cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two Mouse Genetic Models of Thrombocytopenia.

Thrombocytopenia is a disorder in which there is a low level of circulating platelets. There are two main underlying causes; a hematopoietic defect in which there is a decreased production of platelet cells or an autoimmune disorder in which platelets are actively destroyed. Two mutant mouse strains have been obtained from the mutagenesis program at The Heart, Lung, Blood and Sleep Disorders Center at The Jackson Laboratory that each exhibit a dramatic decrease in the level of platelets in comparison to the C57BL/6J wild-type strain making them potentially valuable models for thrombocytopenia. The mutations were crossed to BALB/cByJ and to 129Sv/ImJ and an F2 intercross strategy was used to map the mutation in each strain. Candidate gene sequencing of strain HLB219 revealed a point mutation in the Mpl gene on chromosome 4, which encodes the thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor. This mutation causes an amino acid change from a conserved cysteine to an arginine at codon 40. This ligand-receptor complex plays a pivotal role in megakaryocyte proliferation and maturation and platelet production. The mutation in HLB219 is consistent with other recessive loss-of-function mutations in Mpl that cause hematopoietic defects and thrombocytopenia. HLB219 homozygotes have an elevated circulating TPO level and decreased numbers of hematopoietic progenitors in a colony formation unit (CFU) assay. A competitive repopulation assay showed that HLB219 bone marrow is unable to contribute to hematopoiesis in a lethally-irradiated mouse recipient. Interestingly, HLB219/C57BL/6J heterozygotes show a unique overdominance effect in which platelet levels are elevated compared to wild-type C57BL/6J mice despite having normal TPO levels and reduced megakaryocyte levels in the CFU assay. The mutation in the second mouse model of thrombocytopenia, strain HLB381, has been mapped using a genome-wide linkage scan of 50 F2 intercross progeny. The candidate interval has been narrowed by screening >240 F2 progeny with additional microsatellite and SNP markers. The candidate interval spans 4.2 megabases at the centromeric end of chromosome 8. In contrast to results obtained with HLB219, a competitive repopulation assay demonstrated that HLB381 has normal hematopoietic capability. However, chimeric mice from these assays have low platelet levels, indicating that an autoimmune defect may be responsible for the phenotype. Furthermore, HLB381 mice have normal levels of circulating TPO. Current studies are focused on determining whether HLB381 may serve as a heritable model for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), an autoimmune disorder.
Creating structures—Micromachining

We have explored the nature of the silicon substrate, seen how to tailor its composition by doping it, how to deposit thin film layers, and also how to create and transfer patterns using photolithography. We next turn our attention to using the substrate, thin film deposition, and pattern transfer processes to create the actual structures that make up a MEMS device. This shaping of materials into structural elements is commonly known as micromachining.
The Library as Center of Meaning

ABSTRACTLibraries can further increase their relevancy by becoming centers of community meaning even more directly than they already are, making visible to a community what matters to it and how it understands itself and its world. This function can be advanced by libraries adopting platforms that gather anonymized usage information and make it accessible not only to users but to the global of community of developers who can do unprecedented things with it, including intersecting it with information from communities near and far so that we can learn from one another at a new scale.
Location and Position in Archaeology: Revisiting the Original Association of a Folsom Point with Bison Ribs

The proveniences (locations) of artifacts have long been critically important to archaeological interpretation. Although of major importance to site formation studies, positional attributes of artifacts (e.g., orientation, dip, which side is up) are seldom mentioned. When discovered in 1927, the in situ association of a Folsom projectile point with two ribs of a Pleistocene form of bison was interpreted as indicative of the contemporaneity of the three items, and thus was taken as evidence for the Pleistocene age of humans in North America. The locational and positional attributes of the two ribs and the point relative to one another suggest it is improbable that the point was deposited simultaneously with the two ribs as a result of it being embedded in the animal's flank, which is not to say the three items are not depositionally and temporally associated. Previously unmentioned positional attributes of the items making up the original Folsom association exemplify the importance of such attributes. New understanding of the original association underscores that actualistic research is required to identify the kinds of positional attributes important to questions regarding site formation and site structure.
Cytochemical Adenosinetriphosphatase in Plant Root Meristem

Root tip meristems were stained to demonstrate ATPase activity by two different methods, with general agreement in localization but not specificity, and with emphasis on mitotic cells. In interphase, ATPase was localized in nucleoli and nuclear membranes, with lesser activity in the nuclear substance. In prophase, chromosomes were outlined by ATPase stain which gradually declined in intensity at prometaphase, becoming least evident in metaphase. Staining activity increased again in anaphase, and remained high in telophase. In prometaphase, anaphase and late anaphase--early telophase, the ATPase was concentrated in a fibril which appeared to coil around the chromosomes. The ATPase fibril was thinnest at metaphase and shorter and thicker at telophase. In addition, granules formed in association with the coils of the fibril in late anaphase and early telophase. Later on, these granules may have fused and contributed to nucleolar reformation. The ATPase never localized in the chromosomal fibre nor in any other region of the spindle. RNA generally localized like ATPase, but ATPase loci were unchanged after ribonuclease (RNase) treatment. Because of certain similarities between ATPase and argentaffin localization, some relationship between the nucleolus and ATPase is suggested. A mechanochemical transducing role is postulated for the ATPase, because cytochemical properties were like those of ATPase in the A-band of myofibrillae, and because other changes in it could be correlated with chromosome movement.
Biosonar-inspired signal processing and acoustic imaging from echolocating bats

No biological system more immediately evokes thinking about technology than the sonar sense of bats [1,2]. This chapter describes a novel approach to sonar signal processing that has been identified from experiments carried out with echolocating bats. Bats use their biosonar to perceive target distance (range), target azimuth (crossrange), and target shape using wideband signals, and target velocity and fluttering motion using narrowband signals [2-4]. Being able to perceive these components in real-time while flying through surroundings that vary from simple to complex makes them a very valuable source of engineering inspiration. From a technological perspective, the parallels between biosonar and pulse-echo sensing by man-made radar and sonar systems are very compelling [5]. Moreover, progress towards understanding biosonar has benefitted from applying radar and sonar concepts to biology [5-8]. Furthermore, the historical development of radar and sonar technology overlapped with the discovery and advancement of research on biosonar [1,2,9,10]. Broadcast transmission, echo reception, signal-processing, display of images, and guidance of motion are recognizable functions both in biosonar [2,5] and man-made systems [9,10]. These functions correspond fairly well to specific stages in a block diagram of an engineered system. In biosonar, however, these functions are spread across several stages of biological and perceptual processing because they are interrelated and are carried out in a distributed fashion by overlapping biological structures [2]. The content of this chapter follows a signal-processing theme across stages in the bat's auditory system that comprises its sonar imaging system. At several stages in this story, operations seem similar to practices used in some man-made systems, only to have their outputs treated quite differently at higher stages.
Invisible Digital Front: Can Cyber Attacks Shape Battlefield Events?:

Recent years have seen growing concern over the use of cyber attacks in wartime, but little evidence that these new tools of coercion can change battlefield events. We present the first quantitativ...
Total Quality Management as an Organizational Change: Predictors of Successful Implementation

This article describes the development of a diagnostic tool used to assess TQM implementation success. The tool is based on the results of interviews and questionnaire studies of 32 companies. One goal of the research was to empirically examine the proc..
Perioperative management of bilateral bronchial foreign bodies in infants

Objective To explore the perioperative management of bilateral bronchial foreign bodies in infants to improve the cure rate in the children. Methods The medical charts of 45 infants with bilateral bronchial foreign bodies were reviewed. Clinical features and key points to surgery as well as post-operative care were analyzed. Results All foreign bodies were removed with rigid bronchoscopy under general anesthesia, and 44 of 45 infants were cured with assistance of anti-infective treatments within 3-5 days and one with acute laryngitis and bronchitis was cured through 10-day anti-infective treatment with vancomycin. Conclusion Removal of foreign body by rigid bronchoscopy under general anesthesia is a preferred method to treat bilateral bronchial foreign bodies in infants, to whom early diagnosis, early treatment and postoperative careful care are keys to get a good outcome. Key words: Foreign bodies; Bronchi; Intraoperative period; Bronchoscopy; Infant
Surgical Treatment of Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms

Middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms account for approximately 20% of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). An understanding of MCA anatomy and variations is the key to successful treatment of MCA aneurysms, which may occur on the M1 segment, at the division of the main trunk or on distal branches. Patients may present with SAH, mass effect, epilepsy, or ischemia. MCA aneurysms associated with large temporal hematomas may be approached through the superior temporal gyrus. Other aneurysms are best approached with a medial or lateral transSylvian approach.
Medialization Laryngoplasty with Gore-Tex (Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene)

In conclusion, Gore-Tex medialization laryngoplasty remains a simple surgical technique for the restoration of voice and airway function after unilateral vocal cord paralysis. It allows great flexibility for individual surgeons to modify their technique to suit their comfort level and patient population. It is easily combined with arytenoid adduction in patients requiring closure of a posterior glottic gap. It is reversible and revisable, and the complications are quite limited. When they do occur they are commonly managed with simple procedures that allow future restoration of vocal cord position and quality of voice.
The Noble Day

I consider myself to be a really lucky guy for being one of Walter’s postdocs. That was amazing three years, with almost daily meetings with Walter where long, sometimes exhaustive, search for physics elegancy was mixed with endless stories about famous (and not) physicists, Shakespeare poetry, campus architecture, French cuisine and what not.
The Effect of Sublethal Heat Shock and Growth Atmosphere on the Heat Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes Scott A.

Log phase cells of Listeria monocytogenes Scott A were heat shocked in Trypticase Soy + 0.6% yeast extract (TSYE) broth at 48°C for 10 min, followed by heating at 55°C for up to 50 min. Heat resistance was determined using nonselective (TSYE) and selective (McBride Listeria ) enumeration media which were incubated under aerobic and anaerobic environments. D55°C-values for heat shocked cells were 2.1-fold higher than nonheat shocked cells (18.7 min vs. 8.89 min) when cells were enumerated on TSYE agar aerobically and 2.2-fold higher (26.4 min vs. 12.0 min) for cells enumerated anaerobically on TSYE agar. When cells were enumerated aerobically on McBride Listeria (ML) agar, D55°C-values for heat shocked cells were 1.4-fold higher than nonheat shocked cells (9.55 min vs. 6.69 min). No growth was observed on ML agar anaerobically. The physiological condition of the microorganism, the enumeration medium, and the growth environment greatly affected the heat resistance of logphase cells of Listeria monocytogenes Scott A.
“My Peaceful Vagina Revolution:” A Theory of a Design

Online film, game, and book review sites typically feature two types of evaluation: user reviews and professional critic reviews. In this essay, we consider the differences between these two evaluations, that is, considering what user reviews give us that critics do not, and vice-versa. We observe that the same distinction appears to apply to HCI and interaction design, yet as a field we tend to emphasize only one of them: the experiences of relevant users. We propose that HCI and design would benefit from more professional criticism. We outline the purposes and qualities of criticism in the arts and humanities. We argue that as HCI and design emphasizes the ways that design artifacts embody or bear knowledge, it will benefit from a practice of criticism to explicate that knowledge. We develop these ideas through an analysis of a design, the Formoonsa Cup, which is a functional menstrual product and also a form of design activism. We offer a theory of the Formoonsa Cup, which exemplifies a role of theory in the humanities, that is, as a theory of a particular, rather than a more general phenomenon. And we conclude by showing how many theories of works would, over time, benefit HCI’s repertoire.
Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis for the prevention of central line-associated bloodstream infection in autologous stem cell transplant.

e19508Background: Patients (Pts) undergoing stem cell transplant (SCT) for the treatment of hematologic malignancy are at increased risk for central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). ...
Bipolar Articular Chondral Lesions of the Knee

Bipolar chondral defects cause a high degree of dysfunction in patients, namely athletes, and are often less common and more difficult to treat than isolated chondral lesions. Patients often present with a more degenerative rather than traumatic etiology, and while bipolar lesions are often a relative contraindication for cartilage procedures, undertreatment may contribute to further degeneration. This is complicated by the relative dearth of literature detailing evidence-based treatment strategies for bipolar lesions. Despite a number of cartilage restoration techniques and orthobiologics available, further research is needed in order to determine the most appropriate and effective treatment for this complicated pathology. This chapter presents two cases of former athletes with symptomatic bipolar lesions – one which was treated with a particulated juvenile allograft cartilage transplantation, microfracture, and tibial tubercle osteotomy with anteromedialization while the other with an osteochondral allograft transplantation, microfracture, and lateral meniscal allograft transplantation.
Neural Correlates of Cognition in Primary Visual versus Neighboring Posterior Cortices during Visual Evidence-Accumulation-based Navigation

Summary Studies of perceptual decision-making have often assumed that the main role of sensory cortices is to provide sensory input to downstream processes that accumulate and drive behavioral decisions. We performed a systematic comparison of neural activity in primary visual (V1) to secondary visual and retrosplenial cortices, as mice performed a task where they should accumulate pulsatile visual cues through time to inform a navigational decision. Even in V1, only a small fraction of neurons had sensory-like responses to cues. Instead, in all areas neurons were sequentially active, and contained information ranging from sensory to cognitive, including cue timings, evidence, place/time, decision and reward outcome. Per-cue sensory responses were amplitude-modulated by various cognitive quantities, notably accumulated evidence. This inspired a multiplicative feedback-loop circuit hypothesis that proposes a more intricate role of sensory areas in the accumulation process, and furthermore explains a surprising observation that perceptual discrimination deviates from Weber-Fechner Law. Highlights / eTOC Blurb Mice made navigational decisions based on accumulating pulsatile visual cues The bulk of neural activity in visual cortices was sequential and beyond-sensory Accumulated pulse-counts modulated sensory (cue) responses, suggesting feedback A feedback-loop neural circuit explains behavioral deviations from Weber’s Law In a task where navigation was informed by accumulated pulsatile visual evidence, neural activity in visual cortices predominantly coded for cognitive variables across multiple timescales, including outside of a visual processing context. Even sensory responses to visual pulses were amplitude-modulated by accumulated pulse counts and other variables, inspiring a multiplicative feedback-loop circuit hypothesis that in turn explained behavioral deviations from Weber-Fechner Law.
Childhood Exposure to Partner Violence as a Moderator of Current Partner Violence and Negative Parenting.

This study examined the interactive effect of mothers’ exposure to caregiver intimate partner violence (IPV) during childhood and the amount of violence experienced with a current partner on negati...
Migration in Public Administration Research: A Systematic Review and Future Directions

Against the backdrop of increasing public and social interests in migration, this article conducts a systematic review of research addressing the topic of migration published in top public administ...
Reading from print, laptop computer, and e-reader: Differences and similarities for college students’ learning

Digital and print readings differ in their affordances. Past research supports a print advantage, but few studies have used within-subjects approaches or compared handheld devices and multiple read...
The Price of Prevention: Anti-Terrorism Pre-Crime Measures and International Human Rights Law,

How far can law go to prevent violent acts of terrorism from happening? This Article examines the response by a number of Western democratic States to that question. These States have enacted special legal mechanisms that can be called ‘anti-terrorist pre-crime measures.’ Anti-terrorist pre-crime measures, or ATPCMs for short, are conditions or restrictions imposed on a person by law enforcement authorities as the outcome of a legal process set up to identify and neutralize potential sources of terrorist activity before it occurs. The issue is whether the ATCPMs regimes in existence today comply with the corresponding States’ international obligations under human rights law because, by virtue of their preventative mission, these regimes operate outside, or on the fringes of, the ordinary criminal justice systems in the democratic societies that deploy them. Despite the operation of ATPCMs regimes in robust democracies like the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and, potentially, the United States, they surprisingly have not been the subject of recent international scrutiny or systematic comparative study. This Article fills both gaps. On the one hand, it documents how the national legal frameworks in the aforementioned countries design and deploy anti-terrorist pre-crime measures, as well as how those measures function in practice. On the other, the Article canvasses the relevant international legal framework to identify not just which human rights are implicated by the operation of ATPCMs regimes, but also how those rights are impacted by it. The Article then applies this normative framework to the domestic counter-terrorism initiatives studied to ascertain how, and the extent to which, the respective ATPCMs regimes can be said to comply with human rights law. Significant insights can be derived from this exercise for other countries like the United States that authorize or contemplate implementing ATPCMs.
Cryoballoon Ablation and Bipolar Voltage Mapping in Patients With Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Devices.

Left atrial appendage occlusion is utilized as a second line therapy to long-term oral anticoagulation in appropriately selected patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We examined the feasibility of cryoballoon (CB) pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) subsequent to Watchman device implantation. The study prospectively identified patients with Watchman devices (>90 days old) who underwent CB-PVI ablation between 2018 and 2019. Twelve consecutive patients (male 50%; mean age 71 ± 9 years; CHA2DS2-VASc score 3.4 ± 1.1) underwent CB-PVI procedures after Watchman device implantation (mean 182 ± 82 days). Acute PVI was achieved in 100% of patients. All patients had evidence of complete (n = 9) or partial (n = 3) endothelialization of the surface of the Watchman device with conductive tissue properties demonstrated during electrophysiologic testing. There were no major procedure-related complications including death, stroke, pericardial effusion, device dislodgment, device thrombus, or new or increasing peri-device leak. Mean peri-device leak size (45-day postimplant: 0.06 ± 0.09 mm vs Post-PVI: 0.04 ± 0.06 mm; p = 0.61) remained unchanged. Two patients had recurrence of AF after the 90-day blanking period (13.2 ± 6.6 months). One patient underwent a redo ablation procedure for recurrent AF. This pilot study suggests the potential feasibility of CB-PVI ablation in patients with chronic Watchman left atrial appendage occlusion devices. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm the clinical efficacy and safety of this approach.
Observations of upper ocean sound-speed structures in the North Pacific and their effects on long-range acoustic propagation at low and mid-frequencies

Three 1000-km long, high resolution conductivity, temperature, depth sections in the North Pacific Ocean obtained by the ship towed vehicle SeaSoar are analyzed to quantify 2005 March/April upper-ocean sound-speed structure and determine the effects on low to mid-frequency transmission loss (TL) through numerical simulation. The observations reveal a variable mixed layer acoustic duct (MLAD) with a mean sonic layer depth of 91-m, and an even higher variability, 80-m-average-thickness transition layer connecting the mixed layer (ML) with the main thermocline. The sound-speed structure is hypothesized to be associated with thermohaline processes such as air-sea fluxes, eddies, submesoscale, fronts, internal waves, turbulence, and spice, but the analysis does not isolate these factors. Upper-ocean variability is quantified using observables of layer depth, ML gradient, and sound speed to compute low order moments, probability density functions, horizontal wavenumber spectra, and empirical orthogonal function decomposition. Coupled mode acoustic propagation simulations at 400 and 1000 Hz were carried out using the sound-speed observations from the upper 400-m appended to climatology, which reveal propagation physics associated with diffraction, random media effects, and deterministic feature scattering. Statistics of TL reveal important energy transfers between the MLAD and the deep sound channel.
The human CRY1 tail controls circadian timing by regulating its association with CLOCK:BMAL1

Circadian rhythms are generated by interlocked transcription-translation feedback loops that establish cell-autonomous biological timing of ∼24 h. Mutations in core clock genes that alter their stability or affinity for one another lead to changes in circadian period. The human CRY1Δ11 mutant lengthens circadian period to cause delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD), characterized by a very late onset of sleep. CRY1 is a repressor that binds to the transcription factor CLOCK:BMAL1 to inhibit its activity and close the core feedback loop. We previously showed how the PHR (photolyase homology region) domain of CRY1 interacts with distinct sites on CLOCK and BMAL1 to sequester the transactivation domain from coactivators. However, the Δ11 variant alters an intrinsically disordered tail in CRY1 downstream of the PHR. We show here that the CRY1 tail, and in particular the region encoded by exon 11, modulates the affinity of the PHR domain for CLOCK:BMAL1. The PHR-binding epitope in exon 11 is necessary and sufficient to disrupt the interaction between CRY1 and the subunit CLOCK. Moreover, PHR-tail interactions are conserved in the paralog CRY2 and reduced when either CRY is bound to the circadian corepressor PERIOD2. Discovery of this autoregulatory role for the mammalian CRY1 tail and conservation of PHR-tail interactions in both mammalian cryptochromes highlights functional conservation with plant and insect cryptochromes, which also utilize PHR-tail interactions to reversibly control their activity.
Semisupervised sequence modeling for elastic impedance inversion

AbstractRecent applications of machine learning algorithms in the seismic domain have shown great potential in different areas such as seismic inversion and interpretation. However, such algorithms...
Electron Heat Conduction in the Solar Wind: Transition from Spitzer-Härm to the Collisionless Limit

We use a statistically significant set of measurements to show that the field-aligned electron heat flux q ∥ in the solar wind at 1 AU is consistent with the Spitzer-Harm collisional heat flux q sh for temperature gradient scales larger than a few mean free paths LT 3.5λfp. This represents about 65% of the measured data and corresponds primarily to high β, weakly collisional plasma (slow solar wind). In the more collisionless regime λfp/LT 0.28, the electron heat flux is limited to q ∥/q 0 ~ 0.3, independent of mean free path, where q 0 is the free-streaming value; the measured q ∥ does not achieve the full q 0. This constraint q ∥/q 0 ~ 0.3 might be attributed to wave-particle interactions, effects of an interplanetary electric potential, or inherent flux limitation. We also show a β e dependence to these results that is consistent with a local radial electron temperature profile Te ~ r –α that is a function of the thermal electron beta α = α(β e ) and that the β dependence of the collisionless regulation constraint is not obviously consistent with a whistler heat flux instability. It may be that the observed saturation of the measured heat flux is a simply a feature of collisional transport. We discuss the results in a broader astrophysical context.
L ∞-Algebras from Multisymplectic Geometry

A manifold is multisymplectic, or more specifically n-plectic, if it is equipped with a closed nondegenerate differential form of degree n + 1. In previous work with Baez and Hoffnung, we described how the ‘higher analogs’ of the algebraic and geometric structures found in symplectic geometry should naturally arise in 2-plectic geometry. In particular, just as a symplectic manifold gives a Poisson algebra of functions, any 2-plectic manifold gives a Lie 2-algebra of 1-forms and functions. Lie n-algebras are examples of L ∞-algebras: graded vector spaces equipped with a collection of skew-symmetric multi-brackets that satisfy a generalized Jacobi identity. Here, we generalize our previous result. Given an n-plectic manifold, we explicitly construct a corresponding Lie n-algebra on a complex consisting of differential forms whose multi-brackets are specified by the n-plectic structure. We also show that any n-plectic manifold gives rise to another kind of algebraic structure known as a differential graded Leibniz algebra. We conclude by describing the similarities between these two structures within the context of an open problem in the theory of strongly homotopy algebras. We also mention a possible connection with the work of Barnich, Fulp, Lada, and Stasheff on the Gelfand–Dickey–Dorfman formalism.
Geography not a factor in 2020 stroke consults;a telestroke experience during the COVID19 pandemic

Introduction: The COVID19 pandemic causes strokes in younger patient populations with higher deficits. We examined recent numbers of stroke consults, their age and deficits in a large telestroke program and compared them to 2019 Hypothesis: Increased younger stroke consults in 2020 would involve higher deficits associated with COVID19. Methods: The Institute for Digital Health & Innovation-Stroke Program provides neurology support to 54 spoke hospitals across Arkansas. Stroke consults who received Alteplase during 01/01/20 to 07/31/20 were compared to the same months in 2019. Retrospective analysis included consult age, geographical region, mechanical thrombectomy (MT), deficits (initial and post NIHSS) and outcomes. Age was listed as /=65 yrs. The state was blocked into seven geographical regions. MT was noted and deficits as improved, worsened, same (no improvement) or unknown. COVID19 positivity was unknown. Results: Consult numbers declined in 2020 vs. 2019, 285 vs. 370, respectively. Both years saw MT in approximately 10%;however, 27% went to hospice or expired in 2020 vs. 7.7% in 2019. In 2020 and 2019, those /= 65 years were not different between years(p=0.61);however, age had a similar significant effect on the initial NIHSS in both 2019 and 2020 (X2=13.5,n=370,p=0.0037 and X2=10.8,n=285,p=0.012, respectively). Improvement in initial deficit scores did not change (X2=6.9,n=655,p=0.074). No geographical differences were seen (p=0.66). Monthly initial deficits indicated a significant peak risein the younger consults (< 65) in April 2020. Conclusion: Stroke consult numbers declined by 13% in 2020 but the proportion of young and oldwere unchanged. In April 2020, younger consults (< 65) experienced a spike in deficits. Furtherevaluation throughout 2020 is warranted as COVID19 cases spread.
Local and systemic recurrence following total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) and resection for borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma: Long-term follow up from two phase II studies.

4133Background: With the advent of FOLFIRINOX, the management of pancreatic cancer has undergone a profound change. There has been a shift to TNT with FOLFIRINOX followed by radiation and an attemp...
Relation of Intravascular Volume Profiles to Heart Failure Progression and Clinical Outcomes.

Heart failure (HF) commonly progresses over time and identifying differences in volume profiles may help stratify risk and guide therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the pathophysiologic and prognostic roles of volume profiles for HF progression in stable ambulatory and hospitalized patients. HF patients who had undergone quantitative intravascular volume analysis (185 outpatients and 139 inpatients) were retrospectively assessed for the combined end point of HF-related hospital admissions (outpatients), HF-readmissions (inpatients), and overall all-cause mortality. After multivariate Cox regression analysis, greater total blood volume expansion was associated with higher risk of HF-admission in previously stable outpatients (HR: 1.023, CI 1.005 to 1.043; p = 0.013) while in more advanced HF (inpatients) total blood volume expansion was associated with lower risk for HF-readmission and mortality (HR: 0.982, CI 0.967 to 0.997; p = 0.017). Secondary analysis suggests that subclinical plasma volume expansion was a driving factor for the detrimental association in outpatients (HR: 1.018, CI 0.997 to 1.036; p = 0.054), while an increase in red blood cell mass was central to the beneficial association in advanced HF (HR: 0.979, CI 0.968 to 0.991; p
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Drives Colonic Expression of Immune Activation Genes in a Mouse Model of Antibiotic Use

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading hospital acquired infection in North America. While the standard treatment for CDI remains antibiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has gained attention as an effective therapy to prevent relapse. Previous work has focused on colonization resistance mounted against C. difficile by FMT-delivered commensals, but the effects of FMT on the gut mucosal immune response are poorly understood. Better understanding of the molecular mechanisms driven by FMT would allow for more targeted therapy against CDI. To address this important gap in knowledge, microbial community structure and host gene expression were assessed after FMT in a mouse model of antibiotic use. Administration of FMT led to a significant increase in microbial diversity and partial restoration of community structure within 48 hours of treatment. RNA sequencing of cecal tissue identified large changes in gene expression between FMT recipient and vehicle control groups. Strikingly, genes upregulated after FMT treatment were enriched in immune activation pathways, many of which were associated with pro-inflammatory immune responses. FMT also upregulated several genes associated with type 2 immunity while repressing several associated with type 3 immunity, trends that are associated with improved response to CDI. These results highlight the interplay between the intestinal microbiota and host transcriptome and identify pathways of interest for exploring the role of FMT on treatment of recurring CDI.
The Sirens of Wartime Radio and How the American Print Media Presented Them: The Stories, the Intrigue, and the Evolving Coverage of Their Legacies: by S. A. Morton, Lanham, Lexington Books, 2020, 187 pp., $95 (Hardback), ISBN: 978-1-7936-0145-2

The Tokyo Rose, Axis Sally, Seoul City Sue, and Hanoi Hannah radio propagandist personas have been the material of popular culture and media coverage since the 1940s. Their purpose, at times, was t...
Triiodothyroacetic Acid Cross-Reacts With Measurement of Triiodothyronine (T3) on Various Immunoassay Platforms.

Objectives Thyroid hormone analog 3,5,3'-triiodothyroacetic acid (TRIAC) is effective in reducing the hypermetabolism in monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8)-deficient individuals. Because of the structural similarity between TRIAC and 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (T3), we sought to investigate the degree of cross-reactivity of TRIAC with various commercially available total and free T3 assays. Methods Varying concentrations (50-1,000 ng/dL) of TRIAC (Sigma Aldrich) were added to pooled serum and assayed for total T3 (TT3) and free T3 (FT3) on the following platforms: e602 (Roche Diagnostics), Architect (Abbott Diagnostics), Centaur (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics), IMMULITE (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics), DxI (Beckman Coulter), and Vitros (Ortho Clinical Diagnostics). TT3 competition assay with TRIAC was performed by adding increasing amounts of T3 to pooled serum samples that contained a constant concentration of TRIAC (250 ng/dL). Results Significant overestimation of TT3 and FT3 assays were observed across all platforms corresponding to increasing concentrations of TRIAC. The TRIAC effect at 250 ng/dL showed a constant interference of approximately 190 ng/dL TT3. Conclusions All commercial TT3 and FT3 assays tested in this work cross-react significantly with TRIAC. Therefore, patients undergoing TRIAC therapy should have T3 hormone response monitored using alternative nonimmunoassay-based methods to avoid misinterpretation of thyroid function profiles.
Common Grey Matter Reductions in Alcohol Use and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders: A Metanalysis

Abstract Background Though compulsive drinking is a hallmark of alcohol use disorder (AUD), little is known of the neural mechanisms driving this behavior. To further the understanding of the neural underpinnings of this compulsivity, a metanalytic approach was used to examine grey matter (GM) volume differences related to AUD, and contrast these differences with GM volume differences in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), to find common underlying regional brain differences. Methods We systematically meta-analyzed case-control studies investigating GM volume that used whole brain voxel-based morphometry separately for AUD and OCD, and then the results of both were directly compared. The Seed-based d Mapping (SDM) software was used to perform the metanalyses. Results The AUD metanalysis used 19 citations, with 736 AUD and 827 control individuals. The OCD metanalysis had 25 citations with 995 OCD and 1177 control individuals. The AUD group showed decreased GM in areas including frontal, limbic, temporal and cerebellar regions. The OCD group had decreased GM in frontal and insular regions but increases in the hypothalamus and brainstem. Importantly, the main outcome showed both groups had decreased GM overlapping in the anterior cingulate and insula. Brain regions were p Conclusions Common brain regional differences in the anterior cingulate and insula that overlap between AUD and OCD suggest that interventions targeting these regions could prove to be beneficial in treating compulsive drinking related to AUD. Further research into the functional role of these brain regions in the etiology of compulsive drinking in AUD is warranted.
A distinct immune response in steroid-refractory severe asthma and its modeling in mice (HYP7P.288)

Severe asthma (SA) constitutes only 5-10% of all asthmatics but accounts for 50% of the healthcare costs and morbidity associated with the disease. SA patients remain symptomatic despite treatment with high doses of corticosteroids (CS), the mainstay of asthma therapy. The presence of neutrophils in asthma has been correlated with refractoriness to CS, fatal exacerbations and severity. To date, our understanding of the pathological mechanisms central to neutrophil-prominent SA is minimal primarily because of the lack of a suitable animal model, limiting the development and testing of new therapeutics. Studies in our lab have shown that unlike patients with milder disease, SA patients consistently have a mixed Th1/Th2/Th17 immune phenotype in their airways despite high dose CS treatment. With the association of viral and bacterial infections with severity and frequency of asthma exacerbations, we hypothesized that the combination of an allergen with agents that mimic infection would induce a SA phenotype in mice. As in human severe asthmatics, the immune response in this mouse model elicits mixed granulocytic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness that are poorly responsive to CS. Using RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis tools, we have identified molecules that may play a central role in the pathogenesis of SA that can be targeted for developing novel therapies for this disease.
Spaces of sequences

Among the most important and simplest normed and Banach spaces are the sequence spaces—vector subspaces of the vector space ℝℕ of all real sequences. The sequence spaces can be thought of as the “building blocks” of Banach spaces and Banach lattices. Whether they are embedded in a Banach space or a Banach lattice reflect the topological and order structure of the space. In this chapter, we introduce the classical sequence spaces, φ, c 0, l 1, l ∞, and l p (0 < p < ∞). We isolate each one of these sequence spaces and investigate its basic properties.
Fibrinolytic activity in cervical and endometrial neoplasia

Abstract Plasminogen activator fibrinolytic activity and nonspecific protease fibrinolytic activity in uterine tissue controls and neoplasias were studied by the histochemical fibrin film method of Kwaan and Astrup. The frozen tissue sections of 2 to 3 μ thick were mounted on fibrin-plasminogen films and incubated at 37° C. for 60 minutes for demonstration of plasminogen activator fibrinolytic activity. Plasminogeninactivated control films by incubating at 80° C. for 45 minutes were used for nonspecific protease fibrinolytic activity. Plasminogen activator fibrinolytic activity was found not only in intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, but also in areas of squamous metaplasia of the cervix and invasive endometrial adenoacanthoma. Nonspecific protease fibrinolytic activity was seen in endometrial carcinoma cells and in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
A symmetric deformation-based similarity measure for shape analysis

Statistical modeling of cellular/subcellular shapes is required for quantifying shape variations and understanding complex cell behaviors. Such statistical models rely on the choice of a proper similarity measure. In this paper we introduce a symmetric deformation-based similarity measure for cellular shape analysis. The proposed method is based on finding an optimal diffeomorphic mapping between shape images that minimizes a physically meaningful energy function. We compare our proposed method to the large deformation dif-feomorphic metric mapping (LDDMM) and the standard Euclidean metric on a nuclei dataset and show that the proposed method outperforms the others in capturing the variations in the dataset.
Turbulence-Combustion Interactions in a Reacting Shear Layer

Turbulence-combustion interactions are analyzed using results of a numerical simulation of a reacting shear layer. Premixed combustion at finite activation energy, moderate chemical kinetic rates and finite diffusivities is considered. The transport element method, a numerical scheme based on the accurate discretization of the vortiCity and the scalar gradient fields into Lagrangian finite elements, is used to perform the numerical simulation. Processes that lead to burning enhancement, flame deceleration or possible extinction are analyzed. We find that the rollup of the shear layer accelerates burning by stretching the reaction surface. However, by comparing the local burning velocities within the shear layer to that of a laminar flame, we find that stretch, which accompanies the rollup, decelerates the rate of burning per unit area. This is due to the local cooling effects associated with the enhanced heat flux out and mass flux into the reaction zone. Both phenomena are strong functions of the turbulence field and the Damkohler number.
Estrogen–progestin replacement therapy: regulatory action needed

It is now established that the most commonly prescribed estrogen–progestin replacement therapy regimen significantly increases breast cancer risk. What are the risks associated with other regimens? Studies with breast cancer as the outcome cannot answer these questions in the right timeframe. It is incumbent on us to agree that some intermediate marker of risk must be used to show the probable effect of a regimen. We should then act as if the effect on the marker is a quantitative guide to the probable effect on breast cancer risk. Regulatory authorities need to require such studies on all current regimens.
Preparation of high quality YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// thick films on flexible Ni-based alloy substrates with textured buffer layers

High current YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// (YBCO) thick films on flexible nickel substrates with textured buffer layers were fabricated. Highly textured yttria-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) buffer layers were deposited by using ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). Pulsed laser deposited YBCO films were not only c-axis oriented with respect to the film surface but also strongly in-plane textured. The in-plane mosaic spread of YBCO films was/spl sim/10/spl deg/. A critical current density of 8/spl times/10/sup 5/ A/cm/sup 2/ was obtained at 75 K and zero field for thin YBCO films. It was also demonstrated that thick YBCO films with a high critical current and excellent magnetic field dependence at liquid nitrogen temperature can be obtained on flexible nickel substrates by using the textured buffer layers. Issues encountered in producing the films were discussed. >
Comprehensive calculations of 4p and 4d lifetimes for the Cu sequence.

Computed lifetimes for the 4p $^{2}P_{1/2}$, 4${p}^{2}$${P}_{3/2}$, 4d $^{2}D_{3/2}$, and 4${d}^{2}$${D}_{5/2}$ levels in the copper isoelectronic sequence are presented for atomic numbers Z=29--92. These calculations agree well with recent high-precision lifetime measurements, conflict with the isoelectronic trend of single-configuration Dirac-Fock calculations, and agree at lower Z with the multiplet values of multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock calculations using experimental transition energies. Our calculations involve the inclusion of experimental energy-level data and the use of a Hartree-Slater potential to represent the ionic core. It is found that the core-polarization effects are significant and must be included to obtain agreement with experiment, at least for the lower members of the isoelectronic sequence. As part of the study, we have combined semiempirical parametrizations of the existing database with Dirac-Fock calculations to produce a set of values for the ionization potentials and the 4p and 4d excitation energies for all stable ions in this sequence.
Orientations to Science Teacher Professional Development: An Exploratory Study

Just as individual teachers have orientations to teaching and learning science that influence their practice, we assert that professional development (PD) projects also have an orientation that guides the design and implementation of the entire project; a construct we term “PD Project Orientation”. The purpose of this study was to validate the existence of this new construct. Using various data sources from nine PD projects we generated and characterized five PD project orientations. We illustrate the characteristics of each orientation with descriptions from specific projects and show the frequency of the orientations and how these orientations were emphasized within each PD project. This study has implications for those designing and implementing PD for science teachers, as well as PD evaluators.
An energy localization principle and its application to fast kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of heteroepitaxial growth

Simulation of heteroepitaxial growth using kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) is often based on rates determined by differences in elastic energy between two configurations. This is computationally challenging due to the long range nature of elastic interactions. A new method is introduced in which the elastic field is updated using a local approximation technique. This involves an iterative method that is applied in a sequence of nested domains until a convergence criteria is satisfied. These localized calculations yield energy differences that are highly accurate despite the fact that the energies themselves are far less accurate: an effect referred to as the principle of energy localization. This is explained using the continuum analogue of the discrete model and error estimates are found. In addition, a rejection algorithm that relies on a computationally inexpensive estimate of hopping rates is used to avoid a substantial fraction of the elastic updates. These techniques are applied to 1+1-dimensional KMC simulations in physically interesting regimes.
The amazing adventures of robotrat.

Abstract By using electrical brain stimulation to deliver both ‘virtual' tactile cues and rewards to freely roaming rats, Talwar et al. have been able to instruct animals remotely to navigate through complex mazes and natural environments they have never visited before. These results provide both an elegant alternative way to train animals and a new approach to study basic neurophysiological principles of animal navigation.
PREDICTING ROOT SPREAD FROM TRUNK DIAMETER AND BRANCH SPREAD

Summary Trunk diameter and branch crown spread were linearly correlated with root spread in honey locust (Gleditsia triancamhos var. inermis), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), poplar (Populus X generosa), red maple (Acer rubrum) and southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) but not in live oak (Quercus virginiana). Maximum root spread (excluding live oak) ranged from 1.68 times the dripline forash to 3.77 for magnolia. Mean maximum root spread was 2.9 times the dripline. Roots growing farthest from the trunk were consistently near the soil surface.