cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Information-Theoretic Treatment of Sensor Data Collection: A Perspective on Processing and Communication Tradeoffs

In sensor networks, a device may operate on fuzzy inputs, thereby generating a result that possibly deviates from the reference datum in physical world being sensed. The extent of deviation (i.e., inaccuracy of data) and the time it takes to compute the output result (i.e., timeliness of data) depend on the number of orthogonal information elements processed from the sensed data. Due to the large dimensionality of input data, a sensor device may need to incur significant amounts of computation on a data and communication among with other devices to exchange pre-processed data. Since the sensor devices are often resource-constrained (i.e., have limited amount of processing cycles, memory sizes, and battery power), an important issue is the amount of computation and communication cycles a device can spend during data processing. The paper provides an information-theoretic discussion of the tradeoffs between the resources expended by a device to process its input data and the timeliness and accuracy of its output result. The goal is to provide quantitative methods of evaluating the tradeoffs, so that sensor devices can adapt their operations based on the resource availability.
Targeting BTK As a Treatment For Multiple Myeloma Stem Cells

Background Multiple myeloma stem cells (MMSCs), characterized by drug-resistance and self-renewal, are very likely responsible for relapse. Though the phenotypic features of MMSCs are still controversial, it is believed that MMSCs are enriched in plasma cell progenitors. Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) plays a central role in B-cell development and plasma cell differentiation. BLAB/c. CBA/N mice carrying the defective BTK gene are resistant to pristine-induced plasmacytomagenesis suggesting activation of BTK is essential for plasma tumor initiation. In this study, we explore the role of BTK in maintaining MMSCs. Materials and methods Real-time-PCR was used to detect the BTK expression in MMSCs and compared to the bulk cells. BTK-related self-renewal and drug resistance were evaluated by clonogenic formation assays, using 10,000 MM cells from the BTK over-expressing ARP1 and OPM2 MM cell lines, treated with bortezomib (1nM, 10nM), as well as doxorubicin (50nM, 100nM), etoposide (50nM, 100nM), and verapamil (50nM). Flow cytometry was performed to detect the side population (SP) fraction and apoptosis in MM cells. Co-immunoprecipitation assay and western blot were utilized for the mechanistic BTK studies. Effect of BTK on MM progression in vivo was assessed in the 5TGM1 myeloma mice and NOD/SCID mice models. Results Our results revealed that BTK, iPS genes, Wnt and Hedgehog signaling pathways were significantly increased in MMSCs (CD138- and SP fraction) compared to bulk myeloma cells in both MM cell lines and primary MM cells. We also demonstrated that over-expression of BTK in the low-expressing MM cell lines, ARP1 and OPM2 increased the SP fraction, clonogenic potential and drug-resistance, while knockdown of BTK in high-expressing MM cell lines, OCI-MY5 and H929 abrogated these characteristics. Our in vivo study indicated that over-expression of BTK in ARP1 cells accelerates tumor formation in NOD/SCID mice compared to the EV control cells. Targeting BTK by shRNA or BTK inhibitor, CGI-1747 delayed MM tumor formation and MM progression in NOD/SCID mice and 5TGM1 model, respectively. Mechanistic studies identified that BTK activates the AKT pathway, inducing the drug-resistant genes, p-Bcl-2 and ABCB1, and inhibiting GSK3β leading to activation of the Wnt/ β-Catenin pathway. Inhibition of AKT by a specific inhibitor decreased Wnt and Hh proteins by western blot. Conclusion BTK plays an important role on maintaining MM stemness and drug-resistance through activating AKT, Wnt and Hh signaling pathways. Targeting BTK in MM may be a promising strategy to eliminate MMSCs. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Dual-Functionality Fullerene and Silver Nanoparticle Antimicrobial Composites via Block Copolymer Templates

We present the facile prepartion of C70 and Ag nanoparticle (NP) loaded block copolymer (BCP) thin films, with C70 and Ag NPs working in tandem to provide virucidal and bactericidal activities, respectively. Polystyrene-block-poly-4-vinylpyridine (PS-P4VP) was used as a template, allowing C70 integration into PS domains and in situ formation of Ag NPs in P4VP domains, while providing control of the nanoscale spatial distribution of functionality as a function of BCP molecular weight (MW). C70 loaded PS-P4VP films were found to generate significant amounts of 1O2 under visible light illumination with no apparent dependence on BCP MW. An analogous C70 loaded PS homopolymer film produced notably less 1O2, highlighting a possible critical role of morphology on C70 photoactivity. The antimicrobial activity of Ag NP and C70 loaded composites against the model PR772 bacteriophage and Escherichia coli was assessed, finding synergistic inactivation afforded by the dual functionality. BCPs were demonstrated as vers...
176. An Internally Tagged Methylmalonyl-CoA Mutase (Mut) Displays In Vivo Activity after AAV9 Mediated Gene Delivery

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder most frequently resulting from mutations in the mitochondrial localized enzyme, methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MUT). A mouse model replicating the most severe form of MMA in which there is complete loss of Mut expression (Mut-/-) displays neonatal lethality but has been successfully used to demonstrate proof-of-principle for gene therapy using AAV vectors. To model the hepato-, renal and cerebral manifestations of MMA, we have generated several lines of transgenic/knock-out mice to create viable animal models of MMA.
Stochastic-Based Multi-stage Streaming Realization of a Deep Convolutional Neural Network (Abstract Only)

Large-scale convolutional neural network (CNN), conceptually mimicking the operational principle of visual perception in human brain, has been widely applied to tackle many challenging computer vision and artificial intelligence applications. Unfortunately, despite of its simple architecture, a typically sized CNN is well known to be computationally intensive. This work presents a novel stochastic-based and scalable hardware architecture and circuit design that computes a large-scale CNN with FPGA. The key idea is to implement all key components of a deep learning CNN, including multi-dimensional convolution, activation, and pooling layers, completely in the probabilistic computing domain in order to achieve high computing robustness, high performance, and low hardware usage. Most importantly, through both theoretical analysis and FPGA hardware implementation, we demonstrate that stochastic-based deep CNN can achieve superior hardware scalability when compared with its conventional deterministic-based FPGA implementation by allowing a stream computing mode and adopting efficient random sample manipulations. Overall, being highly scalable and energy efficient, our stochastic-based convolutional neural network architecture is well-suited for a modular vision engine with the goal of performing real-time detection, recognition and segmentation of mega-pixel images, especially those perception-based computing tasks that are inherently fault-tolerant, while still requiring high energy efficiency.
Effect of Zr on recrystallization in a directionally solidified AA7050

Abstract A high purity Al-Zn-Cu-Mg alloy based on AA7050 was cast with varying Zr concentrations by directional solidification (DS) and static casting (SC). Specimens were homogenized, hot rolled and solutionized to study the recrystallization behavior. In the DS ingot a gradient of Zr concentration existed along the growth direction, but across the transverse direction the distribution of Zr was uniform, while in SC ingots a dendritically cored Zr concentration gradient was found. The variations in solidification method and Zr concentration resulted in difference in size, number and spatial distribution of Al 3 Zr-type dispersoids, and thus different degrees of recrystallization after solutionization. Recrystallization was delayed both in the SC specimen with 0.11 wt% Zr and in the specimen from the top of the DS ingot with 0.03 wt% Zr, whereas full recrystallization and grain growth were found in the SC specimen free of Zr and the DS bottom specimen with 0.11 wt% Zr. The inconsistency between the recrystallization behavior of the DS bottom specimen and its relatively high Zr concentration is likely related to the precipitation and coarsening of the dispersoids during slow DS cooling.
Understanding Sound: Auditory Skill Acquisition

Abstract Research on auditory perception often starts from an assumed theoretical framework of bottom-up acoustic signal decoding followed by pattern matching of signal information to memory. Some specific forms of auditory perception such as speech perception are often assumed to be mediated by specialized mechanisms, shaped by evolution to address the challenges of speech perception. However, neither of these broad approaches conceives of these systems as intrinsically adaptable and plastic; learning is typically considered as a separate process. This chapter addresses the question of auditory perceptual understanding and plasticity and argues that auditory perception, including speech perception, is an active cognitive process that incorporates learning. In contrast to a passive process in which patterns are mapped into memory in a direct comparative process, an active process forms hypotheses about pattern identity, and tests these hypotheses to adaptively shift attention to aspects of signal information. The process of hypothesis testing for signal understanding comes into play in cases of signal ambiguity or uncertainty, and involves auditory working memory and the control of attention. This conceptualization of adaptive processing incorporates context-sensitive change into the perceptual system. We argue that perception should be viewed not as a fixed instrument of information reception, but as a dynamic, adaptive system that is changed by the act of perception. We present evidence for these claims, outline a framework for a theory of active auditory perception, and argue further against claims of critical periods as biological determinism for perceptual plasticity given that auditory perception is auditory learning.
Cyclic Nucleotides in Lymphocyte Proliferation and Differentiation

The last fifteen years have seen a marked increase in the experimental evidence supporting the central roles played by cyclic nucleotides in the regulation of diverse processes in cells and tissues of organisms throughout the plant and animal kingdom. Beginning with the observations of Sutherland and Rall (1960) that indicated that cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) mediates the intracellular action of epinephrine and glucagon to induce glycogenolysis in liver, the concept of the cAMP “second messenger” system has been generalized to virtually every cell of the mammalian organism, and the system has been linked to the induction and regulation of central cellular processes in these cells. In general, cAMP participates in those processes that involve the promotion of preprogrammed events consistent with the differentiated phenotype, i.e., the dominant functions for which that cell type is developed—for the liver, glucose production from glycogen stores; for the adrenal gland, steroid production; for fat tissue, lipolysis; and so on.
Liver mitochondrial oxygen consumption and efficiency of milk production in lactating Holstein cows supplemented with copper, manganese and zinc.

Summary The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between mitochondrial proton leak and feed efficiency with supplementation of different levels of Cu, Mn and Zn (Bioplex, Alltech) at levels above Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle (NRC, 2001). Milk yield and composition, mineral excretion in milk and faeces, feed efficiency and liver mitochondrial proton leak were measured in 60 Holstein dairy cows at approximately 70 days in milk on a commercial dairy. Treatments reflect total Cu, Mn and Zn intake/day and are as follows: (i) High: 444 mg/day Cu, 3492 mg/day Mn, 2234 mg/day Zn; (ii) Med: 436 mg/day Cu, 3002 mg/day Mn, 2047 mg/day Zn; (iii) Low: 420 mg/day Cu, 2764 mg/day Mn, 2186 mg/day Zn; (iv) LowMn: 391 mg/day Cu, 2617 mg/day Mn, 1849 mg/day Zn; and (v) Control: 264 mg/day Cu, 2850 mg/day Mn, 1593 mg/day Zn. Proton leak-dependent respiration was lowest in Control (p < .10). However, measures of efficiency were greatest in Med and least in High (p < .10). Therefore, measures of efficiency did not reflect efficiency due to low proton leak and there appears to be an upper limit to beneficial supplementation of Cu, Mn and Zn.
Appraising the Performance of R&D Subcontractors

(1981). Appraising the Performance of R&D Subcontractors. Research Management: Vol. 24, No. 5, pp. 32-37.
Predicted static fatigue (delayed fracture) lifetime of a fiber optic test specimen: application of analytical modeling technique

The recently suggested probabilistic design-for-reliability (PDfR) concept, and particularly its physically meaningful and flexible analytical Boltzmann-Arrhenius-Zhurkov (BAZ) model, can be effectively employed as an attractive replacement of the widely used today purely empirical and physically unsubstantiated power law relationship for assessing/predicting the static fatigue (delayed fracture) lifetime of optical silica fibers. The BAZ model can be used to estimate the static fatigue lifetime of a coated optical silica “specialty” fiber intended for high temperature applications and subjected to the combined action of tensile loading and an elevated temperature. BAZ relationship is one of the possible predictive models of the recently suggested probabilistic design for reliability (PDfR) concept. This concept has its experimental basis in the highly-focused and highly-cost-effective failure-oriented accelerated testing (FOAT). Such testing is absolutely crucial, if one intends to understand the underlying reliability physics. It is shown how the PDfR concept, BAZ model and FOAT data can be employed, when there is a need to assess the expected static fatigue lifetime of a coated optical fiber subjected to the combined action of the tensile loading and elevated temperature. The general concept is illustrated by a practical example. The approach could be easily extended for any type of optical fibers, including laser fibers, or even to other types of accelerated testing of optical materials, fibers and devices.
Preservice teachers' conceptions of Earth and environmental topics appropriate for K-5 learners

With the release of the Next Generation Science Standards, the Earth and environmental sciences receive greater emphasis at all grade levels. These rigorous standards increase pressure on elementar...
Climatic effects on turnover of lowland forest bird communities across a precipitation gradient

One of the main goals of community ecology is to understand the influence of the abiotic environment on the abundance and distribution of species. It has been hypothesized that dry forests are harsher environments than wet forests, which leads to the prediction that environmental filtering should be a more important determinant of patterns of species abundance and composition than in wet forest, where biotic interactions or random assembly should be more important. We attempt to understand the influence of rainfall on the abundance and distribution of bird species along a steep precipitation gradient in an inter-Andean valley in Colombia. We gathered data on species distributions, abundance, morphological traits and phylogenetic relationships to determine the influence of rainfall on the taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic turnover of species along the Magdalena Valley. We demonstrate that there is a strong turnover of community composition at the limit of the dry forest. The taxonomic turnover is steeper than the phylogenetic turnover, suggesting that replacement of closely related species accounts for a disproportionate number of changes along the gradient. We found evidence for environmental filtering in dry forest as species tend to be more tolerant of higher temperature ranges, stronger rainfall seasonality and lower minimum rainfall. On the other hand, wet forest species tend to compete actively for nest space but not for the resources associated with the axes we measured. Our results suggest that rainfall is a strong determinant of community composition when comparing localities above and below the 2400 mm rainfall isocline.
Knowledge Networking to overcome the Digital Divide

As organizations become increasingly extended across global boundaries, their reliance on information and communication technologies (ICTs) to support their processes increases. The use of ICTs to activate dispersed knowledge within complex webs of human networks can enable the gap between the information rich and information poor to be overcome. This paper develops a new concept called knowledge networking and investigates how this process enables the digital divide to be overcome. Following a phenomenological analysis of knowledge networking using a selection of vignettes, this paper provides a conceptual model describing the ways in which knowledge networking enables the digital divide to be overcome.
Disability, disadvantage, and discrimination: An overview with special emphasis on blindness in the USA

In this chapter, I focus on an area that has, in the past, had only a limited attraction for applied geographers. Much of this may be attributed to not being aware of the nature and magnitude of the spatial problems facing disabled people. In the first part of the chapter, I discuss alternate definitions of disability, select one based on lack of functional performance, and survey the nature of disability in the US and elsewhere. Thereafter, I examine enabling legislation that provides an umbrella for disability research, examine problems of barriers, and discuss avenues of future research for which the applied geographer is eminently suited to pursue.
Heterogeneity of Orientia tsutsugamushi genotypes in field-collected trombiculid mites from wild-caught small mammals in Thailand.

Trombiculid mites are the vectors of scrub typhus, with infected larval mites (chiggers) transmitting the causative agent, Orientia tsutsugamushi, during feeding. Co-existence of multiple O. tsutsugamushi strains within infected mites has previously been reported in naturally infected, laboratory-reared mite lines using molecular methods to characterize the 56-kDa type-specific antigen (TSA) gene. In the current study, more advanced next-generation sequencing technology was used to reveal the heterogeneity of O. tsutsugamushi genotypes in field-collected trombiculid mites from rodents and small mammals in scrub typhus-endemic areas of Thailand. Twenty-eight trombiculid mites collected from 10 small mammals were positive for O. tsutsugamushi, corresponding to a prevalence rate of 0.7% within the mite population. Twenty-four of the infected mites were Leptotrombidium spp., indicating that this genus is the main vector for O. tsutsugamushi transmission in Thailand. In addition, O. tsutsugamushi was detected in the mite genera Ascoschoengastia, Blankaartia, Gahrliepia, and Lorillatum. Of the 10 infested small animal hosts, six had 2–10 infected mites feeding at the time of collection. Deep sequencing was used to characterize mixed infections (two to three O. tsutsugamushi genotypes within an individual mite), and 5 of the 28 infected mites (17.9%) contained mixed infections. Additionally, 56-kDa TSA gene sequence analysis revealed identical bacterial genotypes among co-feeding mites with single or mixed infections. These results suggest that co-feeding transmission may occur during the feeding process, and could explain the occurrence of mixed infections in individual mites, as well as the recovery of multiple infected mites from the same host. This study also revealed highly diverse within-host O. tsutsugamushi genotypes. The occurrence of multiple O. tsutsugamushi genotypes within individual mites has important implications, and could provide a mechanism for pathogen evolution/diversification in the mite vector.
General multidimensional fractional Iyengar type inequalities

Here we derive a variety of general multivariate fractional Iyengar type inequalities for not necessarily radial functions defined on the shell and ball.
Clinical Outcomes Associated with Drug–Drug Interactions of Oral Chemotherapeutic Agents: A Comprehensive Evidence-Based Literature Review

Oral chemotherapy use is increasing due to new drug approvals as well as the convenience of the administration of oral drugs. This increased use also raises concern regarding drug–drug interactions (DDIs) with concomitantly administered drugs, resulting in loss of therapeutic effect, decreased tolerability, and/or increased toxicity. The objective of this study was to review existing evidence of the clinical impact of DDIs with oral chemotherapeutic agents. A comprehensive search of literature using PubMed was conducted in April 2018 for studies of DDIs associated with oral chemotherapy. Included studies were in English. We included randomized clinical trials, observational studies, and case reports evaluating a DDI between any oral chemotherapy drug and any other drug. Included studies needed to have at least one outcome of clinical relevance potentially attributed to the DDI, for example, effects on survival or toxicity. The quality of the articles was determined using published metrics appropriate for the study design. There were 2626 studies identified in the initial search, of which 35 met all eligibility criteria. These included 15 retrospective cohort studies, 16 case reports or case series and four post hoc analyses of clinical trials. Among these, DDIs contributed to a statistically significant change in a clinical outcome in 12 studies. Eight of these studies evaluated overall survival and progression-free survival and found that the presence of the DDI was associated with reduced survival. Our findings suggest that more real-world studies evaluating the association between oral chemotherapy DDIs and clinical outcomes are needed. The adverse clinical outcomes due to DDIs may be a reason for treatment failures and therapy discontinuation.
Redaction of false high frequency oscillations due to muscle artifact improves specificity to epileptic tissue.

Abstract Objective High Frequency Oscillations (HFOs) are a promising biomarker of epilepsy. HFOs are typically acquired on intracranial electrodes, but contamination from muscle artifacts is still problematic in HFO analysis. This paper evaluates the effect of myogenic artifacts on intracranial HFO detection and how to remove them. Methods Intracranial EEG was recorded in 31 patients. HFOs were detected for the entire recording using an automated algorithm. When available, simultaneous scalp EEG was used to identify periods of muscle artifact. Those markings were used to train an automated scalp EMG detector and an intracranial EMG detector. Specificity to epileptic tissue was evaluated by comparison with seizure onset zone and resected volume in patients with good outcome. Results EMG artifacts are frequent and produce large numbers of false HFOs, especially in the anterior temporal lobe. The scalp and intracranial EMG detectors both had high accuracy. Removing false HFOs improved specificity to epileptic tissue. Conclusions Evaluation of HFOs requires accounting for the effect of muscle artifact. We present two tools that effectively mitigate the effect of muscle artifact on HFOs. Significance Removing muscle artifacts improves the specificity of HFOs to epileptic tissue. Future HFO work should account for this effect, especially when using automated algorithms or when scalp electrodes are not present.
ODONTOGENIC MYXOMA: A 23-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE SERIES OF 38 CASES

Introduction Odontogenic myxoma (OMX) is an uncommon benign tumor arising in the jaw. Though it has some histologic overlap with other entities, correct diagnosis is imperative considering the aggressive nature, high recurrence rate, and necessity of radical surgical intervention in large sized lesions. Materials and Methods With IRB approval, a retrospective search of the University of Florida College of Dentistry Oral Pathology Biopsy Service archives from 1994-2017 for diagnosis of OMX of the mandible or maxilla was performed. Biopsy reports and original slides for each case were assessed and reviewed along with any accompanying radiographs to confirm the diagnosis. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was utilized to exclude entities with histologic overlap such as intraosseous myxoid neurofibroma. Results A total of 38 cases were included. The patients’ ages ranged between 13 to 82 years, with a mean age of 38.5 years. Females comprised two-thirds of the cases (n=25) versus males (n=13). The mandible was the most affected at 56% (n=21), followed by maxilla 34% (n=13) with 10% (n=4) not specified. Posterior jaw involvement was higher than anterior in both the mandible (n=17 versus n=1) and the maxilla (n=8 versus n=4). The right side was more commonly affected than the left side in both arches. Most lesions presented clinically as expansile masses with variable radiographic appearance, and the submitting providers’ clinical impressions included gelatinous masses, reactive gingival lesions, abscess, odontogenic lesions, fibro-osseous lesions, and soft tissue or bone neoplasms. In 30 cases (79%) the histologic diagnosis was compatible with OMX, while in 8 cases (21%) a more fibrous stroma was identified with diagnoses of fibromyxoma. Conclusion OMX may exhibit varied demographic and clinical profile and wide spectrum of histologic presentation. Oral and maxillofacial pathologists and surgical pathologists should be sentient of this variability of presentation for accurate diagnosis and management.
On the hyperalgebra of a semisimple algebraic group

Publisher Summary Let G be a simply connected semisimple algebraic group over an algebraically closed field K of characteristic p > 0. The purpose of this paper is to develop some information about the " hyperalgebra" of G and certain of its finite-dimensional subalgebras, along lines suggested by D.-N. Verma (cf. [13, §6; 7]). In this framework we obtain a quick representation-theoretic proof of the main step in W. J. Haboush's proof of the Mumford conjecture [4].
Delayed Transplantation of Autologous Mitochondria for Cardioprotection in a Porcine Model.

Background We have previously demonstrated the efficacy of mitochondrial transplantation (MT) for the treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). We now investigate the efficacy of delayed MT by intracoronary administration in a model of regional IRI as a strategy for cardioprotection. Methods Female Yorkshire pigs (40-50 kg; n = 16) underwent 30 minutes of ischemia by snaring of the left anterior descending artery, and the hearts were then reperfused for 120 minutes. At that point, vehicle only or autologous mitochondria (1 × 109 in 5 mL of vehicle) were delivered as a bolus to the left coronary ostium, followed by a further 120-minute reperfusion. Results Echocardiographic analysis demonstrated that hearts receiving delayed MT after regional IRI had enhanced ejection fraction (P = .019), fractional shortening (P = .022), and fractional area change (P = .011) at 240 minutes of reperfusion compared with the untreated pigs. At the end of reperfusion there was a difference between the groups in measures of global left ventricular (LV) function such as LV end-diastolic pressure (P = .015) and rate of rise of LV pressure (P = .021). No significant differences were found between the groups in the area at risk (P = .48). Infarct size (% area at risk) was significantly decreased in hearts receiving MT compared with hearts receiving vehicle only (P Conclusions Delayed MT by intracoronary injection appreciably decreases myocardial infarct size, increasing regional and global myocardial function. These results suggest that this can be a viable treatment modality in IRI, thus reducing long-term morbidity and mortality in cardiac surgical patients.
Interventions for Health: Why and How Health Care Systems Provide Programs to Benefit Unhoused Patients.

Individuals experiencing homelessness have poorer health than housed individuals, while also utilizing more emergency department care and fewer preventive services. Several interventions – includin...
Walking on uneven ground: How do patients with unilateral cerebral palsy adapt?

Abstract Background Children with cerebral palsy experience movement disorders that influence gait stability. It is likely that gait stability further decreases when walking on uneven compared to even ground. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate gait on uneven ground in children with unilateral cerebral palsy. Methods Twenty children with unilateral cerebral palsy and twenty typically developing children performed a three-dimensional gait analysis when walking on even and uneven ground. Spatio-temporal parameters, full-body joint kinematics and centre of mass displacements were compared. Findings On uneven versus even ground, both groups showed decreased cadence, increased stance phase and double support time, increased toe clearance height, and increased knee and hip flexion during swing phase. Whereas only the typically developing children walked slower and had increased dorsiflexion and external foot progression during stance phase, only the patients showed increased stride width, increased elbow flexion (affected and non-affected side), and kept the centre of mass more medial when standing on the affected leg. Interpretation Patients and healthy children use similar adaptation mechanisms when walking on uneven ground. Both groups increased the toe clearance height by increasing knee and hip flexion during swing. However, whereas patients enlarge their base of support by increasing stride width, healthy children do so by increasing their external foot progression angle. Furthermore, patients seem to feel more insecure and hold their arms in a position to prepare for falls on uneven ground. They also do not compensate with their non-affected side for their affected side on uneven ground.
Right Ventricular Dilation in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 Infection.

Hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection are at a high risk of progressive respiratory failure, endotracheal intubation, and mortality. The pathophysiology of COVID-19 infection has not been elucidated, but cytokine storm, prothrombotic state, and myocardial
Impact of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Recommendation and State Law on Birth Cohort Hepatitis C Screening of New York City Medicaid Recipients

Introduction The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that, during 1999–2008, people born in 1945–1965 (the baby boomer generation) represented approximately 75% of people infected with hepatitis C virus and 73% of hepatitis C virus–associated deaths and are at greatest risk for hepatocellular carcinoma and liver disease. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended one-time hepatitis C virus screening for people born during 1945–1965. In addition, New York State enacted a Hepatitis C Virus Testing Law in 2014. This analysis assesses the impacts of the 2012 recommendation and 2014 New York State Testing Law on hepatitis C virus screening rates among New York City Medicaid-enrolled recipients born during 1945–1965. Methods The eligible population was determined quarterly as the number of Medicaid recipients continuously enrolled for 12 months with neither a prior hepatitis C virus diagnosis nor antibody test since 2005. Quarterly screening rates during 2010–2017 were examined using interrupted time series analysis. Data were analyzed in 2018–2019. Results In 2010–2017, the highest screening rate occurred in the quarter immediately after the law (33.64 per 1,000 Medicaid recipients). There was no change in screening rates after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation and a significant increase after the New York State Law, which was not sustained. Conclusions Hepatitis C virus screening rates increased in the quarter after the 2014 New York State Hepatitis C Virus Testing Law became effective. Additional efforts are needed to screen baby boomers and people who were recently infected with hepatitis C virus related to opioid use.
Communication Matters: a Survey Study of Communication Didactics in Obstetrics/Gynecology Residency

Delivery of excellent patient care hinges on effective communication. Improved communication between physicians, patients, and colleagues can facilitate shared decision-making and foster successful interprofessional teams. Despite the importance of this skill, little is understood about the status or acceptability of dedicated communication training during obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) residency. To explore the national landscape of dedicated communication didactics during OB/GYN training. Residents and program directors (PDs) at ACGME-accredited programs were emailed anonymized surveys. Survey responses pertaining to communication didactics and trainee experiences were evaluated using descriptive statistics and chi-squared tests. Of 143 PDs, 45 responded (31.5%). Although the total number of residents receiving our survey is unattainable, our 215 resident respondents can be estimated to represent at least 4.4% of trainees. 98.1% of residents reported challenging clinical communication at least monthly, with many reporting this weekly (47.9%) and daily (30.0%). A majority of PDs (77.8%) and residents (67.0%) endorsed interest in communication training. 62.2% of programs reported formally teaching communication skills. Certain topics were infrequently taught yet cited by residents as particularly challenging—such as “diffusing conflict” and “angry patient or family members.” PDs tended to significantly overestimate trainee competence in conducting difficult conversations with both patients (p = 0.0003) and interdisciplinary colleagues (p < 0.0001), as compared with resident self-assessments. Residents encounter frequent challenging communications interactions, and often feel inadequately equipped to navigate them. Dedicated didactics may provide a critical component to optimally educating of the next generation of trainees within OB/GYN and more broadly.
Combined Burden of Heat and Particulate Matter Air Quality in WA Agriculture.

Objectives: To evaluate the combined burden of heat and air quality exposure in Washington State agriculture by (1) characterizing the spatiotemporal pattern of heat and PM2.5 exposures during wildfire seasons; (2) describing the potential impact of these combined exposures on agricultural worker populations; and (3) identifying data gaps for addressing this burden in rural areas. METHODS We combined county-level data to explore data availability and estimate the burden of heat and PM2.5 co-exposures for Washington agricultural workers from 2010 to 2018. Quarterly agricultural worker population estimates were linked with data from a weather station network and ambient air pollution monitoring sites. A geographical information system displayed counties, air monitoring sites, agricultural crops, and images from a smoke dispersion model during recent wildfire events. RESULTS We found substantial spatial and temporal variability in high heat and PM2.5 exposures. The largest peaks in PM2.5 exposures tended to occur when the heat index was around 85°F and during summers when there were wildfires. Counties with the largest agricultural populations tended to have the greatest concurrent high heat and PM2.5 exposures, and these exposures tended to be highest during the third quarter (July-September), when population counts were also highest. Additionally, we observed limited access to local air quality information in certain rural areas. CONCLUSION Our findings inform efforts about highest risk areas, times of year, and data availability in rural areas. Understanding the spatiotemporal pattern of exposures is consistent with the precision agriculture framework and is foundational to addressing equity in rural agricultural settings.
Executives’ Connections to Directors and Internal Governance

Outside directors’ monitoring effectiveness is curtailed by information asymmetry between boards and management. Connections between independent directors and non-CEO executives may overcome this challenge by facilitating information sharing between the connected parties. Such connections can also empower executives to withstand pressure from CEOs to take actions undermining executives’ performance in their functional areas. Indeed, we find that earnings restatements, class-action litigations, and real earnings management decrease when directors are connected with executives responsible for these areas. Overall, findings show that director–executive ties are associated with stronger internal governance, suggesting that boards may benefit from forging stronger relationships with executives.
Christian Colleges in the Locational Wilderness: The Locations of CCCU Institutions

This article examines the locations of the 111 governing members of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) and consider how these locations hinder evangelical Protestants from rea...
Sialic Acid Protects Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae from Natural IgM and Promotes Survival in Murine Respiratory Tract.

ABSTRACT Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), a common inhabitant of the human nasopharynx and upper airways, causes opportunistic respiratory tract infections that are frequently recurring and chronic. NTHi utilizes sialic acid from the host to evade antibacterial defenses and persist in mucosal tissues; however, the role of sialic acid scavenged by NTHi during infection is not fully understood. We previously showed that sialylation protects specific epitopes on NTHi lipooligosaccharide (LOS) targeted by bactericidal IgM in normal human serum. Here, we evaluated the importance of immune evasion mediated by LOS sialylation in the mouse respiratory tract using wild-type H. influenzae and an isogenic siaB mutant incapable of sialylating the LOS. Sialylation protected common NTHi glycan structures recognized by human and murine IgM and protected NTHi from complement-mediated killing directed by IgM against these structures. Protection from IgM binding by sialylated LOS correlated with decreased survival of the siaB mutant versus the wild type in the murine lung. Complement depletion with cobra venom factor increased survival of the siaB mutant in the nasopharynx but not in the lungs, suggesting differing roles of sialylation at these sites. Prior infection increased IgM against H. influenzae but not against sialic acid-protected epitopes, consistent with sialic acid-mediated immune evasion during infection. These results provide mechanistic insight into an NTHi evasive strategy against an immune defense conserved across host species, highlighting the potential of the mouse model for development of anti-infective strategies targeting LOS antigens of NTHi.
Price Transparency in Health Care: Impact, Impending Transformation, Competition Strategy, and Policy Implications

We are at the edge of an imminent massive transformation in an industry sector that accounts for about 20\% of spending today, namely health care. This transformation will occur on account of emerging technologies for price transparency which will give decision-making stakeholders (e.g., patients and their advising physicians) timely access to accurate and personalized information about costs of care. Price transparency technologies are (and will be) as revolutionary in health care as Google and Amazon have been to shopping in general. While these technologies are motivated by the pressing need to reduce health care spending through price competition and reduction in market prices, these effects are by no means guaranteed. Achieving them will require careful design and implementation, but also prudent management and regulation that reflects an understanding of how market forces will interact with price transparency technologies to cause transformation in the nature of insurance plans, quality and variety of products and services, and business models and competition within price transparency technologies.
Ethical Concepts for Electroencephalographic Technicians

(1962). Ethical Concepts for Electroencephalographic Technicians. American Journal of EEG Technology: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 1-8.
Bayesian methods for interpreting plutonium urinalysis data

We discuss an internal dosimetry problem, where measurements of plutonium in urine are used to calculate radiation doses. We have developed an algorithm using the MAXENT method. The method gives reasonable results, however the role of the entropy prior distribution is to effectively fit the urine data using intakes occurring close in time to each measured urine result, which is unrealistic. A better approximation for the actual prior is the log-normal distribution; however, with the log-normal distribution another calculational approach must be used. Instead of calculating the most probable values, we turn to calculating expectation values directly from the posterior probability, which is feasible for a small number of intakes.
Reading the Tea Leaves at Tea and More: Resolving Complex Supply Chain Issues

Tea and More is facing growing pains from its rapid expansion over the last decade and more. The case provides a summary of the challenges faced by the company in the areas of supply chain management, marketing plans, the creation of economic value, and the development of a long term strategy for profitable growth.
Derivations vanishing on $S(\infty)$

LetS(∞) be the group of finite permutations on countably many symbols. We exhibit an embedding ofS(∞) into a UHF-algebra\(\mathfrak{A}\) of Glimm typen∞ such that, if δ is a *-derivation vanishing onS(∞) and satisfying τ°δ=0, where τ is the unique trace on\(\mathfrak{A}\), then δ admits an extension which is the generator of aC*-dynamics.
No Retreat, No Surrender: Concessions, Resistance, and the End of the Postwar Settlement

Julius Getman, The Betrayal of Local 14: Paperworkers, Politics, and Permanent Replacements (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998) Tom Juravich and Kate Bronfenbrenner, Ravenswood: The Steetworkers ' Victory and the Revival of American Labor (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1999) Timothy J. Minchin, Forging aCommon Bond: Labor and Environmental Activism During the BASF Lockout (Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2003) Jonathon D. Rosenblum, Copper Crucible: How the Arizona Miners ' Strike of 1983 Recast Labor-Management Relations in America (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1995)
Multihelix rotating shield brachytherapy for cervical cancer.

Purpose: To present a novel brachytherapy technique, called multihelix rotating shield brachytherapy (H-RSBT), for the precise angular and linear positioning of a partial shield in a curved applicator. H-RSBT mechanically enables the dose delivery using only linear translational motion of the radiation source/shield combination. The previously proposed approach of serial rotating shield brachytherapy (S-RSBT), in which the partial shield is rotated to several angular positions at each source dwell position [W. Yang et al., “Rotating-shield brachytherapy for cervical cancer,” Phys. Med. Biol. 58, 3931–3941 (2013)], is mechanically challenging to implement in a curved applicator, and H-RSBT is proposed as a feasible solution. Methods: A Henschke-type applicator, designed for an electronic brachytherapy source (Xoft Axxent™) and a 0.5 mm thick tungsten partial shield with 180° or 45° azimuthal emission angles and 116° asymmetric zenith angle, is proposed. The interior wall of the applicator contains six evenly spaced helical keyways that rigidly define the emission direction of the partial radiation shield as a function of depth in the applicator. The shield contains three uniformly distributed protruding keys on its exterior wall and is attached to the source such that it rotates freely, thus longitudinal translational motion of the source is transferred tomore » rotational motion of the shield. S-RSBT and H-RSBT treatment plans with 180° and 45° azimuthal emission angles were generated for five cervical cancer patients with a diverse range of high-risk target volume (HR-CTV) shapes and applicator positions. For each patient, the total number of emission angles was held nearly constant for S-RSBT and H-RSBT by using dwell positions separated by 5 and 1.7 mm, respectively, and emission directions separated by 22.5° and 60°, respectively. Treatment delivery time and tumor coverage (D{sub 90} of HR-CTV) were the two metrics used as the basis for evaluation and comparison. For all the generated treatment plans, the D{sub 90} of the HR-CTV in units of equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions (EQD2) was escalated until the D{sub 2cc} (minimum dose to hottest 2 cm{sup 3}) tolerance of either the bladder (90 Gy{sub 3}), rectum (75 Gy{sub 3}), or sigmoid colon (75 Gy{sub 3}) was reached. Results: Treatment time changed for H-RSBT versus S-RSBT by −7.62% to 1.17% with an average change of −2.8%, thus H-RSBT treatments times tended to be shorter than for S-RSBT. The HR-CTV D{sub 90} also changed by −2.7% to 2.38% with an average of −0.65%. Conclusions: H-RSBT is a mechanically feasible delivery technique for use in the curved applicators needed for cervical cancer brachytherapy. S-RSBT and H-RSBT were clinically equivalent for all patients considered, with the H-RSBT technique tending to require less time for delivery.« less
Semiparametric bayesian testing procedure for noninferiority trials with binary endpoints.

A semiparametric testing approach based on the Bayes factor is developed for non-inferiority trials with binary endpoints. The proposed method is shown to work for a broad class of hypotheses by accommodating a variety of dissimilarity measures between two binomial parameters. Two of the unique features of the proposed testing procedure include: (i) construction of a flexible class of conjugate priors using a mixture of beta densities to maintain approximate equality of prior probabilities of the competing hypotheses; and (ii) automatic determination of the cutoff value of the Bayes factor to facilitate the decision making process. In contrast to the use of Jeffreys's rule of thumb, two forms of total weighted average error criteria are used to determine the cutoff value. Through several simulation studies it is demonstrated that the proposed Bayesian procedure has competitive frequentist properties of controlling type I error as compared to the default frequentist test and meanwhile the proposed criterio...