cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Construct validity and factor structure of survey-based assessment of cost-related medication burden.

Background Millions of Americans are burdened by out-of-pocket prescription costs. Although many survey measures have been developed to assess this burden, the construct validity and the factor structure of these instruments have not been rigorously assessed. Objectives To characterize the factor structure and the construct validity of items assessing cost-related medication burden. Methods We applied exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analyses to the 2009 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, focusing on 10 items assessing cost-related mediation burden among a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries. The fit of competing models was compared using several indices. Results The study population (N=8777) was predominantly aged over 65 years (83.3%), female (54.4%), and white (84.3%). Two distinct factors were present for the medication cost-reduction strategies: (1) cost-related medication nonadherence and (2) drug-shopping behaviors, not directly impacting medication compliance. The two factors were moderately correlated (r=0.55), highlighting the presence of a 2 distinct but related constructs for cost-related medication burden. An item assessing the use of mail or internet pharmacies did not load well on either factor and may not necessarily measure medication-related cost burden. An item assessing reduced spending on basic needs loaded strongly on the same factor with the cost-related medication nonadherence items, suggesting they together may represent extreme compensatory behaviors that may adversely affect health outcomes. Conclusions Two distinct constructs were derived from these items examining cost-related medication burden. Although cost-related medication burden is often associated with nonadherence, drug-shopping behaviors that do not directly impact adherence are also important measure of this burden.
Spectrum of Corpus Callosum Agenesis

Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical features of 16 children with agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) are reviewed at UAE University, United Arab Emirates.
Solitary Versus Multiple Carcinoid Tumors of the Ileum: A Clinical and Pathologic Review of 68 Cases

It is well known that small intestinal carcinoid tumors may occur as solitary or multiple lesions. However, the biologic significance of multiple carcinoid tumors has not been clearly defined. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and pathologic features and prognosis of patients with solitary versus multiple carcinoid tumors of the ileum. Sixty-eight patients, including 50 with solitary and 18 with multiple carcinoid tumors, were included in the study. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides from routinely processed tumor resection specimens of the ileum were evaluated for a variety of histologic features such as tumor size, depth of invasion, tumor stage, and venous, perineural, and lymphovascular invasion. Follow-up and clinical data, such as patient age, gender, presenting complaints, presence of synchronous or metachronous malignancies, and presence of the carcinoid syndrome, were obtained and the results were compared between the two patient groups. Fifty patients with solitary carcinoid tumors (male/female ratio, 27:23) and 18 patients with multiple tumors (male/female ratio, 7:11) were identified. Patients with multiple carcinoid tumors were significantly younger than patients with solitary tumors at the time of diagnosis (55 years vs 63 years, p = 0.006). There was a high association between multiple carcinoid tumors and the carcinoid syndrome (4 of 18 vs 1 of 50, p = 0.004) as compared with patients with solitary carcinoid tumors. There was also an association between tumor multiplicity and venous invasion, but this relationship was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). The follow-up period was similar for both groups (mean 36 months, median 26 months, range 1-139 months). A significantly higher proportion of patients with multiple carcinoid tumors were either alive with disease or died of disease (56%) compared with those with solitary carcinoid tumors (18%, p = 0.002), and this relationship persisted in multivariate analysis (p = 0.02). Overall, no significant differences were observed between these two patient groups with respect to other clinicopathologic features such as tumor size, depth of invasion, presence of distant metastases, lymphatic or perineural invasion, or presence of an associated malignancy (p >0.05). In conclusion, we found that patients with multiple carcinoid tumors are younger, have a significantly greater risk of developing the carcinoid syndrome, and have a poorer prognosis than patients with solitary tumors.
Improving Adherence to Practice Guidelines for Anticoagulation in Patients Receiving Neuraxial Anesthesia Using an Electronic Order Entry Alert System.

ObjectivesEpidural analgesia is frequently used to alleviate postoperative pain. Though rare, epidural hematoma continues to be a feared complication of neuraxial analgesia. The risk of epidural hematoma is likely increased when certain regimens are used for prophylaxis/treatment of venous thromboem
Towards an autonomous water monitoring system with an unmanned aerial and surface vehicle team

In this paper, we describe a grand vision of our project, which is to develop an autonomous water monitoring system by operating an unmanned aerial and surface vehicle collaboration team with the focus on large and long rivers. Key backgrounds and challenges in realizing this vision are briefly outlined, and we show a simple path planning for an unmanned surface vehicle for the effective water sampling in the Wabash River, the natural river in the US, as one of our envisioned scenarios. Lastly, some future works are described.
Transition from bisexual to unisexual cultures in Encarsia perniciosi (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae): new data and a reinterpretation

Three forms of Encarsia perniciosi Tower have been recognized based on their mode of reproduction and host choice: (1) a thelytokous form parasitizing California red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell), (2) a thelytokous, and (3) an arrhenotokous form parasitizing San Jose scale, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock). The arrhenotokous E. perniciosi is a heteronomous hyperparasitoid (males develop as secondary parasitoids, either on their own species, usually a female, or that of some other species). Several studies have suggested that the arrhenotokous form will become thelytokous in one generation when cultured under constant temperatures in the laboratory. We tested this possibility by starting four arrhenotokous E. perniciosi cultures from different geographic localities and exposing them to constant temperatures. All four cultures remained arrhenotokous after 2, 3, 11, and 19 generations, respectively, under constant temperatures. A diagnostic allozyme variant of the enzyme system, PGM, allowed us to assign our cultures (four arrhenotokous, four thelytokous on San Jose scale, and one thelytokous on California red scale) unambiguously to form. Crossing tests indicated that thelytokous females did not mate with arrhenotokous males. We concluded that it is unlikely that the thelytokous forms were recently derived from the arrhenotokous forms in our sample. Therefore, the reports in the literature about cultures of E. perniciosi changing their mode of reproduction are more likely explained by the competitive displacement of the arrhenotokous by the thelytokous form in mixed cultures under laboratory conditions, or, alternatively, by inadequate attention to the fact that females of the arrhenotokous form emerge from 6 to 13 d before the males.
Discrimination and Classification

IF WE HAVE multivariate observations from two or more identified populations, how can we characterize them? Is there a combination of measurements that can be used to clearly distinguish between these groups? It is not good enough to simply say that the mean of one variable is statistically higher in one group in order to solve this problem because the histograms of the groups may have considerable overlap making the discriminatory process only a little better than guesswork. To think in multivariate terms, we do not use only one variable at a time to distinguish between groups of individuals, but, rather, we use a combination of explanatory variables.
Effects of water and fertilizer coupling on yield and water use efficiency in greenhouse potted cucumber

To study the influences of soil water content and fertilization levels on growth and development of greenhouse cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.) and their mutual coupling effects,a controlling pot device with a negative pressure water supplying is used to control different soil moisture by setting the water supply tension(WST) of the device at different levels.Three WST levels,i.e.3 kPa (W1),5 kPa(W2),and 7 kPa(W3),and three fertilization rates,i.e.,N600P300K300 kg/ha(F1),N900P450K450 kg/ha(F2),N1200P600K600 kg/ha(F3),are designed. Results show that the soil water contents at the W1,W2 and W3 treatments were 26.25%,20.81% and 15.35%,respectively.Plant growth rate and yield increased with the increasing of soil moisture at the same fertilization rate,the value order is W1W2W3.In W1 and W2 treatments,plant growth rate,photosynthesis,dry mass,yield and WUE are increased with the increasing of the fertilization rate(F3F2F1).Furthermore,the increasing of fertilization to enhance the WUE does not take the increasing of plant water consumption as the price.However,dry mass,leaf photosynthesis and yield value of cucumber under W3 treatment is F2F1F3.High fertilization level(F3) has a negative effect on the cucumber plant growth under low moisture level(W3).The experiment results also indicate there are significant effects of interaction between water and fertilizer on yield and WUE of cucumber.
"All for One and One for All": Systematic Data Collection and Sharing to Advance Socially Assistive Robots

We propose a half-day workshop to discuss two critical issues in contemporary research on socially assistive robots: systematizing methods for data collection in user studies and sharing data among researchers. Resolving these two issues can contribute to a speedy uptake of socially assistive robotics research with respect deployment in clinical settings. This workshop will open up discussion on the ways to address these two issues.
Isothermal Mode of the Martensitic Transformation

The isothermal formation of martensite in a 71 pet Fe# 29 pet Ni alloy is found to take place mainly by the nucleation of new plates rather than by the growth of existing ones# and is dependent on the temperature and time of the isothermal hold, the amount of athermal martensite present, the state of internal strain, and the application of tensile stress. The conclusion is reached that the isothermal nucleation is activated by thermal fluctuations superimposed on localized regions of very high strain. The reaction-path concept, involving martensite nucleation at strain embryos by athermal activation on cooling, or by thermal fluctuations on holding, re-conciles the athermal and isothermal modes of transformation, and offers a unified picture of the kinetics of martensite formation.
Focal adhesion kinase regulates early steps of myofibrillogenesis in cardiomyocytes

Forces generated by myofibrils within cardiomyocytes must be balanced by adhesion to the substrate and to other cardiomyocytes for proper heart function. Loss of this force balance results in cardiomyopathies that ultimately cause heart failure. How this force balance is first established during the assembly of myofibrils is poorly understood. Using human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes, we show coupling of focal adhesions to myofibrils during early steps of de novo myofibrillogenesis is essential for myofibril maturation. We also establish a key role for Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a known regulator of adhesion dynamics in non-muscle cells, in regulating focal adhesion dynamics in cardiomyocytes. Specifically, FAK inhibition increased the stability of vinculin in focal adhesions, allowing greater substrate coupling of assembling myofibrils. Furthermore, this coupling is critical for regulating myofibril tension and viscosity. Taken together, our findings uncover a fundamental mechanism regulating the maturation of myofibrils in human cardiomyocytes.
The effects of trabecular architectures on transferring dynamic loads to the brain

The SEM study revealed that the trabecular architectures in the subarachnoid space (SAS) are in the form of tree-shaped rods, pillars, plates or a complex network. In this paper, the effects of pillar and tree-shaped trabeculae on transferring an impact load and a pressure wave to the brain have been investigated. Indeed, two sets of local 3D FE models, including the brain and the SAS with rod and tree-shaped trabeculae were created. The models were subjected to pressure histories from the blunt impact and the shockwave scenarios. The results indicated that the thickness, shape and architecture of the trabeculae would not affect the severity of loads transferring to the brain from shock waves. In cases of blunt impact scenario, the presence of trabeculae would reduce the load transferring to the brain and also the upright tree shaped trabeculae perform stronger in protecting the brain, comparing to the inverted ones.
Assessment of Individuals with Primary Progressive Aphasia.

Speech–language pathologists play a crucial role in the assessment and treatment of individuals with primary progressive aphasia (PPA). The speech–language evaluation is a critical aspect of the diagnostic and rehabilitative process, informing differential diagnosis as well as intervention planning and monitoring of cognitive-linguistic status over time. The evaluation should include a thorough case history and interview and a detailed assessment of speech–language and cognitive functions, with tasks designed to detect core and associated deficits outlined in current diagnostic criteria. In this paper, we review assessments that can be utilized to examine communication and cognition in PPA, including general aphasia batteries designed for stroke and/or progressive aphasia as well as tests of specific cognitive-linguistic functions, including naming, object/person knowledge, single-word and sentence comprehension, repetition, spontaneous speech/language production, motor speech, written language, and nonlinguistic cognitive domains. The comprehensive evaluation can inform diagnostic decision making and facilitate planning of interventions that are tailored to the patient's current status and likely progression of deficits. As such, the speech–language evaluation allows the medical team to provide individuals with PPA and their families with appropriate recommendations for the present and the future.
Neurophysiological mechanisms of pain relief by spinal cord stimulation in angina pectoris

A number of clinical reports, including chapters in this book, demonstrate the clinical efficacy of epidural spinal cord stimulation and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to reduce or suppress cardiac pain in patients who experience severe angina pectoris (13, 14, 30–32, 35, 43). A strong consensus has grown to support the antianginal effects of stimulation measures (42), but the neurobiology of the mechanisms of action remains a major and yet unresolved clinical problem. Clinical reports identify several possibilities, including reduction in sympathetic discharge to the heart, activation of endogenous opioid systems, release of prostaglandins, and production of a placebo effect. These implications provide an urgent impetus to understand the mechanisms and to provide additional support so that this novel therapeutic approach can be recommended for safe and effective use.
Modeling Through Transmission Ultrasonics for Controlling the Fusion Bonding of Composites

Fusion bonding is an attractive technology for joining polymer matrix composites. The advantages of using this technique are good environmental resistance, high strength (ideally that of the parent materials), and the lack of any mechanical fasteners. This study presents a model for predicting the through transmission ultrasonic (TTU) amplitude response of multilayered composite media having a thermal gradient through the thickness, as seen in a fusion bonding process. The received TTU amplitude is predicted as a function of temperature at the interface of interest. The model response to frequency and layer stacking sequence was investigated.
Extending the Capacity of 1 / f Noise Generation

From the emissions of massive quasars scattered across the universe, to the fluctuations in the stock market and the melodies of music, several real world signals have a power spectral density (PSD) that follows an inverse relationship with their frequency. Specifically, this type of random process is referred to as a \(1/f\) signal, and has been of much interest in research, as sequences that have this property better mimic natural signals. In the context of constraint programming, a recent work has defined a constraint that enforces sequences to exhibit a \(1/f\) PSD, as well as a corresponding constraint propagator. In this paper we show that the set of valid solutions associated with this propagator misses an exponential number of \(1/f\) solutions and accepts solutions that do not have a \(1/f\) PSD. Additionally, we address these two issues by proposing two non-exclusive algorithms for this constraint. The first one can find a larger set of valid solutions, while the second prevents most non-\(1/f\) solutions. We demonstrate in our experimental section that using the hybrid of these two methods results in a more robust propagator for this constraint.
Rapid simulation-based uncertainty quantification of flash-type time-of-flight and Lidar-based body-scanning processes

Abstract Lidar and other time-of-flight technologies have recently received significant attention in both academic and industrial biomechanics communities, driven by technological advances in human body scanners . This paper develops an efficient and rapid computational method to simulate fast flash-type single-pulse Lidar, based on decomposition of a Lidar pulse into a group of rays, which are then tracked and processed. This allows one to quickly quantify the uncertainty in the response by identifying regions where the return signal will be erroneous due to multiple reflections.
Error correction in text

Previous research has shown that writers and editors of all ages and abilities have trouble correcting errors in texts. In this study, we were interested in discovering whether people do not correct these errors mainly because (1) they do not have the knowledge to correct them, or because (2) even though they do have the knowledge to correct the errors, they do not use it. The first case would point to aknowledge deficit, or a deficit at the cognitive level; the second case would point to aprocessing deficit, or a deficit at the metacognitive level. The study compared the number and type of implanted errors corrected by high school and college subjects working on two different texts under three different conditions. We found that, for both ages, the biggest stumbling block in correcting errors was not the knowledge of how to correct them, but rather a failure to detect them: They did not use their available knowledge to find the errors. This processing deficit may be the result of a dearth of available error-finding strategies, or knowledge may not be activated because of lack of motivation or because of a failure to perceive the nature of the task.
Realising the potential of virtual world-based simulations in higher education: a visual perspective

The purpose of this paper is to explore and illustrate the pedagogical possibilities of employing virtual world simulations across many disciplines of higher education and inspire educators to further develop their applications. We first present a discussion of the varied approaches to pedagogy along with the identification of the pros and cons for each one. Next, we present an introduction to virtual world concepts and key issues surrounding their use for educational purposes. A specific discussion of the virtual world Second Life is presented. Following, we present and depict by subject areas, the many potential and actual implementations of virtual world simulations in higher education. Virtual worlds are found to potentially accommodate many of the interactive and experiential pedagogical approaches and learning styles.
The Impact of CenteringPregnancy Group Prenatal Care on Birth Outcomes in Medicaid Eligible Women

Background: CenteringPregnancy group prenatal care (GPNC) has been shown to reduce rates of preterm birth (PTB). We evaluated the impact of GPNC on spontaneous PTB (sPTB) as a first step in exploring the possible mechanism by which GPNC may decrease rates of PTB. We also evaluated whether attending more than five GPNC sessions affected PTB risk and examined all differences by race/ethnicity. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among women delivering at a single institution between April 2009 and March 2014. Birth outcome data from vital statistics records were appended to patient records, and detailed chart abstraction was used to determine spontaneous versus indicated PTB. The association between GPNC and attending more than five GPNC sessions and birth outcomes (i.e., PTB, sPTB, low birth weight [LBW], and neonatal intensive care unit [NICU] admissions) was analyzed using generalized estimating equation log binomial regression models. We examined effect modification of the associations by race/ethnicity. Results: The analysis included 1,292 women in GPNC and 8,703 in traditional individual prenatal care (IPNC). After controlling for potential confounders, the risk of PTB (risk ratio [RR] 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.31-0.47), sPTB (RR 0.49; 95% CI 0.38-0.63), LBW (RR 0.46; 95% CI 0.37-0.56), and NICU admissions (RR 0.46; 95% CI 0.37-0.57) was lower in GPNC compared to IPNC women. Results differed by maternal race/ethnicity, with the strongest associations among non-Hispanic white mothers and the weakest associations among Hispanic mothers, especially for sPTB. Similarly, the risk of PTB, LBW, and NICU admissions was lower among GPNC women who attended more than five sessions. Conclusion: Participation in GPNC demonstrated a decreased risk for sPTB, as well as other adverse birth outcomes. In addition, participation in more than five GPNC sessions demonstrated a decreased risk for adverse birth outcomes. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to further explore mechanisms associated with these findings.
Identification and characterization of microRNAs in human cervical cancer cell lines.

5619 Emerging data highlights the important roles of a class of small non-coding RNA species, including a large number of known microRNAs (miRNAs), in various biological processes. These small RNAs can control gene function through combinations of mRNA degradation, translational inhibition, and chromatin-based silencing mechanisms. Recent studies have revealed differential expression of miRNAs in cancer and the effects of miRNAs on cancer development and progression. Since the immense potential of miRNAs as regulators of gene networks is just beginning to unfold, a detailed molecular analysis of small RNA expression in the process of cancer development is of great interest. Here, we describe the profiles of miRNAs and other small RNA segments for six human cervical carcinoma cell lines obtained from large-scale sequencing of small RNA libraries. A total of 131 distinct miRNAs were expressed in these cell lines. The profiles were similar among the six cervical cancer cell lines, although significant differences were observed. A subset of miRNAs is highly expressed in all cell lines (eg. miR-21, let-7b, let-7a, let-7f, miR-23a, miR-125b and miR-151*). In addition to the known miRNAs, we identified 28 novel candidate miRNAs. These novel miRNAs can be specific or highly enriched in this tumor type. Although precise roles have not been assigned to these miRNAs, it nonetheless remains an intriguing possibility that they are indicative of important in the development or progression of cervical cancer.
Cybersafety Analysis of a Central Utilities Plant (CUP) Gas Turbine using STPA-SEC

As Industrial Control Systems (ICS) become increasingly software-intensive and more complex, the traditional approaches to cybersecurity that undertake a narrow, static technical view of the system are proving to be increasingly inept in the face of new threat vectors and vulnerabilities. To date, most attacks on Energy Systems have targeted either the IT infrastructure (e.g., the Aramco Shamoo attack) or Circuit breakers of Operational Technology (e.g., the Ukraine attack.). In such cases, recovery is usually rather fast – either by rebooting computers or resetting breakers. But, if the Operation Technology equipment, especially the important, large, customized equipment, is physically damaged, recovery can take weeks or even months. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of the Systems-Theoretic Process Analysis for Security (STPA-Sec) method to identify cyber vulnerabilities that have the potential to cause physical damage in industrial control systems using a Central Utilities Plant Gas Turbine as a use-case. This analysis does not attempt to perform a complete analysis of the Central Utilities Plant or the Gas Turbine; rather, it lays the foundation for the exercise in a rigorous, systematic fashion that could be emulated to perform a complete analysis. Several new requirements are identified to make the system more resilient which do not only span the technical aspects of the system but also the broader socio-organizational system.
Cognitive Considerations in Cognitive Behavior Modification.

Two themes are emphasized in this review of theory and research on cognitive development in view of their relevance for intervention strategies. The first theme emphasizes the child as an active pr...
An atomistically-informed multiplicative hyper-elasto-plasticity-damage model for high-pressure induced densification of silica glass

An atomistically-informed constitutive model based on multiplicative hyper-elasto-plasticity with damage is developed for the study of high-pressure induced densification of silica glass. At the atomistic level, a molecular dynamics (MD) representative volume element of amorphous silica (a-SiO2) is first constructed using the melt-quench approach. Within the MD framework, the deformation response of the RVE at different pressure and strain-rate levels is investigated. Results from the volumetric compression simulations suggest occurrence of irreversible densification at pressure above ~ 8 GPa whereas coupled compression-shear tests show yielding behavior of a-SiO2 upon sufficiently large shear deformation. In addition, rate dependency of densification/yielding behavior has been observed. Based on the data obtained from the MD simulations, a novel continuum-based multiplicative hyper-elasto-plasticity-damage model that accounts for the anomalous densification behavior is developed and then parameterized using both polynomial regression and deep learning techniques. The elasto-plasticity model alone captures densification behavior of “perfect” amorphous silica but does not account for damage evolution attributed to “imperfections”. To impart the dynamic damage evolution, a plasticity-damage variable that controls the shrinkage of the yield surface is introduced and integrated into the elasto-plasticity model in a manner similar to the JH-2 model. The resulting coupled elasto-plasticity-damage model is reformulated to a non-ordinary state-based peridynamics model for computational efficiency of impact simulations. We show that the as-developed peridynamics model is capable of reproducing coarse-scale quantities of interest found in MD simulations and yet being able to simulate at a component level. Finally, the proposed atomistically-informed multiplicative hyper-elasto-plasticity-damage model has been validated against limited available experimental results for simulation of hyper-velocity impact simulation of projectiles on silica glass targets.
Clinical trials of acute mechanical circulatory support in cardiogenic shock and high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention.

Purpose of review Acute mechanical circulatory support devices have become widely used in cardiogenic shock and high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) but there remains significant controversy over the evidence supporting their use and the specific roles of various devices. In this review, we summarize major recent studies and identify key areas of future investigation. Recent findings In cardiogenic shock, uncontrolled single arm studies emphasizing early mechanical circulatory support (MCS) have showed promising results, but randomized trials have either been stopped prematurely or enrolled patients with advanced shock unlikely to benefit from MCS. In high-risk PCI, only one randomized controlled trail has been performed, with practice guided largely by observational data. Summary Randomized trials of current-generation mechanical support devices incorporating contemporary best-practices and performed in clearly defined populations are badly needed to clarify the role of acute MCS devices in cardiogenic shock and high-risk PCI.
A framework to analyze decision strategies for multi-band spectrum sensing in cognitive radios

Abstract Spectrum sensing is an essential aspect of cognitive radios that allows secondary users (SUs) to opportunistically use licensed frequency bands while the primary user is idle. In this paper, we assume the available spectrum is divided into multiple bands, and SUs search over these bands to detect the empty bands, which is known as multi-band spectrum sensing. Most of the recent work focus on spectrum sensing in a given band which can be modeled as a binary hypothesis problem and has performance metrics such as receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. However, this framework is not appropriate for multi-band spectrum sensing problem, which can be modeled as a multi-hypothesis testing problem. The contribution of this paper is three-fold: (i) a novel approach to evaluate the sensing performance of the multi-band spectrum-sensing using localization ROCs; (ii) optimal spectrum-sensing strategies that maximize the area under the localization ROC curves that can be used as performance benchmarks for any other multi-band spectrum sensing technique; (iii) a framework to analyze the energy expenditure of multi-band spectrum sensing.
Behavior of Nuclear RC Shear Walls Designed for Similar Lateral Strengths Using Normal-Strength versus High-Strength Materials

AbstractThis paper describes an experimental investigation on the use of high-strength steel and high-strength concrete to reduce the required reinforcement areas in nuclear shear walls. Two squat ...
Bespoke Behavioral Processors

Many emerging applications require simple controllers that run the exact same application continuously. These include medical devices and IoTs of different nature. Because of the nature of these applications, they have to be ultra-low power and small. Most of the applications mapped onto low-power processors are computationally inexpensive, thus, amenable to be executed on a simple microprocessor. One of the problems of using a general purpose processor, is that not all of the resources are needed for a specific application, thus, there is a large potential for simplifying the processor to achieve lower area and power (static and dynamic). In addition, these processors can be specified at the behavioral level and use High-Level Synthesis (HLS) to generate the RTL automatically. This opens a window to additional optimizations as the processor can be pruned and re-synthesized at different VLSI design levels in order to obtain a smaller and more power-efficient processor. This work presents a methodology to customize a behavioral RISC processor automatically for a given workload such that its area and power are significantly reduced as compared to the original processor. Compared to previous work that customizes a given processor at the gate netlist only, our proposed method also shows significant benefits. In particular, we show that raising the level of abstraction reduces the area and power by 78.3 % and 70.1%.
David Oliver: Mistruths and misunderstandings about covid-19 death numbers

I want to set the record straight about some serious misinformation surrounding covid-19 death certification and mortality statistics. I will paraphrase some of the claims that I have heard repeatedly in the media: “People are not dying from, but with, covid-19.” “Deaths classified as from covid-19 result from largely false positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results,” “deaths are mostly from other causes and underlying conditions,” “death numbers are grossly inflated,” “there is no excess mortality compared with other years or months,” and this is “no different from a normal flu season.” Let’s see, shall we? According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the total number of deaths with covid-19 recorded on the death certificate in England and Wales has now passed 100 000.1 The government’s daily press releases, however, report “deaths within 28 days of a positive test result”—a definition repeated faithfully by broadcast and print journalists and on social media.2 This …
The history of neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine

The development of neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine began with the medical school's relocation to the new Texas Medical Center in Houston in 1943. An academic service was organized in 1949 as a section of neurosurgery within Baylor's Department of Surgery. Soon the practice, led by Dr. George Ehni, evolved to include clinical services at Methodist, Jefferson Davis (forerunner of Ben Taub), Texas Children's, the Veterans Affairs, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center hospitals. A neurosurgery residency program was established in 1954. As the clinical practice expanded, neurosurgery was upgraded from a section to a division and then to a department. It has been led by four chiefs/chairs over the past 60 years-Dr. George Ehni (1959-1979), Dr. Robert Grossman (1980-2004), Dr. Raymond Sawaya (2005-2014), and Dr. Daniel Yoshor (2015-2020). Since the 1950s, the department has drawn strength from its robust residency program, its research base in the medical school, and its five major hospital affiliates, which have largely remained unchanged (with the exception of Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center replacing Methodist in 2004). The recent expansion of the residency program to 25 accredited positions and the growing strength of relationships with the "Baylor five" hospitals affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine portend a bright future.
Blockade of PARP activity attenuates poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation but offers only partial neuroprotection against NMDA-induced cell death in the rat retina.

Recent reports have linked neuronal cell death by necrosis to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) hyperactivation. It is believed that under stress, the activity of this enzyme is up-regulated, resulting in extensive poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of nuclear proteins, using NAD+ as its substrate, which, in turn, leads to the depletion of NAD+. In efforts to restore the level of NAD+, depletion of ATP occurs, resulting in the shutdown of ATP-dependent ionic pumps. This results in cell swelling and eventual loss of membrane selectivity, hallmarks of necrosis. Reports from in vitro and in vivo studies in the brain have shown that NMDA receptor activation stimulates PARP activity and that blockade of the enzyme provides substantial neuroprotection. The present study was undertaken to determine whether PARP activity is regulated by NMDA in the rat retina, and whether blockade of PARP activity provides protection against toxic effects of NMDA. Rat retinas exposed to intravitreal injections containing NMDA, with or without the PARP inhibitor N-(6-oxo-5, 6-dihydrophenanthridin-2-yl)-(N,-dimethylamino) acetamide hydrochloride (PJ-34), were assessed for changes in PARP-1 activity as evidenced by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PAR), loss of membrane integrity, morphological indicators of apoptosis and necrosis, and ganglion cell loss. Results showed that: NMDA increased PAR formation in a concentration-dependent manner and caused a decline in retinal ATP levels; PJ-34 blockade attenuated the NMDA-induced formation of PAR and decline in ATP; NMDA induced the loss of membrane selectivity to ethidium bromide (EtBr) in inner retinal neurons, but loss of membrane selectivity was not prevented by blocking PARP activity; cells stained with EtBr, or reacted for TUNEL-labeling, displayed features characteristic of both apoptosis and necrosis. In the presence of PJ-34, greater numbers of cells exhibited apoptotic features; PJ-34 provided partial neuroprotection against NMDA-induced ganglion cell loss. These findings suggest that although blockade of PARP activity fully attenuates NMDA-induced PAR formation and loss of retinal ATP content, and improves the survival of select populations of ganglion cells, this approach does not provide full neuroprotection. In contrast, blockade of PARP activity promotes apoptotic-like cell death in the majority of cells undergoing cell death. Furthermore, these studies show that the loss of membrane selectivity is not dependent upon PAR formation or the resulting decline of ATP, and suggests that an alternative pathway, other than PARP activation, exists to mediate this event.
Impeachment of Witnesses: A Walking Tour

This paper was a prepared as a CLE handout for a presentation at the Maryland State's Attorneys' Convention, which took place in Ocean City, MD, June 18, 2003. Discussed in the paper are these topics: Methods of Impeachment in General; Whom Can One Impeach?; Impeachment by Attacks on Witnesses' Character for Truthfulness; Impeachment by Bias, Interest, or Improper Motive; Mental and Sensory Defects or Weaknesses; A Witness's Prior Inconsistent Statements; The Monkey Wrench of Walker v. State; Contradictory Extrinsic Evidence; Impeachment of Experts by Learned Treatises; Rehabilitation of Impeached Witness. APPENDIX A: Excerpt from Walker, 373 Md. at 367-73; APPENDIX B: Excerpt from Elmer, 353 Md. at 4-9.
Perceptions of Business Students' Feature Requirements in Educational Web Sites

There is paucity of original research that explains phenomena related to content organization and site design of educational Web sites. Educational Web sites are often used to provide Web-based instruction, which itself is a relatively recent phenomenon for business schools, and additional research is needed in this area. Educational Web sites are designed with a different set of criteria as compared with other sites, such as those having an e-commerce or marketing focus. More research is needed to build a theoretical foundation for feature requirements in educational Web sites. As in any new approach to teaching and learning, critical issues need to be examined before Web-based instruction is fully integrated into teaching processes. When developing educational Web sites, features that support pedagogy should be given primary consideration. It is therefore important to identify key elements that will have maximum impact on learning. Using Q-sort analysis (a type of Factor Analysis), this study investigated feature requirements of educational Web sites as perceived by business students. Based on the analysis of user requirements in relation to several variables that were identified from a review of literature, group characteristics emerged from students' responses. Similarities and differences between groups were investigated, and implications of these results for development of educational Web sites are presented in this study.
Extended Emission-Line Gas in Distant 3CR Radio Galaxies*

We report on the results of long-slit spectroscopy and interference filter imaging of powerful 3CR radio galaxies. Narrow-band [OII]A3727 imaging often reveals extensive regions of extranuclear emission associated with these objects. The extended [OII] emission is distributed on scales of several tens of kpc, it is often more luminous than the nuclear emission, and shows large velocity gradients. We discuss the physical conditions in these nebulae and their relation to the radio source structure. In particular, we examine the ionization mechanism for the gas, and find that photoionization models reproduce the observed emission line strengths reasonably well. The source of the ionizing photons, however, is not clear; the large luminosities of the extended gas suggesting that some form of in situ ionization may be occurring. Compared to the low-z cooling flow filaments, the 3CR emission regions are larger, more luminous, and generally show higher excitation. Futhermore, the distant radio galaxies show evidence for much stronger interactions with their radio sources than is seen in nearby cooling flow filaments.
Thyroid transcription factor-1, but not p53, is helpful in distinguishing moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the larynx from medullary carcinoma of the thyroid

Moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma/atypical carcinoid tumor is the most common nonsquamous malignancy in the larynx; however, due to morphologic overlap and calcitonin immunoreactivity, it can be difficult to distinguish from thyroid medullary carcinoma. Currently, low serum calcitonin is the most reliable means for distinguishing primary laryngeal moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma from metastatic medullary carcinoma. Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is positive in at least 80% of medullary carcinomas, but has not been evaluated in laryngeal moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas. Additionally, it has been suggested that p53 is positive in laryngeal moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas and negative in other neuroendocrine tumors, but this has not been validated. The purpose of this study was to determine if the immunohistochemical markers TTF-1 and p53 could be used to discriminate between laryngeal moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas and thyroid medullary carcinomas. Eight laryngeal moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas and 10 thyroid medullary carcinomas were identified from the archival files of the BWH and MGH Pathology Departments. Hematoxylin and eosin slides were reviewed, and immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies to calcitonin, TTF-1, and p53. Calcitonin immunohistochemistry demonstrated immunoreactivity in 100% of laryngeal moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (N=8) and 100% of thyroid medullary carcinomas (N=10). There was weak, focal immunoreactivity with TTF-1 in one of eight (13%) laryngeal moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas, whereas nine of ten (90%) medullary carcinomas were positive for TTF-1, with strong diffuse staining in seven of these cases (78%). p53 was positive in three of six (50%) laryngeal moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas, and three of ten (30%) medullary carcinomas. Our data demonstrate that immunoreactivity for TTF-1, but not calcitonin or p53, may be helpful in distinguishing laryngeal moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma and thyroid medullary carcinoma. In particular, diffuse and/or strong TTF-1 immunoreactivity favors a diagnosis of primary thyroid medullary carcinoma over laryngeal moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma.
Inhibition of uncoating of tobacco mosaic virus particles in protoplasts from transgenic tobacco plants that express the viral coat protein gene.

Abstract The uncoating of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles in protoplasts isolated from leaves of transgenic tobacco plants that express the TMV coat protein gene was investigated. Extracts of these protoplasts collected up to 1 hr after inoculation with TMV contained fewer of the complexes (“striposomes”) thought to be involved in cotranslational disassembly of virus particles than did extracts of protoplasts that do not express the viral coat protein gene. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that TMV coat protein-mediated resistance is at least in part the result of inhibition of the uncoating of the virus particles in the inoculum.
Synthesis, characterization, solution stability, and X-ray crystal structure of the thiolatocobalamin gamma-glutamylcysteinylcobalamin, a dipeptide analogue of glutathionylcobalamin: insights into the enhanced Co-S bond stability of the natural product glutathionylcobalamin.

Glutathionylcobalamin (γ-glutamylcysteinylglycinylcobalamin; γ-GluCysGly-Cbl) is a natural product which functions as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of the active B12 coenzymes adenosylcobalamin and methylcobalamin. Of interest to the present studies is glutathionylcobalamin's unique stability in comparison to other thiolatocobalamins, notably the ≥6 × 104 fold less stable cysteinylcobalamin, Cys-Cbl. In order to determine which parts of the glutathione tripeptide contribute to the overall stability of glutathionylcobalamin, two cysteine-containing dipeptides, which are truncated versions of glutathione, were used to synthesize their corresponding cobalamins, specifically γ-glutamylcysteinylCbl (γ-GluCys-Cbl) and cysteinylglycinylcobalamin (CysGly-Cbl). As with glutathionylCbl, the dipeptide γ-GluCys-Cbl forms a stable thiolatocobalamin. However and most interestingly, CysGly-Cbl is observed to be unstable much like Cys-Cbl. The results require that the extra stability of glutathionylcobalamin and it...
LSD: its effect upon 5-hydroxytryptamine in embryonic development of Xenopus laevis.

Nach LSD-Einfluss auf Embryonen vonXenopus laevis zu verschiedenen Entwicklungsstadien wurden langandauernd veranderte 5-HT-Stufen im Gehirn und im ganzen Embryo gefunden. Die LSD-Empfindlichkeitsperioden waren fur das Gehirn und den ganzen Embryo voneinander verschieden.
Prejudice in the interviews of children. I. Attitudes toward minority groups.

(1953). Prejudice in the Interviews of Children: I. Attitudes toward Minority Groups. The Pedagogical Seminary and Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 82, No. 1, pp. 91-136.
Histone deacetylase regulation of immune gene expression in tumor cells

Epigenetic modifications of chromatin, such as histone acetylation, are involved in repression of tumor antigens and multiple immune genes that are thought to facilitate tumor escape. The status of acetylation in a cell is determined by the balance of the activities of histone acetyltransferases and histone deacetylases. Inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDACi) can enhance the expression of immunologically important molecules in tumor cells and HDACi treated tumor cells are able to induce immune responses in vitro and in vivo. Systemic HDACi are in clinical trails in cancer and also being used in several autoimmune disease models. To date, 18 HDACs have been reported in human cells and more than thirty HDACi identified, although only a few immune targets of these inhibitors have been identified. Here, we discuss the molecular pathways employed by HDACi and their potential role in inducing immune responses against tumors. We review data suggesting that selection of target specific HDACi and combinations with other agents and modalities, including those that activate stress pathways, may further enhance the efficacy of epigenetic therapies.