cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification des facteurs de risque d’infection du site opératoire après arthrodèse thoracolombaire

Introduction Les infections du site operatoire (ISO) sont frequentes apres arthrodese rachidienne. Bien que de nombreux facteurs de risque aient ete evoques dans la litterature, les etudes sont tres heterogenes et il est difficile d’identifier les reels facteurs de risques. Notre hypothese etait que des facteurs lies au patient et a la chirurgie pouvaient etre identifies dans une revue exhaustive de la litterature. Notre objectif etait d’identifier les facteurs de risque d’ISO dans les arthrodeses thoracolombaires par la realisation d’une meta-analyse. Materiel et methodes Pubmed Medline, Cochrane et Embase ont ete parcourues pour la revue de litterature. Les etudes incluant des patients ayant subi une arthrodese thoracolombaire etaient considerees. Les etudes rapportant un odds ratio (OR) avec son intervalle de confiance ou les donnees necessaires pour le calculer etaient incluses dans la metaanalyse. En fonction de l’heterogeneite (I2), l’OR etait calcule en utilisant un modele a effet fixe (I2 > 60 %) ou a effet aleatoire (I2 Resultats Au total, 6480 articles ont ete identifies et revus. Vingt-sept manuscrits, representant un total de 425 565 patients ont ete inclus. Au total, 10 facteurs de risques ont ete identifies et regroupes en 2 categories. Les facteurs–patient etaient l’obesite (1,68[1,47–1,91]), le diabete (2,18[1,61–2,95]), le score ASA (1,95[1,61–2,37]), le tabagisme (1,21[1,06–1,38]), l’âge (1,01 [1–1,02]) et les antecedents de chirurgie rachidienne (revision) (1,85 [1,67–2,06]). Les facteurs de risques chirurgicaux etaient le temps operatoire (1,23 [1,07–1,4]), la realisation d’une osteotomie (2,18 [1,75–2,71]), le nombre de niveaux fusionnes (2,74 [1,77–4,23]). La realisation d’une voie anterieure unique etait un facteur protecteur (0,51 [0,44–0,58]). Discussion Cette meta-analyse a permis d’identifier 10 facteurs de risque d’ISO apres arthrodese thoracolombaire. Ces facteurs peuvent etre separes en facteurs–patients ou facteurs chirurgicaux. L’obesite, le diabete, le score ASA, le tabagisme, l’âge des revisions, de meme que, le temps operatoire, la realisation d’une osteotomie et le nombre de niveaux fusionnes sont des facteurs de risque significatifs d’ISO. De nombreux autres facteurs de risques sont evoques dans la litterature, mais necessitent des investigations supplementaires avant d’etre pris en consideration. Conclusion Ces differents facteurs de risque devraient etre pris en compte dans la decision operatoire, afin de pouvoir peser les risques de l’intervention et en informer le patient.
Framing Duch: Varying Ideas of Justice

There have now been several books written about Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, the chairman of the S-21 torture and execution centre during the infamous Democratic Kampuchea (Khmer Rouge) regime. Alex...
Get moving to the music

The fourth in our series exploring practical activities for introducing concepts that will help children in the Understanding the world area of learning – this month, we look at motor skills and music drills.
EXAFS Studies of Film Coated Electrodes

EXAFS has been used to study structural and redox changes in transition metal complexes as films coating electrodes or contained in films. We have used copper complexes of 2,9-dimethylphenanthroline embedded in Nafion films to study the change from four to five coordination which occurs on oxidation of Cu(I) to Cu(II). The increase in coordination number presumably occurs from the addition of a water ligand on rearrangement from tetrahedral to trigonal bipyramidal geometry. When similar experiments are performed with the analogous bathocuproine ligand, with phenyl sulfonate substituents, in a poly(dimethyldiallylammonium) chloride film, the copper can still be oxidized from I to II. However in this case, there is no increase in the coordination number. Other studies were made on Prussian Blue and Ruthenium Purple films. In these films multiple oxidation states are also present and the EXAFS were measured for each. In the latter case the iron centers are redox active whereas the ruthenium centers are not. EXAFS studies were performed at both the Fe and Ru K edges. These studies were carried out at SSRL, NSLS and CHESS.
Female genital mutilation : potential for HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa and prospect for epidemiologic investigation and intervention : original research article

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which involves alteration of the female genitalia for non-medical grounds is prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, associated with long- term genitourinary complications, and possible HIV transmission. This mini-review aims to examine FGM and the possibility of HIV transmission through this procedure. We performed an electronic search using Medline for articles published between 1966 to 2006 for evidence of FGM practice, its complications, and the nexus between this procedure and HIV sero-positivity. The results indicate ongoing FGM practice, albeit prevalence reduction, due probably to the increasing knowledge of the consequences of FGM as a result of non-sterile techniques. Secondly, the complications of FGM are well established which include Genitourinary disorders. Further, while data is limited on HIV transmission via FGM, there is biologic plausibility in suggesting that FGM may be associated with increasing prevalence of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper recommends further studies in order to assess the association between FGM and HIV transmission. Mutilation genitale feminine : Potentiel pour la transmission du VIH en Afrique subsaharienne et la perspective pour l'enquete et l'intervention epidemiologiques La mutilation genitale feminine (MGF) qui implique la modification des organes genitaux feminins pour des raisons non medicales est repandue en Afrique subsaharienne et elle est liee aux complications genitaux-urinaires a long terme et peut-etre a la transmission du VIH. Cette mini-etude a pour objectif d’examiner la MGF et la possilibite de la transmission du VIH par cette procedure. Nous avons recherche sur l’internet a l’aide de la medline des articles publies entre 1966 et 2006 pour l’evidence de la pratique de la MGF, ses complications et la liaison entre cette procedure et la seropositivite du VIH. Les resultats montrent que la pratique de la MGFse poursuit bien que la prevalence soit reduite du probablement a la croissance de la connaissance des consequences de la MGF a cause des consequences non-steriles. Deuxiement, les complications de la MGF sont bien etablies y compris les troubles genitaux-urinaires. De plus, alors que les donnees sont limitees par rapport a la transmission du VIH par la MGF, il y a une plausibilite biologique de suggerer que la MGF peut etre liee a la prevalence croissante du VIH en Afrique subsaharienne. L’article preconise encore d’etudes pour permettre d’evaluer le lien entre la MGF et la transmission du VIH.
Cerebrovascular pathology presenting as corticobasal syndrome: An autopsy case series of "vascular CBS".

Abstract Background The corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is heterogeneous in terms of postmortem neuropathology. While it has been previously studied with antemortem neuroimaging, clinicopathologic features of corticobasal syndrome associated with cerebrovascular pathology (vascular CBS) have yet to be reported. Methods To identify vascular CBS, we searched the database of the CurePSP Brain Bank for patients with a clinical diagnosis of CBS who failed to meet neuropathologic criteria for corticobasal degeneration (CBD) or other neurodegenerative disease processes, but who had significant cerebrovascular pathology. Hemibrains were assessed macroscopically and processed for histological assessment. Medical records were reviewed to characterize clinical features of vascular CBS. Results Of 217 patients with an antemortem diagnosis of CBS, we identified three patients with vascular CBS. Multiple infarcts in the watershed regions (frontal lobe and motor cortex), periventricular white matter, thalamus, and basal ganglia were observed in two patients. One patient had no cortical infarcts, but had multiple white matter infarcts and corticospinal tract degeneration. All were clinically thought to have CBS based on progressive asymmetric motor symptoms, including rigidity and apraxia, as well as cognitive impairment. Antemortem imaging studies showed findings of chronic cerebrovascular disease, with infarcts or white matter pathology. Conclusions This autopsy study of vascular CBS shows that, while rare, cerebrovascular pathology involving the frontal lobe, white matter tracts, basal ganglia, thalamus, and corticospinal tract can underlie clinical features suggestive of CBS. When neuroimaging suggests an alternative explanation, including chronic infarcts in critical regions, caution is merited in considering CBD as the underlying pathology.
Effects of creep feeding and its interactions with other factors on the performance of meat goat kids and dams when managed on pasture.

Creep feeding and its possible interactions with other influential factors (genetics, litter type, and sex) for weaning traits were studied in meat goat kids and their dams. Kids across 3 yr were creep fed (254 kids; 5 pens) or not creep fed (255 kids; 5 pens) from 30 to 90 d of age. Creep-fed kids had higher (P ≤ 0.05) preweaning average daily weight gain and weaning weights (113.1 ± 13.0 g/d; 15.0 ± 0.8 kg) than kids not creep fed (99.8 ± 13.1 g/d; 14.0 ± 0.8 kg). However, financial returns were not higher (P > 0.05) for creep-fed kids compared with kids not creep fed. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in kid conformation score or survival rates between the treatment groups. The only important interaction among kid traits was treatment × litter type (P 0.05) litter weights, dam weight change, gross revenue for weaned litters, or fecal egg counts. Treatment interacted with litter type (P 0.05) in the creep-fed group. Creep feeding improved some kid growth traits but did not improve dam traits or financial returns. Interactions of creep treatment with other factors were minimal for doe-kid traits.
Interactions of Entomopathogens with Other Pest Management Options

As the demand for sustainably produced food is increasing, the use of biopesticides has also been increasing in the recent years. While biopesticides based on entomopathogens have been successfully employed for pest management around the world for decades, there are still some concerns about their efficacy relative to chemical pesticides, limiting their widespread adaptation. Microbial pesticides could be an important part of all integrated pest management (IPM) strategies and understanding their interactions with other control options can help promote their use. Several studies demonstrated improved pest control efficacy when different kinds of entomopathogens were used. Entomopathogens were combined or rotated with chemical or botanical pesticides, or virulence of certain entomopathogens was synergized by chemical pesticides. Certain fungicides are also compatible with entomopathogenic fungi enabling pest and disease management treatments at the same time. Improved microbial control can help reduce chemical pesticide use and the associated environmental and human health risks.
LATEST ADVANCES IN UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FRAILTY AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

As two of the most common geriatric conditions, frailty and cognitive impairment often coexist, and are known to predict poor health outcomes separately and jointly. The link between frailty and cognitive impairment may result from the fact that many of the aging processes underlying frailty may also be responsible for brain aging and cognitive decline. What is unknown is: (1) whether frailty as a measure of physiological resilience is predictive of dementia above and beyond neuropathology and cognitive decline; (2) whether there are individual characteristics that uniquely identify separate vs. joint presence of physical frailty and cognitive impairment. To begin to address these questions, Talk 1 reviews concept of frailty in relationship to reserve and resilience and discusses theoretical underpinnings of three integrated phenotypes of physical and cognitive impairment; Talk 2 uses data from two epidemiological cohorts to study the relationship between frailty and dementia after accounting for neuropathology. Talk 3 uses data from the Gait & Brain Study to compare the strength of associations of cognitive impairment alone vs. cognitive impairment plus physical frailty (or gait performance) with incident dementia. Talk 4 uses data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study to develop a U.S. national profile on the intersection between physical frailty and cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults. Together, findings from this study help elucidate the interconnection between physical frailty and cognitive impairment, as well as clinical utility of joint consideration of cognitive decline and physical frailty for predicting risk of dementia.
Health aspects of peanuts as an outcome of its chemical composition

Abstract Peanut is an energy dense food item and it contains a substantial amount of fat, proteins, carbohydrate, both fat soluble and water soluble vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Peanuts are consumed worldwide due to its high nutritional value and pleasant or unique flavor after roasting or boiling. The lipid, protein and carbohydrate not only provide energy, but also provide essential nutrients for normal body functions such as body fat and muscle buildup. Vitamins are needed for normal cell function, growth, development, disease prevention and act as coenzymes during the production of energy. Due to the high nutrient contents of peanuts, they have been used to combat malnutrition in most developing countries. Epidemiologic studies have associated nut consumption with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular heart diseases and gallstones in both genders and diabetes in women. Limited evidence also suggests beneficial effects on hypertension, cancer, and inflammation. The health risk associated with peanut consumption is allergy in developed countries. The review discusses the health aspects, including allergy, of peanut consumption as they related to the chemical composition of peanuts using literatures published in past two decades with exceptions of a few older articles.
Fate and transport of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in runoff and soil as affected by the timing of swine manure slurry application.

Abstract Land application of swine manure slurry is a common practice to supplement nutrients to soil for crop production. This practice can introduce antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) into the environment. Field testing is critical in identifying manure management practices effective in minimizing the environmental impacts of manure-borne antibiotic and ARGs. The objective of this study was to determine how the timing of swine manure application relative to rainfall events impacts the fate and transport of antibiotics and ARGs in surface runoff and manure-amended soil. Swine manure slurry was either broadcast or injected on test plots in the field. A set of three 30-min simulated rainfall events, 24 h apart, were initiated on manured plots 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, or 3 weeks after the manure application. Results showed that an interval longer than 2 weeks between application and rainfall often significantly reduced the levels of antibiotics and ARGs tested in runoff with the exception of tet(X). For soil samples from broadcast plots, concentrations of two of the three antibiotics tested (lincomycin and tiamulin) decreased substantially in the first two weeks after manure application. In contrast, concentrations of most of the ARGs tested (tet(Q), tet(X), and erm(A)) in soil did not change significantly during the test period. Information obtained from the study can be beneficial in designing manure management practices and estimating the environmental loading of antibiotics and ARGs resulting from manure application.
Microstructural response of the fuel phase in U-7Mo dispersion fuel irradiated at different powers

Abstract Irradiation conditions such as fission power, fission rates, and temperature are important parameters for nuclear fuels because they influence the microstructural behavior and ultimate irradiation performance. Two U-7Mo/Al-3.5 wt.% Si dispersion fuel plates were irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor edge-on to the core in the RERTR-9B experiment at different powers to study the effects of power on fuel phase swelling behavior. The results of non-destructive measurements have been reported in a previous paper [1] , and the destructive examination results are being reported here. In particular, the microstructural evolution of the U-Mo fuel phase in irradiated fuel plates has been investigated by cutting transverse cross-sections, using generated scanning electron microscopy micrographs, and image processing methods to assess the changes in microstructural features, such as fission gas pore growth and non-recrystallized grain fraction. In this study, the focus was to examine the evolution of fission gas pores from both the constrained and unconstrained regions of U-Mo fuels irradiated at different powers. Based on an estimated linear gradient, the rate of change of fission gas pore size with locally calculated fission densities is more prominent in the higher power specimen. As such, the average porosity and pore area is approximately 11% and 2 × larger in the fuel irradiated at higher power than that of the lower power specimen. The growth of fission gas pores can accelerate the pore interconnectivity and thus fission gas outside the fuel kernel (FGO), which are two precursors for swelling in U-Mo fuels. The influence of increased power, internal plate stresses, and fission-induced creep on fuel kernel deformation and lateral mass transfer is also highlighted.
Deep level transient spectroscopy investigation of ultra-wide bandgap (2̄01) and (001) β-Ga2O3

This work reports on a comprehensive examination of the electrical and thermal properties of vertical Schottky diodes fabricated on ( 2 ¯ 01 )- and (001)-oriented samples of β-Ga2O3. The temperature-dependent current–voltage (I–V) and capacitance–voltage (C–V) data were gathered and analyzed down to 60 K. Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) was used to study bulk and interface defects in the two materials from approx. 325 K down to 60 K. In the bulk ( 2 ¯ 01 ) material, an electron trap was observed at EC−0.46 eV, with a capture cross section of 1.6 × 10−14 cm2 and a lambda-corrected maximum trap density of 9.08 × 1015 cm−3. These results and others indicate that the electron trap is a strong candidate for the well-known E1 defect in β-Ga2O3 based on recent investigations. Additionally, in the ( 2 ¯ 01 ) material, the smooth modulation typical of interface states is evident at temperatures below 275 K. The (001) samples manifested what is likely the E2* electron trap at EC−0.68 eV, with a capture cross section of 1.64 × 10−15 cm2 and a lambda-corrected maximum trap density of 8.85 × 1015 cm−3. The presence of the E2* defect, in particular, is a contrast to the findings of recent DLTS investigations on β-Ga2O3, which report that E2* emerged only after low-energy proton irradiation. These results help to further map out the defect signatures found in β-Ga2O3 materials, which are of vital importance in the design and fabrication of future β-Ga2O3 devices.
A Quadratic Programming Approach to Modular Robot Control and Motion Planning

Modular robotic systems consist of multiple modules that can be transformed into different configurations with respect to different needs. Different from robots with fixed geometry or configurations, the kinematics model of a modular robotic system can alter as the robot reconfigures itself. Since modular robotic systems are usually highly redundant for versatility, developing a generic approach for control and motion planning is difficult, especially when multiple motion goals are coupled. A new framework in terms of control and motion planning is developed. The problem is formulated as a linearly constrained quadratic program (QP) that can be solved efficiently. Some constraints can be incorporated into this QP, including a novel way to approximate environment obstacles. This solution can be used directly for real-time applications and it is validated and demonstrated on the CKBot and SMORES-EP modular robot platforms.
Bioprinting transgenic plant cells for production of a recombinant biodefense agent

Abstract Transgenic rice cells (Oryza sativa) producing recombinant butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) as a prophylactic/therapeutic against organophosphate nerve agent poisoning, cocaine toxicity, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s were immobilized in a polyethylene glycol-based hydrogel. The cells were sustained for 14 days in the semi-solid matrix, undergoing a growth phase from days 0-6, a BChE production phase in sugar-free medium from days 6-12, and a growth/recovery phase from days 12-14. Throughout this period, the cells maintained similar viability to those in suspension cultures and displayed analogous sugar consumption trends. The rice cells in the bioprintable hydrogel also produced a significant amount of active BChE, comparable to the levels produced in liquid cultures. A considerable fraction of this BChE was secreted into the media, allowing for easier product separation. Overall, we demonstrate a simple, efficient, robust, modular, and potentially field-deployable bioreactor system for the manufacture of biologics.
Hepatorenal syndrome: a historical appraisal of its origins and conceptual evolution.

The hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), a progressive but potentially reversible deterioration of kidney function, constitutes a serious complication of hepatic decompensation. Coexistence of liver/kidney damage, mentioned in the dropsy literature, was highlighted by Richard Bright in 1827 and confirmed in 1840 by his contemporary nephrology pioneer Pierre Rayer. Cholemic nephrosis was described in 1861 by Friedrich Frerichs, and the renal tubular lesions of HRS by Austin Flint in 1863. The term "acute hepato-nephritis" was introduced in 1916 by Paul Merklen, and its chronic form was designated HRS by Marcel Derot in 1930s. HRS then was applied to renal failure in biliary tract surgery and to cases of coexistent renal and hepatic failure of diverse etiology. The pathogenesis of HRS was elucidated during the 1950 studies of renal physiology. Notably, studies of salt retention in edema and its relation to regulating the circulating plasma volume by John Peters and subsequently Otto Gauer defined the concept of "effective blood volume" and the consequent elucidation of ascites formation in liver failure. Parallel studies of intrarenal hemodynamics demonstrated severe renal vasoconstriction and preferential cortical ischemia to account for the functional renal dysfunction of HRS. Dialysis and liver or combined liver-kidney transplantation transformed the fatal HRS of old into a treatable disorder by the 1970s. Elucidation of the pathogenetic mechanisms of renal injury and refinements in definition, classification, and diagnosis of HRS since then have allowed for earlier therapeutic intervention with combined i.v. albumin and vasoconstrictor therapy, enabling the continued improvement of patient outcomes.
Zoning for Climate Change

No one seriously questions that an improved and decarbonized energy supply system is a key component of climate change mitigation, but the United States’ system of federalism complicates the siting of utility-scale renewable energy facilities. The new Biden Administration presents the United States with an opportunity to reimagine how this country regulates renewable energy siting, allowing for substantial national progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, primary siting authority for renewable energy projects rests with state and local governments, which generally exercise that authority through zoning and land use planning, while the federal government approves most interstate energy delivery systems. This fragmented system of governance can delay and even deter project development, simultaneously thwarting the optimal logic in developing a national renewable energy generation system. Proactive renewable energy project planning offers one potentially effective – and constitutional – solution to this renewable energy federalism dilemma, particularly in conjunction with negotiated siting guidelines and a centralized siting agency. Drawing upon the substantial body of scholarly work that advocates for federal or regional collaboration in renewable energy policymaking and for more balanced and dynamic federalism in the energy sector, this Article further advances those goals while also shifting the focal axis and underscoring renewable energy as the locus for expanding energy federalism and mitigating climate change.
Clinical outcome and prognostic factors in dogs with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: A retrospective study.

Background B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (BCLL) in dogs generally is considered an indolent disease, but previous studies indicate a wide range in survival times. Objectives We hypothesized that BCLL has a heterogeneous clinical course, similar to chronic lymphocytic leukemia in humans. We aimed to assess presentation and outcome in dogs with BCLL and evaluate the prognostic relevance of clinical and flow cytometric factors. Animals One hundred and twenty-one dogs with BCLL diagnosed by flow cytometry. Three breed groups were represented: small breed dogs (n = 55) because of increased risk of BCLL; Boxers (n = 33) because of preferential use of unmutated immunoglobulin genes; and other breeds (n = 33). Methods Retrospective study reviewing signalment, clinicopathologic data, physical examination findings, treatment, and survival of dogs with BCLL. Cellular proliferation, determined by the percentage of Ki67-expressing CD21+ B-cells by flow cytometry, was measured in 39 of 121 cases. Clinical and laboratory variables were evaluated for association with survival. Results The median survival time (MST) for all cases was 300 days (range, 1-1644 days). Boxers had significantly shorter survival (MST, 178 days) than non-Boxers (MST, 423 days; P 40% Ki67-expressing B-cells) had significantly shorter survival (MST, 173 days) than did cases with 60 000 lymphocytes/μL) or clinical signs at presentation had significantly shorter survival. Conclusions and clinical importance B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia had a variable clinical course and Boxer dogs and cases with high Ki67 had more aggressive disease.
Implementation and impact of a novel multidisciplinary immune-related adverse events tumor board for patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

e13541Background: Given the often atypical and diverse presentations of immune-related adverse events, the utilization of an institutional multidisciplinary irAE tumor board is an effective strateg...
Functionalized biochar electrodes for asymmetrical capacitive deionization

Abstract Electrosorption-based capacitive deionization (CDI) has become a viable process for brackish water desalination. In this study, activated Douglas-fir biochar is used as a low-cost carbon-based alternative electrode with adsorption capacity comparable to activated carbon obtained from biomass precursors. Adding functional groups to the activated biochar enhanced salt removal capacity, providing cation and anion selectivity. The functionalized electrodes were prepared by Nafion and p-phenylenediamine treatment, respectively, which introduced sulfonate and amine functional groups to the electrode. These modification methods are versatile and can be easily performed without sophisticated laboratory environment. These modified biochar electrodes were characterized by SEM-EDX and XPS. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements were performed to analyze the electrochemical properties of both types of electrodes and the electrosorption capacity was evaluated in a 3D-printed capacitive deionization flow cell using a chloride ion-selective electrode. It was found that an asymmetrical cell with Nafion cathode and amine biochar anode increased removal capacity by 54% over the activated biochar symmetrical cell (identical anode and cathode), with 6.01 mg NaCl/g biochar at the symmetrical cell and 9.25 mg g−1 for the asymmetrical cell. This work shows that biochar can be engineered and explored broadly as an inexpensive sustainable electrode material for asymmetrical capacitive deionization.
Physical Performance of SynchroPET ArterialPET™, a Human Wrist PET Prototype Scanner for Non-Invasive Arterial Input Function Evaluation

Arterial blood sampling (ABS) is considered the gold-standard method for evaluating the arterial input function in dynamic PET studies. However, ABS is invasive and associated with a high complexity and risks. Alternatively, image-derived input function (IDIF) methods can be employed to simplify protocols and enhance adoption of dynamic PET in research and clinical practice. However IDIF methods require scanning for longer periods at the scanner bed, can be limited by the short axial field-of-view (FOV) of the vast majority of modern clinical PET systems and are susceptible to noise and partial volume effects due to the large ring diameter and large detector elements size of modern clinical PET systems. In this work we are evaluating the physical performance of the SynchroPET ArterialPET™ scanner (Stony Brook, NY, USA), a human wrist standalone cylindrical PET prototype system of 9 cm diameter ring and 1.73 cm axial FOV, capable of 4D PET imaging of the human wrist to enhance existing IDIF methods. The NEMA NU4-2008 performance evaluation protocol was selected to assess spatial resolution. system sensitivity and image quality. All PET data were acquired in list-mode, later sorted into 3D sinograms and reconstructed with an open-source 3D-OSEM algorithm with all data corrections included (decay, randoms, normalization, attenuation and scatter) when applicable. The average of radial and transaxial resolution was 1.49mm and 2.78mm FWHM at 5mm and 25mm radial distance from the center, respectively, while the respective axial resolution was 2.84mm and 4.69mm FWHM. The system sensitivity was 3.54 kcps/MBq. In terms of image quality, all hot rod sources were distinguishable with recovery coefficients of 21.71% and 96.21% for the 1mm and 5mm rod sources, respectively. ArterialPET can be utilized to extract IDIF data from human arteries in the wrist where a 2-5mm diameter is expected. Further clinical studies are needed to assess potential enhancement of IDIF methods.
Active Readout Error Mitigation.

Mitigating errors is a significant challenge for near term quantum computers. One of the most important sources of errors is related to the readout of the quantum state into a classical bit stream. A variety of techniques have been proposed to mitigate these errors with post-hoc corrections. We propose a complementary scheme to actively reduce readout errors on a shot-by-shot basis by encoding single qubits, immediately prior to readout, into multi-qubit states. The computational resources of our technique are independent of the circuit depth and fully compatible with current hardware error rates and connectivity. We analyze the potential of our approach using two types of error-correcting codes and, as a proof of principle, demonstrate an 80% improvement in readout error on the IBMQ Mumbai quantum computer.
Exploring Adolescent Experiences with Disclosing Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Across Settings.

Disclosure of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) is critical to current treatment and prevention programs. Limited research has examined patterns of and barriers to SITB disclosure in adolescents. This work is critical given the limits of confidentiality in this population. Over 1,000 adolescents aged 13–17 with a history of mental health treatment and SITBs were recruited online. Participants reported their history with disclosing SITBs across a range of relationships, honesty in and barriers to disclosure to health care providers, and their experiences with breaches of confidentiality to parents/guardians. We examined relationships among these experiences and a range of outcomes, including perceived likelihood of future disclosure. Participants reported most frequent disclosure of all SITBs to friends, and more frequent disclosure of nonsuicidal self-injury compared to suicide ideation or attempts. Adolescents were most likely to disclose SITBs when directly asked by health care providers, though many participants reported continued SITB concealment. The most commonly endorsed barrier to disclosure was fear that the provider would tell a parent/guardian. Experiences with confidentiality breaches involving a non-collaborative breach were negatively associated with future disclosure, mental health symptoms, and adolescent-parent relationships. SITB disclosure is a cornerstone to their treatment and prevention. Better understanding of to whom and when, barriers, and the impact of disclosure experiences is critical. Our research suggests that most adolescents do not want their parents to know about their SITBs, and that fear of parent involvement prevents disclosure. Results have several implications for SITB assessment across physical and mental healthcare settings.
Noninvasive In-Vivo Quantification of Mechanical Heterogeneity of Invasive Breast Carcinomas

Heterogeneity is a hallmark of cancer whether one considers the genotype of cancerous cells, the composition of their microenvironment, the distribution of blood and lymphatic microvasculature, or the spatial distribution of the desmoplastic reaction. It is logical to expect that this heterogeneity in tumor microenvironment will lead to spatial heterogeneity in its mechanical properties. In this study we seek to quantify the mechanical heterogeneity within malignant and benign tumors using ultrasound based elasticity imaging. By creating in-vivo elastic modulus images for ten human subjects with breast tumors, we show that Young's modulus distribution in cancerous breast tumors is more heterogeneous when compared with tumors that are not malignant, and that this signature may be used to distinguish malignant breast tumors. Our results complement the view of cancer as a heterogeneous disease on multiple length scales by demonstrating that mechanical properties within cancerous tumors are also spatially heterogeneous.
The Use of Clay for Soil Color Comparisons

A method has been developed for extracting the clay fraction from soil samples and using it for soil color comparisons. A syringe press has been constructed to aid the procedure.
Lipid Synthesis During Sporulation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Lipid synthesis was studied in both sporulating (diploid) and nonsporulating (haploid) cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two phases of lipid synthesis occur in diploid cells transferred to sporulation medium. Phase I, which occurs during the first 12 h of exposure to sporulation medium, was also observed in the haploid strains. Phase II, occurring from the 20th to the 25th h, coincided with the appearance of mature asci and was observed only in the diploid cells. The majority of phospholipid synthesis took place during period I, whereas neutral lipid synthesis occurred during both periods. Phospholipid synthesis was virtually identical in both type and quantity in the sporulating and nonsporulating strains.
"The Influence of Absences": Eavan Boland and the Silenced History of Irish Women's Poetry

address given at Dublin Castle on December 3, 1990,Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland, promised to use herterm of office to write those women back into history who had felt them­selves to be outside it. Quoting the final lines from Eavan Boland'spoem"The Singers", a text which would later be dedicated to her, Robinson con­jured up an enticing vista of a transformed Irish society in which womenwould have the possibility of "finding a voice where they found a vision".
Tangible Evidence in Marketing a Service

Private, selective-admission colleges and universities must discover effective means of making their services as tangible as possible to a shrinking group of prospective buyers. In this case study, one such university identified a strong association between campus visits by admitted applicants and the proportion of the admitted applicants who matriculated at the university. This evidence supports a thesis that campus visits play a powerful role in offering tangible evidence of the university's offer to its prospective buyers. Those engaged in developing marketing strategies for such institutions should consider the decisive role of this sales promotion device in the university's array of marketing activities.
Aberrant Activation, Nuclear Localization, and Phosphorylation of Yes-Associated Protein-1 in the Embryonic Kidney and Wilms Tumor

Background The Yes-associated-protein-1 (YAP1) is a novel, direct regulator of stem cell genes both in development and cancer. FAT4 is an upstream regulator that induces YAP1 cytosolic sequestering by phosphorylation (p-Ser 127) and therefore inhibits YAP1-dependent cellular proliferation. We hypothesized that loss of FAT4 signaling would result in expansion of the nephron progenitor population in kidney development and that YAP1 subcellular localization would be dysregulated in Wilms tumor (WT), an embryonal malignancy that retains gene expression profiles and histologic features reminiscent of the embryonic kidney.
Systems Engineering Sciences

Systems engineering is an integrated set of engineering disciplines that support the design, development, and operation of large-scale systems. It may be more formally defined as “an iterative process of top-down synthesis, development, and operation of a real-world system that satisfies, in a near-optimal manner, the full range of requirements for the system”. By way of further definition, systems engineering may be viewed in terms of its basic elements. Each of these elements is carried out as part of the systems engineering process in as integrated a manner as possible, meaning that each element must be executed with due regard for its compatibility with all other appropriate elements. Thus the interfaces and interactions between elements is important as practitioners seek an integrated and wholistic systems engineering approach and process. Systems engineering is supported by both engineering and scientific disciplines. The elements of systems engineering, are discussed here in greater. The order listed does not necessarily represent their time sequence. Each element may properly be the subject of a text in its own right. A special discipline that supports systems engineering is computer-aided systems engineering. This subject is to systems engineering what computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) are to engineering design and manufacturing, respectively. In addition, the subsidiary subject of software engineering is supported as well by computer-aided software engineering. Expansions in systems engineering sciences and related information technologies are expected both in scope and in basic capabilities. Six areas of particular significance include: Rapid evolution of workstation technology, Extensive networking, Integrated environments, Standardization, Recognition by academic community, and Meta-systems engineering. Keywords: definition; applicationns; history; elements; science base; computer-aided system engineering; future direction
Nim-Regularity of Graphs

Ehrenborg and Steingrimsson defined simplicial Nim, and defined Nim-regular complexes to be simplicial complexes for which simplicial Nim has a particular type of winning strategy. We completely characterize the Nim-regular graphs by the exclusion of two vertex-induced subgraphs, the graph on three vertices with one edge and the graph on five vertices which is complete except for one missing edge. We show that all Nim-regular graphs have as their basis the set of disjoint unions of circuits (minimal non-faces) of the graph.
Identity economics and policy for distributed systems

Identity management (IdM) will be a critical factor in the progress of distributed computing systems. Grid computing, defined as "coordinated resource sharing and problem solving in dynamic, multi-institutional virtual organizations," reflects a desire to open network and computing resources to widespread sharing and collaboration. The desire for resource sharing and virtual forms of organization reinforces the need for reliable, scalable forms of identification, authentication, and authorization.
Geometry and nonlinear analysis

Nonlinear analysis has played a prominent role in the recent developments in geometry and topology. The study of the Yang-Mills equation and its cousins gave rise to the Donaldson invariants and more recently, the Seiberg-Witten invariants. Those invariants have enabled us to prove a number of striking results for low dimensional manifolds, particularly, 4-manifolds. The theory of Gromov-Witten invariants was established by using solutions of the Cauchy-Riemann equation. These solutions are often refered as pseudo-holomorphic maps which are special minimal surfaces studied long in geometry. It is certainly not the end of applications of nonlinear partial differential equations to geometry. In this talk, we will discuss some recent progress on nonlinear partial differential equations in geometry. We will be selective, partly because of my own interest and partly because of recent applications of nonlinear equations. There are also talks in this ICM to cover some other topics of geometric analysis by R. Bartnik, B. Andrew, P. Li and X.X. Chen, etc.
Physician Beliefs about Physical and Mental Competency of Patients Applying for Concealed Weapon Permits

Law enforcement officials have asked health care providers to evaluate patient applications for concealed weapon permits. The current study was designed to examine physician beliefs regarding competency to carry a concealed weapon for patients with specific physical and mental conditions. Among 222 North Carolina physicians who participated in this survey (40% response rate), large variation and uncertainty existed for determining competency. Physicians most frequently chose mild dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and recent depression as conditions that would render a patient not competent to carry a concealed weapon. Male physicians and those owning a gun were more likely to deem a patient competent. Almost a third of physicians were unsure about competence for most conditions. Physicians asked to assess competency of patients to carry a concealed weapon have quite disparate views on competency and little confidence in their decisions. If physicians are expected to assess patient competence to carry a concealed weapon, more objective criteria and training are needed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Two-dimensional array measurements of near-source ground accelerations

abstract Two-dimensional array measurements of near-source accelerations have been conducted 6 km from the 5.6 M L explosion Colwick at Pahute Mesa, Nevada Test Site. The three-component, nine-station array measured 400 m across with interstation spacing of 100 m. Wavenumber spectra and beam forming (stacking) were used to measure apparent velocities and directions of propagation of acceleration waveforms. The robustness of individual station accelerograms was measured with frequency-domain coherency estimates and cross-correlation functions. The dependence of interstation coherency upon station spacing and frequency band was also examined. Wave propagation in Pahute Mesa can be characterized by P-SV and SH wave motion in a horizontally homogeneous medium for frequencies below 5 Hz. Strong incoherent scattered signals are present above 5 Hz on all components. The fraction of scattered energy can be estimated and treated as signal-generated noise. A strong SH pulse was observed to propagate across the array. Measured phase velocity, arrival time, and direction of propagation require cogeneration of SH with P-SV energy by the explosion Colwick. Weaker and more diffuse transverse acceleration signals arrive coincident with the P wave and during the time prior to S. These arrivals are interpreted as forward-scattered energy from the P wave. The small array permitted a refinement of the horizontally averaged S -wave velocity model for Pahute Mesa. The Mesa is characterized by a low velocity layer, 600 m thick, above the water table with a steep velocity gradient immediately below. The coherency measurements indicate the upper 1 km or more of Pahute Mesa is heterogeneous at scale lengths less than 1 km.
A SAS macro for a clustered permutation test

The clustered permutation test is a nonparametric method of significance testing for correlated data. It is often used in cluster randomized trials where groups of patients rather than individuals are randomized to either a treatment or control intervention. We describe a flexible and efficient SAS macro that implements the 2-sample clustered permutation test. We discuss the theory and applications behind this test as well as details of the SAS code.
Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing of a Novel Blended Hydraulic Hybrid Transmission

Hydraulic hybrid transmissions have demonstrated considerable potential in improving the fuel economy of on-road and off-highway vehicles. The authors have previously proposed a novel hydraulic hybrid transmission architecture termed the Blended Hybrid with benefits in efficiency and performance over existing systems. Recently an optimally controlled simulation study found that a blended hybrid power split transmission consumed 16% less energy than an equivalent series hybrid power split transmission over the US standard Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule. To further explore this novel architecture the authors constructed a hardware-in-the-loop transmission test rig. In this paper the authors detail the construction, control, and measurements results of the blended hybrid on this test rig.© 2014 ASME
Can Cattle Be Used to Control Sericea Lespedeza

On the Ground • Supplemental polyethylene glycol (PEG), a polymer that neutralizes the negative effects of tannins, can increase intake and preference of cattle for fresh-cut sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata), an invasive, tannin-containing legume for the tallgrass prairie region of the Great Plains. • In grazing trials, steers supplemented with PEGI plus a high-protein supplement tended to eat more sericea than did steers only supplemented with the high-protein supplement. • Supplementing cattle with PEG, protein, or a combination of the two has the potential to enhance the amount of sericea consumed by cattle, contributing to the control of this weed.
A duplexed microsphere-based fluorescent immunoassay.

Microsphere-based immunoassays are described for the simultaneous measurement of the clinically important drugs digoxin and theophylline. Competitive immunoassays were performed using haptenized microspheres and antibodies labeled with horseradish peroxidase. Enzyme-catalyzed reporter deposition (CARD) resulted in immunofluorescence signal amplification. Two encoding dyes were used to differentiate analytical signals from microspheres containing assays for the two analytes. An epifluorescence microscope and a CCD camera interfaced with a computer were utilized to measure fluorescence signals of individual microspheres. The microspheres from a duplexed assay were mounted on microscope slides as well as inserted into wells etched into the distal ends of optical imaging fibers. Fluorescence images from both formats were captured. In the experiments using microscope slides, the immunoassays were successfully duplexed and only marginal interferences at high analyte concentrations were observed. Preliminary results suggest that simultaneous determination of the two analytes using a fiber-based sensor-array format is feasible, but requires further development before precise quantitative analyses are possible.