cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Defense Counsel, Trial Judges, and Evidence Protocols

This essay, a contribution to the 2012 Texas Tech Symposium on the Sixth Amendment, argues that constitutional criminal adjudication provisions are fruitfully viewed not primarily as defendant rights but as procedural components that, when employed, maximize the odds that adversarial adjudication will succeed in its various goals, notably accurate judgments. On this view, the state has an interest in how those procedural mechanisms, especially regarding fact investigation and evidence gathering, are invoked or implemented. Deficient attorney performance, on this view, can be taken as a problem of the state’s adversarial adjudication process, for which public officials - notably judges, whose judgments depend on that process - should assume greater responsibility. The essay briefly sketches how judicial responsibility for the integrity of criminal judgments is minimized in various Sixth Amendment doctrines and aspects of adversarial practice. Then, instead of looking to Sixth Amendment doctrine to enforce minimal standards for attorney performance, the essay suggests that judges could improve routine adversarial process through modest steps to more closely supervise attorneys’ performance without infringing their professional discretion or adversarial role. One such step involves use of protocols, or checklists, through which judges would have attorneys confirm that they have performed some of their tasks essential to adversarial adjudication, such as fact investigation, before the court would rely on their performance to reach a judgment, whether through plea bargaining or trial.
Synthesis and evaluation of 1,7-diheteroarylhepta-1,4,6-trien-3-ones as curcumin-based anticancer agents

Thirty (1E,4E,6E)-1,7-diaryl-1,4,6-heptatrien-3-ones, featuring a central linear trienone linker and two identical nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic rings, were designed and synthesized as curcumin-based anticancer agents on the basis of their structural similarity to the enol-tautomer of curcumin, in addition to taking advantage of the possibly enhanced pharmacokinetic profiles contributed by the basic nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic rings. Their cytotoxicity and antiproliferative activity were evaluated towards both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines, as well as HeLa human cervical cancer cells. Among them, the ten most potent analogues are 5- to 36-fold more potent than curcumin in inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. The acquired structure-activity relationship data indicate (i) that (1E,4E,6E)-1,7-diaryl-1,4,6-heptatrien-3-ones represent a potential scaffold for development of curcumin-based agents with substantially improved cytotoxicity and anti-proliferative effect; and (ii) 1-alkyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl and 1-alkyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-2-yl serve as optimal heteroaromatic rings for increased in vitro potency of this scaffold. Two of most potent compounds displayed no apparent cytotoxicity toward MCF-10A normal mammary epithelial cells at 1 μM concentration. Treatment of PC-3 prostate cancer cells with the most potent compound led to appreciable cell cycle arrest at a G1/G0 phase and cell apoptosis induction.
Continuous, Chronic Changes in Evoked Potentials: Summary

Whenever we record or monitor dynamic physiological functions, regardless of whether they represent the condition of the vascular supply or the functional electrical properties of the posterior columns of the spinal cord, we always seek to describe short and long-term changes. Short-term changes in recorded cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (cortical SEP) in healthy humans will mainly reflect fluctuations in the excitability of the brainstem and brain structures involved in the processing of volleys from the posterior columns of the spinal cord. It is important, therefore, to incorporate these changes in the methodology only then shall we be able to differentiate between methodological and physiological changes in the shape, latency, and amplitude of the cortical evoked potentials which reflect the tested malfunctioning portion of the nervous system. In order to continuously test the reliability of obtained responses, we have found that it is very informative to monitor not only the electrical parameters of the stimulus applied over the peripheral nerve trunk but also the effects of depolarization on the nerve. This can be done by recording sensory nerve action potentials of distal cutaneous branches, or electromyographic responses of stimulated muscles. Moreover, while studying changes in cortical somatosensory responses, it is possible to examine the changes that the stimulus applied to peripheral nerves was also causing at the spinal cord level by recording lumbosacral or cervical somatosensory evoked responses.
Developing Students’ Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Analysis Skills in an Inquiry-Based Synthetic Organic Laboratory Course

A course is described where students are engaged in an inquiry-based quarter-long research project to synthesize a known pharmaceutical target. Students use literature search engines, such as Reaxys and SciFinder, and the primary chemical literature as resources to plan and perform the synthesis of their pharmaceutical target. Through this process, students develop critical thinking, problem solving, and data analysis skills in the laboratory setting. Teaching assistants guide students through three phases of the research process: (1) literature-based proposal, (2) experimentation and analysis, and (3) communication of research findings by oral presentation and written report. This course is designed for upper-division chemistry majors, taken as the third-quarter organic laboratory class after two quarters of introductory laboratory courses and two quarters of the associated organic chemistry lecture courses. Nine different teaching assistants have taught the course described to over 90 students in four d...
Lack of in vitro interaction between heparin and nitroglycerin

Nitroglycerin has been reported to reduce activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) values in patients treated with concurrent heparin and nitroglycerin. However, in vivo studies have yielded conflicting results. In this in vitro evaluation, nitroglycerin was added to samples of pooled plasma from normal volunteers in concentrations of 0, 1, 10, 50, 100, 150, and 200 ng/mL. Preservative-free heparin was then added to the samples to produce final concentrations of 0, 0.3, and 0.6 U/mL. Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) was determined for each sample using a single reagent. There were no significant differences in aPTT values among increasing nitroglycerin concentrations for any of the three levels of heparinization. No direct effect of nitroglycerin on the anticoagulant effect of heparin was observed, as measured by aPTT.
EVALUATION OF NUMERICAL MODELS ON WAVE-CURRENT INTERACTIONS

Five contemporary numerical models on wave-current interactions are evaluated in this paper. The bases of evaluation are mathematical exactness, degree of computational difficulty and practical applicability in terms of the abilities of handling shoaling, refraction, diffraction, reflection and wave-current interaction. Recommendations are given in matrix form on the relative merit of each model.
Role of the active site guanine in the glmS ribozyme self-cleavage mechanism: quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical free energy simulations.

The glmS ribozyme catalyzes a self-cleavage reaction at the phosphodiester bond between residues A-1 and G1. This reaction is thought to occur by an acid–base mechanism involving the glucosamine-6-phosphate cofactor and G40 residue. Herein quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical free energy simulations and pKa calculations, as well as experimental measurements of the rate constant for self-cleavage, are utilized to elucidate the mechanism, particularly the role of G40. Our calculations suggest that an external base deprotonates either G40(N1) or possibly A-1(O2′), which would be followed by proton transfer from G40(N1) to A-1(O2′). After this initial deprotonation, A-1(O2′) starts attacking the phosphate as a hydroxyl group, which is hydrogen-bonded to deprotonated G40, concurrent with G40(N1) moving closer to the hydroxyl group and directing the in-line attack. Proton transfer from A-1(O2′) to G40 is concomitant with attack of the scissile phosphate, followed by the remainder of the cleavage reaction. A ...
A Histological Study of Turkey Meat as Related to Sensory Characteristics

Abstract INTRODUCTION DIFFERENCES in meat tenderness due to age, sex, breed, etc. have been attributed to differences in connective tissue. However, muscle fibers, which constitute the bulk of the muscle mass, must also be very important in meat quality. Sarcomere length, which measures the degree of muscle contraction, was first suggested by Locker (1960) as being associated with tenderness. Its usefulness as a predictor of tenderness is therefore of practical interest. Fiber diameter has been found to vary according to species, breed and age (Joubert, 1956). There have been many studies in red meats to correlate fiber diameter and meat quality, and an interrelationship has been found among fiber diameter, sarcomere length and tenderness. Herring et al. (1967) working with bovine muscle observed that tenderness was linearly related to fiber diameter and curvilinearly with sarcomere length. It has long been known that there are two types of skeletal muscle fiber; the…
Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty: Management of Periprosthetic Femur Fracture Around Total Knee Arthroplasty

Distal femur periprosthetic fractures are increasing in incidence and provide unique challenges for the orthopedic surgeon when considering treatment. A majority of these fractures are low velocity mechanism in a patient with osteoporosis. The Rorabeck and Lewis classification not only provides a descriptive classification but also correlates with treatment options. These fractures are typically treated operatively due to importance of early mobilization on morbidity and mortality in this patient population. Type 1 and 2, implant stable fractures, can be fixed utilizing locked plating or intramedullary nailing while type 3, implant unstable, typically requires revision of femoral component. Operative fixation technique is based on soft tissue considerations, bone stock of distal fracture fragment, implant availability, and other ipsilateral hardware or pathology present. Complexity of revision arthroplasty will depend on degree of comminution, previous implant type, ligamentous stability, and patient’s functional level. As with any revision knee arthroplasty, technique should minimize bone removed and level of constraint should be appropriate for balance. Allograft combined with prosthesis or as an adjunct with internal fixation is a consideration that can be useful when inadequate bone stock or healing potential is a concerns. When treated appropriately, surgical intervention can facilitate early mobilization while leading to a high level of satisfaction.
CT-based morphometric analysis of C1 laminar dimensions: C1 translaminar screw fixation is a feasible technique for salvage of atlantoaxial fusions.

Background: Translaminar screw fixation has become an alternative in the fixation of the axial and subaxial cervical spine. We report utilization of this approach in the atlas as a salvage technique for atlantoaxial stabilization when C1 lateral mass screws are precluded. To assess the feasibility of translaminar fixation at the atlas, we have characterized the dimensions of the C1 lamina in the general adult population using computed tomography (CT)-based morphometry.
RTDroid: A Design for Real-Time Android

This paper presents our work on the inception of RTDroid, a variant of Android that provides predictability to Android applications. Although there has been much interest in adopting Android in real-time contexts, surprisingly little work has been done to examine the suitability of the Android franework layer for real-time systems. Existing work only provides solutions to traditional problems, including adding support for real-time garbage collection at the virtual machine layer as well as kernel-level real-time scheduling and resource management. While it is critical to address these issues, it is by no means sufficient. After all, Android is a vast system that is more than a Java virtual machine and a kernel. Thus, this paper goes beyond existing work and examines the internals of Android, the Android programming model, libraries, and core systems services. We discuss the implications and challenges of adapting Android constructs and core system services for real-time and present a solution for each. Our system is unique in that it redesigns Androids internal components, replaces Androids Dalvik VM with a real-time VM, and leverages off-the-shelf real-time OSes. We demonstrate the feasibility and predictability of our solution on three different platforms. The evaluation results show that our design can successfully provide predictability to Android applications even under heavy loads.
Ischemia-Induced Loss of Epithelial Polarity

Proximal tubular cells play a major role in the reabsorption of ions, water and solutes from the glomerular filtrate. This process is accomplished, in large part, by the cells having a polarized surface membrane with structurally, biochemically, and physiologically distinct apical and basolateral membranes separated by cellular junctional complexes. Establishment and maintenance of these unique membrane domains is essential for the normal functioning of proximal tubular cells. Ischemia results in the duration-dependent loss of apical and basolateral surface membrane lipid and protein polarity. This loss of surface membrane polarity is associated with disruption of the microfilament network and opening of cellular tight junctions. Surface membrane lipids and proteins are then free to diffuse laterally within the bilayer into the alternate membrane domain. Functionally, ischemia-induced loss of epithelial polarity is responsible for reduced sodium and glucose reabsorption and for the enhanced susceptibility of proximal tubular cells to aminoglycoside-induced nephrotoxicity. With recovery, proximal tubular cells undergo remodeling of the surface membrane, such that the unique apical and basolateral membrane domains are reestablished, allowing normal cellular function to return.
Moves app: a digital diary to track physical activity and location

Fitness. iOS 9.0 or later, Android 4.0.3 or later. Free. The Moves app (moves-app.com) was launched in January 2013. The app uses global positioning system (GPS) technology, Wi-Fi and cell towers along with samples of the smartphone's accelerometer data to record location, physical activity (eg, walking, bicycling and running) and transit throughout the day.1 In the account settings, users can provide their email, gender, weight, height and birth year. From these assessments, the app provides an estimate of physical activity duration, distance, steps and calories expended. The Moves app graphs a storyline of the day by accounting for time spent in travel and visiting destinations. Daily routes are automatically mapped in different colours based on the type of transport (eg, walking, bicycling, and public …
Public Sector Reform and Racial Occupational Mobility

Whether the public sector continues to offer African Americans an upwardly mobile “occupational niche” is unclear, especially in the face of contemporary reforms that run counter to workplace protections. In this article, and drawing on overtime data from Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we explore this question with a specific focus on the upward mobility of men into white-collar occupations. Findings suggest that the reform period of 2005–2010, characterized by increased employer discretion and an application of a “business model” to public sector work, undermined African American relative to White promotion prospects. What was once greater racial parity in the incidence, determinants, and timing of upward mobility during the pre-reform period (1985–1990) eroded during the reform period (2005–2010). Promotion-centered inequalities in the private sector, in contrast, while high, were more or less constant across the same time period. We conclude by discussing escalating public sector racial disadvantages,...
Software Social Organisms: Implications for Measuring AI Progress

In this article I argue that achieving human-level AI is equivalent to learning how to create sufficiently smart software social organisms. This implies that no single test will be sufficient to measure progress. Instead, evaluations should be organized around showing increasing abilities to participate in our culture, as apprentices. This provides multiple dimensions within which progress can be measured, including how well different interaction modalities can be used, what range of domains can be tackled, what human-normed levels of knowledge they are able to acquire, as well as others. I begin by motivating the idea of software social organisms, drawing on ideas from other areas of cognitive science, and provide an analysis of the substrate capabilities that are needed in social organisms in terms closer to what is needed for computational modeling. Finally, the implications for evaluation are discussed.
Treatment of Patients with Autoimmune Cytopenia and Progressive CLL Using Rituximab, Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, and Prednisone (R-CVP).

Abstract 4410 BACKGROUND Autoimmune cytopenia occurs in 5%-10% of patients with CLL. Treatment for patients with both autoimmune cytopenia and progressive CLL is challenging due to poor tolerance of myelosuppression, and the risk of exacerbation of autoimmune cytopenia by purine analogues. METHODS We identified 20 patients from our CLL database of approximately 3000 patients who were treated with a chemoimmunotherapy regimen of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CVP) for both autoimmune cytopenia and progressive CLL from January 2000-December 2008 at Mayo Clinic Rochester. RESULTS Autoimmune cytopenia responded in 19 patients (14 CR and 5 PR) with a median time to progression (TTP) of 13.6 months (range 5 – 29). Five patients remain in sustained remission at last follow up (range 15 – 30 months) and 4 patients have had recurrent autoimmune cytopenia requiring re-treatment. Six patients required maintenance corticosteroid therapy after completing R-CVP. Progressive CLL responded to treatment in 17 patients (9 CR/CCR, 8 PR by NCI-WG 1996 criteria) with a median TTP of 6.3 months (range 1-40 months). Fourteen patients have required additional treatment for progressive CLL at a median of 5.4 months (range 4-22 months). Five patients have not required additional treatment for either CLL or autoimmune cytopenia at 15 -30 months after completing treatment. R-CVP treatment toxicity included 3 patients with grade 3-4 infections, 2 with grade 1 peripheral neuropathy, and one with grade 3 drug-induced pneumonitis. No patient required blood cell transfusions after the completion of cycle 1 of therapy. CONCLUSIONS Although R-CVP is an effective and tolerable therapy for patients with simultaneous autoimmune cytopenia and progressive CLL requiring therapy, the duration of response is suboptimal. Clinical trials testing alternative treatment strategies are needed for this patient population. Disclosures: Zent: Genentech, Bayer, Genzyme, Novartis: Research Funding. Shanafelt: Cephalon: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Polyphenon Pharma : Research Funding; Hospira: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Bayer Health Care Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Kay: Biogenc-Idec, Celgene, Genentech, genmab: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genentech, Celgene, Hospira, Polyphenon Pharma, Sanofi-Aventis: Research Funding.
Measuring Carotid Revascularization Quality

> Holy Grail: something that you want very much but that is very hard to get or achieve > > —Merriam-Webster Because US health care pivots from volume-based to value-based strategies, there is growing emphasis on optimizing quality, safety, and appropriate utilization. Accordingly, to improve, we must be able to measure our performance. In this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions , Kuehnl et al provide a timely publication, from the German national database, that informs our quest for the Holy Grail of measureable quality and safety for internal carotid artery revascularization.1 See Article by Kuehnl et al The authors analyzed 182 033 procedures involving internal carotid artery revascularization, performed in Germany between 2009 and 2014. Because of mandatory reporting requirements, 99.1% of the data were available for analysis. They arbitrarily split the German hospitals into quintiles based on the case volumes for carotid endarterectomy (CEA; n=161 448) and carotid stenting (CAS; n=17 575) and then looked for correlations between hospital case volume and their safety end point, in-hospital death, and stroke. Not surprisingly, their data, consistent with other observations,2 confirmed an inverse relationship between hospital CEA case volume and inpatient death and stroke, but, similar to other reports,3 failed to confirm an inverse safety relationship for CAS hospital volume. This is counterintuitive. A high-risk, complex …
Juvenile concentrations of IGF‐1 predict life‐history trade‐offs in a wild mammal

Summary Early postnatal development can have profound effects on life-history traits later in life. One mechanism hypothesized to mediate this relationship is the anabolic hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 contributes importantly to postnatal growth, and thus offers a means by which environmental and genetic variation might direct organismal development, reproduction and survival. We tested whether juvenile concentrations of IGF-1 can predict intraspecific variation in life-history traits later in life using longitudinal data from free-living female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). We found that juvenile concentrations of IGF-1 predicted heavier juvenile mass, which in turn predicted greater survival to reproductive maturity. However, independent of mass, higher juvenile concentrations of IGF-1 predicted earlier age at first parturition and reduced longevity in adulthood. Our results highlight the importance of early postnatal development as a determination period in mammals and suggest that concentrations of IGF-1 during this sensitive period can be used to predict important later-life trade-offs between growth, reproductive fitness and life span in wild, long-lived animals. A lay summary is available for this article.
Mediating Conflicts, Creating Bonds: The Culture-bound Interaction of Islam with Face-redress Strategies in Maghrebi Arabic Dialects

The present paper discusses the patterns of interaction between the Islamic religion and the universal categories of verbal politeness described by Brown, Levinson (1987). The two scholars based their theory on the existence of two contrasting sets of ‘face-wants’ (negative and positive) and on the speakers’ necessity to preserve them while, at the same time, pursuing their goals. Verbal politeness provides means that enable the speaker to do so without endangering his social relations. While the phenomenon is, in itself, universal ( i.e. found in all known cultures), its outer manifestations tend to be culturally bound. Amongst Maghrebi Arabic-speaking societies, the object of the present study, the ‘code’ of verbal politeness heavily draws on the Islamic religion. The present paper, thus, aims to analyse the interplay between Islam and the different strategies described by Brown and Levinson, by means of a wide exemplification that will highlight general trends and underlying structures.
Transposition of Mutator-like transposable elements (MULEs) resembles hAT and Transib elements and V(D)J recombination

Mutator-like transposable elements (MULEs) are widespread across fungal, plant and animal species. Despite their abundance and importance as genetic tools in plants, the transposition mechanism of the MULE superfamily was previously unknown. Discovery of the Muta1 element from Aedes aegypti and its successful transposition in yeast facilitated the characterization of key steps in Muta1 transposition. Here we show that purified transposase binds specifically to the Muta1 ends and catalyzes excision through double strand breaks (DSB) and the joining of newly excised transposon ends with target DNA. In the process, the DSB forms hairpin intermediates on the flanking DNA side. Analysis of transposase proteins containing site-directed mutations revealed the importance of the conserved DDE motif and a W residue. The transposition pathway resembles that of the V(D)J recombination reaction and the mechanism of hAT and Transib transposases including the importance of the conserved W residue in both MULEs and hATs. In addition, yeast transposition and in vitro assays demonstrated that the terminal motif and subterminal repeats of the Muta1 terminal inverted repeat also influence Muta1 transposition. Collectively, our data provides new insights to understand the evolutionary relationships between MULE, hAT and Transib elements and the V(D)J recombinase.
Reasoning under varying and uncertain resource constraints

We describe the use of decision-theory to optimize the value of computation under uncertain and varying resource limitations. The research is motivated by the pursuit of formal models of rational decision making for computational agents, centering on the explicit consideration of preferences and resource availability. We focus here on the importance of identifying the multiattribute structure of partial results generated by approximation methods for making control decisions. Work on simple algorithms and on the control of decision-theoretic inference itself is described.
ALD TiO x as a top-gate dielectric and passivation layer for InGaZnO 115 ISFETs

The suitability of atomic layer deposited (ALD) titanium oxide (TiO x ) as a top gate dielectric and passivation layer for indium gallium zinc oxide (InGaZnO115) ion sensitive field effect transistors (ISFETs) is investigated. TiO x is an attractive barrier material, but reports of its use for InGaZnO thin film transistor (TFT) passivation have been conflicting thus far. In this work, it is found that the passivated TFT's behavior depends on the TiO x deposition temperature, affecting critical device characteristics such as threshold voltage, field-effect mobility and sub-threshold swing. An O2 annealing step is required to recover TFT performance post passivation. It is also observed that the positive bias stress response of the passivated TFTs improves compared the original bare device. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy excludes the effects of hydrogen doping and inter-diffusion as sources of the temperature-dependent performance change, therefore indicating that oxygen gettering induced by TiO x passivation is the likely source of oxygen vacancies and, consequently, carriers in the InGaZnO film. It is also shown that potentiometric sensing using ALD TiO x exhibits a near Nernstian response to pH change, as well as minimizes V TH drift in TiO x passivated InGaZnO TFTs immersed in an acidic liquid. These results add to the understanding of InGaZnO passivation effects and underscore the potential for low-temperature fabricated InGaZnO ISFETs to be used as high-performance mobile chemical sensors.
Physical properties of volume holographic recording utilizing photoinitiated polymerization for nonvolatile digital data storage

Volume holographic recording of information is an attractive solution for the next generation of digital storage systems, for the ability to optically record and retrieve, independently, multiple superimposed holograms, transferring in parallel the corresponding page-formated digital data representations. Due to these two unique properties, a holographic digital data storage (HDDS) system holds promise for high capacity density (Tb/cm 3 ), and fast transfer rate (Gb/sec) [1]. During holographic recording, information is stored as refractive index modulation, i.e. volume phase gratings, resulting from the interference of the information-bearing and reference laser beams within the volume of the holographic recording medium. The performance of a holographic storage system is principally determined by the physical characteristics of the recording medium [2]. Photorefractives have been the most extensively investigated materials utilized in holographic storage. Recently, advancements in sufficiently thick photopolymer holographic media have provided a promising alternative for WORM systems [3, 4]. In these materials, formation of compositional volume phase gratings through a photoinitiated polymerization process provides an attractive recording mechanism which allows for relatively large permanent refractive index modulation with high recording sensitivity, that compares favorably to, typically volatile, recording in photorefractives [4, 5, 6]. Limitations in the response of these materials, however, may arise during and after exposure, limiting the sensitivity, the final grating strength, and the digital system performance. In this presentation, we evaluate the physical properties that allow for efficient volume holographic recording utilizing photoinitiated polymerization grating formation. The previous studies of photoinitiated polymerization recording, in materials utilizing a free-radical [4], or a cationing-ring-opening (crop) [7] process, have suggested limited grating strength to arise due to reciprocity failure at high intensity, and at large grating spacing recordings. Grating formation has further been described through a photoinduced reaction diffusion model that ignores postexposure polymerization (dark reaction), and introduces diffusion limited response for multiple recordings [4]. In this presentation, we evaluate photopolymer recording in a unified framework based on the polymerization (τ p ) and the diffusion (τ d = Λ 2 /D) time scales that completely characterize the principal physical processes during grating formation [8]. We investigated elaborately holographic recording in a material utilizing cationing-ring-opening polymerization (crop Polaroid samples).
Intensity inhomogeneity correction of SD-OCT data using macular flatspace.

Images of the retina acquired using optical coherence tomography (OCT) often suffer from intensity inhomogeneity problems that degrade both the quality of the images and the performance of automated algorithms utilized to measure structural changes. This intensity variation has many causes, including off-axis acquisition, signal attenuation, multi-frame averaging, and vignetting, making it difficult to correct the data in a fundamental way. This paper presents a method for inhomogeneity correction by acting to reduce the variability of intensities within each layer. In particular, the N3 algorithm, which is popular in neuroimage analysis, is adapted to work for OCT data. N3 works by sharpening the intensity histogram, which reduces the variation of intensities within different classes. To apply it here, the data are first converted to a standardized space called macular flat space (MFS). MFS allows the intensities within each layer to be more easily normalized by removing the natural curvature of the retina. N3 is then run on the MFS data using a modified smoothing model, which improves the efficiency of the original algorithm. We show that our method more accurately corrects gain fields on synthetic OCT data when compared to running N3 on non-flattened data. It also reduces the overall variability of the intensities within each layer, without sacrificing contrast between layers, and improves the performance of registration between OCT images.
Real-Time Instrument Scene Detection in Screening GI Endoscopic Procedures

We describe a new and effective real-time solution for detecting video segments showing an instrument used during diagnostic or therapeutic operations in endoscopic procedures. In addition, we present a new method to collect a large training dataset: similarity-based data augmentation. This method automates most of the creation of a large training dataset and prevents extensive manual effort to collect and annotate training data by domain experts. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) analysis using the training data collected with similarity-based data augmentation yields an average F1 score within 1% of that of the CNN analysis using a large manually collected training dataset.
Importance of High Clinical Suspicion for West Nile Virus Meningoencephalitis during the Current Epidemics (P06.188)

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of WNV meningoencephalitis in a patient admitted with bacterial pneumonia and neurologic symptoms and to highlight the importance of maintaining a high clinical suspicion for this disease during the current epidemics. BACKGROUND: Most human infections with West Nile virus (WNV) are subclinical or manifest as a mild febrile illness. A small proportion of patients ( DESIGN/METHODS: Descriptive case report and epidemiological data review. RESULTS: An 84-year-old man with a past medical history of COPD, alcoholism, mild cognitive impairment and suspected lung cancer, presented with fever, drowsiness, bilateral arm tremors and hypoxemic respiratory failure. On ROS, he had experienced sub acute development of ataxia, bladder and bowel incontinence. He was found to have MRSA pneumonia and was treated with IV vancomycin. Initially, his neurologic findings were attributed to systemic infection and possibly delirium tremens (DT). After 7 days of antibiotics and treatment for DTs he remained stuporous. CSF examination showed 38 WBC (50% neut.), protein of 211mg/dl and gluc. of 109mg/dl. CSF and serum WNVantibody titers were markedly elevated (CSF-IgG 1.89, IgM 5.67; Serum-IgG 5.43, IgM 5.69). MRI showed subtle basal ganglia abnormality. EEG showed generalized bilaterally slowing. Three weeks into his admission, interferon alfa 2b was started, and patient obtained some improvement of mental status. CONCLUSIONS: CDC data document a rise in the number of cases of WNV infection in 2012. From Jan. to Sept. 2012, 2636 cases of WNV have been reported, including 12 cases from CT (www.ct.gov/dph). Symptoms may include tremors, myoclonus, or parkinsonism and CSF exam usually shows pleocytosis. Based on the current epidemic, patients presenting with fever and encephalopathy, especially if movement disorders are present, should be investigated for WNV. Disclosure: Dr. Matiello has received personal compensation for activities with CaridianBCT as an employee. Dr. Strippoli has nothing to disclose. Dr. Golden has nothing to disclose. Dr. Uzunpinar has nothing to disclose.
General Considerations About Intraoperative Neurophysiology and Monitoring

Initially, the purpose of intraoperative ­neurophysiological monitoring was to reduce the risks of permanent injuries to the nervous system that may cause neurologic deficits, muscles spasm, tinnitus, or pain. This is still the main purpose of using electrophysiological methods in the operating room, but now such techniques are also used for a wide range of purposes, and it has been suggested to use the name intraoperative neurophysiology for all uses of neurophysiological techniques in the operating room. These areas of intraoperative neurophysiology now include intraoperative mapping of structures such as the cerebral cortex and the spinal cord, intraoperative diagnosis such as of peripheral nerves, specific guidance regarding microvascular decompression (MVD) operations for hemifacial spasm (HFS), and for finding the best anatomical location for implantation of electrodes for deep brain stimulation (DBS). Such tasks have become important parts of intraoperative neurophysiology.
Dynamical Models of the Climate

In Chapter 2 we described models of the climate in which heat and moisture moved from one place to another diffusively. In the real climate system, these transports are dynamically controlled and are much more interesting. As in the simple diffusive climate models, more energy arrives from the sun in the tropics than is lost to space as infrared radiation, whereas in high latitudes, more energy is lost to space than is gained from the sun. Thus, it is necessary that the tropics export energy to higher latitudes. How energy is transported poleward depends on the latitude. The first step in the process, getting the energy from the tropics to the subtropics, is accomplished by an overturning circulation in the latitude-height plane called the Hadley circulation.
Predictive multiphase evolution in Al-containing high-entropy alloys

The ability to predict and understand phases in high-entropy alloys (HEAs) is still being debated, and primarily true predictive capabilities derive from the known thermodynamics of materials. The present work demonstrates that prior work using high-throughput first-principles calculations may be further utilized to provide direct insight into the temperature- and composition-dependent phase evolution in HEAs, particularly Al-containing HEAs with a strengthening multiphase microstructure. Using a simple model with parameters derived from first-principles calculations, we reproduce the major features associated with Al-containing phases, demonstrating a generalizable approach for exploring potential phase evolution where little experimental data exists. Neutron scattering, in situ microscopy, and calorimetry measurements suggest that our high-throughput Monte Carlo technique captures both qualitative and quantitative features for both intermetallic phase formation and microstructure evolution at lower temperatures. This study provides a simple approach to guide HEA development, including ordered multi-phase HEAs, which may prove valuable for structural applications.
Mass Hierarchy and Vacuum Energy

A hierarchically small weak scale does not generally coincide with enhanced symmetry, but it may still be exceptional with respect to vacuum energy. By analyzing the classical vacuum energy as a function of parameters such as the Higgs mass, we show how near-criticality, i.e. fine-tuning, corresponds universally to boundaries where the vacuum energy transitions from exactly flat to concave down. In the presence of quantum corrections, these boundary regions can easily be perturbed to become maxima of the vacuum energy. After introducing a dynamical scalar field $\phi$ which scans the Higgs sector parameters, we propose several possible mechanisms by which this field could be localized to the maximum. One possibility is that the $\phi$ potential has many vacua, with those near the maximum vacuum energy expanding faster during a long period of cosmic inflation and hence dominating the volume of the Universe. Alternately, we describe scenarios in which vacua near the maximum could be anthropically favored, due to selection of the late-time cosmological constant or dark matter density. Independent of these specific approaches, the physical value of the weak scale in our proposal is generated naturally and dynamically from loops of heavy states coupled to the Higgs. These states are predicted to be a loop factor heavier than in models without this mechanism, avoiding tension with experimental null results.
Optical bistability in a Λ-type atomic system including near dipole–dipole interaction

Abstract The advantage of optical bistability (OB) using three-level electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) atomic system over the two-level system is its controllability, as absorption, dispersion, and optical nonlinearity in one of the atomic transitions can be modified considerably by the field interacting with nearby atomic transition. This is due to induced atomic coherences generated in such EIT system. The inclusion of near dipole–dipole (NDD) interaction among atoms further modifies absorption, dispersion, and optical nonlinearity of three-level EIT system and the OB can also be controlled by this interaction, producing OB to multistability.
Variational system identification of the partial differential equations governing the physics of pattern-formation: Inference under varying fidelity and noise

Abstract We present a contribution to the field of system identification of partial differential equations (PDEs), with emphasis on discerning between competing mathematical models of pattern-forming physics. The motivation comes from developmental biology, where pattern formation is central to the development of any multicellular organism, and from materials physics, where phase transitions similarly lead to microstructure. In both these fields there is a collection of nonlinear, parabolic PDEs that, over suitable parameter intervals and regimes of physics, can resolve the patterns or microstructures with comparable fidelity. This observation frames the question of which PDE best describes the data at hand. This question is particularly compelling because identification of the closest representation to the true PDE, while constrained by the functional spaces considered relative to the data at hand, immediately delivers insights to the physics underlying the systems. While building on recent work that uses stepwise regression, we present advances that leverage the variational framework and statistical tests. We also address the influences of variable fidelity and noise in the data.
Predictive modeling for pituitary adenomas: single center experience in 501 consecutive patients

Personalized postoperative management of patients with pituitary adenomas requires an early risk stratification system. We reviewed 501 cases operated between 10/27/2011 and 5/5/2016 by a single neurosurgeon. We determined biochemical remission and tumor resection at 3 months, and biochemical recurrence, tumor recurrence, radiation and reoperation during follow-up. We considered age, gender, tumor diameter, cavernous sinus invasion (CSI) by MRI, diagnostic category (clinical, biochemical and immunohistochemical), and proliferation markers in a Cox proportional hazards model. We built predictive models with the significant parameters and used Kaplan–Meier survival curves for time-dependent analyses. The 501 cases comprised 141 functional and 360 nonfunctional adenomas. Tumor diameter, CSI, and ki-67 index predicted long-term events. Model 1 (CSI, diameter ≥ 2.9 cm and ki-67 > 3%) identified 18 (3.6%) adenomas and predicted persistent hypersecretory syndrome and residual tumor with 98.7% specificity (OR 8.6; CI 3.0–24.7). Model 2 (ki-67 > 3% and CSI) identified 48 (9.6%) adenomas and had 93.1% specificity (OR 3.3; CI 1.8–6.0). Model 3 (ki-67 > 3%, mitoses and p53, former “atypical” adenoma) identified 26 (5.2%) adenomas and had 96.0% specificity (OR 2.3; CI 1.0–5.0). Model 1 best predicted the long-term event-free survival and was strengthened when Knosp 3–4 CSI grades were used. Model 2 better identified the smaller adenomas at risk. Among the WHO 2017 special PA subtypes, patients with silent corticotroph adenoma had a lower event-free survival than ACTH-negative nonfunctional adenomas. Use of CSI, ki-67 and tumor diameter in prediction models facilitates tailored surveillance and management of patients with pituitary adenomas.
Teacher Trainees’ Administration and Scoring Errors on the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement:

Achievement tests are used to make high-stakes (e.g., special education placement) decisions, and previous research on norm-referenced assessment suggests that errors are ubiquitous. In our study o...
How research on female vertebrates contributes to an expanded challenge hypothesis

The bi-directional links between hormones and behavior have been a rich area of research for decades. Theory on the evolution of testosterone (T) was greatly advanced by the challenge hypothesis, which presented a framework for understanding interspecific, seasonal, and social variation in T levels in males, and how they are shaped by the competing demands of parental care and male-male competition. Female competition is also widespread in nature, although it is less clear whether or how the challenge hypothesis applies to females. Here, we evaluate this issue in four parts: (1) We summarize and update prior analyses of seasonal plasticity and interspecific variation in T in females. (2) We evaluate experimental links between T and female aggression on shorter timescales, asking how T manipulations affect aggression and conversely, how social manipulations affect T levels in female mammals, birds, lizards, and fishes. (3) We examine alternative mechanisms that may link aggression to the social environment independently of T levels in circulation. (4) We present a case study, including new data analyses, in an aggressive female bird (the tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor) to explore how variation in tissue-level processing of T may bridge the gap between circulating T and variation in behavior that is visible to natural selection. We close by connecting these multivariate levels of sex steroid signaling systems alongside different temporal scales (social, seasonal, and evolutionary) to generate broadly applicable insights into how animals respond to their social environment, regardless of whether they are male or female.
Measuring Rainfall and Runoff at Storm-Water Inlets

Relatively simple instrumentation has been developed to measure and record rainfall and runoff on small urban areas draining to storm water inlets. The instruments include a tipping bucket rain gage, weirs and head sensing devices installed inside storm water inlets, and a multiple pen recorder. Runoff into as many as six storm water inlets is recorded at a single location. Controls are provided to operate the instruments automatically during storms. The occurrence of rainfall and runoff closes switches, sending pulses to the recording pens, and a synchronous record of the events is compiled on a single continuous chart. A chart speed of 1-1/2 in. per min permits evaluation of the data in small increments of time. Power is obtained from a 12-VDC storage battery. The equipment is designed to be installed with little modification of existing drainage facilities. Field tests and model studies were used to determine discharge characteristics of the inlet weirs.
Microbial Communities in Partially and Fully Treated Effluent of Three Nitrogen-Removing Biofilters

AbstractIn the United States, 24% of single-family homes have on-site wastewater treatment systems (OWTS). Not only is the proportion much higher in some areas, but also most of the OWTS provide no...
Grab 'n Go: Siderophore-Binding Proteins Provide Pathogens a Quick Fix to Satisfy Their Hunger for Iron.

The discovery of ferrichelatase activity by siderophore-binding proteins provides a mechanistic rationale to understand microbial ferric iron uptake.