cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Atypical Case of an Ulcerative Lesion of the Naris and Nasal Septum

Educational Objective: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participants should be able to discuss the differential diagnosis for an erosive cutaneous facial lesion and devise a diagnostic approach to these lesions. Objectives: To present a rare case of an ulcerative nasolabial cutaneous lesion eroding through the anterior nasal septum, and discuss the differential diagnosis for this atypical lesion. Study Design: Case report and literature review. Methods: A 62 year old woman referred for evaluation of an incidental thyroid nodule was found to have an unrelated, large, ulcerative mass involving her upper right lip and extending into the nasal vault with erosion of the cartilaginous nasal septum. We suspected a malignant cutaneous neoplasm and performed a punch biopsy of this lesion. Over the following 10 months two repeat biopsies were performed, and all three revealed acute and chronic inflammation without evidence of malignancy. Results: Over an 11 month period a multidisciplinary effort involving otolaryngology, pathology, radiology, rheumatology, and infectious disease experts at our tertiary referral center have been unable to make a definitive diagnosis for this patient's lesion. Microbiology and pathology studies have been nondefinitive. A mildly positive ANCA level prompted consideration of Wegener's granulomatosis, however this was deemed unlikely given an unusual immunological staining pattern, absence of vasculitis, and complete lack of other disease symptoms. The patient has been empirically treated with high dose corticosteroids, which have resulted in dramatic and ongoing improvements. Our presentation will include radiological imaging and photographic documentation of her lesion's progression. Conclusions: While erosive lesions of the head and neck immediately raise concern for cutaneous malignancy, the differential diagnosis should remain broad, and a multidisciplinary approach is useful in targeting diagnostic testing and treatment.
On the economics of mandatory sprinklering of dwellings

Using the life-cycle costing method, the economy of equipping all new single-family dwellings with fast-response sprinklers is examined. The results seem to indicate that mandating the use of sprinklers cannot be justified on economic grounds.
Starvation-Induced Proximal Gut Mucosal Atrophy Diminished With Aging

Background: Starvation induces small bowel atrophy with increased intestinal epithelial apoptosis and decreased proliferation. The authors examined these parameters after starvation in aged animals. Methods: Sixty-four 6-week-old and 26-month-old C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to either an ad libitum fed or fasted group. The small bowel was harvested at 12, 48, and 72 hours following starvation. Proximal gut mucosal height was measured and epithelial cells counted. Apoptosis was identified by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Proliferation was determined by immunohistochemical staining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Comparison of fed vs fasted and adult vs old groups was done by one-way ANOVA with Tukey's test and unpaired Student's t test. Significance was accepted at P < .05. Results: Aged mice had higher proximal gut weights, mucosal heights, and cell numbers at baseline compared with the adult group (P < .05). The rate of apoptosis wa...
Dual- $V_{th}$ Independent-Gate FinFETs for Low Power Logic Circuits

This paper describes the electrode work-function, oxide thickness, gate-source/drain underlap, and silicon thick ness optimization required to realize dual-Vth independent-gate FinFETs. Optimum values for these FinFET design parameters are derived using the physics-based University of Florida SPICE model for double-gate devices, and the optimized FinFETs are simulated and validated using Sentaurus TCAD simulations. Dual-Vth FinFETs with independent gates enable series and parallel merge transformations in logic gates, realizing compact low power alternative gates with competitive performance and reduced input capacitance in comparison to conventional FinFET gates. Furthermore, they also enable the design of a new class of compact logic gates with higher expressive power and flexibility than conventional CMOS gates, e.g., implementing 12 unique Boolean functions using only four transistors. Circuit designs that balance and improve the performance of the novel gates are described. The gates are designed and calibrated using the University of Florida double-gate model into conventional and enhanced technology libraries. Synthesis results for 16 benchmark circuits from the ISCAS and OpenSPARC suites indicate that on average at 2 GHz, the enhanced library reduces total power and the number of fins by 36% and 37%, respectively, over a conventional library designed using shorted-gate FinFETs in 32 nm technology.
Contending with Terms: “Multimodal” and “Multimedia” in the Academic and Public Spheres

Scholars have begun naming and defining terms that describe the multifaceted kinds of composing practices occurring in their classrooms and scholarship. This paper analyzes the terms “multimedia” and “multimodal,” examining how each term has been defined and presenting examples of documents, surveys, web sites and others to show when and how each term is used in both academic and non-academic/industry contexts. This paper shows that rather than the use of these terms being driven by any difference in their definitions, their use is more contingent upon the context and the audience to whom a particular discussion is being directed. While “multimedia” is used more frequently in public/industry contexts, “multimodal” is preferred in the field of composition and rhetoric. This preference for terms can be best explained by understanding the differences in how texts are valued and evaluated in these contexts. “Multimodal” is a term valued by instructors because of its emphasis on design and process, whereas “multimedia” is valued in the public sphere because of its emphasis on the production of a deliverable text. Ultimately, instructors need to continue using both terms in their teaching and scholarship because although “multimodal” is a term that is more theoretically accurate to describe the cognitive and socially situated choices students are making in their compositions, “multimedia” works as a gateway term for instructors and scholars to interface with those outside of academia in familiar and important ways.
How Disorienting Experiences in Informal Learning Contexts Promote Cross-Cultural Awareness in Preservice Teachers: Findings From a Study Abroad Program

In this study we discuss how disorienting experiences in informal learning contexts promote cross-cultural awareness in preservice teachers during a study abroad program to Honduras. We used interpretive phenomenology via semi-structured interviews to examine how nine preservice teachers made sense of their experiences studying abroad. We found that immersing preservice teachers in informal learning contexts and diverse cultural settings other than their own fosters new socio-cultural insights in relation to their roles as future educators.
Impact of lean six sigma process improvement methodology on cardiac catheterization laboratory efficiency.

Abstract Background Operational inefficiencies are ubiquitous in several healthcare processes. To improve the operational efficiency of our catheterization laboratory (Cath Lab), we implemented a lean six sigma process improvement initiative, starting in June 2010. We aimed to study the impact of lean six sigma implementation on improving the efficiency and the patient throughput in our Cath Lab. Methods All elective and urgent cardiac catheterization procedures including diagnostic coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary interventions, structural interventions and peripheral interventions performed between June 2009 and December 2012 were included in the study. Performance metrics utilized for analysis included turn-time, physician downtime, on-time patient arrival, on-time physician arrival, on-time start and manual sheath-pulls inside the Cath Lab. Results After implementation of lean six sigma in the Cath Lab, we observed a significant improvement in turn-time, physician downtime, on-time patient arrival, on-time physician arrival, on-time start as well as sheath-pulls inside the Cath Lab. The percentage of cases with optimal turn-time increased from 43.6% in 2009 to 56.6% in 2012 (p-trend Conclusions The current longitudinal study illustrates the impact of successful implementation of a well-known process improvement initiative, lean six sigma, on improving and sustaining efficiency of our Cath Lab operation. After the successful implementation of this continuous quality improvement initiative, there was a significant improvement in the selected performance metrics namely turn-time, physician downtime, on-time patient arrival, on-time physician arrival, on-time start as well as sheath-pulls inside the Cath Lab.
Differentiating juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia from infectious disease.

To The Editor: Two recent articles in BLOOD 1,2 review the findings and outcome of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML). Both omit an important aspect of JMLL: its differentiation from infectious disease. Several disseminated microbial infections of infancy can result in persistent fever,
Geometry and Dynamics of Fractal Systems

Recently physics of fractals has been one of the most exciting fields of science.l,2 A number of studies of percolation clusters, Sierpinski gaskets, lattice animals etc. have been reported and considerable interest has been generated in their anomolous behavior. On the basis of real-space renormalization group methods and/or scaling theories, we have investigated relation between geometrical structure and physical properties of fractal systems. As a result, it becomes evident that various types of critical phenomena are combined into a few universality classes and given unified geometrical interpretations.
Emergency Department Utilization by Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients

s S399 provide a new perspective to understand thrombosis and acquired bleeding disorders in pediatric patients undergoing CPB. Thus reducing CPB component-induced receptor shedding will be an important aspect to eliminate bleeding associated with CPB.
Extraction of a Large Central Airway Foreign Body Using Flexible Bronchoscopy Combined with an Endobronchial Blocker

Adult foreign body (FB) aspiration is an uncommon but potentially fatal event. Options for extraction include flexible bronchoscopy (FLXB), rigid bronchoscopy (RB), and surgical extraction. We report the case of a large, smooth aspirated rock causing airway obstruction in an elderly male. RB is generally the preferred approach for extraction of a large complex FB; however, due to its size, the FB had to be removed using FLXB combined with an endobronchial blocker. In this report, we describe the anesthetic and surgical considerations and the novel technique used to extract the FB.
The impact of three-dimensional structure on the expression of PlA alloantigens on human integrin beta 3

We have compared the binding of affinity-purified anti-PlA1 IgG from seven nonrelated donors with chimeric integrin subunit beta 3 molecules expressed in the baculovirus-Spodoptera frugiperda insect cell system. Beta 3 chimeras were engineered to include segments of antigenic human beta 3 sequences spliced to intervening segments of nonantigenic Xenopus beta 3 sequence. Our results clearly show that antibodies from all seven donors will bind to nondenatured molecules containing the antigenic human beta 3 Cys26-Cys38 loop only when it is presented in a correct orientation that must be maintained by noncontiguous human sequences. Key downstream sequences are located within the region beta 3(288–490), flanking either side of the putative long-range disulfide at Cys435. Although our results confirm unambiguously that the Leu/Pro polymorphism at position 33 in human beta 3 is necessary for the expression of PlA epitopes, they also indicate that this polymorphic sequence alone is not sufficient. The requirement for additional human beta 3 sequence transcends the need to maintain a correct orientation within the Cys26-Cys38 loop itself, because the murine monoclonal antibody SZ21, which recognizes the sequence beta 3(28–35) contained within the Cys26-Cys38 loop, binds to all chimeras containing this loop, even if the same chimeras are not recognized by anti-PlA1. Our results indicate that additional noncontiguous residues encompassed by the sequence 288–490 either directly contribute to the composition of the PlA1 epitope or, more likely, maintain the Cys26-Cys38 loop in a proper orientation with respect to the remainder of the beta 3 molecule and thereby maintain proper antigenic presentation of the sequences in that loop.
Epigenetic Signatures of Salivary Gland Inflammation in Sjögren's Syndrome.

Objective Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a complex multisystem autoimmune disease that results in progressive destruction of the exocrine glands. The purpose of this study was to characterize epigenetic changes in affected gland tissue and describe the relationship of these changes to known inflammatory processes. Methods A genome-wide DNA methylation study was performed on human labial salivary gland (LSG) biopsy samples obtained from 28 female members of the Sjogren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance (SICCA) Registry. Gland tissue was methylotyped using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip platform, followed by rigorous probe-filtering and data-normalization procedures. Results A genome-wide case–control study of 26 of the 28 subjects revealed 7,820 differentially methylated positions (DMPs) associated with disease status, including 5,699 hypomethylated and 2,121 hypermethylated DMPs. Further analysis identified 57 genes that were enriched for DMPs in their respective promoters; many are involved in immune response, including 2 previously established SS genetic risk loci. Bioinformatics analysis highlighted an extended region of hypomethylation surrounding PSMB8 and TAP1, consistent with an increased frequency of antigen-presenting cells in LSG tissue from the SS cases. Transcription factor motif enrichment analysis revealed the specific nature of the genome-wide methylation differences, demonstrating colocalization of SS-associated DMPs with stress- and immune response–related motifs. Conclusion Our findings underscore the utility of CpG methylotyping as an independent probe of active disease processes in SS, offering unique insights into the composition of disease-relevant tissue. Methylation profiling implicated several genes and pathways previously thought to be involved in disease-related processes, as well as a number of new candidates.
First principles study of the diffusion of oxygen vacancies in Ga 2 O 3

Using Density Functional Theory we have investigated the migration of oxygen vacancies and hydrogen impurities in the oxide β-Ga 2 O 3 . For our studies we used the Nudged Elastic Band (NEB) method in order to determine the Minimum Energy Paths (MEP) and the migration barriers. Neutral and doubly charged oxygen vacancies are considered to be the most common intrinsic defects in Ga 2 O 3 . In addition, hydrogen is a common background impurity. Our results indicate that these defects are mobile at growth temperatures.
AUCpreD: proteome-level protein disorder prediction by AUC-maximized deep convolutional neural fields

Motivation Protein intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) play an important role in many biological processes. Two key properties of IDRs are (i) the occurrence is proteome-wide and (ii) the ratio of disordered residues is about 6%, which makes it challenging to accurately predict IDRs. Most IDR prediction methods use sequence profile to improve accuracy, which prevents its application to proteome-wide prediction since it is time-consuming to generate sequence profiles. On the other hand, the methods without using sequence profile fare much worse than using sequence profile. Method This article formulates IDR prediction as a sequence labeling problem and employs a new machine learning method called Deep Convolutional Neural Fields (DeepCNF) to solve it. DeepCNF is an integration of deep convolutional neural networks (DCNN) and conditional random fields (CRF); it can model not only complex sequence-structure relationship in a hierarchical manner, but also correlation among adjacent residues. To deal with highly imbalanced order/disorder ratio, instead of training DeepCNF by widely used maximum-likelihood, we develop a novel approach to train it by maximizing area under the ROC curve (AUC), which is an unbiased measure for class-imbalanced data. Results Our experimental results show that our IDR prediction method AUCpreD outperforms existing popular disorder predictors. More importantly, AUCpreD works very well even without sequence profile, comparing favorably to or even outperforming many methods using sequence profile. Therefore, our method works for proteome-wide disorder prediction while yielding similar or better accuracy than the others. Availability and implementation http://raptorx2.uchicago.edu/StructurePropertyPred/predict/ Contact wangsheng@uchicago.edu, jinboxu@gmail.com Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
IGF-1 mediated Neurogenesis Involves a Novel RIT1/Akt/Sox2 Cascade.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is known to have diverse effects on brain structure and function, including the promotion of stem cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult dentate gyrus. However, the intracellular pathways downstream of the IGF-1 receptor that contribute to these diverse physiological actions remain relatively uncharacterized. Here, we demonstrate that the Ras-related GTPase, RIT1, plays a critical role in IGF-1-dependent neurogenesis. Studies in hippocampal neuronal precursor cells (HNPCs) demonstrate that IGF-1 stimulates a RIT1-dependent increase in Sox2 levels, resulting in pro-neural gene expression and increased cellular proliferation. In this novel cascade, RIT1 stimulates Akt-dependent phosphorylation of Sox2 at T118, leading to its stabilization and transcriptional activation. When compared to wild-type HNPCs, RIT1 −/− HNPCs show deficient IGF-1-dependent Akt signaling and neuronal differentiation, and accordingly, Sox2-dependent hippocampal neurogenesis is significantly blunted following IGF-1 infusion in knockout (RIT1 −/− ) mice. Consistent with a role for RIT1 function in the modulation of activity-dependent plasticity, exercise-mediated potentiation of hippocampal neurogenesis is also diminished in RIT1 −/− mice. Taken together, these data identify the previously uncharacterized IGF1-RIT1-Akt-Sox2 signaling pathway as a key component of neurogenic niche sensing, contributing to the regulation of neural stem cell homeostasis.
A model for a drug distribution system in remote Australia as a social determinant of health using event structure analysis

The social determinants of health include the health systems under which people live and utilize health services. One social determinant, for which pharmacists are responsible, is designing drug distribution systems that ensure patients have safe and convenient access to medications. This is critical for settings with poor access to health care. Rural and remote Australia is one example of a setting where the pharmacy profession, schools of pharmacy, and regulatory agencies require pharmacists to assure medication access. Studies of drug distribution systems in such settings are uncommon. This study describes a model for a drug distribution system in an Aboriginal Health Service in remote Australia. The results may be useful for policy setting, pharmacy system design, health professions education, benchmarking, or quality assurance efforts for health system managers in similarly remote locations. The results also suggest that pharmacists can promote access to medications as a social determinant of health. The primary objective of this study was to propose a model for a drug procurement, storage, and distribution system in a remote region of Australia. The secondary objective was to learn the opinions and experiences of healthcare workers under the model. Qualitative research methods were used. Semi-structured interviews were performed with a convenience sample of 11 individuals employed by an Aboriginal health service. Transcripts were analyzed using Event Structure Analysis (ESA) to develop the model. Transcripts were also analyzed to determine the opinions and experiences of health care workers. The model was comprised of 24 unique steps with seven distinct components: choosing a supplier; creating a list of preferred medications; budgeting and ordering; supply and shipping; receipt and storage in the clinic; prescribing process; dispensing and patient counseling. Interviewees described opportunities for quality improvement in choosing suppliers, legal issues and staffing, cold chain integrity, medication shortages and wastage, and adherence to policies. The model illustrates how pharmacists address medication access as a social determinant of health, and may be helpful for policy setting, system design, benchmarking, and quality assurance by health system designers. ESA is an effective and novel method of developing such models.
Dissipation in neuromorphic computing: Fundamental bounds for feedforward networks

We present the fundamental lower bound on dissipation in feedforward neural networks associated with the combined cost of the training and testing phases. Finite state automata descriptions of output generation and the weight updates during training, are used to derive the corresponding lower bounds in a physically grounded manner. The results are illustrated using a simple perceptron learning the AND classification task. The effects of the learning rate parameter and input probability distribution on the cost of dissipation are studied. Derivation of neural network learning algorithms that minimize the total dissipation cost of training are explored.
Nanoparticle transport in cellular blood flow

Abstract The biotransport of the intravascular nanoparticle (NP) is influenced by both the complex cellular flow environment and the NP characteristics. Being able to computationally simulate such intricate transport phenomenon with high efficiency is of far-reaching significance to the development of nanotherapeutics, yet challenging due to large length-scale discrepancies between NP and red blood cell (RBC) as well as the complexity of nanoscale particle dynamics. Recently, a lattice-Boltzmann (LB) based multiscale simulation method has been developed to capture both NP–scale and cell–level transport phenomenon at high efficiency. The basic components of this method include the LB treatment for the fluid phase, a spectrin-link method for RBCs, and a Langevin dynamics (LD) approach to capturing the motion of the suspended NPs. Comprehensive two-way coupling schemes are established to capture accurate interactions between each component. The accuracy and robustness of the LB–LD coupling method are demonstrated through the relaxation of a single NP with initial momentum and self-diffusion of NPs. This approach is then applied to study the migration of NPs in micro-vessels under physiological conditions. It is shown that Brownian motion is most significant for the NP distribution in 20 μ m venules. For 1 ∼ 100 nm particles, the Brownian diffusion is the dominant radial diffusive mechanism compared to the RBC-enhanced diffusion. For ∼ 500 nm particles, the Brownian diffusion and RBC-enhanced diffusion are comparable drivers for the particle radial diffusion process.
Are narcissists more attracted to people in relationships than to people not in relationships

Does grandiose narcissism predict greater attraction for others in relationships? We examined this question by replicating previous work implicating grandiose narcissists as mate poachers (Studies 1 and 2). We then used an experimental paradigm (Studies 3 and 4) to assess the extent to which grandiose narcissists indicate a greater interest in someone who is already in a relationship compared to someone who is single. Results suggest that although grandiose narcissism related to reports of more frequent mate poaching attempts, grandiose narcissists did not appear to be more interested in taking someone away from an existing relationship. Instead, participants took their own relationship status into consideration (rather than the relationship status of a target) when evaluating their interest in a target for a short-term fling or a long-term relationship. Thus, although grandiose narcissists report more frequent mate poaching attempts, they do not appear to be more interested in people in relationships compared to those who are single.
Gas6 protein induces invasion and reduces inflammatory cytokines in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background Gas6 protein is involved in the progression of cancers and has been demonstrated to have a role in inflammation. Oral squamous cell carcinoma is a common form of oral cancer, and it commonly expresses Gas6. Our objective was to determine the effects of Gas6 on oral squamous cell carcinoma invasion and identify signaling molecules and cytokines associated with Gas6-mediated invasion. Methods Ca9-22 cells were cultured in the presence or absence of Gas6. Real-time cell invasion was evaluated, and cultured cells were lysed for Western blot analysis. Cell medium was collected and assayed for cytokine elaboration. Results Treatment of cells with Gas6 resulted in: (i) increased invasion, (ii) increased expression of Gas6 and AXL receptor, (iii) reduced invasion when AXL was inhibited, (iv) decreased ERK activation, (v) increased AKT activation, and (vi) decreased secretion of G-CSF, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-8. Conclusions Gas6 increases invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma, and the invasion correlates with the increased AKT and the downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These results may prove useful in providing avenues that explain the role of Gas6 in the development and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Epstein-Barr Virus Infection in Families with a Childhood Index Case of Infectious Mononucleosis

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infectious mononucleosis (IM) and even subclinical EBV infections have traditionally been reported to occur uncommonly among intimate contacts of an index case (1). Yet EBV infections must spread efficiently because most children become infected early in life (2). The present study addressed inconsistencies on transmission patterns of EBV in prior reports by prospectively evaluating families with a childhood index case of EBV-IM.
Magnetoresistivity and H c2 (T) in MgB 2

Detailed magnetotransport data on dense wires of ${\mathrm{MgB}}_{2}$ are reported for applied magnetic fields up to 18 T. The temperature and field dependencies of the electrical resistivity are consistent with ${\mathrm{MgB}}_{2}$ behaving like a simple metal and following a generalized form of Kohler's rule. In addition, given the generally higher-${T}_{c}$ values and narrower resistive transition widths associated with ${\mathrm{MgB}}_{2}$ synthesized in this manner, combined with applied magnetic fields of up to 18 T, an accurate and complete ${H}_{c2}(T)$ curve could be determined. This curve agrees well with curves determined from lower field measurements on sintered pellets and wires of ${\mathrm{MgB}}_{2}.$ ${H}_{c2}(T)$ is linear in T over a wide range of temperature $(7\mathrm{K}l~Tl~32\mathrm{K})$ and has an upward curvature for T close to ${T}_{c}.$ These features are similar to other high \ensuremath{\kappa}, clean limit, boron-bearing intermetallics: ${\mathrm{YNi}}_{2}{\mathrm{B}}_{2}\mathrm{C}$ and ${\mathrm{LuNi}}_{2}{\mathrm{B}}_{2}\mathrm{C}.$
Temporal Preprocessor: Towards Temporal Applications Development.

Effective querying and managing of temporal databases represent an unanswered challenge to the modern research community. In this paper, we introduce a temporal preprocessor that can be used to aid in creation of temporal applications and for testing various methods and approaches in temporal databases implementations. We outline our proposal, current results and directions for further research and development.
Use of Padé Approximations in Spline Construction

This paper deals with a very important practical problem of constructing the “best” spline approximation to a curve or a surface. Needless to say, this problem has many practical application, especially in cases of data modeling and data fitting. In this paper we are dealing with curves, in one- and multi- dimensional cases, and, in particular, with closed curves. The main methods of this paper are methods of (generalized) Pade approximations and orthogonal polynomials on the interval and the unit circle, and related methods of mechanical quadrature formulas. For references to the approaches to the spline reconstruction of a data curve, where a variety of “fitting” figures of merit is used, see [KH], [MW], [MP], [W], [M95], [C95], [M97], [MM], [LM94], [Z].
Improving Statistical Model-Based Speech Enhancement with Deep Neural Networks

This paper presents a framework for improving the performance of statistical model-based single-channel speech enhancement systems by using a deep neural network (DNN). A DNN is trained to predict speech presence in the input signal, and this information is leveraged to design novel methods for noise tracking and a priori signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimation, which remain the most challenging tasks in conventional systems. The proposed framework provides increased flexibility for various aspects of system design such as gain estimation, relative to end-to-end DNN-based systems. Additionally, the DNN can be trained to detect speech in the presence of both noise and reverberation, leading to joint suppression of additive noise and reverberation. The proposed framework provides significant improvements in objective speech quality metrics relative to baseline systems, and the proposed system was heavily favored in a subjective preference test.
Horst Feistel: the inventor of LUCIFER, the cryptographic algorithm that changed cryptology

This paper documents the early life of Horst Feistel, in particular, the events shaping his career. His creativity led to the development of today’s high-grade cryptographic algorithms. We describe Feistel’s successful escape from Nazi Germany, his university training in physics in Zurich and in Boston, and the career change to cryptography. Feistel became a Research Staff Member at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York, in 1968. The cryptographic algorithm LUCIFER encrypts data to secure their contents. It embodies the ideas intrinsic in Feistel’s 1971 IBM patent. Claude Shannon’s 1949 prescription for achieving ideal secrecy was the basis for LUCIFER and its successors DES, 3DES and AES. DES authenticated transactions in the automated teller machine system developed by IBM as part of the Lloyds Bank Cashpoint System in England. Public key cryptography and advances in communication networks would provide a means to secure credit card transactions and lead to a lucrative environment for E-Commerce. The availability of high-grade encryption appears to have drastically limited the National Security Agency’s Signals Intelligence mission. The Department of Justice’s dispute with Apple’s iPhone is an attempt to restrict the commercial availability of high-grade encryption algorithms. It signals the struggle between privacy and national security.
A Unified Theoretical Approach to Superconductors with Strong Coulomb Correlations: The Organics, LiTi2O4, Electron- and Hole-Doped Copper Oxides and Doped BaBiO3

A dopant-induced first-order valence transition is proposed in the copper oxides and BaBiO3 that makes them exactly analogous to the organic superconductors and LiTi2O4, other materials with strong Coulomb correlations. The number of carriers is different from the number of chemical holes, and superconductivity occurs within a narrow carrier concentration range. The low Tc LaSrCuO is inhomogenous, and the 60 K and the 90 K YBaCuO are different materials. The discovery of the new electron-doped materials only reinforces the above conclusions. Diverse experiments in the oxides are explained, and specific testable predictions about Nd(Ce)CuO are made.
Shoulder Pain Among Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case Series

Importance: Evidence has demonstrated that shoulder pain constitutes a functional impairment for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). No studies have yet examined the efficacy of scapular mobilization of the painful shoulder among patients with ALS. Objective: Our retrospective case series evaluated the effects of scapular mobilization on pain and shoulder motion among patients with ALS. Design: Retrospective case series over 2 yr. Setting: A multidisciplinary outpatient clinic at an academic medical institution. Participants: Twenty-eight patients with ALS who had shoulder pain and range of motion (ROM) limitations. Patients were excluded if information on visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain and shoulder ROM was not available. Intervention: Scapular mobilization, ROM, and caregiver education. All patients also received standard occupational therapy treatment for this patient population. Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was VAS shoulder pain scores; the secondary outcome was shoulder flexion ROM. Results: The median VAS pain score was 2 before treatment and 0 after treatment, with a significant median reduction of 2. Median shoulder flexion ROM was 100° before mobilization treatment and 130° after treatment, with a significant median increase of 25°. Conclusion and Relevance: The results provide strong evidence that both VAS pain score and shoulder ROM noticeably improve after mobilization treatment. What This Article Adds: Occupational therapists can effectively promote shoulder care techniques such as scapular mobilization to both patients and care providers to reduce pain and improve quality of life for patients with ALS.
Island Interconnection Device - Enabling a Simplified Approach to Integrate Microgrids with the Grid

The growing penetration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and microgrids is leading to fundamental changes in power system planning, operations, and control. Utilities and their interconnection processes cannot cope with the anticipated rate of proliferation of DERs and microgrids. Performing retrofits on microgrids and large DER installations at the multi-GW scale, simply to bring them into compliance with evolving standards, is infeasible. This paper proposes an Island Interconnection Device (IID) as a simplified approach to integrate microgrids with the grid while meeting the ever-evolving interconnection standards and not requiring an interconnection study, retrofits or firmware upgrades of microgrid components. In addition to enforcing the rules for interconnection set by the utility to ensure the integrity of the grid regardless of the topology, configuration, and control of the microgrid (assets), the IID can also provide ancillary services and grid-support.
Beyond Labels: Envisioning an Alliance Between African Feminism and Queer Theory for the Empowerment of African Sexual Minorities Within and Beyond Africa

Feminism remains a complex and contested phenomenon in Africa due to the negative stereotypes associated with the concept itself, as it is “often equated with radical feminism and with hatred of me...
InSAR Detection of Localized Subsidence Induced by Sinkhole Activity in Suburban West-Central Florida

Abstract. Sinkhole activity in west-central Florida is a major hazard for people and property. Increasing frequency of sinkhole collapse is often related to an accelerated use of groundwater and land resources. In this work, we use radar interferometry acquired over a selected region in Hernando County in west-central Florida to observe small localized deformation possibly caused by sinkhole activity. The data used for the study consist of acquisitions from one TerraSAR-X frame covering a time span of approximately 1.7 years with spatial resolution of 0.25 by 0.60 m. We applied the Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) technique using the Stanford Method for Persistent Scatterers (StaMPS). Results reveal several areas of localized subsidence at rates ranging from −3.7 to −4.9 mm yr −1 . Ground truthing and background verification of the subsiding locations confirmed the relationship of the subsidence with sinkhole presence.
Microstructural characterization and assessment of mechanical properties of concrete based on combined elemental analysis techniques and Fast-Fourier transform-based simulations

Abstract This paper presents a pixel-based modeling approach of concrete which combines an experimental characterization of concrete and the Fast-Fourier transform simulations. High-resolution phase maps created from experimental characterization by micro X-ray fluorescence, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and X-ray diffraction contain 9 different phases, including 22.17 vol.% of hydrated cement paste, 54.21 vol.% of minerals, and 23.62 vol.% of interfaces. These phases provide the input for determining the effective elastic properties, coupled with Fast-Fourier transform-based simulation. The simulation results show that the effective range of Young’s modulus of concrete is comparable with the range of experimental values ∼ 37 ± 4 GPa with the assumption of realistic properties of interfaces.
Nonunion and Reoperation Following Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Arthrodesis and Associated Patient Factors.

BACKGROUND Proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) arthrodesis can provide reliable pain relief and restore hand function in patients with PIPJ arthritis. However, there is a paucity of literature on patient-specific preoperative risk factors that are associated with adverse outcomes after PIPJ arthrodeses. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to assess preoperative predictors of nonunion and reoperation after PIPJ arthrodesis. METHODS This study identified all patients who underwent PIPJ arthrodesis at a single community practice between 1987 and 2013. The final analysis included 415 PIPJs treated with arthrodesis. The mean follow-up was 1.3 years. Data on preoperative diagnosis, demographics, comorbidities, and operative techniques were recorded, as well as the occurrence of nonunions and reoperations. Logistic regression models were used to identify independent risk factors of nonunion and reoperation. RESULTS There were 40 nonunions (10%) and 62 reoperations (15%). Of the reoperations, there were 39 incidences of isolated hardware removal, 9 irrigation and debridement, 8 amputations, 5 revision arthrodeses, and 1 corrective osteotomy. The highest number of nonunions occurred in the traumatic diagnosis group (37%), followed by the rheumatoid group (23%) and the scleroderma group (15%). The highest number of reoperations occurred within the traumatic joint disorder group (40%), followed by the rheumatoid group (24%) and the scleroderma group (11%). Multivariate analysis revealed that male sex (P < .01) and hepatic disease (P = .03) were significant risk factors of nonunion. Male sex was also significantly associated with increased reoperation risk (P < .01). CONCLUSION Risks of nonunions and reoperations after PIPJ arthrodeses are low; however, these findings may guide clinicians and patients in the preoperative decision-making process and help with targeted postoperative surveillance to mitigate these risks.
Psychosocial Factors Influence Physical Activity after Dysvascular Amputation: A Convergent Mixed-Methods Study.

Background Physical function is a common target of rehabilitation intervention to improve disability and physical activity after dysvascular lower-limb amputation (LLA); yet, the influence of psychosocial factors on physical activity is unclear. Objective To identify psychosocial factors with potential to influence clinically relevant measures of physical activity, physical function, and disability in light of participants' narratives. Design Convergent mixed-methods. Setting General community. Participants Twenty participants with dysvascular LLA were enrolled if their most recent LLA was at least 1 year prior, they were ambulating independently with a prosthesis, and were between 45 and 88 years old. Intervention Not applicable. Main outcome measures Quantitative data included physical activity (activPAL; steps/d), physical function (Timed Up-and-Go; TUG), and disability (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0; WHODAS 2.0). Qualitative data were collected via semistructured interviews. Results Higher steps/d was moderately correlated with better TUG time (r = -.58, P .10). Qualitative analysis of interviews, using an inductive, team-based, phenomenological approach, identified four themes: (1) perceptions of their prosthesis, (2) fear during mobility, (3) influence of LLA on life activities, and (4) positive outlook within social interactions. Mixed-methods analysis used an iterative approach to interpret and describe how psychosocial factors influence physical activity in four exemplar cases. Conclusions Physical activity in people with dysvascular LLA results from an interaction among perceptions of their prosthesis, fear during mobility, influence of LLA on life activities, and positive outlook within social interactions. The overlapping nature of these themes suggests that interventions targeting psychosocial factors may be associated with improved physical activity, physical function, and subsequent disability after dysvascular LLA.
Intra-articular Fracture Pattern in Intercondylar Distal Femur Fractures: An Analysis of Frequency and Major Fracture Fragments

Abstract Introduction The treatment of intercondylar distal femur fractures requires anatomic reduction of intra-articular fragments and absolute fixation. Preoperative planning is necessary to understand fracture morphology. All fracture lines need to be recognized as the primary implant may not capture all articular fragments, mainly when coronal plane fractures are present. Oftentimes, independent interfragmentary compression screws are necessary. No recent studies have visually mapped out the distal femur articular fracture fragments necessary for absolute fixation. The objectives of this study are to determine the frequency of coronal plane fractures in intercondylar distal femur fractures and describe the pattern of intra-articular fracture fragments. Materials and Methods The hospital's trauma registry was queried for distal femur ORIF CPT codes logged in the past four years. A retrospective chart review was performed using the EMR and CT scans. Demographics and mechanisms of injury were analyzed. Fracture fragments were surveyed and drawn out by hand on a template for easy organization. Patients’ fractures were categorized into the following groups: fractures with no intra-articular coronal plane fractures, those with medial coronal fractures, those with lateral coronal fractures, or those with both medial and lateral coronal fractures. Major fracture fragments were identified. Results A total of 55 patients were included. 26 patients (47%) were found to have no intra-articular coronal plane fractures; 6 patients (11%) were found to have medial coronal plane fractures; 15 patients (27%) were found to have lateral coronal plane fractures, and 8 patients (15%) had medial and lateral coronal plane fractures. Collectively, intra-articular coronal plane fractures were identified in 29 patients (53%) with intercondylar distal femur fractures. Four major fracture fragments along with intercondylar and condylar comminution sites were identified. Discussion Distal femur intra-articular coronal plane fractures can yield large anterior and posterior condylar fracture fragments of either the medial condyle, lateral condyle, or both condyles. Coronal plane fracture fragments must be identified to obtain absolute fixation. Our study found a higher coronal plane fracture line frequency (52.7%) than prior commonly cited studies. Surgeons must be on the lookout for anterior fracture fragments, posterior fracture fragments, and articular comminution when treating intercondylar femur fractures.
Learning to overeat in infancy: Concurrent and prospective relationships between maternal BMI, feeding practices and child eating response among Hispanic mothers and children.

Background Parents play a key role in shaping children's eating behaviours and self-regulation. There is limited data on how maternal weight influences feeding practices in the first year of life. Objective To examine the relationships between maternal BMI, feeding practices and infant eating behaviours related to self-regulation. Methods Participants were 160 mother-infant dyads. A longitudinal design was used to examine concurrent and prospective associations between maternal 6-month postpartum BMI, mothers' feeding practices at 6 months (Infant Feeding Practices Questionnaire) and children's eating behaviours at 6 months (Baby Eating Behaviour Questionnaire) and 12 months (Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire). Results Higher maternal BMI was associated positively with mothers' use of restrictive feeding practices (β = 0.036, p = 0.033), and inversely with responsivity to infant satiety cues (Spearman partial r = -0.249, p = 0.002) at 6 months. Mother's restrictive feeding practices were associated with infant food responsiveness (β = 0.157, p = 0.009) and emotional overeating (β = 0.118, p = 0.005) at 12 months. Maternal use of responsive feeding practices was associated with lower infant food responsiveness at 6 months (Spearman partial r = -0.173, p = 0.031) and lower emotional overeating at 12 months (Spearman partial r = -0.183, p = 0.022). Conclusions Our findings add to studies suggesting that feeding practices can provide mechanistic pathways in the intergenerational transmission of obesity. Postpartum family-system approaches focusing on maternal health while integrating infant feeding guidance may confer benefits in improving maternal-child health.
Prevalence, Incidence, and Risk of Progression of Asymptomatic Pancreatic Cysts in Large Sample Real-world Data.

OBJECTIVES Using large-sample, real-world administrative claims data, we evaluated the prevalence of putatively asymptomatic pancreatic cysts, the historical growth in their incident diagnosis, and their risk of malignant progression. METHODS Data were sourced from IBM MarketScan administrative claims databases of more than 200 million patients. Period prevalence was assessed using 700,000 individuals without conditions that predispose to pancreatic cyst. The standardized cumulative incidence was compared with the cross-sectional abdominal imaging rate from 2010-2017. The risk of progression to pancreatic cancer for 14,279 newly diagnosed patients with a cyst was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS Standardized prevalence increased exponentially with age and was 1.84% (95% confidence interval, 1.80%-1.87%) for patients older than 45. Standardized incidence nearly doubled from 2010-2017 (6.3 to 11.4 per 10,000), whereas the imaging rate changed from only 8.0% to 9.4%. The cumulative risk of pancreatic cancer at 7 years was 3.0% (95% confidence interval, 2.4%-3.5%), increasing linearly (R2 = 0.991) with an annual progression risk of 0.47%. CONCLUSIONS Using large-sample data, we show a significant burden of asymptomatic pancreatic cysts, with an annual risk of progression to cancer of 0.47% for 7 years. Rapid growth in cyst diagnosis over the last decade far outpaced increases in the imaging rate.