cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of outpatient endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea.

Background Endoscopic repair of anterior skull-base defects has become the gold standard for management of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea. Both improved techniques and adjuvant therapies have led to accepted success rates of greater than 90%. As management has evolved, shorter hospitalizations have been required and the goal of this study is to analyze the outcomes of patients repaired on an outpatient basis vs those managed as inpatients postoperatively. Methods Patients undergoing endoscopic repair of CSF rhinorrhea between 2004 and 2014 were identified by review of medical records. Demographic and clinical data were collected and compared between patients having surgery with and without postoperative admission. Patients managed with lumbar drains were not included. Statistical analyses were preformed to determine if any differences in patient demographics and outcomes existed. Results A total of 86 patients were identified; 39 of 86 patients (45.3%) underwent outpatient surgery; 47 patients were admitted postoperatively with a mean hospital stay of 1.66 days with a median and mode of 1 day. No statistically significant differences were found between leak location, etiology, rates of recurrence, or complications. The outpatient group was found to have a greater proportion of small defects <1 cm2 (p = 0.003). Repair technique was also significantly different between groups (p = 0.001). Conclusion Endoscopic management of CSF rhinorrhea is a safe method of treatment with reliable success rates. Our retrospective analysis revealed comparable outcomes in patients treated with and without postoperative hospital admission, and supports the idea that outpatient management may be reasonable in certain patients, especially those with defects <1 cm2.
Comparing Biologic Cost Per Treated Patient Across Indications Among Adult US Managed Care Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

The relative cost of biologics in the treatment of autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, and ankylosing spondylitis, is a key consideration for managed care payers. Our objective was to estimate biologic costs and treatment patterns in US managed care patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, and/or ankylosing spondylitis. This retrospective study used administrative claims data from the HealthCore Integrated Research Database (HIRDSM) for adults with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, and/or ankylosing spondylitis who received abatacept, adalimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab, rituximab, tocilizumab, or ustekinumab between 1 July 2009 and 31 January 2013. Biologic costs (based on drug utilization) and treatment patterns (discontinued, restarted after a >45-day gap, switched to another biologic, or persisted without switching or stopping) were analyzed for the first year post-index. Most of the 24,460 patients received etanercept (48 %), adalimumab (29 %), or infliximab (12 %) as the index biologic. On the index date, 44 % were new to biologic therapy and 56 % were continuing biologic therapy. Biologic cost per treated patient for 1 year was as follows: etanercept $US24,859, adalimumab $US26,537, and infliximab $US26,468. Treatment patterns across indications for etanercept, adalimumab, and infliximab were as follows: persistent (52, 49, 67 %), restarted (23, 21, 12 %), switched (12, 13, 11 %), and discontinued (14, 18, 10 %). These findings from a large health benefits organization in the USA are similar to those of several previous cost analyses assessing different populations, which demonstrates the external validity of the results from the previous studies, both over time and across large populations.
On the rate of learning in distributed hypothesis testing

This paper considers a problem of distributed hypothesis testing and cooperative learning. Individual nodes in a network receive noisy local (private) observations whose distribution is parameterized by a discrete parameter (hypotheses). The conditional distributions are known locally at the nodes, but the true parameter/hypothesis is not known. We consider a social (“non-Bayesian”) learning rule from previous literature, in which nodes first perform a Bayesian update of their belief (distribution estimate) of the parameter based on their local observation, communicate these updates to their neighbors, and then perform a “non-Bayesian” linear consensus using the log-beliefs of their neighbors. For this learning rule, we know that under mild assumptions, the belief of any node in any incorrect parameter converges to zero exponentially fast, and the exponential rate of learning is a characterized by the network structure and the divergences between the observations' distributions. Tight bounds on the probability of deviating from this nominal rate in aperiodic networks is derived. The bounds are shown to hold for all conditional distributions which satisfy a mild bounded moment condition.
Communication shapes sensory response in multicellular networks

Collective sensing by interacting cells is observed in a variety of biological systems, and yet, a quantitative understanding of how sensory information is collectively encoded is lacking. Here, we investigate the ATP-induced calcium dynamics of monolayers of fibroblast cells that communicate via gap junctions. Combining experiments and stochastic modeling, we find that increasing the ATP stimulus increases the propensity for calcium oscillations, despite large cell-to-cell variability. The model further predicts that the oscillation propensity increases with not only the stimulus, but also the cell density due to increased communication. Experiments confirm this prediction, showing that cell density modulates the collective sensory response. We further implicate cell-cell communication by coculturing the fibroblasts with cancer cells, which we show act as "defects" in the communication network, thereby reducing the oscillation propensity. These results suggest that multicellular networks sit at a point in parameter space where cell-cell communication has a significant effect on the sensory response, allowing cells to simultaneously respond to a sensory input and the presence of neighbors.
The Positive Impact of Early Intervention for Children With Developmental Delays, Gestational Cocaine Exposure, and Co-Occurring Risk Factors

ABSTRACTThis article examined transition rates of young children (n = 102) from an early intervention program at the Linda Ray Intervention Program (LRIP) who had documented developmental delays and co-occurring prenatal drug exposure often coupled with verified child maltreatment. Findings indicated that there was significant group improvement from entrance to exit across all six Battelle Domains at the p < .05 level. Also, children who were enrolled for a longer period of time saw significantly better adaptive, personal-social, communication, and Battelle total scale scores at the p < .05 level. Finally, data revealed that boys were 5 times more likely than girls to be transitioned to Part B services after exit from LRIP. A longitudinal study of a subgroup of these children indicated that LRIP children who were in grades K–3 needed fewer special education services in elementary school than they needed at age 36 months, indicating a further reduction in special education needs for these children.
Ostracoda from the Louisiana Continental Shelf

There have been no published comprehensive studies of the Ostracoda of the Louisiana Continental Shelf west of the Mississippi River Delta. This paper presents a study of that area and includes taxonomic and environmental data. Ostracode specimens were taken from 123 bottom samples of Holocene age, collected on the continental shelf and slope. Five distinct ostracode assemblages are recognized and related to water depth and sediment grain size. Several individual species are also recognized as useful indicators of water depth. Water depth and salinity ranges of several species are extended in relation to previous reports. Sixty species are identified, with nine species and two subspecies considered new. The following new taxa are described: Actinocythereis vandenboldi, Basslerites vokesi, Cytherella vermilionensis, Cytheropteron morgani, Cytheropteron tumulosimilis, Loxoconcha moralesi, Luvula gigartonoides, Macrocyprina skinneri, Puriana krutaki, Protocytheretta montezuma louisianensis, and Munseyella bermudezi louisianensis.
New Insights into the Conformational Activation of Full-Length Integrin

Integrin binding to extracellular matrix proteins is regulated by conformational transitions from closed, low affinity states to open, high affinity states. However, the pathways of integrin conformational activation remain incompletely understood. Here, by combining all-atom molecular dynamics simulation, coarse-graining, heterogeneous elastic network modeling, and experimental ligand binding measurements, we test the effect of integrin β mutations that destabilize the closed conformation. Our results support a “deadbolt” model of integrin activation, where extension of the headpiece is not coupled to leg separation, consistent with recent cryo-EM reconstructions of integrin intermediates. Moreover, our results are inconsistent with a “switchblade-like” mechanism. The data show that locally correlated atomistic motions are likely responsible for extension of integrin headpiece before separation of transmembrane legs, without persistence of these correlations across the entire protein. By combining modeling and simulation with experiment, this study provides new insight into the structural basis of full-length integrin activation.
Leave-Behind Measurement Supplements

This chapter goes in a direction where we don’t know a whole lot, which I think is very exciting. In fact, when the editors were asking me to contribute and gave me the topic of leave-behind surveys, I said, “Hmm, well, first, that’s not address-based sampling; that’s not emerging technologies.” But I welcomed this as a learning opportunity as I delved into this topic. “Leave-behind” is something that sounds intuitive – but I think if I were to ask the readers of this book for definitions, what we’re going to find out is we each have a different definition of, what exactly we mean by leave-behinds.
EPSPS Gene Amplification Primarily Confers Glyphosate Resistance among Arkansas Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) Populations

Research was conducted to determine whether resistance to glyphosate among Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) populations within the U.S. state of Arkansas was due solely to increased EPSPS gene copy number and whether gene copy number is correlated with resistance level to glyphosate. One hundred and fifteen A. palmeri accessions were treated with 840 g ae ha−1 glyphosate. Twenty of these accessions, selected to represent a broad range of responses to glyphosate, underwent further testing. Seven of the accessions were controlled with this dose; the rest were resistant. The effective dose to cause 50% injury (ED50) for susceptible accessions ranged from 28 to 207 g ha−1. The glyphosate-resistant (GR) accessions had ED50 values ranging from 494 to 1,355 g ha−1, a 3- to 48-fold resistance level compared with the susceptible standard (SS). The 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene relative copy number was determined for 20 accessions, 4 plants accession−1. Resistant plants from five GR accessions (38% of resistant plants tested) did not have increased EPSPS gene copies. Resistant plants from the remaining eight GR accessions (62% of resistant plants tested) had 19 to 224 more EPSPS gene copies than the SS. Among the accessions tested, injury declined 4% with every additional EPSPS copy. ED50 values were directly correlated with EPSPS copy number. The highly resistant accession MIS11-B had an ED50 of 1,355 g ha−1 and 150 gene copies. Partial sequences of EPSPS from GR accessions without EPSPS amplification did not contain any of the known resistance-conferring mutations. Nearly 40% of GR accessions putatively harbor non–target site resistance mechanisms. Therefore, elevated EPSPS gene copy number is associated with glyphosate resistance among A. palmeri from Arkansas.
Moving anesthesiology educational resources to the point of care: experience with a pediatric anesthesia mobile app.

BACKGROUND Educators in all disciplines recognize the need to update tools for the modern learner. Mobile applications (apps) may be useful, but real-time data is needed to demonstrate the patterns of utilization and engagement amongst learners. METHODS We examined the use of an anesthesia app by two groups of learners (residents and anesthesiologist assistant students [AAs]) during a pediatric anesthesiology rotation. The app calculates age and weight-based information for clinical decision support and contains didactic materials for self-directed learning. The app transmitted detailed usage information to our research team. RESULTS Over a 12-month period, 39 participants consented; 30 completed primary study procedures (18 residents, 12 AAs). AAs used the app more frequently than residents (P = 0.025) but spent less time in the app (P < 0.001). The median duration of app usage was 2.3 minutes. During the course of the rotation, usage of the app decreased over time. 'Succinylcholine' was the most accessed drug, while 'orientation' was the most accessed teaching module. Ten (33%) believed that the use of apps was perceived to be distracting by operating room staff and surgeons. CONCLUSIONS Real-time in-app analytics helped elucidate the actual usage of this educational resource and will guide future decisions regarding development and educational content. Further research is required to determine learners' preferred choice of device, user experience, and content in the full range of clinical and nonclinical purposes.
Persistent Inequality: A Neurosociological Perspective

The goal of this chapter is to discuss how sociological and neuroscience research can be fruitfully synthesized to shed significant light on one the most complex problems in sociology – persistent inequality. I present a conceptual model which argues (1) persistent inequality is the result of short-sightedness in decision-making by individuals and/or collectives, as shown in sociological research; and (2) short-sightedness, in turn, is induced by uncertainty about the future. Neuroscience research shows how uncertainty can trigger neuronal processes which lead to short-sighted decisions and behaviors over time. Thus, research on uncertainty can serve as a foundational program for the development of neurosociology.
A New Model of Industry Dynamics

This paper discusses externalities experienced by firms a sector of an economy, by specifying the types of conditional probabilities for entries and exists of additional production units, or entries of production units of entirely new firms or goods. Such conditional probability specifications may result from assumptions an firms adjusting their output rates in response to expected excess demand or profit changes in environments where such excess demands or profits are functions of own output rates, as well as those of other firms.
Vector Spaces and Linear Transformations

This chapter explores vector spaces and linear transformations. A real vector space V is a set of objects, called vectors, together with two operations called addition and scalar multiplication. If x and y are in V and if α is a real number, then x + y are written for the sum of x and y and α x for the scalar product of α and x . A nonempty subset H of the vector space V is a subspace of V if the following two closure rules hold: (1) if x ∈ H and y ∈ H , then x + y ∈ H ; (2) if x ∈ H , then αx ∈ H for every scalar α. This theorem shows that to test whether H is a subspace of V , it is only necessary to verify that x + y and α x are in H when x and y are in H and α is a scalar.
The triple threat of HIV-1 protease inhibitors

Open image in new window HIV Maturation. This illustration shows an immature virion in the process of maturation at bottom right and a nearly mature virion at upper left. HIV protease (A) is cleaving the Gag and Gag-Pol proteins into functional proteins
Boole, George (1815–1864)

George Boole (1815–1864) was the son of a Lincolnshire shoemaker. Through local schools, tutoring, and self-study, Boole was educated in classical and modern languages and mathematics. While teaching school, he began publishing in mathematical journals. His reputation earned him a professorship in mathematics at Queen's College, Cork, Ireland, where he stayed until his death. He published about 50 papers in mathematics and a seminal work in logic, An investigation into the laws of thought (1854). The principles of binary logic in this paper form the theoretical underpinnings of formal semantics, artificial intelligence, and any electronic device that relies on binary switching circuits.
Convection in the Mushy Zone during Directional Solidification

Directional solidification experiments with 26% NH4Cl-H2O solution were carried out to study convection in the mushy layer. Results show that prior to the onset of plume convection, there is no convective motion in the mush, even though there is vigorous finger convection emanating from the mush-liquid interface. After plume convection is fully developed, the flow in the mush is mainly downward, with some lateral feeding into the chimneys, where the upward fluid motion is confined. Further experiments in a Hele Shaw cell revealed interesting behavior of the flow in the chimney.
Electronic Taste and Smell: The Case for Performance Standards [Point of View]

International standards have proven invaluable in the technology sector for developing functional and reliable products for the global marketplace. Standards provide performance criteria that technical engineers can use to design products to optimize the reliability and safety of new products. For example, standards have played a decisive role in the development of products associated with the senses of vision, audition, and touch. The design of products that perform automated “visual” tasks including unmanned vehicles, autonomous robots, optical tracking systems, and highway traffic monitoring devices has relied heavily on standards as well as technical regulations. Likewise, standards related to the sense of hearing have played a major role in the development of devices and systems that assist or mimic “audition” including cochlear implants, hearing aids, and voice and speech recognition systems. Standards related to the sense of touch have been seminal in the design of robotic arms and prosthetic hands. Unlike the senses of vision, audition, and touch, there are, however, no formal standards for electronic devices called e-noses and e-tongues that are designed to detect and evaluate odors and tastes. The purpose of this opinion piece is to give a brief background on the senses of smell and taste, to describe why standards for e-noses and e-tongues are needed, and to call for IEEE volunteers to participate and collaborate on technical standards development to ensure that machine olfaction and taste provide reliable and reproducible results that are comparable to human smell and taste.
The Role of Nano-crystallites on Conduction Mechanisms of Current Through Ag Gridlines of Si Solar Cells

In order to understand the impact of nano-crystallites on current transport mechanisms in screen-printed c-Si solar cells with lowly-doped emitter, Te-glass based Ag pastes with different transition temperatures (Tg) were used. The Te-glass with lower Tg showed lower Rc than the one with higher Tg due to the formation of nano-crystallites in the glass layer. These nano-crystallites enhance the conductivity of the glass and lead to higher fill factor (FF). The nature of these nano-crystallites was first identified by the Raman spectrometry and the peaks at 76 cm−1, 119 cm−1 and 145 cm−1 were corresponding to Ag2Te and PbTe. The conductive-AFM further confirmed the high conductivity of these nano-crystallites without pyramidal Ag crystallites, which means the current transporting from Si emitter to Ag gridlines is mainly through the nano-crystallites in the glass.
Recurrent Pump Thrombosis is Common after Axial Continuous Flow LVAD Exchange

Purpose LVAD exchange is an accepted treatment for LVAD complications but long-term results are poorly understood. We examined survival and re-thrombosis rate in patients after pump exchange Methods All patients undergoing LVAD exchange at our institution from Jan 2010 to Feb 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Indications for exchange were pump thrombosis, driveline fracture, and device infection. Survival and freedom from LVAD-related complications were assessed by Kaplan-Meier method. Results Twenty-one patients were included, all underwent axial continuous-flow pump exchange: 14 patients (67%) for pump thrombosis, 5 patients (24%) for driveline fracture, and 2 patients (10%) for device infection. Basic characteristics of patients are presented in Table 1. Survival for all patients was 86±8% at one year and 70±39% at two years (Figure 1A). Amongst patients with pump thrombosis 14.3% died peri-operatively, 43% had recurrent thrombosis after a median of 5.7 months (freedom from hospital death and recurrent thrombosis is shown in Figure 1B). Amongst 6 patients with recurrent thrombosis 2 died during follow up, 1 underwent transplantation, 1 had a second exchange, 1 was defunctionalized and 1 remains on support. Survival at one year in this group was 85±10%, and 55±18% at two years. Conclusion Survival after LVAD exchange compares well with published results after primary LVAD implantation. However, recurrence of thrombosis was common among patients who required a LVAD exchange due to pump thrombosis and survival was less favorable. In this sub-group strong consideration should be given to alternative strategies to avoid recurrent complications.
BA Application Timing Affects Offset Formation in Hosta

Abstract A study was conducted to determine the effects of timing of benzyladenine (BA) application following division and potting of hosta on offset formation as a means of accelerating propagatio...
Inclusion of Vitamin A Intake Data Provides Improved Compartmental Model-Derived Estimates of Vitamin A Total Body Stores and Disposal Rate in Older Adults.

Background Sampling times and study duration impact estimates of kinetic parameters and variables including total body stores (TBS) and disposal rate (DR) when compartmental analysis is used to analyze vitamin A kinetic data. Objective We hypothesized that inclusion of dietary intake (DI) of vitamin A as an additional input would improve confidence in predictions of TBS and DR when modeling results appear to indicate that studies are not long enough to accurately define the terminal slope of the plasma retinol isotope response curve. Methods We reanalyzed previously published data on vitamin A kinetics monitored over 52 d in 7 US and 6 Chinese adults (means: 56 y, BMI 26.6 kg/m2, 38% males), adding an estimate for vitamin A intake [2.8 µmol/d (mean RDA)] as an input during application of the Simulation, Analysis and Modeling software. Results Use of a model with 1 extravascular compartment (1 EV), as in the original analysis, resulted in predictions of vitamin A intake that were higher than physiologically reasonable; inclusion of intake data in a model with 2 extravascular compartments (2 EV DI) resulted in more realistic estimates of intake and DR. Specifically, predictions of DR by the 2 EV DI (versus 1 EV) model were 2.10 compared with 12.2 µmol/d (US) and 2.21 compared with 5.13 µmol/d (Chinese). Predictions of both TBS [2056 compared with 783 µmol (US) and 594 compared with 219 µmol (Chinese)] and days of vitamin A stores [981 compared with 64 d (US) and 269 compared with 43 d (Chinese)] were higher using the new approach. Conclusions Inclusion of vitamin A intake as additional data input when modeling vitamin A kinetics can compensate for less-than-optimal study duration, providing more realistic predictions of vitamin A TBS and DR. This approach advances the application of compartmental analysis to the study of vitamin A and, potentially, other nutrients.
Into the War and Beyond

For catering companies, the years between 1914 and the depressed 1920s fundamentally transformed assumptions governing their business in the late Victorian and Edwardian years. Lower-middle-class workers benefited from reduced hours, and had less reason to frequent nearby caterers when employers arranged for tea trolleys to take food and refreshments to their staff desks. Between 1895 and 1920, passengers on railways doubled, so workers could return home faster without stopping for dinners. Fewer customers and their lower expenditure hit particularly hard, given that profit on typical meals consisted of a farthing. High turnover had amplified miniscule profits, but this relationship no longer existed. Further squeezing profits, inflationary pressures drove up rents, wages and menu charges.
Simultaneous Metabolic and Perfusion Imaging Using Hyperpolarized 13C MRI Can Evaluate Early and Dose-Dependent Response to Radiation Therapy in a Prostate Cancer Mouse Model.

Purpose To investigate use of a novel imaging approach, hyperpolarized (HP) 13C magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for simultaneous metabolism and perfusion assessment, to evaluate early and dose-dependent response to radiation therapy (RT) in a prostate cancer mouse model. Methods and Materials Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) mice (n = 18) underwent single-fraction RT (4-14 Gy steep dose across the tumor) and were imaged serially at pre-RT baseline and 1, 4, and 7 days after RT using HP 13C MRI with combined [1-13C]pyruvate (metabolic active agent) and [13C]urea (perfusion agent), coupled with conventional multiparametric 1H MRI including T2-weighted, dynamic contrast-enhanced, and diffusion-weighted imaging. Tumor tissues were collected 4 and 7 days after RT for biological correlative studies. Results We found a significant decrease in HP pyruvate-to-lactate conversion in tumors responding to RT, with concomitant significant increases in HP pyruvate-to-alanine conversion and HP urea signal; the opposite changes were observed in tumors resistant to RT. Moreover, HP lactate change was dependent on radiation dose; tumor regions treated with higher radiation doses (10-14 Gy) exhibited a greater decrease in HP lactate signal than low-dose regions (4-7 Gy) as early as 1 day post-RT, consistent with lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activity and expression data. We also found that HP [13C]urea MRI provided assessments of tumor perfusion similar to those provided by 1H dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in this animal model. However, apparent diffusion coefficien , a conventional 1H MRI functional biomarker, did not exhibit statistically significant changes within 7 days after RT. Conclusion These results demonstrate the ability of HP 13C MRI to monitor radiation-induced physiologic changes in a timely and dose-dependent manner, providing the basic science premise for further clinical investigation and translation.
Stabilization of BMIz Score is Associated with a Decrease in Visceral Fat in Children with Obesity.

BMIz-score (BMIz) is commonly used to assess childhood obesity. Whether change in BMIz score predicts change in visceral fat remains unclear. The objective of the work was to study changes in visceral fat, cardiovascular fitness (CVF), and metabolic health over 6 months in children with stable/decreased-BMIz vs. increased-BMIz. Ninety children with obesity, referred for lifestyle intervention were studied (mean age 11±3.1 years, 50% girls, 22% Hispanic). Assessment included abdominal and total fat by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), sub-maximal VO2 for CVF, anthropometrics, and fasting insulin, glucose, HDL-C, triglycerides, AST and ALT at 0 and 6 months. Sixty-three children (70%) showed a stable/decrease in BMIz over 6 months. There was no significant change in total body fat between groups (−1.3±2.9% in BMIz-stable/down vs. − 0.6 ± 2.6% BMIz-up, p=0.459); however, BMIz-stable/down group showed a decrease in visceral fat compared to the BMIz-up group (−258±650 g vs.+137±528 g, p=0.009). BMIz-stable/down group also demonstrated increased CVF (+1.2 ml/kg/min, p
The Globalized Library: American Academic Libraries and International Students, Collections, and Practices . Yelena Luckert with Lindsay Inge Carpenter, eds., for the Association of College and Research Libraries. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 2019. 448p. Paper, $90.00 (ISBN 978-0-8389-8951-7).

It is important to encourage intercultural understanding in our universities. The Globalized Library helps inform librarians about intercultural opportunities and challenges they may not be focusing on. The book provides insights into how collections can be enhanced, students can be served, and librarians can grow by approaching library work from an international perspective. The Globalized Library is a collection of chapters by a variety of authors, organized in five sections that look at information literacy for international students, international student outreach, international collections, library services abroad, and international professional development. This organization aids the reader and captures some of the most important avenues for fostering internationalization in libraries. The book is an assortment of research studies and reports of intercultural programs run by libraries. One drawback to the book is that many graphics are too small and blurry and are thus of limited value.
The pattern and progression of hearing loss in Marfan Syndrome: A study of children and young adults.

Abstract Objective (s) : To describe the prevalence, type, severity, and progression of hearing loss (HL) in children and young adults with Marfan Syndrome (MFS), and to evaluate the influence of comorbidities on HL. Study design Retrospective database analysis. Results Of 70 patients with MFS, 52.8% (N = 37) had HL. Within the HL group, 75.7% (N = 28) had bilateral HL, while 24.3% (N = 9) had unilateral HL. 21.4% (N = 15) had moderate or more severe HL. The overall prevalence of CHL was 40.5% (N = 15), SNHL 13.5% (N = 5), and mixed HL 37.8% (N = 14). The mean initial age of HL was 8.4 years (range 0.8–24.0). HL was more prevalent in patients with MFS who also experienced chronic otitis media (ES 1.00, 95% CI, 0.32–1.68) and skull anomalies (ES 0.75, 95% CI, 0.07–1.44) as well as for patients with hypertension (ES 2.17, 95% CI, −1.29-5.64). Conclusions Children and young adults with Marfan syndrome have a high likelihood of hearing loss, with high rates of CHL, chronic otitis media, and Eustachian tube dysfunction. SNHL is also prevalent in this syndrome; hypertension increased the likelihood of SNHL. Early audiologic screening is needed to ascertain type of HL and to efficiently direct patient care in this population.
DECOY: DEflection-Driven HLS-Based Computation Partitioning for Obfuscating Intellectual PropertY

Among various competing designs targeting similar functionality, the key differentiator typically consists of a small amount of custom Intellectual Property (IP). To protect this IP from reverse engineering, designers need effective solutions for hiding the unique aspects of their implementations. In this work, we introduce a general framework for partitioning the computation performed by a design into a part whose implementation is commonly known (and encountered across many designs), and a part which is unique to this design. The former can then be built using conventional techniques (including untrusted manufacturing facilities) while the latter needs to be protected using additional obfuscation techniques. The existence of several other known implementations of the (same or similar) target function serves as a decoy which deflects efforts seeking to reverse-engineer the unique implementation. We demonstrate our framework using a hardware accelerator case study where (a) partitioning is performed through High Level Synthesis (HLS), (b) the commonly known portion of the accelerator is implemented as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and (c) the unique portion of the accelerator is implemented on an embedded Field-Programmable Gate Array (eFPGA).
Stigmatization in social media: Documenting and analyzing hate speech for COVID-19 on Twitter

As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, Hate Speech on social media about China and Chinese people has encouraged social stigmatization. For the historical and humanistic purposes, this history-in-the-making needs to be archived and analyzed. Using the query "china+and+coronavirus" to scrape from the Twitter API, we have obtained 3,457,402 key tweets about China relating to COVID-19. In this archive, in which about 40% of the tweets are from the U.S., we identify 25,467 Hate Speech occurrences and analyze them according to lexicon-based emotions and demographics using machine learning and network methods. The results indicate that there are substantial associations between the amount of Hate Speech and demonstrations of sentiments, and state demographics factors. Sentiments of surprise and fear associated with poverty and unemployment rates are prominent. This digital archive and the related analyses are not simply historical, therefore. They play vital roles in raising public awareness and mitigating future crises. Consequently, we regard our research as a pilot study in methods of analysis that might be used by other researchers in various fields.
Naturalistic Partial Sleep Deprivation Leads to Greater Next-Day Anxiety: The Moderating Role of Baseline Anxiety and Depression.

Abstract The detrimental effects of insufficient sleep on emotional functioning have been well established. Total sleep deprivation usually leads to increased anxiety and depressive symptoms the following day. However, no study has yet examined the relationships between unmanipulated partial sleep deprivation and next-day symptoms of anxiety and depression in everyday life, which this study sought to characterize. Participants (N = 94) completed daily diary surveys twice per day for 2 weeks without instructions to alter their sleep in any way. Nights of spontaneous, naturally occurring partial sleep deprivation were followed by increased levels of self-reported symptoms of anxious arousal the next day, but were unrelated to next-day symptoms of anhedonic depression or general distress. The relationship between partial sleep deprivation and next-day anxious arousal was found to be moderated by both baseline depressive symptoms and anxiety such that individuals reporting higher levels of depression or anxiety at baseline showed relatively greater increases in symptoms of anxiety following partial sleep deprivation. These results suggest that partial sleep deprivation occurring in everyday life can lead to higher next-day levels of anxious arousal, a relationship that is particularly deleterious for individuals with higher overall levels of anxiety or depressive symptoms.
Improving follow-up of incomplete lower extremity venous duplex ultrasound examinations performed for deep and superficial vein thromboses.

Abstract Objective A lower extremity venous duplex ultrasound (LEVDUS) examination is the standard diagnostic test to evaluate patients for lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT). However, some studies will be incomplete for a variety of reasons, including patient-related factors such as pain, edema, a large leg circumference, or the presence of overlying bandages or orthopedic devices. We previously reported that the frequency of obtaining a follow-up examination after an incomplete and negative (I/N) LEVDUS examination was low but that the rates of DVT found on the follow-up studies of initially I/N LEVDUS studies were similar to the rates of DVT found with initially complete LEVDUS examinations. Therefore, we recommended process improvements to increase follow-up LEVDUS studies after an I/N LEVDUS examination. In the present study, we have described the results of appending a recommendation to obtain a follow-up LEVDUS study to preliminary and final reports of I/N LEVDUS. Methods Starting in January 2019 through December 2019, a recommendation to obtain a repeat LEVDUS examination after an I/N study was appended to the preliminary and final reports of all I/N LEVDUS examination of patients who did not, otherwise, have an indication for anticoagulation (group 2). The patients were identified on an ongoing basis through the study period and entered into an Excel database (Microsoft Corp, Redmond, Wash). Group 2 was compared with a previously reported historic control cohort of patients identified from January 2017 to December 2017 (group 1). We compared groups 1 and 2 with respect to the frequency of the repeat studies performed within 4 weeks after an I/N LEVDUS examination and the DVT rates found from the follow-up LEVDUS examinations after an I/N LEVDUS study. Results Of the patients in groups 1 and 2, 187 and 229 had had I/N LEVDUS examinations, with 28% and 40.2% of group 1 and 2 studies having follow-up LEVDUS examinations (P Conclusions A recommendation to obtain a follow-up examination appended to the preliminary and final I/N LEVDUS reports was associated with an increased rate of follow-up examinations, which revealed many previously undetected DVTs and SVTs or had allowed for definitive exclusion of DVT.
Libraries in New England Working Together to Create Healthy Communities and Improve Health Literacy

The National Network of Libraries of Medicine, New England Region, created Communities of Interests (COIs) for our network members to come together to learn more about health literacy and be a part of cultivating healthy communities. Each Community of Interest offers an e-newsletter and hosts webinars with presentations by experts in health literacy and creating healthy communities. Topics for programs this year included: 10 Easy Ways You Can Contribute to Health Literacy; How to Contribute to Community Benefit at Your Hospital; a MedlinePlus.gov Train-the-Trainer; Clever Evaluation; and a program day on Health Information Equity. Each COI conducted needs assessment at the beginning of the year. An assessment will be conducted at the end of the first year to identify: knowledge gained; how the new information was put into action; and new educational needs. NN/LM NER Community of Interests create a powerful way to bring librarians together who are interested to increase health literacy and contribute to healthy communities. []
chapter 3 Stages and Stereo-Pair Recording

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the different aspects of stages and stereo-pair recording. The recording and subsequent viewing of the two micrographs of a stereo pair require the specimen and the electron beam to be oriented relative to each other in such a way that parallax is produced. This can be accomplished either by changing the specimen position while holding the beam fixed, or by tilting the beam while holding the specimen fixed. The tilted-beam and split-beam methods involve use of the off-axis position of the objective and projector lenses. These results in serious image degradation, especially for large stereo tilt angles. These methods can be used, however, for the small stereo tilt angles required at high magnifications. It is found that when stereo pairs are recorded by the specimen-tilting method, the specimen is tilted in one direction by a certain angle and the first micrograph is recorded. Insertion of the estimated height change in the parallax equation yields the optimum stereo tilt angle for observing image points separated by that height change.
Purification and characterization of UV endonucleases I and II from murine plasmacytoma cells.

Abstract Three endonucleases from murine plasmacytoma cells that specifically nick DNA which was heavily irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light were resolved by Sephacryl S-200 column chromatography. Two of these, UV endonucleases I and II, were purified extensively. UV endonuclease I appears to be a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 43 kDa; UV endonuclease II has an S value of 2.9 S, with a corresponding molecular mass estimated at 28 kDa. Both enzymes act as a class I AP endonuclease, cleaving phosphodiester bonds via a beta-elimination mechanism, so as to form an unsaturated deoxyribose at the 3' terminus. Both have thymine glycol DNA glycosylase activity and their substrate specificities generally appear to be overlapping but not identical. UV endonuclease I acts on both supercoiled and relaxed DNAs, whereas II acts only on supercoiled DNA. Both enzymes are active in EDTA, but have different optima for salt, pH, and Triton X-100. Each enzyme is also present in cultured diploid human fibroblasts.
The Vindolanda Timepiece: Time and Calendar Reckoning in Roman Britain

Summary In 2008 a fragment of a time-reckoning device was found at Vindolanda. This fragment has been interpreted as part of an anaphoric water clock. There are important differences between this fragment and other objects thought to come from anaphoric water clocks. This article seeks to reinterpret the fragment in terms of a broader array of Roman time-reckoning tools than anaphoric water clocks and also in terms of the archaeological context of Vindolanda in which the fragment was found. The emphasis on cultural context in interpreting this fragment reveals much about the temporal consciousness of its possible users and maker.
Abstract 16922: Feasibility of Family Sodium Watcher Program to Improve Adherence to Low Sodium Diet in Patients with Heart Failure and Caregivers

Introduction: Poor adherence to the low sodium diet (LSD), common in patients with heart failure (HF), is a major predictor of hospitalization for exacerbation of HF. When family member’s consume the same LSD recommended for patients, patient adherence is increased. The Sodium Watcher Program (SWAP) was developed to improve adherence to LSD using a gradual adaptation strategy and an electronic salt monitoring device that allows detection of sodium content in food. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the SWAP was feasible and if it resulted in reduction in sodium intake for patients with HF and their caregivers. Method: In this 2-group randomized controlled trial, 15 patient-caregiver dyads completed 24-hour urine collection for sodium excretion level (24h UNa) at baseline and 3 months follow up. Dyads in the SWAP intervention (n=8) received 12 weeks of self-care education for HF and LSD with gradual adaptation strategies in salt intake via 2 home visits and 4 calls. Paired t-test was used to compare adherence to LSD at two data collection times. Only intervention group evaluated use of the electronic salt monitoring devices and the intervention program at 3 months. Results: The intervention group had a significant reduction in 24h UNa (Patients 3894mg vs. 3604mg, p=.02; caregivers 4123mg vs. 3380mg, p<.05). They also reported significant increased level of enjoying eating LSD (M =5.4 on 10-point rating scale vs. M=7.9 p <.01) and 90% noticed a change in their ability to taste salt in their food at the 3-month follow up. They reported that use of the electronic monitoring devices was easy (M=8.3 on 10-point rating scale) and helpful in supporting LSD adherence (M=8.8 on 10-point rating scale). Caregivers in the intervention reported no significant changes in burden levels. The usual care control group had no change in 24h UNa (patients 4369 mg vs. 4434 mg; caregivers 3301 mg vs. 4826mg). Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that the SWaP is feasible and efficacious for following LSD by dyads. The intervention was feasible for caregivers and did not increase caregiver burden. This family intervention may have potential for promoting long-term adherence and needs to be tested in a larger clinical trial.
TRAIL death receptors, Bcl-2 protein family, and endoplasmic reticulum calcium pool.

Abstract Calcium (Ca2+) is one of the highly versatile second messengers critical in cellular pathophysiology. Alterations in Ca2+ homeostasis affect many cellular processes, including apoptosis. Recent studies have started to unravel the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis regulation in context to intracellular Ca2+ pools. In this regard, Bcl-2 has been reported to mediate its anti-apoptotic effects, partly, by lowering the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ load and by inhibiting the mitochondrial uptake of Ca2+. However, the opposite is true for Bax and Bak that promote apoptosis, in part, by increasing the ER Ca2+ load and Ca2+ transfer from the ER to mitochondria. Massive ER Ca2+ depletion coupled with upregulation of DR5 has also been reported to induce apoptosis. The mechanistic details of how some of these molecules affect intracellular Ca2+ contents and sense perturbations in Ca2+ homeostasis remain to be elucidated. The recent explosion of information in the fields of cell signaling and apoptosis is likely to facilitate the future investigations aiming to explore these issues.
Mapping the Cerebral Sulci: Application to Morphological Analysis of the Cortex and to Non-rigid Registration

We propose a methodology for extracting parametric representations of the cerebral sulci from magnetic resonance images, and we consider its application to two medical imaging problems: quantitative morphological analysis and spatial normalization and registration of brain images. Our methodology is based on deformable models utilizing characteristics of the cortical shape. Specifically, a parametric representation of a sulcus is determined by the motion of an active contour along the medial surface of the corresponding cortical fold. The active contour is initialized along the outer boundary of the brain, and deforms toward the deep edge of a sulcus under the influence of an external force field restricting it to lie along the medial surface of the particular cortical fold. A parametric representation of the surface is obtained as the active contour traverses the sulcus. In this paper we present results of this methodology and its applications.
Topography-Enhanced BMU Search in Self-Organizing Maps

Self-organizing maps (SOMs) have proven extremely useful because of their ability to provide a condensed representation of data. This is accomplished by creating a mapping from an often continuous data space to a discrete map grid, relationships on which ideally preserve much of the structure of the original data. When well-trained, Kohonen’s original SOM successfully preserves continuity in the mapping from the SOM grid to the data space. When the dimension of a map approximately matches the dimension of the data, or when the folding of a map into higher-dimensional data space is controlled, mapping algorithms can preserve the organization of the data more comprehensively. In these cases, the structure of the map grid may reflect the data structure at several levels of granularity, allowing the search for the best-matching unit (BMU) of the trained map to speed up significantly.