cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Real-time Thermal Medium-based Breathing Analysis with Python

Respiration monitoring is an important physiological measurement taken to determine the health of an individual. In clinical sleep studies, respiration activity is monitored to detect sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and respiratory conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Existing methods of respiration monitoring either place sensors on the patient's body, causing discomfort to the patient, or monitor respiration remotely with lower accuracy. We present a method of respiratory analysis that is non-contact, but also measures the exhaled air of a human subject directly through a medium-based exhale visualization technique. In this method, we place a thin medium perpendicular to the exhaled airflow of an individual, and use a thermal camera to record the heat signature from the exhaled breath on the opposite side of the material. Respiratory behaviors are extracted from the thermal data in real time using Python. Our prototype is an embedded, low-power device that performs image and signal processing in realtime with Python, making use of powerful existing Python modules for scientific computing and visualization. Our proposed respiration monitoring technique accurately reports breathing rate, and may provide other metrics not obtainable through other non-contact methods. This method can be useful for medical applications where long-term respiratory analysis is necessary, and for applications that require additional information about breathing behavior.
Using effective web-based tools to address cancer health care disparities.

76Background: Most of the World’s cancer patients live in non-English speaking world. However, there is a lack of authentic web-based cancer informational tools in non-English language, especially ...
The Scathingly Brilliant Scholarship of Lisa Blomgren Amsler (Formerly Bingham)

This essay honors Lisa Blomgren Amsler (formerly Bingham) as an International Association for Conflict Management Jeffrey Z. Rubin Award recipient (2006). Lisa is the author or co‐author of over 125 path‐breaking publications that span the fields of dispute resolution, negotiation, conflict management, public administration, public policy, law, philosophy, and organizational studies, among many others. She the consummate example of “thinking DaVinci” —using lateral thinking, moving fluidly across contexts and perspectives, taking knowledge from one context and applying it to another, and fostering creativity and innovation in scholarship. This article focuses on Lisa's contributions in the areas of mandatory arbitration and the effects of mediation, justice, and justness in alternative dispute resolution and public participation, and collaborative public management. In addition, we highlight Lisa's impact outside the United States. We give Lisa the last word where she analyzes gaps in research and practice, as well as the future of the field.
Refinement of embolic stroke model in rats: effect of post-embolization anesthesia duration on arterial blood pressure, cerebral edema and mortality

Abstract Background Injection of a clot into the internal carotid artery is an experimental model of ischemic stroke that is considered to closely mimic embolic stroke in humans. In this model, the common carotid artery typically remains temporarily occluded to permit time for stabilization of the clot in the middle cerebral artery. However, the associated lengthening of the anesthesia duration could affect arterial blood pressure and stroke outcome. New method We refined the model by examining how increasing isoflurane anesthesia duration from 30 to 60 min after clot embolization affects mortality, infarct volume, edema, blood-brain barrier permeability, and the 8-h post-ischemic time course of blood pressure, which has not been reported previously in this model. Results We found that arterial pressure increased after discontinuing anesthesia in both embolized groups and that the increase was greater than in the corresponding non-embolized sham-operated rats. At 24 h, the group with 60-min post-ischemia anesthesia exhibited greater brain water content and a greater ipsilateral-to-contralateral ratio of extravasated Evans blue dye. Mortality was greater in the 60-min group, but infarct volume among survivors was not different from that in the 30-min anesthesia group. Comparison with existing methods This study refines the embolic stroke model by demonstrating the importance of minimizing the duration of anesthesia after embolization. Conclusions These data indicate that early discontinuation of isoflurane anesthesia after clot embolization permits an earlier hypertensive response that limits edema formation and mortality without significantly affecting infarct volume in survivors, thereby decreasing the required number of animals.
Technology-rich activities: One type does not motivate all

Abstract We report on data collected at three time points during a four-day intervention designed to explore the value added of technology-rich activities within an inquiry mathematics curriculum. Two of the activities were computer-based, whereas the third involved a professionally created movie. Using latent profile analysis we explored (a) the profiles of experiences (indicated by self-reports of immersion, interest, usefulness, and relatedness of the technology activity) that students in Grades 5–8 (n = 7774) reported regarding their participation in one of three different activities; (b) the motivational and achievement outcomes in mathematics that were evident by being a member of one of these latent profiles; and (c) the factors that predicted students’ membership into one of these profiles of technology experience. Results showed that: (1) three latent profiles emerged from the data; (2) the profiles predicted mathematics learning and motivation; and (3) grade level, prior mathematics achievement, prior mathematics interest, and students’ feelings of how autonomy supportive their teachers are predicted membership into these profiles. Results support and refine the literature in educational psychology regarding models of motivation and engagement, as well as the literature in educational technology concerning the motivational affordances of technology.
Assessing the effectiveness of vibrotactile feedback on a 2D navigation task

The effect of vibrotactile parameters were investigated on a 2D navigation task. Participants performed a simple navigation task reproducing directional information presented by a series of vibrotactile stimuli consisting of different levels of amplitude and frequency. Task completion time and degree of annoyance were measured. The results demonstrated that both frequency and amplitude had a significant effect on the responses. In addition, interaction effects between the two parameters were found on the responses. It was concluded that user performance and comfort are significantly affected by frequency and amplitude. The results give some insight into designing navigating information presented by vibrotactile display for visually impaired people. More studies with people with visual impairment and manipulation of other vibrotactile parameters are recommended to be applicable to the potential research.
Neuropsychopharmacological Actions of Taurine

Taurine, an endogenous amino sulfonic acid, exhibits numerous neuropsychopharmacological activities. Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that it is an effective anti-cataleptic and neuro-protective agent. Current investigations show that acute or chronic administration of psychotropic drug cocaine may increase extracellular release of endogenous taurine which may protect against deleterious effects of the substances of abuse. Taurine administration was found to prevent cocaine-induced addiction by suppressing spontaneous locomotor activity and conditioned place preference. Taurine markedly delayed tail-flick response in rats which was significantly different from that in the group of animal receiving the same volume of saline, thereby indicating that taurine is a potentially valuable analgesic agent. Both taurine and endomorphin-1 were found to suppress the delayed broad negative evoked field potentials in anterior insular cortex (upper layer 5) by partially inhibiting NMDA receptor system. Thus, taurine is a unique psychopharmacological compound with potential for a variety of therapeutic uses including as a neuro-protective, anti-cataleptic, anti-addicting, and analgesic agent.
Observation of the Infrared Spectrum of the Hydrogen Molecular Ion H D

The vibration-rotational spectrum of the hydrogen molecular ion H${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ has been observed by means of a new ion-beam laser-resonance method employing Doppler-effect tuning and collisional detection. Six transition-frequency groups between 1642 and 1869 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, exhibiting partially resolved hyperfine structure, have been measured to \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 1 ppm. The accuracy exceeds that of present theoretical calculations of H${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ energy levels.
n-3 Fatty Acids and the Eicosanoid System

Cardiovascular diseases are rare among Eskimos living on their traditional maritime diet even though this diet is high in calories, rich in fat and relatively low in “classical” polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-6 type, but rich in polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids (2,6,13). Furthermore, although it had already been observed almost 30 years ago that fish oil reduces blood fat levels even more than n-6 fatty acid rich vegetable oil do (1), the potential of the n-3 fatty acids — contained neither in butter nor margarine in any relevant amount — in atherothrombotic and chronic inflammatory diseases was not recognized for a long time.
Bile acids substituted in the 6 position prevent cholesterol gallstone formation in the hamster.

Abstract The aim of the present study is to examine the efficacy of 6-hydroxy substituted bile acids on the prevention of cholesterol gallstones in a new hamster model of cholesterol cholelithiasis. Male golden Syrian hamsters were fed a nutritionally adequate semipurified lithogenic diet consisting of casein, cornstarch, soluble starch, butterfat, corn oil, and cellulose plus 0.3% cholesterol. Six different bile acids were added to this diet at the 0.05% level: chenodeoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid, hyodeoxycholic acid, murideoxycholic acid, 6β-methyl-hyodeoxycholic acid, and 6α-methyl-murideoxycholic acid. At the end of the 6-wk feeding period, the control group receiving the lithogenic diet had a 55% incidence of gallstones. It was found that all bile acids had inhibited the formation of cholesterol gallstones; complete prevention of gallstones was observed with all 4 3,6-dihydroxy bile acids, whereas chenodeoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid were somewhat less effective (80% and 75% prevention, respectively). The accumulation of cholesterol in serum and liver induced by the lithogenic diet was inhibited to some extent by all of the bile acids; hyodeoxycholic acid, murideoxycholic acid, and 6β-methylhyodeoxycholic acid were most effective in this respect. The administered bile acids tended to predominate in bile in the case of chenodeoxycholic acid, hyodeoxycholic acid, and 6β-methyl-hyodeoxycholic acid. In contrast, ursodeoxycholic acid seemed to be converted to chenodeoxycholic acid and murideoxycholic acid to hyodeoxycholic acid. Only 4% of the 6-methyl analogue of murideoxycholic acid, 6α-methyl-murideoxycholic acid, was recovered in gallbladder bile. These experiments show that the new hamster model of cholesterol cholelithiasis is suitable for gallstone-prevention studies. It was not possible to draw definite conclusions concerning the mechanism of action of the administered bile acids on the basis of cholesterol saturation or the presence of liquid crystals. The detailed mechanism of gallstone prevention by hydrophilic bile acids in this model remains to be elucidated.
THE PROBLEMS OF SCIENCE WITHOUT EXPERIMENTS

This chapter discusses the problems of nonexperimental science associated with artificial intelligence. Nonexperimental statistical studies are the only way to get information that helps to decide questions of health or public policy. In many statistical studies in the social sciences, equations may be written down and references cited, but little or no justification is given for the assumptions that are made, the hypotheses put forward are not tested, and no predictions of any consequence are derived. It is important to recognize the difference between practice and principle. If much of the quantitative work that aims to extract causal conclusions from nonexperimental data is not very convincing, then that might be either because of reasons of principle that cannot be overcome or because of individual lapses that can be overcome. The notion of applying artificial intelligence techniques to the problems of statistical model specification is not really novel. Several programs have been developed or proposed that apply artificial intelligence techniques to statistical modeling. Systems have been developed to test automatically the adequacy of common modeling assumptions, such as linearity and normality, and to suggest transformations of variables or other changes where these assumptions fail.
An Exercise to Demonstrate Soil Microbial Diversity in Introductory Environmental Science Classrooms

High diversity of microorganisms in the soil matrix has been the focus of extensive research in the fields of soil biology and microbial ecology, and is a key concept that students in the environmental or biological sciences should understand. Two activities to demonstrate diversity and highlight the challenges faced in studying soil microbial diversity are presented here. Using a bag (soil sample) containing different candy types (soil microbes), students explore isolation and molecular techniques, two strategies used in studying microbial diversity, and are asked to consider the limitations these methods have in understanding complex microbial communities. In a second activity students use this collection of candy to construct mock-phylogenetic trees. These hands-on activities provide students with a fun way to learn about microbial diversity. Student assessment scores increased by 35% after participating in these activities and results from final exam questions show that a high percentage of studentsretained the major concepts demonstrated during these activities.
A low-loss inductor structure and design guidelines for high-frequency applications

Operation in the high-frequency (HF) regime (3–30 MHz) has potential for miniaturizing power electronics, but designing small efficient inductors at HF can be challenging. At these frequencies, losses due to skin and proximity effects are difficult to reduce, and gaps needed to keep $\boldsymbol {B}$ fields low in the core add fringing field loss. We propose a low-loss inductor structure with step-by-step design guidelines for HF applications. The structure achieves low loss through double-sided conduction in its single-layer winding and through quasi-distributed gaps. An example ∼15 μH inductor designed using the proposed design guidelines achieved an experimental quality factor of 720 at 3 MHz and 2A (peak) of ac current. The inductor also improved a high-current-swing power converter operated at 1–3 MHz; at 250 W, the inductor reduced converter losses by 19%, compared to a conventional inductor design. In some cases, litz wire may further improve the performance of the proposed structure. With litz wire, the example inductor had an improved quality factor of 980. Thus, the proposed inductor geometry and design guidelines are suitable for small highly efficient inductors at HF and can thereby help realize high-frequency miniaturization of power electronics. (This paper is accompanied by an example Python script for generating preliminary designs, available in the online supplementary material.)
Direct Democracy, Educative Effects, and the (Mis)Measurement of Ballot Measure Awareness

A century ago, Progressive reformers in the U.S. introduced the institutional innovations of direct democracy, claiming these reforms would cultivate better citizens. Two decades of high-profile research have supported and challenged the relationship between direct democracy, increased attention to politics, and a higher turnout rate. We propose, however, that a necessary condition of the “educative effects” model is voter familiarity with initiatives and referendums. While some research has examined ballot measure awareness, we suspect that that the standard measurements—e.g., “Have you heard of Proposition X?”—overestimate actual knowledge. Specifically, we measure ballot measure knowledge in a manner requiring voters to demonstrate familiarity with specific measures rather than merely asserting broad familiarity. Our approach reveals that the public’s awareness of statewide ballot measures, both in the abstract and with respect to particular measures, is far lower than past research suggests. Importantly, it also reveals that people with high levels of education, political interest, and knowledge of national politics are the most likely to misrepresent their ballot measure awareness.
Oxygenation and Hemodynamics during Chest Compressions in a Lamb Model of Perinatal Asphyxia Induced Cardiac Arrest

The current guidelines recommend the use of 100% O₂ during resuscitation of a neonate requiring chest compressions (CC). Studies comparing 21% and 100% O₂ during CC were conducted in postnatal models and have not shown a difference in incidence or timing of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The objective of this study is to evaluate systemic oxygenation and oxygen delivery to the brain during CC in an ovine model of perinatal asphyxial arrest induced by umbilical cord occlusion. Pulseless cardiac arrest was induced by umbilical cord occlusion in 22 lambs. After 5 min of asystole, lambs were resuscitated with 21% O₂ as per Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) guidelines. At the onset of CC, inspired O₂ was either increased to 100% O₂ (n = 25) or continued at 21% (n = 9). Lambs were ventilated for 30 min post ROSC and FiO₂ was gradually titrated to achieve preductal SpO₂ of 85-95%. All lambs achieved ROSC. During CC, PaO₂ was 21.6 ± 1.6 mm Hg with 21% and 23.9 ± 6.8 mm Hg with 100% O₂ (p = 0.16). Carotid flow was significantly lower during CC (1.2 ± 1.6 mL/kg/min in 21% and 3.2 ± 3.4 mL/kg/min in 100% oxygen) compared to baseline fetal levels (27 ± 9 mL/kg/min). Oxygen delivery to the brain was 0.05 ± 0.06 mL/kg/min in the 21% group and 0.11 ± 0.09 mL/kg/min in the 100% group and was significantly lower than fetal levels (2.1 ± 0.3 mL/kg/min). Immediately after ROSC, lambs ventilated with 100% O₂ had higher PaO₂ and pulmonary flow. It was concluded that carotid blood flow, systemic PaO₂, and oxygen delivery to the brain are very low during chest compressions for cardiac arrest irrespective of 21% or 100% inspired oxygen use during resuscitation.
Surface MDA8 ozone variability during cold front events over the contiguous United States during 2003–2017

Abstract Cold fronts are mesoscale meteorological phenomena that play important roles in chemical transport processes. Effects of a single cold front episode on surface ozone may vary since meteorological factors may alter ozone in different (increasing or decreasing) directions. We studied cold front events and their effects on surface maximum daily 8-h average (MDA8) ozone over the Contiguous United States (CONUS) during 2003–2017. The average number of cold front days in the CONUS was 50.02 days per year per site with a slightly increasing trend (1.06 per year) during 2003–2017. The Rocky Mountains blocked most cold fronts for the Northwest and the Southwest. Percentages of 24 h back trajectories from north side in 12 sample cities show that cold front effects exist ±12 h to cold fronts' arrival at least. Compared to all days’ average, MDA8 ozone differs from prefrontal days, cold front 1st days, cold front 2 + days, and post frontal days by 0.10, −0.94, −0.84, and −1.89 ppbv (−0.89 ppbv on average), respectively. By contrast, they overlapped 9.85%, 5.82%, 0.89%, and 5.04%, respectively (21.60% in total) with ozone exceedance days. Regional consistent long-term effects of cold fronts on surface MDA8 ozone have been found. Enhancements during prefrontal days can be seen in the Northeast and the Midwest during non-winter seasons. For cold front days and post frontal days, ozone differences in the Southwest, the Northwest, and the Northeast were negative in non-winter seasons then reversed to positive in winter. The areas along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico showed positive ozone difference in non-winter seasons and expanded to the inland area during summer then reversed to negative in winter. Synergy of cold fronts and other climatic and meteorological factors (e.g., prefrontal stagnation, southerly flow from the Gulf of Mexico, and winter stratospheric intrusions) can preliminarily explain these consistent long-term effects.
An empirical assessment of breast cancer treatment charges by survival status.

e11541 Background: Breast cancer treatment can be costly, but it remains unknown if charges differ between patients who die during treatment compared to survivors. The objective of this study was t...
Instruments of Acquisition and Reflections of Desire: English Nautical Charts and Islamic Shores, 1650–1700

In the seventeenth century, English maritime activity along Islamic shores played a vital role in the growth of English maritime prowess and empire. This chapter analyzes English nautical cartographic sources, in conjunction with Edward Barlow’s illustrated mariner’s journal (1659–1703), as visual records of the pragmatic attitudes and realities of English trade throughout the Islamic World during the late seventeenth century. In the English geographic imagination of the period, the Islamic World began at the Straits of Gibraltar, stretched along the southern shores of Mediterranean and Black Seas, continued all along the Northeastern shores of Africa, through the Red Sea, across India, and into the Spice Islands of the Banda Sea. The Islamic World, then, was vast, profitable, and necessary in the race for empire, as the exploits of the Levant Company and the infamous East India Company show. To do so, however, English merchants and mariners were required to embrace nautical cartography as a means to acquire and envision the fabled wealth of the Orient. Accordingly, surviving English cartographic sources, be they charts or coastal views, are as much embodiments of merchant and even ministerial interests as they are artistic and navigational artifacts, offering unrivalled insights into the conceptions and conventions of the period. English sailors thus helped to define the realities of English trade to the Islamic World by utilizing, expanding, and relaying their geographic knowledge. Edward Barlow’s unique journal includes several cartographic images among his innumerable illustrations and lengthy narrative of voyages across the globe. In addition to sailing to Tripoli and throughout the East Indies, Barlow fought off the notorious pirate Captain Kidd in the Red Sea before chronicling a month-long trading foray in Mocha, Yemen, and escorting local ships carrying pilgrims on the Hajj. Surviving English charts and Edward Barlow’s journal offer a distinct vantage point to visualize late seventeenth-century English activity along Islamic shores, reflecting an incessant commercial pragmatism amidst emergent imperial aspirations.
1433 A 13 Year Review of Uterine Endometrial Ablation Device Events Using Categorization of Reports to the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (Maude) Data Base

Study Objective Usefully categorize reports on endometrial ablation device events using the FDA MAUDE database. Design The FDA MAUDE database was reviewed using brand name searches: Novasure, Genesys HTA, Thermachoice, Minerva, and HerOption. Reported events were categorized as follows: Type I , non-injury equipment malfunction; Type II , an injury event not requiring hospitalization; Type III , an injury requiring hospitalization. Setting 13-year FDA MAUDE database review (2005-2018). Patients or Participants N/A. Interventions N/A. Measurements and Main Results 1518 MAUDE reports were categorized as follows: Novasure: Type I: 92/550 (16.7%), Type II: 273/550 (49.6%), Type III: 185/550 (33.6%); Genesys HTA: Type I: 140/432(32.40%), Type II: 259/432 (58.1%), Type III: 42/432 (9.49%); Thermachoice: Type I: 315/466 (67.60%), Type II: 78/466 (16.74%), and Type III: 73/466 (15.67%); Minerva: Type I: 13/56 (23.21%), Type II: 9/56 (16.07%), and Type III: 34/56 (60.71%); Her Option: Type I: 4/14 (28.57%), Type II: 0 (0%), and Type III:10/14 (71.43%). Novasure, Minerva, and Her Option had a greater percent of events due to bowel injury while Genesys HTA and Thermachoice had a greater percent of events due to vaginal/cervical/external thermal injuries. Over 50% of HTA Geneysis events were due to vaginal/cervical/external thermal injuries while greater than 50% of Novasure events were due to uterine perforation. Thermachoice had greater than 60% of events due to balloon rupture device malfunction. Conclusion The MAUDE database serves as a valuable tool for physicians to evaluate the safety and possible complications from existing and new technologies. Categorizing events as described here may improve clinicians’ ability to interpret MAUDE data. Large differences in report type were noted between brands of endometrial ablation devices. The percentage of Type III events by device were highest for HerOption, Minerva, and Novasure. Caution must be made when interpreting the data from the MAUDE database due to potential subjective and incomplete narrative, lack of outcome details, and erroneous or duplicate submissions.
Antibiotics: From the Beginning to the Future: Part 2

We read, write, and discuss the option of adding new agents to the armamentarium of antibiotic therapy very frequently. However, the past and present has taught us that resistance is likely to develop to any and all kinds of antibiotics. Here we start with an overview of potential future antibiotics from novel sources and targets that may circumvent most known resistance mechanisms. The other future options for antibiotic discovery include antibiotic hybridization, harvesting, and modifying natural antimicrobial peptides from eukaryote and prokaryote organisms. Non bacteriostatic and bactericidal agents that have the potential of becoming therapeutic agents include bacterial attachment inhibitors, bacteriophages, and live microbial vectors. In this review, we have incorporated all the possible avenues that might be useful in the future. However, none is more important than relearning the judicious use of antibiotics based on microbiology, pharmacology, and genetics.
The Influence of Religiosity/Spirituality on Sex Life Satisfaction and Sexual Frequency: Insights from the Baylor Religion Survey

Prior literature has generally found either a null or positive association between sex life satisfaction and religiosity. However, different studies have used various measures of religiosity and have focused on different demographics along the dimensions of age, marital status, and gender, limiting what can be determined in terms of moderating and cross-demographic effects. This shortcoming is germane because it may explain the differing findings in the literature. This study drew on the nationally representative 2017 Baylor Religion Survey (N = 1501) to test relationships among sex life satisfaction, sexual frequency, and a variety of different religious measures while testing for demographic moderators. Results suggest that religion and spirituality have a strong and significant association with sex life satisfaction while controlling for basic sociodemographic variables, and that this relationship is consistent across marital status, age, and gender. The positive association between religion and sexual frequency appeared to be limited to more intrinsic, personal forms such as self-rated spirituality and frequency of prayer. This association did not exist for non-married individuals, however, and among non-marrieds those who attend religious services more reported lower sexual frequency. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.
Investigation and analysis of brucellosis infection in non-occupational population in Tongxiang City of Zhejiang Province

Objective To analyze the cases of brucellosis in non-occupational population in Tongxiang City of Zhejiang Province, and to provide a scientific basis for making strategies in brucellosis prevention and control. Methods Rose bengal plate agglutination test (RBPT) and serum tube agglutination test (SAT) were used to detect brucellosis in the general population who were closely contacted with cases in non-occupational groups and who had brucellosis-related symptoms. If the pathogen result was positive, Brandt strain type identification should be done to analyze the reasons for non-occupational population who infected with brucellosis. Results A total of 7 cases of brucellosis were detected in the non-occupational groups, which accounted for 14.58% of the total number of cases (7/48). Misdiagnosis was common, seasonal incidence was not obvious, transmission route and population infected were diverse. Conclusion The incidence rate of brucellosis is an upward trend, public brucellosis prevention knowledge should be strengthened, and training in diagnostic and treating skills for medical professionals should be provided. Key words: Brucellosis; Non-occupational population; Investigation and analysis
Online Algorithms for Multi-shop Ski Rental with Machine Learned Predictions

Uncertainty plays a critical role in many real world applications where the decision maker is faced with multiple alternatives with different costs. These decisions arise in our daily lives, such as whether to rent an apartment or buy a house, which cannot be answered reliably without knowledge of the future. These decisionmaking problems are usually modeled as online rent-or-buy problems, such as the classical ski rental problem [4, 5, 8]. Two paradigms have been widely studied to deal with such uncertainty. On the one hand, online algorithms are designed without prior knowledge to the problem, and competitive ratio (CR) is used to characterize the goodness of the algorithm in lack of the future. On the other hand, machine learning is applied to address uncertainty by making future predictions via building robust models on prior data.
Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy as a Presenting Sign of CRAO in Sickle Cell Disease Treated with Tissue Plasminogen Activator.

Purpose We report the case of a 27-year-old monocular woman with history of sickle cell disease who received intra-arterial tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) after presenting with acute painless vision loss secondary to incomplete central retinal artery occlusion presenting as paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) in her left eye. Methods Ultra-widefield fundus photography, ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography, en face ocular coherence tomography (OCT), and ocular coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) were obtained and reviewed, followed by cerebral angiography and infusion of intra-arterial tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Results A patient with a history of sickle cell disease presented with new onset of a dense central scotoma and visual acuity diminished to 20/200 from baseline 20/20 in her left eye. Fluorescein angiogram was non-diagnostic. OCT revealed perifoveal hyperreflective bands in the inner nuclear layer in a pattern characteristic of PAMM. The patient received intra-arterial tPA through her left ophthalmic artery shortly after presentation, resulting in a gradual restoration of visual acuity to 20/20 in the three months following the procedure. Conclusions This is the first report describing the use of intra-arterial tPA to treat incomplete central retinal artery occlusion presenting as a PAMM lesion in a patient with sickle cell disease.
Gas6/Axl Signaling Pathway in the Tumor Immune Microenvironment

Receptor tyrosine kinases have been shown to dysregulate a number of pathways associated with tumor development, progression, and metastasis. Axl is a receptor tyrosine kinase expressed in many cancer types and has been associated with therapy resistance and poor clinical prognosis and outcomes. In addition, Axl and its ligand growth arrest specific 6 (Gas6) protein are expressed by a number of host cells. The Gas6/Axl signaling pathway has been implicated in the promotion of tumor cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and immune evasion. As a result, Axl is an attractive, novel therapeutic target to impair multiple stages of tumor progression from both neoplastic and host cell axes. This review focuses on the role of the Gas6/Axl signaling pathway in promoting the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, as immune evasion is considered one of the hallmarks of cancer. The review discusses the structure and activation of the Gas6/Axl signaling pathway, GAS6 and AXL expression patterns in the tumor microenvironment, mechanisms of Axl-mediated tumor immune response, and the role of Gas6/Axl signaling in immune cell recruitment.
Mapping the human helminthiases: advances and gaps in neglected disease surveillance

Abstract Infections with parasitic worms, or helminthiases, are a class of neglected tropical diseases that affect at least one billion people worldwide. While some infections are asymptomatic, others can cause severe health conditions such as blindness, epilepsy, and cancer. The burden of these conditions disproportionately affects people in resource-poor areas, making many helminthiases chronically understudied. Mapping helminth outbreaks, prevalence, and habitats in affected regions can offer valuable insights into the spatial scope and burden of these infections. In this study, we conducted a systematic literature review of 232 helminth species that have been recorded infecting humans. Selected out of 6,829 abstracts, we analyzed 485 mapping studies documenting, inferring, or predicting the spatial scope of 45 helminth species. We use these studies to identify hotspots and coldspots of research effort, to highlight gaps in spatial data for particularly harmful or prevalent species, and to collect information about co-occurrence and syndemics among helminthiases and with other diseases. We finally suggest ways these findings could help direct future mapping studies, and ultimately inform public health interventions in understudied and underfunded regions.
Indian Country's Borders: Territoriality, Immunity, and the Construction of Tribal Sovereignty

This Article explores the consequences of an anomaly in the Supreme Court’s Indian law jurisprudence. In the past few decades, the Court has sharply limited the regulatory powers of tribal governments and the jurisdiction of tribal courts while leaving intact the sovereign immunity that tribes have traditionally enjoyed. The result has been that tribes can avoid the effects of otherwise-applicable state and federal law, while at the same time they lack any affirmative powers to regulate events within their territory. This Article argues that this state of affairs is untenable. This Article first suggests that for tribes to exist as effective governments, their sovereign authority must have a territorial component. The Article then discusses the undesirable consequences of tribal sovereign immunity, including a lack of government accountability, increased uncertainty about the law’s reach, and inadequate compensation for tort victims. Ultimately, this Article concludes that, although it may be tempting for tribal advocates to embrace tribal sovereign immunity when the Supreme Court seems disinclined to preserve other elements of tribal sovereignty, relying on immunity as the cornerstone of sovereignty would be a mistake. Instead, tribes should take steps to strengthen the territorial component of their sovereign status.
Overcoming Communication Barriers: An evaluation of communication devices for healthcare providers wearing powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs)

Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased use of Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs), by health care providers to mitigate the risk of viral transmission, especially for aerosol-generating procedures. In this study, we evaluate communication devices that could be used concurrently with PAPRs to promote improved communication. Methods We tested two devices, a Bluetooth earpiece and a throat microphone that operated over mobile networks, against a control scenario in a simulated operating room environment with participants donning PAPRs. Participants read a short paragraph to each other, transcribed short phrases, and evaluated the scenarios according to speech intelligibility, ease of use, and comfort. Results There were 30 participants of varying PAPR experience. The Bluetooth headset had the most accurate transcriptions, followed by control, and lastly the neckpiece (94.7%vs 88.4%vs 76%, p Conclusion Communication devices have the potential to bridge but also worsen communications barriers between providers donning PAPRs.
A Retrospective Quality Improvement Study to Describe Operational Management Strategies in an Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Abstract The delivery of care in the inpatient rehabilitation setting was disrupted during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As a 150-bed freestanding inpatient rehabilitation facility in the epicenter of the pandemic, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital was required to increase overall bed capacity for regional overflow needs and still maintain our mission to provide inpatient rehabilitation for patients with and without COVID-19. During the period between March and September 2020, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital treated over 300 rehabilitation patients who were COVID-19 positive and at one point had a census that was >50% COVID-19 positive. A model grounded in 5 priorities—communication, personal protective equipment, clinical service delivery, discharge planning, and patient/staff support—was implemented to reprioritize daily operations and ensure patient and staff safety while providing valuable rehabilitation services. The delivery of physical, occupational, speech, and recreational therapy services transformed, and a number of innovative clinical practices were developed. During the study period, 100% of our patients continued to be scheduled to receive therapy services. Patient length of stay values did increase during the pandemic (from 16.38d to 19.93d), and slightly more patients were discharged to home (68.7% compared with 68.3%). Despite modifications to rehabilitation care delivery, patients continued to make functional gains in the areas of self-care, mobility, and walking. Flexible leadership was pivotal in the development and implementation of new processes and procedures to meet the evolving needs of patients, staff, and the organization as a whole.
Development of high-speed, integrated high-resolution optical coherence microscopy and dual-channel fluorescence microscopy for the simultaneous co-registration of reflectance and fluorescence signals

Abstract Optical coherence microscopy is an imaging technique capable of generating three-dimensional images of structures in tissue, but with limited functional imaging ability. Fluorescence microscopy offers functional information of cellular activities. The integration of both imaging modalities can enable the evaluation of the impact of structural information on cells activities. To develop an integrated system combining high-resolution optical coherence microscopy (HR-OCM) and dual-channel scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy (DC-SCFM) to enable the co-registration of structural and functional information. Different strategies to enable the simultaneous recording of information, as well as to overcome the focal plane mismatch between both imaging modalities were developed. The system's performances were evaluated in imaging fluorescence microspheres embedded in multi-layer tape and silicone phantom. HR-OCM achieved an axial resolution of 2.4-µm in tissue over an imaging depth of 1-mm. A speed of 250 kHz and a lateral resolution of 2-µm over a field-of-view of 1.1 mm ×1.1 mm were demonstrated with the combined system. DC-SCFM allowed to discriminate between green and red microspheres while HR-OCM enabled their depth localization. The combined system is synergistic in generating structural and functional information of samples, and has the potential to enable new investigations of biological processes in animal models.
Chapter 7 Evaluation of Turgidity, Plasmolysis, and Deplasmolysis of Plant Cells

Publisher Summary Of available procedures suitable for research on living cells, only the experimental exploitation of the osmotic properties of the cell has brought about significant progress toward understanding the functioning of the living plant cell. This approach led to an evaluation of the osmotic quantities of the cell, discovery of the differential permeability of the protoplasmic envelope, and the first data on the composition of cell membranes, which were confirmed by studies with the electron microscope. Improvement of the simple techniques of microscopy resulted in increasingly elaborate procedures used in the discovery of the permeability series. Significant differences in these permeability series were found for various cell types and for the same material when conditions were different. To these findings, information on other qualities of the protoplasm was obtained from plasmolysis experiments. Only detailed analysis of the water relations of plants under different environmental conditions explains the interaction of the factors involved in their water economy. The osmotic quantities of the cells that control the water flow are key factors in recognizing the quantitative water relationships. Voluminous data are available on changes in turgidity and plasmolysis, but information on the osmotic behavior of the cell and of the qualities of the living protoplasm is still insufficient.
Delivering cutting edge OOP curriculum in a time of resource reduction (without sacrificing quality)

Consistently delivering cutting edge OOP curriculum and instruction in the computer science discipline in times of economic constraint is an on-going challenge. This paper outlines the modifications made by one institution to the curriculum and delivery of the CS1 sequence in a time of reduced resources. Constraints leading to the compromises are discussed, as are the consequences that resulted. The process of continuously modifying the program based on feedback from faculty, students and graduate assistants directly involved in the course is described. Local impact of two delivery strategies on student attrition rates is presented. Recommendations for course management are provided as well as lessons learned for those faced with similar resource constraints.
A variational segmentation framework using active contours and thresholding

Segmentation involves separating distinct regions in an image. In this note, we present a novel variational approach to perform this task. We propose an energy functional that naturally combines two segmentation techniques usually applied separately: intensity thresholding and geometric active contours. Although our method can deal with more complex image statistics, intensity averages are used to separate regions, in this present work. The proposed approach affords interesting properties that can lead to sensible segmentation results.
Total relative displacement of vertex permutations of K n 1 , n 2 , …, n t

Let α denote a permutation of the n vertices of a connected graph G. Define δα(G) to be the number $\sum |d(x,y)-d(\alpha (x),\alpha(y))|$, where the sum is over all the $\left({n \atop 2} \right)$ unordered pairs of distinct vertices of G. The number δα(G) is called the total relative displacement of α (in G). So, permutation α is an automorphism of G if and only if δα(G) = 0. Let π(G) denote the smallest positive value of δα(G) among the ne permutations α of the vertices of G. A permutation α for which π(G) = δα(G) has been called a near-automorphism of G [2]. We determine π(Kn1,n2,…,nt) and describe permutations α of Kn1,n2,…,nt for which π(Kn1,n2,…,nt) = δα(Kn1,n2,…,nt). This is done by transforming the problem into the combinatorial optimization problem of maximizing the sums of the squares of the entries in certain t by t matrices with non–negative integer entries in which the sum of the entries in the ith row and the sum of the entries in the ith column each equal to ni,1≤i≤t. We prove that for positive integers, n1≤n2≤…≤nt, where t≥2 and nt≥2,$\pi {(K_{n_1 ,{n}_2 , \ldots ,{n}_t} }) = \left \{\matrix{2{ n}_{ h + 1} - 2\hfill \quad\quad{\rm if} \,\,\, 1 = { n}_1 = { n}_2 = \cdots = {n_h} < { n}_{{ h} + 1}\hfill \cr \quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\le \cdots \le { n}_{t} , {\rm and}\ {t}\ge(h + 1),\hfill\cr \quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad{\rm for\ some} \ { h}\ge 2,\hfil \cr 2{ n}_{{ k}_0}\hfill \quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad{\rm if} \,\,\, 1 = {n_1} < { n}_2\ {\rm or}\ { n}_1 \ge 2, {n}_{{ k} + 1} = {n}_{ k} + 1,\hfill \cr \;\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad{\rm\ for\ some}\ k, 1\le { k} \le { t} - 1,\ \cr \;\quad\quad\quad\quad{\rm and}\ 2+ { n}_{{ k}_0 } \le { n}_1 + { n}_2 , \cr 2({ n}_1 + { n}_2 - 2)\hfill {\rm otherwise},\hfill\hfill\hfill\hfill\hfill\cr } \right.$ where k0 is the smallest index for which nk0+1 = nk0+1. As a special case, we correct the value of π(Km,n), for all m and n at least 2, given by Chartrand, Gavlas, and VanderJagt [2]. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 41: 85–100, 2002
'Islamic Law' in U.S. Courts: Judicial Jihad or Constitutional Imperative?

At the beginning of 2014, about a dozen states introduced or re-introduced bills to ban the use of Sharī’ah law. They hope to join the seven states that have ostensibly banned it to date. Anti-Sharī’ah advocates have cited a number of cases to back their tenuous claim that Sharī’ah is stealthily sneaking in through the doctrine of comity, but a close examination of the cases they cite contradicts their claim. Comity, when one court defers to the jurisdiction of another, has been accepted and denied based on legal principles and public policy, on a case-by-case basis. There is no creeping Sharī’ah overtaking the American legal system, but plenty of plain bigotry in the form of Islamophobia. The evidence suggests that courts treat claims by Muslims using religious law the same way they deal with claims brought by those of other faiths and those of no faith — sometimes they are accepted and sometimes they are rejected. The Paper concludes that, far from evidencing creeping Sharī’ah or a surrender to judicial Jihad, the cases only confirm that the American Constitution and legal principles stand firm and pre-eminent; Muslims merely have had access to the dockets, nothing more.