cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Principal Component Analysis With Sparse Fused Loadings

In this article, we propose a new method for principal component analysis (PCA), whose main objective is to capture natural “blocking” structures in the variables. Further, the method, beyond selecting different variables for different components, also encourages the loadings of highly correlated variables to have the same magnitude. These two features often help in interpreting the principal components. To achieve these goals, a fusion penalty is introduced and the resulting optimization problem solved by an alternating block optimization algorithm. The method is applied to a number of simulated and real datasets and it is shown that it achieves the stated objectives. The supplemental materials for this article are available online.
Infradiaphragmatic totally anomalous pulmonary venous return with two separate descending veins in association with right atrial isomerism

We present the case of a 1-month-old infant with right atrial isomerism and complex functionally univentricular heart disease, in whom totally anomalous pulmonary venous return drained below the diaphragm via two separate vertical veins. One of the descending vertical veins drained the entire right lung and the left upper lobe, while the other drained the remainder of the left lung. Only one similar case has been described previously.
Functional Assisted Gaming for Upper-Extremity Therapy After Stroke: Background, Evaluation, and Future Directions of the Spring Orthosis Approach

We describe the use of a passive, spring-based orthosis approach (as exemplified by T-WREX and Armeo®Spring) to enhance upper-extremity movement therapy after neurologic injury. This approach incorporates an arm exoskeleton that assists a patient in moving his or her weakened arm by using springs to support the weight of the arm: a grip sensor that can sense minimal grasp forces, and thus allows even very weak patients to practice integrating hand movement with arm movement; and a suite of computer games that simulate functional, whole-arm activities and provide objective feedback on performance. This chapter first traces the development of the spring orthosis approach to upper-extremity arm therapy within the context of the development of robot-assisted therapy. Then, this chapter evaluates the spring orthosis approach in light of recent evidence concerning the role of functional exercise, external assistance, and gaming in promoting movement recovery of the arm and hand after stroke. The chapter concludes by analyzing possible future directions for technology for upper-extremity movement therapy relative to the spring orthosis approach.
Nucleotide sequence and characterization of a Bacillus subtilis gene encoding a flagellar switch protein.

Abstract The nucleotide sequence of the Bacillus subtilis fliM gene has been determined. This gene encodes a 38-kDa protein that is homologous to the FliM flagellar switch proteins of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Expression of this gene in Che+ cells of E. coli and B. subtilis interferes with normal chemotaxis. The nature of the chemotaxis defect is dependent upon the host used. In B. subtilis, overproduction of FliM generates mostly nonmotile cells. Those cells that are motile switch less frequently. Expression of B. subtilis FliM in E. coli also generates nonmotile cells. However, those cells that are motile have a tumble bias. The B. subtilis fliM gene cannot complement an E. coli fliM mutant. A frameshift mutation was constructed in the fliM gene, and the mutation was transferred onto the B. subtilis chromosome. The mutant has a Fla- phenotype. This phenotype is consistent with the hypothesis that the FliM protein encodes a component of the flagellar switch in B. subtilis. Additional characterization of the fliM mutant suggests that the hag and mot loci are not expressed. These loci are regulated by the SigD form of RNA polymerase. We also did not observe any methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins in an in vivo methylation experiment. The expression of these proteins is also dependent upon SigD. It is possible that a functional basal body-hook complex may be required for the expression of SigD-regulated chemotaxis and motility genes.
A course on Multimedia QoS Networking: development and evaluation of on-campus offering

Multimedia networking applications are becoming increasingly popular and the ongoing research in this field is providing a progressively more sophisticated understanding of the underlying principles of providing quality of service (QoS) for networked multimedia applications. To provide education in this emerging area, which is of increasing importance for electrical, computer, and industrial engineers, a course on Multimedia QoS Networking has been developed at Arizona State University. To provide the students with a balanced education in the fundamental principles and in the current development trends the course structure has three components: 1) lecture (40% of class contact time), in which the instructor presents the basic principles, 2) topic exploration (30% of contact time), which expands on the basic principles and explores current trends through student presentations, and 3) paper critique, in which the readings from the recent literature are critically evaluated and examined in instructor-led discussions (30% of contact time). The on-campus offering of the course was evaluated through the assessment of student work, student surveys, and student interviews. The assessment indicates the students were very positive toward the course structure, especially the paper critiques and their in-class discussions
The turning couples on an elliptic particle settling in a vertical channel

We do a direct two-dimensional finite-elment simulation of the Navier–Stokes equations and compute the forces which turn an ellipse settling in a vertical channel of viscous fluid in a regime in which the ellipse oscillates under the action of vortex shedding. Turning this way and that is induced by large and unequal values of negative pressure at the rear separation points which are here identified with the two points on the back face where the shear stress vanishes. The main restoring mechanism which turns the broadside of the ellipse perpendicular to the fall is the high pressure at the ‘stagnation point’ on the front face, as in potential flow, which is here identified with the one point on the front face where the shear stress vanishes.
A Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for Quantitation of Aripiprazole in Human Plasma

A rugged liquid chromatographic-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-ESI-MS-MS) method was developed and validated for accurate monitoring of steady-state plasma aripiprazole. Haloperidol-d(4) was chosen as the internal standard. ESI of aripiprazole and haloperidol-d(4) yielded abundant MH(+) ions, m/z 448 and 379, respectively. These ions were collision-dissociated to respective product ions of m/z 285 and 168. Ion-suppression experiments with blank plasma extracts showed substantial depressions of the product ions at retention times between 0.5 to 2 min, prohibiting development of a high-throughput LC-MS-MS method. A steep-gradient elution LC permitted a robust LC-ESI-MS-MS method with a 12-min analysis time. Aripiprazole was quantified from 0.2-mL aliquots of human plasma with acceptable precision and accuracy down to a lower limit of quantitation of 2 ng/mL. Aripiprazole was stable in plasma samples stored at room temperature for 24 h or exposed to three freeze-thaw cycles and in processed extracts stored at -20 degrees C for six days or on the autosampler at 10 degrees C for four days. The method has been successfully used for determinations of steady-state concentrations of aripiprazole in human subjects given daily oral doses of 15 mg. All measured concentrations were well within the quantitative range of 2 to 400 ng/mL.
Management interface for programmable end-to-end 'data connectivity' provisioning

The paper describes a management-oriented model for cost-effective 'data connectivity' provisioning between the peer entities of a networked multimedia application. The 'connectivity' service provider (SP) may maintain multiple protocol mechanisms to support its clientele: ranging between bandwidth-reserved paths to bandwidth-shared paths. Client applications prescribe the required QoS obligations through a service interface, with the SP instantiating one of the protocol modules with appropriate parameters to meet the QoS requirements. The model allows dynamic switching from one protocol module to another, based on a notion of cost associated with bandwidth usage by the network infrastructure for a given level of QoS offering. The management functions of SP monitor the changes and/or outages in network bandwidth in a dynamic setting, and map them into connectivity costs incurred by the selected protocol mechanism. The paper describes the signaling required between the SP and network infrastructure to install appropriate policy functions that can make the connectivity provisioning cost-optimal.
Apparent molar volumes and apparent molar heat capacities of aqueous urea, 1,1-dimethylurea, and N,N′-dimethylurea at temperatures from (278.15 to 348.15) K and at the pressure 0.35 MPa

Abstract Apparent molar volumes V ϕ and apparent molar heat capacities C p, ϕ were determined for aqueous solutions of urea, 1,1-dimethylurea, and N , N ′-dimethylurea. Measurements were made at molalities m = (0.02 to 6.0) mol · kg −1 for urea, at m = (0.01 to 1.6) mol · kg −1 for 1,1-dimethylurea, and at m = (0.01 to 8.0) mol · kg −1 for N , N ′-dimethylurea. Experimental temperatures ranged from (278.15 to 318.15) K for both urea and 1,1-dimethylurea, and from (278.15 to 348.15) K for N , N ′-dimethylurea. All measurements were conducted at the pressure p = 0.35 MPa. Density measurements obtained with a vibrating-tube densimeter were used to calculate V ϕ values. Heat capacity measurements obtained with a twin fixed-cell differential temperature-scanning calorimeter were used to calculate C p, ϕ values. Functions of m and T were fitted to the results and were compared with the literature values. The “structure making/structure breaking” aspects of urea in water are discussed. Comparisons are made between the different urea compounds, and the effects of the methyl-group additions are outlined.
Comparative distribution of N-acetylaspartylglutamate and GAD67 in the cerebellum and precerebellar nuclei of the rat utilizing enhanced carbodiimide fixation and immunohistochemistry.

The most prevalent peptide in the nervous system, N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), specifically activates N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and a subclass of metabotropic glutamate receptors. One action of this peptide may be to modulate the release of other neurotransmitters, including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The present study describes the cellular distribution of NAAG, relative to GABA, in the cerebellum and precerebellar nuclei as a foundation for further physiological investigations. Numerous cells of origin for mossy fibers, including many of the larger neurons of the pontine nuclei, lateral reticular nuclei, vestibular nuclei, reticulotegmental nuclei, and spinal grey, were moderately to strongly stained for NAAG. Many NAAG-labeled fibers were clearly visible in the cerebellar peduncles and central white matter. Mossy fibers and mossy endings were among the most prominent NAAG-immunoreactive elements in the cerebellar cortex. Most neurons in the inferior olive were not stained for NAAG, and only sparse, lightly immunoreactive, climbing fiber-like endings could be identified in restricted regions of the cortical molecular layer. Purkinje neurons ranged from nonreactive to moderately positive, with the great majority being unstained. Cerebellar granule cells did not exhibit any NAAG immunoreactivity. A population of neurons in the deep cerebellar nuclei was highly immunoreactive for NAAG. Additionally, many neurons of the red nucleus were intensely stained for NAAG. Comparisons with staining for the 67 kD form of glutamic acid decarboxylase in serial sections revealed complementary distributions, with NAAG in excitatory pathways and cell groups, and glutamic acid decarboxylase in inhibitory systems. These findings suggest a significant functional involvement of NAAG in the excitatory afferent and efferent projection systems and provide an anatomical basis for investigations into the interactions of NAAG and GABA in the cerebellum. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
MATONIACEOUS FERNS (GLEICHENIALES) FROM THE MIDDLE TRIASSIC OF ANTARCTICA

The Matoniaceae is one of the most ancient lineages of extant ferns, with a fossil record that extends from the early Mesozoic. Currently they are considered to be a systematically isolated group that occupies a basal position in the phylogeny of leptosporangiate ferns. Although the extant taxa of Matoniaceae are today restricted to the Malaysian archipelago, a diverse assemblage of matoniaceous ferns occurred on every continent, including Antarctica, during the Mesozoic. Here we describe anatomically preserved, detached fern sori and sporangia from the Fremouw Formation with a combination of characters that affiliates them with the Matoni- aceae. Sori are peltate with more than 25 crowded sporangia that display simple maturation. The indusium is multiseriate and centrally attached to a massive, vascularized receptacle. Sporangia are globose to ovoid with vertical, meandering, incomplete annuli, and are helically attached to the receptacle in three to four gyres. This report places this fern as the earliest known occurrence of the Matoniaceae in the fossil record. Characters observed in the sori offer insights regarding organizational patterns of reproductive structures in the family. Additionally, the presence of a peltate indusium in the earliest known representative of the family contradicts the hypothesized evolutionary sequence in development of this structure in the family.
Measurement of thermal conductivities of soils

Energy conservation in buildings, in particular in underground constructions, is strongly affected by the thermal properties of the soil surrounding such buildings.
Aging degrades the neural encoding of simple and complex sounds in the human brainstem.

BACKGROUND Older adults, with or without normal peripheral hearing sensitivity, have difficulty understanding speech. This impaired speech perception may, in part, be due to desynchronization affecting the neural representation of acoustic features. Here we determine if phase-locked neural activity generating the brainstem frequency-following response (FFR) exhibits age-related desynchronization and how this degradation affects the neural representation of simple and complex sounds. PURPOSE The objectives of this study were to (1) characterize the effects of age on the neural representation of simple tones and complex consonant-vowel stimuli, (2) determine if sustained and transient components of the FFR are differentially affected by age, and (3) determine if the inability to encode a simple signal predicts degradation in representation for complex speech signals. RESEARCH DESIGN Correlational. STUDY SAMPLE Thirty four adults (aged 22-77 yr) with hearing thresholds falling within normal limits. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Stimuli used to evoke FFRs were 1000 Hz tone bursts as well as a consonant-vowel /da/ sound. RESULTS The neural representation of simple (tone) and complex (/da/) stimuli declines with advancing age. Tone-FFR phase coherence decreased as chronological age increased. For the consonant-vowel FFRs, transient onset and offset response amplitudes were smaller, and offset responses were delayed with age. Sustained responses at the onset of vowel periodicity were prolonged in latency and smaller in amplitude as age increased. FFT amplitude of the consonant-vowel FFR fundamental frequency did not significantly decline with increasing age. The ability to encode a simple signal was related to degradation in the neural representation of a complex, speechlike sound. Tone-FFR phase coherence was significantly related to the later vowel response components but not the earlier vowel components. CONCLUSIONS FFR components representing the tone and consonant-vowel /da/ stimulus were negatively affected by age, showing age-related reductions in response synchrony and amplitude, as well as prolonged latencies. These aging effects were evident in middle age, even in the absence of significant hearing loss.
Investigation of Mixing and Flow Characteristics in a Dual-Mode Combustor

A numerical study is conducted to investigate the mixing, combustion, and flow characteristics of a dual-mode scramjet-combustor configuration. A three-dimensional model for the combustors has been used. Numerical results are obtained using a finite volume CFD code with unstructured grids. Hydrogen fuel is injected through a single unswept wall-mounted ramp parallel to the airstream. The effects of the combustor length and the equivalence ratio are studied. Results show that improved combustion efficiency is obtained by increasing the length of the combustor. Also, the change in the equivalence ratio by 10 % slightly affects the combustion efficiency near the end of the combustor duct.
Study on the Slow Move Features of Incremental Photoelectric Encoder

When comparing the phase discriminators of incremental photoelectric encoder,it is found that there are distinctive slow moves in the input and output of incremental photoelectric encoders.To conduct a systematic study on this newly-found phenomenon,the paper firstly illustrates the forming course of slow moves and confirms that the amount of slow-moves is related to the design of phase discriminators.Further study also shows that compared with slow moves of regular sensors,those of incremental photoelectric encoders have three extraordinary features.Among these three features,the width of slow moves has important significance in evaluating the precision of incremental photoelectric encoder and directing the design of phase discriminator.
Influence of Dissolved O2 in Organic Solvents on CuOEP Supramolecular Self-Assembly on Graphite

The supramolecular self-assembly of copper(II) octaethylporphyrin (CuOEP) and octaethylporphyrin (H2OEP) on graphitic surfaces immersed in organic solvents (dichlorobenzene, dodecane) is studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and Raman spectroscopy. STM reveals that the self-assembled structure of CuOEP in 1,2-dichlorobenzene is significantly altered by dissolved oxygen within the solvent. Raman spectroscopy reveals that the presence of the oxygen alters the molecule-substrate interaction, which is attributed to the adsorption of oxygen on the Cu center of the CuOEP, which is facilitated by electron transfer from the graphitic surface. Such oxygen-induced changes are not observed for H2OEP, indicating that the metal center of CuOEP plays a critical role. When the solvent is dodecane, we find that solvation effects dominate. CuOEP adsorbed on graphitic surfaces provides a model system relevant to the study of the transport and activation of oxygen by enzymes and other complexes.
A Different Kind of Sorority

Sometimes group work happens in unusual places and under unconventional circumstances, as my story about an encounter with a group of women who were marginalized and disenfranchised and were seekin...
Interating Research with Conference Learning: 10 Years of Q Methodology Studies Exploring Experiential Learning in the Tavistock Tradition

Evaluarile empirice si procedurile de autocunoastere au fost implementate pe parcursul unei serii de conferinţe de weekend asupra relaţiilor de grup in tradiţia Tavistock si au fost utilizate pentru a dezvolta invaţarea in cadrul conferinţei pentru personal si membri. Aceste studii au fost organizate si conduse pentru a menţine focalizarea pe sarcinile de baza ale conferinţei. Sunt discutate câteva studii asupra leadership-ului, stilurilor de invaţare si rolului consultantului. Sunt de asemenea trecute in revista problemele administrative si metodologice intâmpinate in integrarea cercetarii cu invaţarea in cadrul conferinţei. Deoarece modelul Tavistock accentueaza in mod distinctiv subiectivitatea si invaţarea prin experienţa directa a proceselor ascunse si deseori primitive, a fost cautata o metodologie compatibila cu invaţarea experienţiala. Metodologia Q face posibila obţinerea unor informaţii cuantificabile, obiective si profunde cu privire la valorile, atitudinile si caracteristicile dispoziţionale ale indivizilor si grupurilor aflate in relaţii. Studiile bazate pe metodologia Q au fost desfasurate pe o perioada de 10 ani ca parte integranta a conferinţei de lucru. Invaţarea bazata pe observaţii si experienţe directe a fost combinata cu feedback bazat pe cercetare empirica sistematica. Echipa a analizat rezultatele conferinţei in sesiuni desfasurate la sfârsitul conferinţelor pentru a promova dezvoltarea si competenţa acestora. Realizarea cercetarii in contextul conferinţelor asupra relaţiilor de grup furnizeaza experienţe pentru abordarea atitudinilor conflictuale faţa de cunostinţele bazate pe experienţa personala, date empirice, sau teoria privind luarea deciziilor. Rezultatele acestui studiu au implicaţii pentru autocunoastere si aprecierea rezultatelor evaluarilor in alte instituţii si contexte organizaţionale.
Physician-level variation in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction and the use of angiography among Veterans with elevated troponin.

Cardiac troponin assays have improved the ability to detect myocardial damage. However, ascertaining whether troponin elevation is due to myocardial infarction (MI) or secondary to another process can be challenging. Our aim is to evaluate provider-level variation in the diagnosis of MI and the use of invasive coronary angiography (ICA) among patients with undifferentiated elevations in cardiac troponin. We analyzed data from all patients with elevated troponin levels in a single Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center between 2006 and 2007. One of several cardiologists prospectively evaluated each patient’s presentation and course of care. We compared the frequency of MI diagnosis and ICA use between physicians using univariate odds ratios (OR). Among 761 patients, 34.0 % were diagnosed with MI and 25.9 % underwent ICA. The unadjusted rates of MI (23.9 to 56.7 %, P = 0.02) and ICA (17.3 to 73.3 %, P < 0.001) differed between physicians. Comparing the patient cohorts for each physician, baseline characteristics were similar except for chest pain. In multivariate regression, factors associated with the use of cardiac ICA included an abnormal electrocardiograph (ECG) (OR = 1.89, P = 0.014), level of troponin (OR = 1.71, P = 0.004), chest pain (OR = 8.60, P < 0.001), and care by non-VA physicians (OR = 4.45, P = 0.006). One physician had a lower ICA use (OR = 0.56, P = 0.017). In multivariate regression of MI, no physician-level variation was observed. Among patients with elevated troponin, the likelihood of being diagnosed with MI and undergoing ICA is dependent on their clinical presentation. After adjustment, physician-level variation in care was observed for the use of ICA, but not for the diagnosis of MI.
Soil Temperature and Heat Flow

This chapter focuses on soil temperature. The value of soil temperature at any moment and the manner of its variation in time and space are of primary importance. They help determine the rates and directions of soil physical processes and of energy and mass exchange with the atmosphere. Soil temperature varies in response to changes in the radiant, thermal, and latent energy exchange processes that take place primarily through the soil surface. The effects of these phenomena are propagated into the soil profile by a complex series of transport processes, the rates of which are affected by time-variable and space-variable soil properties. Hence, the quantitative formulation and prediction of the soil thermal regime become a formidable task. Even beyond passive prediction, the possibility of actively controlling or modifying the thermal regime requires the knowledge of the processes at play and of the environmental and soil parameters that determine their rates. The pertinent soil parameters include the specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity (all of which are strongly affected by bulk density and wetness) as well as the internal sources and sinks of heat operating at any time.
Frequency and Etiology of ADHD in New Onset Epilepsy

The prevalence, complications and etiology of ADHD were determined in 75 children (age 8-18 years) with new/recent onset idiopathic epilepsy nd 62 healthy first-degree cousin controls, in a study at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI; and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL.
Automatic programming of robots using genetic programming

The goal in automatic programming is to get a computer to perform a task by telling it what needs to be done. rather than by explicitly programming it. This paper considers the task of automatically generating a computer program to enable an autonomous mobile robot to perform the task of moving a box from the middle of an irregular shaped room to the wall. We compare the ability of the recently developed genetic programming paradigm to produce such a program to the reported ability of reinforcement learning techniques. such as Q learning. to produce such a program in the style of the subsumption architecture. The computational requirements of reinforcement learning necessitates considerable human knowledge and intervention. whereas genetic programming comes much closer to achieving the goal of getting the computer to perform the task without explicitly programming it. The solution produced by genetic programming emerges as a result of Darwinian natural selection and genetic crossover (sexual recombination) in a population of computer programs. The process is driven by a fitness measure which communicates the nature of the task to the computer and its learning paradigm.
A Laminar Flow-Based Microfluidic Tesla Pump via Lithography Enabled 3D Printing

Tesla turbine and its applications in power generation and fluid flow were demonstrated by Nicholas Tesla in 1913. However, its real-world implementations were limited by the difficulty to maintain laminar flow between rotor disks, transient efficiencies during rotor acceleration, and the lack of other applications that fully utilize the continuous flow outputs. All of the aforementioned limits of Tesla turbines can be addressed by scaling to the microfluidic flow regime. Demonstrated here is a microscale Tesla pump designed and fabricated using a Digital Light Processing (DLP) based 3D printer with 43 µm lateral and 30 µm thickness resolutions. The miniaturized pump is characterized by low Reynolds number of 1000 and a flow rate of up to 12.6 mL/min at 1200 rpm, unloaded. It is capable of driving a mixer network to generate microfluidic gradient. The continuous, laminar flow from Tesla turbines is well-suited to the needs of flow-sensitive microfluidics, where the integrated pump will enable numerous compact lab-on-a-chip applications.
Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant after Reduced Intensity Conditioning Provides Outcomes Comparable HLA-Matched Siblings for Patients with High Risk and Advanced Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Abstract Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a standard treatment for patients with high risk or advanced AML. However, older age and of co-morbidities frequently limit its use due to high risk of regimen related toxicities (RRT) after a myeloablative regimen. While the inception of RIC regimens has been very successful at reducing RRT, lack of available HLA matched sibling or unrelated donors has become the principal limiting factor. We hypothesized that UCB would increase the utilization of HSCT in patients with AML who lacked a HLA-matched, medically suitable sibling donor. Therefore, we evaluated the various transplant outcomes in 64 AML patients treated with RIC followed by transplantation with HLA-matched sibling PBSC (n=21) and 4–6/6 HLA matched UCB (n=43). All pts received Fludarabine (Flu, 200 mg/kg) and total body irradiation (TBI 200 cGy) with either cyclophosphamide (Cy 50 mg/kg, n=49) or Busulfan (Bu 8 mg/kg, n=15). All pts received cyclosporine A and mycophenolate mofetil GVHD prophylaxis. UCB grafts were composed of 1 (n=15) or 2 (n=28) units to achieve the minimum cell dose. Patients with good and intermediate risk cytogenetics in first complete remission (CR1) were classified as standard risk; others were classified as high risk. Multivariate models considered: donor type, age, disease status, weight, CMV serostatus, cytogenetic risk, disease risk, acute GVHD, conditioning regimen, and time from diagnosis to HSCT. The proportion of engraftment (88% vs. 100%, p=0.10), the incidence of grade II–IV GVHD at day 100 (51% vs. 62%, p=0.85) and TRM at 1 year (28% vs 38%, p=0.43) did not differ between UCB and PBSC recipients. Similarly, relapse at 2 years (UCB 35% vs SIB 35%, p=0.72) and 2 year survival (UCB 31% vs SIB 32%, p=0.62) were comparable. In multivariate analysis, only disease risk group was associated with increased relative risk (RR) of relapse (RR 2.9, 95%CI, 1.3–6.2, p Variable UCB (n=43) SIB PBSC (n=21) p value Age in years - median (range) 53 (22–68) 54 (19–69) 0.77 Weight in kg - median (range) 75 (53–120) 72 (51–112) 0.24 Recipient/Donor CMV + 20 (47%)/− 13 (62%)/8 (38%) HLA-match 6/6* 5 (7%) 21 (100%) HLA-match 4–5/6* 66 (93%) Zero Disease status CR1 18 (43%) 14 (67%) Cytogenetics good/intermediate 32 (84%) 10 (48%) 0.31 Cytogenetics poor risk 7 (16%) 10 (48%) TNC X10 7/kg median (range)* 3.6 (1.6–5.9) 93.4 (64.8–212.3) CD34 X105/kg median (range)* 4.9 (1.1–18.8) 52.2 (14.1–153.7) Median follow-up in years 2.7 (0.7–5.5) 1.3 (0.7–6.1) * Cell doses of double UCB grafts=combined cell dose.
Consumers’ willingness to pay for edamame with a genetically modified label

Results from a sensory test of edamame, which is soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) harvested near the end of the pod filling stage, followed by a non-hypothetical auction, and finally a questionnaire were used to determine WTP for GM labeled edamame in comparison to unlabeled and non-GM labeled edamame. The results showed a significant price premium for non-GM edamame even though overall sensory impression did not differ between GM and non-GM edamame. Interestingly unlabeled and GM labeled edamame bids were similar suggesting that consumers wanted to be informed. Preconceived consumer notions appeared to play a role as did knowledge, opinion, income, and consumption frequency in subsamples of respondents. Labeling edamame is in the interest of producers as all edamame produced in the U.S. is non-GM.
An agent-based stochastic Occupancy Simulator

Occupancy has significant impacts on building performance. However, in current building performance simulation programs, occupancy inputs are static and lack diversity, contributing to discrepancies between the simulated and actual building performance. This paper presents an Occupancy Simulator that simulates the stochastic behavior of occupant presence and movement in buildings, capturing the spatial and temporal occupancy diversity. Each occupant and each space in the building are explicitly simulated as an agent with their profiles of stochastic behaviors. The occupancy behaviors are represented with three types of models: (1) the status transition events (e.g., first arrival in office) simulated with probability distribution model, (2) the random moving events (e.g., from one office to another) simulated with a homogeneous Markov chain model, and (3) the meeting events simulated with a new stochastic model. A hierarchical data model was developed for the Occupancy Simulator, which reduces the amount of data input by using the concepts of occupant types and space types. Finally, a case study of a small office building is presented to demonstrate the use of the Simulator to generate detailed annual sub-hourly occupant schedules for individual spaces and the whole building. The Simulator is a web application freely available to the public and capable of performing a detailed stochastic simulation of occupant presence and movement in buildings. Future work includes enhancements in the meeting event model, consideration of personal absent days, verification and validation of the simulated occupancy results, and expansion for use with residential buildings.
Towards a Unified Monitoring Framework for Power, Performance and Thermal Metrics: A Case Study on the Evaluation of HPC Cooling Systems

We present a unifying approach to monitoring and analyzing various metrics crucial in understanding the operational characteristics at different levels of HPC systems. Increase in the performance of HPC-scale processors has been closely followed by an increase in the power draw of the processors and the scale of HPC systems. Consequently, the relationship between the thermal and power characteristics of the system, from processor-level to the cluster-level is becoming more complex. Our monitoring framework effectively brings together operational metrics collected by hardware and software monitoring components at the HPC cluster level and subsystem component level to enable a comprehensive analysis of these characteristics. We show the effectiveness of our unified monitoring capability through a comparative study of the efficiency of traditional air-cooling and a liquid-cooling retro-fit on our large-scale HPC system. Using our unified monitoring framework we are able to show, for the first time at our facility, that the liquid-cooled HPC system achieves significantly lower and more stable ambient temperatures in both temporal and spatial dimensions, lower temperature disparity across subsystem components and better system power efficiency than the air-cooled HPC system.
Mechanism-based disease similarity

In recent years several methods have been proposed to assign pairwise mechanism- based similarity scores to human diseases. Despite their differences in approach and performance, these methods work in a somewhat similar manner: first a set of biomolecules (genes, proteins, chemicals, etc.) is associated with each disease, and then a measure is defined to calculate the similarity between the sets assigned to a pair of diseases. Since the similarity score between two diseases is defined based on the underlying molecular processes, a high score may hint at a shared cause, and therefore a similar treatment, for both diseases. This is of great practical importance especially when a rare or newly-discovered disease, for which limited information is available, is found to be related to a disease with a known treatment. Thus, in this mini-review we briefly discuss the recently developed methods for computing mechanism-based disease- disease similarities.
State health department validations of central line-associated bloodstream infection events reported via the National Healthcare Safety Network.

Background Numerous state health departments (SHDs) have validated central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) data, and results from these studies provide important insights into the accuracy of CLABSI reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) and remediable shortcomings in adherence to the CLABSI definition and criteria. Methods State CLABSI validation results were obtained from peer-reviewed publications, reports on SHD Web sites, and via personal communications with the SHD health care–associated infections coordinator. Data accuracy measures included pooled mean sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. Total CLABSI error rate was computed as the proportion of mismatches among total records reviewed. When available, reasons for CLABSI misclassification reported by SHDs were reviewed. Results At least 23 SHDs that have completed CLABSI validations indicated sensitivity (pooled mean, 82.9%), specificity (pooled mean, 98.5%), positive predictive value (pooled mean, 94.1%), and negative predictive value (pooled mean, 95.9%) of CLABSI reporting. The pooled error rate of CLABSI reporting was 4.4%. Reasons for CLABSI misclassification included incorrect secondary bloodstream infection attribution, misapplication of CLABSI definition, missed case finding, applying clinical over surveillance definitions, misapplication of laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection 2 definition, and misapplication of general NHSN definitions. Conclusions CLABSI underreporting remains a major concern; validations conducted by SHDs provide an important impetus for improved reporting. SHDs are uniquely positioned to engage facilities in collaborative validation reviews that allow transparency, education, and relationship building.
Evidence for the Theory of Metric Inheritance

The history of the development of the theory of metric inheritance has recently been reviewed by Hill (1985). Yule (1902, cited by Hill 1985) appears to have been the first to suggest polygenic inheritance of metric traits. Pearson (1904) provided the first mathematical treatment of a polygenic model. Fisher (1918) introduced the concept of partitioning genotypic variance into additive and dominance effects, noting that full sib covariance included both while covariance between parent and offspring included only additive effects. Wright (1920, 1921) independently derived an analysis of metric inheritance, also partitioning additive and dominance genotypic effects, and introducing the concepts of broad sense and narrow sense heritability. Wright also analyzed environmental effects into those common to relatives and those specific to individuals, as suggested by Weinberg (1910).
Come the Revolution: Are We Finally Ready for Universal Health Insurance?

Cyclically, social, economic, and political forces catapult the issue of health insurance to the top of the national consciousness. Rising health care costs, a relatively long recession, rising unemployment, and growing number of uninsured Americans makes today just such a time. One factor that distinguishes today's health care access crisis from others is the impact on a vocal, visible and voting constituency - the employed middle-class. A spate of federal and state legislation proposing some type of universal health insurance is evidence of public dissatisfaction with the health care access status quo. I argue that while there may be tacit agreement that it is a national disgrace that between 40 and 60 million Americans are uninsured at some time during the calendar year, universal health insurance is an improbable solution. In a time when market models are the accepted answer to many traditionally public sector problems, it is hard to imagine that a social insurance model for health care could be politically successful. Mounting federal and state budget deficits make untenable the additional allocations of GDP necessary to fund universal health insurance. In addition, social insurance is explicitly dependent on the cross-subsidization of health care from the insured to the uninsured and from the healthy to the sick. I conclude that our culture of individual rights makes such a philosophical shift very unlikely.
The solar spectrum of O IV, including photoexcitation by Fe IX 171.07 A

The extreme and far ultraviolet doublet spectrum of O IV, emitted from the solar transition region, is calculated taking account of expected photo-excitation by Fe IX at the wavelength 171.07 A. Four multiplets are shown to be sensitive to such photoexcitation, of which two in particular are potentially observable and could provide an estimate of the local Fe IX radiation field.
Photoinduced Tip-Sample Forces for Chemical Nanoimaging and Spectroscopy.

Control of photoinduced forces allows nanoparticle manipulation, atom trapping, and fundamental studies of light-matter interactions. Scanning probe microscopy enables the local detection of photoinduced effects with nano-optical imaging and spectroscopy modalities being used for chemical analysis and the study of physical effects. Recently, the development of a novel scanning probe technique has been reported with local chemical sensitivity attributed to the localization and detection of the optical gradient force between a probe tip and sample surface via infrared vibrationally resonant coupling. However, the magnitude and spectral line shape of the observed signals disagree with theoretical predictions of optical gradient forces. Here, we clarify this controversy by resolving and analyzing the interplay of several photoinduced effects between scanning probe tips and infrared resonant materials through spectral and spatial force measurements. Force spectra obtained on IR-active vibrational modes of poly...
Safety characterization in hybrid inclusions using barrier functions: poster abstract

By this poster, we aim at presenting in a comprehensive manner our new results on safety characterization using barrier functions in the general context of hybrid systems. Roughly speaking, a dynamical system is said to be safe when the solutions starting from a given initial set never reach a given unsafe set. Barrier functions in this context constitute a qualitative methodological tool that avoid the computation of the system's solutions yet to determine if the safety property holds. According to literature, a barrier function candidate with respect to a given initial and unsafe sets is nonpositive on the initial set and strictly positive on the unsafe set. Such a barrier candidate becomes a certificate of safety provided that it satisfies some variational properties involving the system's dynamics at least in a specific region around its zero-sublevel set.
Introducing NMR Spectroscopy Using Guided Inquiry and Partial Structure Templating

Strategies for teaching NMR spectral interpretation in the undergraduate organic chemistry curriculum are often faculty-centered and can lead to student reliance on rote memorization and “guess and...
A shared alarmone-GTP switch underlies triggered and spontaneous persistence

Phenotypically-switched, antibiotic-refractory persisters may prevent pathogen eradication. Although how triggered persistence via starvation-induced (p)ppGpp is well characterized, generation of persisters without starvation are poorly understood. Here we visualized the formation of spontaneous persisters in a small fraction of cells from growing wild type bacteria, revealing a striking single cell rapid switch from growth to dormancy. This switch-like entrance is triggered by GTP dropping beneath a threshold due to stochastic production and self-amplification of (p)ppGpp via allosteric enzyme activation. In addition, persisters are induced by lethal and sublethal concentrations of cell wall antibiotics by inducing (p)ppGpp via cell wall stress response. Thus spontaneous, triggered and antibiotic-induced persisters can all stem from a common metabolic switch: GTP depletion by (p)ppGpp induction, and each pathway of persister formation is activated by different (p)ppGpp synthetases. These persistence pathways are likely conserved in pathogens which may be exploited to potentiate antibiotic efficacy.
Perioperative Outcomes of Carotid–Subclavian Bypass or Transposition versus Endovascular Techniques for Left Subclavian Artery Revascularization during Nontraumatic Zone 2 Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair in the Vascular Quality Initiative

Background The aim of our study is to examine the perioperative outcomes of carotid–subclavian bypass or transposition (CS-BpTp) versus endovascular techniques (ETs) for left subclavian artery (LSA) revascularization during nontraumatic zone 2 thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Methods We used prospectively collected data from the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) to identify patients who had undergone TEVAR at participating centers (2013–2018). Patients were eligible for inclusion if they had undergone nontraumatic zone 2 TEVAR and concomitant LSA revascularization. Our main exposure of interest was LSA revascularization technique, CS-BpTp, or any ET. If a patient underwent multiple TEVAR procedures during the study period, the first case involving zone 2 was used for analysis. Preoperative patient characteristics were reviewed between treatment groups. The primary outcomes were mortality, transient ischemic attack (TIA)/stroke, and spinal cord ischemia (SCI). All outcomes were assessed up to 30 days postoperatively. Results A total of 837 patients were included in the study. The pathologies most frequently treated were aneurysm in 248 (34%) and dissection in 326 (45%). Overall, 721 subjects (86%) underwent CS-BpTp while 116 subjects (16%) underwent ETs. The latter included the following techniques: 23 chimney grafts, 3 scallops, 15 fenestrated grafts, and 75 branched grafts. Mortality was equal at 3% for both groups (P = 0.67). The rate of TIA/stroke was not significantly different in both groups (5.5% vs. 5%, P = 0.78). Similarly, the rate of SCI was 3% in the entire cohort without significant differences seen between treatment groups (P = 1). Multivariate logistic regression could not identify either CS-BpTp or ETs as independent predictors for death or TIA/stroke. Conclusions Within VQI, LSA revascularization during nontraumatic zone 2 TEVAR is safely and effectively achieved with either CS-BpTp or ETs across all nontraumatic thoracic aortic diseases. These techniques appear to be associated with similar perioperative outcomes in selected patients with low rates of mortality and major neurologic morbidity. Although no differences were seen in the proportion of early type I or III endoleaks, further prospective studies are warranted to elucidate the long-term durability of ETs compared with CS-BpTp.
Does postal consent for flexible cystoscopy work

Informed consent is an integral part of the process prior to any surgical procedure [1]. Flexible cystoscopy is a common day case urological procedure and it is the gold standard investigation for visible haematuria [2]. To assess if postal consent is a suitable form of gaining informed consent for flexible cystoscopy. Patients booked for a flexible cystoscopy are initially reviewed in clinic. An information leaflet with an attached consent form is then posted to their home 2 weeks prior to their procedure. We designed a short questionnaire, to assess patient’s satisfaction and understanding of the literature, given to them after the procedure. Sixty-seven questionnaires were completed. The mean age was 54. Sixty patients (93%) think that postal consent is of benefit to the patient. Sixty-one patients (91%) read the information sheet and felt that there was enough information regarding the procedure on it. Fifty-four patients (81%) had no difficulty understanding the consent form. Forty patients (60%) signed the form prior to arrival in the hospital. Postal consent is commonly used for gastro-intestinal endoscopy procedures. Postal consent for flexible cystoscopy is not well reported in the literature. Our study shows postal consent to be a suitable form of gaining informed consent for flexible cystoscopy.
Validating marker-less pose estimation with 3D x-ray radiography

To reveal the neurophysiological underpinnings of natural movement, neural recordings must be paired with accurate tracking of limbs and postures. Here we validate the accuracy of DeepLabCut (DLC) by comparing it to a 3D x-ray video radiography system that tracks markers placed under the skin (XROMM). We record behavioral data simultaneously with XROMM and high-speed video for DLC as marmosets engage in naturalistic foraging and reconstruct three-dimensional kinematics in a shared coordinate system. We find that DLC tracks position and velocity of 12 markers on the forelimb and torso with low median error (0.272 cm and 1.76 cm/s, respectively) corresponding to 2.9% of the full range of marker positions and 5.9% of the range of speeds. For studies that can accept this relatively small degree of error, DLC and similar marker-less pose estimation tools enable the study of more naturalistic, unconstrained behaviors in many fields including non-human primate motor control. Summary StatementWe validate the accuracy of DeepLabCut, a widely used marker-less pose estimation tool, using a marker-based 3D x-ray radiography system (XROMM).