cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Currency traders and exchange rate dynamics: a survey of the US market

Abstract We report findings from a survey of United States foreign exchange traders. Our results indicate that: (i) in recent years electronically-brokered transactions have risen substantially, mostly at the expense of traditional brokers; (ii) the market norm is an important determinant of interbank bid-ask spread and the most widely-cited reason for deviating from the conventional bid–ask spread is a thin/hectic market; (iii) half or more of market respondents believe that large players dominate in the dollar–pound and dollar–Swiss franc markets; (iv) technical trading best characterizes about 30% of traders, with this proportion rising from five years ago; (v) news about macroeconomic variables is rapidly incorporated into exchange rates; (vi) the importance of individual macroeconomic variables shifts over time, although interest rates always appear to be important; (vii) economic fundamentals are perceived to be more important at longer horizons, while short-run deviations from the fundamentals are attributed to excess speculation and institutional customer/hedge fund manipulation; (viii) speculation is generally viewed positively, as enhancing market efficiency and liquidity, even though it exacerbates volatility; (ix) central bank intervention does not appear to have a substantial effect, although there is general agreement that it increases volatility, and finally; (x) traders do not view purchasing power parity as a useful concept, even though a significant proportion (40%) believe that it affects exchange rates at horizons of over six months.
Alcoholism treatment adherence: older age predicts better adherence and drinking outcomes.

Objective Adherence to treatment has been demonstrated to be an important factor for remission from alcohol dependence. The authors compared therapy and medication adherence for treatment of alcohol dependence in older adults with adherence in younger adults. Methods All subjects were participants in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled efficacy trial of naltrexone for the treatment of alcohol dependence. All subjects received a medically-based psychosocial intervention focused on motivating patients to change and on adherence to treatment. The therapy is nonconfrontational and is delivered by a nurse-practitioner. Results Compared with younger adults, older adults had greater attendance at therapy sessions and greater adherence to the medication. Age-group was the only pretreatment factor associated with adherence. The greater adherence in older adults translated to less relapse than in younger adults Conclusions Treatment for alcohol dependence can be effective for older adults. Older adults appear to respond well to a medically-oriented program that is supportive and individualized. In fact, findings from this study suggest that older adults can be treated in mixed-age treatment settings when psychotherapeutic strategies are used that are age-appropriate and delivered on an individual basis.
The Reversed Hazard Rate Function

In this paper we discuss some properties of the reversed hazard rate function. This function has been shown to be useful in the analysis of data in the presence of left censored observations. It is also natural in discussing lifetimes with reversed time scale. In fact, ordinary hazard rate functions are most useful for lifetimes, and reverse hazard rates are natural if the time scale is reversed. Mixing up these concepts can often, although not always, lead to anomalies. For example, one result gives that if the reversed hazard rate function is increasing, its interval of support must be (—∞, b) where b is finite. Consequently nonnegative random variables cannot have increasing reversed hazard rates. Because of this result some existing results in the literature on the reversed hazard rate ordering require modification.Reversed hazard rates are also important in the study of systems. Hazard rates have an affinity to series systems; reversed hazard rates seem more appropriate for studying parallel systems. Several results are given that demonstrate this. In studying systems, one problem is to relate derivatives of hazard rate functions and reversed hazard rate functions of systems to similar quantities for components. We give some results that address this. Finally, we carry out comparisons for k-out-of-n systems with respect to the reversed hazard rate ordering.
Beta-blocker management of refractory hemoptysis in cystic fibrosis: a novel treatment approach.

Background/objective:Recurrent hemoptysis is a debilitating complication of cystic fibrosis (CF) and likely results from mucosal erosions into abnormal bronchial blood vessels due to chronic respir...
Incremental optimization in donor polymers for bulk heterojunction organic solar cells exhibiting high performance

The power conversion efficiency of an organic solar cell has now exceeded the 10% mark, which is a significant improvement in the last decade. This has been made possible due to the development of low-band-gap polymers with tunable electron affinity, ionization potential, solubility, and miscibility with the fullerene acceptor, and the improved understanding of the factors affecting the critical device parameters such as the VOC and the JSC. This review examines the latest strategies, results, and trends that have evolved in the design of solar cells with better efficiency and durability. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012
The role of Src in solid tumors.

The proto-oncogene c-Src (Src) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase whose expression and activity is correlated with advanced malignancy and poor prognosis in a variety of human cancers. Nine additional enzymes with homology to Src have been identified and collectively are referred to as the Src family kinases (SFKs). Together, SFKs represent the largest family of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases and interact directly with receptor tyrosine kinases, G-protein-coupled receptors, steroid receptors, signal transducers and activators of transcription and molecules involved in cell adhesion and migration. These interactions lead to a diverse array of biological functions including proliferation, cell growth, differentiation, cell shape, motility, migration, angiogenesis, and survival. Studies investigating mutational activation of Src in human cancers suggest this may be a rare event and wild-type Src is weakly oncogenic. Thus, the role of Src in the development and progression of human cancer has remained unclear. Recently, it has been suggested that increased SFK protein levels and, more importantly, SFK tyrosine kinase activity is linked to cancer progression and metastatic disease by facilitating the action of other signaling proteins. This accumulating body of evidence indicates that SFKs may represent a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of solid tumors. This review discusses the role of SFKs in solid tumors and the recent therapeutic advances aimed at targeting this family of tyrosine kinases in cancer.
Sex, gender, and vulnerability

This paper is concerned with how sex chromosomes and gendered experience differentially contribute to health outcomes, and how gender effects provide an under-explored avenue for health intervention. Research on gender and health is currently undermined by conflation of sex and gender in much of the epidemiologic and clinical literature. This precludes any meaningful reflection on the extent to which our genetic blueprint, versus gendered socialization, contributes to the specific health vulnerabilities of males or females. Drawing on the 2002 global disability adjusted life years (DALYs) for males and females, this paper looks at health outcomes that differentially affect males and females, and distinguishes between vulnerabilities linked to the XX or XY genotype, vulnerabilities due to gendered life experience, and vulnerabilities about which we understand relatively little. The paper highlights the dynamic and changeable nature of gendered health vulnerabilities. Given that gender-based risks are, in principle, amenable to social change, they offer untapped potential for health interventions.
A Polarized Ion Source for the Berkeley 88-Inch Cyclotron

Author(s): Luceio, A.U.; Clark, D.J.; Elo, D.; Frazier, P.; Meiner, H.; Morris, D.; Renkas, M.
Design Structure Matrix Implementation on a Seismic Retrofit

A void exists in development of design theory methodology within the structural engineering community. This void hampers efforts to resolve performance deficiencies including cost over-runs, unplanned rework, and suboptimal design. In manufacturing, product design and production improvements have resulted from implementation of the design structure matrix (DSM) methodology. DSM offers a means to represent, analyze, and decompose complex systems in order to improve their performance. DSM use within the architecture engineering construction (AEC) industry has been sporadic and focused primarily in the U.K. Where applied, DSM has proven effective at helping AEC design teams streamline processes to address nonlinearity (nonsequential information flows) introduced by iteration and complexity in design. When a DSM reveals iteration and highly dependent work, group brainstorming, collocated design sessions, rapid feedback, set-based design, and collaborative design aids can be used to increase overall team effec...
An Analysis of Risk, Insurance, and Actuarial Research: Citations From 1996 to 2000

This article evaluates the relative significance of research published in 16 risk, insurance, and actuarial journals by examining the frequency of citations in these risk, insurance, and actuarial journals and 16 ofthe leading finance journals during the years 1996 through 2000. First, the article provides the frequency with which each sample risk, insurance, and actuarial journal cites itselfand the other sample journals so as to communicate the degree to which each journal’s published research has had an influence on the other sample journals. Then the article divides the 16 journals into two groups: (1) the risk and insurance journal group, and (2) the actuarial journal group, and ranks them within their group based on their total number ofcitations, including and excluding self-citations. A ranking within each group is based on the journals’ influence on a per article published basis. Finally, this study observes and reports on the most frequently cited articles from the sample risk, insurance, and actuarial journals.
Collision-avoidance and landing responses are mediated by separate pathways in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster.

Flies rely heavily on visual feedback for several aspects of flight control. As a fly approaches an object, the image projected across its retina expands, providing the fly with visual feedback that can be used either to trigger a collision-avoidance maneuver or a landing response. To determine how a fly makes the decision to land on or avoid a looming object, we measured the behaviors generated in response to an expanding image during tethered flight in a visual closed-loop flight arena. During these experiments, each fly varied its wing-stroke kinematics to actively control the azimuth position of a 15°×15° square within its visual field. Periodically, the square symmetrically expanded in both the horizontal and vertical directions. We measured changes in the fly's wing-stroke amplitude and frequency in response to the expanding square while optically tracking the position of its legs to monitor stereotyped landing responses. Although this stimulus could elicit both the landing responses and collision-avoidance reactions, separate pathways appear to mediate the two behaviors. For example, if the square is in the lateral portion of the fly's field of view at the onset of expansion, the fly increases stroke amplitude in one wing while decreasing amplitude in the other, indicative of a collision-avoidance maneuver. In contrast, frontal expansion elicits an increase in wing-beat frequency and leg extension, indicative of a landing response. To further characterize the sensitivity of these responses to expansion rate, we tested a range of expansion velocities from 100 to 10000° s^(-1). Differences in the latency of both the collision-avoidance reactions and the landing responses with expansion rate supported the hypothesis that the two behaviors are mediated by separate pathways. To examine the effects of visual feedback on the magnitude and time course of the two behaviors, we presented the stimulus under open-loop conditions, such that the fly's response did not alter the position of the expanding square. From our results we suggest a model that takes into account the spatial sensitivities and temporal latencies of the collision-avoidance and landing responses, and is sufficient to schematically represent how the fly uses integration of motion information in deciding whether to turn or land when confronted with an expanding object.
Design and operation of a current good manufacturing practices cell-engineering laboratory

Medical centers and biotechnology companies active in cellular and gene therapy increasingly are working to design and build clinical laboratories capable of performing cellular engineering and vector production using current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs). Because cell engineering is a rapidly changing field, and definitions for cell engineering cGMPs are still being established, a cGMP cell-engineering laboratory most often should be designed with a broad range of potential applications in mind. While the laboratory facility is the most tangible aspect of cGMP, it represents only part of a larger process, which it must be designed and built to support.
The effect of northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) infestation on hen physiology, physical condition, and egg quality

The northern fowl mite (NFM),Ornithonyssus sylviarum, is the most common ectoparasite of laying hens in North America. Infestation can cause a reduction in egg production, egg weights, and feed conversion efficiency. However, there is a lack of information on the effects of NFM on hen physiology, physical condition, and egg quality. Singly caged beak-trimmed White Leghorn hens (N=32) were infested with mites at 25 wk of age. The condition of each hen was assessed at wk 0 (infestation) and wk 5 and 7 post-infestation to determine comb temperatures and feather, skin, and comb condition. Heterophil-lymphocyte (H/L) ratios and body weight (BW) were evaluated at wk 0 and wk 1, 3, 5, and 7 post-infestation. Egg weight, egg specific gravity, yolk color, Haugh unit (HU), and eggshell thickness were determined prior to infestation (wk -1) and at 1, 3, 5, and 7 wk post-infestation. The H/L ratio (P<0.0001), HU (P<0.0001), and egg specific gravity (P=0.001) were lowest, and the egg yolk color was lightest (P=0.087) at wk 5, the peak of infestation. At wk 5 and 7, more than 65% of the hens had red skin and more than 75% had scabs on the vent; in addition more than 84% had grey-black vent feathers. There were no effects of infestation on comb color, comb temperature, feather cover, BW, or eggshell thickness. It was concluded that infestation with NFM has negative effects on interior egg quality and hen integument. A decrease in H/L ratio was also observed at the peak of infestation. However, the effects of NFM on the immune system are unclear, and H/L ratio might not be a good stress measure in hens highly infested with NFM.
Stochastic modeling of damage accumulation due to mode-I propagation of fatigue cracks

A markov model is developed to evaluate mode-I fatigue crack propagation in structures subjected to time varying randomload processes. The method of analysis involves phenomenological models for material behavior and is based on the theories of linear elastic fracture mechanics and compound Poisson processes. Application based on the dynamic behavior of plates due to random transverse load is presented to illustrate the proposed techniques.
Insect control in wheat by use of microwave energy

An exposure of 10 sec in a microwave oven produced 82, 88, and 90% average mortalities among the immature stages of the lesser grain borer, Rhylzopertha dominica (F,); Angonolois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier); and the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.), respectively, Following a 10-second exposure, the germination of uninfested ‘Soft Red Winter’ wheat was reduced 8% or less. Radiographic analysis showed internal checking after a 15-second exposure.
Serious complications of L-asparaginase in children with lymphatic system maliganancy

Objective In order to insure the successful use of L asparaginase(L ASP) in childhood lymphoblastic leukemia and non Hodgkin's lymphoma ,we observed the serious complications of L ASP. Methods We designed measurements and items to detect and monitor the complications of L ASP. The incidence and onset time of each complication were summarized. Results Twenty of 301 patients(6.6 %) developed serious complications which were most probably due to L ASP therapy . We observed 6 children (1.99 %) had pancreatitis. Hyperglycemia were observed in 7 patients (2.32 %). One patient developed hypoglycemia (0.33 %). Centralnevous system thrombosis were observed in 2 patients(0.66 %). Haemorrhagic and shock were observed in 4 and 15 patients separately. Six patients(1.99 %) developed DIC. Seven patients(2.3 %)developed shock .Ten patients(3.3 %) died of various complications. Conclusions The cytotoxic effect of L ASP may cause systemic damage to patients,even lethiferous.Close and reasonable monitoring and early interventions may decrease the incidence and hazard of the L ASP complications obviously.
Abstract 1754: Body powder use and ovarian cancer: the African American Cancer Epidemiology Study

Findings of epidemiologic studies indicate an increased risk of ovarian cancer among women who use powders applied to perineal areas. Although African American (AA) women have a high prevalence of powder use, this relationship has not been thoroughly investigated in this group of women. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between use of genital and non-genital powder in invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Subjects are women enrolled in the African American Epidemiology Cancer Study (AACES), an ongoing, population-based case-control study of EOC in AA women in 11 geographic locations in the U.S. Newly diagnosed EOC cases were identified by SEER and state cancer registries, gynecologic oncology departments or hospitals, and were between the ages of 20-79 years. AA controls were identified through random digit dialing and frequency matched to cases on state of residence and five year age groups. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between genital powder and non-genital powder exposure and risk of EOC, while controlling for several confounders, including age at diagnosis/interview, study site, education, tubal ligation, parity, BMI, duration of oral contraceptive use, first degree family history of breast or ovarian cancer, and interview year. Due to experimental models suggesting a relationship with inert particulates and estrogen, we also examined potential effect modification of this relationship by hormone therapy use among postmenopausal women. Body powder use was common in this study population (62.8% of cases and 52.9% of controls). Any genital powder use was associated with a 44% increased risk of EOC (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.11-1.86) and a dose-response relationship was present for duration of body powder use applied to genital areas, p Citation Format: Lauren C. Peres, Sarah E. Abbott, Anthony J. Alberg, Elisa V. Bandera, Jill Barnholtz-Sloan, Melissa Bondy, Michele L. Cote, Ellen Funkhouser, Edward S. Peters, Ann G. Schwartz, Paul D. Terry, Sydnee Crankshaw, Fabian Camacho, Frances Wang, Patricia G. Moorman, Joellen M. Schildkraut. Body powder use and ovarian cancer: the African American Cancer Epidemiology Study. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1754.
Polymeric Materials in Drug Delivery

Abstract In recent years, significant advances have been made in drug delivery systems through the use of both natural and synthetic polymers. Polymers (with desired physicochemical properties) can be used in the manufacture of tablets, implants, microspheres, nanoparticles, drug-eluting stents, in situ forming gels, and polymeric scaffolds (for tissue engineering) to achieve the goal of controlled drug ­delivery. Various in vitro and in vivo methods are available to evaluate both the polymer excipients and the final formulations to achieve an ­understanding of in vivo performance. This chapter provides an overview of characterization methodologies for polymeric drug delivery systems, including mechanical properties, surface and morphological analysis, and in vitro / in vivo biocompatibility testing and in vitro drug release testing. Current regulatory guidelines for biocompatibility testing of biomedical devices and in vitro dissolution testing of polymeric formulations are also discussed.
How salient is the identity of engineering students? on the use of the Engineering Student Identity Survey

Despite efforts to diversify the undergraduate engineering student body, recruitment and retention issues still persist. We attempt to address this problem by conducting research to better understand engineering students through the lens of identity theory. Implications of this effort are twofold: (1) to contribute to our understanding of engineering students' identities as well as what factors (experiences and settings) foster the formation and transformation of these identities during the undergraduate experience, and (2) to gain insight into improving recruitment and retention of engineering students, particularly underrepresented students. However, in order to empirically explore the role of identity, we must first have a psychometrically sound measure of engineering student identity. In developing the Engineering Student Identity Survey (E-SIS), our research team administered the survey to four cohorts of engineering students to investigate whether the E-SIS could differentiate, in predictable ways, the salience of engineering identity across cohorts. The measured constructs were derived from extensive theoretical underpinnings in social identity theory (i.e. interest, unified self-concept, sense of belonging, self-enhancement, participation, distinctiveness, social support, in-group cooperation, citizenship behavior, visibility of affiliation). Results indicate that the E-SIS is able to discriminate between first-, second-, and third/fourth-year students, to varying degrees, on all of the ten subscales used in the analyses. Potential applications and improvements are evident based on these results.
Risk Factors for Postcesarean Maternal Infection in a Trial of Extended-Spectrum Antibiotic Prophylaxis.

OBJECTIVE:To identify maternal clinical risk factors for postcesarean maternal infection in a randomized clinical trial of preincision extended-spectrum antibiotic prophylaxis.METHODS:We conducted a planned secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial. Patients were 24 weeks of gestation or gre
NEOD001 DEMONSTRATES CARDIAC BIOMARKER RESPONSES IN PATIENTS WITH LIGHT CHAIN AMYLOIDOSIS: RESULTS FROM THE PHASE 1/2 STUDY

Background: Current therapies used to treat AL amyloidosis limit light chain (LC) production but do not directly target deposits underlying multiorgan failure. NEOD001, a monoclonal antibody, targets misfolded LC and is thought to neutralize circulating LC aggregates and to clear insoluble deposits
Collaborative PCA/DCA Learning Methods for Compressive Privacy

In the Internet era, the data being collected on consumers like us are growing exponentially, and attacks on our privacy are becoming a real threat. To better ensure our privacy, it is safer to let the data owner control the data to be uploaded to the network as opposed to taking chance with data servers or third parties. To this end, we propose compressive privacy, a privacy-preserving technique to enable the data creator to compress data via collaborative learning so that the compressed data uploaded onto the Internet will be useful only for the intended utility and not be easily diverted to malicious applications.For data in a high-dimensional feature vector space, a common approach to data compression is dimension reduction or, equivalently, subspace projection. The most prominent tool is principal component analysis (PCA). For unsupervised learning, PCA can best recover the original data given a specific reduced dimensionality. However, for the supervised learning environment, it is more effective to adopt a supervised PCA, known as discriminant component analysis (DCA), to maximize the discriminant capability.The DCA subspace analysis embraces two different subspaces. The signal-subspace components of DCA are associated with the discriminant distance/power (related to the classification effectiveness), whereas the noise subspace components of DCA are tightly coupled with recoverability and/or privacy protection. This article presents three DCA-related data compression methods useful for privacy-preserving applications:—Utility-driven DCA: Because the rank of the signal subspace is limited by the number of classes, DCA can effectively support classification using a relatively small dimensionality (i.e., high compression).—Desensitized PCA: By incorporating a signal-subspace ridge into DCA, it leads to a variant especially effective for extracting privacy-preserving components. In this case, the eigenvalues of the noise-space are made to become insensitive to the privacy labels and are ordered according to their corresponding component powers.—Desensitized K-means/SOM: Since the revelation of the K-means or SOM cluster structure could leak sensitive information, it is safer to perform K-means or SOM clustering on a desensitized PCA subspace.
GRAPHICS BASED SIMULATION SYSTEM (GBSS) FOR MICROCOMPUTERS

Abstract GBSS is a graphics based system for simulating Discrete event systems. The simulator builds a graphic model of the system to be simulated using GBSS primitives. This model looks very much like the system under study. Various parameters and conditions to control the flow of entities are provided via GBSS input program. One of the objectives of this approach is that it requires no programming and/or debugging effort. Simulation of systems in GBSS produces graphic display of the system states and other endogenous variables at conclusion of simulation run. The diagram below (see Figure 1) illustrates what the user will build for a simple single server queueing system with balking. The various symbols used are described as follows: G - Generation of customers Q - Queue S - Server T - Termination of customer → - Indicates the flow of the customer Parameters describing the characteristics of all boxes are provided by the user via the GBSS input program.
Calibration of VLP-16 Lidar and multi-view cameras using a ball for 360 degree 3D color map acquisition

Calibration between Lidar sensor and RGB cameras can be applied to various fields such as object recognition and tracking, 2D-3D mapping, and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). Different methods for calibrating Lidar sensor and RGB cameras have been proposed using special 3D markers or calibration patterns. However, most of these methods have disadvantages of longer processing time, and various experimental constraints such as entire calibration pattern must appear within the scan range of the Lidar. In this paper, we propose a simple and fast calibration method between a Lidar sensor and multiple RGB cameras using a sphere object.
Accuracy of CT Attenuation Measurement for Differentiating Treated Osteoblastic Metastases From Enostoses

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to assess whether the maximum and mean CT attenuations are accurate for differentiating between enostoses and treated sclerotic metastases. MATERIALS AND M...
The Modeling and Analysis of Mixed-Criticality Systems

Methodologies that are currently widely used in the design and implementation of safety-critical real-time application systems are primarily focused on ensuring correctness. This, in conjunction with the trend towards implementing such systems using COTS components, may lead to very poor utilization of the implementation platform resources during run-time. Mixed-criticality implementations have been proposed as one means of achieving more efficient resource utilization upon such platforms. The real-time scheduling community has been developing a theory of mixed-criticality scheduling that seeks to solve resource allocation problems for mixed-criticality systems. There is a need for the formal methods and analysis community to work on developing methodologies for the design and analysis of mixed-criticality systems; such methodologies, in conjunction with the work on mixed-criticality scheduling currently being done in the real-time scheduling community, has the potential to significantly enhance our ability to design and implement large, complex, real-time systems in a manner that is both provably correct and resource-efficient.
Intraoperative Evaluation of Colorectal Specimens Containing Cancer

Intraoperative assessment of colon cancer resection specimens may influence immediate surgical management. Indications for evaluation include determining the depth of invasion, presence of serosal penetration, status of margins, and intactness of the mesorectum, when present. Pathologists may also be asked to identify residual carcinoma in neoadjuvantly treated patients, or document the presence of other lesions, such as adenomas, polypectomy sites, or underlying colitis. Estimating the depth of invasion into the colonic wall is best achieved by macroscopic examination in combination with frozen section analysis, whereas detecting serosal involvement may require touch or scrape preparations of the serosal surface. Assessment of margins is most challenging in rectal specimens, particularly when patients have received neoadjuvant therapy.
Spiritual Care in a Social Media Landscape.

Given that social media extends both connection and suffering that occurs in physical spaces into digital spaces, issues of connection and suffering are increasingly integrated across people’s onli...
Facile Impregnation of Graphene into Porous Wood Filters for the Dynamic Removal and Recovery of Dyes from Aqueous Solutions

Ever increasing industrialization leads to a rise in contaminated water resources due to the release of pollutants, such as organic dyes, into aquatic environments. Carbon nanosorbents, such as graphene, often exhibit faster uptake, higher capacity, and superior regeneration than activated carbon, which is the world’s most widely used adsorbent for point-of-use water purification. However, continuous-flow adsorption treatments using graphene-based adsorbents are relatively scarce and are challenged by pressure drop and low flow through efficiency. Solid–liquid separation after treatment is another great concern when dealing with carbon nanosorbents. One way to address these issues consists of impregnating basswood, which is uniquely designed for fluid transportation, with graphene to promote fast and efficient adsorption, eliminate the need for dispersing and recovering the nanomaterials, and limit pressure drop as well as nanoparticle aggregation. The properties of the modified wood filters to adsorb and...
Distributed Event-Triggered $H_{\infty}$ Filtering for Discrete-Time T–S Fuzzy Systems Over Sensor Networks

This paper investigates the distributed event-triggered (ET) ${H} _{\boldsymbol \infty }$ filtering problem for discrete-time T–S fuzzy systems over sensor networks. In order to mitigate the effect of channel noise on the filtering error systems, dynamic saturation levels are considered in this paper. Different from the existing linear distributed ET filters design results, new piecewise fuzzy distributed filters are established to address the challenges caused by the distributed ET mechanisms. By constructing piecewise differentiable Lyapunov functionals, sufficient conditions in terms of linear matrix inequalities are obtained to guarantee the exponential stability and desired performance of the filtering error system. Finally, two examples are employed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
A reinforcing HNF4-SMAD4 feed-forward module stabilizes enterocyte identity.

BMP/SMAD signaling is a crucial regulator of intestinal differentiation1–4. However, the molecular underpinnings of the BMP pathway in this context are unknown. Here, we characterize the mechanism by which BMP/SMAD signaling drives enterocyte differentiation. We establish that the transcription factor HNF4A acts redundantly with an intestine-restricted HNF4 paralog, HNF4G, to activate enhancer chromatin and upregulate the majority of transcripts enriched in the differentiated epithelium; cells fail to differentiate on double knockout of both HNF4 paralogs. Furthermore, we show that SMAD4 and HNF4 function via a reinforcing feed-forward loop, activating each other’s expression and co-binding to regulatory elements of differentiation genes. This feed-forward regulatory module promotes and stabilizes enterocyte cell identity; disruption of the HNF4–SMAD4 module results in loss of enterocyte fate in favor of progenitor and secretory cell lineages. This intersection of signaling and transcriptional control provides a framework to understand regenerative tissue homeostasis, particularly in tissues with inherent cellular plasticity5. The authors show that the transcription factors HNF4A and HNF4G regulate the transcriptome of the intestinal epithelium. HNF4 factors cooperate with BMP/SMAD signaling to promote enterocyte identity.
Interactions between motor thalamic field potentials and single unit spiking predict behavior in rats

Abstract The thalamus plays a central role in generating circuit-level neural oscillations believed to coordinate brain activity over large spatiotemporal scales. Such thalamic influences are well-documented for sleep rhythms and in sensory systems, but the relationship between thalamic activity, motor circuit local field potential (LFP) oscillations, and behavior is unknown. We recorded wideband motor thalamic (Mthal) electrophysiology as healthy rats performed a two-alternative forced choice task. The power of delta (1−4 Hz), beta (13−30 Hz), low gamma (30−70 Hz), and high gamma (70−200 Hz) oscillations were strongly modulated by task performance. As in cortex, delta phase predicted beta/low gamma power and reaction time. Furthermore, delta phase differentially predicted spike timing in functionally distinct populations of Mthal neurons, which also predicted task performance and beta power. These complex relationships suggest mechanisms for commonly observed LFP-LFP and spike-LFP interactions, as well as subcortical influences on motor output.
Impact of basic arithmetic skills on success in first-semester general chemistry

First-semester general chemistry is a known “gatekeeper” course due to its high failure rate. These higher education courses are taken by students who for the most part are regularly admitted freshmen, yet many struggle to succeed. In this investigation researchers from six higher-education institutions of varied sizes with student bodies of different ethnic composition teamed up to investigate the Math-Up Skills Test (MUST) as a potential tool to identify at-risk students in first-semester general chemistry (Chem I). A large population (N = 1073) was given the MUST at the beginning of the semester. The MUST had good internal consistency with the sample (Cronbach's alpha = 0.856). The MUST offers a quick 15 minute assessment of basic mathematics ability without a calculator. Instructors may find it easier than other documented predictors, which may take more time or involve obtaining student records (e.g., Math SAT). Results from the MUST support prior findings that mathematics skills correlate with course grades in chemistry. Poor arithmetic automaticity may be an underlying factor in lower performance by many students. With statistical modeling, the MUST, along with other demographic variables, was able to identify students who would go on to make a 69.5% or better in Chem I with a high percent of accuracy. The MUST, in tandem with other demographic variables, should be considered a potential tool for early identification of students at-risk for failing the class.
Evaluating Tiered Hemolysis Thresholds to Facilitate Rapid Reporting of High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin

Background: Cardiac troponin (cTn) assays are used for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and frequently require serial measurements. Recollection of unacceptable specimens for hemolysis can delay results and disrupt timing of serial measurements. This study was designed to assess the influence of hemolysis on a high-sensitivity cTnT assay in granular detail at clinically important concentrations. These were used in consultation with the clinical practice to evaluate risk-based thresholds for acceptable amounts of hemolysis. Methods: Plasma pools ranging from 100 ng/L cTnT were spiked with hemolysate to various degrees of hemolysis and measured using the Elecsys Troponin T Gen 5 STAT assay. The impact of accepting expanded hemolysis thresholds was completed using retrospective data of 12225 serial cTnT results and an additional 4651 baseline cTnT results. Results: The mean percent change in cTnT was consistent for a given degree of hemolysis regardless of the initial nonhemolyzed cTnT concentration. Tiered hemolysis thresholds were evaluated for low-risk patients (apparent cTnT ≤8 ng/L), intermediate-risk patients (thresholds for 9–37 ng/L, 38–66 ng/L, and 67–99 ng/L cTnT), and high-risk patients (≥100 ng/L cTnT). The influence of tiered hemolysis thresholds was calculated for patients with serial (0 and 2 h) cTnT results, which demonstrated that the majority of 2-h delta interpretations were unchanged. Implementation of tiered thresholds dramatically decreased recollections for hemolyzed cTnT samples. Conclusion: Tiered hemolysis cutoffs minimized disruption to patient care for low- and high-risk patients, while maintaining the integrity of serial measurements for those with intermediate cTnT concentrations.
Catheter Complications in Patients Undergoing Extracorporeal Photopheresis for Management of Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Introduction Complications associated with central vascular access (VA) in patients (pts) undergoing extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) may limit therapy. VA options often include dual lumen vortex (DLV) implantable and tunneled trifusion/other (TF) catheters. There is limited data about VA associated complications such as infection, thrombosis, and equipment failure in those undergoing ECP. Objectives Our primary aim was to describe VA associated complications during ECP. Methods We retrospectively reviewed pts who received ECP at our institution from January 2011 to October 2019. We examined episodes of cellulitis, catheter associated bacterial infection (CLABSI), catheter removal/exchange (CRE), and discontinuation of ECP. Results Fifty-two pts had at least 4 ECP sessions using VA. 12 were treated for acute and 40 for chronic/overlap GvHD (cGvHD). Overall, median # ECP sessions (ES) was 35 (range 4-311), median # ECP months (EM) was 7 (range 0.5 to 86). Total number of VA events = 21. In cGvHD (n=40), Median ES was 50 (range 14-311). With DLV catheters (16/40 pts), total VA events = 8 (1 event every 133 ES). 5 events required CRE, and 3 pts resumed ECP after event. With TF catheters (24/40 pts), total VA events = 8 (1 event every 142 ES). 2 events required CRE, and 4 pts restarted ECP after event. In acute GVHD (n=12), median ES was 15 (range 4-83). 11/12 used a TF catheter. CLABSI was diagnosed in 5/12 pts, all of whom were already hospitalized for GvHD therapy. 3/5 required CRE. ECP was discontinued in all events due to progressive GvHD or infection. Conclusion During ECP for cGvHD treatment, DLV and TF catheters have similar number of complications (p=0.81) when adjusted for total ES and EM. VA events are a major cause of ECP discontinuation. In aGvHD, the high incidence of CLABSI is attributed to severe immunosuppression from therapy rather than specific catheter related events.
Visual Image Quality Impacts Circadian Rhythm-Related Gene Expression in Retina and in Choroid: A Potential Mechanism for Ametropias.

Purpose Stimulated by evidence implicating diurnal/circadian rhythms and light in refractive development, we studied the expression over 24 hours of selected clock and circadian rhythm-related genes in retina/retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroid of experimental ametropias in chicks. Methods Newly hatched chicks, entrained to a 12-hour light/dark cycle for 12 to 14 days, either experienced nonrestricted vision OU (i.e., in both eyes) or received an image-blurring diffuser or a minus 10-diopter (D) or a plus 10-D defocusing lens over one eye. Starting 1 day later and at 4-hour intervals for 24 hours, the retina/RPE and choroid were separately dissected. Without pooling, total RNA was extracted, converted to cDNA, and assayed by quantitative PCR for the expression of the following genes: Opn4m, Clock, Npas2, Per3, Cry1, Arntl, and Mtnr1a. Results The expression of each gene in retina/RPE and in choroid of eyes with nonrestricted vision OU varied over 24 hours, with equal levels OU for most genes and times. Altered visual input influenced gene expression in complex patterns that varied by gene, visual input, time, and eye, affecting experimental eyes with altered vision and also contralateral eyes with nonrestricted vision. Discussion Altering visual input in ways known to induce ametropias alters the retinal/RPE and choroidal expression of circadian rhythm-related genes, further linking circadian biology with eye growth regulation. While further investigations are needed, studying circadian processes may help understand refractive mechanisms and the increasing myopia prevalence in contemporary societies where lighting patterns can desynchronize endogenous rhythms from the natural environmental light/dark cycle.
Tumor subtypes associated with prostate cancer (PCa) both as first and second primary tumors: A registry-based analysis.

e17528Background: First primary tumors (FPT) generally are associated with decreased survival and, thus, reduced risk of second primary tumors (SPT). A greater than expected incidence of SPT may in...
The Impact of Animal Exposure for Children with ASD: a Scoping Review

Animal-assisted interventions are increasingly used for children with ASD to promote inclusion and quality of life but are not accessible to many families. Companion animals may provide similar benefit but have not been well-investigated within this population. This scoping review presents the state of research regarding natural-based animal exposure to children and adolescents with ASD. Thirteen studies met the criteria for inclusion within this review. The results found primary themes to include social skills and relationships; emerging subthemes included safety and security, and mental health benefits related to social skills. The research was primarily exploratory and qualitative with flawed methodology. Recommendations include continued research with longitudinal designs, more rigorous methodologies, and use of objective measures to study the human-animal bond.
Karst Geology of the Upper Midwest, USA

Karst in the Upper Midwest occurs within a thick sequence of mixed carbonate and siliciclastic Cambrian through Pennsylvanian sedimentary rocks, with a minor occurrence of karst in Proterozoic sandstone. Deposition of the sediments occurred on a marine epeiric ramp that spanned much of the North American continent through most of the Paleozoic. The Upper Midwest region experienced dramatic changes in sea level over geologic time, resulting in the observed sequence of interbedded carbonate and clastic rocks. The greatest degree of karst development occurs within (1) the Lower Ordovician Prairie du Chien Group below the Sauk-Tippecanoe (Knox) unconformity, (2) the Upper Ordovician Galena Group, (3) the Middle and Upper Devonian Wapsipinicon and Cedar Valley Groups, and (4) the Middle Mississippian Mammoth Cave Group and correlative formations. Uplift and exposure of the rocks likely occurred in the Permian, with some later deposition of Cretaceous terrestrial sediments atop the marine strata. Nearly all the Cenozoic sedimentary units were removed by ice sheets during the Pleistocene; however, pockets of Cretaceous sediments persist on the margins of the Driftless Area, a region of the Upper Mississippi River Valley that remained largely free of ice during the last ice age.
Immediate targeted nipple-areolar complex re-innervation: Improving outcomes in immediate autologous breast reconstruction.

Summary Breast reconstruction often renders the chest skin and nipple areolar complex (NAC) insensate. We propose a new technique of preserving the intercostal nerves during mastectomy and using them to reinnervate the NAC following mastectomy and immediate autologous tissue reconstruction. The technique involves preservation of the lateral intercostal nerves during mastectomy, dissection of the lateral intercostal nerves to length, coaptation of the intercostal nerves to a nerve graft which is then tunneled through the free flap and the distal nerve graft is then coapted to the nerve stumps at the base of the NAC. We performed a retrospective analysis of 14 breasts, which underwent nipple reinnervation during immediate autologous breast reconstruction. Mean age was 49 years (range: 32–61 years). Sensory outcomes, as tested with Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments, were compared to a cohort of breasts that underwent nipple sparing mastectomy without neurotization. Compared to control patients, there was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.0969) in sensation between pre-operative and post-operative nipple sensation at final follow-up. This proof-of-concept study suggests that immediate re-innervation of the NAC in the setting of immediate breast reconstruction enhances recovery of the NAC sensation.
Metformin-Induced Fixed-Drug Eruption Confirmed by Multiple Exposures.

BACKGROUND A fixed-drug eruption (FDE) is a reaction characterized by cutaneous lesions that appear due to exposure to a particular drug. Barbiturates, carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracyclines have all been associated with causation of FDEs. Although these drugs are more commonly associated with FDEs, any introduction of a medication has the potential to result in a FDE. Metformin, a commonly used medication to improve glycemic control, has been reported to cause dermatologic reactions in some case reports, but only a single previously documented case report discusses the potential of metformin-associated FDE. CASE REPORT We describe a 56-year-old woman who developed a FDE with multiple exposures to metformin. Upon each exposure, small, round, erythematic lesions developed on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet; these lesions resolved each time after discontinuation of metformin. According to the Naranjo scale, there is a definite association between metformin and FDE in this case (score of 8). CONCLUSIONS This report contributes to the limited documented literature on metformin-induced FDE. Clinicians should be made aware of possible FDEs associated with this commonly used medication.
A Framework for Virtual Coaching & Counseling and Its Application to Opioid Use Disorder

Virtual Coaching involves a program or device that guides a user to complete a task or activity. We envision future virtual coaching to be more interactive and context-aware to support user participation and needs. This will lead to Virtual Coach & Counselor (VCC), especially for behavioral and mental health. In this paper, we first present a systematic literature review of mobile apps followed by a VCC framework. Then, we apply the proposed VCC framework to Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). We also present several challenges and potential solutions for future research.