cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Large-scale system partitioning using OCS

Large-scale data centers for commercial workloads or high-performance computing can reap significant benefits by applying “slow” (ms-scale) optical circuit switching (OCS) to enable reconfigurable system partitioning. Presently available commercial OCS offerings with hundreds of ports can enable partitioning of systems with tens of thousands of endpoints. We argue for the usefulness of such partitioning, and demonstrate how to apply it to large-scale dragonfly networks. To make this approach practically viable for exascale systems, cost-effective OCS and single-mode WDM transceivers will be required.
Optimization of detection networks. I. Tandem structures

A distributed binary detection problem with binary communications is considered, wherein the nodes (sensors and decision-makers) of the system are organized in a series configuration. It is shown that this problem can be reformulated as a deterministic multistage nonlinear optimal control problem. The necessary and sufficient conditions of optimality using Bayes' risk as the optimization criterion are then derived, and a physical interpretation of how the costates relate to the decision threshold at each node is provided. Using the min-H method of optimal control theory, a computationally efficient algorithm with linear complexity in the number of nodes per iteration is proposed to solve for the optimal decision strategy. The algorithm is then extended to solve a Neyman-Pearson version of the problem to obtain the optimal team (network) receiver operating characteristic curve. Two easily implemented suboptimal decision rules termed the asymptotic decision strategy and the constant control strategy are proposed and their properties are investigated. >
Space data storage systems and technologies

The acquisition and transmission from space to Earth of data is the central part of many space missions. A data storage subsystem, based on a data storage technology, is typically used to buffer data from the spacecraft and its instruments before data are returned to Earth. Because of requirements, constraints, and the design of the mission, the selection of the appropriate data storage technology for this function is based on many considerations, such as reliability, readiness, availability, mass, volume, power consumption, capacity, data rate, nonvolatility, environmental stability, radiation insensitivity, vibration insensitivity, data management flexibility, and cost, among others. Issues are reviewed for space data storage technologies, including magnetic tape recording and solid-state memories, for past, present, and future missions, such as Voyager, Cassini, and Pluto Flyby. >
Gender, time use, and change : the impact of the cut flower industry in Ecuador

This article uses survey data from Ecuador to examine the effects of women's employment on the allocation of paid and unpaid labor within the household. The reader compares a region with high demand for female labor with a similar region in which demand for female labor is low. The comparison suggests that market labor opportunities for women have no effect on women's total time in labor but increase men's time in unpaid labor. The increase in men's time in unpaid work reflects women's increased bargaining power in the home.
Reflectance Methods and Applications

Reflectance spectroscopy is an important method of measuring the absorption spectra and other properties of solids. Because this type of measurement can be made without contacting the sample, it is a powerful technique for the remote determination of the composition of soils and regoliths on the surfaces of bodies of the solar system, as well as powders in the laboratory. Analysis of the specular reflection from the polished surface of a solid can give the complex index of refraction using the Kramers-Kronig method. The exact solution of Maxwell's equations for the scattering of light by realistic powders and soils is well beyond present computational ability. However, approximate models of diffuse reflectance based on the equation of radiative transfer are capable of quantitatively predicting the angular scattering behavior and measuring the spectral absorption coefficient of particulate media.
The Failure of Risk-Based Capital Regulation

In this policy brief, we explain the fundamentals of risk-based capital (RBC) regulation and discuss some potential shortcomings of this system. We propose that the Fed end its use of RBC regulation and return to the use of simple capital ratios as measures of bank risk.
Interest-Rate Volatility in the Baltics: Issues of Measurement and International Contagion

Prior to their entry into the Eurozone, the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania faced a major financial crisis that was brought about by events abroad. This financial risk led to instability in the real economy as well. This study uses monthly data to first model interest-rate volatility as a measure of financial instability before using our preferred volatility measure to test for international spillovers among interest-rate and output fluctuations. Vector Autoregressive (VAR) and Multivariate GARCH methods show that spillovers are more common among Baltic neighbors, particularly involving Latvia, than within individual countries. When European neighbors are added to a multivariate model, Russia’s impact is shown to be larger than that of Germany.
CORRELATION OF CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM SCORING ON UNGATED COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY COMPARED TO GATED CARDIAC COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY SCANS FROM THE MULTI-ETHNIC STUDY OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) obtained from ECG-gated cardiac CT predicts cardiovascular (CVD) events. This is an ancillary study from Multi Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) using both gated and ungated chest CT obtained at one scanning visit. The purpose of this study is to correlate the
Anthropological Archaeology in 2015: Entanglements, Reflection, Reevaluation, and Archaeology beyond Disciplinary Boundaries

Archaeologists in 2015 engaged with critical anthropological topics in our search to understand humanity's story, including conflict and cooperation, materiality, ritual, food, environment, and heritage. New shifts in both our theory and our approaches are emerging; lines between traditional publication outlets and gray literature have blurred; open-source publications are now available; and social networking sites, along with blogs, crowdfunding, and data-sharing sites, are changing archaeological practices. At the same time, political challenges to archaeology's relevance exert pressure on what and how we study. Social changes and technological improvements have affected archaeological practices and prompted archaeologists to explore these various entanglements, including the range of audiences who consume and use our work. Archaeological research in 2015 produced new research findings and new multidisciplinary perspectives while reflecting a continued commitment to examining anthropological questions. [archaeology, conflict, cooperation, materiality, environment, ritual, social networking, year in review]
414 FIBROMYALGIA: A REVERSIBLE ISCHEMIC SYSTEMIC NEUROVASCULAR DISORDER.

Our pilot studies (PS) show that chronic low blood flow in fibromyalgia (Fibro) is associated with muscle pain, headaches, increased left ventricular muscle collagen (LVMC), and coronary artery stenosis (CAS), suggesting hypoxic injury. A predictive relationship was found by blind correlation between high adrenergic neurovascular tone (ANVT)/duration of illness (T = time in years) and the increase in LVMC and CAS ( r = .97, p 2 ), LVMC, right (R) CAS, and LAD CAS by our reported methods. Patient symptom levels (SL) were recorded at 1-100 (fatigue + pain). Data measurement at start/end (1/2) was placed into a blind matrix for analysis later. Treatment (Rx) with diltiazem CD 240-360 mg q/day and amitryptiline 10-125 mg q/day resulted in sig* improvement as shown below. Prospective results: group means shown: Where *sig difference from C at p 2 = 94%). This was accomplished by sig reduction in ANVT and restoration of systemic flow (CO) to the control range over the long-term Rx period. Thus, Fibro is a reversible ischemic systemic ANVT disorder.
The influence of mineral supplementation on growth and skeletal development of yearling horses.

Forty-six Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse yearlings were used in two experiments to evaluate the effect of mineral supplementation on growth and skeletal development. In the first experiment, concentrate and bermuda-grass hay diets providing 2.82 Mcal DE/kg (estimated), 13.0% CP, .62% Ca and .43% P on a DM basis were supplemented with trace minerals (TM) by adding 0, .5 or 1.0% TM premix to the concentrate. The TM content of the three diets (concentrate and hay) in mg/kg DM were: Fe 150, 162 and 176; Mn 56, 60 and 64; Zn 36, 53 and 69; and Cu 7, 8 and 11 for the low, medium and high TM levels, respectively. No effects of TM intake on feed intake, weight gain or body measurements were detected, but bone mineral deposition was increased by the high TM intake (P less than .02). No gross skeletal abnormalities were detected. In the second experiment, a basal diet with Ca and P concentrations near NRC (1978) recommendations was supplemented with no TM, TM or TM + Ca + P. The basal diet had TM concentrations similar to the highest TM levels in the first experiment. The two groups fed added minerals consumed more concentrate and total feed (P less than .1) than those receiving the basal diet. Weight gain was increased by the TM supplementation (P less than .1). There was no other diet effect on growth or development of the animals. Colts gained more height than fillies did (P less than .05). Results of these two experiments suggest that TM supplementation may have a positive effect on bone mineral deposition in yearling horses, but only when the TM content of the natural diet is below NRC (1978) recommendations.
Architecting Flexible Organizations

The twenty-first-century organization is faced with the apparent dilemma of being efficient and innovative, lean and flexible, and hierarchical and flat. The seemingly contradictory characteristics extend into every organizational system, from culture and strategy to process and technology. The flexible organization must embrace and cultivate opposites; indeed, the organization should recognize opposites as opportunities for inventiveness and synthesis and not a dilemma that requires a choice between opposites (Takeuchi and Nonaka 2004). This is in contrast to a more traditional organization that either chooses one principle over its apparent opposite or adopts an engineering perspective that optimizes something between opposites. The knowledge organization, in contrast, synthesizes opposites into something unique and new.
Characteristics of Individuals With Behavioral Health Conditions Who Remain Uninsured After Full Implementation of the ACA

Objective:Since full implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014, the number of uninsured individuals in the United States has declined considerably; however, millions still lack health insurance. Although 29% of the remaining uninsured population (8.5 million individuals) have a mental or substance use disorder, little is known about this population.Methods:This study used data from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to describe demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, and use of behavioral health services among adults (ages 18–64) with a behavioral disorder who remained uninsured (unweighted N=2,300; weighted N of approximately 8.5 million).Results:Over half of individuals with a behavioral disorder who remained uninsured were non-Hispanic whites. The largest age group was 26- to 35-year-olds. Most worked in clerical or blue-collar occupations, and less than 20% were college graduates and above. More than 90% could qualify for insurance assistance under the ACA, either...
Recombinant von Willebrand factor for severe gastrointestinal bleeding unresponsive to other treatments in a patient with type 2A von Willebrand disease: a case report

: A recombinant von Willebrand factor (rVWF) was recently approved in the United States for on-demand treatment and control of bleeding episodes in adults with von Willebrand disease (VWD). In contrast to plasma-derived VWF products available in the United States, rVWF does not contain factor VIII (FVIII). To date, there is no published experience of rVWF in clinical practice. We report the acute and prophylactic use of rVWF in a patient with VWD type 2A and severe gastrointestinal bleeding. Dosing with plasma-derived VWF/FVIII concentrates was constrained by FVIII accumulation; the bleeding was unresponsive, and multiple red blood cell transfusions were required. After initiation of rVWF (4200 IU every other day), bleeding symptoms subsided, and no red blood cell transfusions were required during more than 3 months of prophylactic therapy (most recent dosage: 2800 IU every other day). rVWF may be effective in the prevention, as well as treatment, of severe bleeding symptoms in VWD.
¿Panacea o falso profeta?: Financiamiento público en el sistema federalista estadounidense

Este ensayo pretende esbozar y analizar el polarizado debate en los Estados Unidos sobre una reforma polemica: el financiamiento publico de campanas. Los argumentos en favor y en contra estan descritos y evaluados utilizando evidencia desde los tres niveles del sistema federal estadounidense: nacional, estatal y local. Su conclusion principal es que sistemas de financiamiento publico en los Estados Unidos tienen un record mixto en fomentar elecciones mas competitivas y participativas. Por ende, es recomendable que los academicos hagan mas investigaciones sobre la utilidad del financiamiento publico en el mundo y que los reformadores chilenos se aboquen primero a otras reformas electorales mas necesarias y claramente efectivas.
Electric multipole interaction of pairs in solids: Ce in LaCl3

Abstract The electric multipole interaction (EMI) is studied in general for the case of two rare earth (RE) ions interacting in host crystals possessing C 3 h symmetry at the ion sites. The particular case of Ce 3+ substituted for La 3+ in LaCl 3 is used as an example. The splitting of two degenerate levels of such a system is studied as an application of elementary group theory, and a notation is proposed for the resulting levels. The angular dependence of the splitting due to the first term of the EMI, namely, the electric quadrupole-quadrupole interaction (EQQ), is obtained for one of the levels of the system under consideration. The ground quartet is studied for the nearest neighbor configuration ( nn ), and all of the multipoles in the expansion for EMI are kept. The shielding effects, which are very important in this problem, are assumed to depend on one parameter. This makes possible the study of the variation of the splittings with respect to such a parameter. The importance of terms beyond the quadrupole is brought out.
Testing the feasibility of using a conveyor belt to load weanling and nursery pigs for transportation

Transportation is known to be a multi-faceted stressor, with the process of loading being one of the most significant factors impacting the stress to which animals are exposed. This project was designed to determine if using a conveyor to load pigs into the top deck of a simulated straight deck trailer could lower the stress to which pigs and handlers are exposed. Pigs were assigned to either a Control group that were herded up a stationary conveyor ramp into a top deck trailer (2.5 m above the ground); or Conveyor group which were herded onto a mobile conveyor into a top deck trailer. The conveyor was 7.6 m long, 0.9 m wide and rose to 2.5 m high at a 16° slope, and moved 11.3 m/min. Two age groups were tested; Weanling pigs which were moved in groups of 20 (n = 14 groups/treatment) and Nursery pigs which were moved in groups of 10 (n = 15 groups/treatment). Behavior was recorded during loading, including slips and falls, vocalizations, assists, and time to load. Heart rate of 2 sentinel pigs/group and the handler were recorded during loading, and body temperature of the handler after loading. Pigs were held in the simulated trailer for 30 min while heart rate was recorded. After which, they were unloaded and held in a holding pen for an additional 30 min while heart rate was recorded. There were no treatment differences for slips or falls (P 0.10). However, loading increased heart rate of Nursery pigs (204.9 ± 5.7 bpm, P < 0.005), but not Weanling pigs (172.1 ± 9.0 bpm). Nursery pigs had a greater ratio of low frequency to high frequency power during loading (P < 0.02) compared to other phases of the procedure in both Control and Conveyor groups. Heart rate (93.9 ± 1.9 bpm) and body temperature (31.1 ± 0.3°C, eye temperature) of the handler was not affected by treatment (P < 0.26). Based on behavior and physiology, the pigs had similar experiences in both treatments. This study shows that it is feasible to use a conveyor to load pigs, but it may not be advantageous.
Adrienne Rich’s Prose

It would be hard to over-estimate Rich’s importance to second wave feminism, and to literary history and theory. For example, she is the second most frequently cited author in the Encyclopedia of Feminist Literary Theory (1997). A quick search for Adrienne Rich at the Poetry Magazine website reveals that not only did she publish many of her poems in that magazine, she also contributed comments about other poets and poems, and many poets wrote celebrations of her works as well as tributes to her.
Effect of repeated abstinence on chronic ethanol self-administration in the rhesus monkey

Abstinence-based approaches to treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) are highly prevalent, but abstinence from chronic drinking may exacerbate subsequent levels of alcohol intake in relapse. Use a non-human primate model that encompasses a range of chronic voluntary ethanol drinking to isolate biological responses to repeated cycles of imposed abstinence as a function of baseline voluntary alcohol drinking levels. Over a 26-month protocol, young adult male rhesus macaques were first induced to drink alcohol and then given continuous access to 4% (w/v) ethanol (n = 8) or water (n = 4) for approximately 14 months, followed by three 28- to 35-day abstinence phases, with 3 months of ethanol access in between. Ethanol intake and blood ethanol concentration (BEC) were the primary dependent variables. Observational signs of physical dependence and circulating ACTH and cortisol were monitored. Prior to abstinence, stable, categorical, individual differences in voluntary ethanol intake under chronic access conditions were found. Following abstinence, categorical “non-heavy” drinking subjects increased drinking transiently (increased between 0.7 and 1.4 g/kg/day in first month after abstinence) but returned to baseline after 3 months. Categorical “heavy” drinkers, however, maintained drinking 1.0–2.6 g/kg above baseline for over 3 months following abstinence. Signs of physical dependence were rare, although huddling and social withdrawal increased in ethanol and control subjects. The most prominent effect on hormonal measures was heightened cortisol during abstinence that increased to a greater extent in ethanol subjects. Involuntary abstinence increases drinking in the absence of overt physical withdrawal symptoms, and heavy drinkers are more robustly affected compared to non-heavy drinkers.
The Tribes Within: The Search for Identity in the Modern State

This essay raises the question of what a tribe is? It could be seen in the context of a contemporary situation of people who feel they belong together as an expression of shared identity rather tha...
History and Narrative

The approach that I am taking in this book asks abstract questions about historical processes and historical knowledge, but it does not derive from existing research traditions of the traditional philosophy of history. Instead, it takes its inspiration from the philosophy of the special sciences. I take the view that historians are attempting to make sense of the past in ways that can be supported by the evidence of the present.
T cell receptor rearrangements in arthritis

Investigation of T cell receptor usage in human inflammatory arthritis, particularly rheumatoid arthritis (RA), has been a focus of intense interest over the past decade. This interest is predicated on several underlying observations and assumptions [1]. First, well-studied animal models of inflammatory arthritis depend upon T cell recognition of specific antigen, often foreign antigen that may share cross-reactive determinants with components of the joint. Transfer of disease to non-arthritic animals by T cells of appropriate antigen specificity has provided a clear demonstration that events initiated through the T cell receptor can cause joint destruction. Similar conclusions can be reached from other animal models for autoimmune diseases, such as experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE).
Burnett, James, Monboddo, Lord (1714–1799)

James Burnett (1714–1799) was a Scottish judge, also called Lord Monboddo. He wrote two six-volume philosophical works, but is most remembered for Of the origin and progress of language, in which he outlined his theory of gradual language origin and development and set forth a universal grammar on the model of classical antiquity.
Renal biochemistry and physiology: pathophysiology and analytical perspectives.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the anatomical features and physiology of the kidney. The nephron is the functional unit of the kidney. The components of the nephron include the glomerulus and Bowman's capsule, the proximal and distal tubules, and the loop of Henle. A discussion of the functions of the nephron usually begins with the ultrafiltration unit—that is, the glomerulus. The structural configuration of the ultrafiltration unit plays a pivotal role in determining the efficiency of ultrafiltration. Structurally, the ultrafiltration unit consists of a fenestrated endothelium, the glomerular basement membrane, and epithelial foot processes separated by slit diaphragms. The fenestrated endothelium permits the passage of the fluid containing solute that is continually presented to the glomerular capillary for ultrafiltration. The structural features of the glomerular basement membrane have a key role in ultrafiltration. The chapter discusses several renal disorders including acute renal failure, acid–base disorder, diabetic kidney disease, renal stone, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, and edema as well as the role of growth factors and cytokinins in these disorders.
The Liver as a Source of Extrarenal Erythropoietin Production

Nephrectomized rats exposed to intense hypoxia produce sufficient erythropoietin (Ep) to detectably increase their plasma Ep titers. Extrarenal Ep production is no longer detectable if nephrectomized rats are also subjected to 80% hepatectomy prior to being made hypoxic at 0.465 atmos and is barely detectable but significantly lower than in nephrectomized rats when exposed to 0.435 atmos. These results suggest that the liver plays an important role in the production of extrarenal erythropoietin.
Wetland Soil Properties and Resident Bacterial Communities Are Influenced by Changes in Elevation

Soils from four sites distributed along an elevation gradient from marsh to coastal forest in a wetland bordering the Gulf of Mexico were sampled over a 16-months period. In addition to measuring a suite of environmental conditions, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses of the resident bacterial communities were performed. Wetland soil bacterial communities varied across both space and time, with all measured variables (temperature, pH, percentage of soil organic matter, salinity, and concentrations of sulfide, NH4+, NO3−, and soluble reactive phosphorus) showing significant site by time interactions. Analyses of bacterial communities showed both marsh zones (Spartina and Cladium) supported similar communities, as did the ecotone and coastal forest. Bacterial communities within coastal forest soils were significantly different than those within marsh soils, and the ecotone communities were significantly different from the Spartina marsh soil. Temperature and pH were the most influential environmental factors impacting bacterial community composition but no predictable patterns were identified, suggesting that community changes are likely the result of intrinsic factors that are affected by local-scale processes. The dynamic nature of the physiochemical variables within wetlands suggests that more work is needed to determine potential interactive effects on bacterial community structure.
Adherence, Surveillance, and Technological Hubris.

The target article by Klugman and colleagues (2018) provides a stimulating account of a novel application of digital medicine. These issues arise from an emerging area of bioethics, namely, the dig...
Prehabilitation prior to kidney transplantation: Results from a pilot study.

Prehabilitation is the process of enhancing preoperative functional capacity to improve tolerance for the upcoming stressor; it was associated with improved postoperative outcomes in a handful of studies, but never evaluated in transplantation. Kidney transplant (KT) candidates may be uniquely suited for prehabilitation because they experience a profound loss of functional capacity while waiting years on dialysis. To better understand the feasibility and effectiveness of prehabilitation in KT, we conducted a pilot study of center-based prehabilitation for candidates; this intervention consisted of weekly physical therapy sessions at an outpatient center with at-home exercises. We enrolled 24 participants; 18 participated in prehabilitation (75% of enrolled; 17% of eligible). 61% were male, 72% were African American, and mean age = 52 (SD = 12.9); 71% of participants had lower-extremity impairment, and 31% were frail. By 2 months of prehabilitation, participants improved their physical activity by 64% (P = 0.004) based on accelerometry. Participants reported high satisfaction. Among 5 prehabilitation participants who received KT during the study, length of stay was shorter than for age-, sex-, and race-matched control (5 vs 10 days; RR = 0.69; 95% CI:0.50-0.94; P = 0.02). These pilot study findings suggest that prehabilitation is feasible in pretransplant patients and may potentially be a strategy to improve post-KT outcomes.
Post-5-Fluorouracil Human Marrow: Stem Cell Characteristics and Renewal Properties After Autologous Marrow Transplantation

The effect of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) pretreatment on human bone marrow (BM) progenitor/stem cells and recovery of hematopoiesis after autologous marrow transplant was studied. Twenty-one patients were treated with 5-FU (15 mg/kg to 45 mg/kg) intravenously (IV) for 1 to 3 days administered 6 to 22 days before BM harvest. Post-FU marrow was infused into 15 patients after high-dose cyclophosphamide, carmustine (BCNU), and VP-16 (CBV). Seventeen patients (historical controls) were treated with CBV and autologous BM transplantation but did not receive 5-FU before marrow harvest. The groups were comparable for diagnosis and prior therapy. In the 5-FU-treated group and control group, median recovery times for platelet count to 50,000/mm3 were 20 and 30 days, respectively (P = .007), and for platelet count to 100,000/mm3, 23 and 38 days, respectively (P = .007), while neutrophil recovery was not significantly altered. In vitro cultures with 1 to 7 growth factors (interleukin-1 [IL-1], IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, colony-stimulating factor-1 [CSF-1], granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF], and G-CSF) were performed. In 8 of 10 patients whose marrow was studied before and after 5-FU treatment, the numbers of CFU-C responsive to the combination of GM-CSF and IL-3 was increased 6.15-fold by 5-FU pretreatment. In 4 of these patients, thymidine suicide of GM-CSF- and IL-3-stimulated CFU-C ranged from 17% to 42%. High proliferative potential colony-forming cell (HPP-CFC) was observed in low frequency in normal marrow and patient's marrow before 5-FU treatment. In 11 of 16 patients pretreated with 5-FU, increased numbers of HPP-CFC were noted. GM-CSF and IL-3 interacted synergistically to stimulate HPP-CFC. Multifactor combinations, especially GM-CSF + G-CSF + IL-3 + IL-6 + IL-1 + CSF-1 did not increase total colony count or classic HPP-CFC but did result in altered morphology, producing huge, loose colonies. The marrow from patients pretreated with 5-FU is enriched with multifactor-responsive HPP-CFC, renews in vivo granulopoiesis in a manner comparable with marrow harvests without 5-FU pretreatment, and provides accelerated in vivo platelet recovery. This marrow may be an appropriate target marrow for gene insertion in gene-therapy protocols.
SNPping away at the genetic basis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a genetically complex disorder of spine development, defined by a lateral curvature of the spine of 10o or greater which affects children during their pubertal growth spurt. Prior linkage and candidate gene approaches to elucidating the genetic basis of AIS have been of limited use for identification of candidate genes for this condition. Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have recently identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in LBX1 and G protein-coupled receptor 126 (GPR126) that contribute to AIS occurrence. These discoveries support prior etiologic hypotheses regarding altered somatosensory function and skeletal growth in AIS. However, these loci account for a small percentage of the phenotypic variance associated with AIS, indicating the vast majority of the genetic causes of AIS remain to be delineated. A major translational application regarding understanding the genetic contributions to AIS relates to bracing efficacy.
The Making of Sino Muslim Identity: Han Kitab in the Chinese Xidaotang

The seemingly oxymoronic term Sino Muslim has a historical relevance of more than 1,300 years in China. Historically, migration and intermarriage gave rise to a Sinophone Muslim population, upon wh...
Pronator quadratus muscle flap: a preliminary cadaveric study.

There are very few studies regarding the neurovascular anatomy of pronator quadratus (PQ) or the technique of harvesting it as free functional muscle transfer. The aim of the study was to describe the neurovascular anatomy of PQ, to provide the harvesting technique and review the reported clinical applications. Dissections were performed on four fresh cadaver upper extremities. Measurements of PQ’s dimensions, its neurovascular pedicle length, diameter and branching pattern were taken, and photographs were taken. The relation of the neurovascular pedicle to important anatomic landmarks of the forearm was also documented. Identification and raising of the PQ was performed within 30 min on all cases. The neurovascular pedicle was lying over the flexor surface of the interosseous membrane and entered the PQ on its dorsal surface. In all cases, PQ was received its blood supply from the anterior interosseous artery (AIA) with an average length of 12 cm and average diameter of 2.25 mm and it was accompanied by two veins. There were interconnections between the AIA and the ulnar and radial arteries. PQ was innervated by the anterior interosseous nerve with an average length of 12.25 cm. PQ can be easily harvested either as a free or as a pedicled muscle. The learning curve is short. The accompanying vessels and nerve are of adequate length/diameter for microvascular anastomoses and/or neurorrhaphy, respectively. There is no donor site morbidity except the scar. Although there have been sporadic reports on PQ clinical applications, more studies are needed in order to identify the indications/applications in reconstructive surgery.
Patient Health Literacy and Diabetic Foot Amputations.

ABSTRACT Patient health literacy is associated with self-care and management of chronic diseases, including diabetes. Interventions that address health literacy and aim to improve clinical outcomes have been focused mostly in primary care. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between patient health literacy and diabetic foot amputations in a retrospective cohort analysis in a large orthopaedic practice at an academic medical center. Using data extraction from clinical records, orthopaedic patients who had a diabetic foot amputation or re-amputation in the last 2 years were compared with the general orthopaedic patient population, with patient health literacy screening results as the dependent variable. Results revealed a statistically significant difference in health literacy between the foot amputee group (N = 177) and the general orthopaedic patient group (N = 14,683) (p
Frailty predicts morbidity, complications, and mortality in patients undergoing complex abdominal wall reconstruction.

Frailty is becoming an increasingly established risk factor for adverse postoperative outcomes. Given the innately high morbidity involved in complex abdominal wall reconstruction (CAWR) and the propensity for co-morbidities among this patient population, we sought to determine the predictive utility of a frailty index in patients undergoing CAWR. A retrospective analysis was conducted using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS NSQIP) database. A total of 70,339 patients undergoing CAWR were identified using CPT codes for ventral hernia repair ± components separation, ± placement of mesh. A Modified Frailty Index (mFI) was calculated for each patient. Outcomes included overall morbidity, Clavien–Dindo Grade IV (CDIV) complications, and mortality. Overall, 9931 patients had at least one complication associated with their procedure and an average calculated mFI of 0.12 (± 0.11) which was significantly greater than the average mFI noted in patients with no complications (0.077 ± 0.85, p < 0.001). Similarly, average mFI score (0.16 ± 0.12) in patients with CDIV complications (n = 2541) was once again significantly greater than those without CDIV complications (0.080 ± 0.09; p < 0.001). Multivariable analyses also showed that all individual factors of the mFI were predictive of all-cause and CDIV complications (p < 0.001). Higher pre-operative mFI conferred a 7.77× likelihood of all-cause complications, 35.71× likelihood of CDIV complications, 3.85× likelihood of surgical site complications, and a 62.05× likelihood of death (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). We have shown that frailty as measured by mFI is an accurate predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing CAWR.
Implementing Stochastic Bayesian Inference : Design of the Stochastic Number Generators

Bayes’ rule can be computed stochastically using a simple Muller C-element, providing an efficient means of implementing Bayesian inference for autonomous robots. This provides such machines with the ability to make decisions when there is uncertainty in the data or models, enabling adaptation to unknown or dynamic environments. Because of the inherent memory effect in the C-element, the accuracy of this approach is sensitive to autocorrelation in the input signals. Previous work has shown that a simple rotating buffer is effective in mitigating the autocorrelation effects. However, prior studies have not addressed the practical aspects of designing the stochastic number generators (SNGs) required for creating the probabilistically-encoded values at the inputs. In this work, two approaches are evaluated: the use of linear feedback shift registers (LFSRs) and the use of low discrepancy sequence (LDS) generators. In the case of the LFSRs, this paper shows that there is no significant degradation in performance when several SNGs are shared with one LFSR provided a sufficient amount of circular shifting is used between each SNG. Results show an LDS generator is beneficial for lowering the amount of autocorrelation that is input into the C-element, resulting in improved performance.
Dynamic Strength of AZ31B-4E and AMX602 Magnesium Alloys Under Shock Loading

Free surface velocity histories for two magnesium (Mg) alloys are obtained from planar shock compression experiments. Symmetric plate impacts at velocities of approximately 400, 600, 800, and 1000 m/s are reported, where axisymmetric cylindrical specimens (flat-faced discs) are launched in single stage light gas guns. The studied specimens have been produced from an equal channel angular extrusion process for Mg AZ31B-4E and from a hot extrusion of consolidated powder prepared via a spinning water atomization process for Mg AMX602. The present studies focus on the region of the velocity profiles spanning the Hugoniot elastic limit through the plastic rise up to the Hugoniot state, as opposed to wave reflection, release and spall studied previously in these materials. A semi-analytical method is invoked to extract inelastic constitutive response information from particle velocity histories. The only parameters entering the procedure are fundamental thermoelastic properties—notably including elastic constants up to order three—and the ratio of plastic work to energy storage of defects generated in the crystal lattice. Plastic shock velocities are not available from the present data; these are estimated from the initial bulk modulus, its pressure derivative, and known shock velocities in conventional Mg AZ31B. Shear stress, plastic strain, plastic strain rate, temperature, and dislocation density are computed outcomes. Results demonstrate similar trends in extracted behaviors for the two alloys, whereby maximum strength in the plastic shock front increases with increasing impact velocity in each material. Strain rate sensitivity appears to be greater in AZ31B-4E than AMX602. Flow stress on the Hugoniot is calculated as 295 to 336 MPa for AZ31B-4E and 163 to 293 MPa for AMX602. Maximum flow stress in the plastic rise, as extracted from tests with maximum impact velocity, is on the order of 700 MPa for each alloy.
Complex Sleep Apnea

Complex sleep apnea is a manifestation of excessive chemoreflex effects on sleep respiration. While traditionally based on the response of obstructive sleep apnea to continuous positive airway pressure (emergence of central apneas), the spectrum of disease is far wider and often apparent on the diagnostic polysomnogram. The majority exhibit hypocapnia but hypercapnic variants are possible. Hypocapnia-induced respiratory instability is important, and interacts with arousal-induced sleep-state instability. The long-term evolution of the disease remains controversial in part due to scoring criteria and difficulty in identifying central hypopneas. Management approaches can utilize advances in ventilatory support (adaptive ventilators) or CO2 management. Several other adjunctive therapies may be used, including sedatives and acetazolamide. Tracking the disease process and impact on sleep in the home environment is now possible through treatment devices and an ECG-based monitoring system.
System Design of a Cold Atom Gyroscope based on Interfering Matter-wave Solitons

We propose a novel implementation of a trapped- atom Sagnac gyroscope based on the interference between matter- wave solitons confined around an optical microring resonator. Our integrated nanophotonic approach to trapped atom interferometry combines the long-term stability and quantum-limited sensitivity of ultracold matter-wave interferometers with the robustness, scalability and low power operation of nanophotonic architectures. The use of optical microresonators for atomic confinement ensures disorder-free symmetric waveguides for the confined atoms, a high degree of vibration insensitivity owing to the reciprocal structure of the waveguide, and enhanced bias and scale-factor stability via concurrent feedback stabilization of the microresonator. We have performed detailed quantum simulations based on demonstrated experimental parameters to confirm stable dispersion-free propagation of matter-wave solitons around the microresonator and the appearance of high contrast interference fringes due to the accrued Sagnac phase shift. We estimate the shot-noise limited rotation sensitivity of this gyroscope to be 0.8 μrad/s/Hz1/2 for single-loop propagation of the solitons around a microring of radius 1 mm, with the possibility of substantial improvements via multiloop propagation of the solitons, fabrication of microring resonators of larger diameter, and the use of quantum-correlated states such as spin- squeezed quantum states. The proposed device illustrates the benefits of harnessing quantum many-body states such as matter- wave solitons for quantum-enhanced inertial sensing applications.
A Polyphenol-Rich Extract From Muscadine Grapes Inhibits Triple-Negative Breast Tumor Growth

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that tends to affect young women and has a high propensity to metastasize. No targeted treatments are available for this type of breast cancer due to a lack of estrogen or progesterone receptors or overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 overexpression. Currently, patients have no therapeutic options once standard of care is complete, indicating a need for safe and effective therapies to slow or prevent the progression of TNBC to metastatic disease. Studies showed that isolated polyphenols or polyphenol-rich muscadine grape extracts polyphenols inhibit the proliferation of various cancer cells including breast cancer. A proprietary muscadine grape extract (MGE) was administered to nude mice with human MDA-MB-231 TNBC atumors for 4 weeks to determine the effect of the extract on tumor growth. MGE decreased tumor volume in association with a reduction in the proliferative markers Ki67 and cyclin D1. To determine the molecular mechanisms for the MGE-induced reduction in tumor growth, mouse 4T1, MDA-MB-231, or human BT-549 TNBC cells were treated with MGE, and various signaling pathways were investigated. MGE reduced c-Met, differentially abrogated ERK/MAPK and AKT signaling, and decreased a downstream targets of ERK/MAPK and AKT pathways, cyclin D1. Cyclin D1 reduction was associated with retinoblastoma activation and cell cycle arrest in MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells. MGE-regulated molecular signaling pathways were functionally associated with a dose-dependent reduction in cell proliferation. The pluripotency of MGE and high index of safety and tolerability suggest that the extract may serve as a therapeutic to reduce TNBC progression to metastatic disease.
The Spectrum of Benefit from Checkpoint Blockade in Hypermutated Tumors.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Tumor Mutational Burden The FDA has approved immune checkpoint inhibitors for solid tumors of any histologic origin with more than 10 mutations per megabase of DNA....
Decreased adaptation at human disease genes as a possible consequence of interference between advantageous and deleterious variants

Abstract Advances in genome sequencing have dramatically improved our understanding of the genetic basis of human diseases, and thousands of human genes have been associated with different diseases. Despite our expanding knowledge of gene-disease associations, and despite the medical importance of disease genes, their evolution has not been thoroughly studied across diverse human populations. In particular, recent genomic adaptation at disease genes has not been well characterized, even though multiple evolutionary processes are expected to connect disease and adaptation at the gene level. Understanding the relationship between disease and adaptation at the gene level in the human genome is severely hampered by the fact that we don’t even know whether disease genes have experienced more, less, or as much adaptation as non-disease genes during recent human evolution. Here, we compare the rate of strong recent adaptation in the form of selective sweeps between disease genes and non-disease genes across 26 distinct human populations from the 1,000 Genomes Project. We find that disease genes have experienced far less selective sweeps compared to non-disease genes during recent human evolution. This sweep deficit at disease genes is particularly visible in Africa, and less visible in East Asia or Europe, likely due to more intense genetic drift in the latter populations creating more spurious selective sweeps signals. Investigating further the possible causes of the sweep deficit at disease genes, we find that this deficit is very strong at disease genes with both low recombination rates and with high numbers of associated disease variants, but is inexistant at disease genes with higher recombination rates or lower numbers of associated disease variants. Because recessive deleterious variants have the ability to interfere with adaptive ones, these observations strongly suggest that adaptation has been slowed down by the presence of interfering recessive deleterious variants at disease genes. These results clarify the evolutionary relationship between disease genes and recent genomic adaptation, and suggest that disease genes suffer not only from a higher load of segregating deleterious mutations, but also an inability to adapt as much, and/or as fast as the rest of the genome.
Parameter Variation Tolerant Robust Current Sensorless Control of a Single-Phase Boost PFC

With the objective to eliminate the input current sensor in a totem-pole boost power factor corrector (TPFC) for its low-cost design, a novel discretized sampling-based robust control scheme is proposed in this work. The proposed control methodology proves to be beneficial due to its ease of implementation and its ability to support high frequency operation, while being able to eliminate one sensor, and thus enhancing reliability and cost-effectiveness. In addition to that, detailed closed loop stability analysis is carried out for the controller in discrete domain to ascertain brisk dynamic operation when subjected to sudden load fluctuations. To establish the robustness of the proposed control scheme, a detailed sensitivity analysis of the closed loop performance metrics with respect to undesired changes and inherent uncertainty in system parameters is presented in this paper. A comparison with the state-of-the-art (SOA) methods is provided, and conclusive results in terms of better dynamic performance are also established. To verify and elaborate on the specifics of the proposed scheme, a detailed simulation study is conducted, and the results show 25% reduction in response time as compared to SOA approaches. A 500W boost PFC prototype is developed and tested with the proposed control scheme to evaluate the steady state and dynamic performance.
Acrosyringeal concentration of necrotic keratinocytes in erythema multiforme: a clue to drug etiology. Clinicopathologic review of 29 cases.

Erythema multiforme (EM) is caused by various insults, frequently an infectious agent or a drug. It is current practice that histologic identification of the precipitating factor is not possible. We have observed a pattern of acrosyringeal concentration of keratinocyte necrosis in certain cases of EM and retrospectively studied 29 consecutive cases of EM to establish clinico-pathologic correlation for this finding. Acrosyringeal concentration was observed in 10 of 29 specimens, all 10 clinically drug related (Group 1). Nineteen specimens lacked this pattern (Group 2) of which 3 cases were clinically drug related (sensitivity= 0.8, specificity= 1.0). Eosinophils were present in the dermal infiltrate of 6 specimens from Group 1 and 2 specimens from Group 2 (p=0.025). Acrosyringeal concentration of keratinocyte necrosis in EM occurs in drug-related cases and is more likely to be accompanied by a dermal inflammatory infiltrate containing eosinophils. Drug concentration in sweat may explain this pattern with subsequent toxic and immunologic mechanisms leading to the fully evolved lesion.