cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scene reconstruction from partially overlapping images with use of composite filters

In many image processing applications, it is desirable to combine partially overlapping images into one larger scene. We introduce a supervised correlation filter method that automatically detects overlapping image pairs and estimates proper alignment. We use on-line composite filter design to achieve rotation- and overlap-invariant image pairing. We present stochastic system analysis that provides closed-form expressions that predict correlation plane response distribution, defines an overlap-invariant filter bank architecture, and obtains the optimum training set size. The resulting high-level image processing method is numerically efficient, suited for optoelectronic implementation, and competitive with manual reconstruction in speed and accuracy.
Modeling the Electrostatic Signature of Single Enzyme Activity

Charge sensors based on nanoscale field-effect transistors are a promising new tool to probe the dynamics of individual enzymes. However, it is currently unknown whether the electrostatic signals associated with biological activity exceed detection limits. We report calculations of electrostatic signatures of two representative enzymes, deoxyribonuclease I and T4 lysozyme. Our simulations reveal that substrate binding to deoxyribonuclease and internal dynamics of lysozyme are detectable at the single-molecule level using existing point-functionalized carbon nanotube sensors.
A 40nm fully functional SRAM with BL swing and WL pulse measurement scheme for eliminating a need for additional sensing tolerance margins

A method for direct measurements of bit-line (BL) swing, sense amplifier (SA) offset and word-line (WL) pulse width is demonstrated in a 40nm CMOS 32kb fully functional SRAM macro with &#60;2% area penalty. This allows, for the first time, deciding the best tuning option for WL-pulse (WLP) width based on the results being measured on site for BL swing and dynamic read/write stability (DRWS), which both depend on WLP width. It has enabled to eliminate a need of additional margin for BL swing, which was conventionally needed for ensuring tolerance against its simulation errors and inaccurate SA-offset estimation. As a result, it was found that more aggressive option for WLP width could be chosen while ensuring the target BL swing.
Vitamin D receptor status alters mammary gland morphology and tumorigenesis in MMTV-neu mice

The vitamin D(3) receptor (VDR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor implicated in regulation of cell cycle, differentiation and apoptosis of both normal and transformed cells derived from mammary gland. In these studies we examined whether VDR status altered mammary gland morphology or transformation in the well-characterized MMTV-neu transgenic model of breast cancer. We demonstrate that VDR protein is highly expressed in neu-positive epithelial cells of preneoplastic lesions, established tumors and lung metastases from MMTV-neu mice. Furthermore, MMTV-neu mice lacking VDR exhibit abnormal mammary ductal morphology characterized by dilated, distended ducts containing dysplastic epithelial cells. From 12 months of age on, MMTV-neu mice lacking VDR also experience body weight loss, atrophy of the mammary fat pad, estrogen deficiency and reduced survival. The limited survival of MMTV-neu mice lacking VDR precluded an accurate assessment of the impact of complete VDR ablation on tumor development. MMTV-neu mice heterozygous for VDR, however, did not exhibit body weight loss, mammary gland atrophy or compromised survival. Compared with MMTV-neu mice with two copies of the VDR gene, haploinsufficiency of VDR shortened the latency and increased the incidence of mammary tumor formation. Tumor histology and expression/subcellular localization of the neu transgene were not altered by VDR haploinsufficiency despite a significant decrease in tumor VDR expression. Collectively, these studies suggest that VDR gene dosage impacts on age-related changes in ductal morphology and oncogene-induced tumorigenesis of the mammary gland in vivo.
Anesthesia for foot and ankle surgery.

Regional anesthesia (RA) is the anesthetic of choice for all foot and ankle surgery. Advances in anesthetic equipment and techniques have made peripheral nerve blocks the perfect anesthetic technique for these patients, who should be educated about them in their surgeon's office. The anesthetic alternative of choice is, in the authors' opinion, a neuraxial (i.e. spinal or subarachnoid) technique, rather than a general anesthesia (GA). GA has a higher morbidity and complication rate compared to RA. Performance of a peripheral nerve block, or PNB, requires proper training, equipment, and support personnel in order to handle any and all complications, including general anesthesia.
Establishing a common phase reference for comparing synthetic data to RF range measurements

Discrepancies can result when creating common data sets consisting of comparable synthetic and measured range complex scattered field samples when the phase references of each do not coincide. This can be especially true when using signal processing techniques to produce one dimensional (range profiles) or two dimensional (Synthetic Aperture Radar or SAR images) representations of the target scattered field where range bins and cross-range bins are formed. Range profiles and SAR images can be misaligned or have different bin amplitudes due to target scatterers in synthetic and measured scenarios shifted with respect to one another. Obtaining equivalent data samples requires attention to the measured data calibration process and phase reference location. This paper will address the common phase reference problem by an analysis of experimental data for specific targets and rotation system. Suggestions are provided for possible solutions to current challenges. The data analysis will include synthetic and measured range data comparisons, range calibration, and target position and range alignment processes using Theodolite laser measurements.
Lasting Words as a Channel for Intergenerational Communication

Lasting words can be defined as verbal messages that are remembered over many years and considered by the recipient to have had a significant influence on his}her life. The study of lasting words is proposed as a supplement to existing approaches to the older person as a communicator and, in particular, to intergenerational communication. A sample of 148 independent-living older adults was asked to share words that had made a lasting impression, and to indicate what lasting words they would like to impart to other people. Parents, teachers, and grandparents were the most common source-persons for the lasting words reported by the elders in this sample. Late childhood and youth were the time periods in which most lasting words were received. Statements of general moral principles and admonitions specific to the recipient were the most common types. Some older people, however, reported derogatory remarks that had remained with them throughout their lives. In passing lasting words on to others, no older people in this sample oered communications of a derogatory nature. The value of education and the importance of giving first priority to one’s own family were the most frequent themes of lasting words they would pass on to the next generation. It would appear that attention needs to be given both to the theme and substance of the message, and the total context in which the messages are communicated. Limits of this preliminary study and implications for further research on intergenerational communication are discussed.
At Second Glance Employers and Employees with Learning Disabilities in the Americans with Disabilities Act Era

The impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 on the American workplace is examined. The findings of a previous study (Gerber, 1992) on employer knowledge about learning disabilities are compared to current findings. Important themes and employer beliefs and practices that were consistent in employer responses are described. Although employers are continuing to make efforts to comply with the regulations of the ADA, they still have relatively little knowledge or experience with it in terms of learning disabilities.
High performance micro-machined inductors on CMOS substrate

Using a combination of micromachining and three-dimensional (3-D) processing technologies, we have designed, fabricated, and tested inductors on CMOS grade Si substrate (10/spl sim/20 /spl Omega/-cm resistivity) which exhibit very high quality factor and high resonant frequency. A 1.2 nH inductor in this process achieves a record high quality factor of /spl sim/140 at 12GHz, with Q > 100 for frequencies between 8 to 20GHz. The technology to fabricate these inductors is based on one step deposition and electroplating of a stressed layered metal combination of Cr and Au and is fully compatible with CMOS technology.
Selective, constant delay wave digital filters

A wave digital filter design method is discussed which produces good selectivity and flat delay characteristics. The filter is designed in the microwave domain with monotonic stopband response using Carlin and Wu's technique for minimum-phase linear phase commensurate line transducers, then realized in the digital domain with Fettweis relations. A comparison is made of frequency response sensitivity to multiplier coefficient truncation between this wave filter and some FIR's, all with approximately the same number of multipliers. The cascade realizations of the FIR's show considerable passband amplitude response deterioration due to coefficient truncation, whereas the direct realizations for the FIR's show significant deterioration of stopband amplitude response owing to coefficient truncation. Coefficient truncation for the wave digital filter caused relatively small deterioration of both passband and stopband amplitude responses as well as small distortion of the flat delay characteristic in the passband.
Multiwavelength all-optical clock recovery

Future broadband integrated services digital networks (B-ISDN) may operate at terabit per second (Tb/s) data rates. These networks will use optical switches and regenerators, requiring optical clock recovery. B-ISDNs will also make use of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology. Currently, all-optical clock recovery is only possible for single wavelength systems. In this paper we present results showing all-optical clock recovery in a two channel WDM system using stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS).
Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis With Ophthalmic Manifestations in 18-Year-Olds on Oral Contraceptives

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare and potentially life-threatening cause of stroke. In the past few decades, the incidence and patient demographics have changed because of many factors, including the widespread use of oral contraceptives, improved detection of prothrombotic conditions, and advancement of imaging technology. The presentation of CVST is varied and can include ocular signs and symptoms. We present 2 cases of oral contraceptive–induced CVST in 18-year-old women, whose main presenting findings were ophthalmologic.
Risk and Return Revisited

0 ne time-honored rule in the field of finance is that risk and return are related. Often called the “no free lunch” principle, it asserts that over the long run it is not possible to achieve exceptional returns without accepting substantial risk. Any standard equilibrium model of asset pricing justifies ths relationship. Data from Ibbotson Associates confirm that since 1926, U.S. common stocks have provided a total return of 10.7% per year, about seven percentage points greater than the return from riskless Treasury bds.
Convergence of Block Cyclic Projection and Cimmino Algorithms for Compressed Sensing Based Tomography

The amalgamated projection method for convex feasibility and optimization problems has recently been proposed and the stable convergence under summable perturbations has been derived. As an application in computerized tomography (CT), the accuracy and the rate of convergence of the cyclic projection method and Cimmino algorithm incorporated with total variation minimization under certain conditions are signi ficantly improved based on the theory of compressed sensing. In this paper, a varying block cyclic projection method and a block Cimmino's algorithm in the compressed sensing framework are proposed and their convergence are derived with an application of the convergence theorem of the amalgamated projection methods. An example is given to illustrate the convergence behavior of new algorithms.
The potential impact of new donor height and weight criteria on young donor eligibility and faint or prefaint reaction rates.

BACKGROUND: New criteria for young blood donors were recently developed to minimize faint reactions in this high-risk group. The aim of this study was to determine the impact implementation of these criteria would have on collections and donor faint or prefaint reaction rates at our university blood center. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Donor history questionnaires from eight consecutive undergraduate campus blood drives were retrospectively reviewed. Height, weight, sex, and age were used to determine the number of donors potentially deferred. RESULTS: During the study period, 81% of donors were age 22 or younger (537/662) with a reaction rate of 2.4% (16/662). If these new height and weight criteria were implemented, 11.5% of our young donors would have been deferred (76/662) preventing 2 of 16 reactions. Revision of height and weight criteria with consideration for a 475-mL collection volume would decrease deferral rates to 1.2% (8/662) with no reactions prevented. CONCLUSION: Implementation of new height and weight criteria based on a standard 525-mL collection volume would result in a high rate of donor deferral. Revised criteria adjusted for our smaller collection volume would significantly decrease donor deferral rates. All reactions observed in young donors during our study period occurred in those predicted to have a less than 15% decrease in total blood volume after donation.
INTEGRA: an integrated system for range image understanding

Segmentation, feature extraction, recognition and localization are the four stages in range image understanding. Conventional approaches to range image understanding have treated these stages in isolation with a largely bottom-up flow of control and data through these various stages. Strictly bottom-up approaches have proved to be fragile in the face of errors in segmentation due to noise and limitations on sensor resolution and accuracy. Synergetic interaction of these various stages is essential for an image understanding system to exhibit robust behavior. This paper describes the design and implementation of INTEGRA, a range image understanding system that attempts to exploit the synergy between the various stages in the image understanding process. The salient features of INTEGRA are: (i) A synergetic combination of edge- and surface-based segmentation processes that results in more accurate segmentation than would have been possible with either of them alone and (ii) the ability to correct errors made during segmentation in the matching and localization stages. INTEGRA at this time, is limited to recognition and localization of polyhedral objects and is in the process of being enhanced to handle objects with curved surfaces of quadratic order such as spherical, ellipsoidal, cylindrical, and conical surfaces. Experimental results on real range images containing single and multiple polyhedral objects are presented. Future enhancements to INTEGRA are discussed.
Pleural epitheliod hemangioendothelioma: What started as a liver fluke and ended up being almost mistaken for malignant mesothelioma

Epitheliod hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare tumor of vascular origin. The pleural variant has only been reported around 20 times in English literature. It commonly occurs in older men and carries a poor prognosis with average survival lasting from a few weeks to months. Pleural EHE (PEHE) can be a diagnostic challenge due to its rarity as well as similarities to other pleural and vascular tumors. There is currently no standard treatment for EHE. Due to the rarity of this disease, reaching a final diagnosis is challenging. It's clinical, radiological, and pathological resemblance to malignant mesothelioma can cause a delay in diagnosis. Special stains such as CD31, CD34, and factor VIII related antigen can help differentiate between the two. Ordering appropriate stains in a timely manner can help avoid misdiagnosing PEHE.
Make Golf Simple for the Beginner

(1957). Make Golf Simple for the Beginner. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 54-59.
Disparities in Breast Cancer Incidence, Mortality, and Quality of Care among African American and European American Women in South Carolina.

Objectives Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women and the second-leading cause of female cancer deaths in the United States. African Americans and other minorities in the United States experience lower survival rates and have a worse prognosis than European Americans despite European Americans having a much higher incidence of the disease. Adherence to breast cancer treatment-quality measures is limited, particularly when the data are stratified by race/ethnicity. Methods We aimed to examine breast cancer incidence and mortality trends in South Carolina by race and explore possible racial disparities in the quality of breast cancer treatment received in South Carolina. Results African Americans have high rates of mammography and clinical breast examination screenings yet suffer lower survival compared with European Americans. For most treatment-quality metrics, South Carolina fairs well in comparison to the United States as a whole; however, South Carolina hospitals overall lag behind South Carolina Commission on Cancer-accredited hospitals for all measured quality indicators, including needle biopsy utilization, breast-conserving surgeries, and timely use of radiation therapy. Accreditation may a play a major role in increasing the standard of care related to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Conclusions These descriptive findings may provide significant insight for future interventions and policies aimed at eliminating racial/ethnic disparities in health outcomes. Further risk-reduction approaches are necessary to reduce minority group mortality rates, especially among African American women.
RAPD-PCR analysis of genetic variation among isolates of Alternaria solani and Alternaria alternata from potato and tomato

Random amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR (RAPD-PCR) analysis was used to investigate genetic variation among 35 isolates of Alternaria solani, the causal agent of early blight on solanaceous crops, and...
Firm Growth: Assessing Resource-Based Explainations

While it is taken for granted that the work Edith Penrose has been influential in the development of the resource-based theory (RBT) of strategic management, this relationship has not subject to su...
Analysis of Surveillance Results of Keschin-Beck Disease in Gansu Province in 2003 and 2004

ObjectiveTo master the prevalence state of Keschin-Beck disease(KBD),and provide academic data for prevention and treatment.MethodsClinical examination and plain X-ray of right hand were carried out in children of 7-12 years old in 38 monitoring sites.Selenium levels in salt were tested per month and hair selenium of children was also detected every two years.ResultsIn 2003 and 2004,3 678 and 4 031 children aged 7-12 were taken clinical examination with the positive rate over I° of 1.09% and 1.19% respectively;right hand positive rate of X-ray of 8.33% and 7.48%.577 and 856 salt samples were examined,with the detection rate of 80.95% and 98% respectively in 2003 and 2004.Hair selenium levels of 246 samples at 33 sites were between 0.117 μg/g and 0.38 μg/g in 2004.ConclusionsThe KBD prevalence state generally declined in Gansu Province in 2003 and 2004,but the prevalence rate has a tendency of fluctuation yearly in some sites.It is important measure for controlling KBD to ensure selenium salt supplement.
Acidosis-induced glucose intolerance is not prevented by adrenergic blockade.

The determinants of the altered glucoregulation in acidosis were investigated in anesthetized dogs. Because CO2 rapidly equilibrates and its effects are mediated by pH changes, CO2 inhalation was examined. Plasma acid-base composition, glucose, insulin, glucagon, and blood flows were evaluated before and after an intravenous glucose load (1.2 +/- 0.1 g/kg body wt) in normal and acidotic dogs with flow probes and catheters chronically implanted in the portal circulation. A simultaneous infusion of phentolamine (5 micrograms.kg-1.min-1), propranolol (3.5 micrograms.kg-1.min-1), both, or none was used. All acidemic dogs had lower hepatic extraction of insulin and greater hyperglycemia after the glucose challenge; thus the adrenergic system is not critical for these responses. Because arterial insulin levels were either normal (propranolol) or increased (all others) in acidosis, insulin resistance was likely. Insulin infusion (2 and 4 mU.kg-1.min-1) with euglycemic clamp and [3-3H]glucose documented that acidemia decreases peripheral glucose utilization and the insulin suppression of hepatic glucose production. Acidemia also enhances plasma glucagon levels, yet this effect plays a limited role in the observed hyperglycemia.
Hydroxocobalamin. IV. Biological half-life of hydroxocobalamin in the human liver.

Abstract The mean hepatic biological half-life of Co57-hydroxocobalamin injected to 5 normal human subjects was similar to that of Co60-cyanocobalamin, as shown by double-label hepatic surface counting during the first 30 weeks after intramuscular or intravenous injection of cobalamins. In 2 cases in whom the counting was extended over a year's period, the clearance of hepatic radioactivity following the intramuscular injection of hydroxocobalamin has slowed down as compared to that of cyanocobalamin, between the 30th and 52nd week after injection.
Resting‐state functional connectivity differentiates anxious apprehension and anxious arousal

Brain regions in the default mode network (DMN) display greater functional connectivity at rest or during self-referential processing than during goal-directed tasks. The present study assessed resting-state connectivity as a function of anxious apprehension and anxious arousal, independent of depressive symptoms, in order to understand how these dimensions disrupt cognition. Whole-brain, seed-based analyses indicated differences between anxious apprehension and anxious arousal in DMN functional connectivity. Lower connectivity associated with higher anxious apprehension suggests decreased adaptive, inner-focused thought processes, whereas higher connectivity at higher levels of anxious arousal may reflect elevated monitoring of physiological responses to threat. These findings further the conceptualization of anxious apprehension and anxious arousal as distinct psychological dimensions with distinct neural instantiations.
Dams, Irrigation, and Faucets

There is no more precious and essential natural resource than water. Humans are nine-tenths water; death will follow those who go more than several days without drinking it. Like us, all the plant and animal life upon which we survive also depends on water. Prolonged droughts can wither crops and decimate livestock. Every civilization’s survival — from the most ancient to recent — has depended on taming rivers and tapping aquifers. Wells, irrigation, aqueducts, pipes, canals, plumbing, dams — the means of supplying the demand for water have not changed much over the past seven thousand years, only their scale and technological sophistication.
Who is driving the bus? An analysis of author and institution contributions to entrepreneurship research

Abstract Given the considerable increase in entrepreneurship scholarship in the form of journal outlets, article publications, and university positions, it is important to identify the authors leading the charge to push the academic field forward. In this article, we provide an in-depth impact analysis of authors and their universities in terms of publishing high quality entrepreneurship research in leading entrepreneurship journals. Our analysis covers contributions made from 2011 to 2015 in the top six entrepreneurship-focused outlets. Study findings and implications are discussed.
Reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR analysis in symbiont Entomomyces delphacidicola of Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)

Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) is a major rice pest that harbors an endosymbiont ascomycete fungus, Entomomyces delphacidicola str. NLU (also known as yeast-like symbiont, YLS). Driving by demand of novel population management tactics (e.g. RNAi), the importance of YLS has been studied and revealed, which greatly boosts the interest of molecular level studies related to YLS. The current study focuses on reference genes for RT-qPCR studies related to YLS. Eight previously unreported YLS genes were cloned, and their expressions were evaluated for N. lugens samples of different developmental stages and sexes, and under different nutritional conditions and temperatures. Expression stabilities were analyzed by BestKeeper, geNorm, NormFinder, ΔCt method and RefFinder. Furthermore, the selected reference genes for RT-qPCR of YLS genes were validated using targeted YLS genes that respond to different nutritional conditions (amino acid deprivation) and RNAi. The results suggest that ylsRPS15p/ylsACT are the most suitable reference genes for temporal gene expression profiling, while ylsTUB/ylsACT and ylsRPS15e/ylsGADPH are the most suitable reference gene choices for evaluating nutrition and temperature effects. Validation studies demonstrated the advantage of using endogenous YLS reference genes for YLS studies.
The Relationship Between Frailty and the Subjective Decision to Conduct a Goals of Care Discussion With Burned Elders

Best practices are to conduct an early discussion of goals of care (GoC) after injury in the elderly, but this intervention is inconsistently applied. We hypothesized that a frail appearance was a factor in the decision to conduct a GoC discussion after thermal injury. A retrospective review was performed of all burn survivors aged ≥ 65 years at our American Burn Association (ABA)-verified level 1 burn center between April 02, 2009, and December 30, 2014. Demographic information included age, gender, mechanism of injury, percentage TBSA burned, revised Baux score, patient/physician racial discordance, documented GoC discussion (as defined within the electronic medical record), length of stay (LOS), and disposition. One rater retrospectively assigned clinical frailty scores to patients using the Canadian Study of Health and Aging Criteria, which ranged from 1 (very fit) to 7 (severely frail). Ordinal logistic regression was performed. Demographics for the cohort of 126 subjects were (mean ± SD): age = 75.5 ± 7.7 years, %TBSA burned = 11.9% ± 7.2, revised Baux = 87.8 ± 10.2, hospital LOS (days) = 14.9 ± 13.7, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) LOS (days) = 6.2 ± 1.2, frailty score = 4.1 ± 1.1. Overall, 72% of geriatric survivors had a favorable discharge disposition. GoC discussions occurred in 25% of patients. GoC discussion (OR, 3.42; 95% CI, 1.54-7.60) and an unfavorable disposition (OR, 9.01; 95% CI, 3.91-20.78) were associated with greater predicted odds of receiving a higher ordered frailty score. Our results suggest that, even in the absence of a formal diagnosis, a frail appearance may influence a provider's decision to perform GoC discussions after severe thermal injury.
Simeon North: With Apologies to Eli Whitney, America's First Interchangeable Parts Innovator

An early pioneer in American business practices, Simeon North was a man of firsts. Unfortunately, few people today are familiar with his accomplishments or his firm. He developed the first American...
Single Cell Analysis Using Drop Based Microfluidics

It has long been the dream of biologists to map gene expression at the single-cell level. With such data one might track heterogeneous cell sub-populations, and infer regulatory relationships between genes and pathways. Recently, RNA sequencing has achieved single-cell resolution. What is limiting is an effective way to routinely isolate and process large numbers of individual cells for quantitative in-depth sequencing. We have developed a high-throughput droplet-microfluidic approach for barcoding the RNA from thousands of individual cells for subsequent analysis by next-generation sequencing. The method shows a surprisingly low noise profile and is readily adaptable to other sequencing-based assays. We analyzed mouse embryonic stem cells, revealing in detail the population structure and the heterogeneous onset of differentiation after leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) withdrawal. The reproducibility of these high-throughput single-cell data allowed us to deconstruct cell populations and infer gene expression relationships.
Analysis of integrated tunable III-nitride lasers with dual distributed Bragg reflectors

The designs for the integrated tunable III-nitride diode lasers employing lateral distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) are presented. The threshold characteristics of the integrated tunable nitride-based lasers with short column and tall column DBRs are compared.
Association of Viral Suppression With Lower AIDS-Defining and Non–AIDS-Defining Cancer Incidence in HIV-Infected Veterans: A Prospective Cohort Study

Author(s): Park, Lesley S; Tate, Janet P; Sigel, Keith; Brown, Sheldon T; Crothers, Kristina; Gibert, Cynthia; Goetz, Matthew Bidwell; Rimland, David; Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C; Bedimo, Roger J; Justice, Amy C; Dubrow, Robert | Abstract: BackgroundViral suppression is a primary marker of HIV treatment success. Persons with HIV are at increased risk for AIDS-defining cancer (ADC) and several types of non-AIDS-defining cancer (NADC), some of which are caused by oncogenic viruses.ObjectiveTo determine whether viral suppression is associated with decreased cancer risk.DesignProspective cohort.SettingDepartment of Veterans Affairs.ParticipantsHIV-positive veterans (n = 42 441) and demographically matched uninfected veterans (n = 104 712) from 1999 to 2015.MeasurementsStandardized cancer incidence rates and Poisson regression rate ratios (RRs; HIV-positive vs. uninfected persons) by viral suppression status (unsuppressed: person-time with HIV RNA levels ≥500 copies/mL; early suppression: initial 2 years with HIV RNA levels l500 copies/mL; long-term suppression: person-time after early suppression with HIV RNA levels l500 copies/mL).ResultsCancer incidence for HIV-positive versus uninfected persons was highest for unsuppressed persons (RR, 2.35 [95% CI, 2.19 to 2.51]), lower among persons with early suppression (RR, 1.99 [CI, 1.87 to 2.12]), and lowest among persons with long-term suppression (RR, 1.52 [CI, 1.44 to 1.61]). This trend was strongest for ADC (unsuppressed: RR, 22.73 [CI, 19.01 to 27.19]; early suppression: RR, 9.48 [CI, 7.78 to 11.55]; long-term suppression: RR, 2.22 [CI, 1.69 to 2.93]), much weaker for NADC caused by viruses (unsuppressed: RR, 3.82 [CI, 3.24 to 4.49]; early suppression: RR, 3.42 [CI, 2.95 to 3.97]; long-term suppression: RR, 3.17 [CI, 2.78 to 3.62]), and absent for NADC not caused by viruses.LimitationLower viral suppression thresholds, duration of long-term suppression, and effects of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell counts were not thoroughly evaluated.ConclusionAntiretroviral therapy resulting in long-term viral suppression may contribute to cancer prevention, to a greater degree for ADC than for NADC. Patients with long-term viral suppression still had excess cancer risk.Primary funding sourceNational Cancer Institute and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health.
The effects of hypothermia on status epilepticus-induced acquired epilepsy

THE EFFECTS OF HYPOTHERMIA ON STATUS EPILEPTICUS-INDUCED ACQUIRED EPILEPSY By Kristin F. Phillips, B.S. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Major Director: Robert J. DeLorenzo, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H. Professor, Departments of Neurology, Pharmacology & Toxicology, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics Status epilepticus (SE) is a type of neurological injury characterized by continuous seizure activity and can lead to molecular and pathophysiological alterations leading to plasticity changes. SE can lead to the development of AE by the process of epileptogenesis, which is a phenomenon that describes the transformation of normal brain tissue into a hyperexcitable neuronal population. It has been demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro that calcium (Ca) dynamics are severely altered during and after SE, and these changes play a major role in the progression of epileptogenesis. It has also been reported that preventing the rise in intracellular Ca ([Ca]i) immediately following injury (the Ca 2+ plateau) prevents the plasticity changes and ultimate development of epilepsy. Currently, there are no treatments available that can be administered following an injury to prevent the development of AE. Therefore it is clinically important to develop a therapy that can be administered after an injury to block epileptogenesis.
Investigation of Trends in Aerosol Direct Radiative Effects over North America Using a Coupled Meteorology-Chemistry Model

A comprehensive investigation of the processes regulating tropospheric aerosol distributions, their optical properties, and their radiative effects in conjunction with verification of their simulated radiative effects for past conditions relative to measurements is needed in order to build confidence in their estimates of the projected impacts on future climate. This study aims at addressing this issue through a systematic investigation of changes in anthropogenic emissions of SO2 and NOx over the past two decades in the United States, the consequent changes in anthropogenic aerosol loading in the North American troposphere, and subsequent impact on regional radiation budgets.
Satellite Observations and Modeling to Understand the Lower Mekong River Basin Streamflow Variability

In this work, we have used the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to examine streamflow variability of the Lower Mekong River Basin (LMRB) associated with changes in the Upper Mekong River Basin (UMRB) inflows. Two hypothetical experiments were formulated and evaluated for the LMRB, where we conducted runoff simulations with multiple inflow changes that include upstream runoff yield increase and decrease scenarios. Streamflow variability of the LMRB was quantified by two streamflow metrics that explain flow variability and predictability, and high flow disturbance. The model experiments were performed for the Lower Mekong River Basin with identical climate, soil, and other watershed characteristics data. Remote sensing precipitation (Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission, TRMM, and Global Precipitation Measurement mission, GPM), meteorological data as well as spatial data that include a digital elevation model, newly developed soil information (Harmonized World Soil Database, HWSD), and land use and land cover were processed as input to the LMRB model simulations. Observed daily streamflow data along the Lower Mekong River from Chiang Sean, Thailand to Kratie, Cambodia were used for calibration and validation. Our work results suggest that the Lower Mekong River streamflow is highly variable and has a low predictability (Colwell index of about 32%). We found that releasing more water from upstream Mekong during rainfall months by 30% would result in a reduction in the Lower Mekong streamflow predictability by about 21%. This reduction in predictability is mainly attributed to a decrease in the Contingency index. Our work shows that the ability to predict floods/droughts at the Lower Mekong River would be reduced if there is any anticipated change (i.e., increase/decrease) from UMRB releases. Our results also show that releasing more flows from the upstream Mekong would also affect flood duration and the frequency of flood occurrences downstream. The results of this work thus help to quantify the sensitivity of streamflow variability at the Lower Mekong River Basin to upstream anthropogenic changes.
Wallmapu Rising: New Paths in Mapuche Studies

This essay reviews the following works: Awukan ka kuxankan zugu Wajmapu mew: Violencias coloniales en Wajmapu. Edited by Enrique Antileo Baeza and others. Temuco: Ediciones Comunidad de Historia Mapuche, 2015. Pp. 331. $20.00 paperback. ISBN: 9789569761003. Thunder Shaman: Making History with Mapuche Spirits in Chile and Patagonia. By Ana Mariella Bacigalupo. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2016. Pp. ix + 275. $ 26.95 paperback. ISBN: 9781477308981. The Mapuche in Modern Chile: A Cultural History. By Joanna Crow. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2013. Pp. ix + 281. $74.95 hardcover. ISBN: 9780813044286. Ta in fijke xipa rakizuameluwun: Historia, colonialismo y resistencia desde el pais Mapuche. Edited by Hector Nahuelpan Moreno and others. Temuco: Ediciones Comunidad de Historia Mapuche, 2013. Pp. 378. $14.60 paperback. ISBN: 9789563533330.
Genomic sequence of a Bohle iridovirus strain isolated from a diseased boreal toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) in a North American aquarium

Genomic sequence analysis of zoo ranavirus (ZRV) suggests it is a strain of Bohle iridovirus (BIV), a virus that was first detected in, and thought to be confined to, Australia. Furthermore, marked sequence similarity and genomic co-linearity among ZRV, BIV, and German gecko ranavirus (GGRV) are consistent with the view that all three are strains of Frog virus 3, the type species of the genus Ranavirus, family Iridoviridae.
Medium conditioned by human mesenchymal stromal cells reverses low serum and hypoxia-induced inhibition of wound closure.

Abstract Chronic wounds, such as pressure ulcers, are a common complication of impaired peripheral circulation, such as in advanced diabetes. Factors secreted by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been shown to enhance wound healing in vitro and in vivo. However, there is little understanding of the impact of the chronic wound environment, namely the limited supply of nutrients and oxygen, on the ability of wound cells to respond to MSCs. In this study, we first established the effects of hypoxia (1% O2) and low serum (1% serum) concentration on the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes. We found that hypoxia and low serum significantly slowed down these processes. Next, we found that supplementation with human MSC-concentrated conditioned media (hMSC-CM) enhanced both cell migration and proliferation in the presence of hypoxia and low serum. Furthermore, low serum and hypoxia decreased cell spreading and F-actin expression, which was reversed in the presence of hMSC-CM. Several wound healing mediators were identified in hMSC-CM, including IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-9, IP-10, MCP-1, FGF-2, and VEGF. This study suggests that the concentrated secretome of human MSCs can reverse the inhibitory effect of hypoxia and low serum on keratinocyte proliferation and migration. This phenomenon may contribute to the beneficial effects of hMSC-CM on wound healing in vivo.
Obesity is Associated With Mortality and Complications After Trauma: A State-Wide Cohort Study

Abstract Background With rising obesity rates in the United States, knowledge of obesity's impact on trauma outcomes is essential to providing high-quality care. The interaction between body mass and outcomes is unclear, with existing literature demonstrating conflicting results. We hypothesized that in a broad cohort of trauma patients, obesity would be associated with in-hospital mortality. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the 2014-2015 Pennsylvania Trauma Outcomes Study (PTOS) registry, a state-wide registry to which all accredited Pennsylvania trauma centers are required to report. We included nonburn adult trauma patients admitted to level I and II centers. Because PTOS lacks height data, weight thresholds of 111.75 kg for men and 95.05 kg for women were used, which correspond to BMI = 30 kg/m2 at the 99th height percentile in the United States. We tested the association of obesity with in-hospital mortality using logistic regression to adjust for confounders. Results We included 46,329 patients in a complete case analysis. In univariate logistic regression analysis, injury mechanism, presence of a complication, age, sex, need for blood transfusion, Revised Trauma Score, and Injury Severity Score were associated with mortality. On multivariate analysis, including these factors, obesity was significantly associated with mortality (odds ratio 1.36, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.69). Respiratory, thromboembolic, and infectious complications, as defined by PTOS, were more common in obese patients. Conclusions After adjusting for patient and injury characteristics, obesity is associated with increased mortality following trauma. This information may help resolve previous conflicting evidence and guide providers in caring for the obese patient.
Food insecurity, participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the degree to which patients anticipate help from clinics to find food in Los Angeles County

Healthcare clinics are uniquely positioned to screen for food insecurity and refer patients to food resources. This study examines this approach to address this social condition. A 2018 intercept survey of 1,103 adult patients recruited from across 11 clinic waiting rooms in Los Angeles County was conducted to describe the prevalence of food insecurity and whether Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and the degree to which patients anticipated their clinics to help them locate food varied by socio-demographic factors. The prevalence of food insecurity was high for this low-income survey sample (63.4%); 72% of Spanish-speaking Latinx reported experiencing it. For those who experienced food insecurity, older age was associated with lower odds of SNAP participation. Spanish-speaking Latinx had higher odds of anticipating help from a clinic to find food relative to English-speaking Latinx (Adjusted Odds Ratio 1.88, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.18, 2.98). An exploratory analysis showed that common reasons for not enrolling in SNAP included older adults not knowing how to apply to the program and Spanish-speaking Latinx worrying about citizenship status as it relates to the eligibility process. Findings revealed disparities in the prevalence of food insecurity and SNAP participation among patients of Los Angeles' low income clinics. Information from this study can help inform low-income clinics' efforts to intervene on food insecurity in their patient population.
Optimization on fixed low latency implementation of the GBT core in FPGA

In the upgrade of ATLAS experiment [1], the front-end electronics components are subjected to a large radiation background. Meanwhile high speed optical links are required for the data transmission between the on-detector and off-detector electronics. The GBT architecture and the Versatile Link (VL) project are designed by CERN to support the 4.8 Gbps line rate bidirectional high-speed data transmission which is called GBT link [2]. In the ATLAS upgrade, besides the link with on-detector, the GBT link is also used between different off-detector systems. The GBTX ASIC is designed for the on-detector front-end, correspondingly for the off-detector electronics, the GBT architecture is implemented in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA). CERN launches the GBT-FPGA project to provide examples in different types of FPGA [3]. In the ATLAS upgrade framework, the Front-End LInk eXchange (FELIX) system [4, 5] is used to interface the front-end electronics of several ATLAS subsystems. The GBT link is used between them, to transfer the detector data and the timing, trigger, control and monitoring information. The trigger signal distributed in the down-link from FELIX to the front-end requires a fixed and low latency. In this paper, several optimizations on the GBT-FPGA IP core are introduced, to achieve a lower fixed latency. For FELIX, a common firmware will be used to interface different front-ends with support of both GBT modes: the forward error correction mode and the wide mode. The modified GBT-FPGA core has the ability to switch between the GBT modes without FPGA reprogramming. The system clock distribution of the multi-channel FELIX firmware is also discussed in this paper.
The Effect of the Fall of the Berlin Wall on Children’s Noncognitive Skills

The noncognitive skill of conscientiousness has been linked to favorable labor market and health outcomes. But how is conscientiousness affected by events that happen in childhood? We investigate the effects of negative parental selection and economic and social upheaval on conscientiousness in adulthood using data from the German Socioeconomic Panel (SOEP). Our identification strategy exploits the steep drop in fertility that occurred in the former East Germany following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the socialist regime. Using an event study analysis and a difference-in-differences estimator with the former West Germany as a control group, we find that women conceived in East Germany in the three-year period following the fall the Berlin Wall are less conscientious as adults than women born after this period and before the fall of the Berlin Wall. In light of the findings by Chevalier and Marie (2017) that parents who had children coinciding with this collapse in fertility were negatively selected, we interpret our findings as evidence of a detrimental effect of negative parental selection on women’s conscientiousness. In contrast, we find no effects of negative parental selection on the conscientiousness of men.
Total vascular resistance increases during volume-unloading in asymptomatic single ventricle patients.

OBJECTIVE While the surgical stages of single ventricle (SV) palliation serve to separate pulmonary venous and systemic venous return, and to volume-unload the SV, staged palliation also results in transition from parallel to series circulation, increasing total vascular resistance. How this transition affects pressure loading of the SV is as yet unreported. METHODS We performed a retrospective chart review of Stage I, II, and III cardiac catheterization (CC) and echocardiographic data from 2001-2017 in all SV pts, with focus on systemic, pulmonary, and total vascular resistance (SVR, PVR, TVR respectively). Longitudinal analyses were performed with log-transformed variables. Effects of SVR-lowering medications were analyzed using Wilcoxon rank-sum testing. RESULTS There were 372 total patients who underwent CC at a Stage I (median age of 4.4 months, n=310), Stage II (median age 2.7 years, n = 244), and Stage III (median age 7.3 years, n = 113). Total volume loading decreases with progression to Stage III (P< 0.001). While PVR gradually increases from Stage II to Stage III, and SVR increases from Stage I to Stage III, TVR dramatically increases with progress towards series circulation. TVR was not affected by use of systemic vasodilator therapy. TVR, PVR, SVR, and CI did not correlate with indices of SV function at Stage III. CONCLUSIONS TVR steadily increases with an increasing contribution from SVR over progressive stages. TVR was not affected by systemic vasodilator agents. TVR did not correlate with echo-based indices of SV function. Further studies are needed to see if modulating TVR can improve exercise tolerance and outcomes.