cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mesoporous Hybrid Polypyrrole-Silica Nanocomposite Films with a Strata-Like Structure

Using a single-potential-step coelectrodeposition route, Ppy-SiO2 nanocomposite films characterized by a multimodal porous structure were cathodically deposited from ethanolic solutions on oxidizable and nonoxidizable substrates for the first time. The materials produced have an interesting and unique strata-like pore structure along their depth. With the exception of a silica-rich inner region, the nanocomposite films are homogeneous in composition. Because the region closest to the electrode surface is silica-rich, the fabrication of Ppy-SiO2 and Ppy free-standing films become possible using a multistep etching strategy. Such films can be captured on a variety of different supports depending on the application, and they maintain their conductivity when interfaced with an electrode surface. These mesoporous composite films form through a unique mechanism that involves the production of two catalysts, OH– and NO+. Through the process of understanding the reaction mechanism, we highlighted the effect of tw...
Percutaneous endovascular aneurysm repair in morbidly obese patients

Abstract Objective Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) with percutaneous femoral access (PEVAR) has several potential advantages. Morbidly obese (MO) patients present unique anatomical challenges and have not been specifically studied. This study examines the trends in the use of PEVAR and its surgical outcomes compared with open femoral cutdown (CEVAR) in MO patients. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program files for the years 2005 to 2013 were reviewed. The study included all MO patients (body mass index [BMI] ≥40 kg/m 2 ) undergoing EVAR. Patients were categorized as having CEVAR if they had any one of 11 selected Current Procedural Terminology (American Medical Association, Chicago, Ill) codes describing an open femoral procedure. The PEVAR group included any remaining patients who had only codes for EVAR and endovascular procedures. Linear correlation was used to evaluate temporal trends in the use of PEVAR among MO patients. Baseline comorbidities and surgical outcomes were compared between the PEVAR and CEVAR groups using χ 2 tests or t -tests. Results There were 833 MO patients (470 CEVAR and 363 PEVAR) constituting 3.0% of all patients undergoing EVAR. The use of PEVAR in MO patients significantly increased from 27.3% of total EVARs in the years 2005 to 2006 to 48.6% in 2013 ( P = .039). The two groups had similar baseline characteristics, including age, BMI, comorbidities, and emergency procedures, except for history of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (29.6% CEVAR vs 22.6% PEVAR; P = .024). PEVAR patients had shorter duration of anesthesia (244 vs 260 minutes; P = .048) and shorter total operation time (158 vs 174 minutes; P = .002). PEVAR patients had significantly decreased wound complications (5.5% vs 9.4%; P = .039). There was a trend towards PEVAR patients being more likely to be discharged home than to a facility (93.6% vs 87.8%; P = .060). There was no difference in any other complication or mortality. A subgroup analysis of 109 superobese patients with BMI ≥50 kg/mg 2 (59 CEVAR and 50 PEVAR) demonstrated no significant differences in outcomes between groups. Conclusions PEVAR is increasingly used in MO patients and decreases operating time and rates of wound infection compared with CEVAR. The advantages of PEVAR seem to be lost in the superobese patients.
Elastic sheets: Cracks by design

Stretching elastic membranes over curved substrates can be used to guide and control crack paths.
Solution of PDEs for First-Order Photobleaching Kinetics using Krylov Subspace Spectral Methods

We solve the first order reaction-diffusion equations which describes binding-diffusion kinetics using photobleaching scanning profile of confocal laser scanning Microscopes approximated by a Gaussian laser profile. We show how to solve the first order photobleaching kinetics partial differential equations with prebleach steady state initial conditions using a time-domain method known as a Krylov Subspace Spectral method (KSS method). KSS are explicit methods for solving time-dependent variable-coefficient partial differential equations (PDEs). KSS methods are advantageous compared to other methods because of its high resolution and its superior scalability. We will apply Gaussian Quadrature rules in the spectral domain developed by Golub and Meurant to solve PDEs. We present a simple rough analytical solution, as well as a computational solution that is first-order accurate. We then use this solution to examine short and long time behaviors.
Experimental and theoretical investigation of the thermo-mechanical deformation of a functionally graded panel

Abstract An aluminum/high-density polyethylene (HDPE) functionally graded material (FGM) has been fabricated as a key component of a multifunctional building envelope for energy efficiency and sustainability. Because of the gradual phase change of aluminum and HDPE across the thickness direction, when a free-standing FGM panel is subjected to a temperature variance, it will exhibit considerable curling deformation, which causes challenges to assemble the FGM panel into a flat multifunctional roofing panel and also to assure structural integrity under cyclic temperature change. Therefore, it is crucial to predict the thermo-mechanical behavior of the FGM panel. For this purpose, an axisymmetric refined plate theory was developed in this study for a circular FGM panel subjected to externally applied thermo-mechanical loading. The theoretical solutions are verified with experimental results, it demonstrates that the presented solution can accurately predict the thermo-mechanical behavior of the developed FGM panel and be used in the design of the proposed solar panel.
Aplicativos de auditoria: uma ferramenta eficaz para asseguração de compras governamentais

Recently, governments in many countries have started open data initiatives to make their operations more transparent to citizens. With the open data, anyone who has an interest in monitoring government spending can apply technologies to perform analyses on open data. This study proposes 29 audit apps that could assist various parties in analyzing open government procurement data.
Safety of parecoxib when used for more than 3 days for the management of postoperative pain.

Aim: To assess parecoxib safety when used for >3 days for postoperative pain management. Methods: Treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE) occurrence after day 3 was examined in a pooled analysis of three placebo-controlled trials of parecoxib following general or gynecologic surgery, or total hip arthroplasty. A total of 358 patients received parecoxib, and 318 placebo. Results: Mean treatment duration was similar between treatment groups. The overall frequency of all TEAEs after day 3 was also similar between treatment groups. Most TEAEs occurred in 3 days was low and similar to placebo after treatment day 3.
Mitigating fooling with competitive overcomplete output layer neural networks

Although the introduction of deep learning has led to significant performance improvements in many machine learning applications, several recent studies have revealed that deep feedforward models are easily fooled. Fooling in effect results from overgeneralization of neural networks over regions far from the training data. To circumvent this problem this paper proposes a novel elaboration of standard neural network architectures called the competitive overcomplete output layer (COOL) neural network. Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of COOL by visualizing the behavior of COOL networks in a low-dimensional artificial classification problem and by applying it to a high-dimensional vision domain (MNIST).
Combined immunodeficiency with EBV positive B cell lymphoma and epidermodysplasia verruciformis due to a novel homozygous mutation in RASGRP1

RASGRP1 is a guanine-nucleotide-exchange factor essential for MAP-kinase mediated signaling in lymphocytes. We report the second case of RASGRP1 deficiency in a patient with a homozygous nonsense mutation in the catalytic domain of the protein. The patient had epidermodysplasia verruciformis, suggesting a clinically important intrinsic T cell function defect. Like the previously described patient, our proband also presented with CD4+ T cell lymphopenia, impaired T cell proliferation to mitogens and antigens, reduced NK cell function, and EBV-associated lymphoma. The severity of the disease and the development of EBV lymphoma in both patients suggest that hematopoietic stem cell transplantation should be performed rapidly in patients with RASGRP1 deficiency.
OP0080 Risk of autism spectrum disorder in children born to mothers with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis in taiwan

Background There is emerging evidence suggesting that offspring born to patients with rheumatic diseases has higher risk of neuropsychiatric diseases. Previous data from Quebec showed children born to women with SLE have an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but data regarding risk of ASD in offspring of mothers with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) mothers have not been reported in other population. Objectives We aimed to examine whether offspring of mothers with SLE and RA in Taiwan has a higher risk of developing ASD using data from a linkage between National Health Insurance (NHI) database and National Birth Registry in Taiwan. Methods We established a birth cohort of all live-births between 2001 and 2012 in Taiwan established using the National Health Insurance database and the National Birth Registry. Children born to mothers with SLE or RA were identified and matched up to 8 controls by maternal age, 1-minute Apgar score, 5-minute Apgar score, mode of delivery, sex of child, gestational age, birth weight, socioeconomic status (place of residence, income level, occupation). A marginal Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the relative risk (RR; 95% confidence interval [CI]) for ASD in newborns with affected mothers. Results Of 1,893,244 newborns, 0.08% (n=1,594) were born to mothers with SLE (mean age 30.43±4.37 years old) and 0.04% (n=673) were born to mothers with RA (31.97±4.51 years old). Overall, 5 of 673 (0.74%) RA offspring developed ASD, 7 of 1594 (0.44%) SLE offspring developed ASD and 10,631 of 1,893,244 (0.56%) all infants developed ASD. The incidence of ASD was 140.39 (95% CI, 45.58–327.62) per 100,000 person-years for RA group, 76.19 (95% CI, 30.63–156.97) per 100,000 person-years for SLE group, 89.85 (95% CI, 88.15–91.57) per 100,000 person-years for non-RA group and 89.87 (95% CI, 88.17–91.60) per 100,000 person-years for non-SLE group. The children born to RA and SLE mothers did not have higher risk of ASD with a HR (95% CI) of 1.42 (0.60–3.40) and 0.76 (0.36–1.59) for ASD, respectively. Conclusions Children born to women with SLE and RA do not have higher risk of developing ASD. References Lahita, R.G., Systemic lupus erythematosus: learning disability in the male offspring of female patients and relationship to laterality. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 1988. 13(5): p. 385–96. Vinet, E., et al., Increased Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children Born to Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Results From a Large Population-Based Cohort. Arthritis Rheumatol, 2015. 67(12): p. 3201–8. Disclosure of Interest None declared
Outcomes with moderate aortic stenosis and impaired left ventricular function: prelude to a randomized trial?

The natural history of severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) has been well characterized, with most studies demonstrating a mortality rate of 50% at 2 years once patients develop symptoms of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction (1,2).
Super-heated aqueous particle engineering (SHAPE): a novel method for the micronization of poorly water soluble drugs

Super-heated aqueous particle engineering (SHAPE) is a novel particle engineering technology that utilizes the elevated boiling point of pressurized water in order to melt and emulsify hydrophobic drug particles, and then use the newly formed droplets as templates for engineering new particles with different physicochemical properties. When the temperature of an aqueous phase is elevated above the melting point of a drug, the drug quickly melts and forms a low viscosity, immiscible liquid, which is then broken up into nano or micro sized droplets under continuous stirring. The interfacial tension between the droplets and liquid serves to shape them into uniform spherical particles. These droplets can hold their shape as the dispersion is cooled back down below the melting point of the drug. During this cooling stage, either solid crystalline or amorphous microparticles can be formed depending on the cooling rate that is selected. The particles are then collected and can be utilized in many different pharmaceutical applications. In this manuscript, we use this particle engineering technique, employing the model drug carvedilol (CARV), to investigate the effect that different stabilizers/surfactants exert on the particle size and morphology.
Computation by Self-assembly of DNA Graphs

Using three dimensional graph structure and DNA self-assembly we show that theoretically 3-SAT and 3-colorability can be solved in a constant number of laboratory steps. In this assembly, junction molecules and duplex DNA molecules are the basic building blocks. The graphs involved are not necessarily regular, so experimental results of self-assembling non regular graphs using junction molecules as vertices and duplex DNA molecules as edge connections are presented.
The interaction of strategy and technology in an era of business re-invention

Purpose The authors extensive field experience and analysis suggests that the traditional strategy approach is increasingly ill equipped for a business environment that is being radically changed by new digital technology. Design/methodology/approach They explore some of the ways in which strategy development approaches need to be revised to remain relevant in the world of artificial intelligence, digital reengineering and cognitive computing. Findings Digital technology is both a means to tactical advantage and the key to transformational strategic opportunities. Practical implications Today’s strategies need to allow companies to proactively discover what is going to drive customer value, and also spontaneously react to changing market conditions. Originality/value Re-conceptualizing the future with advanced digital technologies -- “Digital Reinvention” -- starts with working with customers to anticipate and characterize what, how, when and where they wish to engage in the future.
Failure Modes and Mechanisms

Computers are an essential part of our everyday work environment. Engineering, manufacturing, banking, health, education, aviation, defense, and the government all depend on a myriad of functions performed by computers. It is essential for the smooth functioning of these activities that computer systems provide the service on demand, without interruption, day in and day out, and under all kinds of operating environments. Some of these service demands are critical, such as in a hospital, or may involve the national security where computers maintain a 24-hour watch for enemy intrusions. Regardless of the functions performed, a high degree of confidence in a computer’s operation is required.
Developmental regulation of the rosy locus in Drosophila melanogaster.

The rosy locus of Drosophila melanogaster encodes the enzyme xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH, xanthine: NAD oxidoreductase). The most thoroughly studied gene-enzyme system in higher eukaryotes (Sang, 1984), and long a paradigm for eukaryotic gene organization, the rosy locus has recently become a fertile system for analysis of eukaryotic gene regulation. The major reasons for this are: 1 The locus encodes an enzyme (XDH) that has been isolated and characterized and is easily assayed in extracts of small numbers of whole organisms or isolated tissues (see Sections 3 and 6). 2 The locus has been subject to intensive fine-structure genetic analyses that have defined its limits and organization (see Sections 4 and 7). 3 Effective phenotypic selection and screening protocols are available (see Section 2), taking advantage of conditional lethality at the locus, and resulting in the isolation of a wealth of mutants, including regulatory variants (see Section 7). 4 It is clear that expression of rosy is regulated at both the stage and tissue levels during development (see Section 6); mutants that affect particular stages and tissues have been identified (see Section 7). 5 The locus has been cloned and sequenced. Thus, molecular probes are available for analyses at the DNA and RNA levels (see Sections 4 and 5). 6 The technique of P element-mediated transformation was initiated using the rosy system, and genetic and molecular analyses using transposons are now quite advanced (see Sections 4 and 7). Manipulation of rosy transposons also permits analysis of a range of regulatory phenomena not exclusive to XDH, including euchromatic position effects, heterochromatic position effects, and dosage compensation (see Section 7).
Case Study D: Evaluation of Multiple Merkel Cell Carcinomas in a Single Patient

A 69-year-old otherwise healthy Caucasian woman was evaluated for a small, asymptomatic, erythematous papule on her right infraorbital cheek. After 4 months, she developed a second red plaque on her left distal medial calf. Her past medical history included a left arm squamous cell carcinoma excised 5 years prior hypertension and dyslipidemia. She had no history of immunosuppression. Medications included lisinopril, hydrochlorothiazide, and lovastatin. She had a family history of a grandmother with melanoma and a grandfather with bladder carcinoma.
Abstract 3783: Mitochondrial metabolism in tumor-associated macrophages: The role of MIF and tumor-derived lactate

Purpose: Within the tumor microenvironment, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) polarized to an "M2" phenotype promote angiogenesis, metastasis, and the suppression of anti-tumor immune responses. Previously, we have found that macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) promotes lactate-enhanced M2-polarization, however the underlying mechanisms were not elucidated. As cancer cells that exhibit the Warburg Effect secrete copious amounts of lactate into the tumor microenvironment, highly glycolytic cancers may promote tumor progression by producing lactate to support an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. The goal of this study is to investigate the mechanism by which MIF and tumor-derived lactate support pro-tumorigenic M2-TAMs. Methods: Using primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs), we explored the mechanisms of MIF and lactate-enhanced M2 polarization using metabolic inhibitors and gene expression assays. To investigate the role of MIF in mitochondrial metabolism, we conducted extracellular flux analysis to determine mitochondrial OCR and ECAR in macrophages polarized to an M0 and M2 phenotype. Results: Blocking mitochondrial pyruvate uptake reduces both M2 polarization and HIF1α stabilization. Blocking mitochondrial metabolism and respiration inhibits M2 polarization. MIF deficiency decreases mitochondrial OCR, NRF2 stability, and M2 polarization. Increasing CSN5 activity "rescues" the loss of M2 polarization with MIF deficiency. Conclusions: Tumor-derived lactate per se does not promote M2 polarization but instead requires subsequent metabolism to pyruvate. Additionally, we have identified that mitochondrial pyruvate metabolism is a previously undetermined requirement for M2 macrophages. Further, we have found a potential link between MIF and metabolism, where MIF likely regulates CSN5 activity and NRF2 stability to increase mitochondrial respiration. As inhibiting mitochondrial respiration blocks M2 polarization, MIF may promote lactate-enhanced M2 polarization by enhancing mitochondrial metabolism. Subsequent studies will be conducted to further investigate the metabolic pathways and mechanisms required for the mitochondrial metabolism of tumor-derived lactate in promoting M2-TAM polarization. Citation Format: Jordan Noe, Beatriz Rendon, Eun Jung Kim, Robert Mitchell. Mitochondrial metabolism in tumor-associated macrophages: The role of MIF and tumor-derived lactate [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3783.
Salvage Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Breast Cancer Patients with Multiple Brain Metastases

Background The overall survival rates for breast cancer are increasing due to controlled brain disease and improved systemic treatments. This study examined neurologic outcomes, tumor control, and survival data in breast cancer patients with multiple brain metastases and who required salvage stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for recurrent breast cancer brain metastases. Methods The study included 231 patients with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer who underwent SRS for more than 1 brain metastases from May 1993 and July 2007. Survival analyses via univariate and multivariate Cox regression demonstrated interactions between survival and predictor values including Karnofsky Performance Scale, Recursive Partitioning Analysis Class, number of brain metastases, whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT), immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. Results Of the 231 patients, the survival rate was 53% at 1 year and 26% at 5 years from initial SRS. Controlled systemic disease, adjuvant chemotherapy, and Recursive Partitioning Analysis class II were significant predictors of increased survival, while WBRT was a significant predictor of decreased survival. The median survival in patients who received WBRT after SRS was 11 months versus 23 months in those who did not. The local tumor control rate at initial follow-up was 95%. Of these, 40% of patients underwent additional brain SRS. Following salvage SRS, 8% of patients developed symptomatic adverse radiation events; however, the development of symptomatic adverse radiation events had no effect on patient survival. Conclusions This report indicated that both initial and salvage SRS procedures in breast cancer patients with multiple brain metastases are effective for local control of intracranial disease while minimizing adverse radiation effects.
Topological Scoring of Concept Maps for Cybersecurity Education

Concept maps are a well-known pedagogical tool for organizing and representing knowledge and developing a deep understanding of concepts. Unfortunately, the grading of concept maps tends to be manual and tedious thereby, posing serious limitation for an instructor to use them in class efficiently. To automate the assessment and grading, the topology and structural features of concept maps are utilized. However, they have never been explored for cybersecurity education. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of topological scoring of the concept maps for two cybersecurity courses: digital forensics, and SCADA system security. We create a dataset of 41 high-quality concept maps developed with expert knowledge. We utilize waterloo rubric to manually validate the quality of the concept maps based-on their contents and further compare the rubric outcome (obtained via manual analysis) with the automated topological scoring of the maps. The evaluation results show that the topological scoring is promising. However, it is not equally effective and warrants for advanced techniques to better utilize the topology of the maps. The dataset is made publicly available for further research on this topic.
OUTCOMES OF TRANSCATHETER PULMONARY VALVE REPLACEMENT IN ADULTS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY USING NATIONAL INPATIENT SAMPLE

Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement (TPVR) has been increasingly used in surgical conduits or prior pulmonary bioprosthetic valves. However, there is limited data on TPVR outcomes. Patients (≥ 16 years) who underwent isolated TPVR (ICD-9-CM codes 35.07) from 2011 - 2014 were identified
Understanding the enzyme-ligand complex: insights from all-atom simulations of butyrylcholinesterase inhibition.

All-atom molecular dynamics simulations of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) sans inhibitor and in complex with each of 15 dialkyl phenyl phosphate derivatives were conducted to characterize inhibitor b...
A novel framework for interpreting pyrite-based Fe isotope records of the past

Abstract The variation in the iron isotopic composition (δ56Fe) of sedimentary pyrite is often interpreted to reflect the degree of Fe redox cycling in modern and ancient environments. However, the degree to which precipitation pathways, isotopic exchange, and precipitation rates can affect the isotopic fractionation associated with pyrite precipitation from aqueous Fe(II) (Fe(II)aq) is poorly understood. In this study, pyrite is precipitated at 80 °C in batch reactors through the H2S and polysulfide pathways, in which the precipitation rates and the concurrent formation of a greigite (Fe3S4) phase is modulated by the amount of initially added elemental sulfur and aqueous molybdenum. Our results indicate an average apparent isotopic fractionation (δ56Fepyrite - δ56FeFeSx, where FeSx includes FeS, Fe(II)aq, and greigite) of −0.51 ± 0.22‰ throughout the experiments irrespective of precipitation pathways and greigite formation. Early-stage precipitation is associated with ∼0.3‰ larger isotopic fractionation than late-stage precipitation, possibly indicating either a rate-dependent kinetic isotope effect (KIE) or a different isotopic fractionation factor for early-stage pyrite nucleation compared to later-stage growth. Overall, the magnitude of the apparent isotopic fractionation is significantly smaller than the
Diet starch concentration and starch fermentability affect energy intake and energy balance of cows in the early postpartum period.

Our objective was to evaluate the effects of diet starch concentration and fermentability on energy intake and energy balance during the early postpartum (PP) period. Fifty-two multiparous Holstein cows were used in a randomized block design experiment with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Treatment rations were formulated to 22% or 28% starch concentration (LS and HS, respectively) with dry ground corn (DGC) or high moisture corn (HMC) as the primary starch source. Rations were formulated for 22% forage neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and 17% crude protein and fed from 1 to 23 d PP. Starch concentration was adjusted by altering concentrations of corn grain and soyhulls. Dry matter intake and milk yield were measured daily, and milk components, milk composition, body condition score (BCS), body weight (BW), and back fat thickness (BFT) were measured weekly. Feeds and refusals as well as fecal samples were collected, and digestibility was determined weekly. High moisture corn (HMC) decreased dry matter and net energy (NEL) intakes compared with DGC more when included in an HS diet (3.9 kg/d and 3.2 Mcal/d) than in an LS diet (0.9 kg/d and 0.6 Mcal/d). The HMC treatment decreased NDF digestibility 3.7 percentage units compared with DGC when included in the HS diet but had little effect when included in an LS diet. Compared with DGC, HMC increased weekly BW and BFT loss when included in an HS diet (-34.7 vs. -8.4 kg/wk and -0.12 vs. -0.10 cm/wk) and decreased weekly BW loss but increased weekly BFT loss when included in an LS diet (-18.9 vs. -21.4 kg/wk and -0.11 vs. -0.02 cm/wk). Weekly BCS loss increased for HMC compared with DGC (-0.33 vs. -0.23 unit/wk). High moisture corn also decreased milk NEL output compared with DGC (28.2 vs. 31 Mcal/d), but had little effect on energy balance, which was improved by HS compared with LS (-14.7 vs. -16.8 Mcal/d). Over time, concentrations of milk de novo fatty acids ( 16 carbons) decreased for all treatments, but yields of both sources as well as yield of mixed fatty acids (C16:0 plus C16:1 cis-9 and iso-C16:0) decreased over time with increased SF. Feeding HMC decreased energy intake and milk energy output, but it had little effect on energy balance during the early PP period.
Genetic Variation, Comparative Genomics, and the Diagnosis of Disease.

Uncharted Regions of the Human Genome The genome is not akin to a string of fixed length. Many large segments of DNA may be present or absent — a major contributor to pathogenic genomic variation. ...
Assessing California's progress toward its 2020 greenhouse gas emissions limit

Abstract California law requires statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to return to 1990 levels by 2020—a goal achieved in 2016, four years early. We conduct the first independent retrospective analysis of California's greenhouse gas emissions to assess how the state has achieved faster-than-expected emissions reductions. We analyze the extent to which economic activity, climate policies, and market forces drove California's greenhouse gas emissions trends overall and in two key categories: electricity and light-duty vehicles. We also compare historical trends with business-as-usual and policy expectations from the 2008 Climate Change Scoping Plan, California's official strategy for achieving the 2020 emissions limit. Our analysis, based on data through 2017, indicates that reduced economic activity during the 2008–2009 recession and its aftermath has been a major contributor to early achievement of the 2020 emissions limit. Policies and market forces, however, have played a larger role in reducing emissions in recent years—particularly in the electricity sector, which has decarbonized more rapidly than expected. Meanwhile, GHG emissions from light-duty vehicles in recent years were rising, not falling, in contrast to expectations. Our analysis demonstrates how decomposition methods can be used to track climate policy implementation and inform future policy development.
Treatment patterns in patients with early and advanced malignant melanoma.

9083 Background: We seek to characterize tx patterns for patients (pts) with early stage (ES) and advanced stage (AS) malignant melanoma (MM). MarketScan is a large insurance claims database with c...
Chest CT findings in asymptomatic cases with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM To determine the overall rate of chest imaging findings in asymptomatic cases, describe the most common patterns found, and determine the rate of later symptom development in these initially asymptomatic cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched until 1 May 2020, for studies examining the proportion of positive chest imaging findings in asymptomatic cases diagnosed with COVID-19 and a random-effects meta-analysis of proportions was performed. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. RESULTS Among 858 non-duplicate studies, seven studies with a total of 231 asymptomatic cases met the inclusion criteria. In the primary analysis, the pooled estimate of the overall rate of positive chest computed tomography (CT) findings among asymptomatic cases was 63% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 44–78%). Among 155/231 cases that were followed up for later symptom development, 90/155 remained asymptomatic and 65/155 developed symptoms during the study period (that ranged between seven and 30 days of follow-up). The pooled estimate of the rate of positive chest CT findings was 62% (95% CI: 38–81%) in cases that remained asymptomatic, while it was 90% (95% CI: 49–99%) in cases that developed symptoms. Among CT findings, the pooled estimate of the overall rate of ground-glass opacities (GGO) at CT alone was 71% (95% CI: 50–86%). Among other CT findings reported, 22/231 patients had GGO with consolidation, 7/231 patients had stripe shadows with or without GGO, and 8/231 patients had GGO with interlobular septal thickening. Among initially asymptomatic cases with positive CT findings, the pooled estimate of the overall rate of later symptom development was 26% (95% CI: 14–43%). CONCLUSION In COVID-19, asymptomatic cases can have positive chest CT findings, and COVID-19 should be considered among cases with CT abnormalities even when there are no other symptoms. There is a need for close clinical monitoring of asymptomatic cases with radiographic findings as a significant percentage will develop symptoms.
Systematic discovery and functional interrogation of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA-host protein interactions during infection

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of a pandemic with growing global mortality. There is an urgent need to understand the molecular pathways required for host infection and anti-viral immunity. Using comprehensive identification of RNA-binding proteins by mass spectrometry (ChIRP-MS), we identified 309 host proteins that bind the SARS-CoV-2 RNA during active infection. Integration of this data with viral ChIRP-MS data from three other positive-sense RNA viruses defined pan-viral and SARS-CoV-2-specific host interactions. Functional interrogation of these factors with a genome-wide CRISPR screen revealed that the vast majority of viral RNA-binding proteins protect the host from virus-induced cell death, and we identified known and novel anti-viral proteins that regulate SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity. Finally, our RNA-centric approach demonstrated a physical connection between SARS-CoV-2 RNA and host mitochondria, which we validated with functional and electron microscopy data, providing new insights into a more general virus-specific protein logic for mitochondrial interactions. Altogether, these data provide a comprehensive catalogue of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-host protein interactions, which may inform future studies to understand the mechanisms of viral pathogenesis, as well as nominate host pathways that could be targeted for therapeutic benefit. Highlights{middle dot} ChIRP-MS of SARS-CoV-2 RNA identifies a comprehensive viral RNA-host protein interaction network during infection across two species {middle dot} Comparison to RNA-protein interaction networks with Zika virus, dengue virus, and rhinovirus identify SARS-CoV-2-specific and pan-viral RNA protein complexes and highlights distinct intracellular trafficking pathways {middle dot} Intersection of ChIRP-MS and genome-wide CRISPR screens identify novel SARS-CoV-2-binding proteins with pro- and anti-viral function {middle dot} Viral RNA-RNA and RNA-protein interactions reveal specific SARS-CoV-2-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction during infection
Plasticity impairment alters community structure but permits successful pattern separation in a hippocampal network model

Patients who suffer from traumatic brain injury (TBI) often complain of learning and memory problems. Their symptoms are principally mediated by the hippocampus and the ability to adapt to stimulus, also known as neural plasticity. Therefore, one plausible injury mechanism is plasticity impairment, which currently lacks comprehensive investigation across TBI research. For these studies, we used a computational network model of the hippocampus that includes the dentate gyrus, CA3, and CA1 with neuron-scale resolution. We simulated mild injury through weakened spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), which modulates synaptic weights according to causal spike timing. In preliminary work, we found functional deficits consisting of decreased firing rate and broadband power in areas CA3 and CA1 after STDP impairment. To address structural changes with these studies, we applied modularity analysis to evaluate how STDP impairment modifies community structure in the hippocampal network. We also studied the emergent function of network-based learning and found that impaired networks could acquire conditioned responses after training, but the magnitude of the response was significantly lower. Furthermore, we examined pattern separation, a prerequisite of learning, by entraining two overlapping patterns. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, impaired networks did not exhibit deficits in pattern separation with either population- or rate-based coding. Collectively, these results demonstrate how a mechanism of injury that operates at the synapse regulates circuit function.
L-Carnitine and Acylcarnitines: Mitochondrial Biomarkers for Precision Medicine

Biomarker discovery and implementation are at the forefront of the precision medicine movement. Modern advances in the field of metabolomics afford the opportunity to readily identify new metabolite biomarkers across a wide array of disciplines. Many of the metabolites are derived from or directly reflective of mitochondrial metabolism. L-carnitine and acylcarnitines are established mitochondrial biomarkers used to screen neonates for a series of genetic disorders affecting fatty acid oxidation, known as the inborn errors of metabolism. However, L-carnitine and acylcarnitines are not routinely measured beyond this screening, despite the growing evidence that shows their clinical utility outside of these disorders. Measurements of the carnitine pool have been used to identify the disease and prognosticate mortality among disorders such as diabetes, sepsis, cancer, and heart failure, as well as identify subjects experiencing adverse drug reactions from various medications like valproic acid, clofazimine, zidovudine, cisplatin, propofol, and cyclosporine. The aim of this review is to collect and interpret the literature evidence supporting the clinical biomarker application of L-carnitine and acylcarnitines. Further study of these metabolites could ultimately provide mechanistic insights that guide therapeutic decisions and elucidate new pharmacologic targets.
Current Status of Biologics in Perioperative Treatment for Resectable or Borderline Resectable Liver Metastases

This review provides an overview of the current role of biologics, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors, in the perioperative treatment of colorectal liver metastases as well as a discussion of their future trends. Over the past decade, a number of clinical trials have suggested that the use of biologics with cytotoxic agents may increase median overall survival in certain subsets of patients with colorectal liver metastases. The benefit of these agents is limited to borderline resectable and unresectable hepatic metastases and is not seen in upfront resectable disease. In the RAS wild-type population, the difference in efficacy of VEGF and EGFR inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy is minimal. These agents perform differently depending on primary tumor location; bevacizumab has greater efficacy in right-sided tumors, whereas cetuximab has greater efficacy in left-sided tumors. While biologics benefit patients in the neoadjuvant setting, studies have not shown similar results in the adjuvant setting. Given the variability of patient presentations as well as the risk of treatment-related toxicity, the addition of biologics requires careful consideration of patient’s medical fitness, surgical risk, and tumor profile.
Evaluation of an Intrahospital Telemedicine Program for Patients Admitted With COVID-19: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: The increasing incidence of COVID-19 infection has challenged health care systems to increase capacity while conserving personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies and minimizing nosocomial spread. Telemedicine shows promise to address these challenges but lacks comprehensive evaluation in the inpatient environment. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate an intrahospital telemedicine program (virtual care), along with its impact on exposure risk and communication. Methods: We conducted a natural experiment of virtual care on patients admitted for COVID-19. The primary exposure variable was documented use of virtual care. Patient characteristics, PPE use rates, and their association with virtual care use were assessed. In parallel, we conducted surveys with patients and clinicians to capture satisfaction with virtual care along the domains of communication, medical treatment, and exposure risk. Results: Of 137 total patients in our primary analysis, 43 patients used virtual care. In total, there were 82 inpatient days of use and 401 inpatient days without use. Hospital utilization and illness severity were similar in patients who opted in versus opted out. Virtual care was associated with a significant reduction in PPE use and physical exam rate. Surveys of 41 patients and clinicians showed high rates of recommendation for further use, and subjective improvements in communication. However, providers and patients expressed limitations in usability, medical assessment, and empathetic communication. Conclusions: In this pilot natural experiment, only a subset of patients used inpatient virtual care. When used, virtual care was associated with reductions in PPE use, reductions in exposure risk, and patient and provider satisfaction.
LiMn2O4 spinel and substituted cathodes

LiMn2O4 spinel has a robust structure with a three-dimensional network of channels for fast Li+ conduction. Despite its relatively low electrochemical capacity, LiMn2O4 has found success as a cost-effective and high-power cathode for the Li-ion battery industry.
Safe Local Motion Planning with Self-Supervised Freespace Forecasting

Safe local motion planning for autonomous driving in dynamic environments requires forecasting how the scene evolves. Practical autonomy stacks adopt a semantic object-centric representation of a dynamic scene and build object detection, tracking, and prediction modules to solve forecasting. However, training these modules comes at an enormous human cost of manually annotated objects across frames. In this work, we explore future freespace as an alternative representation to support motion planning. Our key intuition is that it is important to avoid straying into occupied space regardless of what is occupying it. Importantly, computing ground-truth future freespace is annotation-free. First, we explore freespace forecasting as a self-supervised learning task. We then demonstrate how to use forecasted freespace to identify collision-prone plans from off-the-shelf motion planners. Finally, we propose future freespace as an additional source of annotation-free supervision. We demonstrate how to integrate such supervision into the learning-based planners. Experimental results on nuScenes and CARLA suggest both approaches lead to a significant reduction in collision rates.1
Dempster-Shafer Theory for Stock Selection

The Dempster-Shafer theory is used to develop a stock selection method. Monte Carlo algorithms are employed to approximate Dempster’s combination rule to overcome the high computational complexity of the method. Numerical results are obtained to compare the proposed method with another Dempster-Shafer based stock selection method and the S&P 500 benchmark.
Education and hope in troubled times : visions of change for our children's world

Preface Contributors 1. Introduction: Education and Hope in Trouble Times H. Svi Shapiro 2. Education and Schooling in the 21st Century: The Role of the Profession David E. Purpel 3. Is There a Place for Education in Social Transformation? Michael W. Apple 4. What Is to be Done? Toward a Rationale for Social Movement Building Jean Anyon 5. Mechanics of Unfairness: How We Undercut Poor Children's Educational Opportunity Sue Books 6. The Moral and Spiritual Poverty of Educational 'Leadership'...and a Hope for the Future Ulrich C. Reitzug and Deborah L. West 7. Fear versus Possibility: Why We Need a New DEEL for Our Children's Future Steven Jay Gross and Joan Poliner Shapiro 8. Capitalism's Continuing Attempts to Dominate Civil Society, Culture, and Schools: What Should Be Done? Richard A. Brosio 9. Education After the Empire Ron Miller 10. Education for a Partnership World: Building Cultures of Peace Riane Eisler 11. Critical Thinking in Religious Education Nel Noddings 12. The Cultivation of Children's Bodies Toward Intricate Thinking and Sensitive Behavior Don Hanlon Johnson 13. To Touch and Be Touched: The Missing Discourse of Bodies in Education Mara Sapon-Shevin 14. Worlds of Change: A Vision for Global Aesthetics Sherry B. Shapiro 15. Teaching Like Weasels Hephzibah Roskelly 16. Transforming Status-Quo Stories: Shifting from 'Me' to 'We' Consciousness AnaLouise Keating 17. Disposable Futures: Dirty Democracy and the Politics of Disposability Henry A. Giroux 18. Unplaguing the Stomach: Curing the University of California Admission Policy with An Ethic of Communal Care and Justice Jenifer Crawford, Nana Gyamfi and Peter McLaren 19. No Child Left Thinking: Democracy At-Risk in American Schools and What We Need to Do About It Joel Westheimer
Last interglacial vegetation and climate history from the Portuguese coast

We examine the Atlantic maritime vegetation history from Praia Rei Cortico, Portugal, to understand natural vegetation patterns and infer climatic conditions during the transition from the last interglacial to early glacial periods. Optically stimulated luminescence dating of quartz grains from sediments surrounding the 1.3-m-thick organic deposit date the section to within 120–89 ka. Pollen data were used to reconstruct the vegetation history and determine a range of possible past climates using an ensemble of seven modern analogue approaches. A five-part environmental sequence transitioned from heath-pine-dominated communities, deciduous hardwood forests and pine forests to heathlands surrounded by steppe-like environments. Mixed temperate and Mediterranean forest elements existed during the last interglacial period at Praia Rei Cortico, suggesting a proximal limit to these floras. Abundant Fagus pollen (>6%) suggests local beech populations existed within maritime forests of the Iberian Atlantic margin, representing a greater distribution of this genus during interglacial periods than has previously been recognized. Climate reconstructions indicate that variations in moisture availability may have been a major driver of the observed environmental changes.
Antibody and Viral Nucleic Acid Testing of Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid for Diagnosis of Eastern Equine Encephalitis

Eastern equine encephalitis diagnostic serum antibody can appear 6 days after the onset of symptoms, and its numbers can increase 4-fold in 4 days, arguing for early and frequent serum testing. In populations where cerebrospinal fluid viral nucleic acid testing sensitivity and specificity remain undetermined, cerebrospinal antibody testing should also be performed.
Evapotranspiration based on equilibrated relative humidity (ETRHEQ): Evaluation over the continental U.S.

A novel method of estimating evapotranspiration (ET), referred to as the ETRHEQ method, is further developed, validated, and applied across the U.S. from 1961 to 2010. The ETRHEQ method estimates the surface conductance to water vapor transport, which is the key rate-limiting parameter of typical ET models, by choosing the surface conductance that minimizes the vertical variance of the calculated relative humidity profile averaged over the day. The ETRHEQ method, which was previously tested at five AmeriFlux sites, is modified for use at common weather stations and further validated at 20 AmeriFlux sites that span a wide range of climates and limiting factors. Averaged across all sites, the daily latent heat flux RMSE is ∼26 W·m−2 (or 15%). The method is applied across the U.S. at 305 weather stations and spatially interpolated using ANUSPLIN software. Gridded annual mean ETRHEQ ET estimates are compared with four data sets, including water balance-derived ET, machine-learning ET estimates based on FLUXNET data, North American Land Data Assimilation System project phase 2 ET, and a benchmark product that integrates 14 global ET data sets, with RMSEs ranging from 8.7 to 12.5 cm·yr−1. The ETRHEQ method relies only on data measured at weather stations, an estimate of vegetation height derived from land cover maps, and an estimate of soil thermal inertia. These data requirements allow it to have greater spatial coverage than direct measurements, greater historical coverage than satellite methods, significantly less parameter specification than most land surface models, and no requirement for calibration.