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Antiseizure medications (ASDs) are a class of medications used to prevent and treat seizures in a wide range of disease states. Clinicians encounter many different disease states and syndromes associated with seizures, and the role of ASDs in these settings can vary. This chapter contains information on several topics including; the current management of status epilepticus (SE) and the different ASDs and strategies used in its management; recommendations and evidence regarding ASDs in the prevention of seizures in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), traumatic brain injury (TBI), hypoxic–ischemic injury (HII), and postoperative patients. This chapter first outlines some key questions in the management of SE, and seizures. The laboratory evidence section contains an overview of different ASDs and the clinical Evidence section provides information on each key question. The consensus statement section provides a summary of recommendations.

Accurate and competent assessment of the spectrum of disorders of consciousness, and an understanding of the neuroanatomical and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying them, is crucial for guiding treatment plans and prognostication. This chapter describes the various presentations seen in disorders of consciousness; the anatomical and physiological foundations of arousal failure; the clinical approach to a patient presenting with acute coma; treatments in acute and chronic coma; and the approach to a patient with suspected brain death. Impairments of consciousness are manifested by spectrum of clinical syndromes ranging from encephalopathy to coma. They are the final pathway for a broad range of diseases that share the common thread of pathophysiological derangement of the pons, midbrain, and thalamus or simultaneous damage to bilateral thalamocortical projections or bilateral cortices. Encephalopathy is an impairment of normal arousal in which the level of arousal fluctuates. Minimally conscious state is a syndrome where the patient is awake but in which there is only evidence of a minimal awareness of self or environment. Akinetic mutism is a rare form of arousal failure, characterized by an emotionless, frequently motionless state with intact visual tracking, and occurs commonly due to lesions in the bilateral anterior cingulate gyri. Unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, a new name for the previously described persistent vegetative state, is a syndrome where patients are awake (eyes open) but remain otherwise unresponsive, showing only reflexive movements. Coma is a state of complete unresponsiveness to external and internal stimuli, typified by a complete failure of normal arousal. Finally, brain death is defined as the irreversible cessation of clinical brain activity. Clinicians must take care to rule out mimics such as the locked-in syndrome and covert consciousness. In locked-in syndrome, patients have intact arousal and awareness but can only communicate through blinking and/or upward gaze due to severe injury in the ventral pons. Recent studies using EEG have also shown evidence of brain activation to commands in otherwise unresponsive patients, suggesting that there are patients with covert consciousness that don’t have the ability to communicate at all.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) combine the cytotoxic potential of chemotherapeutic drugs with the specificity of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). After many years of unfulfilled promise, the field of ADCs is experiencing resurgence as more is learned about each of the components of an ADC and how these components need to be combined to produce a successful therapeutic agent. Choosing an appropriate target for ADCs is a critical parameter that effects the efficacy, therapeutic window, and toxicity profile of ADCs. This review will focus on the concepts underlying the choice of the target, review specific current ADCs and their targets, and look to the future of ADCs.

In this paper, a scheme for closed loop speed control of DC motor in four quadrants using Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is discussed. The armature voltage is varied using a Class E chopper circuit. The individual switches in the chopper circuit are switched using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) control signals generated by PLC. Duty cycle of PWM signals are varied by PID controller of the PLC. Three main modes of operation have been implemented: Speed control mode, sinusoidal input tracking mode and step input tracking mode. The resulting current, voltage and speed waveforms are recorded on Digital Storage Oscilloscope(DSO) and analyzed. Speed, set point and control variables are observed on GUI made using SCADA software.

Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) mediates the cellular response to stress to increase the production of heat shock protein (HSP) chaperones for proper protein folding, trafficking, and degradation; failure of this homeostatic mechanism likely contributes to neurodegeneration. We show that the neuroprotective drug riluzole increased the amount of HSF1 in NG108-15 neuroprogenitor cells by slowing the specific turnover of HSF1 and supporting a more robust and sustained activation of HSF1. Using Hsp70-luciferase as a functional readout of the activity of HSF1, we show that riluzole amplified the heat shock induction of the reporter gene with an optimal increase at 1 μm. Immunocytochemical staining and Western blot quantitation of HSP70 in NG108-15 neuroprogenitor cells and embryonic spinal cord neurons provided corroborative evidence that riluzole amplified the HSF1-dependent regulation of HSP70 expression. Parallel studies on the GLT1 glutamate transporter showed that riluzole increased GLT1-reporter and GLT1 protein expression and that the increase was enhanced by heat shock and coincident with the increased expression of HSP70 and HSP90. This result is consistent with the anti-glutamatergic profile of riluzole and the presence of multiple heat shock elements on the GLT1 gene promoter, suggesting that riluzole may modulate GLT1 expression through HSF1. The increased HSP chaperones and GLT1 transporter blunted glutamate-induced and N-methyl d-aspartate receptor-mediated excitotoxic death. In summary, we show that riluzole increased the amount and activity of HSF1 to boost the expression of HSPs and GLT1 for neuroprotection under stress.

Digital literacy is the ability to effectively and analytically navigate, evaluate and create information using a variety of digital technologies. It requires one to recognize that ability, to operate and transform digital media, to distribute it widely, and to easily adapt it to new forms. Digital literacy does not replace traditional forms of literacy, but builds upon the foundation of the traditional forms of literacy. However, Digital literacy is not prevalent in many rural areas of the world. With support from IEEE-EPICS, the IEEE Student Club of Bridgewater-Raritan High School successfully implemented a Digital Literacy Project in the rural Indian village of Paushi. In this paper, we narrate our experiences, which we hope can provide useful information for future projects.

EPICS (Engineering Projects In Community Service) is a nation-wide program that encourages students to be active in their community and use engineering ideas to solve local problems. In 2006, the EPICS program was expanded and is no longer exclusive to colleges and universities. The extension of the program is called EPICS High, a similar program aimed specifically at high school students. Many exciting and interesting projects have resulted from this program, throughout the world. In addition, the integration of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields with community service promotes its potential to a younger audience. EPICS High has proven to be an invaluable organization worldwide due to the advantages and opportunities it offers.

As technology advances in society, the number of those who threaten its security also has increased. As devices gradually contain more sensitive information, they must be protected from unauthorized access. Cybercriminals are constantly finding new exploits and threats to get around the operating system's innermost workings and steal sensitive data, and potentially make that piece of technology insecure. Since technology is an integral part of a STEM education, we must secure our cyberspace for the future by integrating cyber security with K-12 STEM education. This paper aims to educate the public about the general lack of emphasis on cybersecurity-related education at the K-12 level, possible ways to solve it, the architectures of major Operating Systems, built-in security defense mechanisms, and the most vulnerable parts of the operating system. As technology continues to advance, we must educate ourselves in order to protect our systems against unauthorized access.

Programming is an important tool in the field of engineering and technology. Programming creates a code that is used to instruct a computer to execute a series of actions. Programming is widely used for creating software and applications in such diverse fields as finance, energy, transportation and healthcare. It is widely used in today's high-tech world and has enormous growth potential in the future. This paper provides an overview of how programming stands today and its future impact from the view point of high school students. It covers a brief history of programming, programming for the current grade school generation, the role of programming in today's world followed by how it helps develop non-technical skills for personal and professional growth. Programming has had a huge impact on how technology has progressed so far, and will continue to do so, in the future.