cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
United States neurosurgery annual case type and complication trends between 2006 and 2013: An American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program analysis

We aimed to identify trends in the neurosurgical practice environment in the United States from 2006 to 2013 using the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database, and to determine the complication rate for spinal and cranial procedures and identify risk factors for post-operative complications across this time period. We performed a search of the American College of Surgeons-NSQIP database for all patients undergoing an operation with a surgeon whose primary specialty was neurological surgery from 2006 to 2013. Analysis of patient demographics and pre-operative co-morbidities was performed, and multivariate analysis was used to determine predictors of surgical complications. From 2006 to 2013, the percentage of spinal operations performed by neurosurgeons relative to cranial and peripheral nerve cases increased from 68.0% to 76.8% (p<0.001) according to the NSQIP database. The proportion of cranial cases during the same time period decreased from 29.7% to 21.6% (p<0.001). The overall 30-day complication rate among all 94,621 NSQIP reported patients undergoing operations with a neurosurgeon over this time period was 8.2% (5.6% for spinal operations, 16.1% for cranial operations). The overall rate decreased from 11.0% in 2006 to 7.5% in 2013 (p<0.001). Several predictors of post-operative complication were identified on multivariate analysis.
Density Functional Theory Studies of the Methanol Decomposition Reaction on Graphene-Supported Pt13 Nanoclusters

Defective graphene has been shown experimentally to be an excellent support for transition-metal electrocatalysts in direct methanol fuel cells. Prior computational modeling has revealed that the improved catalytic activity of graphene-supported metal clusters is in part due to increased resistance to catalyst sintering and to CO poisoning, but the increased reaction rate for the methanol decomposition reaction (MDR) is not yet fully explained. Using density functional theory, we investigate the adsorption and reaction thermodynamics of MDR intermediates on defective graphene-supported Pt13 nanoclusters with realistic, low-symmetry morphologies. We find that the support-induced shifts in catalyst electronic structure correlate well with an overall change in adsorption behavior of MDR intermediates and that the reaction thermodynamics are modified in a way that suggests the potential of greater catalytic activity. We also show that adsorption energy predictors established for traditional heterogeneous cata...
Reflectance and natural illumination from a single image

Estimating reflectance and natural illumination from a single image of an object of known shape is a challenging task due to the ambiguities between reflectance and illumination. Although there is an inherent limitation in what can be recovered as the reflectance band-limits the illumination, explicitly estimating both is desirable for many computer vision applications. Achieving this estimation requires that we derive and impose strong constraints on both variables. We introduce a probabilistic formulation that seamlessly incorporates such constraints as priors to arrive at the maximum a posteriori estimates of reflectance and natural illumination. We begin by showing that reflectance modulates the natural illumination in a way that increases its entropy. Based on this observation, we impose a prior on the illumination that favors lower entropy while conforming to natural image statistics. We also impose a prior on the reflectance based on the directional statistics BRDF model that constrains the estimate to lie within the bounds and variability of real-world materials. Experimental results on a number of synthetic and real images show that the method is able to achieve accurate joint estimation for different combinations of materials and lighting.
Long Term Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Massive Splenomegaly and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Treated with Splenectomy.

Abstract 2692 Background: Massive splenomegaly is occasionally encountered in patients with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) and can be associated with abdominal symptoms, anemia and thrombocytopenia. The spleen may also be a primary focus of the disease itself. Splenectomy offers the benefit of localized treatment of the disease as well as relief of symptoms from splenomegaly and associated cytopenias. The safety and long term clinical outcomes of splenectomy for massive splenomegaly (>1500 gm) in patients with various histologies of NHL was analyzed. Methods: Data was obtained from clinical records of 90 patients with a diagnosis of NHL who underwent a splenectomy at Mayo Clinic Rochester from January 1998 to December 2007. Demographics, previous treatments, histology, post- surgical complications were collected and analyzed for the entire cohort. Additionally, median overall survival, improvement in symptoms, anemia and thrombocytopenia were analyzed by NHL type. Results: Median age at splenectomy was 67 years (range 42–84 yrs.) and 56 (62%) of patients were male. Average time from diagnosis to splenectomy was 3 months (range 0–217 months). Splenectomy was the first treatment in 56 (62%) patients; the other 34 patients were treated with chemotherapy with an average of two previous regimens. Most patients had involvement outside of the spleen, 65 (72%) with concurrent bone marrow involvement and 35 (50%) with lymph node involvement. Various different NHL histologies were represented: marginal zone (MZ) (34%), mantle cell (MC) (26%), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (10%), follicular (FL) (11%), lymphoplasmacytic (LP) (6%) and T cell NOS (4%). With a median follow-up time of 25 months, the median overall survival differed by histology type of NHL ([Table 1][1]). Indolent lymphomas such as FL, LP and MZ had more favorable survival compared with more aggressive lymphomas such as DLBCL and T cell NOS. Splenectomy was safe and well tolerated with only one treatment related death. There were no reported post-splenectomy septic events. Two patients did develop a portal vein thrombosis. 95% of patients had relief in pressure and abdominal symptoms post-splenectomy. With the exception of patients with DLBCL and T-cell NHL, a majority of patients had improvement in anemia and thrombocytopenia related to splenomegaly ([Table 2][2]). Conclusions: This represents the largest reported series of patients with lymphoma treated with splenectomy. Our results indicate that median overall survival after splenectomy is determined by the underlying type of NHL. Patients with LP, FL, MZ and MCL have a favorable outcomes following splenectomy. Splenectomy remains a safe and effective treatment option for massive splenomegaly in selected patients during the course of their disease management. ![Table][3] ![Table][3] Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. [1]: #T1 [2]: #T2 [3]: pending:yes
Online Friend Recommendation through Personality Matching and Collaborative Filtering

Most social network websites rely on people's proximity on the social graph for friend recommendation. In this paper, we present MatchMaker, a collaborative filtering friend recommendation system based on personality matching. The goal of MatchMaker is to leverage the social information and mutual understanding among people in existing social network connections, and produce friend recommendations based on rich contextual data from people's physical world interactions. MatchMaker allows users' network to match them with similar TV characters, and uses relationships in the TV programs as parallel comparison matrix to suggest to the users friends that have been voted to suit their personality the best. The system's ranking schema allows progressive improvement on the personality matching consensus and more diverse branching of users' social network connections. Lastly, our user study shows that the application can also induce more TV content consumption by driving users' curiosity in the ranking process.
Cosmological discordances: A new measure, marginalization effects, and application to geometry versus growth current data sets

The continuous progress toward more precise cosmological surveys and experiments has galvanized recent interest into consistency tests on cosmological parameters and models. At the heart of this effort is quantifying the degree of inconsistency between two or more cosmological data sets. We introduce an intuitive moment-based measure we call the index of inconsistency (IOI) and show that it is sensitive to the separation of the means, the size of the constraint ellipsoids, and their orientations in the parameter space. We find that it tracks accurately the inconsistencies when present. Next, we show that parameter marginalization can cause a loss of information on the inconsistency between two experiments, and we quantify such a loss using the drop in IOI. In order to zoom on a given parameter, we define the relative residual IOI and the relative drop in IOI. While these two quantities can provide insights on the parameters that are most responsible for inconsistencies, we find that the full IOI applied to the whole parameter spaces is what must be used to correctly reflect the degree of inconsistency between two experiments. We discuss various properties of IOI, provide its eigenmode decomposition, and compare it to other measures of discordance. Finally, we apply IOI to current geometry data sets (i.e., an improved Supernovae Type Ia compilation, baryon acoustic oscillations from 6dF, SDSS MGS and Lyman-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ forest, and high-$\ensuremath{\ell}$ cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature data from Planck-2015) versus growth data sets (i.e., Redshift Space Distortions from WiggleZ and SDSS, Weak Lensing from CFHTLenS, CMB Lensing, Sunyav-Zeldovich effect, and low-$\ensuremath{\ell}$ CMB temperature and polarization data from Planck-2015). We find that a persistent inconsistency is present between the two data sets. This could reflect the presence of systematics in the data or inconsistencies in the underlying model.
Device-Circuit Analysis of Ferroelectric FETs for Low-Power Logic

Ferroelectric FETs (FEFETs) are emerging devices with an immense potential to replace conventional MOSFETs by virtue of their steep switching characteristics. The ferroelectric (FE) material in the gate stack of the FEFET exhibits negative capacitance resulting in voltage step-up action which entails sub-60 mV/decade subthreshold swing at room temperature. The thickness of the FE layer ( $T_{\textsf {FE}})$ is an important design parameter, governing the device-circuit operation. This paper extensively analyzes the impact of $T_{\textsf {FE}}$ on the device-circuit characteristics in conjunction with the interactions between FE and gate/drain capacitances. While it is well known that increasing $T_{\textsf {FE}}$ yields higher gain albeit with the possibilities of introducing hysteresis, our analysis points to other unconventional effects emerging in circuits as $T_{\textsf {FE}}$ is increased. Depending on the attributes of the underlying transistor, increasing $T_{\textsf {FE}}$ beyond a certain value may lead to loss in saturation and/or negative differential resistance in the output characteristics. While the former effect results in the loss in gain of a logic gate, the latter may yield hysteretic voltage transfer characteristics. We also discuss the effect of $T_{\textsf {FE}}$ on the circuit energy–delay. Our analysis shows that for high $T_{\textsf {FE}}$ , the delay of the circuit may increase with an increase in supply voltage. However, for voltages <0.25 V, FEFINFETs show an immense promise yielding 25% lower energy at iso-delay.
Approaching Emerging Technologies: Exploring Significant Human-Computer Interaction in the Budget-Limited Classroom

There has been an explosion of sensor, presentation, and display technology available for exploration in Human-Computer Interaction. While much of this technology is readily available, approachable, and/or inexpensive, such as cell phone or Web display, other technology remains relatively expensive in the context of classroom instruction. This work presents an approach to exposing students to the principles encapsulated in expensive technologies using less expensive alternatives. Arranged in four broad categories, Brain-Computer Interfacing, Haptics, Augmented/Virtual Reality, and General interfaces, we survey a collection of devices and emerging technologies appropriate for student use in group and individual Human-Computer Interaction projects.
TEXIVE: Detecting Drivers Using Personal Smart Phones by Leveraging Inertial Sensors.

In this work, we address a fundamental and critical task of detecting the behavior of driving and texting using smartphones carried by users. We propose, design, and implement TEXIVE that leverages various sensors integrated in the smartphone and realizes our goal of distinguishing drivers and passengers and detecting texting using rich user micro-movements and irregularities that can be detected by sensors in the phone before and during driving and texting. Without relying on external infrastructure, TEXIVE has an advantage of being readily implemented and adopted, while at the same time raising a number of challenges that need to be carefully addressed for achieving a successful detection with good sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and precision. Our system distinguishes the driver and passengers by detecting whether a user is entering a vehicle or not, inferring which side of the vehicle s/he is entering, reasoning whether the user is siting in front or rear seats, and discovering if a user is texting by fusing multiple evidences collected from accelerometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope sensors. To validate our approach, we conduct extensive experiments with several users on various vehicles and smartphones. Our evaluation results show that TEXIVE has a classification accuracy of 87.18%, and precision of 96.67%.
Synergistic enhancement of topotecan-induced cell death by ascorbic acid in human breast MCF-7 tumor cells

Topotecan, a derivative of camptothecin, is an important anticancer drug for the treatment of various human cancers in the clinic. While the principal mechanism of tumor cell killing by topotecan is due to its interactions with topoisomerase I, other mechanisms, e.g., oxidative stress induced by reactive free radicals, have also been proposed. However, very little is known about how topotecan induces free radical-dependent oxidative stress in tumor cells. In this report we describe the formation of a topotecan radical, catalyzed by a peroxidase-hydrogen peroxide system. While this topotecan radical did not undergo oxidation-reduction with molecular O2, it rapidly reacted with reduced glutathione and cysteine, regenerating topotecan and forming the corresponding glutathiyl and cysteinyl radicals. Ascorbic acid, which produces hydrogen peroxide in tumor cells, significantly increased topotecan cytotoxicity in MCF-7 tumor cells. The presence of ascorbic acid also increased both topoisomerase I-dependent topotecan-induced DNA cleavage complex formation and topotecan-induced DNA double-strand breaks, suggesting that ascorbic acid participated in enhancing DNA damage induced by topotecan and that the enhanced DNA damage is responsible for the synergistic interactions of topotecan and ascorbic acid. Cell death by topotecan and the combination of topotecan and ascorbic acid was predominantly due to necrosis of MCF-7 breast tumor cells.
Current control of time-averaged magnetization in superparamagnetic tunnel junctions

This work investigates spin transfer torque control of time-averaged magnetization in a small 20 nm × 60 nm nanomagnet with a low thermal stability factor, Δ ∼ 11. Here, the nanomagnet is a part of a magnetic tunnel junction and fluctuates between parallel and anti-parallel magnetization states with respect to the magnetization of the reference layer generating a telegraph signal in the current versus time measurements. The response of the nanomagnet to an external field is first analyzed to characterize the magnetic properties. We then show that the time-averaged magnetization in the telegraph signal can be fully controlled between +1 and −1 by voltage over a small range of 0.25 V. NIST Statistical Test Suite analysis is performed for testing true randomness of the telegraph signal that the device generates when operated at near critical current values for spin transfer torque. Utilizing the probabilistic nature of the telegraph signal generated at two different voltages, a prototype demonstration is shown for multiplication of two numbers using an artificial AND logic gate.
A chorus of color: hierarchical and graded information content of rapid color change signals in chameleons

Dynamic color signals represent a rare signaling strategy but there are numerous parallels between rapid color changes and the vocalizations used to mediate aggressive interactions in other taxa. Here, we used a robochameleon to elicit color change from live chameleons and linked these signals to individual-specific performance and behavior.
The Process of Postal Reorganization

The collective bargaining impasse inside the post office and the lack of progress in the mechanization of mail processing, placed a drag on postal operations and postal finances in the late 1960s. Quality of service stagnated while the volume of mail and the number of employees required to move the mail increased significantly. Postal budget deficits increased at a time when the Vietnam War mobilization and a weakened dollar drained federal resources, and an impending fiscal crisis threatened overall government spending. Reorganization of the post office gained prominence in policy discussions, but actual implementation required strategic alliances between postal managers and representatives of the nation’s largest business interests. This alliance was necessary to overcome resistance to reorganization from postal labor and some business interests (e.g., publishers, advertisers) who depended on postal subsidies.
Dynamic Bilateral Teleoperation of the Cart-Pole: A Study Toward the Synchronization of Human Operator and Legged Robot

This letter presents the experimental evaluation of a bilateral feedback law for the teleoperation of an underactuated dynamic system: the Cart-Pole. This physical system illustrates another simple model, the Linear Inverted Pendulum (LIP); a popular template for legged robot control and, in this letter, the mapping channel between the operator and robot. We develop a scaling strategy based on geometric and kinematic similarity in order to generate dynamically feasible trajectories for the LIP with a natural frequency different than the human's. Moreover, by modifying the classic equations for the Cart-Pole, we show how it can competently represent the proposed template quantitatively and visually. Experiments where a human operator dynamically controls slave systems with slower or faster natural frequencies illustrate the efficacy of the proposed method. This study is a step toward building a human-machine interface that dynamically synchronize operator and legged robot in order to eventually achieve complex motor behaviors.
Tumor sensitive matching flow: an approach for ovarian cancer metastasis detection and segmentation

Accurately detecting and segmenting ovarian cancer metastases can have potentially great clinical impact on diagnosis and treatment. The routine machine learning strategies to locate ovarian tumors work poorly because the tumors spread randomly to the entire abdomen. We propose a tumor sensitive matching flow (TSMF) to identify metastasis-caused shape variance between patient organs and atlas. TSMF juxtaposes the role of feature computation/classification, and TSMF vectors highlight tumor regions while dampening all other areas. Therefore, metastases can be accurately located by choosing areas with large TSMF vectors, and segmented by exploiting the level set algorithm on these regions. The proposed algorithm was validated on contrast-enhanced CT data from 11 patients with 26 metastases. 84.6% of metastases were successfully detected, and false positive per patient was 1.2. The volume overlap of the segmented metastases was 63±5.6%, the Dice coefficient was 77±4.2%, and the average surface distance was 3.9±0.95mm.
DO ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETENCIES INFLUENCE HOW ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS FOSTER ORGANIZATIONAL AGILITY

Recent research indicates that higher ERP assimilation in organizations positively influences organizational agility, and that the dynamic capability of systems agility moderates the effects of ERP assimilation on agility. In this paper, we extend this research, to investigate the organizational competencies under which enterprise systems influence organizational agility. We propose a theoretical framework incorporating two specific organizational competencies – IT Competence in Business (ITCB) and Business Competence in IT (BCIT) – and theorize that both ITCB and BCIT have dual effects - mediating and moderating - on organizational agility. To empirically validate the theoretical framework, we conducted a quantitative cross-sectional survey across 215 organizations. The results validate our key theorizing on the dual effects of ITCB and BCIT on organizational agility. In addition, when organizations have high levels of ITCB and high ERP assimilation, we see surprising results in the negative moderating effects of ITCB on the influence of ERP assimilation on organizational agility.
Wavelet Denoising Using a Conjointly Space and 2D Frequency Localized Filterbank

This paper proposes the use of a conjointly space-frequency well lo-calized separable 2D quadrature mirror filterbank to the application of wavelet image shrinkage. The novel space-frequency localization measure to determine optimality is the product of a filter's 2D variance in space and 2D frequency variance. The particle swarm optimization method is applied to determine perfect or near perfect reconstruction optimal 2D filterbanks. The experimentation and results shows that the proposed 2D optimized QMF is robust at reducing additive white Gaussian noise for a wide range of threshold parameters.
Fatal deep neck infection and respiratory arrest.

AbstractDespite the wide availability of antibiotics and medical care, deep neck infections requiring hospitalization are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Thus, early recognition and aggressive treatment are key in preventing unfavorable outcomes. We present the case of a patient who rapidly progressed from nonspecific upper respiratory symptoms to obstructive airway loss and death due to a swiftly worsening deep neck infection.
Predicting Burnout Among Juvenile Detention and Juvenile Probation Officers

The purpose of our study is to extend the existing literature by assessing the predictors of burnout among juvenile justice staff. We assess the impact of individual, job/role-related, and organiza...
Foundations of Christian Thought and Practice: A Model for Replacing Old and New Testament Surveys with an Innovative Approach to Teaching Religion in 21st Century Colleges and Universities.

Institutions of faith can no longer assume students of faith, and institutions of faith can no longer assume that a survey of the Old and New Testaments in today’s college curriculum will provide the necessary elements to develop, sustain, and nurture biblical literacy in students. Nor can it be assumed that this antiquated model will equip today’s students with a framework or worldview that values the relevance of religious and biblical studies. This new course (Foundations model) we propose would not attempt to compete with the content coverage of the Old and New Testament survey courses, but rather we would introduce a new concept of teaching religion, which would be thematically-based and require students to learn to articulate a Christian worldview in an intelligent and thoughtful manner. This Christian worldview would be developed throughout the course and based on assumptions, themes, and ways of thinking (issues of hermeneutics) introduced throughout the course. A descriptive recounting of the Foundations model will provide an example of what it means, or rather looks like, to effect religious education and spiritual development in the lives of students at a Christian liberal arts college or university. The Foundations model incorporates six key elements which are as follows: 1. Thematic Organization (not book-by-book survey content) 2. Specialized Workbook Focused on Themes for the Course 3. Weekly Critiques 4. The Final Worldview Paper 5. Integration of the Latest Technology 6. The Role of the Instructor and Peer Mentors.
Studies into the determinants of skeletal muscle oxygen consumption: novel insight from near-infrared diffuse correlation spectroscopy.

Key points Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) is emerging as a powerful tool to assess skeletal muscle perfusion. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is an established technique for characterizing the transport and utilization of oxygen through the microcirculation. Here we compared a combined NIRS-DCS system with conventional measures of oxygen delivery and utilization during handgrip exercise. The data show good concurrent validity between convective oxygen delivery and DCS-derived blood flow index, as well as between oxygen extraction at the conduit and microvascular level. We then manipulated forearm arterial perfusion pressure by adjusting the position of the exercising arm relative to the position of the heart. The data show that microvascular perfusion can be uncoupled from convective oxygen delivery, and that tissue saturation seemingly compensates to maintain skeletal muscle oxygen consumption. Taken together, these data support a novel role for NIRS-DCS in understanding the determinants of muscle oxygen consumption at the microvascular level. Abstract Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) is emerging as a powerful tool to assess skeletal muscle perfusion. Combining DCS with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) introduces exciting possibilities for understanding the determinants of muscle oxygen consumption; however, no investigation has directly compared NIRS-DCS to conventional measures of oxygen delivery and utilization in an exercising limb. To address this knowledge gap, nine healthy males performed rhythmic handgrip exercise with simultaneous measurements by NIRS-DCS, Doppler blood flow and venous oxygen content. The two approaches showed good concurrent validity, with directionally similar responses between: (a) Doppler-derived forearm blood flow and DCS-derived blood flow index (BFI), and (b) venous oxygen saturation and NIRS-derived tissue saturation. To explore the utility of combined NIRS-DCS across the physiological spectrum, we manipulated forearm arterial perfusion pressure by altering the arm position above or below the level of the heart. As expected, Doppler-derived skeletal muscle blood flow increased with exercise in both arm positions, but with markedly different magnitudes (below: +424.3 ± 41.4 ml/min, above: +306 ± 12.0 ml/min, P = 0.002). In contrast, DCS-derived microvascular BFI increased to a similar extent with exercise, regardless of arm position (P = 0.65). Importantly, however, the time to reach BFI steady state was markedly slower with the arm above the heart, supporting the experimental design. Notably, we observed faster tissue desaturation at the onset of exercise with the arm above the heart, resulting in similar muscle oxygen consumption profiles throughout exercise. Taken together, these data support a novel role for NIRS-DCS in understanding the determinants of skeletal muscle oxygen utilization non-invasively and throughout exercise.
Boundary Element Method for Solution of Dispersion Models for Packed Bed Reactors

Simulation of heterogeneous models for a packed reactor is a numerically challenging problem due to highly nonlinear coupling of transport, reaction, and the exponential temperature dependence of the rate constants. A system of differential algebraic equations is needed to model the problem. In this paper, the use of the boundary element methods for the numerical solution of the problem is demonstrated. It is shown that integral formulation of the model can be obtained by the elimination of the diffusion-convection operator part of the differential equations by using adjoint formulation. The resulting set of integrals are solved after approximating the dependent variables in each element by a cubic (Hermite) osculation. The efficiency of the method has been demonstrated for a simple exothermic reaction for both pseudo-homogeneous and heterogeneous models, with and without solid-phase conduction.
A Critical Role of Basolateral Amygdala-to-Nucleus Accumbens Projection in Sleep Regulation of Reward Seeking.

Abstract Background Sleep impacts reward-motivated behaviors partly by retuning the brain reward circuits. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a reward processing hub sensitive to acute sleep deprivation. Glutamatergic transmission carrying reward-associated signals converges in the NAc and regulates various aspects of reward-motivated behaviors. The basolateral amygdala projection (BLAp) innervates broad regions of the NAc and critically regulates reward seeking. Methods Using slice electrophysiology, we measured how acute sleep deprivation alters transmission at BLAp-NAc synapses in male C57BL/6 mice. Moreover, using SSFO (stabilized step function opsin) and DREADDs (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs) (Gi) to amplify and reduce transmission, respectively, we tested behavioral consequences following bidirectional manipulations of BLAp-NAc transmission. Results Acute sleep deprivation increased sucrose self-administration in mice and altered the BLAp-NAc transmission in a topographically specific manner. It selectively reduced glutamate release at the rostral BLAp (rBLAp) onto ventral and lateral NAc (vlNAc) synapses, but spared caudal BLAp onto medial NAc synapses. Furthermore, experimentally facilitating glutamate release at rBLAp-vlNAc synapses suppressed sucrose reward seeking. Conversely, mimicking sleep deprivation–induced reduction of rBLAp-vlNAc transmission increased sucrose reward seeking. Finally, facilitating rBLAp-vlNAc transmission per se did not promote either approach motivation or aversion. Conclusions Sleep acts on rBLAp-vINAc transmission gain control to regulate established reward seeking but does not convey approach motivation or aversion on its own.
Assessing L2 Listening: Moving towards authenticity: by Gary J. Ockey and Elvis Wagner. Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins, 2018, 278 pp., $54.00 (paperback), ISBN: 9027201269.

Authenticity is a vital component of language test quality because it allows testers to make more valid score interpretations about the test takers’ communicative competence outside of the testing ...
Prospective validation of a machine learning algorithm to predict short-term mortality among outpatients with cancer.

2009Background: Oncologists accurately identify only 35% of patients with cancer who will die in six months. There is an urgent need for automated, accurate prognostic systems to inform treatment a...
Deactivation-free ethanol steam reforming at nickel-tipped carbon filaments

Ni based catalysts have been widely studied for H2 production due to the ability of Ni to break C–C and C–H bonds. In this work, we study inverse catalysts prepared by well-controlled sub-monolayer deposition of CeO2 nanocubes onto Ni thin films for ethanol steam reforming (ESR). Results show that controlling the coverage of CeO2 nanocubes on Ni enhances H2 production by more than an order of magnitude compared to pure Ni. Contrary to the idea that C deposits must be continuously oxidized for sustained H2 production, the surface of the most active catalysts show significant C deposition, yet no deactivation is observed. HAADF-STEM analysis reveals the formation of carbon filaments (CFILs), which propel Ni particles upward at the filament tips via a catalytic tip growth mechanism, resulting in a Ni@CFIL active phase for ESR. Near-ambient pressure XPS indicates that the Ni@CFIL active phase forms as a result of C gradients at the interface between regions of pure Ni metal and domains of closely packed CeO2 nanocubes. These results show that the mesoscale morphology of deposited CeO2 nanocubes is responsible for templating the formation of a Ni@CFIL catalyst, which resists deactivation leading to highly active and stable H2 production from ethanol.
Molecular remodeling of Cx43, but not structural remodeling, promotes arrhythmias in an arrhythmogenic canine model of nonischemic heart failure.

Abstract Background Both gap junctional remodeling and interstitial fibrosis have been linked to impaired electrical conduction velocity (CV) and fatal ventricular arrhythmias in nonischemic heart failure (HF). However, the arrhythmogenic role of the ventricular gap junctional Cx43 in nonischemic HF remains in debate. Here, we assessed this in a newly developed arrhythmogenic canine model of nonischemic HF. Methods and results Nonischemic HF was induced in canines by combined aortic valve insufficiency and aortic constriction. Left ventricular (LV) myocardium from HF dogs showed similar pathological changes to that of humans. HF dogs had reduced LV function, widened QRS complexes, and spontaneous nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. CV was measured in intact LV epicardium with high-density grid mapping. Total (Cx43-T) and nonphosphorylated Cx43 (Cx43-NP) and histological interstitial fibrosis were assessed from these mapped LV tissues. Longitudinal CV, which was slowed in HF (49 ± 1 vs. 65 ± 2 cm/s in Ctl), was positively correlated with reduced total junctional Cx43 and negatively correlated with markedly increased junctional Cx43-NP (2-fold) in HF. Cx43 dephosphorylation in HF was associated with enhanced colocalization of PP2A at the level of Cx43. Unchanged action potential upstroke and transverse CV were associated with unaltered Cx43 lateralization and interstitial fibrosis in the nonischemic HF canine LV. Conclusion Our unique arrhythmogenic canine model of HF resembles human nonischemic HF (prior to the end stage). Cx43 remodeling occurs prior to the structural remodeling (with lack of fibrosis) in HF and it is crucial in slowed CV and ventricular arrhythmia development. Our findings suggest that altered Cx43 alone is arrhythmogenic and modulation of Cx43 has the anti-arrhythmic therapeutic potential for HF patients.
Impact Of Chronic Kidney Disease On The Pharmacodynamic And Pharmacokinetic Effects Of Ticagrelor In Patients With Diabetes Mellitus And Coronary Artery Disease.

Aims Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk of atherothrombotic events. Ticagrelor reduces ischaemic events compared to clopidogrel, with the greatest risk reduction in patients with both DM and CKD. How CKD status affects the pharmacodynamic (PD) and pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of different ticagrelor maintenance dose regimens in patients with DM is unknown. Methods and results In this randomized, cross-over study, patients with DM on treatment with dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel) were stratified according to CKD status and randomized to ticagrelor 90 mg bid or 60 mg bid. PK/PD assessments were performed at baseline, after 7-10 days of ticagrelor (peak and trough), and after 7-10 days of alternative ticagrelor regimen (peak and trough). PK assessments included plasma concentrations of ticagrelor and its major metabolite. PD assessments included VASP-PRI, VerifyNow P2Y12, and LTA.A total of 92 patients with DM (CKD, n = 44; non-CKD, n = 48) were randomized. Levels of platelet reactivity were lower with the 90 mg compared with the 60 mg ticagrelor dose, which was statistically significant in non-CKD but not in CKD patients for most PD measures. There were no significant differences in the primary endpoint (trough levels of VASP-PRI following ticagrelor 90 mg dosing) between cohorts (31 ± 20 vs 25 ± 14; p = 0.105). VerifyNow and LTA provided similar findings. PK assessments tracked PD profiles showing increased plasma concentrations of ticagrelor and its major metabolite in CKD compared to non-CKD patients. Conclusion In patients with DM, although ticagrelor maintenance dose regimens (60 mg and 90 mg) yield potent P2Y12 inhibition, levels of platelet reactivity tended to be higher and subject to broader variability in non-CKD compared with CKD patients. Clinical trial registration http://www.clinicaltrials.gov Unique Identifier: NCT02539160.
Machine perfusion of kidney allografts affects early but not late graft function.

Abstract Background Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) parameters are influenced by donor variables which further affect recipient outcome. Interplay between these parameters can help to predict kidney performance on pump and the long term outcome. Methods All the kidneys transplanted at our center between May 2013 through November 2017 were included in the study. Donor and recipient data was obtained from internal database. Multiple logistic regression models with backward selection were used to determine significant donor and pump variables. Results Donor BMI, KDPI, age and donor sex had a significant association with pump flow. Donor sex, donor type, KDPI and age had significant effect on RI. Diastolic pressure and KDPI were significantly associated with DGF. Duration on pump, KDPI, flow, donor creatinine and type of donor were significantly associated with day 5 creatinine. KDPI was significantly associated with Day 365 creatinine. Conclusion HMP effects early graft function while the long term function depends on donor parameters.
Plaque-associated human microglia accumulate lipid droplets in a chimeric model of Alzheimer's disease

Disease-associated microglia (DAMs), that surround beta-amyloid plaques, represent a transcriptionally-distinct microglial profile in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Activation of DAMs is dependent on triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) in mouse models and the AD TREM2-R47H risk variant reduces microglial activation and plaque association in human carriers. Interestingly, TREM2 has also been identified as a microglial lipid-sensor, and recent data indicates lipid droplet accumulation in aged microglia, that is in turn associated with a dysfunctional proinflammatory phenotype. However, whether lipid droplets (LDs) are present in human microglia in AD and how the R47H mutation affects this remains unknown. To determine the impact of the TREM2 R47H mutation on human microglial function in vivo, we transplanted wild-type and isogenic TREM2-R47H iPSC-derived microglial progenitors into our recently developed chimeric Alzheimer mouse model. At 7 months of age scRNA-seq and histological analyses were performed. Here we report that the transcriptome of human wild-type TREM2 and isogenic TREM2-R47H DAM xenografted microglia (xMGs), isolated from chimeric AD mice, closely resembles that of human atherosclerotic foam cells. In addition, much like foam cells, plaque-bound xMGs are highly enriched in lipid droplets. Somewhat surprisingly and in contrast to a recent in vitro study, TREM2-R47H mutant xMGs exhibit an overall reduction in the accumulation of lipid droplets in vivo. Notably, TREM2-R47H xMGs also show overall reduced reactivity to plaques, including diminished plaque-proximity, reduced CD9 expression, and lower secretion of plaque-associated APOE. Altogether, these results indicate lipid droplet accumulation occurs in human DAM xMGs in AD, but is reduced in TREM2-R47H DAM xMGs, as it occurs secondary to TREM2-mediated changes in plaque proximity and reactivity.
Model-free Bootstrap and Conformal Prediction in Regression: Conditionality, Conjecture Testing, and Pertinent Prediction Intervals

Predictive inference under a general regression setting is gaining more interest in the big-data era. In terms of going beyond point prediction to develop prediction intervals, two main threads of development are conformal prediction and Model-free prediction. Recently, \cite{distributionalconformal} proposed a new conformal prediction approach exploiting the same uniformization procedure as in the Model-free Bootstrap of \cite{Politis2015}. Hence, it is of interest to compare and further investigate the performance of the two methods. In the paper at hand, we contrast the two approaches via theoretical analysis and numerical experiments with a focus on conditional coverage of prediction intervals. We discuss suitable scenarios for applying each algorithm, underscore the importance of conditional vs.~unconditional coverage, and show that, under mild conditions, the Model-free bootstrap yields prediction intervals with guaranteed better conditional coverage compared to quantile estimation. We also extend the concept of `pertinence' of prediction intervals in \cite{Politis2015} to the nonparametric regression setting, and give concrete examples where its importance emerges under finite sample scenarios. Finally, we define the new notion of `conjecture testing' that is the analog of hypothesis testing as applied to the prediction problem; we also devise a modified conformal score to allow conformal prediction to handle one-sided `conjecture tests', and compare to the Model-free bootstrap.
The Teacher’s Role in Classroom-based Language Assessment

Different from large-scale language tests aiming to measure general proficiency and often administered in specific highly-controlled test settings, classroom-based language assessment is embedded in the teaching and learning cycle of a classroom and has multiple “identities” (Rea-Dickins, 2001, p. 451) due to its wide range of uses or purposes. Classroom-based language assessment is an integral part of language instruction where the teachers, as “agents” (Rea-Dickins, 2004), are the ones responsible for facilitating student learning and obtaining information about their progress and achievement, hence, also earning the name teacher assessment. From planning what to assess and how, through implementing assessment procedures and monitoring students’ performances to recording students’ attainment and progress, the teacher is constantly making decisions on how to keep track of students’ progress and attainment (Rea-Dickins, 2001). Either accomplished through a formal assessment procedure or through informal daily monitoring and observation, the teacher’s knowledge of the students guides him/her to make subsequent pedagogical decisions and push learning further.
Faith and Behavior

The major world religions emphasize the importance not only of beliefs but also of actions. A number of areas of study have examined the relationship of religious faith to behaviors that are of interest in the social sciences. For example, numerous studies have indicated that religious beliefs and practices are associated with more prosocial behavior and lower rates of activities that put health at risk. This chapter will cover empirical research on the relationship of faith to prosocial behavior including altruism/helping behavior, forgiveness, and ethical choices. The chapter also addresses health-promoting behaviors and health-risk behaviors such as alcohol consumption, drug abuse, and sexual behavior. The chapter begins with an introduction to the topic, including essential definitions and then provides an overview and discussion of the empirical literature. The chapter ends with implications for the field of psychology and suggestions for future research.
Eight Ways in Which a Poor Quality Energy Audit Can Prove Costly to The Building Owner

ABSTRACT It is shortsighted to hire a low-cost energy auditor. In the long run, a poor quality energy audit can cost a building owner many times the price of the audit. This article details eight ways in which a poor quality energy audit can result in decreased energy savings, higher installation costs, and squandered opportunities. Some of the ways in which energy audits lead to less than desirable results include: missing the most beneficial energy efficiency measures, suggesting measures that do not save energy, and not including a scope of work. Examples of problems we have encountered in poor quality energy audits are provided in this article. Ultimately, it is up to the building owner to ensure that energy audit quality does not hinder energy efficiency goals.
Singularly Perturbed Delay-Differential Equations

In this paper a class of singularly perturbed delay-differential equation which, among other applications, describes an optical bistable device. In particular, the paper investigates chaotic behavior for certain parametric values. Earlier studies by others have predicted such results numerically and confirmed experimentally.
ION EXCHANGE PROCEDURES. I. CATION EXCHANGE IN CONCENTRATED HC1 AND HCLO4 SOLUTIONS.

A broad survey of the cation exchange behavior of the elements in HCL and HClO4 solutions is presented and adsorption functions are given. The results are also summarized in the form of two “Periodic Tables” which give the distribution coefficients of the elements as a function of M HCl and MHClO4. Many elements are strongly adsorbed from concentrated HClO4 solutions. There are large differences in adsorbability between HCl and HClO4 solutions, particularly at high ionic strength. Application of these data to high ionic strength cation exchange separation is illustrated.
Overview of Effects of Oil Spills on Marine Mammals

The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) in Alaska killed tens of killer whales (Orcinus orca), hundreds of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), thousands of sea otters (Enhydra lutrius), and hundreds of thousands of birds (sea birds, shorebirds, and marine-associated birds) and greatly impacted marine habitats that contain the forage fish and marine invertebrates that fuel higher trophic levels [1–4]. These numbers represent the documented deaths from that spill, which undoubtedly killed many more animals. More than 20 years after the EVOS, long-term individual effects (e.g., impaired health and reproduction) and population impacts, especially in the nearshore ecosystem, are most evident for killer whales, sea otters, and some marine birds. The ongoing effects and slow recovery of some species are attributed to long-term exposure to spilled oil sequestered in nearshore habitats and, in the case of the social killer whale, to the legacy of key pod member mortalities from the oil [5–9].While apparently not as devastating to marine mammals as the EVOS, there is evidence the massive MC-252 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in 2010 impacted reproduction and health of coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the northern Gulf of Mexico [10]. Considering that marine mammals are common, highly visible, charismatic, and potentially vulnerable to oil, it is somewhat surprising that we know relatively little about the effects of oil on individuals and populations. The majority of what has been published in books and peer-reviewed journals comes from a handful of laboratory experiments and the investigations on marine mammals that followed the EVOS. Oil spills can affect marine mammals through a variety of direct and indirect pathways. Direct pathways include inhalation, ingestion, and dermal exposure, each of which can initiate a suite of physiological responses with health and long-term survival and/or reproduction consequences. For most overvIew of effects of oIl spIlls on MarIne MaMMals
The Kids Are Alright

Mizuko Ito et al.'s collaborative ethnography, Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out: Kids Living and Learning With New Media (2010), is an effort to empirically support the idea that new te...