cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploiting High Performance Computing to Reduce the T&E LifeCycle

Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) has been a pioneer in the development and application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Computational Structural Mechanics (CSM) methods to complement and/or enhance the aerospace ground testing capabilities residing at the center. A parallel commitment to maintain large scale computer systems to address the requirements of these applications has persisted for several decades. The paper will provide background on the current state of AEDC’s modeling and simulation capabilities. In addition, a discussion of commercially available modeling and simulation software and its increasing adoption will be covered. Current and future software development will be discussed as well as estimates on the demands these emerging applications will place on HPC.
Immunodeficiencies associated with errors in purine metabolism.

Summary The genetic deficiencies of adenosine deaminase and purine nucleoside phosphorylase lead to blocks in the purine pathway. The intracellular accumulation of deoxynucleosides and deoxynucleotides is toxic to both dividing and nondividing lymphocytes via multiple mechanisms. T-Iymphocytes are uniquely sensitive to purine-mediated cytotoxicity because of a functional imbalance of phosphorylating and dephosphorylating enzymatic activities. These inborn errors or purine metabolism are rare disorders. The study of these conditions, however, has uncovered unique enzymatic properties of lymphocytes and lymphocyte subclasses. A better understanding of the mechanisms of lymphocytotoxicity in these two purine enzyme defects may lead to better modes of therapeutic manipulation of the immune system.
Influence of jejunoileal bypass on protein metabolism during pregnancy

Management of the pregnant patient who has undergone operation for jejunoileal bypass poses many problems for the attending obstetrician. Several recent studies have broadened our knowledge of this group of patients. Unfortunately, the significance of this form of weight loss upon the developing fetus is at best only poorly understood. In our study, amino acid chromatography was performed at 34 weeks' gestation and at delivery in order to assess the impact of this procedure upon maternal and fetal (cord blood) amino acid concentrations. Results suggest that protein metabolism in the patient who has had intestinal bypass without resulting complications and in her fetus is comparable to that in normal pregnancy. Altered amino acid profiles were observed in one twin gestation and in one patient who continued to lose weight throughout pregnancy. The significance of these observations is discussed with respect to the relationship of protein deprivation to neonatal development.
Arthrodesis of the hip joint. Current indications and technique.

Summary Arthrodesis of the hip joint is still a useful form of treatment for specific diseases of the hip. Although the indications are limited today, it has the advantage of providing structural stability, relief of pain, and long-term durability. It is highly useful in cases of old sepsis of the hip joint in which metallic arthroplasty by a cup or a total hip arthroplasty would be contraindicated. It is also useful when there is severe distortion of the anatomy of the hip joint, as in fracture dislocation of the hip, chronic traumatic dislocation of the hip, failure of intertrochanteric osteotomy, or Charcot hip. Tuberculosis of the hip joint remains a prime indication. Arthrodesis of the hip joint is indicated chiefly in patients with unilateral hip disease who have a mobile, pain-free, lumbar spine and ipsilateral knee joint. The Dickson and Willien technique continues to be a satisfactory means of obtaining arthrodesis at the Cleveland Clinic.
Docetaxel: today's results and tomorrow's promises.

The development of a new drug is not only complex but also requires a major investment in time, resources, patients, and most important, a
Peripheral inflammation reflects cortical Aβ load in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (HUM1P.302)

The National Plan to address Alzheimer’s disease (AD) underscores the urgent need for the prevention and treatment of AD, especially with a new patient diagnosed in the U.S. every 67 seconds. We recently published data showing increased levels of central nervous system inflammation in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), a precursor disease to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We found that lymphocytes and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of aMCI patients were elevated similar to or exceeding those found in patients with multiple sclerosis. To determine any potential contribution of central and peripheral inflammation to AD pathology, we analyzed within-patient leukocyte populations and correlated these measures with brain amyloid (Aβ) burden, quantified by PET imaging at time of CSF and blood collection. Fifteen patients (55-76 yr old) and/or their study partners signed written informed consent. Age significantly increased plasmablast representation and decreased NK T cell populations in the CSF, but this did not reflect brain Aβ levels. Independent of patient age, higher cortical Aβ levels were significantly correlated to increased CD8 T cell and decreased CD4 T cell populations in the peripheral blood. Additionally, peripheral memory B cells increased with Aβ burden but not with age. These data suggest a potential role of the adaptive immune system in the development of cortical Aβ burden at a preclincial stage of AD.
Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders

Multiple illnesses comprise the substance use disorder spectrum. The management of any illness within the spectrum relies heavily on the availability of diagnostic and treatment resources and upon the level of participation by the patient. The two cases in this chapter demonstrate different problems and approaches to these challenging disorders.
Tipping the scales: educating surgeons about medical malpractice.

Abstract Background In Pennsylvania, medical malpractice premiums are a major cost to surgeons. Yet surgeons often have little if any education in the basics of tort litigation or how to manage their risk. This work describes one approach for educating academic faculty surgeons on current concepts of medical malpractice and provide some guidance on how to “tip the scales of justice”; or minimize the risks of being named in a malpractice claim. Materials and Methods The course had five parts: the basics of medical malpractice, the cost of malpractice insurance, current departmental claims experience, strategies for decreasing the risk of being named in a claim, and an overview of malpractice reforms. An anonymous seven question survey was cast in a five-point Likert scale format. A weighted average of 4.5 or above was considered satisfactory. Two free text questions asked about positive and negative aspects of the course. Results Eighty of 95 (84%) faculty attended either in person or by reviewing a web-based video. Quantitatively, five of seven questions had a weighted average of more than 4.5 (n = 48, response rate = 60%). Qualitatively, the course was reviewed very favorably. Conclusions The high percentage of participation and overall survey results suggest that the course was successful. This course was one facet of an approach to decrease the risk of malpractice claims. Unique aspects of this course include an emphasis on state law, department-specific data, and strategies to minimize risk of future claims. Given the state-specific nature of malpractice claims and litigation, individual departments must particularize similar presentations.
Work Commitments of Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers in the it Profession: Generational Differences or Myth?

The study presented in this paper examines generational (age-cohort) differences in the work commitments of Baby Boomer (born between 1946 and 1962) and Gen-X (born between 1963 and 1981) information technology (IT) professionals. Data were obtained from 382 IT workers in 23 state agencies and universities. The work commitments examined include work involvement, job involvement, work group attachment, organizational commitment and professional commitment. Contrary to profiles of these two generations common in the popular and business press, results suggest that the work commitments of these generations of IT professionals are more homogeneous than different. Implications for research and for IT management are offered.
Basic Techniques in Molecular Pathology

A critical step in any molecular analysis is in the determination and understanding of the material being selected. There are a variety of sample types than can be used, including; cell culture, body fluids, and both fresh and fixed tissue. All of these have various advantages and disadvantages that must be carefully considered. Many different types of molecular techniques are available for use in both a research and clinical setting. These range from simple, fast assays that interrogate a single area to large, complex assays that can sequence the entire genome. While technology is rapidly evolving, some of the more common technologies used to interrogate a single loci, gene, or RNA transcript include quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), mutation-specific polymerase chain reaction, and in situ hybridization (ISH). Two technologies that are commonly used to analyze a larger/broader area include microarrays and sequencing. Currently, massively parallel sequencing (MPS) is being used for a variety of large-scale analysis. These range from whole genome sequencing (WGS), expression analysis using RNA-sequencing, and determining where certain transcription factors bind on the genome using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing. Regardless, a tremendous amount of data can be generated and often a single person does not have all of the desired expertise to effectively handle all of the requirements necessary to properly generate and interpret this amount of data. Therefore, collaboration with experts in other fields is often necessary to generate, analyze, and interpret all of the data.
La ciencia irrumpe en la ética médica: neuroética y psicoanálisis de Freud

El psicoanalisis y la neuroetica se ocupan de los fenomenos eticos que nacen de la aplicacion de tecnicas y tecnologias surgidos de las ciencias de la psiquis. Existe una considerable coincidencia entre los topicos cubiertos por la neuroetica y los fenomenos conceptuales que han constituido la ocupacion de los psicoanalistas. La neuroetica descansa en una perspectiva biologicista, en la que es real solo aquello que es biologico; con ello entrega una vision de la etica que limita el significado del unico tema que importa al psicoanalisis: la comprension de los significados inconscientes y el papel del discurso para discernir y justificar estos sentidos. La neuroetica ha conducido a la etica a considerar lo sensorial, lo fisico y lo visual, a expensas del significado psicologico de la dimension psiquica de la existencia humana.
An open chiro-waveguide enabled by anisotropic impedance surfaces

Metasurfaces, which are quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) textured surfaces comprised of a periodic or aperiodic array of sub-wavelength building blocks, provide a fully-planarized platform for controlling the propagation, radiation, and scattering of electromagnetic waves. Compared to their three-dimensional (3D) metamaterial counterparts, 2D metasurfaces offer several advantages including lower losses, more versatility, ease-of-fabrication, and a conformal solution. In recent years, metasurfaces have been exploited to enable a variety of novel electromagnetic devices including new leaky-wave antennas, coatings with abnormal refraction and reflection properties, ultrathin polarizers and wave-plates, low-profile cloaks, various planar microwave and optical lenses, compact wearable antennas, tensor impedance surface waveguides, and so on. In this contribution, we show that a homogeneous anisotropic metasurface, whose surface impedance is characterized by a tensor rather than a scalar, can be designed to wrap around a dielectric rod to create an open-waveguide that exhibits effective power confinement within a sub-wavelength regime. In particular, the dispersion relations for the fundamental HE 11 mode are derived for a dielectric rod with one or more anisotropic impedance surface coatings. It is shown that by controlling the anisotropy of the coating, much stronger power confinement can be achieved. By further exploiting the inhomogeneity of the anisotropic impedance surface coating, two advanced functionalities can be achieved. First, a broadband chiro-waveguide, in which the polarization state of a linearly-polarized wave gradually rotates as it propagates along the waveguide, can be realized by a rotational perturbation in the alignment of the unit cells. Secondly, by enforcing momentum matching of the unit cells comprising the anisotropic impedance surface, a right-angle-bend waveguide with nearly the same transmission level compared to its straight counterpart can be realized. The new metasurface-enabled waveguide system demonstrated here provides additional degrees of freedom in manipulating guided electromagnetic waves, which holds great promise for the development of more advanced, multi-functional, and versatile microwave as well as terahertz devices for guidance, radiation, and imaging applications.
Global Evolution-Constructed Feature for Date Maturity Evaluation

Evolution-Constructed (ECO) Feature as a method to learn image features has achieved very good results on a variety of object recognition and classification applications. When compared with hand-crafted features, ECO-Feature is capable of constructing non-intuitive features that could be overlooked by human experts. Although the ECO features are easy to compute, they are sensitive to small variation of object location and orientation in the images. This paper presents an improved ECO-Feature that addresses these limitations of the original ECO-Feature. The proposed method constructs a global representation of the object and also achieves invariance to small deformations. Two major changes are made in the proposed method to achieve good performance. A non-linear down-sampling technique is employed to reduce the dimensionality of the generated global features and hence improve the training efficiency of ECO-Feature. We apply the global ECO-Feature on a dataset of fruit date to demonstrate the improvement on the original ECO-Feature and the experimental results show the global ECO-Feature’s ability to generate better features for date maturity evaluation.
Second malignant neoplasms (SMN) in Cowden syndrome patients with underlying germline PTEN mutations.

1527 Background: Cowden syndrome (CS) patients with underlying germline PTEN mutations are at significantly increased risks of breast, thyroid, endometrial and renal cancers. Current estimates of l...
Atomic layer deposition of zirconium oxide on copper patterned silicon substrate

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) was performed on copper patterned silicon substrates using zirconium precursor and ethanol as both an oxygen source and reducing agent. Ethanol targeted copper oxide formed on the copper surface, reverting it back to metallic copper. Selective ALD (SALD) of metal oxides on silicon surfaces over copper surfaces has been demonstrated up to 2-3 nm, though the process seems to lose its selectivity afterwards. We strive to maintain selectivity to thicker films by stepping away from conventional ALD processes utilizing oxidants. From previous studies with HfO 2 and TiO 2 SALD, we speculate that the oxidation of copper to copper oxide spoils selectivity. In this present study, we carried out oxidant-free ALD by using ethanol as a co-reactant solely on the silicon portion of these substrates. This process will occur in-situ every 20-30 ALD cycles for ALD of ZrO 2 . As expected, reduced ALD growth rate was observed with ethanol compared to that of water or ozone, with a growth rate of about 0.04 nm/cycle on the silicon portion of the substrate.
Neurocognitive Deficits Associated With ADHD in Athletes: A Systematic Review.

Context:Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder and is frequently diagnosed in young adults. Emerging studies suggest a relationship between ADHD and concussion.Objective:To determine whether athletes with ADHD are at increased risk for neurocognitive deficits related to concussion risk, symptom reporting, and recovery.Data Sources:A comprehensive search of PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and Cochrane Library databases was performed. Studies conducted between 2006 and 2017 were reviewed, although only those between 2013 and 2017 met inclusion criteria.Study Selection:Studies that examined neurocognitive deficits in adolescent and young adult athletes aged 15 to 19 years who had ADHD and reported using notable neuropsychological evaluation tools were included.Study Design:Systematic review.Level of Evidence:Level 2.Results:A total of 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of ADHD in athletes varied between 4.2% and 8.1%. Overall, athletes with ADHD demonstra...
Demography and Democracy: Transitions in the Middle East and North Africa

The Middle East and North Africa have recently experienced one of the highest population growth rates in the world, something which has profoundly affected the wider region and its institutions. In addition, the recent period of unprecedented political turbulence has further complicated the picture, resulting in uprisings and resistance movements that have coincided with intense shifts in socio-cultural norms, as well as economic and political change. Through highlighting the links between population dynamics and the social and political transitions, this book provides a new view of these recent regional changes. The complexity of the changes is further explained in the context of demographic transitions (mortality, fertility, migration) that work hand in hand with development (economic and social modernization) and ultimately, democratization (political modernization). These three Ds (Demographic, Development and Democratic transitions) are central to Elhum Haghighat's analysis of the Middle East and North Africa at this crucial time.
Highly Deformable Nano-Cross-Linker-Bridged Nanocomposite Hydrogels for Water Management of Oil Recovery

Conventional poly(acrylamide) (PAM)-based hydrogels suffered from mechanical instability during water flooding, which markedly reduced their performance for water management and oil recovery. In this report, divinylbenzene (DVB) nanostructured cross-linker-bridged nanocomposite hydrogels with high elasticity were described to increase hydrogel mechanical integrity. Precipitation polymerization of DVB monomers generated well-defined DVB nano-cross-linkers having styrenyl moieties on the surfaces, as demonstrated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Frequency sweeps of the hydrogels confirmed the formation of covalent junctions between PAM chains and DVB nano-cross-linkers within the network. The nanocomposite hydrogels with covalent cross-links showed a high degree of extensibility, greater than 40 times compared to self-cross-linked N,N′-dimethylacrylamide hydrogels with elongation of 14 and N,N′-methylenebis(acrylamide) cross-linked PAM hydrogel having stretchability less than 2 times. The conc...
The shifting landscape of latent print testimony: an american perspective

Friction ridge comparison testimony in the United States has long been characterized by speaking in absolutes: fingerprints are unique, the Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation, and Verification methodology has a zero-error rate, and the testimony presented by the expert should be regarded as an incontrovertible fact. Once the National Research Council released their watershed report in 2009, questioning and criticizing these clear overstatements of the strength of the evidence, many commentators and professional organizations recommended that the friction ridge community rethink the way their evidence was presented in reports and in court. Yet, change has been slow to come. While some agencies have begun a shift in the way they present their findings, many others still testify the same way they always have. This paper presents the historical context of where American friction ridge testimony has been, lays out the arguments for why it needs to change, describes some recent efforts to improve, and highlights some likely directions for the future of friction ridge reporting and testimony in the United States.
POPdemog: visualizing population demographic history from simulation scripts.

Summary We present POPdemog, an R package which converts coalescent simulation program input parameters into a visual representation of the demographic model. This package is useful for preparing figures, for checking that demographic simulation parameters have been correctly specified, and for understanding demographic models that other researchers have used to simulate genetic data. The POPdemog package supports the ms, msa, msHot, MaCS, msprime, scrm and Cosi2 programs, and includes options for customizing the output figures. Availability and implementation The POPdemog package and its tutorial can be freely downloaded from https://github.com/YingZhou001/POPdemog. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Nonreciprocal Optical Dissipation Based on Direction-Dependent Rabi Splitting

We consider a ring resonator with two resonant modes undergoing dynamic modulation. Using the Floquet analysis, we show that with a proper choice of modulation profile, such a resonator can achieve a direction-dependent Rabi splitting of its Floquet eigenstates, which results in direction-dependent dissipation and nonreciprocal transmission for waves. We numerically demonstrate this nonreciprocal effect and show that a realistic refractive index modulation of the ring can result in significant transmission in one direction and near complete dissipation in.
Total Ionizing Dose Effects on TiN/Ti/HfO 2 /TiN Resistive Random Access Memory Studied via Electrically Detected Magnetic Resonance

We observe a gamma-irradiation-induced change in electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR) in TiN/Ti/HfO2/TiN resistive random access memory (RRAM). EDMR measurements exclusively detect electrically active defects, which are directly involved in the transport mechanisms within these devices. The EDMR response has an isotropic g value of 2.001 ± 0.0003. The response increases dramatically with increased gamma irradiation. We tentatively associate this EDMR response with spin-dependent trap-assisted tunneling events at O2− centers coupled to hafnium ions. Although our study cannot fully identify the role of these defects in electronic transport, the study does unambiguously identify changes in transport defects caused by the ionizing radiation on defects involved in electronic transport in RRAM devices. This paper also contributes more broadly to the RRAM field by providing direct, though incomplete, information about atomic scale defects involved in electronic transport in leading RRAM systems.
Near zone diffraction by a strip

The problem of multiple diffractions in the near field region of a conducting strip illuminated by a plane wave is discussed. Application of the Extended Spectral Theory of Diffraction (ESTD) yields a diffraction coefficient that is expressed in terms of a universal integral and remains valid within and outside the transition region of the singly diffracted wave.
Water interactions on the surface of 50 nm rutile TiO2 nanoparticles using in situ DRIFTS

Abstract Deciphering metal oxide nanoparticle surface chemistry has garnered much interest due to its usage in catalytic systems. Considering the pervasive nature of water, hydroxyl coverage is inherent on nanoparticles and much of the nanoparticle reactivity is owed to this hydroxylation. Herein, we examine the reactivity of water with 50 nm rutile TiO2 nanoparticles via in situ diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS) as a function of both temperature and water vapor pressure. The OH stretching region of the spectrum is used to understand and clarify the native surface chemistry of rutile TiO2 nanopowders. The DRIFT spectrum of the rutile nanoparticles exhibits eight stretching hydroxyl vibrations, each of which are easily exchanged with deuterium signifying they are surface moieties. Furthermore, the frequency of each vibrational feature is reproducible between rounds of annealing and water exposure, indicating the types of surface sites available on the surface remain constant. Our insight into the reactivity between water and TiO2 nanoparticles and the reproducibility of the hydroxylated surface will help to inform process such as photocatalysis or heterogeneous catalysis that benefit from the hydroxylated surface for favorable reaction outcomes.
Psychoanalysis: Adolescence (Clinical–Developmental Approach)

An integrative approach, Clinical-Developmental Psychology is introduced in this entry. It consists of a synthesis of psychoanalytic concepts, especially Eriksonian identity theory, object relations psychoanalysis, and cognitive-developmental theory. Psychoanalytic advances come not only from within the discipline, but increasingly include innovations from neighboring fields, such as developmental psychology, anthropology, and the neurosciences. Principles of a clinical-developmental synthesis are introduced around the topics of development, and representations of self and other, normative development, age chronology, and lifelong development and recovery. These principles are then applied to a model of differential treatment of psychological problems in the adolescent years. For the four developmental levels typically found in adolescence, the role of the clinician and the use of clinical tools have to differ considerably. Two developmental levels are outlined to exemplify the framework. It is argued that a developmental frame on prevention and intervention is essential to strengthen the clinical effectiveness in work with at-risk youth.
A comparison of fruit characteristics among diverse elderberry genotypes grown in Missouri and Oregon

BACKGROUND: Elderberry (Sambucus spp.) fruit are used for food and dietary supplements in Europe and North America, and contain large amounts of cyanidin-based anthocyanins and other phenolics that may benefit human health. OBJECTIVES: Information on the effect of both genotype and production environment on elderberry juice characteristics is needed in order to optimize production of quality food and dietary supplements. METHODS: The characteristics of elderberry fruits relative to genetic and production environment were evaluated from 12 American elderberry genotypes at three U.S. sites (two in Missouri and one in Oregon) over three growing seasons. Additional genotypes of American and European elderberry were studied at the Oregon site. RESULTS: Location, genotype, and growing season influenced pH, soluble solids, titratable acidity, total phenolics, and total anthocyanins. Elderberries grown in Oregon were consistently higher in acidity than those grown in Missouri. Differences in acidity and anthocyanin with environment were dependent on genotype. Non-acylated anthocyanins and flavonol-glycosides were more influenced by location than by genotype. CONCLUSION: ‘Bob Gordon’ and ‘Adams 2’ genotypes, which are good producers in diverse environments, were significantly higher in total phenolic and total anthocyanin contents in all locations, and may be good selections for producing juices, wines, or health products.
Who am I, and why am I different?

A U.S. Peace Corps physician relates his experiences in Africa to diversity in the medical profession and in medical school admissions. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Optic Nerve Malformations

Optic nerve hypoplasia is a morphological description of a small-appearing optic nerve due to a decreased number of axons traveling from the retinal ganglion cells through the optic nerve head to the optic chiasm and lateral geniculate nucleus (Fig. 5.1). This results from either a primary lack of retinal ganglion cell and axon development or a retrograde loss of axons from disturbances in the posterior visual pathways before birth. Optic nerve hypoplasia is often associated with a number of midline intracranial malformations (septo-optic dysplasia or de Morsier’s syndrome) as well as structural brain abnormalities (schizencephaly, proencephaly).
A Novel Passive Sampling Technique for Collecting Adult Necrophilous Insects Arriving at Neonate Pig Carcasses

Neonate pigs have been used as decomposition models in experimental forensic entomology studies. Their small size, however, poses challenges to traditional sampling methods of necrophilous insects, like the sweep net, the most commonly used sampling method in forensic entomology research and practice. Previous research experimentally demonstrated the potential for sticky traps as an effective sampling method for collecting necrophilous insects from neonate pigs. While sticky traps effectively sampled fly diversity from the pigs, they shared with the sweep net low sample diversity and abundance, particularly of necrophilous beetles. Motivated by chemosensory host-finding of necrophilous insects and the architecture of carrion-mimicking thermogenic flowers, we developed a 'vented-chamber' method and optimized its design experimentally. In this approach, a neonate pig was transiently enclosed in a chamber. The decomposition process thermally convected the natural decomposition odors in the headspace above the pig toward a pair of sticky traps. The vented-chamber method collected significantly more necrophilous flies, representing a greater diversity, than the sweep net. Nevertheless, this approach caught few beetles, and hand collections must be used as well to most effectively sample beetle diversity.
Treatment of Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris with Adalimumab: A Case Report

Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris (PRP) is a rare inflammatory dermatosis of unknown etiology and variable presentation. Common clinical features include hyperkeratotic follicular papules, palmoplantar hyperkeratosis and well-demarcated red-orange scaly plaques interspersed with islands of unaffected skin. A limited body of anecdotal evidence predominantly supports the use of systemic retinoids and/or methotrexate in treating the disease. In a subset of these patients, there has been a documented role for biologic tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, especially in patients who have failed retinoid or antimetabolite therapy. We present a case of a woman whose PRP responded favorably to adalimumab, highlighting the role of TNF inhibitors and the need for their continued exploration in the treatment of PRP.
Machine Learning Based Human Activity Detection in a Privacy-Aware Compliance Tracking System

In this paper, we report our work on using machine learning techniques to predict back bending activity based on field data acquired in a local nursing home. The data are recorded by a privacy-aware compliance tracking system (PACTS). The objective of PACTS is to detect back-bending activities and issue real-time alerts to the participant when she bends her back excessively, which we hope could help the participant form good habits of using proper body mechanics when performing lifting/pulling tasks. We show that our algorithms can differentiate nursing staffs baseline and high-level bending activities by using human skeleton data without any expert rules.
Impacts of Tip Structure on RF-induced Heating of an Implantable Neurostimulator under 1.5 T MRI

The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of tip structure on radio frequency (RF)-induced heating of a neurostimulator under 1.5 T MRI. It is found that increasing the contacting area of lead tip will help reduce the temperature rise at the hot spot near the neuro-stimulator. The maximum reduction of temperature rise can be 28.82% by optimizing the tip structure. Moreover, it is also shown that for lead tip with fine structure, temperature rise rather than peak 1-gram averaged SAR will more precisely indicate the heating level in MRI.
The Iowa Atmospheric Observatory: Revealing the Unique Boundary Layer Characteristics of a Wind Farm

AbstractThe Iowa Atmospheric Observatory was established to better understand the unique microclimate characteristics of a wind farm. The facility consists of a pair of 120-m towers identically ins...
Effects of a Four-day Spaceflight and Recombinant Human Growth Hormone on Cancellous Bone Microarchitecture in Femoral Head of Rapidly Growing Male Rats

Spaceflight results in reduced bone accrual and muscle atrophy in growing rodents. Some studies suggest that the detrimental effects of spaceflight are due, in part, to impaired growth hormone (GH) signaling. An experiment flown aboard STS-41 (October 6–10, 1990) evaluated the efficacy of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in ameliorating the detrimental effects of spaceflight on the musculoskeletal system in male Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were 39 days old at launch and sacrificed following the 4–day flight. Ground controls (n=11/treatment group) and flight animals (n=8/treatment group) were treated with rhGH or excipient delivered using osmotic pumps implanted subcutaneously one day prior to launch. For the present examination, cancellous bone in the femoral head was evaluated using X-ray microtomography (microcomputed tomography), a technology not available when the study was performed. Spaceflight resulted in lower cancellous bone volume fraction, connectivity density, trabecular thickness and trabecular number, and higher trabecular separation. rhGH had no independent effect on cancellous bone architecture and there were no spaceflight by rhGH interactions. These findings suggest that a short interval of microgravity during rapid growth was sufficient to reduce accrual of cancellous bone and alter bone microarchitecture at an important weight bearing skeletal site. Additionally, increasing growth hormone levels was ineffective in preventing cancellous osteopenia in flight animals and did not increase cancellous bone volume fraction in ground controls. (Less)
Tree spacings and red:far-red light effects on juvenile Populus growth and morphology

Cottonwood stem growth and biomass accumulation are altered by changes in the red to far-red light ratio (R;FR). Genetic variation in this response might be exploited to improve yield. The first objective of this study was to detect the R:FR signals that affect important morphological traits and biomass accumulation under field conditions. The second objective was to compare the effect of R:FR signals on growth traits under greenhouse conditions. The third objective was to compare genotypic variation in responses to R:FR ratio changes. We focused on morphological traits (such as height, diameter, stem taper, and branching), biomass deposition, and non-structural carbohydrate accumulation. Two approaches were used to achieve different R;FR ratios. In the field, two spacings (40 cm and 3 m) were used. In the greenhouse, Plexiglass® chamber filters filled with copper sulfate solution or water were used along with a no-filter control. Six clones (one Populus deltoids Bartr., one P. trichocarpa Torr. & Gray, and four of their Fi hybrids) were used in the studies. The R:FR ratios inside copper sulfate filters were 1.2, water • 0.6, and no filter 0.6. The R:FR ratios under both narrow and wide spacings changed dramatically from 1.2 immediately after planting to 0.4 after 42 days from planting at narrow spacing. The results of both greenhouse and field studies showed that trees exposed to low R:FR ratios increased height 10 to 15% (P < O.OS) and accumulated 7 to 10% more biomass than trees subjected to high R;FR ratios. However, in the greenhouse u%es under the "no-filter" treatment had the shortest stems and least biomass accumulation. They did have increased stem tapers which might be the result of responses to wind flexing. Total leaf areas were lower for trees subjected to high R:FR signals. Clonal effects were significant for most metric traits. Some clones did appear to be less sensitive to the R:FR light.
Thermodynamic properties of Ca–Pb electrodes determined by electromotive force measurements

Abstract Thermodynamic properties of Ca–Pb alloys are investigated by electromotive force (emf) measurements to determine equilibrium cell potentials and phase properties for their application in energy storage systems such as liquid metal batteries. Using the electrochemical cell Ca(s) | CaF2(s) | Ca(in Pb) at 700–1060 K, cell emf is measured for thirteen Ca–Pb alloys at mole fractions, xCa = 0.06–0.80. At 873 K, the equilibrium potentials of liquid Ca–Pb alloys are 0.57–0.62 V versus Ca and the activity values are as low as aCa = 6.2 × 10−8 at xCa = 0.06. In addition, the emf values as a function of temperature provide partial molar quantities (entropy and enthalpy) as well as phase transitions which are corroborated by determining transition temperatures and phase constituents using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). This work establishes the fundamental data necessary for the design of Pb-containing liquid metal electrodes through the integration of electrochemical, thermal, and structural properties of Ca–Pb electrodes.
A High Dynamic Range AFM Probe with Collocated Piezoelectric Transducer Pairs

A new class of piezoelectric cantilevers is presented for dynamic mode atomic force microscopy (AFM). Twin isolated, two-layer piezoelectric stack transducers are microfabricated side-by-side on a Si AFM probe. The top transducer on one pair is used to actuate the probe into oscillation. The remaining pair of transducers are used to differentially sense the cantilever deflection. This probe exhibits a negligible electrical feedthrough, which is a key issue with piezoelectric cantilevers. The piezoelectric sensors capture the full dynamics of the resonating cantilever at the first mode. Obtaining a high dynamic range with this differential sensing pair at this mode makes the cantilever a suitable candidate for high-resolution dynamic AFM imaging. It is worth mentioning that stacking the two layer pair of transducers enables optimal use of available surface area on small microcantilevers.
Universal Screening of Gastrointestinal Malignancies for Mismatch Repair Deficiency at Stanford.

Background In light of recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors for mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) malignancies, identifying patients with dMMR malignancies has become increasingly important. Although screening for dMMR in colorectal cancer (CRC) is recommended, it is less common for extracolonic gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. At Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Institute (SCCI), all GI malignancies have been screened for dMMR via immunohistochemistry since January 2016. Methods In this study, we conducted a retrospective review of all patients with GI malignancies screened for dMMR between January 2016 and December 2017. Tumor sequencing was performed on cases negative for germline pathogenic variants where tumor material was available. Results A total of 1425 consecutive GI malignancies were screened for dMMR at SCCI during the study period, and 1374 were included for analysis. dMMR was detected in 7.2% of all GI malignancies. We detected the highest prevalence of dMMR in gastric (15 of 150, 10.0%) followed by colorectal (63 of 694, 9.1%), pancreatic (13 of 244, 5.3%), and gastroesophageal malignancy (6 of 132, 4.5%) patients. Lynch syndrome was the most common etiology for dMMR in colorectal cancer (41.5%), double somatic (confirmed or possible) pathogenic variants the most common etiology in pancreatic cancer (44.4%), and somatic MLH1 hypermethylation the most common etiology in gastric (73.3%) and gastroesophageal cancer (83.3%). Conclusions Given the relatively high incidence of dMMR in GI malignancies, we recommend screening all GI malignancies. Our results suggest that although a rare occurrence, double somatic pathogenic variants may be a biologically significant pathway causing dMMR in pancreatic cancer.
Development and Internal Validation of a Prediction Model to Risk Stratify Children With Suspected Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

Background Although community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most common infections in children, no tools exist to risk stratify children with suspected CAP. We developed and validated a prediction model to risk stratify and inform hospitalization decisions in children with suspected CAP. Methods We performed a prospective cohort study of children age 3 months to 18 years with suspected CAP in a pediatric emergency department (ED). Primary outcome was disease severity, defined as mild (discharge home or hospitalization for 24 hours), or severe (intensive care unit (ICU) stay for >24 hours, septic shock, vasoactive agents, positive-pressure ventilation, chest drainage, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or death). Ordinal logistic regression and bootstrapped backwards selection were used to derive and internally validate our model. Results Of 1128 children, 371 (32.9%) developed moderate disease and 48 (4.3%) severe disease. Severity models demonstrated excellent discrimination (optimism-corrected c-indices of 0.81) and outstanding calibration. Severity predictors in the final model included respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, oxygenation, retractions, capillary refill, atelectasis or pneumonia on chest radiograph, and pleural effusion. Conclusions We derived and internally validated a score that accurately predicts disease severity in children with suspected CAP. Once externally validated, this score has potential to facilitate management decisions by providing individualized risk estimates that can be used in conjunction with clinical judgment to improve the care of children with suspected CAP.
Diagnosing Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis by Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate: A Test in Evolution.

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to characterize trends in technetium Tc 99m pyrophosphate (99mTc-PYP) scanning for amyloid transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) diagnosis, to determine whether patients underwent appropriate assessment with monoclonal protein and genetic testing, to evaluate use of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in addition to planar imaging, and to identify predictive factors for ATTR-CA. Background 99mTc-PYP scintigraphy has been repurposed for noninvasive diagnosis of ATTR-CA. Increasing use of 99mTc-PYP can facilitate identification of ATTR-CA, but appropriate use is critical for accurate diagnosis in an era of high-cost targeted therapeutics. Methods Patients undergoing 99mTc-PYP scanning 1 h after injection at a quaternary care center from 2010 to 2019 were analyzed; clinical information was abstracted; and SPECT results were analyzed. Results Over the decade, endomyocardial biopsy rates remained stable with scanning rates peaking at 132 in 2019 (p Conclusions Use of noninvasive testing with 99mTc-PYP scanning for evaluation of ATTR-CA is increasing, and the inclusion of monoclonal protein testing and SPECT imaging is crucial to rule out amyloid light chain amyloidosis and distinguish myocardial retention from blood pooling.
Ku70 suppresses alternative end-joining in G1-arrested progenitor B cells

Abstract Classical nonhomologous end-joining (C-NHEJ) repairs DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) throughout interphase but predominates in G1-phase when homologous recombination is unavailable. Complexes containing the Ku70/80 (“Ku”) and XRCC4/Ligase IV (Lig4) core C-NHEJ factors are required, respectively, for sensing and joining DSBs. While XRCC4/Ligase IV are absolutely required for joining RAG1/2-endonucease (“RAG”)-initiated DSBs during V(D)J recombination in G1-phase progenitor lymphocytes, cycling cells deficient for XRCC4/Ligase IV also can join chromosomal DSBs by alternative end-joining (A-EJ) pathways. Restriction of V(D)J recombination by XRCC4/Ligase IV-mediated joining has been attributed to RAG shepherding V(D)J DSBs exclusively into the C-NHEJ pathway. Here, we report that A-EJ of DSB ends generated by RAG1/2, Cas9:gRNA and Zinc finger endonucleases in Lig4-deficient G1-arrested progenitor B cell lines is suppressed by Ku. Thus, while diverse DSBs remain largely as free broken ends in Lig4-deficient G1-arrested progenitor B cells, deletion of Ku70 increases DSB rejoining and translocation levels to those observed in Ku70-deficient counterparts. Correspondingly, while RAG-initiated V(D)J DSB joining is abrogated in Lig4-deficient G1-arrested progenitor B cell lines, joining of RAG-generated DSBs in Ku70-deficient and Ku70/Lig4 double-deficient lines occurs through a translocation-like A-EJ mechanism. Thus, in G1-arrested, Lig4-deficient progenitor B cells are functionally end-joining suppressed due to Ku-dependent blockage of A-EJ, potentially, in association with G1-phase down-regulation of Ligase1. Finally, we suggest that differential impacts of Ku-deficiency versus Lig4-deficiency on V(D)J recombination, neuronal apoptosis, and embryonic development results from Ku-mediated inhibition of A-EJ in the G1 cell cycle phase in Lig4-defcient developing lymphocyte and neuronal cells. Significance Statement Alternative end-joining (A-EJ) is implicated in oncogenic translocations and mediating DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in cycling cells when classical nonhomologous endjoining (C-NHEJ) factors of the C-NHEJ Ligase complex are absent. However, V(D)J recombination-associated DSBs that occur in G1 cell cycle-phase progenitor lymphocytes are joined exclusively by the C-NHEJ pathway. Until now, however, the overall mechanisms that join general DSBs in G1-phase progenitor B cells had not been fully elucidated. Here, we report that Ku, a core C-NHEJ double-strand break recognition complex, directs repair of a variety of different targeted DSBs towards C-NHEJ and suppresses A-EJ in G1-phase cells. We suggest this Ku activity explains how Ku-deficiency can rescue the neuronal development and embryonic lethality phenotype of Ligase 4-deficient mice.
Passive antipyretic therapy is not as effective as invasive hypothermia for maintaining normothermia after cardiac arrest.

Abstract Aim of the study Targeted temperature management is a class I indication in comatose patients after a cardiac arrest. While the literature has primarily focused on innovative methods to achieve target temperatures, pharmacologic therapy has received little attention. We sought to examine whether pharmacologic therapy using antipyretics is effective in maintaining normothermia in post cardiac arrest patients. Materials and methods Patients ≥18 years who were resuscitated after an in-hospital or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and admitted at our institution from January 2012 to September 2015 were retrospectively included. Patients were divided into groups based on the method of temperature control that was utilized. The primary outcome was temperature control Results 671 patients were identified in Group 1 (no hypothermia), 647 in Group 2 (antipyretics), 44 in Group 3 (invasive hypothermia), and 51 in Group 4 (invasive hypothermia and antipyretics). Mean patient age was 59 (SD ±15.7) years with 40.6% being female. Using Group 1 as the control arm, 57.7% of patients maintained target temperature with antipyretics alone (p Conclusions Among patients undergoing targeted temperature management, relying solely on as needed use of antipyretics is not sufficient to maintain temperatures