cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Colonization of novel White Sands habitat is associated with changes in lizard anti-predator behaviour

Colonization of novel habitats is often associated with differences in ecological community composition. For small diurnal animals, differences in predator diversity and abundance can lead to behavioural shifts in the novel habitat. The eastern fence lizard Sceloporus undulatus (Bosc and Daudin, 1801) recently colonized the gypsum dunes of White Sands, a predator-poor community relative to the predator-rich community of the surrounding Chihuahuan dark-soil habitat. We used field experiments to assess S. undulatus anti-predator behaviour in white-sand versus dark-soil habitats, and used laboratory assays to determine whether behavioural differences could be mediated by hormonal regulation. Overall, we found that white-sand lizards were less vigilant but more wary than their dark-soil counterparts; it took them longer to detect a simulated predator, but once detected they were more likely to retreat from their perches than dark-soil lizards. At the proximate level, differences in anti-predator behaviour could not be explained by differences in plasma hormone levels (corticosterone and testosterone); we detected elevated corticosterone for lizards in our stress treatment relative to control treatment, but found no differences between habitats in baseline or acute corticosterone levels. At the evolutionary level, we suggest that differences in anti-predator behaviour may be explained by differences across habitats in predation environment, habituation, and/or the cost of retreating. Our study implicates changes in predator community composition in mediating ecological divergence in behaviour.
Integrated I-cache Way Predictor and Branch Target Buffer to Reduce Energy Consumption

In this paper, we present a Branch Target Buffer (BTB) design for energy savings in set-associative instruction caches. We extend the functionality of a BTB by caching way predictions in addition to branch target addresses. Way prediction and branch target prediction are done in parallel. Instruction cache energy savings are achieved by accessing one cache way if the way prediction for a fetch is available. To increase the number of way predictions for higher energy savings, we modify the BTB management policy to allocate entries for non-branch instructions. Furthermore, we propose to partition a BTB into ways for branch instructions and ways for non-branch instructions to reduce the BTB energy as well. We evaluate the effectiveness of our BTB design and management policies with SPEC95 benchmarks. The best BTB configuration shows a 74% energy savings on average in a 4-way set-associative instruction cache and the performance degradation is only 0.1&. When the instruction cache energy and the BTB energy are considered together, the average energy-delay product reduction is 65%.
Extreme Cold Outbreaks in the United States and Europe, 1948-99.

Abstract Reanalysis output for 1948–99 is used to evaluate the temporal distributions, the geographical origins, and the atmospheric teleconnections associated with major cold outbreaks affecting heavily populated areas of middle latitudes. The study focuses on three subregions of the United States and two subregions of Europe. The cold outbreaks affecting the United States are more extreme than those affecting Europe, in terms of both the regionally averaged and the local minimum air temperatures. There is no apparent trend toward fewer extreme cold events on either continent over the 1948–99 period, although a long station history suggests that such events may have been more frequent in the United States during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The trajectories of the coldest air masses are southward or southeastward over North America, but westward over Europe. Subsidence of several hundred millibars is typical of the trajectories of the coldest air to reach the surface in the affected regions. Sea level...
Motile Life of Bovine Spermatozoa in Glycine and Yolk-Citrate Diluents at High and Low Temperatures

SummaryThe addition of glycine, at concentrations of 0.009 to 0.038 molar, to a balanced salt diluent, increases considerably the motile life-span of bovine sperm at 38.6°C. The effect is manifest in 1/1000, but not in 1/100, dilutions of semen. It is not exhibited at 4°C. In yolk-citrate the usual extension of life-span is obtained at 4°C, but at 38.6°C there is either no significant effect or a decrease as compared with the balanced salt solution controls. The results are discussed in relation to experiments on sperm of invertebrates and fowl in which the life-span extending action of amino acids is attributable to the binding of trace metals present in the dilution medium.
292 DEVELOPMENT OF A LUPUS ANTI-DNA ANTIBODY AS AN INTRACELLULAR DELIVERY VEHICLE FOR PROTEIN TRANSDUCTION OF MICRO-DYSTROPHIN

Purpose To produce the Fv fragment of a lupus anti-DNA autoantibody that selectively targets and penetrates skeletal muscle in vivo as a fusion protein with a micro-dystrophin for use as a non-viral delivery vehicle to transport micro-dystrophin into muscle cells. Methods Fv-micro-dystrophin was produced as a secreted protein by transient transfection of Fv-micro-dystrophin cDNA in COS-7 cells and as a non-secreted protein by permanent transfection in Pichia pastoris. Results Isolated Fv-micro-dystrophin was shown to be full-length by Western blot analysis. Fv-micro-dystrophin penetrated multiple cell lines in vitro and localized to the plasma membrane of a cell line with membrane beta-dystroglycan. In the absence of membrane beta-dystroglycan, it localized to the cytoplasm. Conclusion Antibody-mediated transduction of micro-dystrophin into muscle cells is a potential therapy for dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophies.
Total synthesis of the tetracyclic indole alkaloid ht-13-A

Total synthesis of the tetracyclic indole alkaloid ht-13-A is reported starting ultimately from commercially available (−)-4-amino-2-hydroxybutyric acid. The key steps in this synthesis are a Lewis acid mediated acyliminium ion allylation, a Mitsunobu reaction, a palladium catalyzed Stille-Kelly intramolecular cross coupling, and a carbon monoxide mediated palladium catalyzed reductive N-heterocyclization.
Use of the Pulmonary Artery Catheter to Reduce Operative Complications

Despite several prospective, randomized trials that demonstrated reductions in operative morbidity and mortality rates, routine use of invasive monitoring has not achieved widespread acceptance. This probably comes from skepticism about the validity of some of the studies along with known complications of the pulmonary artery catheter. The major studies are reviewed and a rational approach to monitoring is presented.
Diabetes in Pregnancy

Abstract Diabetes occurs in approximately 2–5% of all pregnancies. As the UK antenatal population becomes older, more obese and more ethnically diverse the number of pregnant women with pre-existing type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes will increase. Whether diabetes precedes the pregnancy or arises within it, the risk of accelerated fetal growth, stillbirth and neonatal hypoglycaemia are all increased. As a generalization, adverse pregnancy outcomes increase with increasing maternal glycaemia. Hyperglycaemic-mediated oxidative stress has been implicated as a cause for the increased congenital malformation rates and early fetal loss associated with diabetic pregnancies. While fetal hyperinsulinaemia, secondary to maternal hyperglycaemia, is the cause of accelerated fetal growth and neonatal hypoglycaemia. Achieving optimal maternal glycaemic control prior to and throughout pregnancy is a pivotal goal in the management of all diabetic pregnancies. This degree of control requires all diabetic women contemplating a pregnancy to have access to preconception counselling and being managed with intensive insulin regimens throughout pregnancy. The medical and obstetric surveillance of pregnant diabetic women should be undertaken in a specialized multidisciplinary clinic, where diabetic complications, such as retinopathy and nephropathy, can be regularly assessed, as can fetal growth and development. As birth trauma and stillbirth are all more frequent in diabetic pregnancies elective delivery between 38–39 weeks is usually advised. At birth there is an increased risk of transient metabolic disturbances and in later life an increased risk of adolescent obesity, the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in young adulthood.
Food Security, Land, and Development

Modern development is associated with replacing small-scale producers. This goal, or outcome, stems from a historical process within Europe, dependent at the time on sourcing food and fibre from non-European peasants. Despite being historically specific to the rise of Europe, ‘development’ as a universal has come to mean displacing place-based farming with agro-industrialisation. This chapter explores the implications of this trajectory, and its claims of addressing ‘food security’, at the same time examining the epistemic origins of the separation of society and its ecological foundations that enable the abstraction of nature in modern agriculture. Given the declining indicators of agro-industrial efficiency, and the rising degradation of ecosystems alongside persistent poverty and hunger, the possibility of preserving and promoting biodiverse small-scale farming is becoming increasingly attractive to communities and citizens across the world, supported by a growing scientific consensus regarding its greater productivity and resilience, and thereby inverting the development narrative.
Reflections on Theory and Practice in a Thirty Year Old Problem-Solving Workshop

In a session at the 1994 European Conference on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution in San Sebastian Spain, we asked three distinguished conflict resolution theorist-practitioners, Chris Mitchell, Jean-Paul Eederach, and Chris Moore to reflect on the theory of practice and criteria of success that had motivated some intervention in which they had been involved. Our goals were two-fold. First we wished to encourage a discussion of the issues involved in thinking about success and second we wanted some of the most thoughtful practitioners in the field to talk about their own experiences.
High-Performance Polycrystalline Ge Microwire Film Anodes for Li Ion Batteries

High-performance Li ion battery anodes have been made using Ge microwire films containing high levels of residual gallium (Ga). These materials were prepared by the electrochemical liquid–liquid–solid (ec-LLS) process with liquid metal alloy droplets containing Ga, indium (In), and copper (Cu) at T = 80 °C on Cu foil. The as-prepared Ge microwires yielded an initial discharge capacity of 1350 mA h g–1 and retained more than 80% of their original capacity after 80 cycles when subject to discharge–charge cycles at 0.1 C. Ge microwires where the residual metal content had been lowered still showed unusually large capacities and decent capacity retention, albeit less than those of the as-prepared materials. The cumulative data point to the premises that ec-LLS is amenable to making Ge microwires that are innately active as Li+ battery anodes and that Ga incorporation in Ge is beneficial to countering the material stress incurred during Li+ insertion.
Low-latency communication over ATM networks using active messages

Today's communication architectures for parallel machines reduce communication overheads and latencies by over an order of magnitude. However, carrying over these techniques to workstation clusters connected by an ATM network presents major design challenges. We discuss the differences in communication characteristics between workstation clusters built from standard hardware and software components and state-of-the-art multiprocessors, and then evaluate a prototype implementation of an active message communication layer. Application round-trip latencies of about 50 microseconds for small messages roughly compare to a similar implementation on the Thinking Machines CM-5 multiprocessor. >
Solute-Triggered Morphological Transitions of an Amphiphilic Heterografted Brush Copolymer as a Single-Molecule Drug Carrier

We describe the use of an amphiphilic macromolecular brush based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(d,l-lactide) (PLA) as a stabilizer of hydrophobic solutes. The brush, which in solution adopted an extended backbone conformation consequent with excluded volume effects of the side chains, retained an elongated character in water following the hydrophobic collapse of PLA and the backbone triggered by a rapid change in solvent quality. However, in the presence of hydrophobic solutes at low concentrations in a homogeneous environment, the brush formed spherical unimolecular nanoparticles achieving high solute encapsulation efficiency. As solute content increased and exceeded what appears to be a limit for intramolecular solubilization, intermolecular assembly took place along with the formation of large aggregates, the properties of which were highly dependent on the solute. This first observation of the solute-triggered unimolecular collapse of an amphiphilic macromolecular brush should find important ...
Optical coating uniformity of 200mm (8") diameter precut wafers

Automated spectroscopic profiling (mapping) of a 200 mm diameter near infrared high reflector (centered at 1064 nm) are presented. Spatial resolution at 5 mm or less was achieved using a 5 mm × 1.5 mm monochromatic beam. Reflection changes of 1.0% across the wafer diameter were observed under s-polarized and p- polarized conditions. Redundancy was established for each chord by re-measuring the center of the wafer and reproducibility of approximately <0.1% was demonstrated by duplicate measurements. These measurements demonstrate informative spatial spectroscopic information can be obtained on large diameter samples. Multi-angle Photometric Spectroscopy (MPS) was used to measure the reflectance and transmittance of a sample across a range of angles (θi) at near normal angles of incidence (AOI). A recent development by Agilent Technologies, the Cary 7000 Universal Measurement Spectrophotometer (UMS) combines both reflection and transmission measurements from the same patch of a sample’s surface in a single automated platform for angles of incidence in the range 5°≤|θi|≤85° (i.e. angles on either side of beam normal noted as +/-). We describe the use of MPS on the Cary 7000 UMS with rotational (Φ) and vertical (z) sample positioning control. MPS(θi,Φ,z) provides for automated unattended multi-angle R/T analysis of at 200 mm diameter samples with the goal to provide better spectroscopic measurement feedback into large wafer manufacturing to ensure yields are maximized, product quality is better controlled and waste is reduced before further down-stream processing.
Trace organic chemical attenuation during managed aquifer recharge: Insights from a variably saturated 2D tank experiment

Abstract Meaningful model-based predictions of water quality and quantity are imperative for the designed footprint of managed aquifer recharge installations. A two-dimensional (2D) synthetic MAR system equipped with automated sensors (temperature, water pressure, conductivity, soil moisture, oxidation-reduction potential) and embedded water sampling ports was used to test and model fundamental subsurface processes during surface spreading managed aquifer recharge operations under controlled flow and redox conditions at the meso-scale. The fate and transport of contaminants in the variably saturated synthetic aquifer were simulated using the finite element analysis model, FEFLOW. In general, the model concurred with travel times derived from contaminant breakthrough curves at individual sensor locations throughout the 2D tank. However, discrepancies between measured and simulated trace organic chemical concentrations (i.e., carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate, trimethoprim) were observed. While the FEFLOW simulation of breakthrough curves captured overall shapes of trace organic chemical concentrations well, the model struggled with matching individual data points, although compound-specific attenuation parameters were used. Interestingly, despite steady-state operation, oxidation-reduction potential measurements indicated temporal disturbances in hydraulic properties in the saturated zone of the 2D tank that affected water quality.
Impacts of nuclear plant shutdown on coal-fired power generation and infant health in the Tennessee Valley in the 1980s

The Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011 generated deep public anxiety and uncertainty about the future of nuclear energy. However, differently to fossil fuel plants, nuclear plants produce virtually no greenhouse gas emissions or air pollutants during power generation. Here we show the effect on air pollution and infant health in the context of the temporary closure of nuclear plants by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in the 1980s. After the Three Mile Island accident in 1979, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission intensified inspections throughout the nation, leading to the shutdown of two large nuclear power plants in the TVA area. In response to that shutdown, electricity generation shifted one to one to coal-fired power plants within TVA, increasing particle pollution in counties where they were located. Consequently, infant health may have deteriorated in the most affected places, indicating deleterious effects to public health. Nuclear accidents generate vast echoes in public opinion, and often determine policy decisions to suspend nuclear programs. This study shows the unintended implications of nuclear plant shutdown in Tennessee Valley between 1983 and 1986, demonstrating deleterious consequences for public health.
Dimensionality reducibility for multi-physics reduced order modeling

Abstract Applications of reduced order modeling (ROM) to support analysis of complex reactor behavior using high fidelity simulations have developed rapidly in recent years. Reduction implies any computational approach aiming to reduce the cost of the simulation, especially for situations involving repeated executions such as probabilistic risk assessment and uncertainty quantification applications. This article presents a novel non-intrusive methodology to render reduction for multi-physics models by taking advantage of the combined reduction introduced by each sub-physics in the simulation. Next, a surrogate model is constructed in terms of the reduced dimensions. A key component of the proposed methodology is to upper-bound the errors resulting from the reduction to ensure its reliability for subsequent engineering applications. To implement and demonstrate the proposed ROM algorithm, the INL’s MAMMOTH environment is employed to analyze the level of reduction in the coupled radiation-thermal transport modeling of a 2D quarter fuel pin in a light water reactor spectrum. MAMMOTH couples the neutronics model of Rattlesnake module and the fuel performance model of BISON module. Results show that the reduction obtained with coupled physics is more significant than that with individual sub-physics models.
ER/K linked GPCR-G protein fusions systematically modulate second messenger response in cells

FRET and BRET approaches are well established for detecting ligand induced GPCR-G protein interactions in cells. Currently, FRET/BRET assays rely on co-expression of GPCR and G protein, and hence depend on the stoichiometry and expression levels of the donor and acceptor probes. On the other hand, GPCR-G protein fusions have been used extensively to understand the selectivity of GPCR signaling pathways. However, the signaling properties of fusion proteins are not consistent across GPCRs. In this study, we describe and characterize novel sensors based on the Systematic Protein Affinity Strength Modulation (SPASM) technique. Sensors consist of a GPCR and G protein tethered by an ER/K linker flanked by FRET probes. SPASM sensors are tested for the β2-, α1-, and α2- adrenergic receptors, and adenosine type 1 receptor (A1R), tethered to Gαs-XL, Gαi2, or Gαq subunits. Agonist stimulation of β2-AR and α2-AR increases FRET signal comparable to co-expressed FRET/BRET sensors. SPASM sensors also retain signaling through the endogenous G protein milieu. Importantly, ER/K linker length systematically tunes the GPCR-G protein interaction, with consequent modulation of second messenger signaling for cognate interactions. SPASM GPCR sensors serve the dual purpose of detecting agonist-induced changes in GPCR-G protein interactions, and linking these changes to downstream signaling.
The mitogen-activated protein kinases, ERK1 and ERK2

The MAP kinases are ubiquitous enzymes that are activated in a complex fashion and inactivated by multiple phosphatases including a dedicated dual specificity enzyme. These kinases have a diverse array of substrates with important functions that result in their substantial regulatory impact. The ERK/MAP kinase cascade displays not only downstream but also upstream interactions as well as cross talk with other signaling pathways which fine tunes the cascade in a cell type-specific fashion. Transforming agents utilize this cascade in inducing cell proliferation.
Controlling programmable microcontrollers via QR codes

The thesis deals with operating executional part based on microcontrollers, via QR codes. Was created desktop application written in Java for generating device-oriented QR codes. Was created android application that reads QR code and retrieves information coded in it, followed transition of this information to Arduino microcontroller via Bluetooth. Was created model and software sketch for executive part, which performs specified commands according to QR code.
Global gene expression analysis of macrophage response induced by nonporous and porous silica nanoparticles

Little is known about the global gene expression profile of macrophages in response to changes in size and porosity of silica nanoparticles (SNPs). Spherical nonporous SNPs of two different diameters, and mesoporous spherical SNPs with comparable size were characterized. Reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial membrane potential, lysosome degradation capacity, and lysosome pH were measured to evaluate the influence of nonporous and mesoporous SNPs on mitochondrial and lysosomal function. RNA-sequencing was utilized to generate transcriptional profiles of RAW264.7 macrophages exposed to non-toxic SNP doses. DESeq2, limma, and BinReg2 software were used to analyze the data based on both unsupervised and supervised strategies to identify genes with greatest differences among NP treatments. Utilizing GATHER and DAVID software, possible induced pathways were studied. We found that mesoporous silica nanoparticles are capable of altering gene expression in macrophages at doses that do not elicit acute cytotoxicity, while gene transcription was minimally affected by nonporous SNPs.
Robot therapist versus human therapist: Evaluating the effect of corrective feedback on human motor performance

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in childhood, affecting nearly 1 in 323 children in the United States. Repetitive therapeutic exercises play a key role in upper-body rehabilitation interventions during which a therapist provides corrective feedback to a patient based on the patient's motor skill performance. Recently, an innovative system combining a serious game with an interactive robot has emerged as a powerful tool in enhancing upper-body rehabilitation and intervention outcomes. Although several studies have shown that integrating robots into physical therapy sessions can encourage engagement and improve the efficacy of the rehabilitation protocol, most studies have not directly compared outcomes when using a robot therapist versus a human therapist. The present study aims to evaluate whether a therapy intervention coupled with a robot agent is as effective as an intervention coupled with a human agent. We evaluate this effectiveness in terms of human motor performance and intrinsic motivation. A between-subject experiment was performed with twenty participants. All participants were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: 1) participants received corrective feedback from a robot agent or 2) participants received corrective feedback from a human agent. Results showed that participants in the robot therapy group improved faster than participants in the human therapy group, but the effect from the corrective feedback lasted longer in the human therapy group than the robot therapy group. The Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) survey indicated comparable results between the two groups. The experimental results provide further evidence towards supporting the efficacy of a robotic therapy coach for children with disabilities, and motivate future studies in this domain.
Diagnosis and novel approaches to the treatment of hypereosinophilic syndromes

Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is characterized by persistent hypereosinophilia associated with end-organ damage. As our understanding of the pathogenesis of various forms of HES broadens, so does our ability to tailor steroid-sparing therapies for each subtype. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent literature related to the etiology, diagnosis, and management of HES. Mutations involved in subsets of HES can guide the choice of tyrosine kinase inhibitors beyond just imatinib. Several biologics that target interleukin-5 or its receptor have shown beneficial and selective eosinophil-reducing effects in clinical trials for asthma and other disorders including HES. Early clinical data with emerging therapies such as dexpramipexole and anti-Siglec-8 antibody show promise, but need to be confirmed in randomized trials. Several new biologics and tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been shown to lower eosinophil numbers, but more randomized trials are needed to confirm efficacy in HES.
Drebrin regulates angiotensin II-induced aortic remodelling.

Aims The actin-binding protein Drebrin is up-regulated in response to arterial injury and reduces smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration and proliferation through its interaction with the actin cytoskeleton. We, therefore, tested the hypothesis that SMC Drebrin inhibits angiotensin II-induced remodelling of the proximal aorta. Methods and results Angiotensin II was administered via osmotic minipumps at 1000 ng/kg/min continuously for 28 days in SM22-Cre+/Dbnflox/flox (SMC-Dbn-/-) and control mice. Blood pressure responses to angiotensin II were assessed by telemetry. After angiotensin II infusion, we assessed remodelling in the proximal ascending aorta by echocardiography and planimetry of histological cross sections. Although the degree of hypertension was equivalent in SMC-Dbn-/- and control mice, SMC-Dbn-/- mice nonetheless exhibited 60% more proximal aortic medial thickening and two-fold more outward aortic remodelling than control mice in response to angiotensin II. Proximal aortas demonstrated greater cellular proliferation and matrix deposition in SMC-Dbn-/- mice than in control mice, as evidenced by a higher prevalence of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive nuclei and higher levels of collagen I. Compared with control mouse aortas, SMC-Dbn-/- aortas demonstrated greater angiotensin II-induced NADPH oxidase activation and inflammation, evidenced by higher levels of Ser-536-phosphorylated NFκB p65 subunits and higher levels of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and adventitial macrophages. Conclusions We conclude that SMC Drebrin deficiency augments angiotensin II-induced inflammation and adverse aortic remodelling.
Nonquadratic Penalty Functions — Convex Programming

The quadratic penalty function is widely used in the practical implementations of methods of multipliers. There is a tangible advantage in using a different penalty function. The objective function is bounded below along the constraint set and the augmented Lagrangian is unbounded over the entire space for every value of the penalty parameter. The augmented Lagrangian functions for inequality constraints and some of the approximating functions do not have continuous second derivatives. The methods to be used for unconstrained minimization of the augmented Lagrangian rely on the continuity of second derivatives. Multiplier methods corresponding to different types of penalty functions can exhibit different rates of convergence.
A Topology for Primary Abelian Groups

Let B be a p-primary abelian group without elements of infinite height, let B be a basic subgroup of G and B the torsion subgroup of the completion of B with respect to the p-adic topology. If no is the collection of all fully invariant subgroups of G with the additional property that L ∈ no implies B+L = G, for all basic subgroups B of G, then n induces a Hausdorff topology on G whose completion Ĝ is isomorphic to B (†) If H is a pure subgroup of G and if B is a basic subgroup of H, then the topology constructed for H and the relative topology agree. Homomorphisms between p-groups without elements of infinite height are continuous. Moreover, if H1 is a dense subgroup of G. and if G has no elements of infinite height, then any homomorphism of H1 onto G can be extended uniquely to a homomorphism of G onto Ĝ.
High speed and energy efficient deep neural network for edge computing

Edge computing enables data-stream acceleration with real-time data processing without latency, and allows for efficient data processing in that large amounts of data can be processed near the source with the ability to process data without ever putting it into a public cloud adds a useful layer of security for sensitive data. The edge computing-based architecture design and analysis play key impacts for the future Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure development. In this work, we design a low power hybrid structured deep neural network (Hybrid-DNN), which employs memristive synapses working in a hierarchical information processing fashion and delay-based spiking neural network (SNN) modules as the readout layer, and provide a novel data layout method to allow the Hybrid DNN running a computationally intensive deep learning algorithm on limited resource edge devices. Motivated by the recent findings in neuromorphic computing and edge computing, we design a hybrid structured DNN combining both depth-in-space (spatial) and depth-in-time (temporal) deep learning architectures. Our Hybrid-DNN employs memristive synapses working in a hierarchical information processing fashion and delay-based spiking neural network modules as the readout layer.
Carbon isotope ratios in tree rings respond differently to climatic variations than tree-ring width in a mesic temperate forest

Abstract Determining the response of forest growth and productivity to climate variability is crucial for understanding and modeling forest carbon sequestration in mesic temperate forests. Most tree-ring analyses have used monthly climate data. Daily climate data may be more appropriate to use in the determination of tree-ring response to climate because cell division, enlargement, and thickening occur during discrete periods of the growing season. We analyze annual tree-ring width and δ13C from Tsuga canadensis (1992–2012) at ten sites in the northeastern US to test the null hypothesis that tree-ring width and δ13C respond similarly to critical climate periods using daily climate data and linear regression. There was a significant difference in the climate response of ring width and δ13C. Precipitation predicted both δ13C and ring width with the highest r2 and greatest level of significance overall. δ13C integrated climate over longer periods of the year (and previous year) than ring width at most sites. δ13C showed a more consistent seasonal signal across sites for each climate variable than ring width. Our work provides a new perspective on the response of annual tree growth and δ13C to climatic variability that can inform ecosystem productivity, carbon cycle, and earth system models.
Fewer Hospitalizations for Acute Cardiovascular Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Abstract Background Although patients with cardiovascular disease face excess risks of severe illness with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), there may be indirect consequences of the pandemic on...
Numerical study of heat transfer augmentation in an axially rotating pipe equipped with Kenics mixer

Abstract This paper reports fluid flow and heat transfer in an axially rotating pipe equipped with Kenics mixer under constant wall heat flux condition. Numerical simulations were processed with the commercial finite volume CFD code, ANSYS Fluent 19.2. The realizable k-e turbulent model was used to close the Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. Buoyancy effects (βΔT) and gravity (g = 9.81 m/s2) were considered in the simulations. In the range of axial Reynolds numbers between 10,000 and 30,000 (10,000 ≤ Rea ≤ 30,000), the Kenics mixer enhanced the Nusselt number of the rotating pipe by 41–50%, 38–47% and 33–42% at rotation rates of 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Enhancement in Nusselt number was linked to additional swirl created by the Kenics mixer insert which improved fluid mixing and boundary layer disturbance. CFD results also showed that increasing the axial Reynold number augmented the Nusselt number but decreased the friction factor.
Upper Counterfactual Confidence Bounds: a New Optimism Principle for Contextual Bandits.

The principle of optimism in the face of uncertainty is one of the most widely used and successful ideas in multi-armed bandits and reinforcement learning. However, existing optimistic algorithms (primarily UCB and its variants) are often unable to deal with large context spaces. Essentially all existing well performing algorithms for general contextual bandit problems rely on weighted action allocation schemes; and theoretical guarantees for optimism-based algorithms are only known for restricted formulations. In this paper we study general contextual bandits under the realizability condition, and propose a simple generic principle to design optimistic algorithms, dubbed "Upper Counterfactual Confidence Bounds" (UCCB). We show that these algorithms are provably optimal and efficient in the presence of large context spaces. Key components of UCCB include: 1) a systematic analysis of confidence bounds in policy space rather than in action space; and 2) the potential function perspective that is used to express the power of optimism in the contextual setting. We further show how the UCCB principle can be extended to infinite action spaces, by constructing confidence bounds via the newly introduced notion of "counterfactual action divergence."
Parallel FFT algorithms for high-order approximations on three-dimensional compact stencils

Abstract The recent development of multicore technologies on modern desktop computers makes parallelization of the proposed numerical approaches a priority in algorithmic research. The main performance improvement of personal computers in the upcoming years will be made based on the increasing number of cores on modern CPUs. This shifts the focus of algorithmic research from the development of sequential numerical methods to parallel methodology. This paper presents an efficient parallel direct algorithm with near-optimal complexity for the compact fourth and sixth-order approximation of the three-dimensional Helmholtz equations (Turkel et al., 2013) with the problem coefficient depending on only one of the coordinate directions. The developed method is based on a combination of the separation of variables technique and a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) type method. Similar direct solvers for the lower-order approximations of the two and three-dimensional Helmholtz equation were considered in several previous publications by the authors and other researchers (see, e.g. Gryazin et al. (2000); Gryazin (2014); Elman and O’Leary (1998); Elman and O’Leary (1999); Toivanen and Wolfmayr (2020)). The authors also consider a generalization of the presented algorithm to the solution of a wide class of linear systems obtained from approximation on the compact 27-point three-dimensional stencils on the rectangular grids with similar requirements on the stencil coefficients. The general restrictions on the coefficients in the considered class of compact schemes are developed and presented. This class includes the second, fourth and sixth-order compact approximation schemes for the three-dimensional Helmholtz equation considered in this paper and our previous publications (Gryazin et al., 2000; Gryazin, 2014; Gryazin, 2014). As an example of the diversity of applications of the developed general method, the direct parallel implementation of a compact fourth-order approximation scheme for a convection–diffusion equation is considered. Another goal of this paper is to investigate the scalability of the proposed technique in the case of a large linear system using different parallel programming extensions. The results of the implementation of this method in OpenMP, MPI and hybrid programming environments on the multicore computers and multiple node clusters are presented and discussed. The results demonstrate the high efficiency of the proposed direct solvers for many important applications on the structured grid with the corresponding 27-diagonal matrices of sizes up to 1 0 11 by 1 0 11 .
Laser pre-sintering for denudation reduction in the laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing of Ti-6Al-4V alloy

Abstract As a fundamentally different process for creation of complex parts, laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing exhibits complex behavior at the melt pool that has a direct influence on the macroscopic properties of the final material. Powder denudation, a previously studied deleterious phenomenon, is the displacement of powder due to entrainment in a jet of rapidly vaporized metal created by the process laser. To minimize the effect of denudation and inspired by methods in adjacent fields, a laser pre-sintering (LPS) method was studied in an effort to reduce denudation. LPS was found to be most effective in the 1–4 J/mm3 volumetric energy density processing regimes, minimizing the common experimentally observed problems with the LPBF process. Scanning electron microscopy of the LPS-treated powder bed revealed insight into the accelerating effect morphological irregularities along the powder particle surface have in the pre-sintering process. To further understand the process, an estimation of the sintered neck sizes necessary to eliminate denudation in LPS is made, qualitatively affirming the low energy densities needed to prevent denudation. The results presented in this work represent an initial step towards understanding and implementing LPS as a quality-enhancing step in LPBF.
QuantileRK: Solving Large-Scale Linear Systems with Corrupted, Noisy Data.

Measurement data in linear systems arising from real-world applications often suffers from both large, sparse corruptions, and widespread small-scale noise. This can render many popular solvers ineffective, as the least squares solution is far from the desired solution, and the underlying consistent system becomes harder to identify and solve. QuantileRK is a member of the Kaczmarz family of iterative projective methods that has been shown to converge exponentially for systems with arbitrarily large sparse corruptions. In this paper, we extend the analysis to the case where there are not only corruptions present, but also noise that may affect every data point, and prove that QuantileRK converges with the same rate up to an error threshold. We give both theoretical and experimental results demonstrating QuantileRK's strength.
An infant born to a mother with anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis (P3.208)

Objective: To describe a case of an infant born to a mother with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Background: Anti-NMDAR encephalitis is a synaptic autoimmune disorder that is mediated by antibodies against the NR1 subunit of the receptor.1 Maternal-fetal transfer of NMDAR antibodies in pregnancy has been documented in both symptomatic and asymptomatic pregnant women.2,3 Animal models have demonstrated that NMDAR-specific auto antibodies(AAb) disrupt neocortical development and in a dose-dependent manner, these AAbs cause congenital brain injuries, resulting in long-term cognitive deficits.4 Design/Methods: We present the case of a newborn infant with fatal outcome in the setting of elevated serum NMDAR antibodies. Results: A term infant was born to a 32 year old female considered to be in remission from anti-NMDAR encephalitis associated with ovarian teratoma, status post oophorectomy. Mother presented with seizures and was found to be 37 weeks pregnant. C-section was performed due to fetal distress. Apgars were 1,2,5 and the infant was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Due to clinical deterioration of the baby, extensive diagnostic workup was performed. Serum metabolic and infectious studies were negative. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies were unable to be obtained. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed diffuse cerebral edema with ischemic and hemorrhagic injury. Serum NMDAR antibody titers were elevated at 1:320. A course of intravenous immunoglobulin was given without clinical improvement. Care was withdrawn on day 20. Evaluation of the mother revealed elevated NMDAR antibodies in serum (1:80) and CSF and a new ovarian teratoma. Conclusions: This case suggests that the presence of maternal NDMAR antibodies even in asymptomatic pregnant women can have devastating effects on the developing brain. Further discussion regarding pathophysiology of maternal-fetal NMDAR antibody transmission and the role of routine surveillance of pregnancy and antibody titers in women with history of anti-NMDAR encephalitis is necessary. Study Supported by: None Disclosure: Dr. Chourasia has nothing to disclose. Dr. Watkins has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lankford has nothing to disclose. Dr. kamdar has nothing to disclose.
Experimental comparison of acoustic backscattered field from a single fiber and media with pseudo-aligned fibers in longitudinal and transverse planes

Acoustic backscatter spectrum analyses of soft tissues are being developed to provide quantitative information beyond that offered by B-mode images. Common assumptions used in some approaches are that the medium is homogeneous, isotropic, and produces diffuse scattering conditions. However, in some soft tissues, the presence of fiber-like structures causes the acoustic backscatter to be anisotropic. In this work, we compare the backscattered fields produced by a single fiber, a phantom containing many pseudo-aligned fibers, and biceps muscle. Measurements were performed with single-element immersion transducers using a laboratory benchtop pulse-echo setup, and different linear array transducers on a Siemens Acuson S3000 scanner. The phantom and muscle were imaged in longitudinal and transverse planes to study the effect of fiber orientation on the backscattered field. The results showed that the normalized backscattered power is different in longitudinal and transverse planes. This can result from differences in the sonicated portion of the fibers when varying their orientation with respect to the 3D diffraction pattern. Future work will further study this phenomenon with single fibers and transducers with different focal configurations, and investigate the use of the point-wise signal-to-noise ratio and the generalized spectrum to detect the presence of coherent scattering conditions.
Evaluation of the Humoral Response in Transplantation

Antibodies of the IgG class can damage tissues in a variety of ways, including (i) directly through complement activation, (ii) indirectly through the deposition of immune complexes, and (iii) indirectly through the recruitment of cytotoxic or inflammation-inducing cells. Very high levels of antibody result in hyperacute rejection and graft failure, an outcome that can easily be avoided by the performance of a lymphocyte crossmatch test prior to transplantation. In contrast, clear elucidation of the relevance of donor-reactive antibodies of various strengths and specificities and of antibodies that arise after transplantation has been hampered by inadequate technologies and lack of reimbursement for posttransplant monitoring of antibodies. Nonetheless, a deleterious effect of antibody specific for mismatched donor HLA antigens has been demonstrated for nearly every type of organ and tissue that has been transplanted in sufficient numbers, including hematopoietic stem cells and, possibly, composite tissues. There is overwhelming evidence indicating that anti-HLA antibodies are involved in hyperacute, acute, and chronic rejection of organs (1). In mismatched bone marrow transplants, there is a risk of immunocompetent tissues from sensitized patients producing antibody to recipient tissues as well as a risk of recipients making antidonor antibodies. In theory, antibodies specific for any antigen on transplanted tissue should be capable of damaging the transplant. The best-known antibodies that are injurious to allografts are those specific for antigens of the HLA and ABO systems. Potential deleterious effects of other antibodies are being recognized increasingly. A discussion of those is beyond the scope of this chapter, and the interested reader is directed to two excellent reviews on this topic (2, 3). The focus of this chapter will be HLA-specific antibodies, and we will use the term donor-specific antibody (DSA) to refer to antibody(ies) specific for donor HLA antigens.
HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis: semiautomatic quantification of spinal cord atrophy from 3-dimensional MR images.

BACKGROUND Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a disabling neurological disorder characterized by inflammatory changes in the spinal cord. We used a semiautomatic technique to quantify spinal cord volume from 3-dimensional MR images of patients with HAM/TSP. METHODS Five patients and 5 matched healthy volunteers (HVs) underwent MRI of the cervical and thoracic spinal cord at 1.5 T. Quantification of the spinal cord volume was obtained from 3-dimensional MR images using a semiautomatic technique based on level sets. An unpaired t-test was used to assess statistical significance. RESULTS Significant differences were found between mean spinal cord volume of HVs and HAM/TSP patients. The thoracic spinal cord volume was 14,050 ± 981 mm3 for HVs and 8,774 ± 2,218 mm3 for HAM/TSP patients (P = .0079), a reduction of 38%. The cervical spinal cord volume was 9,721 ± 797 mm3 for HVs and 6,589 ± 897 mm3 for HAM/TSP patients (P = .0079), a reduction of 32%. These results suggest that atrophy is evident throughout the spinal cord not routinely quantified. CONCLUSIONS Semiautomatic spinal cord volume quantification is a sensitive technique for quantifying the extent of spinal cord involvement in HAM/TSP.
N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Analogues II. THE ACTION OF N-ACETYLNEURAMINIC ACID ALDOLASE ON 8-CARBON AND 7-CARBON ANALOGUES

Abstract The action of N-acetylneuraminic acid aldolase on 7- and 8-carbon analogues of N-acetylneuraminic acid has been studied. The 8-carbon analogue was slowly and reversibly cleaved by the aldolase to yield 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-lyxose and pyruvic acid. The 7-carbon analogue was not cleaved by the enzyme. The 8-carbon analogue competed with N-acetylneuraminic acid for the active site of the enzyme, but the 7-carbon analogue exhibited no inhibitory effect even when present at a 10-fold greater concentration than N-acetylneuraminic acid.
The Effects of Fluid Motions on Combustion in a Prechamber Bomb

A two-chamber bomb was used to investigate the effect of fluid motions on combustion characteristics. The results show that when the strength of the turbulent jet from the prechamber is varied over a significant range, there is little or no effect on the emissions of oxides of nitrogen over the entire air-fuel ratio range. Hydrocarbon (HC) emissions were found to increase with jet strength in the portion of the lean air-fuel range of most interest (i.e., around 17:1). However, for very lean mixtures the trend was reversed. /GMRL/