cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-objective multiagent credit assignment in reinforcement learning and NSGA-II

Multiagent systems have had a powerful impact on the real world. Many of the systems it studies (air traffic, satellite coordination, rover exploration) are inherently multi-objective, but are often treated as single-objective problems within the research. A key concept within multiagent systems is that of credit assignment: quantifying an individual agent's impact on the overall system performance. In this work,we extend the concept of credit assignment into multi-objective problems. We apply credit assignment through difference evaluations to two different policy selection paradigms to demonstrate their broad applicability. We first examine reinforcement learning, in which using difference evaluations improves performance by (i) increasing learning speed by up to 10$$\times $$×, (ii) producing solutions that dominate all solutions discovered by a traditional team-based credit assignment schema and (iii) losing only 0.61 % of dominated hypervolume in a scenario where 20 % of agents act in their own interests instead of the system's interests (compared to a 43 % loss when using a traditional global reward in the same scenario). We then derive multiple methods for incorporating difference evaluations into a state-of-the-art multi-objective evolutionary algorithm, NSGA-II. Median performance of the NSGA-II considering credit assignment dominates best-case performance of NSGA-II not considering credit assignment in a multiagent multi-objective problem. Our results strongly suggest that in a multiagent multi-objective problem, proper credit assignment is at least as important to performance as the choice of multi-objective algorithm.
A survey of biting flies attacking equines in three states of the southwestern United States, 1972.

A survey of biting flies in the southwestern United States resulted in the recovery of 34 species as they attacked equines. The geographic distribution of each species at 15 sites and the abundance of attacking flies were used to determine that 22 species commonly attack equines. Culicoides variipennis (Coquillett) was the most common species collected; it was recovered at 12 sites and comprised the highest percentage (29.8%) of the total survey catch for all species collected. The next 2 most common species were Psorophora columbiae (Dyar & Knab) and Aedes vexans (Meigen). C. variipennis was primarily a morning crepuscular species in the Southwest. The collection of a few males of C. variipennis along with females that were blood-feeding indicated that some populations possessed the trait that may lead some males to mate with females on the host animal. The recovery of Culicoides hieroglyphicus Malloch was a new record for a species biting equines. The records for Culex coronator Dyar & Knab and Aedes thelcter Dyar appeared to be the first definitive data for these species attacking equines. The data for mosquitoes collected concurrently by light traps and from equines showed that neither method by itself was adequate to show the presence in a geographic area of species that attack equines, particularly when population levels of a mosquito species were low.
Abstract IA30: BAF complex structure and function in development and disease

Recent exon-wide sequencing studies in human cancer have revealed a striking frequency of mutations in the genes encoding subunits of the mSWI/SNF (BAF) ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes we recently determined these mutations to be broadly recurrent in over 20% of all human cancers. To investigate the underlying mechanism, our group has studied rare, genomically well-defined cancer types, namely human synovial sarcoma (SS) in which 100% of tumors have a precise translocation involving a specific subunit, SS18, and BAF47-deficient malignant rhabdoid tumors. The utility of these disease settings has provided us with a powerful foundation upon which to understand the oncogenic mechanisms directed by altered structure and function of chromatin remodeling complexes. Here, we present studies focused on BAF complex pathway-of-assembly, complex subunit and associated protein factor composition of oncogenic BAF complexes, and mechanisms underlying BAF and polycomb opposition. Citation Format: Cigall Kadoch. BAF complex structure and function in development and disease. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Developmental Biology and Cancer; Nov 30-Dec 3, 2015; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(4_Suppl):Abstract nr IA30.
Cancer control following anatomical radical prostatectomy: An interim report

AbstractCancer control following anatomical radical prostatectomy was evaluated in 586 men who were followed for 1½ to 8 years (median followup 4 years, 166 men followed 5 years or longer). The 5-year actuarial rate was 4% for local recurrence alone, 5% for distant metastases alone, 2% for distant metastases in association with local recurrence and 3% for death of or with disease, while 10% of the men had elevated levels of prostate specific antigen without local recurrence or distant metastases. When the actuarial status at 5 years was evaluated by clinical stage there was local recurrence alone in 0%of men with a clinical stage Al or Bl nodule, and 4% with stage Bl, 7% with stage A2 and 8% with stage B2 disease. When evaluated by pathological stage at 5 years local recurrence alone was noted in 2% of men with organ-confined disease, 8% with specimen-confined disease and 8% in whom the disease involved the surgical margin, seminal vesicles or pelvic lymph nodes. Recognizing that two-thirds to three-quart...
Detection of pre-clinical motor unit loss in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as a progressive degenerative disease of motor neurones. There is a family history in approximately 10% of cases, but only 20% of such families have point mutations in the Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene. It discusses that presymptomatic loss of motor neurones has been identified SOD1 mice. Motor neurone loss was biphasic with initial loss in the presymptomatic phase followed by a period of stabilisation and then gradual loss at the time of clinical weakness that progressed to death. The chapter reviews that in human familial ALS there was no detectable difference in the number of motor units in asymptomatic SOD1 mutation carriers compared to their SOD1 negative family controls. This may indicate that mutation carriers have undetectable loss of motor neurones until rapid and widespread cell death of motor neurones occur coinciding with the onset of clinical features. This implies that the disease is not an end result of the slow attrition of motor neurones. In order to determine the time course of motor neurone loss prior to the clinical onset of disease in human ALS, a longitudinal study of 19 at-risk asymptomatic individuals was performed using motor unit number estimation (MUNE) techniques.
Synergistic plasticity of intrinsic conductance and electrical coupling restores synchrony in an intact motor network.

Neurons can communicate with each other by releasing chemicals called neurotransmitters, or by forming direct connections with each other known as gap junctions. These direct connections allow electrical impulses to flow from one neuron to another via pores in the membranes between the cells. Unlike communication via neurotransmitters, gap junctions are usually thought to be hard-wired and unchanging over the life of the animal. Lane et al. recorded electrical activity in a network of neurons that generates rhythmic heart contractions in the Jonah crab. Neurons in this network usually all fire an electrical impulse at the same time, which is crucial to make sure that the whole heart contracts at the same time. The experiments show that drugs that block potassium channel pores in the membrane cause the neurons to fire too much and at different times to each other. However, the network of neurons soon adapted to the changes caused by the drugs and returned to working as normal. Mimicking these changes in a computer model of the neuron network, together with experimental data, showed that changes to the gap junctions play a major role in restoring normal activity to the network. The next step following on from this research is to understand how a network of neurons ‘senses’ that it is not working normally and changes its electrical activity.
Pregnancy history and blood-borne microvesicles in middle aged women with and without coronary artery calcification

Abstract Background and aims Having a history of preeclampsia increases the risk for future coronary artery calcification (CAC). This study evaluated the association of blood-borne, cell-derived microvesicles (MV) with CAC in middle-aged women. Methods Twelve pre-selected, antigen-specific MV were measured by digital flow cytometry in the blood of age- and parity-matched women (median age 60 years) without a history of cardiovascular events, but with either a history of preeclampsia (PE, n = 39) or normotensive pregnancy (NP, n = 40). CAC was determined by computed tomography. Results CAC scores ranged from 0 to 47 and 0–602 Agatston Units in the NP and PE groups, respectively. Waist circumference and insulin resistance were greatest in PE women with CAC. MV positive for tissue factor or stem/progenitor cell antigen (CD117) differed between NP and PE groups. In univariate analysis, those positive for tissue factor, ICAM-1, stem cells, and adipocytes (P16-set) antigens associated with CAC in the PE group. Principal components (PC) analysis reduced the MV variables to three independent dimensions. PC1 showed a modest correlation with CAC scores in the PE group (ρ = 0.31, p = 0.06) and associated with CAC in a multivariable model on pooled groups that included all 3 PC variables when adjusted for pregnancy status ( p = 0.03). The association was lost when corrected for body mass index or waist circumference. Conclusions In women with a history of PE and elevated metabolic risk profile, a group of specific antigen-positive MV associated with CAC. These MV may reflect cellular processes associated with CAC. Their diagnostic potential for CAC remains to be determined.
Behavior of Listeria monocytogenes During the Manufacture and Ripening of Cheddar Cheese

The ability of Listeria monocytogenes to survive the Cheddar cheesemaking process and persist during ripening of cheese was examined. Pasteurized whole milk inoculated to contain 5 ×102 cells of L. monocytogenes [strain Scott A, V7 or California (CA)]/ml was made into stirred-curd Cheddar cheese in a pilot-plant-sized vat. Cheese was ripened at 6 or 13°C. Listeria counts were obtained by surface-plating samples diluted in Tryptose Broth (TB) on McBride Listeria Agar (MLA). Initial TB dilutions were stored at 3°C and plated on MLA after 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks if the organism was not detected with the original plating on MLA. Selected Listeria colonies from each sample were confirmed biochemically. During Cheddar cheese manufacture, Listeria counts remained relatively constant at ca. 5 x 102/ml of milk. After pressing the curd overnight, numbers of L. monocytogenes increased to about 1 × 103/g. Generally, greatest numbers of Listeria, about 5 × 103 cells/g, were detected in cheese after 14 d of ripening. Liste...
Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) after Term Cesarean Delivery: Incidence, and Risk Factors at a Multi-Center Academic Institution

AbstractPurpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) after Cesarean delivery (CD) and to determine if any factors increase risk of infection.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed at a multi-center institution for patients who underwent CD in 2013. All patients had urinary catheters inserted before surgery. Diagnosis followed IDSA guidelines with culture growing greater than 103 CFU of bacteria per mL with symptoms or symptomatic urinary tract infections treated at provider discretion. Statistical analysis was assessed with Chi-square and Student’s t-test followed by logistic regression.Results: Of 2419 patients, 36 patients developed CAUTI (1.5%). In the 24 (66.7%) cases diagnosed by IDSA guidelines, Escherichia coli was the most common causative organism (54.1%); followed by Enterococcus faecalis (16.7%), Streptococccus agalactiae (8.3%), and Group A Streptococcus (8.3%). Longer operative time (OR 1.013; 95% 1.002–1.023; p...
Tocilizumab (Anti-IL-6R) Suppressed TNFα Production by Human Monocytes in an In Vitro Model of Anti-HLA Antibody-Induced Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity.

BackgroundWe previously demonstrated that natural killer (NK) cells activated via FcγRIIIa (CD16) interactions with anti-HLA antibodies binding to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in the in vitro antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) assay produced IFNγ. Here we investigate if ot
The role of religion in the 2016 american presidential election

This article analyzes patterns of continuity and change in the presidential voting patterns of the American electorate, particularly as it relates to the role of religion in American presidential politics. Given American cultural values related to wanting their political leaders to be religious, it seeks to ascertain how Trump could, in light of these cultural values, still capture the Republican nomination and then defeat Clinton in the general election. So doing, this study seeks to address whether the election of Trump reflects a major shift in American electoral politics.
Muscle Synergy-based Grasp Classification for Robotic Hand Prosthetics

The main goal of this study is analyzing whether muscle synergies based on surface electromyography (EMG) measurements could be used for hand posture classification in the context of robotic prosthetic control. Target grasps were selected according to usefulness in daily activities. Additionally, due to the feasibility constraints of robotic prosthetics, only 14 gestures (13 feasible grasps and 1 resting state) were analyzed. EMG signals of intact-limb subjects were decomposed into base and activation components for muscle activity evaluation. The results demonstrate that features based on muscle synergies derived from non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) outperform the ones derived from principal component analysis (PCA). Moreover, we also examine the robustness of these methods in the absence of electrodes (muscle importance) and show that NMF is able to provide sufficiently accurate results.
Low-Temperature Solution Synthesis of Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Alloys with Tunable Optical Properties

Nanostructures of layered transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) alloys with tunable compositions are promising candidates for a broad scope of applications in electronics, optoelectronics, topological devices, and catalysis. Most TMD alloy nanostructures are synthesized as films on substrates using gas-phase methods at high temperatures. However, lower temperature solution routes present an attractive alternative with the potential for larger-scale, higher-yield syntheses of freestanding, higher surface area materials. Here, we report the direct solution synthesis of colloidal few-layer TMD alloys, MoxW1–xSe2 and WS2ySe2(1–y), exhibiting fully tunable metal and chalcogen compositions that span the MoSe2–WSe2 and WS2–WSe2 solid solutions, respectively. Chemical guidelines for achieving the targeted compounds are presented, along with comprehensive structural characterizations (X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, Raman, and UV–visible spectroscopies). High-resolution microscopic imaging confirms the for...
COHERENT constraints on nonstandard neutrino interactions

Abstract Coherent elastic neutrino–nucleus scattering consistent with the standard model has been observed by the COHERENT experiment. We study nonstandard neutrino interactions using the detected spectrum. For the case in which the nonstandard interactions (NSI) are induced by a vector mediator lighter than 50 MeV, we obtain constraints on the coupling of the mediator. For a heavier mediator, we find that degeneracies between the NSI parameters severely weaken the constraints. However, these degeneracies do not affect COHERENT constraints on the effective NSI parameters for matter propagation in the Earth.
Evaluation of common breast complaints in primary care

Abstract:Discovery of a breast mass, nipple discharge, or breast pain is a common, anxiety-producing occurrence for many women. Although most irregularities are benign, every woman presenting with a breast complaint should be evaluated to exclude or establish a diagnosis of cancer. The patient visit
Documenting the reliability of species identifications in the North Pacific Observer Program

Abstract Species composition data collected by observers in the North Pacific Observer Program are critical to the effective management of Alaska’s commercial fisheries. However, there has been no attempt to quantify the reliability of observer species identifications. Digital cameras were issued to over 120 groundfish observers, who were instructed to document via digital photographs a pre-selected series of fish identifications and submit the photos for analysis at the end of their deployments. Identifications represented by the photos were then assessed visually by the author for identification accuracy. Over 3000 individual identifications were documented, and over 99% of those identifications were correct. Identification accuracy rates for each of the commercial species groups identified by observers (flatfishes, cods, rockfishes, and salmon) were over 98%. Accuracy rates for some non-target species groups, such as sculpins and smelts, were slightly lower. Identifications documented for this study represent a broad spectrum of target fisheries, gear types, and observer experience levels, and therefore are likely to be a reasonable representation of observer identification accuracy throughout the Observer Program. Although there are potential sources of bias that may have inflated these accuracy rates, this study suggests that the overall reliability of species identifications in the North Pacific Observer Program is quite high.
ESD FOR ANALOGUE CIRCUIT DESIGN

Designing for Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) robustness is a critical requirement for Integrated Circuits (ICs) since ESD voltages as low as the Gate Oxide breakdown can damage an IC. This is especially true for the newer lower Geometry Processes where the Gate Oxide breakdowns are reducing all the time. ESD Protection for Analogue or mixed signal parts is an even greater challenge due to the various requirements of analogue pins e.g. low capacitance, low leakage, high voltage etc. Typically this requires the development of specific ESD Cells for the various pin applications. This paper covers overall Protection schemes for both Digital & Analogue parts, with particular focus on the ESD requirements for Analogue pins and some case studies to hi-light some of the issues typically encountered with ESD Design.
Alkylmercurial encephalopathy in the monkey (Saimiri sciureus and Macaca arctoides): a histopathologic and autoradiographic study.

Histopathologic and autoradiographic studies were performed on monkeys of thegenera Saimiri andMacaca after acute and chronic oral exposure to several dosage regimens of methylmercuric chloride (MeHg). Neuropathologic changes were primarily cortical, although subcortical lesions also were observed. Autoradiographic localization of203Hg was greatest within glial cells (particularly Nissl-plump astrocytes, subependymal glia and Bergmann's glia) and mast cells. High levels of label within normal appearing large neurons (particularly those within Gasserian and dorsal root ganglia) indicate a lower susceptibility of these neurons to the toxic effects of MeHg. Blood and brain levels of mercury correlated well with the degree of neuropathologic change, but individual variations in susceptibility to intoxication also existed.
Semi-automated analysis of 4D flow MRI to assess the hemodynamic impact of intracranial atherosclerotic disease.

Purpose This study evaluated the feasibility of using 4D flow MRI and a semi-automated analysis tool to assess the hemodynamic impact of intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD). The ICAD impact was investigated by evaluating pressure drop (PD) at the atherosclerotic stenosis and changes in cerebral blood flow distribution in patients compared to healthy controls. Methods Dual-venc 4D flow MRI was acquired in 25 healthy volunteers and 16 ICAD patients (ICA, N = 3; MCA, N = 13) with mild ( 70%) intracranial stenosis. A semi-automated analysis tool was developed to quantify velocity and flow from 4D flow MRI and to evaluate cerebral blood flow redistribution. PD at stenosis was estimated using the Bernoulli equation. The PD calculation was examined by an in vitro phantom study against flow simulations. Results Flow analysis in controls indicated symmetry in blood flow rate (FR) and peak velocity (PV) between the brain hemispheres. For patients, PV in the affected hemisphere was significantly (65%) higher than the normal side (P = 0.002). However, FR to both hemispheres of the brain was the same. The PD depicted significant correlation with PV asymmetry in patients (ρ = 0.67 and P = 0.02), and it was significantly higher for severe compared to moderate stenosis (3.73 vs. 2.30 mm Hg, P = 0.02). Conclusion 4D flow MRI quantification enables assessment of the hemodynamic impact of ICAD. The significant difference of the PD between patients with severe and moderate stenosis and its correlation with PV asymmetry suggest that PD may be a pertinent hemodynamic biomarker to evaluate ICAD.
Ultralight Boson Dark Matter and Event Horizon Telescope Observations of M 87

The initial data from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) on M87^{*}, the supermassive black hole at the center of the M87 Galaxy, provide direct observational information on its mass, spin, and accretion disk properties. A combination of the EHT data and other constraints provides evidence that M87^{*} has a mass ∼6.5×10^{9} M_{⊙}. EHT also inferred the dimensionless spin parameter |a^{*}|≳0.5 from jet properties; a separate recent analysis using only the light from near M87^{*} as measured by the EHT Collaboration found |a^{*}|=0.9±0.1. These determinations disfavor ultralight bosons of mass μ_{b}∈(0.85,4.6)×10^{-21} eV for spin-one bosons and μ_{b}∈(2.9,4.6)×10^{-21} eV for spin-zero bosons, within the range considered for fuzzy dark matter, invoked to explain dark matter distribution on approximately kiloparsec scales. Future observations of M87^{*} could be expected to strengthen our conclusions.
Cardiac Devices Enveloped with an Ounce of Prevention.

Infections involving cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are challenging to treat. Primary infections, mostly pocket infections occurring at the time of implantation, usually require rem...
The climate change double whammy: flood damage and the determinants of flood insurance coverage, the case of post-katrina new orleans

Abstract This paper advances scholarly debate on the contradictions of environmental risk management measures by analyzing the determinants of flood insurance coverage among a sample of 403 residents in New Orleans, a city undergoing rapid transformation due to post-Katrina rebuilding efforts and anthropogenic modifications of climate, hydrology, and ecology. The paper focuses on several predictors including subjective flood risk perception, trust in government officials, sociodemographic characteristics, and experience with flood damage. Using binary logistic regression, the results show that the likelihood of having flood insurance coverage is associated with past flood damage and socioeconomic status. Older people (over age 65) are more likely to have flood insurance than younger residents. Race, gender, trust, and perceived flood risk are not statistically significant predictors of flood insurance. We connect our findings to the paradoxes and conflictual dynamics of flood insurance, a major risk mitigation measure. As we point out, in flood-prone cities like New Orleans, flood insurance operates as a double whammy: uninsured or underinsured homes face pervasive risk of both flooding and rising insurance premiums under the conditions of global climate change.
Estimating the Effect of Robotic Intervention on Elbow Joint Motion

Much effort has been placed into the development of robotic devices to support, rehabilitate, and interact with humans. Despite these advances, reliably modeling the neuromuscular changes in human motion resulting from a robotic intervention remains difficult. This paper proposes a method to uncover the relationship between robotic intervention and human response by combining surface electromyography (sEMG), the musculoskeletal modeling platform OpenSim, and artificial neural networks (ANNs). To demonstrate the method, a one degree of freedom (DOF) elbow flexion-extension motion is performed and analyzed. Preliminary results show that while the robot provides assistance to the subject, it also appears to produce other unexpected responses in the movement. Further investigation using the new method reveals the neuromuscular effect of an unintended resistance to the subject’s motion applied by the robot as it enforces a speed slower than the subject selects. The characterization of the differences in expected and actual interaction is enabled by the method presented in this paper. Thus, the method uncovers previously obscured aspects of human robot interaction, and creates possibilities for new training modalities.
Reliability Stressing Control Using Jacobian Feedback Kelvin Measurement on Intel Technologies

In the Intel reliability stress lab, various transistor testing methodologies are being developed to meet the evolving requirements of new Intel technologies. To better control for voltage drop in metal routing, MOSFETs structures used for reliability tests such as hot carrier injection (HCI) or bias temperature instability (BTI), have evolved from 4 terminals to 6 terminals to enable Kelvin-style testing. In this work, a software-based Kelvin Measurement using Jacobian feedback control theory is developed providing great flexibility on different test structures and optimize use of existing SMU channels. Details are presented for Jacobian Feedback Kelvin Measurements (JFKM) on voltage control, examples of types of test issues, and the measures to improve the convergence of the feedback loop. With a thorough study of JFKM, a high level of data accuracy has been maintained while tool flexibility and throughput have been maximized.
Sexual identity development and sexual well-being: Differences between sexual minority and non-sexual minority former foster youth

Abstract Little is known about differences in the levels of sexual well-being, sexual identity development, or sexual health outcomes between sexual minority and non-sexual minority youth in the foster care system. Using a sample of youth formerly in the foster care system, this study compared the sexual well-being, sexual identity development, and sexual health outcomes of sexual minority and non-sexual minority youth and found that sexual minority youth have lower levels of sexual well-being, have less developed sexual identities, and experience more sexual victimization and unintended pregnancies of themselves or of a partner than their non-sexual minority peers. These results indicate that the sexuality-related needs of sexual minority youth in the foster care system are not being met. Attention to the sexual development of sexual minority youth and means through which to enhance their sexual identity development and increase their sexual well-being are needed.
Novel Dual-Lumen Drainage Catheter to Enhance the Active Evacuation of Complex Fluid Collections.

PURPOSE To compare the performance of a dual-lumen flushable drainage catheter to a conventional catheter for complex fluid collection drainage. METHODS Two prototype catheters (20- and 28-F) were created by incorporating a customized infusion lumen within the wall of a large-bore conventional drainage catheter, which facilitated simultaneous irrigation of the drainage lumen and the targeted collection via inward- and outward-facing infusion side holes. These were tested against unaltered 20- and 28-F conventional catheters to determine if the injection of a dedicated flush lumen improved rapidity and completeness of gravity drainage. In vitro models were created to simulate serous fluid, purulent/exudative fluid, particulate debris, and acute hematoma. RESULTS In the purulent model, mean drainage rate was 19.9 ± 8.0 and 9.5±1.4 mL/min for the 20-F prototype and control (P < .001) and 63.9 ± 4.3 and 35.4 ± 3.4 mL/min for the 28-F prototype and control (P = .006), respectively, with complete drainage achieved in all trials. In the particulate model, mean drainage rate was 24.5 ± 9.7 and 12.0 ± 12.5 mL/min for the 28-F prototype and control (P = .003), respectively, with 69.0% versus 41.1% total drainage achieved over 24 minutes (P = .029). In the hematoma model, mean drainage rate was 22.7 ± 4.6 and 4.8 ± 4.3 mL/min for the 28-F prototype and control (P = .022), respectively, with 80.3% versus 20.1% drainage achieved over 15 minutes (P = .003). Particulate and hematoma 20-F prototypes and conventional trials failed due to immediate occlusion. CONCLUSIONS The proposed dual-lumen drainage catheter with irrigation of a dedicated flush lumen improved evacuation of complex fluid collections in vitro.
Stabilization and X-ray Attenuation of PEGylated Cholesterol/Polycaprolactone-Based Perfluorooctyl Bromide Nanocapsules for CT Imaging

Contrast-enhanced X-ray computed tomography plays an important role in cancer imaging and disease progression monitoring. Imaging using radiopaque nanoparticle platforms can provide insights on the likelihood of nanoparticle accumulation and can enable image-guided therapies. Perfluorooctyl bromide (PFOB)-loaded nanocapsules designed for this purpose were stabilized using an in-house synthesized PEGylated polycaprolactone-based copolymer (PEG-b-PCL(Ch)) and compared with commercial polycaprolactone employing a Quality-by-Design approach. PFOB is a dense liquid, weakly polarizable, and immiscible in organic and aqueous solvents; thus, carefully designed formulations for optimal colloidal stabilization to overcome settling-associated instability are required. PFOB-loaded nanocapsules exhibited high PFOB loading due to the intrinsic properties of PEG-b-PCL(Ch). Settling and caking are major sources of instability for PFOB formulations. However, the PEG-b-PCL(Ch) copolymer conferred the nanocapsules enough steric impediment and polymer shell elasticity to settle without significant caking, increasing the overall colloidal stability of the formulation. Furthermore, a clear relationship between nanocapsule physical properties and X-ray attenuation was established. Nanocapsules were able to enhance the X-ray contrast in vitro as a function of PFOB loading. This nanocapsule-based platform is promising for future translational studies and image-guided tumor therapy due to its enhanced contrastability and optimal colloidal stability.
MRSA Nasal Colonization Predicts MRSA Infection in Inpatient Paediatric Cellulitis

Cellulitis is an infection of the skin and skin-associated structures sometimes presenting with purulence, defined by generation of pus.1 Purulent infections can further be complicated by cutaneous abscess, a walled collection of pus in the subcutaneous space. Research on paediatric cellulitis is limited, and antimicrobial treatment widely varies even among paediatric infectious disease providers with some studies suggesting overuse of broad antibiotic coverage.2-4 Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in paediatric cellulitis can be challenging to diagnose and treat with appropriate antibiotic coverage. Nasal swabs are a polymerase chain reaction assay screening for the presence of MRSA that typically result within 24 hours, much faster than traditional microbial culture with sensitivities.5 This study assesses the performance of nasal swabs for predicting MRSA infections in our institution.
Health and safety risk perceptions and needs of app-based drivers during COVID-19.

Background App-based drivers face work disruptions and infection risk during a pandemic due to the nature of their work, interactions with the public, and lack of workplace protections. Limited occupational health research has focused on their experiences. Methods We surveyed 100 app-based drivers in Seattle, WA to assess risk perceptions, supports, and controls received from the company that employs them, sources of trust, stress, job satisfaction, COVID-19 infection status, and how the pandemic had changed their work hours. Data were summarized descriptively and with simple regression models. We complemented this with qualitative interviews to better understand controls and policies enacted during COVID-19, and barriers and facilitators to their implementation. Results Drivers expressed very high levels of concern for exposure and infection (86%-97% were "very concerned" for all scenarios). Only 31% of drivers reported receiving an appropriate mask from the company for which they drive. Stress (assessed via PSS-4) was significantly higher in drivers who reported having had COVID-19, and also significantly higher in respondents with lower reported job satisfaction. Informants frequently identified supports such as unemployment benefits and peer outreach among the driver community as ways to ensure that drivers could access available benefits during COVID-19. Conclusions App-based drivers received few protections from the company that employed them, and had high fear of exposure and infection at work. There is increased need for health-supportive policies and protections for app-based drivers. The most effective occupational and public health regulations would cover employees who may not have a traditional employer-employee relationship.
Twitter Use by Academic Nuclear Medicine Programs: Pilot Content Analysis Study

Background: There is scant insight into the presence of nuclear medicine (NM) and nuclear radiology (NR) programs on social media. Objective: Our purpose was to assess Twitter engagement by academic NM/NR programs in the United States. Methods: We measured Twitter engagement by the academic NM/NR community, accounting for various NM/NR certification pathways. The Twitter presence of NM/NR programs at both the department and program director level was identified. Tweets by programs were cross-referenced against potential high-yield NM- or NR-related hashtags, and tabulated at a binary level. A brief survey was done to identify obstacles and benefits to Twitter use by academic NM/NR faculty. Results: For 2019-2020, 88 unique programs in the United States offered NM/NR certification pathways. Of these, 52% (46/88) had Twitter accounts and 24% (21/88) had at least one post related to NM/NR. Only three radiology departments had unique Twitter accounts for the NM/molecular imaging division. Of the other 103 diagnostic radiology residency programs, only 16% (16/103) had a presence on Twitter and 5% (5/103) had tweets about NM/NR. Only 9% (8/88) of NM/NR program directors were on Twitter, and three program directors tweeted about NM/NR. The survey revealed a lack of clarity and resources around using Twitter, although respondents acknowledged the perceived value of Twitter engagement for attracting younger trainees. Conclusions: Currently, there is minimal Twitter engagement by the academic NM/NR community. The perceived value of Twitter engagement is counterbalanced by identifiable obstacles. Given radiologists’ overall positive views of social media’s usefulness, scant social media engagement by the NM community may represent a missed opportunity. More Twitter engagement and further research by trainees and colleagues should be encouraged, as well as the streamlined use of unique hashtags.
Electromagnetic tracker measurement error simulation and tool design

Developing electromagnetically (EM) tracked tools can be very time consuming. Tool design traditionally takes many iterations, each of which requires construction of a physical tool and performing lengthy experiments. We propose a simulator that allows tools to be virtually designed and tested before ever being physically built. Both tool rigid body (RB) configurations and reference RB configurations are configured; the reference RB can be located anywhere in the field, and the tool is virtually moved around the reference in userspecified pattern. Sensor measurements of both RBs are artificially distorted according to a previously acquired error field mapping, and the 6-DOF frames of the Tool and Reference are refit to the distorted sensors. It is possible to predict the tool tip registration error for a particular tool and coordinate reference frame (CRF) in a particular scenario before ever even building the tools.
A Novel MEMS-based Nanoscale Material Testing System

This paper describes the design and operation of a novel MEMS-based material testing system used for in-situ tensile testing of nanostructures. The device consists of a thermal actuator and a capacitive load sensor with a specimen in between. The best load sensor resolutions were achieved reaching 0.05 f in capacitance, 1 nm in displacement and 12 nN in load. For the first time, this MEMS-based material testing scheme offers the possibility of continuous observation of the specimen deformation and fracture with sub-nanometer displacement accuracy, while simultaneously measuring the applied load electronically with nano-Newton resolution. The device performance was demonstrated by testing palladium nanowires.
Optimization Criteria and Geometric Algorithms for Motion and Structure Estimation

Prevailing efforts to study the standard formulation of motion and structure recovery have recently been focused on issues of sensitivity and robustness of existing techniques. While many cogent observations have been made and verified experimentally, many statements do not hold in general settings and make a comparison of existing techniques difficult. With an ultimate goal of clarifying these issues, we study the main aspects of motion and structure recovery: the choice of objective function, optimization techniques and sensitivity and robustness issues in the presence of noise. We clearly reveal the relationship among different objective functions, such as “(normalized) epipolar constraints,” “reprojection error” or “triangulation,” all of which can be unified in a new “optimal triangulation” procedure. Regardless of various choices of the objective function, the optimization problems all inherit the same unknown parameter space, the so-called “essential manifold.” Based on recent developments of optimization techniques on Riemannian manifolds, in particular on Stiefel or Grassmann manifolds, we propose a Riemannian Newton algorithm to solve the motion and structure recovery problem, making use of the natural differential geometric structure of the essential manifold. We provide a clear account of sensitivity and robustness of the proposed linear and nonlinear optimization techniques and study the analytical and practical equivalence of different objective functions. The geometric characterization of critical points and the simulation results clarify the difference between the effect of bas-relief ambiguity, rotation and translation confounding and other types of local minima. This leads to consistent interpretations of simulation results over a large range of signal-to-noise ratio and variety of configurations.
Green War: An Assessment of the Environmental Law of International Armed Conflict

During the First Gulf War of 1990–1991, Iraqi forces engaged in activities, including dumping oil into the Persian Gulf and igniting Kuwaiti oil wells, which drew global attention to the environmental consequences of warfare. This chapter identifies and assesses the international legal regime governing the environmental impact of armed conflict. It begins with an examination of the historical record of environmental damage during warfare. The prescriptive norms—including peacetime, customary and treaty prescriptions—governing such damage are next catalogued and analyzed. Concluding that the existing law fails to adequately address environmental consequences that result from hostilities, the author suggests how the international community should respond to its shortcomings.
Chapter 7 Sensory nerve conduction studies

Publisher Summary This chapter describes sensory nerve conduction studies (SNCS) that are an integral element in clinical electrodiagnostic testing of peripheral nerve disorders, as they provide useful and direct information of the population and function of the sensory axons and their involvement in disease processes. In vitro nerve conduction tests were first studied in surgically excised nerves by investigators who determined the velocities of the different nerve fiber types. Other researchers studied the in vivo SNAP of the sural nerve, and compared the findings with morphological analysis of their biopsies, determining that the main component of the SNAP was produced by the summation of action potentials of large myelinated nerve fibers, providing a direct assessment of their population. There are several important differences between SNCS and motor nerve conduction tests. Another difference is that in motor conduction tests, the measured latencies include the physiological delay at the neuromuscular junction, for this reason their conduction velocity (CV) is calculated by subtracting the difference in the latencies from two stimulating sites and not from the stimulus to the response.
Estimating Multiproduct Cost Functions Over Time Using a Mixture of Normals

This article proposes the use of finite mixtures of probability distributions to estimate cost functions. The mixture technique allows for the simultaneous existence and unobservability of multiple technologies of production. Technology switching by firms and conventional technical change can be studied directly. We illustrate the technique on a large sample of U.S. Savings and Loan companies, and find strong evidence of multiple technologies. We compare the mixture results to conventional stochastic cost frontier and thick frontier models, and highlight their differences.
Listeria grayi : vancomycin‐resistant, gram‐positive rod causing bacteremia in a stem cell transplant recipient

We report the first case of Listeria grayi bacteremia in a stem cell transplant recipient. The patient developed bacteremia with a gram-positive rod that was initially thought to be Corynebacterium species and a skin contaminant. The organism grew in multiple blood cultures and therapy with vancomycin was initiated. The API Coryne (version 3.0) identified the organism as L. grayi. Susceptibility testing by Etest suggested that the organism was resistant to vancomycin, but susceptible to ampicillin. After therapeutic change from vancomycin to ampicillin, the bacteremia cleared. Empiric therapy with vancomycin for all gram-positive bacterial infections is not appropriate. Accurate identification and antibiotic susceptibility is important, particularly in those with persistent bacteremia.
ANP increases capillary permeability to protein independent of perfusate protein composition

In further studying hormonal regulation of microvascular exchange, we tested two hypotheses: 1) atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) would increase capillary permeability to protein and 2) the actions of ANP on capillary permeability would be independent of the perfusate protein composition. These hypotheses were tested by assessing in situ capillary transport coefficients: hydraulic conductivity (Lp), apparent and diffusive permeabilities (Ps and Psd, respectively) to the protein alpha-lactalbumine, and convective coupling [Lp(1-sigma)] in mesenteric capillaries in cerebrally pithed frogs (Rana pipiens). The transport coefficients were determined in the absence and presence of frog ANP (fANP) during perfusion with either frog plasma or bovine serum albumin (BSA). Control Lp was 1.8-fold greater in vessels perfused with BSA compared with plasma. In the presence of 10 or 100 nM fANP, Lp was increased by approximately 3.5-fold in plasma-perfused vessels and approximately 2-fold in BSA-perfused vessels from their respective controls. Control Ps was 4.2-fold higher in vessels perfused with BSA compared with plasma. Despite the differences in control permeability, the increase in Ps by fANP was of similar magnitude (2- to 3-fold) for both protein perfusates. Analysis of the pressure-dependent alpha-lactalbumin flux suggested that the increase in capillary permeability induced by fANP is consistent with fANP increasing permeability without altering the selectivity of the capillary barrier.
The Scythe Statistical Library: An Open Source C++ Library for Statistical Computation

The Scythe Statistical Library is an open source C++ library for statistical computation. It includes a suite of matrix manipulation functions, a suite of pseudo-random number generators, and a suite of numerical optimization routines. Programs written using Scythe are generally much faster than those written in commonly used interpreted languages, such as R and proglang{MATLAB}; and can be compiled on any system with the GNU GCC compiler (and perhaps with other C++ compilers). One of the primary design goals of the Scythe developers has been ease of use for non-expert C++ programmers. Ease of use is provided through three primary mechanisms: (1) operator and function over-loading, (2) numerous pre-fabricated utility functions, and (3) clear documentation and example programs. Additionally, Scythe is quite flexible and entirely extensible because the source code is available to all users under the GNU General Public License.
Two-photon Absorption In High-nonlinearity Fibers

High-nonlinearity glass fibers may offer optimum performance in all-optical pipeline switching applications because of their combination of moderate nonlinearity with potentially very low loss. 1,2,3 We have previously identified a number of glass compositions in which highly polarizable heavy metal cations increase the switching nonlinearity by up to 50x as compared to silica, 4 and have reported the fabrication of a single-mode lead-silicate fiber (40 cation% heavy metal) with a nonlinearity 9x larger than silica. 5 Here, we report the fabrication of a multimode lead-bismuth-gallate composition fiber. Two-photon absorption (TPA) measurement results at a number of wavelength in both fibers are given.
3-D Motion parameters from contours using a canonic differential

A method for finding the affine transformation which relates two projections of a planar curve, arbitrarily oriented in 3-space, is presented. The method is based on a canonic parameterization of curves and the decomposition of these curves into component ellipses such that an arbitrary linear transformation applied to the whole scene also applies to the component ellipses. The relationship between the ellipses allows for a simple solution for the affine transformation relating views of a contour without point correspondence information. Experimental results indicated the need for contour smoothing in the presence of noise; hence filtering in the Fourier domain was applied to the contours prior to parameterization. The theoretical development of this technique and experimental results are presented.
Oxidation of high-aluminum austenitic stainless steels

The cyclical oxidation behavior of an austenitic stainless steel (24% Ni, 10% Cr, 5% Al, and balance Fe) has been evaluated in the temperature range 800–1300°C. The effects of trace elements such as S, Y, Zr, and Ti on the oxidation of the austenitic stainless steel have also been evaluated. The results indicate that Fe-Ni-Cr-Al stainless steels exhibit superior oxidation resistance up to 1300°C due to the formation of a very adherent and thin film of α-Al2O3.