cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring compiler optimizations for enhancing power gating

Power gating is a circuit level technique for reducing standby leakage in a circuit block by cutting off paths in it between the supply and the ground. A processor architecture that supports power gating of its resources may provide instructions that activate and deactivate those resources as part of the instruction set architecture level. Adequate compiler support is then required so that the power gating instructions can be inserted into the code to deactivate the resources that remain idle for long periods of time during program execution. However, the resource usage in a program depends on the code generated by the compiler. Thus, the code transformations performed by the compiler has an influence on the power gating opportunities of the processor resources. In this work, we explore target independent compiler optimizations that modify the functional unit usage in the loops of a procedure to enhance the opportunities to deactivate functional units in an embedded processor architecture. The optimizations performed on the code are sparse conditional constant propagation, lazy code motion, weak strength reduction, and operator strength reduction. Insertion of power gating instructions is performed by inspecting the idleness of the units in the regions enclosed within loops. We model the processor architecture with power gating support around an ARM core and use the SUIF framework for compiler support. Finally, we use the Simplescalar-ARM distribution to perform power and performance evaluation with a set of benchmarks from MiBench and MediaBench suites. Experimental results indicate that the integer multiplier in the processor core can be power gated for upto 99% of its idle cycles, for integer benchmarks, and upto 93%, for floating point benchmarks, when all the optimizations are performed. Moreover, the energy due to leakage in the functional units for the code with all the optimizations performed can be upto 51% lower, for integer benchmarks, and upto 21% lower, for floating point benchmarks, than that for the unoptimized code.
HCN2 overexpression in newborn and adult ventricular myocytes: distinct effects on gating and excitability.

Ventricular pacemaker current (I(f)) shows distinct voltage dependence as a function of age, activating outside the physiological range in normal adult ventricle, but less negatively in neonatal ventricle. However, heterologously expressed HCN2 and HCN4, the putative molecular correlates of ventricular I(f), exhibit only a modest difference in activation voltage. We therefore prepared an adenoviral construct (AdHCN2) of HCN2, the dominant ventricular isoform at either age, and used it to infect neonatal and adult rat ventricular myocytes to investigate the role of maturation on current gating. The expressed current exhibited an 18-mV difference in activation (V(1/2) -95.9+/-1.9 in adult; -77.6+/-1.6 mV in neonate), comparable to the 22-mV difference between native I(f) in adult and neonatal cultures (V(1/2) -98.7 versus -77.0 mV). This did not result from developmental differences in basal cAMP, because saturating cAMP in the pipette caused an equivalent positive shift in both preparations. In the neonate, AdHCN2 caused a significant increase in spontaneous rate compared with control (88+/-5 versus 48+/-4 bpm). In adult, where HCN2 activates more negatively, the effect was evident only during anodal excitation, requiring significantly less stimulus energy than control (2149+/-266 versus 3140+/-279 mV. ms). Thus, ventricular maturational state influences the voltage dependence of expressed HCN2, resulting in distinct physiological impact of expressed channels in neonate and adult myocytes. The full text of this article is available at http://www.circresaha.org.
Activity measures for fast relative power estimation directed numerical transformation for low power DSP synthesis

In this paper, we propose a method for optimizing digital signal processing (DSP) systems for both power and circuit area. The optimization involves application of numerical transformations to the matrices of a linear system. A greedy search algorithm is used, along with fast and efficient activity estimator to synthesize low power systems. The method is applicable to bit-serial, nibble-serial as well as fully word-parallel architectures. In this paper we focus primarily on bit-serial architectures and show that up to 35 percent savings in power and hardware may be obtained.
An action for black hole membranes

The membrane paradigm is the remarkable view that, to an external observer, a black hole appears to behave exactly like a dynamical fluid membrane, obeying such pre-relativistic equations as Ohm's law and the Navier-Stokes equation. It has traditionally been derived by manipulating the equations of motion. Here we provide an action formulation of this picture, clarifying what underlies the paradigm and simplifying the derivations. Within this framework, we derive previous membrane results, and extend them to dyonic black hole solutions. We discuss how it is that an action can produce dissipative equations. Using a Euclidean path integral, we show that familiar semi-classical thermodynamic properties of black holes also emerge from the membrane action. Finally, in a Hamiltonian description, we establish the validity of a minimum entropy production principle for black holes.
Defining Adults with Disabilities

As students in special education, rehabilitation counseling, human services, or health administration you will be faced with many issues regarding adults with disabilities. In this chapter, we describe this population and some of the diagnostic groups that have a high likelihood of being disabled in adult life. It is important to note that the authors are defining disability broadly as having its origins in a person’s early years. Thus, such disabilities that are attributable to the aging process, trauma in later years, substance dependence, and mental illness with onset in adult years are not included in the scope of this book.
Why Choose a Credit Union? Determinants of Credit Union Deposits

This study examines the impact of credit union risk characteristics and macroeconomic events on deposits. Looking at a sample of credit unions from 2004-2008 we find that credit union depositors do not consistently punish credit union by deposit withdrawal for risky behavior. Furthermore, we find that credit union deposits increase in times of economic uncertainty. This indicates that there is a group of people that consider credit unions a safe haven during an economic crisis, which sheds a whole new light on the importance of these financial institutions.
Red cell agglutination in infectious mononucleosis

![Figure][1] A 16-year-old boy presented with 2 weeks of fevers, night sweats, fatigue, and myalgia, in addition to an erythematous rash on the trunk and extremities after new findings of hepatosplenomegaly and inguinal lymphadenopathy. Monospot test was positive, confirming the diagnosis of
Effect of God Liver Oil and Rancidity on Certain Vitamin E Deficiency Symptoms.

SummaryThe exudative diathesis, characteristic of vitamin E deficiency in chicks, readily occurs with diets containing 5% of fresh cod liver oil, slightly rancid cod liver oil, or a mixture of fresh and completely rancid cod liver oil; and to a lesser extent by similar proportions of lard or fatty acids from linseed oil. On the other hand, the symptoms do not occur if the diet contains a similar proportion of oleic acid or thoroughly rancid cod liver oil, or if the diet is rigidly freed of fats. These observations indicate that the appearance of symptoms of increased capillary permeability is dependent upon the presence of highly unsaturated fatty acids in the vitamin E deficient diet, and that rancidity of the dietary fat does not contribute to the development of the symptoms.
On the place of reality in social work and psychoanalytic theory

This article reviews the theoretical concepts involving reality as these were used in orthodox psychoanalytic theory and concludes that purely empiricist thinking of the type common in Freud's time has contributed to problems experienced within the social work profession. It proposes the consideration of a view of meaningful reality as constructed through interpersonal transactions based on the model of the transitional object. This model may hold promise for better understanding of the relationship between the person and the situation, of some aspects of the treatment relationship, and ways in which to measure treatment effectiveness.
UNCERTAINTY ANALYSIS OF THE LIQUID CRYSTAL COATING SHEAR VECTOR MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE

Recently, a new methodology was demonstrated for measuring full-surface shear stress vector distributions over planar surfaces using liquid crystal coatings and color imaging technology. Under specific lighting and viewing conditions, the colorchange response of the coating to an applied shear field varies as a function of in-plane view angle and is maximum when viewed in the local shear-vector direction. The measured shear-vector field is derived from an analysis of a set of images recorded from different in-plane view angles encompassing all expected shear-vector orientations. The resolution and accuracy of this technique depend on a variety of parameters, including the ability to measure color, and the dependence of the analysis method on the angular spacing between images. As with any new experimental technique, it is necessary to identify and quantify the sources of measurement uncertainty and their influence on the derived results. An uncertainty analysis of the imaging system used in this work is presented. The uncertainty of the derived results is difficult to quantify without a priori knowledge of the shear field under investigation. In particular, the influence of the number and spacing of images, and of flow-induced noise, on the image analysis procedure need to be quantified. Such effects are examined through the analysis of numerically simulated data.
Making Student Thinking Visible through a Concept Map in Computer-Based Assessment of Critical Thinking.

Major educational initiatives in the world place great emphasis on fostering rich computer-based environments of assessment that make student thinking and reasoning visible. Using thinking tools en...
Analysis of male population on Third National Retrospect Spot-check of Death-caution in Sichuan

Objective To understand the health status of male population and the health related factors to provide the evidence for effective intervention.Methods To adopt the unified questionnaire to collect the data,to classify the death-cause according with ICD-10,to analyze the data by spss 13.0,and to calculate the two years’ average life expectancy by using brief life table method.Results The two years’ average mortality rate of male residents was 6.83‰,with the top five death-cause including chronic diseases of lower respiratory tract,cerebrovascular disease,liver cancer,gastric cancer and lung cancer,and the two years’ average life expectancy was 76.46.Conclusion The following suggestions will plag an important and active role to reduce the incidence and death rate from illnesses,and achieve the human’s good health and longevity,namely to change unhealthy life behaviors,strengthen the control and prevention of chronic diseases,enlarge health education efforts and so on.
353 EFFECT OF CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE ON ARGINOSUCCINATE SYNTHASE AND ARGINASE I AND II EXPRESSION IN THE LIVER AND REMNANT KIDNEY.

Apart from serving as a structural constituent of numerous proteins, l-arginine plays a central role in elimination of nitrogenous waste products via the urea cycle. In addition, as the precursor in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), l-arginine participates in a wide array of biological functions including regulation of arterial pressure, tissue perfusion, renal/cardiovascular function/structure, neurological function, innate immunity, hemostasis, and numerous other functions. The l-arginine pool in the body is derived from the diet and endogenous biosynthesis. l-Arginine is synthesized from l-citrulline by the coordinated actions of arginosuccinate synthase and arginosuccinate lyase in both liver and the kidney. It is converted to urea and ornithine by arginase I in the liver and by arginase II in the kidney. Under normal conditions, all available l-arginine in the liver enters the urea cycle and, as such, the liver does not appreciably contribute to the circulating pool of this amino acid. Instead, much of the circulating l-arginine is thought to be the product of its biosynthesis by the kidney. If true, severe reduction of nephron mass in chronic renal failure (CRF) should result in marked reduction of the circulating l-arginine level. However, according to several clinical and animal studies, plasma l-arginine level is frequently unchanged or only minimally reduced in CRF. In an attempt to gain insight into l-arginine metabolism in CRF, we quantified immunodetectable arginosuccinate synthase (the rate-limiting step in l-arginine synthesis) and arginase I and II isoforms in the liver and kidneys of rats 6 weeks after 5/6 nephrectomy or sham operation. The CRF animals exhibited proteinuria and significant reductions of glomerular filtration rate and body weight. However, no difference was observed in the liver arginosuccinate synthase or arginase I protein concentrations among the CRF and control animals. Likewise, concentrations of immunodetectable arginase II and arginosuccinate synthase in the kidney were similar among the CRF and control groups. However, due to marked reduction of nephron mass, the total l-arginine biosynthetic capacity must be substantially reduced in the CRF compared to the control animals. Thus, the mechanisms responsible for maintenance of plasma l-arginine level despite diminished renal biosynthetic capacity must involve other pathways. It is of note that CRF results in down-regulation of NO synthase isoforms (which use l-arginine as substrate) and significant reduction of protein synthesis—hence amino acid incorporation as evidence by weight loss in the CRF animals. These events may, in part, contribute to the reduction of l-arginine consumption, which can, in turn, preserve circulating l-arginine concentration despite its diminished renal biosynthesis.
Some Properties of Superconductors below 1°K. I. Titanium

Magnetic measurements on titanium metal of purity 99.95 percent have been carried out down to 0.3\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The titanium was found to be superconductive with a transition temperature of 0.53\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Measurements of the magnetic threshold curve were made for which the initial slope was found to be 470 gauss per degree.
Resistance change of house flies and control strategies in Jiangsu province

Objective The resistances of house flies could be controlled by the way of integrated management and the changed or mixed application of insecticide.Methods Topical application. Results According to the data of resistance of flies from 1982 to 2006,the LD50 of DDVP,permethrin,delamethiin,cypermethrin were 0.004 7～0.214 3,0.008 8～0.052 7,0.001 1～0.028 8,0.007 7～0.066 7 μg/g respectively. Conclusion The resistance of flies should be controlled by integrated management,reduction of insecticides using and resistances monitor.
Carbapenems and penems

Carbapenems and penems are a unique class of antibiotics. These agents have a broad spectrum of activity, with activity against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, often including bacteria possessing multiple resistant factors.
The Role of Posterior Lumbotomy in the Management of Surgical Stone Disease

AbstractA total of 50 consecutive patients underwent posterior lumbotomy for removal of upper third ureteral or renal pelvic stones between June 1983 and October 1986. Morbidity was low, hospitalization was brief and 100 per cent of the patients were rendered free of stones postoperatively. Dorsal lumbotomy compares favorably with other currently available methods for the management of selected patients with calculous disease.
300 GHz path loss measurements on a computer motherboard

This paper presents the 300 GHz path loss measurements on a computer motherboard. In the measurement campaign, three different scenarios have been considered: a line-of-sight (LoS) scenario in the presence of a large ground plane (i.e. motherboard), a LoS scenario where the transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) have different heights such as a link between the processor and memory, and an obstructed LoS scenario where the EM waves are guided from the Tx to the Rx through the metal parallel-plate structures such as Dual In-line Memory Modules (DIMM's) on the motherboard. The results show that in the presence of the motherboard, LoS path can be positively or negatively interfered by the reflections from the ground plane. The outcome strongly depends on the antenna position with respect to the motherboard. Furthermore, it is found that if the Tx and Rx antennas are not on the same height, the height difference of less than a centimeter between antennas is tolerable. However, the height difference of several centimeters, as found in links between the processor and memory would suffer from significant path loss. Finally, it was found that the chip-to-chip link that is obstructed by a parallel metal plates can experience both path loss higher or lower than free space path loss, depending on the spacing between metal plates. All these results indicate that optimal communications can be achieved by carefully positioning the antennas with respect to the motherboard layout.
Quality Assurance of Brokered Services

Case management programs that contract for client services act, in effect, as brokers of these services. Senior Care Network (SCN), a hospital-based, comprehensive, long term care program that includes a case management component, developed a quality assurance (QA) program to ensure the quality of its brokered services. At SCN, quality is controlled through a rigorous, systematic vendor selection process for service vendors and through vendor performance monitoring. Specific monitoring methods include incident reporting, quarterly meetings with vendors, client home visits, site visits to vendor offices, and annual vendor performance evaluations. Extensive external review requirements may eventually be added to the QA program to make it even more comprehensive.
Atrazine in public water supplies and risk of ovarian cancer among postmenopausal women in the Iowa Women's Health Study

Background Few studies have evaluated environmental chemical exposures in relation to ovarian cancer. We previously found an increased risk of ovarian cancer among postmenopausal women in Iowa associated with higher nitrate levels in public water supplies (PWS). However, elevated nitrate levels may reflect the presence of other agricultural chemicals, such as atrazine, one of the most commonly detected pesticides in Iowa PWS. Methods We evaluated the association between atrazine in drinking water and incident ovarian cancer (N=145, 1986–2010) among 13 041 postmenopausal women in the Iowa Women9s Health Study who used their PWS for ≥11 years as reported in 1989. Average levels of atrazine (1986–1987), nitrate-nitrogen (NO 3 -N, 1955–1988) and estimated levels of total trihalomethanes (TTHM, 1955–1988) from PWS monitoring data were linked to the participants9 cities of residence. We computed HRs and 95% CIs by categories of the average atrazine level (not detected, ≤ or >0.37 parts per billion=median) using Cox proportional hazards regression adjusting for ovarian cancer risk factors. Results Atrazine was detected in water samples from 69 cities where 4155 women (32%) lived and levels were moderately correlated with NO 3 -N (ρ=0.35) and TTHM (ρ=0.24). Atrazine levels were not associated with ovarian cancer risk with or without adjusting for NO 3 -N and TTHM levels (p-trend=0.50 and 0.81, respectively). Further, there was no evidence for effect modification of the atrazine association by NO 3 -N or TTHM levels. Conclusions In our study with low atrazine detection rates, we found no association between atrazine in PWS and postmenopausal ovarian cancer risk.
Fragrance material review on linalyl benzoate.

A toxicologic and dermatologic review of linalyl benzoate when used as a fragrance ingredient is presented.
Journal of Global Optimization Best Paper Award for 2015

Journal of Global Optimization Best Paper Award for 2015 Authors: Andrei Patrascu and Ion Necoara Title: Efficient random coordinate descent algorithms for large-scale structured nonconvex optimization In this paper we analyze several new methods for solving nonconvex optimization problems with the objective function consisting of a sum of two terms: one is nonconvex and smooth, and another is convex but simple and its structure is known. Further, we consider both cases: unconstrained and linearly constrained nonconvex problems. For optimization problems of the above structure, we propose random coordinate descent algorithms and analyze their convergence properties. For the general case, when the objective function is nonconvex and composite we prove asymptotic convergence for the sequences generated by our algorithms to stationary points and sublinear rate of convergence in expectation for some optimality measure. Additionally, if the objective function satisfies an error bound condition we derive a local linear rate of convergence for the expected values of the objective function. We also present extensive numerical experiments for evaluating the performance of our algorithms in comparison with state-of-the-art methods.
Remote Cardiac Activity Monitoring Using Multi-Hop Wireless Sensor Networks

Pervasive human monitoring of various biological parameters is a growing field of interest. The focus of this research is to provide a step forward towards pervasive health monitoring. We describe a system to remotely monitor data from a patient's electrocardiogram (ECG). The data is transferred to a central monitoring station via a wireless sensor network for display. Crossbow MICAz motes are used as the network nodes. One of the nodes is interfaced with a commercial 3-lead ECG module and others are used to route the data through the network. A graphical user interface is designed for monitoring the cardiac rhythm. The primary objective of this experiment is to wirelessly transmit streaming ECG data in real-time with high reliability and minimal packet loss. Test results indicate a high reception ratio while transmitting ECG data over multiple hops.
Black Protest on the Streets: Visual Activism and the Aesthetic Politics of Black Lives Matter

In this article I am reading the visual protest practices of the Black Lives Matter movement as aesthetic and artistic actions which redistribute the sensible, presenting the legacy of slavery and the consciousness of being in the wake. By looking at representations of the movement in press photographs, I am trying to establish the movement’s iconography of protest and the visual strategies employed therein.
Breast cancer risk prediction: an update to the Rosner–Colditz breast cancer incidence model

To update and expand the Rosner–Colditz breast cancer incidence model by evaluating the contributions of more recently identified risk factors as well as predicted percent mammographic density (MD) to breast cancer risk. Using data from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and NHSII, we added adolescent somatotype (9 unit scale), vegetable intake (servings/day), breastfeeding (months), physical activity (MET-h/week), and predicted percent MD to the Rosner–Colditz model to determine whether these variables improved model discrimination. We evaluated all invasive as well as ER+/PR+, ER+/PR−, and ER−/PR− breast cancer. In the NHS/NHSII, we accrued over 5200 cases of invasive breast cancer over more than 20 years of follow-up with complete data on the risk factors. Adolescent somatotype and predicted percent MD significantly improved the original Rosner–Colditz model for all invasive breast cancer (change in age-adjusted AUC = 0.020, p < 0.001). The relative risk (RR) of invasive breast cancer for a 4-unit increase in adolescent somatotype was 0.62 (95% CI 0.56, 0.70), whereas the RR for a 20-unit increase in predicted percent MD was 1.32 (95% CI 1.28, 1.36). Adolescent somatotype and predicted percent MD also significantly improved the ER+/PR+model (change in age-adjusted AUC = 0.020, p < 0.001) as well as the ER+/PR− model (change in age-adjusted AUC = 0.012, p = 0.007). Adolescent somatotype, predicted percent MD, breastfeeding, and vegetable intake improved the ER−/PR− model (change in AUC = 0.031, p < 0.0001). The RR of ER−/PR− disease for 5 vegetable servings/day increase was 0.83 (95% CI 0.70, 0.99), while the RR for every 12 months of breastfeeding was 0.88 (95% CI 0.77, 1.01). Physical activity did not improve risk classification in any model. Adolescent somatotype and predicted percent MD significantly improved breast cancer risk classification using the Rosner–Colditz model. Further, risk factors specific to ER− disease, such as breastfeeding and vegetable intake, may also help improve risk prediction of this aggressive subtype.
Transformative (h)activism: Breast cancer awareness and the "World of Warcraft" Running of the Gnomes

Players of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft ( WoW ) are accustomed to a transformative culture that appropriates off-line events and personas into virtual-world representations inside of the game. Following this culture, players have transformed an off-line event—the Race for the Cure, to benefit breast cancer charities—into an online event called the Running of the Gnomes with parameters and participation properties appropriate for the virtual world. This transformative event is a disruptive form of civil disobedience including elements of hacktivism. Though the event conforms to the game's culture and rules, the mass collective action of the Running of the Gnomes disrupts the player experience by flooding the game's chat boxes with messages about an off-line concern (breast cancer) and also disrupts the game itself by crashing the server through the sheer volume of player participation. This disruption is embraced as an integral part of the event and is one of the primary causes for the event's success as a fundraising activity.
iSight: computer vision based system to assist low vision

iSight is a mobile application to assist low vision people with the everyday task of sight. Specifically, the goal of the system is using 2D computer vision to refocus and visualize specific objects recognized in the image in an Augmented Reality scheme. This paper discusses the development of the application that uses a deep learning TensorFlow module to perform recognition of objects in the scene the user is looking at and consequently directs the formation of an augmented reality scene which is presented to the user to enhance their visual understanding. Both indoor and outdoor environments are tested and results are given. The success and challenges faced by iSight are presented along with future avenues of work.
Machine Learning Techniques in Optimal Design

Many important application problems can be formalized as constrained non-linear optimization tasks. However, numerical methods for solving such problems are brittle and do not scale well. This paper describes a novel framework for numerical optimization in engineering design that augments the traditional run-time optimization by a three step compilation. First, symbolic learning methods are used to partition the task into sub-problems that can be solved more efficiently. This also produces specialized versions of the optimization tasks that are faster to evaluate than the original. Second, each sub-problem is further simplified by using inductive discovery techniques to reduce the number of independent variables. This introduces a further speedup in the optimization process of the individual functions. Third, a novel ID3-like inductive learning algorithms is used to derive selection rules that associate problem instances to sets of candidate solutions. At run time, the problem solver uses these rules to map the problem instance into a set of efficient numerical gradient-diirected optimizations that can be performed in parallel. In the domain of 2-dimensional structural design, this procedure yields a 95% speedup over traditional optimization methods and decreases the dependence of the numerical methods on having a good starting point.
Prevention and Management of Medical Complications of the Hospitalized Elderly Stroke Patient

Medical complications may account for 30% or more of the deaths resulting from acute ischemic stroke in the elderly. In descending order of frequency, the most deadly complications are bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, and sepsis without pneumonia (often in the setting of a urinary tract infection or a necrotic decubitus). Normal aging is associated with declining pulmonary and cardiovascular functions as well as declining immunocompetence and physical barriers to infection. The neurological effects of acute ischemic brain injury compound these susceptibilities. Accordingly, a high degree of vigilance is emphasized in the diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines provided for care of the lungs, the heart, the urinary tract, and the skin. Guidelines are also provided for management of blood pressure during the first hours and days following stroke onset. Treatment should be withheld unless specific medical indications are identified. When antihypertensive agents are administered, the appropriate dose may be lower than usually recommended (e.g. labetalol) in order to minimize abrupt drops in blood pressure that may result in further injury to potentially viable ischemic brain tissue.
Quantitative Peripheral Muscle Ultrasound in Sepsis: Muscle Area Superior to Thickness

Abstract Purpose The objective of this study is to describe the relationship between two quantitative muscle ultrasound measures, the rectus femoris cross-sectional area (RF-CSA) and quadriceps muscle thickness, with volitional measures of strength and function in critically ill patients with sepsis. Materials and methods We performed a prospective study of patients admitted to a medical ICU with sepsis and shock or respiratory failure. We examined the association of two ultrasound measurements – the RF-CSA and quadriceps muscle thickness – with strength and function at day 7. Strength was determined using the Medical Research Council Score and function using Physical Function in the ICU Test, scored. Results Twenty-nine patients were enrolled; 19 patients had outcome testing performed. Over 7 days, RF-CSA and thickness decreased by an average of 23.2% and 17.9%, respectively. The rate of change per day of RF-CSA displayed a moderate correlation with strength (ρ 0.51, p-value 0.03) on day 7. Baseline and day 7 RF-CSA did not show a significant correlation with either outcome. Quadriceps muscle thickness did not significantly correlate with either outcome. Conclusions Muscle atrophy as detected by the rate of change in RF-CSA moderately correlated with strength one week after sepsis admission.
Association of Blood Component Ratios With 24-Hour Mortality in Injured Children Receiving Massive Transfusion.

Objectives:To determine if higher fresh frozen plasma and platelet to packed RBC ratios are associated with lower 24-hour mortality in bleeding pediatric trauma patients.Design:Retrospective cohort study using the Pediatric Trauma Quality Improvement Program Database from 2014 to 2016.Setting:Level
Sex-Dependent Differences in Physical Exercise-Mediated Cognitive Recovery Following Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Aged Rats

Stroke remains a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. No current treatments exist to promote cognitive recovery in survivors of stroke. A previous study from our laboratory determined that an acute bout of forced treadmill exercise was able to promote cognitive recovery in 3 month old male rats after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that 6 days of intense acute bout of forced treadmill exercise (physical exercise - PE) promotes cognitive recovery in 11-14 month old male rats. We determined that PE was able to ameliorate cognitive deficits as determined by contextual fear conditioning. Additionally, we also tested the hypothesis that PE promotes cognitive recovery in 11-13 month old reproductive senescent female rats. In contrast to males, the same intensity of exercise that decrease cognitive deficits in males was not able to promote cognitive recovery in female rats. Additionally, we determined that exercise did not lessen infarct volume in both male and female rats. There are many factors that contribute to higher stroke mortality and morbidities in women and thus, future studies will investigate the effects of PE in aged female rats to identify sex differences.
Anthropomorphized Activism and Redness: Examining the Storm in Ralph Ellison’s A PARTY DOWN AT THE SQUARE

Ralph Ellison’s short story “A Party Down at the Square,” published posthumously in 1997, depicts a public lynching from the perspective of a young white narrator. At the beginning of the story and...
Infrared Remote Sensing

Overleaf: Scanning infrared and microwave radiometers on polar orbiting satellites measure the radiance from the earth and the atmosphere. The data are processed into maps of global surface temperature for scientific analysis. The upper panel shows surface temperatures for January 1979, the middle panel for July 1979, and the bottom panel shows the difference from January to July. The original maps are produced in color using red to indicate warm temperatures, and blue for cold. In the black and white reproduction, darker shades of gray show the warm tropics, and lighter shades the colder polar regions. In the bottom panel, darker shades show the warming in the northern hemisphere, and lighter shades show the cooling in the southern. Figure courtesy of NASA JPL; original in color.
Model-free Bootstrap for a General Class of Stationary Time Series

A model-free bootstrap procedure for a general class of stationary time series is introduced. The theoretical framework is established, showing asymptotic validity of bootstrap confidence intervals for many statistics of interest. In addition, asymptotic validity of one-step ahead bootstrap prediction intervals is also demonstrated. Finite-sample experiments are conducted to empirically confirm the performance of the new method, and to compare with popular methods such as the block bootstrap and the autoregressive (AR)-sieve bootstrap.
Sensation-Seeking and Impulsivity in Athletes with Sport-Related Concussion

Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a significant public health problem. Understanding the behavioral and personal factors that influence risk and incidence of SRC is critically important for appropriate care and management. Sensation-seeking and impulsivity have been posited to be two such factors that may be significantly associated with SRC. We performed a focused review of recent evidence of the relationships between sensation-seeking and impulsivity in athletes with SRC. While the research is relatively limited, extant findings demonstrate a significant relationship between sensation-seeking and contact sport participation and risk of prior and future SRC. Impulsivity appears to be common among athletes competing in high contact sports and may contribute to neural and functional brain changes following SRC; however, causal relationships between impulsivity, contact sport participation, and SRC have not been demonstrated. Both sensation-seeking and impulsivity are significantly associated with SRC in collegiate athletes. Interventions designed to ameliorate high levels of these constructs may prove to be beneficial avenues to reducing SRC risk and improving patient care and outcomes.
Blood usage at a large academic center in Maryland in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

BACKGROUND: Blood usage and collections were impacted throughout 2020 both by the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as public health decisions affecting hospital operations. We sought to understand the longer-term effects of the pandemic on blood usage via changes in case volume and clinical intensity as well as whether the blood needs of COVID-19-positive patients differed from other transfused patients. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A single-center retrospective study of blood use in 2020 as compared to 2014-2019 was conducted at a tertiary care center. Statistical analysis was performed in an R-based workflow. p values are reported using two-sided t-tests for total hospital blood usage and using Mann-Whitney U tests for comparisons of patient blood usage. RESULTS: Mean monthly red cell usage in 2020 decreased by 11.2% (p = .003), plasma usage decreased by 23.8%, (p < .001) platelet usage decreased by 11.4% (p < .001), and monthly cryoprecipitate use increased by 18% (p = .03). A linear regression model predicted significant associations between total blood usage and the year, number of Medicare eligible discharges, and Case Mix Index. COVID-19-positive patients requiring at least one blood product did not use significantly different amounts of red cells, plasma, or platelets from all other transfused patients. CONCLUSIONS: Year 2020 began with decreased blood usage that was normalized by late spring. Reassuringly, transfused COVID-19-positive patients in general and those requiring ICU level care do not use significantly increased amounts of blood as compared to similar transfused hospital patients.
An Unusual Complication of Retropubic Midurethral Sling Placement: Obturator Neuralgia

Midurethral sling placement is a common treatment for female stress urinary incontinence. We report a case of a woman with a 9-month history of significant pelvic and right lower extremity pain following synthetic retropubic sling placement at an outside facility. On evaluation, she had unilateral obturator neuropathy and underwent combined vaginal, and robotic excision of the right arm of the sling. During surgery, the sling was adherent to the obturator nerve and passed laterally through the obturator fossa. Following removal, her pain completely resolved. This case highlights strategies for preventing, diagnosing, and managing an unusual complication of retropubic sling placement, obturator neuralgia.
A molecularly cloned hepatitis B virus produced in vitro is infectious in a chimpanzee.

Abstract The infectivity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) produced in vitro by HepG2 cells transfected with HBV DNA (HepG2T14) has been assayed in a chimpanzee. Following inoculation, the chimpanzee underwent a typical course of type B hepatitis infection, characterized by elevation of serum aminotransferases and by histological identification of hepatic damage. Hepatitis B surface antigen and core-related antigen appeared in the serum at weeks 5 and 7, respectively, after infection. HBV DNA was detected in serum samples, and replicative forms of the HBV genome were identified in liver biopsies. Subtype identification of hepatitis B surface antigen and restriction enzyme analysis of HBV DNA in both the inoculum and the serum of the infected chimpanzee confirmed that the hepatitis B infection observed in this animal was caused by viral particles produced by HepG2T14 cells. These findings indicate that, although HepG2 cells do not seem to be susceptible to infection by HBV in vitro, they can produce biologically active infectious virions after transfection with cloned HBV DNA.
Temporomandibular disorder in a patient with pseudoxanthoma elasticum : a case report and review.

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of elastic fibers and ectopic mineralization. Cutaneous manifestations are a hallmark of this disease and organs that may be affected by the disease process include cardiovascular, central nervous system, ocular and gastrointestinal systems. Oral manifestations of PXE have been previously reported as intramucosal nodules observed on various intraoral surfaces. We present a case of a 46-year-old female with PXE diagnosed with temporomandibular disorder (TMD). To our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with TMD coexisting with PXE in the scientific literature.
Ex-vessel remote maintenance development plans for the Burning Plasma Experiment

Remote maintenance (RM) is fundamental to the basic design requirements of the Burning Plasma Experiment (BPX), and an extensive RM development and demonstration program is planned to meet these requirements. The program first draws from the experience base that exists in the fission community and Europe's Joint European Torus (JET) Project. Successful solutions are applied where possible and, in many cases, improved in order to achieve the performance demanded by a multiyear program that must be capable of efficiently executing RM procedures. Early, concurrent efforts in the design and fabrication of prototype remote handling equipment, remote tooling, and maintainable machine components will precede the extensive use of mock-up equipment in order to test, develop, and demonstrate the technology. >
Intermodulation Interference Avoidance for Enhanced Performance of ESA Deep Space Telecommand Systems

The performance degradation of the European Space Agency (ESA) Deep Space Telecommand receiving subsystem due to the presence of cross-modulation and ranging interference for simultaneous ranging and command operations on the Earth-to-space link is investigated. The most important result is that under imperfect carrier reference the command subcarrier and the ranging tone frequencies can be selected to suppress the cross-modulation interference and interference from the ranging channel for the specified command bit rate and ranging code component. Recommendations as to use of specific command subcarrier frequency, command bit rate, and ranging tone frequency are made for consideration in future standards systems.
Formation and Evolution of the Largest Cloud Complexes in Spiral Galaxies

Atomic and molecular cloud complexes containing 107 M ʘ may form by gravitational instabilities in the ambient galactic gas. A recent calculation gives the observed masses, separations and densities for these clouds, and the estimated formation time is reasonably short. Destabilization from magnetism and spiral density waves are discussed. The Parker instability apparently plays a secondary role in giant cloud formation. Clouds that contain much less than 107 M ʘ may form by magnetic agglomeration of smaller clouds or by fragmentation of larger clouds.
Functional and Structural Organization of Brf, the TFIIB-Related Component of the RNA Polymerase III Transcription Initiation Complex

Brf is the TFIIB-related component of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerase III transcription initiation factor IIIB (TFIIIB). An extensive set of Brf fragments has been examined for the abilities to assemble the TFIIIB-DNA complex and recruit RNA polymerase III to accurately initiate transcription. The principal TFIIIB-assembly function of Brf was found to be contributed by a C-proximal segment spanning amino acids 435 to 545, while the principal transcription-directing function was contributed by a segment of its N-proximal, TFIIB-homologous half. The diverse activities of Brf were also reconstituted from combined fragments. The fragments spanning amino acids 1 to 282 and 284 to 596 were found to assemble into TFIIIB-DNA and TFIIIC-TFIIIB-DNA complexes that were very stable, transcriptionally highly active, and indistinguishable (by in vitro footprinting) from complexes formed with intact Brf. The proximities of the individual halves of split Brf to DNA were extensively mapped by photochemical cross-linking of the TFIIIB-DNA complex. We also identified sites of interaction of Brf fragments with TATA-binding protein (TBP), taking advantage of a recently completed mutational analysis of the TBP surface. The constraints established by these analyses specify a global model of the functional segments of Brf and how they fit into the structure of the TFIIIB-DNA complex.
Numerical Simulations of Blast Waves Generated by an Impulsive Temperature Source

We describe some of the results arriving from numerical simulations of blast waves using different volumes for the energy deposition region.
Genetic and Phenotypic Relations of Milk Production and Postpartum Length with Health and Lactation Curve Traits by Lactation

Abstract Milk, including its components, is the most important trait for dairy cattle. The relationship of 26 other traits with milk production was quantified both genetically and phenotypically to investigate any unfavorable responses associated with increased production. Traits with antagonistic positive correlations with 305-day mature-equivalent milk production included postpartum length, locomotive cost, and days dry. Postpartum length was calving interval or days in last lactation for terminal records. Traits with favorable negative correlations with milk production included culling rate, rate of decline in milk production per week, and mammary cost. Culling rate was a binomial variable defining whether a cow was eliminated from the herd during her lactation. Heritability of mature-equivalent milk production declined as lactation number increased: .27±.02 in first, .21±.02 in second, .16±.02 in third, and .15±.02 in fourth lactation. The maximum heritability of postpartum length was .06±.01 in the first lactation. Heritabilities of culling rate and days dry were less than .05. More than 62,000 records of progeny of 323 sires were analyzed.
Olfactory ensheathing cells exhibit unique migratory, phagocytic, and myelinating properties in the X-irradiated spinal cord not shared by Schwann cells

Although several studies have shown that Schwann cells (SCs) and olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) interact differently with central nervous system (CNS) cells in vitro, all classes of adult myelin-forming cells show poor survival and migration after transplantation into normal CNS. X-irradiation of the spinal cord, however, selectively facilitates migration of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), but not SCs, revealing differences in in vivo migratory capabilities that are not apparent in intact tissue. To compare the in vivo migratory properties of OECs and SCs and evaluate the potential of migrating cells to participate in subsequent repair, we first transplanted freshly isolated GFP-expressing adult rat olfactory bulb-derived OECs and SCs into normal and X-irradiated spinal cords. Both OECs and SCs showed limited survival and migration in normal spinal cord at 3 weeks. However, OECs, unlike SCs, migrated extensively in both grey and white matter of the X-irradiated spinal cord, and exhibited a phagocytic phenotype with OX-42 staining on their processes. If a X-irradiated and OEC transplanted spinal cord was then subjected to a focal demyelinating lesion 3 weeks after transplantation, OECs moved into the delayed demyelinated lesion and remyelinated host axons with a peripheral-like pattern of myelin. These results revealed a clear difference between the migratory properties of OECs and SCs in the X-irradiated spinal cord and demonstrated that engrafted OECs can participate in repair of subsequent lesions.
Iterative reconstruction technique with reduced volume CT dose index: diagnostic accuracy in pediatric acute appendicitis.

Background Iterative reconstruction technique has been proposed as a means of reducing patient radiation dose in pediatric CT. Yet, the effect of such reductions on diagnostic accuracy has not been thoroughly evaluated.
Pay-performance sensitivity and production uncertainty

Abstract The pay-performance sensitivity of linear incentive contracts can increase with increasing production uncertainty, depending upon the timing and nature of this uncertainty. This provides a possible explanation for the failure of empirical tests to yield convincing support for a negative relationship.