cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patients with familial abdominal aortic aneurysms are at increased risk for endoleak and secondary intervention following elective endovascular aneurysm repair

Objective A recent investigation has documented an increased risk of aneurysm-related complications after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of familial abdominal aortic aneurysms (fAAAs). We hypothesized that fAAA patients are not at increased risk for complications following open AAA repair or EVAR when compared with sporadic abdominal aortic aneurysm (spAAA) patients. To this end, we performed a single institution retrospective review. Methods Epidemiologic data were collected through the electronic medical record. Family history data were obtained from a questionnaire administered at the initial vascular surgery consultation. Major adverse events were defined as myocardial infarction, respiratory failure, renal failure, bowel ischemia, limb ischemia, multisystem organ failure, intracranial hemorrhage, paraplegia, hemorrhage, or death. Endoleaks were classified in accordance with the standardized reporting practices of the Society for Vascular Surgery. AAA-related complications were defined as the need for a secondary intervention due to endoleak, limb ischemia, or postimplantation rupture. Results A total of 392 patients with complete clinical data underwent elective AAA repair from 2004 to 2014. Of these 392 patients, 89 (23%) were classified as fAAA patients and 303 (77%) were classified as spAAA patients. With the exception of increased rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( P = .0009) and pack-years smoked ( P = .03) in spAAA patients, demographics did not differ. Sixty-two percent (n = 55) of fAAA patients and 68% (n = 205) of spAAA patients underwent EVAR ( P = .30). fAAA patients did not incur any significant difference in major adverse events following open AAA repair (fAAA, 9% vs spAAA, 11%; P = .75). Additionally, fAAA patients did not incur any significant difference in major adverse events following EVAR (fAAA, 4% vs spAAA, 5%; P = .70). Patients with fAAA did have a significantly increased rate of endoleak (fAAA, 24% vs spAAA, 12%; P = .03) and secondary intervention following EVAR (fAAA, 21% vs spAAA, 12%; P = .04). Conclusions The current study shows that patients with fAAA do not have increased perioperative morbidity following open or endovascular AAA repair. However, patients with fAAA do have an increased risk of endoleak and secondary intervention following EVAR. These findings suggest that EVAR and open AAA repair are both safe and effective for fAAA patients. The increased rate of endoleak and secondary intervention in patients with fAAA suggests that this subpopulation may benefit from closer post-EVAR surveillance or open surgical repair in good risk patients.
Welcome from the conference chair

Welcome to the 37th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference (NEBEC) held at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY. RPI is home to one of the first biomedical engineering departments in the country and hosting NEBC, in midst of our historic buildings and ongoing bio-renaissance at Rensselaer, is an opportune moment for us. We are particularly excited to have one of our graduates from our first class of biomedical engineering students (Class of 1970) featured as a speaker, Dr. Paul Cordo. The key locations for the conference will be the newly constructed Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) and the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC).
Incidence of occurrence of Beauveria bassiana in forest collections of Hylobius pales and Pachylobius picivorus weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Laboratory assay showed Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. to be present in approximately 15% of the combined populations of forest collected living Hylobius pales and Pachylobius picivorus.
Resistance of central nervous system interleukin-6 to glucocorticoid inhibition in monkeys

The ability of both exogenous and endogenous glucocorticoids (GCs) to inhibit proinflammatory cytokine production was investigated in vivo. Specifically, we investigated the effects of elevated GC levels on interleukin (IL)-1-induced release of IL-6 into both blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Three experiments were conducted in rhesus macaques to elevate corticoid levels for at least 4 h before administration of IL-1β. The first study used dexamethasone pretreatment, the second utilized ACTH to stimulate endogenous cortisol release, while the third relied on a psychological challenge to stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Contrary to our a priori predictions, none of these treatments attenuated the IL-1-induced release of IL-6 into CSF. Additionally, the pattern in the blood response was similar, such that the IL-6 response was not blocked, although there was a trend toward a reduction of this response. These data indicated that the IL-1-induced IL-6 response is for the most part resistant to corticosteroid influence, such that even when a partial inhibition was sometimes evident in blood, cytokine release in the central nervous system was not affected.
Does Law Have an Outside

I’ve been pondering this problem as I participated in this sparking conference titled “Beyond the Law”: What, if anything, is “beyond the law”? The better parent’s risk aversion; the propertyless man’s hunger: should we insist that these are non-legal attributes about these characters which interact with legal rules to condition legally important decisions? Are they inside or outside of the law? We can think of it either way. Most of the time, to be sure, I’m engaged in descriptive projects that are basically attempts to extend the reach of law. Not that I want it to be big; I’m trying to understand how big it is. But in the rest of my remarks I’d like to spool out my ambivalence about this. Why does it feel more critical, more decisive, to insist on the coercive character of background rules, no matter how far in the background they lurk? And why does the resulting picture of the world seem so narrowed, so reduced, once we have succeeded in drawing it? What’s at stake in positing that law is everywhere – or that there is something beyond it?
A review of the practice and position of monitoring in today’s rapid tranquilisation protocols

Background: Rapid tranquilisation (RT) is one of the highest risk clinical procedures currently undertaken by mental health services, yet it is underpinned by a surprisingly weak evidence base. The evidence base is weaker still when applied to post RT monitoring.Aims: To review current clinical monitoring practice contained within adult RT documents in the UK.Method: A review of adult RT documents currently in use in NHS or HSC trusts providing adult mental health services in the UK.Findings: A total of 44 RT documents were examined. A picture of wide ranging practice was observed that prevented us from undertaking a full analysis of the data collected. Even when analysis was confined to the intramuscular route, there were concerning differences between documents in: when monitoring was initiated; what was being monitored; and the frequency and duration of this monitoring.Conclusions and implications for clinical practice: There is a fundamental need for consensus in this high risk practice. The College of Mental Health Pharmacists, Royal College of Nursing and Royal College of Psychiatrists should have a key role in fashioning this consensus in both practice and policy.
Pfaffian structures and critical problems in finite symplectic spaces

Just as matroids abstract the algebraic properties of determinants in a vector space, Pfaffian structures abstract the algebraic properties of Pfaffians or skew-symmetric determinants in a symplectic space (that is, a vector space with an alternating bilinear form). This is done using an exchange-augmentation axiom which is a combinatorial version of a Laplace expansion or straightening identity for Pfaffians. Using Pfaffian structures, we study a symplectic analogue of the classical critical problem: given a setS of non-zero vectors in a non-singular symplectic spaceV of dimension2m, find its symplectic critical exponent, that is, the minimum of the set {m−dim(U):U∩S=0}, whereU ranges over all the (totally) isotropic subspaces disjoint fromS. In particular, we derive a formula for the number of isotropic subspaces of a given dimension disjoint from the setS by Mobius inversion over the order ideal of isotropic flats in the lattice of flats of the matroid onS given by linear dependence. This formula implies that the symplectic critical exponent ofS depends only on its matroid and Pfaffian structure; however, it may depend on the dimension of the symplectic spaceV.
Asymmetric ( e , 2 e ) study of the 100-eV ionization of the 1 π g , 1 π u , and 3 σ g molecular orbitals of O 2

The relative triple differential cross section for 100-eV electron-impact ionization of the three outer molecular orbitals of ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ has been studied in an asymmetric $(e,2e)$ experiment. The angular distribution of low-energy ejected electrons was measured from 30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 125\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} with respect to the incident beam direction for an incident electron scattering angle of 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and ejected-electron energies of 3.5, 6.0, and 11.0 eV. The ionization of the outer $1{\ensuremath{\pi}}_{g}$ orbital that leads to the formation of an ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{+}$ ion in the $X{}^{2}{\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{g}$ state was observed to be accompanied by the ejection of a low energy electron 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to the incident beam direction on the binary side. Binary results for the other two orbitals, $1{\ensuremath{\pi}}_{u}$ and $3{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{g},$ to give the $a{}^{4}{\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{u}$ and $b{}^{4}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}_{g}^{+}$ states were similar to previous results for the analogous orbitals in ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ with ejection directions of 75\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to the incident beam direction, respectively. In contrast to the ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ results, the recoil peak for all cases was found to be aligned approximately 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to the momentum transfer direction. Possible mechanisms for the binary low-energy electron ejection at angles so far removed from the momentum transfer direction are discussed.
Applications of Focused Ion Beams to Optoelectronic Device Fabrication - An Overview

Focused-ion-beam (FIB) technology has been applied during the past decade to a wide variety of device and circuit fabrication procedures. The ability to perform maskless implantation, selective sputtering and deposition, and high resolution lithography with a single system has allowed FIB researchers to explore a large number of unique fabrication processes for silicon, GaAs, and heterojunction devices. Currently, exploratory studies in advanced optoelectronic device fabrication employ the largest number of diverse FIB techniques. In this paper, the major application areas of FIB technology to optoelectronic research are reviewed, and possible uses of ultrasmall (≤500 A) ion beams in the fabrication of optoelectronic device structures with novel properties are described.
Confidence in Michigan's Direction Declines Among State's Local Leaders

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the direction in which the state is headed, as well as their evaluations of the job performance of Governor Rick Snyder and the Michigan Legislature. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the Spring 2015 wave and comparisons to previous Spring waves of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS).
Synthesis and Physicochemical Characterization of a Diethyl Ester Prodrug of DTPA and Its Investigation as an Oral Decorporation Agent in Rats

The increasing threats of nuclear terrorism have made the development of medical countermeasures a priority for international security. Injectable formulations of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) have been approved by the FDA; however, an oral formulation is more amenable in a mass casualty situation. Here, the diethyl ester of DTPA, named C2E2, is investigated for potential as an oral treatment for internal radionuclide contamination. C2E2 was synthesized and characterized using NMR, MS, and elemental analysis. The physiochemical properties of solubility, lipophilicity, and stability were investigated in order to predict its oral bioavailability. Finally, an animal efficacy study was conducted in Sprague Dawley rats pre-contaminated by intramuscular injection with 241Am(NO3)3 to establish effectiveness of the therapy via the oral route. Synthesis of C2E2 yielded a crystalline powder with high solubility and improved lipophilicity over DTPA. The ester was stable in both simulated gastric and intestinal fluids over the anticipated time course of absorption. Capsules containing C2E2 were demonstrated to be stable for 12 months under accelerated stability conditions. After a single dose, C2E2 enhanced the elimination of 241Am in a dose-dependent manner. Significant improvement was seen in both total 241Am decorporation and reduction of 241Am liver and skeletal burden. C2E2 was concluded to be effective when orally administered to 241Am-contaminated rats. It may therefore have potential for medical countermeasure in treating humans contaminated with 241Am or other transuranic elements. An oral capsule or powder for reconstitution may be suitable formulations for future development based on the physiochemical properties and anticipated dose required for efficacy.
A Framework for Predicting Future System Performance in Autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicles

The development of complex self-adaptive systems has accelerated rapidly over the past decade, led by the Department of Defense, which has sought to develop and field military systems, such as unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles, with elevated levels of autonomy to accomplish their mission with reduced funding and manpower. As their role increases, such systems must be able to adapt and learn, and make nondeterministic decisions. To field such systems requires extensive testing, evaluation, verification, and validation—a challenging task. To address this, we apply a novel systems perspective to develop a framework to predict future system performance based on the complexity of the operating environment using newly introduced complexity measures and learned costs. In this paper, we consider an autonomous military ground robot navigating in complex off-road environments. Using our model and experimental data from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-led experiments, we demonstrate the accuracy with which our model can predict system performance and then validate our model against other experimental results.
Characteristics of the Cochrane Oral Health Group systematic reviews.

The Cochrane Oral Health Group (COHG) was formed in 1994 with the aim of producing systematic reviews that primarily include oral health randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to characterize reviews published by the COHG. In September 2013, the COHG database was accessed, and all publications were downloaded. Reviews with no studies identified according to the inclusion criteria were labeled “empty reviews.” The complete Cochrane database included a total of 5,697 reviews, of which the COHG database included 142 reviews. Of these 142, 69 (48.6%) did not reach a conclusion, including 20 (14.1%) that were identified as empty reviews. Of the 122 non-empty reviews, 116 (95.1%) were based exclusively on RCTs. The median number of RCTs and patients included in the non-empty reviews were seven and 489, respectively. The median number of included RCTs and patients for reviews that reached conclusions were 12 and 934, respectively, and there were five RCTs and 211 patients for reviews without conclusions. Overall, the characteristics of the Cochrane oral health reviews (OH-CSRs) were similar to Cochrane reviews published in other disciplines (All-CSRs). The authors observed a significant difference in the median number of RCTs and patients included when reviews that reached conclusions were separated from those that did not. A greater proportion of empty reviews were present in OH-CSRs compared with All-CSRs. Turning the Cochrane reviews into a tool that is more relevant in clinical practice will require implementation of a methodology allowing inclusion of non-RCTs while controlling for possible bias.
Managing Officer Behavioural Risk Using Early Intervention Systems: Addressing System Design Challenges for Law Enforcement and Corrections Environments

The goal of EIS is to provide the opportunity to identify and intervene for officers that are showing signs of problematic behaviour or performance. In the project described here, we demonstrated expansion of the EIS concept to a corrections context.
The Soviet Legacy and State-Society Relations: the Case of Trade Unions

Trade union leaders make decisions on the goals and organization of their institution within the constraints of the system in which they exist. During the Soviet period, there were many constraints on the behavior of trade union leaders, including a prohibition on the establishment of competing representative institutions. However, as the Soviet Union began to change under Mikhail Gorbachev, these con- straints also began to change. Leaders had more options and more decision-making power, including, eventually, the option to choose to leave the official trade union. In this chapter, I will analyze the nature of Soviet trade unions and their responses to the changes imposed by the Gorbachev regime, which later became changes “from below” as well as “from above”.
Meditating Gunrunner Speaking, Part I: A Black Male Journey Teaching in South Korea

In this article, I offer my own decolonizing counterstory of teaching as a Black American man in a teacher education program in South Korea, to purport how I was both a colonizer and the colonized, inside and outside of the classroom and the curriculum (Asher, 2010; Baszile, 2008, 2009, 2010). To further complicate matters, my Black male body did not fit the Eurocentric manuscript of who teaches in South Korea, rendering me a problem (Du Bois, 1903/1969), and also placing a particular high value on Eurocentric epistemologies (Mignolo, 2011a). To decolonize my Black teaching experiences in South Korea, I rely on Baszile's (2010) critical race currere to perform a reading of my radical Black subjectivity in exile, while also tending to the public/private autobiographical racialization in an East Asian context. Thus, it leads me to raise the following questions: (1) What does it mean to teach while Black and male in South Korea? (2) How does one's Black man's story decolonize the narrative of who teaches abr...
Engine Control by Robust State Feedback

This chapter reviews linear multivariable theory and introduces polytopic system descriptions of plant variability. The chapter also presents various methods for MIMO state-feedback synthesis, such as: LQR, \({\mathcal{H}}_{2}\), \({\mathcal{H}}_{\infty }\) and mixed-objective optimization with regional pole placement constraints. A simplified \({\mathcal{H}}_{\infty }\) compensator synthesis method is presented for SISO systems. Matlab code and simulations using the CMAPSS nonlinear engine model are included.The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of robust, multivariable techniques that are directly applicable to the GTE control problem. As pointed out in Chap. 3, fixed controllers cannot be expected to preserve engine limits or to operate satisfactorily across the whole flight envelope, less so if the engine health parameters are subject to changes and unmodeled dynamics exist. However, various approaches to gain scheduling are based on a set of fixed controllers. It is therefore essential to discuss the salient features of robust multivariable control and provide practical design guidelines. The chapter assumes familiarity with the state-space pole-placement concept, at a minimum.Actual engines incorporate real-time sensing of fan and core speeds, which are the states of the dynamic model. This fact opens the doors to many techniques based on state measurement feedback, such as the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) and sliding mode control. Although most state feedback techniques admit observer-based extensions, the performance and robustness properties attained with measurement feedback are partially lost when a state estimator is introduced. A classical example of this effect is given by the performance and robustness losses associated with observer-based implementations of linear quadratic regulation. Loop transfer recovery techniques [29] aim to restore the lost performance and robustness properties. The chapter begins by introducing essential concepts such as singular values and signal and system norms and their computation using Matlab. Robustness and performance are then addressed using classical LQR theory. A characterization of the uncertain design plant, along with a corresponding formulation of the control objectives is then developed using the tools of \({\mathcal{H}}_{2}\) and \({\mathcal{H}}_{\infty }\) robust state feedback synthesis. A classical LQR controller and robust \(\mathcal{H}\)-norm based controllers are designed for the 40k-class engine, using W F, VSV, and VBV as actuators. The designs are then simulated in CMAPSS-40k.
Offline reinforcement learning with task hierarchies

In this work, we build upon the observation that offline reinforcement learning (RL) is synergistic with task hierarchies that decompose large Markov decision processes (MDPs). Task hierarchies can allow more efficient sample collection from large MDPs, while offline algorithms can learn better policies than the so-called “recursively optimal” or even hierarchically optimal policies learned by standard hierarchical RL algorithms. To enable this synergy, we study sample collection strategies for offline RL that are consistent with a provided task hierarchy while still providing good exploration of the state-action space. We show that naive extensions of uniform random sampling do not work well in this case and design a strategy that has provably good convergence properties. We also augment the initial set of samples using additional information from the task hierarchy, such as state abstraction. We use the augmented set of samples to learn a policy offline. Given a capable offline RL algorithm, this policy is then guaranteed to have a value greater than or equal to the value of the hierarchically optimal policy. We evaluate our approach on several domains and show that samples generated using a task hierarchy with a suitable strategy allow significantly more sample-efficient convergence than standard offline RL. Further, our approach also shows more sample-efficient convergence to policies with value greater than or equal to hierarchically optimal policies found through an online hierarchical RL approach.
The big, the bad, and the dangerous: public perceptions and terrorism

Does coordination affect threat perceptions? The attacks in Paris and Brussels in 2015 and 2016 received a significant amount of attention in the media. The attacks were transnational, fatal, and p...
Parenchymal Diseases of the Kidneys

Radiologic evaluation does not currently play a primary role in the definitive diagnosis of diseases of the kidney. Specific diagnosis is based upon clinical pattern, laboratory findings, and renal biopsy. Imaging techniques are ancillary procedures used to detect anatomy, assess function, and evaluate for complications or associated abnormalities. The combination of excellent anatomic delineation and information regarding functional status provided by urography, retrograde pyelography, nuclear medical examinations, ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography does not provide results distinctive enough to allow definitive diagnosis. There is significant overlap of findings on any given examination so that even the most specific pattern, i.e., the microaneurysms seen on renal angiograms in polyarteritis nodosa, is also seen in several other entities, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and intravenous drug abuse (Longstretch et al. 1974; Halpern 1971; Lignelli and Buchheti 1971).
Mass spectrometry in structural and stereochemical problems. XCIV. Steroidal delta-16-20-ketones and delta-9(11)-12-ketones.

Abstract Δ16 -20-Keto steroids exhibit a relatively simple and characteristic fragmentation pattern, which is characterized by the loss of the C-17 substituent. This a priori unfavorable fission of a vinylic bond is rationalized by invoking simultaneous migration of the C-18 angular, methyl group. The mass spectrometric behavior triggered by the Δ9(11)-12-keto chromophore was examined in the androstane and pregnane series and compared with that of a similarly substituted triterpene. Rationalizations for the principal peaks are given.
Evaluation of Immune Complexes and Detection of A Mr48,000 Protein in Candidiasis

Serum samples from 12 patients with systemic candidiasis were tested for the presence of elevated levels of circulating immune complexes (CIC) and evaluated for specific Candida antigens following isolation methods. Sera were screened for CIC using the Ortho Serum ELISA test for Clq-IgG. Of the 104 sera studied, 10 (representing 5 of 12 patients) demonstrated elevated levels of CIC. These non-specific immune complexes were then isolated and evaluated for the presence of specific Candida antigens. Our initial procedure included five steps: (1) enrichment of immune complexes with 5% PEG; (2) separation of immune complexes from monomeric IgG by gel filtration; (3) isolation of IgG-containing immune complexes by affinity chromatography on Protein A-Sepharose; (4) dissociation of antigen-antibody complexes with subtilisin A; and (5) characterization of antigens by fused rocket immunoelectrophoresis and immunoblotting. The ultimate protocol included immunoprecipitation with Staphylococcusy aureus Cowan I cells and characterization of antigens using the immunoblotting technique.
PEDIATRIC EPILEPSY | Cellular, Molecular and Behavioral Consequences of Early-Life Seizures

Early-life seizures may have an impact on the development of thousands of newborns and young children each year. Clinical epidemiological studies have shown that some seizures appear to be more benign while others have more serious consequences. Knowing what these effects are and how they impact the developing brain is invaluable and necessary information to aid in the development of new therapies directed at correcting the molecular and cellular changes that early-life seizures induce. These new therapies would be potentially more effective in protecting a child's developmental potential then any pharmacological intervention currently in clinical practice. Since the effects of seizures on the developing brain cannot be studied in children without a multitude of confounding factors, researchers have turned to studying animal, mostly rodent, models of epilepsy. The early developmental models have shown that the immature brain is less susceptible to structural damage from seizures than is the adult brain, but there remains many cellular and molecular changes that occur after prolonged or frequent recurrent early-life seizures. The complete cascade of events that occur after early-life seizures, however, has not been fully elucidated. These events have the potential to alter the child's developmental trajectory and/or lead to epilepsy later in life.
To the Editor: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Readers comment on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (May 2018) and on hypoparathyroidism (March 2018).
Systems of Biomineralization in the Fungi

Crystals of Ca-oxalate are produced on vegetative or reproductive structures by members of each non-flagellate fungal class — the Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, and Zygomycetes. These crystals originate within the hyphal wall, distorting the outer wall layers during subsequent crystal growth. Crystals commonly occur on the vegetative mycelium of leaf and wood-rotting Basidiomycetes, both on field-collected and on cultured material. In culture, crystals are typically produced only on the aerial mycelium, not on the substrate mycelium. This suggests that calcium is translocated from the substrate mycelium via the fungal protoplast to the aerial mycelium, where it is then precipitated with oxalic acid. Mucoralean Zygomycetes also produce mineralized deposits on their aerial sporangia and sporangiophores, again suggesting that calcium is transported from the substrate and immobilized on aerial portions of the fungal thallus. Further, in the zygomycete Gilbertella persicaria, the reduction of calcium levels by Ca-oxalate crystallization coincides with an increased rate of mycelial growth. Thus, relatively high levels of calcium in the media appear to inhibit the growth of Gilbertella persicaria. The precipitation of Ca-oxalate may serve as a way for fungi to regulate or reduce the calcium ion concentration in their microenvironment.
Synthesis of 5-Substituted Uracils, Uridines, and 2′-Deoxyuridine Analogues.

The uracils (I) are coupled with potassium thiocyanate (II) and the chloroformate (III) to give the thioureas (IV).
Multivariate Multi-step Deep Learning Time Series Approach in Forecasting Parkinson's Disease Future Severity Progression

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the dopamine neurons production in the middle part of the brain. It is also recognized as the second most common degenerative nerve disorder in the United States after Alzheimer's disease. About 1% of the world population which estimated 7 to 10 million people with an average age of 62 are PD sufferers. Every year, approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with PD, and the researchers believe this number will continue to grow. By providing a computational prognosis tool for PD, using patients' dataset containing clinical PD rating scale based on speech features could alleviate the PD progression. It can help a PD patient in monitoring the progress of unusual symptoms that they are currently facing based on previous and current recorded speech. This paper proposes a multi-step time series approach to forecasting the PD symptoms progression model using a deep neural network method, multichannel convolutional neural network (CNN). The experimental results show that our model could remarkably help in the forecasting of PD progression in the coming week/s.
THE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN HIP STRENGTH AND HIP KINEMATICS DURING A SINGLE LEG HOP IN RECREATIONAL ATHLETES POST ACL RECONSTRUCTION COMPARED TO HEALTHY CONTROLS.

BACKGROUND Only a small amount of evidence exists linking hip abductor weakness to dynamic knee valgus during static and dynamic activities. The associations of hip extensor strength and hip kinematics during the landing of a single leg hop are not known. Purpose: To determine if relationships exist between hip extensor and abductor strength and hip kinematics in both involved and uninvolved limb during the landing phase of a single leg hop in recreational athletes post anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The presence of similar associations was also evaluated in healthy recreational athletes. STUDY DESIGN Controlled Laboratory Study; Cross-sectional. METHODS Twenty-four recreational college-aged athletes participated in the study (12 post ACL reconstruction; 12 healthy controls). Sagittal and frontal plane hip kinematic data were collected for five trials during the landing of a single leg hop. Hip extensor and abductor isometric force production was measured using a hand-held dynamometer and normalized to participants' height and weight. Dependent and independent t-tests were used to analyze for any potential differences in hip strength or kinematics within and between groups, respectively. Pearson's r was used to demonstrate potential associations between hip strength and hip kinematics for both limbs in the ACL group and the right limb in the healthy control group. RESULTS Independent t-tests revealed that participants post ACL reconstruction exhibited less hip extensor strength (0.18 N/Ht*BW vs. 0.25 N/Ht*BW, p=<.01) and landed with greater hip adduction (9.0 o vs. 0.8 o, p=<.01) compared with their healthy counterparts. In the ACL group, Pearson's r demonstrated a moderate and indirect relationship (r=-.62, p=.03) between hip extensor strength and maximum hip abduction/adduction angle in the involved limb. A moderate and direct relationship between hip abductor strength and maximum hip flexion angle was demonstrated in the both the involved (r=.62) and uninvolved limb (r=.65, p=.02). No significant associations were demonstrated between hip extensor or abductor strength and hip flexion and/or abduction/adduction angles in the healthy group. CONCLUSION The results suggest that hip extensors may play a role in minimizing hip adduction in the involved limb while the hip abductors seem to play a role in facilitating hip flexion during the landing phase of a single leg hop for both limbs following ACL reconstruction. Researchers and clinicians alike should consider the importance of the hip extensors in playing a more prominent role in contributing to frontal plane motion. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE Level 2a.
Fun in 2+1

To celebrate Roman Jackiw's 80th birthday, herewith some comments on gravity and gauge theory models in D=3, the chief focus of many of our joint efforts.
Source-free Machine-checked Validation of Native Code in Coq

Picinae is an infrastructure for machine-proving properties of raw native code programs without sources within the Coq program-proof co-development system. This facilitates formal reasoning about binary code that is inexpressible in source languages or for which no source code exists, such as hand-written assembly code or code resulting from binary transformations (e.g., binary hardening or debloating algorithms). Preliminary results validating some highly optimized, low-level subroutines for Intel and ARM architectures using this new framework are presented and discussed.
First-in-Human Experience With Peritoneal Direct Sodium Removal Using a Zero-Sodium Solution: A New Candidate Therapy for Volume Overload.

Background: Loop diuretics have well-described toxicities, and loss of response to these agents is common. Alternative strategies are needed for the maintenance of euvolemia in heart failure (HF). ...
Filtering Variables for Supervised Sparse Network Analysis

Motivation: We present a method for dimension reduction designed to filter variables or features such as genes considered to be irrelevant for a downstream analysis designed to detect supervised gene networks in sparse settings. This approach can improve interpret-ability for a variety of analysis methods. We present a method to filter genes and transcripts prior to network analysis. This method has applications in a setting where the downstream analysis may include sparse canonical correlation analysis. Results: Filtering methods specifically for cluster and network analysis are introduced and compared by simulating modular networks with known statistical properties. Our proposed method performs favorably eliminating irrelevant features but maintaining important biological signal under a variety of different signal settings. We show that the speed and accuracy of methods such as sparse canonical correlation are increased after filtering, thus greatly improving the scalability of these approaches. Availability: Code for performing the gene filtering algorithm described in this manuscript may be accessed through the geneFiltering R package available on Github at https://github.com/lorinmil/geneFiltering. Functions are available to filter genes and perform simulations of a network system. For access to the data used in this manuscript, contact corresponding author.
Differential Reactions to Male and Female Gender-Role Violations: Testing the Sexual Orientation Hypothesis

Previous research has found that gender-atypical males are evaluated more negatively than gender-atypical females. According to the sexual orientation hypothesis, this asymmetry in evaluations occurs because the feminine characteristics taken on by males when they violate gender roles are more closely tied to perceived sexual orientation than are the masculine characteristics of gender-atypical females. The current series of studies were designed to confirm the existence and generality of the asymmetry phenomenon (Study 1), the preconditions for testing the sexual orientation hypothesis (Study 2), and then to test the hypothesis itself (Study 3). Study 1 found that, as predicted, adults (N = 195, females = 97) displayed more intolerance of males than of females committing gender-role violations across a wide variety of characteristics within multiple domains, although the existence of asymmetry varied somewhat depending on the domain. Study 2 revealed that, as predicted, adults (N = 196, females = 117) believed that gender-role violations indicate homosexuality more so for males than for females overall and across all four domains studied (occupation, activity, trait, and appearance). Study 3 directly tested the sexual orientation hypotheses by examining the relationship between intolerance of specific gender-role violations (scores from Study 1) and the perceived homosexuality associated with those violations (scores from Study 2). Overall, there was a positive relationship between intolerance and perceived homosexuality, indicating that the more a given gender-role violation is thought to implicate homosexuality, the more negatively/less positively people tend to react to the violation, consistent with the sexual orientation hypothesis.
Squeegee: de-novo identification of reagent and laboratory induced microbial contaminants in low biomass microbiomes

ABSTRACT Computational analysis of host-associated microbiomes has opened the door to numerous discoveries relevant to human health and disease. However, contaminant sequences in metagenomic samples can potentially impact the interpretation of findings reported in microbiome studies, especially in low biomass environments. Our hypothesis is that contamination from DNA extraction kits or sampling lab environments will leave taxonomic “bread crumbs” across multiple distinct sample types, allowing for the detection of microbial contaminants when negative controls are unavailable. To test this hypothesis we implemented Squeegee, a de novo contamination detection tool. We tested Squeegee on simulated and real low biomass metagenomic datasets. On the low biomass samples, we compared Squeegee predictions to experimental negative control data and show that Squeegee accurately recovers known contaminants. We also analyzed 749 metagenomic datasets from the Human Microbiome Project and identified likely previously unreported kit contamination. Collectively, our results highlight that Squeegee can identify microbial contaminants with high precision. Squeegee is open-source and available at: https://gitlab.com/treangenlab/squeegee
Unorthodox Lawmaking and Legislative Complexity in American Statutory Interpretation

The traditional legislative process is dead in the U.S. Statutes are increasingly long and complex omnibus efforts rushed through at the end of congressional sessions. Yet American statutory interpretation remains largely unchanged, with judges generally uninterested in the realities of the legislative process, despite claiming our dominant interpretive approach reflects Congress or is in conversation with it. Omnibus statutes pose challenges for judges who read statutes with assumptions of linguistic perfection and consistency—as American judges do—and the truncated legislative process results in more gaps and mistakes, problems that lack coherent doctrinal approaches in our courts. And American judges have never been willing to strike down federal statutes for lack of deliberation or process, preferring instead indirect nudges toward more “due process in lawmaking.” This chapter documents the rise of unorthodox modern lawmaking in the U.S., including omnibus lawmaking, and details its causes, costs and benefits. These developments are not unmitigated negatives; they are adaptations to the changing complexities of the American political system. It has been 50 years since the last congressional reorganization and another revolution may be coming. There is a burgeoning legal movement among scholars and some American jurists, including several Supreme Court justices, to bring understanding of the legislative process, and how it has changed, into our theories and doctrines of statutory interpretation.
Evidence for continued dose escalation of plerixafor for hematopoietic progenitor cell collections in sickle cell disease

We present data from our study of plerixafor mobilization (NCT02193191) relevant to the question of whether further dose escalation of plerixafor can address inconsistent adequacy of CD34+ mobilization for gene therapy of sickle cell disease (SCD). We found that, in the same patient, higher plerixafor dosing was associated with higher fold increases in PB CD34+ count, but not necessarily higher absolute CD34+ counts. Variation in pre-apheresis absolute CD34+ counts was related to intra-individual variation in baseline PB CD34+ counts and inter-individual variation in responsiveness to plerixafor. Overall, our results support further studies of continued dose escalation of plerixafor for autologous HPC collection in SCD.
Maximizing the return on investment in Early Childhood Home Visiting through enhanced eligibility screening.

Abstract Background The MIECHV (Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting) program invests substantial federal resources to prevent child maltreatment and emergency medical costs. Eligibility is based on screening of demographic or clinical risk factors, but because screening accuracy in predicting poor outcomes is unknown, assignment to home-visiting might miss high-risk families or waste resources on low-risk families. Objectives To guide eligibility decisions, this study tested accuracy of demographic and clinical screening in predicting child maltreatment and emergency medical care. Participants and setting A population-representative sample of 201 birthing mothers (39.8% Black, 33.8% Latina) in Durham, NC, was enrolled between July 2009, and December 2010, and followed through December 2015. Methods Participants were screened demographically (i.e., Medicaid, first-born, teenage, no high school diploma) and clinically (i.e., health/health care, parenting readiness, home safety, and parent mental health) at birth and followed through age 60 months, when Child Protective Services and hospital records were reviewed. Cox hazard models tested accuracy of prediction from screening variables. Results Demographic factors did not significantly predict outcomes, except having Medicaid/uninsured predicted more emergency medical care and being first-born was a (surprising) protective factor against a child maltreatment investigation. In contrast, clinical factors strongly predicted both maltreatment investigations (Hazard Ratio = 4.01 [95% CI = 1.97, 8.15], sensitivity = 0.70, specificity = 0.64, accuracy = 0.65) and emergency medical care (Hazard Ratio = 2.14 [95% CI = 1.03, 2.14], sensitivity = 0.50, specificity = 0.69, accuracy = 0.58). Conclusions Even with added costs for clinical screening, selecting families for home visiting based on assessed clinical risk will improve accuracy and may yield a higher return on investment. The authors recommend a universal system of screening and care to support birthing families.
Seeing Inside the Black Box: Using Diffusion Index Methodology to Construct Factor Proxies in Largescale Macroeconomic Time Series Environments

In economics, common factors are often assumed to underlie the co-movements of a set of macroeconomic variables. For this reason, many authors have used estimated factors in the construction of prediction models. In this paper, we begin by surveying the extant literature on diffusion indexes. We then outline a number of approaches to the construction of factor proxies using the statistics developed in Bai and Ng (2006a,b). Our approach to factor proxy selection is examined via a small Monte Carlo experiment, where good size and power properties are reported, and via a large set of prediction experiments using the panel dataset of Stock and Watson (2005). One of our main findings is that our smoothed approaches to factor proxy selection appear to yield predictions that are often superior not only to a benchmark factor model, but also to simple linear time series models which are generally difficult to beat in forecasting competitions. In some sense, by using our approaches to predictive factor proxy selection, one is able to open up the black box often associated with factor analysis, and to identify actual variables that can serve as primitive building blocks for (prediction) models of a host of macroeconomic variables. Our findings suggest that important observable variables include: various SP a 1-year bond rate; various housing activity variables; industrial production; and an exchange rate variable.
Human Factors in Equipment Development for the Space Shuttle: A Study of the General Purpose Work Station:

The results of a human factors test to assay the suitability of a prototype general purpose work station (GPWS) for biosciences experiments on the fourth Spacelab mission are reported. The evaluation was performed to verify that users of the GPWS would optimally interact with the GPWS configuration and instrumentation. Six male subjects sat on stools positioned to allow assimilation of the zero-g body posture. Trials were run concerning the operator viewing angles facing the console, the console color, procedures for injecting rates with dye, a rat blood cell count, mouse dissection, squirrel monkey transfer, and plant fixation. The trials were run for several days in order to gage improvement or poor performance conditions. Better access to the work surface was found necessary, together with more distinct and better located LEDs, better access window latches, clearer sequences on control buttons, color-coded sequential buttons, and provisions made for an intercom system when operators of the GPWS work in tandem.
Boreal and Temperate Forests

The Earth's latitudinal gradient of forests encompasses boreal to temperate deciduous to temperate evergreen forests (as well as tropical forests). In addition, there are several variants of the temperate evergreen forest and there are montane forests at high elevations. Boreal and temperate forests differ in environment, structure, composition and disturbance. Keywords: forests; boreal forest; temperate forests; biomes; vegetation
Proton-ionizable crown compounds

Abstract Alkali cation transport is studied using proton-ionizable macrocycle carriers of the 4-hydroxypyridine and pyridone types in a bulk H 2 OCH 2 Cl 2 H 2 O liquid membrane system as a function of source and receiving phase pH. A pyridone crown-6 type macrocycle containing an octyl substituent (3) transports Li + , Na + , K + , Rb + and Cs + from MOH solutions by a proton-coupled mechanism in which no co-anion is transported. In these cases, alkali cation transport increases exponentially with increasing source phase pH above pH 12. Generally, alkali cation transport at source phase pH 14 is higher when nitric acid is present (receiving pH = 1.5) than when it is absent. In competitive transport experiments with macrocycle 3 involving K + ) and one other alkali cation M + , K + is transported selectively over M + by 4.6 (Na + ), 2.7 (Rb + ) and 6.3 (Cs + ) fold when the source and receiving phase pH values are 14 and 7, respectively.