cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy (CT) for triple-negative locally advanced breast cancer (LABC): Retrospective analysis of 125 patients

625 Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), defined by lack of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, accounts for 15–20% of all breast cancers and is associated with poor prognosis. There is no consensus regarding optimal CT for treatment of such patients. Preclinical data suggests TNBC may be sensitive to platinums because of deficiencies in BRCA-associated DNA repair. The aim of this study was to evaluate pathologic complete response (pCR) and overall survival (OS) in patients with TNBC treated with neoadjuvant platinum-based CT. Methods: We identified 674 patients with LABC who received neoadjuvant CT between January 1999 and June 2008 at University of Miami. Of these, 125 (18.5%) had histopathologic confirmation of TNBC. All patients received neoadjuvant platinum salts + docetaxel. 76 (61%) also received neoadjuvant AC, while 42 (34%) received adjuvant AC. pCR was defined as no residual invasive disease in breast and axilla. OS was calculated...
Comparison of therapeutic effect between laparoscopic assisted approach with open approach in Hirschsprung's disease

Objective:To compare the therapeutic effect of laparoscopic assisted approach with open approach in Hirschsprung's disease(HSCR).Methods:The therapic process and effect were reviewed in a total clinical data of 23 children with HSCR.Results:There was no significant difference in some statistical parameters (operating time,postoperative taking food time and postoperative hospitalization time) between two groups (P0.05).The blooding volume of laparoscopic assisted approach group was fewer than that of the open approach group (P0.05).There was no significant difference in postoperative complications between two groups.Conclusion:Analyzing the therapeutic effects of both surgical methods comprehensively,the laparoscopic assisted approach is predominant for HSCR.In clinic,according to the patient's condition,we should choose different surgical method.
Nonlinear Stability Analysis for Schwedler Reticulated Dome

On the base of finite element linear eigen value analysis,overall stability analysis of Schwedler reticulated dome have been conducted by means of the nonlinear finite element method.The arc-length method was utilized to solve the nonlinear equation systems,and the load-displacement curves of the spatial latticed shell structure were obtained.It is a valuable reference for the design and analysis of the similar special latticed shell.
Neural correlates of multisensory cue integration in macaque MSTd

Human observers combine multiple sensory cues synergistically to achieve greater perceptual sensitivity, but little is known about the underlying neuronal mechanisms. We recorded the activity of neurons in the dorsal medial superior temporal (MSTd) area during a task in which trained monkeys combined visual and vestibular cues near-optimally to discriminate heading. During bimodal stimulation, MSTd neurons combined visual and vestibular inputs linearly with subadditive weights. Neurons with congruent heading preferences for visual and vestibular stimuli showed improvements in sensitivity that parallel behavioral effects. In contrast, neurons with opposite preferences showed diminished sensitivity under cue combination. Responses of congruent cells were more strongly correlated with monkeys' perceptual decisions than were responses of opposite cells, suggesting that the monkey monitored the activity of congruent cells to a greater extent during cue integration. These findings show that perceptual cue integration occurs in nonhuman primates and identify a population of neurons that may form its neural basis.
Research Lumbar Punctures among African Americans and Caucasians: Perception Predicts Experience.

African Americans are under-represented in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-related biomarker studies, and it has been speculated that mistrust plays a major factor in the recruitment of African Americans for studies involving invasive procedures such as the lumbar puncture (LP). We set out to determine factors associated with non-participation in a biomarker study aiming to explore cerebrospinal fluid AD biomarker differences between older African Americans and Caucasians. We also surveyed participants' procedure-related perception (a standard medical procedure vs. a frightening invasive procedure) and reluctance, as well as the rate and type of post-procedure discomfort and complications. Among 288 subjects approached for study participation, 145 (50.3%) refused participation with concerns over LP being the most commonly reported reason. Relatively more African Americans than Caucasians reported concerns over LP as the main reason for non-participation (46% vs. 25%, p=0.03), but more African Americans also did not provide a specific reason for non-participation. Among those who completed study participation (including the LP), African Americans and Caucasians were similar in pre-LP perceptions and reluctance, as well as post-LP rates of discomfort or complication. Perceiving LP as a frightening invasive procedure, not race, is associated with increased likelihood of post-LP discomfort or complication (RR 6.2, 95% confidence interval 1.1-37.0). Our results indicate that LP is a well perceived procedure in a cohort of African American and Caucasian research participants, and is associated with few serious complications. The pre-procedure perception that the LP is a frightening invasive procedure significantly increases the risk of self-reported discomfort of complications, and African Americans may be more likely to turn down study participation because of the LP. Future studies will need to address factors associated with negative LP perceptions to further assure participants and reduce complication rates.
Immunotherapies in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The majority of patients present with advanced disease. Thus, most of the focus has been on implementing new drugs and therapeutic approaches in the metastatic setting. As the effect of cytotoxic agents has plateaued, immunotherapeutic interventions have emerged, in an attempt to improve the prognosis in this dismal disease. A better understanding of the microenvironment in pancreatic cancer has led to identifying multiple immunological targets that are currently under investigation. In this chapter, we focus on immunotherapies that are being investigated in pancreatic cancer.
Electrospray deposit structure of nanoparticle suspensions

Abstract Electrospray atomization has unique capabilities for deploying colloidal suspensions to create nanoparticle films and coatings. This technique can deliver precise quantities of particles in a dry state to a target substrate and overcomes many limitations of other printing and coating technologies. Since the structure of a nanoparticle layer governs its functionalities, it is essential to understand the relationship between the key operating parameters and the macro- and microstructure of an electrospray deposit. We investigated the role of three key parameters on the deposit structure: electrospray time, the target substrate electrical properties, and the polydispersity of the colloidal suspension. The macrostructure of the nanoparticle deposits was similar for all spray times and substrates. In particular, the deposited particles segregate to the center and edge of a deposit, leaving a depletion region in between. We speculate that the mutual Coulombic forces due to the space charge inside the plume play a key role in governing the trajectory of the nanoparticles and the ensuing deposit morphology. Since particles emitted by electrospray are highly charged, the microstructure of a deposit was strongly influenced by the electrical conductivity of the target substrate. By maintaining a net charge, particles deposited on to a dielectric substrate could influence the deposition of subsequent in-flight particles, which opens new routes for exerting control over the deposit structure.
How soon should patients with infective endocarditis be referred for valve surgery

The urgency of surgery is determined by the patient’s clinical, pathologic, and anatomic characteristics ([Figure 1][1]). It should be done sooner rather than later for patients with infective endocarditis who present with heart failure or uncontrolled infection or who are at risk of embolic
The Lapidus procedure as salvage after failed surgical treatment of hallux valgus: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND Recurrent hallux valgus is a relatively common, yet challenging, condition for both the patient and the surgeon. The literature on the treatment of recurrent hallux valgus is sparse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate prospectively the functional outcome and patient satisfaction following the Lapidus procedure for the treatment of recurrent hallux valgus deformity. METHODS Twenty-four patients with a total of twenty-six symptomatic recurrences of hallux valgus after previous procedures for treatment of the deformity were included in the study. Exclusion criteria included prior fusion procedures on the foot or ankle, a previous Keller or Mayo procedure, insulin-dependent diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, or peripheral neuropathy. A visual analog pain scale and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Hallux Metatarsophalangeal-Interphalangeal Scale were administered preoperatively, at six months postoperatively, and yearly thereafter. Weight-bearing radiographs were also made preoperatively; at six weeks, three months, six months, and one year postoperatively; and yearly thereafter. Patient satisfaction was assessed at the latest follow-up evaluation. RESULTS At twenty-four months, the mean score according to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Hallux Metatarsophalangeal-Interphalangeal Scale had increased from 47.6 to 87.9 points, the mean score according to the visual analog pain scale had improved from 6.2 to 1.4, the mean hallux valgus angle had improved from 37.1 degrees to 17.1 degrees, and the mean intermetatarsal angle had improved from 18 degrees to 8.6 degrees. The patients were very satisfied after 77% of the twenty-six procedures, satisfied after 4%, and somewhat satisfied after 19%; no patient was dissatisfied. There were no cases of hallux varus. Complications included three nonunions, all of which occurred in smokers, and two superficial wound infections. CONCLUSION In appropriately selected patients, the Lapidus procedure is a reliable and effective operation after failed surgical treatment of hallux valgus. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic study, Level IV (case series [no, or historical, control group]). See p. 2 for complete description of levels of evidence.
Biological and Compositional Changes During Soybean Maturation, Storage, and Germination

In Chapter 2, major chemical components and some minor ones present in mature soybeans were discussed in terms of their occurrences, properties, and nutritional values. However, since the soybean is a living seed tissue, it undergoes many changes as soon as it begins to develop. Some changes are not only biological and compositional but also morphological and cytological. Therefore, the subject has been a research focus for food scientists, nutritionists, plant physiologists, and agronomists.
Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Software Engineering Curricula for Millennials

The 1st International Workshop on Software Engineering Curricula for Millennials (SECM 2017) aims at bringing students, educators, and prospective employees together, to discuss the demands and challenges of software engineering education for Millennials, in both higher education and professional settings. Millennials are defined as the demographic cohort following Generation X, born between early 1980s and early 2000s. Millennials have been dominating the higher education programs for some time. This cohort has unique needs, learning styles, and skills. They are diverse, collaborative, creative, tech-savvy, and keenly interested in emerging technologies. They drive the growth of the software industry, which itself is in a constant state of flux, with new technologies, techniques, paradigms, and application domains popping up with increasing frequency. Companies quickly adjust to this shifting landscape while trying to cater to the needs of their new hires. What about educators? How should software engineering curricula and educators' teaching styles adapt to these changes? Perspectives of students, educators, and prospective employees should be heard. Our goal is to bring them together to discuss these challenges in the context of a highly interactive workshop.
Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity

From public transportation and education to adequate access to buildings, the social impact of disability has been felt everywhere since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. And a remarkable groundswell of activism and critical literature has followed in this wake. Claiming Disability is the first comprehensive examination of Disability Studies as a field of inquiry. Disability Studies is not simply about the variations that exist in human behavior, appearance, functioning, sensory acuity, and cognitive processing but the meaning we make of those variations. With vivid imagery and numerous examples, Simi Linton explores the divisions society creates--the normal versus the pathological, the competent citizen versus the ward of the state. Map and manifesto, Claiming Disability overturns medicalized versions of disability and establishes disabled people and their allies as the rightful claimants to this territory.
Faking it, Making it: Fooling and Improving Brain-Based Authentication with Generative Adversarial Networks

In this paper, we empirically demonstrate the vulnerability of a passthought authentication system to fake signals generated by Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), and use these same signals to make authenticators more robust. We first train a classifier that is able to authenticate a subject based on their EEG signals. The classifier performs a binary classification task: either the user is who they claim to be, or not. To test the robustness of the authenticator against attacks we train a GAN to generate signals that mimic the EEG signals of the “positive” subject. We find that a well-trained GAN is able to generate signals that the classifier consistently accepts. To alleviate this vulnerability, we re-train the classifier with this GAN-generated data. We find that the classifier re-trained against synthetic data is both more robust against this attack, and more accurate in accepting real data than the initial classifier. We conclude with recommendations for the design of passthought authentication systems.
Experimental Investigation of Natural Circulation During Air-Ingress Scenario in a Very High Temperature Reactor

In order to investigate air-ingress phenomena in a gas-cooled very high temperature reactor (VHTR), natural circulation experiments have been conducted in a helium flow loop after the injection of ...
A model to predict NAPLEX outcomes and identify students needing additional preparation.

Abstract Introduction Studies have been conducted to identify factors that may predict North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) outcomes, but there is no proposed single or combination of predictors that can be implemented reliably in academia. We aimed to develop a NAPLEX outcomes predictive model that could be practical, measurable, and reliable. Methods The study cohort consisted of students who graduated from 2012 to 2016 who had taken NAPLEX and whose first-attempt examination scores were available to the school of pharmacy. Students were considered to have poor performance on NAPLEX if they received an overall score of less than or equal to 82. Linear and logistic regression analysis were utilized to identify independent predictors. Results Seventy of 433 (16.2%) students were identified as poor performers. Independent factors that were associated with a poor outcome on NAPLEX were: age >28 years at graduation, Pharmacy College Admission Test scaled score Conclusions The model can be used as a practical tool to identify students who are at risk for poor performance on NAPLEX. Four of the five predictors in the model could be generalizable to other schools of pharmacy.
Measurement and modeling of electrowetting lens oscillations using digital holographic interferometry and Bessel and Legendre polynomial functions.

The function of electrowetting liquid lenses is expanding beyond tunable focal length lensing. Recently, single and multi-mode oscillations on the meniscus profile of two non-miscible liquids have been used for optical phase modulation and fast focal length sweeping. To achieve a user-defined phase modulation, a prediction model of oscillation patterns and amplitudes is needed. We present digital holographic interferometry (DHI) measurements of oscillation patterns and amplitudes on a 5.8mm aperture lens up to 160 Hz, including frequency responses from 26–100 Hz. We discuss using Bessel function and Legendre polynomial models for oscillations on a conical frustum shaped electrowetting lens.
Effects of Drying Method and Excipient on Structure and Stability of Protein Solids Using Solid-State Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry (ssHDX-MS)

Abstract Powders containing one of four model proteins (myoglobin, bovine serum albumin, lysozyme, β-lactoglobulin) were formulated with either sucrose, trehalose, or mannitol and dried using lyophilization or spray-drying. The powders were characterized using solid-state Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ssFTIR), solid-state fluorescence spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and solid-state hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (ssHDX-MS). ssFTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy identified minor structural differences among powders with different excipients and drying methods for some proteins. Using ssHDX-MS, differences in protein structure were observed among protein formulations containing sucrose or trehalose and mannitol, and/or with varying processing conditions, including proteins like β-lactoglobulin, for which standard characterization techniques showed no differences. Proteins processed by spray-drying typically showed greater heterogeneity by ssHDX-MS than those lyophilized; these differences were not detected by ssFTIR or solid-state fluorescence spectroscopy. The ssHDX-MS metrics were better correlated with protein physical instability measured by size-exclusion chromatography in 90-day stability studies (40 °C, 33% RH) than with the results of DSC, ssFTIR, or fluorescence spectroscopy. Thus, ssHDX-MS detected subtle changes in conformation and/or matrix interactions for these proteins that were correlated with storage stability, suggesting that the method can be used to design robust solid-state pharmaceutical protein products more rapidly.
Oxygenation reactions catalyzed by the F557V mutant of soybean lipoxygenase-1: Evidence for two orientations of substrate binding.

Abstract Plant lipoxygenases oxygenate linoleic acid to produce 13(S)-hydroperoxy-9Z,11E-octadecadienoic acid (13(S)-HPOD) or 9-hydroperoxy-10E,12Z-octadecadienoic acid (9(S)-HPOD). The manner in which these enzymes bind substrates and the mechanisms by which they control regiospecificity are uncertain. Hornung et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96 (1999) 4192–4197) have identified an important residue, corresponding to phe-557 in soybean lipoxygenase-1 (SBLO-1). These authors proposed that large residues in this position favored binding of linoleate with the carboxylate group near the surface of the enzyme (tail-first binding), resulting in formation of 13(S)-HPOD. They also proposed that smaller residues in this position facilitate binding of linoleate in a head-first manner with its carboxylate group interacting with a conserved arginine residue (arg-707 in SBLO-1), which leads to 9(S)-HPOD. In the present work, we have tested these proposals on SBLO-1. The F557V mutant produced 33% 9-HPOD (S:R = 87:13) from linoleic acid at pH 7.5, compared with 8% for the wild-type enzyme and 12% with the F557V,R707L double mutant. Experiments with 11(S)-deuteriolinoleic acid indicated that the 9(S)-HPOD produced by the F557V mutant involves removal of hydrogen from the pro-R position on C-11 of linoleic acid, as expected if 9(S)-HPOD results from binding in an orientation that is inverted relative to that leading to 13(S)-HPOD. The product distributions obtained by oxygenation of 10Z,13Z-nonadecadienoic acid and arachidonic acid by the F557V mutant support the hypothesis that ω6 oxygenation results from tail-first binding and ω10 oxygenation from head-first binding. The results demonstrate that the regiospecificity of SBLO-1 can be altered by a mutation that facilitates an alternative mode of substrate binding and adds to the body of evidence that 13(S)-HPOD arises from tail-first binding.
Tracking the Mobile Jammer in Wireless Sensor Networks Using Extended Kalman Filter

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are susceptible to jamming attacks due to the shared wireless medium. The jammer can disrupt any specific or entire radio frequency based on its function and strategies. Locating the jammer location is very important against the jamming in the wireless network and restore the communication channel. To support the existing anti-jamming techniques, we proposed an algorithm based on the Extended Kalman filter (EKF) and power received to track the jammer. Detecting jammer location is the first step taking to defend such attacks. Besides, estimating jammer location supports a wide range of defense. Range-based jammer localization technique based on the received power is used in this work to detect the external malicious node location by designed the position, velocity, and acceleration approach of Extended Kalman filter. An extensive simulation conducted to evaluate the performance of EKF compares to the Virtual Force Iteration Localization (VFIL), Weighted Centroid Localization (WCL), and Centroid Localization algorithms (CL). The EKF proves to be of high efficiency in comparison to VFIL, WCL, and CL.
Comparison of Simulation Assessments: Can They Identify Novice/StudentNurses?

Abstract Background Six nursing assessments were studied to determine if they could differentiate expert (sensitivity) vs. novice (specificity) nurses: Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR), Quint Leveled Clinical Competency Tool (QLCCT), subjective pass/fail (P/F), time to task (TTT), fixation count, and dwell time. Methods Fourteen reviewers viewed 79 videos of experts and novices in a simulation and scored the LCJR, QLCCT, and subjective P/F assessments. Results Sensitivity was good for the LCJR and the QLCCT. Specificity was good for subjective P/F and TTT, and excellent for fixation count and dwell time. Conclusion TTT, fixation count, and dwell time deserve more study.
Weak associations between hip adduction angle and hip abductor muscle activity during running

Hip abductor muscle strengthening is often prescribed to reduce the peak hip adduction angle in runners with overuse knee injury. However, no evidence exists associating greater isometric hip abductor muscle strength with smaller peak hip adduction angle during running. Beyond muscle strength, muscle activation patterns may play an important role in controlling joint movement during running. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to determine if associations existed among hip adduction angle, hip abductor muscle activity, and isometric hip abductor muscle strength. Twenty-five currently healthy female runners participated. Average gluteus medius muscle activity and tensor fascia lata muscle activity were determined during hip abductor maximal voluntary isometric contractions. Three-dimensional kinematics and hip abductor muscle activity were collected during treadmill running. Dependent variables were analyzed via Pearson product moment correlations. Multi-variable linear regression determined muscle activity's and strength's contributions to the peak hip adduction angle. A fair positive correlation was observed between the peak hip adduction angle and average tensor fascia lata muscle activity magnitude. Additionally, there was a moderate negative correlation between isometric hip abductor muscle strength and average gluteus medius muscle activity magnitude. Tensor fascia lata activity magnitude accounted for the most variance of the peak hip adduction angle. This study adds to the literature which indicates a lack of association between isometric hip abductor muscle strength and peak hip adduction angle in healthy runners. Factors other than hip abductor muscle strength and activation may account for more of the variance in peak hip adduction angles among runners.
Late and Long-Term Treatment-Related Effects and Survivorship for Head and Neck Cancer Patients

The demographics of head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors are changing, contributing to a growing number of survivors and a greater length of survivorship. Curative treatment involves intense multimodal therapy, which contributes to both short-term toxicities and long-term treatment-related effects. Delivering high-quality, relevant cancer survivorship care is a growing national priority. Various survivorship models and tools, such as survivorship care plans, have been utilized in an attempt to enhance care and optimize outcomes. However, an essential, yet understudied, component of high-quality survivorship care is the identification and management of late and long-term treatment-related effects. In this article, we will describe the current advancements in survivorship care as well as the research related to late and long-term treatment effects. While there is a growing body of literature that describes the prevalence of treatment-related effects and their impact on quality of life, more work is needed. Research that investigates the interplay of these complex treatment effects, the biological mechanisms that contribute to their variability, and interventions designed to mitigate them are desperately needed. While de-intensification offers the potential to alleviate these effects for future survivors, we need clinically meaningful assessment tools and therapies to provide the survivors we evaluate and treat daily. Targeted patient-reported outcomes and objective measures validated through clinical research are needed to help us systematically identify and treat late and long-term effects. In order to tailor and optimize the care we provide to our HNC survivors, we will need to leverage these tools as well as the expertise of all members of our multidisciplinary survivorship teams.
Family meal characteristics in racially/ethnically diverse and immigrant/refugee households by household food security status: A mixed methods study

While there is some research examining frequency of family meals by food insecurity (FI) status, there is little research examining other family meal characteristics (e.g., type of food served at meal, emotional atmosphere) or parent feeding practices by FI status. If food and money is scarce, it may be that the broader family meal environment looks different in families with continuous access to food (food secure, FS) compared to families with FI. Using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and qualitative data, this study explores meal characteristics and parent feeding practices at nearly 4000 family meals in a low-income, racially/ethnically diverse and immigrant/refugee sample. For 8 days, participants (i.e., parents of 5-7-year-old children) completed a survey every time they shared a meal with their child. Additionally, parents completed a qualitative interview regarding family meals. There were many meal characteristics statistically correlated with a family being FI, including: who prepared the meal and how the meal was prepared, the makeup of people at the meal, the meal location and meal atmosphere, and the food served at the meal. Qualitative data illuminated many of these findings from EMA meal surveys. Quantitatively, families with FI and FS reported similar parent feeding practices during family meals. Qualitatively, families with FI and FS reported differences in (1) parent feeding practices; (2) food served at family meals; (3) challenges to having family meals; and 4) adults' role in the family meal. This study provides suggestions for interventionists working with families, including helping families identify time management strategies, including fruits and vegetables into family meals on a budget, reducing screen time at family meals while improving the meal's emotional atmosphere, and developing positive parent feeding practice strategies.
Mortality Recovery and Stabilization in Kazakhstan, 1995-2001

This paper documents both the extraordinary rise in mortality that accompanied economic deterioration in the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as the far more tentative recovery. Kazakhstan's multi-ethnic population also makes it possible to identify a large mortality disadvantage for those - especially working-age males - who are not of Kazakh ethnicity. There are also stark regional differences - mortality decline is underway in many areas with substantial economic recovery, while elsewhere there has been no discernable improvement.
Granular decoherence precedes ice mélange failure and glacier calving at Jakobshavn Isbræ

The stability of the world’s largest glaciers and ice sheets depends on mechanical and thermodynamic processes occurring at the glacier–ocean boundary. A buoyant agglomeration of icebergs and sea ice, referred to as ice melange, often forms along this boundary and has been postulated to affect ice-sheet mass losses by inhibiting iceberg calving. Here, we use terrestrial radar data sampled every 3 min to show that calving events at Jakobshavn Isbrae, Greenland, are preceded by a loss of flow coherence in the proglacial ice melange by up to an hour, wherein individual icebergs flowing in unison undergo random displacements. A particle dynamics model indicates that these fluctuations are likely due to buckling and rearrangements of the quasi-two-dimensional material. Our results directly implicate ice melange as a mechanical inhibitor of iceberg calving and further demonstrate the potential for real-time detection of failure in other geophysical granular materials. Calving of an outlet glacier in Greenland is consistently preceded by distinctive flow patterns in the melange of sea ice and icebergs in front of the terminus, according to terrestrial radar observations and particle dynamic modelling of the Jakobshavn Isbrae system.
On the unitary block-decomposability of 1-parameter matrix flows and static matrices

For general complex or real 1-parameter matrix flows A(t)n, n and for static matrices $A \in \mathbb {C}_{n,n}$ alike, this paper considers ways to decompose matrix flows and single matrices globally via one constant matrix similarity Cn, n as A(t) = C− 1 ⋅ diag(A1(t),...,Al(t)) ⋅ C or A = C− 1 ⋅diag(A1,...,Al) ⋅ C with each diagonal block Ak(t) or Ak square and their number l exceeding 1 if this is possible. The theory behind our proposed algorithm is elementary and uses the concept of invariant subspaces for the MATLAB eig computed ‘eigenvectors’ of one associated flow matrix B(ta) to find the coarsest simultaneous block structure for all flow matrices B(tb). The method works efficiently for all time-varying matrix flows A(t), be they real or complex, normal, with Jordan structures or repeated eigenvalues, differentiable, continuous, or discontinuous in t, and likewise for all fixed entry matrices A. Our intended aim is to discover unitarily diagonal-block decomposable flows as they originate in real-time from sensor given data for time-varying matrix problems that are unitarily invariant. Then, the complexities of their numerical treatments decrease by adopting ‘divide and conquer’ methods for their diagonal blocks. In the process, we discover and study k-normal fixed entry matrix classes that can be decomposed under unitary similarities into various k-dimensional block-diagonal forms.
Exploring impacts of marine heatwaves: paternal heat exposure diminishes fertilization success in the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus)

Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are projected to increase in intensity and frequency over the coming decades, and it is imperative to assess the adaptive capacity of marine organisms to these extreme temperature events. Given the nature of MHWs to last days to weeks in a region, these events may have overarching impacts on phenological events like reproduction and development. Here, the role of adult thermal history and transgenerational plasticity may be an important pathway by which MHWs are transduced to impact community structure. In this study, we sought to explore the effects of paternal thermal history in the purple urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, on a crucial aspect of reproduction, fertilization. Using ecologically relevant temperatures representative of both MHW events that occurred in 2014–2020 and non-MHW temperatures in our region of the California Large Marine Ecosystem, we conditioned male S. purpuratus for 28 days to either a high, MHW or a low, non-MHW temperature. Following the temperature acclimation of adults, sperm performance was tested for individual males by conducting fertilization success trials at varying temperatures and sperm concentrations. While sperm appeared robust to elevated temperature during fertilization, sperm produced by high-temperature-acclimated males had overall diminished performance as compared to those acclimated to non-MHW temperatures. These results suggest MHW events will have a negative impact on fertilization in situ for S. purpuratus populations. Furthermore, these results highlight the importance of considering both male and female environmental history in projections of reproduction under climate change scenarios.
Computers and Medicine

Excerpt The cover of a new British paperback on computers in medicine*is adorned by a diagram of a ferrite-core type of computer memory. In its center is a window through which a caduceus peeks. Th...
Potential Energy Surfaces in Excited States of Saturated Molecules

The vacuum UV photlysis of acyclic alkanes in the low-energy or threshold region of their spectra is characterized by two-bond cleavages. Thus, the simplest alkane, CH4, dissociates almost exclusively to methylene and molecular hydrogen in the threshold region:1 $$CH_{4}\overset{h\nu }{\rightarrow}CH_{2}+H_{2}$$ (1)
Cultural Studies of Science

This article is reproduced from the previous edition, volume 5, pp. 3125–3127, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Reciprocal Recombination of Chromosome and F-Merogenote in Escherichia coli

Herman, Robert K. (Lawrence University, Appleton, Wis.). Reciprocal recombination of chromosome and F-merogenote in Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 90:1664–1668. 1965.—Mitotic recombination of an F-merogenote with the bacterial chromosome was observed under conditions where both recombinant episome and reciprocally recombinant chromosome, if formed and if passed on to the same progeny, could be detected. Recombinant strains selected on the basis of having a recombinant F-merogenote were found frequently to contain a recombinant chromosome of the reciprocal type.
International Comparison of Mortgage Product Offerings

This comparison of mortgage product offerings in developed countries reveals significant differences in the dominant product offerings. Countries differ in terms of the market share of adjustable versus fixed-rate mortgages, the use of pre-payment penalties, maximum term and the offering of features such as interest-only payments and assumability. Our findings suggest that the United States is internationally unusual in several respects.
The effect of product assortment on buyer preferences

Abstract Using product assortment to gain a sustainable differentiation is becoming increasingly difficult in the current retail environment and is likely to become even more challenging as the importance of location continues to decline and the share of Internet-based retailing increases. Recent research, however, suggests that product assortment can play a key role, not only in satisfying wants, but also in influencing buyer wants and preferences. This article reviews and synthesizes empirical evidence indicating that (a) retailers can use the assortment subset that buyers consider to enhance the likelihood that a purchase will be made and to affect the specific option selected, (b) the manner in which the set of considered options are presented also affects buyer preferences and purchase decisions, and, (c) the effects of the considered options and presentation format interact with other elements of the marketing mix such as sales promotions. The implications of these findings for retailers, including ethical aspects of influencing buyer preferences, are discussed.
CodeSurfer/Path Inspector

CodeSurfer is a powerful source code analysis and navigation tool for a range of languages, including C/C++ and x86 machine code. The Path Inspector is an add-on to CodeSurfer that allows a user to reason about paths through the program, and which can be used to find programming flaws.
Non-convulsive status epilepticus in the postanesthesia care unit following meningioma excision.

Purpose Non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is an underdiagnosed clinical entity in which electrical seizures occur with subtle or no overt clinical manifestations. It can cause delayed recovery from anesthesia and constitutes an important differential diagnosis for prolonged postoperative unconsciousness. This condition can be diagnosed only by electroencephalogram (EEG), and the institution of early treatment is associated with better prognosis. This case is presented to illustrate the occurrence of this rare clinical entity in a patient who had undergone extradural surgery.
Feasibility study of an intensity-modulated radiation model for the study of erectile dysfunction.

Introduction. Preclinical studies of radiotherapy (RT) induced erectile dysfunction (ED) have been limited by radiation toxicity when using large fields. Aim. To develop a protocol of rat prostate irradiation using techniques mimicking the current clinical standard of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Main Outcome Measures. Quality assurance (QA) testing of plan accuracy, animal health 9 weeks after RT, and intracavernosal pressure (ICP) measurement on cavernosal nerve stimulation. Methods. Computed tomography-based planning was used to develop a stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatment plan for five young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Two treatment planning strategies were utilized to deliver 20 Gy in a single fraction: three-dimensional dynamic conformal arc and intensity-modulated arc (RapidArc). QA testing was performed for each plan type. Treatment was delivered using a NovalisTX (Varian Medical Systems) with high-definition multi-leaf collimators using on-board imaging prior to treatment. Each animal was evaluated for ED 2 months after treatment by nerve stimulation and ICP measurement. Results. The mean prostate volume and target volume (5 mm expansion of prostate) for the five animals was 0.36 and 0.66 cm 3 , respectively. Both conformal and RapidArc plans provided at least 95% coverage of the target volume, with rapid dose fall-off. QA plans demonstrated strong agreement between doses of calculated and delivered plans, although the conformal arc plan was more homogenous in treatment delivery. Treatment was well tolerated by the animals with no toxicity out to 9 weeks. Compared with control animals, significant reduction in ICP/mean arterial pressure, maximum ICP, and ICP area under the curve were noted. Conclusion. Tightly conformal dynamic arc prostate irradiation is feasible and results in minimal toxicity and measurable changes in erectile function. Koontz BF, Yan H, Kimura M, Vujaskovic Z, Donatucci C, and Yin F-F. Feasibility study of an intensity-modulated radiation model for study of erectile dysfunction. J Sex Med 2011;8:411-418.
Beam dynamics in high luminosity e/sup +/e/sup -/ factories

The e/sup +/e/sup -/ factories achieve their high luminosity by storing a large current in many bunches. A number of collective effects, some of them new, strongly influence the dynamics of the beams in this very high current regime. Backgrounds of electrons (due to multipacting or photoemission) cause collective instabilities and emittance dilution. Heavy beam loading and ion clearing gaps in the bunch pattern have a strong effect on the longitudinal dynamics. The large number of bunches,in the factories requires crossing angle collisions in some machines, coupling the longitudinal and transverse dynamics. Parasitic collisions are present, wigglers may be used to manipulate the emittance and radiation damping rates, and the electron and positron beams in asymmetric B-factories have unequal parameters. We review the wealth of recent beam dynamics observations made at the e/sup +/e/sup -/ factories.
Telemetry ranging using software-defined radios

Telemetry ranging is a technique that inserts ranging data measured by the spacecraft into the downlink telemetry stream, thereby avoiding the need to allocate downlink power for a ranging signal. This technique has many benefits depending on the mission profile, including increased data return, operational simplification, and spectrum efficiency. The present study considers a variation to the ranging technique presented in [1] in order to facilitate implementation in a software-defined radio (SDR). This implementation tracks an uplink PN range code and measures the code phase coincident with the start of downlink telemetry frames. The phase is then embedded in subsequent telemetry frames. The method is implemented in the JHU/APL Frontier Radio and leverages the PN ranging design from the NASA New Horizons communications system. Initial test results are summarized and indicate that the method is viable for space exploration.
TU-CD-304-11: Veritas 2.0: A Cloud-Based Tool to Facilitate Research and Innovation

Purpose: We introduce Veritas 2.0, a cloud-based, non-clinical research portal, to facilitate translation of radiotherapy research ideas to new delivery techniques. The ecosystem of research tools includes web apps for a research beam builder for TrueBeam Developer Mode, an image reader for compressed and uncompressed XIM files, and a trajectory log file based QA/beam delivery analyzer. Methods: The research beam builder can generate TrueBeam readable XML file either from scratch or from pre-existing DICOM-RT plans. DICOM-RT plan is first converted to XML format and then researcher can interactively modify or add control points to them. Delivered beam can be verified via reading generated images and analyzing trajectory log files. Image reader can read both uncompressed and HND-compressed XIM images. The trajectory log analyzer lets researchers plot expected vs. actual values and deviations among 30 mechanical axes. The analyzer gives an animated view of MLC patterns for the beam delivery. Veritas 2.0 is freely available and its advantages versus standalone software are i) No software installation or maintenance needed, ii) easy accessibility across all devices iii) seamless upgrades and iv) OS independence. Veritas is written using open-source tools like twitter bootstrap, jQuery, flask, and Python-based modules. Results: In the first experiment, an anonymized 7-beam DICOM-RT IMRT plan was converted to XML beam containing 1400 control points. kV and MV imaging points were inserted into this XML beam. In another experiment, a binary log file was analyzed to compare actual vs expected values and deviations among axes. Conclusions: Veritas 2.0 is a public cloud-based web app that hosts a pool of research tools for facilitating research from conceptualization to verification. It is aimed at providing a platform for facilitating research and collaboration. I am full time employee at Varian Medical systems, Palo Alto.
Precursors of Laboratory Rock Failure

A series of laboratory tests was initiated at the Bureau of Mines to investigate the relevance of brittle rock failure in the laboratory to large-scale failures, such as rock bursts and roof falls in mines. Various parameters that could exhibit anomalous behavior prior to failure were monitored during uniaxial and triaxial compression tests. These parameters included load, moments (corresponding to tilt measurements), seismicity, electromagnetic (EM) radiation, surface charge differential, and confining pressure (during triaxial tests). These variables were recorded for only a few milliseconds prior to and during failure. Our results indicate that laboratory failure of brittle rocks, such as granites and quartzites, must be studied in the microsecond time scale prior to failure; otherwise, laboratory failure appears to be a single catastrophic failure with little or no relevance to large-scale failures. Studied on the microsecond time scale, anomalous activity was observed in the last 10 ms prior to failure. During triaxial compression tests, a large pressure drop was observed just prior to failure, indicating that a criterion for failure may be the violation of the law of mechanical stability.
Neutron transport calculations in cylindrical geometry

An integral transformation technique and the F /SUB N/ method are used to solve, for the case of isotropic scattering, the albedo problem and the internal-source problem relevant to neutron transport theory for a bare cylinder of infinite length. The neutron flux distribution and the neutron current distributions are found with five or six figures of accuracy and are tabulated for selected illustrative cases. In addition, selected results for the albedo are reported with an accuracy of eight to ten significant figures.
Improving the Emergency Care Research Investigator Pipeline: SAEM/ACEP Recommendations

We read with interest Dr. Jeremy Brown’s piece in the November 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine.1 Dr. Brown articulated that although EM applicants for individual mentored (K) awards have a funding rate similar to other specialties, comparatively few EM investigators ever apply for these awards. As representatives of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) and American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Research Committees, we offer additional commentary regarding the reasons for, and possible solutions to, the low number of EM applications for K awards. We believe that both individual and systemic action is necessary to address the situation.
A General Inside-Out Routing Algorithm for a Class of Rearrangeable Networks

In this paper, we present a generalized version of the routing algorithm[1] for a class of 2log_2 N-stage networks which are made by concatenating two log_2 Nstage blocking networks. We show that the generalized algorithm can also cover a class of(2log_2 N - 1)-stage networks. It is shown that the inside-out algorithm is a more general algorithm which covers a large class of inherently symmetric rearrangeable networks, including the Benes and its equivalent networks. Moreover, it is shown that the time complexity of the algorithm is in O(N), which is superior to that of the looping algorithm. The algorithm is discussed using a graph representation of the network and its connectivity properties are shown by a graph describing rule. To show that the algorithm covers a class of 2log_2 N-stage networks, we introduce the concept of a base-network. These base-networks satisfy some common connectivity properties, and we show that any concatenation of two base-networks can be routed by our new algorithm.
Zero modes for the D=11 membrane and five-brane.

There exist extremal {ital p}-brane solutions of {ital D}=11 supergravity for {ital p}=2 and 5. In this paper we investigate the zero modes of the membrane and the five-brane solutions as a first step toward understanding the full quantum theory of these objects. It is found that both solutions possess the correct number of normalizable zero modes dictated by supersymmetry. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}