cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mean Aortic pressure gradient and global longitudinal strain recovery after transcatheter aortic valve replacement – A retrospective analysis

Abstract Background Global longitudinal strain (GLS) has incremental value in assessing left ventricular (LV) function in severe aortic stenosis and is related to clinical outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We sought to identify relevant echocardiographic predictors of GLS improvement and myocardial function recovery after TAVR. Methods We analyzed baseline and 12-month follow-up echocardiograms for LV strain analysis from 123 patients who underwent at Emory University Hospital with the Edwards SAPIEN valve between 7/2007 and 7/2013. Results At baseline, 61 had reduced LV ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤50% (rEF), and 80 had preserved LVEF >50% (pEF). Higher baseline mean pressure gradient (MPG) and aortic peak velocity (AV Vmax) predicted myocardial function recovery defined as ≥20% improvement in global longitudinal strain (r = 0.29, p Conclusions In high-risk patients undergoing TAVR for severe aortic stenosis, GLS is impaired and more impaired in patients with reduced EF. Higher baseline MPG predicts myocardial function recovery. GLS improvement after TAVR is related to relief of pressure overload.
Blood Pressure Management after Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Survey of the StrokeNet Sites.

Background It is unclear what factors providers take into account to determine the target blood pressure (BP) after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in patients who had acute ischemic stroke. We aimed to understand practice patterns of post-MT BP management across institutions in the United States. Methods We surveyed StrokeNet institutions providing MT and post-MT care with an online questionnaire, designed to understand institutional post-MT BP management practices. Results Of 131 potential institutions, 58 completed the survey. The majority of institutions target systolic BP (SBP, n = 53, 91%) during the first 24 hours post-MT (n = 32, 55%) using nicardipine as a first-line agent (n = 43, 74%). At most institutions, BP management is determined by a team of physicians in a collaborative fashion (n = 30, 52%) and individualized on a case-by-case basis (n = 39, 67%) after taking the reperfusion status into account (n = 42, 72%). In patients with successful reperfusion, 36% (n = 21) of the institutions target SBP in the range of 120-139 mm Hg, 21% (n = 12) target 140-159 mm Hg, and 28% (n = 16) would accept any value less than or equal to 180 mm Hg. In patients with unsuccessful reperfusion, 43% (n = 25) would accept any SBP value less than or equal to 180 mm Hg and 10% (n = 6) would target SBP less than or equal to 220 mm Hg. Conclusions We found that majority of the institutions do not have a standardized protocol for post-MT BP management. There was interinstitutional heterogeneity in the preferred target of SBP post-MT and most institutions target values of SBP lower than 180 mm Hg in post-MT patients. Prospective data and randomized control trial are needed to identify the optimal target BP.
Immunobiology of MHC Class I-Deficient Mice

Publisher Summary Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-encoded molecules play critical roles in the protective immune response, in various immunopathological reactions, and in reactions against transplanted tissues. The central function of class I MHC molecules is the presentation on the cell surface of small peptide fragments of endogenously produced antigens for recognition by CD8 + cytotoxic T lymphocytes. For T cell recognition, class I molecules present foreign antigenic peptides that are derived from intracellular pathogens. The class I-deficient mice were considered a vehicle for analysis of the role of CD8 + T cells; however, it has been shown that they manifest deficiencies is several other types of lymphocytes. These deficiencies have been a boon to analysis of the development of these cells, but have created difficulties in assigning a biological effect of the mutation to a specific lymphocyte deficiency. The responsible population of cells cannot be identified by infusing purified lymphocyte populations from normal mice back into the β 2 m - mice; because the cells in the β 2 m - mouse are deficient in the expression of target class I molecules, re-infused effector cells would be unable to react with the tissue.
Multi–domain Boundary Element Method in Acoustics

This chapter reviews the development and applications of the multi–domain boundary element method in acoustics. Early development of the method originated from the need for solving problems involving two or more acoustic media, as well as radiation and scattering from thin bodies. The concept of the multi–domain method may be simple, but real implementation could be tedious when one has to define many subdomains and match many interface boundary conditions. As new techniques for regularizing the hypersingular integral equation became more available in the early 1990’s, thin–body problems no longer required the multi–domain boundary element method. A so–called direct mixed–body boundary element method was also developed to handle a mix of regular and thin bodies. Later, problems involving two or more acoustic media could also be solved by an extension of the mixed– body concept. Nevertheless, the multi–domain boundary element still remains to be a viable choice today. When implemented in a modular way using the impedance matrix approach, the multi–domain boundary element method is very efficient and requires only a small amount of computer memory. Instead of being totally eliminated, the multi–domain boundary element method has actually become more powerful and easier to use when used in conjunction with the direct mixed–body boundary element method. Recent examples in muffler and silencer analysis are used to demonstrate the idea.
Conventional and Cross-Sectional Venography

Conventional venography has long been considered the gold standard for evaluation of the venous system. This exam is performed in an angiography suite using real-time X-ray imaging (fluoroscopy) to visualize intravenously injected iodinated contrast media. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is a technique that allows depiction of only the venous structures of interest by “subtracting” out the nonvascular structures, such as bone. This greatly improves visualization of intravascular contrast material. Cross-sectional venography, comprised of CT venography and MR venography, has the unique advantage of allowing visualization of any obstructing masses or other extrinsic structures that impact the venous system. The entire central venous system can be evaluated by injection through a central venous catheter or a single peripheral IV at any site using indirect imaging. MRV is the preferred method for evaluation of the central veins because the excellent signal intensity generated by gadolinium agents allows excellent visualization with indirect injection. With time-resolved MRA, the contrast bolus can be visualized passing through the vasculature in real-time manner, which allows excellent evaluation of collateral veins and routes of preferential blood flow. High-spatial resolution imaging can also be performed, allowing accurate characterization of lesions. This chapter discusses conventional and cross-sectional venography with a focus on particular disease processes.
DNA Glycosylases: Mechanisms

DNA glycosylases recognize and remove damaged bases from DNA by cleaving the base–sugar ( N -glycosylic) bond, and downstream base excision repair enzymes restore the correct nucleotide. DNA bases are chemically reactive and are continuously subject to damage by mechanisms including alkylation, deamination, oxidation, and ultraviolet radiation, giving a variety of lesions that can be mutagenic and/or cytotoxic. DNA glycosylases use a remarkable nucleotide-flipping mechanism to extrude damaged nucleotides from the DNA helix, thereby coupling lesion recognition and catalysis. Some glycosylases are specific for a single lesion, while others handle multiple forms of damage. DNA glycosylases are also important for transcriptional regulation and immunity.
Triangulated 3-manifolds

We recall that a triangulated n-manifold is a complex K such that M = |K| is an n-manifold. (A manifold is not required to be compact or connected.) The complex K is then a triangulation of M. If K is a triangulated 3-manifold with boundary, then ∂K is the set of all 2-simplexes σ of K such that σ lies in only one 3-simplex of K (together with all faces of such simplexes σ.) In this case, we define $$I\left( K \right) = \left| K \right| - \left| {\partial K} \right|.$$ (Thus ∂K is a complex, and I(K) is a set of points.) It will turn out, of course, that |∂K| = Bd |K| and I (K) = Int |K|; this is one of the things that we are about to prove.
Pollicization of the Index Finger in the United States: Early Readmission and Complications.

Purpose Pollicization is a well-accepted treatment for thumb hypoplasia , yet little is known about the reasons why patients return early in the postoperative period and complications that occur after surgery. The purpose of this investigation was to describe 30-day returns, readmission, and complication rates after pollicization in the United States. Methods A total of 459 pollicization procedures performed in 408 patients at 38 U.S. pediatric hospitals from 2003 to 2014 were identified using the Pediatric Health Information System database. A stepwise search strategy identified returns and readmissions within 30 days after pollicization to quantify complications and/or additional procedures. Risk factors for readmission and complications were compared across groups using uni- and multivariable general linear modeling. Results There were 61 patients who returned to the hospital (emergency department, ambulatory surgery , or inpatient hospitalization) within 30 days of their pollicization. Of those, 39 patients returned for suture removal , cast changes, or other expected aspects of postoperative care. The remaining 22 patients had a total of 26 complications, accounting for a 4.8% complication rate. The majority had vascular complications and wound problems. Single complications ranging from wound infection to hemorrhage were found in 20 cases. Overall, 35 of the 61 returns were readmitted to the hospital for treatment of complications or additional procedures. There was no effect of age group, diagnosis, geographical region, or physician subspecialty on the likelihood of complication or readmission. Conclusions Sixty-one patients returned within 30 days of their pollicization, and 22 presented with a complication (4.8%), most commonly vascular in nature. These baseline data are informative because they identify opportunities for future preventative measures and quality improvement. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
The Influence of β-Ammonium Substitution on the Reaction Kinetics of Aminooxy Condensations with Aldehydes and Ketones

The click-chemistry capture of volatile aldehydes and ketones by ammonium aminooxy compounds has proven to be an efficient means of analyzing the carbonyl subset in complex mixtures, such as exhaled breath or environmental air. In this work, we examine the carbonyl condensation reaction kinetics of three aminooxy compounds with varying β-ammonium ion substitution using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). We determined the activation energies for the reactions of the aminooxy compounds ATM, ADMH and AMAH with a panel of ketones and aldehydes that included acrolein and crotonaldehyde. The measurements indicate that the activation energies for the oximation reactions are quite low, less than 75 kJ mol-1 . ADMH is observed to react the fastest with the carbonyls studied. We postulate this result may be attributed to the ADMH ammonium proton effecting a Bronsted-Lowry acid-catalyzed elimination of water during the rate-determining step of oxime ether formation. A theoretical study of oxime ether formation is presented to explain the enhanced reactivity of ADMH relative to the tetraalkylammonium analog ATM.
High-speed imaging of scattering particles flowing through turbid media with confocally aligned, oblique plane illumination

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a common cause of hospitalization for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. To screen for FN, patients require invasive blood draws and complete blood cell counts, which increases risk of nosocomial infection while in an immunocompromised state. There is a pressing clinical need for non-invasive, point-of-care technology to frequently screen for FN, which, if detected early, can be prophylactically managed. A promising approach to address this need is capillaroscopy, through which blood cells are imaged in capillaries non-invasively. Visualization of shadows caused by absorption of individual red blood cells is currently achievable, and correlation between the absence of optical absorption gaps and severe neutropenia has been observed. However, a completely accurate identification of the physical origin of these optical absorption gaps for conclusive neutropenia diagnosis remains an elusive task. Here we present scattering oblique plane microscopy as a means of imaging moving scattering particles within a turbid medium with the goal of eventually imaging and characterizing blood cells in vivo flowing in superficial capillaries. Our imaging system illuminates an oblique light sheet through a capillary bed and collects back-scatter using a single objective at frame rates of >200 Hz. To validate this system, we develop phantoms mimicking capillaries with 200 μm diameter lumens embedded deep in silicone doped with TiO2 and India ink. Single 3 μm diameter polystyrene beads flowing through the capillaries are resolved with a signal to noise ratio of approximately 5:1 at a depth of 1 mean free path.
A Chemical Biology Approach to the Chaperome in Cancer—HSP90 and Beyond

Cancer is often associated with alterations in the chaperome, a collection of chaperones, cochaperones, and other cofactors. Changes in the expression levels of components of the chaperome, in the interaction strength among chaperome components, alterations in chaperome constituency, and in the cellular location of chaperome members, are all hallmarks of cancer. Here we aim to provide an overview on how chemical biology has played a role in deciphering such complexity in the biology of the chaperome in cancer and in other diseases. The focus here is narrow and on pathologic changes in the chaperome executed by enhancing the interaction strength between components of distinct chaperome pathways, specifically between those of HSP90 and HSP70 pathways. We will review chemical tools and chemical probe-based assays, with a focus on HSP90. We will discuss how kinetic binding, not classical equilibrium binding, is most appropriate in the development of drugs and probes for the chaperome in disease. We will then present our view on how chaperome inhibitors may become potential drugs and diagnostics in cancer.
Exploring the Plurality of Black Women's Gameplay Experiences

Few gender-focused studies of video games explore the gameplay experiences of women of color, and those that do tend to only emphasize negative phenomena (i.e., racial or gender discrimination). In this paper, we conduct an exploratory case study attending to the motivations and gaming practices of Black college women. Questionnaire responses and focus group discussion illuminate the plurality of gameplay experiences for this specific population of Black college women. Sixty-five percent of this population enjoy the ubiquity of mobile games with casual and puzzle games being the most popular genres. However, academic responsibilities and competing recreational interests inhibit frequent gameplay. Consequently, this population of Black college women represent two types of casual gamers who report positive gameplay experiences, providing insights into creating a more inclusive gaming subculture.
Lipid Deprivation Induces a Stable, Naive-to-Primed Intermediate State of Pluripotency in Human PSCs.

Summary Current challenges in capturing naive human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) suggest that the factors regulating human naive versus primed pluripotency remain incompletely defined. Here we demonstrate that the widely used Essential 8 minimal medium (E8) captures hPSCs at a naive-to-primed intermediate state of pluripotency expressing several naive-like developmental, bioenergetic, and epigenomic features despite providing primed-state-sustaining growth factor conditions. Transcriptionally, E8 hPSCs are marked by activated lipid biosynthesis and suppressed MAPK/TGF-β gene expression, resulting in endogenous ERK inhibition. These features are dependent on lipid-free culture conditions and are lost upon lipid exposure, whereas short-term pharmacological ERK inhibition restores naive-to-primed intermediate traits even in the presence of lipids. Finally, we identify de novo lipogenesis as a common transcriptional signature of E8 hPSCs and the pre-implantation human epiblast in vivo. These findings implicate exogenous lipid availability in regulating human pluripotency and define E8 hPSCs as a stable, naive-to-primed intermediate (NPI) pluripotent state.
NLRP3, NLRP12, and IFI16 Inflammasomes Induction and Caspase-1 Activation Triggered by Virulent HSV-1 Strains Are Associated With Severe Corneal Inflammatory Herpetic Disease

The crosstalk between the host's inflammasome system and the invading virulent/less-virulent viruses determines the outcome of the ensuing inflammatory response. An appropriate activation of inflammasomes triggers antiviral inflammatory responses that clear the virus and heal the inflamed tissue. However, an aberrant activation of inflammasomes can result in a harmful and overwhelming inflammation that could damage the infected tissue. The underlying host's immune mechanisms and the viral virulent factors that impact severe clinical inflammatory disease remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we used herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), the causative agent of corneal inflammatory herpetic disease, as a model pathogen to determine: (i) Whether and how the virulence of a virus affects the type and the activation level of the inflammasomes; and (ii) How triggering specific inflammasomes translates into protective or damaging inflammatory response. We showed that, in contrast to the less-virulent HSV-1 strains (RE, F, KOS, and KOS63), corneal infection of B6 mice with the virulent HSV-1 strains (McKrae, 17 or KOS79): (i) Induced simultaneous expression of the NLRP3, NLRP12, and IFI16 inflammasomes; (ii) Increased production of the biologically active Caspase-1 and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18; (iii) Heightened recruitment into the inflamed cornea of CD45highLy6C+Ly6G-F4/80+CD11b+CD11c- inflammatory monocytes and CD45highCD11b+F4/80-Ly6GhiLy6Cmed neutrophils; and (iv) This intensified inflammatory response was associated with a severe corneal herpetic disease, irrespective of the level of virus replication in the cornea. Similarly, in vitro infection of human corneal epithelial cells and human monocytic THP-1 cells with the virulent HSV-1 strains triggered a synchronized early expression of NLRP3, NLRP12 and IFI16, 2 h post-infection, associated with formation of single and dense specks of the adapter molecule ASC in HSV(+) cells, but not in the neighboring bystander HSV(-) cells. This was associated with increased cleavages of Caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18. These findings suggest a previously unappreciated role of viral virulence in a synchronized early induction of the NLRP3, NLRP12, and IFI16 inflammasomes that lead to a damaging inflammatory response. A potential role of common virus virulent factors that stimulate this harmful inflammatory corneal disease is currently under investigation.
DVC interneuron cGAL driver in Caenorhabditis elegans

cGAL, a recently developed temperature-robust bipartite GAL4-UAS system in C. elegans, consists of two components: a cGAL “driver” that expresses the cGAL protein in specific cells using a promoter (i.e. neuron-specific or tissue-specific), and an “effector” that carries a gene of interest downstream of UAS (Wang et al., 2017). Crossing or combining a driver with an effector leads to the expression of the gene of interest in a cell-specific or tissue-specific manner. Here we report a new cGAL driver for the DVC interneuron. The ceh-63 promoter was chosen due to its restricted expression in the DVC neuron (Feng et al. 2012). The DVC interneuron driver construct containing the ceh-63 promoter (646 bp upstream of ATG translation start site) was injected into N2 and an integrated DVC driver line was generated. When crossed with the UAS-GFP effector strain (PS6843), the ceh-63 cGAL driver dictated GFP expression in the single DVC neuron (Figure 1), in addition to GFP in the coelomocyte from Punc-122::gfp co-injection marker. We did not observe GFP expression in uterus as reported by Feng et al., 2012.
Impact of Market-Rate Residential Parking Permit Fees on Low-Income Households

On-street parking is a poorly-managed public asset. In dense neighborhoods, this results in difficult space searches, neighborhood conflict, and opposition to housing development. Market-rate resid...
Iron Status Among Children Aged 12-23 Months by Infant Feeding Method, Nhanes 2003-2010

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) places children at risk for neurocognitive deficiencies as well as anemia. In the United States, ID is estimated to be 13% among children aged 12-23 months; no national estimates exist for iron deficiency anemia (IDA) among children of this age. It is unclear whether ID among children 12-23 months differs by infant feeding method given that breast milk has a low iron concentration. Thus, we sought to answer whether children aged 12-23 months who were breastfed >6 months were more …
Uncertainty-aware Self-training for Text Classification with Few Labels.

Recent success of large-scale pre-trained language models crucially hinge on fine-tuning them on large amounts of labeled data for the downstream task, that are typically expensive to acquire. In this work, we study self-training as one of the earliest semi-supervised learning approaches to reduce the annotation bottleneck by making use of large-scale unlabeled data for the target task. Standard self-training mechanism randomly samples instances from the unlabeled pool to pseudo-label and augment labeled data. In this work, we propose an approach to improve self-training by incorporating uncertainty estimates of the underlying neural network leveraging recent advances in Bayesian deep learning. Specifically, we propose (i) acquisition functions to select instances from the unlabeled pool leveraging Monte Carlo (MC) Dropout, and (ii) learning mechanism leveraging model confidence for self-training. As an application, we focus on text classification on five benchmark datasets. We show our methods leveraging only 20-30 labeled samples per class for each task for training and for validation can perform within 3% of fully supervised pre-trained language models fine-tuned on thousands of labeled instances with an aggregate accuracy of 91% and improving by upto 12% over baselines.
Large Delay Analog Trojans: A Silent Fabrication-Time Attack Exploiting Analog Modalities

This article presents large delay-based analog Trojan circuits, a new class of analog Trojans that can be interfaced with digital and analog macros to launch fabrication-time hardware attacks. Two different circuit topologies of analog Trojan are presented, which can generate a delayed trigger output after two days and 60 ms, respectively, when implemented in 65-nm CMOS technology. The large delay is achieved using the transistor’s gate-oxide leakage current or a diode’s reverse saturation current in combination with the Miller capacitance-based circuits. The proposed analog Trojans can operate across multiple on-chip power domains and can be launched without any digital input signal, making their detection challenging. They show very limited variation in side-channel parameters, which makes them harder to detect through side-channel analysis. In addition, the proposed designs have a small area footprint of $55.5 ~\mu m^{2}$ and $28 ~\mu m^{2}$ , respectively, and can be easily concealed on-chip. We also demonstrate an attack launched using these Trojans to construct a “kill-switch” that disables the power management unit of an IC. Process and temperature variations were also investigated to assess their impact on the design. We implemented the thick-oxide gate leakage modeling to study the robustness of the proposed Trojan design. We also present the long-term potential threat of these Trojans where the output trigger signal is generated after an even larger delay.
LncIHAT Is Induced by Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 and Promotes Breast Cancer Progression.

Hypoxia induces thousands of mRNAs and miRNAs to mediate tumor malignancy. However, hypoxia-induced long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) transcriptome and their role in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) have not been defined. Here we identified hypoxia-induced lncRNA transcriptome in two human TNBC cell lines by whole transcriptome sequencing. AC093818.1 was one of 26 validated lncRNAs and abundantly expressed in TNBC in vitro and in vivo. 5′- and 3′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends assays revealed that the isoform 2 was a dominant AC093818.1 transcript in TNBC cells and thus referred to as lncIHAT (lncRNA induced by hypoxia and abundant in TNBC). Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1) but not HIF2 bound to the hypoxia response element at the promoter of lncIHAT to activate its transcription in hypoxic TNBC cells. LncIHAT promoted TNBC cell survival in vitro and tumor growth and lung metastasis in mice. Mechanistically, lncIHAT was required for the expression of its proximal neighboring oncogenic genes PDK1 and ITGA6 in TNBC cells and tumors. Reexpression of PDK1 and ITGA6 rescued survival and growth of lncIHAT knockdown TNBC cells in vitro. Collectively, these findings uncovered lncIHAT as a new hypoxia-induced oncogenic cis-acting lncRNA in TNBC. Implications: This study systematically identified hypoxia-induced lncRNA transcriptome in TNBC and sheds light on multiple layers of regulatory mechanisms of gene expression under hypoxia.
Child Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition: Normative Reference Values in Demographically Diverse Youth.

OBJECTIVES Examine sociodemographic differences (gender, age, and language spoken at home) on baseline Child Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition (Child SCAT5) scores and establish normative reference data for the Child SCAT5 among middle school student athletes. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Nine middle schools in Virginia. PARTICIPANTS A sample of 1355 athletes playing competitive school-sponsored sports (ages 11-13, M = 12.3 ± 0.8; 40.1% girls, 59.9% boys) during the 2017 and 2018 school year. Certified athletic trainers administered the Child SCAT5 within the first 2 weeks of the sport season. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES Self-reported gender, age, and language spoken at home. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES All Child SCAT5 outcome measures. RESULTS Gender, age, and language spoken at home were associated with Child SCAT5 scores, but the magnitude of differences was generally small. Specifically, girls endorsed more symptoms (girls: M = 8.4 ± 5.7, boys: M = 7.5 ± 5.7; P = 0.003) and greater symptom severity (girls: M = 11.6 ± 9.4, boys: M = 10.4 ± 9.3; P = 0.006) than boys and performed slightly better than boys on cognitive and balance tasks. Older students performed slightly better than younger students on tests of cognition (eg, SAC-C: 11-year-olds: M = 21.3 ± 2.1, 13-year-olds: M = 21.7 ± 2.1; P = 0.02). Total symptoms (P = 0.01), symptom severity (P = 0.01), immediate memory (P < 0.001), delayed recall (P = 0.001), and SAC-C total scores (P = 0.002) differed across language groups. CONCLUSIONS Gender, age, and language spoken in the home are associated with baseline scores on multiple components of the Child SCAT5 among middle school students, although the magnitudes of observed differences are small. Normative reference values are provided for clinicians when interpreting Child SCAT5 scores.
Convolutional neural networks do not develop brain-like transformation tolerant visual representations

Abstract Forming transformation-tolerant object representations is critical for high-level primate vision. Although single cell neural recording studies predict the existence of highly consistent object representational structure across transformation in high-level vison, this prediction has not been tested at the population level. Here, using fMRI pattern analysis, we show that high representational consistency across position and size changes indeed exists in human higher visual regions. Moreover, consistency is lower in early visual areas and increases as information ascends the ventral visual processing pathway. Such an increase in consistency over the course of visual processing, however, is not found in 14 different convolutional neural networks (CNNs) trained for object categorization that varied in architecture, depth and the presence/absence of recurrent processing. If anything, consistency decreases from lower to higher CNN layers. All tested CNNs thus do not appear to develop brain-like transformation-tolerant visual representation during visual processing despite their ability to classify objects under transformations. This brain-CNN difference could potentially contribute to the large number of data required to train CNNs and their limited ability to generalize to objects not included in training. Impact Statement Convolutional neural networks capable of object categorization do not develop brain-like transformation tolerant visual representations during the course of visual processing, potentially accounting for some of their current performance limitations.
Preserving Global Trade Relations: Impacts of Recent Global Developments

How do we address challenges presented by unequal distribution of the benefits of globalization? Such that the imposition of unduly high tariffs – as well as anti-dumping measures, do not offset positive gains to be derived from trade liberalization and globalization. This article also aims to highlight and address challenges presented to global trade relations as a result of the failure of central bankers to appreciate fully the consequences and impact – as well as contribution of emerging economies to all time low levels of inflation. This not having been demonstrated in the build up to the 2008 Financial Crisis, but also prompting the introduction of Basel III regulations – and particularly the 2010 Basel leverage ratio.
Improved ictal assessment performance in the epilepsy monitoring unit via standardization.

Abstract Objective To determine whether the standardization and implementation of an ictal testing protocol in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) leads to improvements in ictal testing performance. Methods Ictal assessments completed in the EMU from a single center were retrospectively reviewed over a two-month period. Each assessment was evaluated to determine whether 8 high-yield aspects of the ictal assessment were performed. Following observation of performance, a standardized ictal testing protocol was developed based on a root cause analysis and review of consensus guidelines. This protocol was disseminated to staff in conjunction with an annual epilepsy education seminar. Ictal assessment performance was re-assessed during the subsequent two months (short-term follow-up) and again during a five- to seven-month period (long-term follow-up) beyond the initial intervention. For sub-group analysis, event characteristics (event type, time of assessment) and patient characteristics (age, gender) were also evaluated and analyzed in relation to ictal testing performance. Results All eight individual ictal testing elements were more likely to be assessed in short-term and long-term follow-up periods when compared to pre-intervention assessments. The cumulative difference in ictal testing was 20.4% (95% CI 3.7–37.2, p = 0.02) greater for the short-term period and 16.7% (95% CI −0.3% to 33.8%, p = 0.05) greater in the long-term period when compared to baseline testing. Conclusions Utilization of a standardized ictal testing battery in conjunction with staff education leads to an objective improvement in ictal assessment performance. Further research is warranted to assess the replicability of our findings.
Voltage control of magnetic skyrmions: energy efficient memory and neuromorphic computing

Skyrmion manipulation with VCMA can lead to small footprint nanomagnetic memory [1-2]. This talk will focus on experimental demonstration of VCMA induced nonvolatile creation and annihilation of skyrmions in an antiferromagnet/ferromagnet/oxide heterostructure film. This could provide a pathway for using intermediate skyrmion states to enable robust magnetization reversal with VCMA. We will discuss its scaling to lateral dimensions below 50 nm, oscillations > 50 GHz and application to neuromorphic computing.
Profiling sirtuin activity using Copper-free click chemistry.

Abstract The mammalian sirtuins are a group of posttranslational modification enzymes that remove acyl modifications from lysine residues in an NAD+-dependent manner. Although initially proposed as histone deacetylases (HDACs), they are now known to target other cellular enzymes and proteins as well. Sirtuin-catalyzed simple amide hydrolysis has profound biological consequences including suppression of gene expression, promotion of DNA damage repair, and regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. Human sirtuins have been intensively pursued by both academia and industry as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration. To gain a better understanding of their roles in various cellular events, innovative chemical probes are highly sought after. This current study focuses on the development of activity-based chemical probes (ABPs) for the profiling of sirtuin activity in biological samples. Cyclooctyne-containing and azido-containing probes were synthesized to enable the subsequent copper-free “click” conjugation to either a fluorophore or biotin. The two groups of structurally related ABPs demonstrated different labeling efficiency and selectivity: the cyclooctyne-containing probes failed to label recombinant sirtuins to any appreciable level, while the azido-containing ABPs showed good isoform selectivity. The azido-containing ABPs were further analyzed for their ability to label an individual sirtuin isoform in protein mixtures and cell lysates. These biocompatible ABPs allow the study of dynamic cellular protein activity change to become possible.
Discrimination and Health Among First-Generation Hispanic/Latinx Immigrants: the Roles of Sleep and Fatigue.

A growing literature documents the associations between discrimination and health. Emerging evidence suggests that among Hispanic/Latinx immigrants, discrimination leads to the deterioration of health outcomes over time. While sleep has been proposed as an important mediator of the relationship between discrimination and health, few studies have explicitly investigated this pathway, particularly among Hispanic/Latinx populations. To investigate the relationships between racial/ethnic discrimination, sleep, and physical and mental health among Hispanic/Latinx immigrants in the USA. Data and Methods Using data from a parent study of first-generation Hispanic/Latinx immigrants in the southeastern USA, we conducted sequential mediation analyses using the bootstrapping method to investigate whether self-reported sleep duration, sleep quality, and fatigue mediate the relationship(s) between self-reported discrimination, as measured by the discrimination subscale of the Riverside Acculturative Stress Inventory, and self-reported physical and mental health. Nocturnal awakenings, fatigue, and sleep quality were statistically significant sequential mediators of the relationship between discrimination and physical health (b = −.001, SE = .001, CI [−.0027, −.0001]); fatigue alone also mediated this relationship (b = −.01, SE = .01, CI [−.0279, −.0003]). Nocturnal awakenings, fatigue, and sleep quality were also significant sequential mediators of the relationship between discrimination and mental health (b = −.001, SE = .001, CI [−.0031, −.0001]). Sleep and fatigue play an important role in linking discrimination and health among first-generation Hispanic/Latinx immigrants. The development and implementation of interventions that focus on reducing fatigue among this population could mitigate the effects of unfair treatment on health outcomes.
Life Begins when the Kids Leave Home and the Dog Dies - But that’s where the Family Life Cycle Ends

In an effort to integrate the growing literature on the elderly with the Family Life Cycle concept, this paper makes two major points. The first is that persons over the traditional middle age designations are not homogeneous and some of those differences can be extended on the family life cycle model. The second is that children continue to influence the buying behaviors of the parental household even after they are no longer resident in it. An expanded family life cycle model and matrix to illustrate some of the job change issues associated with the retirement process are proposed.
Prolonged survival after paraquat. Role of the lung antioxidant enzyme systems

Abstract Treatment of O 2 -exposed adult rats with low doses of bacterial endotoxin results in increased lung antioxidant enzyme activity and a marked protective effect against pulmonary O 2 toxicity. Since paraquat-induced lung damage is believed to be mediated by an O 2 free-radical mechanism, animals with increased lung antioxidant enzyme levels should better tolerate paraquat exposure. We therefore pre-exposed endotoxin-treated rats to hyperoxia for 48 hr and then administered a lethal dose (40 mg kg ) of paraquat to these animals and to non-O 2 -exposed rats. the O 2 -pre-exposed rats with elevated lung superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase enzyme levels exhibited survival times after paraquat administration ( lt 50 = 7.25 days) that were prolonged more than 3-fold compared to the control, non-O 2 -pre-exposed rats that had received the same dose of paraquat ( lt 50 = 2.0 days). This animal model with increased biochemical defenses against potential hyper-oxidant toxicity may be of use in studying other toxic agents that produce lung damage through an O; free-radical mechanism.
A Control Canonical Form for Augmented Multi-Input Linear Time-Varying Systems

In this paper, we generalize the results of [3] to the multi-input case. For a multi-input linear time-varying n-dimensional discrete-time system which is N-step reachable, where N ? n, it is shown that the system can be put into a control canonical form by augmenting the system state. This result can be used to design q-dimensional output feedback controllers for m-input n-dimensional systems, where q is some integer whose value is between N and mN.
An 8-bit 22-MHz recycling two-step ASIC ADC with integrating sample and hold

A recycling two-step architecture with a very low input current comparator is presented to implement an 8-b analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with an integrating sample and hold circuit that yields a 22-Msps conversion rate with a 10-MHz input. This two-step recycling architecture makes use of a novel switch circuit design reducing the number of components required for the complete ADC. The ADC is realized using 900 transistors on two-metal, f/sub T/=8.5 GHz, npn bipolar junction transistor (BJT) application-specific integrated circuits. >
A quantitative cardiac angiography system for use in a clinical trial

The Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation (BARI) is a multicenter randomized trial being sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to determine the relative efficacy of coronary-artery bypass graft surgery versus percutaneous coronary transluminal angioplasty in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease. BARI requires objective analysis of both coronary and left-ventricular angiography from several thousand patients at fourteen geographically dispersed medical centers. In order to collect and analyze these data, the authors developed a personal-computer-based distributed data collection system that is installed at Stanford and at each of the clinical sites. The system has been in operation for six weeks and has proved to be highly successful. The system hardware and software components are listed, and the operation and user interface are described and illustrated with sample dialog screens and graphics. >
Whorf: a visualization tool for software maintenance

Software maintenance programmers face the daunting task of understanding and modifying complex, unfamiliar programs that contain delocalized plans (conceptually related code that isn't located contiguously in a program). The authors' research shows that programmers use an as-needed strategy when searching for the delocalized components which they need to understand. They have developed a maintenance tool, Whorf, that provides explicit support for visualizing and understanding delocalized plans using an as-needed strategy. Whorf supports this strategy through multiple, concurrent views of the software with instant, easy access to additional views. It supports understanding of delocalized plans by providing hypertext links between views to highlight interactions between physically disparate components. A study comparing the usage of Whorf and paper documentation shows that the dynamic views and structure supported by Whorf provide information more quickly and easily than the static structure of paper documentation. >
Implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation without using fluoroscopy in a pregnant patient.

Conventional lead implantation requires fluoroscopic guidance. This may be problematic in certain patient groups such as pregnant patients. We report a case of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation without fluoroscopy in a pregnant patient. (PACE 2012; 35:e265–e266)
Mitophagy: Mitofusin Recruits a Mitochondrial Killer

Summary Parkin is a cytosolic ubiquitin ligase that translocates to damaged mitochondria and promotes their degradation. Recent work demonstrates that a phosphorylated form of the mitochondrial fusion protein Mitofusin 2 serves as a receptor for Parkin translocation to damaged mitochondria.
Virginia Woolf. By Alexandra Harris. (New York, NY: Thames and Hudson, 2011. Pp. 191. $24.95.)

Seventy years after her suicide by drowning, the magisterial Virginia Woolf continues to fascinate readers around the globe. Her greatest novels, Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, and The Waves, ha...
Efficient Synthesis and Structural Characteristics of Zwitterionic Twisted π-Electron System Biaryls

A series of unconventional twisted π-electron system molecules has been synthesized via Suzuki cross-coupling of two sterically hindered arenes. Crystallographic analysis of these molecules reveals a large ring−ring dihedral twist angle (87°) and a highly charge-separated zwitterionic ground state. An efficient conversion of phenols into aryl halides is also reported.
Emergency response after 9/11: the potential of real-time 3D GIS for quick emergency response in micro-spatial environments

Terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, not only affected multi-level structures in urban areas but also impacted upon their immediate environment at the street level in ways that considerably reduced the speed of emergency response. In this paper, we examine the potential of using real-time 3D GIS for the development and implementation of GIS-based intelligent emergency response systems (GIERS) that aim at facilitating quick emergency response to terrorist attacks on multi-level structures (e.g. multi-story office buildings). We outline a system architecture and a network data model that integrates the ground transportation system with the internal conduits within multi-level structures into a navigable 3D GIS. We examine important implementation issues of GIERS, especially the need for wireless and mobile deployment. Important decision support functionalities of GIERS are also explored with particular reference to the application of network-based shortest path algorithms. Finally, we present the results of an experimental implementation of an integrated 3D network data model using a GIS database of Franklin County, Ohio (USA). Our study shows that response delay within multi-level structures can be much longer than delays incurred on the ground transportation system, and GIERS have the potential for considerably reducing these delays.
Infra-red photography of the abdominal wall

(1) Infra-red photography demonstrates superficial veins in the abdominal wall better than the unaided eye or visible light films. The portal vein collateral circulation usually appears in the epigastrium, arising above the umbilicus and flowing cephalad, occasionally below the umbilicus and draining caudad. (2) Such collateral circulation is the result of increased pressure in the portal vein. (3) It is characteristic of cirrhosis with ascites, but may appear in other conditions with portal hypertension. It may be present or absent in cirrhosis without ascites. As a corollary it may be stated that increased pressure in the portal vein occurs more commonly than is usually supposed. I am grateful for the assistance of Drs. Burton Adams and Sadie D. Patek.
Production of free glutamate in milk requires the leucine transporter LAT1.

The concentration of free glutamate (Glu) in rat's milk is ∼10 times higher than that in plasma. Previous work has shown that mammary tissue actively transports circulatory leucine (Leu), which is ...
Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C infection in U.S. veteran liver transplant recipients: evidence for decreasing relative prevalence of genotype 1B

Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C infection in U.S. veteran liver transplant recipients: evidence for decreasing relative prevalence of genotype 1B
Holomorphic extensions and theta functions on complex tori

In this paper we give a complete characterization of vector bundles of any dimension over complex tori in which the Hartogs–Bochner holomorphic extension phenomenon holds. Since holomorphic sections of line bundles over complex tori can be identified with theta functions, the results are formulated in terms of this class.
The local complex of O and B stars. I - Distribution of stars and interstellar dust

The O-B5 stars, supergiants, young clusters, and associations within 1 kpc of the sun populate two flat systems inclined to each other by 19 to 22 deg. The historical background, statistical significance, composition, spatial arrangement of the contents, and interstellar extinction in the two belts are discussed. A more or less random distribution in space and in age characterizes the O-B5 stars of the 'galactic belt', which is aligned nearly along the Milky Way. The 'Gould belt' is inclined to the Milky Way (north in Sco-Oph and south in Orion), and exhibits a projected distribution of O-B5 stars in its mean plane that resembles a 'dragonfly', with five major features defining it. A crude 'diameter' of the system is 750 to 1000 pc, and the sun's position is eccentric, lying toward Ophiuchus. The nuclear age of the system, while not unique, may be characterized as 30 m.y. from the spectral type of the broad main-sequence turnup near B2-5. Most of the O-B2 stars and youngest stellar groups near the sun belong to the Gould belt, but both belts have approximately equal space densities of B3-B5 stars and similar average values of interstellar extinction.-