cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Legal Briefs: Retroperitoneal Hemorrhage

A 2,385-g 35–6/7-weeks' gestation male was delivered to a 26-year-old woman whose pregnancy was unremarkable until 2 days before delivery. She was walking up the staircase in her mother's home during a family celebration where she briefly lost her footing, stumbled, and twisted her body, although she braced herself without falling. Two days later, she experienced vomiting, cough, shortness of breath, and severe left flank as well as chest and abdominal pain. The paramedics were summoned to her home, where they found her blood pressure (BP) to be only palpable and her capillary refill delayed. She had a heart rate (HR) of 74 beats/min, a respiratory rate (RR) of 16 breaths/min, and a pulse oximetry reading of 100%. She was conscious but weak. They inserted an intravenous line and began infusion of 1,000 mL of normal saline, leaving the stopcock wide open on the way to the emergency department (ED). The woman arrived at the ED 20 minutes later, at 0000. Her BP was 96/70 mm Hg, HR was 70 beats/min, RR was 70 breaths/min, and temperature was 35.6°C. She was conscious but drowsy and having difficulty breathing. On physical examination, she was pale and had tenderness on her left side. She was transmitting her history through her husband because she was so weak and only he could understand what she was saying. The ED physician's differential diagnoses were pulmonary embolism and pneumonia. Blood was drawn for a complete blood count (CBC), blood chemistries, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), and d-dimers. The treating physicians and defense experts pointed out that the woman was totally stable when she arrived at the ED and showed no signs of hypotension or bleeding on arrival. The plaintiff experts pointed out that her BP was not obtainable by the paramedics before the …
Taking orders from Little Havana

(1994). Taking orders from Little Havana. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Vol. 50, No. 5, pp. 20-21.
Inferning trees

We consider the problem of learning an Ising model for the purpose of subsequently performing inference from partial observations. This is in contrast to most other work on graphical model learning, which tries to learn the true underlying graph. This objective requires a lower bound on the strength of edges for identifiability of the model. We show that in the relatively simple case of tree models, the Chow-Liu algorithm learns a distribution with accurate low-order marginals despite the model possibly being non-identifiable. In other words, a model that appears rather different from the truth nevertheless allows to carry out inference accurately.
Perceived beauty of random texture patterns: A preference for complexity

Abstract We report two experiments on the perceived aesthetic quality of random density texture patterns. In each experiment a square grid was filled with a progressively larger number of elements. Grid size in Experiment 1 was 10 × 10 with elements added to create a variety of textures ranging from 10%–100% fill levels. Participants rated the beauty of the patterns. Average judgments across all observers showed an inverted U-shaped function that peaked near middle densities. In Experiment 2 grid size was increased to 15 × 15 to see if observers preferred patterns with a fixed density or a fixed number of elements. The results of the second experiment were nearly identical to that of the first showing a preference for density over fixed element number. Ratings in both studies correlated positively with a GIF compression metric of complexity and with edge length. Within the range of stimuli used, observers judge more complex patterns to be more beautiful.
An evaluation of heart health education for Southeast Asians.

We present data on the effects of a heart health education intervention targeted at adult Southeast Asians. Within each of the Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese groups who received the intervention, we obtained random samples approximately three to 18 months postintervention. Comparisons were made between preintervention and postintervention knowledge of blood pressure and awareness of behaviors to prevent heart disease. Within all three ethnic samples, we found significant increases in the pre-to-post percentages of individuals who could define blood pressure and identify ways to prevent heart diseases. [Am J Prev Med 1994;10:205–8]
Fibronectin expression on surgical specimens correlated with the response to intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy.

AbstractAttachment of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) organisms to the bladder during intravesical therapy is thought to be mediated exclusively by the glycoprotein fibronectin, which is expressed variably on epithelial surfaces and on basement membranes. We examined the relationship between the degree of fibronectin expressed on surgical specimens obtained from 50 candidates for BCG therapy and the subsequent clinical response. Immunoperoxidase staining for fibronectin was performed on tumor, nonadjacent normal mucosa and basement membrane tissues, and the intensity of the staining was scored on a scale of 0 to 3+ (control 2+). In the absence of recurrence at quarterly surveillance cystoscopy, a course of Tice BCG therapy consisted of 6 weekly and 12 monthly instillations. Recurrence of noninvasive tumor prompted a second BCG course. Followup ranged from 24 to 66 months (median 40 months). Of the 50 patients (11 with carcinoma in situ) disease progression occurred in 9 (none with carcinoma in situ). Compa...
Models of Development and Theories of Development

ABSTRACT Models, which originate in metaphor, exist on several levels ranging from all inclusive metaphysical models to narrowly circumscribed models of specific features of theories. Models at the more general levels form the determining logical context for models at lower levels. This categorical determinism stretches from metaphysical levels through scientific theories, to the manner in which we analyze, interpret, and make inferences from empirical evidence. Two radically different models which have had a pervasive effect upon the nature of psychology generally and developmental psychology specifically are the organismic and mechanistic world views. The history and nature of those models are discussed and the manner in which they become transformed into corrolary issues which form the metatheoretical basis for theory construction is analyzed. Theories built upon different world views are logically independent and cannot be assimilated to each other. They reflect different ways of looking at the world and, as such, are incompatible in their implications.
“Volunteers Welcome, That Is, Some Volunteers”: Experiences Teaching College Courses at a Women’s Prison

Despite evidence that educational programs have important rehabilitative effects on inmates, such programs have suffered significant reductions. Remaining programs increasingly rely on volunteers since prison administrators typically require that inmates be given the opportunity to participate in post-secondary education. This autoethnographic study utilizes a “magnified moment” method to elucidate structural and cultural contexts that shape the experience of establishing college courses at a women’s prison in the USA. Through focusing on these magnified moments, I take the reader on a journey to answer larger theoretical questions of which volunteers attain access into prison and what are the implications of who does get in?
Implications and Recommendations

This concluding chapter summarizes what appear to us to be the key problems of the diploma schools of nursing as revealed by our study of a particular school. Although we have focused on the diploma program, the implications of our findings have relevance for all types of nursing education programs, particularly those in junior colleges or those which involve close affiliation between diploma schools and junior colleges.
Cuba, Haiti, and the USA: Performing Race, Nation, and Empire, 1898–1940

On April 3, 1914, 4 months before the opening of the Panama Canal, William A. MacCorkle, state senator and former governor of West Virginia, delivered an address before the American Academy of Political and Social Science in Philadelphia on the value of Cuba and Haiti to US interests. (The address was published the following year. William A. MacCorkle, The Monroe Doctrine in Its Relation to the Republic of Haiti (New York: Neale Publishing Company, 1915). MacCorkle was governor (1893–97) and state senator (1911–14). ———, The Recollections of Fifty Years of West Virginia (New York: J.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1928)). “Second to Cuba in strategical importance is the Island of Haiti,” the senator declared—and he framed the significance in terms of US foreign policy, which was invested in creating pathways and seaways for the flow of capital. (———, The Monroe Doctrine… 32). As evidence, he cited their proximity to the Canal, potential market value, and strategic importance as military additions to the geo-political Canal Zone.
Diversity gain region for MIMO fading broadcast channels

In this work, we introduce the notion of the diversity gain region for a multiuser channel. This region specifies the set of diversity-gain vectors that are simultaneously achievable by all users in the multiuser channel. This is done by associating different probabilities of error for different users, contrary to the traditional approach where a single probability of system error is considered. We derive an inner bound (achievable region) and an outer bound for the diversity gain region of a MIMO fading broadcast channel.
SunSpot: Exposing the Location of Anonymous Solar-powered Homes

Homeowners are increasingly deploying grid-tied solar systems due to the rapid decline in solar module prices. The energy produced by these solar-powered homes is monitored by utilities and third parties using networked energy meters, which record and transmit energy data at fine-grained intervals. Such energy data is considered anonymous if it is not associated with identifying account information, e.g., a name and address. Thus, energy data from these "anonymous" homes is often not handled securely: it is routinely transmitted over the Internet in plaintext, stored unencrypted in the cloud, shared with third-party energy analytics companies, and even made publicly available over the Internet. Extensive prior work has shown that energy consumption data is vulnerable to multiple attacks, which analyze it to reveal a range of sensitive private information about occupant activities. However, these attacks are useless without knowledge of a home's location. Our key insight is that solar energy data is not anonymous: since every location on Earth has a unique solar signature, it embeds detailed location information. To explore the severity and extent of this privacy threat, we design SunSpot to localize "anonymous" solar-powered homes using their solar energy data. We evaluate SunSpot on publicly-available energy data from 14 homes with rooftop solar. We find that SunSpot is able to localize a solar-powered home to a small region of interest that is near the smallest possible area given the energy data resolution, e.g., within a ~500m and ~28km radius for per-second and per-minute resolution, respectively. SunSpot then identifies solar-powered homes within this region using crowd-sourced image processing of satellite data before applying additional filters to identify a specific home.
The diffusion of international norms of banknote iconography: A case study of the New Taiwan Dollar

Abstract There has been a dramatic rise in progressive values imagery on the banknotes of industrialized states over the past few decades. We see this trend as an instance of international norm diffusion and point to two causal mechanisms that have facilitated it: mimesis and professionalism. We hypothesize that national politicians are more subject to the mimetic mechanism, whereas central bank bureaucrats are more subject to the professionalism mechanism. We then probe the value of our theoretical contentions with a case study of the banknotes of the Republic of China, i.e. Taiwan. Using qualitative and quantitative content analysis, we show the convergence of the New Taiwan Dollar with advanced country norms of progressive banknote iconography around the year 2000. Then, using historical process-tracing analysis, we show that this convergence was engineered by national politicians who wanted banknote reform for mimetic and domestic political reasons, and central bank bureaucrats who wanted banknote reform for professional reasons. In short, the changes to these important symbols of national identity were reflections of different state actors' thirst for international belonging.
UTILIZATION OF OPTICAL FIBERS IN REMOTE INELASTIC LIGHT SCATTERING PROBES

Preliminary Raman scattering data have been obtained to determine the feasibility of using optical fibers to transmit laser light to a remote location and to return inelastically scattered light to a central spectrometer. To improve signal-to-noise ratios, both a spherical mirror sampling cell and a resonant prism arrangement have been investigated.
Enhancing electric safety by improving system resiliency in face of extreme emergencies

Sever weather condition together with other natural catastrophes can danger lives, disable communities, and disrupt electric utilities' generation, transmission and distribution systems. An incident at a high-voltage transmission line may results in more significant cascading failure if appropriate safety measured contingency schemes are not well developed or not achievable by system operators, in the case of these unpredictable events the loss of multiple substations and lines would result in the loss of electricity to millions of customers. Many strategic utilities which their functionality heavily depend on the continual existence of electricity might fall in the major hassle. Since, restoration or repair of the failed components may take days to weeks, depending on the ability to bypass damaged substations or disrupted lines using the built-in resilience of the interconnected grid, having a proper resilience-based strategy in face of extreme weather is of great importance.
Renal functional outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous cryoablation or partial nephrectomy for a solitary renal mass.

Objectives To compare renal functional changes after percutaneous cryoablation (PCA) or partial nephrectomy (PN). Patients and Methods Patients who underwent PCA or PN for a solitary renal mass at a single institution were identified (2003–2013). Estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) were calculated at baseline, discharge, and at the 3-month follow-up using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Changes in renal function were compared between groups using 1:1 propensity score (PS) matching, adjustment for PS quintile, and inverse probability weighting (IPW). Results There were 2 040 procedures available for the PS analyses, including 448 PCA and 1 592 PN. After PS adjustments, there were no significant differences in baseline clinical features between PCA and PN patients. In the PS-matched analysis, the change in eGFR from baseline to discharge for PCA and PN patients was −3.1 and −1.1 mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively (P = 0.038), with percentage changes of −4.5% and 0% respectively (P = 0.006). From baseline to the 3-month follow-up, the absolute change in eGFR for PCA and PN patients was −4.3 and −2.1 mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively (P = 0.008), and the percentage change was −6.1% and −2.4% respectively (P = 0.005). Similar results were obtained after adjusting for PS quintiles and in the IPW analysis. Importantly, the rate of chronic kidney disease stage progression at the 3-month follow-up was similar between the groups (21% vs 18%). Conclusions Our results confirm that both PCA and PN have a minor impact on renal function. While we observed a statistically greater decline in eGFR after PCA compared with PN, both approaches result in excellent preservation of renal function.
Scattering engineering at the extreme: Physical bounds, anomalies and singularities in passive and active metamaterial structures

This paper presents our recent theoretical advances in extreme scattering engineering using metamaterials and nanostructures. Here, and in our conference talk, we will first briefly discuss the fundamental limitations (or lack thereof) on the possibility of reducing or enhancing the electromagnetic scattering cross section of a material body, as well as other bounds stemming from passivity, causality and reciprocity. We will then present our recent work on extreme scattering effects, anomalies and singularities in passive and active open systems, including embedded eigenstates, exceptional points, optical vortices, etc. We will also discuss the relation of these effects with emerging concepts of topological physics. These singularities enable intriguing electromagnetic phenomena, such as light trapping, unidirectional invisibility, slow light, enhanced emission/absorption, which may have important practical implications for nanophotonic devices and systems.
Erectile Dysfunction and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract Background An association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) has long been recognized, and studies suggest that ED is an independent marker of CVD risk. More significantly, ED is a marker for both obstructive and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) and may reveal the presence of subclinical CAD in otherwise asymptomatic men. Aim To discuss the role of ED as an early marker of subclinical CVD; describe an approach to quantifying that burden; and propose an algorithm for the evaluation and management of CV risk in men 40–60 years of age with vasculogenic ED, those presumed to have the highest risk for a CV event. Methods A comprehensive review of original literature and expert consensus documents was conducted and incorporated into clinical recommendations for ED management in the context of CV risk. Outcomes Assessment and management of ED may help identify and reduce the risk of future CV events. Initial evaluation should distinguish between vasculogenic ED and ED of other etiologies. Results For men with predominantly vasculogenic ED, we recommend that initial CV risk stratification be based on the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association atherosclerotic CV disease risk score. Management of men with ED who are at low risk for CVD should focus on risk factor control; men at high risk, including those with CV symptoms, should be referred to a cardiologist. Intermediate-risk men should undergo non-invasive evaluation for subclinical atherosclerosis. Evidence supports use of a prognostic markers, particularly coronary calcium score, to further understand CV risk in men with ED. Conclusions Clinicians must assess the presence or absence of ED in every man >40 years of age, especially those men who are asymptomatic for signs and symptoms of CAD. We support CV risk stratification and CVD risk factor reduction in all men with vasculogenic ED. Miner M, Parish SJ, Billups KL, et al. Erectile Dysfunction and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease. Sex Med Rev 2018;7:455–463.
An 80-Gb/s 44-mW Wireline PAM4 Transmitter

A transmitter implemented in 45-nm CMOS technology serializes data from 312.5 Mb/s to an 80-Gb/s pulse-amplitude modulation 4 output with no need for latches. Utilizing the charge-steering techniques and a frequency divider that directly generates quadrature outputs with a 25% duty cycle, the design consumes 21.7 mW in the data path and 22.3 mW in the phase-locked loop and clock distribution while delivering a swing of 630 mVpp with a 1-V supply.
Structural flexibility of halogen bonds showed in a single-crystal-to-single-crystal [2+2] photodimerization

Halogen bonds have emerged as noncovalent forces that govern the assembly of molecules in organic solids with a degree of reliability akin to hydrogen bonds. Although the structure-directing roles of halogen bonds are often compared to hydrogen bonds, general knowledge concerning the fundamental structural behavior of halogen bonds has had limited opportunity to develop. Following an investigation of solid-state reactions involving organic syntheses and the development of photoresponsive materials, this work demonstrates the ability of the components of intermolecular N⋯I halogen bonding - a 'workhorse' interaction for the crystal engineer - to support a single-crystal-to-single-crystal [2+2] photodimerization. A comparison is provided of the geometric changes experienced by the halogen-bonded components in the single-crystal reaction to the current crystal landscape of N⋯I halogen bonds, as derived from the Cambridge Structural Database. Specifically, a linear-to-bent type of deformation of the halogen-bonded components was observed, which is expected to support the development of functional halogen-bonded materials containing molecules that can undergo movements in close-packed crystal environments.
The Need for Analytical/Experimental Orchestrated Approaches to Solve Residual Stress Problems in Real Structures

This paper discusses the need for analytical/experimental hybrid approaches to solve residual stress problems in real structures. Analytical models are used as the basis, and experimental data obtained on selected locations are used to calibrate the analytical models and to improve their accuracy. By properly combining recent analytical and experimental techniques, it is possible to significantly improve the state-of-the-art of studying residual stresses and distortion and their effects on service behaviors of welded structures.
The Method of Murman and Cole

At the end of the sixties, transonic flows solutions were attempted with the computer resources of the time, in order to help better understand and design transport aircraft in a regime where shock waves are present and have a major influence on the global performance in cruise. Most work was based on the solution of the unsteady Euler equations using some of the classical schemes introduced in Chap. 5, but the convergence was painstakingly slow. J.D. Cole and E.M. Murman met, while on stay at Boeing, and decided to look for an alternative approach to the problem, in which the steady-state equation is tackled directly. They chose as a model the transonic small disturbance equation (TSD), a familiar equation for J.D. Cole in his study of transonic similarity (Reference [4]).
Accumulation of Reactive Oxygen Species and Induction of Premature Senescence: Role of DDB2

Oxidative stress results from an imbalance between free radical formation and anti-oxidant defense. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) have been implicated in several oxidative stress related pathological disorders such as aging, cancer and neurological abnormalities. Thenucleotide excision repair protein DDB2 plays an important role in the regulation of ROS. DDB2 deficient human or murine cells fail to accumulate ROS following DNA damage. The lack of ROS accumulation in DDB2 deficiency results from high-level expression of the anti-oxidant genes MnSOD and Catalase. DDB2 represses expression of these anti-oxidant genes by recruiting Cul4a and Suv39h and by increasing Histone3K9 tri-methylation in the promoter region. Moreover, expression of DDB2 is induced by ROS. Thus, upon oxidative stress, DDB2 functions in a positive feedback loop by repressing the ROS scavenger genes to cause a persistent accumulation of ROS. DDB2 mediated ROS-accumulation is related to premature senescence and its role in inhibiting skin tumorigenesis. Following UV damage, DDB2 induces ROS accumulation in the skin, triggering a senescence response that contributes to suppression of skin cancer. Thus, in addition to its role in NER, DDB2 plays an important role in the DNA damage induced ROS accumulation and ROS induced premature senescence, which are significant in the suppression of skin cancer.
Microvasculature and Perfusion in Normal Tissues and Tumors

The tissue temperature during heating is dependent on the influx of energy and efflux of heat, mainly through the convective heat transfer between the tissue and circulating blood. It follows that the temperature in tissues with poor blood circulation will rise higher than that in tissues with good blood circulation. It has been demonstrated that a variance in temperature as small as 0.5°-1.0°C in the therapeutic range, i.e., 42°-45°C, can cause a significant difference in cell killing or tissue damage (Dewey et al. 1977; Fajardo 1984; Field et al. 1977). Indications are that such a small difference in temperature can easily be caused by a small change in blood flow (Jain 1980; Song et al. 1980a-c; Song 1982a,b). It is known that the anatomical characteristics of blood vessels and blood flow in different tissues or tumors are markedly different. Furthermore, the changes in blood vessels and blood flow induced by heat are profoundly different in different tissues or tumors (Dewhirst 1987; Dudar and Jain 1984; Jain and Ward-Hartley 1984;
Structure and Function of the NMDA Receptor

1 Ionotropic glutamate receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system. Based on their structural and pharmacological properties, ionotropic glutamate receptors can be divided into three groups, which include α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxasolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors, kainate receptors, and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Historically, these groups were named on the basis of the activating agonist. AMPA and kainate receptors are discussed in the chapter by Mayer. NMDA receptors are distinguished from other ionotropic glutamate receptors by their unique features including requirement for simultaneous binding of the co-agonists glycine and glu- tamate, voltage-dependent Mg 2+ block, and high permeability to Ca 2+ . NMDA recep- tors contribute to the slow component of the excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) and play key roles in neuronal development, synaptic plasticity, learning, and mem- ory, as well as in a number of pathophysiological conditions including epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease), and psychiatric disorders (e.g. schizophrenia). Therefore, understanding the relationship between structure and function of the NMDA receptor will provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of synaptic transmission, as well as pathophysiology of a number of disorders in the central nervous system. Under- standing this relationship will also facilitate the development of therapeutically use- ful compounds.
Bipolar Resistive Switching Characteristics of Thermally Evaporated V 2 O 5 Thin Films

Forming-free bipolar resistive switching has been reported in ITO/V2O5/ITO structures. The sandwiched V2O5 film was synthesized by the sol–gel process, and it suffers from the issues of non-uniformity, low thermal stability, and short lifetime due to the presence of intercalated water molecules. In this work, thermal evaporation was employed for the deposition of amorphous V2O5 in ITO/V2O5/ITO structures. Bipolar resistive switching characteristics were preserved and insensitive to annealing temperature below 300 °C. Switching disappears when the annealing temperature exceeds 350 °C due to the re-crystallization of the amorphous film. Ab initio molecular dynamics method was utilized to simulate the melt-quench process and generate the amorphous V2O5 structure. Significantly, lowered formation energies were found at some oxygen vacancy sites in amorphous structure. The simulation was in agreement with the proposed switching mechanism that the generation of mobile oxygen ions in V2O5 film was essential for the occurrence of resistive switching. The lifetime and the compatibility with IC fabrication of the devices have also been greatly improved.
Evaluation of acetochlor-containing herbicide programs in imidazolinone- and quizalofop-resistant rice.

Abstract Few effective management strategies remain for controlling herbicide-resistant Echinochloa crus-galli (L). Beauv. In midsouthern USA rice production. Repeated use of the same herbicide site of action (SOA) is ineffective and may be overcome by targeting alternative SOAs. At relatively low risk for evolution of resistance, very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA)-inhibiting herbicides (WSSA Group 15) such as acetochlor are promising candidates for weed control in rice. Field experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017 to evaluate the impact of acetochlor formulated as Warrant® on E. crus-galli control as part of a complete herbicide program in both imidazolinone- (Clearfield) and quizalofop- (Provisia) resistant rice systems. These studies were designed as a randomized complete block with a nontreated, weedy check included for comparison. In the Clearfield experiment, acetochlor at 1,050 or 1470 g ai ha−1 or clomazone at 336 g ai ha−1 was applied delayed preemergence (DPRE) 1) alone, 2) followed by imazethapyr at 70 g ai ha−1 early-postemergence (EP), or 3) followed by imazethapyr EP followed by imazethapyr pre-flood (PREFLD). Herbicide treatments were identical in the Provisia experiment, with the exception being that quizalofop at 120 g ai ha−1 was applied postemergence (POST) instead of imazethapyr. Rice injury was
A Teacher Like Me: A Review of the Effect of Student–Teacher Racial/Ethnic Matching on Teacher Perceptions of Students and Student Academic and Behavioral Outcomes:

Considerable research has examined the positive educational experiences of students of color assigned to teachers of the same race or ethnicity. Underlying this research is the belief that the cult...
Force Oscillations Distort Avalanche Shapes

Contradictory scaling behavior in experiments testing the principle of universality may be due to external oscillations. Thus, the effect of damped oscillatory external forces on slip avalanches in...
Hadron-induced radiation damage in fast crystal scintillators (Conference Presentation)

In high energy physics (HEP) and nuclear physics experiments, total absorption electromagnetic calorimeters (ECAL) made of inorganic crystals are known for their superb energy resolution and detection efficiency for photon and electron measurements. A crystal ECAL is thus the choice for those experiments where precision measurements of photons and electrons are crucial for their physics missions. A crucial issue for crystal detectors to be used in future HEP experiments at the energy and intensity frontiers is radiation damage by ionization dose as well as charged and neutral hadrons. This paper reports recent investigations on hadron-induced radiation damage in various crystal scintillators. Irradiations up 4 ×1015 /cm2 fluence were carried out at the Weapons Neutron Research facility of Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. Results of these investigations show excellent radiation hardness of bright and fast LYSO and BaF2 crystals which may provide a stable detector in an extreme harsh radiation environment, such as the proposed HL-LHC.
Generating Educational Game Levels with Multistep Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Networks

Educational games offer significant potential for supporting personalized learning in engaging virtual worlds. However, many educational games do not provide adaptive gameplay to meet the needs of individual students. To address this issue, educational games should include game levels that can self-adjust to the specific needs of individual students. However, creating a large number of adaptable game levels requires considerable effort by game developers. A promising solution to this problem is to leverage procedural content generation to automatically generate levels for educational games that incorporate the desired learning objectives. In this paper, we propose a multistep deep convolutional generative adversarial network for generating new levels within a game for middle school computer science education. The model operates in two phases: (1) train a generator with a small set of human-authored example levels and generate a much larger set of synthetic levels to augment the training data for a second generator, and (2) train a second generator using the augmented training data and use it to generate novel educational game levels with enhanced solvability. We evaluate the performance of the model by comparing the novelty and solvability of generated levels between the two generators. Results suggest that the proposed multistep model significantly enhances the solvability of the generated levels with only minor degradation in the novelty of the generated levels.
Identification of plicamycin, TG02, panobinostat, lestaurtinib, and GDC-0084 as promising compounds for the treatment of central nervous system infections caused by the free-living amebae Naegleria, Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia

The free-living amebae Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, and Balamuthia cause rare but life-threatening infections. All three parasites can cause meningoencephalitis. Acanthamoeba can also cause chronic keratitis and both Balamuthia and Acanthamoeba can cause skin and systemic infections. There are minimal drug development pipelines for these pathogens despite a lack of available treatment regimens and high fatality rates. To identify anti-amebic drugs, we screened 159 compounds from a high-value repurposed library against trophozoites of the three amebae. Our efforts identified 38 compounds with activity against at least one ameba. Multiple drugs that bind the ATP-binding pocket of mTOR and PI3K are active, highlighting these compounds as important inhibitors of these parasites. Importantly, 24 active compounds have progressed at least to phase II clinical studies and overall 15 compounds were active against all three amebae. Based on central nervous system (CNS) penetration or exceptional potency against one amebic species, we identified sixteen priority compounds for the treatment of meningoencephalitis caused by these pathogens. The top five compounds are (i) plicamycin, active against all three free-living amebae and previously U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, (ii) TG02, active against all three amebae, (iii and iv) FDA-approved panobinostat and FDA orphan drug lestaurtinib, both highly potent against Naegleria, and (v) GDC-0084, a CNS penetrant mTOR inhibitor, active against at least two of the three amebae. These results set the stage for further investigation of these clinically advanced compounds for treatment of infections caused by the free-living amebae, including treatment of the highly fatal meningoencephalitis.
Is Bariatric Surgery Safe and Effective in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The rate of obesity is rapidly increasing in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but whether bariatric surgery in patients with IBD is safe and effective is not well understood. A retrospective review of patients with IBD undergoing bariatric surgery across a multi-state health system was performed. Thirty-day postoperative outcomes, weight loss, and long-term complications were recorded. Thirty-one patients (81% female) with IBD and a mean preoperative body mass index (BMI) of 42.4 kg/m2 underwent 32 bariatric operations (n = 14 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, n = 14 sleeve gastrectomy, n = 4 gastric band). Short-term infectious complications included superficial surgical site infection (n = 2), infected intra-abdominal hematoma (n = 1), and a hepatic abscess (n = 1). Percent excess weight loss was 57.2% (n = 25) at 6 months, 62.9% (n = 22) at 12 months, and 57.4% (n = 11) at 24 months. No IBD flares requiring surgery were observed at a median follow-up of 2.7 years (interquartile range, 0.8–4.2 years). In carefully selected patients with IBD, bariatric surgery appears safe with respect to short-term infectious complications and results in sustained weight loss until at least 2 years postoperatively.
Local forest structure variability increases resilience to wildfire in dry western U.S. coniferous forests

A ‘resilient’ forest endures disturbance and is likely to persist. Resilience to wildfire may arise from feedback between fire behaviour and forest structure in dry forest systems. Frequent fire creates fine‐scale variability in forest structure, which may then interrupt fuel continuity and prevent future fires from killing overstorey trees. Testing the generality and scale of this phenomenon is challenging for vast, long‐lived forest ecosystems. We quantify forest structural variability and fire severity across >30 years and >1000 wildfires in California's Sierra Nevada. We find that greater variability in forest structure increases resilience by reducing rates of fire‐induced tree mortality and that the scale of this effect is local, manifesting at the smallest spatial extent of forest structure tested (90 × 90 m). Resilience of these forests is likely compromised by structural homogenisation from a century of fire suppression, but could be restored with management that increases forest structural variability.
Making Sense of Temples and Tirthas: Rajput Construction Under Mughal Rule:

This article examines temple construction under Mughal rule by significant Rajput rulers—some reluctant and some amenable—to accepting Mughal authority. During the sixteenth through eighteenth cent...
Role of Adjunct Treatments for Idiopathic CSF Leaks After Endoscopic Repair.

Objective A higher incidence of recurrent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks has been reported with idiopathic CSF leaks. A growing number of institutions advocate for routine use of intracranial pressure-lowering adjunct treatments after endoscopic repair. We report our results in a patient cohort in which only symptomatic patients are subjected to further testing and treatment. Study design Retrospective review. Methods A retrospective review of patients who underwent endoscopic transnasal repair of idiopathic CSF rhinorrhea was performed at the University of Miami, Florida, from July 2010 to July 2017. The database was queried for demographical data, surgical details, radiological findings, and postoperative outcomes. Only patients with greater than a 12-month follow-up were included. Results Thirty-three patients underwent endoscopic repair of an idiopathic CSF leak. Twenty-six (79%) were females, with an average age of entire study population being 48 years. The average body mass index (BMI) of the cohort was 33 kg/m2 , with 89% being overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2 ). The skull base defect was found to be mainly at the cribriform plate (64%) and sphenoid sinus (30%). Endoscopic repair was performed successfully as a single repair in 32 patients (97%). The average follow-up was 47 months. Postoperative adjunct medications were used on four patients (12%) with symptomatic idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Conclusion Endoscopic repair of idiopathic CSF leaks was found to have a high rate of success in our study. Postoperatively, only four patients required additional measures to medically reduce symptomatic intracranial hypertension. Routine postoperative adjunct treatments are unnecessary and may expose patients to adverse long-term side effects. Level of evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 131:41-47, 2021.
Intracranial Pressure and Brain Tissue Oxygen Neuromonitoring in Pediatric Cerebral Malaria.

Background Pediatric cerebral malaria (CM) is a severe complication of Plasmodium falciparum that often leaves survivors with severe neurologic impairment. Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) as a result of cerebral edema has been identified as a major predictor of morbidity and mortality in CM. Past studies have demonstrated that survivors are more likely to have resolution of elevated ICP and that efficient management of ICP crises may lead to better outcomes. However, data on invasive brain tissue oxygen monitoring are unknown. Case Description We report a case of a pediatric patient with cerebral malaria who developed encephalopathy and cerebral edema and describe the pathophysiology of this disease process with invasive ICP and brain tissue oxygen multimodality neuromonitoring. The utilization of both ICP and brain tissue oxygen monitoring allowed prompt diagnosis and successful treatment of severe intracranial hypertension and low brain tissue oxygenation crisis. The patient was discharged to home in good neurologic condition. Conclusions Multimodality neuromonitoring may be considered in pediatric patients who have cerebral edema and encephalopathy from CM.
Safety and Efficacy of Apixaban Use in Peritoneal Dialysis: A Review of the Literature:

Objective: To review the safety and efficacy of apixaban for the treatment of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD). Data Sources: A PubMed and MEDLINE search was conducted through December 2020 using the following keywords and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms alone or in various combinations: apixaban, peritoneal dialysis, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, end-stage renal disease, and hemodialysis. Study Selection and Data Extraction: English-language studies evaluating clinical outcomes pertaining to the use of apixaban in end stage renal disease (ESRD), which included patients receiving peritoneal dialysis were eligible for inclusion. Data Synthesis: Four studies were identified that met inclusion for this review, all retrospective in nature. These studies compared the safety and efficacy of apixaban with standard therapy in ESRD included patients on dialysis, with a very limited number of subjects receiving PD. In these studies, apixaban was shown to be potentially safer and more effective than warfarin. Outcomes did not differentiate between patients receiving PD or not. Conclusions: Use of apixaban in patients receiving PD may be safe and effective based on data from limited patients. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of apixaban in the PD setting is an important question that clinicians should consider with use of this medication in the ESRD population. More studies focusing on the PD population are needed to better assess the use of apixaban in this understudied population.
Effect of Elevated Left Ventricular End Diastolic Pressure on Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio and Fractional Flow Reserve Discordance.

Background: Instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR)-guided physiological assessment has been shown to be non-inferior to fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided assessment for deciding best treatment strategy for angiographically intermediate stenosis. The diagnostic accuracy of iFR compared to FFR reported in various studies is around 80%. Many factors can lead to iFR/FFR discordance, though underlying physiological mechanism of discordance and its associated factors have not been fully evaluated. The effect of left ventricle end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) on iFR/FFR discordance is unknown and needs further evaluation. Methods: We performed a single center, non-randomized, both retrospective and prospective study. A total of 65 patients with intermediate coronary stenosis undergoing physiological assessment were included in the study. Patients were assigned to two groups (normal LVEDP and high LVEDP group) based on LVEDP cutoff of 15 mm Hg. iFR and FFR were measured for each patient and iFR/FFR results were compared between the two groups. Results: A significantly large number of patients in elevated LVEDP group had iFR/FFR discordance compared to normal LVEDP group (42.8% vs. 6.7%, P = 0.001). More patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) had discordance compared to stale coronary artery disease (CAD) patients (53% vs. 15%, P = 0.003). Conclusions: Elevated LVEDP can affect iFR and FFR measurements and can lead to discordance. Further studies are required to determine effect of elevated LVEDP on iFR/FFR discordance and whether such discordance is clinically relevant. â€œNormal rangeâ€ iFR results should be cautiously interpreted in patients with elevated LVEDP, especially those with ACS. Cardiol Res. 2021;12(2):117-125 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/cr1230
The effects of adiposity, muscular strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and fatigue on gait biomechanics in overweight and obese children.

Abstract Background Obesity rates continue to increase in the child population. Muscular strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and fatigue can potentially affect joint stresses in obese children. The purposes are to examine: (1) the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and the change in joint stress pre- to post-fatigue; (2) the predictive value of fitness, adiposity, and muscular strength on joint stresses in fatigued and non-fatigued states; and, (3) the relationships between % body fat from skinfold and air displacement plethysmography. Methods Twenty-seven children, with body mass index above the 85th percentile for their age participated in this study. Lower limb joint moments were recorded before and after a fatiguing Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run protocol. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between (1) fitness and change in joint stress pre- to post-fatigue, and (2) measures of %body fat using skinfold and plethysmography. Furthermore, Bland-Altman analysis quantified the agreement between measured adiposity using the two methods. Findings The strongest relationship was observed between fitness and the change in the knee extensor moment pre- to post-fatigue (R2 = 0.24). Regardless of fatigue state, adiposity and strength were identified as the strongest predictors of joint moments. Skinfold estimates were moderately predictive (R2 = 0.56) of %body fat from air displacement plethysmography, and these two measures demonstrated instrument agreement with no proportional bias. Interpretation Fitness level is not related to changes in biomechanics pre- to post-fatigue in overweight and obese children. Adiposity and lower extremity strength most strongly influenced joint moments in the frontal and sagittal planes.
Magnetism in curved geometries

Curvature impacts physical properties across multiple length scales, ranging from the macroscopic scale, where the shape and size vary drastically with the curvature, to the nanoscale at interfaces and inhomogeneities in materials with structural, chemical, electronic, and magnetic short-range order. In quantum materials, where correlations, entanglement, and topology dominate, the curvature opens the path to novel characteristics and phenomena that have recently emerged and could have a dramatic impact on future fundamental and applied studies of materials. Particularly, magnetic systems hosting non-collinear and topological states and 3D magnetic nanostructures strongly benefit from treating curvature as a new design parameter to explore prospective applications in the magnetic field and stress sensing, microrobotics, and information processing and storage. This Perspective gives an overview of recent progress in synthesis, theory, and characterization studies and discusses future directions, challenges, and application potential of the harnessing curvature for 3D nanomagnetism.