cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preservation of Stochastic Orderings under Random Mapping by Point Processes

Let N = [N(t), t ≥ 0] be a point process, and let T1 and T2 be two positive random variables that are independent of N. Define Mk = N(Tk), k = 1,2. In this paper we study conditions on the process N under which some stochastic orders between T1 and T2 are transformed into stochastic orders between M1 and M2. In some cases the converses are also shown to be true. Some applications and examples are given.
Changes in the flexor digitorum profundus tendon geometry in the carpal tunnel due to force production and posture of metacarpophalangeal joint of the index finger: an MRI study.

Background Carpal tunnel syndrome is a disorder caused by increased pressure in the carpal tunnel associated with repetitive, stereotypical finger actions. Little is known about in vivo geometrical changes in the carpal tunnel caused by motion at the finger joints and exerting a fingertip force.
Assessment and Treatment of Obstructive Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (OSDB) is a condition that affects 1% to 3% of the pediatric population. These disorders are difficult to diagnosis and left untreated may be serious, including not only medical comorbidities but also cognitive, academic, behavioral, and emotional sequelae. This article is designed to bring awareness of the severity and prevalence to family physicians and pediatricians. It reviews detailed information concerning OSDB, including the predisposing factors, assessment of presenting features, and treatment.
Analysis of the effects of settlement of interfirm lawsuits

This study examines the effects of news on settlement of interfirm lawsuits. We hypothesize that the defendant firms suffer damaged reputation as news on the interfirm lawsuit remains in the ‘public eye’, as such ending the litigation process through settlement is good news for the defendant firms. Thus, the stock market will react positively to the defendants when news of a settlement is announced. On the other hand, settlements end the free publicity that the plaintiffs enjoy. In addition the plaintiffs settle for less money than they initially seek. Thus, the implication of a reduced cash flow expectations that the announcement of settlements brings to the plaintiffs will cancel out the positive reputation effect. Therefore, there will be no significant stock market reaction to the plaintiffs when a settlement is announced. Furthermore, the stock market will show no significant reaction to the defendants who have been the subject of more than one lawsuit in a relatively short period of time prior to a settlement because their reputation is too severely damaged to be remedied through removal of their name from the limelight. The results of our analysis support the hypotheses and offer some insight for strategy development. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A policy-based management system with automatic policy selection and creation capabilities by using a singular value decomposition technique

On demand and autonomic computing will benefit from policy-based management systems which are responsive to new and ambiguous situations and learn from them. In a typical data center, there are thousands of different events reporting system faults, status, and performance information. Their occurrences are unpredictable. In addition, new events and conditions can occur as operating environment changes. Traditional approaches of authoring policies and techniques of implementing policy-based management systems, such as relying entirely on static authoring of simple "if [condition] then [actions]" rules, become insufficient. Hence, new approaches, such as goal policy, utility function etc., to the design and implementation of policy-based management systems have emerged. However, none of these approaches provides a systematic way to enable policies in a policy-based management system to be responsive to new and ambiguous situations. In this paper, we describe a novel method by which policies can be selected or created automatically based on events observed and knowledge learned. This new approach treats the observed event-policy relationship represented by an event-policy matrix as a statistical problem. Using singular value decomposition (SVD) technique, implicit higher order correlations among policies and their associated events are used to estimate the selection or creation of recommended policies based on events found in the observed event set. Initial results have indicated that this approach to policy-based management system is very promising.
Multiple defensive roles for triterpene glycosides from two Caribbean sponges

Despite their high nutritional value and a lack of physical defenses, most marine sponges appear to be minimally affected by predators, competitors, and fouling organisms, possibly due to sponge chemical defenses. In the last 15 years, several triterpene glycosides have been isolated from sponges, but their ecological or physiological roles are largely unknown. We tested triterpene glycosides from Erylus formosus and Ectyoplasia ferox, Caribbean sponges belonging to two different orders, in field and laboratory assays for effects on fish feeding, attachment by potential biofilm-forming bacteria, fouling by invertebrates and algae, and overgrowth by neighboring sponges. Formoside and other triterpene glycosides from Erylus formosus deterred predation, microbial attachment, and fouling by invertebrates and algae. Triterpene glycosides from Ectyoplasia ferox were found to be antipredatory and allelopathic. Thus, triterpene glycosides in these sponges appear to have multiple ecological functions. Tests with different triterpene glycosides at several concentrations indicated that small differences in molecular structure affect ecological activity. In order to establish whether triterpene glycosides could be involved in water-borne versus surface-mediated interactions, the presence of triterpene glycosides in the seawater surrounding live sponges was measured using two in situ sampling methods followed by HPLC and NMR spectral analysis. Water-borne triterpene glycosides were below detection limits for both species. However, top sponge layers and swabs of the surfaces of both sponges contained sufficiently high concentrations of triterpene glycosides to deter bacterial settlement and fouling of Erylus formosus surfaces and overgrowth of Ectyoplasia ferox by neighboring sponges. Enemies of these sponges appear to be deterred by surface contact of triterpene glycosides rather than by water-borne interactions. The dual strategy of employing one group of compounds for multiple purposes and minimizing the loss of compounds into seawater suggests that these organisms utilize chemical defenses with efficiency.
On the possible role of the reaction O + HO2 → OH + O2 in OH airglow

Experimental data on the so-called 'perhydroxyl' reaction O + HO2 - OH + O2 by which vibrationally excited OH is produced in the upper atmosphere are briefly reviewed. Both isotopic labeling studies and studies on the temperature dependence of the rate constant and the possible importance of its inverse are considered. The implication of the results for analysis of OH airglow data are emphasized. Some additional results on the dynamics of reactions related to OH airglow which may affect interpretation of OH emission measurements are summarized.
Injurious Assault Rates on Inpatient Psychiatric Units: Associations With Staffing by Registered Nurses and Other Nursing Personnel

Objective:The study examined associations between staffing levels by registered nurses (RNs) and non-RNs on psychiatric units and the rate of injurious assaults against hospital personnel, the rate of injurious assaults against other patients, and the total rate of injurious assaults.Methods:Generalized mixed models were used to analyze 2011–2013 data from 461 adult inpatient psychiatric units in 327 U.S. hospitals. Monthly data were aggregated to the unit level. The analyses considered RN and non-RN hours per patient day (HPPD) as linear and nonlinear predictors of the three assault rates, controlling for hospital ownership, size, and teaching status.Results:Both staffing variables had statistically significant linear associations with assault rates. Higher values of HPPD for non-RNs were associated with a higher rate of assaults against hospital personnel (exp[B]=1.23), a higher rate of assaults against patients (exp[B]=1.31), and a higher total rate of injurious assaults (exp[B]=1.21). Higher values of...
Cluster-Rasch models for microarray gene expression data

We propose two different formulations of the Rasch statistical models to the problem of relating gene expression profiles to the phenotypes. One formulation allows us to investigate whether a cluster of genes with similar expression profiles is related to the observed phenotypes; this model can also be used for future prediction. The other formulation provides an alternative way of identifying genes that are over- or underexpressed from their expression levels in tissue or cell samples of a given tissue or cell type. We illustrate the methods on available datasets of a classification of acute leukemias and of 60 cancer cell lines. For tumor classification, the results are comparable to those previously obtained. For the cancer cell lines dataset, we found four clusters of genes that are related to drug response for many of the 90 drugs that we considered. In addition, for each type of cell line, we identified genes that are over- or underexpressed relative to other genes. The cluster-Rasch model provides a probabilistic model for describing gene expression patterns across samples and can be used to relate gene expression profiles to phenotypes.
Scalable Publish/Subscribe Service in Wireless Mesh Networks

Wireless Mesh Networks represent a promising technology to provide wireless Internet connectivity over a large community. This new technology not only allows a fast, easy and inexpensive network deployment, but also enables many new applications including community-scale peer-based communication or sharing of network resources and services. In this work, we propose an effective publish/subscribe communication paradigm to facilitate efficient data dissemination over wireless mesh networks. The proposed publish/subscribe scheme dynamically routes and delivers events and services from sources to interested users with minimum communication overhead and memory storage. The effectiveness of the system is demonstrated through comprehensive simulation studies.
Tim Winton’s Dirt Music : Sounding Country/Re-siting Place

In his novel, Dirt Music, Tim Winton centres the narrative on the literary conceit of “dirt” music as an elemental thus generative force that at once ‘earths’ and elevates the human being. Luther Fox, one of two central characters, experiences a powerful epiphany upon playing a rudimentary musical instrument through which he creates a reverberative drone summoned from the environment using improvised natural acoustics. In doing so, he enters a paradoxical state of immanent transcendence through the drone experienced as a kind of pure sound. Thus, Dirt Music invites creative speculation about the power of music as source of both music (rhythm/harmony) and ontological ‘poetics’. In this article, I explore the literary significance and philosophical and ethical implications of what Winton has called (after the indigenous poet and elder, Bill Neidjie) “practical mysticism”. In this way, the transcendentally spiritual is always grounded in a “common-sense” experience of fully lived being, just as ‘dirt’ music is ‘rooted’ in the energised abstraction of the aharmonic drone – “common” as both a shared and an empirically immediate sense of wonder at the living, interactive presence of the natural world. In Dirt Music, then, the act of making music is richly allusive: to make music becomes a means of working towards a felt and vital connection with country; but it is also to understand how music works conductively as indigenous sound, effecting the animating interplay or interconnection between individual consciousness and the living presence and force of natural world as ecology and wilderness, landscape and country
Cancer therapies that are gone with the Wnt

The isolation and molecular characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to guide cancer therapy is a particularly attractive approach for men with metastatic prostate cancer where the primary tumor may have been removed years earlier and the only indication of disease progression may be a rising amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood and a worsening bone scan (the skeleton is commonly the first area of metastasis for this cancer). Consequently, numerous technologies to capture, isolate, and study prostate cancer CTCs have been developed, each with its own limitations. Because of CTC heterogeneity, isolation approaches that rely on cell surface protein expression may not identify the prostate cancer cells undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (which contributes to the migratory capacity and invasiveness of CTCs) ( 1 ). On page 1351 of this issue, Miyamoto et al. ( 2 ) report on the use of a microfluidic device that enables the capture of live CTCs amenable to single-cell molecular characterization ( 3 ). The study reveals a possible mechanism underlying the resistance of certain prostate cancer patients to androgen-targeted therapies.
Comparison of vaginal micronized progesterone and combined intramuscular and vaginal progesterone for luteal phase support during in vitro fertilization - embryo transfer treatment in women < 35 years

terone (P4) level at day 16 in recognizing the 12th ongoing pregnancy status. Using the best cut-off value of the P4 level at day 16, we categorized our subjects into ‘‘with CLR (corpus luteum rescue)’’ and ‘‘without CLR’’. Logistic regression with age and BMI adjustment was utilized to evaluate the association between the duration of LPS and 12th week ongoing pregnancy in each group. RESULTS: A total of 158 (57.9%) womenwere confirmed as pregnancy at day16. Among them, 56 (35.4%) women had LPS until 7-12th week, and 102 (64.6%) women had LPS 20.6ng/ml) and 38 (24.1%) women without CLR (P4 <1⁄4 20.6ng/ml). The other two cases had missing records on P4 data. In women without CLR, after adjustment with age and BMI, compared to LPS until 712th week, LPS <1⁄4 6th weeks had significant risk ratio with miscarriage (adjusted RR, 6.0; 95% CI,1.47-24.55). While in women with CLR, compared to LPS until 7-12th week, no significant risk ratio was noted in LPS<1⁄4 6th weeks with miscarriage (adjusted RR, 1.16; 95%CI, 0.51-2.65). CONCLUSIONS: From the results of this retrospective study, LPS can be safely discontinued at 4-6 weeks of pregnancy if the corpus luteum was rescued. While early stop of LPS for patients without CLR may pose risk of miscarriage.
The production of English stop consonants in the speech of deaf children

Abstract: The production of word-initial stop consonants /p t k/ and /b d g/ was investigated in the speech of 37 deaf and six normally-hearing adolescents. Spectrographic measurements were made of the time interval between the release of the stop closure and the onset of voicing in the following vowel. While 11 of the deaf children produce all the stops in a normal manner, the others deviate systematically from normal in their failure to produce a distinction between the voiced and voiceless stops at a given place of articulation. Those who fail to produce the “voiced-voiceless” distinction tend to produce /p-b/ and /t-d/ as unaspirated stops, and to produce either aspirated or unaspirated stops for /k-g/. Those subjects who have average pure tone hearing threshold levels for 0•5, 1, and 2 kHz better than 93 dB in the better ear or who have highly intelligible speech are capable of producing all the stop consonants correctly. It is argued here that the deaf child does not simply make errors in speaking, but instead realizes sounds in accordance with a deviant phonological system.
An Experimental Paradigm for Analyzing Human Information Processing During Motor Control Tasks

This paper outlines an experimental paradigm as an alternative to the classical paradigm by Fitts (1954). It is pointed out that Fitts' paradigm is based on some inappropriate assumptions and analogies invalidating its information-theoretic foundation. The new paradigm, which has more general applicability than Fitts', uses some informational statistics that are claimed to be rigorous and based on only a few weak assumptions that can also be tested empirically. Emphasis is placed on the utility of the new paradigm for analyzing the speed-accuracy tradeoff characteristics using some simple and concise functional relationships. Finally, a method is outlined whereby this paradigm may be implemented on a digitizer-microcomputer unit making the data acquisition and analysis into a fully automated process. Language: en
Evolutionary patterns of shape and functional diversification in the skull and jaw musculature of triggerfishes (Teleostei: Balistidae)

The robust skull and highly subdivided adductor mandibulae muscles of triggerfishes provide an excellent system within which to analyze the evolutionary processes underlying phenotypic diversification. We surveyed the anatomical diversity of balistid jaws using Procrustes-based geometric morphometric analyses and a phylomorphospace approach to quantifying morphological transformation through evolution. We hypothesized that metrics of interspecific cranial shape would reveal patterns of phylogenetic diversification that are congruent with functional and ecological transformation. Morphological landmarks outlining skull and adductor mandibulae muscle shape were collected from 27 triggerfish species. Procrustes-transformed skull shape configurations revealed significant phylogenetic and size-influenced structure. Phylomorphospace plots of cranial shape diversity reveal groupings of shape between different species of triggerfish that are mostly consistent with phylogenetic relatedness. Repeated instances of convergence upon similar cranial shape by genetically disparate taxa are likely due to the functional demands of shared specialized dietary habits. This study shows that the diversification of triggerfish skulls occurs via modifications of cranial silhouette and the positioning of subdivided jaw adductor muscles. Using the morphometric data collected here as input to a biomechanical model of triggerfish jaw function, we find that subdivided jaw adductors, in conjunction with a unique cranial skeleton, have direct biomechanical consequences that are not always congruent with phylomorphospace patterns in the triggerfish lineage. The integration of geometric morphometrics with biomechanical modeling in a phylogenetic context provides novel insight into the evolutionary patterns and ecological role of muscle subdivisions in triggerfishes. J. Morphol. 277:737-752, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluating program performance: the case of Federally funded collaborative research

This paper demonstrates how one might begin to evaluate quantitatively the short–term economic impacts of Federally–funded collaborative research programs. This demonstration is based on two research joint ventures recently funded by the Advanced Technology Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology within the US Department of Commerce.
Career satisfaction of surgical specialties.

Objective:To examine the factors that impact career satisfaction for various surgical specialties.Background:An acute shortage of surgeons is anticipated in the future. Career dissatisfaction can make this already difficult situation worse. It is important to understand and address factors that infl
The cytopathology of proliferative breast disease : comparison with features of ductal carcinoma in situ

Epithelial hyperplasia, a component of proliferative breast disease (PBD), is a known risk factor for the development of breast carcinoma. To determine if criteria established for tissue biopsy could be used to more precisely define cytologic criteria for diagnosis of PBD, 37 breast fine-needle aspirates with biopsy diagnoses of PBD were studied. In cases with adequate cellularity, the following findings were consistently observed: (1) three-dimensional cell clusters with outlying myoepithelial cells, swirling intralumenal masses and peripheral, slit-like, irregular sublumens (65% of cases); (2) convoluted sheets of ductal epithelium with outlying myoepithelial cells and bulbous projections tethered to the ductal lining (29%); and (3) a background of discohesive small frayed groups of ductal cells (32%). Of the 15 cases that did not meet these criteria, most were paucicellular (87%), which suggested sampling error. Other cytologic features that were observed included: moderately increased cellularity (20 cases), moderate-to-marked nuclear overlap (14 cases), minimal nuclear atypia, and few single epithelial cells. Fifteen cases of confirmed ductal carcinoma in situ were studied for comparison. In these cases, cellularity, nuclear overlap, and atypia were increased, but swirling intralumenal masses, prominent myoepithelial cells and slit-like lumens were absent. In conclusion, the features of PBD established for tissue biopsy can be applied to cytologic specimens, and may provide useful clues to the diagnosis of epithelial hyperplasia in breast fine-needle aspiration specimens.
Critical Behavior of Magnets with Dipolar Interactions. V. Uniaxial Magnets in d Dimensions

The exact renormalization-group approach is used to study the critical behavior for $Tg{T}_{c}$, $H=0$ of a uniaxial ferromagnetic (or ferroelectric) system in $d$ dimensions, with exchange and dipolar interactions between the (single-component) spins. Normal Ising-like behavior is retained for $t=\frac{T}{{T}_{c}}\ensuremath{-}1\ensuremath{\gg}\stackrel{^}{g}=\frac{{(g{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B})}^{2}}{J{a}^{d}}$, where $J$ is the exchange parameter, $g{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$ is the magnetic moment per spin, and $a$ is the lattice spacing. Crossover to a characteristic dipolar behavior occurs when ${t}^{\ensuremath{\varphi}}\ensuremath{\approx}\stackrel{^}{g}$, where $\ensuremath{\varphi}=1+\frac{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}{6}$ (to first order in $\ensuremath{\epsilon}=4\ensuremath{-}d$). For $t\ensuremath{\ll}\stackrel{^}{g}$, the leading temperature singularity in the Fourier transform of the spin-spin correlation function $\ensuremath{\Gamma}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{q}})$ becomes ${\ensuremath{\xi}}^{2}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{[1+{(\ensuremath{\xi}q)}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{h}_{0}{(\ensuremath{\xi}{q}^{z})}^{2}+{g}_{0}{(\frac{{q}^{z}}{q})}^{2}]}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, where ${h}_{0}$ and ${g}_{0}$ are of order $\stackrel{^}{g}$ and $\ensuremath{\xi}(t)$ varies as ${t}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}}$ for $dg3$, as ${t}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}}{|\mathrm{ln}t|}^{\frac{1}{6}}$ for $d=3$, and as ${t}^{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\nu}}$ with $\frac{1}{2\ensuremath{\nu}}=1\ensuremath{-}\frac{(3\ensuremath{-}d)}{6}+O({(3\ensuremath{-}d)}^{2})$ for $dl3$. The susceptibility displays the expected demagnetization effects, namely, $({\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{-}{g}_{0}\mathcal{D})\ensuremath{\propto}{\ensuremath{\xi}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$. The experimental situation is mentioned briefly.
Enough Evidence, Time to Act!

Article, see p 9 Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in 3 genes — LDLR, APOB, PCSK9 — that impact plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) clearance, thereby resulting in a lifelong elevation in LDL-C and a markedly increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), particularly premature coronary heart disease (CHD).1 Recent large-scale genetic surveys indicate that causal FH mutations occur in 1 in 200 to 250 people of European ancestry.2,3 Natural history studies of FH patients have demonstrated the importance of LDL-C in the pathogenesis of CHD,4 with notable improvements in life expectancy with aggressive LDL-C lowering.5 A recent scientific statement from the American Heart Association highlighted the difficulties in early diagnosis and tracking of FH patients, in part, because of the lack of a specific International Classification of Diseases code for FH and the lack of consensus on how to identify FH in broad populations.1 Existing diagnostic criteria based on features such as LDL-C level, personal and family history of ASCVD, and certain pathognomonic physical findings (xanthomas) were designed to select individuals that were likely to have a positive genetic test for FH. Although these algorithms are quite reasonable for this purpose, they are too complex to be used as screening tools for large populations. Genetic testing holds promise and, when used, can help confirm a monogenic FH diagnosis and may improve cascade (family-based) screening efforts.6 However, genetic testing has been expensive and used infrequently in many countries, including the United States. Furthermore, a substantial fraction of patients with a phenotype largely indistinguishable from monogenic FH may actually have a polygenic cause for their elevated LDL-C levels.7 In 2015, the authors of the American Heart Association scientific statement on FH therefore recommended criteria with a …
Comparison of Intact Parathyroid Hormone, Alkaline Phosphatase, Phosphate Levels for Diagnosing Severe Metabolic Bone Disease in Infants with Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Objective We compared the accuracy of serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and phosphate (phos) levels for diagnosing severe metabolic bone disease (MBD) in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Study Design Retrospective analysis of VLBW infants with severe BPD admitted between 2010 and 2012 and with ≥ 1 iPTH, ALP, and phos level collected within a similar 72-hour period. MBD severity was classified by serial radiography. Results Laboratory values were available for 65 infants, of whom 24 (36.9%) developed severe MBD. A maximum ALP > 660 IU/L was the most accurate for diagnosing severe MBD (area under the curve: 88.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 77.2–94.5%). Maximum iPTH was the least accurate (optimal cut point > 130 pg/mL; area under the curve: 70.5%; 95% CI: 58.2–81.4). Conclusion Maximum ALP was more accurate than iPTH or phos for diagnosing severe MBD among preterm infants with severe BPD.
The Zapruder Film

The Zapruder film is not only the most important home movie ever made, but also the most thoroughly analyzed 26 seconds of film in existence. Shortly after noon on Friday, November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. At least 32 people filmed or photographed some aspect of the event, but Abraham Zapruder captured the assassination itself more clearly and completely than anyone else. His film was a key item of evidence in the government’s investigation of the assassination, and the subject of lasting controversy, at least in part because copyright made it largely unavailable to the public until 1998.
Abstract WP163: One in Three Stroke Survivors has Uncontrolled Blood Pressure 90 Days After Stroke

Background and Objectives: High blood pressure (BP) is a major modifiable cause of recurrent stroke. The prevalence of uncontrolled BP 90 days after stroke in contemporary populations of unselected stroke patients is unclear. We measured the prevalence and predictors of uncontrolled BP 90 days after stroke in a population-based stroke surveillance project. Methods: Prospective cohort study of 214 Mexican American or non-Hispanic white adults aged ≥45 years with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke and completed outcome assessments 90 day after stroke in the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) project from March 2011 through June 2012. Trained personnel conducted in-home examinations following a standardized protocol to measure BP 90 days after stroke using an automated arm monitor (OmROn model 700 series). BP was measured in triplicate and the third BP reading was used. BP control was defined as BP Results: Median age was 66 years (interquartile range [IQR], 58-77 years), and 93% of strokes were ischemic. Median systolic BP was 128.5 mm Hg (IQR, 114-145) and diastolic BP was 76 mm Hg (IQR, 68 to 84). Overall, BP was uncontrolled in 35.1% (95% CI, 29.9% to 41.7%) of stroke survivors 90 days after stroke, and this did not differ by ethnicity (Mexican American, 34.3% [95% CI, 26.8% to 42.7%] vs. non-Hispanic white, 36.3%; [95% CI, 26.6% to 47.2%]; Wald P=0.58). Uncontrolled BP 90 days after stroke was more likely in stroke survivors with older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.03 per 1 year increase; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.06; P=0.03), no health insurance (aOR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.19 to 7.96; P=0.02, and hypertension (aOR, 2.24; 95% CI, 0.96 to 5.26; P=0.06). Conclusion: More than one third of stroke survivors has uncontrolled BP 90 days after stroke in this population-based study. Interventions designed to improve BP control and targeting older and uninsured stroke survivors are needed.
P150 Utilization of two different Luminex single antigen beads assays (SAB) platforms in patients with unusual reactivity patterns

Luminex Single Antigen Beads Assay (SAB) are currently the most widely used means to identify HLA antibodies in sera from sensitized transplant candidates. Although these assays greatly enhance solid organ transplantation practices in terms of transplantig highly sensitized patients and the ability to perform virtual (electronic) crossmatch, issues concerning identifying unusual patterns or reactivity in some patients have emerged. This unusual pattern can be seen in male non-sensitized patients, patients with underlying auto-immune diseases, and normally sensitized patients. In order to investigate this pattern further, our lab utilized two primary testing platform. The One Lambda SAB Class I and Class II, was utilized as our primary testing patform. The LifeCodes SAB Class I and Class II was used as the secondary testing platform. Patterns of unusual reactivity were also examined by performing a flow cytometry crossmatch with surrogate donors. As control group, sera from 40 sensitized and non-sensitized patients were utilized to perfom the initial comparative study. Our results showed the HLA antibodies pattern of reactivity were identical between the two platforms. For patients with unusual HLA antibodies patterns, there was minimal correlation between the two platforms. False positive patterns identified by One Lambda SAB assays, were re-tested with LifeCodes SAB assays and results either in none or completely different false positive reactive patterns (see graph below). The absence of correlation between the two testing platforms in terms of false positive patterns might suggest that the patterns of reactivity might be directed to non-HLA IgG. In order to address that, we performed total IgG purification from two sera with this false positive pattern utilizing Protein A magnetic beads. SAB assay performed on purified IgG fraction eluted from the beads resulted in significant increase in the MFI values of these samples without any effect on the reactivity. In conclusion, interefence in SAB assays could be due to IgG fraction. Additional studies utilizing further blocking might be needed to eliminate this interfering patterns. Download : Download high-res image (237KB) Download : Download full-size image
Waves in strongly nonlinear discrete systems

The paper presents the main steps in the development of the strongly nonlinear wave dynamics of discrete systems. The initial motivation was prompted by the challenges in the design of barriers to mitigate high-amplitude compression pulses caused by impact or explosion. But this area poses a fundamental mathematical and physical problem and should be considered as a natural step in developing strongly nonlinear wave dynamics. Strong nonlinearity results in a highly tunable behaviour and allows design of systems with properties ranging from a weakly nonlinear regime, similar to the classical case of the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam lattice, or to a non-classical case of sonic vacuum. Strongly nonlinear systems support periodic waves and one of the fascinating results was a discovery of a strongly nonlinear solitary wave in sonic vacuum (a limiting case of a periodic wave) with properties very different from the Korteweg de Vries solitary wave. Shock-like oscillating and monotonous stationary stress waves can also be supported if the system is dissipative. The paper discusses the main theoretical and experimental results, focusing on travelling waves and possible future developments in the area of strongly nonlinear metamaterials.This article is part of the theme issue 'Nonlinear energy transfer in dynamical and acoustical systems'.
The role of cystoid macular edema as a marker in the progression of non-paraneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy

To determine the relationship between cystoid macular edema (CME) and disease severity and progression in non-paraneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy (npAIR). A retrospective study was conducted on patients seen between 2008 and 2016 with npAIR as defined by electroretinogram (ERG) dysfunction, visual field changes, presence of antiretinal antibodies, a negative malignancy workup, and no other apparent cause for visual dysfunction. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans were reviewed for each patient. A minimum follow-up of 1 year was necessary for study inclusion. The presence or absence of CME and the length of the preserved EZ on the centermost line scan of the SD-OCT images was recorded at each visit. The main outcome measure assessed was the rate of EZ loss (EZ final − EZ initial / days follow-up) over time, a marker for disease progression. Thirty-two eyes (16 patients) were included with an average follow-up of 42 months. Twenty-one eyes (66%) had CME on initial presentation and final follow-up (group 1), eight eyes (25%) did not have CME on presentation or final follow-up (group 2), and three eyes (9%) did not have CME on presentation but developed CME during follow-up (group 3). Group 1 eyes had a lower maximal a-wave amplitude (59.0 vs. 220.9 mV, p = 0.012) and lower maximal b-wave amplitude (88.1 vs 256.9 mV, p = 0.017) on baseline ERG compared to Group 2 eyes. The rate of EZ loss over time was significantly greater for group 1 with CME compared to group 2 without CME both at 12 months (− 1.26 μm/day vs. − 0.26 μm/day, p = 0.022) and at final follow-up (− 1.03 μm/day vs. − 0.08 μm/day, p = 0.012). CME was associated with decreased ERG amplitudes and greater velocity of EZ loss, suggesting that CME is a useful biomarker of more severe and more progressive disease in npAIR.
Information Literacy Skills of First-Year Library and Information Science Graduate Students: An Exploratory Study

Abstract Objective – This cross-sectional, descriptive study seeks to address a gap in knowledge of both information literacy (IL) self-efficacy and IL skills of students entering Louisiana State University’s Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program. Methods – An online survey testing both IL self-efficacy and skills was administered through Qualtrics. The online survey instrument used items from existing instruments (Beile, 2007; Michalak & Rysavy, 2016) and was distributed to two cohorts of incoming students; the first cohort entered the MLIS program in fall 2017, and the second entered in spring 2018. Results – Data varied between cohorts and between survey instruments for both IL self-efficacy and skills; however, bivariate analysis of data indicated a moderate positive correlation between overall IL self-efficacy and demonstrated IL skill scores in both fall 2017 and spring 2018 cohorts. Conclusion – The study indicates a need for a larger, multi-institutional study using a rigorously validated instrument to gather data and make generalizable inferences about the IL self-efficacy and skills of incoming LIS graduate students.
Re-planning Using Delaunay Triangulation for Real Time Motion Planning in Complex Dynamic Environments

Motion Planning in an unknown, time-varying environment is a relevant problem in present day robotics. While there exist many probabilistic and resolution complete algorithms for motion planning in dynamic environments, each of these are limited by various constraints. This paper presents triangulation based motion planning in unknown dynamic environments. Our novel idea is implemented in two stages. In the first stage, a global path is computed considering only static obstacles in the configuration space. The second stage of implementation uses our proposed algorithm T-star (T*) for replanning the global path according to real time considerations. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our novel idea in multiple simulation environments with more then 20 simultaneously moving obstacles.
Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Therapy Ameliorates Ionizing Irradiation Fibrosis via Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Mediated Transforming Growth Factor-β Downregulation and Recruitment of Bone Marrow Cells

Radiation therapy to anatomic regions, including the head and neck, chest wall, and extremities, can produce radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF). To elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanism(s) involved in RIF, female C57BL/6J mice were irradiated to the right flank to 35 Gy in single fraction using 6 Mv electrons. Radiation fibrosis was detected by day 14, was increased by day 28, and confirmed by Masson's trichrome histological staining for collagen. Biopsied tissue at day 14 showed an increase in expression of fibrosis-related genes including transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and collagens 1-6. A single adipose-derived stem cell (ASC) injection on day 28 at the irradiated site decreased by day 40: epithelial thickness, collagen deposition, and significantly improved limb excursion compared with irradiated controls. Noncontact transwell coculture of ASCs above a monolayer of irradiated human foreskin fibroblasts downregulated fibrosis-related genes TGF-β, connective tissue growth factor, interleukin-1, NF-kB, tumor necrosis factor, and collagens 1-6. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) secreted by ASCs was identified as a novel mechanism by which ASCs exert antifibrotic effects by downregulating fibrotic gene expression in irradiated cells and recruiting bone marrow cells to the irradiated site. In conclusion, these data indicate a mechanistic role of HGF secreted by ASCs in reducing RIF. Stem Cells 2019;37:791-802.
Dietary fats, blood pressure and artery health.

Nitric oxide is an important endogenously made vasodilator that has numerous antiatherosclerotic properties. Many lines of evidence suggest that a lack of nitric oxide can lead to hypertension and atherosclerotic plaque formation.1 Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is the enzyme that produces nitric oxide in the body. The two main inhibitors of NOS are asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA) and NG-monomethyl arginine. These NOS inhibitors are metabolised and inactivated by the enzyme dimethyarginine dimethylamine hydrolase (DDAH). Thus, inhibition of DDAH can lead to a reduction in NOS. The oxidation of the omega-6 fat linoleic acid can form the highly reactive aldehyde called 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), which has been noted to reduce nitric oxide generation from endothelial cells by reducing the activity of the DDAH enzyme.2 An inhibition of DDAH increases the NOS inhibitor ADMA in endothelial cells causing endothelial NOS (eNOS) ‘uncoupling’ and increased production of superoxide rather than nitric oxide. Since ADMA competitively inhibits NOS and is an independent cardiovascular risk factor this suggests that consuming isolated forms of linoleic acid, such as refined omega-6 vegetable oils, may lead to elevations in blood pressure and potentially hypertension.3 Moreover, linoleic acid inhibits insulin signalling and eNOS activation in the vasculature both of which are implicated in hypertension.4 Conditions with reduced NOS activity coincide with disease states that are hallmarked by an increase in oxidised lipids, including oxidised linoleic acid. When LDL becomes oxidised, this is initially from the oxidised linoleic acid contained within the LDL, which forms the highly reactive aldehyde 4-HNE, levels of which coincide with increased atherosclerotic progression.2 Since oxidised LDL is found in atherosclerotic lesions in animals and in humans5 and can directly cause endothelial dysfunction via reductions in nitric oxide, the ability of dietary linoleic acid to increase LDL susceptibility to oxidation suggests …
A Scalable Automated Diagnostic Feature Extraction System for EEGs

Researchers using Electroencephalograms ("EEGs") to diagnose clinical outcomes often run into computational complexity problems. In particular, extracting complex, sometimes nonlinear, features from a large number of time-series often require large amounts of processing time. In this paper we describe a distributed system that leverages modern cloud-based technologies and tools and demonstrate that it can effectively, and efficiently, undertake clinical research. Specifically we compare three types of clusters, showing their relative costs (in both time and money) to develop a distributed machine learning pipeline for predicting gestation time based on features extracted from these EEGs.
Impact of Bayesian updating activities on student epistemologies

A relatively minor change to the traditional course structure, implementation of Bayesian updating activities, can significantly improve student epistemological beliefs.
Cost analysis and complication profile of primary shoulder arthroplasty at a high-volume institution

Background Paralleling the increased utilization of shoulder arthroplasty, bundled-payment reimbursement is becoming increasingly common. An understanding of the costs of each element of care and detailed information on the frequency of and reasons for readmission and reoperation are keys to developing bundled-payment initiatives. The purpose of this study was to perform a comprehensive analysis of complications, readmission rates, and costs of primary shoulder arthroplasty at a high-volume institution. Methods Between 2012 and 2016, 2 shoulder surgeons from a single institution performed 1794 consecutive primary shoulder arthroplasties: 636 anatomic total shoulder arthroplasties (TSAs), 1081 reverse shoulder arthroplasties (RSAs), and 77 hemiarthroplasties. A cost analysis was designed to include a period of 60 days preoperatively, the index surgical hospitalization, and 90 days postoperatively, including costs of any readmission or reoperation. Results The 90-day complication, reoperation, and readmission rates were 2.3%, 0.6%, and 1.8%, respectively. The 90-day readmission risk was higher among patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 3 or greater; a 1-unit increase in the American Society of Anesthesiologists score was associated with a $429 increase in index cost. Of the hospital readmissions, 10 were directly related to the index arthroplasty whereas 21 were not. The median standardized costs were as follows: preoperative evaluation, $481; index surgical hospitalization, $15,758; and postoperative care, $183. The median standardized costs for index surgical hospitalization were different for each procedure: TSA, $14,010; RSA, $16,741; and hemiarthroplasty, $12,709. Conclusion In this study, primary shoulder arthroplasty was associated with low 90-day reoperation and complication rates. The median standardized costs inclusive of preoperative workup and 90-day postoperative recovery were $14,675 and $17,407 for TSA and RSA, respectively.
Effects of Distal Mutations on Prolyl-Adenylate Formation of Escherichia coli Prolyl-tRNA Synthetase.

Enzymes play important roles in many biological processes. Amino acid residues in the active site pocket of an enzyme, which are in direct contact with the substrate(s), are generally believed to be critical for substrate recognition and catalysis. Identifying and understanding how these “catalytic” residues help enzymes achieve enormous rate enhancement has been the focus of many structural and biochemical studies over the past several decades. Recent studies have shown that enzymes are intrinsically dynamic and dynamic coupling between distant structural elements is essential for effective catalysis in modular enzymes. Therefore, distal residues are expected to have impact on enzyme function. However, few studies have investigated the role of distal residues on enzymatic catalysis. In the present study, the effects of distal residue mutations on the catalytic function of an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, namely, prolyl-tRNA synthase, were investigated. The present study demonstrates that distal residues significantly contribute to catalysis of the modular Escherichia coli prolyl-tRNA synthetase by maintaining intrinsic protein flexibility.
What's In A Name? Curver Luxembourg and Its Implications for Design Patents

This Article examines design patent law in the context of the 2019 Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decision of Curver Luxembourg, SARL v. Home Expressions, Inc. It first explains the law of design patents as it was prior to the Curver Luxembourg decision — providing an overview of the three key requirements for design patent eligibility, the concept of an article of manufacture, and the design patent prosecution process. Then, it examines the Curver Luxembourg decision itself: the background of the case, the district court decision, and its affirmation on appeal. Finally, it examines the decision’s implications for design patent law, industry reactions to the decision, and specifically considers the increased importance of patent titles and the decision’s impact on the scope of prior art.
Effects of high-amylase corn on performance and carcass quality of finishing beef heifers.

Developed initially for use in fuel ethanol production, Enogen Feed Corn (EFC; Syngenta Crop Protection) is genetically modified to express high concentrations of α-amylase in the corn kernel. Experiments were conducted to evaluate processing characteristics of EFC, in vitro digestion, and effects on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, and liver abscess incidence. Experiment 1 used a randomized complete block design (3 × 3 × 5 factorial) to evaluate starch availability, in situ dry matter disappearance (ISDMD), in vitro gas production (IVGP), and volatile fatty acid (VFA) profiles of in vitro cultures. Grains (EFC or mill-run control [CON]) were flaked to a density of 360 g/L, and mixtures with 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% EFC were prepared. Grains were tempered with added moisture (0%, 3%, or 6%) prior to steam conditioning for 15, 30, or 45 min. No two- or three-way interactions were observed. Adding moisture improved starch availability (linear; P 0.33). Cattle fed EFC had 23% fewer abscessed livers than CON (P = 0.03). High-amylase corn may be used to improve microbial digestion, mill-throughput, and cattle performance, and it may mitigate liver abscesses.