cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tolerance of neural decoding errors for powered artificial legs: A pilot study

Neural-machine interface (NMI) decoding errors challenge the clinical value of neural control of powered artificial legs, because these errors can dangerously disturb the user's walking balance, cause stumbles or falls, and thus threaten the user's confidence and safety in prosthesis use. Although extensive research efforts have been made to minimize the NMI decoding error rate, none of the current approaches can completely eliminate the errors in NMI. This study aimed at improving the robustness of prosthesis control system against neural decoding errors by introducing a fault-tolerant control (FTC) strategy. A novel reconfiguration mechanism, combined with our previously developed NMI decoding error detector, was designed and implemented into our prototypical powered knee prosthesis. The control system with FTC was preliminarily tested on two transfemoral amputees when they walked with the powered prosthesis on different walking terrains. Various NMI errors were simulated when the FTC was enabled and disabled. The preliminary testing results indicated that the FTC strategy was capable of effectively counteracting the disruptive effects of simulated decoding errors by reducing the mechanical work change around the prosthetic knee joint elicited by the NMI error. The outcomes of this study may provide a potential engineering solution to make the neural control of powered artificial legs safer to use.
DNA repair capacity in multiple pathways predicts chemoresistance in glioblastoma multiforme

Cancer cells can resist the effects of DNA-damaging therapeutic agents via utilization of DNA repair pathways, suggesting that DNA repair capacity (DRC) measurements in cancer cells could be used to identify patients most likely to respond to treatment. However, the limitations of available technologies have so far precluded adoption of this approach in the clinic. We recently developed fluorescence-based multiplexed host cell reactivation (FM-HCR) assays to measure DRC in multiple pathways. Here we apply a mathematical model that uses DRC in multiple pathways to predict cellular resistance to killing by DNA-damaging agents. This model, developed using FM-HCR and drug sensitivity measurements in 24 human lymphoblastoid cell lines, was applied to a panel of 12 patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of glioblastoma to predict glioblastoma response to treatment with the chemotherapeutic DNA-damaging agent temozolomide. This work showed that, in addition to changes in O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) activity, small changes in mismatch repair (MMR), nucleotide excision repair (NER), and homologous recombination (HR) capacity contributed to acquired temozolomide resistance in PDX models and led to reduced relative survival prolongation following temozolomide treatment of orthotopic mouse models in vivo Our data indicate that measuring the combined status of MMR, HR, NER, and MGMT provided a more robust prediction of temozolomide resistance than assessments of MGMT activity alone. Cancer Res; 77(1); 198-206. ©2016 AACR.
Characteristics of patients diagnosed with renal vein thrombosis and glomerulopathy: a case series

Few contemporary studies have evaluated the clinical characteristics of patients with biopsy-proven glomerulopathy diagnosed with renal vein thrombosis (RVT). Retrospective case series study within an integrated health system in a 12-year period (January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2011) investigating clinical characteristics of all adult patients who underwent native or transplant kidney biopsy and also had a diagnosis of RVT. Patient characteristics, diagnostic studies, and outcomes were evaluated. Among 3763 eligible patients, 17 had imaging confirmed RVT. Of these, 15 had membranous nephropathy (idiopathic or secondary to autoimmune disease). Although the biopsy population included primary and secondary glomerular disease patients, all 17 RVT patients had severe nephrotic syndrome and profound hypoalbuminemia with mean (SD) of albumin: 1.5 g/dL (0.66). Clinically significant RVT in patients with glomerulopathy appears to be a rather rare entity, occurring predominantly in patients with severe nephrotic syndrome due to idiopathic membranous nephropathy and membranous nephropathy secondary to autoimmune disease.
A Multiplex Enzymatic Machinery for Cellular Protein S-nitrosylation

Summary S-nitrosylation, the oxidative modification of Cys residues by nitric oxide (NO) to form S-nitrosothiols (SNOs), modifies all main classes of proteins and provides a fundamental redox-based cellular signaling mechanism. However, in contrast to other post-translational protein modifications, S-nitrosylation is generally considered to be non-enzymatic, involving multiple chemical routes. We report here that endogenous protein S-nitrosylation in the model organism E. coli depends principally upon the enzymatic activity of the hybrid cluster protein Hcp, employing NO produced by nitrate reductase. Anaerobiosis on nitrate induces both Hcp and nitrate reductase, thereby resulting in the S-nitrosylation-dependent assembly of a large interactome including enzymes that generate NO (NO synthase), synthesize SNO-proteins (SNO synthase), and propagate SNO-based signaling (trans-nitrosylases) to regulate cell motility and metabolism. Thus, protein S-nitrosylation by NO in E. coli is essentially enzymatic, and the potential generality of the multiplex enzymatic mechanism that we describe may support a re-conceptualization of NO-based cellular signaling.
Proliferative Disorders of the T-Cell Series

Advances in immunobiology have provided important insight into the cellular structure of the immune system. In-depth studies of cell function and correlation of these functions with membrane properties have helped define lymphocyte physiology. It has been shown that in inbred mice impairment or arrest of differentiation may result in various forms of lymphoid malignancies.
Impaired spatial pattern separation performance in temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with visuospatial memory deficits and hippocampal volume loss.

Abstract Individuals with chronic temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) experience episodic memory deficits that may be progressive in nature. These memory decrements have been shown to increase with the extent of hippocampal damage, a hallmark feature of TLE. Pattern separation, a neural computational mechanism thought to play a role in episodic memory formation, has been shown to be negatively affected by aging and in individuals with known hippocampal dysfunction. Despite the link between poor pattern separation performance and episodic memory deficits, behavioral pattern separation has not been examined in patients with TLE. We examined pattern separation performance in a group of 22 patients with medically-refractory TLE and 20 healthy adults, using a task hypothesized to measure spatial pattern separation with graded levels of spatial interference. We found that individuals with TLE showed less efficient spatial pattern separation performance relative to healthy adults. Poorer spatial pattern separation performance in TLE was associated with poorer visuospatial memory, but only under high interference conditions. In addition, left hippocampal atrophy was associated with poor performance in the high interference condition in TLE. These data suggest that episodic memory impairments in patients with chronic, refractory TLE may be partially due to less efficient pattern separation, which likely reflects their underlying hippocampal dysfunction.
α-Particle Intermediate State in the (h,t) Reaction

We report on preliminary calculations of the (h,t) reaction, assuming that the helion picks up a neutron, propagates some distance as an alpha, and then strips a proton. The following qualitative results are established: 1) The angular distribution to anti-analog states has an L=1 shape while the angular distribution to analog states retains its L=0 shape. This is due to the fact that the transition operator to the analog state, $${\rm }\;{\rm = }\;{\rm \theta }\;{\rm (r}_{\rm p} ,{\rm r}_{\rm n} )$$ has an L=0 character when rp=rn, while for the anti-analog state the operator is very small when rp=rn and has an L=1 character when rp is near rn.
Robert Leslie Ellis and the Frequency Theory

John Venn was not the only nineteenth-century Cambridge man who contributed significantly to the frequency theory of probability. In 1842, Robert Leslie Ellis presented a paper to the Cambridge Philosophical Society, entitled ‘On the foundations of the theory of probability’, in which he deals with the relationship between probabilities and long run frequencies. Although this paper contains insights of the greatest importance, it does not seem to me to provide an adequate basis for considering Ellis rather than Venn the first frequentist. In saying this, I do not mean in the least to detract from the value of Ellis’s contributions.
Specimen-Bar Impedance Mismatch Effects on Equilibrium and Rate Constancy for Kolsky Bar Experiments

During a Kolsky bar, also known as a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB), experiment, stress equilibrium and strain rate constancy conditions directly contribute to the measurement quality for rate-sensitive materials. A Kolsky bar specimen is initially at rest, and then gradually accelerated to a desired rate. Stress equilibrium is incrementally achieved by multiple stress pulse reflections inside the specimen to reach the desired mean stress. The critical time to achieve constant strain rate and equilibrium stress depends on the impedance mismatch between the bars and the specimen. This paper examined this critical time based on using linear elastic specimens under uniaxial compression. In the first part, the critical time is experimentally measured for PMMA specimens loaded by aluminum, titanium, and steel bars using linear ramp incident pulses. The results show that increasing impedance mismatch increases the time to reach a constant rate, while the time to satisfy equilibrium remains nearly the same. In the second part, optimal bilinear-shaped incident loadings were evaluated and shown to achieve both conditions faster than linear loadings. The time to satisfy both conditions was mapped via simulation using various bilinear pulses over a wide range of impedance mismatches. The analysis shows bilinear loadings with initial rise time between 1.75 and 2.15 transits in the sample require minimum time to equilibrium. There exists an optimum region of bilinear loadings that can reduce the time to reach constant rate. Within such region, the bilinear slope ratio can be approximated to be a reciprocal function of initial rise time.
Urban Shrinkage in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region and Yangtze River Delta: Pattern, Trajectory and Factors

This paper investigates the shrinkage patterns and related influencing factors in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region (BTH) and the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) using data from the 5th and 6th national censuses. The permanent resident population, registered population and working population are used to measure the urban shrinkage. The results show the following: (1) nearly twenty percent of cities/countries/districts of BTH and half of YRD present a local shrinkage phenomenon, which is still growing. (2) The shrinkage areas in BTH are primarily mainly located north of Hebei in Zhangjiakou and Chengde, and it has spread to the south central plain of Hebei, while the shrinkage in the YRD presents a spatial agglomeration pattern distributed in Northern Jiangsu, southwestern Zhejiang and most of Anhui province, except Hefei and Wuhu. (3) The shrinkage trajectories in the megacity regions can be classified into five forms: less-developed peripheral shrinking, large city downtown shrinking, industrial and mineral city shrinking, adjustment of administrative division and county/rural/town shrinking. (4) Outflow of population caused by unequal development of the regional economy, urbanization level and urban administrative system contributed to the shrinkage; some western shrinkage included suburbanization, deindustrialization or industrial transformation, whereas demographic shifts only emerged in a small number of large cities’ downtowns and some old industrial and mining cities (towns). (5) Urban shrinkage in China is more complex and should be considered a cumulative and self-reinforcing process, which warrants further investigation.
A forebrain undivided: Unleashing model organisms to solve the mysteries of holoprosencephaly

Evolutionary conservation and experimental tractability have made animal model systems invaluable tools in our quest to understand human embryogenesis, both normal and abnormal. Standard genetic approaches, particularly useful in understanding monogenic diseases, are no longer sufficient as research attention shifts toward multifactorial outcomes. Here, we examine this progression through the lens of holoprosencephaly (HPE), a common human malformation involving incomplete forebrain division, and a classic example of an etiologically complex outcome. We relate the basic underpinning of HPE pathogenesis to critical cell-cell interactions and signaling molecules discovered through embryological and genetic approaches in multiple model organisms, and discuss the role of the mouse model in functional examination of HPE-linked genes. We then outline the most critical remaining gaps to understanding human HPE, including the conundrum of incomplete penetrance/expressivity and the role of gene-environment interactions. To tackle these challenges, we outline a strategy that leverages new and emerging technologies in multiple model systems to solve the puzzle of HPE.
The Occurrence of Physaloptera hispida and a Mastophorus Sp. in Pulmonary Vessels of Hispid Cotton Rats ( Sigmodon hispidus) from Georgia, U.S.A

During 2017-2018, a survey for the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea), in rodents from Piedmont and Lower Coastal Plains physiographic regions of Georgia was conducted. On 4 occasions, a single worm was recovered from the pulmonary vessels of a single cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidis). One of these worms was identified as a Physaloptera sp. and the remaining 3 as a Mastophorus sp. by morphology. No A. cantonensis were found. Physaloptera (Nematoda: Physalopteroidea) and Mastophorus species (Nematoda: Spiruroidea) are stomach parasites of many wild and domestic animals. This is the first report of these species in the pulmonary vessels of a definitive host. To better characterize these parasites, representative specimens were collected from cotton rat stomachs and identified morphologically and molecularly. Based on partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene sequences, Physaloptera hispida from stomachs were identical to the Physaloptera sp. from the pulmonary vessels. The COI sequences from the Mastophorus sp. from the stomach exhibited a higher degree of variability but confirmed that the pulmonary worms were the same Mastophorus species. Furthermore, sequences of Mastophorus from a coastal site clustered separately from a clade of Mastophorus sequences from cotton rats from a Piedmont site. Our data show that adult worms recovered from pulmonary vessels of cotton rats could be either Physaloptera or Mastophorus sp., indicating that these parasitic worms are not always restricted to the stomach and that worms from pulmonary vessels must be carefully examined to obtain a definitive diagnosis of A. cantonensis infection.
Modeling and assessing adaptive cruise control stability: experimental insights

Adaptive cruise control is a first step towards increasingly automated vehicles, and while ACC offers potential benefits to the traffic stream depending on the ACC design, less is known about the impacts that commercially available ACC vehicles have traffic flow. Therefore, it is of interest to reliably model commercial ACC vehicle behavior so as to be able to better understand how ACC vehicles may influence the emergent properties of the traffic flow. In this article, a set of car following experiments are conducted to collect data from a 2015 fully electric sedan equipped with a commercial adaptive cruise control system. Velocity, relative velocity, and space gap data collected during the experiments are used to calibrate two dynamical models for the ACC vehicle, one for each of two following settings. The models are calibrated via model-constrained optimization. The main finding is that the best fit models are unstable. To better understand how much the quality of the models would have to change to alter their stability, we calibrate the models with the constraint that they must be string stable and compare both the new model error as well as the calibrated parameter values. We find that the quality of fit for the minimum following setting degrades by 26%, while the quality of fit for the maximum following setting model only degrades by 7%, but requires significant changes in the parameter values.
Childhood adversity & lifelong health: From research to action

Childhood adversity is a significant root cause of chronic illness and early death. Prevention, mitigation, and Tx of toxic stressors must be part of our paradigm of care.
The power of amphibians to elucidate mechanisms of size control and scaling.

Abstract Size is a fundamental feature of biology that affects physiology at all levels, from the organism to organs and tissues to cells and subcellular structures. How size is determined at these different levels, and how biological structures scale to fit together and function properly are important open questions. Historically, amphibian systems have been extremely valuable to describe scaling phenomena, as they occupy some of the extremes in biological size and are amenable to manipulations that alter genome and cell size. More recently, the application of biochemical, biophysical, and embryological techniques to amphibians has provided insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying scaling of subcellular structures to cell size, as well as how perturbation of normal size scaling impacts other aspects of cell and organism physiology.
Comparative Analysis of Sagittal-Plane Radiographic Landmarks Used to Identify the Femoral Attachments of Lateral Knee Structures.

Purpose To compare previously described radiographic parameters for the localization of the lateral knee (LK) structures, including the popliteal tendon (Pop), anterolateral ligament (ALL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL), to determine which method best estimates the femoral attachment of each LK structure. Methods Twenty-nine human cadaveric knee specimens were carefully dissected to identify the LCL, ALL, and Pop. The femoral attachment for each structure was labeled with a radiopaque bead. LK radiographic images were obtained using fluoroscopy. Two radiographic approaches were used to identify each LK structure (Pop-A, Pop-B, LCL-A, LCL-B, ALL-A, and ALL-B) via previously published methods based on radiographic landmarks including the posterior femoral cortex and the Blumensaat line. The identification of radiographic landmarks was performed at 2 different time points by 2 different surgeons to determine the Pearson correlation between values, as well as interobserver and intraobserver reliability and reproducibility. The paired t test was conducted to compare the distance between the actual attachment site (as determined by the bead location) and the 2 radiographically identified estimations of attachment locations. Results For the LCL, the mean difference between the actual location and the estimated location via application of the LCL-B method (5.0 ± 2.4 mm) was significantly less than that estimated using the LCL-A method (8.2 ± 3.3 mm, P Conclusions Previously described radiographic methods for localization of the femoral attachment sites of the LK structures resulted in estimated locations that were significantly different from the locations of the radiographic beads placed at the anatomic femoral attachment sites of these structures. Therefore, radiographic methods used to localize the femoral attachments of the LK structures may not be reliable. Clinical Relevance This study shows the variability of the anatomy of the LK structures and the lack of reproducible radiographic criteria to identify these structures. As a result, there will be decreased reliance on radiographic landmarks to identify the placement of femoral grafts and fixation when reconstructing these structures.
Interpretable Models Do Not Compromise Accuracy or Fairness in Predicting College Success

The presence of "big data" in higher education has led to the increasing popularity of predictive analytics for guiding various stakeholders on appropriate actions to support student success. In developing such applications, model selection is a central issue. As such, this study presents a comprehensive examination of five commonly used machine learning models in student success prediction. Using administrative and learning management system (LMS) data for nearly 2,000 college students at a public university, we employ the models to predict short-term and long-term academic success. Beyond the tradeoff between model interpretability and accuracy, we also focus on the fairness of these models with regard to different student populations. Our findings suggest that more interpretable models such as logistic regression do not necessarily compromise predictive accuracy. Also, they lead to no more, if not less, prediction bias against disadvantaged student groups than complicated models. Moreover, prediction biases against certain groups persist even in the fairest model. These results thus recommend using simpler algorithms in conjunction with human evaluation in instructional and institutional applications of student success prediction when valid student features are in place.
PARTIAL AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION IN AN ASYMPTOMATIC PATIENT

Background A 66-year-old female with no complaints or symptoms presented for routine preimplantation cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). CBCT demonstrated evidence of a large, well-defined, low-attenuation/soft tissue lesion with an undulating appearance, extending from the posterior left pharyngeal wall and occluding two-thirds of the airway from the level of C2 to C4. The lesion extended laterally into the left mediopharyngeal space and inferiorly beyond the field of view. There was evidence of faint internal septations. Objective The aim of this study was to identify, diagnose, and treat a large lesion partially obstructing the airway through multiple advanced imaging modalities and interdisciplinary collaborative treatment. Materials and Methods The patient was referred for an otolaryngology consult after initial CBCT imaging. Laryngoscopy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) were performed to determine the extent of the lesion and to plan for potential surgical intervention. Results The absence of symptoms and displacement of surrounding structures without perforation suggested a benign, but fairly invasive, neoplasm with slow growth. Initial differential diagnoses included lipoma, minor salivary gland tumor, and vascular and neural tumors. Juxtaposition of T1-weighted MRI and T1 with fat suppression protocols further validated the diagnosis of benign lipoma. Resection, followed by histopathologic evaluation, confirmed a large lipoma. Periodic follow-up was recommended to monitor resolution and potential recurrence. Discussion Lipomas account for 4% to 5% of benign neoplasms, more commonly in the lower torso and extremities. Lipomas in the upper airway region account for only 0.6% of benign neoplasms, making them quite rare. Any lesion encroaching on vital structures needs prompt attention and appropriate intervention/management to avoid a life-threatening situation. The slower growth exhibited by some benign lesions may obscure symptoms because the changes are gradual and happen over an extended period. Incidental findings, such as this large and invasive benign tumor, underscore the importance of carefully evaluating the entire volume of any study and not just the region of interest.
Neoadjuvant SABR for Renal Cell Carcinoma Inferior Vena Cava Tumor Thrombus-Safety Lead-in Results of a Phase 2 Trial.

Purpose To evaluate the feasibility, safety, oncologic outcomes, and immune effect of neoadjuvant stereotactic radiation (Neo-SAbR) followed by radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy (RN-IVCT). Methods and Materials These are results from the safety lead-in portion of a single-arm phase 1 and 2 trial. Patients with kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma [RCC]) and inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus (TT) underwent Neo-SAbR (40 Gy in 5 fractions) to the IVC-TT followed by open RN-IVCT. Absence of grade 4 to 5 adverse events (AEs) within 90 days of RN-IVCT was the primary endpoint. Exploratory studies included pathologic and immunologic alterations attributable to SAbR. Results Six patients were included in the final analysis. No grade 4 to 5 AEs were observed. A total of 81 AEs were reported within 90 days of surgery: 73% (59/81) were grade 1, 23% (19/81) were grade 2, and 4% (3/81) were grade 3. After a median follow-up of 24 months, all patients are alive. One patient developed de novo metastatic disease. Of 3 patients with metastasis at diagnosis, 1 had a complete and another had a partial abscopal response without the concurrent use of systemic therapy. Neo-SABR led to decreased Ki-67 and increased PD-L1 expression in the IVC-TT. Inflammatory cytokines and autoantibody titers reflecting better host immune status were observed in patients with nonprogressive disease. Conclusions Neo-SAbR followed by RN-IVCT for RCC IVC-TT is feasible and safe. Favorable host immune environment correlated with abscopal response to SABR and RCC relapse-free survival, though direct causal relation to SABR has yet to be established.
Feasibility, effectiveness and patient satisfaction of telerehabilitation after thumb carpometacarpal arthroplasty and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: A pilot study.

IntroductionTelemedicine is an effective, emerging interface to connect practitioners with patients. It facilitates access to healthcare expertise, reduces costs, time demands and health disparitie...
International Pressure, State Repression, and the Spread of Protest

We analyze strategic interactions between a state that decides whether to repress activists and the general public that decides whether to protest following repression. The public would like to sup...
Diet-Microbiota Interactions Alter Mosquito Development.

Gut microbes and diet can both strongly affect the biology of multicellular animals, but it is often difficult to disentangle microbiota-diet interactions due to the complex microbial communities many animals harbor and the nutritionally-variable diets they consume. While theoretical and empirical studies indicate that greater microbiota diversity is beneficial for many animal hosts, there have been few tests performed in aquatic invertebrates. Most mosquito species are aquatic detritivores during their juvenile stages that harbor variable microbiotas and consume diets that range from nutrient-rich to nutrient-poor. In this study, we produced a gnotobiotic model that allowed us to examine how interactions between specific gut microbes and diets affect the fitness of Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito. Utilizing a simplified 7-member community of bacteria (ALL7) and various laboratory and natural mosquito diets, we allowed larval mosquitoes to develop under different microbial and dietary conditions and measured the resulting time to adulthood and adult size. Larvae inoculated with the ALL7 or a more complex community developed similarly when fed nutrient-rich rat chow or fish food laboratory diets; whereas, larvae inoculated with individual bacterial members of the ALL7 community exhibited few differences in development when fed a rat chow diet but exhibited large differences in performance when fed a fish food diet. In contrast, the ALL7 community largely failed to support the growth of larvae fed field-collected detritus diets unless supplemented with additional protein or yeast. Collectively, our results indicate that mosquito development and fitness are strongly contingent on both diet and microbial community composition.
Modeling digesta retention in horses fed high or low neutral detergent fiber concentration forages

Abstract One factor influencing the extent of feed degradation is the length of time feed resides at the site of digestion. Traditionally, mean retention time (MRT) is measured for the entire equine gastrointestinal tract (GIT), but retention time in specific organs may be more relevant to understanding digestion. Multi-compartment models theoretically partition the GIT to potentially represent MRT in individual segments. The objective of this study was to apply a multi-compartment model to digesta passage in horses fed forage-based diets. We hypothesized forage neutral detergent fiber concentration would alter total tract MRT, transit time (TT), and compartment retention time. Six geldings (4 ± 1.5 y, 545.0 ± 64.5 kg, mean ± SD) were randomly assigned a diet of timothy cubes (Hi NDF, n = 3) or alfalfa cubes (Lo NDF, n = 3) fed at 1.53% BW and concentrate at 0.22% BW (DM basis). After a 15-d dietary adaptation, geldings were orally dosed with Co-EDTA and Yb-labeled NDF residue to determine liquid and particulate retention time. A total fecal collection was conducted for 120 h after marker dosing. Samples were analyzed for Co and Yb concentrations by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry. Gamma distributed age-dependent two compartment models were fit to marker excretion curves for each gelding (MATLAB, vR2014a). Diet effects were analyzed by ANOVA (SAS, v9.3). There was no effect of diet on total tract MRT (liquid 21.78 ± 0.79 h, particulate 25.80 ± 0.79 h, mean ± SEM). However, liquid TT was longer (P = 0.041) in the Hi NDF diet (7.25 ± 0.91 h) than the Lo NDF diet (3.86 ± 0.91 h), and liquid age-dependent compartment retention time was shorter (P = 0.019) in the Hi NDF diet (8.40 ± 0.84 h) compared with Lo NDF diet (11.72 ± 0.84 h). Particulate TT was longer (P = 0.029) in the Hi NDF diet (8.24 ± 0.96 h) than the Lo NDF diet (4.54 ± 0.96 h). Although there was a difference in DM digestibility (Hi NDF: 50.1 ± 2.31%; Lo NDF: 60.0 ± 2.31%; P = 0.002), covariate analysis did not show a significant relationship between MRT or compartment parameters to diet digestibility. Additional research should pursue methods to ascribe physiological meaning to mathematically determined compartments. Nonetheless, the current data indicate using a multi-compartment model can identify differences in some digesta rate parameters between high and low fiber diets that were not apparent using total tract MRT alone.
Exploring Spatial Indexing for Accelerated Feature Retrieval in HPC.

Despite the critical role that range queries play in analysis and visualization for HPC applications, there has been no comprehensive analysis of indices that are designed to accelerate range queries and the extent to which they are viable in an HPC setting. In this state of the practice paper we present the first such evaluation, examining 20 open-source C and C++ libraries that support range queries. Contributions of this paper include answering the following questions: which of the implementations are viable in an HPC setting, how do these libraries compare in terms of build time, query time, memory usage, and scalability, what are other trade-offs between these implementations, is there a single overall best solution, and when does a brute force solution offer the best performance? We also share key insights learned during this process that can assist both HPC application scientists and spatial index developers.
Over-the-scope clip as first-line therapy for ulcers with high-risk bleeding stigmata is efficient compared to standard endoscopic therapy

Background and study aims Ulcers with high-risk stigmata have significant rebleeding rates despite standard endoscopic therapy. Data on over-the-scope clip (OTSC) for recurrent bleeding is promising but data on first line therapy is lacking. We report comparative outcomes of OTSC as first-line therapy versus standard endoscopic therapy in ulcers with high-risk stigmata. Patients and methods Consecutive adults who underwent endoscopic therapy for ulcers with high-risk stigmata between July 2019 to September 2020 were included. Patients were grouped into OTSC or standard therapy based on first-line therapy used on index endoscopy. Outcomes measured included: 1) intra-procedural hemostasis based on endoscopic documentation of adequate hemostasis; 2) 7-day rebleeding (> 2 g/dL drop in hemoglobin, hematochezia or hemorrhagic shock); 3) cost of endoscopic interventions; and 4) procedure duration measured as endoscope insertion to removal time. Cost of tools used during the index endoscopy was included. Results Sixty-eight patients were included, 47 were in standard therapy and 21 in the OTSC group. Hemostasis was achieved in 95.2 % in the OTSC group compared to 83.0 % in the standard therapy group (P = 0.256, number needed to treat [NNT]: 9). Procedure time was shorter in the OTSC group (23 vs. 16 minutes, P = 0.002). Cost of endoscopic interventions were comparable, P = 0.203. Early rebleeding was less often in OTSC group, two (9.5 %) compared to 10 (21.3 %) in standard therapy group, NNT 9. Conclusions Use of OTSCs as first-line treatment for ulcers bleed probably improves hemostasis and decreases early rebleeding. Use of OTSC as first-line therapy shortened procedure duration without increasing the cost of endoscopic interventions.
Understanding memory B cell selection

The mammalian adaptive immune system has evolved over millions of years to become an incredibly effective defense against foreign antigens. The adaptive immune system's humoral response creates plasma B cells and memory B cells, each with their own immunological objectives. The affinity maturation process is widely viewed as a heuristic to solve the global optimization problem of finding B cells with high affinity to the antigen. However, memory B cells appear to be purposely selected earlier in the affinity maturation process and have lower affinity. We propose that this memory B cell selection process may be an approximate solution to two optimization problems: optimizing for affinity to similar antigens in the future despite mutations or other minor differences, and optimizing to warm start the generation of plasma B cells in the future. We use simulations to provide evidence for our hypotheses, taking into account data showing that certain B cell mutations are more likely than others. Our findings are consistent with memory B cells having high-affinity to mutated antigens, but do not provide strong evidence that memory B cells will be more useful than selected naive B cells for seeding the secondary germinal centers.
Experimentally obtained velocity and pressure fields of an open channel flow around a cylinder using RIM-SPIV

The quantification of velocity and pressure fields over streambeds is important for predicting sediment mobility and water exchange between stream and sediment interstitial spaces (Schmeeckle and Nelson, 2003; Tonina and Buffington, 2009). The latter is typically referred as hyporheic flow, which consists of surface water that flows through the streambed sediment pores (Tonina and Buffington, 2009). These fluxes are mainly driven by pressure gradients at the water sediment interface. In this paper, we report an experimental investigation of the time-averaged velocity and pressure field, quantified in a set of laboratory experiments using stereo PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) with a non-toxic index-matched fluid, for an open channel flow around a barely submerged vertical cylinder as a model for plant stalk over a plane bed of coarse granular sediment, mimicking a stream gravel bed. This is the first time that such a velocity and pressure field is characterized experimentally for a free surface flow with irregular floor contour.
Maybe Criminals Shouldn't Use Cell-Phones: Can Current Fourth Amendment Doctrine Protect Cell Site Location Information?

The Note analyzes the privacy afforded to a user's cell site location information through the arguments raised in Davis v. United States currently pending in the Eleventh Circuit en banc. Specifically, the Note discusses the statutory regime regulating Cell Site Location Information, as well as the Fourth Amendment jurisprudence pertinent to the analysis.
The Terrible Bind of the Lawyer in the Modern World: The Problem of Hope, the Question of Identity, and the Recovery of Meaning in the Practice of the Law

This article argues that there are four interlocking dilemmas that lawyers encounter in the study and practice of law. The author describes the dilemmas and the difficulties they pose for those lawyers who seek to practice law with a sense of purpose and meaning that can be the source of deep satisfaction. Part I includes a description of what it means to pose the problem of lawyer dissatisfaction as a problem of meaning. Part II is devoted to a description of the four interlocking dilemmas that together pose the problem of meaning for the lawyers in the midst of the lawyer’s activity as a lawyer. Finally, in Part III, the author suggests two steps to break out of the “terrible bind” lawyers face in confronting these dilemmas.
The Constitutionality of Breed Discriminatory Legislation: A Summary

This chapter focuses on Toledo v. Tellings, an Ohio case dealing with breed-specific legislation that restricted a Toledo resident to owning one “vicious” dog, defined purely by breed as a pit bull. This case implicated numerous constitutional issues, including vagueness, procedural due process, equal protection, substantive due process, takings, and privileges and immunities. Although the Ohio Sixth Appellate District struck down the breed-specific legislation, the Ohio Supreme Court reversed, and I find this reversal at odds with the constitutional issues at play.
Reaction Steps and Microstructure Formation During SHS of La0.8Sr0.2CrO3

The combustion rate processes involved in the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) of La SHS of La0.8Sr0.2CrO3 from a mixture of either La2O3 + SrO2 + Cr + NaClO4 or La2O3 + SrO2 + Cr + CrO3 were studied by quenching the reaction front within a conical combustion-wave arresting setup. The intermediate products for both green mixtures included LaCrO3, LaCrO4, La2CrO6 and SrCrO4. The final product, La1−x, _,Srx.CrO3, starts to form in the zone of secondary chemical interactions (post-front zone) and is completed in the final product and cooling zone. The high combustion temperature causes partial melting, leading to agglomeration of the particles. High temperatures may lead to migration of the CrO3 to the surface. To maintain uniform Cr content in the radial direction, it is desirable to operate at the lowest possible combustion temperature and at high pressure. The combustion temperature may be decreased by replacing metallic Cr by Cr2O3 in the first reaction mixture and by CrO3 in the second ...
α2-Noradrenergic receptors activation enhances excitability and synaptic integration in rat prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons via inhibition of HCN currents

Stimulation of α2-noradrenergic (NA) receptors within the PFC improves working memory performance. This improvement is accompanied by a selective increase in the activity of PFC neurons during delay periods, although the cellular mechanisms responsible for this enhanced response are largely unknown. Here we used current and voltage clamp recordings to characterize the response of layer V–VI PFC pyramidal neurons to α2-NA receptor stimulation. α2-NA receptor activation produced a small hyperpolarization of the resting membrane potential, which was accompanied by an increase in input resistance and evoked firing. Voltage clamp analysis demonstrated that α2-NA receptor stimulation inhibited a caesium and ZD7288-sensitive hyperpolarization-activated (HCN) inward current. Suppression of HCN current by α2-NA stimulation was not dependent on adenylate cyclase but instead required activation of a PLC–PKC linked signalling pathway. Similar to direct blockade of HCN channels, α2-NA receptor stimulation produced a significant enhancement in temporal summation during trains of distally evoked EPSPs. These dual effects of α2-NA receptor stimulation – membrane hyperpolarization and enhanced temporal integration – together produce an increase in the overall gain of the response of PFC pyramidal neurons to excitatory synaptic input. The net effect is the suppression of isolated excitatory inputs while enhancing the response to a coherent burst of synaptic activity.
Purification, Ultrastructure, and Composition of Axial Filaments from Leptospira

The ultrastructure of three strains of water Leptospira was studied by negative staining, thin sectioning, and freeze-etching. The cells possessed a triple-layered sheath which covered two independent axial filaments, one inserted subterminally in each end of the cell. The protoplasmic cylinder was surrounded by a triple-layered cell wall and possessed ribosomes, lamellar structures, and a typical procaryotic nuclear region. The axial filament was comprised of several component structures. An axial fibril, with a diameter of 20 to 25 nm, consisted of a solid inner core (13 to 16 nm in diameter) surrounded by a coat. A terminal knob (40 to 70 nm in length) was connected to a series of disc insertion structures at the terminal end of the axial fibril. The axial fibril was surrounded by a helical outer coat (35 to 60 nm in diameter) which was composed of a continuously coiled fiber, 3 to 4 nm in diameter, embedded in an electron-dense material. A procedure for the purification of the axial fibrils was presented and their ultrastructural, physical, and chemical properties were determined. Similarities in ultrastructural, physical, and chemical properties were noted between the axial fibrils and bacterial flagella. A schematic model of the leptospiral axial filament is presented, and a mechanism is proposed for its function as a locomotor organelle. Images
A Review of the History of Attitudes Toward Drinking in Pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: It is now well accepted in pediatrics and obstetrics that prenatal alcohol is a teratogenic agent and the primary causative factor underlying fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), although for the majority of the 20th century that knowledge was either unknown or ignored. At least 2 factors contributed to the delay in recognizing alcohol's role in teratogenicity: the rejection of earlier evidence pertaining to alcohol and pregnancy following the repeal of Prohibition in the United States, Canada, and several European countries; and misinterpretation of earlier research findings in a eugenic rather than toxicological context. The pervasive belief held well into the 1970s that there was no risk to either mother or fetus from prenatal alcohol posed a major challenge to changing physician and public attitudes on alcohol and pregnancy. This review provides insight on key events that occurred in changing physician and public understanding of the risks posed by prenatal alcohol use in pregnancy. METHODS: Historical review of events primarily in the U.S. federal government, found in referenced documents. RESULTS: The transition in physician and public understanding of the risks posed by prenatal alcohol use was aided by the existence of National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) which was created in 1971. This government agency was able to support research on alcohol and pregnancy immediately following the 1973 published clinical reports calling attention to a proposed fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). These early research studies provided the foundation for the first government health advisory on alcohol and pregnancy, issued by NIAAA in 1977. Subsequently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) used this new knowledge on FAS in their effort to add alcoholic beverages to the range of products with ingredient and consumer information labeling. The ensuing hearings and actions resulted in a new health advisory under the auspices of the Surgeon General, encouraging avoidance of alcohol consumption in pregnancy. In subsequent years, Congressional attention to the FAS issue resulted in the Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Law. CONCLUSIONS: The pace at which understanding of the risks of prenatal alcohol moved forward from a total misunderstanding to acceptance was aided by both the efforts of the NIAAA in its support of research, and the FDA in its efforts to improve consumer information. Today, many women in the United States as well as other countries continue to ignore advisories on avoiding alcohol consumption in pregnancy, emphasizing the need for persistence in education on these health risks. Language: en
Molecular Diagnostics Point of Care Testing Training

Technical advances within the field of molecular diagnostics and the desire for minimal turnaround time have led to substantial efforts toward achieving point-of-care testing kits in molecular diagnostics. The emerging products promise powerful benefits to the medical field, but they will also likely bring unprecedented challenges and regulations to the field of point-of-care testing. This chapter addresses the potential benefits and obstacles of point-of-care molecular diagnostics, with particular emphasis on the training of testing personnel.
Irradiation Defect Structures In YBa2Cu3O7-xand their Correlation with Superconducting Properties

We review our work on irradiation effects in single crystal YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x . Transmission electron microscopy has been employed to study the defect microstructures produced by irradiations with fast neutrons, MeV ions (Kr, Ne and p), and electrons. The atomic structure within defect cascades was investigated using 50 keV Kr and Xe ion irradiations to low doses. Evidence is shown for an amorphous structure with some incoherent recrystallization within individual cascades. Correlation with enhancements in critical current density produced by neutron irradiations suggest that this cascade structure effectively pins magnetic flux lines. At sufficiently high fluences of fast neutrons or MeV Kr and Ne ions, a cellular microstructure is found. This structure consists of cells or microcrystallites of good crystalline and superconducting material (in the case of neutron irradiation), with cell walls of amorphous material. Full amorphization proceeds with the growth of cell wall volume. The formation of this microstructure coincides with a decrease in critical transport current, but is not observed by magnetization measurements. Increases in critical current density under proton irradiation, comparable to those produced by neutron irradiation, have been reported. The defect structure produced by proton irradiations is examined here and found to differ from that of neutron irradiations. The structure is suggested to be consistent with the clustering of mobile defects (at 300 K) produced by the lower energy recoils which dominate in proton irradiations. In both the proton and fast neutron irradiations, to fluences producing the maximum enhancements in critical current densities, the degradations in critical temperature are not severe, Our most recent measurements of changes in critical temperature and current density, and defect microstructure following electron irradiations will be described
Embryo banking between induction and consolidation chemotherapy in women with leukemia.

Objective To report the results of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) after long-acting GnRH agonist (GnRH-a) and chemotherapy for the purposes of embryo cryopreservation. Design Case report. Setting University medical center. Patient(s) Two premenopausal women with acute myelogenous leukemia with recent treatment with GnRH-a and induction chemotherapy for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Intervention(s) COH with embryo cryopreservation. Main Outcome Measure(s) Numbers of oocytes and embryos cryopreserved. Result(s) Both patients responded to gonadotropin stimulation and cryopreserved embryos. Conclusion(s) Women who have received recent long-acting GnRH-a and chemotherapy may respond to gonadotropin stimulation. The option of embryo banking can be offered to leukemia patients who are preparing for HCT.