cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tracking of tubular molecules for scientific applications

In this paper, we present a system for detection and tracking of tubular molecules in images. The automatic detection and characterization of the shape, location, and motion of these molecules can enable new laboratory protocols in several scientific disciplines. The uniqueness of the proposed system is twofold: At the macro level, the novelty of the system lies in the integration of object localization and tracking using geometric properties; at the micro level, in the use of high and low level constraints to model the detection and tracking subsystem. The underlying philosophy for object detection is to extract perceptually significant features from the pixel level image, and then use these high level cues to refine the precise boundaries. In the case of tubular molecules, the perceptually significant features are antiparallel line segments or, equivalently, their axis of symmetries. The axis of symmetry infers a coarse description of the object in terms of a bounding polygon. The polygon then provides the necessary boundary condition for the refinement process, which is based on dynamic programming. For tracking the object in a time sequence of images, the refined contour is then projected onto each consecutive frame. >
The Status of Unwritten Constitutional Conventions in the United States

Unwritten constitutional conventions have long been understood to be integral to the operation of Westminster parliamentary systems. The British legal scholar A.V. Dicey emphasized that "constitutional morality" supplemented legal rules in regulating the exercise of political power and limiting the discretion of government officials. The presence of a written constitution and judicially enforceable constitutional rules has sometimes been thought to render constitutional conventions superfluous, but these unwritten conventions have been common over the course of American history and have played an important role in defining the effective constitution of the polity. Constitutional law always threatens to displace constitutional morality, however, and unwritten conventions are often seen as in tension with the supremacy of the written text and the primacy of constitutional interpretation.
In the Lecture Hall

All reports from those who actually heard Werner lecture during his prime are unanimous in their glowing descriptions. They differ only in their choice of superlatives. Enthralling! Inspiring! Magical! Fascinating! A perfect joy! Although they all emphasize that one must have been present at Werner’s lectures to understand the deep impression that he made on his listeners, we shall at least attempt to give some idea of his oratorical skill.
Security Projects for Systems and Networking Professionals

Every day, people interact with numerous computer systems, networks, and services that require the exchange of sensitive data. However, the Internet is a highly distributed system operated by many different entities and as such should not be trusted by end users. Users, whether consumers or businesses, retain no control over how their information is routed among the many networks that comprise the Internet. Therefore, there is a strong need for cryptographic protocols to authenticate, verify trust, and establish a secure channel for exchanging data. This chapter presents a series of projects and demonstrations for systems and networking professionals who want to increase their comprehension of security concepts and protocols. The material presented here is derived from existing courses taught by the authors in the areas of cryptography, network security, and wireless security.
Movement patterns and dispersal potential of Pecos bluntnose shiner (Notropis simus pecosensis) revealed using otolith microchemistry

Natal origin and dispersal potential of the federally threatened Pecos bluntnose shiner (Notropis simus pecosensis) were successfully characterized using otolith microchemistry and swimming performance trials. Strontium isotope ratios (87Sr:86Sr) of otoliths within the resident plains killifish (Fundulus zebrinus) were successfully used as a surrogate for strontium isotope ratios in water and revealed three isotopically distinct reaches throughout 297 km of the Pecos River, New Mexico, USA. Two different life history movement patterns were revealed in Pecos bluntnose shiner. Eggs and fry were either retained in upper river reaches or passively dispersed downriver followed by upriver movement during the first year of life, with some fish achieving a minimum movement of 56 km. Swimming ability of Pecos bluntnose shiner confirmed upper critical swimming speeds (Ucrit) as high as 43.8 cm·s−1 and 20.6 body lengths·s−1 in 30 days posthatch fish. Strong swimming ability early in life supports our observations of...
Recent Developments in Hair Care Products

The two outstanding qualities which have been the aim of the major part of shampoo research in the past ten years are mildness and conditioning. The traditional properties of cleaning and foaming have tended to be relegated to the status of common factors - almost of secondary importance. This could be explained by the revolution in consumer use habits in the major markets where, with freer, less formal hair styles, frequent washing has become the accepted norm. In the USA the majority of teenagers wash their hair, an average 5.3 times per week (Seventeen Magazine) whilst 50% of all UK consumers wash their hair two or more times per week (I.P.C. Cosmetics).
Urban Sprawl and the Transition to First-Time Homeownership

This article relies on data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics matched to U.S. census data to explain the factors contributing to homeownership transitions for a sample of renters who first left their parents’ homes during the years 1978 through 1987. The article employs continuous time duration models to explain first-time homeownership transitions as a function of various individual and household-level variables, along with measures of urban sprawl. The article finds that for the average renter in the sample, first-time homeownership occurs sooner in areas with lower urban densities, increased local government fragmentation, and the presence of a regional urban growth boundary (UGB). The effects of UGB presence and local government fragmentation are largest among suburban low-income households.
Source for intense collimated beams of fast Cs+ and Cs0

Abstract The characteristics of a surface-ionization source for Cs+ of 20–55 keV are described. For applications requiring fast Cs0 atoms, the Cs+ beam is neutralized to 90% by passage through Cs vapor. The observed Cs0 beam intensity through a 1.1 cm diameter aperture 78 cm from the ionizer is 10 particle-mA.
Uptake of epoxydiol isomers accounts for half of the particle-phase material produced from isoprene photooxidation via the HO2 pathway.

The oxidation of isoprene is a globally significant source of secondary organic material (SOM) of atmospheric particles. The relative importance of different parallel pathways, however, remains inadequately understood and quantified. SOM production from isoprene photooxidation was studied under hydroperoxyl-dominant conditions for <5% relative humidity and at 20 °C in the presence of highly acidic to completely neutralized sulfate particles. Isoprene photooxidation was separated from SOM production by using two continuously mixed flow reactors connected in series and operated at steady state. Two online mass spectrometers separately sampled the gas and particle phases in the reactor outflow. The loss of specific gas-phase species as contributors to the production of SOM was thereby quantified. The produced SOM mass concentration was directly proportional to the loss of isoprene epoxydiol (IEPOX) isomers from the gas phase. IEPOX isomers lost from the gas phase accounted for (46 ± 11)% of the produced SOM ...
Natural history of benign prostatic hyperplasia and risk of prostatectomy. The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

Abstract The natural history of prostatism (clinically diagnosed benignprostatic hyperplasia) is examined based on symptom questionnaires and digital rectal examinations administered periodically to 1,057 men followed prospectively for up to thirty years in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) was clinically diagnosed in 527 men, 110 had a prostatectomy for BPH, and in 21 prostate cancer developed. Among men aged sixty or older with prostatic enlargement and obstructive symptoms, the twenty-year probability of surgery was 39 percent; for men aged fifty to fifty-nine years this probability was 24 percent; and for men aged forty to forty-nine years, the probability was 13 percent. The age-specific prevalence of clinically diagnosed BPH agreed closely at all ages with the age-specific autopsy prevalence of pathologically defined BPH from a published international compilation of 5 independent autopsy studies involving 1,075 prostates.
Passive Devices for Reducing Base Pressure Drag in Class 8 Trucks

Full scale CFD simulations of the Generic Conventional Model (GCM), a simplified model of a Class 8 truck, were used to explore passive devices for improving the drag performance of the trailer base. Significant improvements over conventional straight base flaps were achieved using an Extended Bent (EB) flap that stays within the length limits imposed by US federal law. An additional boat tail device for the cab bogie base was also found to yield improvements in the base drag in that region. This device in combination with the EB flap leads to a wind-averaged drag reduction of 21 % over the non-modified GCM model. An under-trailer scoop to generate air for pressurizing the trailer base or for use in active flow control devices was found to add too much drag to be effective.
Phase I Testing: 60 Years in the Making

This CCR Focus had its genesis in a workshop cosponsored by the FDA and the American Association for Cancer Research that was held in May 2015. The participants were inspired by the discussion of new ideas for early-phase drug testing, and hopeful that appropriate dosing for new molecular entities
Effects of surface materials on polarimetric-thermal measurements: applications to face recognition

Materials, such as cosmetics, applied to the face can severely inhibit biometric face-recognition systems operating in the visible spectrum. These products are typically made up of materials having different spectral properties and color pigmentation that distorts the perceived shape of the face. The surface of the face emits thermal radiation, due to the living tissue beneath the surface of the skin. The emissivity of skin is approximately 0.99; in comparison, oil- and plastic-based materials, commonly found in cosmetics and face paints, have an emissivity range of 0.9-0.95 in the long-wavelength infrared part of the spectrum. Due to these properties, all three are good thermal emitters and have little impact on the heat transferred from the face. Polarimetric-thermal imaging provides additional details of the face and is also dependent upon the thermal radiation from the face. In this paper, we provide a theoretical analysis on the thermal conductivity of various materials commonly applied to the face using a metallic sphere. Additionally, we observe the impact of environmental conditions on the strength of the polarimetric signature and the ability to recover geometric details. Finally, we show how these materials degrade the performance of traditional face-recognition methods and provide an approach to mitigating this effect using polarimetric-thermal imaging.
Oh Lord, You Are the Lord who Remembered John Obi Mikel

Studies of footballer migration have been associated with increased globalization of the game (Darby, 2008, 2000; Darby et al, 2007; Bale, 2004, 1994; Lanfranchi and Taylor, 2001; Arbena, 1994). These studies have taken varying perspectives, with some investigating the phenomenon from an economic point of view (Onwumechili, 2010; Lanfranchi and Taylor, 2001) and others in the context of the process of de-skilling and exploitation (Bale, 2004; Darby, 2002; Kidd and Donnalley, 2000; Henly, 1998; Arbena, 1994). Many of these studies focus on migration of African football labor, as would be expected since a significant proportion of the modern migration of footballers has been from the poorer regions of Africa (and South America) to leagues in Europe and Asia. While several of these studies investigate the reasons for increased migration via a range of perspectives, it remains surprising that some other reasons, such as aspirational identity, have not been widely investigated.
The origin of oxidized guanine resolves the puzzle of oxidation-induced telomere-length alterations.

Although oxidative stress has long been considered to be a major factor contributing to telomere shortening, recent work has established that oxidative stress and DNA damage are linked to telomere lengthening. Now, Opresko and colleagues resolve this apparent discrepancy by showing that differential modulation of telomerase activity depends on the origin of a common oxidative guanine lesion.
Towards an Understanding of Enhanced Biomass Digestibility by In Planta Expression of a Family 5 Glycoside Hydrolase

In planta expression of a thermophilic endoglucanase (AcCel5A) reduces recalcitrance by creating voids and other irregularities in cell walls of Arabidopsis thaliana that increase enzyme accessibility without negative impacts on plant growth or cell wall composition. Our results suggest that cellulose β-1–4 linkages can be cut sparingly in the assembling wall and that these minimal changes, made at the proper time, have an impact on plant cell wall recalcitrance without negative effects on overall plant development.
Candidiasis and the impact of flow cytometry on antifungal drug discovery.

Introduction: Invasive candidiasis continues to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality as well as substantial health care costs nationally and globally. One of the contributing fact...
Can We Prepare Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teachers Online? A Cross-Case Analysis of Online and On-Campus Courses

Using a cross-case analysis of online, on-campus and online university teacher preparation courses, this study critically examines the constraints and affordances of online teacher education in pre...
Dictionary learning-based reverberation removal enables depth-resolved photoacoustic microscopy of cortical microvasculature in the mouse brain

Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) capitalizes on the optical absorption of blood hemoglobin to enable label-free high-contrast imaging of the cerebral microvasculature in vivo. Although time-resolved ultrasonic detection equips PAM with depth-sectioning capability, most of the data at depths are often obscured by acoustic reverberant artifacts from superficial cortical layers and thus unusable. In this paper, we present a first-of-a-kind dictionary learning algorithm to remove the reverberant signal while preserving underlying microvascular anatomy. This algorithm was validated in vitro, using dyed beads embedded in an optically transparent polydimethylsiloxane phantom. Subsequently, we demonstrated in the live mouse brain that the algorithm can suppress reverberant artifacts by 21.0 ± 5.4 dB, enabling depth-resolved PAM up to 500 µm from the brain surface.
A second-order continuum theory of fluids

We use continuum conservation equations in conjunction with the entropy inequality to obtain a theoretical model that is accurate for hypersonic flows. This is accomplished by extending the constitutive equations to second order in strain rate and gradients of density and temperature. The accuracy of the extended theory is demonstrated by computing the shock structure in argon and nitrogen gases over a large range of Mach numbers. The solutions indicate that our constitutive equations are more accurate than the classical linear ones and are also more robust and accurate than equations obtained through expansions of the Boltzmann equation or equations arising from diffusion of volume arguments.
Early Detection of Damages Based on Comprehensive Theory of Deformation and Fracture

Numerical studies have been conducted based on the recently published Deformation Field Theory. Effects of pulling rates on displacement waves and volume expansion waves are analyzed in a finite element model (FEM) of a solid experiencing a uni-axial tensile load. Without relying on empirical data, the model’s numerical results demonstrate empirically known concepts that a fracture occurs more easily when the pulling rate is high, and the direction of external load is reversed.
Acute Complications in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy

Abstract Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potentially curative treatment for many pediatric diseases. Cellular immunotherapy, such as the use of chimeric antigen receptor T cells, has emerged recently as a highly effective modality to treat refractory lymphoid malignancies. Although HSCT and cellular immunotherapy are now considered essential parts of the current therapeutic armamentarium, both are associated with a wide range of acute complications, many of which are unique to these treatment modalities. These acute complications are seen not only in hospitalized patients but also in patients in the ambulatory setting, including the emergency department. Emergency care providers will need to be able to recognize these complications and provide appropriate initial assessment and management. In this review, we describe the acute complications associated with HSCT and cellular immunotherapy, with the emphasis on their recognition, workup, and treatment.
Risks of fatal opioid overdose during the first year following nonfatal overdose

Abstract Background Little is known about risk factors for repeated opioid overdose and fatal opioid overdose in the first year following nonfatal opioid overdose. Methods We identified a national retrospective longitudinal cohort of patients aged 18–64 years in the Medicaid program who received a clinical diagnosis of nonfatal opioid overdose. Repeated overdoses and fatal opioid overdoses were measured with the Medicaid record and the National Death Index. Rates of repeat overdose per 1000 person-years and fatal overdose per 100,000 person-years were determined. Hazard ratios of repeated opioid overdose and fatal opioid overdose were estimated by Cox proportional hazards. Results Nearly two-thirds (64.8%) of the patients with nonfatal overdoses (total n = 75,556) had filled opioid prescriptions in the 180 days before initial overdose. During the 12 months after nonfatal overdose, the rate of repeat overdose was 295.0 per 1000 person-years and that of fatal opioid overdose was 1154 per 100,000 person-years. After controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and region, the hazard of fatal opioid overdose was increased for patients who had filled a benzodiazepine prescription in the 180 days prior to their initial overdose (HR = 1.71, 95%CI: 1.46–1.99), whose initial overdose involved heroin (HR = 1.57, 95%CI:1.30-1.89), or who required mechanical ventilation at the initial overdose (HR = 1.86, 95%CI = 1.50–2.31). Conclusions Adults treated for opioid overdose frequently have repeated opioid overdoses in the following year. They are also at high risk of fatal opioid overdose throughout this period, which underscores the importance of efforts to engage and maintain patients in evidence-based opioid treatments following nonfatal overdose.
Design methodology for construction of mapping applications

Geoscientists and engineers use anomalies which are parts of a profile that is above or below the surrounding average to infer subsurface targets (groundwater, ore and petroleum). Customarily, they are detected by processing field measurements including geological and geophysical data using methods such as stacking (averaging), Fourier analysis and filtering. The issue is these methods often result in partial detection because they perform partial separation of wanted from unwanted anomalies and the error in separation gets propagated into data layers and subsequent analyses, thereby resulting in less accurate spatial predictions. In order to understand and address this issue, we investigate whether the design methodology for construction of mapping applications for characterizing geospatial variables achieves logical consistency of data layers and improve mapping accuracy of groundwater flow. We present a design methodology as an artifact and evaluated it by applying it to hydrogeological and geodetic data acquired from the Santa Clara Valley, CA, USA. The result shows that data parts offer distinctive patterns of geometric features that are signatures of groundwater flow for sustainable groundwater management. The practical implications of the result can be applied by software developers and data modelers, information systems and operations managers to construct logically consistent and well-composed environmental information systems.
AMERICAS, SOUTH | Early Villages

Although village life is known for prehistoric peoples throughout the Americas, some of the earliest well studied villages are found in South America. Early North American and Mesoamerican agricultural villages were preceded by still earlier settlements in Peru and Ecuador. In Peru, exceptional preservation permits a wide range of studies of the archaeological record. Domestic structures may have been built 12 000 years ago and are definitely known from 7000 BC in the central western Andean region. Coastal Peruvian fishing villages are present by 6000 BC followed by more agricultural settlements in Ecuador and Peru by 4000 BC. On the central coast of Peru, Quipa, a site with a domestic structure that dates to at least 7000 BC, is not far from the first excavated large village settlement at Paloma at 6000–3000 BC. Subsequent central Andean villages are larger and most have non-domestic structures. They present both food and economic crops such as cotton for nets and textiles. To the north, the precocious Real Alto site in Ecuador at 4000–3500 BC demonstrates non-domestic architecture and pottery. The late aceramic component at the Buena Vista Peruvian middle valley site produced sculptures in the round and platform pyramids, which date to 4200 BC. Very large sites in the Norte Chico of Peru are older still, but their settlement pattern is not yet resolved. The 55 domestic structures with their 200 interments from the stratified fishing villages at the Middle Preceramic site of Paloma describe changes over time in gender and age distinctions evident in mortuary customs. As well, shifts in subsistence activities and in dietary patterns at Paloma and related sites have been determined from bioarchaeological studies. Health changes with adoption of village life are minimal, although subsequent deterioration was followed by gradual improvement, perhaps never reaching the same level of adult health as was experienced at Paloma. These early villages represent the instantiation of widespread belief systems in particular habitats, probably maintained and partly shared with adjacent ethnic groups who were trading partners. The beginning of ancestor veneration at Paloma may be associated with an early astronomical alignment that becomes widespread in the larger settlements of the Peruvian Late Preceramic. While each people had its special history, there are some similarities in response to the dryer and more unpredictable climate that followed the end of the worldwide climatic optimum at about 3000 BC. Village life, in time associated with monumental constructions, was a response of some of the peoples who experienced this change. Early Peruvian fishing villages were supplanted by a tripartite system of fishing, farming food crops, and growing of economic plants.
AC Circuits and Motors

Alternating current (AC), varying sinusoidally at 50 Hz in Europe and Asia and 60 Hz in North America and Japan, is the dominant form of electric power. AC provides the continuously changing magnetic flux linkage needed for electrical transformation. Transformation allows transmission at high voltage and low current, reducing resistive loss with step-down transformers near the point of use. Complex impedances are an efficient method for deriving the transfer function of an electric circuit. Analysis of AC circuits is an application of frequency response. Phasors are vectors in the complex resistance–reactance plane, which can represent either variables or operators. As variables, phasors are analogous to complex exponentials except that their amplitude is the root-mean-squared value rather than the peak amplitude of the sinusoid. As operators, they are analogous to transfer functions.
The role of protective factors in the predictive accuracy of the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY)

The use of risk assessment instruments has become standard procedure in the juvenile justice system. Most empirical assessments of the predictive validity of these instruments concentrate on the ab...
Selfobjects in psychosis--the twinship compensation.

Concepts from psychoanalytic self psychology may he valuable in explaining confusing clinical experiences in psychotherapy with psychotic patients. In this article, we describe three clinical cases...
Trauma and countertrauma, resilence and counterresilience: insights from psychoanalysts and trauma experts: edited by R. Gartner, New York, NY, Routledge, 2017 318 pp., $54.95 (paperback), ISBN: 978-1-138-80691-9

I spent several surprisingly emotional and moving hours in the company of Trauma and Countertrauma, Resilence and Counterresilience. Editor Richard Gartner is a major figure in the psychoanalytic s...
Dynamic modeling and mesh phasing-based spectral analysis of quasi-static deformations of spinning planetary gears with a deformable ring

Abstract With a focus on high-speed, lightweight planetary (or epicyclic) gears, this work develops an analytical dynamic model with the sun, carrier, and planets modeled as rigid bodies coupled to an elastic continuum ring having bending, extensional, and shear deformations. The model allows for simultaneous rotation of the sun, carrier, and ring, or for any one of them to be stationary. Coriolis and centripetal accelerations generated by ring and carrier rotation are included. The coupled ordinary (sun, carrier, and planets) and partial (elastic ring) differential equations are cast into a standard gyroscopic system form that is solved using Galerkin discretization. Steady deformations and measured spectral content of the ring deflections are examined with a quasi-static model reduced from the dynamic one. The steady deformations calculated from the analytical model compare well to those from a finite element/contact mechanics model. Ring extensional effects meaningfully influence steady deformations, especially as a result of high-speed rotation of the compliant ring gear, but ring shear effects are small. The spectra of ring deflections measured by sensors fixed to the rotating ring, space-fixed ground, and the rotating carrier are much different, even though the sensors are simultaneously directed at the same ring. Planet mesh phasing significantly affects the measured spectral content. Simple rules are derived to explain the spectra for all three sensor locations for in-phase and out-of-phase systems.
Surgical versus percutaneous multivessel coronary revascularization in patients with chronic kidney disease.

OBJECTIVES This study compared contemporary outcomes following surgical versus percutaneous coronary revascularization for multivessel coronary artery disease (MVCAD) in patients with chronic kidney disease. METHODS Patients with MVCAD and a reduced glomerular filtration rate (<60 ml/min) undergoing coronary bypass surgery (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at a single institution between 2010 and 2017 were included. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) defined as a composite outcome of death, stroke, myocardial infarction or repeat revascularization. Multivariable Cox regression models were used for risk-adjustment and propensity matching was also performed. RESULTS A total of 1853 patients were included in the study (1269 CABG, 584 PCI). CABG was associated with greater 5-year freedom from MACCE (70.1% vs 47.3%, P < 0.0001), a finding that persisted after risk-adjustment. The rates of early and late mortality and readmission were also lower with CABG as were individual rates of myocardial infarction and repeat revascularization. A propensity-matched analysis generated 704 well-matched patients (352 in each arm) with similar results, including greater 5-year freedom from MACCE (72.8% vs 45.8%, P < 0.0001), improved 5-year survival (73.9% vs 52.3%, P < 0.0001), lower readmission (cause-specific hazard ratio 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.58-0.80; P < 0.0001), lower individual rates of myocardial infarction (2.6% vs 9.7%, P < 0.0001) and repeat revascularization (1.1% vs 7.4%, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS CABG is associated with a lower MACCE rate than that of PCI in patients with MVCAD and chronic kidney disease. Multidisciplinary discussions regarding the optimal revascularization strategy are important in MVCAD, particularly in more complex scenarios such as chronic kidney disease.
A propensity-matched analysis of contemporary outcomes of blunt popliteal artery injury.

Abstract Objective Traumatic popliteal artery injury is associated with an increased propensity for limb loss, morbidity, and mortality above an already elevated baseline risk to life and limb. Previous studies of outcomes in this patient group have been limited by selection bias. This study analyzed outcomes after blunt popliteal artery injury using propensity matching to reduce confounding variables associated with multiple mechanisms of traumatic vascular injury and to identify factors associated with amputation. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of prospectively collected data from the National Trauma Data Bank. Patients were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes related to patterns of blunt injury associated with popliteal arterial injury or intervention. Using Trauma Quality Improvement Program variables as a reference, specific characteristics were collected. Variables found significant on univariate analysis were used to generate propensity-matched amputation and nonamputation cohorts. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess for risk factors associated with amputation and inpatient mortality. Results In total, 3029 patients with blunt popliteal artery injury were identified; 628 (20.7%) underwent amputation. Patients who underwent amputation presented with more frequent hypotension (systolic blood pressure of 0-99 mm Hg, 22.7% vs 12.8%; P 120 beats/min, 28.5% vs 14.5%; P Conclusions Trauma patients who sustain blunt popliteal artery injury are at an increased risk of amputation. Propensity-matched analysis revealed that concurrent popliteal vein and tibial nerve injury but not severity of tissue injury predicted limb loss.
Evaluating the Readability of Veterinary Client Handouts from Vetlexicon, Veterinary Partner, and ClientEd

Ready-to-use animal health information handouts are a valuable service that have the potential to enhance veterinarian-client relationships and animal healthcare. Evaluating the readability of handouts is integral to ensure the information needs of veterinary clients are met. In this study, we describe the significance of client handout readability and review readability studies in veterinary medicine. We then present our analysis of the readability of 150 client handouts from three services: Vetlexicon from Vetstream, Veterinary Partner from VIN, and ClientEd from Lifelearn. With a few exceptions, the handouts scored were found to be written at a 9th through 11th grade reading level, above the recommended 6th grade reading level for human medical handouts, limiting the value and potential for enhancing communication about pet health and supporting the veterinarian-client bond.
The Politics of Welfare Retrenchment: Evidence from Mass Medicaid Disenrollment in Two States

In 2005, Missouri and Tennessee tightened eligibility for their public health insurance programs, resulting in widespread coverage loss. Leveraging county-level variation in subsequent disenrollment, I show that voters in Tennessee punished the incumbent governor for the Medicaid cuts. In Missouri, by contrast, disenrollment had no impact on the subsequent gubernatorial election but did increase support for Democrats in 2006 state legislative elections, possibly due to the strategic entry and exit of candidates. In both states, the loss of Medicaid coverage was associated with lower support for Democratic presidential candidates, although these declines appear part of a longer-term trend that preceded the coverage loss. The results speak to the potential political costs of welfare spending cuts and are relevant for anticipating the electoral consequences of efforts to repeal or otherwise weaken portions of the Affordable Care Act..
Criminalizing Migration, Ending Rights: The Case of United States Crimmigration Law

The United States has been criminalizing migration since the 1980s. In addition to its deportation practices, immigration crime prosecutions are the most commonly prosecuted offense in the nation’s federal courts. Illustrating a newly pernicious edge to the country’s embrace of crimmigration laws and policies, federal officials have expressed a willingness to criminally prosecute migrants who enter the United States without authorization even if they intend to request asylum despite the existence of a statutory right to request asylum if present in the United States. This chapter takes this development as an example of the limits of human rights norms. Framed as emanating from a post-war recognition of the primacy of law, the criminalization of asylum seekers displays the fragility of the human rights tradition’s illusory imperative that states respect as fundamentally inviolable the right of all people, as people, to seek legal protection from persecution.
Colonic Conditions: Indeterminate Colitis

Inflammatory bowel disease—unclassified (IBD-U) and indeterminate colitis are diagnoses that are given to patients with inflammatory bowel disease colitis with clinical, endoscopic, and pathologic features that cannot be reliably distinguished as Crohn’s colitis or ulcerative colitis. Importantly, the term IBD-U is reserved for patients who have not had a colectomy and indeterminate colitis is for those who have had a colectomy. Approximately 10–20% of patients with IBD colitis are given this often provisional diagnosis. The medical treatments for colitis due to CD, UC, or IC, are largely the same. For each of these colitides, surgery is typically performed for symptoms refractory to medical therapy, dysplasia, or cancer. Proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis has been used with varying degrees of success in patients with IC. The outcome of pouch surgery for IC appears to be directly related to the certainty with which CD can be excluded prior to surgery.
High-fat meal increases peripheral blood mononuclear cell pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in African American women

African-American (AA) women have elevated predominance of inflammatory diseases concurrent with local inflammation resulting in compromised metabolic function. The purpose of the study was 2-fold: ...
ECONOMY: Point Clouds-based Energy-efficient Autonomous Navigation for UAVs

Most UAVs depend on realtime 3D point clouds to navigate through unknown environments. However, both point clouds processing and trajectory planning are computationally expensive and will deplete UAV's battery quickly. There are also inevitable uncertainties in point clouds, which further makes collision-free trajectory planning a very challenging problem. To address these issues, we propose an energy-efficient and cloud-assisted autonomous navigation system, called ECONOMY, which allows an UAV to transmit the point clouds through a cellular network to a computing cloud that plans the trajectories for the UAV in realtime. To maximize the UAV's energy-efficiency, we jointly optimize its velocity, transmission and reception power. Since the formulated problem is non-convex, we decompose it into a UAV velocity and trajectory optimization problem at a specific time t, and a UAV communication optimization problem at t, which are, in turn, resolved by an intelligent solver based on the Suggest-and-Improve framework, and coordinate gradient ascend. To address point clouds uncertainties, we devise probabilistic collision-free constraints which can be handled in a deterministic manner by exploiting the tight (N,2,R^N)-upper bound for convex sets. Simulation results on an UAV exploring a simulated urban environment demonstrate the efficacy of ECONOMY and its superiority over baseline systems.
Singular and combined effects of transcranial infrared laser stimulation and exposure therapy on pathological fear: a randomized clinical trial.

Background Preclinical findings suggest that transcranial infrared laser stimulation (TILS) improves fear extinction learning and cognitive function by enhancing prefrontal cortex (PFC) oxygen metabolism. These findings prompted our investigation of treating pathological fear using this non-invasive stimulation approach either alone to the dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC), or to the ventromedial PFC (vmPFC) in combination with exposure therapy. Methods Volunteers with pathological fear of either enclosed spaces, contamination, public speaking, or anxiety-related bodily sensations were recruited for this randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled trial with four arms: (a) Exposure + TILS_vmPFC (n = 29), (b) Exposure + sham TILS_vmPFC (n = 29), (c) TILS_dlPFC alone (n = 26), or (d) Sham TILS _dlPFC alone (n = 28). Post-treatment assessments occurred immediately following treatment. Follow-up assessments occurred 2 weeks after treatment. Results A total of 112 participants were randomized [age range: 18-63 years; 96 females (85.71%)]. Significant interactions of Group × Time and Group × Context indicated differential treatment effects on retention (i.e. between time-points, averaged across contexts) and on generalization (i.e. between contexts, averaged across time-points), respectively. Among the monotherapies, TILS_dlPFC outperformed SHAM_dlPFC in the initial context, b = -13.44, 95% CI (-25.73 to -1.15), p = 0.03. Among the combined treatments, differences between EX + TILS_vmPFC and EX + SHAM_vmPFC were non-significant across all contrasts. Conclusions TILS to the dlPFC, one of the PFC regions implicated in emotion regulation, resulted in a context-specific benefit as a monotherapy for reducing fear. Contrary to prediction, TILS to the vmPFC, a region implicated in fear extinction memory consolidation, did not enhance exposure therapy outcome.
Smart Healthcare Monitoring Apps with a Flavor of Systems Engineering

Smart-health has the potential to create a unique platform for monitoring health. Personalized healthcare using smartphones offer seamless solutions, especially for circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic where physical distancing is inevitable. This paper investigates the efficiency of general smartphone-based healthcare monitoring applications (apps) from a system dynamics perspective. The ongoing research effort introduces a causal model to investigate the factors and inter-relationships that impact the efficiency of smartphone-based healthcare monitoring apps. A careful study suggests that the most important factors of such systems include patient well-being, satisfaction, cost, and performance measure factors (i.e. response speed, accuracy). The proposed idea provides a novel insight of the dynamics of the model to assess the efficiency of various smartphone-based healthcare monitoring apps.
Kinetically driven island morphology in growth on strained Cu(100)

We study the effects of strain on the monomer and dimer diffusion mechanisms and island morphology during the growth of Cu on a biaxially strained Cu(100) substrate. We find an approximately linear dependence of the activation barriers on strain. In particular, while hopping is favored for compressive and/or small (<2%) tensile strain, for greater than 2% tensile strain, the exchange mechanism is favored. We then present the results of temperature-accelerated dynamics simulations of submonolayer growth at 200 K. For the case of 2% compressive strain we find that, as in previous kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of Cu/Ni(100) growth, the competition between island growth and multi-atom relaxation (“pop-out”) events leads to an island morphology with a mixture of open and closed steps. At slightly higher coverage, island coalescence then leads to elongated islands. However, annealing leads to a significant decrease in the number of open steps. In contrast, for the case of 8% tensile strain, only one large strongly anisotropic island is formed. Surprisingly, we find that despite the large strain, the island anisotropy is not due to energetics but is instead due to anisotropic attachment barriers that favor the exchange-mediated attachment of monomers to corners over close-packed step-edges. An explanation for the asymmetry in attachment barriers is provided. Our results provide a new general kinetic mechanism for the formation of anisotropic islands in the presence of isotropic diffusion and tensile strain.
Novel bio-based epoxy resins from eugenol as an alternative to BPA epoxy and high throughput screening of the cured coatings

Abstract A novel vinyl ether monomer from eugenol, 2-eugenoloxyvinyl ether (EEVE), was synthesized and used as a building block for polymeric epoxy resins. The EEVE monomer was polymerized via cationic polymerization of the vinyl ether group leaving the allylic functionality of eugenol available for further epoxidation. Epoxidized poly(EEVE) resins varying in levels of epoxidation (epoxy equivalent weights from 360 to 870 g/eq) were produced and cured with twelve amine curatives at ambient and elevated temperatures for different time intervals to evaluate and optimize the curing regime. The cured coatings were screened with high throughput dye extraction and “conventional” coating testing methods and compared to coatings produced from diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA). Results showed that coatings derived from epoxidized poly(EEVE) [Epoly(EEVE)] can be tuned from soft and elastic with hardness 500 GPa and Tgs > 60 °C by varying the extent of epoxidation and the nature of curative, whereas DGEBA resulted in hard and brittle coatings irrespective of the type of curative used in the study. Compared to DGEBA resin, coatings with similar or higher crosslink densities and hardness were obtained from Epoly(EEVE) resins with >50% epoxidation of EEVE moieties using the same curative and curing regime. These partially biobased epoxy compounds derived from eugenol have the potential to be competitive with petroleum-based DGEBA resins in coatings applications.
Chapter 30. Alkaloids

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the development and clinical studies of alkaloids. The role of loganin, secologanin, and vincoside as precursors for the indole alkaloids is analyzed. When glyyine-2-C 14 was fed to Cephaelis acuminata , the label was very efficiently incorporated into the Cg-1 unit of cephaeline, but when sodium acetate-2-C P 4 was fed, the cephaeline obtained was of very low activity. The oxidation state of a two carbon compounds may, therefore, exert a major effect on its utilization in biosynthesis. New syntheses of indole alkaloids that have come out in communication form are those for homoeburnamenineio geissoschizoline, tubotaiwine, ibogamine, epiibogamine, isoajmaline, dihydrocorynantheol, and vincamine. Dihydrohunterburnine α-methochloride, 10-methoxydihydrocorynantheol and ochrosandwine have been synthesized from quinine, and the absolute configuration of these indole bases has been established. A synthesis of the spirobenzylisoquinoline system present in ochotensimine has been carried out starting from a quaternary diphenolic protoberberine salt, and this rearrangement may duplicate in part the biogenetic process.
Vocabulary size and depth of word knowledge in adult‐onset second language acquisition

This study investigated whether adult-onset second language (L2) learners achieve native level vocabulary after decades of immersion. Vocabulary tests were given to three groups of participants: highly successful adult-onset learners of English, monolingual English speakers, and bilingual native speakers of English. Overall, the native speakers outperformed the non-native speakers; however, the rate of native like achievement was remarkably high among the successful adult-onset learners, which indicated that native level L2 vocabulary size and depth of word knowledge were attainable in adulthood. Factors that correlated with native level L2 vocabulary were: childhood caregivers' education, verbal ability and literacy in the native language, and interest in word learning and daily reading. The findings suggest that the lexicon may be the potentially most successful area of adult-onset L2 learning. Olyan felnőttkori angol nyelvtanulok szokincset vizsgaltuk, akik tobb evtizedig amerikai angol nyelvteruleten tartozkodtak es az angol nyelvet sikeresen elsajatitottak. A felnőttkori angol nyelvtanulokat ket kontroll csoporttal hasonlitottuk ossze szokincsfelmerő tetszek alapjan: egy nyelven beszelő amerikai angol anyanyelvűekkel es tobb nyelven beszelő amerikai angol anyanyelvűekkel. Mindent osszevetve, az angol anyanyelvű kontroll csoportok magasabb eredmenyt ertek el. Ennek ellenere meglepően magas volt a sikeres felnőttkori nyelvtanulo mintacsoportban azoknak az aranya, akik anyanyelvi szintű angol szokincset ertek el, ami arra utal, hogy egy idegennyelv szokincse felnőttkorban is elsajatithato anyanyelvi szinten. Regresszioproba harom osszetett faktort hozott statisztikai osszefuggesbe az anyanyelvi szintű idegennyelvi szokinccsel azoknak a felnőttkori nyelvtanuloknak a koreben, akik tobb evtizedig nyelvteruleten tartozkodtak: (1) szuleik/nevelőik iskolai vegzettsege, (2) magyar anyanyelvi kezseguk es iras-olvasas tudasszintjuk, (3) erdeklődesuk a szokincsfejlesztes es a mindennapi olvasas irant. Az eredmeny azt jelzi, hogy a szokincs nagysaga es melysege a felnőttkori nyelvelsajatitas potencialisan legsikeresebb terulete.
A community faulted-crust model using PYRAMID on cluster platforms

Development has boosted the GeoFEST system for simulating the faulted crust from a local desktop research application to a community model deployed on advanced cluster platforms, including an Apple G5, Intel P4, SGI Altix 3000, and HP Itaniam 2 clusters. GeoFEST uses unstructured tetrahedral meshes to follow details of stress evolution, fault slip, and plastic/elastic processes in quake-prone inhomogeneous regions, like Los Angeles. This makes it ideal for interpreting GPS and radar measurements of deformation. To remake GeoFEST as a high-performance community code, essential new features are Web accessibility, scalable performance on popular clusters, and parallel adaptive mesh refinement (PAMR). While GeoFEST source is available for free download, a Web portal environment is also supported. Users cap work entirely within a Web browser from problem definition to results animation, using tools like a database of faults, meshing, GeoFEST, and visualization. For scalable deployment, GeoFEST now relies on the PYRAMID library. The direct solver was rewritten as an iterative method, using PYRAMID'S support for partitioning. Analysis determined that scaling is most sensitive to solver communication required at the domain boundaries. Direct pairwise exchange proved successful (linear), while a binary tree method involving all domains was not. On current Intel clusters with Myrinet the application has insignificant communication overhead for problems down to /spl sim/1000s of elements per processor. Over one million elements run well on 64 processors. Initial tests using PYRAMID for the PAMR (essential for regional simulations) and a strain-energy metric produce quality meshes.