cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Image Denoising and Decomposition with Total Variation Minimization and Oscillatory Functions

In this paper, we propose a new variational model for image denoising and decomposition, witch combines the total variation minimization model of Rudin, Osher and Fatemi from image restoration, with spaces of oscillatory functions, following recent ideas introduced by Meyer. The spaces introduced here are appropriate to model oscillatory patterns of zero mean, such as noise or texture. Numerical results of image denoising, image decomposition and texture discrimination are presented, showing that the new models decompose better a given image, possible noisy, into cartoon and oscillatory pattern of zero mean, than the standard ones. The present paper develops further the models previously introduced by the authors in Vese and Osher (Modeling textures with total variation minimization and oscillating patterns in image processing, UCLA CAM Report 02-19, May 2002, to appear in Journal of Scientific Computing, 2003). Other recent and related image decomposition models are also discussed.
The Subaltern Moment in Hegel's Dialectic:

I stage the question ‘What about dialectics?’ by showing Frantz Fanon's insurrectionary fidelity to Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and his dialectic. Fanon is an acute and disloyal reader of Hegel, ...
Putative Cell Cycle Related Genes in Plasmodium Falciparum

Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of human malaria, has a dynamic life cycle encompassing the mosquito vector and human hosts. Complex and atypical cell cycles are observed in malaria parasites. Cell cycle related proteins which play important roles in parasite life cycle, but distantly related to host proteins, may serve as desirable drug targets. In this study, based on the principle of homology transfer, we attempted to identify putative cell cycle control proteins in P. falciparum, using the well-characterized yeast cell cycle as a template. The malaria parasite genome contains the core cell cycle components including cyclin, cyclin-dependent kinases, transcription factors, DNA replication factors and DNA repair proteins. The “missing links” in the cell cycle regulation map may represent parasite lineage-specific regulators.
A new pivoting and iterative text detection algorithm for biomedical images

There is interest to expand the reach of literature mining to include the analysis of biomedical images, which often contain a paper's key findings. Examples include recent studies that use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to extract image text, which is used to boost biomedical image retrieval and classification. Such studies rely on the robust identification of text elements in biomedical images, which is a non-trivial task. In this work, we introduce a new text detection algorithm for biomedical images based on iterative projection histograms. We study the effectiveness of our algorithm by evaluating the performance on a set of manually labeled random biomedical images, and compare the performance against other state-of-the-art text detection algorithms. We demonstrate that our projection histogram-based text detection approach is well suited for text detection in biomedical images, and that the iterative application of the algorithm boosts performance to an F score of .60. We provide a C++ implementation of our algorithm freely available for academic use.
Cysteines β93 and β112 as Probes of Conformational and Functional Events at the Human Hemoglobin Subunit Interfaces

Abstract Three variants of tetrameric human hemoglobin, with changes at the α 1 β 2 / α 2 β 1 -interface, at the α 1 β 1 / α 2 β 2 -interface, and at both interfaces, have been constructed. At α 1 β 2 / α 2 β 1 -interface the β 93 cysteine was replaced by alanine ( β C93A), and at the α 1 β 1 / α 2 β 2 -interface the β 112 cysteine was replaced by glycine ( β C112G). The α 1 β 2 interface variant, β C93A, and the α 1 β 1 / α 1 β 2 double mutant, β (C93A+C112G), were crystallized in the T-state, and the structures determined at 2.0 and 1.8A resolution, respectively. A comparison of the structures with that of natural hemoglobin A shows the absence of detectable changes in the tertiary folding of the protein or in the T-state quaternary assembly. At the β 112 site, the void left by the removal of the cysteine side chain is filled by a water molecule, and the functional characteristics of β C112G are essentially those of human hemoglobin A. At the β 93 site, water molecules do not replace the cysteine side chain, and the alanine substitution increases the conformational freedom of β 146His, weakening the important interaction of this residue with β 94Asp. As a result, when Cl − is present in the solution, at a concentration 100mM, the Bohr effect of the two mutants carrying the β 93Cys→Ala substitution, β C93A and β (C93A+C112G), is significantly modified being practically absent below pH 7.4. Based on the crystallographic data, we attribute these effects to the competition between β 94Asp and Cl − in the salt link with β 146His in T-state hemoglobin. These results point to an interplay between the β His146- β Asp94 salt bridge and the Cl − in solution regulated by the Cys present at position β 93, indicating yet another role of β 93 Cys in the regulation of hemoglobin function.
The Assembly as the Body of Christ: A Case Against the Omission of LBW's Offertory Prayers

: This article examines the offertory prayers in ELW, comparing them to the two prayers found in LBW. The author argues that the prayers in ELW have lost the spirituality of stewardship suggested by the prayers in LBW, and no longer maintain the important connection to Pauline theology, whereby the Christian understands his/her whole life, including time, talents, and money, to be offered back to God as a living sacrifice.
REGARDING HEALTH AWARENESS DAYS.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Health Awareness Days: Sufficient Evidence to Support the Craze?" by Jonathan Purtle and Leah A. Roman in the June 2015 issue, along with a reply from the authors.
Can Consumers Match Celebrity Endorsers With Products

A great deal of money is being spent on celebrity endorsers for products ranging from soft drinks to sporting goods. However, there may be so many brands being endorsed by celebrities that it is difficult for consumers to remember which celebrity endorses which brand. If this is the case, advertisers must be made aware of the problem and strive to formulate a solution. This study evaluates the ability of consumers to match celebrities with brands of products aimed specifically at these consumers. The sample consists of graduate and undergraduate students who are very likely to have experience with products such as soft drinks, sporting goods, and cosmetics. The results suggest that consumers have a difficult time matching celebrity endorsers with their respective brands.
Elementary/Secondary Education

In this chapter, we discuss the question how educational technology should best be deployed in elementary and secondary schools. Different perspectives on technology seen in K-12 schools are discussed: Computer Literacy, Computer-Aided Instruction, School Re­form, and Discipline-based reforms. This chapter presents concepts, guidelines, and predic­tions about technology use in schools in the future.
Nanostructured Sensors for Detection of Heavy Metals: A Review

Heavy metal pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems, which undermines global sustainability. Many efforts have been made to develop portable sensors for monitoring heavy metals in the environment. Incorporation of nanomaterials and nanostructures into sensors leads to significant improvement in the performance of devices in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, multiplexed detection capability and portability. In addition, small molecules, DNA, proteins and bacteria have been integrated with inorganic materials to selectively bind heavy metals as the molecular recognition probes. This review presents a recent advance in optical, electrochemical and field-effect transistor sensors for heavy metal detection. The optical sensors are focused on colorimetric, fluorescent, surface-enhanced Raman scattering and surface plasmon resonance devices. In addition, optofluidic devices which integrate optical components with microfluidic chips are discussed. Furthermore, nanoparticle-modified electrodes...
Effects of Misalignment on Diffraction of Laguerre-Gauss Vortex Beams by a Circular Aperture

Diffraction of Laguerre-Gauss vortex beams by a circular aperture, when the beam and aperture axes differ is studied theoretically and experimentally for different angular momentum indices and relative displacements of beam and aperture axes.
The detection of endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia in Andricus mukaigawae and Torymus sp.

Wolbachia are maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria,and they can manipulate the reproduction of their hosts.In this paper,we amplified the wsp gene fragment of Wolbachia in Andricus mukaigawae and Torymus sp.associated with the plant galls of A.mukaigawae,by using Wolbachia wsp-specific primers.Our results revealed that A.mukaigawae and Torymus sp.were respectively infected with Wolbachia strain Waand Wb.We didn’t found the evidence for horizontal transmission between A.mukaigawae and Torymus sp.because of the difference of wsp sequence in Wolbachia strain Waand Wb.
Evaluation of Occipitocervical Arthrodesis Rates with Screw-based Fixation and Osteoinductive Fusion Adjuncts.

Abstract Occipitocervical (OC) instability may be associated with neurologic impairment and even death. There is a paucity of research on the rate of arthrodesis utilizing modern screw-based constructs coupled with adjuvant osteoinductive agents. We reviewed our experience with OC constructs and compared the fusion rate, functional outcome, and rate of adverse events between recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, autologous iliac crest bone graft (ICBG), a combination of BMP and ICBG, and local bone autograft alone. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of all adult admissions for operative treatment of OC instability utilizing segmental screw-based constructs for OC arthrodesis between January 2003 and September 2012. Data concerning demographic characteristics, diagnostic and procedural details, radiographic pathology, and clinical course were abstracted from medical records. The primary end point was evidence of stable fixation and osseous union on either dynamic lateral radiographs or computed tomography (CT) imaging at most recent follow-up. Secondary end points included functional outcome as determined by Nurick scale and Neck disability index (NDI) at ≥ 1year postoperation, as well as perioperative morbidity and mortality at 30 days and 3 months. During the study period, 94 patients (mean age: 62 ± 18 years) underwent OC fixation with segmental screw-based constructs. The four fusion adjunct cohorts analyzed included local autograft alone (32%), ICBG (41%), BMP (14%), or a combination of ICBG and BMP (14%). Notably, demineralized bone matrix was also used in 61% of cases overall, but its use did not differ significantly among the four cohorts (p = 0.28). Median radiographic follow-up was 6 months postoperatively (range: 1.5-54 months). Clinical outcomes were assessed at a median postoperative follow-up of 45 months (range: 12-87 months). Overall, radiographic evidence of arthrodesis was present in 83% of patients assessed and was not significantly different between adjunct cohorts (local autograft 92%, ICBG 77%, BMP 88%, and combination of ICBG and BMP 83%; p = 0.79). This finding persisted despite adjustment for age, pathology, number of levels instrumented, and attendant procedures. Importantly, neither the presence of arthrodesis nor fusion adjunct was significantly associated with functional outcome in both univariate and adjusted regression models. Additionally, perioperative adverse events occurred in 23% of cases and did not vary significantly in incidence or severity between fusion adjunct cohorts. We present a large series of patients treated for OC instability with rigid fixation utilizing modern segmental screw-based constructs. The use of adjuvant osteoinductive agents (BMP, ICBG, or a combination) produced equivalent rates of arthrodesis, functional outcome, and adverse events compared with use of local autograft alone.
Revealing the Hidden World of the Dark Web: Social Media Forums and Videos11Based on: H. Chen, D. Denning, N. Roberts, C.A. Larson, Y. Ximing, C. Huang, The Dark Web Forum Portal: from multi-lingual to video, IEEE International Conference on Intelligence and Security Informatics (ISI), 2011, pp. 7–14. Used with permission.

The Internet presence of terrorists, hate groups, and other extremists continues to be of significant interest to counter-terrorism investigators, intelligence analysts, and other researchers in government, industry, and academia. Through the study of primary sources, including terrorists’ own websites, Internet forums, and videos, investigators, analysts, and other interested researchers hope to understand more about terrorism and about extremist and terrorist use of the Internet. Forums and videos are both particularly rich sources of such information. Internet forums, which are discussion sites that support online conversations, capture each conversation in a “thread” and the ensuing postings are usually time-stamped and attributable to a particular online poster (author). With careful and systematic analysis, they can reveal trends in topics and ideas, and the networks of relationships between posters. Videos gain a global audience when posted to YouTube and other video-sharing sites, but identifying and finding “dark” videos (those that relate specifically to extremist or terrorist perspectives) from among the tens of millions of available items has proven to be difficult. The Dark Web Forum Portal was originally constructed to allow the examination of the use of Web forums by terrorist and extremist groups. The Video Portal module has been added to facilitate the study of video as it is used by these groups. Both portals are available to researchers on a request basis. In this paper, we examine the evolution of the Dark Web Forum Portal’s system design, share the results of a user evaluation, and provide an overview of the development of the new Video Portal.
Multiplexed detection of pathogen-specific DNA using engineered zinc finger proteins without target amplification

Multiplexed detection of pathogen-specific DNA sequences in a simple and reliable way is in great demand for clinical and biomedical applications. However, there is still a lack of available DNA detection methods that are simple and pathogen-selective for point-of-care (POC) testing. Here, we report a novel zinc finger protein (ZFP)-based chemiluminescent method for direct detection of pathogenic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) in a multiplexed platform. ZFPs are custom-designed to identify unique pathogenic DNA sequences. ZFP-based chemiluminescent detection of dsDNA provides sufficient sensitivity (≤50 fmol) and high specificity without target DNA amplification. Our study addresses the potential of developing a simple and selective pathogen detection method in a multiplexed fashion needed for POC application.
MSCs in Orthopedic Surgery

Orthopedic injuries and pathology, both acute and chronic, result in debilitating problems afflicting millions of patients each year. Mainstays of treatment include physical therapy, inflammation and pain control, as well as surgical debridement, fixation, or replacement, depending on the disease process. Given the complex functional requirements of these musculoskeletal tissues, there is increasing interest in developing cell-based therapies for tissue regeneration rather than just replacement with scar, fibrosis, or alloplastic device. The case reports and series reviewed here offer unique and potentially superior approaches to ubiquitous and debilitating orthopedic diseases. Though in its infancy for regenerative applications such as those discussed here, cell-based therapy using mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) could potentially affect the healing of musculoskeletal tissues.
Extreme events in lake ecosystem time series

Climate change has generated growing interest in extreme events, and extremes are known to have important consequences for ecosystems. Theoretical mechanisms generating frequent extremes apply to both environmental and biological processes, yet past studies of ecological extremes have focused primarily on the abiotic environment. The rarity or commonness of extremes in biological time series is unknown. We evaluated the statistical tendency to produce extreme events in 595 biological, chemical, physical, and meteorological time series taken from 11 lakes. We found that extreme events were much more likely to occur for biological variables than for other categories. Additional analysis revealed that the tendency to produce extremes was driven primarily by within-year dynamics, suggesting that processes occurring at short time scales underlie the high frequency of extremes in biological variables. These results should lead us to expect surprises in long-term observations of biological populations.
Examining the Relationship Between Athletic Program Expenditure and Athletic Program Success Among NCAA Division I Institutions: A Dynamic Panel Data Approach

This study examines the impact of athletic expenditure on athletic performance among National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I institutions. A series of dynamic panel data models are estimated to explore differential impacts of expenditure throughout athletic programs. Results suggest that a dollar spent on women’s sport programs may be more effective than a dollar spent on men’s sport programs. Analysis is conducted at the aggregate, relative division, relative conference, and individual sport levels. Together, all analysis suggests that alternative distributions of athletic, financial resources could increase an institution’s athletic success.
Microscopic Techniques and Histologic Findings in Silicone Mammary Implant Capsules and Regional Paranodal Tissues

The best known silicone medical devices are mammary implant prostheses. Capsular fibrosis is a common result after use of these devices. An acute inflammatory reaction occurs adjacent to silicone mammary implants shortly after insertion in experimental animals [1-3]. This is expected on the basis of surgical creation of an artificial tissue plane for the prosthesis independent of reaction to silicone by adjacent connective tissues. Vistnes et al. did not quantify the acute reaction after ten days, noting rather that it became minimal by 42 days [3]. The singular difference from a simple surgical plane without foreign material lies in the early formation of a planar capsule, which thickened only slightly with time in the absence of silicone spillage [3]. Vistnes et al. reported thicker capsules both early and late following prosthetic rupture [3]. We have seen few comparable early human tissues but clinical assessments [4-6] have been reported since 1965 [5], shortly after the introduction of silicone devices for human use. Moreover, cAMP as a chemical marker for acute inflammatory reaction has been found in both human and animal material [7]; experimental work has shown comparable cellular responses to intraperitoneal injection of silicones [8].
PCI Has More Benefits and Harms Than CABG for Selected Patients with Left Main Coronary Artery Disease.

Among women 22 to 27 years of age with an index cervical cytology showing abnormal squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), the incidence of invasive cervical cancer did not differ between repeat cytology within six months or colposcopy with biopsy within six months.
Use of Multiple Methods: An Examination of Constraints Effecting Ethnic Minority Visitor Use of National Parks and Management Implications

Understanding outdoor recreation participation and national park visitation by members of ethnic minority groups has been a particular focus of outdoor recreation researchers for the past twenty years. Attracting ethnic minorities, and understanding their recreation needs and interests, demands a multi-faceted approach and sustained commitment not only by the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) but by other resource management agencies as well.
Protein Synthesis and the Antagonistic Pleiotropy Hypothesis of Aging

Growth and somatic maintenance are thought to be antagonistic pleiotropic traits, but the molecular basis for this tradeoff is poorly understood. Here it is proposed that changes in protein synthesis mediate the tradeoffs that take place upon genetic and environmental manipulation in various model systems including yeast, worms, flies and mice. This hypothesis is supported by evidence that inhibition of the TOR (target of rapamycin) pathway and various translation factors that inhibit protein synthesis lead to slowing of growth and development but extend lifespan. Furthermore, dietary restriction (DR) that leads to antagonistic changes in growth and lifespan, also mediates this change by inhibiting protein synthesis. Direct screens to identify genes that extend lifespan from a subset of genes that are essential for growth and development have also uncovered a number of genes involved in protein synthesis. Given the conserved mechanisms of protein synthesis across species, I discuss potential mechanisms that mediate the lifespan extension by inhibition of protein synthesis that are likely to be important for aging and age-related disorders in humans.
Characterizing and correcting persistence in James Webb Space Telescope HgCdTe detectors

The persistent signal from bright sources in infrared detectors can significantly pollute subsequent images. While the persistent signal is a small fraction of the stimulus image, the high dynamic range of modern infrared detectors allows this signal to be easily detectable. In this paper we present a method of characterizing the persistence signal over time as a function of the length of time that the bright signal is left on the detector and the number of traps in each pixel. We derive the functional form for both the capture and decay of traps and show that it is analogous to radioactive decay. We show that a model with three exponential families of traps is able to explain the observed persistence. We use electronically induced persistence to simulate a flash of light and show that the observed difference between the electronically induced persistence signal and that from light induced saturation is well fit by our model. The fitted parameters for the tested part show a very fast capture rate for the tested detector. This very fast capture is significantly different than what we found for an engineering part we had tested earlier We then derive and test the capture model for the more real-world situation of the continuous accumulation of charge during an exposure. We use this model to predict the persistence from a given stimulus image that we then remove from the darks after the stimulus image. The resulting corrected darks show that over 90% of the persistence was removed.
TEL-AML1 translocations with TEL and CDKN2 inactivation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines

BNORMALITIES of the short arm of chromosome 12 A are relatively common in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Approximately 5% to 7% of children with ALL have cytogenetic evidence of a translocation involving 12p, whereas 3% to 5% have deletions that suggest the presence of a tumor-suppressor gene at this location.’ Through the use of sensitive molecular techniques, 12p or 12~12-13 loss of heterozygosity (LOH) has been shown in approximately 25% of childhood ALL cases.z4 Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping has detected a minimum region of overlap for the 12p deletions between the TEL. and CDKNIB (KIpl) genes.’ Recently, chromosomal translocations involving the TEL gene at 12~13 have been cloned in several hematopoietic In ALL cells with the t(12;21)(p13;q22), the 5’ part of TEL is fused with the AMLl gene.’.” Abnormalities of 12p, especially the t(12;21), are more reliably detected by FISH than by classical cytogenetics because the translocated portions of 12p and 21q are virtually identical cytogenetically.’* When FISH was combined with Southern blotting and reverse transcriptasepolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the t(12;21) was identified as a recurring chromosomal abnormality in 16% to 25% of childhood B-lineage Despite the identification of the fusion partners in the t(12;21), the actual function of the TEL-AML1 and AMLl-TEL fusion proteins in promoting malignant transformation is unclear. Whether the TEL-AMLl fusion alone is necessary and sufficient for malignant transformation in ALL and whether TEL inactivation has a role in leukemogenesis is currently unknown. Loss of the CDKN2 (p16) gene at 9p21 is a common genetic abnormality in ALL and a variety of other malignancies. Homozygous CDKN2 deletions have been detected in approximately 15% of B-lineage ALL and 75% of T-lineage ALL The p16 protein functions as an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 4, and normally acts to stop cell cycle progres~ion.’~**~ Whether loss of p16 alone is necessary and sufficient for malignant transformation in childhood ALL has not been determined. In this report, 6 cell lines with the TEL-AMLl fusion transcript are described. Although only 1 of the 6 cell lines translocated allele of EL and 5 cell lines lacked expression of CDKN2. Moreover, in 2 patients (1 with the TEL-AMLI transcript and 1 without), EL exprwsion was lost with disease progression; ie, EL was expressed in the initial cell lines (established at diagnosis or first relapse) whereas 7Ef was not expressed in the cell lines established from these patients in late-stage disease. These data show the coexistence of multiple genetic defects in childhood B-lineage ALL. Cell lines with t(12;21) will faciliate the study of TEL-AML1 and AMLl-TEL fusion proteins as well as EL and CDKM gene inactivation in leukemia transformation and progression.
Another Look at the Euler-Gergonne-Soddy Triangle

(2003). Another Look at the Euler-Gergonne-Soddy Triangle. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 76, No. 5, pp. 385-390.
A Pharmacological Approach to the Physiological Mechanism of Excitation-Contraction Coupling

The use of pharmacologic agents as tools to aid in the characterization and separation of physiological processes is not a new idea. The availability of specific toxins like tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin made it easy to test for the presence of sodium channels in excitable cells and made possible the purification(1) reconstitution(2,3) and cloning(4) of such channels. We hope to utilize a pharmacologic approach here to determine whether a Ca2+ -channel isolated recently from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is the one of physiological importance. Is it the right channel? We know several methods exist to cause Ca2+ release from SR.(5,6) If we had specific inhibitors for each form of release, we could test whether the releases or channels they blocked were involved in excitation-contraction coupling. We will examine the role of Ca2+ -induced Ca2+ release channels first because these are the channels already isolated.
State-interaction pair-density functional theory

The accurate description of ground- and excited-state potential energy surfaces poses a challenge for many electronic structure methods, especially in regions where strong electronic state interaction occurs. Here we introduce a new methodology, state-interaction pair-density functional theory (SI-PDFT), to target molecular systems exhibiting strong interaction of electronic states. SI-PDFT is an extension of multiconfiguration pair-density functional theory in which a set of N electronic states is generated through the diagonalization of an N × N effective Hamiltonian. We demonstrate the accuracy of the method by performing calculations on the ionic–neutral avoided crossing in lithium fluoride and the 1ππ-1πσ* avoided crossing in the H—O bond photodissociation in phenol. We show that SI-PDFT can be a useful tool in the study of photochemistry and nonadiabatic dynamics.The accurate description of ground- and excited-state potential energy surfaces poses a challenge for many electronic structure methods, especially in regions where strong electronic state interaction occurs. Here we introduce a new methodology, state-interaction pair-density functional theory (SI-PDFT), to target molecular systems exhibiting strong interaction of electronic states. SI-PDFT is an extension of multiconfiguration pair-density functional theory in which a set of N electronic states is generated through the diagonalization of an N × N effective Hamiltonian. We demonstrate the accuracy of the method by performing calculations on the ionic–neutral avoided crossing in lithium fluoride and the 1ππ-1πσ* avoided crossing in the H—O bond photodissociation in phenol. We show that SI-PDFT can be a useful tool in the study of photochemistry and nonadiabatic dynamics.
1503. No Benefit to Treating Male UTI for Longer Than 7 Days: An Outpatient Database Study

Background The optimal approach for treating outpatient male urinary tract infections (UTI) is unclear. We studied the current management of male UTI in private outpatient clinics, and evaluated antibiotic choice, treatment duration, and the outcome of recurrence of UTI.
Cardiovascular Disease Disparities in Sexual Minority Adults: An Examination of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2014-2016):

Purpose:Investigate sexual orientation differences in cardiovascular disease risk and cardiovascular disease.Design:Cross-sectional.Setting:The 2014 to 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Syst...
CHAPTER 27 – The VerifyNow System

Few pharmacotherapies have achieved such broad integration within virtually all aspects of cardiovascular clinical practice as have antiplatelet agents. Aspirin (Chapter 60) has been the mainstay of antiplatelet therapy for decades. More recently, the clinical benefit of additional platelet inhibitors such as the thienopyridines (Chapter 61) and the platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa antagonists (Chapter 62) have been well proven in a large number of clinical trials. Interestingly, despite their widespread use in millions of patients with diverse disease processes, antiplatelet agents are almost always administered as a standard dose, with no titration or monitoring. This practice is contrary to the more standard approach of titrating a pharmaceutical agent (e.g., an antihypertensive agent) to a specific, measurable effect (e.g., blood pressure).
A predictive model to estimate ice accumulation on ship and offshore rig

Abstract Ice accumulation on ships and offshore rigs creates unsafe working conditions and may damage critical equipment. Several approaches have been developed in the past to predict ice accumulation; these include analytical models, experimental investigations, computational fluid dynamics simulations, empirical and statistical models. This work proposes a probabilistic causal relationship-based model to predict ice accumulation on ships or offshore rigs. The model uses a Bayesian probabilistic approach to establish the relationships among the factors affecting icing. The model is successfully tested on an experimental set-up designed to simulate the spray icing condition observed on a seagoing vessel in the subzero environment. The results of the experimental tests were compared with the outputs from the predictive model. It was observed that the predicted values gave a reasonably good match with the observed values. The proposed model considered a range of environmental and process parameters that affect ice accumulation. The model has the flexibility to include more parameters affecting icing, based on location and system. The model can be used for dynamically changing conditions with minimal computational load and time.
Performance of whole-body 18 F-FDG PET/CT as a posttreatment surveillance tool for sinonasal malignancies

To determine the diagnostic utility of posttreatment surveillance whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT in detecting local tumor recurrence (R), regional lymph-node metastasis (LM), and distant metastasis (DM) in asymptomatic sinonasal cancer patients. Eighty consecutive patients (53 men, 27 women; mean age, 60 years; range, 28–92 years) who had undergone 197 posttreatment whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT examinations for sinonasal malignancies between January 2009 and August 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. 18F-FDG PET/CT findings were categorized as positive or negative for R, LM, and DM, separately. Outcomes of 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were compared with the final diagnosis confirmed by histological analysis or follow-up period for a minimum 12 months. The diagnostic accuracy of scans was calculated for each site using contingency tables. Impact on the management of 18F-FDG PET/CT examinations was additionally evaluated. 18F-FDG PET/CT scans identified 37/44 of local recurrences, 21/23 of LMs, and 30/37 of DMs. For local recurrence, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 84% (68–97%), 95% (80–100%), 84% (68–97%), and 95% (80–100%), respectively. For LM, the respective values were 91% (75–100%), 99% (83–100%), 91% (75–100%), and 99% (83–100%). For DM, the values were 81% (64–97%), 99% (85–100%), 97% (81–100%), and 96% (81–100%), respectively. 18F-FDG PET/CT accounted for a change in management of 85% patients with recurrences. Whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT is a suitable surveillance tool for sinonasal malignancies in detecting locoregional and distant recurrences in asymptomatic patients without any evidence of recurrence on regular follow-up and endoscopy during the posttreatment period.
One-Stage Augmentation Mastopexy: A Retrospective Ten-Year Review of 2183 Consecutive Procedures.

BACKGROUND Although numerous studies supporting breast augmentation with simultaneous mastopexy have been reported, concerns persist among surgeons regarding the safety of this procedure. OBJECTIVES The authors sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of 1-stage augmentation mastopexy by analyzing long-term complication and reoperation rates. METHODS The authors conducted a retrospective review of 1131 patients who underwent 2183 consecutive 1-stage augmentation mastopexy procedures from January 2006 to August 2016. Patient demographics, operative technique, and implant specifications were measured and analyzed with surgical outcomes. Long-term complication and reoperation rates were noted. RESULTS Over a mean follow-up period of 43 months (range, 4-121 months), the overall complication rate was 15.3% (n = 173) with a reoperation rate of 14.7% (n = 166). Tissue-related complications included hypertrophic scarring in 2.5% (n = 28) and recurrent ptosis in 2.1% (n = 24). The most common implant-related complication was capsular contracture (Baker III or IV) in 2.8% (n = 32). The most common indications for reoperation were recurrent ptosis in 3.5% (n = 40 patients) and desire to change implant size in 3.2% (n = 36 patients). Circumareolar augmentation mastopexy technique was associated with a higher reoperation rate of 25.7% (P 2 cm). CONCLUSIONS One-stage augmentation mastopexy can be safely performed with a reoperation rate that is significantly lower than when the procedure is staged. The effectiveness of this procedure is defined by a low complication rate and a reduced number of operations for the patient. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4
The Global Impact and Future of E-Learning

E-learning, increasingly enhanced by the availability of newer emerging information and communication technologies (ICTs), is growing globally. The prevalence of e learning practices has been far more visible in the developed nations, however, developing nations are not lagging behind. Almost all nations are increasing incorporating ICTs in their national agenda for efficiency in information and knowledge sharing in education, governance, commerce, health, agriculture, and other sectors. Bangladesh has started a new initiative called "Digital Bangladesh" to connect people to emerging technologies that enrich their lives with education for greater economic development. Similar national initiatives are either in place or under way elsewhere. Newer educational policies are being formulated in various communities worldwide to enable educational institutions to come to terms with new learning technologies. One of the emerging issues at institutions of higher learning in Africa is e learning and the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools to deliver educational resources. In this presentation, A Global Framework for E-Learning will be introduced to discuss the utilization of e learning methods and their implications for higher education from the perspectives of institutional, pedagogical, technological, ethical, interface design, evaluation, management, and resource support issues.
Performance of a Deep Learning Algorithm for Automated Segmentation and Quantification of Traumatic Pelvic Hematomas on CT.

The volume of pelvic hematoma at CT has been shown to be the strongest independent predictor of major arterial injury requiring angioembolization in trauma victims with pelvic fractures, and also correlates with transfusion requirement and mortality. Measurement of pelvic hematomas (unopacified extraperitoneal blood accumulated from time of injury) using semi-automated seeded region growing is time-consuming and requires trained experts, precluding routine measurement at the point of care. Pelvic hematomas are markedly variable in shape and location, have irregular ill-defined margins, have low contrast with respect to viscera and muscle, and reside within anatomically distorted pelvises. Furthermore, pelvic hematomas occupy a small proportion of the entire volume of a chest, abdomen, and pelvis (C/A/P) trauma CT. The challenges are many, and no automated methods for segmentation and volumetric analysis have been described to date. Traditional approaches using fully convolutional networks result in coarse segmentations and class imbalance with suboptimal convergence. In this study, we implement a modified coarse-to-fine deep learning approach—the Recurrent Saliency Transformation Network (RSTN) for pelvic hematoma volume segmentation. RSTN previously yielded excellent results in pancreas segmentation, where low contrast with adjacent structures, small target volume, variable location, and fine contours are also problematic. We have curated a unique single-institution corpus of 253 C/A/P admission trauma CT studies in patients with bleeding pelvic fractures with manually labeled pelvic hematomas. We hypothesized that RSTN would result in sufficiently high Dice similarity coefficients to facilitate accurate and objective volumetric measurements for outcome prediction (arterial injury requiring angioembolization). Cases were separated into five combinations of training and test sets in an 80/20 split and fivefold cross-validation was performed. Dice scores in the test set were 0.71 (SD ± 0.10) using RSTN, compared to 0.49 (SD ± 0.16) using a baseline Deep Learning Tool Kit (DLTK) reference 3D U-Net architecture. Mean inference segmentation time for RSTN was 0.90 min (± 0.26). Pearson correlation between predicted and manual labels was 0.95 with p < 0.0001. Measurement bias was within 10 mL. AUC of hematoma volumes for predicting need for angioembolization was 0.81 (predicted) versus 0.80 (manual). Qualitatively, predicted labels closely followed hematoma contours and avoided muscle and displaced viscera. Further work will involve validation using a federated dataset and incorporation into a predictive model using multiple segmented features.
Antibiotic Dosing for Critically Ill Adult Patients Receiving Intermittent Hemodialysis, Prolonged Intermittent Renal Replacement Therapy, and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: An Update

Objective: To summarize current antibiotic dosing recommendations in critically ill patients receiving intermittent hemodialysis (IHD), prolonged intermittent renal replacement therapy (PIRRT), and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), including considerations for individualizing therapy. Data Sources: A literature search of PubMed from January 2008 to May 2019 was performed to identify English-language literature in which dosing recommendations were proposed for antibiotics commonly used in critically ill patients receiving IHD, PIRRT, or CRRT. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All pertinent reviews, selected studies, and references were evaluated to ensure appropriateness for inclusion. Data Synthesis: Updated empirical dosing considerations are proposed for antibiotics in critically ill patients receiving IHD, PIRRT, and CRRT with recommendations for individualizing therapy. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: This review defines principles for assessing renal function, identifies RRT system properties affecting drug clearance and drug properties affecting clearance during RRT, outlines pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic dosing considerations, reviews pertinent updates in the literature, develops updated empirical dosing recommendations, and highlights important factors for individualizing therapy in critically ill patients. Conclusions: Appropriate antimicrobial selection and dosing are vital to improve clinical outcomes. Dosing recommendations should be applied cautiously with efforts to consider local epidemiology and resistance patterns, antibiotic dosing and infusion strategies, renal replacement modalities, patient-specific considerations, severity of illness, residual renal function, comorbidities, and patient response to therapy. Recommendations provided herein are intended to serve as a guide in developing and revising therapy plans individualized to meet a patient's needs.
Vehicle emissions and fertilizer impact the leaf chemistry of urban trees in Salt Lake Valley, UT.

Abstract The urban nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) cycles are substantially influenced by human activity. Alterations to these cycles include increased inputs from fossil fuel combustion and fertilizer use. The leaf chemistry of urban trees can be used to distinguish between these different N and C sources. Here, we evaluated relationships between urban vegetation and different N and C sources in street and residential trees in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah. We tested three hypotheses: 1) unfertilized street trees on high traffic density roads will have higher leaf %N, more enriched δ15N and more depleted δ13C than unfertilized street trees on low traffic density roads; 2) trees in high income residential neighborhoods will have higher leaf %N, more depleted δ15N and more enriched δ13C than trees in lower income neighborhoods; and 3) unfertilized street trees will have lower leaf %N, more enriched δ15N and more depleted δ13C than fertilized residential trees. Leaf δ15N was more enriched near high traffic density roads for one study species. However, street tree δ15N and δ13C were largely influenced by vehicle emissions from primary and secondary roads within 1000 m radius rather than the immediately adjacent road. Leaf δ13C was correlated with neighborhood income, although this relationship may be the result of variations in irrigation practices rather than variations in C sources. Finally, unfertilized trees in downtown Salt Lake had lower leaf %N, more enriched δ15N and more depleted δ13C than fertilized trees. These results highlight that urban trees can serve as biomonitors of the environment. Moreover, they emphasize that roads can have large spatial footprints and that the leaf chemistry of urban vegetation may be influenced by the spatial patterns in roads and road densities at the landscape scale.
Effects of Different Shading Treatments on the Germination of Fraxinus chinensis Seed

Under different light intensities(55.44% natural sunlight(NS),21.12%,3.47% and 0.86%(NS) in shade house,the characteristics of seed germination of Fraxinus chinensis were studied.The results showed that the final germination rates under 4 shade treatments and different light intensities were 63.3%,76.7%,71.1% and 47.8% respectively and the germination rate at 55.44% NS was significantly higher than those at other light treatments(p0.01).Moderate shade accelerated the course of seed germination,and the seed germination was delayed with the decrease of light intensity.The germination index and vigor index increased and then decreased with the decline of light intensities,while the total dry weight per seedling gradually decreased with the decline of light intensities.The effects of light and other fators on the seed germination were discussed.
Plant Event Detection from Time-Varying Point Clouds

Studying the growth dynamics of developing plants is of critical importance in plant sciences. The traditional methods rely on either manual measurement, which involves tedious labor work, or 2D image-based approaches, which cannot fully characterize plants in 3D. Given the advances of scanners and 3D reconstruction methods, scientists begin to pay more attention to 3D models to improve accuracy. However, existing methods mostly focus on the growth of a whole plant rather than its detailed substructures. In this paper, we have developed an end-to-end pipeline to detect the key events on both the whole plant and the specific components. Our method is achieved by building 3D models from images, segmenting individual components, and capturing traits. We implement an experiment on maizes for evaluation and successfully detect events in the process of growth.
Fourier-based Error Analysis for Computing with Asynchronous Sigma-Delta Streams

We analyze error versus observation time for numerical computing under the stochastic computing paradigm, where operands are encoded with asynchronous sigma-delta modulators. Such encoding offers dramatic savings in energy consumption and/or latency, relative to traditional stochastic computing, at equal RMS error. The paper presents a Fourier analysis of the error with sigma-delta computing for the product of two numerical operands, and presents Matlab error/latency tradeoffs for example operands.
When duty house calls.

Abstract: A neurologist conducts her first “house call” during the Covid-19 pandemic: the quaint nostalgia of a bygone era and seeming anachronism meet the conveniences of modernity and uncover the timeless qualities of medicine. The phrase “house call” conjures up nostalgia for an era most of us have never experienced, painted with cheerful and tender Norman Rockwell-style strokes. The avuncular physician, likely a man, clad in a crisp suit, with a capacious leather satchel filled with tinctures of now-illegal substances clinking in glass bottles. The cherubic child clad in a white nightgown, tucked under a patchwork quilt, curls against the pillow, clutching a beloved doll. The worried parent, likely a woman, hovering over the bedside with a cool compress against the fevered forehead. While I have only sepia photos and phonograph recordings to inform me of such a time, my patient Mary actually lived through it. She was born in the thick of such a period, in the 1930’s, an era when 40% of physician encounters were house calls. When I had established care for dementia in her 80’s, she still had a razor wit, mischievous grin, and twinkling blue eyes. I could tell she had been a kind, but firm, schoolteacher, likely not one to have put up with tomfoolery.