cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A system for the surveillance of stem cell fate and function

Cell based therapies represent a promising area of research in regenerative medicine. However, the mechanism by which transplanted cells contribute to bone healing remains unclear. The authors utilized a transgenic mouse strain expressing both the topaz variant of green fluorescent protein under the control of the collagen type I alpha 1 promoter/enhancer sequence ( Col1a1 GFP ) and membrane-bound tomato red constitutively in all cells types ( R26 mTmG ) to decipher how both transplanted and endogenous cells mediate bone healing (1). Calvarial healing was assessed using both parietal and frontal defects and showed that frontal osteoblasts express Col1a1 to a significantly greater degree than parietal osteoblasts. Col1a1 GFP ; R26 mTmG mice were also used to observe the behavior of adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs), bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), and osteoblasts following transplantation into critical-sized calvarial defects. ASCs significantly increased the rate of bone healing and exhibited both increased survival and Col1a1 expression when compared to BM-MSCs and osteoblasts. These results support the Col1a1 GFP ; R26 mTmG system as a promising technology for the evaluation of stem cell populations in cell-based therapeutics for the purposes of bone healing.
Influence of habitat, sex, age, and drought on the diet of Townsend's ground squirrels

We assayed diets of Townsend's ground squirrels (Spennophilus townsendii) in a semi-arid shrub steppe in Idaho by analyzing 1,432 fecal samples during 1991-1994. Dietary com­ position differed between adults and juveniles but not between males and females. Sand­ berg's bluegrass (Poa secunda), a perennial bunchgrass, was the most common item in diets. Diets varied among habitats that differed in plant cover. Diets also broadened pro­ gressively during the active season of this hibernating species (February-June) to include more shrub material, annuals, and other foods. A drought at the end of the active season in 1992 caused lower body mass and survival of individuals because there were fewer annual plants during the mid- and late-season periods and fewer seeds in the late-season than in non-drought years. Sandberg's bluegrass was consumed in higher proportions during the late-season of the drought year, but most of it was senescent with reduced levels of essential fatty acids and other nutrients. Among native shrubs, winterfat (Ceratoides lanata) was preferred over big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata). Adults in habitats that lacked shrubs had a lower probability of being recaptured the year following the drought. We conclude that preferred native shrub species provided a relatively constant food source under drought conditions, compared with perennial grasses and annual plants. Perennial grasses were the most commonly eaten food, and habitats dominated by them provided a good food resource except under drought conditions. Low gennination rates of annual plants under drought conditions and their short period of succulence make them a poor food source, and habitats dominated by them are unlikely to sustain viable populations of ground squirrels.
Labor force participation, income, and the use of short-term hospitals by the elderly.

OBJECTIVES Between 1970 and 1983, the rate at which the elderly were hospitalized grew by more than 40%, whereas the rate of hospitalization for the younger population was fairly stable. Past attempts to explain the different patterns among the young and the old have focused on technology, insurance, health status, and the supply of hospital services. These attempts mostly have been unsuccessful. In this article, the author examines other possible explanations, namely, that the elderly, who experienced a decline in the rate of participation in the labor force and an increase in income over this period, used increases in available time (i.e., nonwork time) and increases in income to seek out and receive greater amounts of health care. METHODS Using small-area data from the state of North Carolina and using the method of instrumental variables estimation, the author measures the effects of labor force participation and income on the use of short-term hospitals by the elderly. RESULTS Areas where the elderly have high income and areas where the elderly are less likely to participate in the labor force are areas where the elderly have high rates of hospital use. CONCLUSIONS The cross-sectional results of this study are consistent with recent labor force participation, income, and hospital-use trends associated with the elderly. The negative relation between hospital use and labor force participation suggests that public policies encouraging work at late ages, such as the scheduled increase in the normal retirement age of Social Security, may lead to a modest dampening of the demand for hospital care among the elderly.
A Rapid and Specific High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Assay for Theophylline in Biological Fluids

A rapid, specific high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of theophylline in plasma, serum, and saliva is described. Proteins present in the biological samples are precipitated with 6% perchloric acid and the clear supernatant is chromatographed on a reversed-phase column. Only 100 microL of serum is required and concentrations as low as 0.07 micrograms/mL can be measured accurately. Other xanthines do not interfere in the assay. Within- and between-day variation is less than or equal to 2.2%. The method shows less bias and greater precision than the TDx (Abbott Diagnostics) procedure commonly used in clinical laboratories.
Petrogenesis of high-CaO lavas from Mauna Kea, Hawaii: Constraints from trace element abundances

The role of a mafic component in the petrogenesis of Oceanic Island Basalts (OIBs) is highly debated. As the best studied OIB, Hawaiian lavas provide critical insights into OIB genesis. At a given MgO content, the CaO content in the melt has been used to distinguish between partial melts of peridotite and garnet pyroxenite/eclogite. However, calculations using the BATCH program show that CaO contents in volatile-free melts saturated with all four phases, garnet, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene and olivine, are controlled by both degrees of partial melting and source compositions, and low melt CaO content is not diagnostic of partial melts from garnet pyroxenite/eclogite. This is an important consideration in understanding the origin of high-CaO lavas recovered from the Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project (HSDP). Detailed geochemical and isotopic studies have been focused on the HSDP high- and low-SiO2 group lavas, and high-CaO lavas were not well studied because they were not included in the original reference suite samples. Here, we report trace element abundances obtained on a suite of high-CaO glasses and compared the trace element abundances of high-CaO lavas to those in high- and low-SiO2 lavas. When normalized to the average composition of low-SiO2 lavas, high-CaO lavas form a U-shaped trace element pattern, enriched in both the most incompatible (Nb, Th) and the least incompatible (Sc, V) elements. This compositional distinction is best explained if high-CaO parental magma represents a mixture of a low degree partial melt of the low-SiO2 mantle source with a high degree (>80%) partial melt derived from a mafic cumulate component. This mafic cumulate must be clinopyroxene-rich, and it could be delaminated mafic cumulate formed under arcs during continent formation, lower continental crust, recycled lower oceanic crust, or high pressure cumulates from a magma chamber.
FOURTH HUTTON SYMPOSIUM ON THE ORIGIN OF GRANITES AND RELATED ROCKS,: edited by Bernard Barbarin, William Edryd Stephens, Bernard Bonin, Jean-Luc Bouchez, David Barrie Clarke, Michel Cuney, and Hervé Martin, GSA Special Paper 350, 2001, 321 p. (originally published as Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences, v. 91, parts 1 & 2)

This volume is the fourth in a series, published jointly by GSA and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, in which selected contributions from the quadrennial Hutton symposia are published. The twenty-three papers reflect the flavor of the meeting, which in turns reflects the status of research on problems related to granitic rocks at the close of the 20th century. This continuing series of symposia was conceived in the 1980’s and first held in Edinburgh in 1987 to commemorate James Hutton and his initial address to the Royal Society concerning the initially fluid, or magmatic, state of granite. Though titled “The Origin of Granites and Related Rocks,” the symposia have been from the beginning much more wide-ranging than that. Granites are treated very sensu lato and other very different rocks that bear upon granites, notably basalts, receive considerable coverage. Furthermore, not just origins of magmas but essentially all geological aspects of granitic rocks receive scrutiny, e.g., melt segregation, ascent, and emplacement; magma chamber and volcanic processes; ore deposits; and tectonic implications of felsic magmatism. The four symposia have been held in Edinburgh; Canberra, Australia, in 1991; College Park, USA, in 1995; and Clermont-Ferrand, France, in 1999. As might be expected with the passage of time and locations on three different continents, the general emphases and the distribution of subjects of papers has varied considerably from conference to conference, as has the geographical distribution of participants. The first volume, whose authorship was dominated by Britain, the USA, and other English-speaking nations (17 of 19 first authors), really …
A Conceptual Model of Consumer Information Search in Service Markets

A conceptual model of consumer information search in service markets is constructed which relates the perceived value and likelihood of use of alternative information sources to the perceived risk of a poor choice of service providers. An econometric system estimated from national survey data concerning four professional services provides support for the hypothesized conceptual model: The perceived value of an information source increases with increases in the perceived variation in quality levels available. The likelihood of information search increases with importance of choice of providers and with the expected value of alternative information sources.
Thrombopoietin: the primary regulator of megakaryocyte and platelet production.

The development of blood cells requires the interplay of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, marrow stroma and polypeptide growth factors. Although many proteins support the expansion of megakaryocytic precursor cells, identification of the late acting, lineage specific growth factor for platelet production, termed thrombopoietin, has remained elusive. Recently, characterization of the proto-oncogene c-mpl revealed structural homology with the hematopoietic cytokine receptor family. Based on the cell of origin of its cDNA, we hypothesized that the ligand for c-Mpl might be identical with Tpo, and together with scientists at Zymo Genetics, Inc. recently cloned its cDNA. Using recombinant protein we have shown that the mpl-ligand displays all of the expected biological properties of the major regulator of megakaryocyte development, and proposed that it be termed thrombopoietin.
Application of a Sequential Life Testing with a Truncation Mechanism for an Underlying Three-Parameter Weibull Model

Sequential life testing approach with a two-parameter Weibull underlying sampling distribution was analyzed before by De Souza [1], [3], [5], [6].In this work, we will develop a sequential life testing approach in which the underlying sampling distribution is the three-parameter Weibull model. We will be assuming that the location parameter or minimum life is different from zero. We will also develop a truncation mechanism for the three-parameter Weibull. In determining an expression for the expected sample size E(n) of a sequential life testing, we will apply to the three-parameter Weibull model an approach developed by Mood and Graybill [2]. We will provide rules to truncate a sequential life testing situation making one of the two possible decisions at the moment of truncation; that is, accept the null hypothesis H0 or reject the null hypothesis H0 To find the expected sample size E(n), some numerical integration procedure (Simpson’s 1/3 rule in this work) will have to be used. An example will develop the proposed truncated sequential life testing approach for the three-parameter Weibull model.
A multilevel approach for a class of semidefinite programs

We consider a class of semidefinite programs (SDPs) that arises from combinatorial optimization problems on graphs. We propose a multilevel approach that produces a sequence of progressively coarser problems by coarsening the underlying graphs. We use the solution of each coarse problem to provide an initial approximation to the solution at a finer level. At the coarsest level we employ Newton's method for high-accuracy solutions, and at finer levels we take advantage of inexpensive coordinate descent updates. We coarsen graphs based on an algebraic distance that can be computed efficiently. Furthermore, our coarsening scheme preserves the properties of graph Laplacian matrices between the fine and coarse levels. Numerical experiments show that the hybrid multilevel approach is competitive with the state-of-the-art SDP solver on large synthetic graphs.
Failure of an Implantable Defibrillator to detect transition from sinus tachycardia to slow ventricular tachycardia with ‘Onset’ discrimination algorithm activated

A 74-year-old male with inotrope-dependent congestive heart failure (CHF) had recurrence of slow ventricular tachycardia (VT) ( Panel A ). Although this VT exceeded the programmed rate cutoff ( Panel B ), therapy was inhibited, because it did not exceed the change in rate criterion specified by …
A fuzzy-based pulse shape discrimination in triple-layer phoswich detectors

In this paper, a new pulse shape discrimination algorithm for a triple-layer phoswich detector is implemented and tested. The three-layer detector which was used in this experiment was originally designed for simultaneous detection of beta particles and gamma rays in a mixed radiation field. The first two layers are specifically designed for beta particles and the third layer is designed for gamma-ray interaction. The pulse output of the photomultiplier is digitized and sent to the host computer for further processing. A de-noising algorithm based on the Wavelet Transform (WT) is implemented to reduce the effect of noise introduced by the noisy analog channel and by the photomultiplier tube. Three new timing features were extracted and given as input to a fuzzy interface system (FIS). The FIS output indicates to which scenario the input signal belongs. Compared to the non-fuzzy method which was initially implemented for this detector, the fuzzy algorithm shows a better performance in separating beta and gamma spectra, especially at high energies. Also, fewer pulses are rejected, due to classification as unknown pulses, and interaction in multiple layers is detected more efficiently.
Determining error rate in error tolerant VLSI chips

In the near future all die implementing high performance circuitry will contain hundreds of thousands of defects. Most companies will attempt to achieve useful levels of functionally good die using classical and enhanced fault tolerant and defect tolerant techniques. We advocate a new notion for yield enhancement called error tolerance that includes marketing chips that occasionally output errors. The quantity and quality of errors produced by a chip can be characterized several ways, such as by accuracy, error rate, and accumulation (retention). This paper focuses on test techniques for estimating error rate.
Structure of the α-Al2O3(110) surfaces: facets and reconstruction

Abstract The atomic structure of α-Al2O3(11 2 0) was studied with the reflection electron microscopy (REM). The surface morphologies are reviewed. Various facets were observed continuously at the corner which the (11 2 0) and (0001) surfaces are joined. The α-Al2O3 (11 2 0) surfaces were found to have a 4 × 1 reconstruction, evidenced in both real and reciprocal spaces.
Historical Perspectives on Precarious Work: The Cases of Egypt and India under British Imperialism

The concept of precarious work is used by social scientists to describe work that is “uncertain, unpredictable, and risky from the point of view of the worker” (Kalleberg, 2009: 2). This paper argues that such work can take a variety of forms, beyond those seen in the transition from the stable post-WWII era to the neo-liberal era in the West. Egypt and India offer instructive case studies. Industrialisation (or lack thereof) in Egypt and India has been thoroughly documented by others. The purpose of this paper is to argue that these developments can be seen as the emergence of precarious, industrial working arrangements. This framework is useful for demonstrating that precarious work has come along with industrial development in a range of countries during different time periods. In this light, the stable employment arrangements characteristic of the post-war West were an anomaly. The global economic and social history of industrialisation is characterised by precarious working arrangements, as seen in colonial-era Egypt and India.
Information Needs of Older Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer When Making Radiation Therapy Decisions

Purpose To identify the information older women with early-stage breast cancer need when making radiation therapy decisions, and who patients identify as the main decision maker. Methods and Materials We surveyed (through face-to-face interview, telephone, or mail) women aged ≥65 years who received lumpectomy and were considering or receiving adjuvant radiation therapy for early-stage breast cancer. The survey instrument was constructed with input from patient and professional advisory committees, including breast cancer survivors, advocates of breast cancer care and aging, clinicians, and researchers. Participants rated the importance (on a 4-point scale) of 24 statements describing the benefits, side effects, impact on daily life, and other issues of radiation therapy in relation to radiation therapy decision making. Participants also designated who was considered the key decision maker. Results The response rate was 56.4% (93 of 165). Mean age was 72.5 years, ranging from 65 to 93 years. More than 96% of participants indicated they were the main decision maker on receiving radiation therapy. There was wide variation in information needs regarding radiation therapy decision making. Participants rated a mean of 18 (range, 3-24) items as "essential." Participants rated items related to benefits highest, followed by side effects. Participants who were older than 75 years rated 13.9 questions as essential, whereas participants aged ≤74 years rated 18.7 as essential ( P =.018). Conclusions Older women desire information and have more agency and input in the decision-making process than prior literature would suggest. The variation in information needs indicates that future decision support tools should provide options to select what information would be of interest to the participants.
Optimal Export Tax in Terms of Home Country's Adjustment Weight

Treating export tax of a large country as equivalent to a sales tax, this paper derives all formulae at autarky, free trade, and after tax and offers all possible comparisons. All derived formulae are in terms of three adjustment weights of home country and the ratio of inverse demand slopes. For the first time, it derives a formula for the net welfare gain which is a concave quadratic function in export tax. It finds formulae for the optimal export tax and for the maximum net welfare gain.
Microwave-assisted solid phase diazotation: a method for the environmentally benign synthesis of benzotriazoles

A novel environmentally benign approach based on microwave-assisted solid phase diazotation to convert o-phenylendiamines to substituted benzotriazoles is described. Excellent yields were obtained for a phenylenediamines proving the efficacy of the method. The reaction was carried out in the solid phase under microwave irradiation taking advantage of the strong microwave absorption capability of K-10 montmorillonite that acted as a catalyst and medium in one. The catalyst is recyclable, and the reaction occurs with high efficiency and does not produce any harmful waste.
An Ionophore-Based Anion-Selective Optode Printed on Cellulose Paper

We report a general anion sensing platform based on a portable and cost-effective ion-selective optode and a smartphone detector equipped with a color analysis app. In contrast to traditional anion-selective optodes using a hydrophobic polymer and/or plasticizer to dissolve hydrophobic sensing elements, the new optode relies on hydrophilic cellulose paper. The anion ionophore and a lipophilic pH indicator are inkjet-printed and adsorbed on paper and form a "dry" hydrophobic sensing layer. Porous cellulose sheets also allow the sensing site to be modified with dried buffer that prevents any sample pH dependence of the observed color change. A highly selective fluoride optode using an Al(III)-porphyrin ionophore is examined as an initial example of this new anion sensing platform for measurements of fluoride levels in drinking water samples. In addition to Lewis acid-base recognition, hydrogen bonding recognition is also shown to be compatible with this sensing platform.
Spanish in Colombia and New York City: Language contact meets dialectal convergence

This volume fills a void in language variation and change research. It is the first to provide an empirical, comparative study of Spanish in Colombia and New York City. Remarkable similarities in the linguistic conditioning on language variation in both communities contrast with interesting differences in the effects of social predictors. The book provides a window into the effects of language and dialect contact on change and serves as a model for studies comparing diasporic populations to their home speech communities.
Serelaxin induces Notch1 signaling and alleviates hepatocellular damage in orthotopic liver transplantation.

Liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) represents a risk factor for early graft dysfunction and an obstacle to expanding donor pool in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). We have reported on the crucial role of macrophage Notch1 signaling in mouse warm hepatic IRI model. However, its clinical relevance or therapeutic potential remain unknown. Here, we used Serelaxin (SER), to verify Notch1 induction and putative hepatoprotective function in ischemia-reperfusion-stressed OLT. C57BL/6 mouse livers subjected to extended (18-hour) cold storage were transplanted to syngeneic recipients. SER treatment at reperfusion ameliorated IRI, improved post-OLT survival, decreased neutrophil/macrophage infiltration, and suppressed proinflammatory cytokine programs, while simultaneously increasing Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and hairy and enhancer of split 1 (Hes1) target genes. In bone marrow-derived macrophage cultures, SER suppressed proinflammatory while enhancing antiinflammatory gene expression concomitantly with increased NICD and Hes1. Hepatic biopsies from 21 adult primary liver transplant patients (2 hours postreperfusion) were divided into low-NICD (n = 11) and high-NICD (n = 10) expression groups (western blots). Consistent with our murine findings, human livers characterized by high NICD were relatively IRI resistant, as shown by serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels at day 1 post-OLT. Our study documents the efficacy of SER-Notch1 signaling in mouse OLT and highlights the protective function of Notch1 in liver transplant patients.
Adjuvant Antiangiogenic Agents in Post-nephrectomy Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Abstract Context The role of antiangiogenic agents in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is well established. However, it is still not clear whether this benefit can be extrapolated to the adjuvant setting. Objective To determine the efficacy and safety of antiangiogenic agents in patients with RCC and a high risk of relapse after nephrectomy. Evidence acquisition We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the use of any oral antiangiogenic agent compared to placebo in post-nephrectomy RCC patients. Prespecified data elements were extracted from each trial. Outcomes of interest included overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). The overall effect was pooled using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects models. Evidence synthesis Three RCTs comparing antiangiogenics to placebo among 3693 patients met our inclusion criteria and were used in meta-analyses. Overall, antiangiogenics did not improve DFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.78–1.07) or OS (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.79–1.25). These results persisted when restricting the analysis to patients with clear cell carcinoma and patients with highest risk of relapse. Similarly, sunitinib did not show any improvement in the entire cohort for either DFS (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.67–1.19) or OS (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.90–1.37). Conclusions In this meta-analysis, antiangiogenics did not improve OS and DFS over placebo in high-risk RCC after nephrectomy. Further studies are needed to identify the patient population that might derive a benefit from antiangiogenics in the adjuvant setting. Patient summary In this article, we found that there is currently insufficient evidence to support the use of oral antiangiogenics in nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy. In addition, the use of oral antiangiogenics was associated with a 2.7-fold higher rate of significant side effects compared to placebo.
Particle reduction in back end of line plasma-etching process: CFM: Contamination free manufacturing

Particle contamination within a plasma-etching chamber causes tool down time in semiconductor manufacturing. The purpose of this work is to investigate the sources of contamination and find an effective solution for Back End of Line (BEOL) processes and improve tool up time. Despite typical maintenance, such as cycling chamber, wiping Electric Static Chuck (ESC) components and replacing chamber consumable parts, particle contamination issue persisted. Contamination analysis and ESC examination suggested etch byproduct redeposition during chuck discharge step as root cause. Modifying the discharge step was found to reduce the particle failure rate from 50% to 7%. This significant improvement confirms redeposition on ESC during discharge step and particle resuspension from ESC surface is the primary source for the particle contamination issue.
The Latinx canon in anthologies: Who are the authors?

More than a quarter of all U.S. students in grades K–12 are Latinx. Examining what Latinx texts are included in classroom literature anthologies is essential to ensuring cultural representativeness...
Breech at the Border: An Atypical Case of Invasive Haemophilus influenzae in a Patient on a Novel Immunotherapeutic

Haemophilus influenzae rarely causes pyogenic infections in the female genital tract, and even less commonly does this lead to systemic infections. Novel monoclonal antibody therapies targeting interleukin-17 may impair mucosal immunity, but increased risk for H. influenzae infections has not been documented. Here, we describe a case of H. influenzae bacteremia associated with pyosalpinx and hypothesize that immunomodulatory treatment for psoriasis predisposed our patient to this infection.
Desvenlafaxine vs. placebo in the treatment of persistent depressive disorder.

Abstract Introduction Pharmacotherapy of non-major persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is little studied. We report a study of the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) desvenlafaxine (DVLX) for PDD. Method Non-psychotic, non-bipolar outpatients aged 20–65 having PDD without concurrent major depression (MDD) were randomized double-blind to desvenlafaxine or placebo for 12 weeks. All had Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-24) score ≥ 12. Open-label DVLX was offered for 12 weeks following the acute trial. Results Seventy-one subjects having mean baseline HDRS-24 20.27 ± 4.77 were eligible, of whom post-RZ data was available for all 59 randomized. The primary 12 week analysis did not differentiate DVLX-treated subjects’ mean HDRS scores from those on placebo (6.53 ± 3.98 vs. 8.24 ± 4.96, F = 3.33, df = 1, p = .07). Several secondary analyses yielded statistically significant results, including Responder, CGI and QIDS. Discussion As the primary analysis did not reach statistical significance, this is a negative study which does not support the use of DVLX for non-major PDD. Nevertheless, statistically significant secondary analyses suggest the overall negative result could be due to sample size or sampling, suggesting further studies of this medication might be appropriate in this population.
Sources of RF Intermodulation Distortion in Silicon Photonic Modulators

We present a model of intermodulation distortion (IMD) in RF silicon photonic modulators to highlight mechanisms that limit the device linearity. We compare the SFDR of two MZMs to show a common IMD limitation and indicate methods to improve linearity in silicon photonic RF modulators.
Civic Wealth Creation: A New View of Stakeholder Engagement and Societal Impact

Positive societal change happens when community members, supporters, and entrepreneurially minded agents come together to aggregate resources and build new capacities. To explain and inform how soc...
Nonparenchymal fluid is the source of increased mean diffusivity in preclinical Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Introduction Although increased mean diffusivity of the white matter has been repeatedly linked to Alzheimer’s disease pathology, the underlying mechanism is not known. Methods Here, we used ADNI-3 multishell diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data to separate the diffusion signal of the parenchyma from less hindered fluid pools within the white matter such as perivascular space fluid and fluid-filled cavities. Results We found that the source of the pathological increase of the mean diffusivity is the increased nonparenchymal fluid, often found in lacunes and perivascular spaces. In this cohort, the cognitive decline was significantly associated with the fluid increase and not with the microstructural changes of the white matter parenchyma itself. The white matter fluid increase was dominantly observed in the sagittal stratum and anterior thalamic radiation. Discussion These findings are positive steps toward understanding the pathophysiology of white matter alteration and its role in the cognitive decline.
Historical Aspects of Stereotactic Radiosurgery: Concepts, People, and Devices.

Stereotactic radiosurgery is a modern discipline that emerged after World War II. It represents a synthesis of an approach to patient care that was not immediately embraced by either neurosurgeons or radiation oncologists, but which has been shown, time and again, to be advantageous for the treatment of intracranial pathology. Indeed, stereotactic radiosurgical techniques are now being rapidly adapted and adopted for the treatment of extracranial malignant and benign disease. Any examination of the individuals, devices, and technological advances that permitted stereotactic radiosurgery to become a preferred approach for patient care cannot be absolutely comprehensive but can provide insights into the evolution of the specialty and potential future prospects for further improvements in patient care. As Shakespeare wrote in The Tempest, “What's past is prologue.”
The true cost of child abuse at a level 1 pediatric trauma center

Abstract Background Child physical abuse (CPA) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Children who sustain CPA consume significant healthcare resources. We hypothesized that the costs to care for children who sustain for children with CPA-type injuries are greater than the costs to care for children who sustain accidental injuries. Methods All confirmed CPA patients between the ages of 0 and 19 years old, who were admitted to a level 1 pediatric trauma center between January 2010 and September 2018, were retrospectively reviewed. We compared outcomes, including mortality, length of stay (LOS), diagnostic work-up, and overall cost using propensity matching between CPA and accidentally injured trauma patients. Patients were matched based on injury severity score (ISS). Results The CPA cohort (n = 595) was younger (1.31 +/− 1.96 years, p Conclusion The costs to care for children who sustain CPA-type injuries are significantly greater than the costs to care for children who sustain accidental trauma. Better screening tools, more provider education and broader community outreach efforts are needed to reduce the societal and economic costs associated with child physical abuse. Study type Treatment. Level of evidence Level III.
Urban structure and its influence on trip chaining complexity in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

This project studies the relationship between the urban structure of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) and two aspects of commuter travel patterns: (1) number of stops in a tour and (2) comp...
Enantioselective Construction of Quaternary Stereogenic Centers by the Addition of an Acyl Anion Equivalent to 1,3-Dienes

We report the enantioselective formation of quaternary stereogenic centers by the intermolecular addition of malononitrile, an acyl anion equivalent, and related pronucleophiles to several 1,3-disu...
A Bio-Inspired Frequency-Based Approach for Tailorable and Scalable Speckle Pattern Generation

Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is a length scale independent surface pattern matching and tracking algorithm capable of providing full field deformation measurements. The confident registration of this pattern within the imaging system becomes key to the derived results. Practically, conventional speckling methods use non-reliable, non-repeatable patterning methodologies including spray paints and air brushing leading to increased systematic and random errors based on the user’s experience. A methodology to develop a speckle pattern tailored to the imaging and experimental conditions of the given system is developed in this paper. In this context, a novel bio-inspired speckle pattern development technique is introduced, leveraging spatial imaging parameters in addition to frequency characteristics of speckle patterns, enhancing the results obtained through DIC. This novel technique leverages gradient parameters in the frequency spectrum obtained from patterns fabricated using a bio-templating manufacturing technique. The analysis presented shows that optimized gradient features alongside tailored spatial characteristics reduce errors while increasing the usefulness of DIC results across the entire region of interest. With this new approach, gradient information is derived from the bio-templated pattern, extracted, optimized and then convolved with spatial properties of a numerically generated 2D point clouds which can then be transferred onto actual specimens. Numerical error analysis shows that the optimized patterns result in significant reduction in root mean square error compared to conventional speckling methods. Physical experiments show the scalability of this optimized pattern to allow for varying working distances while consistently maintaining a lower error threshold compared to conventional speckling techniques.
Determinants of broadband access and affordability: An analysis of a community survey on the digital divide

Broadband access in the home is a necessity, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Increasingly, connectivity is of vital importance for school, work, family, and friends. Existing international research on the implementation of broadband has studied its adoption patterns with a focus on the rural/urban digital divide. This paper explores the digital divide in a case study of the seventh largest city, by population, in the United States; San Antonio is a majority-minority city where over half of the people are Hispanic. This paper focuses on the five key affordability factors that drive broadband adoption. Researchers test social exclusion theory, the structural facets of poverty and social marginality to ascertain its potential impact on broadband access. The authors conducted a survey in both English and Spanish to learn more about the affordability factors that influence the broadband digital divide. Through our analysis, we found evidence that four of the factors (geographical disparities, profit-based discrimination, technology deployment cost, and socio-economic factors) played a role in the digital divide in this case study. The results of this study demonstrate that the digital divide is not exclusively a rural/urban digital divide, but can also occur in an intra-city context. This is especially evident in low-income areas within the city because they have substantially lower broadband adoption rates. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of looking closely at issues of social exclusion of marginalized groups and the affordability of broadband access intra-city.
Gender, Stereotypes, and Trust in Communication

Gender differences in dishonesty and mistrust have been reported across cultures and linked to stereotypes about females being more trustworthy and trusting. Here we focus on fundamental issues of trust-based communication that may be affected by gender: the decisions whether to honestly deliver private information and whether to trust that this delivered information is honest. Using laboratory experiments that model trust-based strategic communication and response, we examined the relationship between gender, gender stereotypes, and gender discriminative lies and challenges. Drawing from a student sample, we presented males and females (N = 80) with incentivized stereotype elicitation tasks that reveal their expectations of lies and challenges from each gender, followed by a series of strategic communication interactions within and between genders. Before interacting, both genders stereotyped females as more trustworthy (expected to send more honest messages) and more trusting (expected to accept and not challenge others’ messages) than males, in accord with cross-cultural gender differences. In best response to these stereotypes, both genders discriminately accepted or challenged messages based on the sender’s gender. However, we find no differences between males’ and females’ overall rates of lies and challenges. After learning the results of their strategic interactions, males and females revised their stereotypes about lies and challenges expected of each gender; these stereotype revisions resulted in greater predictive accuracy and less disparate gender discrimination. This suggests an important facultative feature of human trust-based communication and gender stereotyping: while the delivery and trust of private information is informed by gender stereotypes, these stereotypes are recalibrated with experience.
Incidence and Abundance of Bees and Wasps (Hymenoptera) in Centipedegrass Lawns in Georgia

We surveyed the occurrence of bees and wasps (Hymenoptera) in nine centipedegrass lawns in central and south Georgia in 2019 that had no prior exposure to insecticides. In each lawn, an area of 9.3 m2 was marked and not mowed while the remainder of the lawn area was mowed regularly. When each centipedegrass lawn reached anthesis, pan traps filled with soapy water were placed in nonmowed and mowed areas of each lawn. After 3 d, trap contents were collected and transported to the laboratory for insect sorting and identification. Each lawn site was sampled 3–5 times. Of 173 total bees collected from the centipedegrass lawns, 79.2% were Lasioglossum spp. followed by 6.9% Halictus and 4% Melissodes. Only four Bombus spp. were collected, while other bees collected were Augochlorella spp., Agapostemon spp., Megachile, Apis, Peponapis, Ceratina, Ptilothrix, Svastra, and Nomia spp. Most of the Lasioglossum spp. were collected in August (48.6%) and September (26.6%). Lasioglossum spp. were sampled from all centipedegrass lawns; however, Halictus spp. and Melissodes spp. were collected only from one lawn in south Georgia. Captures were similar regardless of collection from mowed or nonmowed areas. Most of the bees were collected in pan traps that were blue or yellow in color; whereas, wasps were captured primarily in yellow-colored traps.
Enhancing biotic mortality of the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae

This two-year study monitored the number of E. fabae at 3 locations within alfalfa fields (edge of field closest to trees and shrubs. 20 m from edge, and 40 m from edge) from mid-April to June and from adjacent tree and shrub species until July. Similar numbers of E. fabae were present on all tree and shrub species sampled (Acer negundo, Carya ovata, Celtis occidentals, Crataegus sp„ Fraximts americana, Gleditsia triacanthos, Ostrya virginiana. Prunus sp., Quercus alba, Quercus macrocarpa, Quercus rubra. Rhus glabra, Rosa multiflora, Tilia americana, Ulmus americana, and Zanthoxylum americanum). In addition, in 3 of 4 fields examined there were significantly more E. fabae found at the edges of the fields closest to the trees than at 40 m from the edge of the field during the 1st week of May. In subsequent samples, there was no difference in the distribution of E. fabae in the alfalfa field except at 1 field in which there were more E. fabae present in the edge than the middle for the duration of the study. Based upon this study, it does not appear that E. fabae are using adjacent trees to build up population numbers to infest nearby alfalfa fields in early spring. Introduction The potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) overwinters in the Gulf States on evergreens (Pinaceae) and herbaceous vegetation (mostly
Outcomes after Lung Re-Transplantation: A Single-Center Experience

Purpose Lung Re-transplantation (ReLTx) imposes an increased risk compared with a primary lung transplantatin (PLTx), and the median survival after ReLTx was reported only 2.5 years. Recently, some paper reported comparable result of ReLTx by adjustments for known transplantation risk factors. We investigated our results of ReLTx. Methods A retrospective data collection was performed for the 746 patients who received lung transplantation between Jan-2012 to Jun-2020 at our center. We compared variables between patients undergoing PLTx (Group P) and those undergoing ReLTx (Group R). Survival outcome was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve and analyzed using log-rank test between the two groups. P-value Results ReLTx was performed in 14 cases (1.9%). There was significant difference in age (p Conclusion ReLTx showed non-inferior survival outcome compared with PLTx. In selected patients careful ReLTx is an acceptable option.
Effects of Remote Ischemic Conditioning on Hand Engagement in individuals with Spinal cord Injury (RICHES): protocol for a pilot crossover study

​​​​​​ Background : Most spinal cord injuries (SCI) are not full transections, indicating that residual nerve circuits are retained. Rehabilitation interventions have been shown to beneficially reorganize motor pathways in the brain, corticospinal tract, and at the spinal level. However, rehabilitation training require a large number of repetitions, and intervention effects may be absent or show transient retention. Therefore, the need remains for an effective approach to synergistically improve the amount and duration of neuroplasticity in combination with other interventions. Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) demonstrates several potential advantages as a candidate for such an approach. Therefore, we propose a protocol to investigate RIC coupled with physical training to promote neuroplasticity in hand muscles. Methods : This will be a prospective randomized-order crossover trial to be performed in eight able-bodied participants and eight participants with chronic cervical SCI. Patients will participate in two experimental sessions consisting of either active or sham RIC preceding a bout of pinch movement exercise. Serial evaluations will be conducted at baseline, after RIC, immediately after pinch exercise, and follow up 15-minutes later. The primary outcome is the change in corticospinal excitability (primarily measured by the motor evoked potential of abductor pollicis brevis muscle). Secondary outcomes will include maximal volitional pinch force, and inflammatory biomarkers. To ensure safety, we will monitor tolerability and hemodynamic responses during RIC. Discussion : This protocol will be the first to test RIC in people with cervical SCI and to investigate whether RIC alters corticospinal excitability. By sharing the details of our protocol, we hope other interested researchers will seek to investigate similar approaches – depending on overlap with the current study and mutual sharing of participant-level data, this could increase the sample size, power, and generalizability of the analysis and results. Trial registration : ClinicalTrial.gov, ID: NCT03851302 ; Date of registration: February 22, 2019
An Electrocortical Measure Associated With Metarepresentation Mediates the Relationship Between Autism Symptoms and Theory of Mind

Impairments in theory of mind (ToM)—long considered common among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)—are in fact highly heterogeneous across this population. Although such heterogeneity...
Air Learning: a deep reinforcement learning gym for autonomous aerial robot visual navigation

We introduce Air Learning, an open-source simulator, and a gym environment for deep reinforcement learning research on resource-constrained aerial robots. Equipped with domain randomization, Air Learning exposes a UAV agent to a diverse set of challenging scenarios. We seed the toolset with point-to-point obstacle avoidance tasks in three different environments and Deep Q Networks (DQN) and Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) trainers. Air Learning assesses the policies’ performance under various quality-of-flight (QoF) metrics, such as the energy consumed, endurance, and the average trajectory length, on resource-constrained embedded platforms like a Raspberry Pi. We find that the trajectories on an embedded Ras-Pi are vastly different from those predicted on a high-end desktop system, resulting in up to $$40\%$$ longer trajectories in one of the environments. To understand the source of such discrepancies, we use Air Learning to artificially degrade high-end desktop performance to mimic what happens on a low-end embedded system. We then propose a mitigation technique that uses the hardware-in-the-loop to determine the latency distribution of running the policy on the target platform (onboard compute on aerial robot). A randomly sampled latency from the latency distribution is then added as an artificial delay within the training loop. Training the policy with artificial delays allows us to minimize the hardware gap (discrepancy in the flight time metric reduced from 37.73% to 0.5%). Thus, Air Learning with hardware-in-the-loop characterizes those differences and exposes how the onboard compute’s choice affects the aerial robot’s performance. We also conduct reliability studies to assess the effect of sensor failures on the learned policies. All put together, Air Learning enables a broad class of deep RL research on UAVs. The source code is available at: https://github.com/harvard-edge/AirLearning .
Stories of West African and House Dance Pedagogies: 4E Cognition Meet Rhythmic Virtuosity.

Rhythmic virtuosity or moving with “percussive attack” is an ultimate performance quality for Black/African dance. The practice of musicality is a window into a dynamic system of intersubjective co...