cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Progress in Automated Computer Recognition of Sign Language

This paper reviews the extensive state of the art in automated recognition of continuous signs, from different languages, based on the data sets used, features computed, technique used, and recognition rates achieved. We find that, in the past, most work has been done in finger-spelled words and isolated sign recognition, however recently, there has been significant progress in the recognition of signs embedded in short continuous sentences. We also find that researchers are starting to address the important problem of extracting and integrating non-manual information that is present in face and head movement. We present results from our own experiments integrating non-manual features.
A waveguide beam splitter based on optical tunneling

In this paper, we report an experimental demonstration of a waveguide beam splitter based on optical tunneling. The compact waveguide beam splitter is used as a building block for optical integrated circuits.
Gaussian Interference Networks: Sum Capacity in the Low-Interference Regime and New Outer Bounds on the Capacity Region

Establishing the capacity region of a Gaussian interference network is an open problem in information theory. Recent progress on this problem has led to the characterization of the capacity region of a general two-user Gaussian interference channel within one bit. In this paper, we develop new, improved outer bounds on the capacity region. Using these bounds, we show that treating interference as noise achieves the sum capacity of the two-user Gaussian interference channel in a low-interference regime, where the interference parameters are below certain thresholds. We then generalize our techniques and results to Gaussian interference networks with more than two users. In particular, we demonstrate that the total interference threshold, below which treating interference as noise achieves the sum capacity, increases with the number of users.
Overview of radiation tolerant unlimited write cycle non-volatile memory

We describe X2000, a new concept in JPL's avionics development. Further, a need for non-volatile radiation hardened memory is brought forth. A 1 Megabit/in/sup 2/ memory density specification: 10 year lifetime, 1-MegaRad total ionizing radiation dose survivability, and >10/sup 13/ write cycles is drawn for such NASA's missions as Europa Orbiter as the first delivery for X2000. We present an overview related with the Government development effort for three such new memory technologies.
The absence of DSM-IV nicotine dependence in moderate-to-heavy daily smokers.

Background Current theoretical models of nicotine dependence assume a close relationship between use and dependence; however, previous data suggest that many daily smokers fail to develop nicotine dependence.
LOCALIZATION OF THE TERMINALS OF THE TONGUE AFFERENTS IN THE NUCLEUS OF THE SOLITARY TRACT.

The nerves innervating the tongue were stimulated electrically and multineuron responses were recorded in the nucleus of the solitary tract. Stimulation of the chorda tympani and the IXth nerves evoked responses in the lateral and medial ipsilateral solitary nucleus in a rostral-caudal order. Responses to lingual nerve stimulation were found only in the lateral, larger-celled portion of the ipsilateral solitary nucleus overlapping the chorda tympani and the IXth nerve areas. Stimulation of the above three nerves also evoked somewhat longer latency responses in the ambiguus nucleus. Responses to lingual nerve stimulation were found in the XIIth nerve motor nucleus and the solitary nucleus at the level of the obex using high voltage levels of stimulation. The results were discussed in terms of the anatomical discreteness of the relays of the gustatory and the other tongue modalities in the solitary nucleus. These results were obtained in the white rats.
Reach‐Scale Comparison of Habitat and Mollusk Assemblages for Select Sites in the Clinch River with Regional Context

Several hypotheses, including habitat degradation and variation in fluvial geomorphology, have been posed to explain extreme spatial and temporal variation in Clinch River mollusk assemblages. We examined associations between mollusk assemblage metrics (richness, abundance, recruitment) and physical habitat (geomorphology, streambed composition, fish habitat, and riparian condition) at 10 sites selected to represent the range of current assemblage condition in the Clinch River. We compared similar geomorphological units among reaches, employing semi-quantitative and quantitative protocols to characterize mollusk assemblages and a mix of visual assessments and empirical measurements to characterize physical habitat. We found little to no evidence that current assemblage condition was associated with 54 analyzed habitat metrics. When compared to other sites in the Upper Tennessee River Basin (UTRB) that once supported or currently support mollusk assemblages, Clinch River sites were more similar to each other, representing a narrower range of conditions than observed across the larger geographic extent of the UTRB. A post-hoc analysis suggested stream size and average boundary shear stress at bankfull stage may have historically limited species richness in the UTRB (p < 0.001). Associations between mollusk assemblages and physical habitat in the UTRB and Clinch River currently appear obscured by other factors limiting richness, abundance, and recruitment.
Association of Pharmacist Presence on Compliance with Advanced Cardiac Life Support Guidelines During In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

BACKGROUND:The pharmacist has many potential roles as part of the resuscitation team during cardiopulmonary arrest. Limited published research has evaluated the practice of advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) during in-hospital arrest. Recent reviews indicate that an audit of in-hospital resuscitation practices should be performed to guide future resuscitation training programs for hospital personnel.OBJECTIVE:To assess compliance with ACLS guidelines during in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest in a community teaching hospital and evaluate the association of compliance with the presence of a pharmacist on the resuscitation team.METHODS:A retrospective analysis of the records of 74 consecutive in-hospital arrests occurring between January 1, 2003, and June 30, 2004, was conducted to evaluate compliance with American Heart Association ACLS guidelines.RESULTS:A total of 74 arrests were evaluated. Noncompliance was noted in 58.1% of all documented arrests; of the 650 treatment interventions identified, 10.6% w...
Design and validation of the RiceWrist-S exoskeleton for robotic rehabilitation after incomplete spinal cord injury

SUMMARY Robotic devices are well-suited to provide high intensity upper limb therapy in order to induce plasticity and facilitate recovery from brain and spinal cord injury. In order to realise gains in functional independence, devices that target the distal joints of the arm are necessary. Further, the robotic device must exhibit key dynamic properties that enable both high dynamic transparency for assessment, and implementation of novel interaction control modes that significantly engage the participant. In this paper, we present the kinematic design, dynamical characterization, and clinical validation of the RiceWrist-S, a serial robotic mechanism that facilitates rehabilitation of the forearm in pronation-supination, and of the wrist in flexion-extension and radial-ulnar deviation. The RiceWrist-Grip, a grip force sensing handle, is shown to provide grip force measurements that correlate well with those acquired from a hand dynamometer. Clinical validation via a single case study of incomplete spinal cord injury rehabilitation for an individual with injury at the C3-5 level showed moderate gains in clinical outcome measures. Robotic measures of movement smoothness also captured gains, supporting our hypothesis that intensive upper limb rehabilitation with the RiceWrist-S would show beneficial outcomes.
Glutathione peroxidase activity modulates recovery in the injured immature brain.

Objective Mice subjected to traumatic brain injury at postnatal day 21 show emerging cognitive deficits that coincide with hippocampal neuronal loss. Here we consider glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity as a determinant of recovery in the injured immature brain. Methods Wild-type and transgenic (GPxTg) mice overexpressing GPx were subjected to traumatic brain injury or sham surgery at postnatal day 21. Animals were killed acutely (3 or 24 hours after injury) to assess oxidative stress and cell injury in the hippocampus or 4 months after injury after behavioral assessments. Results In the acutely injured brains, a reduction in oxidative stress markers including nitrotyrosine was seen in the injured GPxTg group relative to wild-type control mice. In contrast, cell injury, with marked vulnerability in the dentate gyrus, was apparent despite no differences between genotypes. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an emerging cortical lesion during brain maturation that was also indistinguishable between injured genotypes. Stereological analyses of cortical volumes likewise confirmed no genotypic differences between injured groups. However, behavioral tests beginning 3 months after injury demonstrated improved spatial memory learning in the GPxTg group. Moreover, stereological analysis within hippocampal subregions demonstrated a significantly greater number of neurons within the dentate of the GPx group. Interpretation Our results implicate GPx in recovery of spatial memory after traumatic brain injury. This recovery may be attributed, in part, to a reduction in early oxidative stress and selective, long-term sparing of neurons in the dentate. Ann Neurol 2009;65:540–549
Memory-Constrained Tree Search Detection and New Ordering Schemes

Hardware implementations of tree search-based multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) detection often have limited performance due to large memory requirement or high computational complexity of sophisticated MIMO detection algorithms. In this paper, we propose new tree search-based detection algorithms that achieve maximum-likelihood (ML) performance under any given memory constraints and with reduced computational complexity. To this end, we make two main contributions. First, we propose a memory-constrained tree search (MCTS) algorithm that bridges the gap between the sphere decoding (SD) and stack algorithms. Our MCTS algorithm dynamically adapts to any pre-specified memory constraint and offers a graceful tradeoff between computational complexity and memory requirement while maintaining the ML performance. When the memory size is set as the minimum, our MCTS algorithm is similar to the SD algorithm. As the memory size increases, the average computational complexity of our MCTS algorithm decreases. When the memory size becomes large, our MCTS algorithm is similar to the stack algorithm, having similar average computational complexity but requiring significantly less memory. To further reduce the computational complexity of tree search-based ML detection algorithms, we propose novel ordering schemes that can be easily embedded in the QR decomposition and take into account both the channel matrix and the received signal (noise); simulation results show that our ordering schemes lead to reduced average computational complexity for the SD and MCTS algorithms, and the reduction is significant at low to medium signal-to-noise ratio region.
Apparent Paradox of Low-Fat “Healthy” Diets Increasing Plasma Levels of Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein and Lipoprotein(a)

There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that low-fat diets, particularly those rich in fruits and vegetables, are “healthy.” In this issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology , Silaste et al1 report what appears to be a paradox. Feeding a diet low in total fat and saturated fat to 37 healthy women volunteers, even when supplemented with vegetables, berries, and fruit, caused an increase in the plasma levels of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (OxLDL) and lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]. The measurement of OxLDL (normalized to apolipoprotein B [apoB]) was made with an antibody (EO6) that specifically recognizes oxidized phospholipids. As previously reported by Tsimikas et al,2 the epitope recognized by EO6 was mainly associated with Lp(a) as indicated by the virtually perfect concordance between Lp(a) levels and EO6. Both of the test diets (low-fat, low-vegetable and low-fat, high-vegetable), produced small but significant decreases in HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Only the low-fat, high-vegetable diet caused a small but significant decrease in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. Both diets caused a significant increase in plasma α-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, and vitamin C levels, and both caused a small but significant decrease in plasma lycopene levels. The low-fat, low-vegetable diet caused a small but significant decrease in …
Molecular interactions between photosystem I and ferredoxin: an integrated energy frustration and experimental model

The stromal domain (PsaC, PsaD, and PsaE) of photosystem I (PSI) reduces transiently bound ferredoxin (Fd) or flavodoxin. Experimental structures exist for all of these protein partners individually, but no experimental structure of the PSI/Fd or PSI/flavodoxin complexes is presently available. Molecular models of Fd docked onto the stromal domain of the cyanobacterial PSI site are constructed here utilizing X-ray and NMR structures of PSI and Fd, respectively. Predictions of potential protein-protein interaction regions are based on experimental site-directed mutagenesis and cross-linking studies to guide rigid body docking calculations of Fd into PSI, complemented by energy landscape theory to bring together regions of high energetic frustration on each of the interacting proteins. The results identify two regions of high localized frustration on the surface of Fd that contain negatively charged Asp and Glu residues. This study predicts that these regions interact predominantly with regions of high localized frustration on the PsaC, PsaD, and PsaE chains of PSI, which include several residues predicted by previous experimental studies. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Additional supporting information may be found in the online version of this article at the publisher’s web site.
Outcomes in patients with heart failure with preserved, borderline, and reduced ejection fraction in the Medicare population.

Background Studies on outcomes among patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HF p EF), borderline left ventricular ejection fraction (HF b EF), and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HF r EF) remain limited. We sought to characterize mortality and readmission in patients with HF in the contemporary era. Methods Get With The Guidelines–HF was linked to Medicare data for longitudinal follow-up. Patients were grouped into HF p EF (left ventricular ejection fraction [EF] ≥50%), HF b EF (40% ≤ EF r EF (EF Results A total of 40,239 patients from 220 hospitals between 2005 and 2011 were included in the study: 18,897 (47%) had HF p EF, 5,626 (14%) had HF b EF, and 15,716 (39%) had HF r EF. In crude survival analysis, patients with HF r EF had slightly increased mortality compared with HF b EF and HF p EF. After risk adjustment, mortality at 1 year was not significantly different for HF r EF, HF b EF, and HF p EF (HF r EF vs HF p EF, hazard ratio [HR] 1.040 [95% CI 0.998-1.084], and HF b EF vs HF p EF, HR 0.967 [95% CI 0.917-1.020]). Patients with HF p EF had increased risk of all-cause readmission compared with HF r EF. Conversely, risk of cardiovascular and HF readmissions were higher in HF r EF and HF b EF compared with HF p EF. Conclusions Among patients hospitalized with HF, patients with HF p EF and HF b EF had slightly lower mortality and higher all-cause readmission risk than patients with HF r EF, although the mortality differences did not persist after risk adjustment. Irrespective of EF, these patients experience substantial mortality and readmission highlighting the need for new therapeutic strategies.
Storing matrices on disk: theory and practice revisited

We consider the problem of storing arrays on disk to support scalable data analysis involving linear algebra. We propose Linearized Array B-tree, or LAB-tree, which supports flexible array layouts and automatically adapts to varying sparsity across parts of an array and over time. We reexamine the B-tree splitting strategy for handling insertions and the flushing policy for batching updates, and show that common practices may in fact be suboptimal. Through theoretical and empirical studies, we propose alternatives with good theoretical guarantees and/or practical performance.
Bank Capital and the Composition of Credit

We propose a tractable framework to examine the system-wide effects of bank capital requirements. In our model, banks can serve a socially beneficial role by financing firms that are credit rationed by public markets, but banks' access to deposit insurance (and implicit debt guarantees) creates socially undesirable risk-shifting incentives. Equity ratio requirements reduce banks' risk-taking incentives, but may also constrain banks' balance sheets. When existing bank capital is sufficiently high, increases in equity-ratio requirements unambiguously improve welfare and the stability of the banking system. However, when bank capital is scarce, increased equity-ratio requirements induce credit rationing of both bank-dependent firms with positive NPV projects and risky firms with negative NPV. In this case, the net effects on welfare and the risk-taking of banks are ambiguous, as they depend on which type of credit rationing dominates. Our model provides conceptual guidance on the cyclicality of optimum capital requirements as well as their dependence on the development of public markets and the cross-sectional distribution of firms.
Cystic fibrosis: bench to bedside 2003.

Department of Pediatrics, and Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA Correspondence: Dr Bruce K Rubin, Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1081, USA. Telephone 336-716-0512, fax 336-716-9229, e-mail brubin@wfubmc.edu In the 17 years since the cystic fibrosis transmembrane ion regulator (CFTR) gene and protein were first identified at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario (1), much has been learned about the primary defect in cystic fibrosis (CF) and how this relates to some of the clinical manifestations of this disease. The CFTR protein regulates airway chloride transport, and is also a regulator of sodium and water transport across the epithelium (2). In addition, it appears to play a role in the regulation of protein assembly and degradation within the cell (3). The complex regulatory network attributed to CFTR has made it difficult to link abnormalities of the gene and protein to the chronic airway infection and inflammation that are hallmarks of this disease. Thus, although the ‘cure’ for CF remains tantalizingly out of reach, new knowledge of disease pathogenesis and CFTR function has led to the development of novel therapies that have promise in controlling the relentless progress of lung disease (4). We have also learned that mild CFTR mutations can lead to a number of disorders now referred to as nonclassical CF (5). Some of these patients have chronic sinusitis and a later onset of chronic airway infection (6). Because of preserved exocrine pancreatic function, some patients develop pancreatitis in early adulthood (7). Sweat chloride values, usually in the range of 60 to 90 mmol/L, often are normal (8). Men with specific, mild CFTR defects can have no lung disease or pancreatic malabsorption, but only infertility with agenesis of the vas deferens and obstructive azoospermia (9). Because preservation of even a small amount of CFTR function appears to ameliorate lung disease, strategies have been proposed to augment abnormal CFTR function and enhance ion transport (10). This manuscript reviews some of the recently developed therapies for managing infection and inflammation in the CF airway, as well as progress toward correcting the abnormal chloride transport associated with CFTR protein malfunction, gene activation and gene replacement therapy, and finally the role of lung transplantation in end-stage CF lung disease.
Three Ways of Speaking: Deleuze's Way, or Death and Flight

In this essay, I examine the ‘Postulates of Linguistics’ chapter of A Thousand Plateaus. In regard to this chapter, I aim to demonstrate something that has remained unrecognised about minor language in Deleuze and Guattari. I aim to show not only the characteristics of Deleuzian speaking in tongues (glossolalia) that overlap with Foucaultian speaking-freely (parrēsia) and with Derridean speaking-distantly (teleiopoesis), but also and more importantly, I hope to show how it is possible for us to make a language speak in tongues. Derrida's way of speaking is made only by forming an enunciation that states a self-contradiction, which thereby makes the enunciation imply more than it says. Foucault's way of speaking is made only by forming an enunciation that states the truth directly and loudly, which thereby makes the enunciation do more than it says. And finally, Deleuze (and Guattari's) way of speaking is made only by forming an enunciation that states a command abstracted from its context, which thereby m...
Effects of permethrin on aquatic organisms in a freshwater stream in south-central Alaska

Permethrin (0.5%) was applied to individual Lutz spruce, Picea x lutzii Little, to protect them from attack by spruce beetles, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby). Residue levels were monitored in a freshwater stream above, adjacent to, and below the treatment site at intervals before, during, and after treatment. Maximum residue levels in the stream within the treatment site ranged from 0.05 +/- 0.01 ppb 5 h after treatment to 0.14 +/- 0.03 ppb 8-11 h after treatment, with a decrease to 0.02 +/- 0.01 ppb 14 h after treatment. Levels of permethrin in standing pools near the stream within the treatment site were 0.01 +/- 0.01 ppb. Numbers of drifting aquatic invertebrates increased 2-fold during treatment and 4-fold 3 h after treatment and declined to before spray numbers within 9 h. Terrestrial insects did not appear to respond to treatments because none was found in stream drift samples. Trout fry (Dolly Varden), aquatic insect larvae, and periphyton (attached algae) within and below the treatment site during and after treatment did not show signs of mortality compared with an upstream untreated control site.
Awareness, Integration and Interconnectedness Contemplative Practices of Higher Education Professionals

Contemplative practices support transformative learning processes but can be difficult to identify in a higher education environment. Advocates of contemplative approaches to education see this void as a concern. When topics like these are ignored, especially when desired by students, staff, and faculty, the holistic, transformative, and deep learning needs of students are unfulfilled. Attention needs to be brought to the connections between contemplative practices and the pursuit of transformative education. In this qualitative study, 17 higher education professionals were asked how they integrate contemplative practices into their work and personal lives. In analyzing the data, three themes emerged, namely, awareness, integration, and interconnectedness. These themes, with accompanying stories, highlight the value and benefits of incorporating contemplative practices into a higher education setting. Using an inductive approach, suggestions for implementing practices were identified and are offered here.
Effect of purine antimetabolites on serum globulins in the rabbit.

SummaryAdministration of 6-mercaptopurine and 6-thioguanine decreased serum gamma globulin concentrations in rabbits and produced an increase in concentration of a β2 protein as measured by agar and paper electrophoresis. Immunoelectrophoretic studies confirmed the increase in the β2 globulin and allowed detection of a “γx” precipitin line which was masked by the gamma globulin precipitin line prior to treatment.
Worlds Within: Hayes Gordon, Zika Nester, Henri Szeps and the Transformations of Australian Theatre

This essay examines the lives and work of three important Australian actors, Hayes Gordon, Zika Nester and Henri Szeps. It explores their contribution to theatre in Australia in the context of Vilahsini Cooppan’s ‘politics of relationality’, in which the national and the global are ‘dual ideas held in balance’. The extraordinary work of Gordon, Nester and Szeps shows a direct connection between individual imagination and lived experience, and that of the nation in the post-imperial period. Each of the three actors have brought a unique understanding of Stanislavsky to the Australian theatre and have contributed to making the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney the most successful independent theatre in Australia over more than half a century.
Research on Hydraulic Loading System for the UHV Tower Test Base

The paper investigates test performance index and load control mode selection of hydraulic loading system for the UHV tower test Base. Design principles of hydraulic loading system are introduced,design and type selection of system primary equipments are investigated,and its characteristics are concluded.Results of full-scale tower tests show that capability of system can satisfy testing requirements of the UHV tower test excellently.
Geomechanics and Elastic Anisotropy of Shale Formations

Deep shales are the most abundant yet least characterized sedimentary rocks in petroleum industry while they have become significant sources of hydrocarbon unconventional resources. This chapter aims to fulfill an investigation of anisotropy in this rock type in several different facets through integration of field and lab data. I seek to generate key information to better understand elastic anisotropy as well as in situ stresses to better perform drilling, well completion, perforating, and hydraulic fracturing for the purpose of geomechanical modeling.
Impact of initial catalyst form on the 3D structure and performance of ball-milled Ni-catalyzed MgH2 for hydrogen storage

Abstract Although it has been shown that the hydrogen storage kinetics of metal hydrides can be significantly improved by the addition of transition metal-based catalysts, relatively little attention has been paid to the impact that the form in which these catalysts are introduced during synthesis has on the resulting structure and how this alters performance. Two mixtures of MgH2 doped with Ni were prepared via high-energy ball-milling under identical conditions, one using a pure Ni nanopowder catalyst and the other using anhydrous NiCl2. The resulting Ni catalyst particles of the NiCl2-doped material were 10–100 times smaller, as well as more uniform in size and shape. Electron tomography revealed that the additive form also altered its incorporation and 3D spatial distribution, with Ni particles limited to the outer surface in the NiCl2-doped case. The significantly lower desorption performance measured in the NiCl2-doped material is attributed to regions of MgCl2 acting as barriers between the MgH2 and Ni, hindering the ability of the latter to effectively catalyze the reactions. This work demonstrates the hazards in assuming different catalyst forms produce similar final structures and highlights the potential of catalyst form as a synthesis tool for optimizing the material structure and performance.
Race, gender, and media coverage of Michelle Obama

In this autobiographical essay, I discuss why I became a Michelle Obama scholar and what I've learned while investigating Mrs. Obama as a case study of the growing literature on Black female bodies.
Executive function: Responses to aerobic exercise in Alzheimer's disease

Executive dysfunction occurs early and is prevalent in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study tested the ability of different measures for identifying changes in executive function and the effect of 6-months of aerobic exercise on executive function in older adults with mild to moderate AD, using a single-group, repeated-measures design (n = 28, age 78.1 ± 8.37). Factor analysis and linear mixed-effects model analyses showed that individually the Exit Interview-25 (EXIT-25), Behavioral Dyscontrol Scale (BDS), and Golden Stroop test were the preferred instruments for measuring changes in executive function in the sample. The COWAT and TMT had substantial floor effects limiting their ability to identify changes in executive function. A single latent factor was sufficient to describe the heterogeneity of executive function. Over 6 months, aerobic exercise maintained executive function (effect size = -0.11, -0.24, -0.27, and -0.21 for the EXIT-25, BDS, Stroop, and latent factor, respectively). Decline in the latent factor (effect size = -0.21, p = 0.06) was minimal and comparable to that in global cognition (effect size = -0.20, p = 0.34). Aerobic exercise may be effective on maintaining executive function in AD.
Factores de riesgo cardiovascular desde la perspectiva de sexo y género

Resumen Los diferentes procesos biologicos entre hombres y mujeres se denominan diferencias de sexo y con frecuencia estos reproducibles en modelos animales. En cuanto a enfermedades cardiovasculares, diferencias hormonales que por ende tienen impacto en la expresion y funcion genica en los cromosomas sexuales, dan como resultado ciertas variaciones respecto a la prevalencia y presentacion de condiciones cardiovasculares, incluyendo aquellas asociadas con regulacion autonomica, hipertension, diabetes, remodelacion vascular y cardiaca. En contraste, las diferencias de genero son unicas para el ser humano y surgen de practicas socioculturales (medio ambiente, estilo de vida, nutricion). Con el fin de incrementar la calidad en el cuidado clinico desde la perspectiva de las enfermedades cardiovasculares en las mujeres, este capitulo examinara aquellos factores de riesgo cardiovasculares, tanto tradicionales como aquellos unicos y emergentes en la mujer.
Advancing care for family caregivers of persons with dementia through caregiver and community partnerships

There are currently 15 million Americans who provide over 80% of the care required by their family members with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Yet care for caregivers continues to be fragmented and few evidence-based interventions have been translated into routine clinical care and therefore remain inaccessible to most family caregivers. To address this gap, the Caring for the Caregiver program is being developed at UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing to improve support services and health outcomes for family caregivers. Our purpose is to describe the engagement process undertaken to assess caregiver and community needs and how findings are informing program development. We are using a model of public engagement that consists of communication of information, collection of information from stakeholders, and collaboration where stakeholders are partners in an exchange of information to guide program activities. An assessment of the community was undertaken to identify resources/services for family caregivers. Subsequently, stakeholders were invited to a community-academic forum to discuss strategies to build on existing strengths for family caregiving and to identify gaps in care. Detailed notes were taken and all discussions were recorded and transcribed for analysis. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. We conducted site visits with 15 community agencies, interviewed 13 family caregivers, and attended community events including support groups and health and senior fairs. Fifty-three diverse stakeholders attended the community-academic forum. Participants identified existing assets within our community to support family caregivers. Consistent among groups was the need to increase awareness in our community about family caregivers. Themes identified from the discussion were: making the invisible visible, you don’t know what you don’t know, learning too late, and anticipating and preparing for the future. Incorporating caregiver and community stakeholders was critical to ensure that the priorities of our community are addressed in a culturally responsive accessible program for family caregivers. The forum served as important mechanism to partner with the community and will be an annual event where we can continue to work with our stakeholders around needs for practice, education, and research.
An Optical Flow Approach to Assessment of Ventricular Shape Change Based on Echocardiography

The quantitative analysis of cardiac motion from echocardiographic images helps clinicians in the diagnosis and therapy of patients suffering from heart disease. Quantitative analysis is usually based on TDI (Tissue Doppler Imaging) or speckle tracking. These methods are based on two techniques which to a large degree are independent—the Doppler phenomenon and image sequence processing, respectively. Herein, to increase the accuracy of the speckle tracking technique and to cope with the angle dependency of TDI, a combined approach dubbed TDIOF (Tissue Doppler Imaging Optical Flow) is proposed. TDIOF is formulated based on the combination of B-mode and Doppler energy terms minimized using algebraic equations and is validated on simulated images, a physical heart phantom, and in-vivo data. It was observed that the additional Doppler term is able to increase the accuracy of speckle tracking, compared to two popular motion estimation and speckle tracking techniques (Horn-Schunck and block matching methods). This observation was more pronounced when noise was present. . The magnitude and angular error for TDIOF applied to simulated images when comparing estimated motion with ground-truth motion were 15 % and 9.2 degrees/frame, respectively. The magnitude and angular error for images acquired from physical phantoms were 22 % and 15.2 degrees/frame, respectively. As an additional validation, echocardiography-derived strains were compared to tagged MRI-derived myocardial strains in the same subjects. The correlation coefficient (r) between the TDIOF-derived radial strains and tagged MRI-derived radial strains value were 0.83 (\(\mathrm{P}<0.001\) ). The correlation coefficient (r) for the TDIOF-derived circumferential strains compared to the tagged MRI-derived circumferential strains were 0.86 (\(\mathrm{P}<0.001\) ). The comparison of TDIOF-derived and block matching speckle tracking and Horn-Schunck optical flow strain values using student t-test demonstrated superiority of TDIOF (95 % confidence interval, \(\mathrm{P}<0.001\) ).
A comparison of machine learning methods for automated gamma-ray spectroscopy

Abstract Pattern recognition algorithms such as artificial neural networks (NNs) and convolution neural networks (CNNs) are prime candidates to perform automated gamma-ray spectroscopy . The way these models train and operate mimic how trained spectroscopists identify spectra. These models have shown promise in identifying gamma-ray spectra with large calibration drift and unknown background radiation fields. In this work, two algorithms for mixtures of radioisotopes based on NN and CNN are presented and evaluated.
Genome Sequences of Penicillin-Resistant Bacillus anthracis Strains.

ABSTRACT Bacillus anthracis, the etiologic agent of anthrax, is characteristically susceptible to penicillin despite containing two chromosomal β-lactamase genes. Few naturally occurring penicillin-resistant B. anthracis isolates have been reported. Here, we report the draft genome sequences for three penicillin-resistant B. anthracis strains, strain 32, UT308, and SK57.
Lateral thoracic artery as recipient vessel for head and neck free flap reconstruction in the vessel depleted neck: A case report.

Vessel depleted necks present a challenge to identifying suitable recipient vessels for microvascular head and neck reconstruction. Many alternative recipient vessels have been described. The purpose of this report is to describe the feasibility of using the lateral thoracic artery as a recipient vessel for head and neck free flap reconstruction in vessel depleted necks. In this report we describe surgery for a 62 year old male with osteoradionecrosis of the right mandibular body in which we performed right segmental mandibulectomy with free fibular flap reconstruction in a vessel depleted neck. We used the lateral thoracic artery which was ~10 cm in length. It provided good reach to the neck, proper blood flow, and acceptable vessel diameter of ~1.5 mm at 6 cm above the clavicle. The patient had an uncomplicated postoperative course and the flap was viable and well healed at 2 months follow-up. The lateral thoracic artery could be considered as one of the options for recipient vessels for microvascular reconstruction in patients with vessel depleted necks.
Primary intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the mandible: radiographic evolution and clinicopathological features.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) can be rarely found as a primarily intraosseous lesion and mistaken for other intraosseous or odontogenic pathology. A 65-year-old man had a poorly defined radiolucency distal to the left mandibular second molar root. Periapical radiographs demonstrated a minor radiolucency from 2.5 years prior. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon felt the radiolucency represented periodontal disease, extracting tooth #18. The differential diagnosis of mixed radiolucent/radio-opaque mandibular lesions includes: (1) fibro-osseous lesion, (2) odontogenic and non-odontogenic cyst, (3) infection and inflammatory lesion, or (4) benign or malignant neoplasm (odontogenic, non-odontogenic, or metastatic). Histological analysis revealed low-grade MEC. A composite resection was performed with a 1 cm margin from first molar to ascending ramus. A buccal fat pad advancement flap covered the defect with an iliac crest bone graft placed later for a resulting osseous defect. Careful examination and diagnostic work-up for odontogenic cysts should be provided as they may harbour malignant tumours.
Catalytic Enantio- and Diastereoselective Cyclopropanation of 2-Azadienes for the Synthesis of Aminocyclopropanes Bearing Quaternary Carbon Stereogenic Centers

We report the catalytic enantio- and diastereoselective preparation of aminocyclopropanes by the cyclopropanation of terminal and (Z)-internal 2-azadienes with donor/acceptor carbenes derived from α-diazoesters. The resulting cyclopropanes bear quaternary carbon stereogenic centers vicinal to the amino-substituted carbon and are formed as a single diastereomer in up to 99:1 er and 97% yield with 0.5 mol % of Rh2(DOSP)4 and only 1.5 equiv of the diazo reagent. Transformations with internal azadienes afford cyclopropanes with three contiguous stereogenic centers.
Current landscape for chimeric antigen receptor T cells in lymphomas.

Purpose of reviewCART cell therapy has changed the treatment landscape for relapsed/refractory aggressive lymphomas. In this article, we review the CART constructs most studied in lymphoma and their applicability.Recent findingsResults of ZUMA-1, JULIET and TRANSCEND trials will be reviewed. Real-wo
Association of Hospital Racial Composition and Payer Mix With Mortality in Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background Patient characteristics insufficiently explain disparities in cardiovascular outcomes among hospitalized patients, suggesting a role for community or hospital‐level factors. Here, we eva...
“i don’t have a magic wand”: the why and how of patient education in outpatient physical rehabilitation

This session presents findings from an interpretive descriptive study exploring OTs’ perspectives of patient education in outpatient physical rehabilitation. The recognition of “I don’t have a magic wand” drove the purpose and process of patient education and encouraged alignment of practice with the profession's agentic and client-centered philosophy. Discussion of findings will facilitate attendees’ critical reflection on their own views of patient education. Primary Author and Speaker: Abigail Brody Additional Authors and Speakers: Brocha Stern, Emma Gentile, Emma Hecht, Kathryn Pelech Contributing Authors: Promita Banik, Alisa Doshi, Prema Khan, Joy Sarraf
Optimal Participation of Price-Maker Battery Energy Storage Systems in Energy, Reserve and Pay as Performance Regulation Markets

Motivated by the need of assessing the optimal allocation of battery energy storage services across various markets and the corresponding impact on market operations, an optimization framework is proposed in this work to coordinate the operation of an independent utility-scale price-maker battery energy storage system (BESS) in the energy, spinning reserve and performance-based regulation markets. The entire problem is formulated as a bi-level optimization process, where the structure of all markets is modeled considering the joint operation limits. The strategic bidding behavior of a price-maker BESS in a pay as performance regulation market is investigated. Additionally, a specific approach is introduced for modeling automatic generation control (AGC) signals in the optimization. Although the formulated problem is non-linear, it is converted to mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) to find the optimum solution. The proposed framework is evaluated using test case scenarios created from real-world market data. Case study results show the impact of BESS's price-making behavior on the joint operation of energy, reserve, and regulation markets.
Utilization of Electronic Health Records for the Assessment of Adiponectin Receptor Autoantibodies during the Progression of Cardio-metabolic Comorbidities

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Diabetes is a complex, multi-symptomatic disease that drives healthcare costs through its complications as the prevalence of this disease grows rapidly world-wide. Real-world electronic health records (EHRs) coupled with patient biospecimens, biological understanding, and technologies can lead to identification of new diagnostic markers. METHODS We analyzed the 20-year EHRs of 1862 participants with midpoint samples (10-year) in an observational study of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular arterial disease (CVAD) conducted by the Fairbanks Institute to test the diagnostic biomarkers. Participants were assigned to four cohorts (healthy, diabetes, CVAD, CVAD+diabetes) based on EHR data analysis. The immunoassay reference range for circulating autoantibodies against the C-terminal fragment of adiponectin receptor 1 (IgG-CTF) was determined and used to predict outcomes post-sample. RESULTS The IgG-CTF reference range was determined [75–821 ng/mL] and out-of-range values of IgG-CTF values predicted increased likelihood of additional comorbidities and mortality determined from the EHRs 10 years after sample collection. The probability of mortality was lower in patients with elevated IgG-CTF >821 ng/mL [OR 0.49–0.0] and higher in patients with lowered IgG-CTF CONCLUSIONS This study confirms that retrospective analysis of biorepositories coupled with EHRs can provide insight into novel diagnostic markers and the IgG-CTF marker can predict the likelihood of progressing to additional comorbidities or mortality.
The self in deep ecology: A response to Watson

Richard Watson maintains that deep ecology suffers from an internal contradiction and should therefore be rejected. Watson contends that deep ecology claims to be non-anthropocentric while at the s...
Understanding the Data Gap in Emergency Response: Evidence from U.S. 911 Agencies

Using a combination of data analysis, live field testing, and interviews with 911 centers (hereafter referred to as Public Safety Answering Points, or PSAPs), this paper studies the interaction between alarm systems and first responders using both publicly available data as well as in-person data collection at PSAPs across the country. This data was augmented with a survey of 145 telecommunicators as well as qualitative interviews from PSAP directors. The results demonstrate a significant information gap between increasingly sophisticated alarm systems and the emergency services responding to their signals for help. Specifically, our testing and survey indicated that nearly all alarms are communicated via phone calls over the public switched telephone network (PSTN), limiting information flow to a verbal conversation between 911 telecommunicators and alarm monitoring center operators. The limitations of this legacy infrastructure often prevent 911 telecommunicators from acquiring enough information to triage and prioritize alarm calls. This lack of information leads to long PSAP processing time (6-13 minutes) and a proliferation of false alarms which clog first responder systems. Various studies have demonstrated that 90 to 99% of all security alarms are false depending on the municipality. We estimate the total yearly impact on the US emergency response system to be approximately 62 million false alarms at a cost of $3.1B annually. Unsurprisingly, the lack of information and tendency for false alarms causes most public safety agencies to deprioritize central station alarm calls. This challenge is magnified by the use of 10-digit non-emergency lines for incident reporting. These factors converge to drive a high degree of variability in alarm response times and exacerbate the first responders’ challenges in responding effectively to real alarm emergencies, given limited resources.
Teaching Argumentative Writing to ESOL Students.: Sample Lessons with particular Attention to Assessment Strategies.

Teaching argumentative writing to English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) learners is one of the skills required for successful academic writing. Theoretically-grounded in the Toulmin argumentation model, this paper seeks to explicate the tenets of teaching adult ESOL learners' argumentative composition skills. It also accounts for the assessment strategies that support learners' transfer from their internalized linguistic systems to writing neat, well-supported arguments in the target language. In pursuit of this endeavor, model lesson plans are provided for teachers to test. Though this research is based on personal experience in the Algerian ESOL context, the unit plan can be generalized in other contexts to ESOL learners. Multilingual learners are becoming an inevitable part of mainstream American composition classes, which justifies the suitability of this unit design in the American context.
Correction to: A climate change indicator framework for rangelands and pastures of the USA

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-020-02948-3
Intercellular and interorgan crosstalk through adipocyte extracellular vesicles

Functional adipose tissue is essential for homeostatic maintenance of systemic metabolism. As such, adipose tissue dysfunction, like that seen in the obese state, directly contributes to system-wide pathological metabolism, leading to the development of type 2 diabetes and other obesity-associated comorbidities. In addition to the storage function of adipocytes, they also secrete numerous factors that robustly regulate metabolism-related pathways throughout the body. Many of these factors, in addition to other signaling proteins, RNA species and lipids, are found in extracellular vesicles (EVs) released from adipocytes. EVs are vesicles with a lipid bilayer, known to carry signaling proteins and lipids, mRNAs and miRNAs. Because of this diverse cargo, EVs can have robust and pleotropic signaling effects depending on the receiving target cells. We are only now starting to understand how adipocyte EVs can modulate metabolism within adipose tissue and beyond. Here, we highlight the current literature that demonstrates EV-mediated crosstalk between adipocytes and other tissues or distal cells. We become increasingly aware of the importance of these adipocyte-derived EV signals that establish a so far underappreciated endocrine system. Adipocyte EVs offer a new avenue for pharmacological manipulation of metabolism to treat obesity-related disease.