k-Distinct Lattice Paths

Lattice paths can be used to model scheduling and routing problems, and, therefore, identifying maximum sets of k-distinct paths is of general interest. We extend the work previously done by Gillman et. al. to determine the order of a maximum set of k-distinct lattice paths. In particular, we disprove a conjecture by Gillman that a greedy algorithm gives this maximum order and also refine an upper bound given by Brewer et. al. We illustrate that brute force is an inefficient method to determine the maximum order, as it has time complexity O(nk)

Die Jugendgerichtshilfe in Berlin, 1905–1914. Intersektionale Expertise im Umgang mit jugendlicher Devianz

Im Folgenden werden bestimmte lokale Strategien und Praktiken am Beispiel Berlins untersucht, die in sozialen und kulturellen Nischen jenseits der großen und gut erforschten Strafrechtsreformdebatten Anwendung fanden. Dieser Perspektivenwechsel ist besonders relevant, da die Jugendgerichte und die damit verbundene Jugendgerichtsbewegung dezidiert aus solchen Nischen „praeter legem“ – also neben dem Gesetz – hervorgegangen waren (Simon 1915, 244). Und im Gegensatz zur heftig umkämpften und vorerst ergebnislos verlaufenden Strafrechtsreform, wurde die Jugendgerichtsbewegung allgemein nicht nur als durchschlagender Erfolg, sondern auch, wie der Reformjurist Franz von Liszt es ausdrückte, als „von einer breiten volkstümlichen, nicht bloß von einer literarisch-juristischen Bewegung getragen“ gefeiert (v. Liszt 1909, 140). (DIPF/Orig.

Certification Considerations for Adaptive Systems

Advanced capabilities planned for the next generation of aircraft, including those that will operate within the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), will necessarily include complex new algorithms and non-traditional software elements. These aircraft will likely incorporate adaptive control algorithms that will provide enhanced safety, autonomy, and robustness during adverse conditions. Unmanned aircraft will operate alongside manned aircraft in the National Airspace (NAS), with intelligent software performing the high-level decision-making functions normally performed by human pilots. Even human-piloted aircraft will necessarily include more autonomy. However, there are serious barriers to the deployment of new capabilities, especially for those based upon software including adaptive control (AC) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. Current civil aviation certification processes are based on the idea that the correct behavior of a system must be completely specified and verified prior to operation. This report by Rockwell Collins and SIFT documents our comprehensive study of the state of the art in intelligent and adaptive algorithms for the civil aviation domain, categorizing the approaches used and identifying gaps and challenges associated with certification of each approach

Invasive community-onset gram-positive infections from July 2018 through December 2022 at 2 children\u27s hospitals

BACKGROUND: Invasive infections caused by METHODS: Cases of iGAS, IPD, and I-CO-SA infections were identified prospectively and retrospectively at 2 large US children\u27s hospitals by positive cultures from July 2018 through December 2022. Admission data were used to estimate frequency. For comparison, rates of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 were estimated by the number of positive viral test results at each institution. RESULTS: I-CO-SA infections showed little variation in the study period. Rates of iGAS infection and IPD decreased by 46% and 44%, respectively, from 2019 to 2020, coinciding with a substantial decrease in RSV and influenza. In 2022, RSV and influenza infection rates increased to prepandemic winter season rates, coinciding with a return to prepandemic rates of IPD (225% increase from 2021 to 2022) and a surge above prepandemic rates of iGAS infections (543% increase from 2021 to 2022). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic had an unexpected influence on IPD and iGAS infections that was temporally related to changes in rates of viral infections

Climate-driven hydrologic transients in Holocene lake records

Understanding the link between climate and regional hydrologic processes is of primary importance in estimating the possible impact of future climate change and in the validation of climate models that attempt to simulate such changes. Two distinct problems need to be addressed: quantitatively establishing the link between changes in climate and the hydrologic cycle, and determining how these changes are expressed over differing temporal and spatial scales. To solve these problems, our interdisciplinary group is studying important aspects of hydrology, paleolimnology, geochemistry, and paleontology as they apply to climate-driven hydrologic changes

Kinetic Assessment and Therapeutic Modulation of Metabolic and Inflammatory Profiles in Mice on a High-Fat and Cholesterol Diet

The kinetics of metabolic and inflammatory parameters associated with obesity were evaluated in a murine diet-induced obesity (DIO) model using a diet high in fat and cholesterol. Cellular infiltration and mediator production were assessed and shown to be therapeutically modulated by the PPARgamma agonist rosiglitazone. C57BL/6 mice were maintained on a 45% fat/ 0.12% cholesterol (HF/CH) or Chow diet for 3, 6, 16, or 27 weeks. Flow cytometry was employed to monitor peripheral blood monocytes and adipose tissue macrophages (ATM). Gene expression and protein analysis methods were used to evaluate mediator production from total epididymal fat (EF), stromal vascular fraction (SVF), and sorted SVF cells. To investigate therapeutic intervention, mice were fed a HF/CH diet for 12 weeks and then a diet formulated with rosiglitazone (5 mg/kg) for an additional 6 weeks. A HF/CH diet correlated with obesity and a dramatic proinflammatory state. Therapeutic intervention with rosiglitazone attenuated the HF/CH induced inflammation. In addition, a novel population was found that expressed the highest levels of the pro-inflammatory mediators CCL2 and IL-6

Characterization and performance of nucleic acid nanoparticles combined with protamine and gold

Macromolecular nucleic acids such as DNA vaccines, siRNA, and splice-site switching oligomers (SSO) have vast chemotherapeutic potential. Nanoparticulate biomaterials hold promise for DNA and RNA delivery when a means for binding is identified that retains structure-function and provides stabilization by the nanoparticles. In order to provide these benefits of binding, we combined DNA and RNA with protamine— demonstrating association to gold microparticles by electrophoretic, gel shot, fluorescence, and dynamic laser light spectroscopy (DLLS). A pivotal finding in these studies is that the Au-protamine-DNA conjugates greatly stabilize the DNA; and DNA structure and vaccine activity are maintained even after exposure to physical, chemical, and temperature-accelerated degradation. Specifically, protamine formed nanoparticles when complexed to RNA. These complexes could be detected by gel shift and were probed by high throughput absorbance difference spectroscopy (HTADS). Biological activity of these RNA nanoparticles (RNPs) was demonstrated also by a human tumor cell splice-site switching assay and by siRNA delivery against B-Raf—a key cancer target. Finally, RNA:protamine particles inhibited growth of cultured human tumor cells and bacteria. These data provide new insights into DNA and RNA nanoparticles and prospects for their delivery and chemotherapeutic activity

Inflammation, insulin resistance, and diabetes-mendelian randomization using CRP haplotypes points upstream

Background Raised C-reactive protein (CRP) is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. According to the Mendelian randomization method, the association is likely to be causal if genetic variants that affect CRP level are associated with markers of diabetes development and diabetes. Our objective was to examine the nature of the association between CRP phenotype and diabetes development using CRP haplotypes as instrumental variables. Methods and Findings We genotyped three tagging SNPs (CRP + 2302G > A; CRP + 1444T > C; CRP + 4899T > G) in the CRP gene and measured serum CRP in 5,274 men and women at mean ages 49 and 61 y (Whitehall II Study). Homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were measured at age 61 y. Diabetes was ascertained by glucose tolerance test and self-report. Common major haplotypes were strongly associated with serum CRP levels, but unrelated to obesity, blood pressure, and socioeconomic position, which may confound the association between CRP and diabetes risk. Serum CRP was associated with these potential confounding factors. After adjustment for age and sex, baseline serum CRP was associated with incident diabetes (hazard ratio = 1.39 [95% confidence interval 1.29-1.51], HOMA-IR, and HbA1c, but the associations were considerably attenuated on adjustment for potential confounding factors. In contrast, CRP haplotypes were not associated with HOMA-IR or HbA1c (p=0.52-0.92). The associations of CRP with HOMA-IR and HbA1c were all null when examined using instrumental variables analysis, with genetic variants as the instrument for serum CRP. Instrumental variables estimates differed from the directly observed associations (p=0.007-0.11). Pooled analysis of CRP haplotypes and diabetes in Whitehall II and Northwick Park Heart Study II produced null findings (p=0.25-0.88). Analyses based on the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (1,923 diabetes cases, 2,932 controls) using three SNPs in tight linkage disequilibrium with our tagging SNPs also demonstrated null associations. Conclusions Observed associations between serum CRP and insulin resistance, glycemia, and diabetes are likely to be noncausal. Inflammation may play a causal role via upstream effectors rather than the downstream marker CRP

Scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy in the characterization of activated graphite electrodes

Sir: To date there have been many methods described to activate carbon electrodes, including electrochemical treatment (1-1 7), laser irradiation (18-21), radio-frequency (RF) plasma (22), and heat treatment (23-26). These methods were developed empirically, and only now is an understanding of parameters controlling surface activity beginning to emerge (20,27). Electrochemical treatment and laser irradiation are particularly attractive treatments because they are relatively inexpensive, are quick, and can be performed without removing the electrode from solution. Activation, common to these procedures, may be attributable to an increase in the exposed edge plane density, which has been associated with faster kinetics (14,20). Copper deposition in conjunction with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has shown an increase in the density of localized defects on active surfaces (15); an increase in surface activity is associated with an increase in the density of the localized defects (15). Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), phase detection microscopy, and SEM have also been used to study the effects of electrochemical treatment of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) (13) and glassy carbon (GC) (16,17). These studies have suggested an increase in surface roughness consistent with an increase in the density of exposed edge planes