cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mutual coupling calibration using the Reiterative Superresolution (RISR) algorithm

An integral element of a blind array calibration routine is an estimate of the direction of arriving signals. The work herein integrates the Reiterative Superresolution (RISR) algorithm into a calibration framework suitable for estimating the array mutual coupling. The RISR algorithm is a recursive minimum mean-squared error (RMMSE) Direction of Arrival (DoA) estimator that does not require a Sample Covariance Matrix (SCM) be computed. In addition, the RISR algorithm directly estimates the spatial spectrum, rather than just the angle measurement, making it well suited for assessing the array mutual coupling. Here a calibration method is derived using RISR to estimate mutual coupling. The effectiveness of the approach is via simulation.
Oleic Acid and Angiotensin II Induce a Synergistic Mitogenic Response in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Abstract —Oleic acid and angiotensin II (Ang II) are elevated and may interact to accelerate vascular disease in obese hypertensive patients. We studied the effects of oleic acid and Ang II on growth responses of rat aortic smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Oleic acid (50 μmol/L) raised thymidine incorporation by 50% at 24 hours and cell number by 55% at 6 days ( P −11 to 10 −6 mol/L) did not significantly increase thymidine incorporation or VSMC number. Combining Ang II and 50 μmol/L oleic acid doubled thymidine incorporation and VSMC number. Losartan, an angiotensin type 1 (AT 1 ) receptor antagonist, blocked the synergistic interaction between Ang II and oleic acid, whereas the AT 2 receptor antagonist PD 123319 did not. Protein kinase C inhibition and downregulation, as well as inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation by PD 98059, eliminated the rise of thymidine incorporation in response to oleic acid and the synergistic interaction with Ang II. However, the response to 10% fetal bovine serum was unaffected. An antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to ERK-1 and ERK-2 reduced ERK protein expression and activation by 83% and 75%, respectively. Antisense prevented the rise of thymidine incorporation in response to oleic acid and the synergy with Ang II. Antisense reduced but did not prevent increased thymidine incorporation in response to serum. The data indicate that oleic acid and Ang II exert a synergistic mitogenic effect in VSMCs and suggest an important role for the AT 1 receptor, PKC, and ERK in this synergy. The observations raise the possibility that a synergistic mitogenic interaction between oleic acid and Ang II accelerates vascular remodeling in obese hypertensive patients.
The Developmental Dynamics of Aggression and the Prevention of School Violence.

The authors consider school violence from a dynamic systems conceptualization of aggression. This perspective suggests that aggression and school violence involve the contributions of both school s...
Comparing the fatality risks in United States transportation across modes and over time

This paper analyzes the transportation fatality risk in the United States. The analysis is in two parts. The first part compares the relative risks of the different modes based on data for the decade from 2000 to 2009. The second part is a time-series analysis for each mode using annual data from 1975 to 2010. By almost any measure, transportation is considerably safer now than it was in the mid 1970s. The improvement is especially noticeable for commercial modes such as aviation, railroads and maritime. Even the risks from private highway driving have halved during the past thirty-five years.
Compact silicon tunable Fabry-Perot resonator with low power consumption

We demonstrate a 20-/spl mu/m-long tunable optical resonator integrated on a silicon-on-insulator waveguide. The microresonator consists of a planar Fabry-Perot microcavity defined by deep Si/SiO/sub 2/ Bragg reflectors with a high finesse of 11.2. The device is electrically driven and shows a modulation depth as high as 53% for a power consumption of only 20 mW.
Isometries in Finite Groups of Lie Type

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the isometries in finite groups of lie type. Let G be a connected semisimple linear algebraic group and σ a surjective endomorphism of G, such that the group of fixed points G σ = G is finite. Then G is a finite group of Lie type. Let T be a maximal torus of G fixed by σ and T = T, H = N G (T), H/T = W. Then T is an abelian subgroup of G. Any subgroup of G arising in this way is known as a “torus” of G. An irreducible character of T or an element of T is regular if it is not fixed by any non-identity element of W. It has been conjectured that there is a family of irreducible characters of T.
Effects of Differentiated Reading Instruction on Student Achievement in Middle School

Reading instruction often does not focus on appealing to student interests, offering choice, or responding to the needs of advanced readers. In this experimental study, we examined the effects on achievement of an instructional approach involving choice, differentiated instruction, and extensive, supported, independent reading, with corresponding elimination of regular reading instruction. The study, which incorporated multi-site cluster-randomized design, was conducted in four middle schools with 2,150 students and 47 teachers. Pretest and posttest data were collected on reading fluency and comprehension, with Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) procedures used to investigate the effects of the intervention. Results indicated similar results overall for treatment and control group students, with treatment outperforming control on reading fluency at two of the schools. The findings demonstrate that the intervention resulted in similar or higher scores for fluency and similar scores for comprehension, despi...
Low-cost microsensors program

The objectives of the Low Cost Microsensors (LCMS) Program are twofold. The first is to develop and deliver a long-range infrared (IR) sensor built upon an uncooled vanadium oxide (VOx) 640 X 512 format focal plane array (FPA) engine. The second is to develop an expendable microsensor built upon a VOx 160 X 128 format FPA engine. The 640 X 480 sensor is applicable to long-range surveillance and targeting missions and is a reusable asset. The 160 X 120 sensor is designed for applications where miniaturization is required as well as low cost and low power. The 160 X 120 is also intended for expendable military applications. The intent of this DUS&T effort is to further reduce the cost, weight, and power of uncooled IR sensors, and to increase the capability of these sensors, thereby expanding their applicability to military and commercial markets never before addressed by thermal imaging.
Irrevocable transactions and their applications

Transactional memory (TM) provides a safer, more modular, and more scalable alternative to traditional lock-based synchronization. Implementing high performance TM systems has recently been an active area of research. However, current TM systems provide limited, if any, support for transactions executing irrevocable actions, such as I/O and system calls, whose side effects cannot in general be rolled back. This severely limits the ability of these systems to run commercial workloads.This paper describes the design of a transactional memory system that allows irrevocable actions to be executed inside of transactions. While one transaction is executing an irrevocable action, other transactions can still execute and commit concurrently. We use a novel mechanism called single-owner read locks to implement irrevocable actions inside transactions that maximizes concurrency and avoids overhead when the mechanism is not used. We also show how irrevocable transactions can be leveraged for contention management to handle actions whose effects may be expensive to roll back. Finally, we present a thorough performance evaluation of the irrevocability mechanism for the different usage models.
Integron-Mediated Rifampin Resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A new rifampin resistance gene, arr-2, has been found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The ARR-2 protein shows 54% amino acid identity to the rifampin ADP-ribosylating transferase encoded by the arr gene from Mycobacterium smegmatis. This arr-2 gene is located on a gene cassette within a class I integron.
Redundancy Control and Optimization of a 9-DoF Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arm System

A wheelchair-mounted robotic arm (WMRA) system was designed and built to meet the needs of mobility-impaired persons with limitations of upper extremities, and to exceed the capabilities of current devices of this type. The control of this 9-DoF system expands on the conventional control methods and combines the 7-DoF robotic arm control with the 2-DoF power wheelchair control. The 3-degrees of redundancy are optimized to effectively perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and overcome singularities, joint limits and some workspace limitations. The control system is designed for teleoperated or autonomous coordinated Cartesian control, and it offers expandability for future research, such as voice or sip and puff control operations and sensor assist functions.
A Case for the Use of 3D Attenuation Models in Ground-Motion and Seismic-Hazard Assessment

Abstract Attenuation relationships that are used to characterize estimated ground motion often ignore details of the Earth’s highly variable 3D velocity and attenuation structure. Increasingly available attenuation models can be used to refine the expected ground motions. First, some tests are performed to look at the effect of the variability in several parameters, such as crustal attenuation, upper mantle attenuation, and crustal thickness. A concrete example is then provided using the results of a recent crust and upper mantle attenuation model of the Middle East. Variations in 1 Hz spectral accelerations of 30%–40% are found simply from the same event recorded in different directions. Because overall regional variability is expected to be even higher, this effect seems significant enough to be accounted for in strong ground-motion estimates and seismic-hazard assessment. This has the potential to account for some of the smaller scale amplitude variations not considered using broadly applied 1D attenuation relationships.
Effect of insect-mediated dispersal on the genetic structure of postglacial water mite populations

Assaying population structure in species that differ in dispersal ability can help to determine whether population differentiation is dependent on the movement of individuals between populations. Here, allozyme variation is analysed in over 1100 individuals from nine species and two species complexes of Arrenurus water mites collected throughout north-eastern North America. As larvae, eight taxa are obligate parasites of winged adult insects that provide the primary opportunity for dispersal. Three additional species have lost the ability to parasitize insects and do not disperse in this manner. Consistent with the glaciated history of the region, very low allozyme heterozygosity was found in these taxa (Ho = 0.00–0.12), near panmixia in five out of seven species for which population differentiation was calculated and no patterns of isolation by distance over spatial scales up to several hundred kilometres. Nonetheless, in two out of three comparisons between sister species with and without parasitic larvae, parasitism was significantly associated with higher heterozygosity. Population differentiation could also be contrasted for two of these sister species pairs; in each case, lower estimates of FST were found in the mites able to disperse on insects. The statistical significance of these contrasts was dependent on the method used to estimate variance. At the scale of the genus, behavioural differences among insect vectors allows for broader hypotheses that relate water mite genetic diversity to dispersal ability. For the genus, rank correlations of dispersal ability with direct count heterozygosity (n = 11) and population differentiation (n = 7) were not significantly different from zero. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that allozyme population structure is primarily the result of historical patterns in these regions. However, comparisons between sister species suggest a limited role for dispersal in homogenizing populations genetically, even when drift–gene flow equilibrium has not been achieved.
Physiological Effects of an Antimycotic Azasterol on Cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been studied during cultivation with a naturally occurring antimycotic azasterol. At very low concentrations (1.0 to 10.0 ng/ml), where growth retardation is not observed, an unusual sterol, ergosta-8,14-dien-3β-ol, accumulates in high concentrations. Upon removal of the azasterol from the culture, the 8,14-diene is converted to ergosterol. Much smaller amounts of another 8,14-sterol, but with an additional unsaturation, have also been observed. Total sterol accumulation is higher in cultures containing subinhibitory levels of the antimycotic agent than the amounts of normal sterol accumulation in control cultures. With between 10 and 100 ng of azasterol per ml a transitory cessation of growth is observed from which the culture is able to recover. At much higher concentrations growth inhibition and even cell lysis results. Competitive inhibition of sterol 24(28)methylene reductase is demonstrated.
Smart clothing: The wearable computer and wearcam

Due to recent advances in miniaturization, the 'wearable computer' of the late 1970s and early 1980s, comprising a backpack-based, tetherless computer system together with wireless communications, has been transformed from an awkward and cumbersome burden into a completely unobtrusive internet-connected multimedia computer built within an ordinary pair of eyeglasses and ordinary clothing. This transformation allows it to be worn constantly, with the goal of becoming a seamless extension of the body and mind. In addition to replacing one's cellular telephone, personal music system, dictating machine, pager, camcorder, laptop computer, PDA, and the like with a single well-integrated unit, it can perform new and previously unexpected useful functions. Equipped with various sensors which measure heart rate (and waveform), respiration, footstep rate (and waveform), etc., the apparatus can function as a personal safety device for reducing crime, as well as a personal health monitor for improving health care by encouraging individuals to take an active role in diagnosis and body-maintenance. Presently, conductive cloth in various forms is available, due in part to certain people's desire to shield themselves from radiation effects of cellular telephones and the like, as well as for decorative purposes (the aesthetics of metallic fibres). The wearable computer is embedded within nontransparent clothing which provides shielding, (radiofrequency privacy, and solitude). Conductive fibres are also being used for the antenna structure, as well as for connectivity. Smart clothing has been proposed as a form of 'existential media', which defines new forms of social interaction through enhanced abilities for self expression and selfactualization, as well as through self-determination (see, for example Frankl i994). Examples of smart clothing include intemet-connected shoes (Fig. l) which allow one to run with a jogging partner located in some distant place, but connected via the network. Viewpoints might also be shared using the 'eye-to-eye' glasses (where a portion of each runner's visual field comes from the other runner (Mann 1994).
Post-contraction errors in human force production are reduced by muscle stretch.

1. Based on findings from a previous study of plantar-flexor muscles, the effect of a conditioning 25, 50 or 100% maximum voluntary contraction (m.v.c.) of elbow flexor muscles on the accuracy of reproducing a learned criterion muscle force (2% m.v.c.) was investigated. 2. Each conditioning contraction induced a significant error in reproducing the criterion muscle force under conditions of no visual feed-back of force. As with plantar-flexor muscles, the error was consistently in the direction of a positive bias. The magnitude of the error co-varied with the magnitude of the previous contraction and, in all cases, decayed toward criterion force values over a 35 s period. 3. A brief muscle stretch, induced before subjects attempted the criterion force, reduced the size of the error but did not completely eliminate the bias. 4. The findings provide indirect evidence of post-contraction potentiation of stretch reflex pathways. Residual post-contraction errors in force production after muscle stretch may be attributed to other central or peripheral neural factors such as, for example, potentiating effects of prior activation on submaximal tension production in skeletal muscle.
Cryptococcus infection in a non-HIV patient: a case report

Cryptococcal infections are fungal infections most commonly seen in immunocompromised patients. Chronic high-dose steroid may precipitate such an immunocompromised state and thus create susceptibility to fungal infections. Cryptococcus neoformans is a saprophyte usually found in soil contaminated with pigeon droppings. Suspicion to diagnose begins with clinical symptoms that can be non-specific such as fevers, cough, and headaches. We present a case of steroid-induced cryptococcal infection in a non-HIV-infected person. Keywords: cryptococcal infection; chronic steroid use; cryptococcal meningitis (Published: 15 October 2012) Citation: Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives 2012, 2 : 19254 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/jchimp.v2i3.19254
A 50 mm bore superconducting dipole with a unique iron yoke structure

A 50-mm-bore superconducting dipole with a thin stainless steel collar and a close-in elliptical iron yoke was designed to obtain a high transfer function and low saturation effects on the multipoles. A 1-m model was built and tested. The training behavior of the first 1-m model is presented at 4.3 K and 1.8 K. At 1.8 K it reached the record field of 10.06 T. The two layer cos theta winding uses 30 and 36 strand cables identical to the cables of the 50-mm-bore Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) dipole, and it has an operating field of 6.6 T at 4.35 K with a current of 5800 A. To evaluate behavior at high fields, the mechanical structure for the model was designed for 10 T. The thin collar itself provides only a minimum prestress of 10 MPa, and the full prestress of 70 MPa is given by the iron yoke. An aluminum spacer is used to control the gap size in the vertically split iron yoke. The tapered gap in the yoke is determined by the size of the Al spacer so that during cooldown there is no loss of coil prestress and the gap remains closed when the magnet is energized. >
Factors that influence nursing home placement in an Alzheimer's disease cohort

Medical Center, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Methods: The CNT sees every patient and offers social work services, case management, on-site Alzheimer’s Association assistance and individual, family, and group psychotherapy. During the first visit CNT staff provides an explanation of services and conducts a brief assessment. Within the following two weeks CNT staff contacts the patient/family to continue the assessment process and to address any issues concerning MP recommendations. A care plan is then initiated that continually supports the patient in navigating the health care system throughout the treatment process. The CNT provides guidance to MP regarding psychological reactions to diagnoses and the impact on family dynamics. Additionally, the CNT addresses psychosocial crises, Adult Protective Services reporting and capacity issues. Psychotherapy services are billed appropriately. Results: By offering individualized, coordinated care to every patient, this unique, systematic and comprehensive model allows providers to focus on the continued improvement of medical care. Furthermore, the model ensures enhanced service provision, medical compliance, as well as increased safety and perceived quality of life for patients and their loved ones.Conclusions: This model creates enhanced communication between MP, CNT and the patients/families served. This allows for the medical treatment and psychosocial support to be continuously adjusted in order to optimally meet the changing needs of each individual/family in this at-risk population. Billing appropriately for psychotherapy services allows the CNT services to be partially self-supported. This model can be replicated at other centers.
As Easy to Use as a Banking Machine

Over 100 million people use productivity suites such as Microsoft Office to accomplish a huge variety of tasks. Most of those tasks are ‘problem solving’ tasks that require users to generate novel solutions in novel situations. It is the problem solving nature of work that makes designing productivity software difficult. It is difficult for the designer to anticipate and understand the user’s task. As a consequence, productivity suites present difficulties for users and those difficulties are often discussed in the HCI community. Despite the difficulties involved in designing productivity software, suites are ‘pretty well’ designed and users are successful using them. Productivity software is only ‘pretty well’ designed because current user research practice is good at locally optimising individual features in products. When users are not successful it is because current user research practices are not very good at understanding the kinds of problem solving tasks that constitute work. Practitioners do not currently have good methods for taking field observations and turning those observations into design. It is only by developing these methods that we can improve the design of productivity software. Understanding how to turn observations into designs is very important to improving the design of productivity software and it is very difficult. Solving this problem will require cooperation between HCI researchers and HCI practitioners.
Abstract 8: Delivery of an Anti-inflammatory NF-κB Inhibitory Polypeptide to Treat Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that is a leading cause of maternal, fetal, and perinatal morbidity and mortality. There is currently no effective intervention for preeclampsia...
257 ACTIVATED PROTEIN C IMPROVES SURVIVAL IN SEVERE SEPSIS PATIENTS WITH ELEVATED TROPONIN.

Purpose Multiple studies in sepsis have demonstrated that elevated troponin is associated with poor outcome. The elevated troponin in this situation is thought to be secondary to microthrombi. We hypothesized that recombinant human activated protein C (APC) treatment would improve outcomes in patients with severe sepsis who have elevated troponin. Methods Patients with severe sepsis by consensus criteria in a university ICU were divided into a troponin-elevated group (T +ve) and a normal troponin (T −ve) group. Outcome was compared using the Fisher9s exact test. APACHE II and MODS were calculated by standard methodology. Data are mean (± SD). Results We identified 105 patients with severe sepsis and troponin measured of which 48 (46%) patients were in the T +ve group. The two groups were similar in terms of their age (54.4 ± 14.9 vs 54.9 ± 15) and other comorbid conditions. APACHE-II (28 ± 8 vs 25 ± 8) was slightly higher and MODS (11 ± 4 vs 9 ± 3) was significantly higher in the T +ve group. Mortality was 52% (25/48) in the T +ve group and 30% (17/57) in the T −ve group (p = .03). APC treatment of T +ve patients reduced mortality from 72% to 30% (p = .008). Conclusion Patients with severe sepsis who have an elevated troponin have increased mortality. In patients with severe sepsis who have elevated troponin, treatment with APC improves outcome. Troponin may be a simple, readily available marker to identify which patients with severe sepsis will benefit from APC.
Twenty years of evolving trends in racial disparities for adult kidney transplant recipients

Disparities in outcomes for African American (AA) kidney transplant recipients have persisted for 40 years without a comprehensive analysis of evolving trends in the risks associated with this disparity. Here we analyzed U.S. transplant registry data, which included adult Caucasian or AA solitary kidney recipients undergoing transplantation between 1990 and 2009 comprising 202,085 transplantations. During this 20-year period, the estimated rate of 5-year graft loss decreased from 27.6% to 12.8%. Notable trends in baseline characteristics that significantly differed by race over time included the following: increased prevalence of diabetes from 2001 to 2009 in AAs (5-year slope difference: 3.4%), longer time on the waiting list (76.5 more days per 5 years in AAs), fewer living donors in AAs from 2003 to 2009 (5-year slope difference: –3.36%), more circulatory death donors in AAs from 2000-09 (5-year slope difference: 1.78%), and a slower decline in delayed graft function in AAs (5-year slope difference: 0.85%). The absolute risk difference between AAs and Caucasians for 5-year graft loss significantly declined over time (–0.92% decrease per 5 years), whereas the relative risk difference actually significantly increased (3.4% increase per 5 years). These results provide a mixed picture of both promising and concerning trends in disparities for AA kidney transplant recipients. Thus, although the disparity for graft loss has significantly improved, equity is still far off, and other disparities, including living donation rates and delayed graft function rates, have widened during this time.
Upper Extremity Amputation

Although significantly less common than vascular insufficiency in the lower extremities, heart, or brain, processes leading to inadequate vascular flow in the upper extremity carry significant morbidity. Our hands are our highly technical and extremely skilled terminal devices and arguably what make us uniquely human. Therefore when faced with situations of hand loss, every attempt should be made to preserve as much length and function as possible. Amputation is a procedure of last resort and is indicated only after limb salvage options have failed. The functional consequence of any particular amputation is the primary. Advances in reconstructive surgery and prosthetic devices hold hope and promise improved function for the upper limb amputee.
Theory of voltammetry in charged porous media

Abstract We couple the Leaky Membrane Model, which describes the diffusion and electromigration of ions in a homogenized porous medium of fixed background charge, with Butler-Volmer reaction kinetics for flat electrodes separated by such a medium in a simple mathematical theory of voltammetry. The model is illustrated for the prototypical case of copper electro-deposition/dissolution in aqueous charged porous media. We first consider the steady state with three different experimentally relevant boundary conditions and derive analytical or semi-analytical expressions for concentration profiles, electric potential profiles, current-voltage relations and overlimiting conductances. Next, we perform nonlinear least squares fitting on experimental data, consider the transient response for linear sweep voltammetry and demonstrate good agreement of the model predictions with experimental data. The experimental datasets are for copper electrodeposition from copper(II) sulfate solutions in a variety of nanoporous media, such as anodic aluminum oxide, cellulose nitrate and polyethylene battery separators, whose internal surfaces are functionalized with positively and negatively charged polyelectrolyte polymers.
Novel heparin mimetics reveal cooperativity between exosite 2 and sodium-binding site of thrombin.

Abstract Introduction Thrombin is a primary target of most anticoagulants. Yet, thrombin's dual and opposing role in pro- as well as anti- coagulant processes imposes considerable challenges in discovering finely tuned regulators that maintain homeostasis, rather than disproportionately changing the equilibrium to one side. In this connection, we have been studying exosite 2-mediated allosteric modulation of thrombin activity using synthetic agents called low molecular weight lignins (LMWLs). Although the aromatic scaffold of LMWLs is completely different from the polysaccharidic scaffold of heparin, the presence of multiple negatively charged groups on both ligands induces binding to exosite 2 of thrombin. This work characterizes the nature of interactions between LMWLs and thrombin to understand the energetic cooperativity between exosite 2 and active site of thrombin. Materials and methods The thermodynamics of thrombin–LMWL complexes was studied using spectrofluorimetric titrations as a function of ionic strength and temperature of the buffer. The contributions of enthalpy and entropy to binding were evaluated using classic thermodynamic equations. Label-free surface plasmon resonance was used to assess the role of sodium ion in LMWL binding to thrombin at a fixed ionic strength. Results and conclusions Exosite 2-induced conformational change in thrombin's active site is strongly dependent on the structure of the ligand, which has consequences with respect to regulation of thrombin. The ionic and non-ionic contributions to binding affinity and the thermodynamic signature were highly ligand specific. Interestingly, LMWLs display preference for the sodium-bound form of thrombin, which supports the existence of an energetic coupling between exosite 2 and sodium-binding site of thrombin.
Coma: A serious complication of spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

Objective To review our experience with patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) and coma because, although disorders of consciousness may complicate SIH, no comprehensive study of such patients has been reported. Methods Using a prospectively maintained registry, we identified all patients with SIH in whom coma developed. Patients or their caregivers/families were contacted for follow-up. Patients were compared to a cohort of patients with SIH without coma. Results The mean age of the 12 men and 3 women with SIH was 56.2 years (range 34–72 years) at the time of onset of coma. In one-third of patients, coma developed after craniotomy for subdural hematomas or for an unrelated intracranial pathology. Imaging showed brain sagging, including bilateral temporal lobe herniation, in all 15 patients and brainstem edema in 8 patients (53%). Overall, coma was reversible in 7 of 15 patients treated with epidural blood patches, in 2 of 4 treated with percutaneous glue injections, and in 6 of 6 treated surgically. Only 1 patient had residual neurologic deficit related to coma (Glasgow Outcome Scale score 4 [moderate disability]). Compared to patients with SIH without coma (n = 568), those with coma were older, more often were male, and more often underwent surgery. Conclusions Coma in SIH is rare, reversible, and invariably associated with brain sagging. Coma due to SIH may be refractory to the usual percutaneous procedures, and surgical closure of the CSF leak may be required to regain consciousness.
Clinical Indicators of Admission for Pediatric Cochlear Implant Procedures.

OBJECTIVES A minority of children undergoing cochlear implantation (CI) are admitted overnight postoperatively, but there are little data on prognostic indicators. Our goal is to review national data to identify variables associated with admission and identify effects on outcomes. METHODS We analyzed data from the 2012-2015 American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric (ACS NSQIP-P) program use files. The CI patients were identified by CPT code. Demographics, comorbidities, anesthesia time, total operation time, 30-day complications, and 30-day readmission were compared between ambulatory and admitted patients. RESULTS A total of 2943 CI patients were included, with 17.2% of these admitted post implantation. Single variable analysis revealed multiple factors associated with admission post implantation. Multivariable analysis showed patients with asthma were 2.2 times ( P < .001; odds ratio [OR] = 1.484-3.227) and those with structural central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities 2.1 times ( P < .001; OR = 1.584-2.706) more likely to be admitted. Younger age ( P = .002; OR = 0.995-0.999) and longer operation time ( P < .001; OR = 1.003-1.006) were weak predictors. Two hundred sixteen patients lacked any factors but were still admitted. They had similar outcomes to ambulatory healthy patients. CONCLUSION We identified factors associated with admission post-CI and higher readmission rates. Asthma and CNS abnormalities are strong predictors of admission post implantation. Forty-two percent of admitted patients lack any of these factors and have comparable outcomes to corresponding ambulatory patients.
A Multi-Carrier Model for Interface Trap Generation

We discuss the need for a multiple vibrational model of interface trap generation. Using first order perturbative scattering theory we derive the effect of vibrationally excited phonon modes on the electronic transition which is estimated to be responsible for interface state generation. We derive a multiple vibrational model which explains the observed change in device lifetime vs. source-drain current.
A Scalable Graph Model and Coordination Algorithms for Mobile Sensor Networks

A mobile sensor network consists of a collection of wireless connected mobile robots equipped with a variety of sensors, as shown in Figure 1. In such a system, each mobile robot has sensing, computation, communication, and locomotion capabilities. The mobile robots spread out across certain areas and share sensory information through an ad hoc wireless network. A mobile sensor network is therefore a wireless sensor network with reconfigurable sensing capabilities [14], [22]. Mobile sensor networks have a myriad of civilian and military applications ranging from foraging, surveillance, search and rescue to mobile target tracking. A mobile sensor network can be rapidly deployed in hostile environments, inaccessible terrains or disaster relief operations for sensing and reconnaissance tasks, where a task is generally achieved by coordination of the robots’ activities. The variety of task specifications and the ever-changing environment require the control algorithms of the reconfigurable mobile sensor network to be flexible, scalable and adaptive. This chapter presents a distributed model and algorithms for locally optimized control of mobile sensor networks. Multi-robot coordination and formation control is addressed to the continuous reconfiguration of the mobile robots for varying task requirements and changing environments. A mobile sensor network augments the capacity of a sensor network with motion, which enhances its collaborative sensing, coverage, reliability and flexibility. A number of mobile sensor deployment algorithms have been proposed, such as the incremental deployment approach [22], potential field approach [23], [38], constrained coverage [34], and Voronoi based approach with known distributions [14]. A reactive approach discusses the deployment of mobile sensors in response to dynamic events [10]. A control strategy for mobile sensor networks to track sensing gradient to is discussed in [30]. Among others, mobile sensor networks have found applications in exploration [3] and network maintenance [13], [12]. On the interaction
Tarentaise and Hereford breed effects on cow and calf traits and estimates of individual heterosis.

Preweaning and weaning records on 457 calves and weights and milk production of their dams were used to evaluate breed of dam effects, breed of sire effects, and individual heterosis effects. Hereford and Tarentaise dams were mated to Hereford and Tarentaise sires and calves were born from 1987 to 1991. Calf traits were birth weight, proportion calving difficulty, weaning weight, weaning height, weaning weight:height ratio, and condition score at weaning. Cow traits were milk production four weights during the year, weight changes, height at weaning, condition score, ratio of calf weight:cow weight, proportion calved and weaned, and calf weaning weight per cow exposed to breeding. Breed of sire was nonsignificant for all traits except calf hip height, but breed of dam was significant for calf weaning weight and condition score, late milk production, change in milk production, and the cow traits of all weights, condition score, weight:height ratio, and ratio of calf weight:cow weight. Least squares means for Hereford and Tarentaise dams, respectively, were 216 and 236 kg for calf weaning weight, 6.2 and 9.3 kg for late milk production, 559 and 507 kg for cow weight at weaning, 6.0 and 4.9 for cow condition score, and .39 and .47 for ratio of calf weight at weaning:cow weight at weaning. Heterosis was significant for birth weight (1.05 kg, 3%, P = .01), weaning weight (11.0 kg, 5%, P = .01), and condition score (.13, 2%, P = .06). Thus, Hereford dams weighted more and had higher levels of condition, whereas Tarentaise dams produced more milk late in lactation and weaned heavier calves.
Finding meaning in the curriculum: orienting philosophy majors to a meaningful life as a primary learning outcome

ABSTRACTI discuss a learning outcome of the Western Carolina University, Department of Philosophy and Religion, which focuses on a student’s development and pursuit of a meaningful, thriving, well-...
The downed and dead wood inventory of forests in the United States

The quantity and condition of downed dead wood (DDW) is emerging as a major factor governing forest ecosystem processes such as carbon cycling, fire behavior, and tree regeneration. Despite this, systematic inventories of DDW are sparse if not absent across major forest biomes. The Forest Inventory and Analysis program of the United States (US) Forest Service has conducted an annual DDW inventory on all coterminous US forest land since 2002 (~1 plot per 38,850 ha), with a sample intensification occurring since 2012 (~1 plot per 19,425 ha). The data are organized according to DDW components and by sampling information which can all be linked to a multitude of auxiliary information in the national database. As the sampling of DDW is conducted using field efficient line-intersect approaches, several assumptions are adopted during population estimation that serve to identify critical knowledge gaps. The plot- and population-level DDW datasets and estimates provide the first insights into an understudied but critical ecosystem component of temperate forests of North America with global application. Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data (ISA-Tab format)
Outcomes of Thrombectomy in Transferred Patients With Ischemic Stroke in the Late Window: A Subanalysis From the DEFUSE 3 Trial.

Importance Although thrombectomy benefit was maintained in transfer patients with ischemic stroke in early-window trials, overall functional independence rates were lower in thrombectomy and medical management–only groups. Objective To evaluate whether the imaging-based selection criteria used in the Endovascular Therapy Following Imaging Evaluation for Ischemic Stroke 3 (DEFUSE 3) trial would lead to comparable outcome rates and treatment benefits in transfer vs direct-admission patients. Design, Setting, and Participants Subgroup analysis of DEFUSE 3, a prospective, randomized, multicenter, blinded–end point trial. Patients were enrolled between May 2016 and May 2017 and were followed up for 90 days. The trial comprised 38 stroke centers in the United States and 182 patients with stroke with a large-vessel anterior circulation occlusion and initial infarct volume of less than 70 mL, mismatch ratio of at least 1.8, and mismatch volume of at least 15 mL, treated within 6 to 16 hours from last known well. Patients were stratified based on whether they presented directly to the study site or were transferred from a primary center. Data were analyzed between July 2018 and October 2018. Interventions or Exposures Endovascular thrombectomy plus standard medical therapy vs standard medical therapy alone. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the distribution of 90-day modified Rankin Scale scores. Results Of the 296 patients who consented, 182 patients were randomized (66% were transfer patients and 34% directly presented to a study site). Median age was 71 years (interquartile range [IQR], 60-79 years) vs 70 years (IQR, 59-80 years); 69 transfer patients were women (57%) and 23 of the direct group were women (37%). Transfer patients had longer median times from last known well to study site arrival (9.43 vs 9 hours) and more favorable collateral profiles (based on hypoperfusion intensity ratio): median for transfer, 0.35 (IQR, 0.18-0.47) vs 0.42 (IQR, 0.25-0.56) for direct (P = .05). The primary outcome (90-day modified Rankin Scale score shift) did not differ in the direct vs transfer groups (direct OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2-7.2;P = .01; transfer OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.3-4.8;P = .009). The overall functional independence rate (90-day modified Rankin Scale score 0-2) in the thrombectomy group did not differ (direct 44% vs transfer 45%) nor did the treatment effect (direct OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 0.9-4.4 vs transfer OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.6-6.1). Thrombectomy reperfusion rates, mortality, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage rates did not differ. Conclusions and Relevance In late-window patients selected by penumbral mismatch criteria, both the favorable outcome rate and treatment effect did not decline in transfer patients. These results have health care implications indicating transferring potential candidates for late-window thrombectomy is associated with substantial clinical benefits and should be encouraged. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier:NCT02586415
Endocrine Therapy-Related Symptoms and Quality of Life in Female Cancer Survivors in the Yale Fitness Intervention Trial.

Purpose The aim of the current study was to describe and compare endocrine therapy-related symptoms and quality of life in female cancer survivors taking aromatase inhibitors, tamoxifen, and no endocrine therapy, and to evaluate the effect of an exercise intervention on these symptoms and quality of life. Design Randomized controlled trial. An aerobic resistance exercise intervention group was compared with a home-based exercise control group over 1 year. The exercise intervention was supervised for the first 6 months, followed by 6 unsupervised months. Methods Perimenopausal and early postmenopausal female cancer survivors within 3 years of completing primary or adjuvant chemotherapy were selected. A total of 154 women were enrolled in the study. Type of endocrine or hormonal therapy was documented. Symptoms were measured by the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial Symptom Checklist and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Endocrine Subscale. Quality of life was measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General. Data were collected at baseline, and at 6 and 12 months. Findings Participants generally had mild symptom distress. There was no difference in symptoms by endocrine therapy group or by exercise group. Participants taking aromatase inhibitors in the aerobic resistance exercise intervention group reported significant improvement in social, family, and functional well-being and better quality of life compared to those in the control group at 6 months but not at 12 months. Conclusions Findings were similar to those of previous large clinical trials in that no significant differences were found for endocrine therapy-related symptoms and quality of life by type of endocrine therapy taken. However, exercise may improve quality of life outcomes for women taking aromatase inhibitors. Clinical relevance Exercise has established efficacy for patient outcomes such as cardiovascular fitness, fatigue, weight management, and quality of life and may provide better quality of life for women who take aromatase inhibitors as adjuvant therapy.
Reduced water-availability lowers the strength of negative plant–soil feedbacks of two Asclepias species

Negative plant–soil feedbacks can serve as a mechanism for plant species coexistence. Despite predicted changes in precipitation patterns due to climate change, little is known as to how the strength and direction of feedbacks change under differing soil moisture regimes. We performed a fully reciprocal greenhouse experiment where seedlings of two co-occurring Asclepias spp. (milkweed) were grown either with their own or the other species’ microbial communities under high or low watering treatments. We found that seedlings of each species were smaller when exposed to conspecific relative to heterospecific soil biota, perhaps due to a build-up of specific soil pathogens. Importantly, this negative feedback diminished under reduced water-availability, and also in the absence of live soil organisms. Our findings suggest that the ability for plants to coexist may be fundamentally altered in areas that face increased drought.
Manufacturing and Characterization of Zn-WC as Potential Biodegradable Material.

Abstract This work presents the manufacturing and characterization of zinc-tungsten carbide (Zn-WC) nanocomposite as a potential biodegradable material. A highly homogeneous WC nanoparticle dispersion in a Zn matrix was achieved by molten salt assisted stir casting followed with hot rolling. The Vickers microhardness and ultimate tensile strength of zinc were enhanced more than 50% and 87%, respectively, with the incorporation of up to 4.4 vol. % WC nanoparticles. Additionally, Zn-WC nanocomposite retained high ductility (> 65%). However, the electrical and thermal conductivities were reduced by 12% and 21%, respectively. The significant enhancement in mechanical strength makes nanoparticle-reinforced zinc a promising candidate material for biodegradable metallic implants for a wide range of clinical applications, including orthopaedic and cardiovascular implants as well as bioresorbable electronics.
Acute ethanol exposure reduces serotonin receptor 1A internalization by increasing ubiquitination and degradation of β-arrestin2

Acute alcohol exposure alters the trafficking and function of many G-protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are associated with aberrant behavioral responses to alcohol. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced changes in GPCR function remain unclear. β-Arrestin is a key player involved in the regulation of GPCR internalization and thus controls the magnitude and duration of GPCR signaling. Although β-arrestin levels are influenced by various drugs of abuse, the effect of alcohol exposure on β-arrestin expression and β-arrestin–mediated GPCR trafficking is poorly understood. Here, we found that acute ethanol exposure increases β-arrestin2 degradation via its increased ubiquitination in neuroblastoma-2a (N2A) cells and rat prefrontal cortex (PFC). β-Arrestin2 ubiquitination was likely mediated by the E3 ligase MDM2 homolog (MDM2), indicated by an increased coupling between β-arrestin2 and MDM2 in response to acute ethanol exposure in both N2A cells and rat PFC homogenates. Importantly, ethanol-induced β-arrestin2 reduction was reversed by siRNA-mediated MDM2 knockdown or proteasome inhibition in N2A cells, suggesting β-arrestin2 degradation is mediated by MDM2 through the proteasomal pathway. Using serotonin 5-HT1A receptors (5-HT1ARs) as a model receptor system, we found that ethanol dose-dependently inhibits 5-HT1AR internalization and that MDM2 knockdown reverses this effect. Moreover, ethanol both reduced β-arrestin2 levels and delayed agonist-induced β-arrestin2 recruitment to the membrane. We conclude that β-arrestin2 dysregulation by ethanol impairs 5-HT1AR trafficking. Our findings reveal a critical molecular mechanism underlying ethanol-induced alterations in GPCR internalization and implicate β-arrestin as a potential player mediating behavioral responses to acute alcohol exposure.
Dissensus, Resistance, and Ideology: Design Thinking as a Rhetorical Methodology:

Design thinking—at times described as a mind-set, practice, process, method, methodology, tool, heuristic, and more—is a productive, iterative approach used to engage divergent thinking. Often made...