cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ECG non-specific ST-T and QTc abnormalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus compared with rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although only explored in one study, ECG non-specific ST-T abnormalities, in addition to corrected QT-interval (QTc) prolongation, were recently reported in an SLE inception cohort. Importantly, these ECG abnormalities are known predictors of CVD mortality in the general population, yet their prevalence in patients with established SLE has not been evaluated. Methods We cross-sectionally investigated the presence of non-specific ST-T and QTc abnormalities in 50 patients with SLE, predominantly Hispanic and black, without CVD or SLE-related cardiac involvement and compared them with 139 patients with RA without CVD. Demographics, disease-specific characteristics and CVD risk factors were ascertained and adjusted for. Results Patients with SLE (mean age 36±13 years, 92% women, 6 years median disease duration, 96% Hispanics and blacks) had a 3.3-fold higher adjusted prevalence of non-specific ST-T abnormalities (56% vs 17%; p <0.0001) compared with RA, despite the older age and higher percentage of men in the RA group. The QTc was 26 ms longer in SLE compared with RA (p=0.002) in the setting of a higher percentage of women, blacks, Hispanics and higher C reactive protein levels in the SLE group. Conclusions This study demonstrates a high prevalence of ECG abnormalities in predominantly Hispanic and black patients with SLE. Longitudinal evaluation of the progression to potentially life-threatening arrhythmias and/or cardiovascular events is warranted.
Cochlear Influences on Development of the Brainstem Auditory System

Experimental work from several laboratories, including that reviewed by Hyson and Sanes in this volume, has shown that from the time cochlear nerve synapses are first formed on CNS auditory neurons, the developing ear exerts a powerful influence on the developing brain (see also Moore, 1992). My laboratory has studied how influences from the ear affect survival, form, connectivity, calcium homeostasis mechanisms, and neurotransmitter receptor properties of chick brainstem auditory neurons.
Algorithmic Mediation in Group Decisions: Fairness Perceptions of Algorithmically Mediated vs. Discussion-Based Social Division

How do individuals perceive algorithmic vs. group-made decisions? We investigated people's perceptions of mathematically-proven fair division algorithms making social division decisions. In our first qualitative study, about one third of the participants perceived algorithmic decisions as less than fair (30% for self, 36% for group), often because algorithmic assumptions about users did not account for multiple concepts of fairness or social behaviors, and the process of quantifying preferences through interfaces was prone to error. In our second experiment, algorithmic decisions were perceived to be less fair than discussion-based decisions, dependent on participants' interpersonal power and computer programming knowledge. Our work suggests that for algorithmic mediation to be fair, algorithms and their interfaces should account for social and altruistic behaviors that may be difficult to define in mathematical terms.
A Framework for Understanding Error and Complexity in Critical Care

In 1999, the Institute of Medicine published a widely cited report [1] that suggested between 44,000 and 98,000 people die each year because of preventable medical error. Even the more conservative estimate suggests that medical error causes more death annually than motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, or AIDS. This report resulted in unprecedented focus of attention on the issue of error in medicine. However, there is little evidence of widely available improvements in patient safety. According to leading patient safety researcher Lucian Leape, of the primary barriers to progress ‘the first such challenge is (the) complexity’ of medical practice [2].
Non-Invasive Intra-cardiac Pressure Measurements Using Subharmonic-Aided Pressure Estimation: Proof of Concept in Humans.

Abstract This study evaluated the feasibility of employing non-invasive intra-cardiac pressure estimation using subharmonic signals from ultrasound contrast agents in humans. This institutional review board–approved proof-of-concept study included 15 consenting patients scheduled for left and right heart catheterization. During the catheterization procedure, Definity was infused intra-venously at 4–10 mL/min. Ultrasound scanning was performed with a Sonix RP using pulse inversion, three incident acoustic output levels and 2.5-MHz transmit frequency. Radiofrequency data were processed and subharmonic amplitudes were compared with the pressure catheter data. The correlation coefficient between subharmonic signals and pressure catheter data ranged from −0.3 to −0.9. For acquisitions with optimum acoustic output, pressure errors between the subharmonic technique and catheter were as low as 2.6 mmHg. However, automatically determining optimum acoustic output during scanning for each patient remains to be addressed before clinical applicability can be decided.
Lung epithelium: barrier immunity to inhaled fungi and driver of fungal-associated allergic asthma

Fungi are ubiquitous in the environment. The epithelium that lines our airways is the first point of contact with the frequent encounter of inhaled fungi. Consequently, the lung epithelium has evolved behaviors that instruct the earliest immune events to resist fungal penetration. Although the epithelium efficiently assists in immunity to invasive fungi, it also can be inappropriately triggered, to the detriment of the host, by normally innocuous fungi or fungal components. Thus, there is a tipping point of protective immunity against fungal pathogens versus inflammatory disease caused by an exuberant immune response to harmless fungal antigens. This review will discuss several aspects of barrier immunity to pulmonary fungal infection, as well as situations where fungal exposure leads to allergic asthma.
In Vivo and In Situ Detection of Macromolecular Free Radicals Using Immuno-Spin Trapping and Molecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Abstract Significance: In vivo free radical imaging in preclinical models of disease has become a reality. Free radicals have traditionally been characterized by electron spin resonance (ESR) or electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy coupled with spin trapping. The disadvantage of the ESR/EPR approach is that spin adducts are short-lived due to biological reductive and/or oxidative processes. Immuno-spin trapping (IST) involves the use of an antibody that recognizes macromolecular 5,5-dimethyl-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) spin adducts (anti-DMPO antibody), regardless of the oxidative/reductive state of trapped radical adducts. Recent Advances: The IST approach has been extended to an in vivo application that combines IST with molecular magnetic resonance imaging (mMRI). This combined IST–mMRI approach involves the use of a spin-trapping agent, DMPO, to trap free radicals in disease models, and administration of an mMRI probe, an anti-DMPO probe, which combines an antibody against DMPO-radical addu...
“We Pride Ourselves on Being Strong…and Able to Bear a lot”: Examining the Socio-Cultural and Historical Context of Black Americans’ Experiences with Depression and Help-Seeking

Research consistently shows that Black Americans’ symptoms of depression are more severe and persistent than their white counterparts yet they seek out and/or use services at a far lower rate. While trying to understand this disparity, it is important that researchers explore the socio-cultural and historical context around Black Americans’ experiences with depression and help-seeking. This study involved semi-structured in-depth interviews with 17 Black American men and women, aged 21-57, who experienced depression. A thematic analysis revealed that Black Americans’ experiences are often rooted in a socio-cultural and historical context where Black people are seen as a strong people, able to deal with anything, and do not get depressed. These findings suggest that Black Americans may go through a process of reconciling being depressed with certain aspects of their cultural identity as they strive to better understand themselves, their illness, and options to help alleviate their symptoms. Researchers and practitioners alike should pay more attention to this complex process as they attempt to understand the illness experiences and help-seeking behaviors of Black Americans.
Accuracy of Presumptive Gonorrhea Treatment for Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men: Results from a Large Sexual Health Clinic in Los Angeles, California.

Abstract Purpose: This study analyzed the accuracy of presumptive gonorrhea treatment in a sexual health clinic serving primarily gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). Treating ...
CORONARY STEAL SYNDROME DUE TO LEFT INTERNAL MAMMARY INTERCOSTAL BRANCH: IMPROVED WITH COILING

Left internal mammary artery (LIMA) is the graft vessel of choice for revascularization of left anterior descending artery (LAD). Possibility of untied LIMA branch causing coronary steal syndrome (CSS) continues to be a topic of debate. We describe a case of CSS caused by an intercostal branch of
Unpredictable Doom and Lethal Injustice: An Argument for Greater Transparency in Death Penalty Decisions

In this Article, Professors Goodman, Caldwell, and Chase address prosecutorial arbitrariness of charging decisions in capital cases. After outlining the constitutional limits on imposing the death penalty established as a result of the Supreme Court's decision in Furman v. Georgia, the authors discuss the study that they conducted on behalf of the California Commission for the Fair Administration of Justice (CCFAJ). In this study, the authors surveyed California district attorneys to learn more about how they decide whether to seek the death penalty in qualifying cases, and sought statistical information about each death-eligible case. The response to this survey by the California district attorneys offices, as outlined in this Article and discussed more fully in the authors' report to the CCFAJ, was limited, with nearly one-third failing to provide any response at all, and only fourteen of the fifty-eight offices completing the survey in full.The authors then provide an expanded analysis of prosecutorial arbitrariness in charging decisions in all thirty-seven U.S. states that still allow death sentences. They focused on each state's statutory scheme setting forth criteria for seeking the death penalty, and determined that the more expansive the list of death-qualifying criteria is, the greater the potential for prosecutorial abuse of discretion in filing capital cases. The authors also provide the following statistics for each state between 1996 and 2006: state population, number of statutory foundational death qualifiers, number of death sentences, number of sentences to life without parole, and the number of sentences for premeditated murder. This is followed by a discussion of the Federal Death Penalty Act and the Federal Protocol in filing death penalty cases. The authors suggest that these be used as models to reduce the potential for prosecutorial arbitrariness in capital cases. They also address the need to balance prosecutorial discretion with fairness in seeking the death penalty.Finally, they provide several suggestions for for ensuring a more just use of capital punishment. These include narrowing the statutory categories of death-eligible crimes, implementing and following publicly disclosed charging criteria and procedures, increased and centralized review of charging decisions, curtailing the ability of elected officials to seek the death penalty, judicial review of charging decisions, and improved record keeping for capital case statistics.
Dynamic crossover and liquid-liquid critical point in the TIP5P model of water

Water is hypothesized to have a low temperature phase transition line which separates a high density water at high temperatures from a low density water at low temperatures. This negatively sloped first order liquid-liquid phase coexistence line terminates at a critical point known as the liquid-liquid critical point. This critical point is hypothesized to exist in a deeply supercooled region of the phase diagram of water. Recent experiments have given an indirect indication of this phase transition. Neutron scattering and NMR experiments on water confined in hydrophilic nanopores revealed that the dynamics of water changes from the dynamics of a high density liquid (non-Arrhenius) at high temperatures to that of a low density liquid (Arrhenius) at low temperatures. Motivated Motivated by these experiments we investigated the TIP5P model of w ater. We find that the dynamic transition appears to be related to crossing the specific heat maxima line (Widom line) which emanates from the liquidliquid critical point. Moreover, we find that water not only undergoes dynamical change but also structural changes on crossing the Widom line. The structure of the liquid changes from a high density liquid to a low density liquid.
Program Timer for Weather Broadcast Reception

Equipment for automatically turning on a range station weather receiver, including provision for a silent warmup interval, is here outlined, with circuit explanation, description of critical components and constructional techniques, operating directions, and a performance assay.
Political Theology as Liberative Theology

Challenging the widespread assumption that “political theology” as a discipline began with Carl Schmitt in the 20th century, this essay explores the biblical theme of God’s preferential option for ...
Effects of ground roughness on near-surface flow field of a tornado-like vortex

Roughness of a terrain is an important parameter that influences the near-ground flow field of tornadoes. In this study, both stationary and translating tornado-like vortices were simulated in a laboratory to investigate the influence of ground roughness on their flow fields. The near-ground flow fields, over the smooth and rough terrains, were studied using a mini version (1:3-scale) of the ISU tornado simulator and a 2D-PIV system for a stationary tornado and using the ISU tornado simulator and a pressure-based anemometer for a translating tornado. Main goal of this study is to examine the influence of ground roughness on tornado flow field. The results show that, for the stationary tornado, the flow regime transitioned from a multi-celled core structure over a smooth terrain at a higher swirl ratio to a single or dual-celled core structure over the rough terrain. A significant decrease in tangential velocity and core radius, and an increase in vertical and radial velocities and turbulent kinetic energy near the center of the tornado were also observed. For the translating tornado, ground roughness reduced the core radius, increased the radial velocity toward the center of rotation, and moved the location of the maximum horizontal velocity toward the front side of the tornado center close to the ground. There was a decrease in local or corner-flow swirl ratio in both stationary and translating tornadoes for the rough terrains compared with the smooth one.
A Measurement Study of Authentication Rate-Limiting Mechanisms of Modern Websites

Text passwords remain a primary means for user authentication on modern computer systems. However, recent studies have shown the promises of guessing user passwords efficiently with auxiliary information of the targeted accounts, such as the users' personal information, previously used passwords, or those used in other systems. Authentication rate-limiting mechanisms, such as account lockout and login throttling, are common methods to defeat online password cracking attacks. But to date, no published studies have investigated how authentication rate-limiting is implemented by popular websites. In this paper, we present a measurement study of such countermeasures against online password cracking. Towards this end, we propose a black-box approach to modeling and validating the websites' implementation of the rate-limiting mechanisms. We applied the tool to examine all 182 websites that we were able to analyze in the Alexa Top 500 websites in the United States. The results are rather surprising: 131 websites (72%) allow frequent, unsuccessful login attempts without account lockout or login throttling (though some of these websites force the adversary to lower the login frequency or constantly change his IP addresses to circumvent the rate-limiting enforcement). The remaining 51 websites are not absolutely secure either: 28 websites may block a legitimate user with correct passwords when the account is locked out, effectively enabling authentication denial-of-service attacks.
Developing BMT Nurses to Care for Axicabtogene Ciloleucel (Yescarta) Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Patients

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale Axicabtogene ciloleucel (Yescarta) is a chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy that carries significant acute toxicities and potential death. Yescarta is a commercial product, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2017. Yescarta is associated with a 31% risk of >grade 2 neurotoxicity and a 13% risk of >grade 2 cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Manifestations of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) can range from fevers and hypotension to severe hypotension requiring vasopressors, intubation and can result in end organ damage. The neurologic toxicities range from headache, tremors and confusion, to seizures, encephalopathy, cerebral edema and death. The care of Yescarta patients requires specialized training for inpatient BMT nurses. The purpose of this abstract is to describe how we developed inpatient BMT nurses to manage CAR T related toxicities while developing the infrastructure for safe nursing management of CAR-T therapies. Methods, Intervention, & Analysis Our center infused 30 inpatients with Yescarta through September 2018. Grade 2 neurotoxicities occurred in 29% of patients; grade 3 toxicity in 19% and 9% had grade 4 toxicity. CRS toxicity of grade 2 occurred in 71%, grade 3, 19% and 0% grade 4. The unit experienced a 32% growth of newly hired nurses during this time. Numerous educational opportunities were provided to nurses via inservices, daily huddles and a physician led symposium. In addition, 14 % of our nurses attended a Seattle symposium. CAR T resource binders were developed for reference of grading toxicities and interventions. A Clinical Nurse Specialist rounded Monday-Friday with the inpatient nurse focusing on toxicity management and clinical assessment. Relationship development including education to, and between, the crisis, ICU, ED and float nurses, and physical therapists was provided. Videos improving the neurologic assessments by nurses were provided and REMS training was completed by all staff. Findings & Interpretation Although 27% Yescarta patients went to the ICU for closer monitoring, all were successfully discharged home. Incorporating a new high-risk treatment with a significant new number of nursing staff required close monitoring of patients, ongoing education and collaborative relationship development with other disciplines. Discussion & Implications BMT nurses trained on CAR T toxicity management is critical to successful patient outcomes.
Polymerase-amplified release of ATP (POLARA) for detecting single nucleotide variants in RNA and DNA

The identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) is increasingly important for diagnosis and treatment of disease. Here we studied the potential use of ATP-releasing nucleotides (ARNs) for identifying SNPs in DNA and RNA targets. Synthesized as derivatives of the four canonical deoxynucleotides, ARNs can be used in the place of deoxynucleoside triphosphates to elongate a primer hybridized to a nucleic acid template, with the leaving group being ATP rather than pyrophosphate. The released ATP is then harnessed in conjunction with luciferase to generate chemiluminescence. Extension on a long target DNA or RNA generates many equivalents of ATP per target strand, providing isothermal amplification of signal. In principle, allele-specific primers could be used in conjunction with ARNs to generate differential luminescence signals with respect to distinct genetic polymorphisms. To test this, varied primer designs, modifications, enzymes and conditions were tested, resulting in an optimized strategy that discriminates between differing nucleic acid templates with single nucleotide resolution. This strategy was then applied to diagnostically relevant alleles resulting in discrimination between known polymorphisms. SNP detection was successfully performed on transcribed mRNA fragments from four different alleles derived from JAK2, BCR-ABL1, BRAF, and HBB. To investigate background interference, wild-type and mutant transcripts of these four alleles were tested and found to be easily distinguishable amid total cellular RNA isolated from human blood. Thus, ARNs have been employed with specialized allele-specific primers to detect diagnostically important SNPs in a novel method that is sensitive, rapid, and isothermal.
Selective loss of the GABAAα1 subunit from Purkinje cells is sufficient to induce a tremor phenotype

Abstract Background Increased circuit level insights into Essential tremor, the most prevalent movement disorder, are needed. Previously, an Essential Tremor-like phenotype was noted in animals with a global knockout of the GABAAα1 subunit. However, global knockout of the GABAAα1 subunit has limitations, including potential early mortality and limited circuit level insights into the tremor. Methods Given the hypothesized role of the cerebellum in tremor, including Essential Tremor, we used transgenic mice to selectively knock out the GABAAα1 subunit from cerebellar Purkinje cells. As previous work suggested background strain may influence phenotype in this model, we used two different background strains (a Black6 and a Mixed background). We examined the resulting phenotype regarding impacts on inhibitory postsynaptic currents, survival rates, gross motor abilities, and expression of tremor. Results We found that GABAA-mediated synaptic currents are abolished in Purkinje cells from Purkinje cell specific knockout mice, while GABAA-mediated inhibition to cerebellar molecular layer interneurons remains intact. Selective loss of GABAAα1 from Purkinje cells did not produce gross motor deficits, as measured by the accelerating rotarod, nor did it result in decreased survival rates. However, a tremor phenotype was apparent, regardless of sex or background strain. This tremor mimicked the tremor seen in animals with a global knockout of the GABAAα1 subunit, and, like Essential Tremor in patients, was responsive to ethanol. Conclusions These findings indicate that reduced inhibition to Purkinje cells is sufficient to induce a tremor phenotype, highlighting the importance of the cerebellum, inhibition, and Purkinje cells, in tremor.
Genomic Characterization of Brain Metastases: Implications for Precision Medicine

Brain metastases are a devastating secondary complication of systemic cancer and account for the most common central nervous system (CNS) neoplasm in adult cancer patients [1]. Improved systemic therapies and the advancement of neuroimaging techniques have largely contributed to a longer survival of affected patients, an earlier detection of brain metastases, and therefore a rising incidence of brain metastases [1, 2]. Among all cancer types, lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, gastrointestinal cancers, and renal cell carcinoma have the highest propensity to cause brain metastases [3]. Affected patients face a dismal prognosis, with a median survival of 3 months up to 18 months, depending on a variety of prognostic factors such as age, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), primary tumor type, presence or absence of controlled systemic disease, number of brain metastases, and time to development from primary tumor diagnosis to brain metastases [4, 5]. More recently, molecular biomarkers, such as EGFR, ALK, and HER2, have been found to be prognostic and are being incorporated into prognostic classifications [6, 7].
Internet and Social Media Marketing

Sammy joined a five-man orthopedic practice following residency. He had an undergraduate degree in business with extensive knowledge in computer science, as he spent his younger years as an avid video game player and developer. The practice hired a high school student to convert the three-colored practice brochure into an electronic format and the student cut and pasted the document into the free WordPress.com website builder in less than 1 hour. Despite trying to have a presence on social media, the site has remained idle for more than a year. What is Sammy’s next action step regarding social media?
Energy-Screened Many-Body Expansion: A Practical Yet Accurate Fragmentation Method for Quantum Chemistry.

We introduce an implementation of the truncated many-body expansion, MBE(n), in which the n-body corrections are screened using the effective fragment potential force field, and only those that exceed a specified energy threshold are computed at a quantum-mechanical level of theory. This energy-screened MBE(n) approach is tested at the n = 3 level for a sequence of water clusters, (H2O)N=6-34. A threshold of 0.25 kJ/mol eliminates more than 80% of the subsystem electronic structure calculations and is even more efficacious in that respect than is distance-based screening. Even so, the energy-screened MBE(3) method is faithful to a full-system quantum chemistry calculation to within 1-2 kJ/mol/monomer, even in good quality basis sets such as aug-cc-pVTZ. These errors can be reduced by means of a two-layer approach that involves a Hartree-Fock calculation for the entire cluster. Such a correction proves to be necessary in order to obtain accurate relative energies for conformational isomers of (H2O)20, but the cost of a full-system Hartree-Fock calculation remains smaller than the cost of three-body subsystem calculations at correlated levels of theory. At the level of second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2), a screened MBE(3) calculation plus a full-system Hartree-Fock calculation is less expensive than a full-system MP2 calculation starting at N = 12 water molecules. This is true even if all MBE(3) subsystem calculations are performed on a single 40-core compute node, i.e., without significant parallelization. Energy-screened MBE(n) thus provides a fragment-based method that is accurate, stable in large basis sets, and low in cost, even when the latter is measured in aggregate computer time.
Vehicle Thermal Management Using Heat Pipes

Electric vehicle components, based on their function, can be classified into three categories i.e. lighting function (e.g. headlamp, display, sound system, camera), processing functions (infotainment, autonomous unit) and power (e.g. inverter, converter, batteries) functions. The present paper presents different cooling approaches for vehicle electronics/electrical systems, identify domain for two phase technologies and provide examples for heat pipe modules for cooling these functionalities. Roadmap for vehicle electronics/electrical system with target cooling technologies for each segment is elaborated. Heat pipe system based on natural or forced convection (by air or liquid) are presented, w.r.t structural design and thermal performance. These design proposals can include different design architectures (capillary heat pipes, loop heat pipe, pulsating heat pipes), integration methods (solder, epoxy, mechanical fixing) and interfacing options (electrical isolation, thermal interface). Cooling solutions, outlined in this presentation, will provide merits in term of lightweight, high thermal performance (including heat capacity & thermal uniformity), lifetime reliable, structurally robustness and safer against high voltage issues, which are critical for automotive industry, particularly for upcoming vehicular technologies (electro-mobility, autonomous driving, high performance computing, fast charging).
Ionization yield in silicon for eV-scale electron-recoil processes

The development of single charge resolving, macroscopic silicon detectors has opened a window into rare processes at the $\mathcal{O}(\mathrm{eV})$ scale. In order to reconstruct the energy of a given event, or model the charge signal obtained for a given amount of energy absorbed by the electrons in a detector, an accurate charge yield model is needed. In this paper we review existing measurements of charge yield in silicon, focusing in particular on the region below 1 keV. We highlight a calibration gap between 12--50 eV (referred to as the ``UV-gap'') and employ a phenomenological model of impact ionization to explore the likely charge yield in this energy regime. Finally, we explore the impact of variations in this model on a test case, that of dark matter scattering off electrons, to illustrate the scientific impact of uncertainties in charge yield.
El misterio kepleriano: tres movimientos cósmico-subjetivos

El presente escrito analiza la figura de Johannes Kepler en tanto fundador de la astronomia moderna, indagando en los movimientos subjetivos que transita hacia el arribo a sus conocidas tres leyes del movimiento planetario. Se proponen tres movimientos cosmico-subjetivos, a saber, la huida, la revelacion y la adivinacion, en tanto operaciones que dan cuenta del caracter innegablemente subjetivo del universo que "descubre". De ese modo, exponemos las contradicciones epistemologicas en el metodo cientifico utilizado por Kepler, en relacion con las yuxtaposiciones entre astronomia, astrologia y religion. Finalmente, el texto ofrece algunas preguntas y reflexiones sobre el cosmos y la astronomia en nuestros dias, explorando sus posibilidades de reconexion con dimensiones subjetivas y sociohistoricas alternativas
Thermal conductance across harmonic-matched epitaxial Al-sapphire heterointerfaces

A unified fundamental understanding of interfacial thermal transport is missing due to the complicated nature of interfaces. Because of the difficulty to grow high-quality interfaces and lack of materials characterization, the experimentally measured thermal boundary conductance (TBC) in the literature are usually not the same as the ideally modelled interfaces. This work provides a systematic study of TBC across the highest-quality (atomically sharp, harmonic-matched, and ultraclean) epitaxial (111) Al||(0001) sapphire interfaces to date. The comparison of measured high TBC with theoretical models shows that elastic phonon transport dominates the interfacial thermal transport and other mechanisms play negligible roles. This is confirmed by a nearly constant transmission coefficient by scaling the TBC with the Al heat capacity and sapphire heat capacity with phonon frequency lower than 10 THz. Finally, the findings in this work will impact applications such as electronics thermal management, thermoelectric energy conversion, and battery safety. The mechanism of thermal transport at solid interfaces depends on many parameters in particular the quality of the interface. Here, the authors compare experimental and calculated thermal boundary conductance across high-quality harmonic-matched epitaxial Al-sapphire interfaces and find that elastic phonon processes dominate the ultra-clean interfaces.
On Dynamic Thermal Conditions in Mixed-Criticality Systems

The rising demand for powerful embedded systems to support modern complex real-time applications signifies the on-chip temperature challenges. Heat conduction between CPU cores interferes in the execution time of tasks running on other cores. The violation of thermal constraints causes timing unpredictability to real-time tasks due to transient performance degradation or permanent system failure. Moreover, dynamic ambient temperature affects the operating temperature on multicore systems significantly.In this paper, we propose a thermal-aware server framework to safely upper-bound the maximum operating temperature of multi-core mixed-criticality systems. With the proposed analysis on the impact of ambient temperature, our framework manages mixed-criticality tasks to satisfy both thermal and timing requirements. We present techniques to find the maximum ambient temperature for each criticality level to guarantee the safe operating temperature bound. We also analyze the minimum time required for a criticality mode change from one level to another. The thermal properties of our framework have been evaluated on a commercial embedded platform. A case study with real-world mixed-critical applications demonstrates the effectiveness of our framework in bounding operating temperature under dynamic ambient temperature changes.
Do Causal Concentration-Response Functions Exist?

Concentration-response (C-R) functions relating concentrations of pollutants in ambient air to mortality risks or other adverse health effects provide the basis for many public health risk assessments, benefits estimates for clean air regulations, and recommendations for revisions to existing air quality standards (Schwartz et al. 2002). The assumption that C-R functions relating levels of exposure and levels of response estimated from historical data usefully predict how future changes in concentrations would change risks has seldom been carefully tested. This chapter critically reviews literature on C-R functions for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and mortality risks, building on the ideas and methods from Chaps. 2, 7 and 8 (especially that regression coefficients do not necessarily have valid causal interpretations) and Chaps. 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 (especially that Bayesian networks and partial dependence plots can provide useful additional information about dependence relationships that help to identify, constrain, and quantify potential direct and total causal relationships, modelled via invariant causal conditional probability tables). We find that most of the historically influentialpapers in the literature on PM2.5 and mortality risks only describe historical statistical associations rather than valid causal models for predicting effects of interventions that change concentrations. The few papers that explicitly attempt to model causality rely on unverified statistical modeling assumptions, casting doubt on their predictions about effects of interventions. Modern causal inference algorithms for observational data (Chap. 9) have been little used in C-R modeling to date. Applying these methods to publicly available data from Boston and the South Coast Air Quality Management District around Los Angeles shows that C-R functions estimated for one do not hold for the other. Changes in month-specific PM2.5 concentrations from one year to the next do not help to predict corresponding changes in average elderly mortality rates in either location. Thus, the assumption that estimated statistical C-R relations predict effects of pollution-reducing interventions may not be true. Better causal modeling methods are needed to better predict how reducing air pollution would affect public health.
Case series of vestibular schwannoma patients with no asymmetry in hearing.

Abstract Objective (1) Describe the presenting symptoms and tumor characteristics of patients who are diagnosed with a vestibular schwannoma (VS) with normal hearing or symmetric hearing loss, and (2) report the prospective growth and treatment of each tumor. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of acoustic neuroma patients who were found to have a VS and normal or symmetric hearing loss at a single tertiary care academic center from 1999 to 2012. Medical records were reviewed collecting the following information: patient demographics, symptoms, MRI characteristics, and treatment modality. Results 15/195 (7.7%) patients met criteria for the study. Dizziness was the most common presenting symptom occurring in 9 subjects (60%), followed by headache in 6 (40%), vision changes in 5 (33%), tinnitus in 5 (33%), and unilateral hearing loss in 1 (7%). The average tumor size was 1.07 cm (range 0.3–2.2 cm). Eight (53%) patients presented with intracanalicular tumors. Growth was observed in 6 subjects (40%) with average growth rate in those who exhibited mean growth of 1.8 mm per year. Treatment consisted of surgical removal in 4 cases (27%), gamma knife therapy in 1 (7%), and observation or loss to follow-up in 10 (66%). Conclusions The incidence of VS with normal hearing was 7.7% Patients with VSs who do not exhibit unilateral hearing loss present most commonly with dizziness. Most of our patients had small, intracanalicular tumors with the largest tumor measuring 2.2 cm in greatest dimension. Of those who were managed conservatively with repeat imaging and observation, most showed tumor growth.
Metabolic Risk Factors Associated with Early-Onset Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: A Case-Control Study at Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

Background: The incidence of early onset colorectal cancer (eoCRC) diagnosed among individuals under age 50 has been rising. However, risk factors for eoCRC are unclear. We investigated whether metabolic abnormalities are risk factors for eoCRC adenocarcinoma. Methods: Invasive colorectal adenocarcinoma cases diagnosed between ages 15-49 from 2008-2018 at Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) were identified. Those with a history of inflammatory bowel disease were excluded. Non-cancer controls were selected 5:1 for each case matched by age, sex, and length of membership prior to index date. Data were collected from KSPC9s electronic medical records. The exposures of interest included obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, assessed from {greater than or equal to} 1 year prior to eoCRC diagnosis/index date. Conditional logistic regressions were used to evaluate the associations between these metabolic risk factors and risk of eoCRC adenocarcinoma, adjusting for race/ethnicity, smoking, family history, neighborhood socioeconomic status and health care utilization. Results: A total of 1,032 cases and 5,128 controls were included. Risk of colorectal adenocarcinoma was significantly associated with obesity [odds ratio (OR)= 1.41 (95% confidence interval 1.14-1.74)], but not diabetes, hypertension or dyslipidemia. In analysis stratified by tumor location, obesity was significantly associated with risk of colon adenocarcinoma [OR=1.57 (1.18-2.09)] but its association with rectal adenocarcinoma was less clear [OR=1.17 (0.84-1.64)]. No significant interaction was detected between obesity and age ({greater than or equal to}40 vs. <40), and obesity and sex. Conclusion: Obesity was associated with risk for eoCRC adenocarcinoma. Impact: This finding could help inform early-onset colorectal adenocarcinoma screening and prevention recommendations.
Robust enhancer-gene regulation identified by single-cell transcriptomes and epigenomes

Integrating single-cell transcriptomes and epigenomes across diverse cell types can link genes with the cis-regulatory elements (CREs) that control expression. Gene co-expression across cell types confounds simple correlation-based analysis and results in high false prediction rates. We developed a procedure that controls for co-expression between genes and integrates multiple molecular modalities, and used it to identify >10,000 gene-CRE pairs that contribute to gene expression programs in different cell types in the mouse brain.
Operating Room Management Case Scenarios

This chapter will help the reader better understand scenarios common to operating room and perioperative resource management. These include optimization of room assignments and distribution of providers, financial considerations, resident work-hour rules and restrictions, and operating room efficiency.
Information Content of Time-Variant Data

A method is presented for the delineation of optimal sampling frequencies in discrete data acquisition programs commonly encountered in the fields of hydrology and water resources. Statistical treatment and the attendant implications of information content are investigated in terms of the variability of sample mean and sample variance. The method is applied to three arbitrarily chosen streamflow gaging stations in the Eel River Basin, California. An examination of the variation of information content with sampling interval has revealed guidelines for the choice of a sampling frequency such that persistence effects and the consequent redundancy of information are minimized.
From Sacrifice to Solidarity: The Truth Politics of Haitian Literature

Discusses the representations of the Haitian Revolution in works by Aime Cesaire and Edwidge Danticat.
Novel Approaches in the Management of Klinefelter Syndrome

Klinefelter syndrome is the most common form of hypogonadism in men and is the leading genetic cause of male infertility. It also represents the most prevalent chromosomal aneuploidy in human beings. It is characterized by the presence of an extra X chromosome in a phenotypic male. The most abundant karyotype is 47, XXY, although other patterns including mosaicism (47, XY/47, XXY) and higher grade chromosomal aneuploidies containing supranumerous X chromosomes (48, XXXY, 49, XXXXY) are not uncommon. The latter phenotypes are more severely affected in terms of physical and mental development than men with classic 47, XXY karyotypes. The genetic cause is either from meiotic nondisjunction leading to failure of separation of the chromosome pair during the first or second division of gametogenesis or from mitotic nondisjunction in the developing zygote. Increasing maternal age has been reported to raise the risk of Klinefelter syndrome. The estimated prevalence of Klinefelter syndrome in men is 1:500 or 0.1–0.2% of the general population. However, extremely large discrepancies have been reported between prenatal and postnatal prevalence suggesting high rates of under diagnosis. A large Danish national registry study observed only 25% of the expected patients diagnosed after birth, and less than 10% of the expected diagnoses were made before puberty. Some of the major reasons for this underdiagnosis are thought to be the variable phenotype of Klinefelter syndrome and low awareness of the disease among medical professionals. Recognition of clinical features is hence important for early detection of this syndrome.
Mechanism and control of platelet-platelet interactions: II. Action of thrombin on membrane-associated and purified platelet and rabbit skeletal muscle myosins☆

Abstract Thrombin action on intact human platelets was studied using SDS-acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Analysis of purified platelet membranes from thrombin-treated intact platelets showed the rapid disappearance of a peptide with a molecular weight of 200,000 and the simultaneous appearance of three smaller peptides with molecular weights of 171,000, 85,000, and 78,000. Isolated human platelet myosin is degraded by thrombin to peptides identical with those produced in platelet membranes. ATPase activity was retained in the thrombin-cleaved platelet myosin fragments and these fragments also contained peptides similar to rabbit heavy meromyosin. Thrombin produced similar changes in rabbit skeletal muscle myosin. We conclude that the thrombin-sensitive protein of platelet membranes is identical with isolated platelet myosin and that thrombin action produces heavy meromyosin-like and possibly light meromyosin-like fragments.
Secure Construction of Contingency Tables from Distributed Data

Contingency tables are widely used in many fields to analyze the relationship or infer the association between two or more variables. Indeed, due to their simplicity and ease, they are one of the first methods used to analyze gathered data. Typically, the construction of contingency tables from source data is considered straightforward since all data is supposed to be aggregated at a single party. However, in many cases, the collected data may actually be federated among different parties. Privacy and security concerns may restrict the data owners from free sharing of the raw data. However, construction of the global contingency tables would still be of immense interest. In this paper, we propose techniques for enabling secure construction of contingency tables from both horizontally and vertically partitioned data. Our methods are efficient and secure. We also examine cases where the constructed contingency table may itself leak too much information and discuss potential solutions.
Comparison of Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems patient satisfaction scores for specialty hospitals and general medical hospitals: confounding effect of survey response rate.

BACKGROUND Specialty hospitals are a subset of acute-care hospitals that provide a narrower set of services than general medical hospitals (GMHs), predominantly in areas such as cardiac disease and surgery. Although specialty hospitals also advertise high patient satisfaction, this has not been examined using national data. We examined the differences in Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) satisfaction scores in a national sample. METHODS HCAHPS results were obtained for July 2007 to June 2010. Specialty hospitals were identified using the American Hospital Association's Annual Survey, the Physician Hospital Association's directory, a name search of hospitals on the HCAHPS database, contact with experts, and online searches. Multiple linear regression was performed to examine the relationship between overall satisfaction and hospital specialty status, survey response rate, and subdomains of patient satisfaction. RESULTS We identified 188 specialty hospitals and 4368 GMHs. Specialty hospitals were disproportionately located in states that do not require Certification Of Need (47.9%), and had a higher overall patient satisfaction score (86.6 vs 67.8%, P 50% (from 18.5 to 8.7) but remained significantly higher (P < 0.0001). Similar results were obtained for patient satisfaction subdomains. CONCLUSION Specialty hospitals have a significantly higher overall HCAHPS patient satisfaction score than GMHs, although more than half of this difference disappears when adjusted for survey response rate. Comparisons among healthcare organizations should take into account survey response rates. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2014;9:590–593. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine
RDA ou le catalogage repensé pour l’ère numérique

Cet article compare le code de catalogage RDA : Resource Description and Access aux Regles de catalogage anglo-americaines auxquelles RDA succede, en decrivant les principales differences entre les deux codes ainsi que les raisons qui ont motive les changements apportes.