cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Annual Research Review: The neurobiology and physiology of resilience and adaptation across the life course

Background Adaptation is key to survival. An organism must adapt to environmental challenges in order to be able to thrive in the environment in which they find themselves. Resilience can be thought of as a measure of the ability of an organism to adapt, and to withstand challenges to its stability. In higher animals, the brain is a key player in this process of adaptation and resilience, and through a process known as “allostasis” can obtain “stability through change”; protecting homeostasis in the face of stressors in the environment. Mediators of allostasis, such as glucocorticoids, can cause changes in the structure and function of neural circuits, clearly impacting behavior. How developmental stage interacts with stress and leads to long-lasting changes is a key question addressed in this review. Scope and Methods We discuss the concept of allostasis, its role in resilience, the neural and physiological systems mediating these responses, the modulatory role of development, and the consequences for adult functioning. We present this in the context of mediators the brain and body engage to protect against threats to homeostasis. The review has been informed by comprehensive searches on PubMed and Scopus through November 2012. Findings Stressors in the environment can have long lasting effects on development, depending upon the stage of life at which they are experienced. As such, adverse childhood experiences can alter resilience of individuals, making it more difficult for them to respond normally to adverse situations in adulthood, but the brain maintains the capacity to re-enter a more plastic state where such effects can be mitigated. Conclusions The brain regulates responses that allow for adaptation to challenges in the environment. The capacity of the brain and body to withstand challenges to stability can be considered as “resilience”. While adverse childhood experiences can have long-term negative consequences, under the right circumstances, the brain can re-enter plastic states, and negative outcomes may be mitigated, even later in life.
Do contemporary temporal bone fracture classification systems reflect concurrent intracranial and cervical spine injuries

Objectives/Hypothesis: Temporal bone fractures (TBFs) are a frequent manifestation of head trauma. We investigated the prevalence of concurrent intracranial injuries (ICIs) and cervical spine injuries (CSIs) in a series of patients with TBFs and attempted to identify significant associations between current TBF classification systems and either ICI or CSI. Study Design: Retrospective case series with chart review. Methods: The records of all patients ≥18 years of age diagnosed with a basilar skull fracture, including TBF, at a level I trauma center from 2004 to 2009 were reviewed. Patient demographics, mechanism of injury, and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores were collected. Imaging studies were reviewed to classify TBF using the traditional longitudinal-transverse-mixed and otic capsule–sparing versus –involving systems and identify concurrent ICI and CSI. Results: Of 1,279 patients, 202 (15.8%) met inclusion criteria. There were 160 (79.2%) males. Sixteen (7.9%) patients had bilateral TBFs. Falls (n = 66, 32.7%) represented the most common mechanism for TBF. Longitudinal (n = 96, 44.0%) and otic capsule–sparing (n = 209, 95.9%) fractures were the most prevalent subtypes. There were 184 (91.1%) patients who sustained ICI and 18 (8.9%) who demonstrated CSI. Longitudinal, transverse, mixed, otic capsule–sparing, or otic capsule–involving TBF subtypes had no statistically significant associations with mechanism of injury, GCS score, or concomitant ICI or CSI. Conclusions: More than 90% of patients sustaining TBF presented with concomitant ICI, and 9% sustained CSI. Current TBF classification systems do not correlate with these outcomes. A more sophisticated, multidisciplinary classification system encompassing radiographic and clinical findings may better predict neurologic, neuro-otologic, and skull base complications.
Organic Solid Solutions: Formation and Applications in Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

To enhance the performance of organic devices, doping and graded mixed-layer structures, formed by co-evaporation methods, have been extensively adopted in the formation of organic thin films. Among the criteria for selecting materials systems, much attention has been paid to the materials' energy-band structure and carrier-transport behavior. As a result, some other important characteristics may have been overlooked, such as material compatibility or solubility. In this paper, we propose a new doping method utilizing fused organic solid solutions (FOSSs) which are prepared via high-pressure and high-temperature processing. By preparing fused solid solutions of organic compounds, the stable materials systems can be selected for device fabrication. Furthermore, by using these FOSSs, doping concentration and uniformity can be precisely controlled using only one thermal source. As an example of application in organic thin films, high-performance organic light-emitting diodes with both single-color and white-light emission have been prepared using this new method. Compared to the traditional co-evaporation method, a FOSS provides us with a more convenient way to optimize the doping system and fabricate relatively complicated organic devices.
Transgenic overproduction of glutathione reductase does not protect cotton, Gossypium hirsutum (Malvaceae), from photoinhibition during growth under chilling conditions

In some studies, tissues from plants that have been genetically transformed to overproduce antioxidant enzymes sustain less damage when abruptly exposed to short-term chilling in the laboratory. However, few studies have examined the performance of transgenic plants during longer-term growth under chilling conditions. We compared growth of transgenic cotton that overproduces glutathione reductase (GR1; ;40-fold overproduction) to growth of the wild type in a controlled environment chamber as leaf temperature was lowered from 288 to 148C over 9 d and for a subsequent 9-d period at 148C. In wild-type and GR1 cotton, chilling temperatures resulted in decreased dark-adapted Fv/Fm (the ratio of variable to maximal fluorescence; a measure of maximum photosystem II quantum yield) and mid-light period photosystem II quantum yield, coupled with increased 1 2 qP (a nonlinear estimate of the reduction state of the primary quinone acceptor of photosystem II). The capacity for photosynthetic oxygen evolution decreased during the first portion of the chilling exposure, but recovered slightly during the second half. At no point during the chilling exposure did the performance of GR1 plants differ significantly from that of wild-type plants in any of the above parameters. The absence of an effect of GR overproduction under longer-term chilling may be explained, in part, by the fact that wild-type cotton acclimated to chilling by upregulating native GR activity.
Symbol Timing Recovery for SOQPSK

Shaped offset quadrature phase shift keying (SOQPSK) is a highly bandwidth efficient modulation technique used widely in military and aeronautical telemetry standards. This work focuses on symbol timing recovery for SOQPSK. Continuous phase modulation (CPM) based detector models for SOQPSK have been developed only recently. The proposed timing recovery schemes make use of this recent CPM interpretation of SOQPSK, where SOQPSK is viewed as a CPM with a constrained (correlated) ternary data alphabet. One roadblock standing in the way of these detectors being adopted is that existing symbol timing recovery techniques for CPM are not always applicable since the data symbols are correlated. Here, we derive timing error detectors (TED) that are extended versions of existing non-data-aided (blind) and data-aided TED’s for CPM, where the proposed extensions take the data correlation of SOQPSK explicitly into account. Further, for the nod-dataaided case, the merits of the modified TED are demonstrated by comparing its performance with and without taking the data correlation into account. A simple quantization scheme has also been discussed and implemented for the blind TED to yield an extremely low-complexity version of the system with only negligible performance losses. The S-curves of the proposed TED’s are given, which rule out the existence of false lock points. Numerical performance results are given for the two versions of SOQPSK: MIL-STD SOQPSK and SOQPSK-TG. These results show that the proposed schemes have great promise in a wide range of applications due to their low complexity, strong performance and lack of false lock points; such applications include timing recovery in noncoherent detection schemes and false lock detectors.
Classification of race and ethnicity: implications for public health.

▪ Abstract Emerging methods in the measurement of race and ethnicity have important implications for the field of public health. Traditionally, information on race and/or ethnicity has been integral to our understanding of the health issues affecting the U.S. population. We review some of the complexities created by new classification approaches made possible by the inclusion of multiple-race assessment in the U.S. Census and large health surveys. We discuss the importance of these classification decisions in understanding racial/ethnic health and health care access disparities. The trend toward increasing racial and ethnic diversity in the United States will put further pressure on the public health industry to develop consistent and useful approaches to racial/ethnic classifications.
Direct nonlinear inversion of multiparameter 1D elastic media using the inverse scattering series

In the direct nonlinear inversion method and in algorithms for 1D elastic media, P-wave velocity, S-wave velocity, and density are depth dependent. “Direct nonlinear” means that the method uses explicit formulas that (1) input data and directly output changes in material properties without the need for indirect procedures such as model matching, searching, optimization, or other assumed aligned objectives or proxies and that (2) the algorithms recognize and directly invert the intrinsic nonlinear relationship between changes in material properties and the recorded reflection wavefields. To achieve full elastic inversion, all components of data (such as PP, SP, and SS data) are needed. The method assumes that only data and reference medium propertiesare input, and terms in the inverse series for moving mislocated reflectors resulting from the linear inverse term are separated from amplitude correction terms. Although in principle this direct inversion approach requires all components of elastic data, synth...
Wireless power transfer through strongly Coupled Electric Resonance

Wireless power transfer via novel Strongly Coupled Electric Resonance (SCER) method is presented and studied in this paper. Instead of using loops as the magnetic resonators in Strongly Coupled Magnetic Resonance (SCMR), small dipoles are introduced to be considered as electric resonators between source and load. High wireless powering efficiency (more than 95%) and compact size (50% smaller than traditional SCMR) are achieved. Additionally, by changing the value of the lumped inductance, it is easier to shift the frequency and maintain high transmission efficiency.
Human-Machine Collaborative surgery using learned models

In the future of surgery, tele-operated robotic assistants will offer the possibility of performing certain commonly occurring tasks autonomously. Using a natural division of tasks into subtasks, we propose a novel surgical Human-Machine Collaborative (HMC) system in which portions of a surgical task are performed autonomously under complete surgeon's control, and other portions manually. Our system automatically identifies the completion of a manual subtask, seamlessly executes the next automated task, and then returns control back to the surgeon. Our approach is based on learning from demonstration. It uses Hidden Markov Models for the recognition of task completion and temporal curve averaging for learning the executed motions. We demonstrate our approach using a da Vinci tele-surgical robot. We show on two illustrative tasks where such human-machine collaboration is intuitive that automated control improves the usage of the master manipulator workspace. Because such a system does not limit the traditional use of the robot, but merely enhances its capabilities while leaving full control to the surgeon, it provides a safe and acceptable solution for surgical performance enhancement.
Reactivity I: A Foundation-Level Course for Both Majors and Nonmajors in Integrated Organic, Inorganic, and Biochemistry

A foundation level course is presented that integrates aspects of organic, inorganic and biochemistry in the context of reactivity. The course was designed to serve majors in chemistry and other sciences (biochemistry, biology, nutrition), as well as nursing and pre-health professions students. Themes of the course were designed to highlight a range of applications of chemistry, including synthesis, catalysis, and materials science, in order to teach students the wider societal significance of chemistry, in addition to chemical concepts. Special attention was paid to topics relevant to health and biology.
Estimating Semantic Relatedness in Source Code

Contemporary software engineering tools exploit semantic relations between individual code terms to aid in code analysis and retrieval tasks. Such tools employ word similarity methods, often used in natural language processing (nlp), to analyze the textual content of source code. However, the notion of similarity in source code is different from natural language. Source code often includes unnatural domain-specific terms (e.g., abbreviations and acronyms), and such terms might be related due to their structural relations rather than linguistic aspects. Therefore, applying natural language similarity methods to source code without adjustment can produce low-quality and error-prone results. Motivated by these observations, we systematically investigate the performance of several semantic-relatedness methods in the context of software. Our main objective is to identify the most effective semantic schemes in capturing association relations between source code terms. To provide an unbiased comparison, different methods are compared against human-generated relatedness information using terms from three software systems. Results show that corpus-based methods tend to outperform methods that exploit external sources of semantic knowledge. However, due to inherent code limitations, the performance of such methods is still suboptimal. To address these limitations, we propose Normalized Software Distance (nsd), an information-theoretic method that captures semantic relatedness in source code by exploiting the distributional cues of code terms across the system. nsd overcomes data sparsity and lack of context problems often associated with source code, achieving higher levels of resemblance to the human perception of relatedness at the term and the text levels of code.
Preflight and Flight Behavior of Canada Geese

CANADA Geese (Branta canadentsis) are highly traditional in their use of circumscribed nesting, migration, and winter localities (Hanson and Smith, 1950; Martin, 1964; Sherwood, 1966), patterns of movement and roosting in local areas (Raveling, 1969a), and timing of daily activities (Raveling, 1967: 135-157). This regularity is accompanied by facilitation behaviors (Crawford, 1939) serving mood transference and induction of reaction by contagion. Particularly prominent in Anserini are movements of the head and often the neck, which have been previously described as social signals communicating the intention to fly (Heinroth, 1911; and many subsequent papers). Purposes of this paper are to document the variation of preflight intention movements of Canada Geese as related to social status (i.e. family, single, age, sex) and thereby to discuss more fully the probable functions of behavioral and morphological patterns associated with coordination of flight. Results are based on observations of a large winter flock and from quantification of the activities of radioand color-marked individuals and families of known social status.
Stability Analysis in Stream Restoration

A perturbation stability analysis is used for development of a stable-channel alignment. By introducing a small perturbation into the equations governing flow and sediment transport and analyzing the growth rate of the perturbation, the analysis leads to the ‘dominant’ channelwavelength and the channel alignment that has the greatest stability. A channel with such alignment will be the least destructive in terms of bank erosion and migration, and it will be a channel with minimal maintenance requirements. Graphs are developed that describe the dominant meander wavelength and phase shift as a function of primary flow and sediment variables. A numerical example is provided showing how the graphs are used to determine the optimum channel alignment given flow and sediment characteristics. Two channel stabilization projects are also described that benefitted from the stability analysis.
Examining clinical outcomes utilizing low-pressure pneumoperitoneum during robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy

The objective of the study was to assess the safety and clinical outcomes of performing RARP utilizing LPP 12 mmHg with locally confined adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Utilizing the Metro Health RALP database registry and the Michigan Urological Clinic records, we retrospectively reviewed the records of consecutive RALPs performed between December 2012 and March 2015 by a single robotic surgeon. 100 patients underwent RARP utilizing 15 mmHg of standard pressure pneumoperitoneum (SPP) and 100 patients underwent RALP utilizing 12 mmHg lower pressure pneumoperitoneum (LPP). Intraoperative parameters reviewed included operative time (OT) and blood loss (BL). Postoperative parameters reviewed included length of hospital stay (LOS), postoperative ileus, fistulas, urinary retention and hematoma formation. Surgical outcomes reviewed included pathological stage and combined Gleason score. Patient age, BMI, mean combined Gleason score and pathological stage were similar in both groups. Mean OT for the LPP group was 105.49 (66-166) and for the standard pressure pneumoperitoneum (SPP) group 111.31 (61-231) min. The length of stay in both groups was similar, averaging 1.53 (1-6) days for the LPP group and 1.57 (1-6) days for the SPP group. The LPP group had a lower postop ileus rate of 4 vs 8 % in the SPP group, but they were not statistically different. Likewise, the positive margin rate, readmission rate, hematoma rate, retention rate and urinary fistula rate were similar and not statistically different for both groups. Pneumoperitoneum of 12 mmHg is noninferior to 15 mmHg during RARP and does not alter the clinical outcomes.
Rapid Pressure Swing Adsorption for Reduction of Bed Size Factor of a Medical Oxygen Concentrator

Reduction of the adsorber size of a medical oxygen concentrator (MOC) employing a generic pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology is an ongoing research and development activity. The MOC typically produces a 90–93% O2-enriched product gas from ambient air at a rate of ≤10 L/minute (LPM) for individual use. A common practice is to reduce the total cycle time (tc, seconds) of the PSA process in order to decrease the bed size factor [BSF, pounds of adsorbent in the PSA unit per ton of contained O2 per day production rate (TPDc)]. Adsorbent columns packed with very small adsorbent particles are used to enhance the adsorption kinetics for rapid PSA cycle operation. An experimental mini-PSA set up was used to measure the performance of a simulated Skarstrom-like PSA cycle using a commercial sample of LiX zeolite as the air separation sorbent. Different adsorbent particle sizes, adsorption pressures, and cycle times were tested. It was experimentally demonstrated that BSF cannot be indefinitely reduced by low...
Protein pathway activation associated with sustained virologic response in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV).

Only half of chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) patients treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PEG-IFN+RBV) achieve sustained virologic response) SVR. In addition to known factors, we postulated that activation of key protein signaling networks in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) may contribute to SVR due to inherent patient-specific basal immune cell signaling architecture. In this study, we included 92 patients with CH-C. PBMCs were collected while patients were not receiving treatment and used for phosphoprotein-based network profiling. Patients received a full course of PEG-IFN+RBV with overall SVR of 55%. From PBMC, protein lysates were extracted and then used for Reverse Phase Protein Microarray (RPMA) analysis, which quantitatively measured the levels of cytokines and activation levels of 25 key protein signaling molecules involved in immune cell regulation and interferon alpha signaling. Regression models for predicting SVR were generated by stepwise bidirectional selection. Both ...
A radial basis function Galerkin method for inhomogeneous nonlocal diffusion

Abstract We introduce a meshfree discretization for a nonlocal diffusion problem using a localized basis of radial basis functions. Our method consists of a conforming radial basis of local Lagrange functions for a variational formulation of a volume constrained nonlocal diffusion equation. We also establish an L 2 error estimate on the local Lagrange interpolant. The stiffness matrix is assembled by a special quadrature routine unique to the localized basis. Combining the quadrature method with the localized basis produces a well-conditioned, sparse, symmetric positive definite stiffness matrix. We demonstrate that both the continuum and discrete problems are well-posed and present numerical results for the convergence behavior of the radial basis function method. We explore approximating the solution to inhomogeneous differential equations by solving inhomogeneous nonlocal integral equations using the proposed radial basis function method.
Structure Design and Anti-vibration Research on On-line Roll Grinder in a Hot-rolling Mill

The paper describes the structural characteristics of new type On-line Roll Grinder (ORG) designed, and modalities of key spares and parts are analyzed. And based on the virtual prototype constructed, the grinding-wheel distortion under the different pressure is analyzed with the help of dynamical analytics. After the computer's simulation analysis, it is showed that, new type ORG is effectively able to avoid the resonance between the grinding-wheel and the roller, and largely enhances the grinding precision of a roller.
Chute based automated fish length measurement and water drop detection

Image processing and analysis techniques have drawn increasing attention since they enable a non-extractive and non-lethal approach to fisheries survey, such as fish size measurement, abundance prediction, catch estimation and compliance, species recognition and population counting. In this work, we present an innovative and effective method for measuring the chute-based fish length based on the morphological midline of the fish. The midline is generated through recursive morphological operations on the segmented fish mask. To conduct reliable measurement, even under harsh environment, we also propose a systematic method for detecting water drop on camera lens. The robust detection, which can be performed either in real-time or in offline processing, is based on a blur measure derived from the gradient of the image and the contour of fish.
The in vitro blood-perfused juxtamedullary nephron technique

Understanding the endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine mechanisms involved in the regulation of renal hemodynamics has proven an elusive quest (1). What has emerged, however, is a greater appreciation for the elegance and complexity of the renal microcirculation, which provides exquisite control of renal vascular resistance.
A Role of the Pseudoinverse in Analysis

Publisher Summary An operator A from one Hubert space to another has associated with it three operators namely, its adjoint A * , its pseudoinverse A -1 , and its * -reciprocal A -* , and the pseudoinverse of its adjoint. This chapter presents a discussion of the role these operators play in linear analysis. It explains the concept of relative self adjointness of an operator A. It is shown that every operator A is self adjoint in the sense that there is a second operator U such that A = UA*U, U = UU*U. By considering the operator A - λU, one can develop a spectral theory of A relative to U. The chapter presents the naturalness of this spectral theory by simple examples. These developments lead to the concept of a ternary algebra that appears to be of significance in the study of linear transformations. In this algebra, the * -reciprocal A -* plays an important role. The chapter further discusses Hubert's spaces generated by operators. It is shown that the Sobolev Spaces belong to this category and that the * -reciprocals leads to the theory of negative norms. An equivalence relation leads to the concept of ellipticity for differential operators.
Treatment of In-Stent Restenosis in Patients with Renal Artery Stenosis.

Abstract Purpose To determine clinical outcomes of patients treated for renal artery in-stent restenosis (ISR) with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis. Materials and Methods A retrospective review was performed of the clinical data of all patients who underwent renal artery stent placement for atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis from 1996 to 2009. Medical records of patients were reviewed for relevant clinical history, including blood pressure, antihypertensive medications, and renal function data before and after an intervention. In 1,052 patients, 1,090 renal artery stent placements were performed. Of these, 101 stents in 79 patients developed ISR, which was treated with either percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) or repeat stent placement. Procedural details, including modality of intervention, stent diameter, and time to restenosis, were recorded. Hypertensive agent and use of statins were recorded. Univariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with restenosis after treatment of ISR. Results Patients treated with repeat stent placement were 6.89 times more likely to lose patency after treatment than patients treated with PTA ( P Conclusions Treatment of renal artery ISR with PTA among patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis has a lower rate of subsequent ISR compared with repeat stent placement.
Cognitive outcomes and age of detection of severe mucopolysaccharidosis type 1

The US Secretary of Health and Human Services recommended in February 2016 that mucopolysaccharidosis type 1 (MPS I) be added to the recommended uniform screening panel for state newborn screening programs. One of the key factors in this decision was the evidence suggesting that earlier treatment with hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for the most severe form, Hurler syndrome (MPS IH), would lead to improved cognitive outcomes. Consistent evidence from peer-reviewed studies suggests that transplantation in the first year of life is associated with improved developmental quotient or intelligence quotient and continued cognitive growth, with earlier age of treatment associated with improved outcomes. However, available evidence suggests that cognitive functioning and attention can still lag behind unaffected age-matched children, leading to the need for special education services. Verbal and nonverbal cognitive abilities outcomes may be affected differently by HCT. With the recent addition of MPS I to the recommended uniform screening panel, future work is needed to evaluate the impact of earlier, presymptomatic detection and treatment initiation and other supportive therapies on cognitive outcomes. Genet Med advance online publication 26 January 2017
Heat shock protein 90, a potential biomarker for type I diabetes, is secreted by human pancreatic beta cells in response to cytokine stress (BA7P.161)

Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a molecular chaperone that regulates diverse cellular processes by facilitating the activities of a wide variety of protein clients. Recent collaborative studies from our lab have shown that serum HSP90 levels are elevated in newly diagnosed type I diabetic patients, thus distinguishing HSP90 as a potential biomarker for this autoimmune disease. The clinical onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is known to be associated with insulitis, the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the pancreatic islets. Therefore, to test the hypothesis that inflammatory stress results in HSP90 release from pancreatic islets, we treated primary human cadaveric islets from non-diabetic donors with a cocktail of inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-1β and found that increased levels of HSP90 are secreted by cytokine-treated islets. Flow cytometry of dispersed pancreatic islets suggests beta cells may be responsible for the release of this chaperone in response to cytokine treatment. Further studies with cytokine-treated human beta cell lines βLOX5 and 1.1B4 support this finding. In contrast, beta cell lines do not secrete HSP90 upon treatment with thapsigargin, suggesting HSP90 is not released in response to beta cell endoplasmic reticulum stress, which is also known to precede the onset on T1D. Studies are underway to determine the exact mechanism by which HSP90 is released in response to cytokine stress as well as to elucidate the role of HSP90 in T1D etiology.
Extreme haplotype variation in the desiccation-tolerant clubmoss Selaginella lepidophylla.

Plant genome size varies by four orders of magnitude, and most of this variation stems from dynamic changes in repetitive DNA content. Here we report the small 109 Mb genome of Selaginella lepidophylla, a clubmoss with extreme desiccation tolerance. Single-molecule sequencing enables accurate haplotype assembly of a single heterozygous S. lepidophylla plant, revealing extensive structural variation. We observe numerous haplotype-specific deletions consisting of largely repetitive and heavily methylated sequences, with enrichment in young Gypsy LTR retrotransposons. Such elements are active but rapidly deleted, suggesting “bloat and purge” to maintain a small genome size. Unlike all other land plant lineages, Selaginella has no evidence of a whole-genome duplication event in its evolutionary history, but instead shows unique tandem gene duplication patterns reflecting adaptation to extreme drying. Gene expression changes during desiccation in S. lepidophylla mirror patterns observed across angiosperm resurrection plants. Selaginella lepidophylla is a clubmoss with extreme desiccation tolerance. Here, the authors assemble its highly heterozygotic haplotypes and examine gene expression changes during desiccation, which shed light on the mechanisms for maintaining a small genome size and adaptation to extreme drying.
Bacterial, protozoal, fungal and helminthic infections of the liver

This chapter discusses the clinical and pathological features, management, and diagnosis of bacterial, protozoal, fungal, and helminthic infections of the liver. Hepatomegaly and impaired hepatic function with abnormal biochemical tests of liver function occur during the course of many non-viral microbial infections that usually have their main manifestation outside the hepatobiliary system. Jaundice is particularly common in the first month of life. Liver dysfunction arises both as a result of a direct invasion of the parenchyma and biliary system or from toxins elaborated by the infecting agent. Anemia, hypoxia, inadequate food intake, dehydration, and hepatotoxic agents also contribute. Hemolysis may add to the jaundice. Factors involved in liver cell injury include endotoxin, thromboxane B2, and leukotrienes. Primary and secondary immunosuppressions including acute liver failure increase the susceptibility. The pathological features range from marked hyperplasia of the reticulo-endothelial system through various degrees of hepatocellular damage, the most minor of which may only be manifest on electron microscopy, to portal tract infiltration, features of bile duct obstruction or widespread hepatocellular necrosis with liver failure. Cholestasis is frequent. There may be fatty infiltration. If shock supervenes there is ischemic necrosis. Perihepatitis occurs with N. gonorrhea or Chlamydia trachomatis, usually occurring in association with pelvic inflammatory disease in adolescence. Granulomata may occur in tuberculosis, atypical mycobacterial infections including BCG, lepromatous leprosy, and in fungal infections. Iron overload predisposes to Yersinia, which like Listeria monocytogenes and Q fever may also cause granulomata.
Semiparametric artificial neural networks

In this paper Artificial Neural Networks are considered as an example of the semiparametric class of models which has become very popular among statisticians and econometricians in recent years. Modelling and learning aspects are discussed. Some statistical procedures are described in order to learn with infinite-dimensional nuisance parameters, and adaptive estimators are presented.
Gas-loaded PLA Nanoparticles as Ultrasound Contrast Agents

Poly (D,L-lactic acid) is being investigated as a platform material for nano-sized ultrasound contrast agents. To overcome the weak echogenicity encountered with these particles, gas-filled nanoparticles have been designed. Sublimable porogens such as camphor were added to render the nanoparticles hollow and enable efficient gas introduction. Sulfur hexafluoride gas (SF6), a hydrophobic and dense bioinert gas, was introduced to enhance backscattered signals. Factors that may affect the physical and acoustic properties of particles were considered to optimize a gas-filled nanoparticles preparation method. Dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy results demonstrated that the nanoparticles have approximately 200 nm in size with a unimodal distribution and spherical shape. This result suggests that the particles could be accumulated at solid tumor sites passively via well known EPR (Enhanced Permeability and Retention) effect. Acoustic enhancement by particles containing SF6 gas at 5 MHz frequency was superior to those containing air. The crucial role of hydrophobic porogen, camphor, on improving echogenicity of nanoparticles has been confirmed with further experiments. In conclusion, this study presents pioneering work to develop ultrasound imaging using nanobiotechnolgy.
Early nighttime parental interventions and infant sleep regulation across the first year.

Abstract Background Sleep quality in early life has implications for individual and family well-being [19]. Parenting in the early months may be highly influential on infant sleep patterns and trajectories. Method This study used observational and survey data to investigate how sleeping arrangement and two types of nighttime interventions at one and three months (non-distress-initiated and distress-initiated) are associated with infants' sleep development across the first nine months. Distress-initiated interventions were identified as parents' responses to infants' distress signals whereas non-distress initiated interventions were identified as parents’ behaviors in response to non-distressed vocalizations or while infants were asleep. Results Analysis from 107 families revealed that infant night wakings decreased over time as expected. The link between early non-distress initiated interventions and rate of change in infant night wakings was significantly moderated by sleep arrangement such that solitary sleeping infants who experienced higher levels of non-distress-initiated interventions showed a less steep decline across time in infant night wakings compared to solitary infants who experienced low levels of non-distress-initiated interventions. Results also showed that higher levels of distress-initiated interventions at one and three months were associated with a steeper decrease in infant night wakings for both solitary and cosleeping infants. Notably, these findings were not replicated when parental interventions as predictors of infant sleep were examined at later points in the first year. Conclusions Results inform conceptualizations of parenting competence in infant sleep contexts during the first few months of life and how best to promote infant sleep regulation across the first year.
Entrapment Neuropathies of the Lower Extremity.

Upper extremity entrapment neuropathies are common and can cause pain, sensory loss, and muscle weakness that lead to functional disability. In this article, the authors review common entrapment neuropathies of the upper extremities, including median neuropathy at the wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome), ulnar neuropathy at the elbow, and radial neuropathy. The authors discuss the pathophysiology of nerve compression and typical etiologies, as well as strategies for differentiating between common mimics such as cervical radiculopathy and for selecting between various treatment modalities.
High performance Data Driven Agent-based Modeling Framework for Simulation of Commute Mode Choices in Metropolitan Area

Active transportation, human-powered transportation modes such as walking and bicycling, not only reduces the carbon footprint from the transportation sector but also promotes healthy living by offering opportunities for people to build physical activity into their daily routine. To encourage active transportation through urban planning and public campaigns, it is of significant importance to infer factors that substantially influence commuters in their transportation mode choice process. This necessitates a flexible and repeatable tool that can evaluate how a policy is perceived by individual commuters and convert their decisions into macro level understanding. This paper introduces one such effort that is specifically designed for studies of transportation mode choices in metropolitan areas. It provides results from a high-resolution data driven simulation based on high performance computing implementation of the agent-based model framework for home-to-work commute trips. The framework uses a graph-partition based technique that can leverage the interaction structure of agents within a geographic proximity and can boost the simulation execution time. Further, based on a flexible design, it can run ABM with different levels of computing resources-from multi core workstations to an HPC grid. The framework has been tested on the Titan Cray XK7 supercomputer of the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility.
Are new drugs more expensive than old ones? Trends in the benefit-adjusted launch prices of anticancer drugs, 1995-2013.

6525 Background: Media reports have fueled the perception that anticancer drugs’ launch prices have increased over time, but these typically rely on inaccurate measures of prices, focus on a few hi...
The impact of independent living programs on foster youths' educational outcomes: A scoping review

Abstract Independent living programs (ILP) are designed to increase positive outcomes for foster youth aging out of care in the various aspects of life such as education, employment, and housing. The purpose of this scoping review is to assess the effectiveness of independent living programs on educational outcomes among youths aging out of the foster care system in United States. A literature search was conducted among databases and dissertation abstracts. Publication dates of studies were restricted to 2005 to 2018. Language was restricted to English. Eleven articles were included in this review. Thematic findings included constant placement changes impacted educational outcomes, housing considerations should be paired with education, acknowledging individual youth characteristics is important as well as encouraging youth to participate as early as possible. The implications for agency practices and policies are also discussed in the study.
Stem Cell Quiescence: Dynamism, Restraint, and Cellular Idling

Summary Stem cells can reside in a state of reversible growth arrest, or quiescence, for prolonged periods of time. Although quiescence has long been viewed as a dormant, low-activity state, increasing evidence suggests that quiescence represents states of poised potential and active restraint, as stem cells “idle” in anticipation of activation, proliferation, and differentiation. Improved understanding of quiescent stem cell dynamics is leading to novel approaches to enhance maintenance and repair of aged or diseased tissues. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of stem cell quiescence and techniques enabling more refined analyses of quiescence in vivo.
100.68 Lack of Association Between Age and Coronary Artery Calcification (CAC): A Cross-Sectional Study

A total of 366,000 people died from coronary artery disease (CAD) in 2015. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) can be used as a direct measure of CAD. CAC is a robust and independent predictor of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. The standard methodology for scoring the amount of CAC
Optimal Timing to Utilize Olfactory Stimulation with Maternal Breast Milk to Improve Oral Feeding Skills in the Premature Newborn

Abstract Background: Olfactory maturation is essential for successful oral feeding. Previous studies have suggested that olfactory stimulation with maternal breast milk may expedite oral feeding sk...
Identity politics inside out: national identity contestation and foreign policy in Turkey

Many observers have noted apparent U-turns in contemporary Turkish foreign policy under the Justice and Development Party (AKP): early embrace of the European Union (EU) and then indifference and h...
Nonreciprocal Wave Propagation in a Continuum-Based Metamaterial with Space-Time Modulated Resonators

Space-time-modulated mechanical systems offer a different paradigm in the design of advanced nonreciprocal mechanical devices. Physically realizing materials with properties rapidly tuned in both space and time, however, presents several challenges. This study introduces an elastic metamaterial with coupling stiffness modulated in space and in time by programmably pumping ac currents into coils. It theoretically and experimentally demonstrates tunable, nonreciprocal propagation of flexural waves on a continuum. This device suggests interesting opportunities in structural dynamics, and in the design of advanced mechanical insulators, diodes, circulators, and topological insulators.
Suspension of Debtor Countries' Voting Rights in the IMF: An Assessment of the Third Amendment to the IMF Charter

Two conclusions emerge from an examination of the Third Amendment to the IMF Charter, which was approved in 1992 to introduce a new form of sanction against countries failing to repay the IMF. First, going to the effort of formally amending the IMF Charter was preferable as a legal matter to suggesting that the IMF has an implied power to suspend a member country's voting rights. Hence the IMF could not have legally imposed such a suspension without an amendment to its charter. Second, the Third Amendment was, from a different perspective, neither necessary nor wise. Adding the threat of suspension to the various forms of rebuke already at the disposal of the IMF seems unlikely to persuade recalcitrant countries to clear their arrears to the IMF. Nor does the new suspension power offer any means of overcoming the deeper economic and political problems that underlie those arrears. In short, the Third Amendment represents only a reaction to the problem of growing arrears to the IMF, not a solution to it.
Modeling and simulating the impact of forgetting and communication errors on delays in civil infrastructure shutdowns

Handoff processes during civil infrastructure operations are transitions between sequential tasks. Typical handoffs constantly involve cognitive and communication activities among operations personnel, as well as traveling activities. Large civil infrastructures, such as nuclear power plants (NPPs), provide critical services to modern cities but require regular or unexpected shutdowns (i.e., outage) for maintenance. Handoffs during such an outage contain interwoven workflows and communication activities that pose challenges to the cognitive and communication skills of handoff participants and constantly result in delays. Traveling time and changing field conditions bring additional challenges to effective coordination among multiple groups of people. Historical NPP records studied in this research indicate that even meticulous planning that takes six months before each outage could hardly guarantee sufficient back-up plans for handling various unexpected events. Consequently, delays frequently occur in NPP outages and bring significant socioeconomic losses. A synthesis of previous studies on the delay analysis of accelerated maintenance schedules revealed the importance and challenges of handoff modeling. However, existing schedule representation methods could hardly represent the interwoven communication, cognitive, traveling, and working processes of multiple participants collaborating on completing scheduled tasks. Moreover, the lack of formal models that capture how cognitive, waiting, traveling, and communication issues affect outage workflows force managers to rely on personal experiences in diagnosing delays and coordinating multiple teams involved in outages. This study aims to establish formal models through agent-based simulation to support the analytical assessment of outage schedules with full consideration of cognitive and communication factors involved in handoffs within the NPP outage workflows. Simulation results indicate that the proposed handoff modeling can help predict the impact of cognitive and communication issues on delays propagating throughout outage schedules. Moreover, various activities are fully considered, including traveling between workspaces and waiting. Such delay prediction capability paves the path toward predictive and resilience outage control of NPPs.