cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiuser OFDMA Resource Allocation Algorithms for In-Home Power-Line Communications

This paper reformulates the multi-user OFDMA resource allocation problems in broadcast and multiple-access channels by defining an equivalent interference channel. The resulting problems are then solved by employing low-complexity algorithms for spectrum optimization in the interference channel. The re-formulation averts the high-complexity integer programming problem that otherwise results from an OFDMA system that allocates each user to separate subchannels. Simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm achieves near-optimal performance and is suitable for PLC resource allocation applications.
Steroid-induced mesenteric lipomatosis

A patient undergoing chronic corticosteroid therapy presented with mesenteric lipomatosis that simulated malignant masses. Computerized tomography was instrumental in identifying these apparent tumors as benign fatty deposits. The spectrum of lipomatous abdominal lesions amenable to diagnosis by computerized tomography is reviewed.
Using Moments to Approximate the Distribution of the Scan Statistic

Let C w denote the number ofm:wclumps amongNrandom points uniformly distributed in the interval (01]. (We say that anm:wclump exists whenmpoints fall within an interval of lengthw.) The previous chapter described how to compute the lower-order moments ofC w . In the present chapter, we discuss ways these moments can be used to obtain bounds and approximations for the distribution of the (continuous conditional) scan statisticS w . We give upper and lower bounds based on the use of four moments. In some situations, these bounds improve considerably on the previously available bounds. We present an approximation based on a simple Markov chain model, and also give a variety of compound Poisson approximations. These approximations are compared with others in the literature. Finally, we present a compound Poisson approximation to the distribution of the number of clumpsC w .
Checkpointing with multicast communication

For long-running or large-scale distributed programs, the ability to provide software fault-tolerance via checkpointing is valuable. For scalable systems, multicast communication is becoming a predominant communication paradigm. While some aspects of consistency and channel state are the same for both unicast and multicast protocols, the implementation of checkpointing systems differ. This paper explores the problem of checkpointing in a multicast environment and introduces two checkpointing algorithms for such environments. The first algorithm is closely based on existing checkpointing algorithms. The second employs the multicast protocol to distribute checkpointing information efficiently.
Convergence Analysis of an Adaptive Finite Element Method for Distributed Control Problems with Control Constraints

We develop an adaptive finite element method for a class of distributed optimal control problems with control constraints. The method is based on a residual-type a posteriori error estimator and incorporates data oscillations. The analysis is carried out for conforming P1 approximations of the state and the co-state and elementwise constant approximations of the control and the co-control. We prove convergence of the error in the state, the co-state, the control, and the co-control. Under some additional non-degeneracy assumptions on the continuous and the discrete problems, we then show that an error reduction property holds true at least asymptotically. The analysis uses the reliability and the discrete local efficiency of the a posteriori estimator as well as quasi-orthogonality properties as essential tools. Numerical results illustrate the performance of the adaptive algorithm.
Integration of Local Food Programs in Salt Lake County to Benefit Prisoners, Juvenile Delinquents and Meals on Wheels Clients

Horticulture Extension faculty in Salt Lake County was presented a challenge in spring of 2014 to identify sources of local produce to benefit homebound Meals on Wheels clients through the newly developed Meals Plus Program (MPP). Although the delivery of produce to clients was not a problem since the Salt Lake County Meals on Wheels Program regularly distributed cooked meals to approximately 1,500 clients in 2014, the budget for the MPP did not include money to purchase produce from a local grocer or farmer. USU Extension horticulture faculty was tasked with sourcing local produce through community partnerships; three partnerships were developed in 2014 to supply approximately 130 seniors with weekly shares of fresh produce.
Abstract P4-06-13: c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase 1 (JNK1) Inhibits Tumor Progression and Regulates Embryonic Mammary Development

Background: Specification of the murine mammary placode in embryonic development involves pathways that are dysregulated in murine and human breast cancers. Beginning with secretion of Neuregulin 3 (Nrg3) and Wingless-Integrated (Wnt) 10b by the dermal mesenchyme, at embryonic day (E) 10.5, a mammary placode will condense over 48 hours due to signaling through the canonical Wnt pathway as well as through the avian ERythroBlastosis oncogene B (ErbB) receptors 4 and 2. By E15.5 placodes will invade the underlying mesenchyme to form the primary duct. The Wnt and ErbB pathways are also known to cause or promote cancer when dysregulated. Methods and Materials: Number four mammary glands of female, virgin mice (jnk1+/+ or jnk1-/-) were harvested and stained with carmine alum to observe ducts. Wildtype mice were injected with 4T1.2 cells with shRNA targeted to Jnk1 (shJnk1) or non-targeting shRNA (GipZ). Tumors were palpated for growth changes and lungs were stained with India ink to observe lung metastases. RNA from tumors was compared using microarray fro expression of cancer related genes. Results: We have observed that adult glands from jnk1-/- mice contain multiple primary ducts whereas jnk1+/+ mice contain only one, indicating a possible defect during embryonic placode formation. This phenotype mimics what has been previously reported in models of ectopic NRG3 expression. In a 4T1.2 murine mammary cancer model, shJnk1 results in increased tumor growth as well as increased lung metastasis when compared to cells transfected with GipZ. In the tumors grown from the 4T1.2shJnk1 and 4T1.2GipZ cells, a microarray analysis revealed increases in Nrg3, Wnt targets and ligands, and the ErbB2 and Wnt target ETV5 in 4T1.2shJnk1 cells. An increase in the expression of ETV5, Bcl-9, Cox-2 (an ETV5 target), and ErbB2 (a target of ETV5) in 4T1.2shJnk1 cells vs 4T1.2GipZ cells has been confirmed by RT-PCR and western blotting for ErbB2 (Figure 2). I plan to determine how JNK1 affects the Wnt and ErbB pathways in mouse embryos and mammary tumor models. Since Wnt and ErbB pathways are necessary for placode formation, it is likely that these pathways, which are upregulated in our cancer model, are involved in the embryonic phenotype. I hypothesize that JNK1 loss causes increased signaling through these pathways, resulting in the formation of ectopic mammary placodes as well as a more aggressive tumor phenotype. If my hypothesis is supported by these studies then future studies will evaluate if low jnk1 expression is associated with a higher risk of developing breast cancer or a worse prognosis using publically available microarray datasets derived from human tumor samples. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-06-13.
Ruddlesden-Popper Hybrid Lead Iodide Perovskite 2D Homologous Semiconductors

The hybrid two-dimensional (2D) halide perovskites have recently drawn significant interest because they can serve as excellent photoabsorbers in perovskite solar cells. Here we present the large scale synthesis, crystal structure, and optical characterization of the 2D (CH3(CH2)3NH3)2(CH3NH3)n−1PbnI3n+1 (n = 1, 2, 3, 4, ∞) perovskites, a family of layered compounds with tunable semiconductor characteristics. These materials consist of well-defined inorganic perovskite layers intercalated with bulky butylammonium cations that act as spacers between these fragments, adopting the crystal structure of the Ruddlesden–Popper type. We find that the perovskite thickness (n) can be synthetically controlled by adjusting the ratio between the spacer cation and the small organic cation, thus allowing the isolation of compounds in pure form and large scale. The orthorhombic crystal structures of (CH3(CH2)3NH3)2(CH3NH3)Pb2I7 (n = 2, Cc2m; a = 8.9470(4), b = 39.347(2) A, c = 8.8589(6)), (CH3(CH2)3NH3)2(CH3NH3)2Pb3I10 (...
Analyses of Methylomes Derived from Meso-American Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Using MeDIP-Seq and Whole Genome Sodium Bisulfite-Sequencing

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is economically important for its high protein, fiber, and micronutrient contents, with a relatively small genome size of ~587 Mb. Common bean is genetically diverse with two major gene pools, Meso-American and Andean. The phenotypic variability within the genotypes is partly attributed to the genetic diversity and epigenetic changes that are largely influenced by environmental factors. It is well established that an important epigenetic regulator of gene expression is DNA methylation. Here, we present results generated from two high-throughput sequencing technologies, methylated DNA immunoprecipitation-sequencing (MeDIP-seq) and whole genome bisulfite-sequencing (BS-Seq). Our analyses revealed that common bean displays similar methylation patterns as other previously published plant methylomes, with CG ~50%, CHG ~30%, and CHH ~2.7% methylation, however, these differ from the common bean reference methylome of Andean origin. We identified higher CG methylation levels in both promoter and genic regions than CHG and CHH contexts. Moreover, we found relatively higher CG methylation levels in genes than in promoters. Conversely, the CHG and CHH methylation levels were highest in promoters than in genes. This is the first genome-wide DNA methylation profiling study in a Meso-American common bean cultivar (“Sierra”) using NGS approaches. Our long-term goal is to generate genome-wide epigenomic maps in common bean focusing on chromatin accessibility, histone modifications, and DNA methylation.
Ultra-low cost and solar storm secured local DC electricity to address climate change challenges for all economies

Contrary to the outcome of the “history of war of currents”, the local generation of direct current (DC) power has the technical and economic advantages of emerging as the ultimate choice of power in the 21st century. Local DC power generated by photovoltaics (PV), batteries, electric vehicles (EVs), situational intelligence, intelligent loads, real-time monitoring of grid, cyber security, internet of things (IoT) and resiliency to space weather threats are the enabler of DC nanogrid and DC microgrid based ultra-low cost electricity infrastructure.
Ketamine for analgosedation in critically ill patients.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this narrative review is to provide practical and useful guidance for clinicians considering the use of intravenous ketamine for its analgosedative properties in adult, critically ill patients. Methods MEDLINE was searched from inception until January 2016. Articles related to the pharmacological properties of ketamine were retrieved. Information pertaining to pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, dosing regimens, adverse effects, and outcomes was obtained from relevant studies. Results Although the primary mechanism for ketamine's pharmacological effects is N -methyl-d-aspartate blockade, there are several potential mechanisms of action. It has a very large volume of distribution due to its lipophilicity, which can lead to drug accumulation with sustained infusions. Ketamine has several advantages compared with conventional sedatives such as preserving pharyngeal and laryngeal protective reflexes, lowering airway resistance, increasing lung compliance, and being less likely to produce respiratory depression. It causes sympathetic stimulation, which is also unlike other sedatives and analgesics. There are psychotomimetic effects, which are a concern in terms of delirium. Dosing and monitoring recommendations are provided. Conclusions Ketamine has a unique pharmacological profile compared with more traditional agents such as opioids, which makes it an appealing alternative agent for analgosedation in the intensive care unit setting.
Transcriptional architecture of the mammalian circadian clock

Circadian clocks are endogenous oscillators that control 24-hour physiological and behavioural processes in organisms. These cell-autonomous clocks are composed of a transcription-translation-based autoregulatory feedback loop. With the development of next-generation sequencing approaches, biochemical and genomic insights into circadian function have recently come into focus. Genome-wide analyses of the clock transcriptional feedback loop have revealed a global circadian regulation of processes such as transcription factor occupancy, RNA polymerase II recruitment and initiation, nascent transcription, and chromatin remodelling. The genomic targets of circadian clocks are pervasive and are intimately linked to the regulation of metabolism, cell growth and physiology.
Chapter 32 – Arsenic mitigation in Bangladesh: Progress of the UNICEF-DPHE Arsenic Mitigation Project 2002

Publisher Summary The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)–Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) project is on track to meet its commitments to blanket test all wells in 45 upazilas (sub districts), in the known “hot spot” areas, within the current Government of Bangladesh (GoB)–UNICEF five year Master Plan of Operations that represents 10% of the country and 20% of the “hot spot” upazilas. The challenge is to continue to advise, apart from doing work, to help people obtain a safe and sustainable water supply. This will involve continuous communication to create awareness so that people do not consume arsenic (As)-contaminated water and to share safe sources so that people do not install new hand pumps without due care.
Dark Colored Urine in a 2-Year-Old Child.

A 2-year-old male was referred to the metabolism service after his mother noticed dark-colored staining on his crib sheets on several occasions. She also noted that the child's urine was normal when he urinated but turned a dark color over a short period of time (Fig. 1A). His past medical history, development and physical exam were unremarkable. The family history however was notable for several maternal relatives with dark-colored urine. His parents were nonconsanguineous. A urine specimen was collected for organic acids analysis by GC-MS. The results are shown in Fig. 1B. Fig. 1. (A), Patient's urine sample; (B), Organic acids analysis of patient urine using GC-MS. Urine organic acids were extracted into ethyl acetate/ether and converted to trimethylsilyl derivatives prior to analysis using a GC 6890N/MS 5975 system equipped with a DB-1 column (Agilent). PDA, pentadecanoate; IS, internal standard. This patient has alkaptonuria, a rare disorder (approximately 1 in 250 000) caused by a deficiency of the enzyme homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD3; EC.1.13.11.5). Under normal conditions, …
Do Institutional Investors Aleviate Agency Costs in R&D Investment Decisions?

This study tests whether institutional investors encourage R&D investment in firms with potential agency problems. Firm and year fixed effect regressions and difference-GMM regressions are used to examine the effect of changes in institutional investor levels to subsequent changes in R&D investment levels. Increased institutional ownership leads to increased R&D investment and this relationship is stronger in firms more susceptible to agency problems. Agency-based free cash flow theory predicts that institutional investors will encourage R&D investment in firms with good investment opportunities, but they will not encourage R&D investment simply because a firm has higher free cash flow. My results support this prediction indicating that institutional investors help to control agency problems in R&D investment decisions. The results in this paper indicate that this may lead to a decrease in agency costs in R&D decisions, thus benefiting institutional and non-institutional shareholders.
Congenital malformations presenting during the neonatal period

Clinical signs that would lead to detection of several congenital malformations may not be present at the time of examination before early discharge. Transitional changes in the cardiovascular system that begin at birth and continue for weeks will eventually produce signs of several congenital cardiovascular malformations. The four cardiac malformations most frequently diagnosed during the first week of life include transposition of the great arteries, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, tetralogy of Fallot, and aortic coarctation. Congenital disorders of the respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract may be detected by careful attention to crying, gastric volumes at birth, and patterns of feeding and stooling after birth. Guidelines developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology for early discharge and follow-up after early discharge will help to detect congenital disorders that are relatively inapparent during the first 1-2 days after birth.
Pace pattern generation for an pipeline robot

The authors of this paper consider a planar pipeline robot with four legs, each made of two links connected via actuated rotational joints. The paper is focused on developing a method for generating pace patterns that rely on analytical formulas and recursive algorithmic procedures, which can be easily implemented on the robot's on-board computer or microcontroller. The paper presents a pace generation method that exploits a simple geometric description of the pipeline to solve the problem of generating step point sequences and operational space trajectories for the robot. In addition, the paper presents an analytic solution of the inverse kinematics problem. The simulation of the robot's motion governed by the proposed algorithms shows how the resulting pace patterns depend on the geometry of the corresponding pipeline.
Salinity and Temperature Effects on Element Incorporation of Gulf Killifish Fundulus grandis Otoliths

Many applications of otolith chemistry use the ratios of strontium (Sr) and barium (Ba) to calcium (Ca) as indicators of salinity exposure, because typically, as salinity increases, Sr concentration increases and Ba concentration decreases. However, these relationships are nonlinear, can be confounded by temperature, and investigations of salinity and temperature effects on otolith chemistry produce varied results. To determine the relationships of temperature and salinity on Sr:Ca and Ba:Ca in otoliths, we used free ranging Gulf Killifish (Fundulus grandis) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. This species is ideal because it is euryhaline and exhibits limited movements. Otolith edge Sr:Ca and Ba:Ca ratios were related to the previous 30-day mean salinity and temperature experienced by fish. The best model to describe otolith Sr:Ca was one that included a positive asymptotic relationship for both salinity and temperature. However, the salinity asymptotic maximum was reached at 10 psu and changes in otolith Sr:Ca above 10 psu were indicative of temperature changes. Otolith Ba:Ca exhibited an exponential decreasing relationship with salinity, and an exponential increasing relationship with temperature, and these two models combined best explained otolith Ba:Ca. Above 10 psu, the modeled Ba:Ca ratio continued to decrease demonstrating that this ratio may be indicative of salinity changes beyond this value. Therefore, using both Sr:Ca and Ba:Ca could be beneficial in reconstructing fish environmental histories. Temperature effects on otolith element ratios could confound past salinity reconstructions as well and must be a result of endogenous processes, given that no relationship between temperature and water chemistry existed.
Health Communications: Predicting Behavior Change from the Brain

Health communications are intended to motivate the public to engage in healthier lifestyle choices. Why some messages succeed while others fail, however, remains a difficult question to answer. Traditional methods used to predict behavior change rely heavily on participants’ self-reports. However, participants may be limited in their ability to discern which communications are likely to move them toward change. Neuroimaging offers a method to explore the underlying neural processes that occur during health message exposure, in real-time, without imposing additional cognitive tasks (e.g., assessing one’s evaluation of the message). This chapter explores the utility of using neuroimaging in tandem with other methodologies (e.g., self-report, behavioral observation) to enhance our understanding of conscious and unconscious mechanisms that promote the effectiveness of health communications. We begin examining how neuroscience contributes to current understanding of health communication, examine health-relevant studies in the emerging field of communication neuroscience, and then discuss future directions.
Modern imaging technique assessment of small cell lung cancer doubling time.

e17561 Background: Doubling time in non-SCLC tumors has been well studied, but this is less so in SCLC. We aim to study in vivo doubling time in SCLC using modern imaging techniques. Methods: Patients (pts) with SCLC with both diagnostic computed tomography (CT) and subsequent staging Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/CT were identified from institutional database. Primary lesion and nodal disease on the initial CT scan and on the CT component of PET/CT scan was measured. Diameter Doubling Time (D-DT) = [(dt)*log 2] / [3(log D2 – log D1)], where dt was time interval between scans, D2 and D1 are diameters of lesion on second and first scan respectively. Volume Doubling Time (V-DT) = [(dt)*log 2] / (log V2 – log V1), where V2 and V1 are volume of 2nd and 1st CT. Results: 18 eligible pts were identified. 61% were males, median age 63. Primary lesion was assessable in 14 pts and nodal disease in 17. Mean interval between scans was 19.7 days (range: 6 – 67). Mean diameter of primary lesion on 1st and 2nd scan...
THE EFFECTS OF 4-AMINO-N10-METHYL-PTEROYLGLUTAMIC ACID ON THE LEUKOCYTES OF THE NORMAL AND LEUKEMIC MOUSE

4-Amino-N10-methyl-pteroylglutamic acid in the usual treatment dosage caused a slight leukopenia, but no change in the differential count of normal mice. However, in animals with the Ak 4 strain of transplanted leukemia, such dosage caused prolongation of survival time, held the total leukocyte count at approximately normal levels, decreased the percentage of abnormal cells, and caused a marked delay in the appearance of leukemic infiltrations in liver, spleen, lymph nodes, kidney and bone marrow. Less than twenty hours after administration, a single massive dose of this drug caused a fall in the total leukocyte count of mice with advanced Ak 4 leukemia.
Multicomponent Automobile Exhaust Measurements

The purpose for the development of a multicomponent analyzer for automobile exhaust gas is discussed. A diode laser spectrometer for the simultaneous monitoring of six gas components was tested. Important instrumental parameters as detection limits, interference of other gas components and linearity were determined for the cases of CO, CO2, NO, NO2 and formaldeyhde. The suitability of diode laser spectroscopy for a highly selective and fast measurement of these gas components over sufficient concentration ranges was confirmed.
Computer Aided Detection of Bone Metastases in the Thoracolumbar Spine

Computer-aided detection (CAD) techniques and algorithms for radiologic applications are rapidly growing in scope and sophistication. One important application of CAD techniques in medicine is in the detection and assessment of metastatic disease to the bone. Bone metastases affect approximately 400,000 patients per year in the United States. Early detection of bone metastases is important clinically, as the prognosis can change and the treatment regimen can at that point be altered from one of curative therapy to one of palliative treatment. Both lytic and sclerotic metastatic disease can act to biomechanically weaken the bone, and potentially lead to pathologic fractures. This chapter presents a framework for computer-aided detection of lytic and sclerotic metastatic lesions in the thoracolumbar spine using computed tomography (CT). State-of-art techniques are described in detail in each module of the framework. Thorough validation experiments are designed and results are presented. We also discuss the clinical significance and limitation of the CAD system.
Epigenetic Responses to a Changing Periphery – Wagging the Dog

In this article the influence of the sensory periphery on the developing central nervous system is considered in the context of evoltion. Studies in rodents and star-nosed moles provide examples of the close developmental relatioship between sensory surfaces and corresponding representations in the brain. The effect of differential timing of development in the sensory periphery on corresponding parts of sensory maps is also consdered. The findings suggest that important changes in brain organization occur simply by altering the development of the body in the course of evolution.
Exploring Off-Season Content and Interaction on Facebook: A Comparison of U.S. Professional Sport Leagues

Research on social-media use in sport should be expanded to include analyses of content popularity and comparisons across leagues. This study used content analysis and a multivariate multilevel mod...
Disruption of thrombo-inflammatory response and activation of a distinct cytokine cluster after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Abstract Background Unregulated inflammatory and thrombotic responses have been proposed to be important causes of early brain injury and worse clinical outcomes after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Objective We hypothesize that SAH is characterized by an increased inflammatory and thrombotic state and disruption of associations between these states. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of 60 patients with SAH. 23 patients with unruptured aneurysms (UA) and 77 patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) were chosen as controls. Plasma cytokine levels were measured using a 41-plex human immunoassay kit, and cytokine patterns associated with SAH, UA and TBI were identified using statistical and informatics methods. Results SAH was characterized by an increase in several cytokines and chemokines, platelet-derived factors, and growth factors. Cluster analysis identified several cytokine clusters common in SAH, UA and TBI groups – generally grouped as platelet-derived, vascular and pro-inflammatory clusters. In the UA group, the platelet-derived cluster had an inverse relationship with the inflammatory cluster which was absent in SAH. Additionally, a cluster comprising of growth and colony stimulating factors was unique to SAH. Conclusions A cluster of cytokines involved in growth and colony stimulation was unique to SAH. Negative associations between the thrombotic and inflammatory molecules were observed in UA but not in SAH. Further studies to examine the pathophysiology behind the cluster unique to SAH and the associations between the thrombotic and inflammatory cytokines are required.
Performance of Bt-susceptible and -heterozygous genotypes of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) possessing single- or dual-gene resistance alleles in sequential feedings of non-Bt and Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 maize leaf tissues.

Abstract We simulated larval feeding behavior in seed blends of non-Bt and Bt maize to determine if seed blends create more favorable conditions for heterozygous-resistant insects over their Bt-susceptible counterparts. Survival, growth, development, and progeny production of four genotypes of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, Bt-susceptible (aabb), Cry1A.105 heterozygous resistant (Aabb), Cry2Ab2 heterozygous resistant (aaBb), and Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 heterozygous resistant (AaBb), were evaluated in eight feeding sequences (Seq 1–8) of non-Bt and MON 89034 Bt maize leaf tissue expressing the Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2 proteins. We report variation in the performance of the four genotypes across the feeding sequences and biological parameters measured. Three heterozygous genotypes generally outperformed the susceptible genotype in larval survival, pupation rate, pupal weight, and progeny production. The performance was greater for Aabb over aaBb, AaBb over Aabb or aaBb, in two of the feeding sequences. The findings of this study could have important implications in assessing the risk of seed blends as refuge plantings for Bt crop resistance management where resistance in the target pest is not functionally recessive.
A STUDY OF THE MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF HADDOCK FILLETS AND SHUCKED, SOFT-SHELLED CLAMS PROCESSED AND MARKETED IN THE GREATER BOSTON AREA1

Summary Data obtained during the months of July and August of 1961 on the microbiological quality of haddock fillets and shucked, soft-shelled clams processed and marketed in the greater Boston are...
Deconvolving distribution of relaxation times, resistances and inductance from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy via statistical model selection: Exploiting structural-sparsity regularization and data-driven parameter tuning

Abstract The distribution of relaxation times (DRT) has drawn increasing attention for interpreting electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Deconvolution of DRT from EIS is a challenging ill-posed problem that requires regularization methods. In this work, we formulate DRT reconstruction task as a statistical model selection problem with structural-sparsity penalties. We utilize the Elastic net regularization that simultaneously benefits from Ridge and Lasso regularizations with optimal tuning parameter automatically determined by the information criteria. We benchmark our approach on four synthetic experiments (a ZARC element, ZARC mixtures, a RC circuit and a Fractal element) and two real EIS datasets of a Lithium ion battery and an organic-inorganic halide class of perovskites in oxygen environment at different gas pressures. We demonstrate the superiority of proposed model selection procedure, that is capable of eliminating pseudo peaks and representing asymmetries in DRT as well as precisely estimating resistances. We highlight our approach is robust to reducing and subsampling EIS frequency range, making it a promising tool for timing-resolved, localized and large scale EIS data analysis. For the Lithium ion battery data analysis, we extend the classical DRT model to incorporate the inductive effect and illustrate DRT as a guidance for equivalent circuit modeling to refine impedance reconstruction at low risks of overfitting. Furthermore, the structural-sparsity regularization could be extended for multidimensional and Bayesian EIS data analysis.
Quantitative classification of vortical flows based on topological features using graph matching

Vortical flow patterns generated by swimming animals or flow separation (e.g. behind bluff objects such as cylinders) provide important insight to global flow behaviour such as fluid dynamic drag o...
The Value Employees Place on Health Insurance Plans: A Discrete-Choice Experiment.

The federally-facilitated Health Insurance Marketplace—also known as the Health Insurance Exchange—was designed as a tool to help people purchase insurance plans, yet many Americans remain uninsured, partially due to rising premiums. One possible strategy to stabilize its premiums is to encourage healthier people to purchase their plans through the Marketplace instead of through their employers. This study examined the values that single adults with employer-based coverage place on health insurance plan attributes using a discrete-choice experiment (DCE). As part of an online survey, each respondent completed 28 paired comparisons trading off four attributes: source of coverage, plan type, monthly out-of-pocket premium, and quality of coverage. Based on our results (N = 2207), single employees slightly preferred their employer over the Marketplace as a source of coverage (0.726 odds ratio; p value < 0.01). Single employees would be willing to switch to the Marketplace for a US$25 reduction in monthly premiums. Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans were overwhelmingly preferred over all other plan types, especially compared to Fee-for-Service (FFS) plans (4.230 odds ratio; p value < 0.01). The predicted probability that a health insurance plan from the Marketplace would be chosen ranged from 42 to 43.7%. This study demonstrated that a US$25 subsidy or providing slightly more generous coverage (Bronze–Silver) would motivate employees to purchase PPO plans through the Marketplace, potentially improving its risk pooling, reducing employers’ administrative burden, and enhancing labor mobility.
Using Cerebral Metabolites to Guide Precision Medicine for Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Lactate and Pyruvate

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is one of the deadliest types of strokes with high rates of morbidity and permanent injury. Fluctuations in the levels of cerebral metabolites following SAH can be indicators of brain injury severity. Specifically, the changes in the levels of key metabolites involved in cellular metabolism, lactate and pyruvate, can be used as a biomarker for patient prognosis and tailor treatment to an individual’s needs. Here, clinical research is reviewed on the usefulness of cerebral lactate and pyruvate measurements as a predictive tool for SAH outcomes and their potential to guide a precision medicine approach to treatment.
Primary selection of a pedicled rectus femoris flap for protection of aortic graft.

Abstract The rectus femoris pedicled muscle flap is a widely used option for coverage of infected vascular grafts in groin reconstruction as well as in reconstruction of abdominal wall defects. Here we present the case of primary placement of a pedicled rectus femoris flap to provide well-vascularized tissue interposed between an aortic Dacron interposition graft and bowel. This previously undescribed use of the rectus femoris proves to be an indispensable method when the more common alternatives, such as omental and rectus abdominis flaps, are not available.
Optimal Sampling & Reconstruction: Theory and Applications

The optimization of MRI data sampling and image reconstruction methods has been a priority for the MRI community since the very early days of the field. Designing an "optimal" method requires the definition of an optimality metric (i.e., a quantitative evaluation of the "goodness" of different competing approaches that allows an objective comparison between them). However, a key challenge is that there are many different possible ways of quantitatively evaluating the "goodness" of a data sampling scheme or a reconstruction result, and there are no acquisition or reconstruction methods that are known to be universally optimal with respect to all of these possible metrics simultaneously. Thus, optimization of MRI methods requires a subjective choice about what aspects of quality matter most in the context of a given MRI experiment, and subsequently the subjective choice of an optimality metric that hopefully does a reasonable job of quantifying those aspects of quality. Once these choices are made, the optimization problem becomes well-defined, and it remains to choose an algorithm that can identify data sampling or image reconstruction methods that are optimal with respect to the chosen metric. All of these choices are generally nontrivial. In this presentation, we will discuss optimal sampling and reconstruction designs from multiple different perspectives, including ideas from information and estimation theory and various practical perspectives.
Chemical and Colloidal Dynamics of MnO2 Nanosheets in Biological Media Relevant for Nanosafety Assessment.

Many layered crystal phases can be exfoliated or assembled into ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets with novel properties not achievable by particulate or fibrous nanoforms. Among these 2D materials are manganese dioxide (MnO2) nanosheets, which have applications in batteries, catalysts, and biomedical probes. A novel feature of MnO2 is its sensitivity to chemical reduction leading to dissolution and Mn2+ release. Biodissolution is critical for nanosafety assessment of 2D materials, but the timing and location of MnO2 biodissolution in environmental or occupational exposure scenarios are poorly understood. This work investigates the chemical and colloidal dynamics of MnO2 nanosheets in biological media for environmental and human health risk assessment. MnO2 nanosheets are insoluble in most aqueous phases, but react with strong and weak reducing agents in biological fluid environments. In vitro, reductive dissolution can be slow enough in cell culture media for MnO2 internalization by cells in the form of intact nanosheets, which localize in vacuoles, react to deplete intracellular glutathione, and induce cytotoxicity that is likely mediated by intracellular Mn2+ release. The results are used to classify MnO2 nanosheets within a new hazard screening framework for 2D materials, and the implications of MnO2 transformations for nanotoxicity testing and nanosafety assessment are discussed.
How Should One Explore the Digital Library of the Future

Motivated by the Foreword of Licklider's "Libraries of the Future" (dedicated to Vannevar Bush), this keynote focuses on users, exploration, and future directions of the digital library (DL) field, which moves toward procognitive systems. Many different digital library "users," each a member of a Society, engage in a diversity of Scenarios, often involving some aspect of exploration, usually of the DL content Streams. Services -- e.g., searching, browsing, recommending, and visualizing -- help those users leverage knowledge Structures and Spatial representations. Following on the final sentence of Licklider's book, we "call for a formal base plus an overlay of experience, " leading to a new way to build better DLs. Licklider said we seek "the facts, concepts, principles, and ideas that lie behind the visible and tangible aspects of documents," to help us acquire and use knowledge. Put simply: "The console of the procognitive system will have two special buttons, a silver one labeled 'Where am I" and a gold one labeled 'What should I do next?' "How can we build and use this? For more than 55 years, researchers have applied artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing (NLP), representations (data, information, knowledge), question-answering, databases, human-computer interaction, and other techniques described by Licklider, to these challenges. We have a vast range of hardware and software services available, but without a more formal approach, will not enable adaptive self-organization and tailored exploration. The 5S framework can help us build, apply, and improve digital libraries to facilitate exploration, through a formal approach that will simplify such efforts, making them extensible through both human and computing agents. For example, to more easily build DLs, we propose collaboratively building knowledge graphs -- involving both User eXperience designers, subject matter experts, and developers -- that specify connections to services and workflows, enabling DL operation atop a workflow engine. User exploration, additional help by UX designers, recommendations of adaptations of existing workflows, and AI-based optimizations and solutions to new problems, will all expand the knowledge graph to ensure new and more helpful assistance. When this is accomplished, we must teach and learn about this next generation of digital libraries, further developing suitable curriculum and educational modules, that rest upon a solid theoretical foundation, helping spread understanding of key concepts and best practices.
2021 Young Investigator Award Winner: Anatomic Gradients in the Microbiology of Spinal Fusion Surgical Site Infection and Resistance to Surgical Antimicrobial Prophylaxis

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective hospital-registry study. OBJECTIVE To characterize the microbial epidemiology of surgical site infection (SSI) in spinal fusion surgery and the burden of resistance to standard surgical antibiotic prophylaxis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA SSI persists as a leading complication of spinal fusion surgery despite the growth of enhanced recovery programs and improvements in other measures of surgical quality. Improved understandings of SSI microbiology and common mechanisms of failure for current prevention strategies are required to inform the development of novel approaches to prevention relevant to modern surgical practice. METHODS Spinal fusion cases performed at a single referral center between January 2011 and June 2019 were reviewed and SSI cases meeting National Healthcare Safety Network criteria were identified. Using microbiologic and procedural data from each case, we analyzed the anatomic distribution of pathogens, their differential time to presentation, and correlation with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus screening results. Susceptibility of isolates cultured from each infection were compared with the spectrum of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis administered during the index procedure on a per-case basis. Susceptibility to alternate prophylactic agents was also modeled. RESULTS Among 6727 cases, 351 infections occurred within 90 days. An anatomic gradient in the microbiology of SSI was observed across the length of the back, transitioning from cutaneous (gram-positive) flora in the cervical spine to enteric (gram-negative/anaerobic) flora in the lumbosacral region (correlation coefficient 0.94, P < 0.001). The majority (57.5%) of infections were resistant to the prophylaxis administered during the procedure. Cephalosporin-resistant gram-negative infection was common at lumbosacral levels and undetected methicillin-resistance was common at cervical levels. CONCLUSION Individualized infection prevention strategies tailored to operative level are needed in spine surgery. Endogenous wound contamination with enteric flora may be a common mechanism of infection in lumbosacral fusion. Novel approaches to prophylaxis and prevention should be prioritized in this population.Level of Evidence: 3.
Impact of Coffee Consumption on Physiological Markers of Cardiovascular Risk: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Background Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages globally. A substantial number of observational data suggest an inverse relationship between coffee consumption and the risk for cardiovascular disease. The basis for this association is not clear. In this review, we specifically study the impact of coffee on inflammatory biomarkers as one potential mechanistic basis for this observation. Our objective was to systematically review randomized controlled trials that examined the effects of coffee consumption on selected cardiovascular biomarkers. Methods We systematically reviewed bibliographic databases including PubMed (NCBI), Embase (Elsevier), CINAHL (EBSCO), Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (EBSCO), and CAB Abstracts (Clarivate Analytics). We searched for randomized controlled trials that studied the effect of drinking coffee on inflammatory markers of cardiovascular risk. Results The search of electronic databases returned 1631 records. After removing duplicate records and ineligible studies, we examined a total of 40 full-text documents, 17 of which were eligible for further analysis. In our review, boiled coffee, in particular, appeared to raise total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, but evidence suggests no similar effect for filtered coffee. One study showed a significant increase in blood interleukin 6 levels among individuals who drank caffeinated coffee, compared with individuals consuming no coffee. Conclusion Based on our systematic review of randomized controlled studies, we cannot confidently conclude that an anti-inflammatory effect of coffee is a major contributing factor to the lower all-cause mortality reported in observational studies.
A Community Plan for Fusion Energy and Discovery Plasma Sciences

This document is the final report of the Community Planning Process (CPP) that describes a comprehensive plan to deliver fusion energy and to advance plasma science. The CPP was initiated by the executive committee of the American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics (APS DPP) to help the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) fulfill a charge from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a strategic plan for the DOE Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (FES). In this charge, dated Nov 30, 2018, DOE Deputy Director for Science Dr. Stephen Binkley requested that FESAC "undertake a new long range strategic planning activity for the Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program. The strategic planning activity to encompass the entire FES research portfolio (namely, burning plasma science and discovery plasma science) should identify and prioritize the research required to advance both the scientific foundation needed to develop a fusion energy source, as well as the broader FES mission to steward plasma science." The CPP represents the first phase in developing a long range strategic plan for FES, and will serve as the basis for the second phase activity conducted by FESAC. It is worth noting that enacting the full scope of the recommendations in the strategic plan in this document will require suitable partnerships with other offices and governmental agencies, as well as with private industry and international partners.
The Disaster Artist: Sophie Calle’s “histoires vraies”

A tenant sets himself on fire in Sophie Calle’s childhood bed, which is tossed out and left in her building’s courtyard. A spiteful colleague assaults Calle with a stiletto, bringing her career as ...
Linking Knowledge With Action When Engagement is Out of Reach: Three Contextual Features of Effective Public Health Communication.

Scholars and practitioners often promote direct engagement between policymakers, health workers, and researchers as a strategy for overcoming barriers to utilizing scientific knowledge in health policy. However, in many settings public health officials rarely have opportunities to interact with researchers, which is a problem further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. One prominent theory argues that policy actors will trust and utilize research findings when they perceive them to be salient, credible, and legitimate. We draw on this theory to examine the conditions facilitating greater uptake of new knowledge among health officials when engagement is out of reach and they are instead exposed to new ideas through written mass communication. Using data from a survey experiment with about 260 health workers and administrators in Honduras, we find that messages from a technocratic sender based on statistical evidence improved perceptions of salience, credibility and legitimacy. Additionally, perceptions of salience, credibility, and legitimacy are three contextual features that operate as joint mediators between knowledge and action, and several individual characteristics also influence whether officials trust research findings enough to apply them when formulating and implementing health policies. This research can help inform the design of context-sensitive knowledge translation and exchange strategies to advance the goals of evidence-based public health, particularly in settings where direct engagement is difficult to achieve.