cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vertically integrated photonic multichip module architecture for vision applications

The development of a truly smart camera, with inherent capability for low latency semi-autonomous object recognition, tracking, and optimal image capture, has remained an elusive goal notwithstanding tremendous advances in the processing power afforded by VLSI technologies. These features are essential for a number of emerging multimedia- based applications, including enhanced augmented reality systems. Recent advances in understanding of the mechanisms of biological vision systems, together with similar advances in hybrid electronic/photonic packaging technology, offer the possibility of artificial biologically-inspired vision systems with significantly different, yet complementary, strengths and weaknesses. We describe herein several system implementation architectures based on spatial and temporal integration techniques within a multilayered structure, as well as the corresponding hardware implementation of these architectures based on the hybrid vertical integration of multiple silicon VLSI vision chips by means of dense 3D photonic interconnections.
Concussion Severity and Symptom Resolution

Investigators at University of Colorado conducted a prospective longitudinal cohort study of children 8 to 18 years old presenting to the ED <6 hours after concussion.
Changes in the TFCC Articular Disk during Forearm Rotation: A Study of Configuration and Surface Strains

The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) of the wrist is a multifunctional structure composed of several anatomical components.10 The horizontal portion of the TFCC, often referred to as the triangular fibrocartilage proper or TFC, is triangular in shape and composed of the articular disk and the dorsal and palmar radioulnar ligaments. The TFC forms a continuation of the distal radial articular surface from its radial attachment at the sigmoid notch to its apical attachment in the eccentric concavity of the ulnar head (fovea) and the projecting ulnar styloid. The disk provides an interface between the ulnar head and ulnar carpus, with the biconcave shape serving to reduce the geometric incongruencies between the bony surfaces. The peripheral margins of the TFC (radioulnar ligaments) are thicker and composed of longitudinally oriented collagen fibers, structurally adapted to bear tensile loading. The central portion (articular disk) is thinner and the collagen fiber pattern has multiple obliquities to the surface, implying that variable loading conditions occur.3,4
Mining Unstable Communities from Network Ensembles

Ensembles of graphs arise in several natural applications, such as mobility tracking, computational biology, socialnetworks, and epidemiology. A common problem addressed by many existing mining techniques is to identify subgraphs of interest in these ensembles. In contrast, in this paper, we propose to quickly discover maximally variable regions of the graphs, i.e., sets of nodes that induce very different subgraphs across the ensemble. We first develop two intuitive and novel definitions of such node sets, which we then show can be efficiently enumerated using a level-wise algorithm. Finally, using extensive experiments on multiple real datasets, we show how these sets capture the main structural variations of the given set of networks and also provide us with interesting and relevant insights about these datasets.
Influence of age on the sympathetic neural adjustments to alterations in systemic oxygen levels in humans

We tested the hypothesis that aging influences the regulation of sympathetic nervous system activity (SNA) and arterial blood pressure during alterations in systemic O2 levels in humans. To accomplish this, we performed direct (intraneural) measurements of SNA to skeletal muscle (MSNA) in 10 young and 7 older healthy normotensive men during room air breathing (normoxic-control), moderate isocapnic hypoxemia [15 min of 10% fractional inspired O2 (FIO2)], and hyperoxemia (10 min of 50% FIO2). After hypoxemia, arterial O2 saturation (SaO2) declined similarly in the young and older men. MSNA (burst frequency and total minute activity) increased significantly (P < 0.05) in both groups. The magnitudes of the absolute increases in MSNA and the delta MSNA/delta SaO2 were not significantly different in the young and older men; however, because of higher normoxic baseline levels, the percentage increases in burst frequency were smaller (P = 0.02) and those for total minute activity tended to be smaller (P = 0.11) in the older men. Arterial blood pressure increased modestly (P < 0.05) and similarly in both groups, although the older men demonstrated a smaller increase in heart rate. After hyperoxemia [corrected], SaO2 increased and MSNA decreased (both P < 0.05) similarly in the young and older men. Arterial blood pressure did not change significantly from normoxic control levels in either group; however, a small (P < 0.05) reduction in heart rate was observed in both groups. In conclusion, aging does not obviously influence the regulation of absolute levels of MSNA or arterial blood pressure during alterations in systemic O2 levels in healthy men, although older men demonstrate a smaller percentage increase in MSNA from their elevated baseline levels, as well as an attenuated tachycardia in response to acute hypoxemia. As such, the present results are consistent with our previous findings on aging and sympathocirculatory control during other types of acute stress in humans.
Blockade of glial-derived neurotrophic factor in laryngeal muscles promotes appropriate reinnervation.

Objectives/Hypothesis Synkinetic reinnervation of the laryngeal muscles is one of the causes of the poor functional recovery after a recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury. Glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is elevated in rat laryngeal muscles during RLN reinnervation. The specific aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of anti-GDNF on RLN reinnervation. Methods Anti-GDNF antibody was injected into the posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) 3 days following RLN transection and anastomosis. Larynges were harvested at 7, 14, 28, 56, and 112 days post injury (DPI). Prior to sacrifice, the vocal fold mobility was assessed. Immunostaining to identify neuromuscular junctions was used to evaluate the extent of axonal reinnervation of the PCA, lateral thyroarytenoid (LTA), and medial thyroarytenoid (MTA). Results After anti-GDNF injection into PCA, RLN reinnervation in all muscles was altered when compared to the controls. PCA innervation was delayed. At 7 DPI, only a few axons made synapses in the PCA. In contrast, axons prematurely innervated the LTA and MTA when compared to controls. Innervation was similar to controls at 56 and 112 DPI. Vocal fold motion was enhanced in 10 of 24 animals studied. Conclusions After injection of anti-GDNF into the PCA, early arriving axons bypass the PCA and enter the LTA. Later arriving axons innervate the PCA and MTA. Vocal fold function is improved as compared to controls. Anti-GDNF injection into the PCA influences the pattern of reinnervation and may result in less synkinetic, more functional innervation. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 2016
A Method to Reconstruct Auto-body Model Based on Photographs

An approach is put forward to reconstruct a 3-dimentional auto-body model from 2-dimentional photos. By a set of points picked on auto-body's photos taken in different direction and position, inner and outer parameters of the camera and the 3-dimentional geometric information of the feature points on auto-body can be calculated with the algorithm. At last, the curve surface is fitted and assembled. Experiment results show that good precision can be achieved and that it is effective.
Context-bounded refinement filter algorithm: improving recognizer accuracy of handwriting in clock drawing test

Early detection of cognitive impairment can prevent or delay the progress of cognitive dysfunction. In the field of neurology, the Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is one of the most popular instruments for detecting cognitive impairment. This paper presents the development of the Clock Reader system, a computerized Clock Drawing Test. The main function of the system is to automate error handling in handwriting recognition. Since the ClockReader is a screening tool for dementia, it is not desirable to ask the users to fix their input errors in the2 drawing of either numbers or characters. Therefore, we propose a simple machine learning technique, context-bounded refinement filter algorithm. With trial experiments, we prove that this simple algorithm improves the recognizer accuracy of handwriting in clock drawings up to 88%.
The impact of it-driven market transparency on demand, prices and market structure

The Internet revolution has brought about significant changes in the level of market transparency, providing consumers access to information about products and prices. This research examines technology-driven changes in market transparency and its implications on firm strategies. I performed three studies at the individual, firm, and industry levels. In the first study, I examine how market transparency impacts consumer demand. For that purpose, I perform an econometric analysis of a large data set of airline tickets sold by both Internet-based and traditional travel agencies. The results suggest that price transparency increases price elasticity, while product transparency decreases price elasticity. In addition, demand in the online channel is more elastic than in the offline channel. The second study develops an economic model to derive the prices and transparency levels that a seller should adopt in the online and offline channels in order to maximize profits. The model provides guidelines for firms to set relative transparency levels and prices across channels in order to maximize profits. The general result is that if market transparency increases price elasticity, the price for each channel should be set relative to the level of market transparency. Real-world strategies of online and traditional travel agencies are evaluated against the findings of this model. I find that relative prices and transparency levels across the Internet and traditional air travel channels are sub-optimal. In the third study, I use case studies of the air travel and financial securities industries to develop a theoretical framework that explains how IT impacts market structure and uncovers the forces that, together with IT, will lead to electronic markets to provide accurate, complete, and unbiased information. Initially, firms will have economic incentives to use e-commerce technologies to bias, conceal, and distort information, resulting in the predominance of biased and opaque electronic markets. Subsequently, in the presence of IT advances and competitive, institutional, and industry-specific forces, firms will make individual market design decisions that, in aggregate, will lead electronic markets to become transparent. On the other hand, the absence of any of these forces will inhibit the move to transparent electronic markets.
False Negatives Are a Significant Feature of Next Generation Sequencing Callsets

Author(s): Bobo, Dean; Lipatov, Mikhail; Rodriguez-Flores, Juan; Auton, Adam; Henn, Brenna | Abstract: Short-read, next-generation sequencing (NGS) is now broadly used to identify rare or de novo mutations in population samples and disease cohorts. However, NGS data is known to be error-prone and post-processing pipelines have primarily focused on the removal of spurious mutations or “false positives” for downstream genome datasets. Less attention has been paid to characterizing the fraction of missing mutations or “false negatives” (FN). Here we interrogate several publically available human NGS autosomal variant datasets using corresponding Sanger sequencing as a truth-set. We examine both low-coverage Illumina and high-coverage Complete Genomics genomes. We show that the FN rate varies between 3%-18% and that false-positive rates are considerably lower (l3%) for publically available human genome callsets like 1000 Genomes. The FN rate is strongly dependent on calling pipeline parameters, as well as read coverage. Our results demonstrate that missing mutations are a significant feature of genomic datasets and imply additional fine-tuning of bioinformatics pipelines is needed. To address this, we design a phylogeny-aware tool [PhyloFaN] which can be used to quantify the FN rate for haploid genomic experiments, without additional generation of validation data. Using PhyloFaN on ultra-high coverage NGS data from both Illumina HiSeq and Complete Genomics platforms derived from the 1000 Genomes Project, we characterize the false negative rate in human mtDNA genomes. The false negative rate for the publically available mtDNA callsets is 17-20%, even for extremely high coverage haploid data.
Long-term outcomes for men with high-risk prostate cancer treated definitively with external beam radiotherapy with or without androgen deprivation.

Background: Men with high-risk prostate cancer are often thought to have very poor outcomes in terms of disease control and survival even after definitive treatment. However, results after external beam radiotherapy have improved significantly through dose escalation and the use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). This report describes long-term findings after low-dose (< 75.6 Gy) or high-dose (≥ 75.6 Gy) external beam radiation, with or without ADT. Methods: This analysis included 741 men with high-risk prostate cancer (clinical classification ≥ T3, Gleason score ≥ 8, or prostate-specific antigen level ≥ 20 ng/mL) treated with external beam radiotherapy at a single tertiary institution from 1987 through 2004. The radiation dose ranged from 60 to 79.3 Gy (median, 70 Gy); 295 men had received ADT for ≥ 2 years, and the median follow-up time was 8.3 years. Results: The 5- and 10-year actuarial overall survival rates were significantly better for men treated with the higher radiation dose (no ADT plus ≥ 75.6 Gy, 87.3% and 72.0%, respectively; and ADT plus ≥ 75.6 Gy, 92.3% and 72%, respectively) (P = .0035). The corresponding 5- and 10-year biochemical failure-free survival rates were significantly better for patients treated with both ADT and higher radiation dose (82% and 77%, P < .0001). At 5 years, men who had not received ADT and had received radiation dose < 75.6 Gy had higher clinical local failure rates than those given ADT and radiation dose ≥ 75.6 Gy (24.2% versus 0%, P < .0001). The 10-year symptomatic local failure rate was only 2% for all patients. Conclusions: Contrary to lingering historical perceptions, treatment of high-risk prostate cancer with modern, high-dose, external beam radiotherapy and ADT can produce better biochemical, clinical, and survival outcomes over those from previous eras. Specifically, symptomatic local failure is uncommon, and few men die of prostate cancer even 10 or more years after treatment.
Electrochemically Induced Transformations of Vanadium Dioxide Nanocrystals

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) undergoes significant optical, electronic, and structural changes as it transforms between the low-temperature monoclinic and high-temperature rutile phases. Recently, alternative stimuli have been utilized to trigger insulator-to-metal transformations in VO2, including electrochemical gating. Here, we prepare and electrochemically reduce mesoporous films of VO2 nanocrystals, prepared from colloidally synthesized V2O3 nanocrystals that have been oxidatively annealed, in a three-electrode electrochemical cell. We observe a reversible transition between infrared transparent insulating phases and a darkened metallic phase by in situ visible–near-infrared spectroelectrochemistry and correlate these observations with structural and electronic changes monitored by X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and conductivity measurements. An unexpected reversible transition from conductive, reduced monoclinic VO2 to an infrared-transparent insulating phase upon pr...
Hyperfractionated Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, Doxorubicin, and Dexamethasone Chemotherapy in Mantle Cell Lymphoma Patients Is Associated with Higher Rates of Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Mobilization Failure despite Plerixafor Rescue.

Abstract Induction regimens for mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) can be categorized into highly intensive regimens containing cytarabine and less intense regimens, such as rituximab, cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) or rituximab with bendamustine (R-bendamustine). Prior publications have shown rituximab and hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone (R-hyperCVAD) can be associated with stem cell mobilization failures. However, those studies did not include the use of plerixafor as rescue for stem cell mobilization failure. We examined our database of 181 consecutive MCL patients who received upfront therapy from 2005 to 2015 with either R-hyperCVAD or less intense chemotherapy (R-bendamustine and R-CHOP only) regimens to assess impact of frontline chemotherapy on collection of hematopoietic cell progenitors before autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). In the preplerixafor era (before August 16, 2009), a significant difference in peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection failure between the R-hyperCVAD (12%) and other chemotherapy (11%) groups was not established. However, in the postplerixafor era, use of R-hyperCVAD chemotherapy was associated with significantly higher rates of hematopoietic progenitor cell collection failures (17%) compared with that observed in the other chemotherapy group (4%; P = .04). The rates of mobilization failure declined to 4% in the postplerixafor era from 11% in the preplerixafor era for patients receiving less intensive chemotherapy. Conversely, the rate of mobilization failure increased in the R-hyperCVAD group from 12% in the preplerixafor era to 17% in the postplerixafor era. Plerixafor does not overcome the negative impact of R-hyperCVAD on PBSC mobilization, and caution is warranted in using R-hyperCVAD in patients with newly diagnosed MCL who are candidates for ASCT.
Ring-necked Pheasant Use of Post − Conservation Reserve Program Lands

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has provided millions of ha of cover for numerous wildlife species. Many CRP contracts have expired or will expire, resulting in the loss of critical wildlife cover. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the potential response of ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) to future changes in land use. We selected four land uses that may potentially occur on CRP lands being converted back to agriculture: 1) season-long grazing, 2) hay land, 3) no-till corn (Zea mays), and 4) no-till barley (Hordeum spp.). As a control, 32 ha of CRP grasslands were left idle to mimic land in CRP. Using data from 193 ring-necked pheasant nests, we found nest density was different among land uses (P < 0.01). The control and season-long grazing treatment did not differ from one another (P = 0.42; 0.43 and 0.24 nests-ha-1, respectively), but both had greater nest densities than no-till corn and no-till barley treatments (P < 0.01; 0.04 and 0.03 nests-ha-1, respectively). The nest density in the hay treatment (0.16 ± 0.04 nests-ha-1) and control were different (P = 0.02). Ring-necked pheasant nest site selection was influenced by visual obstruction and vegetation height as hens chose nest sites with taller vertical structure and vegetation heights. Daily survival rates of nests were not influenced by treatment but did increase with greater visual obstruction, increased as a nest aged and throughout the nesting season, and were negatively affected by precipitation events. Our results suggest that maintaining CRP-type grasslands will be beneficial for ring-necked pheasants because of the nesting cover they provide. However, the conversion of CRP to livestock production may be a viable option that provides nesting opportunities for ring-necked pheasant, given vertical structure is available for nesting hens.
Racial disparities in survival outcomes by breast tumor subtype among African American women in Memphis, Tennessee

Racial disparities in survival among African American (AA) women in the United States have been well documented. Breast cancer mortality rates among AA women is higher in Memphis, Tennessee as compared to 49 of the largest US cities. In this study, we investigated the extent to which racial/ethnic disparities in survival outcomes among Memphis women are attributed to differences in breast tumor subtype and treatment outcomes. A total of 3527 patients diagnosed with stage I–IV breast cancer between January 2002 and April 2015 at Methodist Health hospitals and West Cancer Center in Memphis, TN were included in the analysis. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were generated and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to compare survival outcomes among 1342 (38.0%) AA and 2185 (62.0%) non-Hispanic White breast cancer patients by race and breast tumor subtype. Over a mean follow-up time of 29.9 months, AA women displayed increased mortality risk [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.65; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.35–2.03] and were more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stages of disease. AA women with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) had the highest death rate at 26.7% compared to non-Hispanic White women at 16.5%. AA women with TNBC and luminal B/HER2- breast tumors had the highest risk of mortality. Regardless of race, patients who did not have surgery had over five times higher risk of dying compared to those who had surgery. These findings provide additional evidence of the breast cancer disparity gap between AA and non-Hispanic White women and highlight the need for targeted interventions and policies to eliminate breast cancer disparities in AA populations, particularly in Memphis, TN.
Efficient frontier of route choice for modeling the equilibrium under travel time variability with heterogeneous traveler preferences

Abstract Travelers consider the average duration and the reliability of travel time when choosing their route. However, the relative importance of average travel time and reliability not only depends on the purpose of the trip, but also varies from one person to another. Users seek to minimize their travel costs leading to an equilibrium condition in which they choose routes in such a way that they cannot reduce the general cost of their own trip. In this paper, we adopt the concept of the efficient frontier to represent the equilibrium route choice of the heterogeneous users in a network under travel time variability. Then, we use the primary properties of the efficient frontier to propose a mathematical formulation for the route choice problem for a discrete or continuous distribution of sensitivity of users to variations in route travel times. An analytical-based algorithm is designed to assign the heterogeneous demand to the network. Efficiency of the proposed algorithm in solving the route choice problem is also compared in a numerical example with a classic iterative method with a smoothing factor.
Treatment of colloid cyst of the third ventricle by stereotactic aspiration followed by radiosurgery: Report of four cases.

Background Colloid cysts are rare benign lesions with potentially devastating results. Complications intra and posttreatment can result in high rates of recurrence. Stereotactic radiosurgery may present an attractive option for decreasing the rate of recurrence in conjunction with stereotactic aspiration. Case Description Here, we report four cases of colloid cyst of the third ventricle managed by stereotactic aspiration with the use of the Leksell frame followed by stereotactic radiosurgery with the BrainLab/Novalis linear accelerator. Follow-up ranged from 7 to 10 years. There were no complications related to the treatment and no recurrence of the cysts, to date. All four patients remain asymptomatic. Conclusions The combination of stereotactic aspiration and radiosurgery may have a role in the management of colloid cysts of the third ventricle.
Two-Point Double Variables Sampling Plans

Double variables sampling plans and matched single variables plans having two fixed points on the operating characteristic curve are presented. These plans provide minimum average sampling number when lot quality is at the producer's quality level...
Further Assessment Considerations

In previous chapters, it was emphasized that infant and early childhood neuropsychology was transdisciplinary in nature. Given the shared emphasis on motor development, exploring approaches to infant motor assessment found in the occupational and physical therapy literature is logical (see Case-Smith, 1996 for a review).
Acquired erythropoietin responsiveness of interleukin-2-dependent T lymphocytes retrovirally transduced with genes encoding chimeric erythropoietin/interleukin-2 receptors

Adoptive immunotherapy with tumor-infilitrating lymphocytes (TILs) causes regression of some human tumors. However, the sustained proliferation and antitumor activity of TILs requires the coadministration of potentially toxic amounts of interleukin-2 (IL-2). In an effort to overcome the requirement by T cells for IL-2, we have introduced alternative growth factor receptors that use the relatively nontoxic cytokine erythropoietin (Epo) as a ligand. In our model system, the coexpression of chimeric receptors consisting of the extracellular portion of the Epo receptor (EpoR) and the intracellular portions of the IL-2 receptor subunits, β and γ, conferred Epo responsiveness on a T-cell line. By contrast, cells expressing the wild-type EpoR did not proliferate in response to Epo. This suggested that Epo binding caused the activation of an IL-2 signal pathway mediated by the chimeric receptors. This approach can be used to minimize toxicity and potentially improve cancer immunotherapy with TILs.
Not as big as a barn: Upper bounds on dark matter-nucleus cross sections

Critical probes of dark matter come from tests of its elastic scattering with nuclei. The results are typically assumed to be model independent, meaning that the form of the potential need not be specified and that the cross sections on different nuclear targets can be simply related to the cross section on nucleons. For pointlike spin-independent scattering, the assumed scaling relation is ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\chi}A}\ensuremath{\propto}{A}^{2}{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{A}^{2}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\chi}N}\ensuremath{\propto}{A}^{4}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\chi}N}$, where the ${A}^{2}$ comes from coherence and the ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{A}^{2}\ensuremath{\simeq}{A}^{2}{m}_{N}^{2}$ from kinematics for ${m}_{\ensuremath{\chi}}\ensuremath{\gg}{m}_{A}$. Here we calculate where model independence ends, i.e., where the cross section becomes so large that it violates its defining assumptions. We show that the assumed scaling relations generically fail for dark matter-nucleus cross sections ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\chi}A}\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}32}--{10}^{\ensuremath{-}27}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, significantly below the geometric sizes of nuclei and well within the regime probed by underground detectors. Last, we show on theoretical grounds, and in light of existing limits on light mediators, that pointlike dark matter cannot have ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\chi}N}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}25}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, above which many claimed constraints originate from cosmology and astrophysics. The most viable way to have such large cross sections is composite dark matter, which introduces significant additional model dependence through the choice of form factor. All prior limits on dark matter with cross sections ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\chi}N}g{10}^{\ensuremath{-}32}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ with ${m}_{\ensuremath{\chi}}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}1\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$ must therefore be reevaluated and reinterpreted.
TCT-528 Novel Predictors of New Permanent Pacemaker Implantation After Evolut TAVR

New permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been associated with impaired ventricular recovery and increased heart failure readmissions, but few predictors have been reported. We sought to identify predictors of new-PPI after TAVR with EvolutR/
Pollination intensity and paternity in flowering plants.

Background Siring success plays a key role in plant evolution and reproductive ecology, and variation among individuals creates an opportunity for selection to act. Differences in male reproductive success can be caused by processes that occur during two stages, the pollination and post-pollination phases of reproduction. In the pollination phase, heritable variation in floral traits and floral display affect pollinator visitation patterns, which in turn affect variation among plants in the amount of pollen exported and deposited on recipient stigmas. In the post-pollination phase, differences among individuals in pollen grain germination success and pollen tube growth may cause realized paternity to differ from patterns of pollen receipt. The maternal plant can also preferentially provision some developing seeds or fruits to further alter variation in siring success. Scope In this review, we describe studies that advance our understanding of the dynamics of the pollination and post-pollination phases, focusing on how variation in male fitness changes in response to pollen limitation. We then explore the interplay between pollination and post-pollination success, and how these processes respond to ecological factors such as pollination intensity. We also identify pressing questions at the intersection of pollination and paternity and describe novel experimental approaches to elucidate the relative importance of pollination and post-pollination factors in determining male reproductive success. Conclusions The relative contribution of pollination and post-pollination processes to variation in male reproductive success may not be constant, but rather may vary with pollination intensity. Studies that quantify the effects of pollination and post-pollination phases in concert will be especially valuable as they will enable researchers to more fully understand the ecological conditions influencing male reproductive success.
Large scale structural acoustics in Sierra-SD

In this talk, we will present an overview of structural acoustics and model reduction capabilities in Sierra-SD (Structural-Dynamics). Sierra-SD is a massively parallel finite element application for structural dynamics and acoustics, having recently demonstrated the implicit solution of models with over 2 billion degrees of freedom and running on up to one hundred thousand distributed memory cores. Domain decomposition and MPI parallelism are used to split a large domain into many small domains that can be solved in parallel. Sierra-SD offers a wide range of capabilities for model reduction. For acoustic models, infinite elements and perfectly matched layers are available to reduce domain size. For structural models, Craig-Bampton style superelements are available to reduce specific components in the structural portions of the model. Various coupling and handoff methods between linear structural acoustics codes and nonlinear solid and fluid mechanics codes are used to reduce model size. Large-scale, realistic applications will be presented on models such as ship shock loading and vibration of reentry bodies. [Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-NA-0003525.]In this talk, we will present an overview of structural acoustics and model reduction capabilities in Sierra-SD (Structural-Dynamics). Sierra-SD is a massively parallel finite element application for structural dynamics and acoustics, having recently demonstrated the implicit solution of models with over 2 billion degrees of freedom and running on up to one hundred thousand distributed memory cores. Domain decomposition and MPI parallelism are used to split a large domain into many small domains that can be solved in parallel. Sierra-SD offers a wide range of capabilities for model reduction. For acoustic models, infinite elements and perfectly matched layers are available to reduce domain size. For structural models, Craig-Bampton style superelements are available to reduce specific components in the structural portions of the model. Various coupling and handoff methods between linear structural acoustics codes and nonlinear solid and fluid mechanics codes are used to reduce model size. Large-scale, real...
Actual Clinical Practice Related to Contaminated Blood Cultures May Limit the Cost Savings Associated with Interventions To Reduce Contamination Rates.

Blood culture (BC) contamination is a long-standing health care concern ([1][1], [2][2]). Using specialized collection equipment reduces contamination rates ([3][3], [4][4]), but it can increase the cost of blood culture collection. These increased costs are reported to be offset by the savings
Psychological and social impacts of high-rise buildings: a review of the post-occupancy evaluation literature

Rapid global urbanization has led to a construction boom in high-rise buildings, and this trend seems unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. But what are the social, psychological, and behav...
The treatment and postoperative effect of typeIII congenital esophageal atresia

Objective To discuss the treatment and postoperative effect of surgical treatment of typeⅢ congenital esophageal atresia. Methods From October 1998 to March 2009 the clinical data of 27 cases of typeⅢ congenital esophageal atresia were analysed retrospectively in our hospital.The thoracic cavity approach was adopted in all cases.The esophagus-tracheal fistula was ligated and cut.The cases which distance between the two esophageal extremes was less than 2 cm received end-to-end anastomosis,while stage I Livaditis operation was performed for those whose absent length was over 2 cm.Results Ninteen cases were cured and 8 cases died after operation.The causes of death were postoperative worsening pneumonia in 5 cases and were abandoned continual treatment in 3 cases.There were 7 cases with anastomosis leakage and 8 cases with anastomosis stricture in all cases.Conclusions The cure rate could be improved by early diagnosis,better perioperative management,elaborate operation,prevention and treatment of anastomosis leakage and other complications. Key words: Esophageal atresia ; Congenital ; Surgery ;
Hyper Binning for Distributed Function Coding

We consider the distributed source encoding problem with 2 correlated sources X 1 and X 2 and a destination that seeks the outcome of a continuous function f(X 1 , X 2 ). We develop a compression scheme called hyper binning in order to quantize f. Hyper binning is a natural generalization of Cover’s random code construction for the asymptotically optimal Slepian-Wolf encoding scheme that makes use of binning. The key idea behind this approach is to use linear discriminant analysis in order to characterize different source feature combinations. This scheme captures the correlation between the sources and function’s structure as a means of dimensionality reduction. We investigate the performance of hyper binning for different source distributions, and identify which classes of sources entail more partitioning to achieve better function approximation.
Vector potential and surface magnetic field in magnetoelectric antiferromagnetic materials

A general formula for the average vector potential of bulk periodic systems is proposed and shown to set the boundary conditions at magnetic interfaces. For antiferromagnetic materials, the study reveals a unique relation between the macroscopic potential and the orientation-dependent magnetic quadrupole as a result of the different crystalline and magnetic symmetries. In particular, at surfaces and interfaces of a truncated bulk without inversion and time-reversal symmetries, the average vector potential exhibits a discontinuity which results in an interfacial magnetic field. In general, however, due to the surface and interface electronic and atomic relaxations, additional magnetization may result. For the experimentally observed magnetoelectric antiferromagnets, in particular, our symmetry analysis suggests that the relaxation effects could well be a system response to the presence of such a potential discontinuity.
A CMOS-integrated quantum sensor based on nitrogen–vacancy centres

The nitrogen–vacancy (NV) centre in diamond can be used as a solid-state quantum sensor with applications in magnetometry, electrometry, thermometry and chemical sensing. However, to deliver practical applications, existing NV-based sensing techniques, which are based on bulky and discrete instruments for spin control and detection, must be replaced by more compact designs. Here we show that NV-based quantum sensing can be integrated with complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology to create a compact and scalable platform. Using standard CMOS technology, we integrate the essential components for NV control and measurement—microwave generator, optical filter and photodetector—in a 200 μm × 200 μm footprint. With this platform we demonstrate quantum magnetometry with a sensitivity of 32.1 μT Hz−1/2 and simultaneous thermometry. A compact platform for quantum magnetometry and thermometry can be created by integrating nitrogen–vacancy-based quantum sensing with complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology.
How to relate to dialysis patients' fatigue - perspectives of dialysis nurses and renal health professionals: A qualitative study.

Abstract Background Although fatigue among the dialysis population is known as a severe and debilitating health problem, this symptom is often under recognized and undertreated. Objective This qualitative study aimed to gain a better understanding of how dialysis nurses and renal health professionals perceive and address dialysis patient's fatigue in renal care practice. Design We conducted a qualitative descriptive study to explore how nurses and renal health professionals perceive and address dialysis patients’ fatigue in their daily health care practices. A constructivist grounded theory approach guided analysis and conceptualisation of findings. Setting(s) This study took place at 13 academic and regional settings across the Netherlands. The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee (2015.049), on behalf of VU University medical center in Amsterdam. Participants Twenty-one renal health professionals of various disciplines took part in interviews: ten dialysis nurses, four nephrologists, two physician assistants, five medical social workers. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted in order to gain in-depth insight into the perspectives of dialysis nurses and renal health professionals. An inductive thematic analysis provided insight into health professionals’ stances toward dialysis patients’ fatigue in light of their daily care context and practices. Results Two main themes emerged; 1) ‘Fatigue in the background’: Shows there is strong focus on medical-technical aspects of the disease. All health professionals perceive fatigue as an intangible symptom that is difficult to address, and falls outside their scope of responsibility and competence. Communication about fatigue among professionals and with patients is limited, pushing fatigue further into the background. 2) ‘Vulnerabilities in the background’: Especially nurses and social workers signal the accumulating vulnerabilities of dialysis patients and associate these with fatigue (old age, multimorbidities, financial and social problems). Although the need for psychological support is acknowledged, multiple vulnerabilities increase the complexity and intensity of care, and further strengthens the medical-technical focus of care and treatment. Conclusions There is a need to enable renal health professionals to communicate about the complex nature of fatigue in renal patients and stimulate interdisciplinary exchange and shared responsibility. Dialysis nurses have frequent contact with patients during dialysis treatment and are the first to notice when patients’ fatigue increases and their overall condition deteriorates. They can play an important role to go beyond the technological imperative of care and understand the lived experiences of patients within their social contexts.
The Association of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Male Sexual Function in the United States: A Survey Study of Male Cannabis Users.

Abstract Introduction International studies have suggested that social disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have led to sexual dysfunction, but the impact on males in the United States is less defined. Aim To examine changes in male sexual function during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate associated demographic variables. Methods Prepandemic survey data was collected between October 20, 2019 and March 1, 2020 on adult males in the United States. Follow-up survey data collected for comparison during the COVID-19 pandemic between August 1, 2020 and October 10, 2020 included International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) scores, Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression and Anxiety with 4 items (PHQ-4) scores, and questions regarding sexual frequency. Questions were also asked about mask-wearing habits, job loss, relationship changes, and proximity to individuals who tested positive for COVID-19. Main Outcome Measures Differences in prepandemic and pandemic male sexual function assessed by self-reported IIEF domain scores and sexual frequency Results Seventy six men completed both prepandemic and pandemic surveys with a mean age of 48.3 years. Overall, there were no differences in either overall IIEF score or any subdomain score when comparing men's pre-pandemic and pandemic survey data. There was an increase in sexual frequency during the pandemic with 45% of men reporting sex ten or more times per month during the pandemic compared to only 25% of men prior to the pandemic (P = .03). Among the subgroup of 36 men who reported a decrease in IIEF, the decrease was an average of 3.97, and significantly associated with higher PHQ-4 depression subscale scores (1.78 vs 1.03, P = .02). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with increased sexual frequency and no change in overall sexual function in males in the United States. Interventions intended to promote male sexual health during the COVID-19 pandemic should include a focus on mental health. Chen T, Bhambhvani HP, Kasman AM, et al. The Association of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Male Sexual Function in the United States: A Survey Study of Male Cannabis Users. J Sex Med 2021;9:100340.
COVID-19 Smart Chatbot Prototype for Patient Monitoring.

Many COVID-19 patients developed prolonged symptoms after the infection, including fatigue, delirium, and headache. The long-term health impact of these conditions is still not clear. It is necessary to develop a way to follow up with these patients for monitoring their health status to support timely intervention and treatment. In the lack of sufficient human resources to follow up with patients, we propose a novel smart chatbot solution backed with machine learning to collect information (i.e., generating digital diary) in a personalized manner. In this article, we describe the design framework and components of our prototype.
A Machine Learning Approach in Predicting Mortality Following Emergency General Surgery.

BackgroundThere is a significant mortality burden associated with emergency general surgery (EGS) procedures. The objective of this study was to develop and validate the use of a machine learning a...
Factors Influencing the Relationship Between Work-Related Stress and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Working Black Adults in the United States

Introduction: Work-related stress (WRS) and posttraumatic disorder (PTSD) is higher among Black adults relative to their White counterparts. Trauma exposure is not the only connection to increased risk for PTSD as WRS is highly associated with risk for PTSD. However, the factors that link WRS and PTSD among working Black adults is not well understood. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional data from the National Survey of American Life was used to examine the relationship between WRS and PTSD among 2,139 working Black adults and to determine whether there are influencing factors. Results: Logistic regression analyses revealed that working Black adults who reported experiencing WRS was associated with higher odds of PTSD than those who reported no WRS (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.04-1.48). The relationship was attenuated when depression, alcohol abuse, and major discrimination were added to the model (OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.87-1.36). Mediation analyses show that the average indirect effect of WRS on PTSD were 0.09 ± 0.04 for alcohol abuse, 0.14 ± 0.06 for depression, and 0.35 ± 0.10 for major discrimination. Conclusion: The results underscore the need for culturally responsive trauma-informed public health interventions for working Black adults. Public health practitioners should be alerted to the relationship between WRS and PTSD among working Black adults and the potential contributing factors (alcohol abuse, depression, and major discrimination). Special attention should be given to working Black females with their worse PTSD status and major discrimination experiences which demonstrated greater effect on the relationship between WRS and PTSD.
Production of Colony-Stimulating Factor (CSF) by Bone Marrow Cells Stimulated with Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Phorbol Esters

Colony stimulating factors (CSF) are glycoproteins which regulate the proliferation and differentiation of committed hemopoietic stem cells into mature granulocytes and macrophages. Murine spleen cells are one of the best sources for CSF and bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are effective stimulants of these cells to generate CSF. The injection of LPS into mice is followed by a rapid increase of CSF in the serum (15,23,3), and addition of LPS to spleen cultures induces release of CSF into the supernatants (4). In a previous study (2), we reported that lipid A is the moiety of the LPS molecule which is responsible for the generation of CSF. In a recent study we have shown that some preparations of polysaccharides, obtained from LPS after carefully controlled hydrolytic conditions, can also induce the generation of CSF (19). By using the LPS-low responder strain of mice, C3H/HeJ, we analyzed the genetic control involved in LPS-induced generation of CSF (3) and interferon (5,8). CSF is generated by macrophages and lymphocytes stimulated with LPS (6). Employing adherent and non-adherent spleen cells from LPS-responsive mice and C3H/HeJ mice vie demonstrated that both subpopulations of cells are required for the generation of CSF by LPS. Moreover, LPS interacts with the adherent cells which release a soluble factor which in turn stimulates the non-adherent cells to release CSF (7). Interaction between adherent and non-adherent cells is also requiered in vivo; mice tolerent to LPS which do not generate CSF after a challenging injection of LPS, produce CFS when injected with a mixture of adherent and non-adherent spleen cells from non-tolerant mice prior to the challenging injection of LPS (27).