cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Markov Perfect Equilibria in Repeated Asynchronous Choice Games

This paper examines the issue of multiplicity of equilibria in alternating move repeated games with two players. Such games are canonical models of environments with repeated, asynchronous choices due to inertia or replacement. We focus our attention on Markov Perfect equilibria (MPE). These are Perfect equilibria in which individuals condition their actions on payoff-relevant state variables. Our main result is that the number of Markov Perfect equilibria is generically finite with respect to stage game payoffs. This holds despite the fact that the stochastic game representation of the alternating move repeated game is "non-generic" in the larger space of state dependent payoffs. We also compare the MPE to non-Markovian equilibria and to the (trivial) MPE of standard repeated games. Unlike the latter, it is often true when moves are asynchronous that Pareto inferior stage game equilibrium payoffs cannot be supported in MPE. Also, MPE can be constructed to support cooperation in a Prisoner's Dilemma despite limited possibilities for constructing punishments.
Peak scaling in Greek and the role of declination

The controversial role of declination in the scaling of accentual peaks was tested using Greek materials, consisting of sentences of increasing length (from two to five accented words) in which successive accents were separated by either two or four unstressed syllables. It was hypothesized that if peak scaling is locally controlled (i.e. independent of declination), the peaks in the long sentences would not be scaled lower than peaks found in the same position in the short sentences. The results showed that peaks were scaled lower in the long sentences, but the effect was very small. On the other hand, multiple regression showed that the best predictor of peak scaling was the scaling of the preceding peak, while other factors played a very small role. These results largely agree with results from Spanish and English and support the view that declination does not play a major part in peak scaling.
Assessing Sustained Effects of Communities That Care on Youth Protective Factors

The Communities That Care (CTC) prevention system seeks to build community capacity for a science-based approach to the promotion of healthy youth development. Prior research shows the positive effects of CTC on youth protective factors during CTC implementation. This research tests sustained effects of CTC on youth protective factors 1 year after external support to communities for CTC implementation ended.Data come from a community-randomized trial of CTC in 24 communities across 7 states. A panel of 4,407 youth in CTC and control communities was surveyed annually from Grade 5 through Grade 10. Youth reported their exposure to protective factors identified in the social development model. Global test statistics are calculated to examine effects of CTC across 15 protective factors in 5 domains (community, school, family, peer, and individual) assessed in Grade 10, 1 year after study support for CTC implementation ended. Analyses also examine variation in sustained effects by gender and baseline risk levels.Global effects of CTC on protective factors across all domains are not sustained in Grade 10. However, sustained domain-specific effects are observed in the individual domain for males, in the peer domain for females, and in the individual domain for youth with low-to-medium risk at baseline.Greater emphasis on strengthening protective factors during high school might be needed to sustain broad effects of CTC on protective factors observed during middle school.
Regulation of impaired angiogenesis in diabetic dermal wound healing by microRNA-26a

Wound healing is a physiological reparative response to injury and a well-orchestrated process that involves hemostasis, cellular migration, proliferation, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix deposition, and wound contraction and re-epithelialization. However, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) are frequently afflicted with impaired wound healing that progresses into chronic wounds or diabetic ulcers, and may lead to complications including limb amputation. Herein, we investigate the potential role of microRNA-26a (miR-26a) in a diabetic model of wound healing. Expression of miR-26a is rapidly induced in response to high glucose in endothelial cells (ECs). Punch skin biopsy wounding of db/db mice revealed increased expression of miR-26a (~3.5-fold) four days post-wounding compared to that of WT mice. Local administration of a miR-26a inhibitor, LNA-anti-miR-26a, induced angiogenesis (up to ~80%), increased granulation tissue thickness (by 2.5-fold) and accelerated wound closure (53% after nine days) compared to scrambled anti-miR controls in db/db mice. These effects were independent of altered M1/M2 macrophage ratios. Mechanistically, inhibition of miR-26a increased its target gene SMAD1 in ECs nine days post-wounding of diabetic mice. In addition, high glucose reduced activity of the SMAD1-3'-UTR. Diabetic dermal wounds treated with LNA-anti-miR-26a had increased expression of ID1, a downstream modulator or SMAD1, and decreased expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p27. These findings establish miR-26a as an important regulator on the progression of skin wounds of diabetic mice by specifically regulating the angiogenic response after injury, and demonstrate that neutralization of miR-26a may serve as a novel approach for therapy.
Gamma irradiation as a quarantine treatment for cherries infested by western cherry fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Western cherry fruit fly (WCFF), Rhagoletis indifferens Curran, infests cherries in the northwestern United States. Exposure of naturally infested fruit to doses from 42 to 210 Gray (Gy) reduced pupation; only one adult emerged (at 127 Gy). In a second test in which fruit were exposed to from 4.4 to 106 Gy, no adults emerged following irradiation of field-infested fruit at ≥17.6 Gy. When > 124,000 naturally infested cherries were exposed to 97 Gy, gamma irradiation was an efficacious quarantine treatment. No normal adults and only one abnormal adult with vestigial wings emerged from a treated population estimated to be 84,369 WCFF larvae. This research demonstrated that irradiation would be a potential quarantine treatment for WCFF larvae in cherries. Parasites, Pachycrepoideus vindemiae (Rondani), emerged from many of the untreated puparia but not from those WCFF irradiated as larvae.
Urban Communication| Multi- and Mixed-Methods Approaches to Urban Communication Research: A Synthesis and the Road Ahead

Interest in how the places we inhabit—and especially cities—impact our lives and how, in turn, humans shape the urban environment has intensified in the past 15 years across the social sciences, and in communication more specifically. An urbanization trend forecast to remain strong for at least 50 more years is fueling this interest, as are the growing appeals among policy makers for solutions to cities’ problems that are informed by research and for methodological innovations that enable the study of inherently complex urban ecosystems. This context has fostered efforts to develop multimethod and mixed-methods approaches to the study of the city. This article describes the strengths, challenges, and models of such research designs. I review the multimethod and mixed-methods communication research that has focused on the city, identify key themes and problematics that this literature has addressed, discuss theoretical orientations guiding this work, analyze research designs employed, and identify gaps that future communication-centered research on the urban condition should address.
Endovascular Treatment of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis

Investigators at Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, UK, retrospectively reviewed case notes and imaging in 9 consecutive children (age range 18 months to 16 years) with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) who were treated using endovascular methods after medical therapy with heparin had failed.
Late prasugrel benefit in STEMI patients

Recent post hoc analysis of the TRITON trial suggests vascular outcome superiority of prasugrel over clopidogrel in STEMI patients at both 30 days and 15 months. However, this paper is not in full agreement with the data presented in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Prasugrel Second Review. While the periprocedural advantage of the experimental drug is confirmed by the independent FDA review, the late benefit is grossly exaggerated. The FDA document suggests that the benefit of prasugrel is exclusively front-loaded, with no additional long-term vascular advantage beyond one month if site-reported events are counted. It is unclear why secondary occlusive events in STEMI patients were consistently misdiagnosed by the TRITON investigators, especially considering that site reported MI's correlated with mortality, while adjudicated MI's exhibited similar to MI-free patients mortality rates. Inflation of the outcome superiority is especially alarming considering lack of heart failure benefit for prasugrel, challenging the hypothesis of delayed myocardial preservation by early prevention of "microMI's", or "saving the muscle" hypothesis. In contrast, significant steady growth over time of definite serious bleeding events, and unexpected cancer risks, especially in women, and probably delayed mortality risks with prasugrel are real, clearly dominate in the outpatient setting, and represent a valid safety concern.
The Appeal of Buying Black

Recent interest in the Negro market has produced much research on this unique market segment. This article directly examines some of the major factors which seem to affect retail shopping behavior ...
Robust Face Recognition Based on Singular Value and Sparse Representation

At present, there are two main barriers toward positive two-dimensional-based face recognition: one is the variation of illumination and expression, the other is the problem of occlusion and noise. The problem of robust recognizing human faces from frontal views with varying expression and illumination, as well as occlusion and noise will be researched in this paper. The recognition problem is taken as one of classifying among multiple linear regression models, and sparse signal representation is used to solve this problem. The method based on singular value and sparse representation can significantly improve the robustness and reduce the computational complexity. Conducting extensive experiments on publicly available databases verify the efficacy of the proposed algorithm, and corroborate the above claims.
Saline-Induced Natriuresis in the Dog without Prior Exposure of the Kidney to the Physical Effects of Expansion of the Extracellular Fluid Compartment

1. Experiments were carried out in dogs in which renal perfusion pressure was reduced 40 min before beginning expansion of the extracellular fluid space by 10% with isotonic sodium chloride solution. Sodium excretion increased up to 590% of control values in spite of the fact that the filtered load of sodium was below that of the control period and circulating mineralocorticoids were not suppressed. 2. The findings indicate that, in the dog, prior exposure of the kidney to the volume-expanded state is not a prerequisite for natriuresis to occur.
Laser Depletion Spectroscopy of Core-Excited Levels

For several years now we have been developing techniques for using the properties of high lying metastable levels for high resolution spectroscopy of core-excited levels [1], At Tegemsee [2], we discussed the use of anti-Stokes scattering to obtain the isotopic shift of the He 2s1S level in 3He and He. At Jasper [3], we described the application of a hollow cathode based tunable anti-Stokes source to the high resolution spectroscopy of the 3p6 shell of neutral potassium. Our paper at Interlaken [4] reported the transfer of energy from the metastable Li(1s2s2p 4P) level to the radiating Li(1s2p2 2P) level, thereby interconnecting the quartet and doublet manifolds. Most recently in Maui [5], we discussed the properties of a subclass of metastable core-excited levels which have been termed quasi-metastable [1]. These levels which lie near the bottom of the core-excited manifolds of the alkali atoms and alkali-like ions, autoionize sufficiently slowly to have radiative yields of about 50%, and typically dominate the neutral XUV emission spectrum of these atoms and ions. They form the basis of the laser depletion spectroscopy technique [6,7] which we describe here.
Analysis of electrostatic coupling in monolithic 3D integrated circuits and its impact on delay testing

Monolithic 3D (M3D) integration is a promising technology that offers considerable performance and area benefits. A number of techniques have been proposed in the literature for the design and fabrication of M3D integrated circuits (ICs). Despite these advances, test challenges have remained unexplored. As a first step towards the development of test solutions, we analyze electrostatic coupling in M3D ICs and quantify its impact on delay testing. We carry out a detailed study of coupling between device layers, and quantify the change in threshold voltage of transistors in the top layers. Such variations in threshold voltage can significantly impact circuit timing. Next, we analyze the impact of coupling on the effectiveness of delay-test patterns using the statistical delay quality level (SDQL) as a metric. Our results show that significant rethinking in test generation is needed to effectively screen delay defects in M3D ICs.
Antihyperlipidemic effect of Ficus dalhousiae miq. stem bark on Triton WR-1339 and high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats

Abstract Ficus dalhousiae stem bark is used to treat cancer and hyperlipidemia in folklore practices. F. dalhousiae stem bark methanolic extract (250 and 500 mg/kg b. wt.) was evaluated for antihyperlipidemic activity in Triton WR-1339 and high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. F. dalhousiae extract significantly ( P ⩽ 0.005) alter the serum TC, TG, LDL-C and HDL-C levels to near normal in Triton WR-1339 and high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. The liver total cholesterol and triglycerides were also significantly reduced after treatment with 250 and 500 mg/kg of F. dalhousiae. The result of this study indicates that F. dalhousiae has a significant potential to use as a natural antihyperlipidemic agent.
Detection of Upper Tract Urothelial Malignancies by Computed Tomography Urography in Patients Referred for Hematuria at a Large Tertiary Referral Center.

Objective To evaluate the age-stratified prevalence of upper tract urothelial malignancies diagnosed on computed tomography urography in a large cohort of patients referred for initial evaluation of hematuria. Materials and Methods A total of 1123 consecutive adults without a history of urothelial cancer underwent initial computed tomography urography for gross hematuria (n = 652), microscopic hematuria (n = 457), or unspecified hematuria (n = 14) at a single institution from October 2006 to October 2012. Imaging findings suggestive of urothelial lesions were correlated with clinical information, including cystoscopy, cytology, and surgical pathology reports. Patients subsequently diagnosed with urothelial cancer following a normal radiographic evaluation were identified and analyzed. Age, gender, smoking history, and location and type of malignancy were analyzed. Results Upper tract urothelial cancer was detected in 4 (0.36%) patients, with a mean age of 66.5 years. All 4 patients presented with gross hematuria and were current or former smokers. None of the 535 patients under age 55 who underwent computed tomography urography were diagnosed with upper tract disease regardless of age, smoking history, or degree of hematuria. Likewise, no upper tract cancers were detected in patients referred for microscopic hematuria, regardless of age. Conclusion Detection of upper tract urothelial cancer by computed tomography urography is exceedingly rare in patients presenting at a tertiary referral center with hematuria, particularly in the lower risk strata (younger age, microscopic hematuria). Further investigation into risk-stratified approaches to imaging for hematuria workup is warranted to minimize unnecessary costs and radiation exposure.
Experimentally-based investigation of effects of wave interference on the wave resistance of asymmetric di-hulls

Abstract Significant reduction of steady-state resistance of a di-hull system with certain hull configurations (relative stagger and separation between the hulls) occurs because of interference effects between the two sets of ship-generated waves. The far-field wave interference and the resulting wave-resistance reduction of an asymmetric di-hull system, consisting of two distinct Series 60 hull models with various hull configurations are studied. The initial search for optimal configurations of the maximum prospective resistance reduction is conducted by an existing di-hull thin-ship computation. These theoretical results are then compared to the ones acquired by towing-tank measurements and those given by a semi-experimental approach. The latter approach obtains the wave resistance by combining experimental “wave-cut” data and analytical expressions developed for such a di-hull system. Experimental uncertainties are briefly discussed. Results of this study show that a considerable amount of wave-resistance reduction is indeed possible for the investigated hull configurations. However, beyond the far-field interference of the waves, near-field interactions of the two hulls are found to have non-negligible influence on the total resistance performance of the di-hull system.
Wearable oximetry for harsh environments

A wearable oximeter is needed to help people safely perform missions in environmental extremes. Key initial needs are to monitor for hypoxemia at high altitudes, and to monitor for shock in the event of trauma and hemorrhage. An initial investigation has been performed to assess design parameters for a wearable oximeter. Initial data was collected to assess the forehead, manubrium, and xiphoid process as wear locations; to assess required power; and to characterize the types and significance of motion artifacts that will need to be mitigated. The forehead was confirmed to be an excellent site with respect to signal quality, but signal corruption from changes in contact pressure will need to be mitigated. The sternal locations are initially assessed to be more challenging, likely requiring more power and site-specific motion artifact mitigation.
Zone zero thoracic endovascular aortic repair: A proposed modification to the classification of landing zones

Abstract Objective Endovascular stent-grafting provides an alternative treatment option for high-risk patients with ascending aortic disease. The feasibility of this approach has been demonstrated before. We assess the updated experience with ascending thoracic endovascular aortic repair and propose a modification of the landing zone classification based on the outcomes. Methods From 2006 to 2016, 39 patients deemed very high risk for open replacement underwent endovascular repair of ascending aorta for acute type A dissection (12, 31%), intramural hematoma (2, 5%), pseudoaneurysm (22, 56%), and chronic dissection suture line entry tear (3, 8%). Ascending thoracic endovascular aortic repair was performed in 36 patients. In 3 patients with pseudoaneurysm, occluder devices were used. Computed tomography imaging analysis was performed, and the extent of aortic pathology was designated by segmental proximity to the left ventricle. Segmental anatomy of the proximal aorta was designed as zone 0A from the annulus to the distal margin of highest coronary, 0B extends from above the coronary to the distal margin of right pulmonary artery, and 0C extends from the right pulmonary artery border to the innominate artery. Multivariable time to event Cox regression analysis was performed to predict mortality, and long-term survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results Operative mortality was 13%; all 5 deaths occurred after emergency ascending thoracic endovascular aortic repair for type A dissection. Other complications included stroke in 4 patients (10%), myocardial infarction in 2 patients (5%), tracheostomy in 2 patients (5%), and dialysis in 2 patients (5%). In patients with acute type A dissection, the ascending pathology extended into zone 0A in 10 (71%) and 0B in 4 (29%). Among those with pseudoaneurysm, the location of the defect was in 0B in 11 (50%), 0C in 10 (45%), and 0A in 1. Among the patients with chronic dissection, the defect was located in 0C in all 3 (100%). After multivariable adjustment, Cox regression predicted significantly higher hazard of mortality with disease involving zone 0A versus 0C ( P = .020) and older age ( P = .026). Kaplan–Meier estimate of survival was also significantly worse in patients with disease extension into 0A versus 0C ( P = .0018). At 30 days, 1 year, and 5 years, the overall survival was 81%, 74%, and 64% and freedom from reintervention was 85%, 77%, and 68%, respectively. Conclusions The modified zone zero classification is useful for characterizing extent of ascending aortic pathology and assessing prognosis. Location of the defect varies by pathology, and the presence of 0A disease predicts worse outcomes. Design of endovascular devices should be tailored to the aortic pathology and zone characteristics.
Impulsive–Compulsive Sexual Behavior

The term impulsive–compulsive sexual behavior refers to sexual thoughts, urges, and behaviors that are normative, but occur with such frequency or intensity that they are distressing or interfere with functioning. The most common impulsive–compulsive sexual behaviors are promiscuity, masturbation, pornography dependence, phone sex, and use of the Internet for sexual purposes. Impulsive–compulsive sexual behavior is estimated to affect 5–6% of the general population and to be approximately 3 times more common in males than females. It is conceptualized as either an impulse control disorder or as a behavioral addiction. The pathophysiology, comorbidities, diagnosis, and treatments, both pharmacological and psychological, are discussed.
Multispectral photoacoustic microscopy of lipids using a pulsed supercontinuum laser.

We demonstrate optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) of lipid-rich tissue between 1050–1714 nm using a pulsed supercontinuum laser based on a large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber. OR-PAM experiments of lipid-rich samples show the expected optical absorption peaks near 1210 and 1720 nm. These results show that pulsed supercontinuum lasers are promising for OR-PAM applications such as label-free histology of lipid-rich tissue and imaging small animal models of disease.
Parameter selection with the Hotelling observer in linear iterative image reconstruction for breast tomosynthesis

In this work we investigate an efficient implementation of a region-of-interest (ROI) based Hotelling observer (HO) in the context of parameter optimization for detection of a rod signal at two orientations in linear iterative image reconstruction for DBT. Our preliminary results suggest that ROI-HO performance trends may be efficiently estimated by modeling only the 2D plane perpendicular to the detector and containing the X-ray source trajectory. In addition, the ROI-HO is seen to exhibit orientation dependent trends in detectability as a function of the regularization strength employed in reconstruction. To further investigate the ROI-HO performance in larger 3D system models, we present and validate an iterative methodology for calculating the ROI-HO. Lastly, we present a real data study investigating the correspondence between ROI-HO performance trends and signal conspicuity. Conspicuity of signals in real data reconstructions is seen to track well with trends in ROI-HO detectability. In particular, we observe orientation dependent conspicuity matching the orientation dependent detectability of the ROI-HO.
Toward a Generalized Parisi Ansatz

In the analysis of the Sherrington–Kirkpatrick and mixed p-spin models, a key role is played by the fact that the Hamiltonian of these models is a Gaussian process with the covariance given by a function of the overlap of spin configurations in {−1,+1} N .The distribution of such processes is invariant under orthogonal transformations and, as a result, the computation of the free energy can be reduced to the description of the asymptotic distributions of the overlaps, which, in some sense, encode the Gibbs measure up to orthogonal transformations. However, for other random Hamiltonians on {−1,+1} N , understanding the distribution of the overlaps is not sufficient and one would like to study the asymptotic distributions of all coordinates, or spins, of the configurations sampled from the Gibbs measure. In certain models, it is expected that the structure of these asymptotic distributions can be described by some particular realizations of the Ruelle probability cascades on a separable Hilbert space, but, in most cases, these predictions remain an open problem. In this chapter, we will describe an approach that, in some sense, proves these predictions in the setting of the mixed p-spin models. Unfortunately, again, the special Gaussian nature of the Hamiltonian will play a crucial role but at least, we will obtain new information beyond the distribution of the overlaps.
Comparative Transcriptomics Reveals Patterns of Adaptive Evolution Associated with Depth and Age Within Marine Rockfishes (Sebastes)

The genetic underpinnings that contribute to ecological adaptation and speciation are not completely understood, especially within marine ecosystems. These evolutionary processes can be elucidated by studying adaptive radiations, because they provide replicates of divergence within a given environment or time-frame. Marine rockfishes (genus Sebastes) are an adaptive radiation and unique model system for studying adaptive evolution in the marine realm. We investigated molecular evolution associated with ecological (depth) and life history (lifespan) divergence in 2 closely related clades of Sebastes. Brain transcriptomes were sequenced via RNA-Seq from 3 species within the subgenus Pteropodus and a pair of related congeners from the subgenus Sebastosomus in order to identify patterns of adaptive evolution. De novo assemblies from these transcriptomes were used to identify 3867 orthologous clusters, and genes subject to positive selection were identified based on all 5 species, depth, and lifespan. Within all our analyses, we identified hemoglobin subunit α to be under strong positive selection and is associated with the depth of occurrence. In our lifespan analysis we identified immune function genes under positive selection in association with maximum lifespan. This study provides insight on the molecular evolution of rockfishes and these candidate genes may provide a better understanding of how these subgenera radiated within the Northeast Pacific.
Israel’s Strategic and Tactical Use of the 2017 Maccabiah Games for Nation Branding and Public Diplomacy

The Maccabiah Games, also known as “The Jewish Olympics,” are a quadrennial international multisport event that takes place in Israel and is deeply rooted in the Zionist movement. The purpose of this study is to analyze strategies and tactics Israel used in the 2017 Maccabiah Games for nation branding and public diplomacy. Based on ethnographic field research during the Maccabiah Games in July 2017, the authors identified nine different tactics used by the Maccabiah organizations that correlate the strategic goals of the State of Israel. Results have theoretical and practical implications of how countries can use sports events for nation branding and public diplomacy. Subscribe to JASM
The Effect of Accounting Conservatism on Measures of Distress Risk

This paper investigates how the trend in accounting conservatism effects measures of financial distress. We find that existing accounting-based measures of financial distress become less accurate as accounting conservatism increases across time. We document that (1) higher levels of accounting conservatism increase the likelihood of misclassification of solvent firms (2) adjusting for conservatism increases the number of correctly identified distressed firms by an average of 13% per year (3) adjusted measures of distress eliminate the previously documented anomalously low returns of large high distress risk firms with low book-to-market and (4) adjusted O-score measures provide important information on distress risk for large firms with average book to market classification. Our results suggest that extant literature relying on accounting measures of distress incorrectly predicts or controls for distress risk.
Antimicrobial effect and toxicity of cellulose nanofibril/silver nanoparticle nanocomposites prepared by an ultraviolet irradiation method.

Abstract The objective of this study was to synthesize a novel antimicrobial cellulose nanofibril/silver nanoparticle (CNF/AgNP) nanocomposite by an ultraviolet (UV) irradiation method and evaluate the toxicity of the nanocomposite to human colon cells. AgNPs coated on CNFs have an average size of ˜28 nm and exhibited a surface plasma resonance absorption peak at 402 nm. Coating AgNPs on CNFs interfered with the formation of intra-chain and inter-chain hydrogen bonds of cellulose. Moreover, the CNF/AgNP nanocomposite exhibited significant antimicrobial activities against two important food-borne pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. No apparent toxicity of the CNF/AgNP nanocomposite to Caco-2 and FHC human colon cells was observed, except when a high content of (≥500 μg/m L) of the nanocomposite was used for which a significant decrease of cell viability was observed. The nanocomposite’s toxicity was related to the content, size, and surface charge of UV-synthesized AgNPs on CNFs. These results indicate that the antimicrobial CNF/AgNP nanocomposite prepared by UV irradiation method can be potentially used as an active filler applied in food packaging materials.
Activation of a protumorigenic IFNγ/STAT1/IRF‐1 signaling pathway in keratinocytes following exposure to solar ultraviolet light

In this study, we evaluated the role of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) in response to acute solar ultraviolet (SUV) radiation in mouse epidermis. Analysis of the epidermis from SUV-irradiated mice revealed rapid phosphorylation of STAT1 (pSTAT1) on both tyrosine (tyr701) and serine (ser727) residues and increased levels of IRF-1 while later timepoints showed increased levels of unphosphorylated STAT1 (uSTAT1). STAT1 activation led to upregulation of several proinflammatory chemokine mRNAs in epidermis including Cxcl9, Cxcl10, and Ccl2, as well as, the immune checkpoint inhibitor Pd-l1. In addition, mRNA and protein levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2/COX2) were upregulated in epidermis following exposure to SUV. Mice with keratinocyte-specific STAT1 deletion did not exhibit increased IRF-1 or proinflammatory gene expression in epidermis. Furthermore, epidermal COX-2 induction after SUV exposure was significantly reduced in mice with keratinocyte-specific deletion of STAT1. Additionally, SUV irradiation rapidly upregulated interferon gamma (IFNγ) mRNA in the epidermis and that skin resident epidermal CD3 + T-cells were the source of IFNγ production. IFNγ receptor-deficient mice confirmed dependency of STAT1 activation, proinflammatory gene expression and COX-2 upregulation in the epidermis on paracrine IFNγ signaling. Furthermore, keratinocyte-specific STAT1-deficiency reduced proliferation and hyperplasia due to SUV irradiation and this was associated with decreased immune infiltration of mast cells in the dermis. Collectively, the current results demonstrate that exposure to SUV leads to upregulation of IFNγ and downstream pSTAT1/IRF-1/uSTAT1 signaling in the epidermis. Further study of this pathway could lead to identification of novel targets for the prevention of nonmelanoma skin cancer.
What does a group algebra of a free group “know” about the group?

Abstract We describe solutions to the problem of elementary classification in the class of group algebras of free groups. We will show that unlike free groups, two group algebras of free groups over infinite fields are elementarily equivalent if and only if the groups are isomorphic and the fields are equivalent in the weak second order logic. We will show that the set of all free bases of a free group F is 0-definable in the group algebra K ( F ) when K is an infinite field, the set of geodesics is definable, and many geometric properties of F are definable in K ( F ) . Therefore K ( F ) “knows” some very important information about F. We will show that similar results hold for group algebras of limit groups.
Analysis of Network Effect in the Competition of Self-Publishing Market

Self-publishing has become a popular e-commerce model. In the current study, we build a duopoly model to examine the impact of the network effect on competition in this emerging market. We investigate four cases depending on two factors: market size and the self-publishing platforms’ compatibility strategy. Our results show that self-publishing writers receive higher royalties compared with the scenario of no network effect except in the case of both platforms choosing incompatibility strategy in the standard market. We also find that self-publishing platforms do not always benefit from the network effect. In the standard market, the platforms will be better off only when they choose incompatibility strategy and the network effect intensity is greater than a certain threshold. In the expanded market, our computational analysis shows that the revenue of the less-known self-publishing platform increases, but the revenue of the leading platform decreases when both platforms choose compatibility strategy. Our findings also show that both self-publishing platforms prefer incompatibility strategy under a strong network effect in the standard market. Otherwise, they prefer compatibility strategy under a weak network effect. In the expanded market, self-publishing platforms have an incentive to choose incompatibility strategy.
Understanding ML Driven HPC: Applications and Infrastructure

We recently outlined the vision of "Learning Everywhere" which captures the possibility and impact of how learning methods and traditional HPC methods can be coupled together. A primary driver of such coupling is the promise that Machine Learning (ML) will give major performance improvements for traditional HPC simulations. Motivated by this potential, the ML around HPC class of integration is of particular significance. In a related follow-up paper, we provided an initial taxonomy for integrating learning around HPC methods. In this paper which is part of the Learning Everywhere series, we discuss ``how'' learning methods and HPC simulations are being integrated to enhance effective performance of computations. This paper describes several modes --- substitution, assimilation, and control, in which learning methods integrate with HPC simulations and provide representative applications in each mode. This paper discusses some open research questions and we hope will motivate and clear the ground for MLaroundHPC benchmarks.
Diagnosis and treatment of nonconvulsive status epilepticus in children

The Neurocritical Care Society′s Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Status Epilepti-cus defines status epilepticus as the epilepsy lasts for 5 minutes or longer, with continuous clinical and/or electrographic seizure activity or recurrent seizure activity without recovery (returning to baseline) between seizures.Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) can be classified into with or without coma/stupor types.The diagnosis of NCSE needs continuous video electroencephalogram monitoring and the indications include: (1) altered mental status appear after seizures, acute brain injury or other unknown causes; (2)efficacy evaluation of seizure therapy is performed to confirm whether nonconvulsive seizures or NCSE is controlled monitoring for 24 to 48 hours; (3)identification of cerebral ischemia.Modified Salzburg consensus criteria for NCSE suggests that the diagnosis of NCSE needs the combination of clinical features and electroencephalograms.Suspected clinical features and signs of NCSE should last at least 10 minutes, and altered EEG of suspected NCSE should last at least 10 seconds.Benzodiazepines is the first choice of treatment in NCSE and antiepileptic drugs are selected if necessary.If the NCSE lasts longer than 60 minutes, anesthetics or other therapies may be administered. Key words: Nonconvulsive status epilepticus; Continuous electroencephaography; Consensus; Diagnosis; Treatment
Treadmill-belt width, but not feedback from the lower visual field, influences the noise characteristics of step width time series.

Abstract Step kinematic variability, which has been associated with gait-related fall risk, is thought to be attributed to neuromotor noise. Altered neuromotor control of step kinematics would be expected to manifest as changes in the noise-related characteristics of the step kinematic time series. This study determined the effects of eliminating feedback from the lower visual field and reducing treadmill-belt width on the noise characteristics of step width time series and statistical measures of step width variability during treadmill walking. We hypothesized that eliminating feedback from the lower visual field and reducing treadmill-belt width would both alter the noise characteristics of step width time series, reflected by decreased fractal scaling, and increase statistical measures of step width variability. Eighteen young adults performed four randomly ordered walking trials during which we manipulated visual feedback from the lower visual field (normal and obstructed) and treadmill-belt width (wide and narrow). Reducing treadmill-belt width, but not eliminating feedback from the lower visual field, significantly reduced the fractal scaling of step width time series, indicating a shift towards white, uncorrelated noise. These results suggest that accounting for the influence of treadmill-belt width on step width time series may be an important consideration in both laboratory and clinical settings. Further work is needed to clarify the effects of vision on measures of step width, identify the mechanism(s) underlying the observed shift towards white, uncorrelated noise associated with reduced treadmill-belt width, and to assess the potential relationship between the noise characteristics of step width time series and fall risk.
Mental and physical health factors related to dual use of veterans affairs and non-veterans affairs healthcare among U.S. reserve soldiers.

This study examined the association between mental and physical health factors and dual use of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and non-VA healthcare among previously deployed male Reserve/National Guard (R/...
Two-step crystallization and solid-solid transitions in binary colloidal mixtures.

Crystallization is fundamental to materials science and is central to a variety of applications, ranging from the fabrication of silicon wafers for microelectronics to the determination of protein structures. The basic picture is that a crystal nucleates from a homogeneous fluid by a spontaneous fluctuation that kicks the system over a single free-energy barrier. However, it is becoming apparent that nucleation is often more complicated than this simple picture and, instead, can proceed via multiple transformations of metastable structures along the pathway to the thermodynamic minimum. In this article, we observe, characterize, and model crystallization pathways using DNA-coated colloids. We use optical microscopy to investigate the crystallization of a binary colloidal mixture with single-particle resolution. We observe classical one-step pathways and nonclassical two-step pathways that proceed via a solid–solid transformation of a crystal intermediate. We also use enhanced sampling to compute the free-energy landscapes corresponding to our experiments and show that both one- and two-step pathways are driven by thermodynamics alone. Specifically, the two-step solid–solid transition is governed by a competition between two different crystal phases with free energies that depend on the crystal size. These results extend our understanding of available pathways to crystallization, by showing that size-dependent thermodynamic forces can produce pathways with multiple crystal phases that interconvert without free-energy barriers and could provide approaches to controlling the self-assembly of materials made from colloids.
Safety and Effectiveness of Del Nido Cardioplegia in Comparison to Blood-Based St. Thomas Cardioplegia in Congenital Heart Surgeries: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study.

Background:To compare the safety and effectiveness of del Nido cardioplegia with blood-based St Thomas Hospital (BSTH) cardioplegia in myocardial protection in congenital heart surgery.Methods:It i...
Drug-Induced Gastrointestinal Tract Injury

Drug-induced injury to the gastrointestinal tract is fairly common, often with important clinical consequences. An aging population, coupled with an ever-expanding drug industry, and availability of a bewildering array of both prescription and over-the-counter medications offer increasing opportunities to encounter unwarranted side effects from different medications. Several factors such as dose, mechanism of action, drug interactions, and the individual’s underlying health status can influence the type and severity of medication effects. Mucosal damage may occur due to direct physical injury or by altering mucosal immunity and local environmental milieu. Pathologic changes induced by medications are varied, often non-specific, and can mimic various diseases, including neoplasms. An awareness of the spectrum of pathologic changes induced by various drugs is important in establishing a temporal relationship and avoiding misdiagnosis.
Spatial Covariant Management of Thermodynamics Contributes to Protein Fold Function Through Quality Assurance

Although the impact of genome variation on the thermodynamic properties of the protein fold has been studied in vitro, it remains a challenge to assign these relationships across the entire polypeptide sequence in vivo. Using the Gaussian process regression (GPR) based principle of Spatial CoVariance (SCV), we globally assign on a residue-by-residue the biological thermodynamic properties contributing to the functional fold in the cell using as an example the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). These results support a general 'quality assurance' (QA) view of global protein fold management as an SCV principle describing the differential pre- and post-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) residue interactions contributing to compartmentalization of the energetics of the protein fold for function. Application of SCV to describe the impact of biological non-equilibrium thermodynamics on the functional fold in vivo provides an unprecedented quantitative approach to evaluate the biophysical design of sequence-to-function-to-structure relationships in the health and disease of the individual.
Novel Allometric Estimators Improve Estimation Accuracy of Body Surface Area, Volume, and Surface Area-to-Volume Ratio in Lungless Salamanders (Urodela: Plethodontidae)

Body surface area and volume are both physiologically important traits in amphibians, as their ratio constrains transport rates for water and respiratory gases across the skin. This is especially true in the lungless salamanders (Urodela: Plethodontidae), whose lungless morphology restricts nearly all gas and water transport to the body surface. Due to methodological difficulties of measuring surface area and volume, estimation techniques are the most convenient way to produce usable phenotype scores. To this end, we used high-resolution computerized tomography (CT) scans of three plethodontid species varying in body size and shape to produce allometric regression models to estimate body surface area (SA), volume, and surface area-to-volume ratio (SA:V). We compared our model estimates to empirical measurements and established estimation methods employed in the Plethodontidae using linear models and Deming regressions. We found our model estimates are both accurate and generalizable across temperate plethodontid species. This method significantly improves SA estimation accuracy when compared to published allometric models. Our models are also significantly more accurate than SA or volume estimates following geometric measurements, although SA:V estimates are comparable between these techniques for most body sizes. We discuss the relative utility of different estimation methods for future research questions.
How to text 911: A content analysis of text-to-911 public education information

Public education programs improve public safety by teaching citizens how to mitigate risks and respond to emergencies. To improve these efforts, studies in the fields of risk communication and emergency management have examined the design and communication of public education information. However, few studies examine the diversity of information officials communicate to the public when state and national-level public education programs are decentralized and administered by local government agencies. This study reports findings from a content analysis of text-to-911 information published on the websites of local 911 service entities across the state of Texas. Overall, these websites communicate sparse, uneven, and sometimes inconsistent information to citizens across the state regarding the availability of text-to-911 service, when and for whom texting 911 is appropriate, and instructions and warnings for texting 911 during an emergency. These findings suggest the need for public education resources that help local governments communicate with local audiences and coordinate communications across jurisdictions working to accomplish state and national public-safety objectives.
The impact of COVID-19 on people who inject drugs in New York City: increased risk and decreased access to services.

Background While people who inject drugs (PWID) are vulnerable to the adverse outcomes of events like COVID-19, little is known regarding the impact of the current pandemic on PWID. We examine how COVID-19 has affected PWID in New York City across four domains: substance use, risk behaviors, mental health, and service utilization. Methods As part of a randomized trial to improve access to HCV treatment for PWID, we recruited 165 participants. Eligibility criteria included detectable HCV RNA and recent drug injection. The present cross-sectional analysis is based on a subsample of 106 participants. We compared responses between two separate samples: 60 participants interviewed prior to the pandemic (pre-COVID-19 sample) and 46 participants interviewed during the pandemic (COVID-19 sample). We also assessed differences by study group [accessible care (AC) and usual care (UC)]. Results Compared to the pre-COVID-19 sample, those interviewed during COVID-19 reported higher levels of mental health issues, syringe reuse, and alcohol consumption and greater reductions in syringe-service programs and buprenorphine utilization. In the analysis conducted by study group, the UC group reported significantly higher injection risk behaviors and lower access to buprenorphine treatment during COVID-19, while during the same period, the AC group reported lower levels of substance use and injection risk behaviors. Conclusion The current study provides insight on how COVID-19 has negatively affected PWID. Placing dispensing machines of harm-reduction supplies in communities where PWID live and increasing secondary exchange, mobile services, and mail delivery of supplies may help maintain access to lifesaving supplies during big events, such as COVID-19. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03214679. Registered July 11 2017. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03214679 .