cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Haematological manifestations of systemic disease

supply oxygen to the tissues, prevent microbial invasion and promote haemostasis. To ensure a sufficient number of cells for these functions, the bone marrow produces 1012 red cells, 1011 leucocytes and 1011 platelets daily to replace those lost through senescence or use. Because of this high rate of proliferative activity, the bone marrow is susceptible to disorders that: • interfere with its anatomical integrity • suppress the production of haematopoietic growth factors • stimulate the production of inflammatory cytokines, or • shorten the lifespan of circulating blood cells. Indeed, systemic diseases frequently first become manifest through either their impairment or stimulation of blood cell production or their enhancement of blood cell destruction or sequestration. Thus, when confronted with an abnormality in haematopoiesis in an adult, it is first necessary to determine whether it is a primary blood disorder or secondary to an underlying systemic disease. This distinction is crucial for the appropriate management of the blood abnormality. When the haematological abnormality is secondary to a systemic disorder, correction of that disorder will alleviate the haematological abnormality, while haematinic therapy alone will not (Fig 1). There is, of course, no correlation between the severity of a blood abnormality and its underlying cause, which must be diligently sought if treatment is to be effective. The evaluation of a blood disorder begins with the medical history, including prior blood counts and assessment of drug or toxin exposure, followed by a careful physical examination with attention to the presence of jaundice, telangiectasia, purpura, lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. Careful examination of a blood smear is essential as is a reticulocyte count, which can distinguish decreased red cell production from increased red cell destruction unless both are present. A bone marrow biopsy is mandatory when there is pancytopenia or when bone marrow cannot be aspirated, in order to distinguish marrow aplasia from myelofibrosis or metastatic tumour in the bone marrow.
Curcumin Attenuates Amyloid-β Aggregate Toxicity and Modulates Amyloid-β Aggregation Pathway.

The abnormal misfolding and aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides into β-sheet enriched insoluble deposits initiates a cascade of events leading to pathological processes and culminating in cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In particular, soluble oligomeric/prefibrillar Aβ have been shown to be potent neurotoxins. The naturally occurring polyphenol curcumin has been shown to exert a neuroprotective effect against age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. However, its protective mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of curcumin on the aggregation of Aβ40 as well as Aβ40 aggregate induced neurotoxicity. Our results show that the curcumin does not inhibit Aβ fibril formation, but rather enriches the population of “off-pathway” soluble oligomers and prefibrillar aggregates that were nontoxic. Curcumin also exerted a nonspecific neuroprotective effect, reducing toxicities induced by a range of Aβ conformers, including monomeric, oligomeric, prefibrillar, a...
Investigation of Nest Fleas of Microtus Fuscus in Shiqu County

Objective To investigate the formation and change of nest fleas of Microtus fuscus in natural focus of plague in Shiqu county,and to provide a scientific basis for prevention and control of the plague. Methods Six to twelve nests of microtus fuscus were sampled each month during May to Sept. in 2011 and 2012. The nest fleas were separated and identified,and the indexes of nest fleas,infection rate and Shannon diversity index were also calculated. Results A total of 3175 fleas were separated and identified,belonging to 3 families and 8species. The infection rate of nest fleas was 100%,the index of nest flea was 41. 59,the diversity index of nest fleas was 0. 696,the evenness index was 0. 887 and dominance index was 0. 524. Conclusion The C.Sparsilis and A. tutatuta is the dominant species in nest fleas; the rate and the index of nest flea are both high. The potential risk of plague preserving and spreading is relatively high,and thus more efforts should be made to monitor the plague and depulization for prevention of plague in human.
Role of α-adrenoceptors in the maintenance of core temperature in humans

1. Although alpha-adrenoceptor antagonists have been shown to induce core hypothermia in animals, it is unclear whether the primary mechanism is increased heat loss or decreased heat production. Furthermore, studies have not been performed in humans to determine the role of alpha-adrenoceptors in the maintenance of core temperature. 2. alpha-Adrenoceptor blockade was achieved with three doses of phentolamine given by random assignment on three different study days in five male and five female healthy subjects. Core temperature, mean skin-surface temperature, fingertip capillary blood flow and metabolic heat production were measured. Dose-response curves were plotted for all measured variables, and males and females were compared to identify potential gender differences. 3. Core temperature decreased with all doses of phentolamine. At the completion of the phentolamine infusion, the decrease in core temperature was more significant with high-dose (0.3 +/- 0.1 degrees C, P = 0.03) and with medium-dose (0.2 +/- 0.0 degrees C, P = 0.05) phentolamine than with low-dose phentolamine (0.1 +/- 0.0 degrees C). The maximum core temperature decrease during the study was more significant with high dose (0.6 +/- 1 degrees C) than with medium (0.3 +/- 1 degrees C, P = 0.04) or low (0.3 +/- 1 degrees C, P = 0.005) doses. Mean skin-surface temperature was increased with all doses. Fingertip blood flow was increased (approximately 60% above baseline) with the medium and high doses, but was unchanged with the low dose. Total body oxygen consumption was unchanged regardless of dose.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Early-weaning and postweaning nutritional management affect feedlot performance, carcass merit, and the relationship of 12th-rib fat, marbling score, and feed efficiency among Angus and Wagyu heifers.

Twelve 3/4 Angus (Angus) and 12 Wagyu-cross (1/2 Wagyu x 1/2 Angus) (Wagyu) heifers were weaned at 180 d of age and grazed on endophyte-infected tall fescue for 16 mo before entering the feedlot as 2-yr-olds. Twelve 3/4 Angus heifer calves and 12 Wagyu-cross heifer calves from the following year's calf crop were weaned at 142 +/- 4.1 d of age, immediately adjusted to an 80% concentrate diet, and finished as calves. All heifers were fed a common finishing diet until an estimated 50% of their respective group would grade USDA low Prime or better based on ultrasound predictions. Ultrasound measurements of s.c. and i.m. fat depots were recorded at 60-d intervals throughout the finishing period. Heifers finished as calves had higher (P = 0.02) marbling scores at any given fat thickness and gained more efficiently (P < or = 0.01) at any given marbling score than heifers finished as 2-yr-olds. Gain:feed decreased quadratically (P < or = 0.05) as 12th-rib fat thickness increased for Angus and Wagyu heifers. Gain:feed decreased linearly (P < or = 0.01) for Wagyu calves and quadratically (P < or = 0.01) for Angus calves as 12th-rib fat thickness increased. However, these differences in slope were not different (P = 0.34) as a result of breed among heifers finished as calves. Marbling score increased linearly (P < or = 0.01) as 12th-rib fat thickness increased for Angus and Wagyu heifers finished as 2-yrolds or as calves. However, Wagyu heifers, regardless of age at feedlot entry, had a higher marbling score (P < or = 0.05) at any given 12th-rib fat thickness than Angus heifers. Finishing early-weaned heifers as calves as opposed to 2-yr-olds results in i.m. fat deposition during a period of more efficient growth. Additionally, including Wagyu genetics into the breeding of early-weaned heifers finished as calves or as 2-yr-olds results in higher marbling scores at any 12th-rib fat thickness.
Revitalizing the Ethnosphere: Global Society, Ethnodiversity, and the Stakes of Cultural Genocide

This paper uses the concepts of ethnosphere and ethnodiversity to frame the stakes of cultural genocide in the context of the emerging global society. We are in an era of rapid global ethnodiversity loss. Global ethnodiversity is important because different cultures produce different solutions to the subjective and objective problems of human society, and because cultures have an intrinsic value. Rapid ethnodiversity loss is a byproduct of the expansion of the modern world-system, and Lemkin’s invention of the concept of genocide can be understood as a dialectical reaction to this tendency. The current phase of globalization creates pressures towards global monoculture, but movements towards polyculture can be observed. Genocide scholars have an interest in three underdeveloped lines of inquiry: measuring ethnodiversity loss; constructing valid measures of the vitality and life or death of cultures; and developing techniques for resolving social differences without the need for cultural
Asymptomatic ventricular arrhythmias and mortility risk in subjects withs with left ventricular hypertrophy

Abstract Objectives . The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term prognostic role of asymptomatic ventricular arrhythmias in original Framingham Heart Study subjects and Framingham Offspring Study subjects who had echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy. Background . Echocardiographically determined left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with increased risk for ventricular arrhythmias. There are no population-based data available with regard to the long-term prognostic implications of asymptomatic ventricular arrhythmias in subjects with left ventricular hypertrophy. Methods . In a population-based cohort study, we studied 224 men and 393 women with echocardiographicaliy determined left ventricular hypertrophy who were free of coronary heart disease and had 1-h ambulatory electrocardiograms at the baseline examination. The age-adjusted prevalence of complex or frequent ventricular arrhythmias (>30 ventricular premature beats/h, multiform premature complexes, couplets, ventricular tachycardia or R on T ventricular premature complexes) was 28% (51 of 224) in men and 17% (71 of 393) in women. The mean follow-up period was 5.7 years lor cohort and 4.5 years for offspring subjects. Results . In men with complex or frequent arrhythmias, the 6-year cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality was 38%, whereas in those free of arrhythmia it was 12%; corresponding values in women were 22% and 11%. The cumulative incidence of myocardial infarction or death due to coronary heart disease was 2% for men with and 10% for men without arrhythmia, but in women little difference was noted (5% vs. 4%). After adjustment for age and gender in a Cox proportional hazards model, subjects with complex or frequent arrhythmia were at increased risk for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13 to 2.87, p = 0.013). After adjusting for eight clinical covariates, the increased risk for all-cause mortality remained marginally significant (hazard ratio 1.62, 95% CI 0.98 to 2.68, p = 0.058). No significant increased risk was noted for myocardial infarction or death due to coronary heart disease. Conclusions . In subjects with left ventricular hypertrophy, the presence of asymptomatic ventricular arrhythmias was associated with higher mortality, which was statistically significant after adjusting for age and gender and marginally significant after taking into account other covariates.
Tuning the Photophysical Properties of Ru(II) Monometallic and Ru(II),Rh(III) Bimetallic Supramolecular Complexes by Selective Ligand Deuteration.

A series of three new complexes of the design [(TL)2Ru(BL)]2+, two new complexes of the design [(TL)2Ru(BL)Ru(TL)2]4+, and three new complexes of the design [(TL)2Ru(BL)RhCl2(TL)]3+ (TL = bpy or d8-bpy; BL = dpp or d10-dpp; TL = terminal ligand; BL = bridging ligand; bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine; dpp = 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine) were synthesized and the 1H NMR spectroscopy, electrochemistry, electronic absorbance spectroscopy, and photophysical properties studied. Incorporation of deuterated ligands into the molecular architecture simplifies the 1H NMR spectra, allowing for complete 1H assignment of [(d8-bpy)2Ru(dpp)](PF6)2 and partial assignment of [(bpy)2Ru(d10-dpp)](PF6)2. The electrochemistry for the deuterated and nondeuterated species showed nearly identical redox properties. Electronic absorption spectroscopy of the deuterated and nondeuterated complexes are superimposable with the lowest energy transition being Ru(dπ) → BL(π*) charge transfer in nature (BL = dpp or d10-dpp). Ligand deuteration impacts t...
Hypoprothrombinemia; studies of a case of the idiopathic type and the effect of serum administration.

1. The reported cases of idiopathic hypoprothrombinemia are reviewed briefly, and a case observed for over three years is presented. Particular attention is called to the similar clinical pattern presented by the chronic cases. 2. Studies are presented indicating that in this patient the delay in prothrombin time was due, at least in part, to a deficiency of a factor necessary for rapid conversion of prothrombin. This factor, or factors, which we have called Ac-globulin, is contained in a highly active state in fresh normal serum. 3. After the in vitro demonstration of a deficiency of Ac-globulin in the patient’s blood, it was possible to bring about a marked reduction in the patient’s prothrombin time by the intravenous administration of relatively small amounts (15 to 45 cc.) of fresh normal (thrombin-free) serum. A further reduction of the prothrombin time to near normal values was brought about by combined whole blood and serum administration. The evidence suggests that partial correction of both prothrombin and Ac-globulin deficiency respectively resulted from such therapy. 4. The possible effects of serum and whole blood upon the delayed prothrombin conversion rate of dicoumarolization and liver disease are discussed and preliminary observations in the former type suggest that such therapy may be useful. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We wish to express our appreciation to the following for their cooperation in this study: Dr. McLemore Birdsong, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Virginia Medical School; The Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia Hospital; The Department of Biochemistry, University of Virginia Medical School; Dr. Myers H. Hicks, Assistant Resident in Medicine, University of Virginia Hospital; Dr. Walter H. Seegers, Professor of Physiology, Wayne University College of Medicine.
Fe3+ Addition Promotes Arsenopyrite Dissolution and Iron(III) (Hydr)oxide Formation and Phase Transformation

The oxidative dissolution of arsenic-containing pyrite is an important process controlling arsenic fate and transport in groundwater aquifers. This process is further complicated by iron(III) (hydr)oxide formation during pyrite oxidation, which can serve as a crucial sink for mobilized arsenic. This study examines the oxidative dissolution of arsenopyrite in the presence of Fe3+ at circumneutral pH. We show for the first time that despite their low solubility, small quantities of additional Fe3+ trigger electron transfer between Fe3+ and Fe(II) in arsenopyrite, resulting in higher extents of secondary mineral formation and faster phase transformation. In addition, dissolved arsenic concentrations are elevated in these systems because of faster dissolution and faster phase transformation. These findings have significant environmental implications for arsenic transport under dynamic redox conditions, where interactions between Fe3+ and arsenopyrite can dominate arsenic-bearing pyrite oxidation as well as ir...
High gain, high power Nd 3+ fiber laser at 1427 nm

19.2 dB of small signal gain and 1.2 W of average power at 1427 nm are demonstrated in an Nd3+ fiber amplifier. Waveguide design was employed to suppress amplification at 1µm.
The Discovery of Rolling Circle Amplification and Rolling Circle Transcription.

ConspectusNucleic acid amplification is a hugely important technology for biology and medicine. While the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been highly useful and effective, its reliance on heating and cooling cycles places some constraints on its utility. For example, the heating step of PCR can destroy biological molecules under investigation and heat/cool cycles are not applicable in living systems. Thus, isothermal approaches to DNA and RNA amplification are under widespread study. Perhaps the simplest of these are the rolling circle approaches, including rolling circle amplification (RCA) and rolling circle transcription (RCT). In this strategy, a very small circular oligonucleotide (e.g., 25–100 nucleotides in length) acts as a template for a DNA or an RNA polymerase, producing long repeating product strands that serve as amplified copies of the circle sequence. Here we describe the early developments and studies involving circular oligonucleotides that ultimately led to the burgeoning rolling cir...
Treating the Critically Ill with Radiotherapy: Lessons Learned from a Young Woman with Cardiac Angiosarcoma.

Background: Treating patients who are critically ill with radiotherapy brings a unique set of challenges as it involves treating patients who require mechanical life support, unconventional positioning, and a multidisciplinary team approach to ensure safety. However, when the benefits of such treatment outweigh the risks, the challenges can be overcome, as demonstrated in this unique case of cardiac angiosarcoma. Case Description: This a a case of a 42 year old female with a right sided cardiac angiosarcoma who quickly developed cardiac tamponade and respiratory failure related to compression of her right heart by the tumor. She was treated with high dose single fraction radiotherapy initially and had a clinical response allowing further conformal radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy. Discussion: Managing critically ill patients requires creativity, improvisation, and careful consideration of existing evidence. Although limited, the data suggest that multi-modality therapy with a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy provide the best outcomes.
Characterizing viscoelasticity of unhydrolyzed chicken sternal cartilage extract suspensions: Towards development of injectable therapeutics formulations.

Abstract Exogenous delivery of cartilage extract is being explored as a promising candidate for knee arthritis treatment as it biomimics native cartilage tissue characteristics. In this study, we report on the rheological characterization of aqueous suspensions constituted from a powdered form of unhydrolyzed chicken sternum extract. The effect of particle size (as-received vs. milled), suspension fluid (water vs. PBS), and temperature (37 °C vs. 4 °C), on the viscoelastic properties of the sternum extract based particulate suspensions were evaluated. Results showed that these suspensions exhibit shear-thinning characteristics as shear rate ( γ ) increases, while viscosity ( η ), storage ( G ′), and loss ( G ″) moduli of the suspensions increased with increasing particulate loading ( ϕ : 2.5–10 wt%). Reducing the as-received particle size by milling decreased Gʹ, G , and η of the suspensions and increased the influence of ϕ on these properties, possibly due to improved particle packing. Replacing water with PBS had no significant effect on the rheological properties, but temperature reduction from 37 °C to 4 °C increased G ʹ, G ʺ, and η of the suspensions and lowered the impact of powder loading on viscoelastic properties. The suspension's time-dependent response was typical of viscoelastic materials, characterized by an asymptotical approach to a final stress (stress relaxation) or strain (creep). Results were fit to a power-law model for creep, a general relaxation model for exponential decay in stress, Carreau-Yasuda models for flow curves, and a two-parameter Liu model to identify the maximum powder loading ( ϕ m ). Among the various forces involved in particle-particle interactions within these suspensions, electrostatic forces appeared to dominate the most. Such characterization of the viscoelastic nature of these suspensions would help in formulating stable injectable cartilage extract based therapeutics for in vivo applications.
Abstract 19020: ABCG1 Regulates Pulmonary Surfactant Homeostasis and the Lung Microbiome

Chronic respiratory diseases are the 3rd leading cause of death, and individuals suffering from respiratory distress are at risk for cardiovascular complications. Changes in the commensal bacteria ...
Unraveling the Single-Nanometer Thickness of Shells of Vesicle-Templated Polymer Nanocapsules.

Vesicle-templated nanocapsules have emerged as a viable platform for diverse applications. Shell thickness is a critical structural parameter of nanocapsules, where the shell plays a crucial role providing mechanical stability and control of permeability. Here we used small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to determine the thickness of freestanding and surfactant-stabilized nanocapsules. Despite being at the edge of detectability, we were able to show the polymer shell thickness to be typically 1.0 ± 0.1 nm, which places vesicle-templated nanocapsules among the thinnest materials ever created. The extreme thinness of the shells has implications for several areas: mass-transport through nanopores is relatively unimpeded; pore-forming molecules are not limited to those spanning the entire bilayer; the internal volume of the capsules is maximized; and insight has been gained on how polymerization occurs in the confined geometry of a bilayer scaffold, being predominantly located at the phase-separated layer of...
Performance Isolation Anomalies in RDMA

To meet the increasing throughput and latency demands of modern applications, many operators are rapidly deploying RDMA in their datacenters. At the same time, developers are re-designing their software to take advantage of RDMA's benefits for individual applications. However, when it comes to RDMA's performance, many simple questions remain open.In this paper, we consider the performance isolation characteristics of RDMA. Specifically, we conduct three sets of experiments -- three combinations of one throughput-sensitive flow and one latency-sensitive flow -- in a controlled environment, observe large discrepancies in RDMA performance with and without the presence of a competing flow, and describe our progress in identifying plausible root-causes.
Health Literacy Tools in the Outpatient Setting.

Single-question screening tools regarding the need for help with understanding and completing medical forms and reading materials can be effective for detecting inadequate health literacy in the outpatient setting.
Methyl DNA Phosphate Adduct Formation in Rats Treated Chronically with 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and Enantiomers of Its Metabolite 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol.

The tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is a powerful lung carcinogen in animal models and is considered a causative factor for lung cancer in tobacco users. NNK is stereoselectively and reversibly metabolized to 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), which is also a lung carcinogen. Both NNK and NNAL undergo metabolic activation by α-hydroxylation on their methyl groups to form pyridyloxobutyl and pyridylhydroxybutyl DNA base and phosphate adducts, respectively. α-Hydroxylation also occurs on the α-methylene carbons of NNK and NNAL to produce methane diazohydroxide, which reacts with DNA to form methyl DNA base adducts. DNA adducts of NNK and NNAL are important in their mechanisms of carcinogenesis. In this study, we characterized and quantified methyl DNA phosphate adducts in the lung of rats treated with 5 ppm of NNK, (S)-NNAL, or (R)-NNAL in drinking water for 10, 30, 50, and 70 weeks, by using a novel liquid chromatography-nanoelectrospray ...
Gleichungen dritten und vierten Grades

Es ist auch weithin bekannt, dass eine explizite Formel fur die Losung einer kubischen Gleichung existiert, doch Studenten werden im Allgemeinen nicht dazu ermuntert, sie zu lernen. Die ubliche Begrundung dafur ist, dass die Formel zu lang, zu kompliziert und nicht besonders praktisch in der Anwendung ist. Diese Warnungen reichen allerdings nicht immer aus, unseren Wissensdurst zu bremsen, und viele Leute suchen nach dieser Formel in verschiedenen Lehrbuchern und Nachschlagewerken. Dort finden sie Folgendes.
Management of High-grade T1 Urothelial Carcinoma

The optimal management of high-grade T1 (HGT1) urothelial carcinoma (UC) is complex given its high rate of recurrence, progression, and cancer-specific mortality as well as its clinical variability. Our current treatment paradigm has been supplemented by recent data describing the expanding options for salvage intravesical therapy, bladder preservation, and the promising role of molecular epidemiology. In the current review, we attempt to summarize and critically analyze these studies. Evidence describing new intravesical therapies has demonstrated an adequate safety profile and some efficacy in BCG-unresponsive patients who desire bladder preservation. However, response rates are still poor in this high-risk patient population, and it is important to keep these data in perspective when counseling patients. Concomitantly, the continued molecular characterization of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer may suggest potential therapeutic targets as well as predictors of treatment response in the future. The integration of new intravesical therapies and molecular data into the current treatment paradigm for HGT1 urothelial carcinoma will be critical to improving oncologic outcomes in this particularly high-risk population.
Higher Order Cascaded SBS Suppression Using Gratings in a Photonic Integrated Ring Resonator Laser

An integrated Brillouin laser that maintains lasing in only the first Stokes order with up to 1W input pump power is demonstrated by incorporating Bragg gratings in the resonator waveguide. © 2019 The Author(s)
Models for Treatment Effects

The effect of a treatment may vary from one person to the next. One person may benefit or suffer greatly from treatment, while another person may experience little or no effect. In other words, the effect of the treatment on the ith person in stratum s, namely r Tsi - r Csi , may not be constant, but may change with i and s.
Mapping irrigated cropland extent across the conterminous United States at 30 m resolution using a semi-automatic training approach on Google Earth Engine

Abstract Accurate and timely information on the distribution of irrigated croplands is crucial to research on agriculture, water availability, land use, and climate change. While agricultural land use has been well characterized, less attention has been paid specifically to croplands that are irrigated, in part due to the difficulty in mapping and distinguishing irrigation in satellite imagery. In this study, we developed a semi-automatic training approach to rapidly map irrigated croplands across the conterminous United States (CONUS) at 30 m resolution using Google Earth Engine. To resolve the issue of lacking nationwide training data, we generated two intermediate irrigation maps by segmenting Landsat-derived annual maximum greenness and enhanced vegetation index using county-level thresholds calibrated from an existing coarse resolution irrigation map. The resulting intermediate maps were then spatially filtered to provide a training data pool for most areas except for the upper midwestern states where we visually collected samples. We then used random samples extracted from the training pool along with remote sensing-derived features and climate variables to train ecoregion-stratified random forest classifiers for pixel-level classification. For ecoregions with a large training pool, the procedure of sample extraction, classifier training, and classification was conducted 10 times to obtain stable classification results. The resulting 2012 Landsat-based irrigation dataset (LANID) identified 23.3 million hectares of irrigated croplands in CONUS. A quantitative assessment of LANID showed superior accuracy to currently available maps, with a mean Kappa value of 0.88 (0.75–0.99), overall accuracy of 94% (87.5–99%), and producer’s and user’s accuracy of the irrigation class of 97.3% and 90.5%, respectively, at the aquifer level. Evaluation of feature importance indicated that Landsat-derived features played the primary role in classification in relatively arid regions while climate variables were important in the more humid eastern states. This methodology has the potential to produce annual irrigation maps for CONUS and provide insights into the field-level spatial and temporal aspects of irrigation.
To burn or not to burn: Comparing reintroducing fire with cutting an encroaching conifer for conservation of an imperiled shrub-steppe.

Woody vegetation has increased on rangelands worldwide for the past 100-200 years, often because of reduced fire frequency. However, there is a general aversion to reintroducing fire, and therefore, fire surrogates are often used in its place to reverse woody plant encroachment. Determining the conservation effectiveness of reintroducing fire compared with fire surrogates over different time scales is needed to improve conservation efforts. We evaluated the conservation effectiveness of reintroducing fire with a fire surrogate (cutting) applied over the last ~30 years to control juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook.) encroachment on 77 sagebrush-steppe sites. Critical to conservation of this imperiled ecosystem is to limit juniper, not encourage exotic annual grasses, and promote sagebrush dominance of the overstory. Reintroducing fire was more effective than cutting at reducing juniper abundance and extending the period of time that juniper was not dominating the plant community. Sagebrush was reduced more with burning than cutting. Sagebrush, however, was predicted to be a substantial component of the overstory longer in burned than cut areas because of more effective juniper control. Variation in exotic annual grass cover was explained by environmental variables and perennial grass abundance, but not treatment, with annual grasses being problematic on hotter and drier sites with less perennial grass. This suggests that ecological memory varies along an environmental gradient. Reintroducing fire was more effective than cutting at conserving sagebrush-steppe encroached by juniper over extended time frames; however, cutting was more effective for short-term conservation. This suggests fire and fire surrogates both have critical roles in conservation of imperiled ecosystems.
Incremental L1-Norm Linear Discriminant Analysis for Indoor Human Activity Classification

In this paper, we present an incremental version of L1-norm Linear Discriminant Analysis (L1-LDA) for radar-based indoor human activity classification. Incremental L1-LDA enables refinement of the discriminant basis as more training samples become available during operation. At the same time, it permits adaptation to the specific activity patterns of the human subject of interest, different than the ones on which the original discriminant basis was trained. The incremental version retains the robustness of L1-LDA to outliers among the training data. Using Doppler signatures of various indoor human activities, we demonstrate that the proposed method exhibits enhanced performance over the incremental counterpart of standard linear discriminant analysis when the training data are corrupted and similar performance under nominal training data.
How To Assess a Claudication and When To Intervene

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects close to 200 million people worldwide. Claudication is the most common presenting symptom for patients with PAD. This review summarizes the current diagnostic and treatment options for patients with claudication. Comprehensive history and physical examination in order to differentiate between claudication secondary to vascular disease vs. neurogenic causes is paramount for initial diagnosis. Ankle-brachial index is the most commonly used test for screening and diagnostic purposes. Treatment consists of four different approaches, which are best utilized in combination: non-pharmacological treatment for claudication improvement, pharmacological treatment for claudication improvement, pharmacological treatment for secondary risk reduction, and interventional treatment for claudication improvement. Cilostazol is the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved agent for symptomatic treatment of claudication. Supervised exercise programs provide the maximum benefit for claudication improvement, but home-based exercise programs are an alternative. High-intensity statins and an antiplatelet agent should be prescribed to all patients with PAD. Angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors can provide additional risk reduction, especially in patients with diabetes or hypertension. Rivaroxaban of low dosage (2.5 mg twice daily) in combination with aspirin further decreases cardiovascular risk, but this reduction comes at the cost of higher bleeding risk. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a form of atherosclerotic disease that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide—one of its most common manifestations is intermittent claudication (IC), which results from insufficient blood flow to meet the metabolic demands of an affected extremity. This paper reviews the current literature regarding the workup, diagnosis, diagnostic modalities, treatment options, and management of intermittent claudication.
Implementing Evidence-Based Reading Practices in K–3 Classrooms

Rigorous reviews of reading research over the past 2 decades agree on evidence-based practices in K–3 classrooms. Yet results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show that about one-third of the nation’s 4th graders are proficient in reading—an inadequate percentage for a nation that demands a literate citizenry and workforce. The first objective of this article is to provide an overview of the evidence-based reading practices recommended in K–3 instruction based on systematic reviews and meta-analyses of classroom instruction and intervention studies. The second objective is to provide a brief overview of essential features of multitiered systems of support for implementing evidence-based reading interventions in grades K–3. The third objective is to provide resources to help practitioners implement evidence-based literacy instruction in primary grade classrooms and in intervention settings.
Mycophenolate Mofetil Dose and Early Acute Cellular Rejection Post Cardiac Transplantation

Purpose Early acute cellular rejection (ACR) after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) is associated with adverse long-term outcomes. Data on whether the Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) dose has any impact on rates of early ACR is lacking. The target MMF dose studied in clinical trials for immunosuppression with OHT has ranged from 2 to 3gm/day. In January of 2016 due to an increase in infectious complications, we modified our institutional policy whereby the target MMF dose was lowered from 3 gm/day to 2gm/day. In this analysis, we examined rates of early rejection stratified by target MMF dose. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of consecutive OHT recipients at a single center from January 2015 to July 2019. Patients were divided into two groups based on the target MMF dose (3gm vs. 2 gm/day). The rates of ACR warranting a change in immunosuppressive regimen within 4 weeks of OHT (1R/1B or ≥ 2R) were compared between the two groups. Data on other factors that could impact early ACR such as age, gender, race, induction immunosuppression, and PRA was also collected. Univariate and multivariate-adjusted statistical analyses were performed. Results Of 169 OHT, mean age 53 years and 26% females, 67 patients were in the MMF 3gm/day group (Group 1) and 102 were in the 2 gm/day group (Group 2). Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. The average daily dose of MMF for the first week after OHT was 2245 ± 724 mg in Group 1 and 1866 ± 525 mg in Group 2 (p Conclusion In this single-center study of OHT recipients comparing daily target MMF dose of 3gm with 2gm in the early post OHT period, there was a trend towards early ACR in the 2gm/day MMF dose group. This suggests that a higher MMF dose of 3gm/day, if tolerated, may help lower rates of early ACR. Further investigation in a larger sample is warranted to validate this finding.
RESEARCH ON SEXUAL GLAND FUNCTION IN FEMALE ACUTE LEUKEMIA PATIENTS OF LONG TERM SURVIVAL

Acute leukemia is a malignant blood disease commonly seen in children. Since the application of combined chemotherapy, the complete remission rate has elevated and the survival period has prolonged. Foreign scholars have taken notice of chemotherapeutic affection on child-hood development for a long time, but in our country, the study on this subject is just at beginning. We haven' t seen any reports about the affection of chemotherapy on sexual function in female acute leukemia patients. In this article, we detected the pituitary-sexual function in 21 acute leukemia girls after more than three years of withdrawal chemotherapy. The results showed that usage of cytotoxic drugs before puberty had minor damage on ovary function, and its function could be gradually recovered as time went on after stopping chemotherapy. The impairement of cyclophosphamide on sexual gland was directly proportional to its dosage, using method and the age of the patients. Key words: Acute leukemia; combined-chemotherapy; ovary stimulating hormone; luteinizing hormone estradiol
New evidence about immune disorders in children with Tourette syndrome

In recent years, the incidence of Tourette syndrome(TS)has been increasing, but the pathogenesis of TS was unclear.Immune abnormalities were reported in some children with TS, who had abnormal levels of helper T cell subgroup Th1/Th2, cytokines, natural killer cells and autoantibodies expression.Balance and moderation of the immune play an important role in maintaining the physiological functioning normally.To study the status of immune in children with TS is conducive to manage strategies of treatment. Key words: Children; Tourette syndrome; Cytokines; Helper T cell
Pars Plana Vitrectomy following Traumatic Ocular Injury and Initial Globe Repair: A Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION Penetrating and perforating ocular trauma are often devastating and may lead to complete visual loss in the traumatized eye and subsequent compromise of the fellow eye. A significant proportion of traumatic injuries are complex, often requiring vitreoretinal intervention to preserve vision. A retrospective analysis at a level 1 trauma center was performed to evaluate the time course, incidence, and outcomes following pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) after traumatic ocular injury and initial globe repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eyes that underwent open globe repair following ocular trauma at Brooke Army Medical Center, between January 1, 2014 and December 30, 2016 were analyzed. Specific factors evaluated include mechanism of injury, defect size and complexity, ocular trauma score, zone of injury, associated orbital trauma, and time from injury to surgical intervention. A subset analysis was conducted specifically on eyes requiring subsequent PPV for vision preservation because of vitreoretinal disease. Surgical outcomes, time to secondary intervention, and complication rates were then assessed. RESULTS In total, 70 eyes requiring open globe repair were examined, with 43 having undergone PPV. Average and median time to vitrectomy were 18.8 and 8 days, respectively. Eyes that underwent PPV were more likely to have an afferent papillary defect, vitreous hemorrhage, intraocular foreign body, and retinal detachment at the time of initial injury (although the latter two factors were not statistically significant), and were more likely to receive penetrating keratoplasty. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy occurred in 37.2% of eyes that underwent PPV, versus 3.7% of those that did not (P = 0.0013). Timing of PPV (i.e., before or after 14 days) had no statistically significant effect on the rate of PVR (Table I). Eyes that underwent PPV showed an improvement of visual acuity from average 2.5 logMAR following initial injury to 1.5 logMAR 6 months after PPV, equivalent to 18.7 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters gained, versus 37.7 ETDRS letters gained in eyes without PPV. Among PPV eyes, early repair (<14 days) was associated with greater improvement in visual acuity. CONCLUSION Overall, patients requiring PPV following open globe repair generally had more severe injuries and worse 6-month postoperative visual acuity. Patients who underwent more expedited vitrectomy showed greater improvement in visual acuity as measured by ETDRS letters gained.
Exploring Graph-Based Neural Networks for Automatic Brain Tumor Segmentation

Manual evaluation of medical images, such as MRI scans of brain tumors, requires years of training, is time-consuming, and is often subject to inter-annotator variation. The automatic segmentation of medical images is a long-standing challenge that seeks to alleviate these issues, with great potential benefits for physicians and patients. In the past few years, variations of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have established themselves as the state-of-the-art methodology for this task. Recently, Graph-based Neural Networks (GNNs) have gained considerable attention in the deep learning community. GNNs exploit the structural information present in graphical data by aggregating information over connected nodes, allowing them to effectively capture relation information between data elements. In this project, we propose a GNN-based approach to brain tumor segmentation. We represent 3D MRI scans of the brain as a graph, where different regions in the images are represented by nodes and edges connect adjacent regions. We apply several variations of GNNs for the automatic segmentation of brain tumors from MRI scans. Our results show GNNs give reasonable performance on the task and allow for realistic modeling of the data. Furthermore, they are far less computationally expensive and time-consuming to train than state-of-the-art segmentation models. Lastly, we assign Shapley value-based contribution scores to input MRI features to learn what features are relevant for a particular segmentation, generating interesting insights into explaining the predictions of the proposed model.
Black Like Me: Concepts of Africanness, Blackness, and Beauty

In this chapter, we explore Black identity and beauty through a critical race feminism and Afrocentricity lens to explore how Ethiopian immigrant women view their Africanness, Blackness, and beauty in the context of American culture. We address the relevance of African American racial identity development to Ethiopian immigrants’ self-concept. Ethiopians share rich cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity that, in the U.S. becomes blurred, as Black phenotype relegates them to similar treatment as their African American counterparts. As such, participants in this study struggled to maintain their culture and sense of beauty in their new environment.
The effects of language on the stigmatization and exclusion of returning citizens: Results from a survey experiment:

Although the use of person-centered language has increased in recent years, its usage remains limited within the field of criminal justice, wherein terms such as ex-offender are frequently used to ...
How to Implement Product Requirements for Market Niches with Innovative Business Processes

In order to stay competitive, European manufacturing companies need to enter new markets implementing innovative business processes based on networking economy. Through business processes and requirements analysis hold on some European SMEs, this work proposes a supply chain mapping of the most relevant processes, procedures and techniques comparing European fashion supply networks through multiple case studies. The innovative production model will be based on the integration of fashion companies towards both suppliers and customers to support sustainable production of small series addressed products for target groups like obese, disabled, elderly people.
Automated Stream-Based Analysis of Fault-Tolerance

A rigorous, automated approach to analyzing fault-tolerance of distributed systems is presented. The method is based on a stream model of computation that incorporates approximation mechanisms. One application is described: a protocol for fault-tolerant
NilD CRISPR RNA contributes to Xenorhabdus nematophila colonization of symbiotic host nematodes

The bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila is a mutualist of entomopathogenic Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes and facilitates infection of insect hosts. X. nematophila colonizes the intestine of S. carpocapsae which carries it between insects. In the X. nematophila colonization-defective mutant nilD6::Tn5, the transposon is inserted in a region lacking obvious coding potential. We demonstrate that the transposon disrupts expression of a single CRISPR RNA, NilD RNA. A variant NilD RNA also is expressed by X. nematophila strains from S. anatoliense and S. websteri nematodes. Only nilD from the S. carpocapsae strain of X. nematophila rescued the colonization defect of the nilD6::Tn5 mutant, and this mutant was defective in colonizing all three nematode host species. NilD expression depends on the presence of the associated Cas6e but not Cas3, components of the Type I-E CRISPR-associated machinery. While cas6e deletion in the complemented strain abolished nematode colonization, its disruption in the wild-type parent did not. Likewise, nilD deletion in the parental strain did not impact colonization of the nematode, revealing that the requirement for NilD is evident only in certain genetic backgrounds. Our data demonstrate that NilD RNA is conditionally necessary for mutualistic host colonization and suggest that it functions to regulate endogenous gene expression.
A Simple Generalization of Kahn’s Principle to Indeterminate Dataflow Networks

Kahn’s principle states that if each process in a dataflow network computes a continuous input/output function, then so does the entire network. Moreover, in that case the function computed by the network is the least fixed point of a continuous functional determined by the structure of the network and the functions computed by the individual processes. Previous attempts to generalize this principle in a straightforward way to “indeterminate” networks, in which processes need not compute functions, have been either too complex or have failed to give results consistent with operational semantics. In this paper, we give a simple, direct generalization of Kahn’s fixed-point principle to a large class of indeterminate dataflow networks, and we sketch a proof that results obtained by the generalized principle are in agreement with a natural operational semantics.
Optical interconnects based on two-dimensional VCSEL arrays

Free space optical interconnects offer an exciting alternative to conventional packaging for electronic systems which uses planar board and backplane structures. The alternative, which shall be called 3D packaging, involves using the space perpendicular to the processing planes for free-space optical beams that transport the data between the planes. 3D packaging is very appealing for tightly-coupled fine-grained parallel computing where the need for massive numbers of interconnections is severely taxing the capabilities of the planar structures. This paper describes an effort to develop the enabling technologies for these 3D systems, and to demonstrate a functional computer based on this technology. The approach is to realize the optical interconnections through the use of two-dimensional optoelectronic (smart pixel) arrays based on vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays. >