentrations of malonyl-CoA (0.025 µmole per g wet weight) were found in the meal-fed animal. The de novo rates of fatty acid synthesis in vivo varied between 0.02 µmole of C2 units per min per g wet weight of liver in the starved or fat-fed animals to 0.45 µmole, of C2 units per min per g in the meal-fed group. Malonyl-CoA concentrations and the rate of tritium incorporation into fatty acids were increased above starved values in all fed groups except that group fed a high fat diet. A number of intermediary metabolites which have been proposed as "short term" controllers of the rates of fatty acid synthesis have been measured in freeze-clamped liver. There was no correlation between the rate of fatty acid synthesis and the liver content of citrate, ATP, ADP, glucose, glucose 6-phosphate, or α-glycerophosphate. In addition, short term control did not appear to be exerted by free mitochondrial [NAD+]:[NADH], free cytoplasmic [NAD+]:[NADH], or [NADP+]:[NADPH], "energy charge" or phosphorylation state. Increases of the malonyl-CoA content and the rate of fatty acid synthesis above the starved or fat-fed values occurred when the tissue content of long chain acyl-CoA decreased below starved values. It was concluded that short term control of fatty acid synthesis in vivo most likely results from an inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase by long chain acyl-CoA. The variations in the rate of fatty acid synthesis which occurred in the carbohydrate-fed groups probably result from variations in the quantity of the enzyme fatty acid synthetase.
Unique Clinical Language Patterns Among Expert Vestibular Providers Can Predict Vestibular Diagnoses.

Objective To identify novel language usage by expert providers predictive of specific vestibular conditions. Study design Retrospective chart review and natural language processing. Level IV. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Patients seen for vestibular complaint. Intervention(s) Natural language processing and machine learning analyses of semantic and syntactic patterns in clinical documentation from vestibular patients. Main outcome measure Accuracy of Naive Bayes predictive models correlating language usage with clinical diagnoses. Results Natural language analyses on 866 physician-generated histories from vestibular patients found 3,286 unique examples of language usage of which 614 were used 10 or greater times. The top 15 semantic types represented only 11% of all Unified Medical Language System semantic types but covered 86% of language used in vestibular patient histories. Naive Bayes machine learning algorithms on a subset of 255 notes representing benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, vestibular migraine, anxiety-related dizziness and central dizziness generated strong predictive models showing an average sensitivity rate of 93.4% and a specificity rate of 98.2%. A binary model for assessing whether a subject had a specific diagnosis or not had an average AUC for the receiver operating characteristic curves of .995 across all conditions. Conclusions These results indicate that expert providers utilize unique language patterns in vestibular notes that are highly conserved. These patterns have strong predictive power toward specific vestibular diagnoses. Such language elements can provide a simple vocabulary to aid nonexpert providers in formulating a differential diagnosis. They can also be incorporated into clinical decision support systems to facilitate accurate vestibular diagnosis in ambulatory settings.
The Impact of P-hacking on “Redefine Statistical Significance”

In their proposal to “redefine statistical significance,” Benjamin et al. claim that lowering the default cutoff for statistical significance from .05 to .005 would “immediately improve the reprodu...
A TLR4-interacting surfactant protein-A-derived peptide improves host defense against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Interaction between surfactant protein-A (SP-A) and toll-like receptor (TLR4) plays a critical role in host defense. We have identified SPA4 peptide (amino acids: GDFRYSDGTPVNYTNWYRGE) from a TLR4-interacting region of SP-A. The SPA4 peptide binds to TLR4 and suppresses the secreted levels of inflammatory cytokines against Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide. In this work, we studied the host defense function of SPA4 peptide against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . We examined the binding of SPA4 peptide to cellular TLR4 and bacteria, and direct antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa . Pro-phagocytic and anti-inflammatory activities of SPA4 peptide were investigated in nontransfected and TLR4-transfected dendritic cells and primary mouse alveolar macrophages. The biological activity of SPA4 peptide was then studied in a mouse model of P. aeruginosa lung infection. Our results demonstrate that the SPA4 peptide binds to TLR4, but does not interact with live bacteria. Correspondingly, the SPA4 peptide does not directly affect bacterial growth. The SPA4 peptide treatment induces the uptake and localization of bacteria in the phagolysosomes of immune cells. At the same time, the secreted levels of inflammatory cytokines are significantly suppressed. Over-expression of TLR4 augments the pro-phagocytic and anti-inflammatory activity of SPA4 peptide. Furthermore, treatment with SPA4 peptide reduces the bacterial burden, inflammatory cytokines, phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, p54 SAPK/JNK and NF-κB-p65, and alleviates lung edema and pathology in a mouse model of P. aeruginosa infection. Together, our results suggest that the immunomodulatory activity of SPA4 peptide can potentially help control infection.
The Cult of Innovation: Its Myths and Rituals

Philosophers and scholars of rhetoric point to the significance of what they call “god terms,” concepts that have a certain “inherent potency.” God terms sweep up whole periods of history as nations and cultures strive to reach a higher state of being.
Manufacture of carbon-fiber prepreg with thermoplastic/epoxy resin blends and microencapsulated solvent healing agents

Abstract Unidirectional carbon-fiber/thermoplastic/epoxy prepreg is manufactured with embedded microcapsules containing a healing agent for a thermoplastic-toughened epoxy matrix. A laboratory-scale prepreg fabrication line was designed to produce a prepreg fabric of which fiber-interstitial spaces accommodate microcapsules of an average diameter of 2.8 µm. Microcapsules containing the healing agent, ethyl phenylacetate (EPA), were coated with polydopamine (PDA) to withstand harsh manufacturing conditions. The prepreg fabrics were laminated and hot-pressed to produce composites of a high fiber volume fraction (ca. 62%), exceptional thermal stability ( T g =170 °C) and fracture toughness. The laminated composite achieved a uniform distribution of intact microcapsules with an overall concentration of 3.1 vol% and a 20 wt% thermoplastic-toughened (poly(bisphenol a-co-epichlorohydrin); PBAE) epoxy matrix developed from cure-induced phase separation. The co-existence of intact microcapsules filled with healing agent and the phase-separated PBAE/epoxy matrix has significant potential to mitigate small scale damage in the composite.
Artificial Neural Network for Unit Commitment on Networks with Significant Energy Storage

Adding energy storage capacities equivalent to several hours of demand can lower operating costs of independent power providers and reduce reliance on the regional utility network. Energy storage compounds the mixed-integer unit commitment problem by coupling the scheduling decisions within the dispatch horizon, making otherwise straightforward problems highly computationally intensive. A sufficiently trained artificial neural network (ANN) can altogether void the mixed-integer unit-commitment problem and facilitate dispatch receding horizon control in applications with significant energy storage assets. Neural networks with varying layers are trained to replicate the optimal binary unit commitment status of the micro-grid generators as determined by a non-linear mixed integer solver. The combined approach proposed uses an ANN to determine the unit-commitment solution and quadratic programming to determine the active generation and storage set points. The accuracy in replicating the mixed-integer unit commitment exhibits depreciating improvement with additional network layers. The single layer ANN reduced dispatch time by a factor of 40 while replicating unit commitment with 95.3% accuracy. A two-layer ANN reduces dispatch time by a factor of 20 with a 97.3% accuracy.
Modeling concurrency and reconfiguration in vehicular systems: A π-calculus approach

As autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles are deployed on the roads, they will have to eventually start communicating with each other in order to achieve increased efficiency and safety. Current approaches in the control of collaborative vehicles primarily consider homogeneous simplified vehicle dynamics and usually ignore any communication issues. This raises an important question of how systems without the aforementioned limiting assumptions can be modeled, analyzed and certified for safe operation by both industry and governmental agencies. In this work, we propose a modeling framework where communication and system reconfiguration is modeled through π-calculus expressions while the closed-loop control systems are modeled through hybrid automata. We demonstrate how the framework can be utilized for modeling and simulation of platooning behaviors of heterogeneous vehicles.
Healthcare Utilization and Physical Functioning in Older Adults in the United States

OBJECTIVES Decline in physical function is associated with older age. Healthcare utilization and expenditures related to physical functioning declines will likely increase as the proportion of the population of older adults rises. This study evaluated resource utilization associated with differences in physical functioning in a nationally representative sample of older adults. DESIGN A retrospective panel study nationally representative for 26 809 552 older adults in the United States. SETTING Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 2013 to 2014. PARTICIPANTS Adults aged 70 years or older who completed both rounds of the Self-Administered Questionnaire in MEPS. MEASUREMENTS Physical Component Score (PCS) from the Short-Form Health Survey as a measure of physical functioning was stratified into quartiles. Healthcare utilization (count of medical visits by setting) and total expenditures were assessed during and after the PCS measurements. Generalized linear mixed models, adjusted for demographic and clinical covariates, estimated the relationship between healthcare utilization and physical functioning. RESULTS The lowest functional status (Q1) was associated with significantly increased healthcare utilization of emergency department, inpatient, home health, outpatient, and total medical visits compared with the three higher quartiles groups (P < .001, all). When compared with the lowest functioning group (Q1), the percentage savings for direct healthcare expenditures were 26.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.8-41.7) in Q2, 50.1% (95% CI = 35.6-61.4) in Q3, and 65.2% (95% CI = 54.7-73.2) in Q4. Similarly, there were 10.4% (95% CI = 9.2-11.7), 11.9% (95% CI = 10.5-13.6), and 14.0% (95% CI = 2.2%-15.9%) reductions in total medical visits, respectively. CONCLUSION Lower physical functioning was associated with higher healthcare utilization and expenditures. These estimates are conservative because they do not capture long-term care utilization due to the nature of MEPS. These results can be used to benchmark other healthcare resource benefits of interventions to maintain or improve physical functioning in older adults in noninstitutionalized settings. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:266-271, 2020.
Characterization of the adhesive and cohesive moisture damage for asphalt concrete

Abstract Durability of asphalt concrete is significantly influenced by moisture damage, resulting in early degradation of asphalt pavements. There are several tests and conditioning methods adopted by agencies and researchers to identify the susceptibility of asphalt mixtures to the moisture damage. However, there is a need to develop predictive models that account for the impacts of moisture on fundamental mechanistic properties of asphalt concrete. In this regard, the focus of this paper is to develop an adhesive and a cohesive moisture damage model that enable the prediction of the amount of induced damages due to the moisture diffusion in the asphalt concrete. The models are developed based on intermolecular bond energy/force, and the mechanisms of cohesive and adhesive failures. They assume water vapor diffusion as the dominant moisture transport mode in asphalt pavements. The models are calibrated and validated by conducting dynamic modulus test on Fine Asphalt Matrix mixtures as well as Bitumen Bond Strength test on the adhesive bond between aggregate and asphalt binder. The results of validation process show the competence of the proposed models in predicting the adhesive and cohesive moisture damage of asphalt mixtures.
Exploring How Trait Mindfulness Relates to Perceived Stress and Cardiovascular Reactivity

Mindfulness interventions have been associated with less global perceived stress as well as attenuated cardiovascular reactivity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether high levels of trait mindfulness would also be associated with these benefits. Participants were 99 healthy young adults aged 18–25 years. Self-report measures included the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale. Participants completed a laboratory stress protocol comprised of a resting baseline, a mental arithmetic stress task, and a resting recovery period. Blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rate variability were measured throughout the protocol. Regressions were used to analyze whether trait mindfulness predicted global perceived stress, cardiovascular reactivity, and cardiovascular recovery. Two trait mindfulness facets were found to be associated with less global perceived stress, Acting with Awareness (β = − .306, p = .002) and Nonjudgment (β = − .342, p .05, Cohen’s f2 < .060), exploratory analyses revealed an interaction between the Awareness and Nonjudgment facets (p < .001), such that Awareness is associated with lower diastolic blood pressure reactivity only when Nonjudgment scores are also high. Like mindfulness interventions, trait mindfulness is associated with less global perceived stress. Interactions between trait mindfulness facets that reflect attention monitoring and acceptance might predict physiological reactivity in certain contexts, though a mindful state might be necessary for most real-time cardiovascular benefits.
Concealment of nonreligious identity: Exploring social identity threat among atheists and other nonreligious individuals:

Negative attitudes toward the nonreligious persist in America. This may compel some nonreligious individuals to conceal their identity to manage feelings of social identity threat. In one correlati...
PF-06869206 is a selective inhibitor of renal Pi transport: evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies.

Plasma phosphate (Pi) levels are tightly controlled, and elevated plasma Pi levels are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications and death. Two renal transport proteins medi...
Institutional Context of Perceived Discrimination, Acculturative Stress, and Depressive Symptoms among Latina College Students

This study examined the influence of institutional environment (PWIs and HSIs) on perceived discrimination, acculturative stress, and depression. Data were obtained from Latina college students acr...
‘I can tell you right now, EHR does not improve communication. It does not improve healthcare’: understanding how providers make sense of advanced information technology workarounds

This study draws upon sensemaking theory to (a) explore the cues healthcare providers extract from their workplace environment to make sense of their advanced information technology (AIT) workaroun...
Free Space Optical Communications to Connect the Unconnected Globally in Remote Places: Technology Issues Relevant to Implementing Systems

In this research work, I discussed the potential of free space optical communication (FSOC)/optical wireless communication [1, 2, 3, 4] as the most viable technology solution for providing connectivity to almost half of the world population living in rural areas without any Internet access. This population is obviously missing out on the life-changing benefits of connectivity from financial services to health and education, job creation and civic/social engagement, just to name a few. Some of the reasons behind this “digital divide” include (according to World Economic Forum’s Internet for All report) • infrastructure (a good, fast connection is not available, no regular electricity to many people), • affordability (a large percentage of population living below the poverty line), • education, skills and cultural issues as barriers and local adoption and use (80% of online content is only available in ten languages).
Rate constants and molecular recombination pathways of oxygen from quasi-classical trajectory simulations of the O3 system

Abstract A lack of understanding of the dynamics of molecular recombination has led to the development of a large number of recombination models and methods to quantify recombination rate constants, each with their own set of assumptions and ranges of applicability. This work aims to unravel the complex dynamics behind the recombination of atomic oxygen to molecular oxygen using the quasi-classical trajectory method for the O 3 system. Recombination pathways considered include a single-step “direct” reaction, and a two-step mechanism that involves the formation of a long-lived intermediate which is stabilized through collision with a third body. The latter is further classified as Lindemann or Chaperon recombination pathways depending on the identity of the intermediate and the final product. The classical versions of all three mechanisms are explored in detail for the O 3 system. A time-lag parameter is introduced to quantify the time interval between the intermediate formation and third-body stabilization steps, and the direct collisions are treated as a limiting case when the time lag is zero. It is found that the recombination probabilities reduce as the time-lag is increased. Direct recombination events are dominated by head-on collisions, while the two step recombination events are characterized by a combination of glancing and head-on collisions. The resulting recombination products follow a strongly non-Boltzmann distribution. Recombination rate coefficients are computed through a novel rate coefficient formula that takes into consideration the Poisson distribution in time of third body stabilizing collisions with the orbiting pair characterized by finite lifetimes (on the order of picoseconds) that lead to recombination. Good agreement is obtained with recombination rates computed from detailed balance based on known dissociation rate coefficients. This approach thus enables the direct calculation of recombination rate coefficients at low temperatures, without the need for dissociation rate coefficients and detailed balance.
Using “Promising Programs” to Improve Educational Processes and Student Outcomes

In this chapter Sam Stringfield, Mary Ann Millsap and Rebecca Herman examine a 1990s study of 10 “promising programs” for improving the academic achievements of students whose families’ life circumstances have placed them in danger of failing to thrive academically. These are children born to poverty, members of racial or cultural minorities, and/or children in whose homes a language other than English is spoken the majority of the time. The percentage of U.S. students that will be in one of those risk-indicating conditions will exceed 50% in the early 21st century. The structure of the chapter is as follows: a brief history of research on the use of specific programs to affect student achievement is followed by a description of the U.S. federal compensatory education program. Next is a description of the design of the Special Strategies studies. Each of the 10 designs are briefly described, followed by an overview of findings. In concluding the chapter Stringfield and his colleagues conclude with a discussion of the implications of those findings for additional research and practice.
The digital and the divine: taking a ritual view of communication and ICT interaction

Drawing upon James Carey's ritual model of communication as a framework, we argue that rituals, especially religious rituals, are important resources for technology design. We suggest that a ritual view of ICT interaction represents an alternative and significant model for ICT development and evaluation, and that the observance of religious rituals affords researchers the opportunity to see cultural values at the peak of their expression. To illustrate, we describe several examples and three case studies of religious rituals that involve technology. For each, we discuss the ritual's enactment, where and how it intersects with technology, and the broader cultural values it embodies. We conclude with remarks about how religious values are meaningful for the design of culturally relevant consumer technologies and we offer advice on how other researchers can use ritual observation to inform and inspire their technology designs.
Death and Memory in Early America

Death is a historical phenomenon – although pervasive and unavoidable, it has not been understood or experienced in a uniform fashion over time. Death has visited some times and places more heavily than others; ideas about death, rites surrounding it, and the memorials and monuments commemorating it have varied over time and place. This article emphasizes the omnipresence of death in early America, an historical reality of great importance that we are peculiarly conditioned today to miss or avoid, both because of the nationalist biases of American history and because American culture is so insulated from actual physical death and mortal remains. Finally, the essay suggests why death mattered and how Americans made sense – and made use – of death and mortal remains in early America.