cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automatic acquisition of names using speak and spell mode in spoken dialogue systems

This paper describes a novel multi-stage recognition procedure for deducing the spelling and pronunciation of an open set of names. The overall goal is the automatic acquisition of unknown words in a human computer conversational system. The names are spoken and spelled in a single utterance, achieving a concise and natural dialogue flow. The first recognition pass extracts letter hypotheses from the spelled part of the waveform and maps them to phonemic hypotheses via a hierarchical sublexical model capable of generating graphemephoneme mappings. A second recognition pass determines the name by combining information from the spoken and spelled part of the waveform, augmented with language model constraints. The procedure is integrated into a spoken dialogue system where users are asked to enroll their names for the first time. The acquisition process is implemented in multiple parallel threads for real-time operation. Subsequent to inducing the spelling and pronunciation of a new name, a series of operations automatically updates the recognition and natural language systems to immediately accommodate the new word. Experiments show promising results for letter and phoneme accuracies on a preliminary dataset.
Renal Vascular Clamp Placement: A Potential Cause of Incomplete Hilar Control during Partial Nephrectomy

Purpose: Previous benchtop studies have shown that robotic bulldog clamps provide incomplete vascular control of a Penrose drain. We determined the efficacy of robotic and laparoscopic bulldog clamps to ensure hemostasis on the human renal artery. The effect of clamp position on vascular control was also examined.Materials and Methods: Fresh human cadaveric renal arteries were used to determine the leak point pressure of 7 bulldog clamps from a total of 3 manufacturers. Five trials were performed per clamp at 4 locations, including the fulcrum, proximal, middle and distal positions. Comparison was done using the Kruskal-Wallis test with p <0.05 considered significant.Results: None of the bulldog clamps leaked at a pressure less than 215 mm Hg when applied at the proximal, middle or distal position. In general leak point pressure decreased as the artery was positioned more distal along the clamp. The exception was when the vessel was placed at the fulcrum position. At that position 80% to 100% of trials wi...
Mining the Web for acronyms using the duality of patterns and relations

The Web is a rich source of information, but this information is scattered and hidden in the diversity of web pages. Search engines are windows to the web. However, the current search engines, designed to identify pages with specified phrases have very limited power. For example, they cannot search for phrases related in a particular way (e.g. books and their authors).In this paper we present a solution for identifying a set of inter-related information on the web using the duality concept. Duality problems arise when one tries to identify a pair of inter-related phrases such as (book, author), (name, email) or (acronym, expansion) relations. We propose a solution to this problem that iteratively refines mutually dependent approximations to their identifications. Specifically, we iteratively refine i) pairs of phrases related in a specific way, and ii) the patterns of their occurrences in web pages, i.e. the ways in which the related phrases are marked in the pages. We cast light on the general solution of the duality problems in the web by concentrating on one paradigmatic duality problem i.e. identifying (acronym, expansion) pairs in terms of the patterns of their occurrences in the web pages. The solution to this problem involves two mutually dependent duality problems of 1) the duality between the related pairs and their patterns, and 2) the duality between the related pairs and the acronym formulation rules.
THE MATERNAL TRANSMISSION OF VACCINIAL IMMUNITY IN SWINE : II. THE DURATION OF ACTIVE IMMUNITY IN THE SOW AND OF PASSIVE IMMUNITY IN THE YOUNG

The protective substances produced by vaccinia virus in swine are transmitted repeatedly to the young by way of the colostrum of the sow. In 2 instances suckling immunity was demonstrable in the young of 6 successive farrowings which numbered 37 and 57 individuals, respectively. The immunity acquired by suckling began to decline during the 2nd month and was practically negligible by the end of the 3rd month. Vaccinia virus introduced cutaneously during the first few days of life in the passively protected pigs exerted little or no immunizing effect.
A case of taeniasis diagnosed postpartum.

ABSTRACTA case of postpartum taeniasis will be discussed along with the pathophysiology, proper treatment, potential risks, and prevention of taeniasis infections to the pregnant mother, her infant, and her family members. Taenia spp. infections are relatively rare in developed societies. Increasing immigration to developed countries and an expanding role of medical aid in developing countries will lead to an increase in the number of taeniasis cases seen by medical providers. Taenia solium and T. saginata are the most common species and can be differentiated by proglottids (a segment of a tapeworm containing both male and female reproductive organs) or scolex (the head of a tapeworm which attaches to the intestine of the definitive host). Both carry different risks when considering autoinfection and transmission. Cystercercosis caused by T. solium is a risk for neonates and is cause for immediate treatment of the mother. A 23-year-old new mother, originally from Ethiopia, passed T. strobili shortly after...
The Water Requirements of Broilers

Abstract WET LITTER in poultry houses is a problem of considerable economic importance. Charles et al. (1942) reported that water can become a problem in poultry litter management. Eley and Hoffman (1949) suggested that the level of dietary protein may affect the amount of moisture in the droppings which should in turn directly affect the moisture content of the litter. James and Wheeler (1949) and Wheeler and James (1950) showed the amount of water consumed as well as the amount of droppings produced varied almost directly with the percent of protein in the diet. The direct association of the dietary protein content and the amount of water consumed are probably related to the well known fact that greater amounts of water are required for the metabolism of protein than for carbohydrates or fats. A partial explanation for the relationship of protein content of the diet to the amount of droppings produced …
A direct approach to inference in nonparametric and semiparametric quantile models

We construct a generic confidence interval for a conditional quantile via the direct approach. It avoids estimating the conditional density function of the dependent variable given the covariate and is asymptotically valid for any conditional quantile, any conditional quantile estimator, and any data structure, provided that certain weak convergence of the conditional quantile process holds for the original quantile estimator. We also construct a generic confidence band for the conditional quantile function across a range of covariate values. By using Yang–Stute estimator and two semiparametric quantile functions, we demonstrate the flexibility and simplicity of the direct approach. The advantages of our new confidence intervals are borne out in a simulation study.
Neural correlates of gender differences and color in distinguishing security warnings and legitimate websites: a neurosecurity study

Users have long been recognized as the weakest link in security. Accordingly, researchers have applied knowledge from the fields of psychology and human–computer interaction to understand the security behaviors of users. However, many cognitive processes and responses are unconscious or obligatory and yet still have a profound effect on users’ security behaviors. With this in mind, researchers have begun to apply methods and theories of neuroscience to yield greater insights into the “black box” of user cognition. The goal of this approach—termed neurosecurity—is to better understand and improve users’ behaviors. This study illustrates the potential for neurosecurity by investigating how two fundamental biological factors—gender and color perception—affect users’ reception of security warnings. This is important to determine because research has shown that users frequently fail to appropriately respond to security warnings. We conducted a laboratory experiment using electroencephalography, a proven method of measuring neurological activity in temporally sensitive tasks. We found that the amplitude of the P300—an event-related potential component indicative of decision-making ability—was higher for all participants when viewing malware warning screenshots relative to legitimate website shots. Additionally, we found that the P300 was greater for women than for men, indicating that women exhibit higher brain activity than men when viewing malware warnings. However, we found that there was no change in the P300 when viewing red warnings compared to grayscale warnings. Together, our results demonstrate the value of applying neurosecurity methods to the domain of cybersecurity and point to several promising avenues for future research.
Menstrual cycle carbohydrate metabolism: Studies on plasma insulin and blood glucose levels during an intravenous glucose tolerance test

Both blood glucose and plasma insulin were measured during an intravenous glucose tolerance test performed in the proliferative and secretory phases of a menstrual cycle. No differences in the group values were demonstrated during the cycle. The importance of these findings is discussed.
Frequency Hopping Zero Sidelobe Code Set with Desirable Frequency Selective Fading and Multipath Interference Properties

This paper proposes a method of generating a zerosidelobe code set from a given code/code set via interleaving each code with zeroes and multiplication of their matched filter outputs, resulting in complete cancellation of the side lobes while reinforcing the main lobe. The new code set is generated via up sampling each code, in the underlying desired code set, by a number belonging to a set of relatively prime numbers. Each code is transmitted at a different frequency. With careful selection of the relatively prime numbers, the codes can be interlaced in the time domain resulting in a frequency hopping mechanism. Frequency selective fading will only change the magnitude of the reinforced main lobe, but the cancellation of the side lobes is not affected. This removes a fundamental weakness in Golay complementary sets due to the undesirable effect of inexact cancellation of the side lobes of Golay complementary sets, due to frequency selective fading, resulting in the reemergence of nonzero side lobes. In addition to that, the underlying code set of the proposed scheme can be chosen totally freely without any predetermined conditions, unlike the Golay complementary sets which have to satisfy the complementary property. The proposed code set is also shown to be resistant to the effects of multipath.
Non-Coding RNA Regulatory Networks, Epigenetics, and Programming Stem Cell Renewal and Differentiation: Implications for Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cells play a vital role in the development, maintenance, and repair of tissues and organs, and hold significant promise for tissue repair following injury and disease, and for the cure of degenerative diseases. However, fulfilling the therapeutic potential of stem cell therapy requires that we understand and effectively manage cell-, tissue-, and even organism-specific programs that guide stem cell maturation. In this chapter, I briefly highlight evidence for a core network of genes that control stem cell renewal and maturation. I then focus on emerging evidence for a novel and evolutionary diverse layer of cell regulation, termed “epigenetics”, that controls the fate of stem cells. I also explore emerging evidence for a vast regulatory network of non-protein-coding RNA molecules (ncRNAs) that participate in stem cell renewal and differentiation, by coordinating DNA replication, controlling gene transcription and nuclear chromatin structure and by controlling the translation of cellular mRNAs. The integrative role of epigenetics and ncRNA networks makes these particularly valuable, albeit complex, tools for stem cell programming.
Toward a predictive macrosystems framework for migration ecology

Concern about the sustainability of intercontinental-scale migration systems grows apace with global change. Traditional organism-centred approaches to this problem have provided insights at the population level, but not at the systems level. We are sceptical that an accumulation of data from a species-by-species approach will yield an understanding of these systems in the near term. As an alternative, we advocate a new research programme that grows from an explicitly system-based framework that leverages existing Earth observation infrastructure to make inferences directly at the macrosystem level. We illustrate how this approach can be used to generate and test system-level predictions, using NEXRAD radar data as an example. We urge organismal ecologists to recognize that some of the most urgent migration questions are at the macrosystem scale and that tackling these questions requires an interdisciplinary approach if we are to make progress at a pace that exceeds that of climate change.
The kinetics of crystallization of calcium oxalate trihydrate.

AbstractThe crystal growth of calcium oxalate trihydrate has been studied in supersaturated solutions at 37C under conditions in which the activities of calcium and oxalate ions were maintained constant by the potentiostatically controlled addition of titrant solutions containing these ions. It has been possible to stabilize calcium oxalate trihydrate sufficiently without transformation to the monohydrate, to establish the kinetic behavior. The rate of growth is proportional to the square of the relative supersaturation suggesting a spiral dislocation growth mechanism. Moreover, calcium oxalate trihydrate grows considerably more rapidly than does the monohydrate. Polyphosphate ion inhibits calcium oxalate monohydrate to a much greater extent than trihydrate. In the latter case, the reduction in growth rate in the presence of this ion can be interpreted in terms of a Langmuir isotherm. The stabilization of calcium oxalate trihydrate in the presence of inhibitors by preventing the formation of the transform...
Are Landlords Overcharging Housing Voucher Holders

The structure of rental markets coupled with the design of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), the largest federal housing subsidy for low–income families in the United States, provides the ...
The national longing for form

Until the appearance of Midnight’s Children in 1980, India’s literary agents in the West were, for the most part, obscure intellectual tourists or Indian academics writing in the yellowed volumes of Delhi publishing houses. Srinivasa Iyengar has noted, for example, that at the very moment that Commonwealth fiction was finally getting attention, Indo-English literature — despite its comparative quality and volume — had no following comparable to that of Africa and the Caribbean. In the United States and in Britain, the social conflicts making news in those regions were enough to make their literatures a going issue, whereas India and the Raj (much less the Independence struggle itself) were already an old story.
Protein Kinase C-δ, an Important Signaling Molecule in the Platelet-Derived Growth Factor β Receptor Pathway

The protein kinase C (PKC) family comprises of a group of serine/threonine kinases that are thought to play a central role in cell growth, differentiation and cellular transformation (for reviews see [1, 2]). To date, more than 10 different PKC isoenzymes have been identified. The differential expression pattern of these isoenzymes in different tissues and cell types implicates that they may be involved in different signaling pathways. This prompted us to individually overexpress different PKC isoenzymes (α,β,δ,e,ζ, and η) in an interleukin-3 (IL-3)-dependent murine myeloid progenitor cell line, 32D, in order to investigate their possible involvement in mitogenic and differentiation pathways of hematopoietic cells (3). 32D cells express low levels of PKC- δ, - α and - η, as detected by immunoblot analysis using isoenzyme-specific antibodies (3). After overexpression of different PKCs in 32D cells, none of these transfectants demonstrated any morphological changes in the presence of IL-3, and all remained growth factor dependent. However, treatment of 32D cells overexpressing either PKC- α or PKC- δ (32D/ PKC- δ) with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) resulted in pronounced monocytic differentiation, while the parental 32D cells and other PKC isoenzyme transfectants did not readily undergo monocytic differentiation in response to TPA stimulation (3). These data indicate that PKC- α and PKC- δ play a pivotal role in monocytic differentiation and that the activation of certain substrates involved in differentiation can only occur when PKC- α and PKC- δ are activated in the 32D cell system.
Prognostic Significance of Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation on Outcomes in Acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Managed by Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) has been associated with worse outcome myocardial infarction. However, severity of mitral regurgitation (MR) and its impact on patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains unknown. We sought to determine impact of increasing severity of IMR on outcomes in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI. All patients presenting with STEMI who underwent primary PCI within 12 hours of symptoms from 1994 to 2014 were included. IMR was graded from 0 to 4+ within 3 days of index myocardial infarction by echocardiography. Overall, 4,005 patients with STEMI were included. None, 1+, 2+, 3+, and 4+ MR were present in 3,200 (79.9%), 427 (10.7%), 260 (6.5%), 91 (2.3%), and 27 (0.7%) patients, respectively. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, more severe MR was associated with older age, female gender, lower body mass index, anemia, inferior STEMI, and longer door-to-balloon time. The 30-day mortality rates were 6.8%, 7.3%, 8.8%, 19.8%, and 26.1%, respectively, with increasing grade of MR. The 1-year mortality rates were 10.8%, 12.4%, 20.8%, 37.4%, and 37.1%, whereas 5-year mortality rates were 16.2%, 23.1%, 36.5%, 53.8%, and 63%, respectively (p
Persistent neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment in a rat model of acute diisopropylfluorophosphate intoxication

Acute intoxication with organophosphorus (OP) cholinesterase inhibitors can trigger convulsions that progress to life-threatening status epilepticus. Survivors face long-term morbidity including mild-to-severe decline in memory. It is posited that neuroinflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of OP-induced neuropsychiatric deficits. Rigorous testing of this hypothesis requires preclinical models that recapitulate relevant phenotypic outcomes. Here, we describe a rat model of acute intoxication with the OP diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) that exhibits persistent neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment. Neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and cognitive function were compared in adult male Sprague Dawley rats injected with an acutely toxic dose of DFP vs. vehicle controls at multiple time points up to 36 days post-exposure. Neuroinflammation was quantified using immunohistochemical biomarkers of microglia (ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1, IBA1) and activated astrocytes (glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of [11C]-(R)-PK11195, a ligand for the 18-kDa mitochondrial membrane translocator protein (TSPO). FluoroJade-B staining was used to assess neurodegeneration; Pavlovian conditioning, to assess cognitive function. Animals exhibited moderate-to-severe seizures within minutes of DFP injection that continued for up to 6 h post-injection. As indicated by IBA1 and GFAP immunoreactivity and by PET imaging of TSPO, acute DFP intoxication triggered neuroinflammation in the hippocampus and cortex during the first 3 days that peaked at 7 days and persisted to 21 days post-exposure in most animals. Neurodegeneration was detected in multiple brain regions from 1 to 14 days post-exposure. All DFP-intoxicated animals exhibited significant deficits in contextual fear conditioning at 9 and 20 days post-exposure compared to vehicle controls. Whole-brain TSPO labeling positively correlated with seizure severity score, but did not correlate with performance in the contextual fear-conditioning task. We describe a preclinical model in which acute DFP intoxication causes seizures, persistent neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and memory impairment. The extent of the neuroinflammatory response is influenced by seizure severity. However, the observation that a subset of animals with moderate seizures and minimal TSPO labeling exhibited cognitive deficits comparable to those of animals with severe seizures and significant TSPO labeling suggests that DFP may impair learning and memory circuitry via mechanisms independent of seizures or neuroinflammation.
When and Why Are Deep Networks Better Than Shallow Ones

While the universal approximation property holds both for hierarchical and shallow networks, deep networks can approximate the class of compositional functions as well as shallow networks but with exponentially lower number of training parameters and sample complexity. Compositional functions are obtained as a hierarchy of local constituent functions, where "local functions'' are functions with low dimensionality. This theorem proves an old conjecture by Bengio on the role of depth in networks, characterizing precisely the conditions under which it holds. It also suggests possible answers to the the puzzle of why high-dimensional deep networks trained on large training sets often do not seem to show overfit.
Cross-Dependency Inference in Multi-Layered Networks: A Collaborative Filtering Perspective

The increasingly connected world has catalyzed the fusion of networks from different domains, which facilitates the emergence of a new network model—multi-layered networks. Examples of such kind of network systems include critical infrastructure networks, biological systems, organization-level collaborations, cross-platform e-commerce, and so forth. One crucial structure that distances multi-layered network from other network models is its cross-layer dependency, which describes the associations between the nodes from different layers. Needless to say, the cross-layer dependency in the network plays an essential role in many data mining applications like system robustness analysis and complex network control. However, it remains a daunting task to know the exact dependency relationships due to noise, limited accessibility, and so forth. In this article, we tackle the cross-layer dependency inference problem by modeling it as a collective collaborative filtering problem. Based on this idea, we propose an effective algorithm Fascinate that can reveal unobserved dependencies with linear complexity. Moreover, we derive Fascinate-ZERO, an online variant of Fascinate that can respond to a newly added node timely by checking its neighborhood dependencies. We perform extensive evaluations on real datasets to substantiate the superiority of our proposed approaches.
Robotic Ureteroplasty with Buccal Mucosa Graft for the Management of Complex Ureteral Strictures

Purpose: Surgical management of proximal and mid ureteral strictures that are not amenable to primary excision and anastomosis is challenging. Although a buccal mucosa graft is commonly used during substitution urethroplasty, its use in substitution ureteroplasty is limited. We describe our technique of robotic ureteroplasty with a buccal mucosa graft to manage complex ureteral strictures and we report our outcomes.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 12 patients who underwent robotic ureteroplasty with a buccal mucosa graft between September 2014 and June 2016. The indication for the procedure was a proximal or mid ureteral stricture not amenable to primary excision and anastomosis. The primary outcomes were clinical success, absent symptoms on ureteral pathology and radiological success, defined as absent ureteral obstruction on retrograde pyelography, renal scan and/or computerized tomography.Results: Four of the 12 patients (33.3%) had a ureteropelvic junction stricture, 4...
A Response to the U.S. Anti-Hunger Movement’s Mantras: Deserving Objects of Assistance, Daily (Pyrrhic) Victories, and Protracted States of Emergency

First paragraph: Andrew Fisher, a co-founder of the Commu­nity Food Security Coalition, masterfully reveals the corporate collusion that dominates much of the anti-hunger movement in the United States, in a no-holds-barred account. In eight chapters he takes the reader on a journey through the depths of agreements that further disempower and stigmatize those on the margins of society. Fisher balances this with the hope that systematic change is already taking place in the form of indivi­duals committed to uncovering the disenfranchis­ing aspects of the anti-hunger industrial complex. He makes clear distinctions between anti-poverty and anti-hunger advocates, noting that their alle­giances are split in a neoliberal era of gover­nance in which the state continues to cut funding from assistance programs, allowing corporations such as Walmart to proliferate their own branded approach to battling hunger.
Emotion‐related impulsivity and rumination predict the perimenstrual severity and trajectory of symptoms in women with a menstrually related mood disorder

Objective Women with menstrually related mood disorders (MRMDs) demonstrate clinically significant distress during the premenstrual week that remits with the onset of menses. Relatively little is known about psychosocial mechanisms of MRMDs. Given the core affective and behavioral symptoms of MRMDs, dysfunctional responses to emotion (e.g., difficulties with awareness and regulation of emotion; rumination and impulsive or maladaptive behavior in response to emotion) may be important factors to explore as cognitive and behavioral mechanisms in MRMDs. The purpose of the present study was to examine the associations of various dysfunctional responses to emotion (as measured using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale [DERS] and brooding on the Ruminative Responses Scale [RRS]) with premenstrual symptom severity and trajectory. Method A total of 54 women (mean age = 38.11; 65% Caucasian) with prospectively confirmed MRMDs completed the DERS and RRS, and provided 2-4 menstrual cycles of daily symptom reports. Results Only the emotion-related impulsivity subscale of the DERS was robustly associated with premenstrual symptom severity. Brooding rumination predicted a more rapid premenstrual increase and slower postmenstrual remission of some symptoms. Conclusion Both rumination and emotion-related impulsivity may be important treatment targets in cognitive behavioral interventions aimed at reducing symptom severity and cyclicity in MRMDs.
Text Retrieval based on Least Information Measurement

We developed a new information retrieval framework based on the Least Information (LI) metric. We derived multiple term weighting schemes and combined them with a vector space representation for ad hoc retrieval. Given probability distributions in a collection as prior knowledge, LI Binary (LIB) quantifies least information due to the binary occurrence of a term in a document whereas LI Frequency (LIF) measures least information based on the probability of drawing a term from a bag of words. Experiments on four benchmark TREC collections for ad hoc retrieval showed that LIT-based methods achieved superior performances compared to classic TF*IDF and BM25, especially for verbose queries and hard search topics. The least information theory is a method for entropy-based information measurement and offers a novel approach for IR modeling.
PEAR: A Privacy-Enabled Architecture for Crowdsensing

Crowdsensing systems are providing solutions to the community in areas such as transportation, security, entertainment and the environment by citizens who use their consumer devices such as cellphones, wearables, and Internet of Things devices to collect various types of sensor data. Privacy is a major issue in these systems because the data collected can potentially reveal aspects considered private by the contributors of data. We propose the Privacy-Enabled ARchitecture (PEAR), a layered architecture aimed at protecting privacy in privacy-aware crowdsensing systems. We identify and describe the layers of the architecture. We propose and evaluate the design of MetroTrack, a crowdsensing system that is based on the proposed PEAR architecture.
Ambulatory Surgery Has Minimal Impact on Sleep Parameters: A Prospective Observational Trial

Study Objectives:The presence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in ambulatory surgical patients causes significant perioperative concern; however, few data exist to guide clinicians' management deci...
Bridge Builders, Translators, and Allies

I recognize that my feelings have changed and probably will keep changing, but I feel like it’s both at the same time. The strongest part of me wants to say, “Yeah, it sucks that I have to be in this position where I can educate people, and they need educating sometimes.” But nothing is going to get better without somebody doing it, so I want to do it. But then at the same time, sometimes I don’t want that responsibility.
Chinese Language, Orthography, and Learning to Read

This chapter, outlines the characteristics of the Chinese language and orthography, and discusses their implications for learning to read Chinese. Specifically, this chapter describes the phonology and morphology of the Chinese language, and the structural and functional features of the Chinese basic writing unit, characters, and the sound annotating systems. Based on the linguistic description, this chapter analyzes and summarizes the implication for learning to read Chinese as a first language, paving the way for later chapters focusing on learning Chinese as a second language.
A novel algorithm for the collective integration of single cell RNA-seq during embryogenesis

Single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) over specified time periods has been widely used to dissect the cell populations during mammalian embryogenesis. Integrating such scRNA-seq data from different developmental stages and from different laboratories is critical to comprehensively define and understand the molecular dynamics and systematically reconstruct the lineage trajectories. Here, we describe a novel algorithm to integrate heterogenous temporal scRNA-seq datasets and to preserve the global developmental trajectories. We applied this algorithm and approach to integrate 3,387 single cells from seven heterogenous temporal scRNA-seq datasets, and reconstructed the cell atlas of early mouse cardiovascular development from E6.5 to E9.5. Using this integrated atlas, we identified an Etv2 downstream target, Ebf1, as an important transcription factor for mouse endothelial development.
Psychological Consultation to a Pediatric Oncology Unit

One of the basic services provided by mental health professionals in a pediatric teaching hospital is consultation to the inpatient units. Although there is ample literature concerning the emotional impact of hospitalization in children (Langford, 1961; Oremland & Oremland, 1973; Prugh et al., 1953) and models for intervention (Miller, 1973; Rotmann, 1973), there has been little focus on the obstacles to effective intervention. Schowalter (1971) discusses several problem areas in an adolescent liaison service, particularly as a result of the relationship between mental health professional and pediatrician. The child psychiatrist or psychologist may feel pressured or expected to find rapid success. The consultant often avoids communication and would rather work alone. Pediatricians, on the other hand, may be bored, confused, or threatened by such intervention. Schowalter further suggests that collaboration always involves consultation, but consultation does not always involve collaboration. He sees this as a pitfall to effective intervention. Rothenberg (1968) writes of the need of both the consultant and the person seeking consultation to give up jargon if liaison is to be maintained. Most authors suggest the need for mutual support and knowledge.
Physiological and Metabolic Responses of Rice to Reduced Soil Moisture: Relationship of Water Stress Tolerance and Grain Production

Access to adequate irrigation resources is critical for sustained agricultural production, and rice, a staple cereal grain for half of the world population, is one of the biggest users of irrigation. To reduce water use, several water saving irrigation systems have been developed for rice production, but a reliable system to evaluate cultivars for water stress tolerance is still lacking. Here, seven rice cultivars that have diverse yield potential under water stress were evaluated in a field study using four continuous irrigation regimes varying from saturation to wilting point. To understand the relationship between water stress and yield potential, the physiological and leaf metabolic responses were investigated at the critical transition between vegetative and reproductive growth stages. Twenty-nine metabolite markers including carbohydrates, amino acids and organic acids were found to significantly differ among the seven cultivars in response to increasing water stress levels with amino acids increasing but organic acids and carbohydrates showing mixed responses. Overall, our data suggest that, in response to increasing water stress, rice cultivars that do not show a significant yield loss accumulate carbohydrates (fructose, glucose, and myo-inositol), and this is associated with a moderate reduction in stomatal conductance (gs), particularly under milder stress conditions. In contrast, cultivars that had significant yield loss due to water stress had the greatest reduction in gs, relatively lower accumulation of carbohydrates, and relatively high increases in relative chlorophyll content (SPAD) and leaf temperature (Tm). These data demonstrate the existence of genetic variation in yield under different water stress levels which results from a suite of physiological and biochemical responses to water stress. Our study, therefore, suggests that in rice there are different physiological and metabolic strategies that result in tolerance to water stress that should be considered in developing new cultivars for deficit irrigation production systems that use less water.
Extragenital screening is essential for comprehensive detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the pediatric population.

ABSTRACT Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are the two most common causes of sexually transmitted disease in the United States. Studies in adults, mostly in men who have sex with men, have shown that the prevalence of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infections is much higher in extragenital sources compared to urogenital sources. A similar large sample of data on the burden of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infections by anatomic site is lacking in children. We retrospectively analyzed data from 655 patients tested for C. trachomatis (887 specimens) and N. gonorrhoeae (890 specimens) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. We restricted the analysis to include patients between 2 and 17 years of age that had all three sources (urine, oropharynx, and rectum) collected at the same visit. The final data set included specimens from all three sources from 148 and 154 patients for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae, respectively. Specimens were tested for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae using a Gen-Probe Aptima Combo 2 assay. The burden of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infection was significantly higher in the 14- to 17-year age group (24.7%, P = 0.041; 25.8%; P = 0.001) compared to the 10- to 13-year (5.9%; 5.6%), 6- to 9-year (4.6%; 4.6%), and 2- to 5-year (8.3%; 0%) age groups, respectively. The positivity rate for C. trachomatis was highest for rectal (16.2%), followed by urine (5.4%) and oropharyngeal (0.7%) sites. The positivity rate for N. gonorrhoeae was highest for rectal sites (10.4%), followed by oropharyngeal (9.7%) and urine (1.9%) sites. The source with highest diagnostic yield is rectum for C. trachomatis and rectum and oropharynx for N. gonorrhoeae. Hence, extragenital screening is critical for the comprehensive detection of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae in the pediatric population.
Abstract 882: The Valosin-containing Protein Resists Pathological Cardiac Calcium Overload via Inhibiting Mitochondrial Calcium Uptake

Stress-induced mitochondrial calcium (Ca2+) overload is a trigger of cardiomyocyte death though the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) during cardiac ischemic injury. We p...
Design and Implementation of a Dual-Input LLC Converter with Semi-Active Rectifiers for PV Applications

This paper proposes a dual-input LLC resonant converter with semi-active rectifiers that interfaces with two PV panels. The topology is a combination of a dual half-bridge LLC circuit with four active switches on the primary and a full-bridge rectifier composed of two diodes and two switches on the secondary. This topology allows the two sources to share the same resonant tank for transferring energy to the load without additional circuit components. Independent maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for each PV panel is achieved by using a phase-shift pulse width modulation (PWM) control on primary side switches. The converter voltage gain is controlled by varying the operating frequency as in a typical LLC resonant converter. Soft-switching is realized in all switches over the entire range of source voltage and load conditions. A 500-W prototype was built to validate the performance of the proposed topology. The input voltage range is from 30 V to 50 V with an output voltage regulated at 210 V DC. The experimental results reveal that the proposed converter can achieve the maximum efficiency of 96.58 % while maintaining a wide input voltage range and implementing MPPT for each PV panel.
Postoperative outcomes following pediatric intracranial electrode monitoring: A case for stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG).

BACKGROUND For patients with medically refractory epilepsy, intracranial electrode monitoring can help identify epileptogenic foci. Despite the increasing utilization of stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG), the relative risks or benefits associated with the technique when compared with the traditional subdural electrode monitoring (SDE) remain unclear, especially in the pediatric population. Our aim was to compare the outcomes of pediatric patients who received intracranial monitoring with SEEG or SDE (grids and strips). METHODS We retrospectively studied 38 consecutive pediatric intracranial electrode monitoring cases performed at our institution from 2014 to 2017. Medical/surgical history and operative/postoperative records were reviewed. We also compared direct inpatient hospital costs associated with the two procedures. RESULTS Stereoelectroencephalography and SDE cohorts both showed high likelihood of identifying epileptogenic zones (SEEG: 90.9%, SDE: 87.5%). Compared with SDE, SEEG patients had a significantly shorter operative time (118.7 versus 233.4 min, P < .001) and length of stay (6.2 versus 12.3 days, P < .001), including days spent in the intensive care unit (ICU; 1.4 versus 5.4 days, P < .001). Stereoelectroencephalography patients tended to report lower pain scores and used significantly less narcotic pain medications (54.2 versus 197.3 mg morphine equivalents, P = .005). No complications were observed. Stereoelectroencephalography and SDE cohorts had comparable inpatient hospital costs (P = .47). CONCLUSION In comparison with subdural electrode placement, SEEG results in a similarly favorable clinical outcome, but with reduced operative time, decreased narcotic usage, and superior pain control without requiring significantly higher costs. The potential for an improved postoperative intracranial electrode monitoring experience makes SEEG especially suitable for pediatric patients.
Text2Connect: a health system approach to engage tobacco users in quitline cessation services via text messaging.

Mobile technology has created the opportunity for health systems to provide low cost tobacco cessation assistance to patients. The goal of the present study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of an intervention (Text2Connect) that uses text messages to offer proactive connection to the New York State Smokers' Quitline. The electronic health record at two urban health systems was queried for patients who were current smokers and who had an outpatient visit between March 2015 and February 2016. Smokers (N = 4000) were sent an informational letter. Those who did not opt out (N = 3719) were randomized to one of 6 message sequences in order to examine the effect of theoretically informed message frames on response rates. Participants were sent a series of text messages at baseline and at 1 month and were asked to reply in order to be contacted by the state quitline (QL). After removing 1403 nonworking numbers, texts were sent to 2316 patients, and 10.0% (205/2060) responded with a QL request. Almost one quarter (23.6%, 486/2060) replied STOP and 66.4% (1369/2060) never responded. QL request rates were significantly higher when response efficacy messages were not used (p .05). The Text2Connect intervention was well accepted with a minority opting out. A 10% QL response rate is noteworthy given that only 5-7 brief outreach text messages were used. Results indicate that simple self-efficacy-focused messaging is most effective at supporting response rates.
Data Center Links Beyond 100 Gb/s per Wavelength

• We review intra- and inter-data center link options, including those based on direct detection, digital or analog coherent detection, Stokes vector detection or Kramers-Kronig detection, comparing them in terms of spectral efficiency, optical power efficiency, complexity and power consumption.
Instinct and the Presence of the Other

Husserl was well aware of the tendency to found the infant’s ability to begin pairing on an instinct—an instinct, in some sense, “for the Other.” As early as 1909, Theodor Lipps had claimed that the only possible foundation for social ontology was instinct. He was led to this conclusion through a line of reasoning which should be very familiar.
Optimal imaging modality for diagnosis of parathyroid adenoma: Case report and review of the literature

Abstract Context Current standard modalities for imaging intrathyroidal parathyroid lesions include ultrasound and Tc99m-sestamibi, 4-dimensional CT and MRI. Imaging is important because it can be used for characterization, surgical planning and accurate localization of abnormal parathyroid glands. In rare circumstances if imaging is equivocal, selective venous sampling of PTH levels can be used. Studies suggest potential clinical utility in the use of 18F-Fluorocholine PET/CT (FCH PET/CT) and 11C-choline PET/CT in identifying parathyroid adenomas. The data on contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is limited but our case shows that it can be a promising adjuvant imaging in evaluating intrathyroid parathyroid adenomas. Case description We report a case of a 32-year-old female with no significant past medical history who was incidentally found to have asymptomatic hypercalcemia. She was recommended to pursue a parathyroidectomy to avoid long term complications of chronic hyperparathyroidism. Head and neck ultrasound showed a well-defined, very hypoechoic nodule measuring 7 x 6 x 6mm in the posterior mid/lower pole region of the right lobe of thyroid with a largely intrathyroidal appearance and another right posterior lesion. The blood supply by Doppler of the 7mm right lower pole nodule appeared to arise from a polar artery (extrathyroidal blood supply) suggesting a parathyroid lesion. A contrast-enhanced head and neck ultrasound confirmed an intrathyroid parathyroid adenoma. Successful removal of intrathyroid parathyroid adenoma was performed with intraoperative frozen section confirming parathyroid tissue. Fifteen-minute post-excision parathyroid hormone (PTH), 2 month-post-operative calcium level, and PTH decreased. Conclusion With definitive confirmation and localization of the abnormal parathyroid gland using CEUS, more patients can be treated with minimally invasive parathyroidectomy and benefit from the advantages of this operative technique.
Challenges of Epilepsy Surgery

Though frequently effective in the management of medically refractory seizures, epilepsy surgery presents numerous challenges. Selection of the appropriate candidate patients who are likely to benefit from surgery is critical to achieving seizure freedom and avoiding neurocognitive morbidity. Identifying the seizure focus and mapping epileptogenic networks involves an interdisciplinary team dedicated to formulating a safe and effective surgical plan. Various strategies can be employed either to eliminate the epileptic focus or to modulate network activity, including resection of the focus with open surgery or laser interstitial thermal therapy; modulation of epileptogenic firing patterns with responsive neurostimulation, deep brain stimulation, or vagus nerve stimulation; or non-invasive disconnection of epileptic circuits with focused ultrasound, which is also discussed in greater detail in the subsequent chapter in our series. We review several challenges of epilepsy surgery that must be thoughtfully addressed in order to ensure its success.
A Comparison Between the Clinical Features of Pseudotumor Cerebri Secondary to Tetracyclines and Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension.

Purpose Comparisons between clinical features of tetracycline-induced pseudotumor cerebri (PTC-T) and those of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) are absent in the literature. We hypothesized that significant clinical differences between these etiologies exist and could be better understood by retrospective analysis. Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods We reviewed patients diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri syndrome (PTCS) at our center and identified those who developed PTC-T after treatment with a tetracycline-class antibiotic and those with IIH. Groups were compared by demographics, body mass index, ophthalmic examination, treatment, clinical course, and visual outcomes. Results We identified 52 cases of PTC-T and 302 cases of IIH. Obesity rates were significantly different (43.8% for PTC-T vs 79.2% for IIH, P Conclusion We identified significant clinical differences but also identified important similarities between the 2 groups. There appear to be nonobese patients who develop PTC-T, discontinue the antibiotic, and never develop PTCS again. There are other patients who develop PTC-T, discontinue the antibiotic, and later develop IIH. We conclude that PTC-T represents a spectrum of disease in susceptible individuals.
History of Peripheral Nerve Stimulation-Update for the 21st Century.

Objective To present a history of the development of peripheral nerve stimulation. Methods Narrative literature review. Results Peripheral nerve stimulation has a history stretching from Scribonius Largus and eels in Mesopotamia to Michael Farady's discovery in London, the German-English physician Julius Althaus's application of electricity to a peripheral nerve, the sensational "Electreat" in the United States, to the application by Wall and Sweet of the gate theory proposed by Melzack and Wall to specialized neurosurgeons. Conclusions This is now a modern field in clinical neuroscience and medicine with improved technology, renewed interest by a diverse range of specialties, and accessibility with ultrasound.