cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bayesian inferences of galaxy formation from the K-band luminosity and H i mass functions of galaxies: constraining star formation and feedback

We infer mechanisms of galaxy formation for a broad family of semi-analytic models (SAMs) constrained by the K-band luminosity function and HI mass function of local galaxies using tools of Bayesian analysis. Even with a broad search in parameter space the whole model family fails to match to constraining data. In the best fitting models, the star formation and feedback parameters in low-mass haloes are tightly constrained by the two data sets, and the analysis reveals several generic failures of models that similarly apply to other existing SAMs. First, based on the assumption that baryon accretion follows the dark matter accretion, large mass-loading factors are required for haloes with circular velocities lower than 200km/s, and most of the wind mass must be expelled from the haloes. Second, assuming that the feedback is powered by Type-II supernovae with a Chabrier IMF, the outflow requires more than 25% of the available SN kinetic energy. Finally, the posterior predictive distributions for the star formation history are dramatically inconsistent with observations for masses similar to or smaller than the Milky-Way mass. The inferences suggest that the current model family is still missing some key physical processes that regulate the gas accretion and star formation in galaxies with masses below that of the Milky Way.
Improving image annotations using wordnet

The development of technology generates huge amounts of non-textual information, such as images. An efficient image annotation and retrieval system is highly desired. Clustering algorithms make it possible to represent visual features of images with finite symbols. Based on this, many statistical models, which analyze correspondence between visual features and words and discover hidden semantics, have been published. These models improve the annotation and retrieval of large image databases. However, current state of the art including our previous work produces too many irrelevant keywords for images during annotation. In this paper, we propose a novel approach that augments the classical model with generic knowledge-based, WordNet. Our novel approach strives to prune irrelevant keywords by the usage of WordNet. To identify irrelevant keywords, we investigate various semantic similarity measures between keywords and finally fuse outcomes of all these measures together to make a final decision. We have implemented various models to link visual tokens with keywords based on knowledge-based, WordNet and evaluated performance using precision, and recall using benchmark dataset. The results show that by augmenting knowledge-based with classical model we can improve annotation accuracy by removing irrelevant keywords.
Retention of fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) proficiency with a biannual mandatory training session.

The fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) program was developed by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) in 1997 with the goal of teaching surgeons the fundamental knowledge, judgment, and technical skills specific to laparoscopic surgery (Peters et al., Surgery JH 135:21–27, 2004; Soper et al., Bull Am College Surg NJ 93:30–32, 2008). This single academic institution observational study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a biannual FLS training curriculum on Post-Graduate Year [PGY] 1-5 proficiency levels, with a focus on one FLS task (PEG transfer). Previous studies have shown that obtaining expert FLS proficiency correlates with retaining proficiency in the future (Castellvi et al., Surgery 146:387–393, 2009). PGY 1-5 residents (n = 28) at an academic general surgery residency program performed two timed PEG transfer tasks biannually. Participants were monitored by FLS certified examiners and standard FLS rules applied. Residents were expected to meet or exceed standards set by SAGES and FLS in consecutive timed PEG transfer trials (proficiency: <48 s). Twenty-eight residents participated (PGY 1-5). Participants showed proficiency if they completed the PEG transfer task in less than 48 s on two consecutive trials. None of the PGY 1 or PGY 2 residents completed two consecutive trials within the stated proficiency time, while the majority of the PGY 3-5 residents showed proficiency in the PEG transfer task. A biannual training session for FLS retains expert proficiency by PGY levels 4-5. Previous reports from our institution demonstrated that 95 % of the residents did not practice this task between mandatory biannual sessions. This suggests that, in combination with standard residency training, biannual FLS sessions confer retained expert skills by PGY 4-5. As the FLS exam is generally taken by PGY 4 and 5 residents and is required for board certification, general surgery residents that participate in biannual training sessions will likely retain expert proficiency and achieve FLS certification.
Rho GTPase and Shroom direct planar polarized actomyosin contractility during convergent extension

Actomyosin contraction generates mechanical forces that influence cell and tissue structure. During convergent extension in Drosophila melanogaster, the spatially regulated activity of the myosin activator Rho-kinase promotes actomyosin contraction at specific planar cell boundaries to produce polarized cell rearrangement. The mechanisms that direct localized Rho-kinase activity are not well understood. We show that Rho GTPase recruits Rho-kinase to adherens junctions and is required for Rho-kinase planar polarity. Shroom, an asymmetrically localized actin- and Rho-kinase–binding protein, amplifies Rho-kinase and myosin II planar polarity and junctional localization downstream of Rho signaling. In Shroom mutants, Rho-kinase and myosin II achieve reduced levels of planar polarity, resulting in decreased junctional tension, a disruption of multicellular rosette formation, and defective convergent extension. These results indicate that Rho GTPase activity is required to establish a planar polarized actomyosin network, and the Shroom actin-binding protein enhances myosin contractility locally to generate robust mechanical forces during axis elongation.
Traveling Wave Spatial Quantized Analog-to-digital Conversion

An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) architecture that extracts the required quantization energy directly from the input analog signal and sampling clock through a spatial quantization scheme is presented. We experimentally demonstrate 8-level quantization consuming only 7.2 pJ per quantization operation with 18 GHz bandwidth. Measured 8 ps full-width half-maximum photodetector output voltages, promises the potential of realizing a 3 bit 125 GS/s ADC through this system.
Development of a novel approach to determine heating pattern using computer vision and chemical marker (M-2) yield

In this study, a novel approach to determine heating patterns using chemical marker (M-2) yield and computer vision was developed for packaged foods after microwave sterilization. Due to various constraints of temperature measurement devices such as fiber-optic temperature sensors, thermocouples, and infrared sensors, there is a need to develop an accurate and rapid method to determine heating patterns in packaged food trays after microwave sterilization. Yield of a heat sensitive chemical marker (M-2) was used as a coloring agent and digital images of the processed trays were analyzed using a computer vision system. A script in IMAQ vision builder software was written to obtain a 3-D heating pattern for the sterilized trays. Relationship between chemical marker (M-2) yield and cumulative thermal lethality (F0) was also studied. Validation of the locations of cold and hot spots determined by computer vision were performed by fiber-optics temperature measurement sensor. Results show that computer vision in combination with chemical marker M-2 and other accessories can be used as a rapid, accurate and cost efficient tool to specify the location of cold and hot spots after microwave sterilization.
Preparing the People for Mass Clemency: The 1956 Japanese War Crimes Trials in Shenyang and Taiyuan

The lack of official government attention to Japanese war crimes during the Mao years has been widely acknowledged. Yet in the summer of 1956, years of preparatory work by Zhou Enlai culminated in the little-known and summarily dismissed trials of 1,062 self-confessed Japanese war criminals in Shenyang and Taiyuan. The extraordinarily lenient sentences given to 45 of the worst offenders – and wholesale pardons of 1,017 – were prompted by larger geopolitical considerations that effectively hamstrung PRC authorities from bringing the trials into closer alignment with previous ones in Europe and Japan. Zhou's determination to adopt a “policy of leniency” towards the Japanese prisoners, however, was sorely at odds with the sentiments of the general public. The need to prepare the people for a counterintuitive mass clemency saw a sudden and drastic shift in media discourse in 1954, followed by a series of remarkable cultural and intellectual campaigns that were designed to persuade the Chinese people that they should henceforth let bygones be bygones.
Repair of genome destabilizing lesions.

Abstract Reddy, M. C. and Vasquez, K. M. Repair of Genome Destabilizing Lesions. Radiat. Res. 164, 345–356 (2005). Living organisms are constantly exposed to detrimental agents both from the environment (e.g. ionizing radiation, ultraviolet light, natural and synthetic chemicals) and from endogenous metabolic processes (e.g. oxidative and hydrolytic reactions), resulting in modifications of proteins, lipids and DNA. Proteins and lipids are degraded and resynthesized, but the DNA is replicated only during cell division, when DNA damage may result in mutation fixation. Thus the DNA damage generated has the potential to lead to carcinogenesis, cell death, or other genetic disorders in the absence of efficient error-free repair. Because modifications in DNA sequence or structure may be incompatible with its essential role in preservation and transmission of genetic information from generation to generation, exquisitely sensitive DNA repair pathways have evolved to maintain genomic stability and cell viability...
Cerebral Microvascular Responses to Hypercholesterolemia. Roles of NADPH Oxidase and P-Selectin

Although hypercholesterolemia is widely accepted as a major risk factor for coronary artery and peripheral vascular diseases, its role in the pathogenesis of stroke is controversial. The objectives of this study were to determine how hypercholesterolemia affects the cerebral microcirculation under resting conditions and after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). Platelet- and leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions and oxidant production (using the oxidant-sensitive fluorochrome dihydrorhodamine-123) were monitored by intravital videomicroscopy in the cerebral microvasculature of mice placed on either a normal (ND) or cholesterol-enriched diet (HCD). Platelets labeled with carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFDASE) and leukocytes labeled with rhodamine 6G were seen to roll and firmly adhere, with a corresponding increase in oxidant production, in venules of mice on HCD, but not ND. Immunoneutralization of P-selectin attenuated the platelet- and leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions and the enhanced oxidant production associated with HCD. A GPIIb/IIIa blocking antibody did not alter the blood cell-vessel wall interactions to HCD. Mice deficient in the NADPH oxidase subunit gp91(phox) exhibited significantly blunted platelet and leukocyte recruitment responses to HCD. Focal I/R also elicited inflammatory and prothrombogenic responses in cerebral venules and these were exaggerated in mice on HCD. These results implicate an oxidant-dependent, P-selectin-mediated mechanism in the blood cell-vessel wall interactions induced by hypercholesterolemia in the brain and demonstrate that the deleterious effects of I/R on the brain are exacerbated by this cardiovascular risk factor.
Tight Bounds for the Expected Risk of Linear Classifiers and PAC-Bayes Finite-Sample Guarantees

We analyze the expected risk of linear classiers for a xed weight vector in the \minimax" setting. That is, we analyze the worst-case risk among all data distributions with a given mean and covariance. We provide a simpler proof of the tight polynomial-tail bound for general random variables. For sub-Gaussian random variables, we derive a novel tight exponentialtail bound. We also provide new PAC-Bayes nite-sample guarantees when training data is available. Our \minimax" generalization bounds are dimensionality-independent and O( p 1=m) for m samples.
Formation of Whisker-Related Principal Sensory Nucleus-Based Lemniscal Pathway Requires a Paired Homeodomain Transcription Factor, Drg11

Little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of the principal sensory nucleus (PrV) of the trigeminal nerve, a major relay station for somatotopic pattern formation in the trigeminal system. Here, we show that mice lacking Drg11 , a homeodomain transcription factor, exhibit defects within the PrV, which include an aberrant distribution of Drg11 -/- cells, altered expression of a molecular marker, unusual projections of primary afferents from trigeminal ganglion cells, and, subsequently, increased cell death. In addition, surviving PrV cells exhibit delayed and more spatially restricted ascending projections to the ventral posterior medial nucleus of the thalamus (VPm). These early embryonic abnormalities in the PrV lead to the failure to develop whisker-related patterns in the PrV, VPm, and somatosensory cortex. By contrast, somatotopic patterns exist in the spinal trigeminal subnuclei interpolaris (SpVi) and subnuclei caudalis (SpVc) and the dorsal column nucleus-based lemniscal and cortical pathway. Thus, the deficits in the trigeminal system of Drg11 -/- mice are specific to the PrV. Our results demonstrate that Drg11 is essential for proper cellular differentiation and, subsequently, for the formation of the whisker-related lemniscal and cortical structures.
3D reconstruction and analysis of wing deformation in free-flying dragonflies

Insect wings demonstrate elaborate three-dimensional deformations and kinematics. These deformations are key to understanding many aspects of insect flight including aerodynamics, structural dynamics and control. In this paper, we propose a template-based subdivision surface reconstruction method that is capable of reconstructing the wing deformations and kinematics of free-flying insects based on the output of a high-speed camera system. The reconstruction method makes no rigid wing assumptions and allows for an arbitrary arrangement of marker points on the interior and edges of each wing. The resulting wing surfaces are projected back into image space and compared with expert segmentations to validate reconstruction accuracy. A least squares plane is then proposed as a universal reference to aid in making repeatable measurements of the reconstructed wing deformations. Using an Eastern pondhawk (Erythimus simplicicollis) dragonfly for demonstration, we quantify and visualize the wing twist and camber in both the chord-wise and span-wise directions, and discuss the implications of the results. In particular, a detailed analysis of the subtle deformation in the dragonfly's right hindwing suggests that the muscles near the wing root could be used to induce chord-wise camber in the portion of the wing nearest the specimen's body. We conclude by proposing a novel technique for modeling wing corrugation in the reconstructed flapping wings. In this method, displacement mapping is used to combine wing surface details measured from static wings with the reconstructed flapping wings, while not requiring any additional information be tracked in the high speed camera output.
Political Threat and Immigration: Party Identification, Demographic Context, and Immigration Policy Preference*

Objective. I propose that the effect of partisanship on views on immigration is context dependent. I argue that Republicans in counties experiencing high levels of immigration are more likely to support new immigration restrictions in contrast to Democrats and Independents than Republicans in counties with a relatively small foreign-born population, and I suspect this is the case because Republicans in high-immigration counties feel politically threatened by the foreign-born residents, who are more likely to support Democratic candidates. Method. To test this theory, I create hierarchical logit models of views on immigration policy in which individual party identification interacts with the size of the local immigrant population. Individual-level data were drawn from the 2004 National Annenberg Election Survey and county-level contextual variables from the U.S. Census Bureau. Results. I find that the effect of partisanship on individual views on immigration is context dependent; native-born Republicans are more likely to support immigration restrictions when their local community has a large immigrant population and Democrats less likely. Conclusion. In areas where immigration levels are low, partisanship is a weak predictor of immigration views. As the foreign-born population increases, however, the views of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents increasingly diverge.
Use of Seismic Pavement Analyzer To Monitor Degradation of Flexible Pavements Under Texas Mobile Load Simulator

The seismic pavement analyzer (SPA) combines several wave propagation techniques in a single unit and can rapidly perform nondestructive tests to determine the condition of pavement. The modulus of each layer of pavements is a major parameter estimated with the SPA. The SPA and its portable version, the PSPA, have been used with the field operation of the Texas mobile load simulator (TxMLS) to detect the variation in properties of different layers with the number of axle loads applied to the pavement. The theoretical background related to the methods used with the SPA and PSPA is discussed. Results from tests of the SPA and PSPA at a TxMLS testing site are presented. The variation in moduli as a function of the deterioration of pavement is detected. The results have been compared with those obtained from direct seismic measurements made on the top of each layer to evaluate the accuracy of the devices. In general, a good agreement was achieved.
An Ionic Compound Logic Puzzle

A logic puzzle is presented that has been developed as a review of a number of concepts related to ionic compounds. A number of clue statements are given, which are used to match student names to unknown aqueous solutions in a fictional laboratory. Finding the solution to the puzzle requires an understanding of proper ion ratios in an empirical formula, calculation of molar mass, precipitate formation, and polyatomic ions in ionic compounds. The puzzle also promotes logical thinking skills in the application of these concepts. This activity is appropriate for general chemistry students of all levels after an introduction to precipitate formation.
Extricating the Inconsistencies: The Basic Structure Doctrine and the Concept of Constituent Power

This research intends to examine how does the basic structure doctrine correspond to the theoretical account of constituent power. In the first part, I will develop a theoretical framework from the theories of Carl Schmitt and Emmanuel Sieyes. In the second part, I will examine various basic structure review cases from Keshavananda to Coelho to explore the court’s ambivalence about constituent power and the misjudgments woven into the doctrine. I will also examine the then politics of constitutional amendments in India to show how parliament misinterpreted the meaning of constituent power. In the third part, I will make two specific arguments from the core analysis in the second part. First, the basic structure doctrine can be reconciled with the theoretical account of constituent power only by extricating the misjudgments woven into the doctrine. Second, both the institutions of democracy missed the great opportunity to facilitate constitutional politics by finding out the actual location and the ways of expression of constituent power.
Promoting Life Using the Relational Paradigm

The concepts of system ecology and life-preserving transformations presented thus far can be integrated into any building process where choices are made. To further illustrate this integration and provide a contrast with that which is provided through the object-oriented paradigm, this chapter describes how these concepts can be realized in and are facilitated by the relational paradigm and engineering processes associated with it.
A Revision of Solanum Section Aculeigerum (the Solanum wendlandii Group, Solanaceae)

Abstract Solanum section Aculeigerum (the Solanum wendlandii group, Solanaceae) comprises eight species ranging from Mexico and Central America to Ecuador and Peru with one species in southeastern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina. One species, Solanum wendlandii, is commonly cultivated worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions, and one new species from southern Mexico, Solanum triunfense, is described here. Members of Solanum section Aculeigerum are differentiated from other sections of Solanum by a combination of plurifoliate sympodial units, branched inflorescences, presence of prickles coupled with absence of stellate trichomes, and a vine-like habit. Unlike most other prickly species of Solanum, which are placed into Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum, they lack stellate hairs, and phylogenetic studies suggest that the section is one of several potential sister groups for the spiny solanums. A key, descriptions, habitat and distribution data, preliminary conservation assessments, specimens exam...
Hepatitis E Virus Does Not Contribute to Hepatic Decompensation Among Patients With Advanced Chronic Hepatitis C

Background & Aims Hepatitis E (HEV) can cause acute-on-chronic liver failure in persons with pre-existing liver disease. We investigated whether HEV infection contributes to hepatic decompensation in patients with previously stable, advanced chronic hepatitis C. Methods We performed a case–control study using stored serum samples from subjects enrolled in the randomized phase of the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis Trial (n = 1050; mean age, 51 y; 70% male; 40% with cirrhosis at baseline). Cases were subjects who developed hepatic decompensation within a 24-week period. Controls (3 per case) were subjects without hepatic decompensation matched for fibrosis stage and followed up for a similar period. A serum sample obtained within 6 months after the decompensation event in cases and the same follow-up period in controls were tested for anti-HEV IgG. Subjects with a positive result had a baseline sample similarly tested for anti-HEV IgG. We measured levels of anti-HEV IgM and HEV RNA in blood samples from incident cases. Results Of the 1050 subjects analyzed, 314 (30%) experienced a clinical event. Of the 314 subjects who experienced decompensation as defined, 89 (28%) were tested for anti-HEV, along with 267 controls (without decompensation). Similar proportions of cases and controls tested positive for anti-HEV (22.5% and 20.6%, respectively; P = .70). Ten incident HEV infections were identified—4 in cases (4.5%) and 6 in controls (2.2%) ( P = .28). HEV RNA was not detected in blood samples from the 10 incident infections. Only 2 of the 4 incident infections among cases were related temporally to the decompensation event. Conclusions HEV does not appear to be a significant cause of hepatic decompensation among persons with previously stable, advanced chronic hepatitis C in the United States.
Debating teacher education in the united states universities and their critics

INTRODUCTION . Teacher education in the United States has experienced several transitions: Before the 1830s, people who were considered smart were able to teach. After the 1830s until the late 1950s a wide range of approaches to teaching were developed. From the 1960s until 1990, the way to become a teacher became clear through a state approved university program. Since 1990, teacher education in the United States has experienced a major transition, which brings into question the future of teacher education within universities, considering the amount of alternative providers that train teachers. METHOD . An overview of teacher education in the United States will be presented through a historical review, focusing on the North American context, the schools of education and the impact of the alternative providers within the education system. RESULTS. Several agendas have been competing, but none of them are dominant and they are often seen as conflicting and contradictory. At the same time, national government does not have a strong role in education policy and private organizations set a lot of policy. The alternative providers prepare teachers in many ways, but they also face some difficulties. The result is that teacher education programs and education schools keep being marginalized. DISCUSSION . Twenty five years ago, the vast majority of aspiring teachers attended a university-based school of education. Today perhaps one-third of new teachers are products of programs that offer alternatives to university preparation and alternative routes are growing. University-based teacher preparation programs are suffering a period of crisis and it is time to find new ways to face this challenge in the United States.
A review of the hedonic literatures in environmental amenities from open space: a traditional econometric vs. spatial econometric model

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to provide a thorough review of the hedonic studies that investigate environmental amenity values of urban open spaces. Open space amenities have a unique feature than structural characteristics of residential properties; that is, an individual's preference for them may depend on their location relative to a residential property. Twenty-six empirical hedonic studies that estimate values of environmental amenities from open spaces published between 1995 and 2015 were reviewed. We paid special attention to the spatial hedonic literature that used spatial econometric methods to deal with the spatial effects which are common issues in hedonic studies. To our best knowledge, this study is the first study that devoted special attention to the hedonic studies on urban open space using spatial econometric methods.
Monitoring and analysis of metal pollution in foodstuff in Wenzhou city between 2012 and 2013

Objective To investigate the situation of harmful metal in some food in Wenzhou city,and provide basis for formulating control measures. Methods A survey tested lead cadmium mercury arsenic and aluminum was performed from 2012 to2013,1009 foods were collected from 11 monitoring sites. Results The detection rates of lead,cadmium,mercury,arsenic and aluminum in food were 51. 91%( 231 /445),75. 96%( 338 /445),40. 90%( 182 /445),60. 90%( 271 /445),95. 04%( 536/564); Compared with the National standards of food hygiene,the exceeding rates oflead,cadmium,mercury,arsenic and aluminum in food were 0. 45%( 2 /445),8. 31%( 37 /445),0. 45%( 2 /445),21. 57%( 96 /445),72. 70%( 410 /564). The lead,cadmium,mercury,arsenic mainly distributed in samples of fresh and frozen aquatic products,tea,grain and edible fungi,and the aluminum in samples of deep- fried flour products were higher. Conclusion Metal contamination in food was common in the Wenzhou,some food products contained exceeding metals,especially the cadmium and arsenic contamination in fresh and frozen aquatic products and the lead contamination in deep- fried flour products. It is necessary to strengthen the supervision and improve the national food hygiene standards as soon as possible.
Two Paradigms for Individuating Implementations

There has always been a lot to like about Chalmers’ article. You might have thought, for example, that a theory of implementation should be most concerned with telling us which things compute at all. Chalmers argues— convincingly, in my opinion—that this is less interesting than the question of which computations things perform. On his account, everything computes something or other. But only complicated things instantiate complicated programs. Computationalists about mind and brain arguably don’t need much more than that. Whatever computation our brain performs, it’s surely a doozy. Relatively few things manage it.
The Sequential Increase in the Rates of Synthesis of Enzymes in Rat Liver after Glucocorticoid Administration

The relative rate of synthesis of glutamic-alanine transaminase (GAT) in rat liver was measured at various times after the administration of massive doses of prednisolone sodium phosphate or hydrocortisone succinate by the L-leucine- 14 C pulse-labeling method. The rate of synthesis was unchanged 3.5 hr after the administration of prednisolone and 6.5 hr after the administration of hydrocortisone. However, the rate was increased approximately 2-fold after 6.5 hr of prednisolone administration, and approximately 3-fold after 2 days of prednisolone or 5 days of hydrocortisone. Thus, the first noticeable increase in the GAT synthesis, occurring some 6 hr after the hormone administration, lags behind those of glutamic-tyrosine transaminase (GTT) and tryptophan pyrrolase (TP) which have been shown to occur within 3 hr after an administration of hormone. This observation indicates that the stimulatory effect of glucocorticoid hormone on the synthesis of liver proteins are sequential rather than simultaneous.
Instituting a Low-dose CT-guided Lung Biopsy Protocol.

Rationale and Objectives We aimed to evaluate whether implementation of a low-dose computed tomography (CT)-guided lung biopsy protocol, with the support of individual radiologists in the section, would lead to immediate and sustained decreases in radiation dose associated with CT-guided lung biopsies. Materials and Methods A low-dose CT-guided lung biopsy protocol was developed with modifications of kilovoltage peak, milliamperes, and scan coverage. Out of 413 CT-guided lung biopsies evaluated over a 3-year period beginning in 2009, 175 performed with a standard protocol before the development of a low-dose protocol, and 238 performed with a low-dose protocol. The dose-length product (DLP) was recorded for each lung biopsy and retrospectively compared between the two protocols. Individual radiologist level DLPs were also compared before and after the protocol change. Results The mean biopsy dose decreased by 64.4% with the low-dose protocol (113.8 milligray centimeters versus 319.7 milligray centimeters; P Conclusions Implementation of a low-dose CT-guided lung biopsy protocol resulted in an immediate reduction in patient radiation dose that was seen with all attending radiologists and persisted for at least 18 months. Such an intervention may be considered at other institutions wishing to reduce patient doses.
Tremor quantification of Parkinson's disease - a pilot study

The objective of this study was to quantify Parkinson's disease tremor severity using signals acquired from wearable inertial sensors. A machine learning approach was used in the development of classification models. Features calculated from signals produced by accelerometer and gyroscope sensors placed on the index finger and wrist were taken into account. Linear Support Vector Machine (SVM) models were used to assess the severity of rest and postural tremor. The analysis showed that sensor signals collected from the index finger more accurately predict tremor severity compared to signals from a sensor placed on the wrist. Also, standard deviation of linear acceleration and angular velocity signals was shown to increase the accuracy of classifier from 88.6% to 88.9% for resting tremor and 78.8% to 81.8% for postural tremor.
Severity of VWF Multimer Loss Is Associated with Bleeding Tendency in Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Recipients

Abstract 1122 Background: Continuous flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) recipients have increased tendency of post-surgical bleeding. We have previously described a universal loss of high molecular weight VWF multimers (HMWM), likely due to enhanced cleavage of the HMWM in CF-LVAD recipients. Among various VWF laboratory tests, VWF multimer analysis remains the reference method for detecting such an acquired VWF abnormality (AVWA). We hypothesize that the severity of AVWA is a predictor for bleeding tendency. In this study, using our in-gel VWF multimer electrophoresis method, we measured the severity of HMWM loss in CF-LVAD recipients by infra-red densitometry analysis and examined its association with other VWF activity test results and patients9 bleeding tendency. Design: As part of an on-going prospective multicenter study, pre- and/or post-CF-LVAD implantation (7, 30 days and 5–7 months) blood samples were collected from 20 LVAD recipients during 2008 and 2009. Their clinically significant bleeding episodes were recorded. Plasma VWF antigen (VWF:Ag), VWF:Lx activity [Chen D, et al. J Thromb Haemost. 2011;9(10):1993–2002] and plasma VWF multimer analyses [Pruthi RK, et al. Thromb Res. 2010;126(6):543–9] were performed on all available plasma samples. VWF multimers were quantified by infra-red fluorescent densitometry analysis using Odyssey Infrared Imager version 2.0. VWF:multi ratio defined by density ratio between the high molecular weight multimer (HMWM, bands 11 and above) and low and intermediate molecular weight multimer (band 2 to 9) was calculated. Normal range of VWF:multi ratio was determined from 16 normal donor plasma and 4 pooled normal plasma. Statistical analyses including t-test and kappa test were employed. Result: The normal range of VWF:multi ratio is 0.4–0.76. The CV of VWF:multi ratio of a pooled normal plasma tested in 21 gel runs is 12%. Loss of VWF HMWM is present in three patients before CF-LVAD implantation and all patients after implantation. All samples with loss of HMWM show decreased VWF:multi ratio ( Conclusions: Severity of VWF HMWM losses can be quantitatively measured by the new in-gel infra-red densitometry method (VWF:multi ratio). Severity of VWF HMWM losses defined by the VWF:multi ratios, along with VWF:Lx/Ag ratios are significantly associated with bleeding tendency in LVAD recipients. Disclosures: Milano:Thoratec: Consultancy.
Brain Tumors and Metastases

Patients with brain tumor exhibit wide-ranging prognoses and functional implications of their disease and treatments. In general, the supportive care needs of patients with brain tumor, including disabling effects, have been recognized to be high. This review (1) briefly summarizes brain tumor types, treatments, and prognostic information for the rehabilitation clinician; (2) reviews evidence for rehabilitation, including acute inpatient rehabilitation and cognitive rehabilitation, and the approaches to selected common symptom and medical management issues; and (3) examines emerging data about survivorship, such as employment, community integration, and fitness.
Experimental analysis of wavelet transforms for estimating PSK symbol rate

For automated surveillance applications, estimating the symbol rate of an unknown digital communication signal is an important step in the analysis process. Several papers have investigated using the wavelet transform in symbol rate estimation algorithms. Due to its complexity, closed form analysis of performance is often limited, and simulations may not include practical factors such as carrier frequency offset or symbol pulse shaping. This paper uses an automated statistically based test framework to investigate the performance of the wavelet transform against PSK signals with parameters that span a realistic portion of the High Frequency (HF) signal space. The analysis identifies signal and algorithm parameters that affect performance. We also demonstrate that accurate metrics for estimating the probability of failure/success under realistic operating conditions are available for the db6 wavelet.
Polymer–Peptide Conjugates Disassemble Amyloid β Fibrils in a Molecular-Weight Dependent Manner

Amyloid aggregation and deposition are associated with many intractable human diseases. Although the inhibition of amyloid protein aggregation has been well-studied, the disaggregation and dissolution of existing amyloid fibrils is less known. Taking a fibrillar assembly of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide as the model system, here we report multivalent polymer–peptide conjugates (mPPCs) that disassemble preformed Aβ fibrils into dispersible sub-100 nm structures. Atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering studies show that the disassembly rate of preformed Aβ fibrils is controlled by the molecular weight of mPPCs. Rate equations on fibril disappearance are deduced from a simple model, which indicate that the disassembly reaction is first-order in the concentration of Aβ fibrils and a pseudo-first-order reaction in the concentration of peptide moieties on mPPCs, respectively. We eliminate the possibility that the disassembly occurs by the association between mPPCs and Aβ monomer/oligomers based on circula...
Mutational spectra of aflatoxin B 1 in vivo establish biomarkers of exposure for human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and/or hepatitis B and C viruses are risk factors for human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Available evidence supports the interpretation that formation of AFB1-DNA adducts in hepatocytes seeds a population of mutations, mainly G:C→T:A, and viral processes synergize to accelerate tumorigenesis, perhaps via inflammation. Responding to a need for early-onset evidence predicting disease development, highly accurate duplex sequencing was used to monitor acquisition of high-resolution mutational spectra (HRMS) during the process of hepatocarcinogenesis. Four-day-old male mice were treated with AFB1 using a regimen that induced HCC within 72 wk. For analysis, livers were separated into tumor and adjacent cellular fractions. HRMS of cells surrounding the tumors revealed predominantly G:C→T:A mutations characteristic of AFB1 exposure. Importantly, 25% of all mutations were G→T in one trinucleotide context (CGC; the underlined G is the position of the mutation), which is also a hotspot mutation in human liver tumors whose incidence correlates with AFB1 exposure. The technology proved sufficiently sensitive that the same distinctive spectrum was detected as early as 10 wk after dosing, well before evidence of neoplasia. Additionally, analysis of tumor tissue revealed a more complex pattern than observed in surrounding hepatocytes; tumor HRMS were a composite of the 10-wk spectrum and a more heterogeneous set of mutations that emerged during tumor outgrowth. We propose that the 10-wk HRMS reflects a short-term mutational response to AFB1, and, as such, is an early detection metric for AFB1-induced liver cancer in this mouse model that will be a useful tool to reconstruct the molecular etiology of human hepatocarcinogenesis.
Ceramic Production and Interaction in the Northern Range of Trinidad

ABSTRACTRegional syntheses based on data recovered mostly from outside of the Northern Range have characterized the mountainous region in northern Trinidad as a boundary between two distinct interaction spheres during the Early Ceramic Age (ca. AD 350–650/800) (Boomert 2000). Changes occurring on Trinidad, other islands of the southern Lesser Antilles, and the South American mainland resulted in the disintegration of these earlier style zones during the final centuries of the Early Ceramic (Boomert 2000, 2010). This period of Late Ceramic cultural realignment was characterized by climate change, the renegotiation of political and social networks, and demographic transformations. We consider newly recovered ceramic evidence from the central Northern Range in order to evaluate the characterization of the region as a boundary and the region's role in broader Caribbean trends. We examine participation in interaction spheres to provide a more nuanced understanding of regional dynamics as they were expressed lo...
Seeing engineering everywhere culturally relevant engineering activities with rural and appalachian youth

Broadening participation in engineering is an issue of national importance. Particularly in rural areas, otherwise capable students do not have the opportunity to envision themselves pursuing a career in engineering. To begin closing this gap, we present findings from a qualitative research study investigating the perceptions of engineering work held by rural and Appalachian youth. Fifth grade students participated in this research study as part of a university-wide program to broaden participation in higher education. Results indicate that students in this study describe engineering work primarily as involving fixing or inventing. Present in both of the two descriptions was an emphasis on technical artifacts in engineering work. This research contributes to an understanding of possible relevant approaches to engineering interventions with this demographic.
Crystal structure and hydrogen bonding in N-(1-de-oxy-β-d-fructo-pyranos-1-yl)-2-amino-isobutyric acid.

The title compound, alternatively called d-fructose-2-amino­isobutyric acid (FruAib), C10H19NO7, (I), crystallizes exclusively in the β-pyran­ose form, with two conformationally non-equivalent mol­ecules [(IA) and (IB)] in the asymmetric unit. In solution, FruAib establishes an equilibrium, with 75.6% of the population consisting of β-pyran­ose, 10.4% β-furan­ose, 10.1% α-furan­ose, 3.0% α-pyran­ose and <0.7% the acyclic forms. The carbohydrate ring in (I) has the normal 2C5 chair conformation and the amino acid portion is in the zwitterion form. Bond lengths and valence angles compare well with the average values from related pyran­ose structures. All carboxyl, hy­droxy and ammonium groups are involved in hydrogen bonding and form a three-dimensional network of infinite chains that are connected through homodromic rings and short chains. Intra­molecular hydrogen bonds bridge the amino acid and sugar portions in both mol­ecules. A comparative Hirshfeld surfaces analysis of FruAib and four other sugar–amino acids suggests an increasing role of intra­molecular heteroatom inter­actions in crystal structures with an increasing proportion of C—H bonds.
Data analytics and parallel-coordinate materials property charts

It is often advantageous to display material properties relationships in the form of charts that highlight important correlations and thereby enhance our understanding of materials behavior and facilitate materials selection. Unfortunately, in many cases, these correlations are highly multidimensional in nature, and one typically employs low-dimensional cross-sections of the property space to convey some aspects of these relationships. To overcome some of these difficulties, in this work we employ methods of data analytics in conjunction with a visualization strategy, known as parallel coordinates, to represent better multidimensional materials data and to extract useful relationships among properties. We illustrate the utility of this approach by the construction and systematic analysis of multidimensional materials properties charts for metallic and ceramic systems. These charts simplify the description of high-dimensional geometry, enable dimensional reduction and the identification of significant property correlations and underline distinctions among different materials classes. Multidimensional materials property charts can be constructed to better identify the relationship among different properties. When investigating the behavior of materials, the relationship between different properties is usually established through analysis of two-dimensional charts. The correlation between properties is usually far more complex, but visualizing high-dimensional materials data in a way that enables meaningful comparisons is not easy. By employing methods of data analytics with a visualization strategy known as parallel coordinates, Jeffrey Rickman from Lehigh University demonstrates a new way to represent multidimensional materials data that allows useful relationships among properties to be extracted. The author demonstrates the power of this framework by constructing and analysing multidimensional materials properties charts for metallic and ceramic systems, showing that it provides a powerful tool for identifying property relationships.
Systematic bilateral internal mammary artery grafting: lessons learned from the CATHolic University EXtensive BIMA Grafting Study.

Objectives Despite claims of feasibility, to date no study has examined the effect of systematic bilateral internal mammary artery (BIMA) use in a large cohort of real-world unselected patients. The CATHolic University EXtensive BIMA Grafting Study (CATHEXIS) registry was designed to assess the feasibility and safety of systematic BIMA grafting. Methods The CATHEXIS was a single-centre, prospective, observational, propensity-matched study. The study was supposed to include 2 arms of 500 patients each: a prospective arm and a retrospective arm. The prospective arm included almost all patients referred for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at our institution after the start of the CATHEXIS with very few exceptions. BIMA would have been used in all these patients. The retrospective arm included patients submitted to CABG before the start of the CATHEXIS and propensity matched to the prospective group (average BIMA use 50%; the radial artery was extensively used). Safety analyses were scheduled after enrolment of 200, 300 and 400 BIMA patients. Results After the first 226 patients, the BIMA use percentage was 88.5% (200 of 226). In 178 (89%) patients, mammary arteries were used as Y graft. Postoperative mortality was 2%, and incidence of perioperative myocardial infarction, graft failure and sternal complications were 3.5%, 3% and 5.5%, respectively. No perioperative stroke occurred. The incidence of major adverse cardiac events (particularly graft failure and sternal complications) in the BIMA arm were significantly higher than those in the propensity-matched cohort; the study was stopped for safety. Conclusions In a real world setting the systematic use of BIMA was associated with a higher incidence of perioperative adverse events (particularly sternal complications). Individualization of the revascularization strategy and use of alternative arterial conduits are probably preferable to systematic use of BIMA.
Ethnic-racial typicality and its relation to ethnic identity and psychological functioning.

Objectives Ethnic identity development is considered a central task of adolescence and emerging adulthood for ethnic minority individuals. Although the process of developing a coherent ethnic identity has received attention from researchers, there has been little work done to elucidate the content of ethnic identity. This study uses an inductive mixed-methods approach to address 1 aspect of ethnic identity content: typicality, or the degree of perceived similarity individuals feel to their ethnic-racial group. Method Participants included 974 college students at 3 universities-66% women, average age 20.4 years, 5% Black, 30% Asian, 10% Latinx, 40% White, 11% Multiracial, 1% American Indian, and 4% Other race-ethnicity. Thematic analysis was used to code qualitative categories on what makes individuals typical of and atypical of their ethnic group. Codes were used to quantitatively assess relations between aspects of typicality, ethnic identity, and mental health. Results Findings suggest that individuals judged their typicality and atypicality to their ethnic group by focusing on skin color, hair, facial features; values related to family, achievement, and religion-spirituality; and behaviors related to arts-media, sports, spending time with others, and food. Additionally, findings demonstrated that most individuals feel typical of their ethnic group and, of importance, that level of perceived typicality was inversely related to measures of ethnic identity and well-being. Finally, participants differed in their feeling of being typical by ethnic-racial group identifications. Conclusions Ethnic-racial typicality provides valuable information about ethnic identity content and is related to important mental health outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record