cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thrombolytic Therapy in a Patient With Suspected Pulmonary Embolism Despite a Negative Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiogram

We report a case of a 62-year-old male who presented to our intensive care unit with hypoxemia 6 hours after retinal surgery. He had a negative computed tomography (CT) pulmonary angiogram, but an emergency echocardiogram revealed the McConnell sign. He was thrombolysed and had rapid improvement in oxygenation and hemodynamics. Thrombolysis in hemodynamically unstable pulmonary embolism is not controversial, but most algorithms require confirmation of the diagnosis. Our patient had a negative CT pulmonary angiogram but was thrombolysed based on the clinical picture. Autopsy confirmed the diagnosis of multiple pulmonary emboli and unexpectedly discovered a patent foramen ovale that explained paradoxical embolism to the brain.
Shocks in Ion Sputtering Sharpen Steep Surface Features

We report a regime of ion beam sputtering that occurs for sufficiently steep slopes. High slopes propagate over large distances without dissipating the steepest features. Both the propagation velocity and the dynamically selected slope are universal, independent of the details of the initial shape of the surface. The resulting behavior can be understood as the propagation of a shock front that self-selects a stable slope, as has been previously observed in thin-film fluid flows. Experiments confirm predictions of the theory. An important implication of the propagative behavior at high surface slopes is that a pattern can be fabricated at a large length scale and, through uniform ion irradiation, reduced to a smaller length scale while preserving, or even sharpening, the sharpest features.
Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Dietary Status: An Appraisal

this paper is to identify selected studies which have contributed to the present knowledge on socioeconomic characteristics of households and dietary status. Studies of the socioeconomic factors influencing dietary status have undergone significant change in recent years because of developments in statistics and household decision theory. In the latter case, households utilize various inputs-for example, food as purchased and the labor of household members-to produce diets with varying features including nutrient compositions. As indicated by the work of Basiotis et al. (1983); Blanciforti, Green, and Lane; Davis et al. (1982b); Sanderson; and Sexauer; this framework provides a systematic rationale for the incorporation of socioeconomic variables into integrated statistical analyses of food consumption and dietary status. More specifically, the scope of traditional consumer demand theory has been significantly increased by household economic decision theory. In addition, permitting explicit incorporation of socioeconomic variables in Engel and full demand systems, this theory makes a plausible linkage between food intake and dietary status. Since household economics merely extends, rather than refutes, the intrinsic utility maximization properties of traditional demand theory, the Engel and demand systems relationships postulated linking socioeconomic characteristics, food expenditure, and dietary status are admitted by the theory (Stigler and B cker). As will be demonstrated, research results are accumulating on household size, household income and expenditure, nutrient levels in household food supplies and individual diets, efficiency of food use, away-from-home food consumption, and use of convenience foods. However, studies of the relationship between socioeconomic characteristics of households and/or individuals and nutrient availability and/or dietary intake levels have produced varyingly conclusive results. Among other factors, these varying results can be attributed to (a) different measures of diet quality and (b) differences in individual food intake versus food disappearance data. Further, diet quality has been assessed directly (units of nutrients available or consumed) as well as indirectly (expenditure levels on food). The dietary components studied most frequently are food energy, protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, riboflavin, thiamin, and niacin. However, recently studies have given less attention to thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C and instead have investigated vitamin B6 and magnesium. In the near future, this list of target dietary components will probably include cholesterol, sodium, dietary fiber, zinc, and copper. This extension will occur for two reasons: (a) consumer interest in these dietary components and (b) availability of survey data on these dietary components, e.g., the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 1985 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals and the 1987-88 Nationwide Food Consumption Sur-
Gully seeder for reseeding rangeland and riparian areas

Abstract Traditional methods of reseeding degraded arid and semi-arid rangeland are expensive and frequently unsuccessful due to high rates of seed predation and seedling mortality. A runoff-based method is described that protects seeds from predation and degradation until soil moisture is available, then deposits them in favorable microsites for germination and establishment. Seeds are placed in three, 2 cm-diameter × 8 cm PVC tubes. The small tubes are capped with crepe paper and glued inside of a 7.5 cm-diameter × 15 cm-long tube which is capped with hardware cloth. The tubes are placed in small rills, gullies, arroyos or riparian areas and the seeds are released sequentially from the 3 tubes as flow depth increases. Seeds are deposited beneath piles of litter where soil moisture and temperature are more favorable for seedling establishment.
Maintenance of adenosine A1receptor function during long-term anoxia in the turtle brain

It has been established that adenosine has a critical role in the extraordinary ability of the turtle brain to survive anoxia. To further investigate this phenomenon we compared rat and turtle brai...
Contiguity of landscape features pose barriers to gene flow among American marten ( Martes americana ) genetic clusters in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Barriers to dispersal influence the ability of individuals to expand into new areas and can ultimately define success of reintroduction programs. American marten (Martes americana) were reintroduced to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA, from multiple, genetically differentiated source populations from 1955 to 1992. Previous research found multiple genetic clusters near release sites with little admixing, suggesting barriers to dispersal exist. We sought to identify whether the contact zones between genetic clusters coincided with landscape features hypothesized to influence M. americana dispersal. We also investigated whether the degree of landscape contiguity within each genetic cluster differed among clusters. We mapped cluster boundaries in M. americana genetic assignment probabilities and used correlation length as a measure of landscape contiguity between genetic clusters. We then evaluated the effects of land cover and roads on spatial genetic structure using a spatial autoregressive model. We found that gene flow was facilitated by contiguous coniferous forest and low incidence of roads. However, the strength of those relationships varied by genetic cluster. Contact zones among some genetic clusters spatially coincided with areas of high road and low conifer contiguity, compared to within-clusters. In contrast to landscape genetic analyses focused on identifying barriers to gene flow, we incorporated methods that are relatively novel in landscape genetics to quantify how landscape contiguity influences spatial genetic structure. Using this method we were able to identify landscape barriers to dispersal at the genetic cluster boundaries for a reintroduced species distributed continuously across the landscape.
Towards Truly Sustainable Polymers: A Metal-Free Recyclable Polyester from Biorenewable Non-Strained γ-Butyrolactone.

The first effective organopolymerization of the biorenewable “non-polymerizable” γ-butyrolactone (γ-BL) to a high-molecular-weight metal-free recyclable polyester is reported. The superbase tert-Bu-P4 is found to directly initiate this polymerization through deprotonation of γ-BL to generate reactive enolate species. When combined with a suitable alcohol, the tert-Bu-P4-based system rapidly converts γ-BL into polyesters with high monomer conversions (up to 90 %), high molecular weights (Mn up to 26.7 kg mol−1), and complete recyclability (quantitative γ-BL recovery).
X-ray Crystallographic Structures of Trimers and Higher-Order Oligomeric Assemblies of a Peptide Derived from Aβ17–36

A peptide derived from Aβ17–36 crystallizes to form trimers that further associate to form higher-order oligomers. The trimers consist of three highly twisted β-hairpins in a triangular arrangement. Two trimers associate face-to-face in the crystal lattice to form a hexamer; four trimers in a tetrahedral arrangement about a central cavity form a dodecamer. These structures provide a working model for the structures of oligomers associated with neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease.
Relative Utilization of Serine and Glycine by Chicks

Abstract Studies were conducted on the relative utilization of glycine and serine by chicks fed basal crystalline amino acid diets devoid of these amino acids. The crystalline amino acid mixture was fed at one and three times the requirement levels, thereby stimulating uric acid synthesis at differing rates. In addition, 5% l -glutamine replaced l -glutamic acid on an isonitrogenous basis in three diets containing normal levels of amino acids in the second study. Chicks fed diets devoid of glycine and serine grew less rapidly and less efficiently than chicks fed diets containing either serine or glycine plus serine. These decreases were roughly the same whether the diet contained normal or high levels of amino acids. Serine was as efficient as glycine in supporting chick growth and feed efficiency regardless of whether diets containing normal or high levels of amino acids were fed. Chicks fed diets containing high levels of amino acids grew approximately 81% as rapidly, but 24% more efficiently, than chicks fed normal levels of amino acids, and excreted approximately twice the amount of uric acid per gram of nitrogen consumed. In spite of increased uric acid excretion by chicks fed the high amino acid diets, the dietary void in glycine and serine was no more detrimental to chick growth or feed efficiency than that noted when normal levels of amino acids were fed. Feeding 5% l -glutamine rather than l -glutamic acid in the diet containing normal levels of amino acids had little effect on weight gain, feed efficiency or uric acid excretion. The absence of cystine from the amino acid mixture used in the third study did not have a marked influence on the relative utilization of glycine and serine by the chick.
Artificial bacterial biomimetic nanoparticles synergize pathogen-associated molecular patterns for vaccine efficacy.

Abstract Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) sense microorganisms via pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by both extra- and intracellular Toll-like Receptors (TLRs), initiating immune responses against invading pathogens. Bacterial PAMPs include extracellular lipopolysaccharides and intracellular unmethylated CpG-rich oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG). We hypothesized that a biomimetic approach involving antigen-loaded nanoparticles (NP) displaying Monophosphoryl Lipid A (MPLA) and encapsulating CpG may function as an effective “artificial bacterial” biomimetic vaccine platform. This hypothesis was tested in vitro and in vivo using NP assembled from biodegradable poly(lactic- co -glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymer, surface-modified with MPLA, and loaded with CpG and model antigen Ovalbumin (OVA). First, CpG potency, characterized by cytokine profiles, titers, and antigen-specific T cell responses, was enhanced when CpG was encapsulated in NP compared to equivalent concentrations of surface-presented CpG, highlighting the importance of biomimetic presentation of PAMPs. Second, NP synergized surface-bound MPLA with encapsulated CpG in vitro and in vivo , inducing greater pro-inflammatory, antigen-specific T helper 1 (Th1)-skewed cellular and antibody-mediated responses compared to single PAMPs or soluble PAMP combinations. Importantly, NP co-presentation of CpG and MPLA was critical for CD8 + T cell responses, as vaccination with a mixture of NP presenting either CpG or MPLA failed to induce cellular immunity. This work demonstrates a rational methodology for combining TLR ligands in a context-dependent manner for synergistic nanoparticulate vaccines.
Working Experiences of Supervision Management and Recovery Treatment and Recycling for SF_6 Gas in Anhui Province

The paper introduced the pressent situation of SF_6 electrical equipment in Anhui province and the condition of supervision and management for SF_6 gas in Anhui Electric Power Co..And the wrking experiences in the aspect of recovery treatment and recycling were also introduced.
A canonical approach to forces in molecules

Abstract In previous studies, we introduced a generalized formulation for canonical transformations and spectra to investigate the concept of canonical potentials strictly within the Born–Oppenheimer approximation. Data for the most accurate available ground electronic state pairwise intramolecular potentials in H2+, H2, HeH+, and LiH were used to rigorously establish such conclusions. Now, a canonical transformation is derived for the molecular force, F(R), with H2+ as molecular reference. These transformations are demonstrated to be inherently canonical to high accuracy but distinctly different from those corresponding to the respective potentials of H2, HeH+, and LiH. In this paper, we establish the canonical nature of the molecular force which is key to fundamental generalization of canonical approaches to molecular bonding. As further examples Mg2, benzene dimer and to water dimer are also considered within the radial limit as applications of the current methodology.
Characterization of Cell-Type-Specific Drug Transport and Resistance of Breast Cancers Using Tumor-Microenvironment-on-Chip

Heterogeneous response and resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs pose a significant challenge for successful cancer treatments. In this study, an integrated experimental and theoretical analysis of cellular drug transport was developed. The experimental platform, called tumor-microenvironment-on-chip (T-MOC), is a microfluidic platform where cancer cells were cultured within a three-dimensional extracellular matrix perfused with interstitial fluid. Three types of human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and SUM-159PT) were cultured on this T-MOC platform, and their drug response and resistance to doxorubicin were characterized by time-lapse quantitative fluorescence microscopy. To study the effects of nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery, the transport and action of doxorubicin encapsulated nanoparticles were also examined. Based on the experimental data obtained, a theoretical model was developed to quantify and ultimately predict the cellular transport processes of drugs cell-typ...
Adefovir-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis overlap syndrome

An increasing number of patients with chronic hepatitis B infection are being treated with the newly licensed drug, adefovir. It is an acyclic nucleoside phosphonate that is relatively safe in the dosage generally used for chronic hepatitis B. Serious adverse cutaneous drug reactions like Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) or toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) following adefovir use have not been reported. We report a case of adefovir-induced SJS and TEN overlap syndrome in a patient with chronic hepatitis B infection.
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Can a Clinical Role Be Defined

Automated ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is a powerful research tool, but its clinical role has been difficult to define. This paper presents conclusions on the potential clinical benefits, risks, and costs of ABPM based on a comprehensive review of the scientific literature. Support is strongest for the uses of ABPM to improve blood pressure (BP) classification in suspected hypertensives and in patients with apparent drug resistance. Four policy options are discussed. Approval for limited clinical applications appears warranted provided it is accompanied by 1) quality control standards for ABPM laboratories, 2) decision thresholds for equating office, self-monitored, and ABPM BP levels, and 3) steps to limit profit incentives and the high risk of overutilization
Entropic Mechanism for the Lower Critical Solution Temperature of Poly(ethylene oxide) in a Room Temperature Ionic Liquid

Polymers exhibit interesting phase behavior in room temperature ionic liquids. For example poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) displays a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in [BMIM][BF4] with a critical temperature and concentration that are only weakly dependent on molecular weight, contrary to the behavior of polymers in other solvents. To shed light on the mechanism of the LCST, we study the phase behavior of PEO in [BMIM][BF4] using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The simulations show the signature of a phase transition as the temperature is increased. At low temperatures, interactions similar to a hydrogen bond are found between the imidazolium hydrogen and the PEO oxygen (HI–O H-bond) and the imidazolium hydrogen and the anion fluorines (HI–F H-bond). These interactions stabilize the mixed phase. A potential of mean force (PMF) analysis shows an entropic cost associated with the HI–O H-bond, which makes the bond formation unfavorable at higher temperatures, while the HI–F H-bond does not show a...
Critical Juncture IV: The State’s Reduction in Munificence

In the year 2010, 4-year public institutions of higher education in the USA had a noteworthy inversion in revenues. This was the first year in which public universities gained a greater amount of their operating revenues from student tuition and fees than from state allocations. In 1980, US public degree-granting institutions derived 44 % of their budget from state allocations. By 2010, that percentage had plummeted to 20 %. As budgets decline, universities and business schools intent on maintaining or increasing their prestige are often engaging in what has become known as “academic entrepreneurialism”—activities that generate income. For example, business schools are investing in online MBA programs to fund other ventures. Academic entrepreneurialism runs a considerable risk of compromising academic integrity.
Introduction: Phenomenology, Feminism, and Reproductive Technology

This introductory chapter provides an overview of the book, including brief summaries of each one of the chapters. It introduces key terms such as enframing, reproductive enframing, phenomenology, feminist phenomenology and identifies some of the central concerns regarding recent advances into reproductive technology.
Backcountry Medicolegal Death Investigation

Backcountry medicolegal death investigation is defined as the investigation of a death of a person or persons in an outdoor setting not easily accessible by conventional means. Deaths in the backco...
Using Design Thinking to Approach International Student Transition Goals

Our course, UNIV 141, is a freshmen transition course for international students. Our instructional team has taken to using the principles of design thinking and the technology of Blackboard to approach a host of student outcomes and skills development that are somewhat elusive but key to successful transition to the university: critical thinking, English language development, campus involvement, time management, multicultural knowledge, community service, and academic integrity. We wish to share with the campus the ways that we have modified design thinking to fit our population and to incorporate our target outcomes, and the ways that we are using Blackboard to accomplish that. We also would like to show how what we do can be transferred to other courses, populations, and/or contexts.For more information about Mason's diverse student population:AÂ https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/teaching/knowing-mason-students
Pride and Paradox in IG I3 833bis

Building on research in recent years that emphasizes the cross-fertilization of ideas in epinician poetry and epigrammatic dedications, this article examines the poetics of a single victory epigram for a victory with a men’s chorus at Athens in the first quarter of the fifth century BC. The epinikian strategies that contribute to the poet’s self-presentation in this epigram are revealed by comparative evidence from epinician song and ritual dedication. Furthermore, an underlying paradox between agonistic and dedicatory modes of thought is revealed through ambiguities of expression, evidenced also in Homeric and later poetry.
Radio Propagation Modeling and Simulation Using Ray Tracing

Techniques of radio propagation modeling and simulation are briefly reviewed, and the advantages of ray tracing methods are discussed. Spatial division methods are employed to accelerate the ray tracing algorithms and achieve computational efficiency and accuracy for propagation modeling. Algorithms extracting 3D models from geospatial resources are developed to establish realistic models for propagation environments. Terrain features such as ridges in mountainous regions are important elements characterizing the propagation of electromagnetic waves. Simple methods are introduced to extract these features. Different levels of detail of propagation environment are examined to gain insight of their effect on the efficiency and accuracy of propagation simulation. Computer hardware acceleration using graphics processing units (GPUs) is applied to the propagation simulation over terrains and a significant speedup is achieved. For source localization applications using ray tracing simulations, two methods (time reversal and machine learning) are discussed and their performances are investigated. A perspective of propagation modeling in the near future is given, and it points out that ray tracing methods will play a more significant role in providing accurate simulation results in real time for dynamic environments.
Testimony and Journalism: Moroccan Prison Narratives

In this chapter El Guabli discusses intersections of journalism and testimonial literature in post-1999 Morocco. Through an analysis of print media’s engagement with memories of state violence during the Years of Lead, he theorizes a “wide-dissemination period” and a “reflective period,” in respect to the publication of mnemonic themes. These themes, he argues, were energized by the print media’s serialization of prison narratives and other mnemonic topics. El Guabli demonstrates how this helped Moroccans discover the hidden atrocities in their past, contributing to a public capacity to discuss memory of state violence. Focusing on the way in which print journalism’s publication of prison literature shapes memories of the Years of Lead, the author further argues that the “reflective period” is dialogical, which allows mnemonic transformation through mnemonic actors’ myriad disagreements and contestations (Unless otherwise specified, all translation of the Arabic and the French are the author’s).
African American nurses describe pre-licensure education experiences: A qualitative study

Greater diversity in the healthcare workforce enhances cross-cultural communication, diminishes bias and stereotyping, thereby improving health outcomes for African Americans. Diversifying the nursing profession has been a persistent challenge and the experiences of African American nursing students in not yet well understood. The aims of this study were to describe the experiences of pre-licensure nursing school, and the meaning of those experiences, retrospectively for African American nurses. The sample for this qualitative descriptive study included 14 African American nurses who reflected on their nursing school experiences. A salient theme of standing out emerged from the data with subthemes of being watched and being ignored. Laying low and being noticed emerged as success strategies for nursing school. African American student experiences are complex and at times appear dichotomous. Improving African American nursing student success necessitates the creation of a more hospitable learning environment to mitigate the effects of standing out.
Influence of oceanographic conditions on the distribution and abundance of blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus) larvae in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Information on early life history of economical important fisheries stocks are required to accurately estimate their population status. This study investigated blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus) larvae distribution over six summers (2007–2011, 2015) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Blackfin tuna were commonly observed and widely distributed in surface waters with frequency of occurrence ranging from 48% (2008) to 92% (2011). Inter-annual variability in density was observed with highest mean density recorded in 2009 (17.2 larvae 1000 m−3) and lowest mean density in 2015 (2.2 larvae 1000 m−3). Density also varied between months with higher overall mean density observed in July (9.2 larvae 1000 m−3) compared to June (4.3 larvae 1000 m−3). Generalized additive models (GAMs) based on presence/absence and density of blackfin tuna larvae determined that this species was present in areas of intermediate salinity (31–36) and higher sea surface temperature (SST > 29 °C). Blackfin tuna larvae were also strongly associated with convergent zones near the Loop Current and anticyclonic eddies. Environmental conditions deemed to be favorable from GAMs (salinity, SST and sea surface height) were combined with environmental data in 2011 and 2015 to predict the suitable habitat of blackfin tuna larvae from the outer continental shelf into oceanic waters (areas ≥100 m isobath). The amount of highly suitable habitat ( >10 larvae 1000 m−3) in 2011 and 2015 varied between months (June 6%, July 51%); however, blackfin tuna larvae were predicted to occur at similar locations in surface waters along the continental slope and at the margin of the Loop Current. Overall, the results highlighted the importance of mesoscale features and oceanographic conditions on the distribution and abundance of blackfin tuna larvae.
Contemporary climate-driven range shifts: Putting evolution back on the table

As the climate continues to change, species are moving to track their climatic niches. Although we are gaining a clearer picture of where and how quickly species ranges are moving, a mechanistic understanding of these changes is still nascent. Evolutionary changes in ranges and range‐limiting traits over contemporary time‐scales have received relatively little attention, possibly due to the mismatch in scale between rapid contemporary range shifts and the historical evolution of species ranges over millions of years. But recent experimental work has shown that range‐limiting traits can evolve rapidly over decadal time‐scales, effectively putting evolution back on the table towards the goal of a mechanistic understanding of contemporary range shifts. Here, I review the role of evolution in shaping range shift responses to recent climate change from the perspective of the past (shared evolutionary history, or phylogenetic signal in range shifts and range‐limiting traits), present (variation in range‐limiting traits) and future (incorporating evolution of range‐limiting traits into range forecasts from species distribution models). In each of these areas, I found a critical role for evolution in understanding historical constraints and future changes in species ranges over contemporary time‐scales: shared evolutionary history may constrain range shift responses for some taxa; compensatory mechanisms of phenotypic plasticity and adaptive evolution can modulate the range shift response; and incorporating evolution into species distribution models can qualitatively alter forecasts of future range shifts. Yet, more can be done in this context, and so I conclude by outlining near‐ and long‐term goals for improving our understanding of the role of evolution in shaping species ranges in a rapidly changing world. A plain language summary is available for this article.
Geographies of Graffiti Abatement: Zero Tolerance in Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle

In this article, we examine graffiti abatement policies and programs in three West Coast U.S. cities: Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle. Through this analysis, several similarities in the graffi...
Laparoscopic Totally Extraperitoneal Repair for Inguinal Hernias (TEP): Part II

The repair of inguinal hernia is one of the most common procedures performed by general surgeons. However, there remains no consensus on the optimal approach. The anterior tension-free mesh repair popularized by Lichtenstein is perhaps the most widely used technique, with a reported recurrence rate less than 1%. However, the same level of success has not been universally achieved. When one considers all current methods of hernia repair, the recurrence rate approaches 10%. Additionally, patients with open repairs have greater postoperative discomfort and a longer interval until preoperative performance status is achieved, and a contralateral or femoral hernia may be missed.
An empirical study of programming bugs in CS1, CS2, and CS3 homework submissions

In this work, we use the IEEE Standard for Software Anomalies to classify the types of bugs that CS1, CS2, and CS3 students submit on programming assignments over the course of one semester. We also classify the types of bugs that students bring to a Computer Science Tutor Lab so that we can compare the types of bugs that students seek help for in comparison to those in their homework submissions. Using nine high level categories, Logic problems are the most common type of problem brought to the tutor lab (58% of tutor visits) and also the most frequent as observed on homework submissions (30%). However, the frequency of Logic problems brought to the tutor lab was quite higher than those in homework submissions. Computational and Data problems accounted for much of this difference. These results are being used in our ongoing work that strives to help students to avoid the most common bugs that are brought to our tutor lab and submitted on assignments.
Endogenous Production of 14CO: A Method for Calculation of RBC Life-span In Vivo

A kinetic model is presented for estimation of the degradation rate of labeled heme by measurement of appearance of 14CO in the breath following injection of glycine-2-14C. This method does not require sampling of blood or other body fluids, is absolutely independent of circulating blood volume and relatively independent of erythropoietic rate, and estimates the relative contribution to 14CO production from destruction of circulating RBC hemoglobin heme and that arising from other heme sources. For circulating RBC, rate of random hemolysis, mean potential lifespan and spread of lifespans about this mean can be calculated. Mean overall RBC lifespan and the fraction of RBC dying of senescence can be derived from these calculations. In normal male buffalo rats, the average value for random hemolysis was 0.67 per cent per day, corrected mean potential lifespan 66.2 days and standard deviation about this mean of 7.6 days. For normal female LAF1 mice, the corresponding average values were 0.60, 51.8 and 9.1, respectively. Results in two other inbred mouse strains were similar save for a shorter mean potential lifespan of 47.1 days in SEC/1Re mice and a longer mean potential lifespan of 57.3 days in WC-B6 mice. Following splenectomy in the rat, an isolated significant increase in mean potential lifespan was seen. An isolated decrease in mean potential lifespan was seen in three rats recovering from phenylhydrazine-induced anemia. An example of markedly increased random hemolysis, together with shortened mean potential life-span, was seen in a gastrectomized rat with a severe hypochromic anemia. The present method is shown to simultaneously determine the major parameters defining RBC survival, and as such, should be quite useful in the study of red blood cell disorders in animals and man.
Affordance Wayfields for Task and Motion Planning

Affordances provide a natural means for a robot to describe its agency as actions it can perform on objects. Further, affordances can enable robots to reason complicated, multi-step tasks that involve proper use of a diversity of objects. This paper proposes the concept of affordance wayfields for representing manipulation affordances as objective functions in configuration space. Affordance wayfields quantify how well a path, or sequence of motions, will accomplish an afforded action on an object. Paths that enact affordances can be located by performing a randomized form of gradient descent over affordance wayfields. Incorporating obstacles, or other constraints into wayfields allows our method to adaptively generate valid motions for executing afforded actions. We demonstrate that affordance wayfields can enable robots, such as the Michigan Progress Fetch mobile manipulator, to solve complex real-world tasks such as assembling a table, or loading and unloading objects from a storage chest.
Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Syn-Aldol Products from Intermolecular C−H Insertions between Allyl Silyl Ethers and Methyl Aryldiazoacetates

Rh2(R-DOSP)4-catalyzed decomposition of methyl aryldiazoacetate in the presence of allyl silyl ethers results in a regioselective C−H insertion. The resulting β-siloxy esters are formed with high enantioselectivity (74−92% ee) and diastereoselectivity (96−98% de) when trans-disubstituted allyl silyl ethers are used as substrates.
Uncertain Futures of Science and Religion

The pages of history are full of the names of scientists who were persecuted, arrested, or killed for their scientific work that ran counter to current religious or ideological beliefs. Many still are. The American Association for the Advancement of Science maintains a contemporary Directory of Persecuted Scientists, Engineers, and Health Professionals.
Generation of Synthetic CT Images From MRI for Treatment Planning and Patient Positioning Using a 3-Channel U-Net Trained on Sagittal Images.

A novel deep learning architecture was explored to create synthetic CT (MRCT) images that preserve soft tissue contrast necessary for support of patient positioning in Radiation therapy. A U-Net architecture was applied to learn the correspondence between input T1-weighted MRI and spatially aligned corresponding CT images. The network was trained on sagittal images, taking advantage of the left-right symmetry of the brain to increase the amount of training data for similar anatomic positions. The output CT images were divided into three channels, representing Hounsfield Unit (HU) ranges of voxels containing air, soft tissue, and bone, respectively, and simultaneously trained using a combined L1 and L2 loss function equally weighted for each channel. Training on 9192 image pairs yielded resulting synthetic CT images on 13 test patients with Mean Absolute Errors of 17.6+/-3.4 HU (range 14-26.5 HU) in soft tissue. Varying the amount of training data demonstrated a general decrease in MAE values with more data, with the lack of a plateau indicating that additional training data could further improve correspondence between MRCT and CT tissue intensities. Treatment plans optimized on MRCT-derived density grids using this network for 7 radiosurgical targets had doses recalculated using the corresponding CT-derived density grids, yielding a systematic mean target dose difference of 2.3% due to the lack of the immobilization mask on the MRCT images, and a standard deviation of 0.1%, indicating the consistency of this correctable difference. Alignment of MRCT and cone beam CT (CBCT) images used for patient positioning demonstrated excellent preservation of dominant soft tissue features, and alignment comparisons of treatment planning CT scans to CBCT images versus MRCT to CBCT alignment demonstrated differences of -0.1 (standard deviation 0.2) mm, -0.1 (standard deviation 0.3) mm, and -0.2 (standard deviation 0.3) mm about the left-right, anterior-posterior and cranial-caudal axes, respectively.
An EMS-induced mutation in a tetratricopeptide repeat-like superfamily protein gene (Ghir_A12G008870) on chromosome A12 is responsible for the liy short fiber phenotype in cotton

The EMS-induced threonine/isoleucine substitution in a tetratricopeptide repeat-like superfamily protein encoded by gene Ghir_A12G008870 is responsible for the Ligon-lintless-y (liy) short fiber phenotype in cotton. A short fiber mutant Ligon-lintless-y was created through treating the seeds of the cotton line MD15 with ethyl methanesulfonate. Genetic analysis indicated that the short fiber phenotype is controlled by a single recessive locus designated liy. From F2 populations derived from crosses between the mutant and its wild type (WT), we selected 132 short fiber progeny (liy/liy) and made two DNA bulks. We sequenced these DNA bulks along with the two parents of the population. The liy locus was located on chromosome A12. Using multiple F2 populations and F3 progeny plants, we mapped the liy locus within a genomic region of 1.18 Mb. In this region, there is only one gene, i.e., Ghir_A12G008870 encoding a tetratricopeptide repeat-like superfamily protein that has a non-synonymous mutation between the liy mutant and its WT. Analysis of a SNP marker representing this gene in the F2 and F3 progeny plants demonstrated its complete linkage with the liy short fiber phenotype. We further analyzed this SNP marker in a panel of 384 cotton varieties. The mutant allele is absent in all varieties analyzed. RNAseq and RT-qPCR analysis of the gene Ghir_A12G008870 during fiber development showed a significant expression difference between the liy mutant and its WT in developing fiber cells beginning at 12 days post-anthesis. Virus-induced gene silencing of the gene Ghir_A12G008870 significantly reduced the fiber length of the WT cotton line MD15. Taken together, our results suggest that the gene Ghir_A12G008870 is involved in the cotton fiber cell elongation process and is a promising candidate gene responsible for the liy short fiber phenotype.
Use of the PV[O]H algorithm as a noninvasive imaging modality for spinal cord injury in vivo in a rat model

PV[O]H involves simultaneously measuring elastic scattering and inelastic emission as a near infrared laser is scanned across tissue. Contrast for imaging derives from correlated variations in local turbidity and Raman/fluorescence emission.
Methods to assess anticancer immune responses in orthotopic bladder carcinomas.

Abstract Urothelial bladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the urinary tract resulting in over 165,000 deaths worldwide. Immunotherapies targeting the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) checkpoint pathway were recently approved for the treatment of bladder cancer, but favorable responses to this treatment are still limited to a minority of patients. This resistance to therapy has driven a need to optimize syngeneic models of bladder cancer that enable evaluation of the tumor immune microenvironment under varying conditions. Several models have been in place for many years, and we discuss in this chapter the optimization of an orthotopic model of bladder cancer that can be employed to study the anti-tumor immune response.
Monotypy Justified: Genitalia and DNA Move Ephyriades eugramma (Mabille) to New Genus Neomorphuncus Burns (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Pyrginae)

A cloud forest skipper butterfly, known from Costa Rica and Panama, was described in 1888 and has been in three polytypic genera. Diverse characters, especially male genitalia and phylogeny based on the Z sex chromosome, but also adult and larval facies and larval foodplants, argue for placement of this species in a monotypic genus. The result: Neomorphuncus Burns, new genus and Neomorphuncus eugramma (Mabille), new combination.
Nuclear-Norm-Based Subspace Identification of Multi-Zone Building HVAC System

Smart buildings improve energy efficiency and provide ancillary services to the power grid. Such services are based on model-based mechanisms that require availability of accurate models of the different building loads such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Although numerous efforts have been made in the area of constructing a thermal model for a building HVAC system, almost all models have shortcomings. In this paper, we employ the nuclear-norm-based subspace method to identify a locally accurate HVAC system model. We consider the more general case of a multi-zone building HVAC system, i.e., each zone has its own thermostat and can be set to a different temperature. The estimated HVAC system model can be used to predict the future indoor temperatures. This will assist power utility companies and building managers in estimating the upcoming load shape, especially the peak amount and duration.
From Resistance to Analytic Truth

“Resistance” in psychoanalysis from its inception has meant the patient’s opposition to and interference with the analytic process that must be followed to resolve the patient’s neurosis. This conc...
Uni-OPU : An FPGA-Based Uniform Accelerator for Convolutional and Transposed Convolutional Networks

In this article, we design the first full software/ hardware stack, called Uni-OPU , for an efficient uniform hardware acceleration of different types of transposed convolutional (TCONV) networks and conventional convolutional (CONV) networks. Specifically, a software compiler is provided to transform the computation of various TCONV, i.e., zero-inserting-based TCONV (zero-TCONV), nearest-neighbor resizing-based TCONV (NN-TCONV), and CONV layers into the same pattern. The compiler conducts the following optimizations: 1) eliminating up to 98.4% of operations in TCONV by making use of the fixed pattern of TCONV upsampling; 2) decomposing and reformulating TCONV and CONV into streaming parallel vector multiplication with a uniform address generation scheme and data flow pattern; and 3) efficient scheduling and instruction compilation to map networks onto a hardware processor. An instruction-based hardware acceleration processor is developed to efficiently speedup our uniform computation pattern with throughput up to 2.35 TOPS for the TCONV layer, consuming only 2.89 W dynamic power. We evaluate Uni-OPU on a benchmark set composed of six TCONV networks from different application fields. Extensive experimental results indicate that Uni-OPU is able to gain $1.45 \times $ to $3.68 \times $ superior power efficiency compared with state-of-the-art zero-TCONV accelerators. High acceleration performance is also achieved on NN-TCONV networks, the acceleration of which have not been explored before. In summary, we observe $1.90 \times $ and $1.63 \times $ latency reduction, as well as $15.04 \times $ and $12.43 \times $ higher power efficiency on zero-TCONV and NN-TCONV networks compared with Titan Xp GPU on average. To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first in-depth study to completely unify the computation process of zero-TCONV, NN-TCONV, and CONV layers.
Outcomes of renal replacement therapy in the critically ill with COVID-19.

Abstract Objective To describe outcomes of critically ill patients with COVID-19, particularly the association of renal replacement therapy to mortality. Design A single-center prospective observational study was carried out. Setting ICU of a tertiary care center. Patients Consecutive adults with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU. Intervention Renal replacement therapy. Main variables of interest Demographic data, medical history, illness severity, type of oxygen therapy, laboratory data and use of renal replacement therapy to generate a logistic regression model describing independent risk factors for mortality. Results Of the total of 166 patients, 51% were mechanically ventilated and 26% required renal replacement therapy. The overall hospital mortality rate was 36%, versus 56% for those requiring renal replacement therapy, and 68% for those with both mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy. The logistic regression model identified four independent risk factors for mortality: age (adjusted OR 2.8 [95% CI 1.8–4.4] for every 10-year increase), mechanical ventilation (4.2 [1.7–10.6]), need for continuous venovenous hemofiltration (2.3 [1.3–4.0]) and C-reactive protein (1.1 [1.0–1.2] for every 10 mg/L increase). Conclusions In our cohort, acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy was associated to a high mortality rate similar to that associated to the need for mechanical ventilation, while multiorgan failure necessitating both techniques implied an extremely high mortality risk.
Increased structural connectivity of thalamic stimulation sites to motor cortex relates to tremor suppression.

Abstract Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM-DBS) is a highly successful treatment for medication-refractory essential tremor (ET). Clinical outcomes are dependent on accurate targeting. Here, we aim to develop a framework for connectivity-guided DBS targeting by evaluating probabilistic tractography and clinical response at both initial programming (IP) and clinical follow-up (CF). Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical outcomes were evaluated in 23 ET patients who were treated by VIM-DBS at the University of California Los Angeles (20 at IP, 18 at CF, 14 at both). Lead-DBS was used to model the volume of tissue activated tissue (VTA) based on programming configurations at both IP and CF. Probabilistic tractography, calculated in FSL, was used to evaluate 1) clinically weighted whole brain connectivity of VTA; 2) connectivity between VTA and freesurfer-derived target regions of interest (ROI) including primary motor, premotor, and prefrontal cortices, and cerebellum; and 3) volume of intersection between VTA and probabilistic tractography-based segmentation of the thalamus. At IP, individual contacts were scored as high or low efficacy based on acute tremor improvement. At CF, clinical response was measured by percent of change of the Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor (CRST) compared to preoperative scores. Contributions from each target ROI to clinical response was measured using logistic regression for IP and linear regression for CF. The clinically weighted map of whole brain connectivity of VTA shows preferential connectivity to precentral gyrus and brainstem/cerebellum. The volume of intersection between VTA and thalamic segmentation map based on probabilistic connectivity to primary motor cortex was a significant predictor of contact efficacy at IP (OR = 2.26 per 100 mm3 of overlap, p = .04) and percent change in CRST at CF (β = 14.67 per 100 mm3 of overlap, p = .003). Targeting DBS to the area of thalamus most connected to primary motor cortex based on probabilistic tractography is associated with superior outcomes, providing a potential guide not only for lead targeting but also therapeutic programming.
Reinforcement Learning For Waveform Design

In this paper we propose the use of a deep neural network (DNN) trained using deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) reinforcement learning (RL) to solve a simplified radar waveform design problem. The problem is to select phases for a phase-coded waveform with a power spectrum (PS) containing a low-power notch to support spectrum sharing. The intention is to explore how DDPG may be applied in radar signal processing rather than develop an improved waveform notching method. The initial approach provides shallow notches averaging $\mathcal{O}(11\;{\text{dB}})$ deep. Further investigation using supervised learning, rather than RL, show that the actor neural network from DDPG can learn to produce waveforms with notches of $\mathcal{O}(120\;{\text{dB}})$ depth, and that the associated critic network can learn to accurately score the actor’s performance. It is concluded that the DDPG algorithm is highly sensitive to limitations in the reward metric used to quantify the notches, and may well be a suitable method for radar signal processing when used with appropriate metrics.