cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Convex cubic splines

Control curves used in industry are usually planar cubic splines, continuous and single-valued for a specific independent variable. If large slopes are specified at certain points, the spline coefficients, which are computed in order to preserve second derivative continuity of the spline, invariably lead to wildly oscillatory curves. Normally the large slopes occur at the ends of the curve, and this paper deals with such cases, developing methods which have been used successfully to combat the problems encountered. The end point where the difficulty occurs is ignored for the moment and a curve (spline or not) is designed for the remaining points. Then, with the point and slope adjacent to the difficult point known, the design is completed with one or more spline segments so that the resulting curve, which connects the difficult point to the next point, is convex (or concave), and has at least first derivative continuity. For the large finite slope case, two methods are described. The first method constructs the desired curve as a sequence of spline segments with finite slope everywhere, whereas the second expands the interval so that a single spline segment with infinite end slope passes through the difficult point with the required slope. The case of infinite end slope is also treated. In this and the preceding cases, second derivative continuity can be preserved at the juncture under certain conditions.
A Criterion for Burn-in That Balances Mean Residual Life and Residual Variance

Optimum burn-in times have been determined for a variety of criteria such as mean residual life and conditional survival. In this paper we consider a residual coefficient of variation that balances mean residual life with residual variance. To study this quantity, we develop a general result concerning the preservation ofbathtub distributions. Using this result, we give a condition so that the residual coefficient of variation is bathtub-shaped. Furthermore, we show that it attains its optimum value at a time that occurs after the mean residual life function attains its optimum value, but not necessarily before the change point of the failure rate function.
Management of continuous venous gas emboli during extracorporeal life support utilizing the Kolobow gas trap.

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) with a roller pump system uses a closed cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit not equipped with a venous reservoir. Hence, gas emboli cannot escape the ECLS circuit, predisposing to clot formation, membrane failure and potential gas embolism. Rarely, some patients may develop a continuous release of gas into the venous circulation from multiple sources. Two pediatric ECLS cases are presented with continuous venous gas embolism. A ‘gas trap’ was devised by creating a column of fluid erected vertically on the venous line. This allowed gas to rise within the column, separating it from the ECLS circuit, thus, preventing gas from lodging in the membrane.
Achieving Tolerance with Perforin-Secreting Dendritic Cells.

Dendritic cells (DCs) regulate the generation of effector adaptive immunity and enforce peripheral tolerance. In the October 2015 issue of Immunity , Zlotnikov-Klionsky et al. present exciting data describing a population of perforin-expressing CD11c + DCs that limit obesity as well as metabolic and autoimmune inflammation in mice.
Evaluating Voice Quality and Speech Synthesis Using Crowdsourcing

One of the key aspects of creating high quality synthetic speech is the validation process. Establishing validation processes that are reliable and scalable is challenging. Today, the maturity of the crowdsourcing infrastructure along with better techniques for validating the data gathered through crowdsourcing have made it possible to perform reliable speech synthesis validation at a larger scale. In this paper, we present a study of voice quality evaluation using the crowdsourcing platform. We investigate voice gender preference across eight locales for three typical TTS scenarios. We also examine to which degree speaker adaptation can carry over certain voice qualities, such as mood, of the target speaker to the adapted TTS. Based on an existing full TTS font, adaptation is carried out on a smaller amount of speech data from a target speaker. Finally, we show how crowdsourcing contributes to objective assessment when dealing with voice preference in voice talent selection.
Occurrence of the A2 mating type ofPhytophthora infestans in potato fields in the United States and Canada

Ten isolates ofP. infestans collected from blighted potato fields in the U.S. and Canada during the years 1983–1989 were examined for mating type on lima bean, oatmeal, and rye grain media. Two of the ten isolates produced oospores in less than 15 days when cultured in the presence of known A1 mating types from the USA, Mexico, and Europe, indicating they are A2 mating types. When the two A2 isolates (one from Pennsylvania and one from Vancouver, B.C.) were cultured singly or with known A2 isolates, no oospores formed after 6 weeks of culture. Pathogenicity tests showed that both isolates produced typical late blight symptoms on potato foliage and stems, and there appeared to be no difference in virulence between these two A2 and the eight A1 isolates. Inoculations with a mixture of A1 + A2 sporangia also produced oospores in host tissues. This is the first report of the presence of the A2 mating type ofP. infestans in the U.S. and Canada.
Properties of Guinea Pig 7S Antibodies IV. Antibody Response to E. coli Bacteria.

SummaryGuinea pigs hyperimmunized with E. coli bacteria emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant produced large amounts of 7SΓ2 globulins. However, animals immunized by this method, as well as others initially immunized with bacteria administered intraperitoneally or intravenously, failed, with one exception, to produce 7SΓ1 guinea pig skin sensitizing anti-E. coli antibodies.
Review of the Wing Venation of the Higher Hymenoptera (Suborder Clistogastra), and Speculations on the Phylogeny of the Hymenoptera

Very early in the study of the systematics of Hymenoptera, a division of the order into two groups was established―a smaller and more primitive group in which the larval stages are plant feeders, and a much larger group with larvae of diverse feeding habits (primarily zoophagous, but some secondarily phytophagous). This classification is still used, and the suborders are, respectively, the Chalastogastra (also called Symphyta, Phytophaga, or Sessiliventres) and Clistogastra (also designated Apocrita or Petiolata).
Study of the Control Over the Clearance Leakage Flow by Modeling a Non-axisymmetrical Wheel Hub of an Axial Flow Compressor

A full three-dimensional numerical simulation was performed of a single-stage axial flow compressor with a clearance between the stator and rotor.An analysis of the flow field indicates that the leakage flow from the clearance between the stator and rotor can result in a relatively large flow separation in the end wall zone of the passage.To control the flow loss,a non-axisymmetrical modeling was performed of the wheel hub of the stator and the overall performance of the compressor was improved after the said modeling.The flow field analytic results show that the non-axisymmetrical end wall modeling can change the distribution of the static pressure on the end wall,thus improving the flow pattern of the clearance leakage flow in the passage and eliminating the return flow loss zone at the outlet of the passage.As a result,the total pressure ratio of the compressor increases and the isentropic efficiency goes up by 0.9%.
A protocol for administering intravenous iron dextran in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Intravenous (i.v.) iron has been underutilized in the peritoneal dialysis (PD) population due to poor peripheral access and logistical barriers. In PD patients who are intolerant or nonadherent to oral iron, a convenient method of i.v. iron administration is total dose infusion (TDI). This method of administration involves administering the total therapeutic dose of i.v. iron over one to two administrations. This article will review the literature on the use of parenteral iron in PD patients, and will outline West Coast Dialysis Center's successful protocol for TDI of iron dextran in its PD population.
Effect of wearable sensor dynamics on physical activity estimates: A comparison between SCI vs. healthy individuals

Accuracy of physical activity estimates predicted by activity monitoring technologies may be affected by device location, analysis algorithms, type of technology (i.e. wearable/stickable) and population demographics (disability) being studied. Consequently, the main purpose of this investigation was to study such sensor dynamics (i.e. effect of device location, type and population demographics on energy expenditure estimates) of two commercial activity monitors. It was hypothesized that device location, population studied (disability), choice of proprietary algorithm and type of technology used will significantly impact the accuracy of the predicted physical activity metrics. 10 healthy controls and eight individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) performed structured activities in a laboratory environment. All participants wore, (i) three ActiGraph-G3TX's one each on their wrist, waist & ankle, (ii) a stickable activity monitor (Metria-IH1) on their upper-arm and (3) a Cosmed-K4B2 metabolic unit, while performing sedentary (lying), low intensity (walk 50 steps at self-speed) and vigorous activity (a 6 minute walk test). To validate the hypothesis, the energy expenditures (EE) predicted by ActiGraph-GT3X and Metria-IH1 were benchmarked with estimated EE per Cosmed K4B2 metabolic unit. To verify the step count accuracy predicted by ActiGraph-GT3X's and Metria-IH1, the manually calculated step count during the low intensity activity were compared to estimates from both devices. Results suggest that Metria-IH1 out-performed ActiGraph-GT3X in estimating EE during sedentary activity in both groups. The device location and population demographics, significantly affected the accuracy of predicted estimates. In conclusion, selecting activity monitor locations, analysis algorithm and choice of technology plays based on the movement threshold of population being studied can pave a better way for reliable healthcare decisions and data analytics in population with SCI.
Dual linear polarized UWB planar monopole

UWB planar monopoles are excellent antennas for compact ultra-wide band applications. Because the antenna is purely linearly polarized, it may be possible to take advantage of the small cross polarization to make a dual polarized variant. This paper presents the baseline UWB monopole from which an early prototype dual-polarized variant is started. The concept of the prototype is presented.
Phonology–Phonetics Interface

Investigation of the role of phonetic factors in shaping phonological systems is a prominent area of research in theoretical phonology. Expanding from early attempts to offer articulatory and perceptual grounding for cross-linguistic patterns in sound inventories, work on the interface between phonetics and phonology now explores a diverse array of phenomena and has spawned the synchronic framework of phonetically driven Optimality Theory.
Mamaea’s Little Man: Alexander Severus, His Mother, and the Germanic War

Thrust upon the throne at 13, Alexander Severus was at first depicted as a triumph of masculinity and an embodiment of the military life against his predecessor and cousin, Elagabalus. As Alexander matured, ancient writers employed a rhetoric that assessed his manliness within the framework of his relationship with his mother, Julia Mamaea, and her actions and vices. Although Alexander was free from the femininity and corruption of emperors like Nero, Commodus, or Elagabalus, he was immortalized as feminine because of his mother’s influence over him. This chapter adds a fresh look at how Roman historians sought to balance masculine and feminine traits in their assessments of the ideal princeps, particularly in the context of motherhood and war.
Detrital Origin of Fuchsite-Bearing Quartzites in the Western Dharwar Craton, Karnataka, India

Quartzites in the Nuggihalli (Banavara), Holenarsipur, JavanahaIli, Bababudan and Chitradurga schist Belts were evaluated using petrographic and chemical methods. All the examined quartzites originated as clastic sandstones, none as inorganically precipitated cherts. Chromium is introduced to the oldest quartzites in the form of detrital chromite. Fuchsite is forming in association with this chromite during metamorphism. There is no evidence for significant contributions of hydrothermal Cr. There are secular trends in median Cr/Al 2 O 3 , Cr/Fe 2 O 3 , Cr/Zn and K 2 O/AI 2 O 3 ratios. These trends are consistent with the gradual evolution of mafic and sialic sedimentary source tenanes over the interval from approximately 3.5-2.5 Ga ago. The compositions of the quartzites from Javanahalli and Bababudan Belts are sufficiently different to suspect, but not prove, they are from different sources.
Transitional behaviour of convective patterns in free convection in porous media

The present study focuses on the transition between steady convective patterns in fluid-saturated porous media. We conduct experiments to identify the transition point from the single- to double-cell pattern in a two-dimensional porous medium. We then perform a basin stability analysis to assess the relative stability of different convective modes. The resulting basin stability diagram not only provides the domains of coexistence of different modes, but it also shows that the likelihood of finding convective patterns depends strongly on the Rayleigh number. The experimentally observed transition point from single- to double-cell mode agrees well with the stochastically preferred mode inferred from the basin stability diagram.
Effect of Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Morphology of Left-Sided Heart and Pulmonary Artery Pressure

OSA is one of the factors leading to cardio-vascular remodeling. This study was planned to compare pulmonary artery pressure and morphological parameters of left-sided chambers of heart between two groups—severe OSA and a control group. 30 consecutive subjects with severe OSA diagnosed through overnight video-synchronized attended polysomnography and 30 consecutive subjects having “low risk for OSA” were recruited in this study. The latter group served as control group. Informed consent was taken and they were screened for exclusion criteria. Their medical history was obtained and anthropometric parameters were measured. 2-D Echocardiography was done by a cardiologist following standard guidelines. Both groups were comparable with regard to age (52.2 ± 10.1 years cases; 54.5 ± 12.1 years controls; t = − 0.78; P = 0.43). 40% cases and 7% controls had history of systemic hypertension (χ 2 = 9.31; P = 0.002). Half of the OSA patients had mild to moderate tricuspid regurgitation while none among the controls. None of the subjects in either group ever had myocardial infarction. OSA subjects had larger left atrium (3.63 ± 0.43 vs. 3.16 ± 0.41 cm in control; P = 0.003), higher left ventricular end-systolic volume (53.25 ± 16.69 vs. 38.82 ± 9.36 ml in controls; P = 0.01), higher mean pulmonary artery pressure (19.41 ± 7.89 vs 14.91 ± 3.55 mmHg in controls; P = 0.04), thicker left ventricular posterior wall (1.25 ± 0.13 vs 0.65 ± 0.25 cm in controls; P < 0.001) after controlling for confounders like age, gender, body mass index and systemic hypertension. An index was calculated for the left atrial size and left ventricular volumes with body surface area. Among these indices, only left ventricular end systolic volume index was found to be higher among subjects with severe OSA after controlling for confounders like age, gender, body mass index and systemic hypertension. Severe OSA is associated with remodeling of pulmonary vasculature and left-sided chambers of the heart.
Risk of respiratory depression with opioids and concomitant gabapentinoids.

Author(s): Savelloni, Julie; Gunter, Heather; Lee, Kelly C; Hsu, Chih; Yi, Cassia; Edmonds, Kyle P; Furnish, Timothy; Atayee, Rabia S | Abstract: Introduction:The combination of opioids and central nervous system depressants such as benzodiazepines and barbiturates has an additive effect on the frequency of oversedation and respiratory depression requiring naloxone use in hospitalized patients. Gabapentinoids (gabapentin and pregabalin) are frequently prescribed with opioids for their opioid-sparing and adjuvant analgesic effects. There is limited literature on the risk of respiratory depression due to the combination of opioids and gabapentinoids requiring naloxone administration. Methods:This retrospective study evaluated patients who were prescribed opioids and at least one dose of naloxone between March 1, 2014 and September 30, 2016. The primary objective of this study was to compare the frequency of respiratory depression among patients who received naloxone and opioids (non-gabapentinoid group) with those who received naloxone, opioids, and gabapentinoids (gabapentinoid group). Secondary objectives included comparing the association of oversedation, using the Pasero Opioid-induced Sedation Scale, and various risk factors with those in the gabapentinoid group. Results:A total of 153 patient episodes of naloxone administration (102 in the non-gabapentinoid and 51 in the gabapentinoid groups) in 125 unique patients were included in the study. For the primary objective, there were 33 episodes of respiratory depression associated with the non-gabapentinoid group (33/102=32.4%) versus 17 episodes of respiratory depression with the gabapentinoid group (17/51=33.3%) (p=0.128). Secondary objectives showed a significant association between respiratory depression and surgery in the previous 24 hours (p=0.036) as well as respiratory depression and age g65 years (p=0.031) for patients in the non-gabapentinoid group compared to the gabapentinoid group. Conclusion:There was no significant association of respiratory depression in the gabapentinoid group versus the non-gabapentinoid group. There was an increased risk of respiratory depression in the gabapentinoid group, specifically in patients who had surgery within the previous 24 hours.
Cobweb: Practical Remote Attestation Using Contextual Graphs

In theory, remote attestation is a powerful primitive for building distributed systems atop untrusting peers. Unfortunately, the canonical attestation framework defined by the Trusted Computing Group is insufficient to express rich contextual relationships between client-side software components. Thus, attestors and verifiers must rely on ad-hoc mechanisms to handle real-world attestation challenges like attestors that load executables in nondeterministic orders, or verifiers that require attestors to track dynamic information flows between attestor-side components.In this paper, we survey these practical attestation challenges. We then describe a new attestation framework, named Cobweb, which handles these challenges. The key insight is that real-world attestation is a graph problem. An attestation message is a graph in which each vertex is a software component, and has one or more labels, e.g., the hash value of the component, or the raw file data, or a signature over that data. Each edge in an attestation graph is a contextual relationship, like the passage of time, or a parent/child fork() relationship, or a sender/receiver IPC relationship. Cobweb's verifier-side policies are graph predicates which analyze contextual relationships. Experiments with real, complex software stacks demonstrate that Cobweb's abstractions are generic and can support a variety of real-world policies.
Efficacy and safety of sarolaner against generalized demodicosis in dogs in European countries: a non-inferiority study.

Background Treatment of canine demodicosis can be challenging; new treatments are always being sought. Objective The efficacy of sarolaner was evaluated in comparison with a moxidectin/imidacloprid topical product against generalized demodicosis in dogs in a randomized, single-masked, multi-centre field study. Animals Client-owned dogs were treated monthly with oral sarolaner (n = 53) or with weekly/monthly topical moxidectin/imidacloprid (n = 28). Methods Mites were counted monthly in deep skin scrapings and the severity of skin lesions was evaluated. Dogs completed the study when no live mites were found on two consecutive monthly skin scrapings or on day 180 at the latest (study end). Results Parasitological cure, defined as the first time that no live mites were found in the skin scrapings, was achieved in 92.9% and 100% of the dogs after three and no more than five monthly treatments with sarolaner (respectively). In the moxidectin/imidacloprid group, 77.3% and 91.7% of the dogs were cured after three and six months, respectively. Parasitological cure rate for sarolaner was non-inferior to moxidectin/imidacloprid on day 60. Mite counts were reduced by 77.2%, 95.0%, 98.5%, 99.0%, 100% and 100% in the sarolaner group and by 68.0%, 88.4%, 91.1%, 92.7%, 73.9% and 82.2% in the moxidectin/imidacloprid group, on days 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180, respectively, compared to pre-treatment counts. The skin lesions improved throughout the study; the total affected body surface decreased by 94% in the sarolaner and by 72% in the moxidectin/imidacloprid group. There were no treatment-related adverse events. Conclusions Monthly oral administration of sarolaner was safe and highly effective in the treatment of generalized demodicosis in dogs.
Liquefaction of Softwoods and Hardwoods in Supercritical Methanol: A Novel Approach to Bio-Oil Production

The production of consistent renewable-based hydrocarbons from woody biomass involves the efficient conversion into stable product streams. Supercritical methanol treatment is a new approach to efficiently convert woody biomass into bio-oil at modest processing temperatures (> 238 °C) and pressures (> 8.1 MPa). The conversion of common Alaskan tree species namely, Alaskan birch and Sitka spruce, was evaluated using the supercritical methanol liquefaction process to yield bio-oil and biochar fractions. Results show that liquefaction of softwoods and hardwoods can be achieved in excess of 90 wt%. The biochar was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and showed that this was lignin derived. The volatile components from the resultant bio-oil were chemically characterized (composition) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The resulting bio-oil was comprised of partially methylated lignin-derived monomers and sugar derivatives which results in a stable and consistent product platform that can be followed by catalytic upgrading into a drop-in-fuel. The broader implications of this novel approach to obtain sustainable bioenergy and biofuel infrastructure are discussed.
Neural Basis of Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning paradigms, which involve the presentation of two stimuli within close temporal proximity to each other, have proven very useful for advancing our understanding of the neural substrates of learning. In particular, the use of eyeblink classical conditioning in concert with a variety of neuroscience methods has generated an impressive array of data concerning where and how in the brain plasticity occurs to create changes in behavior. Available data demonstrate that discrete regions of the cerebellum and associated brainstem areas contain neurons that alter their activity during conditioning – these regions are critical for the acquisition and performance of this simple learning task. It appears that other regions of the brain, including the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, contribute to the conditioning process, especially when the demands of the task get more complex. Given the relatively precise delineation of the neural circuitry involved in this type of learning, eyeblink classical conditioning has been increasingly used in translational human research to study behavioral and brain correlates of clinical disorders.
Assessment of Functional and Cognitive Status in Older Patients with Lung Disease

Assessment of functional and cognitive capacity provides important diagnostic and prognostic information in a wide variety of clinical settings. Older patients typically have an increased number of comorbidities leading to a progressive decline in both functional and cognitive capacity. Additionally, older patients with chronic lung disease commonly experience functional incapacitation due to progressive shortness of breath as well as a reduced overall perception of quality of life due to both cognitive and functional impairments. Early assessment and subsequent therapy aimed at these limitations is important not only for prognostic reasons but also for goal-directed therapies, and there are a variety of well-validated instruments for clinical assessment of functional and cognitive status.
Spatial Memory Loss of Normal Aging: Animal Models and Neural Mechanisms

Normal aging is associated with mild, but significant changes in learning and memory. One brain structure that has been well-studied with regard to memory deficits that occur in advanced age is the hippocampus. The hippocampus plays an important role in memory in mammals, and is required in many species for accurate navigation and way-finding. Age-related hippocampal changes that may contribute to observed age-related spatial learning deficits are reviewed. Although cell numbers are well-preserved in the hippocampus during aging, there are specific changes that occur in connectivity and plasticity mechanisms in the hippocampus that have been correlated with spatial memory decline in rodents. These neural changes lead to alterations in hippocampal network dynamics that result in failures of information retrieval, and the behavioral appearance of older animals having a greater tendency to become lost. Understanding age-related changes in brain structure and function may ultimately lead to the development of methods that can attenuate memory loss and improve life quality of older individuals.
Characteristics and anatomic distribution of early vs late stroke after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND The primary objective of this study was to identify the specific predictors of early and late stroke in patients after open heart surgery. Secondary outcomes included (a) risk factors for perioperative stroke, (b) anatomic location of stroke according to time of presentation, and (c) the impact of stroke on operative mortality. METHODS Adult patients undergoing open cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass from 2006 to 2016 at the New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine were retrospectively reviewed. In total 7957 patients were included. We compared the demographic and perioperative variables in three groups: no stroke, early stroke, and late stroke using regression analysis. RESULTS The incidence of perioperative stroke for the entire study period was 1.5% (117 of 7957). Early stroke occurred in 84 (71.8%) patients, whereas late stroke occurred in 33 (28.2%). Early strokes were usually embolic events (64 of 66, 97.0%, P = .66) on the right side (30 of 66, 45.5%, P < .001), in the anterior circulation (38 of 66, 57.6%, P = .001), or in multiple distributions (28 of 66, 42.4%, P = .002). Late strokes were more likely left-sided (16 of 28, 57.1%, P < .001) and uncommonly in both the anterior and posterior hemispheres (1 of 28, 3.6%, P = .001). Stroke, regardless of timing, was a significant predictor of operative mortality (odds ratio, 11.0, confidence interval, 6.1-19.7, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Early and late strokes after cardiac surgery have distinct incidence, location, and likely etiology. Both early and late strokes portend a very high incidence of operative mortality.
Effect of early nutrient restriction on performance and development of selected characteristics of gastrointestinal tract of broiler chickens

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of early nutrient restriction on performance and development of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of broiler chickens. Four hundred male broiler {Ross X Ross) chicks raised in floor pens were assigned to two treatment groups. One group was given ad libitum access to feed from 1 to 48 d of age. The second group was feed restricted from 7 to 14 d of age to an energy intake of 1.5 X kcal ME/d, where BW is the body weight in grams, and then given ad libitum access to feed from 14 to 48 d. Body weight and feed intake were determined weekly. At 49 d of age, birds were processed for carcass yield, abdominal fat pad measurement, and body composition analysis. Broilers were also sampled at 7, 14, 21, and 41 d of age for proventricuius, gizzard, small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum), pancreas, and liver weights and for intestinal length measurements. Total DNA, protein:DNA, and RNA:DNA ratios of livers and jejuna were determined as indexes of
Childhood Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Adulthood

Abstract Background Cigarette smoking is known to increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), and a recent cross-sectional analysis suggested that parental smoking may be an AF risk factor. Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess if parental smoking predicts offspring AF in the Framingham Heart Study. Methods This study analyzed Framingham Offspring cohort participants with parents in the Original cohort with known smoking status during the offspring’s childhood. Framingham participants were evaluated every 2 to 8 years and were under routine surveillance for incident AF. The authors assessed AF incidence among Offspring participants exposed to parental smoking through age 18 years and performed a mediation analysis to determine the extent to which offspring smoking might explain observed associations. Results Of 2,816 Offspring cohort participants with at least 1 parent in the Original cohort, 82% were exposed to parental smoking. For every pack/day increase in parental smoking, there was an 18% increase in offspring AF incidence (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00 to 1.39; p = 0.04). Additionally, parental smoking was a risk factor for offspring smoking (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.54; p Conclusions Childhood secondhand smoke exposure predicted increased risk for adulthood AF after adjustment for AF risk factors. Some of this relationship may be mediated by a greater propensity among offspring of smoking parents to smoke themselves. These findings highlight potential new pathways for AF risk that begin during childhood, offering new evidence to motivate smoking avoidance and cessation.
Doubly Weak Supervision of Deep Learning Models for Head CT

Recent deep learning models for intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) detection on computed tomography of the head have relied upon large datasets hand-labeled at either the full-scan level or at the individual slice-level. Though these models have demonstrated favorable empirical performance, the hand-labeled datasets upon which they rely are time-consuming and expensive to create. Further, given limited time, modelers must currently make an explicit choice between scan-level supervision, which leverages large numbers of patients, and slice-level supervision, which yields clinically insightful output in the axial and in-plane dimensions. In this work, we propose doubly weak supervision, where we (1) weakly label at the scan-level to scalably incorporate data from large populations and (2) model the problem using an attention-based multiple-instance learning approach that can provide useful signal at both axial and in-plane granularities, even with scan-level supervision. Models trained using this doubly weak supervision approach yield an average ROC-AUC score of 0.91, which is competitive with those of models trained using large, hand-labeled datasets, while requiring less than 10 h of clinician labeling time. Further, our models place large attention weights on the same slices used by the clinician to arrive at the ICH classification, and occlusion maps indicate heavy influence from clinically salient in-plane regions.
Abstract 17: Cognitive, Psychological, and Functional Limitations After Sudden Cardiac Arrest Among a Racially and Ethnically Diverse United States Population

Background: To estimate the frequency of post-sudden cardiac arrest survivorship (PSCAS) problems (i.e., cognitive impairment, disability in activities of daily living, depression and posttraumatic...
The Potential of Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Cervical Cancer: Can Combinatorial Regimens Maximize Response? A Review of the Literature.

Cervical cancer (CC) is most often caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). In principle, these ties to the virus should make HPV tumors a relatively easy target for clearance by the immune system. However, these HPV-associated tumors have evolved strategies to escape immune attack. Checkpoint inhibition immunotherapy, which has had remarkable success in cancer treatment, has the potential to overcome the immune escape in CC by harnessing the patient’s own immune system and priming it to recognize and kill tumors. Recent work involving PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in CC lends credence to this belief, as pembrolizumab has shown evidence of clinical efficacy and consequently been granted accelerated approval by the FDA. That being said, the oncologic outcomes following monotherapy with these biologics have mostly been modest and variable, and this can be attributed to alternative resistance mechanisms to tumor response. The use of therapies that stimulate immune responses via checkpoint-independent activation will therefore augment release of T cell inhibition by checkpoint inhibitors for stronger and more sustained clinical responses. Such a combinatorial approach holds promise for weak- or non-responders to checkpoint therapies as supported by evidence from various, recent pre-clinical, and preliminary clinical studies.
Rabies in Southern Rhosia: 1900 to 1961

A review of the 1902-1913 rabies epizootic in Southern Rhodesia is given. The probable origin and subsequent spread of rabies following a path formed by African occupied areas is given for the 1950-1961 epizootic. The diagnostic techniques and control measures employed in Southern Rhodesia to combat the outbreak of rabies are given. The incidence of cases in domestic and wild animals is given.
Detection of varicella zoster virus antigen and DNA in two cases of cerebral amyloid angiopathy

Abstract Objective Varicella zoster virus (VZV) vasculopathy and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) have similar clinical presentations: both affect cerebrovasculature in the elderly, produce hemorrhage, and can have a protracted course of cognitive decline and other neurological deficits. The cause of CAA is unknown, but amyloid-beta (Aβ) is found within arterial walls. Recent studies show that VZV induces Aβ and amylin expression and an amyloid-promoting environment. Thus, we determined if VZV was present in CAA-affected arteries. Methods Two subjects with pathologically-verified CAA were identified postmortem and frontal lobes analyzed by immunohistochemistry for arteries containing VZV, Aβ, and amylin and HE VZV antigen co-localized with Aβ in media of arteries with histological changes characteristic of CAA. Amylin was also seen in the intima of a VZV-positive artery in the diabetic subject. Not all Aβ-containing arteries had VZV, but all VZV-positive arteries contained Aβ. Conclusions VZV antigen co-localized with Aβ in some affected arteries from two CAA cases, suggesting a possible association between VZV infection and CAA.
Helmholtzian Eigenmap: Topological feature discovery & edge flow learning from point cloud data.

The manifold Helmholtzian (1-Laplacian) operator $\Delta_1$ elegantly generalizes the Laplace-Beltrami operator to vector fields on a manifold $\mathcal M$. In this work, we propose the estimation of the manifold Helmholtzian from point cloud data by a weighted 1-Laplacian $\mathbf{\mathcal L}_1$. While higher order Laplacians ave been introduced and studied, this work is the first to present a graph Helmholtzian constructed from a simplicial complex as an estimator for the continuous operator in a non-parametric setting. Equipped with the geometric and topological information about $\mathcal M$, the Helmholtzian is a useful tool for the analysis of flows and vector fields on $\mathcal M$ via the Helmholtz-Hodge theorem. In addition, the $\mathbf{\mathcal L}_1$ allows the smoothing, prediction, and feature extraction of the flows. We demonstrate these possibilities on substantial sets of synthetic and real point cloud datasets with non-trivial topological structures; and provide theoretical results on the limit of $\mathbf{\mathcal L}_1$ to $\Delta_1$.
Graph processing and machine learning architectures with emerging memory technologies: a survey

This paper surveys domain-specific architectures (DSAs) built from two emerging memory technologies. Hybrid memory cube (HMC) and high bandwidth memory (HBM) can reduce data movement between memory and computation by placing computing logic inside memory dies. On the other hand, the emerging non-volatile memory, metal-oxide resistive random access memory (ReRAM) has been considered as a promising candidate for future memory architecture due to its high density, fast read access and low leakage power. The key feature is ReRAM’s capability to perform the inherently parallel in-situ matrix-vector multiplication in the analog domain. We focus on the DSAs for two important applications—graph processing and machine learning acceleration. Based on the understanding of the recent architectures and our research experience, we also discuss several potential research directions.
One Year Later. Leveraged ETFs in Portfolio Construction and Portfolio Protection

One year after Coronovirus and three years later after initially suggesting them, we revisit the performance of balanced portfolios of leveraged ETFs that we initially suggested in the 2017 paper. Leveraged ETFs provide a convenient mechanism to dynamically change portfolio exposure and can be successfully used to construct robust portfolios that perform well during equity market drops. We start with a classical 60 percent Bonds/ 40 percent Stocks portfolio with monthly rebalancing that delivered 9.5 percent annually from January 1, 1986, to January 15, 2021. Its 120 percent leveraged cousin that is 72 percent Bonds/ 48 percent Stocks delivered 10.6 percent annually since 1986, same as SP500 but with lower volatility and drawdowns. Instead of leveraging with borrowing at the portfolio level, we can use a portfolio of leveraged ETFs. At the beginning of the paper we consider several balanced stocks/bonds portfolios created with leveraged ETFs but without borrowing money at the portfolio level and show that they present a very attractive risk-adjusted alternative to just stock index and classical stocks/bonds portfolios without leverage. A particular portfolio of 40 percent TQQQ, 20 percent TMF, 40 percent TLT with monthly rebalancing proposed by us in the 2017 paper as a leveraged ETF alternative to classical stocks/bonds portfolios performed well in 2018 and through the Coronavirus crisis up to January 15, 2021. We reviewed the performance of the 40-20-40 portfolio in our paper a year ago. Now after the Coronovirus crisis, we see that balanced portfolios suggested in 2017 sustained the crisis very well and performed well in 2020. A classical portfolio insurance strategy of Black-Jones-Perold can be easily implemented with leveraged ETFs. More complex dynamic portfolio strategies can also be implemented using leveraged ETFs.
A proposal: How to study pro-myelinating proteins in MS.

Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and degenerative disease of the CNS. An unmet need in MS is repair i.e.,promoting endogenous regeneration and remyelination after demyelinating inflammatory injury. Remyelination is critical in neuronal preservation and the prevention of clinical progression. There is a good deal of evidence for histological repair and remyelination in MS patients. Repair is driven by several prominent endogenous pro-myelinating proteinsincluding neural cellular adhesion molecule (N-CAM) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) among others. To follow changes during acute re-myelination in vivo in MS subjects, non conventional MRI techniques are necessary such as quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) that detects the release of Fe from dying oligodendroglial cells and myelin water imaging (MWI) that detects water captured within newly formed myelin. The best time to monitor changes in pro-myelinating proteins and link those changes to imaging evolution is immediately after the acute inflammatory response in MS lesions (gadolinium enhancement [Gd+]) during an intense period of remyelination. We can monitor MS subjects with new Gd + lesions with periodic imaging along with sampling of blood and CSF and determine if myelin formation is linked with increases in pro-myelinating proteins. This would lead to potential therapeutic manipulation with directly administered proteins to promote CNS re-myelination in animal models and in early clinical trials.
Editorial Commentary: The Importance of Bony Morphology in the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Injured Patient.

Abstract The outcome of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery depends on many factors. Successful ACL surgery includes evaluating patients' characteristics and addressing all the underlying knee pathologies, including the meniscus tears and ramp lesions. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in ramp lesions as well as the role that bony morphology plays in predisposing patients to ACL injury and failed ACL surgery. Not only pathologic but also physiologic variations in bony morphology like tibial slope and lateral femoral condyle ratio have been correlated with clinical outcomes, failure rates, rotatory instability, and even lesions to the contralateral knee. Evaluating each patient’s specific anatomy is recommended when customizing ACL surgery. With further research and increased awareness of relevant bony parameters, we will be able to improve our ability to prevent injury, increase the diagnostic accuracy of associated lesions, and tailor surgery to improve the outcomes and reduce failure rates.
Predicting rare events of solar power production with the analog ensemble

Abstract Some revised versions of the analog ensemble (AnEn) algorithm to improve its performance when predicting rare events of solar power production are presented. Rare events are considered both extremely cloudy situations and clear sky conditions with very low aerosol concentrations. In these cases, the solar power production can be respectively unusually low or high, making it more difficult to find good analog dates in a historical archive of past forecasts. The lack of suitable quality analogs determines conditional biases from the AnEn when predicting these rare events. Here, an application of the AnEn to predict solar power generated by two photovoltaic plants located in Kuwait is presented. The modified versions of the AnEn are compared to the standard algorithm. We focus the verification of the AnEn’s performance over the rare conditions outlining the improvements achieved with the new AnEn models.
Dynamics of multibody systems

1. Introduction 2. Reference kinematics 3. Analytical techniques 4. Mechanics of deformable bodies 5. Floating frame of reference formulation 6. Finite element formulation 7. Large deformation problem Appendix: Linear algebra References Index.
Towards IT systems capable of managing their health

Self-caring systems are systems capable of monitoring and managing their own health and, indirectly, their useful lifetime. Unlike self-healing systems which are reactive to faults and failures, self-caring systems are aware of their health and hence can potentially circumvent and adapt to impending faults, or recover from them quicker and more effectively. Towards a methodology to model and incorporate health management logic and control mechanisms into an Information Technology (IT) system whose health needs to be managed, we propose the following:
Moloney Sarcoma Virus-Induced Tumors in Mice: Inhibition or Stimulation by (Poly rI)·(Poly rC)1:

SummaryThese studies demonstrate a major effect of age of animals on the effect of (poly rI)·(poly rC) on Moloney sarcoma virus-induced tumors. In 4-6-day-old mice, tumors appeared later in the treated than in the control group, whereas in 20-day-old mice, treatment enhanced tumor formation.
An Investigation on the Influence of Misalignment on Micro-pitting of a Spur Gear Pair

This study investigates the impacts of the angular misalignment that is tangent to the plane of action of spur gears on the contact fatigue life of micro-pitting crack nucleation using a computational approach. The governing equations of the mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication are solved to determine the surface traction distributions. A boundary element-based near-surface stress formulation is implemented for the computation of the multi-axial stress fields, capturing the influence of the local surface roughness topography on the stress concentrations. A fatigue criterion is then used to assess the fatigue damage. The method of circular crown in the lead direction of the gear pair is proposed to alleviate the tooth surface load and lengthen the fatigue life under the misalignment condition. It is shown there exists an optimized crown magnitude, which is dependent on both the misalignment amount and the input torque of the gear pair, for the fatigue life improvement.
2. The Nature of the Firm: Meaning

The solution to the puzzles that I took with me to America was, as it turned out, very simple. All that was needed was to recognize that there were costs of carrying out market transactions and to incorporate them into the analysis, something which economists had failed to do. A firm had therefore a role to play in the economic system if it were possible for transactions to be organized within the firm at less cost than would be incurred if the same transactions were carried out through the market. The limit to the size of the firm would be set when the scope of its operations had expanded to the point at which the costs of organizing additional transactions within the firm exceeded the costs of carrying out the same transactions through the market or in another firm. This statement has been called a "tautology." It is the criticism people make of a proposition which is clearly right. It was of course obvious to me that the exposition in my lecture of 1932 needed elaboration, and in a letter to Fowler written shortly after I had given it, I indicated that this was what I wanted to do. I completed a draft of "The Nature of the Firm" by early summer in 1934, while I was still at Dundee. Unfortunately I do not possess a copy of this draft. However, very few changes were in fact made before the article was published in Economica in 1937. I know I added a footnote reference to an article in the American Economic Review by Horace White, who argued that monopolistic competition would set a limit to the size of the firm. I also added a footnote reference to an article by a colleague at LSE, Evan Durbin. No doubt I made some other changes, but they were almost certainly quite minor in character. The article published in 1937 was essentially the same as the draft of 1934. In transforming my Dundee lecture into an article I elaborated the ar-