cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inflicted versus accidental head injury in critically injured children

OBJECTIVES: To assess the frequency of inflicted head injury in critically injured children; the severity of neurologic injury; the neurologic outcome; and the historical, socioeconomic, physical, and radiologic factors associated with inflicted head injury. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: Multidisciplinary pediatric intensive care unit (ICU). PATIENTS: Consecutive cases (n = 40) of severe head injury admitted to a pediatric ICU. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Fourteen (35%) of 40 cases of head injury were due to inflicted head injury. Eleven (79%) of 14 inflicted head injury cases were due to child abuse and three (21%) were due to neglect. The severity of neurologic injury, as measured by the admission Glasgow Coma Scale, was worse in cases of inflicted head injury (7.1 +/- 0.7 [SE] [inflicted] vs. 9.9 +/- 0.8 [accidental]; p = .04). Glasgow Outcome Scores were worse after inflicted head injury (2 +/- 1 inflicted] vs. 4 +/- 1 [accidental]; p = .004). In victims of child abuse, we found the combination of any two of the following three factors was associated with inflicted head injury: an inconsistent history/physical examination; retinal hemorrhages; or parental risk factors (alcohol or drug abuse, previous social service intervention within the family, or a past history of child abuse or neglect). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that severity of neurologic injury and neurologic outcome in cases of inflicted head injury are worse than in any other type of childhood head injury. We believe that a combination of any two of the above three risk factors may prove to be a reliable marker of inflicted head injury in children admitted to a pediatric ICU and will lead to an early and definitive diagnosis. Language: en
Manufacturing production scheduling with preventive maintenance in random environments

Consider the optimal control of a manufacturing system consisting of k stages in which a single consumable good is produced in a random jump environment. At each stage of the manufacturing process there are n workstations that can fail and be repaired. The workstations are assumed to have different operating parameters for a given stage. The mean time to failure for a given workstation, on a given stage, is modeled as a function of the uptime of the workstation. The uptime of the workstations is a monotone increasing function, which can be reset to a lower level by preventive maintenance. This formulation combines features of flexible and multistage manufacturing systems. The goal is to schedule the production of the consumable good subject to random effects and preventive maintenance.
Ndfip1 Enforces a Requirement for CD28 Costimulation by Limiting IL-2 Production

Although the pathways that permit IL-2 production and the full activation of T cells upon Ag encounter are fairly well defined, the negative regulatory circuits that limit these pathways are poorly understood. In this study, we show that the E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor Ndfip1 directs one such negative regulatory circuit. T cells lacking Ndfip1 produce IL-2, upregulate IL-2Rα, and proliferate, in the absence of CD28 costimulation. Furthermore, T cells in mice lacking both Ndfip1 and CD28 become activated, produce IL-4, and drive inflammation at barrier surfaces. Ndfip1 constrains T cell activation by limiting the duration of IL-2 mRNA expression after TCR stimulation. Ndfip1 and IL-2 have a similar expression pattern, and, following TCR stimulation, expression of both Ndfip1 and IL-2 requires the activity of NFAT and Erk. Taken together, these data support a negative regulatory circuit in which factors that induce IL-2 expression downstream of TCR engagement also induce the expression of Ndfip1 to limit the extent of IL-2 production and, thus, dampen T cell activation.
On Intergranular Contacts in Sedimentary Rocks

In the present paper, we review the evidence that intergranular contacts in sedimentary rocks are normally much smaller than the grain size. We show that an analysis by Ghosh and Fuchs of the frequency-dependent dielectric constant of a brine-filled whitestone and a sandstone implies a ratio of contact radius to grain size in the 10−3 to 10−2 range. We argue that sintering is prevented in situ by strong repulsive forces arising from charging and hydration of the grain surfaces in contact with the brine within the pore space. We show, in fact, that considering only these repulsive forces consolidation is prevented, thereby reducing the question of the origin of small contacts to the question of the nature of the consolidation process in the presence of strong repulsions. We outline briefly a mechanism of consolidation, but defer detailed study of consolidation for future work.
Immunotoxic Effects of Short-term Atrazine Exposure in Young Male C57BL/6 Mice

The herbicide atrazine (ATR) is a very widely used pesticide; yet the immunotoxicological potential of ATR has not been studied extensively. Our objective was to examine the effect of ATR on selected immune parameters in juvenile mice. ATR (up to 250 mg/kg) was administered by oral gavage for 14 days to one-month-old male C57BL/6 mice. One day, one week, and seven weeks after the last ATR dose, mice were sacrificed, and blood, spleens, and thymuses were collected and processed for cell counting and flow cytometry. Thymus and spleen weights were decreased by ATR, with the thymus being more sensitive than the spleen; this effect was still present at seven days, but not at seven weeks after the last ATR dose. Similarly, organ cellularity was persistently decreased in the thymus and in the spleen, with the splenic, but not thymic cellularity still being depressed at seven weeks post ATR. Peripheral blood leukocyte counts were not affected by ATR. There were also alterations in the cell phenotypes in that ATR exposure decreased all phenotypes in the thymus, with the number of CD4(+)/CD8(+) being affected the least. At the higher doses, the decreases in the thymic T-cell populations were still present one week after the last ATR dose. In the spleen, the CD8(+) were increased and MHC-II(+) and CD19(+) cells were decreased one day after the last ATR dose. Also, ATR treatment decreased the number of splenic naive T helper and T cytotoxic cells, whereas it increased the percentage of highly activated cytotoxic/memory T cells. Interestingly, the proportion of mature splenic dendritic cells (DC; CD11c(high)), was also decreased and it persisted for at least one week, suggesting that ATR inhibited DC maturation. In the circulation, ATR exposure decreased CD4(+) lymphocytes at one day, whereas at seven days after the last ATR dose, in addition to the decrease in CD4(+) lymphocytes, the MHC-II(+) cells were also decreased at the 250 mg/kg dose. Thus, ATR exposure appears to be detrimental to the immune system of juvenile mice by decreasing cellularity and affecting lymphocyte distribution, with certain effects persisting long after exposure has been terminated.
FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY CHANGES IN MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY ASSESSED USING MAGNETOENCEPHALOGRAPHY

In this study, we analyzed brain connectivity profiles from 10 mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients and 10 age- and gender-matched normal controls. We computed Granger causality measures from magnetoencephalographic (MEG) activity obtained at the resting state, in an attempt to understand how the default network is affected by mTBI. A connectivity matrix was computed for each subject individually and then group templates were estimated by averaging all matrices in each group. Furthermore, we performed classification of the subjects using support vector machines and Fisher's criterion to rank the features and identify the best subset for maximum separation of the groups. Our results show that a combined model based on connectivity matrices and graph theory measures can provide a minimum of 85% classification accuracy in separating the two groups, with a sensitivity and specificity of 90% and 80%, respectively. These findings suggest that analysis of functional connectivity patterns may provide a valuable tool for early detection of mTBI.
How the Weak Win Wars: Italy in Ethiopia: the Italo-Ethiopian War, 1935–1940

We are valiant formations Of indomitable warriors Carrying the flags Into Eastern Africa. The symbol of glory, Of peace and civilization Will be made to shine once more By the Italic Victory … Slavery and barbarity Are doomed to vanish The very moment The Roman eagles appear … From an Italian marching song in the Abyssinian campaign We flung ourselves on the machine-gun nests to clear them out, we hurled ourselves against the enemy artillery. We held firm against their bombs and their containers of mustard gas. We put their tanks out of action with our bare hands. We cannot reproach ourselves with any taint of cowardice. But against the invisible rain of deadly gas that splashed down on our hands, our faces, we could do nothing. Yet I say again that we have no cause to be ashamed: we could not “kill” this rain. Haile Selassie The war between fascist Italy and Ethiopia began on 2 October 1935. Italy was the strong actor by a wide margin. It was a sharp conventional engagement between a well-armed and well-supplied yet poorly led Italian army, and the poorly armed and poorly supplied Ethiopian army. By May of 1936, the emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, had fled, and the Italians marched triumphantly into Addis Ababa, the capital. Yet the war did not then end. It continued as a guerrilla war from 1936 to 1940, when Britain joined the fight.
Time-minimum routes in time-dependent networks

Route planning for mobile robots in time-dependent networks is investigated. The mobile robot is constrained to move in a prespecified network of roads. The environment contains a set of moving obstacles which are not necessarily constrained to move along arcs of the network and whose motions are assumed to be known. Due to dynamic objects in the environment, connectivity in the network changes over time, i.e., the network is time-dependent. Given such an environment, a method is presented to find a collision-free route in the network that takes the mobile robot from a given start node to a destination node in minimum time. Our method generates a time-minimum path for all time intervals during which the destination node is reachable. The problem is solved by a two-level graph search: (1) path search using a space-time spanning tree, and (2) path search in a time-dependent network. Algorithms for the two subproblems are presented and execution time of the algorithms is analyzed. >
Racial Socialization, Racial Identity, and Race-Related Stress of African American Parents

This study examines the relationship between racial identity, race-related stress, and racial socialization messages of over 400 African American parents. Results suggest that parents with higher levels of private regard or pride about being African American, and nationalist ideology are more likely to give racial socialization messages. Parents who have experienced race-related stress are also more likely to engage in racial socialization. Additionally, the results indicate parents with high private regard and who have experienced race-related stress serve as the best predictor of in racial socialization, suggesting the recognition of the importance of buffering children from acts of racism. Implications for counseling, parenting programs, and further research are provided.
Collective Mistrust of Alarms

Recently, alarm systems have become more sensitive and ubiquitous. Unfortunately, sensitive alarm systems may produce greater numbers of false alarms, lowering an operator’s level of trust and degrading task performance. In the past, researchers have considered only situations where individuals react to alarms. Because of the frequency and variability of teamed alarm reaction scenarios, we investigated the reactions of independent and dependent teams to collateral marginally reliable alarms. Based on prior literature, we expected dependent teams to show slower but more appropriate alarm reactions and poorer ongoing task performances. Eighty general psychology students (40 two-person teams) independently or dependently performed a psychomotor task while reacting to two alarm systems; one that was 80% reliable, and one that was 40%, 60%, or 80% reliable. Participants responded more frequently to alarms of higher reliability, and less appropriately to those of medium reliability. Generally, dependent teams made more appropriate alarm reactions. Our results suggest that designers and trainers should promote team interdependence and communication when operators are faced with marginally reliable signals.
Semantic fault diagnosis: automatic natural-language fault descriptions

Before a fault can be fixed, it first must be understood. However, understanding why a system fails is often a difficult and time consuming process. While current automated-debugging techniques provide assistance in knowing where a fault is, developers are left unaided in understanding what a fault is, and why the system is failing. We present Semantic Fault Diagnosis (SFD), a technique that leverages lexicographic and dynamic information to automatically capture natural-language fault descriptors. SFD utilizes class names, method names, variable expressions, developer comments, and keywords from the source code to describe a fault. SFD can be used immediately after observing a failing execution and requires no input from developers or bug reports. In addition we present motivating examples and results from a SFD prototype to serve as a proof of concept.
Intraoral dermoid cyst in an infant: a case report.

cysts found in the body are formed in the head and neck region, and of these, about 23% occur in the floor of the mouth. 4,5 The majority of the dermoid cysts on the floor of the mouth occur in the midline, and though rare, they can also occur in the lateral location. 6 Dermoid cysts on the floor of the mouth usually appear as soft nonfluctuant masses, occasionally adhering to the hyoid bone in children. Its presence on the hyoid bone in children may cause an upward displacement of the tongue, resulting in interference with deglutition and speech, and in severe cases it may jeopardize the airway. 7 Treatment is surgical excision to relieve symptoms and prevent infection. An intraoral incision may be used for small cysts, whereas large cysts may require an external approach. An external approach will both avoid intraoral contamination and allow better visualization of surrounding structures. 8 Report of a Case
The Ethics of Stem Cell–Based Aesthetic Surgery: Attitudes and Perceptions of the Plastic Surgery Community

Background: The emerging field of stem cell–based aesthetics has raised ethical concerns related to advertising campaigns and standards for safety and efficacy. Objectives: The authors sought to characterize the attitudes of plastic surgeons regarding the ethics of stem cell–based aesthetics. Methods: A cross-sectional electronic survey was distributed to 4592 members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Statements addressed ethical concerns about informed consent, conflicts of interest, advertising, regulation, and stem cell tourism. An agreement score (AS) from 0 to 100 was calculated for each statement. Majority agreement was designated as ≥60 and majority disagreement as ≤40. Results: A total of 770 questionnaires were received (16.7%). The majority of respondents indicated that knowledge regarding the risks and benefits of stem cell procedures is insufficient to obtain valid informed consent (AS, 29) and that direct-to-consumer advertising for these technologies is inappropriate and unethical (AS, 23). Most respondents reported that patients should be actively warned against traveling abroad to receive aesthetic cell therapies (AS, 86) and that registries and evaluations of these clinics should be made publicly available (AS, 71). Even more respondents noted that financial conflicts of interest should be disclosed to patients (AS, 96) and that professional societies should participate in establishing regulatory standards (AS, 93). Conclusions: The plastic surgeons surveyed in this study support a well-regulated, evidence-based approach to aesthetic procedures involving stem cells.
Kierkegaard's Conception of Psychology

This article explicates Kierkegaard’s conception of psychology on its own terms and divorced as much as possible from contemporary figurations. His pseudonymous works are of primary focus. It is argued that Kierkegaard presents 2 different psychologies: 1 congruent with his understanding of science as practiced at the beginnings of the age of modernity, and the other his experimenting psychology. These psychologies differ with regard to their modes of psychological observation and are found to also instantiate the Kierkegaardian distinction between objectivity and subjectivity. Moreover, they engender contrasting results and aspire to different levels of understanding and passionate engagement with their intended objects of study. Kierkegaard places introspection and self-analysis as the sine qua non of his psychology and uses psychological information gained from the intensive study of (and engaged interaction with) other individuals to elaborate on the results of introspection. He also provides examples of psychological interventions, one of which can lead to a palliative effect and the liberation of vital energies. These various themes synthesized from his pseudonymous writings are found to be in accordance with other aspects of Kierkegaard’s thought.
Defining requirements for improved photovoltaic system Reliability

Reliable systems are an essential ingredient of any technology progressing toward commercial maturity and large-scale deployment. This paper defines reliability as meeting system fictional requirements, and then develops a framework to understand and quantify photovoltaic system reliability based on initial and ongoing costs and system value. The core elements necessary to achieve reliable PV systems are reviewed. These include appropriate system design, satisfactory component reliability, and proper installation and servicing. Reliability status, key issues, and present needs in system reliability are summarized for four application sectors.
Artisans, Athletes, Entrepreneurs, and Other Skilled Exemplars of the Way

We introduce management and spirituality scholars to the “knack” passages from the c. 4th century B.C.E. text, the Zhuangzi . The knack passages are parables about low status figures, such as wheelwrights, furniture makers and cooks, whose actions offer insights into the spirituality of ordinary work and, we argue, of entrepreneurship. Such non-corporate settings are lesser-studied domains for spirituality. Ancient Chinese writings have been noticed by spirituality and management writers but we call for deeper scholarly textual attention. We seek also to model more attention to the renaissance in scholarship on classical China. More ambitiously, we hope to show that these passages are not only germane but worthy of careful consideration. Our efforts reflect the influence of Slingerland's (2003) study of “effortless action” as a central soteriological goal in ancient China.
Application on advanced optical tweezers to the study of mitotic motor proteins

The complex mechanics of mitosis occur by the coordinated action of many diverse motor proteins. Microtubule motor proteins localize to the chromosomes in two distinct areas: (1) the kinetochore, which is the site of principal attachment to microtubules of the mitotic spindle, contains motor and motor-like proteins (dynein, CENP-E, etc.), and (2) the chromosome arms, where chromokinesins such as Xkid have been discovered. This study uses advanced optical tweezers to probe the motor proteins of mitotic chromosomes in vitro. In these assays, an individual microtubule is suspended between two optically-trapped microspheres in a sample chamber. The optical tweezers are used to bring the microtubule into contact with a mitotic chromosome isolated from prometaphase-arrested CHO cells and adhered to the upper surface of the chamber. In the presence of ATP, the chromosomal motor proteins bind to and act upon the microtubule, causing changes in the motion of the trapped microspheres. A back focal plane interferometry detection system tracks the microsphere movement at 7 kHz; this system can detect nm-level displacements and pN-level forces. We present the preliminary results from these assays.
Flagship species approach: are we heading on the right track?

Summary Aim The paper aims to evaluate the usefulness of the Flagship Species Approach (FSA) as a conservation strategy. Location The study was conducted primarily among the conservation practitioners working with the flagship species in Nepal. Material and Methods Using a structured questionnaire, a total of 89 conservationists from three different categories of conservation agencies: government, nongovernmental organizations, and intellectuals (academics and researchers), were asked about their views regarding the FSA in bringing conservation benefits and reducing the biodiversity threats. I used non-parametric tests for analyzing the data. Key findings A majority of respondents shared the view that the FSA is being used effectively in raising funds for conservation and in bringing awareness to people and enhancing conservation of other species. Level of satisfaction pertaining to FSA, however, differed among the governmental / nongovernmental organizations and the intellectual agencies.
Two-dimensional transform domain adaptive filters based on one-dimensional orthogonal transforms

It has been shown that two-dimensional (2-D) orthogonal transforms can be incorporated into 2-D FIR adaptive filters to improve the conditioning of the input auto correlation matrix eigenvalue spread, thereby improving the convergence rates for 2-D adaptive filters operating in colored noise. This paper considers two approaches to incorporating the transform. The first involves mapping the 2-D input data into a long 1-D vector, and then performing the orthogonalization with a 1-D sliding window orthogonal transform (the FFT is considered in this paper). The second approach performs the transform directly with a 2-D transform algorithm. Experiments demonstrate that similar reductions in eigenvalue spread result with both 1-D and 2-D transformations, both of which can greatly speed convergence in 2-D adaptive filters that have inherently slow convergence rates due to the large number of coefficients required in two dimensions. >
Cognition as a dynamic system: Principles from embodiment

Traditional approaches to cognitive development concentrate on the stability of cognition and explain that stability via concepts segregated from perceiving acting. A dynamic systems approach in contrast focuses on the self-organization of behavior in tasks. This article uses recent results concerning the embodiment of cognition to argue for a dynamic systems approach. The embodiment hypothesis is the idea that intelligence emerges in the interaction of an organism with an environment and as a result of sensory-motor activity. The continual coupling of cognition to the world through the body both adapts cognition to the idiosyncrasies of the here and now, makes it relevant, and provides the mechanism for developmental change.
Protease‐Triggered Unveiling of Bioactive Nanoparticles

Nanomaterials modified with biological recognition motifs acquire a myriad of functions that can be exploited for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Nevertheless, while bioactive domains can be used to target nanoparticles to cell receptors, shuttle them across cell membranes, and activate cell signaling, such modifications typically include cationic or hydrophobic regions that lead to rapid reticuloendothelial system (RES) clearance of particles from the blood, ultimately reducing particle accumulation in tumors. [1,2] Further functionalization with hydrophilic polymers like poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) can improve blood half-lives and tumor accumulation, but often at the expense of efficient ligandmediated nanoparticle binding. [3‐5] To address this tradeoff between improved biodistribution and optimal functionality on nanoparticles, we present a general strategy for reversibly veiling bioactive domains on nanoparticles using sterically protective polymers. We demonstrate that these materials effectively accumulate via the hyperpermeable vasculature of tumors and can be activated by cancer-secreted proteases to unveil hidden functional domains.
Is Gametophyte Sexuality in the Laboratory a Good Predictor of Sexuality in Nature

A previous study examined the sexual expression of cultured gametophytes of the Hawaiian endemics Sadleria cyatheoides and S. pallida grown on mineral-enriched agar. In the present work, we conducted field studies on the sexual expression of natural populations of Sadleria spp. gametophytes. Our primary goal was to compare field-collected data to the labora- tory-based data of the earlier study to assess if the laboratory data were an accurate reflection of what is occurring in nature. Our results suggested that for generally inferring mating systems operating in nature, agar-based laboratory studies of gametophytes lead to the same conclusions as would observations of field-collected gametophytes. For detailed studies of gametophyte sex- uality and development, however, an agar-based medium produces significantly different results than what is found among natural populations, although this may be true for any lab-based study regardless of growth medium. Thus, we suggest caution in the use of agar as a growth medium, and the use of laboratory conditions in general, for studies of fern gametophyte sexual development.
Genetic Control Of Malaria Mosquitoes

Experiments demonstrating the feasibility of genetically modifying mosquito vectors to impair their ability to transmit the malaria parasite have been known for well over a decade. However, means to spread resistance or population control genes into wild mosquito populations remains an unsolved challenge. Two recent reports give hope that CRISPR technology may allow such challenge to be overcome.
Silicon epitaxy using tetrasilane at low temperatures in ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition

Abstract The deposition of silicon using tetrasilane as a vapor precursor is described for an ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition tool. The growth rates and morphology of the Si epitaxial layers over a range of temperatures and pressures are presented. The layers were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, spectroscopic ellipsometry, Atomic Force Microscopy, and secondary ion mass spectrometry. Based on this characterization, high quality single crystal silicon epitaxy was observed. Tetrasilane was found to produce higher growth rates relative to lower order silanes, with the ability to deposit crystalline Si at low temperatures ( T =400 °C), with significant amorphous growth and reactivity measured as low as 325 °C, indicating the suitability of tetrasilane for low temperature chemical vapor deposition such as for SiGeSn alloys.
Pediatric Abdominal Masses

The differential diagnosis for pediatric abdominal masses is extensive but can be quickly narrowed down by doing a complete history and physical exam and considering the patient’s age and symptoms. Basic imaging such as plain abdominal X-rays and ultrasound are very helpful. Advanced imaging with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) often establishes the diagnosis.
The Treatment of Poor Risk Nonseminomatous Testicular Tumors

AbstractA total of 14 patients with nonseminomatous testicular tumors presenting with characteristics indicative of a poor prognosis were treated with cytoreductive chemotherapy, surgery and immediate reinduction chemotherapy. Of the 14 patients 12 presently are alive without evidence of disease (median followup 18 months). This new approach has improved significantly the outcome of these patients.
Characterisation of interface astroglial scarring in the human brain after blast exposure: a post-mortem case series.

Summary Background No evidence-based guidelines are available for the definitive diagnosis or directed treatment of most blast-associated traumatic brain injuries, partly because the underlying pathology is unknown. Moreover, few neuropathological studies have addressed whether blast exposure produces unique lesions in the human brain, and if those lesions are comparable with impact-induced traumatic brain injury. We aimed to test the hypothesis that blast exposure produces unique patterns of damage, differing from that associated with impact-induced, non-blast traumatic brain injuries. Methods In this post-mortem case series, we investigated several features of traumatic brain injuries, using clinical histopathology techniques and markers, in brain specimens from male military service members with chronic blast exposures and from those who had died shortly after severe blast exposures. We then compared these results with those from brain specimens from male civilian (ie, non-military) cases with no history of blast exposure, including cases with and without chronic impact traumatic brain injuries and cases with chronic exposure to opiates, and analysed the limited associated clinical histories of all cases. Brain specimens had been archived in tissue banks in the USA. Findings We analysed brain specimens from five cases with chronic blast exposure, three cases with acute blast exposure, five cases with chronic impact traumatic brain injury, five cases with exposure to opiates, and three control cases with no known neurological disorders. All five cases with chronic blast exposure showed prominent astroglial scarring that involved the subpial glial plate, penetrating cortical blood vessels, grey–white matter junctions, and structures lining the ventricles; all cases of acute blast exposure showed early astroglial scarring in the same brain regions. All cases of chronic blast exposure had an antemortem diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder. The civilian cases, with or without history of impact traumatic brain injury or a history of opiate use, did not have any astroglial scarring in the brain regions analysed. Interpretation The blast exposure cases showed a distinct and previously undescribed pattern of interface astroglial scarring at boundaries between brain parenchyma and fluids, and at junctions between grey and white matter. This distinctive pattern of scarring may indicate specific areas of damage from blast exposure consistent with the general principles of blast biophysics, and further, could account for aspects of the neuropsychiatric clinical sequelae reported. The generalisability of these findings needs to be explored in future studies, as the number of cases, clinical data, and tissue availability were limited. Funding Defense Health Program of the United States Department of Defense.
Level set based segmentation with intensity and curvature priors

A method is presented for segmentation of anatomical structures that incorporates prior information about the intensity and curvature profile of the structure from a training set of images and boundaries. Specifically, we model the intensity distribution as a function of signed distance from the object boundary, instead of modeling only the intensity of the object as a whole. A curvature profile acts as a boundary regularization term specific to the shape being extracted, as opposed to simply penalizing high curvature. Using the prior model, the segmentation process estimates a maximum a posteriori higher dimensional surface whose zero level set converges on the boundary of the object to be segmented. Segmentation results are demonstrated on synthetic data and magnetic resonance imagery.
Hölderlin: Two Domestic Poems

(1973). Holderlin: Two Domestic Poems. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 5-20.
Environmental Impact of Organic Agriculture

Abstract Organic agriculture (OA) is practiced on 1% of the global agricultural land area and its importance continues to grow. Specifically, OA is perceived by many as having less negative effects on the environment than conventional agriculture because applications of soluble mineral fertilizers, and synthetic herbicides and pesticides are prohibited. However, scientific evidence for better environmental impact is scanty. Specifically, yields under OA are about 19% lower and the attendant lower soil carbon (C) inputs together with tillage for weed control contributes to lower profile soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks under OA. Less well known are the effects on soil inorganic carbon (SIC) stocks. Otherwise, soils managed by OA may emit less carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O), and methane (CH 4 ). Specifically, by the adoption of OA practices 1.65 Mg CO 2 ha −1 y −1 may be sequestered in the top 20-cm layer. Further, N 2 O emissions from soils managed by OA may be 492 kg CO 2 eq. ha −1 y −1 lower than those from conventionally managed soils. Under OA management, a higher CH 4 uptake of 3.2 kg CO 2 eq. ha −1 y −1 may be observed for arable soils. The soil, air, and water quality may also be enhanced by OA whereas effects on biodiversity are mixed. Thus, there is an urgent need to strengthen the database on environmental impacts of OA by establishing and studying long-term field experiments in all major biomes and principal soils. Consumer demand for organic products will continue to grow driven by food safety concerns and increasing affluence. Due to lower yields, however, natural ecosystems may be increasingly converted to agroecosystems to meet the demand with less well-known consequences for the environment. Nonetheless, scientific interest in OA is less than a century old, and there is significant potential to lessen its environmental impacts while methods derived from OA can contribute to sustainable intensification of agricultural systems.
Beta-Blocker Use in U.S. Nursing Home Residents After Myocardial Infarction: A National Study

Objectives To evaluate how often beta-blockers were started after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in nursing home (NH) residents who previously did not use these drugs and to evaluate which factors were associated with post-AMI use of beta-blockers. Design Retrospective cohort using linked national Minimum Data Set assessments; Online Survey, Certification and Reporting records; and Medicare claims. Setting U.S. NHs. Participants National cohort of 15,720 residents aged 65 and older who were hospitalized for AMI between May 2007 and March 2010, had not taken beta-blockers for at least 4 months before their AMI, and survived 14 days or longer after NH readmission. Measurements The outcome was beta-blocker initiation within 30 days of NH readmission. Results Fifty-seven percent (n = 8,953) of residents initiated a beta-blocker after AMI. After covariate adjustment, use of beta-blockers was less in older residents (ranging from odds ratio (OR) = 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.79–1.00 for aged 75–84 to OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.54–0.79 for ≥95 vs 65–74) and less in residents with higher levels of functional impairment (dependent or totally dependent vs independent to limited assistance: OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.75–0.94) and medication use (≥15 vs ≤10 medications: OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.80–0.99). A wide variety of resident and NH characteristics were not associated with beta-blocker use, including sex, cognitive function, comorbidity burden, and NH ownership. Conclusion Almost half of older NH residents in the United States do not initiate a beta-blocker after AMI. The absence of observed factors that strongly predict beta-blocker use may indicate a lack of consensus on how to manage older NH residents, suggesting the need to develop and disseminate thoughtful practice standards.
The Transcription Factor ELF4 Promotes Survival of Myeloid Leukemic Stem Cells.

Abstract 1209 Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disease that originate in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) as a result of the t(9;22) translocation, giving rise to the Ph (Philadelphia chromosome) and BCR-ABL oncoprotein. Although treatment of CML patients with tyrosine kinase inhibitor can efficiently eliminate most leukemic cells, chemoresistant leukemic stem cells (LSCs) can survive and drive recurrence of CML in these patients. A number of genes have been described to promote or inhibit proliferation of LSCs. Some of them have similar roles in normal HSCs. The transcription factor ELF4 promotes cell cycle entry of quiescent HSCs during homeostasis (Lacorazza et al., 2006). Thus, to investigate the function of ELF4 in CML initiation and maintenance, we developed a BCR-ABL-induced CML-like disease using retroviral transfer of BCR-ABL in Elf4-null bone marrow (BM) cells. We first investigated whether ELF4 is required for the induction of CML. Recipient mice of BCR-ABL-transduced WT BM cells developed CML and died with a latency 16–23 days, whereas recipient mice of BCR-ABL-transduced Elf4 -/- BM cells showed longer latency of 45–47 days (n=20; p + leukemic cells expanded the first two weeks after BM transplantation followed by a decline at expense of a secondary expansion of B220 + cells. In contrast, Gr-1 + leukemic cells continuously expanded in mice receiving BCR-ABL-transduced WT BM cells. These results suggest that loss of ELF4 causes a profound abrogation in BCR-ABL-induced CML, while allowing progression of B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia. Since loss of Elf4 led to impaired maintenance of myeloid leukemic cells, we postulated that ELF4 may affect survival of LSCs. Thus, we analyzed the frequency of Lin - c-Kit + Sca-1 + (LSK) cells that are BCR-ABL positive in BM and spleen. We found that BCR-ABL + LSK cells were significantly reduced in recipients of BCR-ABL-transduced Elf4 -/- BM cells. These studies indicate that ELF4 is essential to maintain the LSC pool in CML acting as a molecular switch between myeloid and lymphoid blast crisis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Imagined Cyber Communities, Iranians and the Internet

The post information age will remove the limitations of geography.—Nicholas Negroponte, Being DigitalThe internet has been a continually changing forum for communicating that has been taken up by diaspora communities to maintain connections with their countrymates all over the world. In that capacity, the technology has been an easy and innovative avenue for cultural expression. Iranians, for instance, have established on-line magazines, newsgroups, media and business directories, human rights organizations, student groups, academic organizations and book publishers for a transnational community. Who goes to these sites and why?
Universal Stabilization of a Parametrically Coupled Qubit.

We autonomously stabilize arbitrary states of a qubit through parametric modulation of the coupling between a fixed frequency qubit and resonator. The coupling modulation is achieved with a tunable coupling design, in which the qubit and the resonator are connected in parallel to a superconducting quantum interference device. This allows for quasistatic tuning of the qubit-cavity coupling strength from 12 MHz to more than 300 MHz. Additionally, the coupling can be dynamically modulated, allowing for single-photon exchange in 6 ns. Qubit coherence times exceeding $20\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s}$ are maintained over the majority of the range of tuning, limited primarily by the Purcell effect. The parametric stabilization technique realized using the tunable coupler involves engineering the qubit bath through a combination of photon nonconserving sideband interactions realized by flux modulation, and direct qubit Rabi driving. We demonstrate that the qubit can be stabilized to arbitrary states on the Bloch sphere with a worst-case fidelity exceeding 80%.
Assessment of sulphate and iron reduction rates during reactor start-up for passive anaerobic co-treatment of acid mine drainage and sewage

Passive co-treatment of municipal wastewater (MWW) and acid mine drainage (AMD) has shown promise over the past decade for simultaneous remediation of these widespread waste streams. To investigate the efficiency and rates of iron and sulphate reduction during the start-up of anaerobic co-treatment using a novel, process-based kinetic modeling approach, twenty-four replicate 1L-cubitainers containing a 5:2 MWW:AMD mixture and Kaldnes plastic media were sealed, incubated and sacrificially sampled for key water quality parameters over 30 days. Alkalinity generation, pH increase and efficient removal of iron, aluminum and phosphate were observed. The observed sulphate and iron reduction rates were relatively slow, and the removal of sulphate, organic carbon and nitrogen was modest and incomplete. Overall, the results confirm the efficacy of AMD-MWW co-treatment for removal of key pollutants, but also highlight factors that may limit this emerging technology. Supplementary material: The fitted model parameters used to describe the behaviour of Fe, H 2 S and SO 4 2− are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3841279
Abstract 2388: Low grade gliomas exhibit distinct patterns of epigenetic aging associated with prognostic molecular subtype

Background: Low grade gliomas make up a significant proportion of malignant brain tumors and possess a high degree of heterogeneity, highlighting a need for clinically useful markers for prognosis and further biologic investigation. We used an existing model of biological age based upon DNA methylation to characterize epigenetic age in low grade gliomas (LGG) according to existing molecular classifications and assessed the prognostic utility of epigenetic age. Methods: We analyzed the full TCGA LGG cohort consisting of 516 patients; 216 grade 2 and 241 grade 3 tumors. Age at diagnosis ranged from 14-87 years with median age 43. We calculated “DNA methylation age” (DNAm age) based upon 353 CpG probes according to the epigenetic clock developed by Steve Horvath, and calculated age acceleration according to the DNAm age of tumor tissue relative to reported chronological age of patient at diagnosis. DNAm age was assessed for prognostic value using Cox proportional hazards regression. Age acceleration differences were assessed across LGG molecular classification methods using the Wilcoxon Ranked Sum test. Results: DNAm age remained highly correlated with chronological age in LGG tumor tissue (cor=0.58, p Conclusions: Although the regulation of DNAm age in cancers remains poorly understood, significant association of DNAm age acceleration with prognostically useful molecular subtypes in LGGs underscores biological differences that cannot be discerned in LGGs based upon histological classification. This association suggests that LGGs may provide an avenue for investigating DNAm age, molecular subtype, and their relation to tumor behavior and clinical prognosis. Citation Format: Peter Liao, Jill Barnholtz-Sloan. Low grade gliomas exhibit distinct patterns of epigenetic aging associated with prognostic molecular subtype [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2388. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2388
Cycle life estimation of lithium-ion polymer batteries using artificial neural network and support vector machine with time-resolved thermography

Abstract A battery cycle life forecast method without requirements of contact measurement devices and long testing time would be beneficial for industrial applications. The combination of infrared thermography and supervised learning techniques provided the potential solution to this problem. This research investigates the application of machine learning techniques—artificial neural networks (ANNs) and support vector machines (SVMs)—in combination with thermography for cycle life estimation of lithium-ion polymer batteries. Infrared images were captured at 1 frame/min during 70 min of charging followed by 60 min of discharging for 410 cycles. The surface temperature profiles during either charging or discharging were used as the input nodes for ANN and SVM models. The results demonstrated that with thermal profiles as the input, ANN could estimate the current cycle life of studied cell with the error of
Laying an Intellectual Foundation for Cyberdeterrence: Some Initial Steps

This paper considers the basic question of how to effectively prevent, discourage, and inhibit hostile activity against important U.S. information systems and networks. It contains four main sections (Sections 2.1–2.3 of this paper are essentially a reproduction of The NRC letter report for the committee on deterring cyberattacks: informing strategies and developing options for U.S. policy, available at http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12886&page=2, 2010. Section 2.4 is based on material contained in National Research Council, in Proceedings of a workshop on deterring cyberattacks: informing strategies and developing options for U.S. policy, 2010). Section 2.1 describes a broad context for cybersecurity, establishing its importance and characterizing the threat. Section 2.2 sketches a range of possible approaches for how the nation might respond to cybersecurity threats, emphasizing how little is known about how such approaches might be effective in an operational role. Section 2.3 describes a research agenda intended to develop more knowledge and insight into these various approaches. Section 2.4 provides a summary of 15 papers by individual authors that address various aspects of the research agenda.
14nm Broadwell Xeon® processor family: Design methodologies and optimizations

This paper provides details on the new Broadwell server product family designed on 14nm Intel process. This was the first Xeon® server product on this process node. Low power, density optimized product, Broadwell-DE, has upto 8 dual-threaded 64b Broadwell cores [1], 12MB L3 cache, 2 10GT/s Ethernet KR lanes, 2 DDR4–2400MHz memory channels and 24 8GT/s PCIe lanes. Broadwell-SP, a high performance server CPU, has upto 24 dualthreaded cores, 60MB L3 cache, 4 DDR4 channels and 48 PCIe lanes. While introducing servers with varying segment types on a lead process node provides business advantages, it entails designs ability to operate across larger window of operation especially on evolving process collaterals. This paper shows a case study of server chips on 14nm process node [2], and methodologies that were used to debug and productize. The paper will show silicon results which support the strength of the methodology.
Influences of stoichiometry on steadily propagating triple flames in counterflows

Abstract Most studies of triple flames in counterflowing streams of fuel and oxidizer have been focused on the symmetric problem in which the stoichiometric mixture fraction is 1/2. There then exist lean and rich premixed flames of roughly equal strengths, with a diffusion flame trailing behind from the stoichiometric point at which they meet. In the majority of realistic situations, however, the stoichiometric mixture fraction departs appreciably from unity, typically being quite small. With the objective of clarifying the influences of stoichiometry, attention is focused on one of the simplest possible models, addressed here mainly by numerical integration. When the stoichiometric mixture fraction departs appreciably from 1/2, one of the premixed wings is found to be dominant to such an extent that the diffusion flame and the other premixed flame are very weak by comparison. These curved, partially premixed flames are expected to be relevant in realistic configurations. In addition, a simple kinematic balance is shown to predict the shape of the front and the propagation velocity reasonably well in the limit of low stretch and low curvature.