cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid growth in the early marine period improves the marine survival of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Puget Sound, Washington

We examined the effect of early marine entry timing and body size on the marine (smolt-to-adult) survival of Puget Sound Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). We used data from coded wire tag release groups of hatchery Chinook salmon to test whether hatchery release date, release size, and size in offshore waters in July and September in- fluenced marine survival. Marine survival was most strongly related to the average body size in July, with larger sizes as- sociated with higher survivals. This relationship was consistent over multiple years (1997-2002), suggesting that mortality after July is strongly size-dependent. Release size and date only slightly improved this relationship, whereas size in Sep- tember showed little relationship to marine survival. Specifically, fish that experienced the highest marine survivals were released before 25 May and were larger than 17 g (or 120 mm fork length) by July. Our findings highlight the importance of local conditions in Puget Sound (Washington, USA) during the spring and summer, and suggest that declines in marine survival since the 1980s may have been caused by reductions in the quality of feeding and growing conditions during early marine life.
Simultaneous discovery of detectors and a way of using the detectors via genetic programming

Conventional approaches to problems of pattern recognition and machine learning usually require that the user hand craft detectors for key features in the problem environment. A general approach for simultaneously discovering detectors and a way of combining the detectors to solve a problem via genetic programming with automatic function definition are described. Genetic programming provides a way to genetically breed a computer program to solve a wide variety of problems. Automatic function definition automatically and dynamically enables genetic programming to define potentially useful functions dynamically during a run, and to facilitate a solution of a problem by automatically and dynamically decomposing the problem into simpler subproblems. This approach is illustrated with a problem of letter recognition. >
String models with twisted currents.

We consider bosonic string models with non-Abelian gauge excitations, whose Lie-algebra-valued currents are ''twisted'' by nontrivial automorphisms. The twisted models have the same critical dimension as the corresponding untwisted models; however, their respective spectra are radically different.
Fate of side branches after intracoronary implantation of the Gianturco-Roubin Flex-Stent for acute or threatened closure after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Abstract Side branch occlusion may occur in the course of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), particularly if complicated by site dissection. Concern that the additional placement of a stent may further jeopardize side branches is logical. Consequently, this study analyzed pre-PTCA, post-PTCA, poststent, and 6-month follow-up angiograms of 100 consecutive patients in whom 103 Gianturco-Roubin stents were implanted for acute or threatened closure after PTCA. Side branches were defined as major (>50% of the stented vessel diameter) and minor ( 50% stenosis), and 129 minor branches were analyzed. Seven major branches (6%), all of which were diseased before PTCA, and 23 minor branches (18%) were lost after PTCA. Immediately after stent insertion, only 1 additional major and 1 minor branch were lost, whereas 2 of 7 major (29%) and 9 of 23 minor (39%) branches reappeared. At follow-up angiography, 7 major branches (6%) were more stenosed and 6 (6%) were improved compared with the angiogram before PTCA. Only 2 major (2%) and 5 minor (4%) branches remained occluded. Additionally, 2 major and 1 minor branch, which were patent after PTCA and stenting, were occluded at follow-up as a result of total occlusion of the stented segment. It is concluded that: (1) stent implantation is rarely associated with side branch loss; (2) more typically, recovery of patency of branches occluded by PTCA occurs immediately after stenting; (3) as a delayed effect, a stent may facilitate later reopening of branches occluded after PTCA; and (4) excellent patency of branches of the stented segment is maintained in the followup period.
Dinorhynchus dybowskyi , an Arboreal Predator of Forest Insects Including the Gypsy Moth, in Hokkaido, Japan, and Laboratory Rearing Success

In forests in Hokkaido, Japan, nymphs of the univoltine Dinorhynchus dybowskyi Jakovlev, an arboreal predator of forest insects in Japan and eastern Asia, developed in the presence of, and attacked, larvae, pupae, and adult gypsy moths, Lymantria dispar (L.). Oviposition, a double column of eggs laid in masses averaging 39.9 eggs, maximum 83, occurs Aug.–Oct. Eggs were found on smooth barked trees (44% Cornus controversa Hemsl. and 24% on Acer spp.) with avg trunk diam of 6.8 cm at an avg height of 2 m and were often positioned on the SW side of trees. Eggs overwintered and hatched in early June. Winter survival was high since 81.5% of eggs in 114 egg masses hatched; mortality was due to apparent infertility. One egg parasite was detected naturally, a damaged Telenomus sp. dead in a winter collected mass with holes from fall emergence. Oversized Anastatus japonicus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) emerged from some eggs reposited low on small trees, and Anastatus kashmirensis Mathur emerged from eggs accidentally exposed in quarantine. Phania vittata Meigen (Diptera: Tachinidae) maggots emerged from mature nymph or adult bugs. Birds occasionally damaged eggs during winter. Living material shipped to the USA was successfully reared for one generation. In early stage feeding tests, 1st-instar nymphs, though possibly “phytophagous,” readily molted to 2nd instar in the presence of only water or of several plant species tested. After the 1st molt, feeding requirements changed abruptly, lind they became obligate predators, occasionally cannibalistic, requiring an avg of 16.2 prey caterpillars for development. All known prey are tabulated and life stages are illustrated.
Method for Production of Polymer and Carbon Nanofibers from Water-Soluble Polymers

Nanometer scale carbon fibers (carbon nano- fibers) are of great interest to scientists and engineers in fields such as materials science, composite production, and energy storage due to their unique chemical, physical, and mechanical properties. Precursors currently used for production of carbon nanofibers are primarily from nonrenewable resources. Lignin is a renewable natural polymer existing in all high-level plants that is a byproduct of the papermaking process and a potential feedstock for carbon nanofiber production. The work presented here demonstrates a process involving the rapid freezing of an aqueous lignin solution, followed by sublimation of the resultant ice, to form a uniform network comprised of individual interconnected lignin nanofibers. Carbonization of the lignin nanofibers yields a similarly structured carbon nanofiber network. The methodology is not specific to lignin; nanofibers of other water-soluble polymers have been successfully produced. This nanoscale fibrous morphology has not been observed in traditional cryogel processes, due to the relatively slower freezing rates employed compared to those achieved in this study.
Two Dimensional Correlation Analysis of Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectra of Dissolved Organic Matter: A New Graphical Analysis of Trends

Two-dimensional (2D) correlation analysis was applied to 20 Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectra (FTICR-MS) of ultrafiltered dissolved organic matter samples from a salinity transect of the lower Chesapeake Bay. We were able to investigate the chemical changes in the dissolved organic matter pool at the molecular level and classify the individual peaks based on their biogeochemical reactivity. The power of this technique is its ability to be used on either the presence/absence of the individual peaks or their normalized magnitudes. The presence or absence of the peaks are utilized to identify the reactivity and correlation between peaks that plot in different regions of the van Krevelen diagram, whereas the normalized magnitudes are used to correlate the changes among individual peaks. One of the promising advantages of 2D correlation of FTICR-MS data is the ability to associate the variations of the individual peaks with the changes in the functional groups that are measured by other sp...
Ab initio study of the stabilities of and mechanism of superionic transport in lithium-rich antiperovskites

Recently, a family of halogen-based Li-rich antiperovskites were synthesized [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134, 15042 (2012)], and the measured superionic conductivity makes these materials promising candidates as solid electrolytes for applications in Li-ion and Li-air batteries. This discovery raises several pressing issues on the fundamental physics concerning the thermodynamic and electrochemical stability of the synthesized materials and the mechanism of the observed superionic Li${}^{+}$ transport. Here, we study the reported antiperovskites Li${}_{3}$OCl, Li${}_{3}$OBr, and their mixed compounds using first-principles density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations. Our calculations show that these materials are thermodynamically metastable. Their large electronic band gaps and chemical stability against electrodes suggest the excellent electrochemical performance, which bodes well for the use in potentially harsh working conditions in practical battery applications. The calculated low activation enthalpy for Li-ion migration well below the crystal melting temperature and superionic transport near the Li sublattice melting state explain the experimentally observed phenomena. Our study identifies mobile Li vacancies and anion disorder as the primary driving mechanisms for superionic Li${}^{+}$ conductivity in the antiperovskites. This work unveils essential working principles of the Li-rich antiperovskites, which are crucial to further exploration, development, and application of these and other charge-inverted materials with tailored properties.
Malathion Synergism Against Organophosphate-Resistant Two-Spotted Spider Mites

Organophosphate resistant two-spotted spider mites, Tetranychns telarius (L.), were about 3.5 times more susceptible to solutions of malathion containing chemicals known to be ali-esterase inhibitors than to solutions of malathion alone. These chemicals alone were acaricidal at concentrations higher than those necessary to demonstrate this synergistic effect with malathion.
Energetics of formation and hydration of a porous metal organic nanotube

Hybrid materials, such as metal organic nanotubes (MON), are of interest because of their chemical tunability and permanent porosity. While an increasing number of compounds is being reported, very little is known about their thermodynamic stability. Herein, the energetics of a MON, (C4H12N2)0.5[(UO2)(Hida)(H2ida)]·2H2O (UMON, C10H21N3UO12) (ida = iminodiacetate), that possesses unique water exchange and uptake has been investigated by acid solution calorimetry, thermal analysis, and water adsorption calorimetry. The enthalpy of formation of UMON, C10H21N3UO12 (ΔHf,rxn), from the dense components (uranium oxide (UO3), piperazine (C4H10N2), and iminodiacetic acid (C4H7NO4) was −55.3 ± 0.9 kJ/mol, which was similar to values for other metal organic framework materials. The dehydration enthalpy to form an anhydrous UMON and gaseous H2O at 37 °C from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)/differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments was 57.8 ± 1.9 kJ/mol of water. This value is somewhat higher than the vapor...
Nonimmunologic Hydrops Fetalis: A Review of 19 Cases

Nineteen cases of nonimmunologic hydrops fetalis occurring during a nine-year period were reviewed. The pregnancies were complicated by hydramnios (78%) and preterm delivery (84%). Hydramnios appears to be the most useful indicator of the pregnancy at risk; its occurrence should prompt ultrasonographic investigation for evidence of hydrops. Modalities available for antenatal diagnosis of underlying fetal abnormalities include amniocentesis, serologic tests, fetal cardiac monitoring, radiography, hemoglobin electrophoresis and glucose tolerance testing. A specific cause for the hydrops may not be detectable (42% of our cases were idiopathic). Management of affected pregnancies is influenced by the frequent occurrence of fetal asphyxia and premature delivery. Outcome is poor: only 32% of the babies survived beyond the neonatal period. Symptomatic treatment for the neonate includes fluid restriction, maintenance of blood sugar, support of ventilation and attention to the complications of asphyxia.
"I Wonder if …": The Process of Inquiry in Support of Students' Co-Learning from Online Discussion.

Current views of literacy have expanded to encompass how individuals in sociocultural systems make meaning as they “read” and “write” their world. From this view, the work of students involved in p...
Contribution of Retrotransposable Elements to Aging

Retrotransposable elements (RTEs) are abundant in the genomes of most species and continue to evolve and adapt to the defense mechanisms of their host cells. RTEs have contributed to the evolution of their hosts by creating germline genomic diversity, but under most circumstances retrotransposition has deleterious consequences. Our understanding of RTE activity in somatic cells and tissues has lagged, largely because we lacked effective tools to study them in these contexts. Recent evidence indicates that RTEs are more active in somatic cells than anticipated, for example in the nervous system, during the development of cancer, or in senescent cells and aging tissues. This raises the important question of whether RTEs contribute actively to these processes and the development of pathologies, and if so, how. In this review we focus on the role of RTEs in the biology of aging: the evidence for their activation, the host defense mechanisms whose failure may allow this, the consequences of the ensuing RTE activity, and the prospects that targeting RTEs may provide new avenues of treating some age-associated disorders.
A single center's experience with pacemaker implantation after the Cox maze procedure for atrial fibrillation

Abstract Objective The Cox maze procedure (CM) is safe and effective for all atrial fibrillation (AF) types. A recent randomized trial found alarming rates of pacemaker implantation (PMI) during hospitalization after CM. The purpose of this study was to assess the rate of PMI and its impact on outcomes after CM. Methods Incidence of PMI was captured for all CM patients (2005-2015; N = 739). Data were collected prospectively. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to determine risk factors for PMI. Propensity score matching was conducted between concomitant CM patients and patients without surgical ablation since 2011. Results Fifty-two patients (7.0%) had in-hospital PMI after CM. Most common primary indication for PMI was sick sinus syndrome (67%), followed by complete heart block (23%) and sinus bradycardia (10%). The only risk factor for in-hospital PMI was type of procedure ( P = .020). Patients with multiple valve procedures were at greatest risk ( P = .004-.035). STS-defined perioperative outcomes were similar for patients with and without in-hospital PMI. Sinus rhythm off antiarrhythmic drugs were similar by PMI. After propensity score matching (n = 180 per group), in-hospital PMI was similar in CM patients and those without surgical ablation (5% vs 4%, P = .609). Conclusions This study demonstrated lower incidence of PMI after CM procedures than recently reported. When indicated, PMI was not associated with increased short- or long-term morbidity or inferior freedom from atrial arrhythmia. Efforts to increase surgeon training with the CM procedure and postoperative management awareness are warranted to improve rhythm outcome and minimize adverse events and PMI.
Complete Response after Treatment with Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation with Prolonged Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced, Unresectable Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas

Surgery is the only chance for cure in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) suggests chemotherapy and consideration for radiation in cases of unresectable LAPC. Here we present a rare case of unresectable LAPC with a complete histopathological response after chemoradiation followed by surgical resection. A 54-year-old female presented to our clinic in December 2013 with complaints of abdominal pain and 30-pound weight loss. An MRI demonstrated a mass in the pancreatic body measuring cm; biopsy revealed proven ductal adenocarcinoma. Due to splenic vein/artery and contiguous celiac artery encasement, she was deemed surgically unresectable. She was started on FOLFIRINOX therapy (three cycles), intensity modulated radiation to a dose of 54 Gy in 30 fractions concurrent with capecitabine, followed by FOLFIRI, and finally XELIRI. After 8 cycles of ongoing XELIRI completed in March 2015, restaging showed a remarkable decrease in tumor size, along with PET-CT revealing no FDG-avid uptake. She was reevaluated by surgery and taken for definitive resection. Histopathological evaluation demonstrated a complete R0 resection and no residual tumor. Based on this patient and literature review, this strategy demonstrates potential efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiation with prolonged chemotherapy, followed by surgery, which may improve outcomes in patients deemed previously unresectable.
The Social Distancing of Edwidge Danticat's "New York Day Women"

This paper examines the tenets of Homi Bhabha's post-colonial theory of Hybridity which asks us to accept the "Third Space of Enunciation" as our ultimate destination, the point of arrival in current cultural studies that "eludes the politics of polarity". This paper examines how Bhabha's hybridity theory comes in and out of focus in Edwidge Danticat's short story "New York Day Women". Do any of Danticat's characters achieve the "other of themselves"? A contrast character to that of Danticat's Suzette is "Girl" written by Jamaica Kincaid. Kincaid's "Girl' is examined to help this query. Additionally, this paper will examine Danticat's "Day Women" from a cultural perspective and question the meaning of the plural title "Day Women" in present day American society. Using hybridity as a frame, what are the inter- and intra- racial dimensions created within the story, and what are the possible thematic messages there? Danticat uses the terms "shame and fear" within the story from a psychosocial perspective, and therefore, the terms cannot be ignored. This paper also attempts to draw conclusions about the severe tensions of Pan-African relocation which permeate the story derived from those terms. Whether or not Bhabha's theory of Hybridity is attained in Danticat's characters will be the main query here. And like his concept which itself is vast, compelling, at times enigmatic and optimistic; there is evidence of the concept in some characters examined here, but not all of them.
Germination of netleaf hackberry seeds on the north sides of boulders: a shift away from patterns of mature hackberry distribution?

Abstract. Because limited numbers of netleaf hackberry (Celtis reticulata) seedlings are observed in nature, we evaluated patterns of germination of hackberry seeds (n = 2545) that we planted near boulders in the Wasatch Mountain foothills. Seeds were followed over 2 growing seasons. Germination rates were very low overall, but significantly more seeds germinated on the north sides of boulders compared to other boulder aspects. That we found higher rates of germination on the north sides of boulders, instead of on the south sides of boulders where mature hackberry shrubs tend to grow, could reflect year-to-year variation in seed germination and seedling survival but is also consistent with a shift away from warmer and drier sites by hackberry in response to climate change.
Orthopaedic Education in Other Countries

The goal of residency in orthopaedic surgery, or any medical specialty, is to provide sufficient exposure of both scope and breadth of that specialty to allow for the graduating resident to practice safely and independently at the conclusion of their education. India, the UK, and Germany have somewhat differing programs to achieve orthopaedic surgery education, yet retain similarities as well. Recent changes in the UK and Germany in the structure of residency programs have allowed for a more streamlined educational process, reducing the total number of years a resident/registrar should be in training. In a similar manner, education has become more focused, with goals for the type and number of cases needed prior to graduation. Both countries also recognize the potential negative influence of the European Work Time Directive law in reducing the number of hours per week available for resident education. Educators in Germany have added long (3-year) fellowships after residency to improve education. India has multiple pathways to provide orthopaedic education in order to provide the country with sufficient providers of orthopaedic surgery.
Market Accessibility, Corporate Bond ETFs, and Liquidity

We find that market accessibility ex ante plays an important role in how the underlying assets' liquidity changes when a basket security is introduced. We first show, using a multi-market version of the Kyle model, that the less (more) accessible the underlying market is, the more its liquidity improves (deteriorates) when basket trading becomes available. Second, we empirically test these predictions using corporate bonds before and after the introduction of ETFs. Consistent with the model, liquidity improvement is larger for highly arbitraged, low-volume, and high-yield bonds, and for 144A bonds to which retail investor access is prohibited by law.
The Impact of Subsidies Provided under Different R&D Policies to Vertically Differentiated Firms

We consider a simple game-theoretic multistage model in which a government can provide subsidies to different incumbent firms competing in a vertically differentiated oligopoly model. We find that a subsidy provided to the high-quality firm only, returns the highest net total surplus and net consumer surplus. This finding is somewhat unexpected since a subsidy to the high-quality firm results in higher product prices and lower product demands compared to providing the subsidy to the low-quality firm only. Our finding is explained by the fact that (among all cases) a subsidy provision to the high-quality firm only, requires the smallest subsidy, returns the highest product quality, results in the highest degree of product differentiation in the market and the highest firms' profits. Moreover, our study shows that subsidy-receiving firms always withdraw their former products from the market after they introduced a new product into the market. Finally, the high-quality firm has a higher incentive to hinder the low-quality firm from receiving a subsidy compared to the low-quality firm.
Meat Cooking Methods and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Results From Three Prospective Cohort Studies.

OBJECTIVE To examine open-flame and/or high-temperature cooking (grilling/barbecuing, broiling, or roasting) and doneness preferences (rare, medium, or well done) for red meat, chicken, and fish in relation to type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk among U.S. adults who consumed animal flesh regularly (≥2 servings/week). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The prospective studies included 52,752 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS, followed during 1996–2012), 60,809 women from NHS II (followed during 2001–2013), and 24,679 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS, followed during 1996–2012) who were free of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer at baseline. Incident cases of T2D were confirmed by validated supplementary questionnaires. RESULTS We documented 7,895 incident cases of T2D during 1.74 million person-years of follow-up. After multivariate adjustments including baseline BMI and total consumption of red meat, chicken, and fish, higher frequency of open-flame and/or high-temperature cooking was independently associated with an elevated T2D risk. When comparing open-flame and/or high-temperature cooking >15 times/month with P trend P trend CONCLUSIONS Independent of consumption amount, open-flame and/or high-temperature cooking for both red meat and chicken is associated with an increased T2D risk among adults who consume animal flesh regularly.
On Lelong numbers of positive closed currents on

Let T be a positive closed current of bidimension (p, p) with unit mass on the complex projective space Pn . For certain values of α and β=β(p,α) we show that if T has enough points where the Lelon...
Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement as Toxicological End Points

Intermittent schedules of reinforcement define the conditions under which learned operant behavior is rewarded. Such schedules offer the opportunity to examine toxicant-induced changes in a variety of behavioral processes, including learning, attention and memory processes, sensory function, motor behavior and motivational states, thus providing critical information about risks arising from toxicant exposure and potential mechanisms of those effects. Such behavior is stable over extended periods of time, allowing for determination of time course of toxicant effects and reversibility. Importantly, schedule-controlled behavior generally shows considerable cross-species generality, facilitating the interpretation of toxicant-induced risks.
Chemical Applications of Lasers

The laser has become one of the most useful and powerful tools in chemistry as well as in many other branches of science and technology, due to its intensity, monochromaticity and tunability. In the Chemistry Division at the Naval Research Laboratory, we have applied a variety of lasers to different areas of chemical research, from reaction dynamics to homogeneously catalyzed polymerization. In this presentation, we shall discuss the results of our recent studies in the following areas of applications.
The Life of Joseph Fourier

Baron Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Fourier (21 March 1768 – 16 May 1830), born in poor circumstances in Auxerre, introduced the idea that an arbitrary function, even one defined by different analytic expressions in adjacent segments of its range (such as a staircase waveform) could nevertheless be represented by a single analytic expression. This idea encountered resistance at the time but has proved to be central to many later developments in mathematics, science, and engineering. It is at the heart of the electrical engineering curriculum today. Fourier came upon his idea in connection with the problem of the flow of heat in solid bodies, including the earth.
Deep Learning Neural Networks for sUAS-Assisted Structural Inspections: Feasibility and Application

This paper investigates the feasibility of using a Deep Learning Convolutional Neural Network (DLCNN) in inspection of concrete decks and buildings using small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS). The training dataset consists of images of lab-made bridge decks taken with a point-and-shoot high resolution camera. The network is trained on this dataset in two modes: fully trained (94.7% validation accuracy) and transfer learning (97.1% validation accuracy). The testing datasets consist of 1620 sub-images from bridge decks with the same cracks, 2340 sub-images from bridge decks with similar cracks, and 3600 sub-images from a building with different cracks, all taken by sUAS. The sUAS used in the first dataset has a low-resolution camera whereas the sUAS used in the second and third datasets has a camera comparable to the point-and-shoot camera. In this study it has been shown that it is feasible to apply DLCNNs in autonomous civil structural inspections with comparable results to human inspectors when using off-the-shelf sUAS and training datasets collected with point-and-shoot handheld cameras.
A New Species of Mesosemia Hübner, [1819] (Riodinidae) from Guyana's Pakaraima Mountains

A new Mesosemia species is described as Mesosemia pakaraima Fratello based on its distinctive wing pattern and isolation on two tepuis in the Pantepui region of Guyana.
Evaluating differences in tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease in Florida.

Background Currently, very little data exists that compare the features of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB). Both have similar symptomology and analogous preliminary laboratory results, as both present with positive acid-fast bacilli stains. The objective of this study was to provide data that would help guide clinicians in their decision making regarding isolation precautions for patients, with a preliminary positive result for mycobacteria, prior to species identification. Methods We conducted queries for patients who had positive respiratory cultures for mycobacteria via our electronic medical record system, between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2017. Additionally, we collected demographic and medical history, clinical presentation, and radiographic findings. The 2-sample unpaired Student t test, the Χ 2 test, and logistic regression were used to compare each group. Results Through logistic regression, 8 variables were significantly associated with patients who grew either TB or NTM. History of incarceration, born outside of the United States, cavitation, and lymphadenopathy were associated with TB; tobacco smoke exposure, pre-existing lung disease, immunosuppression, and bronchiectasis were associated with NTM. Incidence of HIV and hemoptysis was not significantly different between the 2 groups. Conclusions Through the use of our study findings, improper use of airborne isolation precautions may be reduced or avoided.
Plenary: Computing in Latin America and the CC2020 Project: Summary of a Special Plenary Session: Keynote and Panel

The Computing Curricula 2020 (CC2020) project seeks to develop new pathways for the future of computing education worldwide. At a special plenary session during EduNine 2019, discussions consisted of two parts: a principal keynote address titled, “Project CC2020: Modern Paradigms for Technical Careers” and a special panel discussion and debate titled, “Perspectives on Computing Education in Latin America and the CC2020 Project.” This summary is a post-conference article that precises the keynote address and the panel presentations that occurred during the special plenary session. It also highlights some of the current challenges facing computing education in Latin America as they relate to the CC2020 project. The 150-minute special plenary session encouraged intellectual stimulating discussions and vigorous interactive debates.
Sex Differences in Cognitive Changes in De Novo Parkinson’s Disease

Objective:To evaluate the sex differences in cognitive course over 4 years in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI) compared to controls.Methods:Four-year longitudinal cognitive scores of 257 cognitively intact PD, 167 PD-MCI, and 140 controls from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative were included. Longitudinal scores of men and women, and PD with and without MCI were compared.Results:Women had better verbal memory, men had better visuospatial function. There was no interaction between sex, diagnostic group, and/or time (4-year follow-up period).Conclusions:Sex differences in cognitive course in de novo PD are similar to healthy aging. Cognitive decline rates in PD with and without MCI are similar for the first 4 years of PD.
Venous Thrombosis and Hypercoagulability in the Abdomen and Pelvis: Causes and Imaging Findings.

Awareness of the myriad of hereditary, acquired, infectious, and anatomic conditions that result in increased risk of venous thrombosis can aid radiologists in detection of thrombus and concomitant...
Impact of protamine injected into ascending aorta on C3a and C5a concentration in infants underwent cardiopulmonary bypass

Objective To observe and evaluate the changes in plasma C3a and C5a concentration after injecting protamine via two different pathways:ascending aorta and superior vena cava.Methods Sixty children with age under 1-year-old who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass were randomly divided into two groups:experimental group(injecting protamine via ascending aorta,n =30)and control group(injecting protamine viasuperior vena cava,n =30;).The plasma concentration of C3a and C5a were measured by ELISA at prior to protamine injected(Time 1)and 1 hour after the protamine injected(Time 2).Results In experimental group,there was no statistical difference on C3a and C5a concentration before and after injection of protamine[C3a:(18.762±3.792) μg/L vs(19.554±3.453) μg/L,t =-0.846,P =0.20; C5a:(0.843±0.159) μg/L vs (0.825±0.119) μg/L,t =0.496,P =0.31].In control group,C3 a concentration increased from(18.780±3.864) μg/L to(22.961±3.501) g/L,C5a concentration increased from(0.839±0.157) μg/L to(0.979±0.116)μg/L after injection of protamine,and the differences were significant(t =-4.392,-3.928,respectively,P ＜0.01).The level of C3a concentration in experimental group was significantly higher than that in control group[(19.554±3.453) μg/L vs.(22.961±3.501) μμg/L,ι =3.795,P < 0.01]after injection of protamine for 1 h and the level of C5a concentration exhibited the same change[(0.825±0.119) μg/L vs.(0.979±0.116)μg/L,t =-5.075,P ＜0.01].Conclusion The levels of C3a and C5a concentration of infants underwent cardiopulmonary bypass are decreased significantly after protamine injected via ascending aorta compated with via superior vena cava. Key words: Protamine; Cardiopulmonary bypass; Lung preservation; Anaphylatoxin
Principal component analysis for automated classification of 2D spectra and interferograms of protein therapeutics: influence of noise, reconstruction details, and data preparation

Protein therapeutics have numerous critical quality attributes (CQA) that must be evaluated to ensure safety and efficacy, including the requirement to adopt and retain the correct three-dimensional fold without forming unintended aggregates. Therefore, the ability to monitor protein higher order structure (HOS) can be valuable throughout the lifecycle of a protein therapeutic, from development to manufacture. 2D NMR has been introduced as a robust and precise tool to assess the HOS of a protein biotherapeutic. A common use case is to decide whether two groups of spectra are substantially different, as an indicator of difference in HOS. We demonstrate a quantitative use of principal component analysis (PCA) scores to perform this decision-making, and demonstrate the effect of acquisition and processing details on class separation using samples of NISTmAb monoclonal antibody Reference Material subjected to two different oxidative stress protocols. The work introduces an approach to computing similarity from PCA scores based upon the technique of histogram intersection, a method originally developed for retrieval of images from large databases. Results show that class separation can be robust with respect to random noise, reconstruction method, and analysis region selection. By contrast, details such as baseline distortion can have a pronounced effect, and so must be controlled carefully. Since the classification approach can be performed without the need to identify peaks, results suggest that it is possible to use even more efficient measurement strategies that do not produce spectra that can be analyzed visually, but nevertheless allow useful decision-making that is objective and automated.
“WE SPEAK BACK!”: Challenging Belonging and Anti-Blackness in Portugal

A body of scholarship interrogates conventional notions of citizenship, viewing full social inclusion beyond formal status and as a matter of belonging. This paper integrates the perspective of anti-Blackness with that of belonging and theorizes anti-Black non-belonging. Based on more than a year of fieldwork in the Lisbon metropolitan area, I illustrate how the reality of anti-Black non-belonging in Portugal means that African-descendant women are vulnerable to racist, everyday practices in public space that impact their individual and group reality and feelings of national belonging. Employing a counter narrative methodology, I argue that Cape Verdean women’s narratives of anti-Black non-belonging illustrate the agentic strategy that they deploy to carve our alternative modes of belonging as they navigate their everyday lives. Their accounts illustrate the continued need for African-descendant women to draw from their everyday knowledge of domination to employ resistance, whether through their own parenting or through their own reactionary voices in public space. Anti-Black non-belonging is therefore both a form of racialization and a matter of resistance; as African-descendent women are racialized as foreign, non-being, and out of place, they also challenge the ideology of Portuguese anti-racialism that places Africans and African descendants outside of European citizenry.
A Near-Real-Time Approach for Monitoring Forest Disturbance Using Landsat Time Series: Stochastic Continuous Change Detection

Abstract Forest disturbances greatly affect the ecological functioning of natural forests. Timely information regarding extent, timing and magnitude of forest disturbance events is crucial for effective disturbance management strategies. Yet, we still lack accurate, near-real-time and high-performance remote sensing tools for monitoring abrupt and subtle forest disturbances. This study presents a new approach called ‘Stochastic Continuous Change Detection (S-CCD)’ using a dense Landsat data time series. S-CCD improves upon the ‘COntinuous monitoring of Land Disturbance (COLD)’ approach by incorporating a mathematical tool called the ‘state space model’, which treats trends and seasonality as stochastic processes, allowing for modeling temporal dynamics of satellite observations in a recursive way. The quantitative accuracy assessment is evaluated based on 3782 Landsat-based disturbance reference plots (30 m) from a probability sampling distributed throughout the Conterminous United States. Validation results show that the overall accuracy (best F1 score) of S-CCD is 0.793 with 20% omission error and 21% commission error, slightly higher than that of COLD (0.789). Two disturbance sites respectively associated with wildfire and insect disturbances are used for qualitative map-based analysis. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses suggest that S-CCD achieves fewer omission errors than COLD for detecting those disturbances with subtle/gradual spectral change. In addition, S-CCD facilitates a better real-time monitoring, benefited by its complete recursive manner and a shorter lag for confirming disturbance than COLD (126 days vs. 166 days for alerting 50% disturbance events), and reached up to ~4.4 times speedup for computation. This research addresses the need for near-real-time monitoring and large-scale mapping of forest health and offers a new approach for operationally performing change detection tasks from dense Landsat-based time series.
Improved computational method to generate properly equilibrated atomistic microstructures.

Atomistic simulations play an important role in unravelling the fundamental behavior of nanocrystalline (NC) metals/alloys. To ensure the validity of the simulated results, the initial NC structures must be representative of a real material to the extent possible. Using proper equilibration techniques, it must also be ensured that these NC structures reach a state of metastable equilibrium before probing their response. To this effect, the influence of simulated thermal equilibration of atomistic NC Ni structures on the resulting mechanical behavior is discussed in this work. It is shown that the well-equilibrated NC structures become stiffer in terms of both elastic response and yielding behavior and accumulate less residual strain upon unloading, thus, signifying the importance of proper equilibration. However, it is found that the regular equilibration method of thermal relaxations at 300 K, typically employed in atomistic modeling studies, takes significantly longer to drive the NC structures towards a metastable equilibrium state. Finally, an improved two-step equilibration method is presented that drastically expedites the equilibration process while resulting in the structural and mechanical properties comparable with the regular equilibration method performed for significantly larger simulation times. The major modification in the improved method involves:•Subjecting only the grain boundary and the surrounding atoms to thermal relaxations at relatively higher temperature.
Abstract 16: IV TPA in the 0-3 Hour Window: Quantitative Fragility-Robustness Assessment of the Strength of the RCT Evidence

Background: After 3 decades, the era of RCTs of IV tPA as a standalone therapy in acute ischemic stroke has now likely closed, with the completion of TESPI, PRISMS, and late, imaging-selection RCTs...
Potential in improving monthly streamflow forecasting through variational assimilation of observed streamflow

Abstract Uncertainties associated with the initial conditions (e.g. soil moisture content) of a hydrologic model have been recognized as one of the main sources of errors in hydrologic predictions. Recent advances in sequential Data Assimilation (DA) and variational DA (VAR DA) have focused on correcting these initial conditions for improving hydrologic predictions. This study proposes a VAR DA methodology that considers a basin-wide single scaling/correction factor for updating the soil moisture content of Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) Land Surface Model (LSM) by assimilating gauge-observed streamflow. This simplified scaling factor reduces the computational demand of the VAR DA in updating the soil moisture conditions of VIC. The proposed VAR DA scheme is demonstrated in Tar River Basin in NC,a rainfall-runoff dominated watershed, for improving monthly streamflow simulations and forecasting over a 20-year period (1991–2010). The role of two critical parameters of VAR DA – the update frequency (the interval between DA applications) and the length of assimilation window – in determining the skill of DA-improved streamflow predictions is also assessed. We found that correcting VIC model’s initial conditions using a 7-day assimilation window results in the highest improvement in the skill of streamflow predictions quantified by Kling-Gupta Efficiency (KGE) and Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) metrics. In addition, the potential gain from VAR DA framework is quantified and compared under two 1-month ahead streamflow forecasting schemes: 1) VAR DA corrected initial conditions of VIC forced with ECHAM4.5 GCM 1-month ahead precipitation forecasts and 2) Ensemble Streamflow Prediction (ESP) approach. This study also examines the persistence of the DA in improving monthly streamflow predictions by quantifying the enhanced accuracy in daily flows over extended forecast lead time blocks. Analyses show that the corrected initial state conditions continually enhance the 7–8 days ahead streamflow predictions, but after that the errors in forcings dominate the DA effects. Overall, the application of proposed VAR DA scheme results in improved monthly streamflow forecasting due to correcting initial conditions.
Abstraction in data-sparse task transfer

Abstract When a robot adapts a learned task for a novel environment, any changes to objects in the novel environment have an unknown effect on its task execution. For example, replacing an object in a pick-and-place task affects where the robot should target its actions, but does not necessarily affect the underlying action model. In contrast, replacing a tool that the robot will use to complete a task will effectively alter its end-effector pose with respect to the robot's base coordinate system, and thus the robot's motion must be replanned accordingly. These examples highlight the relationship among (i) differences between the source and target environments, (ii) the level of abstraction at which a robot's task model should be represented to enable transfer to the target environment, and (iii) the information needed to ground the abstracted task representation in the target environment. In this article, we present a taxonomy of transfer problems based on this relationship. We also describe a knowledge representation called the Tiered Task Abstraction (TTA) and demonstrate its applicability to a variety of transfer problems in the taxonomy. Our experimental results indicate a trade-off between the generality and data requirements of a task representation, and reinforce the need for multiple transfer methods that operate at different levels of abstraction.
Entropy change for the irreversible heat transfer between two finite objects

A positive entropy change is verified for an isolated system of two blocks of different initial temperatures and of different but finite heat capacities that are brought into contact with each other and allowed to fully thermalize.
Risk and Protective Factors of Adolescent Drug Use: Implications for Prevention Programs

In conclusion, the current interest in the study of adolescent drug use is likely to broaden inquiry and yield a sounder base of evidence, both of which augur well for future investigations, for further comprehension of the etiology of drug use, and for prevention programs. Should the effect of prevention programs that address the childhood and adolescent risk factors identified in etiologic studies result in reduced drug use and abuse in future evaluations, empirical data will then be available that may yield further knowledge about the benefits of prevention programs.
Glucuronidation of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (zidovudine) by human liver microsomes : relevance to clinical pharmacokinetic interactions with atovaquone, fluconazole, methadone, and valproic acid

Zidovudine (3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine [AZT]), an antiviral nucleoside analog effective in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection, is primarily metabolized to an inactive glucuronide form, GAZT, via uridine-5′-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes. UGT enzymes exist as different isoforms, each exhibiting substrate specificity. Published clinical studies have shown that atovaquone, fluconazole, methadone, and valproic acid decreased GAZT formation, presumably due to UGT inhibition. The effect of these drugs on AZT glucuronidation was assessed in vitro by using human hepatic microsomes to begin understanding in vitro-in vivo correlations for UGT metabolism. The concentrations of each drug studied were equal to those reported with the usual clinical doses and at concentrations at least 10 times higher than would be expected with these doses. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to assess the respective metabolism and formation of AZT and GAZT. All four drugs exhibited concentration-dependent inhibition of AZT glucuronidation. The respective concentrations of atovaquone and methadone which caused 50% inhibition of GAZT were >100 and 8 μg/ml, well above their usual clinical concentrations. Fluconazole and valproic acid exhibited 50% inhibition of GAZT at 50 and 100 μg/ml, which are within the clinical ranges of 10 to 100 and 50 to 100 μg/ml, respectively. These data suggest that inhibition of AZT glucuronidation may be more clinically significant with concomitant fluconazole and valproic acid. Factors such as inter- and intraindividual pharmacokinetic variability and changes in AZT intracellular concentrations should be considered as other mechanisms responsible for changes in AZT pharmacokinetics with concomitant therapies.