cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Opaque Financial Contracting and Toxic Term Sheets in Venture Capital

In a recent article in this journal, the authors documented the growing tendency of emerging growth companies to raise substantial equity while remaining privately held through private IPOs, or PIPOs. PIPO financing has created scores of “unicorn” firms—private enterprises with imputed market values of $1.0 billion or more—while allowing them to avoid the challenges of being publicly traded. But as has also been noted, the PIPO process, with its multiple financing rounds and increasingly complex terms, has almost certainly result in some inflated market valuations. Along with inflated values, the contracting process and many of the provisions that result from it often have economic consequences that are poorly understood by at least some of the participants, including the potential for significant wealth transfer between stakeholders as well as overall destruction of enterprise value. And the term sheets containing such provisions appear to become even more “opaque” and more “toxic” with each round of financing. More specifically, the liquidation preferences and ratchets often provided new investors in the later rounds of PIPOs can greatly affect the allocation of the risks and the ownership shares and, in so doing, transfer significant wealth from the entrepreneurs and other older owners. Using a numerical analysis of a representative term sheet, the authors discuss the process of financial contracting for early-stage companies, providing examples of how negotiations can go wrong and showing exactly when and where the agreed-upon conditions start to turn toxic for some of the stakeholders. The article closes with the authors’ assessment of the disincentives for entrepreneurs and early-stage investors created by this often confusing and dilutive venture capital contracting and funding process.
Emotional Expression and Inducement of Children with Autism

This study was investigated the emotional expression(included delight, anger, sadness, fear, amaze ) of autistic children(2—8years old, N=57) by questionnaire, observation and field experimental methods, and made a inference about the inducement of the five expression. The results indicated that the expression development of autistic children is abnormal. The kinds of expression of autistic children were less than that of normal children. Some autistic children showed special expression and emotional behaviors. It had different inducements of the children with different cognitive levels.
Hematuria in Childhood: Significance and Management

AbstractOf 164 children presenting with gross or microscopic hematuria during a 5-year period 111 (68 per cent) were proved by clinical features or renal biopsy to have glomerulonephritis. Extraglomerular origin of hematuria was documented in only 25 (15 per cent). No definite diagnosis could be made in the remaining 28 (17 per cent) with isolated hematuria but the clinical picture was similar to that of the patients with mild glomerular lesions. Followup in 59 of 68 children confirms previous reports that isolated hematuria in childhood is usually a benign condition. Although excretory urography, urine cultures and serum complement measurements should be done to eliminate uncommon causes of hematuria, invasive studies, such as renal biopsy and cystoscopy, are not indicated routinely.
A survey of social support for exercise and its relationship to health behaviours and health status among endurance Nordic skiers

Objectives Regular exercise is a key component of obesity prevention and 48% of Americans do not meet minimum guidelines for weekly exercise. Social support has been shown to help individuals start and maintain exercise programmes. We evaluated social support among endurance athletes and explored the relationship between social support for exercise, health behaviours and health status. Design Survey. Setting The largest Nordic ski race in North America. Participants 5433 past participants responded to an online questionnaire. Outcome measures Social support, health behaviours and health status. Results The mean overall support score was 32.1 (SD=16.5; possible range=−16.0 to 88.0). The most common forms of social support were verbal such as discussing exercise, invitations to exercise and celebrating the enjoyment of exercise. We found that an increase of 10 points in the social support score was associated with a 5 min increase in weekly self-reported exercise (5.02, 95% CI 3.63 to 6.41). Conclusions Physical activity recommendations should incorporate the importance of participation in group activities, especially those connected to strong fitness cultures created by community and competitive events.
A Measurement of the Galaxy Group-Thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich Effect Cross-Correlation Function

Stacking cosmic microwave background (CMB) maps around known galaxy clusters and groups provides a powerful probe of the distribution of hot gas in these systems via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. A stacking analysis allows one to detect the average SZ signal around low mass halos, and to extend measurements out to large scales, which are too faint to detect individually in the SZ or in X-ray emission. In addition, cross correlations between SZ maps and other tracers of large-scale structure (with known redshifts) can be used to extract the redshift-dependence of the SZ background. Motivated by these exciting prospects, we measure the two-point cross-correlation function between a catalog of $\sim 380,000$ galaxy groups (with redshifts spanning $z=0.01-0.2$) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Compton-y parameter maps constructed by the Planck collaboration. We find statistically significant correlations between the group catalog and Compton-y maps in each of six separate mass bins, with estimated halo masses in the range $10^{11.5-15.5} M_\odot/h$. We compare these measurements with halo models of the SZ signal, which describe the stacked measurement in terms of one-halo and two-halo terms. The one-halo term quantifies the average pressure profile around the groups in a mass bin, while the two-halo term describes the contribution of correlated neighboring halos. For the more massive groups we find clear evidence for the one- and two-halo regimes, while groups with mass below $10^{13} M_\odot/h$ are dominated by the two-halo term given the resolution of Planck data. We use the signal in the two-halo regime to determine the bias-weighted electron pressure of the universe: $\langle b P_e \rangle= 1.50 \pm 0.226 \times 10^{-7}$ keV cm$^{-3}$ (1-$\sigma$) at $z\approx 0.15$.
Ambient Concentrations of Metabolic Disrupting Chemicals and Children’s Academic Achievement in El Paso, Texas

Concerns about children's weight have steadily risen alongside the manufacture and use of myriad chemicals in the US. One class of chemicals, known as metabolic disruptors, interfere with human endocrine and metabolic functioning and are of specific concern to children's health and development. This article examines the effect of residential concentrations of metabolic disrupting chemicals on children's school performance for the first time. Census tract-level ambient concentrations for known metabolic disruptors come from the US Environmental Protection Agency's National Air Toxics Assessment. Other measures were drawn from a survey of primary caretakers of 4th and 5th grade children in El Paso Independent School District (El Paso, TX, USA). A mediation model is employed to examine two hypothetical pathways through which the ambient level of metabolic disruptors at a child's home might affect grade point average. Results indicate that concentrations of metabolic disruptors are statistically significantly associated with lower grade point averages directly and indirectly through body mass index. Findings from this study have practical implications for environmental justice research and chemical policy reform in the US.
Der Marquis de la Taillade-Espinasse alias Prof. Dr. Gustav Jaeger: eine Süskind’sche Inspiration

Der Artikel weist durch detaillierte Textvergleiche Patrick Suskinds unzweifelhafte Kenntnis von Gustav Jaegers Werk Entdeckung der Seele nach. Die weitschweifigen olfaktorischen Theorien des deutschen Zoologen liefern Suskind wichtiges Hintergrundwissen fur seinen Roman Das Parfum. Die Figur des Aufklarungsgelehrten Taillade-Espinasse, so die Hauptthese des Artikels, ist eine satirisch-karikierende Reprasentation Jaegers.
Diffusion-controlled and creep-mitigated asr damage via microplane model. I: Mass concrete

AbstractA diffusion-based and creep-based chemo-mechanical model for calculating the evolution of damage caused in concrete and concrete structures by the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is developed. First the model of Bažant and Steffens for the diffusion controlled kinetics of ASR is reviewed and used to calculate the rate of production of the ASR gel within the aggregate. The next step is the formulation of a nonlinear diffusion model for the penetration of gel into the micropores and nanopores in a mineral aggregate grain, into the interface transition zone (ITZ) and into the nearby microcracks created in the cement paste of mortar. The gel that penetrates the pores and cracks in cement paste is considered to calcify promptly and stop expanding. A novel point, crucial for unconditional numerical stability of time step algorithm, is that the diffusion analysis is converted to calculating the pressure relaxation at constant gel mass during each time step, with sudden jumps between the steps. The gel expan...
In the Belly of the Beast: Ohio State Reformatory and The Shawshank Redemption

This chapter tracks the history of the Ohio State Reformatory through extensive interviews with current OSR historians and personnel and in mission statements from former superintendents. There are also many surviving inmate documents, such as letters and diaries, that attest to the humanity and power of endurance that early OSR prisoners summoned during their incarcerations; certainly a major reason for Shawshank Redemption’s popularity is its ability to inspire similar hope in the midst of an inhumane penal environment.
Mathematical model on Alzheimer's disease.

Background Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that destroys memory and cognitive skills. AD is characterized by the presence of two types of neuropathological hallmarks: extracellular plaques consisting of amyloid β-peptides and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins. The disease affects 5 million people in the United States and 44 million world-wide. Currently there is no drug that can cure, stop or even slow the progression of the disease. If no cure is found, by 2050 the number of alzheimer’s patients in the U.S. will reach 15 million and the cost of caring for them will exceed $ 1 trillion annually.
Confined Assemblies of Colloidal Particles with Soft Repulsive Interactions.

We investigate the microconfinement of charged silica nanoparticles dispersed in refractive index matching monomers in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) porous membrane. Here, the silica colloidal particles interact with each other and the pore wall via electrostatic double layer forces. Different from the hard sphere systems where the assembled morphologies are prescribed by the diameter ratio between the cylindrical confinement and the nanoparticles, here we observe a much richer variety of assemblies that are highly sensitive to both bulk and local nanoparticle concentration with fixed particle size and channel size. The experimentally observed assembly morphologies are consistent with theoretical predictions from the literature, based on Yukawa potential in the low packing density regime. Also, most of the configurations found in the experiment are well described by computer simulations using pairwise additive long-range repulsive interactions, demonstrating the ability to control the system to obtain a d...
Utilization of XBee ZigBee modules and MATLAB for RSSI localization applications

Localization is an important attribute for wireless sensor networks. Received signal strength indicator (RSSI) can be used to estimate distance between transceivers. Using these estimated distances, location of nodes within a network can be determined using various localization algorithms, such as trilateration. For implementation and testing of localization techniques, utilizing a sensor network development platform reduces time and difficulty during the process. Here we present a platform based on XBee ZigBee wireless modules, Arduino, and MATLAB for algorithm testing and debugging. For validation of this platform, a trilateration localization method is implemented.
RA with CA for a Cellular System Sharing Spectrum with S-Band Radar

In this chapter, we consider an LTE-Advanced cellular system sharing the 3550-3650MHz band with aMIMO radar [13]. The LTE-Advanced cellular system has NBS base stations. In order to mitigate radar interference, a spectrum sharing algorithm is proposed. The algorithm selects the best interference channel for radar’s signal projection to mitigate radar interference to the ith BS. We consider a MIMO collocated radar mounted on a ship. Collocated radars have improved spatial resolution over widely spaced radars [14]. The LTE cellular system operates in its regular licensed band and shares the 3:5 GHz band with a MIMO radar in order to increase its capacity such that the two systems do not cause interference to each other. We focus on finding an optimal solution for the resource allocation with carrier aggregation problem to allocate the LTE-Advanced BS/eNodeB and the available MIMO radar resources optimally among users subscribing for a service in the cellular cell coverage area. Each user is assigned a utility function based on the application running on its UE. Real-time applications are represented by sigmoidal-like utility functions whereas delay-tolerant applications are represented by logarithmic utility functions. Real-time applications are given the priority when allocating resources. A resource allocation with carrier aggregation algorithm is proposed in this chapter to allocate the LTE-Advanced eNodeB and the MIMO radar resources optimally among users. The proposed algorithm is performed in two stages, the LTE-Advanced eNodeB resources are first allocated to users subscribing for a service and then the available MIMO radar resources are allocated to the same users. The algorithm employs a proportional fairness approach in its two stages to guarantee that no user is allocated zero resources and gets dropped.
Ecosystem Disturbance and Stress

Forest ecosystems are influenced by a wide variety of persistent or acute forcing factors, including stochastic disturbances, cyclic or chronic environmental stresses, and human management activities. A disturbance is an event that removes or damages organisms, generates openings in a community, or abruptly alters environmental conditions, leading to changes in ecosystem structure or function. By comparison, a stress can be viewed as any biotic (e.g., pathogen) or abiotic (e.g., drought) constraint or influence that adversely affects critical life processes for organisms. When ecosystems are exposed to disturbance events, stresses, or other forcing factors, there may be dynamic changes in multiple interrelated processes and system properties. One of the intriguing challenges in biogeochemistry is to be able to predict ecosystem responses to diverse anthropogenic or natural forcing factors.
Alphavirus-Based Expression Systems

Alphaviruses are enveloped positive-strand RNA viruses transmitted to vertebrate hosts via mosquito vectors (reviewed in 34). In the last several years, the alphavirus RNA replication and packaging machinery have been exploited for cytoplasmic expression of heterologous RNAs and proteins in animal cells (for reviews see 3, 24, 27). As transient expression systems, alphaviruses offer several potential advantages: 1) a broad range of susceptible host cells including those of insect, avian, and mammalian origin, 2) high levels of cytoplasmic RNA and protein expression without splicing and, 3) the facile construction and manipulation of recombinant RNA molecules using full-length cDNA clones from which infectious RNA transcripts can be generated by in vitro transcription. Several strategies are being explored using Sindbis virus (SIN), Semliki Forest virus (SFV), and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE). These include i) construction of antigenic chimeras, ii) engineering recombinant viruses to express a second subgenomic RNA, and iii) replacement of the structural genes to produce self replicating RNA “replicons” which can be packaged into infectious particles using defective helper RNAs or packaging cell lines. Applications of these vector systems range from high level protein production in cell culture to the induction of protective immunity in animals.
Climate Model Assessment of Changes in Winter–Spring Streamflow Timing over North America

AbstractOver regions where snow-melt runoff substantially contributes to winter-spring streamflows, warming can accelerate snow melt and reduce dry-season streamflows. However, conclusive detection of changes and attribution to anthropogenic forcing is hindered by brevity of observational records, model uncertainty, and uncertainty concerning internal variability. In this study, a detection/attribution of changes in mid-latitude North American winter-spring streamflow timing is examined using nine global climate models under multiple forcing scenarios. In this study, robustness across models, start/end dates for trends, and assumptions about internal variability is evaluated. Marginal evidence for an emerging detectable anthropogenic influence (according to four or five of nine models) is found in the north-central U.S., where winter-spring streamflows have been coming earlier. Weaker indications of detectable anthropogenic influence (three of nine models) are found in the mountainous western U.S./southwe...
Respectfully Yours, Gauss

After the publication in 1789 of Legendre’s work on the Theorie des Nombres, she embarked on a study of this theory with an unwavering enthusiasm. When Gauss’ Disquisitiones Arithmeticae appeared in 1801, she was amazed by the originality of this famous Gottingen professor’s work and experienced another incentive to engage in this kind of analysis. After a number of investigations in this area, she wrote to Gauss, using again the assumed name of a former student of the Ecole Polytechnique. He answered the unknown mathematician in a most respectful manner.1
The Basics of Object-Oriented Programming

We begin our discussion of object-oriented programming with a more familiar concept — that of a data type. What is a data type? For instance, what is the integer data type?
Abstract 1340: Assessing autophagic flux in cell culture models with a novel plate-based assay

The importance of autophagy in normal cell health and diseased states, including cancer, immunology and inflammation, has become quite clear. Given the growing interest in screening for autophagy modulators, we have developed a homogeneous plate-based assay to measure autophagic flux in cell culture models using NanoLuc® Binary Technology (NanoBiT™). LC3B (Atg8) protein was tagged on its N-terminus with an 11 amino acid peptide, (HiBiT), as well as an intervening “spacer” sequence. When expressed at low-to-moderate levels in mammalian cell lines, this LC3-based reporter is subject to degradation by the autophagic pathway. Changes in reporter levels following cell treatment are determined by addition of a lytic reagent containing Large BiT (LgBiT), which rapidly associates with HiBiT to produce a bright, luciferase activity in the presence of added substrate. In stable U2OS reporter cells, mTORC inhibitor treatment decreased assay signal by 25% (rapamycin) to 60% (PP242, AZD8055), consistent with compound stimulation of autophagic flux and degradation of the autophagy reporter. In contrast, treatment with autophagy inhibitors (bafilomycin A1, chloroquine) produced a 70-80% increase in assay signal, consistent with accumulation of autophagy reporter following blockade of basal autophagy. Similar results were obtained in HEK293 cells stably expressing the reporter, as well as in cells in which autophagy reporter was transiently expressed via simple, one-step transduction with BacMam viral particles. Mechanism of action of autophagy modulators was confirmed through blockade of effects by 50nM bafilomycin A1 cotreatment. Multiplex with a cell necrosis detection agent allowed for same-well determination of cytotoxic effects that might undermine analysis of a compound9s discrete effects on autophagic flux. When assayed in 384-well plates with automation, U2OS and HEK293 autophagy reporter cells produced Z9 values of 0.6-0.7 in response to autophagy induction (PP242), and Z9 values of 0.7-0.8 by subsequent blockade of autophagy (PP242 + bafilomycin A1). Therefore, using this novel plate-based assay system for the determination of autophagic flux, it is possible to screen test agents and quantitatively assess their effects in cell culture models. Citation Format: Dan F. Lazar, Ryan W. Kessens, Amani A. Gillette, Braeden L. Butler, Christopher T. Eggers, Brock F. Binkowski, Gediminas Vidugiris, Michael R. Slater, Dongping Ma, James J. Cali. Assessing autophagic flux in cell culture models with a novel plate-based assay [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1340.
Use of the Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) Population to Test Serum Bilirubin Levels and Risk for Inflammatory Bowl Diseases and the Involvement of Uridine Glucuronosyltransferase Genes

Chronic inflammation associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) results in increased oxidative stress that damages the colonic microenvironment. A low level of serum bilirubin, an endogenous antioxidant, has been associated with increased risk for Crohn's disease (CD), but no study has tested another common IBD ulcerative colitis (UC). Bilirubin is metabolized in the liver by uridine glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) exclusively. Genetic variants cause functional changes in UGT1A1 which result in hyperbilirubinemia, which can be toxic to tissues if untreated and results in a characteristic jaundiced appearance. Approximately 10% of the Caucasian population is homozygous for the microsatellite polymorphism UGT1A1*28, which results in increased total serum bilirubin levels due to reduced transcriptional efficiency of UGT1A1 and an overall 70% reduction in UGT1A1 enzymatic activity. The aim of this study was to examine whether bilirubin levels are associated with the risk for ulcerative colitis (UC). Using the Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2), a large case-control population was identified from a single tertiary care center, Penn State Hershey Medical Center (PSU). Similarly, a validation cohort was identified at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the risk of developing UC with lower concentrations of serum bilirubin. From the PSU cohort, a subset of terminal ileum tissue was obtained at the time of surgical resection to analyze UGT1A1 gene expression (which encodes the enzyme responsible for bilirubin metabolism). Similar to CD patients, UC patients also demonstrated reduced levels of total serum bilirubin. Upon segregating serum bilirubin levels into quartiles, risk of UC increased with reduced concentrations of serum bilirubin. These results were confirmed in our validation cohort. UGT1A1 gene expression was up-regulated in the terminal ileum of a subset of UC patients. Lower levels of the antioxidant bilirubin may reduce the capability of UC patients to remove reactive oxygen species leading to an increase in intestinal injury. One potential explanation for these lower bilirubin levels may be up-regulation of UGT1A1 gene expression, which encodes the only enzyme involved in conjugating bilirubin. Therapeutics that reduce oxidative stress may be beneficial for these patients.
Napping characteristics and cognitive performance in older adults.

OBJECTIVES To determine the association of napping intention, frequency, and duration with cognition in a nationally-representative sample of US older adults. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional analysis of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years from Rounds 3 or 4 (2013-2014) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (N = 2549). Participants reported past-month napping intention (intentional/unintentional), napping frequency (rarely/never [non-nappers], some days [infrequent nappers], most days/every day [frequent nappers]), and average nap duration (we categorized as ≤30 minutes [short]; 31-60 minutes [moderate]; and > 60 minutes [long]). Cognitive outcomes were performance on immediate and delayed word recall tests (IWR and DWR, respectively), the Clock Drawing Test (CDT), and self-rated memory (score: 1[excellent]-5[very poor]). RESULTS After adjustment for potential confounders, unintentional nappers had poorer immediate word recall test performance than non-nappers (B = -0.23, P < 0.01) and intentional nappers (B = -0.26, P < 0.01). After further adjustment for daytime sleepiness, frequent nappers reported poorer self-rated memory than non-nappers (B = 0.14, P < 0.05). Compared with short nappers, long nappers had poorer IWR (B = -0.26, P < 0.05) and CDT scores (B = -0.17, P < 0.05). Except for the association of nap duration with IWR and CDT, these associations remained after excluding participants with dementia and/or proxy respondents. Among participants undiagnosed with dementia or proxies, moderate-duration naps were associated with better DWR than short naps (B = 0.24, P < 0.05). Neither napping intentionality nor frequency was associated with CDT performance. CONCLUSIONS Among older adults, distinct aspects of napping are associated with cognitive performance. Prospective research, with objective measures of napping, is needed to elucidate the link between napping and cognitive trajectories.
Beyond attribution: Building new measures to explain the reputation threat posed by crisis

Abstract Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) suggests attributed responsibility is the key factor explaining the reputation threat posed by crisis situations. However, studies on SCCT have found using its prescribed responses has a small effect. This research uses image repair theory’s conception of crisis to suggest that offensiveness is another factor that should be measured in order to explain the reputation threat posed by crisis. Using the literature of moral foundations theory, interviews with 20 people with expertise in public relations, and 338 participants from mTurk in a 2 (attributed responsibility) × 10 (crisis offensiveness) experiment, this research develops valid, reliable measures of attributed responsibility for crisis offensiveness, and mitigating virtuousness, that explain 73.7% of the reputation threat posed by crisis in the sample, as opposed to 24.8% explained by attributed responsibility alone in the same sample. Implications for public relations scholars and practitioners are discussed.
PARACENTRAL ACUTE MIDDLE MACULOPATHY ASSOCIATED WITH IDIOPATHIC INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION.

Purpose Paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) is a recently identified clinical entity with numerous retinal vascular and systemic associations. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of PAMM associated with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Methods A case is presented with multimodal imaging. Results A patient with idiopathic intracranial hypertension is found to have the characteristic clinical, spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and OCT angiography findings associated with PAMM. Conclusion Paracentral acute middle maculopathy is believed to arise from a microvascular insult to the retinal deep capillary plexus. We add a previously undescribed association with idiopathic intracranial hypertension to the list of etiologies that can cause PAMM.
The Self-consuming Commodity: Audiences, Users, and the Riddle of Digital Labor:

This article reexamines the digital labor debate in light of its inheritance of the “audience commodity” problematic. It argues that prevailing approaches to the problem of digital labor proceed fr...
When Machine Learning Meets Blockchain: A Decentralized, Privacy-preserving and Secure Design

With the onset of the big data era, designing efficient and effective machine learning algorithms to analyze large-scale data is in dire need. In practice, data is typically generated by multiple parties and stored in a geographically distributed manner, which spurs the study of distributed machine learning. Traditional master-worker type of distributed machine learning algorithms assumes a trusted central server and focuses on the privacy issue in linear learning models, while privacy in nonlinear learning models and security issues are not well studied. To address these issues, in this paper, we explore the blockchain technique to propose a decentralized privacy-preserving and secure machine learning system, called LearningChain, by considering a general (linear or nonlinear) learning model and without a trusted central server. Specifically, we design a decentralized Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) algorithm to learn a general predictive model over the blockchain. In decentralized SGD, we develop differential privacy based schemes to protect each party’s data privacy, and propose an l-nearest aggregation algorithm to protect the system from potential Byzantine attacks. We also conduct theoretical analysis on the privacy and security of the proposed LearningChain. Finally, we implement LearningChain on Etheurum and demonstrate its efficiency and effectiveness through extensive experiments.
PURULENT PERICARDITIS DUE TO METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS COMPLICATED BY CARDIAC TAMPONADE

Purulent pericarditis is uncommon in the modern antibiotic era. However, it is a devastating infection that requires a high index of suspicion for timely diagnosis and treatment. A 31-year-old female with a history of intravenous drug use (IDU) presented with pleuritic chest pain, progressive
Stereoselective Coupling of Prochiral Radicals with a Chiral C2-Symmetric Nitroxide

The coupling reaction between a chiral C2-symmetric nitroxide, trans-2,5-dimethyl-2,5-diphenylpyrrolidin-1-oxyl (DPPO; 1), and a series of stabilized secondary prochiral radicals was studied to determine the factors that affect stereoselectivity. Both steric and electronic perturbations on the selectivity by the substituents of the prochiral radical were observed. The effects of temperature, solvent polarity, and solvent viscosity were examined. High selectivity for reactions carried out in solvents of low viscosity provides evidence for the formation of an encounter complex on the reaction path. Ab initio calculations on simplified model systems predict the C−O−N angle of attack to be greater than 110° at a carbon−oxygen bond-forming distance of approximately 2.2 A, although no transition state was found.
Reciprocal Crosstalk Between YAP1/Hippo Pathway and the p53 Family Proteins: Mechanisms and Outcomes in Cancer

The YAP1/Hippo and p53 pathways are critical protectors of genome integrity in response to DNA damage. Together, these pathways secure cellular adaptation and maintain overall tissue integrity through transcriptional re-programing downstream of various environmental and biological cues generated during normal tissue growth, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Genetic perturbations in YAP1/Hippo and p53 pathways are known to contribute to the cells' ability to turn rogue and initiate tumorigenesis. The Hippo and p53 pathways cooperate on many levels and are closely coordinated through multiple molecular components of their signaling pathways. Several functional and physical interactions have been reported to occur between YAP1/Hippo pathway components and the three p53 family members, p53, p63, and p73. Primarily, functional status of p53 family proteins dictates the subcellular localization, protein stability and transcriptional activity of the core component of the Hippo pathway, Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1). In this review, we dissect the critical points of crosstalk between the YAP1/Hippo pathway components, with a focus on YAP1, and the p53 tumor suppressor protein family. For each p53 family member, we discuss the biological implications of their interaction with Hippo pathway components in determining cell fate under the conditions of tissue homeostasis and cancer pathogenesis.
Merger of Burger King and Tim Hortons: analysis of marketing strategies in the quick service restaurants

Restaurant Brands International Inc. is a Canadian quick service restaurant company. It was created by the merger of Canadian coffee shop restaurant chain Tim Hortons and the US fast food restaurant chain Burger King in 2014 and expanded by the purchase of Popeyes in 2017. The company is the fifth-largest operator of fast food restaurants in the world with more than 25,000 restaurants operating in over 100 countries under its distinct brands. The merger's primary focus is to expand the international reach of the 'iconic' Tim Hortons brand, and provide financial efficiencies for both companies. In this case analysis, we looked at the past and present situation and addressed business issues facing both Burger King and Tim Hortons. We conducted a systematic case analysis, and used Michael's Five Forces to assess industry attractiveness. We identified problems and issues facing both companies, and we developed a set of strategic alternatives for the new company. We also evaluated and recommended sustainable alternatives marketing strategies to achieve superior results.
Abundance–occupancy patterns in a riverine fish assemblage

The interspecific relationships between abundance and site occupancy have been widely studied in plants and animals, but principally in terrestrial systems. With few exceptions, a positive abundance–occupancy relationship has been reported. Few publications have included freshwater fish, possibly suggesting a general lack of abundance–occupancy patterns for this taxonomic group. We examined the relationship between abundance and the extent of site occupancy by 145 species of freshwater fish, including nine non‐indigenous species, sampled over 85 sites spread across the Duck River Basin, Tennessee, U.S.A. A distinct (r² = 0.79) positive abundance–occupancy curve was observed, with curves differing relative to feeding and size guilds, but not relative to environmental tolerance, conservation status (i.e. listed/non‐listed), or origin (i.e. indigenous/non‐indigenous). The patterns observed are consistent with those reported in many studies of terrestrial taxa. The existence of positive abundance–occupancy relationships in stream fish has at least two major implications for fish conservation. First, species that decrease in occupancy due to anthropogenic disturbances are likely to decrease in abundance, facing inflated prospects for local extinction. Second, occupancy alone may be used to index community status and the need for, or success of, conservation activities.
Deriving Bias and Uncertainty in MERRA-2 Snowfall Precipitation Over High Mountain Asia

A Bayesian approach to estimate bias and uncertainty in snowfall precipitation from MERRA-2 and other precipitation products was applied over High Mountain Asia (HMA), using a newly developed snow reanalysis method. Starting from an ‘uninformed’ prior probability distribution, a posterior scaling factor applied to MERRA-2 snowfall was derived by constraining model-based estimates of seasonal snow accumulation and ablation over the water year (WY) with fractional snow covered area (fSCA) measurements derived from Landsat and MODIS (MODSCAG). Several sub-domains (nine representative 1° by 1° tiles) across HMA were examined over the period WYs 2001-2015 and compiled into an uncertainty parameterization where a lognormal distribution was fitted to the empirical posterior distribution with a mean of 1.54 (median of 1.19) and coefficient of variation of 0.83, indicating that MERRA-2 underestimates snowfall on average by ~54% with sizeable uncertainty. For reference, the uncertainties in snowfall precipitation from the ERA5 and APHRODITE-2 precipitation produces were also evaluated, and these products were found to underestimate snowfall, on average by a factor around 1.78 and 3.34 (with median scaling factors of 1.42 and 2.51) respectively. The results indicate that snowfall precipitation at high-elevations dominated by snowfall is underestimated in most existing products, especially in the gauge-based APHRODITE-2 product, where the biases were also found to exhibit geographical variations with the largest underestimation in monsoon-influenced high-elevation tiles. The derived MERRA-2 uncertainty model is being used to develop a full domain-wide HMA snow reanalysis, which will shed further light onto the space-time variations in snowfall biases in these products.
Surgical Reconstruction of Urethrocutaneous Fistulae

Urethrocutaneous fistulae present a reconstructive challenge. Common etiologies include sequela from post-infectious urethral stricture disease, adult hypospadias repair, and urethral stricture repair, particularly following two-stage urethroplasty. Diagnosis is established with physical examination, urethrography, and endoscopy. Attention is paid to the location and multiplicity of the fistula, along with the caliber of the remainder of the urethra, and the health of the surrounding tissue in order to plan a repair. Simple fistulas can be repaired in a single stage with multi-layered closure, while complex fistulas may require two or more stages with advanced reconstructive techniques in order to achieve success. General principles and specific techniques are discussed, and an algorithm for fistula management is suggested.
The 30-Year Influence of a Regional Consortium on Quality Improvement in Cardiac Surgery.

Background The Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group (NNECDSG) was founded in 1987 as a regional consortium to improve cardiovascular quality in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. We sought to assess the longitudinal impact of the NNECDSG on quality and cost of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) during the past 30 years. Methods Patients undergoing isolated CABG at 5 medical centers from 1987-2017 were retrospectively reviewed (n = 67,942). They were divided into 4 time periods: 1987-1999 (n = 36,885), 2000-2005 (n = 14,606), 2006-2011(n = 8470), and 2012-2017 (n = 7981). The first period was the time the NNECDSG initiated a series of quality improvement initiatives including data feedback, quality improvement training, process mapping, and site visits. Results Throughout the 4 time intervals, there was a consistent decline in in-hospital mortality, from 3.4% to 1.8% despite an increase in predicted risk of mortality (P Conclusions By using collaborative quality improvement initiatives, the NNECDSG has succeeded in significant, sustained improvements in quality and cost for CABG during the past 30 years. These data support the utility of a regional consortium in improving quality.
Secure Networked Control via Software Rejuvenation

Software rejuvenation has been proposed as a prevention mechanism against unanticipated and undetectable attacks on cyber-physical systems. Without needing to implement any detection algorithm, the system is periodically refreshed with a secure and trusted copy of the control software to eliminate any malicious modifications to the run-time code and data that may have corrupted the controller. Previous work has considered using software rejuvenation while being able to disconnect from the network when recovering from dangerous situations. In contrast, we consider using software rejuvenation in cases where a network connection is needed in order for proper recovery to occur. We present an algorithm that satisfies the conditions necessary to ensure safe recovery in such situations where the system must become vulnerable in order to be safe. A procedure for calculating optimal parameters to achieve these conditions is presented, and our approach is illustrated via simulation.
Chapter 10 – Introduction to Observers in Control Systems

Publisher Summary Observers can be used to augment or replace sensors in a control system. Observers are algorithms that combine sensed signals with other knowledge of the control system to produce observed signals. The principle of an observer is that by combining a measured feedback signal with knowledge of the control-system components, the behavior of the plant can be known with greater precision than by using the feedback signal alone. In other cases, observers can reduce system cost by augmenting the performance of a low-cost sensor so that the two together can provide performance equivalent to a higher-cost sensor. In the extreme case, observers can eliminate a sensor altogether, reducing sensor cost and the associated wiring. Phase lag and attenuation can be caused by the physical construction of the sensor or by sensor filters, which are often introduced to attenuate noise. The key detriment of phase lag is the reduction of loop stability. The first step in dealing with sensor problems is to select the best sensor for the application. Compared to using an observer, selecting a faster or more accurate sensor will provide benefits that are more predictable and more easily realized.
A New Species of Melanoplus (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee, USA.

A new species of Melanoplus belonging to the mancus species group is described from open woodlands on the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor–Mediated Diarrhea and Colitis: A Clinical Review

Immune-mediated diarrhea and colitis (IMDC) is among the most common immune-related adverse events in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Many factors will affect the risk of IMDC, including the type of ICI used, the type of underlying cancer, and patient characteristics. A recent study showed that preexisting inflammatory bowel disease significantly increases the risk of diarrhea and colitis with ICI treatment. In terms of management, early endoscopic evaluation improves clinical outcome by identifying high-risk patients who will benefit from early add-on immunosuppressants. Inflammatory markers, including fecal lactoferrin and calprotectin, are good screening tools to predict which patients are at risk for colitis. Calprotectin especially is associated with colitis outcome and can be used as a surrogate marker to follow treatment response. Corticosteroids remain the first-line medical treatment of IMDC management, and add-on therapy with vedolizumab or infliximab should be considered in selected patients. Fecal microbiota transplantation may be considered in refractory cases. The decision to resume ICI should be decided by balancing the risk of recurrent IMDC and the likelihood of benefiting from further ICI treatment. There is no clear evidence about whether the use of immunosuppressants will result in a worse cancer outcome. With emerging evidence, our understanding and management strategies are likely to evolve in the future.
From text to melody: the evolution of the term nusach ha-tefillah

In Ashkenazic synagogue custom, the term nusach ha-tefillah (“formula,” “version,” or “style” of prayer) is applied to both the order of the liturgy and the modal chants used to present the liturgy...
Acetabular labral tears in the adolescent athlete: results of a graduated management protocol from therapy to arthroscopy.

This study sought to determine outcomes of a graduated management protocol from therapy to arthroscopy for adolescents presenting with hip pain and an associated acetabular tear. Thirty-seven hips with an MRI confirmed labral tear were prospectively enrolled in a graduated management protocol created for adolescents. The protocol began with activity modification and focused physical therapy. Patients with persistent symptoms were offered an intraarticular corticosteroid injection. Those with continued symptoms were treated with arthroscopic surgery. The modified Harris hip score (mHHS) and nonarthritic hip score (NAHS) were recorded at the initial visit. Patients were contacted by telephone at 1, 2, and 5 years from enrollment for repeat assessment with mHHS and NAHS. At presentation, the mean mHHS and NAHS for the entire cohort was 66.4 ± 11.4 and 70.2 ± 12.6, and these values improved significantly to 89.3 ± 10.6 and 87.0 ± 11.4 at a mean follow-up of 35.7 ± 18.3 months (range 11.7-64.4 months). Forty-two percent of hips were managed with physical therapy and activity modifications alone, 28% of hips progressed to a steroid injection but did not require surgery, and 31% required arthroscopic intervention. Seventy-three percent of hips treated with activity modification alone, 80% treated with an injection, and 82% of hips treated with arthroscopic repair met the minimal clinically significant difference (MCID) (P = 0.859). At an average of 36 months follow-up, the majority (78%) of adolescent patients with an acetabular labral tear will achieve the MCID utilizing a graduated management protocol.
The Privacy Rights of Rape Victims in the Media and the Law: Perspectives on Disclosing Rape Victims’ Names

This essay examines the century-long conflict between an individual's right to privacy and the freedom of the press in the context of the media's disclosure of rape victims' names. Part I briefly reviews the United States Supreme Court's primary rulings on this topic, explaining that the Court has generally protected the freedom of the press under the First Amendment. Part I emphasizes, however, that the Court has left available an opportunity for a contrary interpretation under certain circumstances in Florida Star v. B.J.F., the Court's last ruling concerning the disclosure of rape victims' names. Part II discusses some of the major arguments for and against disclosing rape victims' names. For example, while proponents of disclosure insist that withholding the victims' names increases the stigma attached to rape, opponents claim that this very stigma justifies why rape and its victims should be treated differently. This essay concludes by raising pertinent questions, unanswered by past cases, that may provide additional considerations for the future. Lastly, the essay introduces commentary on this topic by Michael Gartner, Linda Fairstein, and Helen Benedict.
Test Your SLAM! The SubT-Tunnel dataset and metric for mapping

This paper presents an approach and introduces new open-source tools that can be used to evaluate robotic mapping algorithms. Also described is an extensive subterranean mine rescue dataset based upon the DARPA Subterranean (SubT) challenge including professionally surveyed ground truth. Finally, some commonly available approaches are evaluated using this metric.