cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strategies to reduce dendritic cell activation through functional biomaterial design

Dendritic cells play a key role in determining adaptive immunity, and there is growing interest in characterizing and manipulating the interactions between dendritic cells and biomaterial surfaces. Contact with several common biomaterials can induce the maturation of immature dendritic cells, but substrates that reduce dendritic cell maturation are of particular interest within the field of cell-based therapeutics where the goal is to reduce the immune response to cell-laden material carriers. In this study, we use a materials-based strategy to functionalize poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels with immobilized immunosuppressive factors (TGF-β1 and IL-10) to reduce the maturation of immature dendritic cells. TGF-β1 and IL-10 are commonly employed as soluble factors to program dendritic cells in vitro, and we demonstrate that these proteins retain bioactivity towards dendritic cells when immobilized on hydrogel surfaces. Following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and/or cytokines, a dendritic cell line interacting with the surfaces of immunosuppressive hydrogels expressed reduced markers of maturation, including IL-12 and MHCII. The bioactivity of these immunomodulatory hydrogels was further confirmed with primary bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) isolated from non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, as quantified by a decrease in activation markers and a significantly reduced capacity to activate T cells. Furthermore, by introducing a second signal to promote BMDC-material interactions combined with the presentation of tolerizing signals, the multifunctional PEG hydrogels were found to further increase signaling towards BMDCs, as evidenced by greater reductions in maturation markers.
Improving the intelligibility of dysarthric speech

Dysarthria is a speech motor disorder usually resulting in a substantive decrease in speech intelligibility by the general population. In this study, we have significantly improved the intelligibility of dysarthric vowels of one speaker from 48% to 54%, as evaluated by a vowel identification task using 64 CVC stimuli judged by 24 listeners. Improvement was obtained by transforming the vowels of a speaker with dysarthria to more closely match the vowel space of a non-dysarthric (target) speaker. The optimal mapping feature set, from a list of 21 candidate feature sets, proved to be one utilizing vowel duration and F1-F3 stable points, which were calculated using shape-constrained isotonic regression. The choice of speaker-specific or speaker-independent vowel formant targets appeared to be insignificant. Comparisons with ''oracle'' conditions were performed in order to evaluate the analysis/re-synthesis system independently of the transformation function.
Considerations of sample and feature size

In many practical pattern-classification problems the underlying probability distributions are not completely known. Consequently, the classification logic must be determined on the basis of vector samples gathered for each class. Although it is common knowledge that the error rate on the design set is a biased estimate of the true error rate of the classifier, the amount of bias as a function of sample size per class and feature size has been an open question. In this paper, the design-set error rate for a two-class problem with multivariate normal distributions is derived as a function of the sample size per class (N) and dimensionality (L) . The design-set error rate is compared to both the corresponding Bayes error rate and the test-set error rate. It is demonstrated that the design-set error rate is an extremely biased estimate of either the Bayes or test-set error rate if the ratio of samples per class to dimensions (N/L) is less than three. Also the variance of the design-set error rate is approximated by a function that is bounded by 1/8N .
Effect of specimen size on Young's modulus and fracture strength of polysilicon

The microstructure of polysilicon specimens of varying size was examined and tensile tests were conducted to determine if the measured modulus and strength depend on the size of the specimen. All specimens were from the same MUMP's 25 run at MCNC, and the thicknesses were 1.5, 2.0, and 3.5 /spl mu/m. Microstructure was examined in specimens as narrow as 2 /spl mu/m and ranging up to 20 /spl mu/m in width. The tensile specimens tested were 6, 20, or 600 /spl mu/m wide and 250, 1000, or 4000 /spl mu/m long. Nothing in the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations indicates any effect of specimen size on the microstructure; the columnar grains are fine (0.2-0.5 /spl mu/m) and uniformly distributed. The widths of all specimens were found to differ from the specified mask values, and a more pronounced variation was measured for the smaller specimens. Three different approaches are used to measure Young's modulus, and they all give a value of 158/spl plusmn/10 GPa with no evidence of substantial effects of specimen size. However, the strength does increase somewhat as the total surface area of the test section decreases-from 1.21 GPa/spl plusmn/0.08 GPa to 1.65/spl plusmn/0.28 GPa-reflecting the fact that the larger specimens have more surface flaws. Test techniques and procedures are briefly presented along with detailed analyses of the results.
Partial Entailment as a Basis for Inductive Logic

Ever since the famous ‘H2O papers’ of the early forties,1 Carl G. Hempel has been closely associated with the concepts of confirmation and logical probability. His intriguing ‘paradoxes of confirmation’ have brought forth an avalanche of responses, and more keep coming.2 Some of the conditions of adequacy he enunciated, especially the ‘equivalence condition’, are central to current controversies.3 Moreover, he has, in the meantime, continued to make significant contributions to inductive logic,4 as well as to such closely allied topics as the nature of theories and inductive (statistical) explanation.5
The Measure Quantifier

Originally generalized quantifiers were introduced to specify that a given formula was true for “many x's” e.g. ⊨ Q x φ( x ) iff card{ x ∈ ∣ ∣ ∣ ⊨ φ[ x ]} ≥ ℵ 0 , ℵ 1 , or some fixed cardinal κ. In this paper we formalize the notion that φ{ x ) is true “for almost all x ”. This is accomplished by referring to structures = ( ′, μ ) where ′ is a first-order structure and μ is a measure of a suitable type on the universe of ′. We will prove that the language L μ obtained from first-order logic by adjoining a quantifier Q μ , which ranges over the measure μ, is fully compact if we assume the existence of a proper class of measurable cardinals. As a corollary to the compactness theorem we obtain the recursive enumerability of the validities of L μ . Finally, the Magidor-Malitz quantifiers Q k n ( n ∈ ω) will be added to L μ together with analogous quantifiers Q μ m ( m ∈ ω) to form L κμ which is compact for sets of sentences of cardinality ℵ 0 . An alternate approach to formalizing “for almost all” has been recently developed by Barwise, Kaufmann and Makkai [1] who follow a suggestion of Shelah [5].
Use of mobile technology in a community mental health setting

IntroductionmHealth holds promise in transforming care for people with serious mental illness (SMI) and other disadvantaged populations. However, information about the rates of smartphone ownership...
Early craniometric tools as a predecessor to neurosurgical stereotaxis

In this paper the authors trace the history of early craniometry, referring to the technique of obtaining cranial measurements for the accurate correlation of external skull landmarks to specific brain regions. Largely drawing on methods from the newly emerging fields of physical anthropology and phrenology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, basic mathematical concepts were combined with simplistic (yet at the time, innovative) mechanical tools, leading to the first known attempts at craniocerebral topography. It is important to acknowledge the pioneers of this pre-imaging epoch, who applied creativity and ingenuity to tackle the challenge of reproducibly and reliably accessing a specific target in the brain. In particular, with the emergence of Broca's theory of cortical localization, in vivo craniometric tools, and the introduction of 3D coordinate systems, several innovative devices were conceived that subsequently paved the way for modern-day stereotactic techniques. In this context, the authors present a comprehensive and systematic review of the most popular craniometric tools developed during this time period (prior to the stereotactic era) for the purposes of craniocerebral measurement and target localization.
Farmers and Forest Conservation: How Might Land Sparing Work in Practice?

ABSTRACTCritical biodiversity areas are being converted into cropland to feed a growing global population. One solution to this problem is the highly debated land sparing hypothesis, which promotes agricultural intensification on farms to abate conversion of “wild nature.” However, food is not the only valuable farm product; trees on farms provide timber and firewood. This study presents empirical evidence from Barjomot, Tanzania, to ask: Does it make sense for both farmers and forest conservation to maximize food production where both food and tree products are produced? Participant observation, focus groups, and 40 household interviews were conducted. Results show that farmers with trees on their farms were 30% less likely to collect tree products from a neighboring forest reserve. This tentatively suggests that under agricultural intensification of food crops, farmers may have no other option but to collect tree products from “spared” forests, potentially impacting forest conservation.
Q-carbon discovery and formation of single-crystal diamond nano- and microneedles and thin films

We report the formation of single-crystal diamond nanoneedles, microneedles and thin films on sapphire (0001). By using nanosecond excimer laser pulses, we convert amorphous carbon into a new state of Q-carbon by rapid melting and quenching. The Q-carbon consists of amorphous mostly sp3 bonded carbon and rest 10–15% sp2, from which diamonds are nucleated. These nanodiamond nuclei in Q-carbon provide a seed for growth of diamond. These nanoneedles and microneedles are found to be single crystals often oriented along ⟨110⟩ directions. The (111) single-crystal diamond film are formed, when sapphire (0001) provides a seed for diamond growth from super undercooled liquid.
Closure of the cytoplasmic gate formed by TM5 and TM11 during transport in the oxalate/formate exchanger from Oxalobacter formigenes.

OxlT, the oxalate/formate exchanger of Oxalobacter formigenes, is a member of the major facilitator superfamily of transporters. In the present work, substrate (oxalate) was found to enhance the reactivity of the cysteine mutant S336C on the cytoplasmic end of helix 11 to methanethiosulfonate ethyl carboxylate. In addition, S336C is found to spontaneously cross-link to S143C in TM5 in either native or reconstituted membranes under conditions that support transport. Continuous wave EPR measurements are consistent with this result and indicate that positions 143 and 336 are in close proximity in the presence of substrate. These two residues are localized within helix interacting GxxxG-like motifs (G140LASG144 and S336DIFG340) at the cytoplasmic poles of TM5 and TM11. Pulse EPR measurements were used to determine distances and distance distributions across the cytoplasmic or periplasmic ends of OxlT and were compared with the predictions of an inside-open homology model. The data indicate that a significant ...
Potential Cost Savings From Reduction of Regional Variation in Medicare Spending

Potential cost savings estimated from reduction of regional variation in Medicare spending are considerable but questioned. This article evaluates the validity of the principal methods that have be...
Is There a Best Radiosensitizing Agent in the Treatment of Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

Over the past several decades, the management of localized rectal cancer has evolved from surgery alone as the definitive treatment to incorporating both radiation and chemotherapy to improve rates of local control and disease-free survival. Several chemoradiation regimens have been tested with different mechanisms of action, efficacy, and toxicity. There is little debate that concurrent radiation and a fluoropyrimidine (5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or capecitabine) is the current standard of care prior to total mesorectal excision (TME). Attempts to add additional chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin or irinotecan, have not consistently improved results. Recent attention has been given to concurrent biologic therapies (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-, Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-inhibitors, etc.) which may improve the outcomes of multi-modality therapy; however, the evidence is limited to phase I/II trials. It is critical for oncologists to be aware of various radiosensitizing agents that have been investigated and which will provide the best chance of disease control. In this review, we describe the mechanisms of action and evidence supporting these regimens to determine if there is a best radiosensitizing agent. Furthermore, we describe the relevant studies investigating the recent use of biologic radiosensitizers and the future direction using those agents.
First verbs: The development of T's verb lexicon

In chapters 4 and 5, my focus was on the details of how T learned and used each one of her first verbs. In this chapter my aim is to extract from these detailed analyses some more general patterns in the development of T's verb lexicon. In particular I focus on general patterns in the cognitive structures underlying T's early verbs, and general patterns in the social–pragmatic contexts in which T learned her early verbs. In both cases there are marked differences between verbs and the more commonly studied word class of nouns. In a final section of the chapter, I attempt to make clear the implications of these differences for theories of lexical acquisition and development. Cognitive bases of T's early verbs Table 7.1 lists all of the 162 relational words and verbs T learned prior to her second birthday, organized according to conceptual category and age of first productive use. As stated previously, the conceptual categories are not posited as a part of T's grammatical system; they are a heuristic for researchers and, at most, may depict something of the conceptual relatedness of these linguistic items for T. It should be noted that T's presymbolic forms are not listed, but her words that were originally presymbolic and then symbolic are listed (under the date of their first symbolic uses). As in the previous detailed analyses, the most productive approach to these data is to consider change of state and activity verbs separately. Change of state verbs The major conceptual distinctions underlying T's acquisition of change of state verbs are presented in Table 7.2, as a function of semantic domain and age in months.
The Revolutionary Moment in the Atlantic

European possession of most of the Americas ended almost as abruptly as it had begun. While the Spanish had occupied vast tracts of American land in a little over a half-century between 1492 and 1550, even larger regions of the Americas won their independence in the half-century between 1775 and 1825. While there had been rebellions and disobedience in the earlier periods, there was nothing like the massive and successful resistance to rule from Europe that characterized the American revolutions. These observations may make it appear that the American revolutions were fairly straightforward; in fact, the period was one of immense complexity. In many regions, the movement toward independence was as much an inter-American civil war as the ousting of an occupying power. Moreover, in many cases, the revolutions were social movements as well as political movements, and involved a complex dance between the revolutionaries who wanted a radical change in social order and the nationalists who wanted simply to rid American colonies of their overlords in Europe. Both sorts of movement were part of a pattern of a revolutionary age that began with the American Revolution in 1775 and extended to the end of the Spanish American Revolutions in 1825. In between there was the French Revolution and a powerful slave revolt and revolution in Haiti.
A Society of Brotherhood: Rhetoric for Resistance

One of the many protest movements that occurred in the United States during the 1960s was the Anti-War Movement. It was lead by people such as former Stanford Student Body President David Harris, who objected to the Vietnam War, and specifically the draft. Throughout his time in the Anti-War Movement, Harris formed The Resistance, an anti-draft organization; planned mass protests; and spoke in favor of civil disobedience. This study takes a rhetorical approach in examining David Harris’s call to action in a speech he delivered at the University of California, Berkeley on November 9, 1968. In his speech, Harris employs constitutive rhetoric to create a base on which to make his public moral argument for draft resistance centered on the rehumanization of the Vietnamese people.
Security considerations and reference architecture of a cyber computing infrastructure for online education

The world of online education is gaining momentum as evidenced by the stamp of approval from accreditation agencies and increasing number of online course offerings from top-tier universities. Learning Management Systems have kept up with the needs of online education by providing an online experience comparable to face-to-face lectures. Besides lectures, one of the major services offered by a traditional brick and mortar university is computing resources for students and faculty. To keep parity between the computing services offered by traditional educational campus environments and online educational environments, it is necessary to offer sufficient computing resources to the online students & cyber-faculty. The reference architecture and security considerations for such a Cyber Computing Infrastructure is laid out in this paper. We present an implementation of a Cyber Computing Infrastructure based on these principles to elucidate the alignment of the elements with practical implementation. Surveys conducted with end users of the implemented infrastructure showed very high satisfaction rate among students and faculty.
Notiosorex crawfordi (Desert shrew)

One pair of subtelocentrics has a distinct secondary constriction in the short arm extending from the centromere. Some of the acrocentrics may bear stubby short arms, but this is not seen in all metaphases.
Unique and shared relationship benefits of consensually non-monogamous and monogamous relationships: A review and insights for moving forward.

Abstract. The increased media and public curiosity on the topic of consensual non-monogamy (CNM) presents an interesting case, given that these types of relationships are highly stigmatized. In the present review piece, we first situate common themes of benefits that people believe are afforded to them by their CNM relationships within the current state of the literature to provide insight into unique and shared (with monogamy) relationship benefits. This approach helps uncover relationship benefits and theoretical advances for research on CNM by highlighting some of the key features of CNM relationships that people find rewarding, including need fulfillment, variety of activities, and personal growth and development. Second, we discuss common misconceptions about CNM and stigma toward CNM. Finally, we conclude with future directions and recommendations for scholars interested in pursuing research on CNM.
Outcomes of Global Public Health Training Program for US Minority Students: A Case Report

The numbers and success of minority students in science and the health fields remain relatively low. This study presents the outcomes of a research training program as an illustrative case study. The Short-Term Training Program for Minority Students (STPMS) recruits underrepresented minority undergraduate and graduate students for immersion in research training. A total of 69 students participated in the STPMS between 1995 and 2012, and 59 of these completed our survey to determine the perceived impact of the program on the students' motivations and professional development. Results indicated that motivations to participate in the STPMS were commonly related to long-term professional development, such as obtaining mentoring and guidance in career decision making, rather than gaining specific research skills or for economic reasons. Students reported that participation in short-term research training had the most significant effect on improving their attitudes toward biomedical research and promoted positive attitudes toward future careers in health research. A total of 85% of the program's alumni have since completed or are currently working toward a degree in higher education, and 79% are currently working in science research and health care fields. Overall, the short-term training program improved students' attitudes toward research and health science careers. Mentoring and career guidance were important in promoting academic development in students.
Controlling the length of self-assembled nanotubes by sonication followed by polymer wrapping

This work demonstrates that sonication, followed by polymer-wrapping, is an effective strategy to modulate the length of self-assembled nanotubes. The length distributions of the nanotubes were controlled by varying the amplitude of sonication. Wrapping the nanotubes with ionic polymers suspended the propensity of the nanotube fragments to re-assemble over time into their elongated precursors.
Myoglobin function and energy metabolism of isolated cardiac myocytes: effect of sodium nitrite

Inactivation of intracellular myoglobin by sodium nitrite or by carbon monoxide in isolated cardiac myocytes diminishes steady-state respiratory rate and phosphocreatine concentration (PCr) by approximately 25% at nonlimiting oxygen pressures; oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis together are insufficient to maintain ATP, and PCr falls. At concentrations required to convert myoglobin to high-spin ferric myoglobin, nitrite does not affect the respiration of isolated aerobic heart mitochondria. The creatine phosphokinase-catalyzed equilibrium between PCr and ATP is not affected by nitrite. Myoglobin inactivation reduces PCr in cells in which glycolytic ATP production is blocked by iodoacetate. However, inhibition of electron transport by rotenone does block myoglobin-mediated oxygen uptake. These data suggest that functional myoglobin augments mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation [myoglobin-mediated oxidative phosphorylation (30)]. Myoglobin itself does not cross mitochondrial membrane(s). At high oxygen pressures used here, myoglobin is everywhere saturated with oxygen, and facilitated oxygen diffusion vanishes. Oxidative phosphorylation must be augmented by some effector, such as NADH or a carrier of reducing or oxidizing equivalents that can transduce the effect of oxymyoglobin across the mitochondrial membrane(s).
Demo Abstract: The OpenChirp Low-Power Wide-Area Network and Ecosystem

In this demonstration, we present OpenChirp, an open-source Low-Power Wide Area Networking (LPWAN) infrastructure. OpenChirp is a management framework that provides data context, storage, visualization, and access control over the web. At the physical layer of the system, we present LPRAN, a low-cost high-performance software-defined radio hardware platform that can receive signals up to -30 dB below the noise floor. Using our LPRAN hardware, it is possible to operate on raw I/Q streams in the cloud to perform collaborative tasks across multiple gateways such as jointly decoding weak signals and localization.
To Volunteer or to Contribute Locational Information? Towards Truth in Labeling for Crowdsourced Geographic Information

Geographers, planners, and others increasingly refer to crowdsourced data in geography as volunteered geographic information (VGI). But is volunteered the right adjective to use for all types of crowdsourced geographic information? This chapter examines this question by making the following distinction along an ethical line for crowdsourced data collection: data collected following an “opt-in” agreement is volunteered; data collected under an “opt-out” provision is contributed (CGI). Opt-in agreements provide some clarity and control in the collection and intended reuse of collected data. Opt-out agreements are, in comparison, very open-ended and begin with few, if any, possibilities to control data collection. The chapter suggests that distinguishing contributed crowdsourced data from volunteered crowdsourced data is important to start to understand the nature of sources of crowdsourced data of any provenance and to help begin to identify possible biases. In the concluding discussion, this chapter argues that the simple distinction between CGI and VGI is valuable for assessments of data’s fitness for use. Following the truth-in-labeling principle known for food products, differentiating between CGI and VGI is also helpful to identify cases where lax approaches or even malfeasance leads to inaccurate or biased crowdsourced data.
Genetics and biochemistry of morphogenesis in Neurospora.

Publisher Summary This chapter attempts to present an account of the different aspects of Neurospora morphogenesis as elucidated by the different laboratories and to present an overall picture that emerges from the discussion of these works. It provides a unified picture of the current status of the knowledge on this subject. The cell wall-membrane complex of Neurospora seems to be the main determinant of its morphology. A genetic mutation or a chemical manipulation that directly or indirectly causes changes in this complex leads to an altered morphology. Such changes can be affected in any one of the several ways: (1) a defect in the enzyme that is directly or indirectly involved in the biosynthesis of the components of the cell wall-membrane complex, (2) an inhibition in the activity of the enzymes of cell-well biosynthesis, (3) or an overproduction of certain cell wall autolyzing or other enzymes. Formation of conidia and their development marks a distinct stage in the differentiation of Neurospora. The conidial development has been extensively studied in order to understand the biochemical basis of differentiation in Neurospora. It has also been implied that the development of the conidia and the asci should involve changes in this complex of Neurospora. The chapter discusses the morphogenesis during sexual development.
Physicochemical mechanotransduction alters nuclear shape and mechanics via heterochromatin formation

The nucleus houses, organizes, and protects chromatin to ensure genome integrity and proper gene expression, but how the nucleus adapts mechanically to changes in the extracellular environment is poorly understood. Recent studies have revealed that extracellular chemical or physical stresses induce chromatin compaction via mechanotransductive processes. We report that increased extracellular multivalent cations lead to increased heterochromatin levels through mechanosensitive ion channels. This increase in heterochromatin results in increased chromatin-based nuclear rigidity, which suppresses nuclear blebbing in cells with perturbed chromatin or lamins. Furthermore, transduction of elevated extracellular cations rescues nuclear morphology in model and patient cells of human diseases, including progeria and the breast cancer model cell line MDA-MB-231. We conclude that nuclear mechanics and morphology, including abnormal phenotypes found in human diseases, can be modulated by cell sensing of the extracellular environment and consequent changes to histone modification state and chromatin-based nuclear rigidity, without requiring direct mechanical perturbations to the cell interior.
MiniApp for Density Matrix Renormalization Group Hamiltonian Application Kernel

We present two miniapps that implement the core computational kernel of the DMRG++ application, a generic C++ code that implements the Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) algorithm. The DMRG++ core Kronecker multiplication kernel is formulated using a batched BLAS approach, with implementation that targets both multi-core CPUs using OpenMP and GPGPU using the MAGMA library. The kernel evaluates the matrix-vector multiplication of the target Hamiltonian matrix used in Lanczos algorithm for computing the lowest eigenvalue and eigenvector. The Hamiltonian matrix is expressed compactly as sums of Kronecker products of small dense matrices. We demonstrate improved performance of the miniapp on synthetic problem, and show the performance of the DMRG++ application using a plugin based on the miniapp. We also present an OpenMP miniapp that explores the use of nested parallel constructs to implement the Kronecker multiplication kernel, exploring the use of nested OpenMP worksharing and tasking abstractions to implement the multi-level parallel multiplication algorithm. The miniapp has been used as a co-design vehicle for evaluating features in the OpenMP-4.5 and upcoming OpenMP-5.0 standards.
A Multidimensional Developmental Approach to Understanding Intragroup Marginalization and Mental Health Among Adolescents and Emerging Adults of Mexican Descent

The present study investigates whether different forms of intragroup marginalization (IM) are associated with depressive symptoms, suicide risk, life satisfaction, and self-esteem for Mexican desce...
Local Minorities in Counterinsurgency: U.S. Approaches to Baghdad and Saigon Regarding Marginalized Populations

In counterinsurgencies, minority groups such as the Sunnis in Iraq are important elements of the “population,” the social–political terrain where population-centric counterinsurgency is battled. Ye...
On topological entropy and stability of switched linear systems

This paper studies topological entropy and stability properties of switched linear systems. First, we show that the exponential growth rates of solutions of a switched linear system are essentially upper bounded by its topological entropy. Second, we estimate the topological entropy of a switched linear system by decomposing it into a part that is generated by scalar multiples of the identity matrix and a part that has zero entropy, and proving that the overall topological entropy is upper bounded by that of the former. Third, we prove that a switched linear system is globally exponentially stable if its topological entropy remains zero under a destabilizing perturbation. Finally, the entropy estimation via decomposition and the entropy-based stability condition are applied to three classes of switched linear systems to construct novel upper bounds for topological entropy and novel sufficient conditions for global exponential stability.
Mining automatically extracted vehicle trajectory data for proactive safety analytics

Abstract Proactive safety management has gained increasing attention for its potential to mitigate crash risk. This study aims to leverage massive vehicle trajectory data for proactive safety analytics. State-of-the-art computer vision techniques are employed to automatically extract massive vehicle trajectories from 70-hour traffic video data at two intersections in Brooklyn, New York City. The novelty of our trajectory extraction algorithm includes the inclusion of high-level information from foreground/background separation to cluster feature points that belong to the same vehicle and the use of non-parametric clustering method Dirichlet process Gaussian mixture model (DPGMM) that does not require specification of the cluster number. The amount of video data used in this case study is substantially greater than what was previously used in most of literature. Surrogate safety measures in terms of time to collision are introduced to identify rear-end conflict risk for adjacent vehicles. Hidden Markov models (HMMs) are then proposed to model the rear-end conflicts at five-minute intervals. The proposed HMMs are found to have better performance in terms of representing the conflict occurrence and their predictive abilities are comparable to the classical autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models. HMMs are then used to infer the hidden states of traffic safety. As a result, frequent switches between different states and a clustering of high-risk states are observed. The modeling results imply that HMMs can help monitor the prevailing traffic conditions and facilitate proactive safety management.
Electrostatically controlled surface boundary conditions in nematic liquid crystals and colloids

Differing from isotropic fluids, liquid crystals exhibit highly anisotropic interactions with surfaces, which define boundary conditions for the alignment of constituent rod-like molecules at interfaces with colloidal inclusions and confining substrates. We show that surface alignment of the nematic molecules can be controlled by harnessing the competing aligning effects of surface functionalization and electric field arising from surface charging and bulk counterions. The control of ionic content in the bulk and at surfaces allows for tuning orientations of shape-anisotropic particles like platelets within an aligned nematic host and for changing the orientation of director relative to confining substrates. The ensuing anisotropic elastic and electrostatic interactions enable colloidal crystals with reconfigurable symmetries and orientations of inclusions.
Constraints on higher derivative operators in the matrix theory effective lagrangean

The consistency of Matrix theory with supergravity requires that in the large Nc limit terms of order v4 in the SU(Nc) Matrix effective potential are not renormalized beyond one loop in perturbation theory. For SU(2) gauge group, the required non-renormalization theorem was proven recently by Paban, Sethi and Stern. In this paper we consider the constraints supersymmetry imposes on these terms for groups SU(Nc) with Nc > 2. Non-renormalization theorems are proven for certain tensor structures, including the structures that appear in the one-loop effective action. However it is expected other tensor structures can in general be present, which may suffer renormalization at three loops and beyond.
Reactive arthritis: an unusual presentation of acute Clostridioides difficile colitis.

A 20-year-old Caucasian man with a history of psoriasis presented to the emergency department due to a 2-week history of severe polyarthralgia and a 3-week history of non-bloody diarrhoea. The initial workup 2 days prior in an urgent care clinic returned negative for all enteric pathogens including Clostridioides difficile nucleic acid amplification test. Investigations revealed colitis on CT and pseudomembranous colitis on colonoscopy. The aspirate returned positive for C. difficile toxin. Tissue biopsies of the ascending, transverse, sigmoid colon and rectum were negative for chronicity to suggest inflammatory bowel disease with extraintestinal manifestation as the aetiology of polyarthralgia, which had been the most likely differential diagnosis until that point. The biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of reactive arthritis in the setting of C. difficile colitis. The patient improved on treatment with naproxen and was referred to rheumatology where he was found to be HLA-B27 positive.
The Misuse of Regression-Based x-Scores as Dependent Variables in Accounting Research

Researchers often use regression-based x-Scores (e.g., C-Score, F-Score, and Z-Score) from a stage 1 model as a dependent variable in stage 2. We argue that this x-Score analysis causes major biases and interpretation problems because (1) x-Score cannot capture new sources of variation, and (2) the estimates are often artifacts of arbitrary technical assumptions. Instead, researchers should just include the test variables and the relevant controls in stage 1, obviating the need for an x Score. We confirm these arguments using simulations. In replication analyses, major published findings change after we remove the bias caused by the misuse of x Score.
Observational Study on the Effect of Duration from Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Certification on PALS Performance in Pediatric Interns in Simulated Cardiopulmonary Arrest

Pediatric advanced life support (PALS) training is critical for pediatric residents. It is unclear how well PALS skills are developed during this course or maintained overtime. This study evaluated PALS skills of pediatric interns using a validated PALS performance score following their initial PALS certification. All pediatric interns were invited to a 45-minute rapid cycle deliberate practice (RCDP) training session following their initial PALS certification from July 2017 to June 2019. The PALS score and times for key events were recorded for participants prior to RCDP training. We then compared performance scores for those who took PALS ≥3 months, between 3 days to 3 months and 3 days after PALS. There were 72 participants, 30 (of 30) in 3 days, 18 in 3 days to 3 months, and 24 in ≥3 months groups (42 total of 52 residents, 81%). The average PALS performance score was 53 ± 20%. There was no significant difference between the groups (3 days, 53 ± 15%; 3 days–3 months, 51 ± 19%; ≥3 months, 54 ± 26%, p = 0.922). Chest compressions started later in the ≥3 months groups compared with the 3 days or ≤3 months groups (p = 0.036). Time to defibrillation was longer in the 3 days group than the other groups (p = 0.008). Defibrillation was asked for in 3 days group at 97%, 73% in 3 days to 3 months and 68% in ≥3 months groups. PALS performance skills were poor in pediatric interns after PALS certification and was unchanged regardless of when training occurred. Our study supports the importance of supplemental resuscitation training in addition to the traditional PALS course.
Quality of oncologic care and outcomes of patients with endometrial cancer managed at minority-serving hospitals

Objectives: Evaluate the outcomes of patients with endometrial cancer managed at minority-serving hospitals. Methods: The National Cancer Database was accessed, and patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2016 with a uterine, ovarian or cervical tumor with known race were identified. Minority-serving hospitals (MSH) were defined as those with the highest percentage (>75th percentile) of Hispanic, Black and Asian patients while non-MSH were defined at those with the lowest ( Results: A total of 1,312 facilities reporting patients with gynecologic malignancies were identified. In MSH and non-MSH hospitals, an average of 46.89% and 2.63% of patients were minorities, respectively. A total of 111222 patients with endometrial cancer who met the inclusion criteria were identified; 62.7% and 38.3% were managed at an MSH and a non-MSH hospital, respectively. Compared to patients managed at non-MSH those managed at an MSH were more likely to have comorbidities (74.2% vs 72.6%, p 10 days) (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.30, 1.55). For patients with apparent-early stage disease, after controlling for age, insurance, histology and comorbidities, those who had a hysterectomy at an MSH had similar odds of undergoing minimally-invasive surgery (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.01). Patients with non-endometrioid tumors (OR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.78, 1.05) or apparent stage IB, grade 2/3 endometrioid tumors (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.92, 1.22) had similar odds of undergoing lymphadenectomy. Patients with stage III-IV disease, who were managed at an MSH had lower odds of receiving chemotherapy (OR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.84, 0.96) after controlling for insurance, age, comorbidities and histology. After controlling for patient age, insurance status, comorbidities, histology, receipt of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and disease stage, treatment at an MSH was associated with worse survival (HR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.15) compared to treatment at a non-MSH. Conclusions: Significant disparities exist in the management, perioperative outcomes and survival of patients with endometrial cancer managed at MSH.
Peripherally Infused Norepinephrine to Avoid Central Venous Catheter Placement in a Medical Intensive Care Unit: A Pilot Study.

Background:Reducing central venous catheter (CVC) utilization can reduce complications in the intensive care unit (ICU). While norepinephrine (NE) is traditionally administered via a CVC, lower con...
Machine Learning for Urodynamic Detection of Detrusor Overactivity.

OBJECTIVE To develop a machine learning algorithm that identifies detrusor overactivity (DO) in Urodynamic Studies (UDS) in the spina bifida population. UDS plays a key role in assessment of neurogenic bladder in patients with spina bifida. Due to significant variability in individual interpretations of UDS data, there is a need to standardize UDS interpretation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients who underwent UDS at a single pediatric urology clinic between May 2012 and September 2020 were included. UDS files were analyzed in both time and frequency domains, varying inclusion of vesical, abdominal, and detrusor pressure channels. A machine learning pipeline was constructed using data windowing, dimensionality reduction, and support vector machines. Models were designed to detect clinician identified detrusor overactivity. RESULTS Data were extracted from 805 UDS testing files from 546 unique patients. The generated models achieved good performance metrics in detecting DO agreement with the clinician, in both time- and frequency-based approaches. Incorporation of multiple channels and data windowing improved performance. The time-based model with all 3 channels had the highest area under the curve (AUC) (91.9 ± 1.3%; sensitivity: 84.2 ± 3.8%; specificity: 86.4 ± 1.3%). The 3-channel frequency-based model had the highest specificity (AUC: 90.5 ± 1.9%; sensitivity: 68.3 ± 5.3%; specificity: 92.9 ± 1.1%). CONCLUSION We developed a promising proof-of-concept machine learning pipeline that identifies DO in UDS. Machine-learning-based predictive modeling algorithms may be employed to standardize UDS interpretation and could potentially augment shared decision-making and improve patient care.
Abstract 13863: Stress Echocardiography in Asymptomatic Patients: Impact of Clinical Risk Profile on Test Results

Introduction: Stress echocardiography (SE) has an established role in the evaluation of symptomatic patients, but its utility in asymptomatic patients is unclear. Current guidelines discourage the use of SE in most asymptomatic patients, citing lack of data to support its use. We therefore sought to describe the yield of SE in a group of asymptomatic individuals according to risk profile. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that SE would rarely be abnormal in asymptomatic individuals. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all asymptomatic individuals who underwent exercise or pharmacologic SE between 2003 and 2013. Reasons for SE included screening for CAD, preoperative evaluation, abnormal ECG, coronary calcification, and assessment of established CAD (defined as prior myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization). We grouped subjects using both the 10-year Framingham risk equation and ATP3-suggested categories of low-risk ( 20%) for non-diabetic subjects without known CAD and by ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort risk estimates for subjects with and without diabetes. Subjects with established CAD were considered separately. Abnormal echocardiograms were defined as having ischemic, fixed, or mixed defects. Results: The study population comprised 19,170 subjects; 63% men, mean±SD age was 64±13 years, and 52% underwent pharmacologic SE. The likelihood of abnormal SE results was proportional to risk, with the highest yield in those with established CAD (59%). Those with diabetes had a yield similar to those with a 10 year risk of 10-20% by both ATP3/FRS and ACC/AHA. Conclusions: SE abnormalities are commonly seen in asymptomatic individuals; the likelihood of abnormal SE results was proportional to patients’ estimated risk. The frequency of SE abnormalities in diabetic patients is similar to that of intermediate-risk, but not high-risk patients.
Microwave frequency traveling surface acoustic wave induced transparency

Inter-digital transducers and photonic crystal cavities are integrated on a piezoelectric aluminum nitride film sputtered on an oxidized silicon wafer, which leads to the first demonstration of microwave frequency traveling surface acoustic wave induced transparency.
Hypertensive symptom representations: a pilot study.

Purpose Approximately 40% of African Americans have hypertension (HTN). Up to 50% of persons with HTN experience symptoms they attribute to HTN. The beliefs African Americans ascribe to their symptoms have not been substantively described in research. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the “representations” (meaning and emotions associated with symptoms) ascribed to hypertensive symptoms. Data sources Twenty-six community-dwelling African Americans with hypertensive symptoms were identified from among 51 participants enrolled in a larger HTN study. Participants completed the Symptom Representation Questionnaire for each reported hypertensive symptom. Conclusions Twenty-six participants (51%) experienced at least one hypertensive symptom (e.g., headaches, dizziness, vision changes). Participants held neutral scores for the level of distress, and expected duration and consequences of their headaches, dizziness, and vision changes. Participants attributed HTN as a cause of their symptom(s) to a greater degree than HTN treatment. Strong symptom cure/control beliefs were reported among participants with headaches, dizziness, and vision changes. Implications for practice The study results highlight areas that nurse practitioners should assess with hypertensive patients. Key assessment areas include (a) hypertensive symptom type and frequency; (b) HTN as a cause for symptoms; and (c) beliefs about cure/control of symptoms and patients’ corresponding self-management actions.
The Future of Our Farmland: An Agricultural Inventory for Scott County, Minnesota

Scott County contains some of the most productive agricultural soils in the metropolitan region and provides a valuable resource to produce local foods for the Twin Cities population. However, suburban growth has significantly increased land values in the rural parts of the county, creating a potential conflict between the use of land for agriculture and future urbanization. Scott County's 2030 Comprehensive Plan designates much of the existing farmland around the growing cities of Jordan, Belle Plaine, and New Prague as 'urban expansion' or 'urban transition' areas eligible for higher density development. U-CGO worked with the Scott County Department of Planning to conduct an inventory of existing agricultural uses in the county and document the impacts of agricultural production on the local economy.
Disease activity in lupus correlates with expression of the transcription factor ARID3a (BA2P.119)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease with striking clinical, immunologic and genetic heterogeneity making development of targeted treatment strategies challenging. Previously, we showed transgenic mice with constitutive expression of the DNA-binding protein ARID3a/Bright in all B lymphocytes spontaneously produced autoantibodies. Therefore, we asked if ARID3a expression differed in SLE versus healthy control B lymphocytes. Of 114 SLE patients, 43% had expanded numbers of ARID3a+ peripheral blood B cells. A longitudinal study revealed that numbers of ARID3a+ B cells fluctuated with time, but were highly associated with increased disease activity. ARID3a expression was not limited to B cell subsets that normally express it, but was also apparent in large numbers of naive B cells in many SLE patients. Therefore, we hypothesize ARID3a+ naive B cells are precursors of autoantibody producing B cells. Antibody repertoire analyses of ARID3a+ and ARID3a- naive B cells are in progress. Together, these findings implicate ARID3a as a potential biomarker for disease activity in SLE.