cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-directional decision feedback for 2D equalization

We propose an equalization algorithm that employs multiple decision-feedback equalizers (DFE)s operating in different directions and arbitration among the outputs of these equalizers to mitigate the effects of two-dimensional intersymbol interference (ISI). The multi-directional arbitrated DFE (MAD) exploits directional diversity to reduce the effects of error-propagation while maintaining complexity on the same order as a DFE. Simulation results show that, when four DFEs are used, the MAD algorithm can achieve substantial gains over a single DFE, including gains of over 10 dB at 10/sup -2/ BER for simulations in this paper.
Correlates of territorial boundary patrol behaviour in wild chimpanzees

Territorial boundary patrols are a distinctive and unique aspect of wild chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes, behaviour. Although patrolling has been frequently observed in nature and several proposed functional explanations for it exist, scant information is available regarding the proximate factors that affect this activity. We found that there is considerable temporal variation in the frequency of patrolling by chimpanzees at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda. We examined several ecological and social factors that potentially influence this variation. Results of logistic regression analyses revealed that male party size was the single best predictor of the tendency to patrol. Lethal intergroup aggression occurs in chimpanzees, and patrols are likely to be dangerous and costly. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that chimpanzees at Ngogo reduce these costs by patrolling together in large parties.
Feeding whole or rolled corn with pelleted supplement to Holstein steers from weaning to 190 kilograms

Abstract Performances of two groups of 36 weanling 39-d-old Holstein steer calves (50kg BW) were evaluated when fed either whole or rolled corn at a constant 3:1 ratio with a pelleted 29% CP supplement for 127 d. Steers were fed diets containing either rolled or whole corn for the entire feeding period or a diet based on rolled corn fed for 56 d replaced by whole corn for the remaining 71 d. Average daily gain and feed:gain ratio for the first 56 d were .87, 2.68; .81, 2.69; and .86kg, 2.72 for calves assigned to the whole, rolled, and rolled-whole diets, respectively. From d 57 to 127, calves fed the whole corn gained 7.2% faster than those fed the rolled corn. Average DMI, average daily gain, and feed:gain ratio for the 127-d study were 3.41, 1.12, 3.08; 3.27, 1.05, 3.11; and 3.45kg, 1.10kg, 3.14 (wt/wt) for calves fed the whole, rolled, and rolled-whole diets, respectively, Whole corn and pelleted supplement promoted good calf performance during the growing period to 191kg BW, which precluded the need for processing the grain.
Treatment of Reproductive System Disorders

The reproductive systems of the two sexes differ; in the male it is comprised of the testicles (or gonads), the seminal vesicles, the prostate gland and the penis; in the female it consists of the ovaries (or gonads), the fallopian tubes, the uterus and the vagina. The reproductive system is largely under the control of the endocrine glands of the body, especially the hormones produced by the pituitary gland. The reproductive function of the system combines a mechanism for sexual interest, potency and fertility, and a mechanism for the fertilization of the egg with the sperm, the harboring of the fertilized egg until it is ready for birth and the entire birth process. The gonads of each sex, in addition to providing the seed for fertilization, are also endocrine glands which tend to maintain the secondary physical sexual characteristics which externally distinguish the two sexes: the distribution of hair, the voice, the configuration of the hips, the texture of the skin, the development of functional breasts. When the gonads cease to function, the secondary sexual characteristics tend to change, and the individual so afflicted tends somewhat toward a neutral state.
The role of open bypass surgery for limb salvage in patients with diabetes.

The pathogenesis of foot ulceration in patients with diabe- tes involves the interplay of neuropathy, vasculopathy, and immune dysfunction. Autonomic neuropathy results in loss of pain sensation, decreased sweating, and the development of brittle skin, which pre- disposes these patients to foot trauma. As a result, the traumatized tissue progresses to necrosis and subsequent ulceration. Once an ul- cer is present, the vascular supply to the foot plays an integral role in healing. Foot ischemia in patients with diabetes may be attributed to atherosclerotic macrovascular disease and additional microcirculatory dysfunction. The following report will review the role of open bypass surgery addressing macrovascular problems for limb salvage.
A Novel Sampling Technique for Probabilistic Static Coverage Problems

Resource allocation in the presence of constraints is an important activity in many systems engineering problems such as surveillance, infrastructure planning, environmental monitoring, and cooperative task performance. The resources in many important problems are agents such as a person, machine, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), infrastructures, and software. Effective execution of a given task is highly correlated with effective allocation of resources to execute the task. An important class of resource allocation problem in the presence of limited resources is static coverage problem. In static coverage problems, it is necessary to allocate resources (stationary configuration of agents) to cover an area of interest so that an event or spatial property of the area can be detected or monitored with high probability. In this paper, we outline a novel sampling algorithm for the static coverage problem in presence of probabilistic resource intensity allocation maps (RIAMs). The key intuition behind our sampling approach is to use the finite number of samples to generate an accurate representation of RIAM. The outlined sampling technique is based on an optimization framework that approximates the RIAM with piecewise linear surfaces on the Delaunay triangles and optimizes the sample placement locations to decrease the difference between the probability distribution and Delaunay triangle surface. Numerical results demonstrate that the algorithm is robust to the initial sample point locations and has superior performance in a wide range of theoretical problems and real-life applications. In a real-life application setting, we demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm to predict the position of wind stations for monitoring wind speeds across the U.S. The algorithm is also used to give recommendations on the placement of police cars in San Francisco and weather buoys in Pacific Ocean.
Abstract W P134: Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Admission Outcomes Specific for Patients with Stroke Predict Community Discharge

Objective: To use IRF admission outcomes specific for patients with stroke to predict community discharge. Design: Retrospective study Setting: Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital Participants: Patients hospitalized for a stroke Interventions: N/A Main Outcomes Measures: Admission data from the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM) were used to determine predictive factors for a community discharge and FIM walk / wheelchair score of 5 or above. A discriminant analysis, logistic regression, and chi-square analysis were used to identify admission variables. Results: 296 subjects were included in this retrospective analysis; 24% of subjects did not have a community discharge and 54% did not discharge with a FIM walk / wheelchair score of 5 or above. Five admission factors were identified as predictive for a community discharge or a walk / wheelchair FIM score of 5 or above; the Stream, Motor FIM, Total FIM, FIM Bladder control, and FIM social interaction. The sensitivity for each variable ranged from 61% - 94% while the specificity was between 40% and 65%. When all five variables were combined 83% of non-community discharges were identified (77% of patients with a walk wheelchair score of below 5). Conclusions: By using admission outcomes, community discharge can be predicted with significant sensitivity. Patients identified as at risk for a non-community discharge may be targeted for specialized interventions. Prospective evaluation of the predictive ability of the above-identified factors is warranted.
PHARYNGEAL CARRIAGE RATES OF HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE, TYPE b AND NON-b, AND PREVALENCE OF AMPICILLIN-RESISTANT HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE AMONG HEALTHY DAY-CARE CHILDREN IN CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS

Pharyngeal swabs were obtained from 832 children less than 14 years of age attending day-care centers and family day-care homes in central Massachusetts during a seven-week period beginning March 1, 1982. Colonization rates for Haemophilus influenzae and for H. influenzae type b were 60.7% and 15.1%, respectively. Nonwhite children were more likely to be carriers of non-b H. influenzae than white children (62.9% vs. 47.8%, p less than 0.025). Children in day care for more than six months were more likely to be carriers of non-b H. influenzae than children in day care for six months or less (52.9% vs. 45.5%, p less than 0.05). There was no association between colonization rates and age, sex, type of day-care setting, number of siblings, number sharing a bedroom, history of otitis media, or history of antibiotic use. The prevalence of ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae was 6.3% among all children and 10.3% among carriers of H. influenzae. The prevalence of ampicillin resistance was significantly higher among type b carriers than among carriers of other types (15.1% vs. 8.3%, p less than 0.05). Children who had taken ampicillin or amoxicillin within the past three months were much more likely to be colonized with ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae than were children who had not taken these antibiotics (13.5% vs. 4.8%, p less than 0.0005). These observations have important clinical implications for the management of children with H. influenzae disease.
Dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin after ischemic stroke: A review of the evidence.

Purpose The safety and efficacy of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and clopidogrel in the setting of secondary stroke prevention are reviewed. Summary Antiplatelet therapy has been shown to reduce the risk of numerous vascular events, especially in the setting of secondary prevention. DAPT with aspirin and another antiplatelet agent such as clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor has become the main stay of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) management. The underlying pathophysiologies of ACS, ischemic stroke, and transient ischemic attack (TIA) are similar. In the setting of ACS, DAPT has clearly been shown to improve outcomes over single antiplatelet therapy for up to 12 months after the ischemic event. However, the role for DAPT in the setting of ischemic stroke and TIA is less clear. The MATCH, CHARISMA, and SPS3 studies demonstrated that DAPT was associated with increased bleeding compared with single antiplatelet therapy without an appreciable reduction in ischemic events. Early initiation of DAPT proved beneficial in reducing future ischemic events in the FASTER and CHANCE trials; however, these trials did not provide enough evidence to recommend the routine use of DAPT in secondary stroke prevention, and current guidelines recommend against such therapy. DAPT with aspirin and clopidogrel appears to be effective only for patients with minor stroke or TIA when started within 24 hours of the ischemic event and continued for a maximum of 21 days. Conclusion Currently available evidence does not substantiate the widespread use of long-term aspirin with clopidogrel for the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke or TIA.
Divided Differences in Complex Function Theory

(1958). Divided Differences in Complex Function Theory. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 17-24.
A Study of Mechanical and Optical Properties of an Alternating NBR and an Emulsion NBR

Abstract At low elongation, over the range of temperatures and frequencies studied, the dynamic properties (elastic modulus and loss factor) and activation energy for the glass-rubber transition are the same for highly alternating and emulsion copolymers of acrylonitrile and butadiene. At higher elongation the stress-birefringence and x-ray data on cured (1.7 phr dicumyl peroxide) highly alternating copolymer show the occurrence of strain-induced crystallization, whereas the emulsion copolymer does not crystallize under strain. The stress-strain data for the highly alternating copolymer cured at 1.7 phr dicumyl peroxide and for the emulsion copolymer cured at 1.7 phr and 0.8 phr show that at 1.7 phr dicumyl peroxide the highly alternating copolymer has higher ultimate strength. However, the emulsion copolymer cured by 0.8 phr dicumyl peroxide shows tensile properties similar to those of the highly alternating copolymer cured by 1.7 phr dicumyl peroxide. Therefore, it may be concluded that the increased st...
The Research of the Marketing Reform of the Postal Industry

The present article presents the fact that there has been a great marketing reform of the postal industry since the publication of "The Plan of the Reform of Postal Industry System".The author points out that further consideration and modification of "The Plan" is still required for the reform.
Randomized Heuristics for Exploiting Jacobian Scarcity.

Griewank and Vogel introduced the notion of Jacobian scarcity, which generalizes the properties of sparsity and rank to capture a kind of deficiency in the degrees of freedom of the Jacobian matrix $F'(mathbf{x}).$ We describe new randomized heuristics that exploit scarcity for the optimized evaluation of collections of Jacobian-vector or Jacobian-transpose-vector products.
Achalasia: A case report on its effect during surgical decision making for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in the young morbidly obese patient

Introduction Achalasia is a condition that occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) fails to properly relax, combined with slowing/failure of esophageal peristalsis. This is seen clinically by not allowing solids and liquids to pass easily into the stomach. Achalasia is not historically associated with morbid obesity, yet dual treatment of morbid obesity and achalasia is becoming more prominent due to the worldwide obesity epidemic.
The Value of a Brief Thought for the Day Reflection on an Academic Consult Service.

Background:Work in hospice and palliative medicine can be stressful. A variety of methods have been used to mitigate workplace stress including mindfulness mediation, reflective writing, and physical activity. An intervention implemented at our institution is a “Thought for the Day,” a short reflection on a piece of poetry, music, or religious writing. Although this practice may be commonplace in the field of hospice and palliative medicine, no literature has been published about its perceived utility by team members with various competing demands on their time.Objective:This study’s objective was to obtain a better understanding about the perception and utility of a Thought for the Day held by clinicians rounding on an academic palliative medicine consult service.Methods:A survey, containing qualitative and quantitative elements was sent to faculty, staff, and learners who participated in a Thought for the Day over the 18 months between March 2013 and October 2014. Twenty-eight responses were returned an...
Lactic Acid Suppresses IL-33–Mediated Mast Cell Inflammatory Responses via Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α–Dependent miR-155 Suppression

Lactic acid (LA) is present in tumors, asthma, and wound healing, environments with elevated IL-33 and mast cell infiltration. Although IL-33 is a potent mast cell activator, how LA affects IL-33–mediated mast cell function is unknown. To investigate this, mouse bone marrow–derived mast cells were cultured with or without LA and activated with IL-33. LA reduced IL-33–mediated cytokine and chemokine production. Using inhibitors for monocarboxylate transporters (MCT) or replacing LA with sodium lactate revealed that LA effects are MCT-1– and pH-dependent. LA selectively altered IL-33 signaling, suppressing TGF-β–activated kinase-1, JNK, ERK, and NF-κB phosphorylation, but not p38 phosphorylation. LA effects in other contexts have been linked to hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, which was enhanced in bone marrow–derived mast cells treated with LA. Because HIF-1α has been shown to regulate the microRNA miR-155 in other systems, LA effects on miR-155-5p and miR-155-3p species were measured. In fact, LA selectively suppressed miR-155-5p in an HIF-1α–dependent manner. Moreover, overexpressing miR-155-5p, but not miR-155-3p, abolished LA effects on IL-33–induced cytokine production. These in vitro effects of reducing cytokines were consistent in vivo, because LA injected i.p. into C57BL/6 mice suppressed IL-33–induced plasma cytokine levels. Lastly, IL-33 effects on primary human mast cells were suppressed by LA in an MCT-dependent manner. Our data demonstrate that LA, present in inflammatory and malignant microenvironments, can alter mast cell behavior to suppress inflammation.
Education as the Practice of Freedom

Throughout the book I have referred to the phrase “education as the practice of freedom.” I have used it as an expression of both resistance and hope. It is very much at the foundation of the critique I have laid out against education reform defined by the policies and agenda of neoliberalism. It is also the expression that is very much at the source of my desire to reclaim education—to embrace education as the transformative process that leads us to what Freire calls humanization, also identified by him and others as self-actualization and self-realization. Of course, such an expression can be and is, in fact, typically dismissed as idealistic, vague, and even counterproductive to the goal of improving education according to “evidence-based” data. I clearly disagree with this assessment and want to more fully explore the power and significance of the notion of education as the practice of freedom, as a guidepost for and a means to reclaiming education.
How Can We Do Better? Lessons from HIV/AIDS

The relentless development of new ideas, products, practices and services has transformed everyday life. The rapid development reflects multiplayer venturesomeness: Innovation has become highly democratized and decentralized. However, medical innovation may be lagging because of its more closed, elitist and highly regulated structure.
Viral Vector Gene Delivery to the Brain for Treating Neurogenetic Diseases

Treatment of neurogenetic diseases is often difficult, as potential treatment must correct pathology that is globally present. A promising approach to treatment of these types of diseases is gene therapy, which employs the use of viral vectors to deliver a therapeutic gene. The three most commonly used viral vectors, herpes simplex viruses (HSVs), lentiviruses (LVs) and adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are described, as well as the potential routes of administration for delivery of viral vectors in humans. This chapter highlights the main neurogenetic diseases for which viral vector-based therapies are being developed.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE JUDICIAL DEFINITION OF MATERIALITY

Determining what should be considered a material item has been a problem for both the accounting profession and the courts. By reviewing the court cases involving the issue of materiality, the authors have determined where differences in the materiality standard as applied by the courts exist. The judicial definition of materiality has developed over time, and current trends with important variations are observed. Based upon the authors' analysis, the following judicial definition of materiality, with its possible variations, is suggested: Would the reasonable (or speculative) investor (or layman) consider important (or be influenced by) this information in determining his course of action?
Abstract 334: Selective Renal Deafferentation Attenuates the Development of Genetic and Renal Hypertension

Renal denervation decreases arterial pressure (AP) in hypertensive rats and humans. This procedure destroys both afferent and efferent nerves. Several investigators have proposed that renal afferent nerves contribute to the elevated AP. We developed a procedure to selectively remove renal afferent nerves with capsaicin (1-100 mM) both topically on the nerve and in the renal pelvis. We examined the effects of renal deafferentation on the development of genetic and renal hypertension. We studied spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and a model of renal hypertension, two kidney-one clip (2K1C) in Sprague-Dawley rats. SHR were treated at 3-4 weeks of age with capsaicin. Mean arterial pressure was recorded by tail cuff through 16 weeks of age. On week 17, rats were cannulated, allowed 3 days to recover then had their AP measured directly for 3 days (3 hrs/day). Rats with renal deafferentation (n=11) had lower arterial pressure weeks 9-16 (average reduction AP=10.1±1.4 mmHg, ANOVA, p=0.0049) compared to control (saline treated, n=6) although the final direct recording was not significantly different on week 17 (control AP=184.1±3.4 mmHg vs deafferented AP=173.9±4.3 mmHg, p=0.07). Substance P levels from the kidneys were reduced in deafferented rats compared to control (6.9±1.0 vs 17.3±5.2 pg/g protein, p=0.0009). In contrast, renal NE levels were not altered (307±19 vs 313±20 pg/g protein, p=0.428). In the second study, the left kidney in weanling Sprague-Dawley rats was exposed to capsaicin or saline. Rats were allowed to mature (>250 g BW) then subjected to left renal artery clipping (0.2mm) or sham clip. AP was recorded by tail cuff during development of 2K1C for 6 weeks before direct cannulation to record AP on week 7. Renal deafferentation prevented the development of hypertension in 13 rats compared to 9 saline treated rats (average reduction AP=16.9±2.7 mmHg, ANOVA, p=0.0031). Saline treated rats had a higher AP 7 weeks after clipping (147.1±10.2 vs 130.5±4.2 mmHg direct recording, p=0.02). The left kidney contained 48% SP compared to the right kidney (p=0.04). These data suggest that increased afferent renal nerve activity contributes to the elevation in AP in hypertension and contributes to essential hypertension in humans. Supported by USPHS DA017371.
Respiratory oxygen uptake is associated with survival in a cohort of ventilated trauma and burn patients.

Abstract Background Little data is available in the literature about the role of end tidal oxygen in critically ill patients. We sought to identify the association between the level of respiratory oxygen and clinical outcomes in critically-ill ventilated trauma and burn patients. Methods A retrospective cohort of 55 trauma and burn patients from 2010 to 2016 was collected. Exposures of interest included a) expiratory end tidal oxygen (ETO2) and b) the difference between FiO2 and ETO2 (uptake). Associations of clinical characteristics with ETO2 and oxygen uptake were examined using a Spearman correlation. The relationships between discharge status, demographics, injury type, severity, and clinical characteristics were examined using chi-square (or Fisher's exact) tests and two-sample t-tests. Multivariable analyses using linear and logistic regression were performed to determine whether expiratory end tidal oxygen or oxygen uptake was an independent predictor of clinical outcomes. Results Mean age for the patients was 46.3 ± 18.2 years with 41 (74.6%) male and 34 (61.8%) white. In the cohort, 27 (49.1%) of patients had burns and 28 (50.9%) blunt trauma. Oxygen uptake was negatively correlated with lactic acid, minute ventilation, total ICU days, and ventilator days (p Conclusion A narrowed difference between ETO2 and inspiratory oxygen is associated with increased mortality in a cohort of ventilated trauma and burn patients. Future research is needed to further elucidate the role of respiratory oxygen level in larger, prospective studies.
LitVar: a semantic search engine for linking genomic variant data in PubMed and PMC.

The identification and interpretation of genomic variants play a key role in the diagnosis of genetic diseases and related research. These tasks increasingly rely on accessing relevant manually curated information from domain databases (e.g. SwissProt or ClinVar). However, due to the sheer volume of medical literature and high cost of expert curation, curated variant information in existing databases are often incomplete and out-of-date. In addition, the same genetic variant can be mentioned in publications with various names (e.g. 'A146T' versus 'c.436G>A' versus 'rs121913527'). A search in PubMed using only one name usually cannot retrieve all relevant articles for the variant of interest. Hence, to help scientists, healthcare professionals, and database curators find the most up-to-date published variant research, we have developed LitVar for the search and retrieval of standardized variant information. In addition, LitVar uses advanced text mining techniques to compute and extract relationships between variants and other associated entities such as diseases and chemicals/drugs. LitVar is publicly available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CBBresearch/Lu/Demo/LitVar.
AN APPROACH TO SENTIMENT ANALYSIS –THE CASE OF AIRLINE QUALITY RATING

Sentiment mining has been commonly associated with the analysis of a text string to determine whether a corpus is of a negative or positive opinion. Recently, sentiment mining has been extended to address problems such as distinguishing objective from subjective propositions, and determining the sources and topics of different opinions expressed in textual data sets such as web blogs, tweets, message board reviews, and news. Companies can leverage opinion polarity and sentiment topic recognition to gain a deeper understanding of the drivers and the overall scope of sentiments. These insights can advance competitive intelligence, improve customer service, attain better brand image, and enhance competitiveness. This research paper proposes a sentiment mining approach which detects sentiment polarity and sentiment topic from text. The approach includes a sentiment topic recognition model that is based on Correlated Topics Models (CTM) with Variational Expectation-Maximization (VEM) algorithm. We validate the effectiveness and efficiency of this model using airline data from Twitter. We also examine the reputation of three major airlines by computing their Airline Quality Rating (AQR) based on the output from our approach.
Stability and Change in Girls’ Delinquency and the Gender Gap: Trends in Violence and Alcohol Offending Across Multiple Sources of Evidence

Females commit much less crime and delinquency than males for nearly every category of crime. The gender gap in offending is larger for more serious and violent offenses and narrower for minor behaviors. These are among the most robust and consistent findings in criminology. In recent years, however, the extent and character of gender differences in crime are increasingly being called in question by statistics and media reports suggesting a greater involvement of girls in the criminal justice system.
Comment on 'Large-scale non-locality in "doubly special relativity" with an energy-dependent speed of light'

We show that some of the recent results reported in gr-qc/0308049 are based on assumptions which are in contrast with general properties of ``Doubly Special Relativity'' and/or with Planck-scale physics models.
A Review and Critique of the Literature on Community College Students’ Transition Processes and Outcomes in Four-Year Institutions

The successful transfer of community college students to four-year institutions has been and remains a subject of intense scholarly, policy, and public interest. For a variety of reasons, however, scrutiny of the transfer mission of community colleges, and of the success of community college transfer students in completing baccalaureate degrees, is particularly acute at this time. Unfortunately, the body of literature that informs discourse on community college students’ attainment of baccalaureate degrees disproportionately neglects students’ experiences in the four-year institution and the role of the four-year institution in supporting their success. Moreover, with the exception of a few sustained lines of inquiry, research in this area generally has been fragmented and unsystematic, further limiting the advancement of knowledge. Here, we seek to remedy this problem and provide a foundation for future inquiry by articulating and defining the core concepts in this area, discussing and critiquing the measurement of these concepts, summarizing findings, and offering recommendations for the advancement of future research.
The determination of atmospheric drag on artificial satellites

While all the forces acting on a satellite in orbital motion produce short–periodic perturbations in the major axis, only solar–radiation pressure and atmospheric drag are capable of producing long–periodic and secular variations. In the absence of direct drag–pressure measurements, the atmospheric drag on a satellite can be determined from the secular variation of its period of revolution (the orbital acceleration) when the effect of solar–radiation pressure is removed.
American Kestrel Nonbreeding Roost Use and Behavior in South Texas

Roost sites are likely an important component of the American Kestrel's (Falco sparverius), kestrel(s) hereafter, nonbreeding habitat, as quality roost structures can provide thermal cover and protection from predators. We studied winter roost-site use by kestrels in an agricultural landscape in South Texas, where the population is composed of a combination of territorial wintering birds and migrating individuals passing through. Through observations of color-marked and unmarked birds, we identified 50 roost sites during September–March, 2014–2017. Kestrels utilized foliated shrubs and trees as roosting sites (n = 24), as well as various human-made structures (n = 26) including buildings, petroleum and farm equipment, and electrical structures for roost sites. Roost sites varied greatly in the level of concealment and exposure, with seven kestrels roosting on electric structures that allowed high levels of exposure to weather and potential avian predators. We observed aggression between kestrels around roost sites, and we documented small communal kestrel roosts. Because we observed roosting in sites exposed to weather and predators, aggression around roost sites, and communal roosting, we speculate that roosting sites suitable for kestrels may be limited or poorly dispersed in this agricultural landscape.
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) Growth, Nutrition and Immunology

Limited information about nutrition exists on American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) from hatching to fledging. To detail immunity, metabolism and nutrition of juvenile American White Pelicans, during 22-23 July 2011, 103 samples of regurgitate matter were collected at five Chase Lake, North Dakota, USA, and three Bitter Lake, South Dakota, USA, sub-colonies. Regurgitate sample nutrient content was significantly different for organic matter (P = 0.012), crude protein (P = 0.001), neutral detergent fiber (P = 0.014), acid detergent fiber (P = 0.005) and energy (P = 0.034) between North (n = 5) and South (n = 3) Dakota American White Pelican colonies. Average concentrations of immunoglobulins Y (2.74 ± 1.85 ng/mL) and A (9.04 ± 9.41 ng/mL) demonstrated passive transfer of immunity in regurgitate. To enhance information on growth and morphology in hand-reared American White Pelicans (n = 8), a 9-week captive trial was also conducted raising chicks from hatching to fledging. Predictive models were created to describe chick growth for intake, body weight, culmen length and tarsus length. Data collected during this study enhances both American White Pelican general ecology and conservation with implications for both captive and wild bird management.
Equivariant D-modules on 2 × 2 × 2 hypermatrices

Abstract Let V = C 2 ⊗ C 2 ⊗ C 2 be the space of 2 × 2 × 2 hypermatrices, endowed with the natural group action of GL = GL 2 ( C ) × GL 2 ( C ) × GL 2 ( C ) . The category of GL-equivariant coherent left D -modules on V is equivalent to the category of representations of a quiver with relations. In this article, we give a construction of each simple object and study their GL-equivariant structure. Using this information, we go on to explicitly describe the corresponding quiver with relations. As an application, we compute all iterations of local cohomology with support in the orbit closures of V.
Simultaneous Occurrence of Germline Mutations of SDHB and TP53 in a patient with Metastatic Pheochromocytoma.

Context We describe a patient with metastatic malignant pheochromocytoma who was found to have germline SDHB and TP53 mutations occurring together. Case description A 39-year-old male presented with neck pain. Magnetic resonance imaging of the neck revealed a C3 vertebral body collapse and an underlying C3 lesion. Computed tomography (CT) of the thorax, abdomen, and pelvis showed multiple skeletal lesions, a sternal mass, bilateral pulmonary nodules, bilateral adrenal masses, and an aortocaval lymph node conglomerate. He underwent biopsy of the sternal mass, which revealed metastatic pheochromocytoma and subsequent blood work showed serum epinephrine levels of 200 pg/mL (normal 10-200 pg/mL), norepinephrine 28 241 pg/mL (normal 80-520 pg/mL), and dopamine 250 pg/mL (normal 0-20 pg/mL). Genetic testing revealed both SDHB and TP53 germline mutations. He was started on α- and β-blockers and calcium channel blockers to control hypertension and tachycardia. Two months after the diagnosis, a CT of the abdomen and pelvis showed progression of disease, with enlargement of the right adrenal mass as well as the aortocaval conglomeration. His plasma metanephrines were significantly elevated. He was started on systemic chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, dacarbazine, and vincristine. He required several antihypertensive agents, including metyrosine, to control his blood pressure in preparation for chemotherapy. Conclusion This is the first reported case of simultaneous SDHB and TP53 germline mutations occurring in an individual with a highly aggressive clinical course of pheochromocytoma. We speculate that the simultaneous occurrence of these 2 oncogenic mutations may have led to an aggressive tumor progression.
Leveraging Two Reference Functions in Block Bregman Proximal Gradient Descent for Non-convex and Non-Lipschitz Problems

In the applications of signal processing and data analytics, there is a wide class of non-convex problems whose objective function is freed from the common global Lipschitz continuous gradient assumption (e.g., the nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) problem). Recently, this type of problem with some certain special structures has been solved by Bregman proximal gradient (BPG). This inspires us to propose a new Block-wise two-references Bregman proximal gradient (B2B) method, which adopts two reference functions so that a closed-form solution in the Bregman projection is obtained. Based on the relative smoothness, we prove the global convergence of the proposed algorithms for various block selection rules. In particular, we establish the global convergence rate of $O(\frac{\sqrt{s}}{\sqrt{k}})$ for the greedy and randomized block updating rule for B2B, which is $O(\sqrt{s})$ times faster than the cyclic variant, i.e., $O(\frac{s}{\sqrt{k}} )$, where $s$ is the number of blocks, and $k$ is the number of iterations. Multiple numerical results are provided to illustrate the superiority of the proposed B2B compared to the state-of-the-art works in solving NMF problems.
Abstract 330: Intra-Arrest Cardioplegia Prevents the Diastolic Dysfunction Induced by Prolonged VF Arrest

Introduction: There are approximately 400,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests annually, including one-third with VT/VF as their initial rhythm. Approximately 60% of VF arrests are refractory to ini...
Celestial Navigation - Correcting the Folklore

Celestial navigation has been guiding the mariner for hundreds of years; more recently, the GPS (GNSS, in general) has made 3-D positioning and precise time a commodity for everyday use. With an increased awareness of the vulnerabilities associated with any satellite-based system, there is a renewed interest in non-satellite PNT systems. We have been reexamining celestial navigation from the vantage point of those conversant in GNSS language. Two aspects of these parallel approaches have attracted our attention: how to choose which stars to process (similar to the GNSS satellite selection problem) and if (and at what accuracy) precise time can be estimated from celestial measurements. This paper clarifies two common misconceptions about celestial navigation: (1) that the stars selected for celestial navigation do not need to be “evenly” distributed across 360 degrees of azimuth, that multiple stars from nearly similar directions (i.e. Polaris and stars in the Big Dipper) can be very useful together in forming a good celestial fix; and (2) that while “star clocks” are advertised, their result is not precise time, and that celestial techniques can only provide a low quality source of time information.
Pregnancy Plus Atrial Septal Defect vs Eisenmenger Syndrome

This case highlights the importance of understanding the physiological changes of pregnancy, especially in how they relate to a patient with cardiovascular disease. Eisenmenger syndrome requires a full understanding of the physiology and anatomy to safely guide a patient through an anesthetic.
An Empirical Analysis of the Daily Labor Supply of Stadium Vendors

This paper analyzes the daily labor supply behavior of food and beverage vendors at a single stadium over an entire baseball season. This labor market is attractive for the study of labor supply both because the vendors unilaterally decide whether to participate on each game date and because changes in product demand conditions across days are large and highly predictable, generating exogenous game-to-game variation in the vendor "wage." I exploit the observable shifts in product demand conditions across games to estimate the labor supply (participation) elasticity of stadium vendors. Estimates that recognize that demand conditions and vendor labor supply decisions simultaneously determine the vendor wage always find substantial labor supply elasticities, typically in the .55-.65 range. In contrast, estimates that ignore the endogeneity of the vendor wage yield severely downward-biased labor supply elasticities. These results highlight the importance of using demand shift instruments to identify labor supply elasticities in specific labor markets.
Remembering Nils Nilsson

Former President of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence and Stanford University professor Nils Nilsson died on Thursday, April 23, 2020 after a long illness. In this tribute, his former student Karen Myers provides personal reflections on Nilsson and the lasting impact he had on her life, as well as Nilsson's contributions to the field of artificial intelligence.
Study of optical reflectors for a 100ps coincidence time resolution TOF-PET detector design.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) reconstructed image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can be improved by including the 511 keV photon pair coincidence time-of-flight (TOF) information. The degree of SNR improvement from this TOF capability depends on the coincidence time resolution (CTR) of the PET system, which is essentially the variation in photon arrival time differences over all coincident photon pairs detected for a point positron source placed at the system center. The CTR is determined by several factors including the intrinsic properties of the scintillation crystals and photodetectors, crystal-to-photodetector coupling configurations, reflective materials, and the electronic readout configuration scheme. The goal of the present work is to build a novel TOF-PET system with 100 picoseconds (ps) CTR, which provides an additional factor of 1.5-2.0 improvement in reconstructed image SNR compared to state-of-the-art TOF-PET systems which achieve 225-400 ps CTR. A critical parameter to understand is the optical reflector's influence on scintillation light collection and transit time variations to the photodetector. To study the effects of the reflector covering the scintillation crystal element on CTR, we have tested the performance of four different reflector materials: Enhanced Specular Reflector (ESR) -coupled with air or optical grease to the scintillator; Teflon tape; BaSO4paint alone or mixed with epoxy; and TiO2paint. For the experimental set-up, we made use of 3 × 3 × 10 mm3fast-LGSO:Ce scintillation crystal elements coupled to an array of silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) using a novel 'side-readout' configuration that has proven to have lower variations in scintillation light collection efficiency and transit time to the photodetector.Results: show CTR values of 102.0 ± 0.8, 100.2 ± 1.2, 97.3 ± 1.8 and 95.0 ± 1.0 ps full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) with non-calibrated energy resolutions of 10.2 ± 1.8, 9.9 ± 1.2, 7.9 ± 1.2, and 8.6 ± 1.7% FWHM for the Teflon, ESR (without grease), BaSO4(without epoxy) and TiO2paint treatments, respectively.
Mitigation of Injury from Myocardial Infarction by TH1834, an Inhibitor of the Acetyltransferase Tip60

It is estimated that up to one billion cardiomyocytes (CMs) can be lost during myocardial infarction (MI), which results in contractile dysfunction, adverse ventricular remodeling, and systolic heart failure. Pharmacologic strategies that target factors having both pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative functions in CMs may be useful for the treatment of ischemic heart disease. One such multifunctional candidate for drug targeting is the acetyltransferase Tip60, which is a member of the MYST family of acetyltransferases known to acetylate both histone and non-histone protein targets that have been shown in cultured cancer cells to promote apoptosis and to initiate the DNA damage response (DDR) thereby limiting cellular expansion. Using a murine model, we recently published findings demonstrating that CM-specific disruption of the Kat5 gene encoding Tip60 markedly protected against the damaging effects of MI. In the experiments described here, in lieu of genetic targeting, we administered TH1834, an experimental drug designed to specifically inhibit the acetyltransferase domain of Tip60. We report that, similar to the effect of disrupting the Kat5 gene, daily systemic administration of TH1834 beginning 3 days after induction of MI and continuing for two weeks of a 4-week timeline resulted in improved systolic function assessed by echocardiography, reduced apoptosis and scarring, reduced expression of markers of the DDR, and increased activation of the CM cell-cycle. Our results support that idea that drugs that inhibit the acetyltransferase activity of Tip60 may be useful agents for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.
Routine Decontamination of Working Canines: A Study on the Removal of Superficial Gross Contamination.

Odor detection canines are a valuable resource used by multiple agencies for the sensitive detection of explosives, narcotics, firearms, agricultural products, and even human bodies. These canines and their handlers are frequently deployed to pathogen-contaminated environments or to work in close proximity with potentially sick individuals. Appropriate decontamination protocols must be established to mitigate both canine and handler exposure in these scenarios. Despite this potential risk, extremely limited guidance is available on routine canine decontamination from pathogenic biological materials. In this article, we evaluate the ability of several commercial off-the-shelf cleansing products, used in wipe form, to remove superficial contamination from fur, canine equipment, and toys. Using Glo Germ MIST as a proxy for biological contamination, our analysis demonstrated more than a 90% average reduction in contamination after wiping with a Nolvasan scrub solution, 0.5% chlorhexidine solution, or 70% isopropyl alcohol. Wiping with nondisinfectant baby wipes or water yielded an almost 80% average removal of contaminant from all surfaces. Additionally, researchers used Gwet's AC2 measurement to assess interrater reliability, which demonstrated substantial agreement (P < .001). These data provide key insights toward the development of a rapid, convenient, and fieldable alternative to traditional water-intensive bathing of working canines.
Cardiac Inotropy and Ca Mismanagement

In this chapter I will discuss some general mechanisms involved in cardiac inotropy and their relationship to cellular Ca overload and mismanagement. It is not intended as a comprehensive review of either inotropic agents or cardiac pathophysiology. I will start by considering five different means of cardiac inotropy: 1) hypothermia, 2) β-adrenergic activation, 3) α- adrenergic activation, 4) CaMKII activation and 5) cardioactive steroids (digitalis glycosides). Then I will discuss the ways in which cellular Ca regulation can go awry, with particular emphasis on Ca overload and heart failure. Finally, I will address strategic sites for induction of cardiac inotropy. This discussion may help to bring some of the characteristics of specific cellular systems discussed in preceding chapters into a more integrative picture of cellular Ca regulation.