cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Approaching Optimal Characteristics of 10-nm High-Performance Devices: A Quantum Transport Simulation Study of Si FinFET

We utilized a fully self-consistent quantum mechanical simulator based on the contact block reduction (CBR) method to optimize a 10 nm FinFET device and meet the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) projections for double-gate high-performance logic technology devices. We found that the device ON-current approaching the value projected by the ITRS can be obtained using a conventional unstrained Si channel and a SiO2 gate insulator. We also performed a detailed analysis of the gate leakage under different bias conditions. Our simulation results show that the quantum mechanical effects significantly enhance the intrinsic switching speed of the device. In our simulations, quantum confinement in both the gates and the channel has been taken into account self-consistently. The obtained theoretical value of the intrinsic switching speed for the considered FinFET device exceeds the ITRS-projected value.
Alu distribution and mutation types of cancer genes

Alu elements are the most abundant retrotransposable elements comprising ~11% of the human genome. Many studies have highlighted the role that Alu elements have in genetic instability and how their contribution to the assortment of mutagenic events can lead to cancer. As of yet, little has been done to quantitatively assess the association between Alu distribution and genes that are causally implicated in oncogenesis. We have investigated the effect of various Alu densities on the mutation type based classifications of cancer genes. In order to establish the direct relationship between Alu s and the cancer genes of interest, genome wide Alu-related densities were measured using genes rather than the sliding windows of fixed length as the units. Several novel genomic features, such as the density of the adjacent Alu pairs and the number of Alu-Exon-Alu triplets, were developed in order to extend the investigation via the multivariate statistical analysis toward more advanced biological insight. In addition, we characterized the genome-wide intron Alu distribution with a mixture model that distinguished genes containing Alu elements from those with no Alus, and evaluated the gene-level effect of the 5'-TTAAAA motif associated with Alu insertion sites using a two-step regression analysis method. The study resulted in several novel findings worthy of further investigation. They include: (1) Recessive cancer genes (tumor suppressor genes) are enriched with Alu elements (p < 0.01) compared to dominant cancer genes (oncogenes) and the entire set of genes in the human genome; (2) Alu-related genomic features can be used to cluster cancer genes into biological meaningful groups; (3) The retention of exon Alus has been restricted in the human genome development, and an upper limit to the chromosome-level exon Alu densities is suggested by the distribution profile; (4) For the genes with at least one intron Alu repeat in individual chromosomes, the intron Alu densities can be well fitted by a Gamma distribution; (5) The effect of the 5'-TTAAAA motif on Alu densities varies across different chromosomes.
Evaluating percutaneous support for cardiogenic shock: data shock and sticker shock.

Cardiogenic shock, a state of systemic hypoperfusion resulting from cardiovascular dysfunction, is the leading cause of death in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).1 In spite of tremendous advances in cardiovascular care over the past two decades, mortality rates for patients with cardiogenic shock remain quite high, with some estimates as high as 50%.2 Given the underlying pathophysiology of cardiogenic shock, most commonly attributed to left ventricular failure resulting from STEMI, prompt institution of mechanical circulatory support seems intuitively important. The intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) counterpulsation device was first introduced in the 1960s and has gained widespread acceptance as the device of choice for most patients with cardiogenic shock. Registry data suggest that cardiogenic shock is one of the most common conditions for which IABPs are used, accounting for 20% of all insertions.3 In fact, the ESC and ACC/AHA guidelines on STEMI strongly endorse the placement of an IABP in patients with cardiogenic shock refractory to pharmacological therapy.4,5 However, the evidence base from which these recommendations emanate is limited. There are no large randomized controlled trials which have rigorously evaluated the impact of IABPs in cardiogenic shock. Observational data from the Should We Emergently Revascularize Occluded Coronary Arteries in Shock (SHOCK) trial registry as well as the National Registry of Myocardial Infarction (NRMI)-2 suggest that patients treated with an IABP in addition to thrombolytics had lower in-hospital mortality than those receiving thrombolytics alone.6,7 Notably, patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in NRMI-2 did not benefit from IABP placement. A recent systematic review of >10 000 patients with cardiogenic shock in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) published in the European Heart Journal presented similar findings and concluded by challenging contemporary clinical guidelines.8 One of the theoretical shortcomings of … *Corresponding author. Tel: +1 857 203 6840/6841, Fax: +1 857 203 5550, Email: dlbhattmd{at}alum.mit.edu
Non-toxic antifouling strategies

The term fouling generally refers to an undesirable process in which a surface becomes encrusted with material from the surrounding environment. In the case of biofouling, that material consists of organisms and their by-products e.g., extracellular polysaccharides and metabolites. Biofouling limits the performance of devices in numerous applications; however, this review focuses on antifouling biomaterials for marine and biomedical applications. The surface chemistry and physical properties of the substratum are both crucial to preventing the recruitment of biofouling organisms. Natural antifouling surfaces exhibit both chemical and physical attributes. The chemical structure is discussed briefly as it relates to both anti-fouling and fouling-release properties. However, our focus has been to study physical cues as they relate to the initial attachment of fouling organisms.
Vaccination perceptions and barriers of school employees: a pilot study.

Schools are where vaccine-preventable diseases can spread. Vaccination of school children has been studied; however, data are lacking on the vaccination status, perceptions, and barriers to vaccination for school employees. We surveyed school employees’ vaccination perceptions, awareness of current vaccination status, and potential barriers to vaccinations. Adult vaccination knowledge is lacking in the school employee population. School employees were unaware of their vaccination status for diseases such as measles and pertussis. Most subjects believed vaccinations were safe and effective, although they believed vaccinations were more important for children than adults. Many believed vaccine mandates should exist for school employees. Knowledge gaps regarding adult vaccines can be positively influenced by school nurses. Gaps may be especially important to bridge regarding adults working in the school setting, an environment ideal for the spreading of communicable diseases.
Estrogen biosynthesis in endometriosis: molecular basis and clinical relevance

Conversion of C(19) steroids to estrogens is catalyzed by aromatase in human ovary, placenta and extraglandular tissues such as adipose tissue, skin and the brain. Aromatase activity is not detectable in normal endometrium. In contrast, aromatase is expressed aberrantly in endometriosis and is stimulated by prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)).( )This results in local production of estrogen, which induces PGE(2) formation and establishes a positive feedback cycle. Another abnormality in endometriosis, i.e. deficient hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD) type 2 expression, impairs the inactivation of estradiol to estrone. These molecular aberrations collectively favor accumulation of increasing quantities of estradiol and PGE(2 )in endometriosis. The clinical relevance of these findings was exemplified by the successful treatment of an unusually aggressive case of postmenopausal endometriosis using an aromatase inhibitor.
Accurate and scalable simulation of network of heterogeneous sensor devices

Simulation is an important tool to study and analyze sensor networks. Prior work in sensor network simulation focuses on homogeneous devices. In this paper, we present a system that performs scalable and accurate simulation of a network of heterogeneous sensor devices, including both Stargate intermediate level devices and mote devices. We study accuracy, performance, and scalability of our system. The results show that we can achieve accurate functional behavior for both standalone Stargate simulation and ensemble simulation of a Stargate and motes. For motes, we have less than 4.06% cycle count error for all benchmarks and for Stargate, we have less than 10% error for most benchmarks, and less than 12.5% error for all benchmarks. We also achieve less than 3.6% error for all benchmarks when simulating an ensemble of Stargate and motes. Our system is also more scalable than prior work. We can simulate 160 sensor nodes in real time speed and 2,048 sensor nodes with ten times slowdown on a 16-node cluster.
Three-dimensional analysis of craniofacial form in a familial rabbit model of nonsyndromic coronal suture synostosis using Euclidean distance matrix analysis.

Abstract Objective: Simple craniosynostoses produce predictable morphologies of the cranial vault, with growth deficits in a direction parallel to the synostosed suture and compensatory growth at sutures that are perpendicular to and attached to the synostosed one. In coronal suture synostosis, antero posterior growth is inhibited, with compensatory growth in a transverse direction. Information on growth patterns and influence on other craniofacial regions are not as clear. This study tested the hypotheses that (1), both juvenile and adult rabbits with familial, nonsyndromic coronal suture synostosis exhibit significant size and shape differences of the entire craniofacial region relative to normal rabbits as a result of altered growth patterns and that (2), shape differences of the calvaria will precede those of the basicranium. Design: Fifty anatomic landmarks were located on 94 New Zealand white rabbit crania. The crania were divided into a juvenile, six-week-old age category (n = 53) and an adult, 18-...
Beth Van Schaack, Stateways v. Folkways: International Human Rights & Gender Stereotypes, reviewing Rebecca J. Cook & Simone Cusack, Gender Stereotyping: Transnational Legal Perspectives (University of Pennsylvania Press 2010)

It cannot be gainsaid that women have been, and remain, subordinated to men in nearly every nation-state, organized religion, legal system, and cultural tradition around the globe. With startling transnational consistency, women are the subject of persistent and pervasive stereotypes that devalue us, impede our full equality with men, and hamper our ability to make autonomous life choices. Such stereotypes, while deeply engrained, are often invisible and unconscious in the way in which they socially construct what it means to be male and female in society and co-opt women in our own subordination. This article reviews Rebecca J. Cook & Simone Cusack, Gender Stereotyping: Transnational Legal Perspectives (University of Pennsylvania Press 2010). Cook and Cusack discuss the potential for the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women to expose and deconstruct stereotypes that justify and perpetuate women's subordination.
Surface Components Affecting Interactions between Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Eucaryotic Cells

Interactions of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with nonleukocytic eucaryotic cells including tissue culture cells (either primary or continuous lines), human sperm, and buccal mucosal cells appear to be influenced primarily by the presence or absence of pili on the bacteria. In this context, piliation enhances attachment to or association of microorganisms with the eucaryotic cells. Pili, on the other hand, appear to reduce interaction of N. gonorrhoeae with mouse peritoneal macrophages. Other groups have demonstrated that pili reduce phagocytosis of gonococci by neutrophils, but in our studies this affect is secondary to that dependent on "leukocyte-association" factor. The presence of such a factor is correlated with a particular protein found by polyacrylamide electrophoresis. Adherence among N. gonorrhoeae varies and results in colony forms of different coloration or aggregation characteristics. These different coloration forms correlate with the protein patterns of gonococci as found in polyacrylamide electrophoresis and also with the susceptibility of gonococci to killing by trypsin.
XRD and Tem Characterization of Cathodic MnO2 and Discharge Products in the Li-MnO2 Cell

The crystal structures of the undischarged, heat-treated electrolytic manganese dioxide (HEMD) and discharge products are characterized by high spatial resolution convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED). The results are compared with the x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns characterized by broad, diffuse peaks. The CBED results for HEMD show that the starting cathodic material has the pyrolusite space group, but with a range of c/a ratios. The variability of the lattice parameter from grain to grain is found to coincide with the broadening on the low angle side of the XRD peaks. The CBED patterns of discharge products suggest a reduction range in c/a ratios and the formation of another phase.
Freshness Evaluation of Vacuum-packed Tilapia Using Odor Fingerprint Technology

The freshness of vacuum-packed tilapia is determined by the odor fingerprint technology,the results show that fish freshness is decreased gradually with the extension of storage time,whilst 8 d is the critical point of freshness grade change;the response signal ofsome sensors changes as the fish odors changed,and makes good responses to different fish freshness.Different fish freshness are effectively distinguished by principal component analysis,and 6 sensors for important contribution to freshness is selected by loading analysis,the identification accuracy in discriminant function analysis reaches more than 70% using both 10 recognition sensors and 6 recognition sensors.
Sacred and Secular: Reexamining the Theory of Existential Security

in recent years , religion has become increasingly prominent around the world. The persistence of high rates of churchgoing in the United States, the growing importance of liberation theology in Latin America, and religious conflict in the Balkans, demonstrated that religion had not faded as a potent force in many contemporary societies. That point was reinforced by the events of 9/11 in the United States; ethnic and religious tensions in Europe; and repeated outbursts of violent conflict among religious groups in Nigeria, Sudan, and India. One widespread assumption is that these disparate events reflect a worldwide revival of religion. Rodney Stark and Roger Finke argue forcefully that the traditional secularization thesis has been discredited, and they are far from alone in holding this view. We believe that the picture is more complex. This book has presented a theory of existential security, backed by empirical evidence from scores of societies, demonstrating growing religious divergence worldwide. On one hand, religious values and practices remain strong in developing societies, which have rapidly growing populations; and religion is making a comeback in many ex-Communist countries, filling the vacuum left by the collapse of communism. But at the same time, secularization has been occurring in most advanced industrial societies. This erosion of church attendance, religious values, and beliefs has been most clearly observed in Scandinavia and Western Europe, which has led some scholars to claim that Western Europe is the exception – not the United States. The depth of change does vary across societies, but the decline of religious values and practices is not confined to Western Europe. Similar developments are evident in comparable affluent postindustrial societies such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Canada; even in the United States, a trend toward secularization is discernable, though partly masked by the large-scale immigration of people with traditional worldviews.
Improving Patient Cohort Identification Using Natural Language Processing

Retrieving information from structured data tables in a large database may be performed with little to no difficulty, but structured data may not always contain all that is needed to retrieve accurate information compared to narratives from clinical notes. The large volume of clinical notes, however, requires special processing to access the information contained in their unstructured format. In this case study, we present a comparison of two techniques (structured data extraction and natural language processing) and we evaluate their utility in identifying a specific patient cohort from a large clinical database.
The importance of lexical verbs in the acquisition of spatial prepositions: The case of in and on

Abstract The prepositions in and on appear early in children’s descriptions of simple containment and support relations, such as “apple in the bowl” and “cup on the table”. However, mature use of these basic terms extends across a very broad range of object configurations, raising the question of whether children and adults share the same underlying semantic space, and if so, how children’s use of in and on comes to match that of adults. With a new battery containing diverse object configurations, we asked how 4 and 6 year-olds and adults distribute basic spatial expressions ( isin, is on ) and lexical verbs ( hang, attach, etc . ) across subtypes of containment and support. Our results reveal probabilistic distributions of in and on in both adult and child language, with similar distributions among adults and children for in but different patterns for on . Moreover, we find substantial differences in the use of lexical verbs across the two spatial domains and across ages. We propose that children and adults share a structured semantic space for both containment and support relations, but larger portions of this space are described by in and on early in development because alternative descriptions employing lexical verbs are inhibited. Using computational modeling along with experimental data, we link developmental changes in the scope of basic spatial expressions to increasing use of lexical verbs in parts of the space that reflect less central relations of containment or support. This result supports a nuanced view of spatial language acquisition that shifts the focus from how children learn basic expressions to how they learn to distribute expressions of varying content and complexity across the semantic space.
Overlapping Community Structures and Their Detection on Social Networks

We propose DOCA (Detecting Overlapping Community Algorithm), a connection-based algorithm for discovering high quality overlapping community structures in social networks. Our proposed method is fast, very limited parameter dependent and only requires local knowledge about the network topology. Furthermore, the community structures discovered by DOCA are deterministic, i.e., no fuzzy community assignments are produced. DOCA's performance is certified by extensive experiments on real-world traces including Enron communication network, ArXiv citation and Astro physics collaboration networks as well as Face book and Foursquare social networks. The demonstrative benchmark with other detection methods highlights the efficiency of DOCA when discovering community structures of large-scale networks. By using DOCA to analyze the community structures of real datasets, we find that overlapping communities occur naturally and quite frequently, especially for top largest communities. In addition, overlapped nodes tend to be active users who participate in multiple communities at the same time. This happens not only on social networks but also on collaboration, citation and communication networks.
Immunoregulatory networks in sickle cell alloimmunization

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are critical for treatment and prevention of complications of sickle cell disease (SCD), and most SCD patients will receive 1 or more transfusions by age 20. However, SCD alloimmunization remains a serious complication of transfusions that can lead to life-threatening acute and delayed transfusion reactions. Alloimmunization rates are higher in SCD patients most likely due to RBC antigenic differences between largely white donors vs mainly African-American recipients and frequency of transfusions. However, it remains unclear why some but not all SCD patients develop alloantibodies. Cellular immune responses that differ between alloimmunized and nonalloimmunized SCD patients are beginning to be characterized. Altered CD4+ T helper cell responses, known to control immunoglobulin G production, have been identified in alloimmunized SCD patients, including abnormalities in regulatory T cells, as well as helper type 1 (TH1), TH17, and follicular helper T cells. Furthermore, heightened innate immune cell responses to cell free heme with cell polarization toward proinflammatory T cell profiles were recently reported in SCD antibody responders, suggesting that the ongoing hemolytic state in SCD may impair the ability of innate immune cells in these already alloimmunized patients to counter alloimmunization. Identification of molecular pathways in key cellular components that differ between alloimmunized and nonalloimmunized SCD patients is likely to lead to identification of biomarkers of alloimmunization and future design of targeted therapies to prevent or even dampen alloantibody responses in these highly susceptible patients.
Chapter 11 – Thesis Development

The creation of a thesis represents the culmination of a student's pursuits in academia and research. To effectively convey this newly acquired knowledge, the author will need to provide an appropriate understanding of previous research and analysis of his or her own experimentation. The specific thesis guidelines by which an author works will vary to some extent depending on their own academic institution. However, the basics of thesis writing, that concern style and format, remain the same.
Optimized Conflation of Authoritative and Crowd-Sourced Geographic Data: Creating an Integrated Bike Map

A complete and accurate geographic dataset is critical for relevant analysis and decision-making. This chapter proposes a four-step geographic data-conflation system: preprocessing, automatic conflation, evaluation, and manual adjustments. The automatic-conflation component uses an optimization approach to find matched features and a rubber-sheeting approach to complete spatial transformation. This system was tested using two bikeway datasets in Los Angeles County, California, from an authoritative source (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority) and an open source (OpenStreetMap). While bikeways that are already in both datasets are improved in terms of positional accuracy and attribute completeness, the conflated bikeway dataset also integrates complementary data in either of the input datasets. Experiments demonstrate the advantages of using crowd-sourced data to improve official bikeway data, which is important for building and maintaining high-quality bicycle-infrastructure datasets. The framework described in this chapter can be adapted to conflate other types of data themes.
Intra-Cloud and Inter-Cloud Authentication

Authentication mechanisms available in existing cloud platforms are inadequate for and poorly-suited to modern cloud-based systems. To support this argument, we describe a variety of authentication mechanisms commonly used in the cloud, and we detail how these mechanisms are actually used in one significant open-source service deployed to a popular cloud platform. We further report on authentication mechanisms used and supported by several of the largest cloud platform providers. The evidence shows that authentication mechanisms currently in use are too coarse-grained, require manual configuration and intervention, and are not systematically applied across components and services. We identify opportunities for cloud platforms to support more secure, fine-grained, automated, and systematic authentication within and between cloud-hosted components.
The discrepancy among single nucleotide variants detected by DNA and RNA high throughput sequencing data.

High throughput sequencing technology enables the both the human genome and transcriptome to be screened at the single nucleotide resolution. Tools have been developed to infer single nucleotide variants (SNVs) from both DNA and RNA sequencing data. To evaluate how much difference can be expected between DNA and RNA sequencing data, and among tissue sources, we designed a study to examine the single nucleotide difference among five sources of high throughput sequencing data generated from the same individual, including exome sequencing from blood, tumor and adjacent normal tissue, and RNAseq from tumor and adjacent normal tissue. Through careful quality control and analysis of the SNVs, we found little difference between DNA-DNA pairs (1%–2%). However, between DNA-RNA pairs, SNV differences ranged anywhere from 10% to 20%. Only a small portion of these differences can be explained by RNA editing. Instead, the majority of the DNA-RNA differences should be attributed to technical errors from sequencing and post-processing of RNAseq data. Our analysis results suggest that SNV detection using RNAseq is subject to high false positive rates.
BFVP: A Probabilistic UHF RFID Tag Localization Algorithm Using Bayesian Filter and a Variable Power RFID Model

We present Bayesian filter of variable RF transmission power (BFVP), a Bayesian filter-based algorithm and a variable power radio-frequency identification (RFID) model for localizing passive ultra high frequency (UHF) RFID tags in complex environments, such as distribution centers/warehouses and retail sales floors. It enables a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) RFID-equipped robot to provide the precise locations of passive UHF RFID tagged items. First, the robot navigates and fully covers a target space to collect observation of RFID tags using a COTS reader at variable RF transmission power. Every observation is associated with a pose, where the robot receives the response, and the RF transmission power. When the robot collects all responses from an RFID tag, BFVP can estimate the location of the tag, hence, localizing the tagged item. We tested the performance of BFVP in a mock apparel store; it exhibits less than 0.5-m localization error in the practical retail environment with significant multipath fading. Our proposed BFVP could enable promising applications that could greatly improve the efficiency of supply chain management by providing the precise locations of RFID tagged items.
“The Long-Run Drivers of Stock Returns: Total Payouts and the Real Economy”: Author Response

This piece addresses ‘The Long-Run Drivers of Stock Returns: Total Payouts and the Real Economy”: A Comment’
Molecular targets and subtypes in melanoma

Oncology is entering a new era in which patients are being categorized not only by the tissue of origin of their cancer, but also by the molecular characteristics of their tumor. Historically, melanomas have been classifi ed as cutaneous (including superfi cial spreading, nodular, lentigo maligna, and acral lentiginous subtypes), mucosal, or uveal. Recent molecular analyses have demonstrated that the majority of melanomas harbor one or more genetic alterations in components of key signaling networks. This information is now being integrated with the traditional clinicopathological criteria to develop a more refi ned system that has both diagnostic and therapeutic implications.
ROS-triggered degradable iron-chelating nanogels: Safely improving iron elimination in vivo.

Abstract Iron-mediated generation of highly toxic Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) plays a major role in the process leading to iron overload-related diseases. The long-term subcutaneous administration of Deferoxamine (DFO) is currently clinically-approved to improve patient symptoms and survival. However, non-specific toxicity and short circulation times of the drug in humans often leads to poor patient compliance. Herein, thioketal-based ROS-responsive polymeric nanogels containing DFO moieties (rNG-DFO) were designed to chelate iron and to degrade under oxidative stimuli into fragments
Poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic amide)-polyethylene glycol/polycarbonate and graphene nanoribbon-based nanocomposite membrane for gas separation

AbstractHigh-performance gas separation membranes were fabricated using 0.5–3wt.% graphene nanoribbon (GNR). Poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic amide)-polyethylene glycol (PMMA-co-MA-PEG) copo...
Seed Selection by Foraging Birds

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses seed selection by foraging birds by considering optimization of energy intake as well as other factors that might influence seed selection. This chapter presents an experiment that involves observing the seed selection of foraging birds in the field and performing a chi-square test to determine whether the food choice of these birds is consistent with the hypothesized preference. Alternative explanations for observations are to be considered and the rationale and design for an additional avian food choice experiment is to be developed. Many birds visit feeders and collect sunflower seeds. The feeders that researchers would use in this laboratory experiment are to be stocked with three visually distinct sunflower seeds: soft-hulled Feathered FriendTM black oil and Feathered FriendTM grey striped seeds, and large, thick-hulled LyricTM California white sunflower seeds. Seeds are presented simultaneously either in a three dish feeder, each dish containing only one kind of seed, or in three identical clear-sided tube feeders, each containing one type of seed.
Models with Lattice-free Center-based Cells Interacting with Continuum Environment Variables

In this chapter we describe a discrete continuum hybrid method applied to two biological systems. The cells are modeled as discrete objects which are free to move in space (lattice-free), the forces which act on the cells are applied to their center of mass (center-based), and the cells interact with something represented as a continuum variable. Dictyostelium discoideum is the first system modeled by the method. The cells move and communicate with each other through a diffusible chemical. In the second system, scar tissue formation, the cells interact with the extracellular matrix which is represented as a continuous vector field.
Commentary on "predictors of failed primary abdominal closure in the trauma patient with an open abdomen".

Abstract : Damage-control laparotomy is the mainstay of therapy for the management of abdominal trauma in physiologically ill patients. The goals of damage-control laparotomy include hemostasis and control of contamination, with some form of temporary abdominal closure (TAC) needed upon completion of the abbreviated laparotomy. Ideally, TAC should be atraumatic, be rapidly and easily applied, minimize the risk of intraabdominal hypertension, control peritoneal effluent, allow for quick reentry into the peritoneum, and maximize future attempts to achieve primary fascial closure. The result of the prolonged open abdomen leads to the loss of abdominal wall domain and the need for skin autografting over viscera with planned ventral hernia. As the open abdomen after injury became more common, many TAC methods were developed to include towel-clip skin closure, suture skin closure, Bogota bag, synthetic mesh, mesh zipper, Wittmann patch, three-layer negative-pressure dressing, fascial sutures, and commercial negative-pressure dressings. The methods that are most commonly used can be classified into two main groups: negative-pressure dressings of varying complexity and cost and techniques that apply traction to the fascia and/or skin to limit retraction and theoretically prevent further domain loss. To date, no method has been borne out to be superior to the other. A review suggested that although the generic three-layer vacuum pack technique (nonadhesive bowel drape, towel, closed suction drains) for TAC is the standard, other methods should be measured against it and the choice of TAC should be a matter of surgeon preference.
Ionic Liquid Mixture at the Vacuum Interface and the Peaks and Antipeaks Analysis of X-ray Reflectivity

This article presents work on the structure of the ionic liquid mixture between 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium octylsulfate and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate at the vacuum interface. In par...
Smart Charging Benefits in Autonomous Mobility on Demand Systems

In this paper, we study the potential benefits from smart charging for a fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) providing autonomous mobility-on-demand (AMoD) services. We first consider a profit-maximizing platform operator who makes decisions for routing, charging, rebalancing, and pricing for rides based on a network flow model. Clearly, each of these decisions directly influence the fleet's smart charging potential; however, it is not possible to directly characterize the effects of various system parameters on smart charging under a classical network flow model. As such, we propose a modeling variation that allows us to decouple the charging and routing problems faced by the operator. This variation allows us to provide closed-form mathematical expressions relating the charging costs to the maximum battery capacity of the vehicles as well as the fleet operational costs. We show that investing in larger battery capacities and operating more vehicles for rebalancing reduces the charging costs, while increasing the fleet operational costs. Hence, we study the trade-off the operator faces, analyze the minimum cost fleet charging strategy, and provide numerical results illustrating the smart charging benefits to the operator.
Influenza and Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity

Despite the availability of yearly vaccinations, influenza continues to cause seasonal, and pandemic rises in illness and death. An error prone replication mechanism results in antigenic drift and viral escape from immune pressure, and recombination results in antigenic shift that can rapidly move through populations that lack immunity to newly emergent strains. The development of a "universal" vaccine is a high priority and many strategies have been proposed, but our current understanding of influenza immunity is incomplete making the development of better influenza vaccines challenging. Influenza immunity has traditionally been measured by neutralization of virions and hemagglutination inhibition, but in recent years there has been a growing appreciation of other responses that can contribute to protection such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) that can kill influenza-infected cells. ADCC has been shown to provide cross-strain protection and to assist in viral clearance, making it an attractive target for "universal" vaccine designs. Here we provide a brief overview of the current state of influenza research that leverages "the other end of the antibody."
Patient risk factors associated with embolic stroke volumes after revascularization

Abstract Objective Previous research has shown that subclinical, microembolic infarcts result in long-term cognitive changes. Whereas both carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) have potential for microembolic events, CAS has been shown to have a larger volume of infarct. We have previously shown that large-volume infarction is associated with long-term memory deterioration. The purpose of this study was to identify independent risk factors that trend toward higher embolic volumes in both procedures. Methods A total of 162 patients who underwent carotid revascularization procedures were prospectively recruited at two separate institutions. Preoperative and postoperative brain magnetic resonance images were compared to identify procedure-related microinfarcts. A novel semiautomated approach was used to define volumes of infarcts for each patient. Patient-related factors including comorbidities, symptomatic status, and medications were analyzed. Tweedie regression analysis was used to identify risk factors associated with procedure-related infarct volume. Variables with an unadjusted P value of ≤ .05 were included in the multivariate analysis. Results There were 80 CAS and 82 CEA procedures performed and analyzed for the data set; 81% of CAS patients had procedure-related new infarcts with a mean volume of 388.15 ± 927.90 mm3 compared with 30% of CEA patients with a mean volume of 74.80 ± 225.52 mm3. In the CAS cohort, increasing age (adjusted coefficient ± standard error, 0.06 ± 0.02; P Conclusions Risk factors for CAS- or CEA-related infarct volumes are identified in our study. Although the result warrants further validation, this study showed that advanced age, obesity, and diabetes independently predicted volume of microinfarcts related to CAS and CEA. These data provide valuable information for patient factor-based risk stratification and preoperative consultation for each procedure.
End of Life Does Not Mean End of Care: Pediatric Resident Perspectives on End of Life Education*

Background: Caring for a child near the end of life (EOL) can be a stressful experience for physicians. Resident physicians are often the front line providers for these patients as they near the EOL. Despite being responsible for managing symptoms, communicating difficult information with families and pronouncing death, residents often receive minimal education on this important aspect of care. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine resident comfort surrounding EOL care and satisfaction with EOL education at a tertiary care hospital. …
Exact Convergence Rate Analysis of the Independent Metropolis-Hastings Algorithms

A well-known difficult problem regarding Metropolis-Hastings algorithms is to get sharp bounds on their convergence rates. Moreover, a fundamental but often overlooked problem in Markov chain theory is to study the convergence rates for different initializations. In this paper, we study the two issues mentioned above of the Independent Metropolis-Hastings (IMH) algorithms on both general and discrete state spaces. We derive the exact convergence rate and prove that the IMH algorithm's different deterministic initializations have the same convergence rate. Surprisingly, under mild conditions, we get the exact convergence speed for IMH algorithms on general state spaces, which is the first `exact convergence' result for general state space MCMC algorithms to the author's best knowledge. Connections with the Random Walk Metropolis-Hastings (RWMH) algorithm are also discussed, which solve a conjecture proposed by Atchade and Perron \cite{atchade2007geometric} using a counterexample.
Robot Planning with Mental Models of Co-present Humans.

Robots are increasingly embedded in human societies where they encounter human collaborators, potential adversaries, and even uninvolved by-standers. Such robots must plan to accomplish joint goals with teammates while avoiding interference from competitors, possibly utilizing bystanders to advance the robot’s goals. We propose a planning framework for robot task and action planners that can cope with collaborative, competitive, and non-involved human agents at the same time by using mental models of human agents. By querying these models, the robot can plan for the effects of future human actions and can plan robot actions to influence what the human will do, even when influencing them through explicit communication is not possible. We implement the framework in a planner that does not assume that human agents share goals with, or will cooperate with, the robot. Instead, it can handle the diverse relations that can emerge from interactions between the robot’s goals and capacities, the task environment, and the human behavior predicted by the planner’s models. We report results from an evaluation where a teleoperated robot executes a planner-generated policy to influence the behavior of human participants. Since the robot is not capable of performing some of the actions necessary to achieve its goal, the robot instead tries to cause the human to perform those actions.
Low Temperature Thermal Treatment of Gas-Phase Fluorotelomer Alcohols by Calcium Oxide.

Abstract Given the extent to which per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in commercial and industrial applications, the need to evaluate treatment options that reduce environmental emissions and human and ecological exposures of PFAS is becoming more necessary. One specific chemical class of PFAS, fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), have vapor pressures such that a significant fraction is expected to be present in the gas-phase even at ambient temperatures. FTOHs are used in a variety of PFAS applications, including synthesis and material coatings. Using two complementary mass spectrometric methods, the use of calcium oxide (CaO) was examined as a low temperature and potentially low-cost thermal treatment media for removal and destruction of four gas-phase FTOHs of varying molecular weights. This was accomplished by assessing the removal/destruction efficiency of the FTOHs and the formation of fluorinated byproducts as a function of treatment temperature (200–800 °C) in the presence of CaO compared to thermal-only destruction. During the treatment process, there is evidence that other PFAS compounds are produced at low temperatures (200–600 °C) as the primary FTOH partially degrades. At temperatures above 600 °C, thermal treatment with CaO prevented the formation or removed nearly all these secondary products.
Feeding Habits of the Jumping Spider Anasaitis canosa (Araneae: Salticidae) in the Field

The twin flagged jumping spider, Anasaitis canosa (Walckenaer) (Araneae: Salticidae) is a common ant-predating spider whose diet has been quantified previously only in the laboratory. We investigated the diet of this spider species in the field, as well as approximated its abundance in the observation area. During 30 d of observation, A. canosa occurred in a density of 2.43 ± 1.35 spiders per m2 where 32 attacks were observed on a variety of invertebrate prey. These results parallel previous observations of spiders having greater success killing ant workers opposed to other invertebrates in addition to providing evidence that these spiders likely are not dietary specialists on ant prey. Sumario La arana saltarina de bandera gemela, Anasaitis canosa (Walckenaer) (Araneae: Salticidae) es una arana depredadora de hormigas comun cuya dieta se ha cuantificado previamente solo en el laboratorio. Investigamos la dieta de esta especie de arana en el campo, asi como aproximamos su abundancia en el area de observacion. Durante 30 dias de observacion, A. canosa se presento en una densidad de 2.43 ± 1.35 aranas por m2 donde se observaron 32 ataques en una variedad de presas invertebradas. Estos resultados son paralelos a las observaciones previas de aranas que tienen mas exito matando a las hormigas trabajadoras en comparacion con otros invertebrados, ademas de proporcionar evidencia de que estas aranas probablemente tienen una dieta especializada en las hormigas presas. Key Words: stenophagy; myrmecophagy; spider ecology; Florida View this article in BioOne
Using convolutional neural networks for tick image recognition - a preliminary exploration.

Smartphone cameras and digital devices are increasingly used in the capture of tick images by the public as citizen scientists, and rapid advances in deep learning and computer vision has enabled brand new image recognition models to be trained. However, there is currently no web-based or mobile application that supports automated classification of tick images. The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of a deep learning model pre-trained with millions of annotated images in Imagenet, against a shallow custom-build convolutional neural network (CNN) model for the classification of common hard ticks present in anthropic areas from northeastern USA. We created a dataset of approximately 2000 images of four tick species (Ixodes scapularis, Dermacentor variabilis, Amblyomma americanum and Haemaphysalis sp.), two sexes (male, female) and two life stages (adult, nymph). We used these tick images to train two separate CNN models – ResNet-50 and a simple shallow custom-built. We evaluated our models’ performance on an independent subset of tick images not seen during training. Compared to the ResNet-50 model, the small shallow custom-built model had higher training (99.7%) and validation (99.1%) accuracies. When tested with new tick image data, the shallow custom-built model yielded higher mean prediction accuracy (80%), greater confidence of true detection (88.7%) and lower mean response time (3.64 s). These results demonstrate that, with limited data size for model training, a simple shallow custom-built CNN model has great prospects for use in the classification of common hard ticks present in anthropic areas from northeastern USA.
Evaluation of an Intravenous Potassium Dosing Algorithm for Hypokalemic Critically Ill Patients

Purpose: The intent of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of an intravenous (IV) potassium (K) dosing algorithm for hypokalemic critically ill trauma patients. Methods: Adult patients, admitted to the trauma intensive care unit from June 2010 to October 2012 and who received IV K therapy according to a standardized dosing algorithm, were retrospectively evaluated. Patients who received IV K during resuscitation or following initiation of nutrition therapy, IV fluids containing >20 mEq/L of potassium, or medications known to alter K homeostasis or those with an arterial pH change >0.1, diarrhea, hypomagnesemia, renal impairment, or morbid obesity were excluded. Results: In total, 715 patients were reviewed to obtain 100 evaluable patients. Serum K for patients with mild depletion (serum K, 3.5–3.9 mEq/L, n = 74) remained unchanged at 0.0 ± 0.3 mEq/L (P = ns) following 46 ± 8 mEq. Serum K increased by 0.4 ± 0.3 mEq/L (P = .001) following 78 ± 18 mEq during moderate depletion (serum K, 3–3.4 ...
Postoperative Care of the Cardiac Surgery Patient

Learning Objectives After studying this chapter, you should be able to Recognize common causes of postoperative complications in cardiac surgery patients. Understand the pathophysiology of cardiac and hematologic dysfunction following cardiac surgery. Treat common events that lead to hemodynamic instability in the early postoperative period.
Toward Mechanical Methods for Streamlining Proofs

We present preliminary work on the problem of mechanical proof simplification. Our approach is to take advantage of the correspondence between proofs and programs. Techniques from the field of program transformation may be used to transform the computational content of a proof. Using examples from elementary number theory, we illustrate how such transformations can lead to simpler proofs.