cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Negative feedback within a mutualism: host–specific growth of mycorrhizal fungi reduces plant benefit

A basic tenet of ecology is that negative feedback on abundance plays an important part in the coexistence of species within guilds. Mutualistic interactions generate positive feedbacks on abundance and therefore are not thought to contribute to the maintenance of diversity. Here, I report evidence of negative feedback on plant growth through changes in the composition of their mutualistic fungal symbionts, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Negative feedback results from asymmetries in the delivery of benefit between plant and AM fungal species in which the AM fungus that grows best with the plant Plantago lanceolata is a poor growth promoter for Plantago. Growth of Plantago is, instead, best promoted by the AM fungal species that accumulate with a second plant species, Panicum sphaerocarpon. The resulting community dynamic leads to a decline in mutualistic benefit received by Plantago, and can contribute to the coexistence of these two competing plant species.
Improved hemostasis during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy using gelatin matrix thrombin sealant.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate whether using a biologic hemostatic sealant facilitates hemostasis during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. Secure and durable parenchymal hemostasis is a critical requirement during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. Methods Since September 1999, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy has been performed in more than 300 patients by a single surgeon, duplicating open surgical principles. Recently, from patient 225 onward, we modified our technique by incorporating topical application of a gelatin matrix thrombin sealant (FloSeal) to cover the partial nephrectomy bed before sutured renorrhaphy over a Surgicel bolster. The impact of FloSeal on reducing hemorrhagic complications was evaluated by comparing two sequential groups of patients: group 1 consisted of 68 patients in whom FloSeal was not used (patients 156 to 224) and group 2 consisted of 63 patients in whom it was used (patients 225 to 288). Results Groups 1 (no FloSeal) and 2 (FloSeal) were comparable in tumor size, number of central tumors, and performance of pelvicaliceal suture repair (84% versus 92%; P = 0.16). Intraoperative variables were also comparable in terms of mean warm ischemia time (36.1 versus 37.2 minutes; P = 0.55), blood loss (150 versus 106 mL; P = 0.36), operative time, and hospital stay. However, the FloSeal group had significantly fewer overall complications (37% versus 16%; P = 0.008) and tended toward a lower rate of hemorrhagic complications (12% versus 3%), although this did not achieve statistical significance ( P = 0.08). Conclusions The results of this study have shown that adjunctive use of gelatin matrix thrombin sealant substantially enhances parenchymal hemostasis and has decreased our procedural and hemorrhagic complications to levels comparable with contemporary open partial nephrectomy series. This gelatin matrix-thrombin tissue sealant is now a routine part of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy at our institution.
Memory for spatial location: influences of environmental cues and task field rotation

We developed a formal theoretical extension of the category-adjustment model (Huttenlocher, Hedges, & Duncan, 1991) to incorporate the potential impact of external reference cues in spatial memory. This extension was tested in an experiment in which individuals remembered locations within a circular task field, with different numbers of peripheral cues available. Orientation of the task field was dynamic in the sense that it was rotated on the majority of trials. By modeling the angular bias shown in observers' estimates on unrotated trials, we sought to distinguish between cue-based categories and viewer-based geometric categories as the source of such bias. Results were consistent with our fuzzy boundary extension of the category-adjustment model in which observers generate prototypes based on available reference cues. Both memory accuracy and bias were affected by the number of cues in the task field as predicted.
Blob-like feature extraction and matching for brain MR images

The cerebral cortex of the human brain is highly folded. It is useful for neuroscientists and clinical researchers to identify and/or quantify cortical folding patterns across individuals. The top (gyri) and bottom (sulci) of these folds resemble the “blob-like” features used in computer vision. In this article, we evaluate different blob detectors and descriptors on brain MR images, and introduce our own, the "brain blob detector and descriptor (BBDD)." For the first time blob detectors are considered as spatial filters under the scale-space framework and their impulse responses are manipulated for detecting the structures in our interest. The BBDD detector is tailored to the scale and structure of blob-like features that coincide with cortical folds, and its descriptors performed well at discriminating these features in our evaluation.
Low noise rail-to-rail pseudo-switched operational amplifier for biosensor applications

Amperometric biosensors have become increasingly popular due to the ease of processing information in the electronic domain. However, the largest obstacles to their widespread adoption lie in the difficulty of realizing large arrays of these sensors in a compact footprint, largely due to the low-noise front-end amplifier required at the input stage. Low noise current sensing often necessitates a discrete-time integrating front-end requiring large open-loop gain operational amplifiers (op-amp). Besides the large area consumption, another issue is the ability of the front-end to handle a wide common mode range required for implementation of sophisticated sensing protocols. We present a four transistor ±1 V input common-mode range amplifier operating from a ±1.25 V supply with ≥ 80 dB of open loop gain and a 100 MHz unity-gain bandwidth fabricated in a 130 nm CMOS process. The core area of the amplifier is 0.006 mm2 and consumes 75 μW, which can be further optimized. The amplifier is designed based on a pseudo-switched capacitor circuit. However, unlike conventional switched capacitor circuits, we exploit the time during reset in integrating transimpedance amplifiers to store the common-mode offset. We show by turning off the clocks during the current-sensing operation the noise can be considerably reduced (factor of 20) without adversely affecting the operation of the amplifier. We also compared the noise performance of this amplifier to a more traditional op-amp stage to show that the performance is comparable albeit at a lower area.
Research Digest - Infiltration vs. Surface Water Discharge: Guidance for Stormwater Managers

Urban stormwater runoff contributes to the degradation of receiving surface waters and groundwater. This degradation is caused both by the increased flows that result from urbanization (i.e., the conversion of land surfaces from being infiltration zones to impervious zones) and by the pollutants (chemical and microbiological) that are carried by runoff. Stormwater management aims to address these problems. It is a fundamental component of site development for new construction and often is required to the maximum extent practicable for redevelopment of urban/suburban lands to minimize/remediate the impacts of urbanization. To assist practitioners of stormwater management (engineers, regulators, plan reviewers, etc.), many regulatory agencies have developed guidance documents to assist in the design of stormwater treatment devices. These manuals typically provide information on approved practices, and many provide information regarding the anticipated performance of these devices to abate flow, targeted pollutants, or both. This Research Digest and the Final Report for project 04SW3 (referred to herein as the “full document”) are not intended to supplant agencies' guidance documents. Instead, they are designed to supplement their content. They also should aid in focusing stormwater management planning, design, and implementation more toward the intended purpose of protecting the receiving water, whether it is ground- or surface water, rather than toward solely fulfilling a regulatory requirement. The documents provide the user with tools to evaluate whether the planned management strategies will meet the regulatory requirement, as well as potentially improving the receiving water quality, or at least preventing degradation. This title belongs to WERF Research Report Series . ISBN: 9781843393382 (Print) ISBN: 9781780403472 (eBook)
A Micromachined Wiring Board With Integrated Microinductor for Chip-Scale Power Conversion

This paper presents a multilayer wiring board that integrates a copper air-core microinductor to enable a highly compact, chip-scale power converter module. The wiring board is wafer-level fabricated with three 30-μm-thick electroplated copper layers and is subsequently detached from the fabrication wafer to yield a board that is only 90 μm thick for minimum overall module volume. Within this platform, a stacked-spiral air-core microinductor is designed for high-switching-frequency power conversion and yields high inductance density of 128 nH/mm 2 (100 nH/mm 3 by volume, including 600 μm clearances both above and below the inductor to minimize coupling with external conductors). Although this technology is anticipated to be more appropriate for emerging, experimental converters with switching frequencies >30 MHz, a proof-of-concept, ultraminiature (9 mm 2 footprint, 0.7 mm thick) power converter module is presented that utilizes the microinductor wiring board in conjunction with a commercially available surface-mount boost regulator (~4 MHz switching frequency). The converter module yielded a maximum output power of 153 mW at 60% efficiency for a volumetric power density of 24 mW/mm 3 based on the physical volume occupied by the module (13 mW/mm 3 based on the volume needing to be kept clear from external conductors).
Effects of buoyancy on the diving behavior of northern elephant seals.

Marine mammals experience radical seasonal changes in body composition, which would be expected to affect their buoyancy in the water. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between such changes in buoyancy and diving behavior in northern elephant seals Mirounga angustirostris. This was achieved by modifying the buoyancy of 13 juvenile elephant seals translocated from Ano Nuevo State Reserve, CA, USA, and released at various sites in Monterey Bay, CA, USA. The buoyancy of each seal was calculated and was increased or decreased using syntactic foam or lead weights, and their diving behavior was recorded as they returned to Ano Nuevo. The seals were divided into three groups: increased buoyancy (B+), reduced buoyancy (B-) and control seals (Bc). Mean descent rates were 0.77+/-0.3 ms-1 for the B+ seals, 0.82+/-0.2 ms-1 for the control seals and 0.87+/-0.3 ms-1 for the B- seals, and were significantly different. Mean ascent rates for the three treatments were 0.82+/-0.3 ms-1 for the B+ seals, 0.86+/-0.3 ms-1 for the control seals and 0.82+/-0.3 ms-1 for the B- seals. All the B+ seals ascended faster than they descended, while four of the five B- seals descended faster than they ascended. There was a significant negative correlation between buoyancy and descent rate, with less buoyant seals descending faster than more buoyant seals. There was, however, no correlation between ascent rate and buoyancy. This suggests that seals may use negative buoyancy to drift passively during descent, but that all seals may swim continuously during ascent. There was a significant correlation between buoyancy and the drift descent rate of C-type drift dives, including upwards drift in the most buoyant seal. Buoyancy was not correlated with diving depth, trip duration, dive duration or surface-interval duration. This study demonstrates that buoyancy plays a significant role in shaping diving behavior in northern elephant seals and that elephant seals may adjust their behavior to suit their buoyancy, rather than adjusting their buoyancy to suit a dive. This study also validated the truncated cones method of calculating body composition in this species by comparing it with body composition determined using tritium dilution.
Current concepts in management of lupus nephritis.

Since prognosis seems to vary according to which of several possible types of disease is present, the first step is renal biopsy and histologic classification. Management options thereafter—both conventional (steroid therapy) and investigational (cytotoxic agents plus steroids, thymic hormone replacement, steroid “pulse” therapy)—are discussed in terms of recent clinical results and theoretical mechanisms of action.
Troponins in equipoise.

This editorial refers to ‘Impact of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin on use of coronary angiography, cardiac stress testing, and time to discharge in suspected acute myocardial infarction’, by R. Twerenbold et al. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehw232. Equipose ( noun | equi·poise | \e-kwə-p⊙iz, ē-\): a state of equilibrium1Well-executed clinical trials have changed the landscape for how patients with cardiovascular disease are evaluated and managed in the current era. Such trials are considered the gold standard for regulatory approval, and clinical practice guidelines often put heavy emphasis on large-scale studies for recommendations. Alternative paths in the traditional journey from concept to regulatory approval or guideline adoption may occur, however. Indeed, there are times when development and availability of a novel diagnostic or therapy may occur in a manner such that clinical equipoise develops: newer approaches for patient evaluation or management may sit side-by-side in clinical practice with previous versions of such care, and prospective comparative effectiveness studies may be lacking; clinicians must therefore negotiate the treacherous and often murky waters of the literature to understand whether a newer procedure, drug, or diagnostic tool truly has merit, compared with prior versions. Such is the case with the emergence of highly sensitive troponin (hsTn). Though conventional troponin (cTn) methods are of substantial importance and have changed the landscape of modern cardiology, the relatively high imprecision of many cTn assays (especially at very low analyte concentrations) leaves them unable to resolve small differences in biomarker values. In turn, this results in lower …
Establishing estrogen-responsive mouse mammary organoids from single Lgr5+ cells

Recent evidence suggests that mammary cells expressing R-spondin receptor and Wnt pathway regulator Lgr5, regarded as a stem cell marker in multiple tissues, might represent mammary stem cells (MaSCs). Whether L gr5 marks a multipotent subpopulation of Lin-CD24low/medCD49fhigh MaSCs remains controversial. To some extent the differing results reflect different assays used to assess properties of stemness, including lineage tracing in vivo, mammosphere culture, and mammary fat pad transplantation assays. To address this issue directly, we isolated Lgr5+ cells from mammary glands of Lgr5-lacZ mice and established organoids based on principles adapted from studies of Wnt-driven Lgr5+ cell populations in other organs. Mammary organoids were grown from single Lgr5+ mammary cells in Matrigel, the substratum of choice for intestinal organoids, and in a growth factor cocktail containing EGF, Wnt3a and R-spondin, designed to optimally activate the endogenous Wnt signaling program of stem cells. Colonies derived from single Lgr5+ cells manifest at least four distinct cell populations: Lgr5+ and Lgr5- basal cells and c-Kit+ and c-Kit- luminal cells that spontaneously organize into a ductal structure with basal cells around the periphery and luminal cells lining an interior cavity, reminiscent of normal mammary duct structure. Lgr5+ cell-derived organoids were sustainable during prolonged passaging. In contrast, although Lgr5- cells expand into primary colonies, colony-forming efficiency immediately dissipated upon passaging. Furthermore, reproductive hormones induce epithelial cell proliferation resulting in marked increases in lumen diameter accompanied by squamous transdifferentiation. We propose this estrogen-responsive, self-organizing duct-like structure derived from single murine Lgr5+ mammary cells represents a "mini-breast" organoid.
Investigating How Voters Weigh Issues and Partisanship in Judicial Elections

Drawing on a 2009 statewide telephone poll of registered voters in Texas, this study investigates how voters react to politicized campaigning, judicial experience and partisan cues when voting for judge. We analyze individual-level data by employing an experimental design in which respondents were provided information about a hypothetical judicial candidate (varying in both campaign theme and in partisanship) and then asked about the likelihood of voting for that candidate. We found that in a partisan election state such as Texas, individuals rely heavily on party as a shortcut when evaluating judicial candidates, even when accounting for judicial experience. We also found that respondents with greater levels of political sophistication were more likely to be influenced by a candidate’s issue position on frivolous lawsuits.
Mirror Writing, a Normal Attribute or Pathological?

Mirror writing, its occurrence in famous people, mechanisms, and pathophysiology, are discussed by a neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK.
Design of the aperture array for neutron imaging from the north pole of the National Ignition Facility

A new neutron imager, known as Neutron Imaging System North Pole, will use an array of thick apertures to image the neutrons produced in the burn region of imploding fusion capsules at the National Ignition Facility. While the resolution requirements and parameters that drive the design of this array are similar to traditional x-ray pinhole arrays, neutrons require thick apertures with narrow fields of view, and a precisely designed array of apertures is critical to allow alignment and capture the required images with 10-μm resolution. This work describes the mechanical parameters and limitations driving the design of the aperture array, in addition metrology and alignment requirements are discussed.
Waterfowl Impoundments as Sources of Nitrogen Pollution

Hydrologically controlled moist-soil impoundment wetlands provide critical habitat for high densities of migratory bird populations. Nutrients exported from heavily used impoundments by prescribed seasonal drawdown of surface water may contribute to the eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems. To investigate the relative importance of nutrient export from managed impoundment habitats, we conducted a field study at Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina, USA, which contains 1545 ha of impoundments that drain into hypereutrophic Lake Mattamuskeet. We found that prescribed hydrologic drawdowns of an impoundment exported roughly the same amount of nitrogen (N) as adjacent fertilized agricultural fields on a per-area basis and contributed approximately one fifth of total N load to Lake Mattamuskeet. The prescribed drawdown regime, designed to maximize waterfowl production in impoundments, may be exacerbating the degradation of habitat quality in the downstream lake as an unintended consequence. Few studies of wetland N dynamics have targeted impoundments managed to provide wildlife habitat, but a similar phenomenon may occur in some of the 36,000 ha of similarly managed moist-soil impoundments on National Wildlife Refuges in the southeastern USA, especially those hosting dense concentrations of waterfowl. We suggest an earlier seasonal drawdown could potentially mitigate impoundment N pollution and estimate it could reduce N export from our study impoundment by more than 70 %.
Continuous annual land use and land cover mapping using AVHRR GIMMS NDVI3g and MODIS MCD12Q1 datasets over China from 1982 to 2012

Land use and land cover change (LULCC) can influence regional climate by altering the surface roughness, soil moisture, and heat flux partition. LULCC information therefore is important for providing a better understanding of land-atmosphere interaction. A key requirement for such data for use in climate studies is the generation of land use maps on at least an annual basis. However, current continuous annual land use and land cover maps are only available from 2001 to present, limiting the span of the period that can be studied. This study applied a random forests classifier based on nineteen phenological metrics to produce land use and land cover maps of China from 1982 to 2012 using Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) third generation NDVI (NDVI3g) dataset, and Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land cover type product (MCD12Q1). The overall accuracy is 86.3%, which indicates the reliability of the maps.
Longer-than-average length of stay in acute heart failure : Determinants and outcomes.

Increased length of stay (LOS) during acute heart failure (HF) hospitalization is associated with readmission and mortality. The ESCAPE trial data were utilized to identify determinants and post-discharge outcomes of patients with acute systolic HF requiring longer-than-average LOS (≥7 days). The study endpoints were 6‑month all-cause mortality, all-cause rehospitalization, and the composite endpoint of death, cardiac rehospitalization, and cardiac transplant. Among the 424 patients with recorded LOS, 216 (50.9%) and 208 (49.1%) had LOS ≥ or <7 days, respectively. Independent determinants of longer-than-average LOS included older age (OR per 10-year increase: 1.759, 95% CI: 1.120–2.763, p = 0.014), higher blood urea nitrogen (OR per 5 mg/dl increase: 1.202, 95% CI: 1.024–1.410, p = 0.024), greater inferior vena cava diameter (OR per 1 cm increase: 2.453, 95% CI: 1.175–5.121, p = 0.017), and lower sodium (OR per 4 mmol/l increase: 0.494, 95% CI: 0.268–0.911, p = 0.024). We found a significant correlation between right-sided failure (right atrial pressure) and LOS (r = 0.229, p = 0.001) but not left-sided failure (pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, r = 0.099, p = 0.177). Patients with longer-than-average LOS had a significantly higher mortality (25.9% vs. 12%, univariate OR: 2.562, 95% CI: 1.528–4.296, p < 0.001), higher all-cause rehospitalization (63% vs. 53.4%, univariate OR: 1.486, 95% CI: 1.008–2.190, p = 0.046) and higher frequency of the composite endpoint of death, cardiac rehospitalization, and cardiac transplant (61.6% vs. 45.2%, univariate OR: 1.943, 95% CI: 1.320–2.862, p = 0.001) compared with an LOS of <7 days. Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that a longer-than-average LOS was an independent predictor of 6‑month all-cause mortality (HR: 1.930, 95% CI: 1.112–3.350, p = 0.019). In acute HF, right ventricular failure and renal dysfunction predict longer-than-average LOS, which is a proxy for more severe HF and is associated with worse postdischarge outcomes.
Harmonic Forcing of a Two-Segment Euler-Bernoulli Beam

This study is on the forced motions of non-homogeneous elastic beams. Euler-Bernoulli theory is employed and applied to a two-segment configuration subject to harmonic forcing. The objective is to determine the frequency response function for the system. Two different solution strategies are used. In the first, analytic solutions are derived for the differential equations for each segment. The constants involved are determined using boundary and interface continuity conditions. The response, at a given location, can be obtained as a function of forcing frequency (FRF). The procedure is unwieldy. Moreover, determining particular integrals can be difficult for arbitrary spatial variations. An alternative method is developed wherein material and geometric discontinuities are modeled by continuously varying functions (here logistic functions). This results in a single differential equation with variable coefficients, which is solved numerically, for specific parameter values, using MAPLE®. The numerical solutions are compared to the baseline analytical approach for constant spatial dependencies. For validation purposes an assumed-modes solution is also developed. For a free-fixed boundary conditions example good agreement between the numerical methods and the analytical approach is found, lending assurance to the continuous variation model. Fixed-fixed boundary conditions are also treated and again good agreement is found.
DNA Polymerase β, Eukaryotic

DNA polymerase β (pol β ) plays a crucial role in the base-excision repair (BER) pathway that cleanses the genome of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites. AP sites arise in DNA from spontaneous base loss (depurination) and DNA damage-specific glycosylases that hydrolyze the N -glycosidic bond between the deoxyribose and damaged base. AP sites represent a potentially dangerous lesion to a cell since they can be mutagenic or cytotoxic. Pol β is composed of two specialized domains that contribute two enzymatic activities, DNA synthesis and lyase, during the repair of AP sites. The amino-terminal domain of pol β possesses the lyase activity necessary to remove the 5′-deoxyribose phosphate intermediate generated during BER. Failure to remove this group may initiate alternate BER pathways. The larger polymerase domain has nucleotidyl transferase activity. This domain has a modular organization with subdomains that bind duplex DNA, catalytic metals, and the correct nucleoside triphosphate in a template-dependent manner. Detailed crystallographic structures of pre-catalytic complexes and mutagenic intermediates of pol β have provided insights into the strategies utilized by polymerases to ensure high-fidelity DNA synthesis.
Behavioral Ecology of the Nevada Kit Fox (Vulpes Macrotis Nevadensis) on a Managed Desert Rangeland

The kit fox (Vulpes macrotis Merriam) inhabits desert and semiarid areas of western North America. Recent research and evaluations consider the kit fox distinct from the swift fox V. velox (Say) (Rohwer and Kilgore, 1973; Egoscue, 1979; McGrew, 1979; Honacki et al., 1982; Nowack and Paradiso, 1983). Earlier accounts (Hall and Kelson, 1959) recognized eight subspecies of V. macrotis. McGrew’s (1979) thorough review of research dealing with subspecific categories for the kit fox reduced the eight subspecies to five: V. m. macrotis Merriam, V. m. mutica Merriam, V. m. nevadensis Goldman, and V. m. zinseri Benson. The San Joaquin kit fox (V. m. mutica) is considered an endangered species by the U. S. Department of Interior and receives appropriate protection in California (Morrell, 1972; U. S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1976).
Erdheim Chester disease in a patient with Burkitt lymphoma: a case report and review of literature

Erdheim Chester disease (ECD) is a rare, non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis characterized by widespread tissue infiltration by CD68-positive, CD1a-negative foamy histiocytes. ECD can be difficult to identify, and diagnosis relies on the presence of histiocytes with certain histologic and immunophenotypic features in an appropriate clinical and radiologic setting. Clinical signs and symptoms are variable depending on which organ systems are involved. Most patients have at least skeletal involvement with bone pain as well as fatigue. Other common manifestations include diabetes insipidus, cardiac, periaortic, or retro-orbital infiltration/fibrosis, kidney impairment, xanthelasmas, among others. Herein, we describe a case of BRAF-mutation positive ECD in a patient with Burkitt lymphoma, and we review recent literature. Underlying BRAF and other MAPK pathway mutations are identified in approximately 50% of cases of ECD, which aids in diagnosis as well as enables novel targeted treatments. ECD patients have an increased risk of myeloid neoplasms; however, unlike other histiocytoses, an association with lymphoproliferative disorders has not been recognized.
Considerations in the addition of cannabis to chocolate

Toward the end of 2019 Canada will legalize the sale of edible products containing cannabis. In the light of this impending legislation, it seems appropriate to explore some of the issues likely to arise when cannabis is added to fine chocolate. Cannabis is currently added to many edible chocolate products in American states that allow the legal sale of edibles. Medical cannabis chocolate products are already available in Canada as well as a significant gray market in recreational edibles. In this brief review we discuss some factors around the introduction of cannabis products into fine chocolate, look briefly at the metabolism of edibles, the introduction of forms of cannabis into fine chocolate and some safety concerns around the addition of plant material into edible products.
Vision-based precision localization of UAVs for sensor payload placement and pickup for field monitoring applications

Due to their mobility and autonomy, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide an unprecedented opportunity to perform data gathering in a wide array of civil engineering applications such as visual inspection of infrastructure. Given their versatility, the role of UAVs can be expanded by leveraging their autonomous operations to deploy wireless sensing resources. This can be especially valuable in numerous field applications such as shear wave velocity (Vs) assessment of the subsurface. This study explores the feasibility of automating the autonomous placement and pickup of wireless geophone sensors using UAVs for multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) for subsurface characterization. Typically, autonomous navigation of UAVs is based on the fusion of inertial sensors and GPS to control the UAV flight trajectory. However, this approach is not sufficiently accurate for missions requiring precision placement and pickup of payloads (such as sensors). Hence, computer vision using fiducial markers can be used to augment traditional inertial sensing to add accuracy to the localization of the UAV relative to payloads. In this study, we use a set of fiducial markers of varying sizes as tracking targets during navigation missions. Pose information extracted from the marker images are integrated into a sensor fusion controller based on the Kalman filter. The work conducts field validation of the proposed computer vision navigation method showing accuracy of the UAV landing on a user defined target within 10 cm; as the UAV descends, smaller fiducial markers are shown to increase the precision of the UAV placement on the ground.
Costs and training results of an objectively validated cadaveric perfusion‐based internal carotid artery injury simulation during endoscopic skull base surgery

Background Internal carotid artery injury (ICAI) is a rare, life-threatening complication of endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs). High-fidelity simulation methods exist, but optimization of the training cohort, training paradigm, and costs of simulation training remain unknown. Methods Using our previously validated, high-fidelity, perfused-cadaver model, participants attempted to manage a simulated ICAI. After a brief instructional video and coaching, the simulation was repeated. Training success was defined as successful ICAI control on the second attempt after failure on the initial attempt. Marginal costs were measured. Results Seventy-two surgeons participated in the standardized simulation, which lasted ≤15 minutes. The marginal cost of simulation was $275.00 per surgeon. A total of 44.4% (n = 32) succeeded on the first attempt before training (previously proficient); 44.4% (n = 32) failed the first attempt, but succeeded after training (training successes); and 11.1% (n = 8) failed both attempts. The cost per training success was $618.75. Forty-two surgeons had never treated an ICAI, with 24 becoming training successes (57.1% overall, 82.8% when excluding previously proficient surgeons). Twenty-nine had experienced a real or simulated ICAI, with 8 (27.6% overall, 72.7% excluding previously proficient surgeons) becoming training successes. The cost per training success was lowest in the ICAI-naive group ($481.25) and highest among surgeons with simulated and real ICAI experience ($1650). Conclusions Surgeons can be trained to manage ICAI in a single, brief, low-cost session. Although all groups improved, training an ICAI-naive or resident cohort may maximize training results. A perfused-cadaver model is a reproducible, realistic, and low-cost method for training surgeons to manage life-threatening ICAI during an EEA.
Transfusion Reactions: A Case Study of an Ocular Adverse Event During Autologous Transplantation.

Background Transfusion of blood products is an integral part of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Because of the risk for myelotoxicity during conditioning regimens, adequate transfusion support is needed. Typical signs and symptoms of transfusion reactions include fever, chills, hives, and itching. Uncommon symptoms, such as conjunctival erythema, periorbital itching, erythema, and edema, can also occur. Objectives The purpose of this article is to describe atypical transfusion-related reactions in a patient undergoing stem cell transplantation. Methods This article presents a case study of a patient with cancer undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation who experienced an adverse ocular reaction following platelet transfusion. Findings Ensuring that oncology nurses are proactive in identifying and managing symptoms that can result from atypical transfusion reactions can reduce morbidity and mortality and improve overall patient care outcomes.
Post-Prostatectomy Incontinence: an Update on Current Management

To review the most recent literature on the treatment of post-prostatectomy incontinence. New technology and implementation of surgical devices have resulted in a myriad of treatment options for men suffering post-prostatectomy incontinence. However, many of these have widely varied results. The treatment of post-prostatectomy incontinence is consistent and continues to expand with more devices being introduced in the market. However, optimization of patient outcomes and determination of which devices work best will be required. To date, there are few randomized controlled trials for the treatment of post-prostatectomy incontinence.
Upper bound of feed rates in thermoplastic material extrusion additive manufacturing

Abstract In this work, we develop a simple model to determine the upper bound of feed rates that do not cause jamming in material extrusion additive manufacturing, also known as fused deposition modeling (FDM)™ or fused-filament fabrication (FFF). We first derive a relation between the tube temperature and Peclet number for the solid portion of polymer filaments. We focus on the boundary between the solid and molten polymer in the heated portion of the tube. We find the Peclet number that corresponds to the point at which this boundary makes contact with the nozzle, and identify this as the upper bound of the feed rate. We compare our predictions to experimental results. We find good agreement for tube temperatures sufficiently above the glass-transition temperature, which is the temperature region of typical additive manufacturing.
Change and Stability in the Characteristics of the Population Without Health Insurance

Introduction The uninsured population faces greater health risks than the insured population. Although prior research has examined how the uninsured rate has changed for various sociodemographic groups, less is known about how the characteristics of the uninsured population have changed in recent years. Methods The analyses used 1-year American Community Survey data from 2013 through 2018 on the noninstitutionalized civilian population aged 19–64 years to examine trends in the characteristics of the U.S. uninsured population. Analyses also explored the importance of social and demographic change in the overall U.S. population by decomposing the change in the uninsured rate between 2013 and 2018. Results In 2018, the profile of the uninsured population differed from that of the noninstitutionalized civilian population aged 19–64 years with respect to a number of characteristics, including age, sex, and socioeconomic resources. Between 2013 and 2018, southern individuals and those with less than a high school education comprised a disproportionate share of the uninsured population. However, compositional changes did not drive the overall decline in the uninsured rate. Conclusions Although prior research has considered changes in the uninsured rate for key sociodemographic groups, fewer studies have considered how these changes affected the composition of the uninsured population in the U.S. The profile of the uninsured population, which has changed over time, can help to inform interventions to target this group.
An exploration of factors influencing the decision-making process and selection of academic help sources

This study identifies factors that influence undergraduate students’ selection of a source of help. Learners engage in intentional decisions to seek help from human and non-human sources to resolve gaps in knowledge. Previous research in academic help-seeking assumed learners sought only human sources of assistance, resulting in a narrow understanding of how learners resolve knowledge gaps. Methodological trends in help-seeking research consistently favor quantitative, survey-based tools with pre-defined options. As a result, the factors that influence the selection of a source in a real-world setting with both human and online sources remain unexplored. The findings support including online sources in help-seeking models. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate the importance of relationships and underscore the need for an integrated framework of help-seeking. A new theory of source selection emerged which integrates academic help-seeking and information-searching behavior.
Growth, Private Investment, and the Cost of Doing Business in Tunisia: A Comparative Perspective

In Tunisia's emerging, more competitive environment, the key precondition for accelerated growth and faster job creation is greater private investment, compared to other high-growth countries, Tunisia's growth was driven more by public and less by private investment. Comparisons with fast-growing countries also suggest that consolidating and further improving Tunisia's human capital assets, and further strengthening the macroeconomic fundamentals are additional conditions for sustained growth. But despite Tunisia's solid macroeconomic fundamentals and generous investment incentives, private investment remains compressed at levels below potential compared to other fast-growing countries. Moreover, empirical evidence suggests a loss of momentum of private investment since the mid-1990s. Possible reasons include the limited openness of key services to competition, heightened business uncertainty stemming from commercial risks, and weaknesses in economic governance  in particular regarding the predictability and transparency of the regulatory framework  that weaken the investment climate. The analysis examines the quality of the regulatory framework for doing business, a key underpinning of the investment climate. Tunisia ranks well in a number of regulatory areas that affect a firm's operations during its life cycle. But in other key areas regulations are not conducive for doing business: employment termination; credit information sharing; creditor's rights in bankruptcy; and business exit. Well-sequenced reform in these areas would help bridge Tunisia's "private investment gap".
Abelson kinase’s intrinsically disordered region plays essential roles in protein function and protein stability

The non-receptor tyrosine kinase Abelson (Abl) is a key player in oncogenesis, with kinase inhibitors serving as paradigms of targeted therapy. Abl also is a critical regulator of normal development, playing conserved roles in regulating cell behavior, brain development and morphogenesis. Drosophila offers a superb model for studying Abl’s normal function, because, unlike mammals, there is only a single fly Abl family member. In exploring the mechanism of action of multi-domain scaffolding proteins like Abl, one route is to define the roles of their individual domains. Research into Abl’s diverse roles in embryonic morphogenesis revealed many surprises. For instance, kinase activity, while important, is not crucial for all Abl activities, and the C-terminal F-actin binding domain plays a very modest role. This turned our attention to one of Abl’s least understood features—the long intrinsically-disordered region (IDR) linking Abl’s kinase and F-actin binding domains. The past decade revealed unexpected, important roles for IDRs in diverse cell functions, as sites of posttranslational modifications, mediating multivalent interactions and enabling assembly of biomolecular condensates via phase separation. Previous work deleting conserved regions in Abl’s IDR revealed an important role for a PXXP motif, but did not identify any other essential regions. Here we extend this analysis by deleting the entire IDR, and asking whether Abl∆IDR rescues the diverse roles of Abl in viability and embryonic morphogenesis in Drosophila. This revealed that the IDR is essential for embryonic and adult viability, and for cell shape changes and cytoskeletal regulation during embryonic morphogenesis, and, most surprisingly, revealed a role in modulating protein stability. Our data provide new insights into the role of the IDR in an important signaling protein, the non-receptor kinase Abl, suggesting that it is essential for all aspects of protein function during embryogenesis, and revealing a role in protein stability. These data will stimulate new explorations of the mechanisms by which the IDR regulates Abl stability and function, both in Drosophila and also in mammals. They also will stimulate further interest in the broader roles IDRs play in diverse signaling proteins.
Nothing about us without us: Deaf education and sign language access in China

This empirical qualitative study aims (1) to understand the Chinese context in promoting accessible high-quality education for deaf communities and (2) to create an opportunity for deaf experts to ...
Experience-driven research on programmable networks

Many promising networking research ideas in programmable networks never see the light of day. Yet, deploying research prototypes in production networks can help validate research ideas, improve them with faster feedback, uncover new research questions, and also ease the subsequent transition to practice. In this paper, we show how researchers can run and validate their research ideas in their own backyards---on their production campus networks---and we have seen that such a demonstrator can expedite the deployment of a research idea in practice to solve real network operation problems. We present P4Campus, a proof-of-concept that encompasses tools, an infrastructure design, strategies, and best practices---both technical and non-technical---that can help researchers run experiments against their programmable network idea in their own network. We use network tapping devices, packet brokers, and commodity programmable switches to enable running experiments to evaluate research ideas on a production campus network. We present several compelling data-plane applications as use cases that run on our campus and solve production network problems. By sharing our experiences and open-sourcing our P4 apps [28], we hope to encourage similar efforts on other campuses.
Strategies for Incorporating Nouns and Verbs in Code-Mixing: The Case of Pashto-English Bilingual Speech

A recurring issue in the analysis of code-mixed speech concerns the strategies for incorporating nouns and verbs. How can nouns and verbs from one language be felicitously incorporated into sentences from another language? This paper analyses this question with a case study of English-Pashto bilingual speech. English nouns appear in determiner phrases marked with Pashto case endings, and English verbs have an associated light verb with Pashto inflections. Code-mixing and lexical borrowing have led to a large amount to indigenized English elements in Pashto. Code-mixing is a device of indigenization whereby Pashto speakers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have adopted and nativized the English elements in their local use.
Heterogeneity of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Asian Immigrants: Insights From the 2010 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey.

Background The Asian population is the fastest‐growing immigrant population in the United States. Prior studies have examined the Asian immigrant population as a homogenous group. We hypothesized t...
Overemphasis of USMLE and Its Potential Impact on Diversity in Otolaryngology

ObjectiveApplicant demographics during the 2019-2020 residency cycle were evaluated to determine if strict utilization of United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores in applicant sel...
NAT2 slow acetylation and GSTM1 null genotype increase bladder cancer risk: Confirmatory results from the spanish bladder cancer study

5284 Tobacco use and occupational exposure to carcinogenic aromatic amines have been causally linked to bladder cancer and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) may play a role as well. Aromatic monoamines are detoxified by NAT2 and PAHs are detoxified by one or more GST gene products. We (Marcus P. et al. Pharmacogenetics,10(2):115-22, 2000; Engel et al. Am J Epidemiol, 156(2):95-109, 2002) and others have previously carried out meta-analyses of relatively small studies suggesting that NAT2 slow acetylation (22 studies, 2,496 cases, OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2-1.6) and the GSTM1 null genotype (17 studies, 2,149 cases, OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2-1.7 ) are associated with increased risk of bladder cancer. We evaluated these associations in the Spanish Bladder Cancer Study, a hospital-based case-control study of 1,226 cases and 1,271 controls (87% males) that is one of the largest molecular epidemiology studies of bladder cancer carried out to date. DNA samples were obtained from 96% of cases and 90% of controls and genotyped for NAT2(K268R, G286E, R64Q, Y94, I114T, L161, R197Q),GSTM1 and GSTT1 deletions, GSTM3 (V224I, IVS8-30) and GSTP1I105V using TaqMan assays. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were adjusted for age, gender, region, smoking status and duration using logistic regression models. NAT2 acetylation phenotype (derived from the 7 NAT2 single nucleotide polymorphisms) and the GSTM1 null genotype were each associated with a significant increase in bladder cancer risk with adjusted ORs (95%CI) of 1.34 (1.12-1.62) and 1.63 (1.37-1.95), respectively. Polymorphisms in other GSTs evaluated were not significantly associated with bladder cancer risk with adjusted ORs (95%CI) of 0.89 (0.72-1.10) for GSTT1 null, 1.06 (0.76-1.48) for GSTM3V224I homozygous variants vs. wild-type, 1.04 (0.76-1.37) for GSTM3IVS8-30 homozygous variants vs. wild-type and 1.24 (0.92-1.67) for GSTP1I105V homozygous variants vs. wild-type. Evaluation of interactions with tobacco smoking as well as gene-gene interactions is underway. This study provides confirmatory evidence that NAT2 slow acetylation and the GSTM1 null genotype are associated with increased risk of bladder cancer. These are among the most consistent findings of common genetic polymorphisms and risk of any tumor site in the literature to date.
Materializing Systemic Racism, Materializing Health Disparities

The purpose of cultural competence education for medical professionals is to ensure respectful care and reduce health disparities. Yet as Berger and Miller (2021) show, the cultural competence fram...
Diarrhea Care in Private Practice

In Reply.— I applaud Dr Tochen, Mr Tsukamaki, and Ms Feil for developing such a thoughtful, practical and relatively inexpensive approach to acute diarrhea in their practice. We also have incorporated an educational program on the assessment and treatment of acute diarrhea as one of the core components of our well-child clinic teaching.1 The use of packets of oral rehydration salts has a number of advantages cited by Dr Tochen, Mr Tsukamaki, and Ms Feil, and packets have been used with great success in more than 100 countries.