cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A multiscale correlation of wavelet coefficients approach to spike detection

Extracellular chronic recordings have been used as important evidence in neuroscientific studies to unveil the fundamental neural network mechanisms in the brain. Spike detection is the first step in the analysis of recorded neural waveforms to decipher useful information and provide useful signals for brain-machine interface applications. The process of spike detection is to extract action potentials from the recordings, which are often compounded with noise from different sources. This study proposes a new detection algorithm that leverages a technique from wavelet-based image edge detection. It utilizes the correlation between wavelet coefficients at different sampling scales to create a robust spike detector. The algorithm has one tuning parameter, which potentially reduces the subjectivity of detection results. Both artificial benchmark data sets and real neural recordings are used to evaluate the detection performance of the proposed algorithm. Compared with other detection algorithms, the proposed method has a comparable or better detection performance. In this letter, we also demonstrate its potential for real-time implementation.
Controls on carbon dynamics by ecosystem structure and climate for southeastern U.S. slash pine plantations

Planted pine forests (plantations) in the southeastern United States are an important component of the continent's carbon balance. Forest carbon dynamics are affected by a range of factors including climatic variability. Multiyear droughts have affected the region in the past, and an increase in the frequency of drought events has been predicted. How this increased climatic variability will affect the capacity of the region's pine plantations to sequester carbon is not known. We used eddy covariance and biometric approaches to measure carbon dynamics over nine years in two slash pine plantations (Pinus elliottii var elliottii Englm) in north Florida, consisting of a newly planted and a mid-rotation stand. During this time, the region experienced two multiyear droughts (1999-2002 and 2006-2008), separated by a three-year wet period. Net ecosystem carbon accumulation measured using both approaches showed the same trends and magnitudes during plantation development. The newly planted site released 15.6 Mg C/ha during the first three years after planting, before becoming a carbon sink in year 4. Increases in carbon uptake during the early stages of stand development were driven by the aggrading leaf area index (LAI). After canopy closure, both sites were continuous carbon sinks with net carbon uptake (NEE) fluctuating between 4 and ; 8M g Cha � 1 � yr � 1 , depending on environmental conditions. Drought reduced NEE by ;25% through its negative effects on both LAI and radiation-use efficiency, which resulted in a larger impact on gross ecosystem carbon exchange than on ecosystem respiration. While results indicate that responses to drought involved complex interactions among water availability, LAI, and radiation-use efficiency, these ecosystems remain carbon sinks under current management strategies and climatic variability. Variation within locations is primarily due to major disturbances, such as logging in the current study and, to a much lesser extent, local environmental fluctuations. When data from this study are compared to flux data from a broad range of forests worldwide, these ecosystems fill a data gap in the warm-temperate zone and support a broad maximum NEE (for closed-canopy forests) between 88C and 208C mean annual temperature.
A RE-INTERPRETATION OF THE KONGO–PORTUGUESE WAR OF 1622 ACCORDING TO NEW DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE

An important document in the Dutch Archives casts new light on the Kongo–Portuguese War of 1622, usually seen as a signal defeat for Kongo. This document shows that, after the Portuguese victory over Kongo at the Battle of Mbumbi, there was a second battle in which Kongo forces were victorious, and they in fact began the process of re-occupying lands the Portuguese had absorbed in earlier expansion. In addition, the document reveals the origins of a plan, conceived in Kongo, to form an alliance with the Dutch in order to attack Luanda and drive the Portuguese from Angola, a plan that was realized not in 1624 but in 1641.
EOFs of Harmonizable Cyclostationary Processes

Abstract While approximate cyclostationary processes are commonly found in climatic and geophysical studies, one great disincentive for using cyclostationary empirical orthogonal functions is their computational burden. This is especially so for the three-dimensional, space–time case. This paper discusses a simple method of computing approximate cyclostationary empirical orthogonal functions based on the theory of harmonizable cyclostationary processes. The new method is computationally much more efficient than that of Kim et al. In the new method, cyclostationary empirical orthogonal functions are easier to understand. Namely, they are naturally defined as the products of Bloch functions (inner modes) and Fourier functions (outer modes), which otherwise are the result of the factorization theorem. Bloch functions are simply the principal components (PC) of the multivariate coefficient time series, which are generally correlated. They represent the normal modes of the nested fluctuations of harmonizable c...
Critical thinking cards: An innovative teaching strategy to bridge classroom knowledge with clinical decision making

Abstract Students and faculty in an obstetrics course were surveyed regarding the use of critical thinking cards as an active teaching strategy in the clinical setting. Critical thinking cards are the foundation for an active learning strategy that incorporates questioning, problem solving, coaching, and the think-aloud approach while using higher-order thinking to enhance clinical decision-making.
Firing a weapon and killing in combat are associated with suicidal ideation in OEF/OIF veterans.

OBJECTIVE: Combat veterans are at risk for several adverse outcomes such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, hazardous alcohol use, and most critically, suicidal behaviors. The high rate of suicide in veterans has been understood as a correlate of PTSD and depression, but it is possible that certain specific types of combat experiences may lead to suicidal behaviors. Acts committed by veterans in the context of war such as killing may evoke a "moral injury," which leads to thoughts of ending one's life. METHOD: The present exploratory research examined relationships between combat experiences and suicidal ideation (SI) and PTSD in a sample of 68 Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans (91% male, mean age = 32.31 years) who had screened positive for alcohol misuse. We examined firing a weapon/killing in combat (Firing/Killing) and killing in combat (Killing) alone as predictors of SI and PTSD severity in both the full sample and men only. RESULTS: Firing/Killing were associated with SI for the full sample and men only, and Killing showed a trend toward significance in predicting SI. Hierarchical regression analyses suggested that Firing/Killing did not predict PTSD for the full sample or men only, but Killing was predictive of PTSD for both samples. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that there may be differences in Firing/Killing and Killing alone in OEF/OIF veterans who screened positive for alcohol misuse. Thorough screening of combat experiences and addressing moral injury in returning combat veterans may help reduce high rates of suicide and PTSD. (PsycINFO Database Record Language: en
Quantitative Studies of the Influence of Plasma Proteins and Hematocrit on the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate

three categories: those proposing a isew method or a revisioms of an existing one; those discussing the clinsical applications of the test; and those attempting to discover what physical ansd chemical factors may be responsible for the different rates sometimes found inhealth andin illness. No attempt will h)e made to review the literature. Excellent reviews can h)e found in articles by Katz and Leffkowitz,2’ Nichols,29 and Thygesen.35 A more complete review may also be found in the doctorate thesis upon which the presenit article is based.27 From the welter of disagreement regarding the erythrocyte sedimentat ion rate, two factors are obviously significant: the size and character of the rouleaux formed by the erythrocytes, and some measure of the amouist of cell mass present. Furthermore, the factors most generally agreed upon as affectinsg the size
Short-Term Outcomes After Thoracoscopic Lobectomy in Elderly Compared to Younger Patients

ObjectiveAs the population continues to age, more benign and malignant lung lesions requiring surgical intervention are being identified in elderly patients. Historically, advanced age has been use...
Determination of ethanol in wine by gas chromatography

To establish a method to determine ethanol content in wine by gas chromatography,the samples were diluted and were directly injected into gas chromatography,and separated by DB-FFAP capillary column and then detected by FID detector.Under these optimal experimental conditions,the methods had a wide linear range.The determination limits,the relative standard deviation and the rate of recovery are 0.01%,3.6%~4.0% and 90%~95%,respectively.This method is sensitive,simple,and accurate.It could be applied to determine the ethanol content in wine.
Awareness status of AIDS knowledge among college students and evaluation of school AIDS education in Nangchang City

[Objective]To investigate the AIDS knowledge awareness of Nanchang college students and their advice and demand for education of AIDS prevention,and provide evidence for the related education.[Methods]the cluster sampling was conducted in 8universities according to major and grade,a total of 2 192 students participated in the anonymous questionnaire survey.[Results]A total of 2 060 valid questionnaires were collected,the average age was( 19. 5 ± 1. 3) years old,students in rural areas accounted for 50. 0%,the awareness rate of AIDS was 60. 3%,the awareness rate of AIDS knowledge was relatively high for those who came from the countryside,received HIV / AIDS education and interested in AIDS knowledge; 67. 4% students were not satisfied with the publicity and education of AIDS prevention,the main factors included too simple and superficial( 32. 9%),lack of attraction( 17. 4%),lack of reality( 17. 3%),lack of interest( 32. 6%),unable to participate( 25%),low frequency( 19. 4%); the top three education and propaganda forms accepted by students were watching films( 45. 8%),expert lectures( 43. 7%) and sharing experience with infected persons( 43. 1%); college students were most willing to seek help from professional doctors( 44. 9%) in the form of confidential telephone consultation,professional consultancy and internet consulting. [Conclusion]AIDS prevention education in campus has played an important role,but publicity and education are not enough in inform and content,which need to be further improved.
SITUATING SCAMANDER: ‘NATURECULTURE’ IN THE ILIAD

The true subject of the Iliad, Simone Weil famously wrote, is force. Time and again, ‘the human spirit is shown as modified by its relation with force, as swept away, blinded, by the very force it imagined it could handle, as deformed by the weight of the force it submits to’. Force turns men, perpetrators of violence and its victims alike, into things: objectification is its bane. Homer's clarity about the moral degradation of war, that machine of force, is what makes him, in Weil's accounting, not just the first but the greatest of poets.
The underutilization of occupational therapy in transdisciplinary early intervention services

ABSTRACTEarly intervention (EI) services are mandated by Part C of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004). The EI team, a multidisciplinary team overseen by individual states, is charged with providing family-centered services to support child development in the natural environment. This article examines the use of occupational therapy services in EI, perception of practitioners, and parents. In addition, the author considers how to increase the use of services in EI practice.
Parental Perceptions of STEM Enrichment for Young Children

Most pre-kindergarten (pre-K) and kindergarten curricula are challenging and engaging, but few are strongly grounded in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. In this study, the authors examined parental perception (N = 55) of the influences of a Saturday STEM enrichment program in one university center on pre-K and kindergarten students and their attitudes toward STEM learning. Using survey data collected from 2013 to 2016, the authors studied parental comments about benefits, drawbacks, and memorable moments they observed from their children’s experiences during the program. These comments were analyzed qualitatively using NVivo, and three main themes were developed. The themes were children’s reactions to STEM learning, meeting the needs of young gifted learners, and learning beyond the classroom. These themes reinforced current literature in the field showing young children’s need for STEM education. Sadly, few opportunities for STEM-focused programming for young children ...
Epidemiology, determinants, and management of AIDS cholangiopathy: A review

Diseases of the liver and biliary tree have been described with significant frequency among patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and its advanced state, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Through a variety of mechanisms, HIV/AIDS has been shown to affect the hepatic parenchyma and biliary tree, leading to liver inflammation and biliary strictures. One of the potential hepatobiliary complications of this viral infection is AIDS cholangiopathy, a syndrome of biliary obstruction and liver damage due to infection-related strictures of the biliary tract. AIDS cholangiopathy is highly associated with opportunistic infections and advanced immunosuppression in AIDS patients, and due to the increased availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy, is now primarily seen in instances of poor access to anti-retroviral therapy and medication non-compliance. While current published literature describes well the clinical, biochemical, and endoscopic management of AIDS-related cholangiopathy, information on its epidemiology, natural history, and pathology are not as well defined. The objective of this review is to summarize the available literature on AIDS cholangiopathy, emphasizing its epidemiology, course of disease, and determinants, while also revealing an updated approach for its evaluation and management.
Investigation of the Use of a Bio-Derived Solvent for Non-Solvent-Induced Phase Separation (NIPS) Fabrication of Polysulfone Membranes

Organic solvents, such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and dimethylacetamide (DMAc), have been traditionally used to fabricate polymeric membranes. These solvents may have a negative impact on the environment and human health; therefore, using renewable solvents derived from biomass is of great interest to make membrane fabrication sustainable. Methyl-5-(dimethylamino)-2-methyl-5-oxopentanoate (Rhodiasolv PolarClean) is a bio-derived, biodegradable, nonflammable and nonvolatile solvent. Polysulfone is a commonly used polymer to fabricate membranes due to its thermal stability, strong mechanical strength and good chemical resistance. From cloud point curves, PolarClean showed potential to be a solvent for polysulfone. Membranes prepared with PolarClean were investigated in terms of their morphology, porosity, water permeability and protein rejection, and were compared to membranes prepared with traditional solvents. The pores of polysulfone/PolarClean membranes were sponge-like, and the membranes displayed higher water flux values (176.0 ± 8.8 LMH) along with slightly higher solute rejection (99.0 ± 0.51%). On the other hand, PSf/DMAc membrane pores were finger-like with lower water flux (63.1 ± 12.4 LMH) and slightly lower solute rejection (96 ± 2.00%) when compared to PSf/PolarClean membranes.
How Food Rules at Home Influence Independent Adolescent Food Choices

Abstract Purpose The prevalence of unhealthy dietary behaviors among adolescents is high. We examined the effect of having health-oriented food rules at home on the healthiness of adolescents' independent food choices, and the necessity of parental oversight for such rules to be effective. Methods We surveyed a socioeconomically and racially diverse San Francisco Bay Area public high school in May 2017 (N = 1,246). We used ordinal logistic regressions to assess the relationships between adolescent-reported presence of health-oriented food rules at home and the healthiness of snacks selected by adolescents in a raffle, which included a randomized controlled experiment to manipulate the level of parental approval students needed to pick up their snacks. Results Adolescents reporting at least one health-oriented food rule at home were significantly more likely to choose healthier snacks in the raffle (adjusted odds ratio, 1.85; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.41–2.45). Telling adolescents that a parent needed to approve the snacks did not have a significant effect on snack choice healthiness relative to a no-approval baseline condition (adjusted odds ratio, 1.01; 95% CI .55–1.86). Post hoc analyses suggest that rules may affect adolescent food-related attitudes and perceptions of parental reactions; for example, adolescents with rules reported that their parents would be more disappointed (adjusted mean difference on five-point scale, .5; 95% CI .36–.64) if they made an unhealthy food choice. Conclusions Having health-oriented food rules at home is associated with healthier snack choices. Findings suggest that adolescents with rules also hold beliefs that may correspond to healthier independent dietary choices.
Adrenomedullin and adrenomedullin binding protein-1 protect endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation in sepsis.

Downregulation of vascular endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) contributes to the vascular hyporesponsiveness in sepsis. Although coadministration of the potent vasodilatory peptide adrenomedulin (AM) and the newly discovered AM binding protein (AMBP-1) maintains cardiovascular stability and reduces mortality in sepsis, it remains unknown whether AM/AMBP-1 prevents endothelial cell dysfunction. To investigate this possibility, we subjected adult male rats to sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), with or without subsequent intravenous administration of the combination of AM (12 µg/kg) and AMBP-1 (40 µg/kg). Thoracic aortae were harvested 20 h after CLP (i.e., the late stage of sepsis) and endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation was determined by the addition of acetylcholine (ACh) in an organ bath system. In addition, ecNOS gene and protein expression was assessed by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The results indicate that ACh-induced (i.e., endothelium-dependent) vascular relaxation was significantly reduced 20 h after CLP. Administration of AM/AMBP-1 prevented the reduction of vascular relaxation. In addition, ecNOS gene expression in aortic and pulmonary tissues was downregulated 20 h after CLP and AM/AMBP-1 attenuated such a reduction. Moreover, the decreased ecNOS staining in thoracic aortae of septic animals was prevented by the treatment with AM/AMBP-1. These results, taken together, indicate that AM/AMBP-1 preserves ecNOS and prevents reduced endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation (i.e., endothelial cell dysfunction) in sepsis. In light of our recent finding that AM/AMBP-1 improves organ function and reduces mortality in sepsis, it is most likely that the protective effect of these compounds on ecNOS is a mechanism responsible for the salutary effect of AM/AMBP-1 in sepsis.
The human choriocapillaris develops by hemovasculogenesis

Vasculogenesis and angiogenesis are the conventional modes for vascular development. Hemovasculogenesis is the formation of endothelial (ECs), hematopoietic, and erythropoietic cells simultaneously from a common precursor, the hemangioblast, as in blood islands. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism(s) of normal human choroidal vascular development. Immunohistochemical analysis of human choroids of 6–23 weeks gestation (WG) was performed with antibodies for markers of ECs (CD34, CD31), angioblasts and ECs (CD39), erythroblasts [Epsilon Hemoglobin (E-Hb)], proliferating cells (Ki67), and VEGFR-2. At 6–7 WG, many erythroblasts (E-Hb+) were observed in the choriocapillaris layer and some were separated from and independent of any vascular structure. Many erythroblasts (E-Hb+) also expressed CD34, CD31 and/or VEGFR-2. At this stage, few definitive vascular lumens were detected. By 9 WG, most of E-Hb+ cells had disappeared and vascular lumens became apparent. At 14–23 WG, no E-Hb+ cells were seen. Some Ki67 positive cells were also positive for CD34 and/or CD39, especially at the scleral side of choriocapillaris where they were associated with forming deeper choroidal vessels. Embryonically, the choriocapillaris appears to form by hemovasculogenesis (E-Hb+/CD31+ cells), while angiogenesis appears to be the mode of large choroidal vessel development (CD34+/Ki67+).
New Cell Cycle Inhibitors Target Aneuploidy in Cancer Therapy

Aneuploidy is a hallmark of cancer. Defects in chromosome segregation result in aneuploidy. Multiple pathways are engaged in this process, including errors in kinetochore-microtubule attachments, supernumerary centrosomes, spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) defects, and chromosome cohesion defects. Although aneuploidy provides an adaptation and proliferative advantage in affected cells, excessive aneuploidy beyond a critical level can be lethal to cancer cells. Given this, enhanced chromosome missegregation is hypothesized to limit survival of aneuploid cancer cells, especially when compared to diploid cells. Based on this concept, proteins and pathways engaged in chromosome segregation are being exploited as candidate therapeutic targets for aneuploid cancers. Agents that induce chromosome missegregation and aneuploidy now exist, including SAC inhibitors, those that alter centrosome fidelity and others that are under active study in preclinical and clinical contexts. This review explores the therapeutic potentials of such new agents, including the benefits of combining them with other antineoplastic agents.
Avaliação de intervalos de tempo para registro do comportamento ingestivo de bovinos confinados individualmente

The objective of this study was to compare five-minute recording intervals with four time intervals (10, 15, 20 and 30 minutes) for estimation of eating, ruminating, idling and standing time, as well as meal frequency, of cattle housed in individual pens. Sixty-two weaned Nellore males housed in individual pens for 112 days were used. Ingestive behavior was evaluated every 28 days for 24 h. Direct observations were made using scan sampling and instantaneous sampling at intervals of 5 minutes. The recording intervals were evaluated using error variance, correlations, and adjusted means. For all traits, the residual variance tended to increase with increasing recording interval, except for meal frequency whose residual variance decreased with increasing recording interval. The adjusted means for the ingestive behavior measurements obtained at intervals of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 minutes did not differ significantly (P>0.05), except for meal frequency which was lower (P<0.05) in the 30-minute recording interval. The correlations with the 5-minute recording interval were considered high up to the 15-minute interval. However, for longer recording intervals, the correlation with the 5-minute recording interval decreased abruptly, showing that recording intervals longer than 15 minutes are inadequate to estimate ingestive behavior traits of cattle.
Schools and Inequality: Implications from Seasonal Comparison Research

The traditional narrative posits that differences in school quality are an important source of inequality in the stratification system. Improving the schools attended by disadvantaged children, therefore, is key to reducing inequality. But what if this view is wrong? We discuss the results of seasonal comparison studies that analyze how achievement gaps change when school is in versus out. Contrary to most education research, these studies suggest that the traditional narrative may be partly wrong in some cases and entirely misplaced in others. Indeed, when it comes to understanding socioeconomic-based gaps in math and reading skills, the evidence indicates that achievement gaps are mostly formed prior to formal schooling and that schools probably reduce the growth in gaps that we would observe in their absence. If this is correct, then the implications for battling inequality are profound. School reform efforts are likely to have limited influence; the primary source of the problem is the level of inequality in broader society.
Autoerotismo y metapoesía: reflexiones en torno al onanismo en las Primeras poesías de Luis Cernuda

This article makes visible the onanistic references and their literary meaning in the early poetry of Luis Cernuda. Even though Cernuda’s poetry has always been seen from the critical lens of narci...
Performance of IDMA-Based NOMA with NR-Based Realistic Channel Estimation

Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is among new features considered for the fifth generation (5G) of mobile communications systems, also known as New Radio (NR). Schemes based on low code rate implementation, such as interleave division multiple access (IDMA) are among the candidate schemes for NOMA transmission in NR. It has been shown that NOMA schemes based on low code rate implementation are poised to offer a robust performance in highly interfered scenarios. However, since in most studies, an ideal channel estimation has been assumed, the sensitivity of the multiplexing performance to channel estimation errors has not been widely investigated. In this paper, we present our performance evaluation results of an IDMA-based transmission with imperfect channel estimation. The channel estimation is based on the recently designed NR R-15 demodulation reference signal (DMRS). In our evaluation, we consider various overloading, interference scenarios and channel estimation assumptions to demonstrate the multiplexing capability of IDMA. Also, we investigate the performance of an error model for channel estimation to show its accuracy and reliability for NOMA evaluation scenarios with more than 12 users, which is not supported by the current R-15 DMRS design.
Maternal Restricted- and Over-Feeding During Gestation Result in Distinct Lipid and Amino Acid Metabolite Profiles in the Longissimus Muscle of the Offspring

Maternal over- and restricted-feeding during gestation have similar negative consequences for the offspring, including decreased muscularity, increased adiposity, and altered metabolism. Our objective was to determine the effects of poor maternal nutrition during gestation (over- and restricted-feeding) on the offspring muscle metabolite profile. Pregnant ewes (n = 47) were fed 60% (RES), 100% (CON), or 140% (OVER) of NRC requirements starting at day 30.2 ± 0.2 of gestation. Offspring sample collection occurred at days 90 and 135 of gestation, and within 24 h of birth. C2C12 myoblasts were cultured in serum collected from offspring at birth (n = 18; 6 offspring per treatment) for analysis of oxidative and glycolytic capacity. Unbiased metabolite analysis of longissimus muscle samples (n = 72; 8 fetuses per treatment per time point) was performed using mass spectrometry. Data were analyzed by ANOVA for main effects of treatment, time point, and their interaction. Cells cultured in serum from RES offspring exhibited increased proton leak 49% (p = 0.01) compared with CON, but no other variables of mitochondrial respiration or glycolytic function were altered. Mass spectrometry identified 612 metabolites. Principle component analysis identified day of gestation as the primary driver of metabolic change; however, maternal diet also altered the lipid and amino acid profiles in offspring. The abundance of 53 amino acid metabolites and 89 lipid metabolites was altered in RES compared with CON (p ≤ 0.05), including phospholipids, sphingolipids, and ceramides within the lipid metabolism pathway and metabolites involved in glutamate, histidine, and glutathione metabolism. Similarly, abundance of 63 amino acid metabolites and 70 lipid metabolites was altered in OVER compared with CON (p ≤ 0.05). These include metabolites involved in glutamate, histidine, lysine, and tryptophan metabolism and phosphatidylethanolamine, lysophospholipids, and fatty acids involved in lipid metabolism. Further, the amino acid and lipid profiles diverged between RES and OVER, with 69 amino acid and 118 lipid metabolites differing (p ≤ 0.05) between groups. Therefore, maternal diet affects metabolite abundance in offspring longissimus muscle, specifically metabolites involved in lipid and amino metabolism. These changes may impact post-natal skeletal muscle metabolism, possibly altering energy efficiency and long-term health.
CHET: an optimizing compiler for fully-homomorphic neural-network inferencing

Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) refers to a set of encryption schemes that allow computations on encrypted data without requiring a secret key. Recent cryptographic advances have pushed FHE into the realm of practical applications. However, programming these applications remains a huge challenge, as it requires cryptographic domain expertise to ensure correctness, security, and performance. CHET is a domain-specific optimizing compiler designed to make the task of programming FHE applications easier. Motivated by the need to perform neural network inference on encrypted medical and financial data, CHET supports a domain-specific language for specifying tensor circuits. It automates many of the laborious and error prone tasks of encoding such circuits homomorphically, including encryption parameter selection to guarantee security and accuracy of the computation, determining efficient tensor layouts, and performing scheme-specific optimizations. Our evaluation on a collection of popular neural networks shows that CHET generates homomorphic circuits that outperform expert-tuned circuits and makes it easy to switch across different encryption schemes. We demonstrate its scalability by evaluating it on a version of SqueezeNet, which to the best of our knowledge, is the deepest neural network to be evaluated homomorphically.
Examining the relative influence of animal movement patterns and mortality models on the distribution of animal transported subsidies

Abstract Active subsidies are animal-transported consumption (e.g., predators, pathogens, parasites) and resources (e.g., prey, detritus, nutrients) moved between ecosystems. Animal movement behavior has the potential to mediate the extent and intensity of active subsidies and corresponding ecosystem responses. Animal movement behaviors could interact with mortality risk to affect active subsidy distributions and ecosystem impacts but have rarely been examined in existing ecosystem models of spatial subsidies. Movement ecologists typically simulate animal dispersal and foraging movements using stochastic random walk models such as correlated random walk (CRW) and Levy walk (LW) models. Movement models generally implement mortality as an instantaneous mortality rate (i.e., probability of death per step). Variation in CRW and LW movement patterns, in combination with mortality rate level and model, can likely change emergent subsidy distributions and impact. Using a spatially explicit individual-based model (IBM), we quantify how variation in the straightness (i.e., CRW) and step length (i.e., LW) of animal movement patterns with variation in mortality rate and model (i.e., distance-dependent versus time-dependent function) alter the intensity and extent of consumer and nutrient subsidy distributions. Movement pattern was a dominant determinant of subsidy displacement with more pronounced effects on consumer (i.e., living) subsidy (e.g., predators) patterns. Mortality rate and mortality model (i.e., distance-dependent versus time-dependent on LW) strongly predicted subsidy density with stronger effects on nutrient (i.e., dead) subsidy (e.g., feces) patterns. Consumer subsidies were deposited farther and at lower densities than nutrient subsidies. Given lower mortality rate, movements with more variable step lengths displaced both nutrient and consumer subsidies farther and at lower densities than straighter movements. Movements with more variable step lengths also resulted in greater nutrient subsidy numbers at lower densities with higher mortality rate in distance-dependent compared to time-dependent mortality models. We conclude that ecosystem modeling frameworks that incorporate interaction between animal movement behavior and mortality conditions will enhance insights into active subsidy distributions.
Learning precise spatiotemporal sequences via biophysically realistic neural circuits with modular structure

The ability to express and learn temporal sequences is an essential part of learning and memory. Learned temporal sequences are expressed in multiple brain regions and as such there may be common design in the circuits that mediate it. This work proposes a substrate for such representations, via a biophysically realistic network model that can robustly learn and recall discrete sequences of variable order and duration. The model consists of a network of spiking leaky-integrate-and-fire model neurons placed in a modular architecture designed to resemble cortical microcolumns. Learning is performed via a learning rule with 9eligibility traces9, which hold a history of synaptic activity before being converted into changes in synaptic strength upon neuromodulator activation. Before training, the network responds to incoming stimuli, and contains no memory of any particular sequence. After training, presentation of only the first element in that sequence is sufficient for the network to recall an entire learned representation of the sequence. An extended version of the model also demonstrates the ability to successfully learn and recall non-Markovian sequences. This model provides a possible framework for biologically realistic sequence learning and memory, and is in agreement with recent experimental results, which have shown sequence dependent plasticity in sensory cortex.
The price of thirst: global water inequality and the coming chaos

From California to Iraq, Karen Piper argues that local populations struggle to gain and maintain access to water in the face of mounting corporate control, privatization, and commodification of lif...
Molecular testing and thyroid nodule management in North America

The incidence of thyroid cancer is rising for a variety of reasons. At the same time, the nomenclature revision of non-invasive encapsulated follicular-variant PTC to noninvasive follicular neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) has modified the incidence of thyroid cancer. Given that thyroid neoplasia is a molecular event, it is important for the thyroid physician to evaluate each patient systematically. Most thyroid cancers are sporadic; however, some are familial and may be associated with syndromes with genetic implications. Advances in radiologic imaging have made ultrasonography a near equivalent of gross examination. The American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging, Reporting and Data System (ACR TI-RADS) classifies nodules from TR1 to TR5 and is valuable in determining which patients should be guided toward fine-needle aspiration (FNA) sampling. While FNA procedures and processing may be varied, the key elements are cytologic diagnosis and collection of samples for potential molecular testing. The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytology (BSRTC) is commonly used and categorizes each FNA specimen into one of six diagnoses. The indeterminate diagnoses with risk of malignancy (ROM) ranging from 10-75% comprise approximately 30% of thyroid FNA cases and for these, molecular testing is beneficial. In North America, the two most common molecular platforms are Veracyte Afirma GSC and ThyroSeq v3. Both panels cover an extensive array of genomic alterations associated with thyroid neoplasia and a negative result from either test effectively refines the ROM of an Atypia of Undetermined Significance/Follicular Lesion of Undetermined Significance (AUS/FLUS) or Follicular Neoplasm/Suspicious for a Follicular Neoplasm (FN/SFN) diagnosis to 3-4%. Given that the refined ROMs are comparable to that of a Benign BSRTC diagnosis, these patients are recommended for observation of their nodules. However, differences exist in the implication of Afirma GSC-Suspicious and ThyroSeq v3-Positive molecular results with regard to the probability of cancer. For either test, the molecular test result should be integrated with other clinical parameters to determine if surgery is indicated and, if so, the extent of surgery.
Trenin, Dmitri, Russia: Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, 212 pp., $150.00, ISBN 978-1-5095-2766, Publication Date: September 2019

Dmitri Trenin’s Russia provides a brief, accessible overview of Russia’s history from the early twentieth century to the present, putting Russia into context for a foreign audience. Trenin, the dir...
Poor olfaction and pneumonia hospitalisation among community-dwelling older adults: a cohort study

Summary Background Poor olfaction is common in older adults and might signify broader health implications beyond its role in neurodegeneration. We aimed to evaluate the association of poor olfaction and the risk of any, first-ever, and recurrent pneumonia hospitalisation, as well as death due to pneumonia, in a biracial, community-based cohort of older adults. Methods For this cohort study, we included participants from the Health, Aging and Body Composition study who were followed up with annual clinic or home visits and semi-annual or quarterly telephone interviews. These individuals completed an olfaction test using the Brief Smell Identification Test (B-SIT) in 1999–2000. Olfaction was defined as good (test score 11–12), moderate (9–10), or poor (0–8). Participants were followed up from baseline until the date of pneumonia hospitalisation, death, last contact, or the end of 13 years of follow-up, whichever came first. We excluded participants who had missing B-SIT scores or missing covariate data from our primary analysis. The primary outcome was total and first-ever hospitalisation due to pneumonia. Findings 2494 participants aged 71–82 years (mean 75·6 years, SD 2·8) were included in our primary analysis; 1207 (48·4%) were men, 1287 (51·6%) were women; 956 (38·3%) were Black, and 1538 (61·7%) were White. During a median of 12·1 years (IQR 7·4–13·0) of follow-up, we identified a total of 801 hospitalisations due to pneumonia from 537 (21·5%) participants. Of these, 357 (66·5%) had their first-ever event during follow-up. After accounting for potential confounding from demographics, lifestyle factors, health-related conditions, and the competing risk of death, participants with poor olfaction had a higher rate of total pneumonia hospitalisations than that of those with good olfaction (intensity ratio [IR] 1·46, 95% CI 1·22–1·75; p Interpretation To our knowledge, this study provides the first epidemiological evidence that poor olfaction is associated with a long-term higher risk of pneumonia in older adults. Future studies should independently confirm this observation, investigate potential mechanisms, and understand its implications for the health of older adults. Funding Michigan State University.
More Than Hunger: Nutrition and Food Issues

Food is a basic human need. Access to safe, adequate, and nutritious food is a social determinant of health. Lack of adequate and nutritious food can perpetuate a cycle of poor and worsening health. The healthcare team needs to address food insecurity (i.e., limited or uncertain access to adequate food) as part of any treatment plan, because clients who do not have access to basic needs will unlikely be able to follow other treatments for comorbid or acute health conditions. Screening is particularly important for food insecurity, as it is often not identified or prioritized like medical conditions during clinical encounters. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists use the Nutrition Care Process to assess, intervene, and resolve nutrition diagnoses. A team approach is needed to ensure timely intervention on the day of care and follow-up through case or care management. Healthcare teams have numerous valuable opportunities to intervene in prevention (through advocacy and publications), screening (through validated tools), treatment (including care coordination), discharge planning (including community/state/federal resources and family), and follow-up to perpetuate a cycle of monitoring and prevention of nutrition and food issues in at-risk or homeless populations.
Methods to accelerate high-throughput screening of atomic qubit candidates in van der Waals materials

The discovery of atom-like spin emitters associated with defects in two-dimensional (2D) wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors presents new opportunities for highly tunable and versatile qubits. So far, the study of such spin emitters has focused on defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). However, hBN necessarily contains a high density of nuclear spins, which are expected to create a strong incoherent spin-bath that leads to poor coherence properties of spins hosted in the material. Therefore, identification of new qubit candidates in other 2DWBG materials is necessary. Given the time demands of ab initio methods, new approaches for rapid screening and calculations of identifying properties of suitable atom-like qubits are required. In this work, we present two new methods for rapid estimation of the zero-phonon line (ZPL), a key property of atomic qubits in WBG materials. First, the ZPL is calculated by exploiting Janak’s theorem. For finite changes in occupation, we provide the leading-order estimate of the correction to the ZPL obtained using Janak’s theorem, which is more rapid than the standard method ( ΔSCF). Next, we demonstrate an approach to converging excited states that is faster for systems with small strain than the standard approach used in the ΔSCF method. We illustrate these methods using the case of the singly negatively charged calcium vacancy in SiS 2, which we are the first to propose as a qubit candidate. This work has the potential to assist in accelerating the high-throughput search for quantum defects in materials, with applications in quantum sensing and quantum computing.
CrvA and CrvB form a curvature-inducing module sufficient to induce cell-shape complexity in Gram-negative bacteria.

Bacterial species have diverse cell shapes that enable motility, colonization and virulence. The cell wall defines bacterial shape and is primarily built by two cytoskeleton-guided synthesis machines, the elongasome and the divisome. However, the mechanisms producing complex shapes, like the curved-rod shape of Vibrio cholerae, are incompletely defined. Previous studies have reported that species-specific regulation of cytoskeleton-guided machines enables formation of complex bacterial shapes such as cell curvature and cellular appendages. In contrast, we report that CrvA and CrvB are sufficient to induce complex cell shape autonomously of the cytoskeleton in V. cholerae. The autonomy of the CrvAB module also enables it to induce curvature in the Gram-negative species Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Caulobacter crescentus and Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Using inducible gene expression, quantitative microscopy and biochemistry, we show that CrvA and CrvB circumvent the need for patterning via cytoskeletal elements by regulating each other to form an asymmetrically localized, periplasmic structure that binds directly to the cell wall. The assembly and disassembly of this periplasmic structure enables dynamic changes in cell shape. Bioinformatics indicate that CrvA and CrvB may have diverged from a single ancestral hybrid protein. Using fusion experiments in V. cholerae, we find that a synthetic CrvA/B hybrid protein is sufficient to induce curvature on its own, but that expression of two distinct proteins, CrvA and CrvB, promotes more rapid curvature induction. We conclude that morphological complexity can arise independently of cell-shape specification by the core cytoskeleton-guided synthesis machines. A two-protein module mediates Vibrio cholerae cell curvature and is sufficient to curve other Gram-negative bacteria. This module functions independently of cytoskeleton-directed machineries by directly binding to the cell wall.
Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in a randomized controlled trial of a combination of antiviral and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory treatment in a bovine model of respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Abstract The function of neutrophils in viral infections has long been established and studies have been done to examine the role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Further study and analysis of NETs in viral infections may reveal a new therapeutic target. Administration of ibuprofen and GS-561937, a fusion protein inhibitor (FPI), have been experimentally shown to decrease the severity of bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) infection. Our aims were to determine the effect of ibuprofen and FPI on NETs after BRSV infection as a monotherapy or combined therapy. Methods We conducted a randomized placebo-controlled trial of ibuprofen, FPI, or as a dual therapy initiated at 3 or 5 days after experimental infection with BRSV in 36 five to six-week-old Holstein calves (Bos Taurus). Lung tissue samples were collected and stained with antibodies conjugated with fluorescence dyes to visualize and quantify the NETs in situ. We estimated the average NETs in the sample lung tissue slides and compared the areas occupied by NETS within and between the treatment groups. Results There were significantly fewer NETs in the lung tissue from calves that were given ibuprofen and both ibuprofen and fusion protein inhibitor from day 3 post infection compared to the placebo group. Calves administered with ibuprofen, fusion protein inhibitor or both from day five had visually fewer NETs than the placebo but the difference was not significant. Conclusion BRSV can induce NET formation in vitro and in vivo. A combination of both drugs (Ibuprofen and FPI) resulted in less NETs observed in lung tissue of BRSV infected calves compared to the placebo or monotherapy groups.
Rationality as Prudence: Another Reason for Rules

A person possesses a multidimensional capacity that may be used in different ways. This capacity is modeled analogously to “the commons,” where open access insures value dissipation. Efficiency requires constraint on access, which may be interpreted as a rule for usage. As applied to personal choice, the model suggests that rationality, defined as maximization of whatever standard of value chosen as the objective for choice, is a learned rule rather than a “natural” behavioral attribute. In other words, “maximize utility” is not an empty normative imperative, even if “utility” remains undefined. The discussion offers a means of reconciling descriptive and prescriptive models of rational choice and allows utilization of the explanatory potential of both economics and psychology. The analysis is readily extended from individual to collective choice with numerous familiar applications.