cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The physical design of on-chip interconnections

Because of the complexity of the route problem in ultra large scale integrated (ULSI) designs, multiple route solutions are possible, some route solutions are more efficient than others, and there is a need for statistical tools to determine whether a designer or preroute algorithm is following an efficient path. In a ULSI environment, the problem of routing is best addressed with the combination of a customized preroute algorithm and routing system. One of the key issues in this context is how to divide the routing task between the preroute algorithm and the routing system; to address this issue, it is necessary to develop criteria to assign certain signals to the preroute algorithm and other signals to the routing system. Another key issue is how to evaluate the interactions of the combination of the algorithm and the routing system in order to decide whether intervention with the preroute algorithm is effective in improving physical properties of routes for select signals without adversely affecting physical properties of routes generated with the routing system. In a practical implementation, it is also important to predict when the combined effort is likely to improve the existing solution and to establish a point of diminishing returns beyond which further interactions are no longer effective. This paper presents a self-consistent formalism for intervention with preroute algorithms in ULSI designs. A framework is presented to quantify the physical properties of routes prepared with a preroute algorithm. This paper also presents statistical frameworks to assess the effectiveness of a preroute algorithm and to decide when to stop its use. The main emphasis is on incorporating intervention with custom algorithms in the design process in a seamless manner. The frameworks presented in this paper are applied to an analysis of the POWER4 Instruction Fetch Unit; in this example, the preroute algorithm is custom interconnection design.
Unraveling the Central Proopiomelanocortin Neural Circuits

Central proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons form a potent anorexigenic network, but our understanding of the integration of this hypothalamic circuit throughout the central nervous system (CNS) remains incomplete. POMC neurons extend projections along the rostrocaudal axis of the brain, and can signal with both POMC-derived peptides and fast amino acid neurotransmitters. Although recent experimental advances in circuit-level manipulation have been applied to POMC neurons, many pivotal questions still remain: how and where do POMC neurons integrate metabolic information? Under what conditions do POMC neurons release bioactive molecules throughout the CNS? Are GABA and glutamate or neuropeptides released from POMC neurons more crucial for modulating feeding and metabolism? Resolving the exact stoichiometry of signals evoked from POMC neurons under different metabolic conditions therefore remains an ongoing endeavor. In this review, we analyze the anatomical atlas of this network juxtaposed to the physiological signaling of POMC neurons both in vitro and in vivo. We also consider novel genetic tools to further characterize the function of the POMC circuit in vivo. Our goal is to synthesize a global view of the POMC network, and to highlight gaps that require further research to expand our knowledge on how these neurons modulate energy balance.
Corneal neovascularization: a review of the molecular biology and current therapies

Corneal neovascularization (CNV) is a complication of inflammatory and hypoxic ocular pathologies or immune response to ocular infections. CNV is a manifestation of an imbalance between pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic signaling molecules. Despite a magnitude of evidence suggesting angiogenic signaling molecules play a pivotal role in modulating CNV, there are insufficient current pharmacologic treatment options for CNV. Thus, targeting signaling molecules appears to be one promising treatment. Multiple drugs have been used off-label and have shown success in treating CNV, most notably the anti-VEGF medications. In addition, novel drugs are being developed and studied for CNV. This article will describe various molecular mechanisms that induce angiogenesis in the cornea, in addition to potential chemotherapies for CNV that inhibit these molecular mechanisms. This review is pertinent but not all-inclusive. The authors will give examples of publications that have reported novel discoveries related to pote...
Sex-Specific Spawning Behavior and Its Consequences in an External Fertilizer

Abstract: Identifying the target of sexual selection in externally fertilizing taxa has been problematic because species in these taxa often lack sexual dimorphism. However, these species often show sex differences in spawning behavior; males spawn before females. I investigated the consequences of spawning order and time intervals between male and female spawning in two field experiments. The first involved releasing one female sea urchin’s eggs and one or two males’ sperm in discrete puffs from syringes; the second involved inducing males to spawn at different intervals in situ within a population of spawning females. In both, fertilization success was measured as the fraction of eggs fertilized and the paternity share of each male. The results indicate that spawning after females imposes a cost on males but only during sperm competition. Further, the optimal interval between the initiations of male and female spawning depends on degree of sperm competition, distance between males and females, and water...
Cenozoic ice-volume history: Development of a composite oxygen isotope record

To view Cenozoic ice-volume and ocean-temperature history, a composite δ 18 O time series was constructed for tropical shallow-dwelling planktonic foraminifers and for deep-water benthic foraminifers. We conclude that Cenozoic benthic δ 18 O primarily reflect considerable deep-ocean temperature variation and that tropical planktonic δ 18 O afford the best record of Cenozoic ice volume. The planktonic composite indicates the presence of a significant ice budget for the past 40 m.y. The difference between the benthic and planktonic δ 18 O composites suggests that low-latitude production of warm saline bottom water dominated Tertiary thermohaline circulation.
God Bless the Child

A 20-year-old man was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia with translocation (8;21). He achieved complete remission after two induction chemotherapy courses, and subsequently received two consolidation courses and an intensification course. Three years later, he presented with central nervous system relapse and 15% blasts in the bone marrow, despite normal blood counts. He received salvage chemotherapy and cranial irradiation. Second complete remission was achieved.
Generating textures on arbitrary surfaces using reaction-diffusion

This paper describes a biologically motivated method of texture synthesis called reaction-diffusion and demonstrates how these textures can be generated in a manner that directly matches the geometry of a given surface. Reaction-diffusion is a process in which two or more chemicals diffuse at unequal rates over a surface and react with one another to form stable patterns such as spots and stripes. Biologists and mathematicians have explored the patterns made by several reaction-diffusion systems. We extend the range of textures that have previously been generated by using a cascade of multiple reaction-diffusion systems in which one system lays down an initial pattern and then one or more later systems refine the pattern. Examples of patterns generated by such a cascade process include the clusters of spots on leopards known as rosettes and the web-like patterns found on giraffes. In addition, this paper introduces a method which reaction-diffusion textures are created to match the geometry of an arbitrary polyhedral surface. This is accomplished by creating a mesh over a given surface and then simulating the reaction-diffusion process directly on this mesh. This avoids the often difficult task of assigning texture coordinates to a complex surface. A mesh is generated by evenly distributing points over the model using relaxation and then determining which points are adjacent by constructing their Voronoi regions. Textures are rendered directly from the mesh by using a weighted sum of mesh values to compute surface color at a given position. Such textures can also be used as bump maps.
Race and social attitudes about sickle cell disease

Objective. Sickle cell disease is perhaps the most racialized condition in the history of modern medicine, yet very little research has focused on how racial perceptions influence social attitudes about the disease. Subsequently, the implications of these perceptions for public health prevention efforts and the provision of clinical care are not well known. Design. In this brief commentary, we posit that social cognitive and media framing theories provide useful approaches for assessing relations between race and social attitudes about sickle cell disease. Conclusion. Such inquiries might lead to more rigorous study of mechanisms that shape perceptions about sickle cell risk, interpersonal empathy toward patients, and public support for sickle cell-related policies.
Tunable Percolation in Semiconducting Binary Polymer Nanoparticle Glasses

Binary polymer nanoparticle glasses provide opportunities to realize the facile assembly of disparate components, with control over nanoscale and mesoscale domains, for the development of functional materials. This work demonstrates that tunable electrical percolation can be achieved through semiconducting/insulating polymer nanoparticle glasses by varying the relative percentages of equal-sized nanoparticle constituents of the binary assembly. Using time-of-flight charge carrier mobility measurements and conducting atomic force microscopy, we show that these systems exhibit power law scaling percolation behavior with percolation thresholds of ∼24-30%. We develop a simple resistor network model, which can reproduce the experimental data, and can be used to predict percolation trends in binary polymer nanoparticle glasses. Finally, we analyze the cluster statistics of simulated binary nanoparticle glasses, and characterize them according to their predominant local motifs as (p(i), p(1-i))-connected networks that can be used as a supramolecular toolbox for rational material design based on polymer nanoparticles.
Economic and Survival Implications of Use of Electric Power Morcellation for Hysterectomy for Presumed Benign Gynecologic Disease

BACKGROUND Electric power morcellation during laparoscopic hysterectomy allows some women to undergo minimally invasive surgery but may disrupt underlying occult malignancies and increase the risk of tumor dissemination. METHODS We developed a state transition Markov cohort simulation model of the risks and benefits of hysterectomy (abdominal, laparoscopic, and laparoscopic with electric power morcellation) for women with presumed benign gynecologic disease. The model considered perioperative morbidity, mortality, risk of cancer and dissemination, and outcomes in women with an underlying malignancy. We explored the effectiveness from a societal perspective stratified by age (<40, 40-49, 50-59, and ≥60 years). RESULTS Under all scenarios, modeled laparoscopic hysterectomy without morcellation was the most beneficial strategy. Laparoscopic hysterectomy with morcellation was associated with 80.83 more intraoperative complications, 199.64 fewer perioperative complications, and 241.80 fewer readmissions than abdominal hysterectomy per 10 000 women. Per 10 000 women younger than age 40 years, laparoscopic hysterectomy with morcellation was associated with 1.57 more cases of disseminated cancer and 0.97 fewer deaths than abdominal hysterectomy. The excess cases of disseminated cancer per 10 000 women with morcellation compared with abdominal hysterectomy increased with age to 47.54 per 10 000 in women age 60 years and older. Compared with abdominal hysterectomy, this resulted in 0.30 (age 40-49 years), 5.07 (age 50-59 years), and 18.14 (age 60 years and older) excess deaths per 10 000 women in the respective age groups. CONCLUSION Laparoscopic hysterectomy without morcellation is the most beneficial approach of the three methods of hysterectomy studied. In older women, the risks of electric power morcellation may outweigh the benefits of minimally invasive hysterectomy.
HALO IN STUDENTS' EVALUATION OF COLLEGE PROFESSORS AS A FUNCTION OF AREA OF SPECIALIZATION

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether differences in students' ratings of a hypothetical professor could be significantly influenced by only a description of his are3 of specialization. If such a description provides a basis for a negative or positive bias, objective ratings of faculty performance cannot reasonably be expected. An evaluation form of 24 descriptive items about a hypothetical college professor was attached to a brief biographical sketch of the professor and a description of his area of specialization. Two different descriptions were attached to the same biographical sketch. One form, describing the fictitious professor as a social psychologist interested in such topics as interpersonal attraction, prejudice, group processes, and human sexuality was presented to half the subjects (n = 30). The other form, describing the professor as an experimental psychologist interested in descriptive and inferential statistics, experimental design and research methods was given to the other half of the student sample
The European Corn Borer, Pyrausta Nubilalis (Hübn.), and Its Principal Host Plant. IV. Larval Saccharotrophism and Host Plant Resistance

When confronted with a choice of two or more purified diets or plant tissues, larvae of the European corn borer tend to feed selectively on the diet or tissue containing the highest concentration of sugars (Beck 195(5 a, b). This behavior characteristic has been named saccharotrophism (Beck 1950 b). A detailed investigation of the saccharotrophic response of the borer disclosed that the sugar content (glucose, fructose, or sucrose) of the dietary substrate influenced the maintenance of larval feeding; the length of time a larva remained at a given feeding site was in direct proportionality to the sugar concentration of the site (Beck 1956 c). Saccharotrophism, operating in conjunction with thigmotaxis and negative phototaxis, was found to be an important factor in the orientation of borer larvae on the corn plant (Beck 1956 b).
Spatial models reveal the microclimatic buffering capacity of old-growth forests

Climate change is predicted to cause widespread declines in biodiversity, but these predictions are derived from coarse-resolution climate models applied at global scales. Such models lack the capacity to incorporate microclimate variability, which is critical to biodiversity microrefugia. In forested montane regions, microclimate is thought to be influenced by combined effects of elevation, microtopography, and vegetation, but their relative effects at fine spatial scales are poorly known. We used boosted regression trees to model the spatial distribution of fine-scale, under-canopy air temperatures in mountainous terrain. Spatial models predicted observed independent test data well (r = 0.87). As expected, elevation strongly predicted temperatures, but vegetation and microtopography also exerted critical effects. Old-growth vegetation characteristics, measured using LiDAR (light detection and ranging), appeared to have an insulating effect; maximum spring monthly temperatures decreased by 2.5°C across the observed gradient in old-growth structure. These cooling effects across a gradient in forest structure are of similar magnitude to 50-year forecasts of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and therefore have the potential to mitigate climate warming at local scales. Management strategies to conserve old-growth characteristics and to curb current rates of primary forest loss could maintain microrefugia, enhancing biodiversity persistence in mountainous systems under climate warming.
Development and validation of the transgender prejudice scale

The Transgender Prejudice Scale (TPS) was developed and validated across four studies as a measure of transgender prejudice (transprejudice). The TPS is a 25-item scale with two subscales: sex essentialism and discomfort. Exploratory and Confirmatory factor analyses support the two-factor structure, while tests of convergent, construct, and discriminant validity support the TPS as a valid measure of transprejudice. Importantly, the TPS predicts negative evaluations of transgender individuals, and support for transgender civil rights, beyond the ability of a current popular transprejudice scale. The TPS does this by measuring the extent to which individuals conceptualize gender as dichotomous, unchanging, and biologically based (sex essentialism), as well as the extent to which individuals feel comfortable sharing physical and social space with transgender individuals (discomfort). The TPS' strong focus on sex essentialism makes it unique among transprejudice scales, and gives insight into an underlying factor of transprejudice. v Acknowledgements This thesis was made possible by the help and efforts of many beyond myself. Special thanks are in order to my advisor, Dr. Alex Czopp, for guiding me through this experience. I thank Dr. Barbara Lehman for providing me with several useful ideas and tips early on in the design process. I would also like to thank Dr. Kristi Lemm for help on understanding several of the statistical processes I used throughout this project. I am also in debt to all my peers who listened for countless hours to me ramble on about every aspect of this project, but always appeared attentive and interested.
A Review of the Lichens of the Dare Regional Biodiversity Hotspot in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain of North Carolina, Eastern North America

ABSTRACT The results of a large-scale biodiversity inventory of lichens (including lichenicolous and allied fungi) in the Dare Regional Biodiversity Hotspot (DRBH) are presented. The DRBH is a region within the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain (MACP) of eastern North America that was recently delineated based on its unique and diverse lichen communities relative to other areas of the Atlantic Coast. Drawing on 4,952 newly generated voucher specimens from 49 sites, patterns of biodiversity and biogeography are presented and discussed within the context of both the DRBH and the broader MACP. Relationships between natural communities, vegetation, and lichen communities are discussed, as are threats to the lichen biota. A series of conservation actions are presented together with avenues for future study. In addition, supplementary resources are provided in the form of: (a) a checklist of DRBH lichens, lichenicolous fungi, and allied fungi; (b) keys to DRBH lichens and lichenicolous and allied fungi; and (c) forma...
183 HOME FECAL OCCULT BLOOD TESTING LACKS SPECIFICITY FOR ADENOMATOUS POLYPS IN AVERAGE-RISK VETERANS BEING SCREENED FOR COLORECTAL NEOPLASIA.

Objective Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening using home fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) is being used in many VA hospitals as a screening tool since it has been shown to reduce mortality in average-risk individuals. It is not clear, however, whether a positive test result truly selects for patients with premalignant lesions or simply targets them for further examination that ultimately identifies randomly present lesions. Our hypothesis is that FOBT in asymptomatic VA patients does not selectively identify individuals with premalignant adenomas. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative (CORI) endoscopic database at the Memphis VAMC for patients who had undergone colonoscopy between 1999 and 2005 for a "positive home FOBT. " Patients with anemia, prior history of colon polyps or CRC, family history of colon polyps or CRC, or any symptoms that would have prompted colonoscopy, including abdominal pain, weight loss, change in bowel habits, loss of appetite, and rectal bleeding, were excluded after careful review of their medical record in the VA Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). Prevalence of adenomatous polyps and CRC in the FOBT+ group was calculated and compared to a cohort of asymptomatic patients who underwent screening colonoscopy with the same exclusion criteria. Results From the CORI endoscopic database, 663 and 301 patients were identified as having undergone colonoscopy for positive FOBT and screening, respectively. CPRS narrowed the FOBT cohort to 147 (45 were black and 102 were white) and the screening colonoscopy cohort to 138 (36 were black and 102 were white). All veterans were male. The findings are summarized in tabular form. Of the FOBT(+) patients with advanced lesions, 41.6% were on antiplatelet agents at the time of FOBT. Conclusion The prevalence of adenomatous polyps in individuals screened by FOBT does not differ from the prevalence in a comparable screening colonoscopy control group. However, individuals screened by FOBT tended to have more advanced neoplasms as defined by polyps size >/= 10 mm and/or colon cancer compared to screening colonoscopy. Antiplatelet agents usage may contribute to the increased FOBT positivity in those with advanced lesions.
Abrasion analysis of heating surface in CFB boiler and its preventive measures

The abrasion of heating surface in CFB boilers is primarily related to its arrangement,resulting from the irregular weld on cooling wall,unreasonable structure of seal box,inclined tube plates and uneven heating surface.In addition to arrangement,the regional abrasion can be affected by operation;equipment deficiency can speed up the abrasion;the defective precautions including spraying,surfacing,jet soldering and anti-corrosion thrust also can result in negative consequences.This paper introduced some preventive measures to solve the abrasion problem in CFB boilers such as the structure design,manufacturing and installation,operation and maintenance.
Acute and chronic pelvic pain.

The differential diagnosis of pelvic pain in adolescents is very diversified and sometimes becomes a real challenge. Adequate evaluation leads to the identification of a cause in most of these patients. A thorough investigation therefore should be carried out before concluding that there is a psychogenic etiology. Laparoscopy plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of both acute and chronic pelvic pain.
Does infection control control infections

Compelling data exist for the return on investment of infection control activities. Such information is important in the era of managed care where cost containment and accountability are mandated.
Treating Physical Contributors to the Child’s Pain

The appropriate pain management intervention should be readily apparent from the completed conceptualization. Any hypothesis that appears to have support should be addressed in the treatment plan. Thus, it should be possible to address multiple objectives within a single treatment plan. If it is too complex to address all components simultaneously, sets of treatment objectives should be prioritized, beginning with interventions that can serve as stepping stones to future gains. For instance, making sure the child is receiving appropriate pain medication should take precedence over beginning to teach psychological pain management strategies. Eliminating fears based on misconceptions and misinformation should take precedence over developing a reinforcement program in most cases. The Treatment Planning Worksheet provided in Appendix B may be photocopied and used to assist the clinician in organizing an appropriate treatment plan.
A "Contoured" Device for Fixation of Intertrochanteric Fractures

An adjustable nail-plate appliance for intertrochanteric fractures of the femur is described, and the details of its insertion are explained and illustrated.
Desired Skills for Entry Level IS Positions: Identification and Assessment

ABSTRACTThe present study sheds light on what employers believe to be important hard skills and soft skills for entry-level information systems (IS) positions. Results from a survey of N = 73 U.S.-based and international employers suggest that soft skills are significantly more important than hard skills for entry-level IS positions. The most important hard skills are Microsoft Office, database/data warehouse/SQL, and knowledge of security, while the most important soft skills are willingness to learn, critical thinking, and attitude. Employer characteristics (e.g., industry, size, location) do not affect the importance of hard skills and soft skills. Findings of this study are discussed in light of previous research. Results of this study can help to guide universities in IS curriculum development.
Treatment options for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes after hypomethylating agent failure

The treatment of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) has hinged primarily on supportive care (ie, blood transfusions, colony stimulating agents, iron chelation, etc.) and the US Food and Drug Administration-approved agents, including 5-azacytidine, deoxyazacytidine, and lenalidomide. For patients no longer benefitting from these agents, there is a paucity of effective therapies. The challenges at this time include our limited understanding of the mechanisms of resistance to these therapies and the variables employed to select next best therapies for patients based on: (1) their performance status and medical comorbidities; (2) the molecular feature(s) of their MDS; (3) the prior treatments they have received; and (4) the long-term goal(s)/possibilities for their future treatment (ie, transplant vs no transplant).
Renewable voltage regulation and the transformer tapping trade-off

Load-tap-changing (LTC) transformers provide voltage regulation in subtransmission and distribution networks, but these expensive devices can only tap so many times before they fail. Fluctuations due to renewable energy can cause excessive tapping, accelerating aging. We address the question of how voltage regulation at renewable sources influences tapping frequency. In particular, we show that loose regulation results in excessive downstream (distribution) transformer tapping, while tight regulation causes upstream (subtransmission) tapping. We use yearlong simulations of a simple test network to generate tap trajectories and trade-off curves, illuminating the trade-off between subtransmission and distribution transformer wear. The paper concludes with a description of future work based on joint minimization of upstream and downstream tapping operations.
Exploring Efficient Reward Strategies to Encourage Large-Scale Cooperation Among Boundedly Rational Players with the Risk and Impact of the Public Good

In a public goods game, while cooperators need to make contributions, defectors can take a free ride after the realization of the public good. The Nash equilibrium in this game is simply zero contribution from all the players. A conventional approach to encourage cooperation and achieve the public good is using rewards to compensate the difference between the cooperators’ and the defectors’ payoffs. However, the public good may not be realized due to the uncertainty in the game, and the conventional way could underestimate the required rewards to achieve the public good. On the other hand, public good did realize in human history when people cannot survive from a natural disaster, such as a big flood, without cooperating to build a solid embankment, and most of them are willing to choose cooperation without rewards. The realization of the public good leads to the reduction of the defection cost and the contribution, which has a potential to encourage the players’ cooperation. Then the conventional method may overestimate the necessary rewards to realize the public good. In this paper, a public goods game is employed to model the interaction among boundedly rational players with the rewards for large-scale cooperation, and a behavioral game-theoretic approach is developed to describe their decision making processes with the consideration of the risk and impact of public good in the game. It turns out that the conventional rewards to achieve the large-scale cooperation can be reduced for a favorable group of the players.
Associations of Multimorbid Medical Conditions and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Older African American Men.

Background African American (AA) men battling multiple morbidities are tasked with managing the components of each condition and are at greater risk for adverse outcomes such as poor health-related quality of life (QOL), disability, and higher mortality rates. Method Baseline data for AA men from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Study of Aging were utilized. Factor analysis was used to categorize medical conditions and create factor scores. Covariate-adjusted regression models assessed the relationships between categories of conditions and physical and mental health-related QOL as assessed by the SF-12. Results The mean age of the sample of 247 AA men was 75.36 years and 49% lived in rural areas. Medical conditions fit into three factors: metabolic syndrome, kidney failure and neurological complications, and COPD and heart disease. Covariate-adjusted models revealed that low education, higher levels of income difficulty, and higher scores on metabolic syndrome and COPD and heart disease factors were associated with lower scores on physical health-related QOL, p's < .05. Higher levels of income difficulty were also associated with lower scores on mental health-related QOL. Discussion These findings suggest the importance of examining clusters of comorbid medical conditions and their relationships to outcomes within older African American men.
Optimal discrete-time Kalman Consensus Filter

Following recent advances in networked communication technologies, sensor networks have been employed in a broad range of applications at a lower cost than centrally supervised systems. Their major functionality is to track and monitor targets using various distributed estimation techniques. Specifically, the distributed Kalman Consensus Filter (KCF) fuses data from different sensor agents by achieving two objectives for each sensor: 1) locally estimating the state of the target; and 2) reaching a consensus of the state estimate between neighboring agents through communication. Although the KCF has been proven to have superior performance in terms of stability and scalability, it relies on approximated suboptimal consensus gain to avoid algorithmic complexity. Specifically, we seek to address this problem of suboptimality, and analytically derive the closed form solution to the globally optimal consensus gain, which is characterized by the minimum mean square error for the estimation process. Illustrative simulation results are presented to demonstrate that the optimal consensus gain outperforms the suboptimal solution.
Exercise essay: “vowel yoga”

Olive, a fictional student in first-semester Voice and Speech, dreads the days when the chairs come out instead of the yoga mats. She knows that having expressive and flexible speech is a skill of ...
Superclásicos and rivalry antecedents: exploring soccer club rivalries in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico

This essay utilizes empirically derived rivalry antecedents as an analytical framework to encapsulate the basis of a selection of enduring football club rivalries in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. T...
Co-trimazine distribution in the canine prostate

Constant infusion experiments were performed on dogs to determine the concentration levels of co-trimazine (a combination of trimethoprim and sulphadiazine) in the dogs' prostatic secretion, prostatic interstitial fluid, prostatic tissue, urine, and other tissues. Trimethoprim concentrations in prostatic secretion, interstitial fluid and tissue were higher than corresponding serum values, whereas the concentrations of sulphadiazine were far below these values. These results were compared to those of a similar study which combined trimethoprim and sulphamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole). The prostatic secretion to serum ratios of sulphadiazine were lower than those for sulphamethoxazole. Urine concentrations of sulphadiazine, however, were much higher than those of sulphamethoxazole. In serum and urine, only co-trimazine had a trimethoprim/sulphonamide ratio approximating the optimal synergy ratio of 1:20. Neither trimethoprim/sulphonamide combination appears to have any theoretical advantage over the other in the treatment of prostatitis. However, co-trimazine may be more effective in the treatment of urinary tract infections in general because of the high concentrations of sulphadiazine in urine.
III – Series Solutions

Publisher Summary The simplest functions in calculus are the polynomials, and those functions built from polynomials by a finite number of operations. These operations include the arithmetic operations raising to a positive integral power, and root-taking. Functions of this class are known as algebraic functions. For series solutions of a differential equation at an ordinary point, or at a regular singular point, a series is substituted into the equation. Assuming that the series converged, a recurrence relation that determined the coefficients in the series could be found. In proving the existence of an analytic solution of the initial-value problem, a recurrence relation has been derived, which can be used to calculate the coefficients in the power series expansion of the solution. In a specific problem, it is easier to determine the coefficients by substituting a series into the differential equation rather than by using the general formula.
Eisenmenger's syndrome

Eisenmenger syndrome, a condition where a (usually congenital) left-to-right cardiac shunt reverses direction due to elevated pulmonary vascular resistance, falls into the severe range of the spectrum for pulmonary arterial hypertensive disease (see also Pulmonary Hypertension in Pregnancy). As a growing number of patients with congenital heart defects reach adulthood, the number of pregnant women presenting with Eisenmenger physiology in the setting of congenital heart disease (CHD) is also expected to increase. The physiological changes of pregnancy further exacerbate right to left shunting, leading to serious maternal and fetal complications, even death. Anesthetic management should focus on optimization of oxygen saturation and hemodynamic stability through control of variables associated with worsening shunt. These goals are best accomplished at a tertiary center with multidisciplinary expertise in CHD.
Intrinsically Motivated Self-Supervised Deep Sensorimotor Learning for Grasping

Deep learning has been successful in a variety of applications that have high-dimensional state spaces such as object recognition, video games, and machine translation. Deep neural networks can automatically learn important features from high-dimensional state given large training datasets. However, the success of deep learning in robot systems in the realworld is limited due to the cost of obtaining these large datasets. To overcome this problem, we propose an information-theoretic, intrinsically motivated, self-labeling mechanism using closed-loop control states. Taking this approach biases exploration to informative interactions-as such, a robot requires much less training to achieve reliable performance. In this paper, we explore the impact such an approach has on learning how to grasp objects. We evaluate different intrinsic motivators present in the literature applied appropriately in our framework and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Bispecific ligand-directed toxin targeting CD22 and CD19 (DT2219) for refractory B-cell malignancies: Results of phase I-II trial.

e19066Background: The novel bispecific toxin DT2219 consists of a fusion between the catalytic domain of diphtheria toxin (DT) and single-chain variable fragments (scFV) of antibodies targeting hum...
A survey of adults with anorectal malformations: perspectives on educational, vocational, and psychosocial experiences.

Despite medical advances, individuals with anorectal malformations (ARM) experience significant medical and psychosocial challenges due to their complex conditions. This study aimed to obtain the perspectives of adults with ARM throughout their lifetime regarding their medical, school/vocational, and psychosocial functioning. A 40-item survey was administered electronically to members of an international ARM Facebook group (56% response rate; n = 125). Survey items included demographics, medical diagnosis/treatment, school/workplace accommodations, mental health diagnosis/treatment, and life perspectives. Majority of respondents were female (73%), aged 25–34 years (31%), Caucasian (92%), US residents (60%), and attended public school (86%). 53% of respondents are currently employed. 32% of respondents received school-based accommodations and 24% at work. 58% of respondents had a mental health diagnosis, with depression (82%) and anxiety (81%) being the most common. Results suggest that adults with ARM experience ongoing difficulties related to schooling, employment, and mental health, in addition to medical complications. It is becoming increasingly clear that improving patients’ physical well-being is not enough; psychosocial concerns must also be addressed directly. Thus, it is important for clinicians to be aware of and partner with psychosocial providers to support these challenges associated with ARM, to maximize patients’ overall health and well-being.
Syntheses, crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface analyses of (3aR,4S,7R,7aS)-2-(perfluoro-pyridin-4-yl)-3a,4,7,7a-tetra-hydro-4,7-methano-iso-indole-1,3-dione and (3aR,4S,7R,7aS)-2-[(perfluoro-pyridin-4-yl)-oxy]-3a,4,7,7a-tetra-hydro-4,7-methano-iso-indole-1,3-dione.

The syntheses and crystal structures of the title compounds, C14H8F4N2O2 and C14H8F4N2O3, are reported. In each crystal, the packing is driven by C—H⋯F inter­tactions, along with a variety of C—H⋯O, C—O⋯π, and C—F⋯π contacts. Hirshfeld surface analysis was conducted to aid in the visualization of these various influences on the packing: they showed that the largest contributions to the surface contacts arise from H⋯F/F⋯H inter­actions, followed by H⋯H and O⋯H/H⋯O.
The Motivational Effects of Involving Students in Rubric Development on Animation Instruction

This exploratory study examined the motivational effects of an instructional method that involved students in the rubric development on animation instruction. Drawing upon Keller’s ARCS motivation model, this study compared student motivation regarding attention (A), relevance (R), confidence (C), and satisfaction (S) towards animation instruction before and after their involvement in the rubric development. This study recruited seventeen undergraduates participating in a technology integration course and administered motivation surveys before and after implementing the instructional method. The survey results revealed that student motivation was significantly increased in terms of relevance. Motivated students developed a self-developed rubric by drawing upon their experience and perspectives of creating animated research presentation videos. Another motivational effect was identified in students’ improved performance in creating animated videos to present research. (125).
Accelerating Sparse Deep Neural Networks on FPGAs

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have been widely adopted in many domains, including computer vision, natural language processing, and medical care. Recent research reveals that sparsity in DNN parameters can be exploited to reduce inference computational complexity and improve network quality. However, sparsity also introduces irregularity and extra complexity in data processing, which make the accelerator design challenging. This work presents the design and implementation of a highly flexible sparse DNN inference accelerator on FPGA. Our proposed inference engine can be easily configured to be used in both mobile computing and high-performance computing scenarios. Evaluation shows our proposed inference engine effectively accelerates sparse DNNs and outperforms CPU solution by up to 4.7 $\times$ in terms of energy efficiency.
Personalized feedback tempers weekend increases in alcohol use among nonstudent emerging adult drinkers

A common pattern of problematic alcohol consumption among emerging adults consists of little to no drinking during the week, with heavy drinking episodes on the weekend. However, little is known about whether brief alcohol interventions exert impact on decreasing weekend drinking escalations or simply overall consumption throughout the week. A recent randomized controlled trial of heavy drinking emerging adult nonstudents (N = 164) demonstrated the efficacy of a personalized feedback intervention (PFI). Specifically, the PFI was associated with reduced overall alcohol consumption relative to assessment-only controls. However, it is not clear if patterns of weekend drinking escalation may have been disrupted by the intervention. The current study was a follow-up analysis of the parent trial. Using retrospective daily drinking data provided at each timepoint (up to 9-months), data were coded to reflect condition, time (coded to capture initial changes post-intervention as well as long-term maintenance), and day of the week (coded to capture weekend versus weekday). A multilevel negative binomial hurdle analysis was conducted, yielding two sets of results: 1) predicting the probability of a non-drinking day, and 2) predicting number of drinks consumed. Although the three-way interaction was not significant, 2 two-way interactions indicated that weekend increases in drinking were less steep over time for both groups, and less steep for PFI participants. In addition, the higher weekend likelihood of drinking was decreased over time for both groups. Steep weekend increases in drinking were disrupted over time, particularly among PFI recipients. Personalized feedback may be effective at helping nonstudent emerging adults avoid high risk drinking situations.
Age Pigment, A Biochemical Indicator of Intracellular Aging

Teleologically, investigators in the field of aging have considered the formation and accumulation of age pigments or lipofuscin as a deleterious event for the complex intracellular biological processes and a poor prognostic indicator for the nerve cell. With this in mind, age pigment has come to be associated with the functional decadence of cells and organs. This prevailing opinion was derived from findings of early neuropathologists who first correlated increased deposition of age pigment in cells with age. White (1889) proposed that pigmented cells in the central nervous system were a sign of functional decadence. On the other hand, Schafer (1893) had maintained that the accumulation of age pigment was, in fact, a sign of neurone functional activity. Since that time, arguments on the intraneuronal role of lipofuscin or age pigment have continued, without clear evidence being presented for either view. At a later date, nutritional studies provided evidence for a second autofluorescent lipopigment which accumulated in vitamin E deficient animals (Martin and Moore, 1936). This second lipopigment was termed ceroid by Lillie et al (1941).
Can background noise increase the informational masking in a speech mixture

This study tested the hypothesis that adding noise to a speech mixture may cause both energetic masking by obscuring parts of the target message and informational masking by impeding the segregation of competing voices. The stimulus was the combination of two talkers—one target and one masker—presented either in quiet or in noise. Target intelligibility was measured in this mixture and for conditions in which the speech was “glimpsed” in order to quantify the energetic masking present. The results suggested that the addition of background noise exacerbated informational masking, primarily by increasing the sparseness of the speech.
Assessing Individual Contributions to Software Engineering Projects with Git Logs and User Stories

Software Engineering courses often incorporate large-scale projects with collaboration between students working in teams. However, it is difficult to objectively assess individual students when their projects are a product of collaborative efforts. This study explores measurements of individuals' contributions to their respective teams. I analyzed ten Software Engineering team projects (n=42) and evaluations of individual contributions using automated evaluation of the version control system history (Git logs) and user stories completed on their project management (Kanban) boards. Unique insights from meta-data within the Git history and Kanban board user stories reveal complicated relationships between these measurements and traditional assessments, such as peer review and subjective instructor evaluation. From the results, I suggest supplementing and validating traditional assessments with insights from individuals' commit history and user story contributions.
Use of novel and inexpensive radiolucent soft tissue protector for insertion of proximal locking screws in femoral retrograde intramedullary nailing

We use a straightforward technique for insertion of proximal interlocking screw fixation during retrograde intramedullary nailing of the femur utilizing a common 3 cc syringe as a radiolucent soft tissue protector. Following insertion of the implant and distal interlock insertion, the distal Luer-Lok tip of a 3 cc syringe is cut off to create a hollow tube. Once the correct location of the proximal locking holes is confirmed fluoroscopically, the syringe is inserted through the incision into the soft tissue over the long drill sleeve and trochar. The inner drill guide and trochar is then removed, leaving only the syringe. Through this syringe, the proximal interlocking hole is drilled and measured, and the screw is inserted. The syringe establishes a safe pathway for passage of instrumentation, mitigating damage to the surrounding soft tissues, and allowing for unobstructed fluoroscopic visualization throughout insertion of the locking screws. This technique is safe, inexpensive and reproducible; utilizing common equipment available in most operative settings.
Chapter 7 – Quantum Principles

There are four observations that classical physics cannot explain: black body radiation, photoelectric effect, heat capacity of solids, and atomic spectra. These observations marked the debut of quantum theory, a theory in which properties of matter are treated on a duality basis of “waves” and “particles” in this Janus face view of the Universe. The historical development follows the thread defined by the works of Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg, Schrodinger, and Dirac to the 1930s. The “rules” of quantum mechanics are presented as postulates, and the properties of wave functions and operators are presented in this context. The interpretation of the meaning of the wave function and superposition is discussed in some detail. The notation and concepts of quantum theory are introduced for future applications in subsequent chapters.