cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound Training in the Emergency Medicine Clerkship.

Author(s): Favot, Mark; Courage, Cheryl; Manteuffel, Jacob; Amponsah, David | Abstract: Introduction: The curriculum in most emergency medicine (EM) clerkships includes very little formalized training in point-of-care ultrasound. Medical schools have begun to implement ultrasound training in the pre-clinical curriculum, and the EM clerkship is an appropriate place to build upon this training. The objectives are (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a focused ultrasound curriculum within an established EM clerkship and (2) to obtain feedback from medical students regarding the program.Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of medical students during an EM clerkship year from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012. Participants included fourth-year medical students (n=45) enrolled in the EM clerkship at our institution. The students underwent a structured program focused on the focused assessment with sonography for trauma exam and ultrasound-guided vascular access. At the conclusion of the rotation, they took a 10-item multiple choice test assessing knowledge and image interpretation skills. A cohort of EM residents (n=20) also took the multiple choice test but did not participate in the training with the students. We used an independent samples t-test to examine differences in test scores between the groups.Results: The medical students in the ultrasound training program scored significantly higher on the multiple-choice test than the EM residents, t(63)=2.3, pl0.05. The feedback from the students indicated that 82.8% were using ultrasound on their current rotations and the majority (55.2%) felt that the one-on-one scanning shift was the most valuable aspect of the curriculum.Discussion: Our study demonstrates support for an ultrasound training program for medical students in the EM clerkship. After completing the training, students were able to perform similarly to EM residents on a knowledge-based exam.
Cause for concern: pseudotumors in patients with hip resurfacing: commentary on an article by R. Bisschop, MD et al.: "High prevalence of pseudotumors in patients with a Birmingham Hip Resurfacing prosthesis: a prospective cohort study of one hundred and twenty-nine patients".

Hip resurfacing with metal-on-metal bearing surfaces was developed for the younger, more active patient with end-stage degenerative arthritis and relatively normal osseous anatomy. Some clinicians embraced the advantages of this surgical procedure, namely, preservation of more of the proximal aspect of the femur compared with standard total hip replacement, the use of a larger femoral head potentially mitigating the prevalence of dislocation, and less restriction on impact loading activities due to the use of a hard-on-hard bearing couple. The operation was more technically demanding for the surgeon, as fewer hip resurfacings are performed compared with conventional hip replacements. Despite this, the initial clinical outcomes, mostly from designer and higher-volume surgeons, were very encouraging1. As more patients learned of and asked for this procedure, increasing numbers of surgeons began performing this technique. As experience grew, adverse outcomes were being reported, with some due to deficiencies in the design of specific components or suboptimal …
Distributed Representations for Content-Based and Personalized Tag Recommendation

We consider the problem of learning distributed representations for documents from their content and associated tags, and of distributed representations of users from documents and tags provided by users. The documents, words, and tags are represented as low-dimensional vectors and are jointly learned with a multi-layered neural language model. We propose a two stage method where in the first stage which consists of two layers, we exploit the corpus wide topic-level information contained in tags to model one layer of neural language model and use document level words sequence information to model other layer of the proposed architecture. In the second stage, we use thus obtained document and tags representations to learn user representations. We utilize these jointly trained vector representations for personalized tag recommendation tasks. Our experiments on two widely used bookmarking datasets show a significant improvements for quality of recommendations. These continuous vector representations has the added advantages of conceptually meaningful which we show by our qualitative analysis on tag suggestion tasks.
Abstract T P13: Reversed Ischemic Attack (Ria): Proposal for a New Terminology in the Era of Thrombolytic Therapy

Background and Purpose: Cerebral ischemic attacks are classically known to cause either permanent injury in the case of ‘stroke’ or transient dysfunction without permanent injury in the case of ‘TIA’. The latter occurs due to timely restoration of cerebral blood flow and implies a spontaneous process. With thrombolytic therapy (intravenous or intra-arterial) complete reperfusion is possible and can lead in some patients to complete reversal of the ischemic insult both clinically and radiographically. This entity is inadequately characterized by the current stroke terminology. Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database identified 800 patients who underwent acute endovascular reperfusion therapy. Inclusion criteria were: complete clinical recovery without evidence of infarction on follow up MRI (DWI sequence). Results: We identified 8 patients. Intravenous alteplase followed by intra-arterial therapy was administered in 37.5% of cases. Admission NIHSS ranged from 8-21 and recanalization occurred between 45-490 minutes of symptom onset. The site of occlusion was as follows: left internal carotid artery terminus (2, 25%), middle cerebral artery M1 segment (5, 62.5%) and middle cerebral artery M2 segment (1, 12.5%). Conclusions: A hitherto unreported condition of complete clinical and radiographic recovery after reperfusion therapy for large vessel intracranial occlusion is being described. Review of an endovascular database comprising 800 consecutive cases, revealed that the incidence of this entity is 1%. We postulate that in parallel to an increase in efficacy and utilization of revascularization modalities along with an increase in assessment of vessel patency prior to intravenous thrombolysis, recognition of this phenomenon will increase and propose the term ‘Reversed’ Ischemic Attack (RIA) to address a deficiency in terminology currently associated with this condition. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Acute- and long-term glutamate-mediated regulation of [Ca++]i in rat hippocampal pyramidal neurons in vitro

We used a fura 2-based digital imaging technique to analyze the effects of glutamate (GLU) and GLU agonists on intracellular free calcium ([Ca++]i) in cultures of rat hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Depolarization of cells with 50 mM K+ raised [Ca++]i in all parts of the cell (e.g., soma and dendrites). [Ca++]i was also increased in these cells by GLU, kainate, quisqualate, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and caffeine (CAF). Multiple challenges of a neuron with GLU gave rise to high "plateau" levels of [Ca++]i that were maintained over the entire length of an experiment (up to 1 hr). In the presence of the NMDA receptor antagonist 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate multiple applications of GLU only produced multiple transient increases in [Ca++]i. Multiple challenges of a cell with NMDA (0 Mg++, 1 microM glycine) also produced maintained plateau responses in [Ca++]i. Multiple challenges with kainate or quisqualate only produced multiple transient responses in [Ca++]i. Plateau responses induced by GLU or NMDA could be reversibly reduced by removal of extracellular Ca++. Co++ and Ni++ (500 microM) also reduced the magnitude of the plateau, but nitrendipine and tetrodotoxin were generally ineffective. The kinase inhibitor staurosporine also reversibly reduced the magnitude of the plateau. The initiation of a [Ca++]i plateau could be blocked by 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate although this compound was ineffective at reducing a plateau once it had formed. Thus, activation of NMDA receptors in these neurons leads to a maintained influx of Ca++ that could be responsible for certain long-term effects of GLU.
Supplemental Zinc Sulfate Affects Growth Performance of Finishing Heifers

Zinc is an essential mineral required for normal function of more than 300 enzymes in microorganisms, plants, and animals. Zinc-requiring enzymes participate in metabolism of nucleic acids, proteins, and carbohydrates, all of which are essential for growth of cattle. In addition, zinc is necessary for normal development and function of the immune system. The requirement for zinc in finishing cattle diets has been established at 30 ppm (NRC, Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle, 2000), though concentrations recommended by consulting nutritionists and feed manufacturers span a far broader range. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding different levels of zinc on feedlot performance and carcass traits of finishing heifers.
On ensuring structural integrity for configurations with stress singularities: a review

At the outset in attempting to ensure structural integrity for configurations with stress singularities, it is important to recognize their presence. In addition to the asymptotic identifications of stress singularities available in the literature, the engineer can use divergence checks in numerical stress analysis to this end. After a review of the current state of the art of asymptotic identifications, this paper outlines some divergence checks that can also be effective in this role. Once singularities are recognized, there are four options open to engineers for attempting to ensure structural integrity: relying solely on experimental testing, drawing on the experience of others for like configurations, employing a fracture mechanics approach and removing singular stresses via improved modelling. This paper focuses on the last of these options. With suitable care, the requisite improved modelling can be realized by the introduction of stress-separation laws. Resulting stresses then offer the potential of comparing with appropriate strengths to obtain structural integrity.
Outcomes of bariatric surgery in the young: a single-institution experience caring for patients under 21 years old.

Medical weight loss options are rarely successful long term in young patients. Bariatric surgery has been shown to be safe and effective in this population. Patients ≤21 years old who had bariatric surgery at our institution between January 2009 and December 2013 were evaluated to determine the safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery in this population. The primary end point was excess weight loss (EWL). Secondary end points included surgical morbidity, improvement in obesity-related metabolic parameters, and subjective obesity-related symptoms at 1 year. Fifty-four patients were identified who had a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LGBP) or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Fourteen patients were male (25.9 %), and 40 patients were female (74.1 %). Thirty-seven patients (68.5 %) underwent LGBP, and 17 patients (31.5 %) underwent LSG. Median follow-up was 13.3 months. The baseline BMI was 51.7 kg/m2 for the LGBP group and 51.0 kg/m2 for the LSG group. EWL was 35.2, 47.6, 62.4, 58.1, and 61.8 % for the LGBP group; 29.7, 44.7, 57.4, 60.3, and 59.0 % for the LSG group at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively. Our complications included 1 anastomotic bleed, 1 postoperative stricture, and 1 patient who developed vitamin deficiency that manifested as a peripheral neuropathy in the LGBP group. LGBP was more successful than LSG in improving lipid panel parameters and HbA1c at 1 year, and it also seemed to offer better subjective improvement in obesity-related symptoms. LGBP and LSG seem to confer comparable weight loss benefit in patients ≤21 years old with acceptable surgical morbidity.
Effect of oral administration of Megasphaera elsdenii on performance of Holstein cows during early lactation

ABSTRACT Primi- and multiparous Holstein cows (n = 162) at a commercial dairy herd were assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: control (no dose; n = 44); 200 mL of Lactipro (Megasphaera elsdenii, 1 × 108 cfu/mL; MSBiotec, Littleton, CO) when cows entered (~−14 DIM) the late gestation pen (n = 45); 200 mL of Lactipro at 1 to 3 d postpartum (n = 39); and dosed both prepartum and postpartum (n = 34). Late gestation cows were fed 72% forage (63:37 corn silage and wheat straw), and upon calving, cows entered the high-producing group and were fed 40% forage (90:10 corn silage:wheat straw). There were no differences (P > 0.10) in daily and peak milk yields among treatments. Compared with control and cows dosed both pre- and postpartum, cows with ≥3 lactations dosed prepartum produced 4.3 and 5.6 kg/d more milk, respectively, and 5.6 and 5.8 kg/d more (P
Control of brown and beige fat development

Brown and beige adipocytes expend chemical energy to produce heat and are therefore important in regulating body temperature and body weight. Brown adipocytes develop in discrete and relatively homogenous depots of brown adipose tissue, whereas beige adipocytes are induced to develop in white adipose tissue in response to certain stimuli - notably, exposure to cold. Fate-mapping analyses have identified progenitor populations that give rise to brown and beige fat cells, and have revealed unanticipated cell-lineage relationships between vascular smooth muscle cells and beige adipocytes, and between skeletal muscle cells and brown fat. In addition, non-adipocyte cells in adipose tissue, including neurons, blood vessel-associated cells and immune cells, have crucial roles in regulating the differentiation and function of brown and beige fat.
Zooarchaeological analysis of a free African community: Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose

Vertebrate remains from Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose, near St. Augustine, Florida, provide a unique opportunity to examine African foodways at what may have been the first legally sanctioned, free, African town within the boundaries of what today is the United States of America. The collection contained 28,592 bones and an estimated 281 individuals. When data from Mose are compared to those from the nearby Nombre de Dios Native American village, it is clear that the refuse from Mose contained a higher percentage of domestic animals than did Native American refuse, although the subsistence strategies practiced by each group were similar in other respects. Compared to residents of St. Augustine, the people at Mose may have used less domestic meat. Slaves on coastal plantations later had greater access to domestic meat than did the residents of Mose and St. Augustine. These data suggest a high degree of self-sufficiency at Mose.
A Clinical Database Supports Better Patient Care, and Clinical Research in a Sickle Cell Center at a Large County Hospital.

Abstract The Georgia Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at Grady Health System was enabled in 1985 by an appropriation of the Georgia State Legislature. The Center developed as the World's first dedicated 24 hour acute care center is committed to patients with sickle cell syndromes. The Acute Care Center is equipped with 12 observation beds and patients are treated for up to 8 hours before a decision about hospital admission is made. Continuity follow-up clinics are held in the adjacent clinic area with 6 exam rooms, a waiting room, reception area, staff offices, and a multimedia teaching center for patients. Care is provided by a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinic assistants, secretarial support, social workers, psychologists, and a clinical nurse specialist in psychiatry. The state contract required 16 demographic characteristics on each patient seen by the center staff. To accomplish this, a relational database was developed to manage this large dataset. This database was initially established in R-Base format but subsequently transitioned to Windows based Access in 1995. The database was designed and implemented mainly to coordinate patient care containing demographics, problem lists, current medications, radiology results and laboratory data. The database also is utilized to manage the business aspects of the Center including making appointments, tracking visits, monitoring transfusions, ordering supplies, and tracking inventory. The database also provides support for research by identifying patients who qualify for research studies, tracking participation in clinical trials, correlating molecular genetic characterization with clinical findings and outcomes. The database presently has over 3500 registered patients. There are over 1608 active patients defined as being seen in the past two years. Phenotypes and ages are outlined in Table 1. The number of active patients in many age groups allows for cross-sectional, age specific analysis of complications in sickle cell disease. The database also facilitates identifying subjects for intervention trials by entry of study inclusion and exclusion criteria as search criteria for inquiries. The use of the database as a clinical management tool captures information during patient care activities minimizing the need for separate data entry. Data from 20 years of following patients in this data set also provides information on natural history, frequency of complications, and impact of interventions in patients with sickle syndromes Table 1 . Phenotypes and Ages of Active Patients Phenotype HbSS HbSC Sβ+ thal Sβo thal Other Unkn Total Number 711 214 112 18 237 316 1608 Percent 44% 13% 7% 1% 15% 20% 100% Age 0 – 9 10–19 20–29 30–39 40–49 50–59 ≥ 60 Number 321 339 414 283 172 58 21
Routine cine-CMR segmentation via a novel automated algorithm (LV-METRIC) for assessment of aortic physiology: a clinical validation study

Methods Cine-CMR (SSFP) was performed on 1.5 Tesla (GE) scanners; pulse sequence parameters were equivalent to those for routine CMR (typical TR 3.4 msec, TE 1.14 msec, flip angle 60, temporal resolution 30 msec). Images were acquired in conventional cardiac (2, 3, 4 chamber) long axis or axial imaging planes. Aortic area was uniformly measured in a non-aneurysmal location within the mid-descending thoracic aorta: Cine-CMR was quantified via a novel “partial voxel” segmentation algorithm (LV-METRIC) that accounts for relative proportion of blood within each individual imaging voxel. Maximum (systolic) and minimum (diastolic) aortic areas and brachial pulse pressure were used to calculate distensibility, a measure of arterial compliance, of the mid-descending thoracic aorta.
The Comprehensive Theological Bibliography: What is its Future?

The article compares WorldCat’s bibliographic records with prominent theological library holdings to establish a case that comprehensive or non-specialized publications under the LC classification “theology--bibliography” fell sharply after 1990. While many reasons might be given for this, two are examined in depth. First, theological interpretation/methodology shifted away from historical approaches to focus on new concerns and forms of scholarship. The sheer volume and numerous types of information that were published challenged the usefulness of the comprehensive theological--bibliography. Second, technology radically changed the way people read and approach theology. New formats and information access points, made the comprehensive theological bibliography obsolete. The article concludes with a discussion of the present state of bibliography, focusing on ways librarians and bibliographers might be able to create bibliographies going forward.
Developing mobile phone text messages for tobacco risk communication among college students: a mixed methods study.

Engaging young adults for the purpose of communicating health risks associated with nicotine and tobacco use can be challenging since they comprise a population heavily targeted with appealing marketing by the evolving tobacco industry. The Food and Drug Administration seeks novel ways to effectively communicate risks to warn about using these products. This paper describes the first step in developing a text messaging program delivered by smartphones that manipulate three messaging characteristics (i.e., depth, framing, and appeal). Perceptions of community college students were described after previewing text messages designed to inform about risks of using conventional and new tobacco products. Thirty-one tobacco users and nonusers, aged 18–25 participated in five focus discussions held on two community college campuses. Attendees reviewed prototype messages and contributed feedback about text message structure and content. Qualitative data were coded and analyzed using NVivo Version 10. Most participants were female and two-thirds were ethnic minorities. A variety of conventional and new tobacco products in the past month were used by a third of participants. Three identified domains were derived from the qualitative data. These included perceived risks of using tobacco products, receptivity to message content, and logistical feedback regarding the future message campaign. Overall, participants found the messages to be interesting and appropriate. A gap in awareness of the risks of using new tobacco products was revealed. Feedback on the prototype messages was incorporated into message revisions. These findings provided preliminary confirmation that the forthcoming messaging program will be appealing to young adults.
Key Themes in Mekkes’s Post-Critical Thought

AbstractThis article examines J.P.A. Mekkes’s post-critical thought with respect to three areas. First, I examine the correlation between faith and hearing, and the corresponding notion of the normativity of revelation, in Mekkes’s religious epistemology. I develop Mekkes’s epistemology in light of an appeal to testimony as the epistemic basis of faith. Second, I examine his claim that there is an irresolvable conflict between the historically situated knower and his claim to make universally valid truth claims. In this context, I raise the question regarding the distinction between epistemic justification and truth, and problems that arise from Mekkes’s failure to draw that distinction. Third, I examine Mekkes’s fundamental theology regarding the meaning of creation revelation, as well as his reluctance to speak of states of affairs, structures of creation, creational law, and the like. I argue that his reluctance stems from not only the philosophical problems I raise regarding his views on justification and truth, but also Mekkes’s emphasis on a Christocentric and eschatological perspective of creation revelation.
Race in Place: Black Parents, Family–School Relations, and Multispatial Microaggressions in a Predominantly White Suburb:

BackgroundResearch has demonstrated the importance of understanding the multiple factors that shape parents’ relationships with schools, including the resources parents have at their disposal, thei...
Impact of obesity on survival in patients (pts) with early-stage squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral tongue.

6048 Background: Obesity is a risk factor for several malignancies and an independent predictor of worse outcomes. In contrast, low body mass index (BMI) has been associated with increased risk of ...
Powers and Geometric Sequences

What do pyramid clubs, hot cups of coffee, gambling outcomes, and inflation rates have in common? Consider the following specific problems.
Acquisition of moving objects and hand-eye coordination

Many applications for robotic systems require the ability to handle moving objects. A method for providing a robot with real-time visual processing of moving objects is presented. By appropriately isolating the tracking task. It is possible to reduce the tracking problem to two dimensional pattern recognition. Numerous objects (potentially moving randomly) can be tracked while identifying one object at a time. The tracking ability can also be used to provide a robot with visual feed-back (in real-time) for hand-eye coordination.
Use of Behavioral Experiments to Test Ecological Theory in Streams

Direct behavioral observation of stream invertebrates was practiced extensively by aquatic entomologists in the early part of this century. Early descriptions of stream insect behavior were usually qualitative but of masterful literary style. Needham et. al. (1935) indulged in countless flowery descriptions of mayfly behavior, for example, this description of activities of close-clinging, stone-loving mayfly nymphs: “Under the stones we may find representatives of other ecological groups. Some dwell there; others are stranded there; others run in for shelter there. Every creature has a right to such shelter as he can find from the vicissitudes of life. In havens of refuge many strangers meet” (p. 182). Neave (1930) reported directly observing mass upstream migrations of mayfly nymphs along the banks of rivers, a behavior later reinvestigated by Hayden and Clifford (1974). Behavioral reports have an even older legacy as exemplified by writings of the habits of burrowing mayfly nymphs by the Dutch naturalist, Swammerdam (1737): “Of all species of insects, I never saw any one more mild, gentle, or innocent. For, in whatever manner it is treated, it is always calm and peaceful; and when left to itself, it immediately goes to work and begins to dig a cell for its habitation” (Needham et. al., 1935, p. 6).
Agricultural Poverty in Panama for Asian Perspective

The paper offers an Asian frame of reference to the technological and institutional dualism within agriculture in Panama and its role in deﬁning the character of Panamanian rural poverty. Firstly, it draws up a profile of poverty farms which corroborates the descriptive proﬁle yielded by a study conducted by the Panamanian government. Next, it outlines the economics of under-development and then proceeds to an extensive discussion of the development of poverty theories, particularly with reference to agriculture. It then presents a regression model based on the relationships hypothesized in the theoretical formulations, and using 19 70 farm data for each of Panama’s 66 Districts.Based on the regression results showing that Panamanian farmers of all sizes are responsive to economic opportunities, the paper recommends the abandonment of high selective price support and of government import monopoly by IMA in favor of world market prices. Taking into consideration the crucial importance of locational variables as determinants of farm income, the paper further proposes a homestead land redistribution program by making all public farmlands available for permanent settlement by farm households. This would serve to reconcentrate farm settlements in areas with more favorable locational characteristics. Finally, to complement the price and land reform measures, it is suggested that multi-purpose cooperatives be established, like the Farmers’ Associations of East Asia.
Neuroimaging in Traumatic Brain Injury

Neuroimaging plays an important role in the initial diagnosis, clinical management, and prognosis of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Specifically, imaging contributes to immediate decisions regarding hospital admission, and early surgical intervention (e.g., hematoma evacuation or ventricular drainage catheter and intracranial pressure monitor placement). In the subacute period, imaging may also be used to monitor lesion or postsurgical change or to detect lesions not immediately evident on initial imaging. In more chronic phases of recovery, imaging may also be used to characterize and monitor late-appearing tissue changes.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

Mindfulness, traditionally used in eastern practices, has received considerable public interest in recent decades. Consistent with this interest, the science, practice, and implementation of mindfulness interventions to treat psychiatric disorders have dramatically increased in recent years. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) was the first systematic mindfulness program designed to treat psychiatric disorders and was initially developed to reduce the risk of depression relapse. The current article will discuss the concept of mindfulness, the history of MBCT, and will describe its implementation in the treatment of depression. We further detail the research that supports MBCT efficacy for the treatment of depression relapse and for active symptoms of depression and describe some mechanisms through which MBCT leads to psychiatric improvements. Finally, we will describe how mental health practitioners can incorporate MBCT or mindfulness skills into their practice.
Proceedings of the 27th ACM symposium on Parallelism in Algorithms and Architectures

This volume consists of papers that were presented at the 27th ACM Symposium on Parallelism in Algorithms and Architectures (SPAA 2015) held on 13--15 June 2015, in Portland, Oregon, USA, as part of Federated Computing Research Conference (FCRC 2015). SPAA 2015 was sponsored by the ACM Special Interest Groups on Algorithms and Computation Theory (SIGACT) and Computer Architecture (SIGARCH) and organized in cooperation with the European Association for Theoretical Computer Science (EATCS). Financial support was provided by Akamai, Oracle Labs, and Intel Labs. We received a total of 131 submissions and the program committee selected 31 papers for full presentation. Of these papers, "Speed Scaling in the Non-clairvoyant Model" by Yossi Azar, Nikhil Devanur, Zhiyi Huang, and Debmalya Panigrahi was selected to receive the Best Paper Award. In addition, the PC selected 11 papers to be presented as brief announcements. Finally, this year's program also included two invited talks: "Myths and Misconceptions about Threads" by Hans-J Boehm and "The Revolution in Graph Theoretic Optimization Problems" by Gary Miller. The mix of selected papers reflects the unique nature of SPAA in bringing together the theory and practice of parallel computing. SPAA defines parallelism broadly to encompass any computational device or scheme that can perform multiple operations or tasks simultaneously or concurrently. The technical papers in this volume are to be considered preliminary versions, and authors are generally expected to publish polished and complete versions in archival scientific journals. The committee's decisions in accepting brief announcements were based on the perceived interest of these contributions, with the goal that they serve as bases for further significant advances in parallel computing. Extended versions of the SPAA brief announcements may be published later in other conferences or journals. The reviewing process consisted of multiple steps. Each paper received a minimum of 3 reviews in the initial phase. After this phase, the authors were given a chance to reply to the reviews during a 2-day rebuttal period. After all the rebuttals were received, there was extensive online discussion of the papers over a period of a week and additional reviews were solicited for some papers. The final decisions were made during a phone meeting on March 10.
Alkali delivery in chronic hemodialysis: Would more acetate be helpful?

The dialysate alkali used in hemodialysis to replace low body alkali levels in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients has changed over time from bicarbonate to acetate and finally back to bicarbonate with a small addition of acetate. The ideal way to replace alkali in dialysis patients remains uncertain. Elsewhere in this issue of the journal, Sargent and Gennari, who have contributed greatly to our understanding of dialysis and acid-base kinetics, suggest that decreasing the currently used concentration of bicarbonate while increasing concentration of acetate in the dialysate may be a much more physiological approach to alkali delivery during hemodialysis. These recommendations are based on results from a series of hemodialysis simulations using mathematical theoretical methods, with the assumption that acetate metabolism will be sufficiently delayed with the higher acetate dialysate and reduce the rate of correction of metabolic acidosis during dialysis. Although valuable in calling attention to the issues surrounding alkali repletion during hemodialysis, these postulations should be tested in clinical trials. We believe, however, that the available evidence suggests that the rate of gain of bicarbonate during dialysis with the higher acetate dialysate would not be slower and that the replacement of some dialysate bicarbonate with acetate will not alter alkali accretion or intradialytic pH.
Hormonal regulation of Semaphorin 7a in ER+ breast cancer drives therapeutic resistance

Approximately 70% of all breast cancers are estrogen receptor positive (ER+BC) and endocrine therapy has improved survival for ER+BC patients. Yet, up to half of these tumors recur within 20 years. Recurrent ER+BCs develop resistance to endocrine therapy; thus, novel targets are needed to treat recurrent ER+BC. We found that semaphorin 7A (SEMA7A) confers significantly decreased patient survival rates in ER+BC. We show that SEMA7A is hormonally regulated in ER+BC, but its expression does not uniformly decrease with anti-estrogen treatments. Additionally, overexpression of SEMA7A in ER+ cell lines drives increased in vitro growth in the presence of estrogen-deprivation, tamoxifen, and fulvestrant. In in vivo studies, we found that SEMA7A confers primary tumor resistance to fulvestrant and, importantly, induced lung metastases. Finally, we identify pro-survival signaling as a therapeutic vulnerability of ER+SEMA7A+ tumors and propose that targeting with inhibitors of survival signaling such as PI3K inhibitors and venetoclax may have efficacy for treating SEMA7A+ tumors.
Enjoyment, self-efficacy, and physical activity within parent-adolescent dyads: Application of the actor-partner interdependence model

Abstract It is unclear the role of salient psychosocial variables, such as physical activity (PA) enjoyment and self-efficacy, has on PA within parent-adolescent dyads. The purpose of this study was to examine the interdependent relationships among enjoyment, efficacy, and self-reported PA within parent-adolescent dyads using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). The sample consisted of 1854 parent-adolescent dyads enrolled in the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) Study. A panel research organization invited panel members balanced to the US population on sex, Census division, household income and size, and race/ethnicity. Panel members were screened for eligibility and web-based surveys were administered to each selected parent-adolescent dyad. Each individual answered questions pertaining to PA enjoyment, PA self-efficacy, and reported weekly PA using validated questionnaires. Interrelationships among the observed variables were analyzed using APIM via a partially recursive path analysis. There was a significant correlation between parent and adolescent PA (r = 0.15, p
Electrically detected magnetic resonance study of barium and nitric oxide treatments of 4H-SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors

We report on the effects of barium interfacial layer (IL) deposition and nitric oxide (NO) anneals on interface/near-interface defects in 4H-SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors utilizing electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR). The 4H-SiC/SiO2 interface has a large number of electrically active defects that reduce the effective channel mobility. Various passivation schemes have been utilized to decrease the interface defect density and thus increase mobility. Two passivation schemes of great interest are postoxidation annealing in nitric oxide (NO) and deposition of a barium interfacial layer (IL) before oxide growth. Our measurements compare the chemical nature of defects very near the 4H-SiC/SiO2 interface in devices utilizing both passivation schemes and nonpassivated devices. Both the NO anneal and the barium IL greatly reduce the interface region EDMR response, which corresponds to a large improvement in mobility. However, the EDMR response in devices subjected to the two passivation processes is somewhat different. We present results that suggest spin lattice relaxation times are longer in samples that received a barium IL than in samples with NO annealing; this result suggests a lower level of local strain within the vicinity of defects very near the 4H-SiC/SiO2 interface in barium treated samples over NO annealed samples.
Highly Dispersed RuOOH Nanoparticles on Silica Spheres: An Efficient Photothermal Catalyst for Selective Aerobic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol

Photothermal catalysis represents a promising strategy to utilize the renewable energy source (e.g., solar energy) to drive chemical reactions more efficiently. Successful and efficient photothermal catalysis relies on the availability of ideal photothermal catalysts, which can provide both large areas of catalytically active surface and strong light absorption power simultaneously. Such duplex requirements of a photothermal catalyst exhibit opposing dependence on the size of the catalyst nanoparticles, i.e., smaller size is beneficial for achieving higher surface area and more active surface, whereas larger size favors the light absorption in the nanoparticles. In this article, we report the synthesis of ultrafine RuOOH nanoparticles with a size of 2–3 nm uniformly dispersed on the surfaces of silica (SiOx) nanospheres of hundreds of nanometers in size to tackle this challenge of forming an ideal photothermal catalyst. The ultrasmall RuOOH nanoparticles exhibit a large surface area as well as the ability to activate adsorbed molecular oxygen. The SiOx nanospheres exhibit strong surface light scattering resonances to enhance the light absorption power of the small RuOOH nanoparticles anchored on the SiOx surface. Therefore, the RuOOH/SiOx composite particles represent a new class of efficient photothermal catalysts with a photothermal energy conversion efficiency of 92.5% for selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzylaldehyde under ambient conditions.
A Novel Scoring Instrument to Assess Donor Site Morbidity After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With a Patellar Tendon Autograft at 2-Year Follow-up Using Contemporary Graft-Harvesting Techniques

Background:Donor site morbidity after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with a bone–patellar tendon–bone (BTB) autograft is clinically significant, but evidence with contemporary tech...
A 20-Element Cavity-Backed Slot Electronically Steerable Parasitic Array Radiator (ESPAR) With 2-D Beamsteering and Minimized Beam Squint

A 20-element cavity-backed slot antenna array is presented herein based on an electronically steerable parasitic array radiator (ESPAR) cross subarray. This ESPAR array is able to steer the main beam within ±45° in the E-plane and ±40° in the H-plane without grating lobes. Inside each subarray, the beamsteering is realized by tuning the reactance of the loads at the four parasitic elements. Therefore, only four phase shifters are needed for this 20-element array to achieve 2-D beamsteering, corresponding to an 80% reduction on the number of phase shifters compared to a classic phased array. The measured impedance matching is maintained below −10 dB from 6.0 to 6.4 GHz (6.4% fractional bandwidth) at all scan angles. The radiation patterns are measured at five different scan angles in E- and H-planes. At each scan angle, the measured radiation patterns at five frequencies across the impedance-matching bandwidth exhibit very small beam squint. The measured peak gain is found to be 14.0 dBi at the boresight direction.
Auto-titrating CPAP for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in children: a good beginning

Citation:Khaytin I, Tapia IE, Beck SE. Auto-titrating CPAP for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in children: a good beginning. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020;16(10):1825–1826.
Infrared constrained equilibria and application to snowflake divertor studies

Abstract One of the challenges of the snowflake divertor (SFD) configuration is finding a reliable means of reconstructing the magnetic field geometry in the divertor. Since the SFD (and other advanced divertors) have multiple field nulls, there is a large region with shallow flux gradients that is difficult to resolve accurately using external diagnostics. In this work we present a technique that uses heat flux measured by the infrared television (IRTV) camera to improve SFD reconstruction. This is relevant for purposes of control, since the SFD is topologically unstable and requires active feedback on the shape [E. Kolemen, et. al., Nucl. Fusion, 58, 6 (2018)], and analysis, since reconstructions provided by other algorithms such as EFIT [L. Lao, et. al., Nucl. Fusion, 25, 11 (1985)] can mis-characterize the shape and even the snowflake type (plus or minus). The technique identifies the spatial position of the two x-points located in the SFD based on characteristics of the heat flux such as the strike point location and power distribution. The inferred x-point positions are then used as a constraint in fitting new equilibria using the TokSys suite of software. This procedure is applied to ~ 800 DIII-D SFD timeslices and reduces the summed strike point errors from an average 9.4 cm to 0.9 cm. The newly-created x-point constrained equilibria are compared to kinetic reconstructions and an average 16% reduction in the edge current is observed. This is correlated via a simple linear relationship to the shape constraints. Other changes in the pedestal structure are observed, but more work must be done to incorporate the IRTV constraint directly into kinetic solvers to obtain integrated solutions.
Life Cycle Analysis of Electrofuels: Fischer-Tropsch Fuel Production from Hydrogen and Corn Ethanol Byproduct CO2.

Electrofuels from renewable H2 and waste CO2 streams are of increasing interest because of their CO2 emissions reduction potentials compared to fossil counterparts. This study evaluated the well-to...
Physics-Aware Design of Multi-Branch GAN for Human RF Micro-Doppler Signature Synthesis

Generative adversarial networks (GANs) have been recently proposed for the synthesis of RF micro-Doppler signatures to mitigate the problem of low sample support and enable the training of deeper neural networks (DNNs) for improved RF signal classification. However, when applied to human micro-Doppler signatures for gait analysis, GANs suffer from systemic kinematic discrepancies that degrade performance. As a solution to this problem, this paper proposes the design of a physics-aware loss function and multi-branch GAN architecture. Our results show that RF gait signatures synthesized using the proposed approached have greater correlation and similarity to measured RF gait signatures, while also improving the accuracy in classifying five different gaits.
Disulfide-stapled design of α-helical bundles to target the trimer-of-hairpins motif of human respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein.

Abstract Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections worldwide in infants and young children. The RSV F glycoprotein is a class I fusion protein that mediates viral entry into host cells and is a major target of neutralizing antibodies. Targeting F glycoprotein has been recognized as a promising antiviral therapeutic strategy against RSV infection. Here, we reported the disulfide-stapled design of α-helical bundle to target the trimer-of-hairpins (TOH) motif of RSV F glycoprotein, which is the central regulatory module that triggers viral membrane fusion event. In TOH motif, three N-terminal heptad repeat (NtHR) helices form a trimeric coiled-coil core and other three C-terminal heptad repeat (CtHR) helices add to the core in an antiparallel manner. Interaction analysis between NtHR and CtHR revealed that the C-terminal tail of CtHR packs tightly against NtHR as compared to the N-terminal and middle regions of CtHR. A core binding site in CtHR C-terminus was identified, which represents a 13-mer chp peptide and can effectively interact with NtHR helix in native ordered conformation but would become largely disordered when splitting from the protein context of CtHR helix. Two chp helices were stapled together in a parallel manner with single, double or triple disulfide bridges, thus systematically resulting in seven disulfide-stapled α-helical bundles. Molecular simulations revealed that the double and triple stapling can effectively stabilize the structured conformation of α-helical bundles, whereas the free conformation of single-stapled bundles still remain intrinsically disordered in solvent. The double-stapled bundle chp-ds[508,516] and the triple-stapled bundle chp-ts[508,512,516] were rationally designed to have high potency; they can form a tight three-helix bundle with NtHR helix, thus potently targeting NtHR–CtHR interactions involved in RSV-F TOH motif through a competitive disruption mechanism.
State-of-the-Art in Automated Story Generation Systems Research

This paper presents a review of research works from the last several years in automated story generation systems. These systems are categorised into interactive story generation systems and non-Int...
Predicting clinical decompensation in patients with cirrhosis using the Hepquant‐SHUNT test

BACKGROUND Early identification of risk for decompensation in clinically stable cirrhotic patients helps specialists target early interventions and supports effective referrals from primary care providers to specialty centres. AIMS To examine whether the HepQuant-SHUNT test (HepQuant LLC, Greenwood Village, Colorado, USA) predicts decompensation and the need for liver transplantation, hospitalisation or liver-related death. METHODS Thirty-five compensated and 35 subjects with a previous episode of decompensation underwent the SHUNT Test and were followed for a median of 4.2 years. The disease severity index (DSI) (range 0-50) was examined for association with decompensation in compensated patients; and liver transplantation, liver-related death, and the number and days of liver related hospitalisations in all. DSI prediction of decompensation was also evaluated in 84 subjects with compensated cirrhosis from the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis Trial (HALT-C) followed for a median of 5.8 years. RESULTS At baseline, subjects with prior decompensation had significantly higher DSI than compensated subjects (32.6 vs 20.9, P < 0.001). DSI ≥24 distinguished the decompensated from the compensated patients and independently predicted adverse clinical outcomes (hazard ratio: 4.92, 95% confidence interval: 1.42-17.06). In the HALT-C cohort, 65% with baseline DSI ≥24 vs 19% with DSI <24 experienced adverse clinical outcomes (relative risk 3.45, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The SHUNT test is a novel, noninvasive test that predicts risk of decompensation in previously compensated patients. DSI ≥24 is independently associated with risk for clinical decompensation, liver transplantation, death and hospitalisation.
Holographic Enhancement of Boundaries in Seismic Applications

There are many different ways of forming images from seismic wave data recorded on the earth’s surface. One way is to record or produce a hologram at this surface and by an appropriate algorithm or analog procedure reconstruct the hologram to produce an image. This procedure will be employed here when we verify theoretical ideas; however, any method that properly “migrates” seismic waves back into the earth will suffice to take advantage of the techniques we are about to describe.