cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of light and darkness upon thyroid secretion rate and on the endocrine glands of female rats.

SummaryThyroid hormone secretion rate (TSR) of 62 female rats at 30 days of age was estimated as 1.24 μg L-T4/100 g body wt. During the next 8 weeks the rats were maintained in continuous light or ...
Study of Supersonic Combustion Characteristics in a Scramjet Combustor

Numerical calculations have been performed to study the flowfield of a dual-mode scramjet combustor. Results are obtained with a finite volume CFD code and using unstructured grids. A 3-D dual-mode combustor has been investigated with two different types of fuels. Only half of the physical domain are solved by forcing the symmetry condition at the centerplane of the model. Results are presented for hydrogen combustion and ethylene combustion.
Mucin gene expression in Barrett's oesophagus

Objective To assess mucin gene expression in Barrett's esophagus.Methods Mucin core protein-MUC1,MUC2,MUC3,MUCSAC and MUC6 were detected by immunohistochemistry.The re- lationship between mucin expression and magnification-endoscopic characteristics,pathohistologic epithelial types of Barrett's esophagus was analyzed.Results Mild expression of MUC1 was predominantly found in the superficial epithelium of both gastric and specialised intestinal metaplasia.In a small number of specimens, mild expression of MUC1 was also noted in glands.Strong MUC2 expression was noted only in the goblet cells in Barrett's oesophagus.MUC3 was expressed in the superficial columnar cells of specialized intestinal metaplasia with or without globlet cells but not in gastric metaplasia of the oesophagus.In some specimens MUC3 was expressed in the vacuolus of the globlet cells and the lumen of gland.Strong staining of MUCSAC was noted in the columnar epithelium of both gastric metaplasia and specialized intestinal metaplasia in Barrett's oesophagus,as well as expressed in the cytoplasm and vacuolus of the globlet cells in some speci- mens.Expression of MUC6 protein was detected at the basement of the crypts in gastric metaplasia and spe- cialised Barrett's glands.Expression of MUC2 and MUC3 protein was found much higher in villous or irregu- lar pit pattern than that in dot or rod pit pattern(P0.01).Conclusion The expression of MUC3 may pre- figure the developing of Barrett's specialized IM.Villous or irregular pit pattern helps visually identify areas with IM.MUC2 and/or MUC3 expression may be useful in identifing the specialised intestinal metaplasia.
Pituitary Apoplexy Associated with Carotid Compression and a Large Ischemic Penumbra.

Background Pituitary apoplexy is an acute clinical syndrome caused by pituitary gland hemorrhage or infarction. Rarely, this clinical syndrome is associated with cerebral infarction secondary to compression of an internal carotid artery. We report an unusual case of pituitary apoplexy associated with a cerebral infarct with a large ischemic penumbra. Case Description The patient presented with headaches and visual disturbance and was found to have pituitary apoplexy. Findings of his neurologic examination showed he had rapidly deteriorated, with obtundation, ophthalmoplegia, and left hemiplegia. Computed tomography perfusion images revealed a right hemispheric infarct with a large ischemic penumbra. Emergent decompressive transsphenoidal resection was performed. The patient had dramatic neurologic recovery, and postoperative imaging revealed salvage of most of the previously identified penumbra. Conclusions Cerebral perfusion imaging is a useful diagnostic tool for identifying the subset of pituitary apoplexy patients that may benefit from emergent surgical intervention.
Faster feedback for remote scene viewing with pan-tilt stereo camera

We demonstrate a remote scene viewing system for telepresence purposes. The system is based on a pan-tilt stereo camera that captures stereo video and transfers it to a remote user over a network. On the user end, the live stereo video is processed and displayed in a Head-Mounted Display. Faster feedback can be achieved through latency compensation. Using a wider field-of-view, higher resolution camera, the appropriate subset of the image is selected and displayed. We introduce the hardware configuration and software framework for the system and a method to calculate the homography between the camera image space and user head image space. Our perceived latency of the system is estimated to be 50–100ms.
Mechanisms of Vascular Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract Cardiovascular (CV) disease is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), occurring primarily as a result of accelerated atherosclerosis. CV risk is particularly increased in young women when compared to age- and gender-matched controls, and it cannot be explained by traditional risk factors. Indeed, immune dysregulation characteristic of SLE appears to play a prominent role in enhancing CV risk in patients affected by this disease. Among putative pathways implicated in the enhancement of CV risk, aberrant innate immune responses present in SLE may promote early damage to the vasculature, followed by inability to repair the damaged endothelium and progression of plaque formation and thrombosis. This chapter describes several of these proatherogenic pathways in SLE, including the role of type I Interferons, neutrophils and their production of extracellular traps, autoantibodies, and modified lipoproteins, as well as the potential for modulation of vascular risk.
Gamow vectors explain the shock profile

The description of shock waves beyond the shock point is a challenge in nonlinear physics and optics. Finding solutions to the global dynamics of dispersive shock waves is not always possible due to the lack of integrability. Here we propose a new method based on the eigenstates (Gamow vectors) of a reversed harmonic oscillator in a rigged Hilbert space. These vectors allow analytical formulation for the development of undular bores of shock waves in a nonlinear nonlocal medium. Experiments by a photothermal induced nonlinearity confirm theoretical predictions: the undulation period as a function of power and the characteristic quantized decays of Gamow vectors. Our results demonstrate that Gamow vectors are a novel and effective paradigm for describing extreme nonlinear phenomena.
The Malleable Efficacy of Willpower Theories

Emerging research documents the self-control consequences of individuals’ theories regarding the limited nature of willpower, such that unlimited theorists consistently demonstrate greater self-control than limited theorists. The purpose of the present research was to build upon prior work on self-validation and perceptions of mental fatigue to demonstrate when self-control is actually impaired by endorsing an unlimited theory and—conversely—enhanced by endorsing a limited theory. Four experiments show that fluency reinforces the documented effects of individuals’ willpower theories on self-control, while disfluency reverses the documented effects of individuals’ willpower theories on self-control. Moreover, these effects are driven by differential perceptions of mental fatigue—perceptions altered by individuals’ level of confidence in their willpower theory—and are bound by conditions that promote effortful thought. Collectively, these findings point to the malleable efficacy of willpower theories and th...
Some calculations concerning variable spacing double disk windows for possible use in step-tunable gyrotrons

Gyrotrons require a nonreflecting vacuum window. For step-tunable gyrotrons this problem can be solved by using a Brewster window or a variable spacing double disk window. Each has certain advantages. In this paper we will discuss some calculations concerning the tunability and loss in the double disk window.
Non-gaited humanoid locomotion planning

This paper presents a non-gaited motion planner for humanoid robots navigating very uneven and sloped terrain. The planner allows contact with any pre-designated part of the robot's body, since the use of hands or knees (in addition to feet) may be required to balance. It uses a probabilistic, sample-based approach to compute each step. One challenge of this approach is that most randomly sampled configurations do not satisfy all motion constraints (closed-chain, equilibrium, collision). To address this problem, a method of iterative constraint enforcement is presented that samples feasible configurations much more quickly. Example motions planned for the humanoid robot HRP-2 are shown in simulation
Dynamics and pattern formation in a modified Leslie–Gower model with Allee effect and Bazykin functional response

In this paper, we study the dynamics of a diffusive modified Leslie–Gower model with the multiplicative Allee effect and Bazykin functional response. We give detailed study on the stability of equilibria. Non-existence of non-constant positive steady state solutions are shown to identify the rage of parameters of spatial pattern formation. We also give the conditions of Turing instability and perform a series of numerical simulations and find that the model exhibits complex patterns.
TIDBIT: portable diagnostics of multiplexed nutrition deficiencies: iron, vitamin A and inflammation status (Conference Presentation)

Vitamin A and iron deficiency are common malnutrition affecting billions of people worldwide. However, in infrastructure limited settings, access to blood vitamin A and iron status test is limited because of the complexity and cost of traditional diagnostic methods. Direct measurements of vitamin A and iron level is not easy to perform, and it is necessary to measure approximate marker for obtaining vitamin A and iron deficiency status. Measurement of inflammatory marker is also necessary because the vitamin A and iron level are altered by inflammation status. Here we introduced a multiplex rapid point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices that simultaneously characterize three markers relevant to vitamin A, iron and inflammation status: retinol binding protein 4, ferritin and C-reactive protein with lateral flow immunoassay test strips. Level of retinol binding protein 4, ferritin and C-reactive protein are indicated by excitation intensity of fluorescence tags with three different colors. The test can be done within 15 minutes and a complete sample-answer quantitative results of vitamin A, iron and inflammation status level can be obtained with assists of a smartphone and an external device. We also demonstrated the device is able to perform colorimetric analysis on single test area. which gives the device potential to perform more tests simultaneously at the same time.
Combining multidirectional source vector with antitruncation-artifact Fourier transform to calculate angle gathers from reverse time migration in two steps

ABSTRACTBecause receiver wavefields reconstructed from observed data are not as stable as synthetic source wavefields, the source-propagation vector and the reflector normal have often been used to calculate angle-domain common-image gathers (ADCIGs) from reverse time migration. However, the existing data flows have three main limitations: (1) Calculating the propagation direction only at the wavefields with maximum amplitudes ignores multiarrivals; using the crosscorrelation imaging condition at each time step can include the multiarrivals but will result in backscattering artifacts. (2) Neither amplitude picking nor Poynting-vector calculations are accurate for overlapping wavefields. (3) Calculating the reflector normal in space is not accurate for a structurally complicated reflection image, and calculating it in the wavenumber (k) domain may give Fourier truncation artifacts. We address these three limitations in an improved data flow with two steps: During imaging, we use a multidirectional Poynting...
Germanium Nanodevices and Technology

It is believed that below the 65 nm node although conventional bulk CMOS can be scaled, it will be without appreciable performance gains. To continue the scaling of Si CMOS in the sub-65 nm regime, innovative device structures and new materials have to be created in order to continue the historic progress in information processing and transmission. One such promising channel material is Ge due to its higher source injection velocity. However, the lack of a sufficiently stable gate dielectric and prior knowledge of doping Ge challenged the demonstration of a MOSFET device. In this chapter, we review various advanced Ge MOS device technologies on nanoscale gate stack, shallow junction, and low thermal budget integration process, which together have enabled functional metal-gated Ge MOSFETs with high-κ dielectric for the first time.
High Performance Chip-Partitioned Millimeter Wave Passive Devices on Smooth and Fine Pitch InFO RDL

High performance millimeter wave passive devices are realized on smooth, fine pitch InFO redistribution layer (RDL). These passive devices are balun, power combiner, coupler, and microstrip line and the electrical performances are measured from 0.1GHz to 67 GHz through VNA. The measurement results show that the transmission loss of on-InFO balun (4.3 dB), the power divider (4.3 dB), and the coupler (4.9 dB) outperforms on-chip one by 2.1 dB, 1 dB, and 0.2 dB, respectively. While the transmission loss of microstrip line (0.34 dB/mm) is better than on-chip one by 0.17 dB/mm at 60 GHz. Furthermore, the parasitic of InFO chip-package interconnection has been investigated and compared to other technologies with and without solder bumps. The parasitic resistance, inductance, and capacitance for InFO interconnection are 75 %, 76 %, and 14 % lower than those for chip-last, face-down technology. Parasitic resistance for InFO RDL is 10 % lower than that for chip-first face-down technology with uneven RDL.
Computational study of radiation doses at UNLV accelerator facility

A Varian K15 electron linear accelerator (linac) has been considered for installation at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Before experiments can be performed, it is necessary to evaluate the photon and neutron spectra as generated by the linac, as well as the resulting dose rates within the accelerator facility. A computational study using MCNPX was performed to characterize the source terms for the bremsstrahlung converter. The 15 MeV electron beam available in the linac is above the photoneutron threshold energy for several materials in the linac assembly, and as a result, neutrons must be accounted for. The angular and energy distributions for bremsstrahlung flux generated by the interaction of the 15 MeV electron beam with the linac target were determined. This source term was used in conjunction with the K15 collimators to determine the dose rates within the facility.
Identification of a novel protein protein interaction pathway with NLRC3 (INM2P.359)

Nucleotide binding domain, leucine rich repeat CARD containing protein 3 (NLRC3) is a member of the NLR gene family. Members of this family have been associated with human inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease and cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome. Although NLRC3 (and others) are not associated with human diseases, it is expressed preferentially in the immune system and functions in pathogen recognition. NLRC3 is an intracellular protein involved in the sensing of lipopolysaccharide and cytosolic nucleic acids. NLRC3 is hypothesized to act as a negative regulator in response to bacterial and viral infection, suggesting that the vertebrate immune system has evolved specific inhibitors to limit the inflammatory response. We performed an unbiased yeast two-hybrid screen using an amino terminal fragment of NLRC3 to identify putative interacting proteins that might help elucidate the mechanism by which NLRC3 might inhibit inflammatory responses. To this end, we identified several interacting proteins. One protein in particular acts as a scaffold important in regulating the cytoskeleton, cell adhesion and proliferation. Structure function analysis has localized the domains necessary and sufficient for interacting with NLRC3. Additionally, confocal microscopy demonstrates that these two proteins colocalize in transformed human epithelial cells. This data suggests that NLRC3 interacts specifically with a novel scaffold.
Cognitive Appraisal in Three Forms of Adolescent Maladjustment

The author examines adolescent suicide, drug use, and runaway behavior using Lazarus's cognitive theory of stress and coping. Cognitive factors associated with primary appraisal and secondary appra...
The Methodology of Econometrics

The methodology of econometrics is not the study of particular econometric techniques, but a meta-study of how econometrics contributes to economic science. As such it is part of the philosophy of science. The essay begins by reviewing the salient points of the main approaches to the philosophy of science - particularly, logical positivism, Popper's falsificationism, Lakatos methodology of scientific research programs, and the semantic approach - and orients econometrics within them. The principal methodological issues for econometrics are the application of probability theory to economics and the mapping between economic theory and probability models. Both are raised in Haavelmo's (1944) seminal essay. Using that essay as a touchstone, the various recent approaches to econometrics are surveyed - those of the Cowles Commission, the vector autoregression program, the LSE approach, calibration, and a set of common, but heterogeneous approaches encapsulated as the "textbook econometrics." Finally, the essay considers the light shed by econometric methodology on the main epistemological and ontological questions raised in the philosophy of science.
STEREOCHEMISTRY OF PALYTOXIN

The complete assignment of the stereochemistry of palytoxin, based primarily on organic synthesis, is described.
Anomalous E1 Conversion

Penetration effects associated wit the internal conversion process of several gamma rays in the rare earths has been investigated. The main part consisted of studies hindered by E1 transitions.
Current perspective for tube feeding in the elderly: from identifying malnutrition to providing of enteral nutrition

With the number of individuals older than 65 years expected to rise significantly over the next few decades, dramatic changes to our society and health care system will need to take place to meet their needs. Age-related changes in muscle mass and body composition along with medical comorbidities including stroke, dementia, and depression place elderly adults at high risk for developing malnutrition and frailty. This loss of function and decline in muscle mass (ie, sarcopenia) can be associated with reduced mobility and ability to perform the task of daily living, placing the elderly at an increased risk for falls, fractures, and subsequent institutionalization, leading to a decline in the quality of life and increased mortality. There are a number of modifiable factors that can mitigate some of the muscle loss elderly experience especially when hospitalized. Due to this, it is paramount for providers to understand the pathophysiology behind malnutrition and sarcopenia, be able to assess risk factors for malnutrition, and provide appropriate nutrition support. The present review describes the pathophysiology of malnutrition, identifies contributing factors to this condition, discusses tools to assess nutritional status, and proposes key strategies for optimizing enteral nutrition therapy for the elderly.
Field, Lab and Modelling Study of Microscale Copepod Distributions

Abstract : To understand the in situ microscale (cm's) and fine-scale (m's) relationships between copepods and their phytoplanktonic food source, and to explore how copepods in the upper ocean are regulated by, and forage within their phytoplanktonic food. The objectives of the research are to understand how copepod ingestion and swimming behavior change over short (<2 hour) time scales, under a suite of different food and acclimation conditions. New techniques to determine the gut content of individual copepods are being developed to relate individual behavior to individual feeding success. Models will be used to test hypotheses of copepod foraging strategies in patchy environments. The models will be parameterized with laboratory data, and forced with data gathered from the LUMIS and FishTV deployments (Jaffe and Franks, parent grant).
Playing While Black

In the United States, black youth face unique challenges that shape “where” they recreate, “who” they participate with, and “how” they engage in recreation. Recent events around the country have hi...
Enhanced Nitrogen Fixation in a glgX-Deficient Strain of Cyanothece sp. Strain ATCC 51142, a Unicellular Nitrogen-Fixing Cyanobacterium.

ABSTRACT Cyanobacteria are oxygenic photosynthetic prokaryotes with important roles in the global carbon and nitrogen cycles. Unicellular nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria are known to be ubiquitous, contributing to the nitrogen budget in diverse ecosystems. In the unicellular cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. strain ATCC 51142, carbon assimilation and carbohydrate storage are crucial processes that occur as part of a robust diurnal cycle of photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation. During the light period, cells accumulate fixed carbon in glycogen granules to use as stored energy to power nitrogen fixation in the dark. These processes have not been thoroughly investigated, due to the lack of a genetic modification system in this organism. In bacterial glycogen metabolism, the glgX gene encodes a debranching enzyme that functions in storage polysaccharide catabolism. To probe the consequences of modifying the cycle of glycogen accumulation and subsequent mobilization, we engineered a strain of Cyanothece 51142 in which the glgX gene was genetically disrupted. We found that the ΔglgX strain exhibited a higher growth rate than the wild-type strain and displayed a higher rate of nitrogen fixation. Glycogen accumulated to higher levels at the end of the light period in the ΔglgX strain, compared to the wild-type strain. These data suggest that the larger glycogen pool maintained by the ΔglgX mutant is able to fuel greater growth and nitrogen fixation ability. IMPORTANCE Cyanobacteria are oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria that are found in a wide variety of ecological environments, where they are important contributors to global carbon and nitrogen cycles. Genetic manipulation systems have been developed in a number of cyanobacterial strains, allowing both the interruption of endogenous genes and the introduction of new genes and entire pathways. However, unicellular diazotrophic cyanobacteria have been generally recalcitrant to genetic transformation. These cyanobacteria are becoming important model systems to study diurnally regulated processes. Strains of the Cyanothece genus have been characterized as displaying robust growth and high rates of nitrogen fixation. The significance of our study is in the establishment of a genetic modification system in a unicellular diazotrophic cyanobacterium, the demonstration of the interruption of the glgX gene in Cyanothece sp. strain ATCC 51142, and the characterization of the increased nitrogen-fixing ability of this strain.
Sonic Modernity and Decolonizing Countersounds in the Poetry of Urayoán Noel

Urayoan Noel’s poetry has garnered much attention for its promotion of hemispheric politics and poetics, along with its interrogation of technology’s structural and narrative interventions into diasporic cultures. This article investigates the role of sound in the Puerto Rican poet’s articulation of contemporary struggles against overwhelming hypertechnology. The analysis focuses on three poems: “Lino: Employee of the Month,” from Kool Logic/La logica kool (2005); “babel o city (el gran concurso),” from Hi-density Politics (2010); and the live-recorded version of “Boringken,” from Boringken (2008). Drawing on Aldama’s (2013) concept of poetic estrangement and Dowdy’s (2013) analysis of Latinx poetic critiques of neoliberalism, this article examines how exclusionary soundscapes are built through repressive understandings of sonic modernity, and how countersounds attempt to decolonize those spaces. Noel’s poetry shows how creative voices and the reappropriation of sound technologies can help position the diasporic subject and subvert dominant sonic structures. Resumen La poesia del puertorriqueno Urayoan Noel ha generado mucha atencion debido a su promocion de politicas y poeticas hemisfericas, al mismo tiempo que cuestiona las intervenciones estructurales y narrativas de la tecnologia en las culturas diasporicas. Este articulo investiga el rol de sonido dentro de su articulacion en la lucha contemporanea contra la hipertecnologia. El analisis se centra en tres poemas: “Lino: Employee of the Month,” de Kool Logic/La logica kool (2005); “babel o city (el gran concurso),” de Hi-density Politics (2010); y la version grabada en vivo de “Boringken,” de Boringken (2008). A partir del concepto de alejamiento poetico de Aldama (2013), y el analisis de Dowdy (2013) sobre las criticas al neoliberalismo en la poesia latinx, este articulo examina de que forma los paisajes sonoros son construidos a traves de los entendimientos represivos de la modernidad sonica, y como los contrasonidos intentan descolonizar estos espacios. La poesia de Noel evidencia como las voces creativas y la reapropiacion de la tecnologia sonora pueden posicionar al sujeto diasporico y subvertir las estructuras sonicas dominantes.
Towards Real-Time Prediction of Freezing of Gait in Patients With Parkinson's Disease: Addressing the Class Imbalance Problem.

Freezing of gait (FoG) is a common motor symptom in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). FoG impairs gait initiation and walking and increases fall risk. Intelligent external cueing systems implementing FoG detection algorithms have been developed to help patients recover gait after freezing. However, predicting FoG before its occurrence enables preemptive cueing and may prevent FoG. Such prediction remains challenging given the relative infrequency of freezing compared to non-freezing events. In this study, we investigated the ability of individual and ensemble classifiers to predict FoG. We also studied the effect of the ADAptive SYNthetic (ADASYN) sampling algorithm and classification cost on classifier performance. Eighteen PD patients performed a series of daily walking tasks wearing accelerometers on their ankles, with nine experiencing FoG. The ensemble classifier formed by Support Vector Machines, K-Nearest Neighbors, and Multi-Layer Perceptron using bagging techniques demonstrated highest performance (F1 = 90.7) when synthetic FoG samples were added to the training set and class cost was set as twice that of normal gait. The model identified 97.4% of the events, with 66.7% being predicted. This study demonstrates our algorithm’s potential for accurate prediction of gait events and the provision of preventive cueing in spite of limited event frequency.
Modeling and measuring class conflict in Russia’s regions:

This article tests whether latent class conflict exists in Russia. It does so by theorizing that if class conflict exists, it should be reflected in the tax policy. The article constructs an origin...
Power Supply System of High-voltage Towers Based on Multi-core Energy Transmission Fiber

In order to ensure the normal operation of the overhead high voltage line, many sensors are arranged on the high-voltage towers to monitor the state of the high voltage cable. However, high-voltage towers cannot directly provide usable power and have strong electromagnetic interference, so special energy supply methods are needed. Compared with traditional methods such as voltage divider and solar power, power-over-fiber (PoF) technology can achieve a safer and more reliable energy supply due to the passive and anti-electromagnetic interference of optical fiber. In this paper, we propose an improved structure of the PoF receiving module to reduce the impact of the environment on the power supply. And we design a multicore energy transmitting fiber for this structure. Compared with multiple single-core fibers, using multicore fiber can increase system integration and reduce the cost and construction difficulty.
Missed opportunities to advance knowledge on traffic safety: Accessibility of driver licensing and crash data for scientific research

Abstract Objective Identifiable individual-level driver licensing and motor vehicle crash data are essential to advancing transportation safety research. However, epidemiologic studies using such data are rare, which may reflect their inaccessibility. We conducted a legal mapping study to evaluate US state laws regulating access to driver licensing and motor vehicle crash data for use in scientific research. Methods Legal statutes regulating the release of driver licensing and motor vehicle crash data for all 50 US states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) were retrieved. Legal text was evaluated to determine whether these jurisdictions authorize release of identifiable individual-level licensing and crash data for use in non-governmental research. Results Thirty-six states and D.C. explicitly authorize release of identifiable individual-level licensing data to researchers. Only five states and D.C. authorize release of identifiable individual-level crash records. No states explicitly prohibit the release of individual-level data about licensing records and only three states prohibit release of individual-level crash record data, meaning that in many states it is ambiguous whether and when releasing such data to researchers is permitted. Conclusions It is important to understand why licensing data are not used more frequently in transportation safety research given that many state laws permit access for non-governmental researchers. Reforming state laws to clarify and increase access to identifiable individual-level crash report data is an important priority for transportation safety advocates and researchers.
Natural History of Hemodynamic Maturation Post Heart Transplantation in the Absence of Rejection

Purpose Routine catheterization is a part of transplant surveillance, however there is extremely limited data on evolution of hemodynamic parameters post heart transplant. Knowledge of these normative data will be useful in interpretation of individual catheterization results, assessment of graft performance and identification of risk factors. Methods Prospectively collected transplant and hemodynamic data for patients enrolled in the Quantitative Detection of Circulating Donor-Specific DNA in Organ Transplant Recipients (DTRT Study) was secondarily analyzed. Results A total of 265 patients were included in the analysis. The patient population was representative for heart transplant population, with majority being White (64%), male (59%), listed as IA (61.4%) with dilated cardiomyopathy (31 % of cardiomyopathy group) or Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (43.8% of CHD group) as the common diagnosis. 83 (31%) were supported with LVAD at the time of transplantation. 8.5% of the transplants were performed in ABO incompatible group. Serial changes in hemodynamics in the absence of rejection are shown in figure 1. RAP and PCWP were significant predictors of outcomes. An RAP of g 10 mmHg and PCWP of g 15 mmHg at first available catheterization were significantly associated with mortality at 6 months, 1 and 2 years post-transplant (p=0.001). Mean survival for RAP was associated with overall mortality at one year post transplant in a cox proportional hazard model (p=0.012) while other recipient factors were not. Pairwise comparison and survival curves for elevated pressures are shown in figure 1. Conclusion This is the first, large scale, prospectively collected data on the hemodynamic evolution post-transplant in the absence of rejection. RAP greater than 10 mmHg and PCWP pressure greater than 15mmHg are significant markers of early graft loss and mortality and may warrant increased monitoring and modified treatment strategies.
Respiratory Care Students Readiness for the Professional Phase of the Program

Background: Respiratory care (RC) students obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in respiratory care from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The first two years of the program “pre-clinical phase”, requires science, math, liberal arts and elective courses, for a total of 62 of the 120 credits. The last two years are the “clinical phase” which requires 58 credits of respiratory care core curriculum. The purpose of this investigation was two-fold: To determine whether or not students truly understand what the RC major entailed during the first two years; and whether the preclinical science and math courses adequately prepared the students for the difficulty of the Respiratory curriculum during the last two years. The primary goal of this project was to attempt to reduce attrition in the program. Methods: After obtaining IRB approval, third- and fourth-year respiratory care students answered a 10-question survey sent via Survey Monkey through university email. Fifty-seven students from 2018-2019 were surveyed with a return rate of 63% (n= 36). Fifty-three percent were juniors (n=19) and 47% were senior (n=17) RC students at the time of the surveys. Results: Survey results revealed that 75% of RC students felt prepared entering the clinical phase of the program. Moreover, 78% of RC students felt specifically the required math and science courses did adequately prepare them for the core courses. In fact, 61% of RC students report their QPA actually increased after entering the professional phase of the program. However, only 36% of these students admitted they knew exactly what the profession entailed when they were freshmen and sophomores. Conclusions: Results indicate the current math and science curriculum during the first two years does appear to adequately prepare students for the clinical phase of the program. Student opinion shows that academic attrition during the clinical phase of the program appears to be due factors other than science preparedness. However, these results also indicate that students need more exposure to the major and/or a better understanding about the major during the preclinical years 1 and 2. The program currently offers RESP 101 “The Respiratory Care Profession”- a one credit introductory course for either freshman or sophomore students. While this course helps to explore the major and career paths in respiratory care, it may be helpful to consider providing additional information in this course in order to show more breadth and depth about RC which could reduce attrition.
Geriatric Orthopedics and Challenges with Mild Cognitive Impairment

To examine the literature to identify the optimal methods to manage patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the perioperative period. Several studies have identified the risk of delirium and other postoperative complications in patients with dementia and other cognitive disorders. Recent studies have shown a significant impact in performance on measures assessing processing speed and inhibitory function which can continue to have their effect after several years of surgery. Little research has been published that specifically focuses on elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment. An optimal treatment plan cannot be formed based on the available literature. Since the elderly with cognitive disorders such as MCI and dementia typically are accompanied by multiple comorbidities as well as impaired mobility, the physician should focus not only on treating the orthopedic problem but also on the patient. Further research on this specific topic is needed.
The Influence of Social Isolation and Medical Comorbidities on Geriatric Congestive Heart Failure Hospital Readmissions.

# CONTEXT Social isolation and comorbidities are likely to have a significant level of influence on the healthcare use patterns of geriatric patients with ongoing congestive heart failure (CHF)-related needs. # METHODS A retrospective study was conducted in a specialized emergency department (ED) with a sample of 286 geriatric CHF patients who initially received CHF-related care over a six-month period. Social isolation levels were assessed using a pre-existing four-point screening tool used in the study setting and composite comorbidity was gauged using the Charlson Comorbidity Index method. Subjects were categorized into either “less than 30-day readmission” or “greater than 30-day readmission/non-readmitted” sample subgroups. The setting was a single 304-bed community hospital with approximately 45,000 annual ED visits. The analytic sample was comprised of geriatric patients 65+ years of age with an ICD-9 code corresponding to CHF. # RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences between earlier hospital readmission versus later/non-readmitted sample patients when grouped by age, race, gender or level of measured social isolation. However, composite comorbidity scores were significantly lower for patients in the >30-day/non-readmitted subgroup compared to earlier readmission patients. # CONCLUSIONS These initial study results suggest that a larger proportion of CHF hospital readmissions may be more heavily influenced by clinical factors than social living arrangements. Future studies with larger samples and validated measures of social isolation are needed to inform the development and testing of programs for geriatric CHF patients striving to avoid unnecessary hospital readmissions and adverse health outcomes.
Impact of Multimodal Analgesia in Critically Ill Burn Patients.

Opioids are the mainstay of treatment for burn pain. However, these medications may be associated with, respiratory depression, and dependence. Multimodal analgesia is an alternative method that utilizes both opioid and non-opioid medications with different mechanisms. This study examines the impact of multimodal therapy for post-operative pain control in a burn intensive care unit.This was a retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to the burn unit at a tertiary medical center. Consecutively admitted patients with burns greater than or equal to 10% total body surface area and intensive care unit length of stay greater than seven days were eligible for inclusion (2012 - 2018). Patients were excluded if they received an opioid infusion greater than 48 hours. Patients treated with multimodal analgesia were compared to those treated with opioids alone. Data was calculated for 5 days after surgery. There were 98 patients in the non-multimodal group and 97 in the multimodal group. . Mean cumulative opioid dose was lower in the multimodal group (1,028.7 mg vs. 1,423.2 mg, P = 0.0031). Patients with greater than 20% burns had a larger reduction in mean opioid equivalents in the multimodal group (1,106 vs 1,594 mg, P=0.009) compared to patients with burns less than 20% (940 vs. 1,282 mg, P=0.058). There was no difference in mean pain scores on post-operative day 5 (6.2 + 2.2 vs. 5.5 + 2.3 P=0.07) or at intensive care unit discharge (4.7 + 2.4 vs 4.7 + 2.8, P=0.99). The use of multimodal analgesia significantly reduced cumulative opioid equivalent dose without compromising pain control. .
Evaluation of discharge prescribing after rescheduling of gabapentin as a controlled substance.

Purpose Gabapentin has increasingly been identified as a drug of abuse, especially when used concurrently with opioids. Rescheduling gabapentin as a schedule V controlled substance may strengthen monitoring and prescribing restrictions. The purpose of this study was to characterize the impact of rescheduling gabapentin from a nonscheduled to a schedule V substance in Virginia on discharge prescribing patterns in a health system. Methods This was a retrospective, pre-post, multicenter chart review conducted at 4 sites. Data from 3 months before gabapentin rescheduling (prerescheduling group) and 3 months after gabapentin rescheduling (postrescheduling group) were evaluated. The primary outcome was the percentage of newly prescribed gabapentin prescriptions upon discharge, which was compared between the pre- and postrescheduling groups. Results A similar percentage of gabapentin prescriptions were newly prescribed in the prerescheduling group as compared to the postrescheduling group (55.0% vs 50.0%, P = 0.479). Gabapentin prescribing characteristics did not differ between the groups for new gabapentin prescriptions (n = 55 in the prerescheduling group, n = 50 in the postrescheduling group). Concomitant discharge prescribing of benzodiazepines (5.5% vs 2.0%, P = 0.619) and opioids (45.5% vs 60.0%, P = 0.136) did not differ significantly between the postrescheduling group and prerescheduling group for new gabapentin prescriptions. However, fewer opioid prescriptions exceeded 90 daily morphine milligram equivalents (MME) in the postrescheduling group as compared to the prerescheduling group for new gabapentin prescriptions (36.0% vs 20.0%, P = 0.020). Conclusion Gabapentin prescribing practices did not differ before and after rescheduling of gabapentin as a controlled substance. There was a trend toward dosages with reduced daily MME for concomitant opioid prescriptions after rescheduling. However, additional investigation with larger studies over longer periods of time is needed to discover whether gabapentin rescheduling significantly changes prescribing practices.
TNF-Polarized Macrophages Produce Insulin-like 6 Peptide to Stimulate Bone Formation in Rheumatoid Arthritis in Mice.

The risk of osteoporosis is increased in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Anti-TNF therapy has markedly improved the outcomes of RA patients, but does not improve osteoporosis in some reports. This could be a combined result of disease severity and other therapeutic agents, such as glucocorticoids that accelerate osteoporosis progression. We evaluated the effects of anti-TNF therapy on osteoporosis in an animal model of RA and explored the possible mechanisms involved. 6-week-old TNF transgenic (TNF-Tg) mice with early-stage erosive arthritis were treated with TNF antibody (Ab) or control IgG weekly for 4 weeks. We found that TNF Ab completely blocked the development of erosive arthritis in TNF-Tg mice, but only slightly increased vertebral bone mass, associated with reduction in parameters of both bone resorption and formation. Similarly, TNF Ab slightly increased trabecular bone mass in tibiae of 8-month-old TNF-Tg mice with advanced erosive arthritis. Interestingly, TNFα increased osteoblast differentiation from mouse bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) containing large number of macrophages, but not from pure mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs). TNFα-polarized macrophages (TPMs) did not express iNos and Arginase 1, typical markers of inflammatory and resident macrophages. Interestingly, TPMs stimulated osteoblast differentiation, unlike resident and inflammatory macrophages polarized by IL-4 and interferon-λ, respectively. RNA-seq analysis indicated that TPMs produced several anabolic factors, including Jagged1 and insulin like 6 (INSL6). Importantly, inhibition of either Jagged1 or INSL6 blocked TNFα-induced osteoblast differentiation. Furthermore, INSL6 Ab significantly decreased the expansion of TNF-induced MPCs in BMSCs, and anti-TNF Ab reduced INSL6 expression by macrophages in vitro and in TNF-Tg mice in vivo. We conclude that TPMs produce INSL6 to stimulate bone formation and anti-TNF Ab blocks not only enhanced bone resorption, but also the anabolic effect of TPMs on bone, limiting its effect to increase bone mass in this model of RA. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A Selective Overview of Recent Advances in Spectral Clustering and Their Applications

Clustering is a key technique in segmenting data into different groups of similar observations. As clustering is an unsupervised learning method, the latent cluster assignments are unknown a priori and must be inferred via the clustering algorithm. By studying individuals via their cluster assignment, we gain a powerful avenue to explore the data. While there exists a vast literature of clustering algorithms, advances in optimization and graph theory have led to the development of the spectral clustering algorithm. More straightforward clustering methods such as k-means or hierarchical clustering are limited in only being able to infer linear boundaries between groups. The spectral clustering was developed to resolve this bottleneck and efficiently determine non-convex separation boundaries between each cluster. Through this, spectral clustering methods are more applicable to practical data problems and outperform naive alternatives. By iterating on the spectral clustering framework, recent research has tailored these methods to a vast array of domains such as bioinformatics, real-time data analysis, and economics. In this chapter, we introduce the basics of spectral clustering, the similarity matrix, and conventional methods to identify the total number of clusters. Finally, we study various extensions of spectral clustering and explore open questions, which may lead to innovative advancements.
Evaluation of diamide insecticides co-applied with other agrochemicals at various times to manage Ostrinia nubilalis in processing snap bean

BACKGROUND: Multiple applications of pyrethroid insecticides are used to manage European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis Hubner, in snap bean, but new diamide insecticides may reduce application frequency. In a 2 year small-plot study, O. nubilalis control was evaluated by applying cyantraniliprole (diamide) and bifenthrin (pyrethroid) insecticides at one of three phenological stages (bud, bloom and pod formation) of snap bean development. Co-application of these insecticides with either herbicides or fungicides was also examined as a way to reduce the total number of sprays during a season.
Learning-Based 2d/3d rigid registration using jensen-shannon divergence for image-guided surgery

Registration of 3D volumetric data to 2D X-ray images has many applications in image-guided surgery, varying from verification of patient position to working projection searching. In this work, we propose a learning-based method that incorporates the prior information on the expected joint intensity histogram for robust real-time 2D/3D registration. Jensen-Shannon divergence (JSD) is used to quantify the statistical (dis)similarity between the observed and expected joint histograms, and is shown to be superior to Kullback-Leibler divergence (KLD) in its symmetry, being theoretically upper-bounded, and well-defined with histogram non-continuity. A nonlinear histogram mapping technique is proposed to handle the intensity difference between the observed data and the training data so that the learned prior can be used for registration of a wide range of data subject to intensity variations. We applied the proposed method on synthetic, phantom and clinical data. Experimental results demonstrated that a combination of the prior knowledge and the low-level similarity measure between the images being registered led to a more robust and accurate registration in comparison with the cases where either of the two factors was used alone as the driving force for registration.