cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dyslipidemia and Kidney Stone Risk

Purpose: We studied the impact of dyslipidemia on 24-hour urinalysis and stone composition.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with nephrolithiasis who underwent 24-hour urinalysis and lipid profile evaluation within 3 months. Patients were divided into groups based on total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, nonhigh density lipoprotein and triglycerides. The groups were compared based on demographic data, diabetes, hypertension and each component of 24-hour urinalysis and stone composition. Multivariate analysis and linear regression were performed to control for potential confounders, including age, gender, body mass index, diabetes and hypertension.Results: A total of 2,442 patients with a mean age of 51.1 years were included in study. On multivariate analysis patients with high total cholesterol had significantly higher urinary potassium and calcium, those with low high density lipoprotein or high triglycerides had significantly higher urinary sodium, oxalate and uric aci...
Fractal-based classification of natural textures

Texture classification is an important first step in image segmentation and image recognition. The classification algorithm must be able to overcome distortions, such as scale, aspect and rotation changes in the input texture. In this paper, a new fractal model for texture classification is presented. The model is based on fractional Brownian motion (FBM). It is also shown that this model is invariant to changes in incident light; empirical results are also given. The isotropic nature of Brownian motion is particularly useful for outdoor applications, where the viewing direction may change. Classification results of this model are presented; comparisons with other texture measurement models indicate that the incremental FBM (IFBM) model has better performance for the samples tested.
Development and evaluation of an optimization-based model for power-grip posture prediction.

An optimization-based model for power-grip posture prediction was proposed. The model was based on the premise that the hand prehensile configuration in a power grip best conforms to the object shape. This premise was embodied by an optimization procedure that minimized the sum of distances from the finger joints to the object surface. The model was evaluated against data from an experiment that measured the grasp postures of 28 subjects having diverse anthropometry. The intra- and inter-person variabilities in grip postures were empirically assessed and used as benchmark values for model evaluation. The evaluation showed that the root-mean-square (RMS) values of angle differences between the predicted and measured postures had a 13.7° grand mean (across all joints, subjects, and two cylindrical handles grasped), whereas the RMS values of the inter- and intra-person variabilities in measured postures had grand means of 13.0° and 4.4°, respectively. The model can be readily generalized to the prediction of postures in power-grasping objects of different shapes, and adapted for testing alternative prehensile strategies or performance criteria.
Algebraic solutions of the Lamé equation, revisited

A minor error in the necessary conditions for the algebraic form of the Lam´ e equation to have a finite projective monodromy group, and hence for it to have only algebraic solutions, is pointed out. (See F. Baldassarri, "On algebraic solutions of Lams differential equation", J. Differential Equations41 (1) (1981), 44-58.) It is shown that if the group is the octahedral group , then the degree parameter of the equation may differ by from an integer; this possibility was missed. The omission affects a recent result on the monodromy of the Weierstrass form of the Lamequation. (See R. C. Churchill, "Two-generator subgroups of and the hypergeometric, Riemann, and Lam´ e equations", J. Symbolic Computa- tion 28 (4-5) (1999), 521-545.) The Weierstrass form, which is a differential equation on an elliptic curve, may have, after all, an octahedral projective monodromy group.
Meaning and External Context in Linguistics

The research is based on the linguistic expression with real- world context. I differentiated between what a word inherently means and it can be used to mean in a particular context. The theories of different theorists were presented. In the first theory, meaning distinguished three aspects of a word’s total semantic effect. ‘Force, tone and sense.’ In the second theory, the sentence could be assigned a value as true or false. The third theory was based on the reference, speakers and hearers. Some theorists believed that language could not work without reference to the context of situation in which it occurred.Behaviorism played a vital role in enhancing the knowledge about language in particular contexts. The theorist of this theory gave the meaning of a linguistic form as the situation in which the speaker uttered it and responsed it, called forth in the hearer. According to the behaviorists, meaning contained between speech and the practical events that followed it. There was another point which described that the reactions were physical events. The theorist presented the contrast between the mechanistic theory and the mentalist theory. The social, cultural, personal and psychological aspects were interwoven. The difference between dictionary and encyclopedic knowledge were shown. The limits of meaning and the external context were provided. For this, a random sample of five people was taken to know the contexts of different words. Their opinions were collected through interviews. These interviews were of three types like life history interview, present condition interview and the third one was about the meaning in the light of their experiences. The opinions were collected through interviews. The collected data was analyzed through Likert scale. The results were presented the meanings of a single word.
A Rule-Based Commodity Index

A commodity index is designed as an equal-weighted set of four complementary tactics. The resulting portfolio takes advantage of well-established patterns in commodity markets, including high volatility and the relative independence of the return drivers. These conditions are ideal for achieving rebalancing gains and thusly for improving risk-adjusted performance. Index performance is compared with long commodity indexes and commodity hedge funds. The benefits of an overlay strategy is shown vis-a-vis a traditional stock/bond portfolio.
Dietary Isothiocyanates Inhibit the Growth of Human Bladder Carcinoma Cells

Many isothiocyanates (ITCs), some of which are abundant in cruciferous vegetables, have been repeatedly shown to inhibit carcinogenesis in a variety of rodent organs. However, several naturally occurring ITCs also promoted bladder tumorigenesis in rodents, raising the question of whether ITCs behave differently in bladder cells. Alternatively, the observed carcinogenic effects of ITCs may result from prolonged exposure of the bladder epithelium, where the tumors originate, to high concentrations of electrophilic ITCs in the urine. Ingested ITCs are almost exclusively excreted and highly concentrated in the urine as N-acetylcysteine conjugates (NAC-ITC). While several NAC-ITCs also are known anticarcinogens, they are unstable and readily dissociate into parent ITCs. In this study, ITCs, including those that have carcinogenic potential in the rodent bladders, induced apoptosis and/or arrested cell-cycle progression in 2 human bladder carcinoma lines (UM-UC-3 and T24) at 7.5-30 micromol/L. Multiple caspases, including caspase-9, -8, and -3, as well as poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase, were cleaved upon ITC exposure. The ITCs blocked cell-cycle progression at the G(2)/M and/or S phases in these cells and downregulated several cell-cycle regulators. However, further increases in ITC concentrations abolished their activities, described above. These findings show that urinary ITC concentrations may need to be maintained at low micromolar concentrations for bladder cancer prevention.
In vitro studies of erythropoiesis. I. The effect of normal serum on heme synthesis and oxygen consumption by bone marrow.

A method has been described whereby erythropoiesis may be studied in vitro by measuring simultaneously oxygen consumption and the rate of incorporation of radioactive glycine into hemin by rabbit bone marrow. This rate shows only a very slight decrease in the first 20 hours. The optimal pH is about 8.0. The effect of normal serum on this process has been studied. Duplicate determinations show good agreement, but various normal sera show considerable variation in the ability to promote hemin synthesis. Normal serum has been shown to have a marked stimulating effect on hemin synthesis even after considerable dilution. Human serum halts completely the synthesis of hemin by rabbit bone marrow. An interesting dissociations between hemin synthesis and oxygen consumption has been pointed out. This effect is most apparent in experiments on heat-deproteinized serum. This material retains its ability to stimulate oxygen consumption but does not stimulate hemin synthesis at all. The relation of the stimulating effect of normal serum to the hypothetical erythropoietic hormone is discussed.
Changes in the expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide after exposure to injurious stretch-shortening contractions.

Abstract One of the factors that can result in musculoskeletal injuries, and time off work, is exposure to repetitive motion. The goal of this study was to determine if skeletal muscle injury induced by exposure to injurious stretch-shortening cycles (iSSCs), resulted in hyperalgesia in the hind limb and changes in calcitonin-gene related peptide (CGRP) immunolabeling in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in young and old male rats. Methods Young (3 months) and old (30 months) male Fisher 344 × BN F1 rats were anesthetized with isoflurane and the left hind limbs were exposed to 15 sets of 10 SSCs. Control animals were exposed to a single bout of SSCs of equal intensity. Sensitivity to mechanical stimulation was assessed using von Frey filaments prior to beginning the experiment, and on days 2 and 9 following exposure to iSSCs. Rats were euthanized one, 3 or 10 days after the exposure. The ipsilateral DRG were dissected from the L4–5 region of the spine, along with the left tibialis anterior (LTA) muscle. Results Rats exposed to iSSCs were more sensitive to mechanical stimulation than control rats 2 days after the exposure, and showed a reduction in peak force 3 days after exposure. Changes in sensitivity to pressure were not associated with increases in CGRP labeling in the DRG at 3 days. However, 9 days after exposure to iSSCs, old rats still displayed an increased sensitivity to mechanical stimulation, and this hyperalgesia was associated with an increase in CGRP immunolabeling in the DRG. Young rats exposed to iSSC did not display a change in CGRP immunolabeling and sensitivity to mechanical stimulation returned to control levels at 10 days. Conclusions These findings suggest that hyperalgesia seen shortly after exposure to iSSC is not influenced by CGRP levels. However, in cases where recovery from injury may be slower, as it is in older rats, CGRP may contribute to the maintenance of hyperalgesia.
Cooperative Quasi-Static Planar Manipulation With Multiple Robots

In this paper we address the modeling, control, and planning of planar manipulation tasks with multiple robots equipped with simple end-effectors. Each robot is able to influence the motion of an object either by exerting forces through the end-effector or by contact through a robot body. We develop a quasi-static model for the planar manipulation task that incorporates mathematical models of the object-ground contact, the object-robot contact and the compliant end-effector. This model allows us to predict object velocities for specified robot motions. We use this model to develop a simple motion planning algorithm for object manipulation that allows robots to select grasps, regrasp when necessary and manipulate an object along desired trajectories. Our experiments validate the mathematical models and demonstrate the feasibility of multirobot manipulation using the quasi-static model and the motion planning algorithm.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Effect of low molecular weight dextran on gastric ulceration and gastric secretion in pylorus-ligated rats.

SummaryThe effects of low molecular weight dextran were studied on gastric ulceration and gastric secretion in pylorus-ligated rats. The LMWD protected rats against the development of gastric ulceration and also reduced acid and pepsin output. Further studies need to be undertaken to elucidate its mechanism of action.
Weak Parts of Gas Insulated Transmission Line Under Seismic Response and Its Response Regularity

To solve the potential failures of gas insulated transmission line(GIL) under earthquake, a three-dimension finite element model of the three-phase transmission pipeline was established based on a project of Hainan Changjiang 220 kV GIL, and a methodology to simulate GIL seismic response was also proposed based on the current design specifications. Firstly, we obtained the modal characteristics of a GIL using modal analysis, and assessed the seismic response of the GIL weak parts under different earthquake response spectra using the response spectrum analysis. Then, we evaluated the seismic performance of GIL under different earthquake responses, and also analyzed the response regularity of the GIL weak positions. It turns out that the model on the basis of 220 kV GIL transmission pipeline can tolerate the seismic intensity of 6 degree, however it will break down when the seismic intensity reaches 7 degree and above. And the insulators and conductors are the weak parts of GIL under seismic excitation, however, proper selection of the mechanical parameters of insulators and conductors can significantly improve the seismic capability of the GIL.
SLC25A13 gene hotspot mutation analysis in direct bilirubin elevated jaundice patients

Objective:To diagnosis the neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency(NICCD) in direct bilirubin elevated jaundice patients,quick test were established.Methods:Applied PCR and PCR-RFLP to analyze SLC25A13 gene hotspot mutation,including 851del4,1638ins23,IVS6+5GA,IVS16ins3kb and IVS11+1GA,in 122 direct bilirubin elevated jaundice patients.Results:In the present study,we found that six patients were 851del4 homozygotes,two patients were 1638ins23/IVS6+5GA heterozygotes and two patients were 851del4/IVS16ins3kb heterozygotes.Eight patients were just found one alleles mutation,but the follow up experiment proved those eight patients were NICCD.IVS11+1GA mutation were not detected.In all hotspot mutation types,851del have the most high rate,accounted for 71.4%(20/28).And the next were IVS16ins3kb and 1638ins23,which accounted for 10.7%.Conclusion:1.SLC25A13 gene hotspot mutation analysis can identify NICCD rapidly.2.851del4 is the most common mutation type.3.In direct bilirubin evaluated jaundice patients,NICCD have a very high incidence rate.
Analysis on Popularization of House Property Tax Based on Option Game

We study the overall popularization of house property tax based on Option Game Analysis of investors and speculators,the local government and the central government.The tax rate,tax basis,the area exempted from and the subject to taxation should be scientifically designed if we want to popularize house property tax.The house property tax revenue should belong to the local government,and the land transfer rent should be allocated between the local government and the central government according to a certain ratio.
Shortage of JADE Blind Source Separation Algorithm

Learning algorithm of matrix decomposing is the key technology for the Blind Source Separation,matrix joint-diagnalizing pre-whitening JADE algorithm is a learning algorithm based on 4th-order cumulation.Based on the analysis of the algorithm,the cause of the algorithm shortage is obtained,that is,the more stronger correlation of Source signal,the more uncertain problem of Source Separation appears,which is also demonstrated by the simulation results.
Will Precision Medicine Move Us beyond Race

Although self-identified race may correlate with geographical ancestry, it does not predict an individual patient's genotype or drug response. Precision medicine may eventually replace the use of race in treatment decisions, but several hurdles will have to be overcome.
Salmonella enteritidis genitourinary tract infection in a homosexual man.

Abstract Hemorrhagic cystitis, prostatitis and bilateral epididymo-orchitis caused by Salmonella enteritidis occurred in a homosexual man. Evidence suggests that this infection arose from local inoculation of salmonella during genital-anal intercourse. We review the problems in the treatment of this patient and the relevant literature.
New REAL clinical entities.

Purpose In 1994, the International Lymphoma Study Group proposed a "Revised European-American Lymphoma (REAL) Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasms." This classification system was developed because (1) new lymphoid disease entities have been recognized that are not part of the National Cancer Institute Working Formulation (WF) and (2) there was a need to develop a common classification system that could be used internationally. The REAL classification itself had never been tested, however, to determine whether it was reproducible or defined distinct clinicopathologic entities. Therefore, in the past two years, two studies were conducted by the South-west Oncology Group (SWOG) Lymphoma Committee and the Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) Classification Project to validate the REAL classification. Patients and methods The SWOG Lymphoma Committee reviewed the pathology and clinical course of 376 previously untreated patients with stage III or IV disease within WF categories A, B, C, D, or E who received full-dose cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (CHOP) in SWOG studies 7204, 7426, and 7713. No patients in this database had localized mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. The NHL Classification Project performed a retrospective study of 1,403 consecutive patients with previously untreated NHL seen between 1988 and 1990 at nine sites around the world. Five expert hematopathologists reached a consensus diagnosis on every case by using histologic, clinical, and immunophenotypic data, and 20% of all cases were randomly reviewed. Results The most common diagnosis was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (31%), which combines the large-cell and immunoblastic WF categories (WF G/H). The next most common diagnosis was follicular lymphoma (22%; WF B, C, and D). Marginal zone B-cell (including MALT), peripheral T-cell, small B-lymphocytic, and mantle cell lymphoma each constituted between 5% and 10% of diagnoses. Primary mediastinal large B-cell, anaplastic large T/null cell, high-grade B-cell, Burkitt-like, and precursor T-lymphoblastic lymphoma made up the remaining 10 most frequent diagnoses. Conclusions The analyses conducted by the SWOG Lymphoma Committee and the NHL Classification Project have demonstrated that the REAL classification does define "real" clinical entities that can be diagnosed by expert hematopathologists. The understanding gained from study of "real" entities should permit hematologists/oncologists to better predict the clinical course of their patients and also to develop improved therapy.
PETE Programs Creating Teacher Leaders to Integrate Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs

In response to the increased prevalence of childhood obesity and physical inactivity, a whole-school approach has been endorsed by the Institute of Medicine as having the greatest potential for providing coordinated opportunities for children to engage in daily physical activity. One model, the comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP), seeks to extend skills learned in physical education into applied situations that include but are not limited to: (1) before- and after-school programs, (2) physical activity during the school day (e.g., recess, physical activity in the classrooms), (3) family and community engagement, and (4) teacher involvement through physical activity leadership and commitment to address their own personal wellness. Given the current volume of national physical activity initiatives that are primarily led by teachers, coupled with the fact that the CSPAP is now considered the guiding national framework for schoolwide physical activity integration, the purpose of this JOPERD...
Adaptive Boost Target Definition in High-Risk Head and Neck Cancer Based on Multi-imaging Risk Biomarkers.

Purpose Positron emission tomography with 18F-deoxyglucose (FDG), dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and diffusion-weighted MRI each identify unique risk factors for treatment outcomes in head and neck cancer (HNC). Clinical trials in HNC largely rely on a single imaging modality to define targets for boosting. This study aimed to investigate the spatial correspondence of FDG uptake, perfusion, and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in HNC and their response to chemoradiation therapy (CRT) and to determine the implications of this overlap or lack thereof for adaptive boosting. Methods and Materials Forty patients with HNC enrolled in a clinical trial underwent FDG positron emission tomography–computed tomography before CRT and underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced and diffusion-weighted MRI scans before and during CRT. The gross tumor volume (GTV) of the primary tumor was contoured on post-gadolinium T1-weighted images. Tumor subvolumes with high FDG uptake, low blood volume (BV), and low ADC were created by using previously established thresholds. Spatial correspondences between subvolumes were analyzed using the Dice coefficient, and those between each pair of image parameters at voxel level were analyzed by Spearman rank correlation coefficients. Results Prior to CRT, the median subvolumes of high FDG, low BV, and low ADC relative to the primary GTV were 20%, 21%, and 45%, respectively. Spearman correlation coefficients between BV and ADC varied from −0.47 to 0.22; between BV and FDG, from −0.08 to 0.59; and between ADC and FDG, from −0.68 to 0.25. Dice coefficients between subvolumes of FDG and BV, FDG and ADC, and BV and ADC were 10%, 46%, and 15%, respectively. The union of the 3 parameters was 64% of the GTV. The union of the subvolumes of BV and ADC was 56% of the GTV before CRT but was reduced significantly by 57% after 10 fractions of radiation therapy. Conclusions High FDG uptake, low BV, and low ADC as imaging risk biomarkers of HNC identify largely distinct tumor characteristics. A single imaging modality may not define the boosting target adequately.
Statistical Control by Monitoring and Feedback Adjustment

(1998). Statistical Control by Monitoring and Feedback Adjustment. Journal of Quality Technology: Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 409-413.
Evolution is the new deep learning

Deep learning (DL) has transformed much of AI, and demonstrated how machine learning can make a difference in the real world. Its core technology is gradient descent, which has been used in neural networks since the 1980s. However, massive expansion of available training data and compute gave it a new instantiation that significantly increased its power.
Psychopharmacology in Childhood: Current Status and Future Prospectives

Pharmacologic treatment in childhood psychiatric disorders is never curative and is always directed toward amelioration of symptoms. The purpose of this type of treatment is to return the child as rapidly as possible to a functional state and prevent failure at the academic and social levels. The symptom to be treated must be identified and then the psychotropic agent chosen on the basis of that symptom.
Fish Nutrition and Feeding Experiments

Nutrient requirements cannot be determined unless nutrient consumption by the fish is precisely known. Such studies are conducted in a controlled environment, such as aquaria or tanks, to prevent interaction of environmental effects, such as natural food organisms, temperature, and water quality, with the nutrient variable being studied in the experiment. Some studies, however, which involve evaluation of practical feed formulations or feeding regimes, should be conducted under conditions as similar as possible to the conditions where the results will be applied while at the same time allowing for accurate collection and analysis of data. These studies are conducted in experimental ponds, raceways, pens, and similar enclosures of water.
David Oliver: Targeting long hospital stays

NHS hospitals are consistently running at over 90% bed occupancy,1 compromising patient safety and bed management and leaving no capacity to deal with surges in demand or infection outbreaks. NHS England estimates that a fifth of hospital beds are used by patients who will spend over three weeks in hospital.2 Its chief executive, Simon Stevens, has pledged to reduce these long stays by a quarter. And the NHS plan for 2018-19 includes a commitment to “improve patient flow inside hospitals,” focusing specifically on “stranded” and “super stranded” patients who have been in hospital for over seven or 21 days, respectively.3 …
Surgical procedural map scoring for decision-making in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Abstract Introduction The objective of this study was to determine whether decision-based procedural mapping demonstrates differences in attendings versus residents. Methods Attendings and residents were interviewed about operative decision-making in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) using a cognitive task analysis framework. Interviews were converted into procedural maps. Operative steps, patient factors, and surgeon factors noted by attendings and residents were compared. Two scoring methods were used to compare map structures of attendings versus residents. Results Six attendings and six residents were interviewed. There were no significant differences in the number of patient or surgeon factors identified. Attendings had significantly more operative steps (29.67 ± 1.9 vs. 23.3 ± 1.9, p = 0.04) and crosslinks (3.2 ± 0.5 vs. 1 ± 0.4, p = 0.005) in their maps and a higher total score (90.2 ± 8.4 vs. 63.2 ± 3.8, p = 0.015) than residents. Conclusion LC procedural map scoring for attendings and residents demonstrated significant differences in structural complexity and may provide a useful framework for assessing decision making.
An SFTPC BRICHOS mutant links epithelial ER stress and spontaneous lung fibrosis

Alveolar type 2 (AT2) cell endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a prominent feature in adult and pediatric interstitial lung disease (ILD and ChILD), but in vivo models linking AT2 cell ER stress to ILD have been elusive. Based on a clinical ChILD case, we identified a critical cysteine residue in the surfactant protein C gene (SFTPC) BRICHOS domain whose mutation induced ER stress in vitro. To model this in vivo, we generated a knockin mouse model expressing a cysteine-to-glycine substitution at codon 121 (C121G) in the Sftpc gene. SftpcC121G expression during fetal development resulted in a toxic gain-of-function causing fatal postnatal respiratory failure from disrupted lung morphogenesis. Induced SftpcC121G expression in adult mice resulted in an ER-retained pro-protein causing AT2 cell ER stress. SftpcC121G AT2 cells were a source of cytokines expressed in concert with development of polycellular alveolitis. These cytokines were subsequently found in a high-dimensional proteomic screen of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from ChILD patients with the same class of SFTPC mutations. Following alveolitis resolution, SftpcC121G mice developed spontaneous pulmonary fibrosis and restrictive lung impairment. This model provides proof of concept linking AT2 cell ER stress to fibrotic lung disease coupled with translationally relevant biomarkers.
Muscle metaboreflex-induced central blood volume mobilization in heart failure.

In normal subjects during dynamic exercise muscle metaboreflex activation elicits large increases in cardiac output that occur via increases in heart rate, ventricular contractility, and, important...
Patient-reported outcome measures in benign gynecologic surgery: updates and selected tools

Purpose of review Use of patient-reported outcome measures in clinical practice and research is becoming more prevalent and reflects initiatives to center the patient in healthcare delivery and outcomes assessment. The purpose of this review is to provide a summary description of selected, validated tools used to assess outcomes related to several benign gynecologic conditions: abnormal uterine bleeding, fibroids and endometriosis. Recent findings Given the availability of several validated instruments to assess patient outcomes in benign gynecology, there is still significant heterogeneity in tools used in trials. Summary Patient outcomes assessment should be an integral part of clinical practice and research in order to treat the whole patient and address any health-related impacts on quality of life. More attention is needed to increase standardization of tools used in research to facilitate assessment of comparative efficacy between treatments.
Science, Promotion, and Scandal: Soil Bacteriology, Legume Inoculation, and the American Campaign for Soil Improvement in the Progressive Era

At the turn of the twentieth century, the recent discovery that soil bacteria explained how legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen sparked great interest, particularly in the context of ominous warnings of an impending “nitrogen famine.” A new industry quickly arose when it became evident that nitrogen-fixing bacteria could be identified, collected, sent to farmers, applied to farm fields, increase the yield of leguminous crops, and improve soil fertility. Important scientific research in this area took place at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), where the project fit in well with the department’s Progressive Era mission of serving society through useful applications of science. The work also brought considerable attention to a young USDA bacteriologist, George Moore, who became implicated in an apparent scandal that exposed the pitfalls of the sudden enthusiasm for legume inoculation, and forced the USDA to mobilize in order to reestablish its reputation for scientific integrity.
Multi-year study of the effects of cluster thinning on vine performance, fruit and wine composition of Pinot noir (clone 115) in California's Edna Valley AVA (USA).

Abstract A three-year study was conducted at a commercial vineyard site in California’s Edna Valley AVA to evaluate the physiological and agronomical effects of the timing of cluster thinning on Pinot noir (clone 115) grapevines. Vines were thinned to one cluster per shoot at three selected time-points during the growing season (bloom + 4 weeks, bloom + 8 weeks and bloom + 12 weeks), and fruit from each treatment was harvested and made into wine. Across all growing seasons, yield decreased 43% in thinned vines relative to non-thinned control vines. No effect of cluster thinning or interaction with growing season was found in vine shoot diameter, internode length, fruit zone light level, or cluster weight. The growing season significantly affected more fruit and wine parameters than did cluster thinning treatment, with interactions between treatment and growing season found in fruit Brix, titratable acidity, and anthocyanins, as well as wine anthocyanins and wine b* (yellow component). For example, bloom + 8 and bloom + 12 thinning treatments advanced Brix in 2017 but had no effect in 2018. Cluster thinning treatments respectively increased berry anthocyanins and total phenolics by 43% and 87% in 2017 and by 103% and 140% in 2018 relative to the non-thinned control, with no significant differences found between the different thinning treatments. However, the resulting wines from cluster thinning treatments showed no differences in the levels of anthocyanins and total phenolics. The fact that different cluster thinning treatments resulted in nil or minor effects on fruit and wine suggests that the vines tested were at or below a balanced crop load prior to the application of cluster thinning. Edna Valley AVA Pinot noir grapes could likely support crop loads (expressed as the Ravaz index) higher than 3.2 without negatively impacting fruit or wine composition and reducing crop load below that level is unlikely to increase fruit or wine quality.
Poster: Video Chat Scam Detection Leveraging Screen Light Reflection

The rapid advancement of social media and communication technology enables video chat to become an important and convenient way of daily communication. However, such convenience also makes personal video clips easily obtained and exploited by malicious users who launch scam attacks. Existing studies only deal with the attacks that use fabricated facial masks, while the liveness detection that targets the playback attacks using a virtual camera is still elusive. In this work, we develop a novel video chat liveness detection system, which can track the weak light changes reflected off the skin of a human face leveraging chromatic eigenspace differences. We design an inconspicuous challenge frame with minimal intervention to the video chat and develop a robust anomaly frame detector to verify the liveness of remote user in a video chat session. Furthermore, we propose a resilient defense strategy to defeat both naive and intelligent playback attacks leveraging spatial and temporal verification. The evaluation results show that our system can achieve accurate and robust liveness detection with the accuracy and false detection rate as high as 97.7% (94.8%) and 1% (1.6%) on smartphones (laptops), respectively.
Differential Reactivity of Copper- and Gold-Based Nanomaterials Controls Their Seasonal Biogeochemical Cycling and Fate in a Freshwater Wetland Mesocosm

Reliable predictions of the environmental fate and risk of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) require a better understanding of ENM reactivity in complex, biologically active systems for chronic low-concentration exposure scenarios. Here, simulated freshwater wetland mesocosms were dosed with ENMs to assess how their reactivity and seasonal changes in environmental parameters influence ENM fate in aquatic systems. Copper-based ENMs (Kocide), known to dissolve in water, and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), stable against dissolution in the absence of specific ligands, were added weekly to mesocosm waters for 9 months. Metal accumulation and speciation changes in the different environmental compartments were assessed over time. Copper from Kocide rapidly dissolved likely associating with organic matter in the water column, transported to terrestrial soils and deeper sediment where it became associated with organic or sulfide phases. In contrast, Au accumulated on/in the macrophytes where it oxidized and transferred over time to surficial sediment. A dynamic seasonal accumulation and metal redox cycling were found between the macrophyte and the surficial sediment for AuNPs. These results demonstrate the need for experimental quantification of how the biological and chemical complexity of the environment, combined with their seasonal variations, drive the fate of metastable ENMs.
Electronic health records (EHR) simulation-based training: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction Effective electronic health record (EHR)-based training interventions facilitate improved EHR use for healthcare providers. One such training intervention is simulation-based training that emphasises learning actual tasks through experimentation in a risk-free environment without negative patient outcomes. EHR-specific simulation-based training can be employed to improve EHR use, thereby enhancing healthcare providers’ skills and behaviours. Despite the potential advantages of this type of training, no study has identified and mapped the available evidence. To fill that gap, this scoping review will synthesise the current state of literature on EHR simulation-based training. Methods and analysis The Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework will be employed. Three databases (PubMed, Embase and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) will be searched for published articles. ProQuest and Google Scholar will be searched to identify unpublished articles. Databases will be searched from inception to 29 January 2020. Only articles written in English, randomised control trials, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies and case-control studies will be considered for inclusion. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Then, they will review full texts to determine articles for final inclusion. Citation chaining will be conducted to manually screen references of all included studies to identify additional studies not found by the search. A data abstraction form with relevant characteristics will be developed to help address the research question. Descriptive numerical analysis will be used to describe characteristics of included studies. Based on the extracted data, research evidence of EHR simulation-based training will be synthesised. Ethics and dissemination Since no primary data will be collected, there will be no formal ethical review. Research findings will be disseminated through publications, presentations and meetings with relevant stakeholders.
On Critical Legal Studies as Guerrilla Warfare

This sardonic 1987 essay defended Critical Legal Studies (CLS) against alarmist attacks from the right, claiming that CLS was dangerously subversive of the rule of law, and seemingly contradictory attacks from the left dismissing CLS as empty theorizing lacking any practical implications for reform. The essay responded that while CLS lacked proposals for legislative reform, it favored a highly participatory process of reform, drawn from experience in the student movements of the 1960’s. It distrusted state power and bureaucracy as engines of change, and favored community organization, civil society, and popular mobilization.
Luminescence complementation assay for measurement of binding to protein C-termini in live cells.

Abstract Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) involving the extreme C-terminus serve important scaffolding and regulatory functions. Here, we leveraged NanoBiT technology to build a luminescent complementation assay for use in studying this subcategory of PPI. As a model system, we fused one component of NanoBiT to the disordered C-terminus of heat shock protein (Hsp70) and the other to its binding partner, the tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain of CHIP/STUB1. We found that HEK293 cells that stably express these chimeras under a doxycycline promoter produced a robust luminescence signal. This signal was sensitive to mutations and it was further tuned by the expression of competitive C-termini. Using this system, we identified a promising, membrane permeable inhibitor of the Hsp70-CHIP interaction. More broadly, we anticipate that NanoBiT is well-suited for studying PPIs that involve C-termini.
Variations in Criteria for Eligibility Determination for Early Intervention Services with a Focus on Eligibility for Children with Neonatal Complications.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this policy review is to describe data on eligibility determination practices for early intervention (EI) services across the United States as they particularly relate to eligibility determination for children seen in neonatal follow-up clinics. METHOD Policy information was gathered from posted information on state EI websites and confirmed through follow-up phone calls. Information collected included definition of delay, approved measures for developmental assessment, and inclusion criteria for medically at-risk status based on birth weight, prematurity, and/or neonatal abstinence syndrome/prenatal exposure. RESULTS States varied widely across enrollment practices and policies. Forty percent of states defined eligibility based on percent delay (vs SD). Thirty-five states had criteria for enrollment based on birth weight and/or prematurity, and 19 states specifically allowed enrollment for an infant with neonatal abstinence syndrome. CONCLUSION Providers working in neonatal follow-up clinics should be carefully educated about the eligibility criteria and approved tests for assessing development in the states in which they practice, recognizing that there is obvious and significant variability across states.
Evolution of Similar Configurations in Graph Dynamical Systems

We investigate questions related to the time evolution of discrete graph dynamical systems where each node has a state from {0,1}. The configuration of a system at any time instant is a Boolean vector that specifies the state of each node at that instant. We say that two configurations are similar if the Hamming distance between them is small. Also, a predecessor of a configuration B is a configuration A such that B can be reached in one step from A. We study problems related to the similarity of predecessor configurations from which two similar configurations can be reached in one time step. We address these problems both analytically and experimentally. Our analytical results point out that the level of similarity between predecessors of two similar configurations depends on the local functions of the dynamical system. Our experimental results, which consider random graphs as well as small world networks, rely on the fact that the problem of finding predecessors can be reduced to the Boolean Satisfiability problem (SAT).
What Drives Racial Attitudes in Elementary School Children: Skin Tone, Facial Physiognomy, or Both?:

This work examines whether racial attitudes-when measured by both explicit and implicit measures- are driven primarily by skin tone, facial physiognomy, or both in 5 to 12-year-old children. Participants evaluated faces varying in skin tone (from dark to light) and facial physiognomy (from Afrocentric to Eurocentric). In an explicit task, children rated how much they liked each face. In an implicit task, participants completed a child-friendly version of the Affect Misattribution Procedure, where they rated a Chinese character as "good" or "bad" following a racial prime. Results suggest that pro-White attitudes (especially those measured by the explicit task) are driven by both factors, vary by perceivers' race, and are present in both White and non-White children, though skin tone exerts a larger influence than other features, at least in explicit evaluations. Our results also raise the possibility that pro-White biases might be more internalized by non-White children in the American South.
Changes in Wait List Mortality, Transplantation Rates and Early Post-Transplant Outcomes in LVAD BTT with New Heart Transplant Allocation Score. A UNOS Database Analysis

Purpose To evaluate the effect of the new heart transplant allocation system on LVAD supported patients listed as bridge to transplantation (BTT). Methods Adult patients, who were listed for heart transplant between October 1,2016 and September 30, 2019, and were supported with an LVAD, enrolled in the UNOS database were enrolled in this study. Patients were classified according in the old or new system if they were listed or transplanted before or after October 18, 2018. Results A total of 2184 LVAD patients were listed for transplant. Of these, 1229 were classified in the old and 955 in the new system. The cumulative incidence of death or removal from the transplant list due to worsening clinical status, 1 year after listing, was lower in the new system (5% vs. 9%, p Conclusion With the implementation of the new HT allocation system, LVAD-BTT patients have a lower frequency of transplantation and similar short-term post-transplant survival. LVAD-BTT patients are more likely to receive Hep C (+) donor hearts.
Population-level mortality burden from novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Europe and North America

As of 31 January 2021, 63.9 million cases and 1.4 million deaths had been reported in Europe and North America, which accounted for 62.5% and 62.4% of the global total, respectively. Comparing the level of mortality across countries has proven difficult because of inherent limitations in the most commonly cited measures (e.g., case-fatality rates). We collected the cumulative number of confirmed deaths from COVID-19 by age in 2020 from the L’Institut National d’etudes Demographiques (INED) database and Statistics Canada for 15 European and North American countries. We calculated age-specific death rates and age-standardized death rates (ASDR) for each country over a 1-year period from 6 February 2020 (date of first COVID-19 death in Europe and North America) to 5 February 2021 using established demographic methods. We estimated that COVID-19 was the second leading cause of death behind cancer in England and Wales and France and the third leading cause of death behind cancer and heart disease in nine countries including the US. Countries with higher all-cause mortality prior to the COVID-19 experienced higher COVID-19 mortality than countries with lower all-cause mortality prior to the pandemic. The COVID-19 ASDR varied substantially within country (e.g., a 5-fold difference among the highest and lowest mortality states in Germany). Consistently strong public health measures may have lessened the level of mortality for some European and North American countries. In contrast, many of the largest countries and economies in these regions may continue to experience a high mortality level because of poor implementation and adherence to such measures.
Intraoperative surgeon probe inspection compared to leak testing for detecting gaps in canine jejunal continuous anastomoses: A cadaveric study

OBJECTIVE To compare the detection of gaps in jejunal continuous anastomoses by probing (PT) versus leak testing (LT). STUDY DESIGN Experimental study. ANIMALS Normal jejunal segments (n = 24) from two fresh canine cadavers. METHODS Intestinal segments were randomly selected by four volunteers who created six simple continuous anastomoses: two constructs using standard technique with 2-3 mm suture spacing (ST, 8 total), and four constructs with one 4-mm gap (IG, 16 total). All 24 anastomoses were examined with PT (1 volunteer) prior to LT (3 volunteers). LT was performed within a maximal peristaltic pressure range (34-54 cmH2 O). The presence and location of anastomotic leaks (LA ) detected with LT were compared with gaps detected with PT. RESULTS Nineteen out of twenty-four (79.2%) samples had at least one probe drop, and four out of twenty-three (17.4%) samples leaked. LT results from one sample were excluded due to iatrogenic suture failure. PT was 100% sensitive (95% CI: 51.01, 100%) with a 100% negative predictive value (95% CI: 56.55, 100%) at detecting gaps compared with LT. The location of all LA was accurately identified with PT and confirmed during LT. CONCLUSION PT was highly sensitive at detecting gaps compared with LT. All LA were accurately detected by PT. None of the segments negative during PT leaked. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The diagnostic value of PT appears adequate to recognize gaps in cadaveric small intestinal anastomoses. PT offers surgeons an alternative to detect suture gaps that may contribute to postoperative dehiscence of intestinal anastomoses.
The expanding world of oxidative protein folding

An ever-expanding and diverse collection of proteins and small molecules is involved in the pathways leading to protein disulphide bond formation. However, the origin of oxidative power for this process in the eukaryotic endoplasmic reticulum has remained mysterious. It has now been shown that in the yeast endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the catalyst Erv2p, a member of the Erv1p/ALR protein family, uses molecular oxygen directly to contribute oxidizing equivalents for disulphide bond formation.