cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomarkers in Pediatric ARDS: Future Directions

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is common among mechanically ventilated children and accompanies up to 30% of all pediatric intensive care unit deaths. Though ARDS diagnosis is based on clinical criteria, biological markers of acute lung damage have been extensively studied in adults and children. Biomarkers of inflammation, alveolar epithelial and capillary endothelial disruption, disordered coagulation, and associated derangements measured in the circulation and other body fluids, such as bronchoalveolar lavage, have improved our understanding of pathobiology of ARDS. The biochemical signature of ARDS has been increasingly well described in adult populations, and this has led to the identification of molecular phenotypes to augment clinical classifications. However, there is a paucity of data from pediatric ARDS (pARDS) patients. Biomarkers and molecular phenotypes have the potential to identify patients at high risk of poor outcomes, and perhaps inform the development of targeted therapies for specific groups of patients. Additionally, because of the lower incidence of and mortality from ARDS in pediatric patients relative to adults and lack of robust clinical predictors of outcome, there is an ongoing interest in biological markers as surrogate outcome measures. The recent definition of pARDS provides additional impetus for the measurement of established and novel biomarkers in future pediatric studies in order to further characterize this disease process. This chapter will review the currently available literature and discuss potential future directions for investigation into biomarkers in ARDS among children.
Blood Induction and Embryonic Formation

Abstract Vertebrate blood derives from mesoderm. Blood formation (hematopoiesis) occurs in successive waves. The primitive wave predominantly generates red cells to transiently provide oxygen for the rapidly growing embryo. The definitive wave produces hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that ultimately differentiate into all the blood lineages in the adult. Hematopoiesis is tightly regulated by complex interactions between extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Transcription factors play intrinsic roles to define HSC generation and lineage differentiation. The process of hematopoiesis is highly conserved throughout vertebrate evolution. The genetic manipulation of animal models, such as mouse and zebrafish, has identified many essential genes controlling normal and malignant hematopoiesis.
Teething Problems, 1856–1867

The Royal Warrant of 29 January 1856 created the award, but it was up to the War Office and Horse Guards to decide exactly how to implement the medal and select the individuals to be recommended to the Crown for the honor. As with any new bureaucratic creation, the Victoria Cross went through a developmental phase during the first years of its existence before departmental standards were established. Fifteen clauses were included in the original warrant governing everything from the color of the suspender ribbon (red for the army, blue for the Navy) to the circumstances by which a winner could be stripped of the honor. The operative clauses were quite vague, however, and offered no exact definition of what was to be considered heroic and worthy of reward.
A Multimetric Evaluation of Stratified Random Sampling for Classification: A Case Study

Accurate classification of biological phenotypes is an essential task for medical decision making. The selection of subjects for classifier training and validation sets is a crucial step within this task. To evaluate the impact of two approaches for subject selection—randomization and clinical balancing, we applied six classification algorithms to a highly replicated publicly available breast cancer data set. Using six performance metrics, we demonstrate that clinical balancing improves both training and validation performance for all methods on average. We also observed a smaller discrepancy between training and validation performance. Furthermore, a simple analytical argument is presented which suggests that we need only two metrics from the class of metrics based on the entries of the confusion matrix. In light of our results, we recommend: 1) clinical balancing of training and validation data to improve signal-to-noise ratio and 2) the use of multiple classification algorithms and evaluation metrics for a comprehensive evaluation of the decision making process.
Mechanism and device-to-device variation of leakage current in polysilicon thin film transistors

An experimental study of mechanisms responsible for off-stage leakage currents in n- and p-channel poly-TFTs (thin-film transistors) is presented. Unlike turn-on characteristics, leakage currents are not symmetrical with respect to source-drain voltage polarity. The conduction mechanism in the off-state is consistent with the model of thermionic-field emission near the drain. The spatial and energetic distribution of trap-states in the drain depletion region affects the tunneling probability and causes device-to-device variation and the asymmetry in leakage current. The temperature dependence of the leakage current arises from the thermally activated carrier population at the energy state of the maximum tunneling probability. Cumulative leakage currents follow a Poisson-type log-normal distribution which can be significantly affected by processing control. Less than 10-fA/ mu m TFT width in leakage current and more than nine orders of magnitude on/off current ratio at 10-V drain bias were achieved in n-channel poly-TFTs. >
Adaptively Optimized Combination (AOC) of Phased-Array MR Spectroscopy Data in the Presence of Correlated Noise: Compared with Noise-Decorrelated or Whitened Methods.

Purpose A method for adaptively optimized combination (AOC) of MR spectroscopic data from a coil array was recently introduced. The superior performance of the AOC method is evident when compared with the methods that assume uncorrelated noise between coil elements. However, it is unclear whether the AOC method represents the most optimal combination in the presence of correlated noise, when compared with the noise-decorrelated or whitened methods that specifically tackle the correlated noise between coil elements. Methods A new, unified theoretical framework was developed to illustrate the relationship between the AOC method and three noise-decorrelated or whitened methods, namely, noise-decorrelated combination (nd-comb), whitened singular value decomposition (WSVD), and improved WSVD (WSVD+Apod). Simulation-based comparisons and in vivo human brain experiments on a 3 Tesla (T) MRI scanner were performed using an 8-channel phased-array head coil. Results Compared with the noise-decorrelated or whitened methods, the AOC method consistently yielded the best combination in terms of the robustness against noise and maintaining the combined spectrum from distortion, and the superior performance was most evident at a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Conclusion The AOC method represents the theoretical optimal combination in the presence of correlated noise between coil elements, whereas the three noise-decorrelated or whitened methods are asymptotically optimal. Magn Reson Med 000:000–000, 2016. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Modeling marketing effort in an omni channel world

This paper discusses an optimization model to select and therefore coordinate marketing channels for contacting customers in an omni channel setup. The model assigns the appropriate channel to the corresponding business process with respect to customer segmentation, business process and available channel capacity. In this pursuit, a short introduction explains the motivation and aligns the topic with existing research. The subsequent method introduces the core problem of how to implement different channels for different customer segments and business processes. An example solution calculations is used to highlight the structure of the optimization model. Finally, limitations are explicated.
Combination of PET/CT and high resolution chest CT (HRCT) for characterizing pulmonary nodules

1792 Objectives To assess the sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of PET/CT in comparison and in addition to HRCT criteria for characterizing pulmonary nodules. Methods Analyses included 109 SPN patients fulfilling eligibility criteria; PET/CT and HRCT done within a month, nodules measuring between 0.7 and 3.0cm, nodule number Results There were 74 malignant (53 adeno,12 BAC, 9 other) and 35 benign nodules. PET variables included SUVmax, tm-to-liver (T/L) ratio, those from HRCT were max diameter(Dmax), margins (spiculated vs.smooth), consolidation, air bronchogram, pleural retraction, attenuation (solid vs. ground glass), location (upper vs. lower lobe). T/L with cut-off of 0.8 appeared better than SUVmax >2.3 but with no statistical significance (NS). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for T/L were 81%, 69%, 84.5%, 63%, respectively. Among HRCT variables, only Dmax >2cm was significant [p=0.01, odds ratio(OR): 2.9] while upper lobe location (OR:1.5), air bronchogram (OR:1.65), pleural retraction (OR:1.5) favored malignancy (NS);others didn9t contribute. When HRCT is combined with PET variables, tms with >2 HRCT variables (upper lobe, pleural retraction, air bronchogram, spiculation), sensitivity (85%) and NPV (69%) improved with no change in specificity and PPV Conclusions In the differentiation of malignant from benign nodules, semiquantitative PET variables have a higher predictive value than HRCT criteria. Additional increase in sensitivity and NPV was obtained when PET/CT was evaluated in combination with HRCT.
The moral duty to contribute and its implications for organ procurement policy.

Donor implies a donation, and the paradigm of donation is a conscious act of giving. Giving, after all, is not a legal or even moral duty, but a good thing for good people to do. If, then, donating organs for transplant is beyond the call of even moral, much less legal, duty, of course society should leave it to individuals to make private, personal decisions about whether to donate. Besides people's language about donation, another immediate conceptual barrier to thinking in terms of a moral duty to contribute is that they do not think everyone ought to donate their organs. There are those who religiously or conscientiously object, for example. Transplantable organs often confer huge benefits on their recipients, and unless one has religious or ethical objections against contribution, contributing is a very easy thing to do in terms of time, effort, life plans, and effects on one's other duties.
Air Embolism: Diagnosis, Clinical Management and Outcomes.

Air embolism is a rare but potentially fatal complication of surgical procedures. Rapid recognition and intervention is critical for reducing morbidity and mortality. We retrospectively characterized our experience with air embolism during medical procedures at a tertiary medical center. Electronic medical records were searched for all cases of air embolism over a 25-year period; relevant medical and imaging records were reviewed. Sixty-seven air embolism cases were identified; the mean age was 59 years (range, 3–89 years). Ninety-four percent occurred in-hospital, of which 77.8% were during an operation/invasive procedure. Vascular access-related procedures (33%) were the most commonly associated with air embolism. Clinical signs and symptoms were related to the location the air embolus; 36 cases to the right heart/pulmonary artery, 21 to the cerebrum, and 10 were attributed to patent foramen ovale (PFO). Twenty-one percent of patients underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), 7.5% aspiration of the air, and 63% had no sequelae. Mortality rate was 21%; 69% died within 48 hours. Thirteen patients had immediate cardiac arrest where mortality rate was 53.8%, compared to 13.5% (p = 0.0035) in those without. Air emboli were mainly iatrogenic, primarily associated with endovascular procedures. High clinical suspicion and early treatment are critical for survival.
Decoding sequence-level information to predict membrane protein expression

The expression and purification of integral membrane proteins remains a major bottleneck in the characterization of these important proteins. Expression levels are currently unpredictable, which renders the pursuit of these targets challenging and highly inefficient. Evidence demonstrates that small changes in the nucleotide or amino-acid sequence can dramatically affect membrane protein biogenesis; yet these observations have not resulted in generalizable approaches to improve expression. In this study, we develop a data-driven statistical model that predicts membrane protein expression in E. coli directly from sequence. The model, trained on experimental data, combines a set of sequence-derived variables resulting in a score that predicts the likelihood of expression. We test the model against various independent datasets from the literature that contain a variety of scales and experimental outcomes demonstrating that the model significantly enriches expressed proteins. The model is then used to score expression for membrane proteomes and protein families highlighting areas where the model excels. Surprisingly, analysis of the underlying features reveals an importance in nucleotide sequence-derived parameters for expression. This computational model, as illustrated here, can immediately be used to identify favorable targets for characterization.
Evaluating the clinical efficacy of laboratory tests.

The worth of a laboratory test depends on its ability to answer a clinical question of consequence for patient management. Although the need for formal prospective trials for the evaluation of therapeutic modalities has been widely recognized, relatively little attention has been given to the evaluation of diagnostic modalities. Inadequate test evaluations may result in biased conclusions about test performance. Evaluations of the clinical efficacy of laboratory tests should be formalized and include the following steps: (1) choose subjects who are representative of the clinical population to whom the test is ultimately to be applied; (2) perform all tests being evaluated on all the subjects and all tests on an individual subject at the same point in his clinical course; (3) determine the true answer to the clinical question by rigorous and complete means independent of the test or tests being studied; and (4) evaluate and compare test performance at all decision levels using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.
Long-term test-retest reliability of the California Verbal Learning Test – second edition

AbstractObjective: Aging is often associated with declines in episodic memory. Reliable tracking of memory requires assessment instruments that are stable over time to better understand changes potentially attributable to neurodegenerative disease. While prior studies support the test–retest reliability of memory instruments over brief intervals, follow-up testing in clinical settings typically occurs at least one-year later. The present study evaluated the long-term test–retest reliability of the California Verbal Learning Test – second edition (CVLT-2), a widely used measure of episodic learning and memory. Method: One hundred and fifty seven healthy older adults (mean age = 68.47 years; education = 17.28 years) underwent repeat assessment at an average of 1.30 years apart. Participants underwent repeat assessment using either parallel or alternate forms at follow-up. We utilized a standardized regression-based (SRB) approach to determine statistically significant changes in test scores over time. Resul...
The Preservation of Cognition 1 Year After Carotid Endarterectomy in Patients With Prior Cognitive Decline.

Background Vascular cognitive decline is critically important in the course of atherosclerosis and stroke. Objective To explore the hypothesis that carotid endarterectomy (CEA) by removing an unstable plaque may slow the course of vascular cognitive decline in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Methods Patients with clinically significant (>60%) carotid stenosis were studied preop and 1 yr post-CEA for clinical symptoms, vascular cognitive decline, instability of carotid plaque-presence of microemboli, brain white matter changes, and medical risk factors. Results Forty-six percent were classically symptomatic. All patients showed vascular cognitive decline at presentation which correlated with degree of plaque instability. Significant white matter hyperintensity changes (48.7%) and cerebral emboli (25%) were also seen at baseline in both classically symptomatic and asymptomatic. One year after CEA, both groups showed no decline in cognitive function and significant improvement in 2 tests (P = .028 and P = .013). Brain white matter hyperintensities were unchanged. Microemboli were reduced but remained present (17.86%). Improvement was predicted by the presence of hypertension (P = .001), or less advanced cognitive decline preoperatively (P = .009). Conclusion This study demonstrates the importance of vascular cognitive decline in atherosclerotic disease. This is a function of the degree of instability of the atherosclerotic plaque more than the presence of stroke symptoms. It further suggests that atherosclerotic vascular cognitive decline need not be inevitable, and may be modified by treating hypertension and removal of the unstable plaque. This highlights the need for continued research on the cognitive effects of cerebrovascular disease and the synergistic benefits of intensive medical and surgical therapy.
Potential effects of climate change on riparian areas, wetlands, and groundwater-dependent ecosystems in the Blue Mountains, Oregon, USA

Abstract Riparian areas, wetlands, and groundwater-dependent ecosystems, which are found at all elevations throughout the Blue Mountains, comprise a small portion of the landscape but have high conservation value because they provide habitat for diverse flora and fauna. The effects of climate change on these special habitats may be especially profound, due to altered snowpack and hydrologic regimes predicted to occur in the near future. The functionality of many riparian areas is currently compromised by water diversions and livestock grazing, which reduces their resilience to additional stresses that a warmer climate may bring. Areas associated with springs and small streams will probably experience near-term changes, and some riparian areas and wetlands may decrease in size over time. A warmer climate and reduced soil moisture could lead to a transition from riparian hardwood species to more drought tolerant conifers and shrubs. Increased frequency and spatial extent of wildfire spreading from upland forests could also affect riparian species composition. The specific effects of climate change will vary, depending on local hydrology (especially groundwater), topography, streamside microclimates, and current conditions and land use.
Individual-level key associations and modes of exposure for hepatitis C virus infection in the Middle East and North Africa: a systematic synthesis

Abstract Purpose To identify, map, and synthesize the individual-level key associations and modes of exposure for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the most affected region by HCV. Methods Source of data was the MENA HCV Epidemiology Synthesis Project database, populated through systematic literature searches. Risk factors determined to be statistically significant after adjustment for confounders were extracted and categorized into key associations or modes of exposure. Results In total, 329 risk factors were identified from 109 articles in 14 of 24 MENA countries. Among key associations, age was most frequently reported ( n = 39; 34.2%), followed by other infections/diseases ( n = 20; 17.5%), and incarceration ( n = 17; 14.9%). Among modes of exposure, health care–related exposures were most frequently reported ( n = 127; 59.5%), followed by injecting drug use exposures ( n = 45; 20.9%), community-related exposures ( n = 34; 15.8%), and sexual-related exposures ( n = 8; 3.7%). Blood transfusion, hemodialysis, surgical and other medical procedures, dental work, and medical injections were identified as key health care–related exposures. Conclusions Health care appears to be the primary driver of prevalent (and possibly incident) infections in MENA, followed by injecting drug use. HCV screening should target the identified modes of exposure. Commitment to prevention should be an integral component of HCV response to achieve HCV elimination by 2030, with focus on strengthening infection control in health care facilities, improving injection safety and blood screening, and expanding harm reduction services for people who inject drugs.
Intimate Visualities: Intimacy as Social Critique and Radical Possibility in Kyle Abraham and Carrie Schneider's Dance Response Project's I am Sold and Blood on the Leaves

Choreographer and dancer Kyle Abraham and photographer and filmmaker Carrie Schneider position intimacy in screen dance as an affective hailing to viewers. The intimate visualities they achieve serve as an opportunity to critically hypothesize ways of being in community and understanding black visual relationships to subjectivity. In both explorations of meaning a production of close relationships to others, to notions of selfhood, and to blackness animate a radical love of others and of self. Their collaborations, the Dance Response Project , subtly, but powerfully tap persistent modes of black being and of theorizing the social new to creative discourse.
Texture Analysis in Diagnostic Radiology

The clinical radiologist makes frequent use of textural information in interpreting roentgenograms. This is indicated by the common occurrence of adjectives such as “patchy, reticular, nodular, or fluffy” in his descriptive vocabulary. It is easy to appreciate that the use of such terms may not represent the most quantitative approach possible to the analysis of this information. This paper reports investigations designed to provide computerized quantitative measures of textural information which will hopefully be of value in the clinical evaluation of roentgenograms. In particular, this paper reports a series of feasibility studies on automated textural analysis of radiographs. These studies include the diagnosis of lung vascularity, lung infiltrates, bone disease, and potential for analysis of computerized axial tomography (CT) scans.
FURTHER CHARACTERIZATION OF Ia (IMMUNE RESPONSE REGION ASSOCIATED) ANTIGEN MOLECULES

ABSTRACT An earlier report (Cullen, S. E., David, C. S., Shreffler, D. C. and Nathenson, S. G., P.N.A.S., 1974, in press) has shown that antisera raised between H-2 identical, I-S region non-identical mouse strain pairs (anti I a antisera) can be used to isolate I a ( I region a ssociated) antigen molecules from spleen cells solubilized by the non-ionic detergent NP-40. These I a antigen molecules are probably glycoproteins since they can be radiolabeled with monosaccharide precursors. The evidence for multiple I a antigen molecules determined by single haplotypes has been strengthened by the finding that haplotype a (strain B10.A) has at least two populations of I a molecules. Physical and chemical heterogeneity among serologically different I a molecules is suggested, but not yet adequately proven.
Salivary Gland Development Has Implications for Glandular Regeneration

The permanent loss of salivary gland secretory function often occurs after irradiation of head and neck tumors or removal of salivary gland tumors, in autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren’s syndrome, and in rare genetic syndromes in which salivary gland development does not occur. The oral health of these patients is severely compromised due to the permanent loss of saliva production, which diminishes quality of life. Current therapeutic options are limited and therefore the regeneration of salivary glands becomes an important therapeutic goal. This may involve using a patient’s own progenitor cells isolated from a biopsy to repair the damaged or diseased tissue. However, we have only a limited understanding of salivary gland progenitor cell biology. This paper will provide an overview of what was discussed at the Interface Oral Health Science Symposium on Bioengineered Dentistry concerning the function of progenitor cells during salivary gland development.
Biochemical Cascade Involved in Mast Cell Activation for Mediator Release

Mast cells and basophil granulocytes bear specific receptors for IgE, which bind IgE molecules with high affinity, and the reactions of cell-bound IgE antibodies with multivalent antigen initiate the release of a variety of preformed and newly generated mediators such as histamine and leukotrienes (Ishizaka and Ishizaka, 1975). Mast cells also secrete these inflammatory mediators in response to various nonspecific stimuli. These mediators cause allergic disorders in both experimental animals and men. Among the various mast-cell-derived mediators, oxidative products of arachidonic acid (AA) have drawn much attention in recent years. It has been shown that rat peritoneal mast cells and human lung mast cells, but not bone-marrow-derived mouse mast cells, generate prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) through the cyclooxygenase pathway. Conversely, mouse bone-marrow-derived mast cells, as well as human lung mast cells generate primarily leukotriene C4 (LTC4) through the lipoxygenase pathway, but peritoneal mast cells do not (Lewis et al., 1981; Peters et al., 1984; Razin et al., 1983). Leukotrienes cause contraction of airway smooth muscles and are considered to be the most potent bronchoconstrictors in human asthma.
P01 : Blockade of AMP degradation pathways enhances hypoactivity response

A variety of mammals, including several species of ground squirrels, prairie dogs, hamsters, and marsupials, innately enter into hypometabolic states, such as hibernation and daily torpor, to reduce energy expenditure during unfavorable environmental conditions such as cold winter. The mechanism of metabolic suppression in these instances is still largely unknown. Our lab has developed a method for inducing a torpor-like state in non-hibernating mammals termed Adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-Induced Deep Hypometabolism (AIDH). Using this method, we have previously shown that CD73 deficient mice (CD73KO) have a more dramatic response to AIDH when compared to WT mice. CD73 is an ecto-nucleotidase responsible for dephosphorylating AMP to Adenosine. Based on initial evidence showing AMP entering the re d blood cell (RBC), we proceeded to knock-out the main AMP degradation enzyme inside the RBCs, AMP deaminase 3 (AMPD3) in mice. In the AMPD3KO mice, we also observed an enhanced response to AIDH. To further categorize the importance of both of these enzymes, a double knock-out mouse line (DKO) deficient in both AMPD3 and CD73 were created. Here we report the initial findings of a further enhanced response to AIDH.
SUBCRITICAL FLOW OVER HIGHWAY EMBANKMENTS

A HIGHWAY EMBANKMENT, WHEN OVERTOPPED BY FLOOD WATERS, IS A FORM OF BROAD-CRESTED WEIR. AS A WEIR, THE FLOOD DISCHARGE OVER THE EMBANKMENT IS ONLY A FUNCTION OF AN UPSTREAM DEPTH FOR FREE FLOW CONDITIONS. FREE FLOW EXISTS WHEN CRITICAL DEPTH OCCURS ON THE ROADWAY, USUALLY NEAR THE CROWN LINE. IF A STRUCTURE OR VEGETATION DOWNSTREAM FROM THE EMBANKMENT CONTROLS THE STAGE-DISCHARGE RELATIONSHIP, THE DEPTH OF FLOW AT THE EMBANKMENT MAY BE RAISED SUFFICIENTLY TO PREVENT THE OCCURRENCE OF CRITICAL DEPTH ON THE ROADWAY. IF CRITICAL DEPTH DOES NOT OCCUR, THEN SUBCRITICAL (SUBMERGED) FLOW EXISTS OVER THE EMBANKMENT. A METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE DISCHARGE UNDER SUBMERGED FLOW CONDITIONS USING AN UPSTREAM AND A DOWNSTREAM FLOW DEPTH IS PRESENTED. THE METHOD IS ILLUSTRATED USING DATA COLLECTED FROM MODEL HIGHWAY EMBANKMENTS. /ASCE/
The onset of maternal diabetes in swine induces alterations in the development of the fetal preadipocyte.

Diabetes induced during gestation has previously been demonstrated to increase adipose accretion in the fetal pig. The present experiment examined whether maternal diabetes alters the proliferation and differentiation of the fetal preadipocyte. Seven crossbred gilts were injected with alloxan (50 mg/kg) at d 75 of gestation to induce diabetes and seven additional gilts were injected with buffer (controls). All gilts underwent Caesarean section of d 105 of gestation. Cells obtained from adipose tissue of fetuses of diabetic swine (FDS) at d 105 of gestation demonstrated a greater (P < .05) proliferative response (57%) and higher (P < .05) rates of differentiation as determined by sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (142% increase) and lipoprotein lipase (80% increase) activities than cells acquired from fetuses of control swine (FCS). Adipogenic activity of the sera from these two groups of fetuses did not differ when tested on adipose tissue from fetuses at 105 d of gestation. However, use of these sera on cells derived from normal fetuses at 75 d of gestation resulted in detection of an increase (P < .05) in adipogenic activity within the sera from FDS. This study suggests that maternal diabetes causes alterations in the preadipocyte fraction of cells within the developing adipose tissue that result in formation of more adipocytes and thus permits greater capacity for lipid accumulation in the growing fetus of the diabetic pig. These alterations in the preadipocyte result from the activity of factors that transitionally function during the latter half of gestation.
Modeling isotopic evolution with surrogates based on dynamic mode decomposition

Abstract Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) was used to produce surrogates for the evolution of spatially-varying nuclide compositions in a TRIGA reactor. First, the method was explored by applying it to a single fuel element in which the data used was produced from the Polaris sequence in SCALE-6.2. Then the method was applied to a full core for which the data used to produce the surrogate was generated from a two-dimensional TRITON/NEWT model of a 78-element TRIGA core depleted over six full-power years. The surrogates have explicit time dependence and exhibited high accuracy for major nuclides in the problem studied. Then the analysis was extended to explore the propagation of time-dependent uncertainties in isotopic composition. The fuel element case showed potential where the full core generalization results revealed that the surrogates eigenpairs are sensitive to the perturbations in the data and hence failed to capture the whole space. Suggestions to address these difficulties were presented in the conclusion section.
Progressive Interactions Between Data Sources

Queries submitted by the user to their local database may require the DBMS to retrieve additional information from another DBMS. This is traditionally done through mappings, which can be quite costly. We have modeled the process of achieving these mappings as a communication game between multiple DBMSs. One DBMS will attempt to communicate what data it desires from the other DBMS using a common language. Thus, the DBMSs will use this game to facilitate communication in order to successfully build a mapping between them. We give an overview of our system and discuss the challenges presented.
In Situ Measurement of Native Extracellular Matrix Strain

Cells directly interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM) in their microenvironment; however, the mechanical properties of the networks at this scale are not well defined. This work describes a method to quantify ECM network strain in situ after the application of a known load. Visualization of the ECM in the native 3D organization is facilitated using murine embryos and a novel decellularization method. During embryonic development, the ECM architecture is less dense making it easier to visualize and manipulate. Briefly, embryonic day (E)14.5 forelimbs were harvested and incubated in an acrylamide-based hydrogel mixture to maintain the 3D architecture of the ECM during decellularization. After decellularization, forelimbs were stained for fibrillin-2 and proteoglycans to visualize different networks. Samples were imaged, before and after the application of a static load, using confocal microscopy. A MATLAB-based fast iterative digital volume correlation algorithm was used to quantify network displacement fields by comparing the reference and compressed z-stacks. We observed that the amount of Green-Lagrange strain experienced by different proteins was dependent on whether the sub-region analyzed was located within cartilage or the adjacent connective tissue. The combination of these experimental and computational methods will enable the development of constitutive equations that describe the material behavior of ECM networks. In the future, this information has the potential to improve the fabrication of physiologically relevant scaffolds by establishing mechanical guidelines for microenvironments that support beneficial cell-ECM interactions.
Innovative Work Behavior of Middle School Faculty and Staff Related to Student Mental Health.

School nurses may find increased capacity to respond to student mental health needs by understanding and capitalizing on the innovative work behavior (IWB) of faculty and staff. The purpose of this...
Utilization Trends, Outcomes, and Cost in Minimally Invasive Lobectomy.

Background Minimally invasive lobectomy is associated with decreased morbidity and length of stay. However, there have been few published analyses using recent, population-level data to compare clinical outcomes and cost by surgical approach, inclusive of robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS). The objective of this study was to compare outcomes and hospitalization costs among patients undergoing open, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and RATS lobectomy. Methods We identified patients who underwent elective lobectomy in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Florida State Inpatient Database (2008 to 2014). Hierarchical logistic and linear regression models were used to compare in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications, prolonged length of stay, 30-day readmissions, and index hospitalization costs among cohorts. Results We identified 15,038 patients, of whom 8501 (56.5%), 4608 (30.7%), and 1929 (12.8%) underwent open, VATS, and RATS lobectomy, respectively. Robotic-assisted lobectomies comprised less than 1% of total lobectomy volume in 2008, and grew to 25% of lobectomy volume by 2014. Both VATS and RATS lobectomies were associated with decreased in-hospital mortality compared to thoracotomy (VATS odds ratio 0.69, 95% confidence interval, 0.50 to 0.94; RATS odds ratio 0.58, 95% confidence interval, 0.35 to 0.96; P = .016). After adjusting for patient age, sex, income, comorbidities, and hospital teaching status, VATS lobectomy was 2% less expensive (P = .007) and robotic-assisted lobectomy was 13% more expensive (P Conclusions Minimally invasive approaches were associated to improved clinical outcomes compared with open lobectomy. However, only robotic-assisted lobectomy has had rapid growth in utilization. Despite additional cost, RATS lobectomy appears to provide a viable minimally invasive alternative for general thoracic procedures.
Broadband planar antenna array for future 5G communication standards

This study presents a 5G antenna array for millimetre-wave communications. Overall size of the proposed antenna array is 40 × 15 mm 2 , and operates in a measured 23.76-42.15 GHz frequency range. A planar four-way feed network has been designed, optimised and used to excite the antenna array elements. The single element of the array is spiral monopole surrounded by a boundary of vias with extended ground plane in an inverted U-shaped manner. Hexagonal parasitic patches have been introduced at the backside to enhance impedance performance of the antenna element. Peak gain of the proposed antenna array is 11.5 dBi with radiation efficiency more than 83% in its entire operating band. The antenna gives a narrow beam-width of as low as 10.1°. Single element and its 1 × 4 array have been fabricated using standard printed circuit board (PCB) process. Measured results show excellent compliance with the simulated design objectives. The antenna is low cost, low profile with simple design and is capable of being deployed in future 5G communication mobile networks.
Re-thinking communities: Collective identity and social experience in Iron-Age western Anatolia:

Reference to identity is ubiquitous in archaeology. Even when identity is not part of the questions driving research, assumptions about it affect interpretations of data; the terms used to designat...
Gender Differences in the Effect of Past Year Victimization on Self-Reported Physical and Mental Health: Findings from the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey

The current study examined past year intimate partner violence (IPV; physical violence, coercive control, reproductive control, and psychological aggression) and sexual victimization on self-reported physical and mental health. Doing so provides a proxy longitudinal analysis of victimization on self-reported health outcomes. Data were from the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, a nationally representative sample of U.S. men and women. Given the differential risk of victimization, gender specific analyses were conducted. Findings from the logistic regression (N = 13,699) of the full sample (i.e., both women and men in analyses) indicated past year victimization was not significantly associated with self-reported poor/fair physical health. Among the full sample and the female-only sample (N = 7433), past year coercive control increased the odds of self-reported poor/fair mental health. The remaining types of victimization were not associated with self-reported mental health among the full sample or female respondents. Past year victimization was not associated with self-reported physical or mental health for male respondents (N = 6266). Directions for future research and policy implications related to interventions within healthcare settings are discussed.
LegoBody: facile generation of bispecific and multi-specific antibodies

Abstract Bispecific and multi-specific antibodies are capable of recognizing multiple ligands simultaneously or synergistically, creating complex biological interactions not achievable by monoclonal antibodies, thus expanding opportunities for novel therapy development. With the large number of monoclonal antibodies either approved or under clinical development, there are numerous opportunities to combine their specificities to further improve therapeutic potential. Although simple in concept, clinical development of bi- and multi-specific antibodies face several challenges, chief of which is how to efficiently and reliably produce bispecific and multi-specific antibodies with expected specificity and desired biophysical properties. In this study, we developed a modular approach that uses temporary linkers to enforce proper chain pairing and proteases such as thrombin to remove those linkers from the final product. Combined with the ‘knob-into-hole’ design, we can generate IgG-like, bi- or multi-specific antibodies from any pre-existing monoclonal antibodies. The approach is highly versatile and applicable to any monoclonal antibody pair or panel, expediting evaluation and therapeutic development of bi- and multi-specific antibodies.
Scientist’s guide to developing explanatory statistical models using causal analysis principles

Recent discussions of model selection and multimodel inference highlight a general challenge for researchers: how to convey the explanatory content of a hypothesized model or set of competing models clearly. The advice from statisticians for scientists employing multimodel inference is to develop a well-thought-out set of candidate models for comparison, though precise instructions for how to do that are typically not given. A coherent body of knowledge, which falls under the general term causal analysis, now exists for examining the explanatory scientific content of candidate models. Much of the literature on causal analysis has been recently developed, and we suspect may not be familiar to many ecologists. This body of knowledge comprises a set of graphical tools and axiomatic principles to support scientists in their endeavors to create "well-formed hypotheses," as statisticians are asking them to do. Causal analysis is complementary to methods such as structural equation modeling, which provides the means for evaluation of proposed hypotheses against data. In this paper, we summarize and illustrate a set of principles that can guide scientists in their quest to develop explanatory hypotheses for evaluation. The principles presented in this paper have the capacity to close the communication gap between statisticians, who urge scientists to develop well-thought-out coherent models, and scientists, who would like some practical advice for exactly how to do that.
Epidemiology of Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is the 11th most common cancer on a worldwide basis, accounting for 3%–4% of all malignancies. Annually, about 220 000 new cases are being diagnosed; three-fourths of the patients are men and a disproportional (two-thirds) number of cases occur in developed (as opposed to developing) countries (Parkin et al. 1988).
Study of an Optical Scanning Aid

Description of an experimental model of a head-mounted orientation aid with which a blind person can scan the work environment with a beam of light and receive auditory localization signals enablin...
Thermodynamic Evaluation of Smectite Treated with Hydrogen Ion Stabilizer

AbstractSmectite-bearing, expansive clayey soils are common in many areas of Texas, causing damage to pavements and building foundations by cyclic shrinking and swelling. The mechanism of shrinking...
A Performance Evaluation of CAN Encryption

Recent research on vehicular cybersecurity has highlighted the known vulnerabilities and exploits that plague in-vehicular networks; in particular, the communication protocol governing the in-vehicular network, the Control Area Network (CAN), has been a frequent and often fruitful target of related attacks. Accordingly, the focus of this project is to investigate the application of encryption algorithms to the in-vehicular network and evaluate the performance characteristics of said algorithms when used in this context. This current paper includes examination of a) the maximum acceptable latency based on the vehicular requirements as well as b) the latency in communication when employing various encryption algorithms. In Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) simulations, our work suggests that in-vehicular networks can absorb the latencies introduced by select encryption approaches and still satisfy the real-time requirements needed by the intra-vehicular communication system to avoid collisions and the like.
Labour in the Age of AI: Why Regulation is Needed to Protect Workers

Superpowers, states and companies around the world are all pushing hard to win the AI race. Artificial intelligence (AI) is of strategic importance for the EU, with the European Commission recently stating that ‘artificial intelligence with a purpose can make Europe a world leader’. For this to happen, though, the EU needs to put in place the right ethical and legal framework. This Foresight Brief argues that such a framework must be solidly founded on regulation – which can be achieved by updating existing legislation – and that it must pay specific attention to the protection of workers. Workers are in a subordinate position in relation to their employers, and in the EU’s eagerness to win the AI race, their rights may be overlooked. This is why a protective and enforceable legal framework must be developed, with the participation of social partners.
Learning to Format Coq Code Using Language Models.

Should the final right bracket in a record declaration be on a separate line? Should arguments to the rewrite tactic be separated by a single space? Coq code tends to be written in distinct manners by different people and teams. The expressiveness, flexibility, and extensibility of Coq's languages and notations means that Coq projects have a wide variety of recognizable coding styles, sometimes explicitly documented as conventions on naming and formatting. In particular, even inexperienced users can distinguish vernacular using the standard library and plain Ltac from idiomatic vernacular using the Mathematical Components (MathComp) library and SSReflect. While coding conventions are important for comprehension and maintenance, they are costly to document and enforce. Rule-based formatters, such as Coq's beautifier, have limited flexibility and only capture small fractions of desired conventions in large verification projects. We believe that application of language models - a class of Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques for capturing regularities in corpora - can provide a solution to this conundrum. More specifically, we believe that an approach based on automatically learning conventions from existing Coq code, and then suggesting idiomatic code to users in the proper context, can be superior to manual approaches and static analysis tools - both in terms of effort and results. As a first step, we here outline initial models to learn and suggest space formatting in Coq files, with a preliminary implementation for Coq 8.10, and evaluated on a corpus based on MathComp 1.9.0 which comprises 164k lines of Coq code from four core projects.
Acute brain inflammation, white matter oxidative stress, and myelin deficiency in a model of neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage.

Objective Neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) leads to posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH), brain injury, and long-term disability. Current therapy for IVH is based on treating PHH but does not address the underlying brain injury. In order to develop pharmacological treatment for IVH, there must be a better understanding of the underlying pathology of this disease. This study was designed to determine the time course of the acute inflammation and oxidative stress that may underlie the progressive pathology of IVH. The authors sought to understand the temporal relationships among inflammation, oxidative stress, and white matter pathology in a rat model of IVH. Methods A rat model of IVH consisting of hemoglobin injection into the lateral ventricle was used. Tissue was analyzed via biochemical and histological methods to map the spatiotemporal distribution of innate immune activation and oxidative stress. White matter was quantified using both immunohistochemistry and Western blot for myelin basic protein (MBP) in the corpus callosum. Results IVH led to acute induction of inflammatory cytokines, followed by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress was concentrated in white matter, adjacent to the lateral ventricles. Animals with IVH initially gained weight at a lower rate than control animals and had larger ventricles and less MBP than control animals. Conclusions Experimental IVH induces global inflammation throughout the brain and oxidative stress concentrated in the white matter. Both of these phenomena occur early after IVH. This has implications for human neonates with immature white matter that is exquisitely sensitive to inflammation and oxidative stress. Antiinflammatory or antioxidant therapy for IVH may need to be initiated early in order to protect developing white matter.
What atoms do when they get together

How atoms organize during the earliest stages of nucleation has been a subject of speculation for over a century. Using atomically resolved electron microscopy, the formation and ordering of metal clusters from individual atoms has now been observed in carbon nanotubes that serve as ‘test tubes’.