cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fertility and Menopause in Blind Women

Light and light-dark cycles have a significant effect in regulating the reproductive cycles o f some mammals .' During long nights and short days or after blinding, gonadal atrophy will occu r in the Syrian golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus. This phenomenon has been shown to be mediated by stimulation of the pineal gland . Moreover, the light-dark cycle is believed to have a similar endocrine effect in human beings . For example, in northern Finland most conceptions occur during the summer . 2 A widely cited piece of evidence for the presence of a pineal effect on the fertility of human being s is the study of Elden . 3 In 1969, he reports only one woman blind since birth became pregnan t and delivered a normal child in the state of Wash ington. This woman had no light perception . On the basis of the birth rate and the blind population, there should have been 120 such women . In the United States, only six pregnancies in blin d women were reported, when over 1000 shoul d have been expected . From this data and other anecdotal evidence, Elden concluded that blindness caused infertility in human beings . However, Elden did not take into account the degree of light perception of all the subjects in hi s study, an important consideration, since the pine al is extremely sensitive to light . As little as 0. 5 p W/sq cm of full-spectrum white light can inhib it the usual dark-time rise in pineal N-acetyltransferase activity . Consequently, only those women without light perception should show a
Maximizing the Shadowing Experience: A Guidance Document

Job shadowing is an excellent way to learn more about the pharmacy profession. The shadowing individuals gain a greater sense of the role pharmacists play in the health care team and are exposed to the variety of roles that are filled by pharmacists. Job shadowing is also an important way for pharmacists to demonstrate the value of the profession and recruit talented individuals to their institution. However, there are several important considerations to ensure that the shadowing experience is beneficial for the individual, is a positive experience for the sponsor, and is compliant with the host institution’s policies and procedures. The goal of this article is to prepare a potential host site for developing and maintaining a successful job shadow experience.
The Effects of Advertised and Observed Quality on Expectations about New Product Quality

The authors describe a model of the effects of advertised and observed quality on consumer expectations about new product quality. They test the model using data from two computer-controlled shoppi...
Clinical importance of confirming or excluding the diagnosis of chronic graft-versus-host disease

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. The presentation of this disease is varied, and it requires histological confirmation for diagnosis. In addition, cGVHD can often mimic other diseases, and vice versa. We have conducted a retrospective analysis of 123 patients referred to the GVHD clinic at the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center from 1994 to 1998 with a diagnosis of active cGVHD. Of these, nine patients (7%) had no evidence of cGVHD, and 25 patients (20%) had inactive cGVHD. Many of these patients were found to have other processes accounting for their ongoing symptoms. We conclude that since the therapy for this disease has significant toxicities and since what appears to represent cGVHD may actually be another disease, correct diagnosis of cGVHD or exclusion of this diagnosis is essential.
CDBG: Continuity or Change?

This article questions the view that the folding of the categorical aids for urban revitalization into the community development block grant (CDBG) marks a sharp break with the past. The argument is made that this shift does not represent a basic revision of redevelopment policies and strategies on the part of either the federal government or the cities. The history of federal aid to local communities over the last several decades is characterized less by change than by continuity in program substance if not inform. The same problems and goal conflicts that were associated with revitalization efforts under the categoricals remain under the block grants, at least as they are presently constituted. It is important, moreover, to view CDBG as part of a larger package of redevelopment aids, including Section 8 housing assistance, the urban development action grant (UDAG), and the proposed urban enterprise zones. It is also important to distinguish between the operation of the program in fiscally distressed cities and in relatively affluent urban counties.
Feeding TH 6040 to chickens: effect on larval house flies in manure and determination of residues in eggs.

Thompson-Hayward 6040 ( N -[4-chlorophenyl]- N ′[2,6-difluorobenzoyl]urea) was fed in rations to laying hens at decreasing amounts from 50 to 1.6 ppm. The level that gave complete inhibition of development of larvae of Musca domestica L. fell between 6.2 and 12.5 ppm. Residues of TH 6040 were found in the eggs of all treated chickens.
The ribosomal protein Asc1/RACK1 is required for efficient translation of short mRNAs

Translation is a core cellular process carried out by a highly conserved macromolecular machine, the ribosome. There has been remarkable evolutionary adaptation of this machine through the addition of eukaryote-specific ribosomal proteins whose individual effects on ribosome function are largely unknown. Here we show that eukaryote-specific Asc1/RACK1 is required for efficient translation of mRNAs with short open reading frames that show greater than average translational efficiency in diverse eukaryotes. ASC1 mutants in S. cerevisiae display compromised translation of specific functional groups, including cytoplasmic and mitochondrial ribosomal proteins, and display cellular phenotypes consistent with their gene-specific translation defects. Asc1-sensitive mRNAs are preferentially associated with the translational 'closed loop' complex comprised of eIF4E, eIF4G, and Pab1, and depletion of eIF4G mimics the translational defects of ASC1 mutants. Together our results reveal a role for Asc1/RACK1 in a length-dependent initiation mechanism optimized for efficient translation of genes with important housekeeping functions.
Effectiveness of a Combined Tutoring and Mentoring Intervention with Ninth-Grade, Urban Black Adolescents.

ABSTRACTThis quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of a combined tutoring and mentoring intervention for urban, low-income Black youth during the transition to high school. Participants were 118 ninth-grade students (experimental n = 69; comparison n = 49). After 7 months in the intervention program, students in the experimental group showed significant improvement in grade point average, perceived support for educational commitment and attainment, and perceived support from school. Results indicate that this approach was beneficial for these students through the transition to high school and may eventually increase high school graduation rates among these urban youth by helping with this pivotal adjustment to ninth grade.
Politics across the Hudson: The Tappan Zee megaproject

Feudalism is not dead. It lives and thrives in New York, and in Politics Across the Hudson Philip Mark Plotch reveals how, in fact, it is the state’s operating system. His tale chronicling the hist...
Ambiguities and challenges in measuring women’s movement strength

In their insightful article, “Comparative Strength of Women’s Movements Over Time: Conceptual, Empirical, and Theoretical Innovations,” Mazur, McBride, and Hoard (2015) suggest new ways of studying...
Speed and rotor position estimation of the PMSM by cascaded sliding mode observers with single and double compound manifolds

The paper presents a method to estimate the EMFs and the speed of the permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). The method uses only the measured voltages and currents of the motor; estimation is done using cascaded sliding mode (SM) observers. A first observer estimates the EMFs of the motor in the stationary reference frame; these are obtained by filtering the manifolds of the SM observer. The EMFs are passed to a second SM observer that estimates the speed and re-estimates the EMFs. The method is applicable in sensorless speed controlled PMSM drives where the EMFs are used to obtain the rotor position angle and the estimated speed is used for feedback. The paper discusses the EMF observer - this is a SM design that uses simple manifolds. Then, two versions of the speed observer are presented: the first design uses a single compound manifold; the second uses two manifolds. For both speed observers, the estimated speed of the PMSM is obtained by filtering the switching manifolds of the observer. The theoretical developments are supported with simulations.
Decreased blood product usage during extracorporeal life support with reduced circuit volumes.

BACKGROUND Activation and consumption of platelets (PLT) and clotting factors along with hemolysis occurs when blood contacts the extracorporeal life support (ECLS) circuit and its components. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS The objective was to examine the effects of reducing ECLS circuit volume by decreasing tubing length and changing components on blood product usage in neonatal and pediatric patients. Blood product administration was analyzed in 40 consecutive patients who required ECLS for respiratory or cardiac failure before (PRE) and after (POST) changes in circuit design and components. RESULTS The total circuit volume was reduced from 500 mL (PRE) to 275 mL (POST). In the POST group, total blood product volume usage was 58% lower compared to the PRE group (81 mL/kg/day vs. 191 mL/kg/day, p = 0.003), 65% lower for fresh-frozen plasma (FFP; 15 mL/kg/day vs. 43 mL/kg/day, p = 0.001), and PLT volumes trended lower. In the subgroup of infants with respiratory or cardiac failure, there was a 55% reduction of a total blood product replacement (61 mL/kg/day vs. 136 mL/kg/day, p = 0.008), red blood cell (RBC) use was 61% lower (28 mL/kg/day vs. 71 mL/kg/day, p < 0.049), and there was a 73% reduction in FFP use (11 mL/kg/day vs. 41 mL/kg/day, p < 0.001). In the subgroup of postoperative infants, there was a 25% decrease in RBC use (86 mL/kg/day vs. 115 mL/kg/day, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION Decreasing the ECLS circuit volume by reducing the tubing length and changing the components was associated with a significant reduction in blood product usage.
Characterization of Herpes Simplex Virus Infections Seen in the Pediatric Dermatology Office.

Background/Objectives Atypical and severe clinical manifestations of primary and recurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections may present to a pediatric dermatologist for evaluation. The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical features of the population diagnosed with HSV referred to a pediatric dermatology office. Methods This retrospective case series examined patients diagnosed with HSV in a pediatric dermatology practice at an academic medical center from 2005 to 2015. Characteristics of the population were collected and analyzed. Results In this study of 48 children diagnosed with HSV, 33% presented at age 2 years or younger, with approximately half having exhibited initial symptoms before 2 years of age; 39.6% of the population had six or more outbreaks per year. The outbreaks were equally divided between unifocal and multifocal presentations, with 60% of children without any labial or mucosal involvement. Suppressive treatment was initiated in 33% of patients; the average age at initiation was 6 years. Conclusion Our data characterize a subset of immunocompetent young children who present to pediatric dermatologists with frequent HSV outbreaks that are often multifocal and involve cutaneous sites, with or without mucosal involvement.
The Radiation Hybrid Map Construction Problem Is FPT

The Radiation Hybrid Map Construction problem (RHMC) is of prime interest in the area of Bioinformatics, and is concerned with reconstructing a genome from a set of given gene clusters. The problem is \(\mbox{$\mathcal{NP}$}\)-complete, even for the special case when the cardinality of each cluster is 2. Recently, Zhang et al. considered the case when the cardinality of each cluster is at most three, and proved that RHMC in this case is fixed-parameter tractable. They asked whether RHMC is fixed-parameter tractable for any fixed upper bound on the cluster cardinality.
Electron Transfer Kinetics of a Series of Bilayer Triphenylamine–Oligothiophene–Perylenemonoimide Sensitizers for Dye-Sensitized NiO

A series of triphenylamine (TPA)–oligothiophene–perylenemonoimide (PMI) molecules, denoted as the BH dyes, which mimic membrane lipid bilayers to enable stable operation of dye-sensitized NiO photocathodes under extremely acidic (pH = 0) conditions, have been recently reported for solar hydrogen production. In this work, we systematically study the photophysical properties of the BH series molecules with various lengths of π-linkers in solution via density functional theory (DFT) calculations and time-resolved spectroscopic techniques. When dissolved in DMF, the molecules undergo ultrafast intramolecular charge transfer within 1 ps upon photoexciation. The charge-separated state then recombines within tens of picoseconds. The electron transfer kinetics of dye-sensitized mesoporous NiO photocathodes exhibit both fast and slow charge recombination processes (70 ps and 4.5 μs, respectively, for BH4). The effect of various lengths of π-linkers is modeled with a spatial attenuation factor of 0.20 A–1 with a lo...
PALS instrument upgrade, a wide band radiometer

This paper presents upgrades for the Passive Active L-band Sensor (PALS) microwave instrument. PALS is the primary calibration and validation airborne instrument for the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission. PALS has been successfully deployed in the field for more than a decade, increasing in size, weight and complexity. Currently, a state-of-the-art upgrade is being carried out to ensure the instrument is ready to meet current and future science requirements at the same time that is more portable and easy to deploy.
PARACENTRAL ACUTE MIDDLE MACULOPATHY AFTER PREWORKOUT HAVOK INGESTION.

Purpose To describe a case of transient, partial, central retinal artery occlusion with paracentral acute middle maculopathy optical coherence tomography presentation in a young healthy patient after ingestion of the synephrine-containing supplement, Havok. Methods Retrospective case report with fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography. Results A 20-year-old man presented with severe acute vision loss in the right eye. Dilated examination demonstrated cherry red spot with surrounding edema in the macula. Optical coherence tomography showed hyperreflectivity in the middle retinal layer of the macula consistent with paracentral acute middle maculopathy. Fluorescein angiography showed delayed arteriovenous transit time consistent with a central retinal artery occlusion. Bloodwork to investigate a hypercoagulable state and vasculitis were negative. At 1-week follow-up, dilated examination demonstrated resolution of the cherry red spot. At 3 months, the patient's visual acuity was back to normal. Fluorescein angiography showed complete resolution of the retinal artery occlusion, but optical coherence tomography of the macula demonstrated mild, residual middle retina thinning consistent with chronic presentation of paracentral acute middle maculopathy. Conclusion Because of synephrine's physiological and structural similarity to the vasoconstrictive compound ephedra, it is reasonable to suggest that there is potential health hazard in this performance-enhancing compound.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.
NoCloud: Exploring Network Disconnection through On-Device Data Analysis

Application developers often advocate uploading data to the cloud for analysis or storage, primarily due to concerns about the limited computational capability of ubiquitous devices. Today, however, many such devices can still effectively operate and execute complex algorithms without reliance on the cloud. The authors recommend prioritizing on-device analysis over uploading the data to another host, and if on-device analysis is not possible, favoring local network services over a cloud service.
Single-fraction brachytherapy as monotherapy for early-stage prostate cancer: The UCSF experience.

Abstract Purpose High-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy as monotherapy is an effective treatment option for localized prostate cancer, but experience with single-fraction brachytherapy is limited by studies with small sample size. We report a large single-institution experience with single-fraction HDR brachytherapy as monotherapy for early-stage prostate cancer. Methods and Materials Retrospective chart review was performed for men treated with HDR brachytherapy as monotherapy for low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Competing risk analyses were performed to estimate subdistribution hazard ratio and cumulative incidence of biochemical recurrence (BCR) and prostate cancer–specific mortality. Results We identified 124 men with a median followup of 2.2 years (interquartile range 25th to 75th percentile: 1.8–3). Overall, 21.0% of patients (n = 26) were low risk, 44.4% (n = 55) were favorable intermediate risk, and 34.7% (n = 43) were unfavorable intermediate risk. At 2 years, the cumulative incidence of BCR was 3.5%: 0% for low risk, 4.0% for favorable intermediate risk patients, and 4.5% for unfavorable intermediate risk patients. In total, 12 BCRs were observed (9.7%) and approximately half occurred after median followup of 2.2 years. Compared with low-risk and favorable intermediate-risk disease, unfavorable intermediate-risk disease was significantly associated with BCR (subdistribution hazard ratio: 3.6, 95% CI: 1.1 to 11.1, p = 0.03). Prostate cancer–specific mortality was 0%. No patient experienced Grade 3 or higher acute or late genitourinary toxicity. Conclusions Single-fraction brachytherapy for early-stage prostate cancer was safe with promising short-term disease control rates, especially for low-risk patients. Longer term followup is needed as we observed an overall BCR rate of 9.7%.
Fatigue Crack Growth and Macroscopic Damage Accumulation

Fatigue is an important form of behavior in crystalline as well as noncrystalline materials, with metals and polymers being of primary concern. Failure due to fatigue generally refers to a deterioration of the material caused by repeated applied stress within the ordinary elastic range* as measured in the static tension test. The failure process involves nucleation, initiation and propagation of cracks. Fractures resulting from fatigue are among the most difficult to analyze because they involve material damage at the atomic, microscopic and macroscopic scale. In general, the different scale level of mechanical irreversibility must not only be accounted for but related to one another by theory before a clear understanding of the total process of fatigue can be understood.
Hittingtime and pagerank

In this thesis, we study convergence of finite state, discrete, and time homogeneous Markov chains to a stationary distribution. Expressing the probability of transitioning between states as a matrix allows us to look at the conditions that make the matrix primitive. Using the Perron-Frobenius theorem we find the stationary distribution of a Markov chain to be the left Perron vector of the probability transition matrix. We study a special type of Markov chain &mdash random walks on connected graphs. Using the concept of fundamental matrix and the method of spectral decomposition, we derive a formula that calculates expected hitting times for random walks on finite, undirected, and connected graphs. The mathematical theory behind Google's vaunted search engine is its PageRank algorithm. Google interprets the web as a strongly connected, directed graph and browsing the web as a random walk on this graph. PageRank is the stationary distribution of this random walk. We define a modified random walk called the lazy random walk and define personalized PageRank to be its stationary distribution. Finally, we derive a formula to relate hitting time and personalized PageRank by considering the connected graph as an electrical network, hitting time as voltage potential difference between nodes, and effective resistance as commute time.
Challenges in the Contemporary Management of Syphilis among Pregnant Women in New Orleans, LA

Objective. The aim of this retrospective review is to evaluate trends in the management of maternal and congenital syphilis (CS) in a tertiary care center in New Orleans, LA. Study Design. All cases of maternal and neonatal syphilis over a five year period at Touro Infirmary, New Orleans, LA, were identified using ICD-9/10 codes. Charts were reviewed for demographic and obstetrical variables, stage of syphilis at diagnosis, lab values, and treatment regimen. Newborn treatment and other outcomes were recorded. Results. During the study period 106 infected mother-baby pairs were identified. Of these, 73 charts are available for review. 41% (n = 30) of women received inadequate therapy according to their stage of disease. 9% of newborns (n = 6) were found to be symptomatic for CS; however, only 83.3% of these were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Only 20% (n = 6) of infants were adequately treated with an extended penicillin regimen if the mother was not adequately treated. Furthermore, only 63.0% of newborns had a nontreponemal titer performed. Conclusion. With rising rates of CS, strict adherence to the 2015 CDC guidelines for treatment of syphilis must be maintained.
Identification of heat tolerance loci in broccoli through bulked segregant analysis using whole genome resequencing

Most broccoli cultivars are sensitive to high temperatures during the early stages of floral development causing a severe decline of head quality or even complete lack of head formation under superoptimal crop production temperatures. Several heat tolerant lines have been developed in recent years but there have been few studies of the genetic basis of this complex, polygenic trait. A doubled haploid population of broccoli was evaluated for head quality across two summer field trials with the phenotypic extremes validated in two additional summer fields. Whole-genome resequencing of the bulked segregants was used for a quantitative trait loci (QTL)-seq analysis of heat tolerance. Two novel QTL, which differ from previously reported QTL, were identified. Nonsynonymous SNPs were found in a block of flowering time genes within QHT_C09.2 and may explain the significant negative correlation between time to head maturity and heat tolerance. Breeding further genetic gains in this complex, polygenic trait could be expedited through marker assisted selection and gene pyramiding using markers developed from the QTL identified herein.
Transcription of cis Antisense Small RNA MtlS in Vibrio cholerae Is Regulated by Transcription of Its Target Gene, mtlA.

ABSTRACT Vibrio cholerae, the facultative pathogen responsible for cholera disease, continues to pose a global health burden. Its persistence can be attributed to a flexible genetic tool kit that allows for adaptation to different environments with distinct carbon sources, including the six-carbon sugar alcohol mannitol. V. cholerae takes up mannitol through the transporter protein MtlA, whose production is downregulated at the posttranscriptional level by MtlS, a cis antisense small RNA (sRNA) whose promoter lies within the mtlA open reading frame. Though it is known that mtlS expression is robust under growth conditions lacking mannitol, it has remained elusive as to what factors govern the steady-state levels of MtlS. Here, we show that manipulating mtlA transcription is sufficient to drive inverse changes in MtlS levels, likely through transcriptional interference. This work has uncovered a cis-acting sRNA whose expression pattern is predominantly controlled by transcription of the sRNA’s target gene. IMPORTANCEVibrio cholerae is a bacterial pathogen that relies on genetic tools, such as regulatory RNAs, to adapt to changing extracellular conditions. While many studies have focused on how these regulatory RNAs function, fewer have focused on how they are themselves modulated. V. cholerae expresses the noncoding RNA MtlS, which can regulate mannitol transport and use, and here we demonstrate that MtlS levels are controlled by the level of transcription occurring in the antisense direction. Our findings provide a model of regulation describing how bacteria like V. cholerae can modulate the levels of an important regulatory RNA. Our work contributes to knowledge of how bacteria deploy regulatory RNAs as an adaptive mechanism to buffer against environmental flux.
Contemporary Management of Bell Palsy

Bell palsy (BP) is the most common diagnosis in acute and chronic facial palsy. Although most patients fully recover, more than one-quarter will have residual dysfunction. Of these, nearly half will demonstrate severe limitations in facial expression. Though significant attention has been paid to acute management and prognosis, a paucity of literature exists addressing management of the long-term sequelae of BP. This article describes contemporary use of physical therapy, injectables, and static and dynamic surgical procedures in facial reanimation of acute and chronic BP.
Variations in Breast Cancer Screening and Health Behaviors by Age and Race Among Attendees of Women’s Health Clinics

Objective Breast cancer mortality has declined, yet disease outcomes have not improved equally across populations. Disparities may initiate early in the continuum of care, in health behavior patterns, and screening practices. We examined variations in mammography, exercise, fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol consumption, and body mass index (BMI, kg/ m2) by age and race in a diverse sample of clinic patients.
Homelessness and Mortality Among Persons With Tuberculosis in Texas, 2010-2017:

Objective:A disproportionate number of tuberculosis cases and tuberculosis deaths occur among persons experiencing homelessness in the United States. Our objective was to identify risks for homeles...
Thyroid Hormones in Relation to Development of the Nervous System

Modern interest in hormone research may be said to have commenced with the use of aqueous extracts of dog and guinea pig testicles by the French neurologist, Brown-Sequard (1889) to restore male sex drive in man, one may presume by an action on the nervous system. However, since it is to be doubted that an aqueous extract could remove the lipid soluble steroid hormone from the testicular tissue, it would seem that the reported beneficial effect was psychological. Interest in thyroid hormone in relation to its effect on the nervous system undoubtedly is of more ancient origin, based on early observations available in the literature on mental retardation in cretins. Additional evidence for a thyroid hormone effect in development was presented in 1924 by Allen who demonstrated that metamorphosis in amphibians was thyroid hormone dependent and that in the absence of thyroxine the brain failed to attain normal growth. Then, in 1952 investigations conducted by Beach demonstrated that gonadal hormones influence reproductive behavior. However, little direct evidence had accumulated at this time to support a hormonal action on the nervous system. The concept of a critical period in the development of the brain wherein the presence or absence of androgens could determine whether or not the hypothalamus regulated a cyclic or acyclic pituitary-gonad relationship was yet to come.
Retinal and choroidal capillaries contribution to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) phenotypes in murine models of the disease

Mouse models of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) such as Ccl2-/- and Ccl2-/-/Cx3cr1-/- have not yet been fully characterized ultrastructurally. Although we have previously shown extranuclear DNA (enDNA) leakage into the cytoplasm and damaged mitochondria in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of these AMD mouse models, little is known about the state of their vascular capillaries of the retina and choroid. Our ultrastructural survey shows that the aberrations were not restricted to the RPE cells, but also extended to the vasculature of the retina and choroid. Their endothelial aberrations included cytoplasmic degeneration, pyknotic DNA, hypertrophic nuclei, and loss of fenestration in addition to duplication of basement membrane and loss of density in Bruch's membrane. Moreover, the state of the vasculature in the mutant mice models suggests that the capillaries could also be active contributors to the pathological findings seen in AMD. The goal of this study is to gain insights into the early events of AMD that may lead to a better understanding of AMD's pathogenesis, improve our preventative measures, and formulate designed therapeutic regimens that are tailored to target the initial pathological events.Abbreviations: AMD: age-related macular degeneration; BM: Bruch's membrane; DPC: degenerate pericyte; EN: endothelial nucleus; enDNA: extranuclear DNA; GCL: ganglion cell layer; HEN: hypertrophic endothelial nucleus; IPL: inner plexiform layer; NFL: nerve fiber layer; OPL: outer plexiform layer; RBC: red blood cell; RPE: retinal pigment epithelium; SNPs: Single nucleotide polymorphisms.
CSG: Critical Scenario Generation from Real Traffic Accidents

Autonomous driving (AD) is getting closer to our life, but the severe traffic accidents of autonomous vehicle (AV) happened in the past several years warn us that the safety of AVs is still a big challenge for the AD industry. Before volume production, the automotive industry and regulators must ensure the AV can deal with dangerous scenarios. Although road test is the most common method to test the performance and safety of an AV, it has some manifest disadvantages, e.g., highly risky and unrepeatable, low efficiency and lack of useful critical scenarios. Critical-scenario-based simulation can effectively address these problems and become an important complement to road test. In this paper, we present a novel approach to extract critical scenarios from real traffic accident videos and re-generate them in a simulator. We also introduce our integrated toolkit for scenario extraction and scenario test. With the toolkit, we can build a critical scenario library quickly and use it as a benchmark for AV safety assessment, among other purposes. On top of this, we further introduce our safety assessment criteria and scoring method.
Incorporating a Medical Apparel Project into a Technical Design Process Course in an Apparel Design Program

The purpose of this study was to investigate university students’ active learning during a medical apparel project in a technical design process course. Students were encouraged to identify design problems, create their own pattern-making techniques, and understand the entire process through a project that was part of a real-world design competition. A total of 43 undergraduate students were divided into two groups – satisfied (n = 22) and dissatisfied students (n = 21) and analyzed data using an independent sample t-test. The questionnaire elicited demographic information and 14 questions gauging students’ levels of satisfaction. Students obtained a further understanding of the value and usefulness of medical apparel. Educators consider adding a fundamental course related to medical or protective apparel in the fashion design curriculum to promote students’ reconsideration of medical or protective products. We suggest providing an opportunity for students to attend various design competitions through this and other related projects.
Pathogen Evolution When Transmission and Virulence are Stochastic

Evolutionary processes are inherently stochastic, since we can never know with certainty exactly how many descendants an individual will leave, or what the phenotypes of those descendants will be. Despite this, models of pathogen evolution have nearly all been deterministic, treating values such as transmission and virulence as parameters that can be known ahead of time. We present a broadly applicable analytic approach for modeling pathogen evolution in which vital parameters such as transmission and virulence are treated as random variables, rather than as fixed values. Starting from a general stochastic model of evolution, we derive specific equations for the evolution of transmission and virulence, and then apply these to a particular special case; the SIR model of pathogen dynamics. We show that adding stochasticity introduces new directional components to pathogen evolution. In particular, two kinds of covariation between traits emerge as important: covariance across the population (what is usually measured), and covariance between random variables within an individual. We show that these different kinds of trait covariation can be of opposite sign and contribute to evolution in very different ways. In particular, probability covariation between random variables within an individual is sometimes a better way to capture evolutionarily important tradeoffs than is covariation across a population. We further show that stochasticity can influence pathogen evolution through directional stochastic effects, which results from the inevitable covariance between individual fitness and mean population fitness.
Repossessing Property in South Asia: Land, Rights, and Law Across the Early Modern/Modern Divide

In this extended review essay, which introduces the special double issue on “Repossessing Property in South Asia: Land, Rights and Law Across the Early Modern/Modern Divide,” I consider existing historical scholarship on land control and proprietary right in the Indian subcontinent in order to contextualize the contribution made by the articles that follow. Dividing earlier writings — by historians and anthropologists since the 1950s — into three phas- es/thematics, the introduction shows how work on South Asia has long grappled with property both as a material relation and as an alien cultural category. Making the case that we must think about property’s conceptual history as being necessitated by more than just the critique of Eurocentrism, the essay clarifies how the articles that follow both continue and extend past discussion. Overall, it argues that by providing integrated perspectives on property’s material and ideational dimensions, our articles will be illuminating both to scholars of Afro-Asia and those interested in law, political economy and political culture more generally.
Reasons for refusing referrals and challenges to effectual engagement in tele-treatment for depression among low-income homebound older adults.

Objectives: To describe reasons for refusal to be referred to or enroll in a depression treatment study and post-enrollment challenges to treatment engagement and technology-related problems among ...
Competitive sport after SARS-CoV-2 infection in children.

Background With the gradual resumption of sports activities after the lock-down period for coronavirus pandemic, a new problem is emerging: Allow all athletes to be able to return to compete after SARS-CoV-2 infection in total safety. Several protocols have been proposed for healed athletes but all of them have been formulated for the adult population. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the adequacy of Italian practical recommendations for return-to-paly, in order to exclude cardiorespiratory complications due to COVID-19 in children and adolescents. Methods Between April 2020 and January 2021 the Italian Sports Medical Federation formulated cardiorespiratory protocols to be applied to athletes recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection. The protocols take into account the severity of the infection. Protocols include lung function tests, cardiopulmonary exercise test, echocardiographic evaluation, blood chemistry tests. Results From September 2020 to February 2021, 45 children and adolescents (aged from 9 to 18 years; male = 26) with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection were evaluated according to the protocols in force for adult. 55.5% of the subjects (N = 25) reported an asymptomatic infection; 44.5% reported a mild symptomatic infection. Results of lung function test have exceeded the limit of 80% of the theoretical value in all patients. The cardiorespiratory capacity of all patients was within normal limits (average value of maximal oxigen uptake 41 ml/kg/min). No arrhythmic events or reduction in the ejection fraction were highlighted. Conclusion The data obtained showed that, in the pediatric population, mild coronavirus infection does not cause cardiorespiratory complications in the short and medium term. Return to play after Coronavirus infection seems to be safe but it will be necessary to continue with the data analysis in order to modulate and optimize the protocols especially in the pediatric field.
Rhythmic auditory stimulation rescues cognitive flexibility in mutant mice with impaired gamma synchrony

Neural synchronization at gamma ([~]40 Hz) frequencies is believed to contribute to brain function and be deficient in disorders including Alzheimers disease and schizophrenia. Gamma-frequency sensory stimulation has been proposed as a non-invasive treatment for deficient gamma synchrony and associated cognitive deficits, and has been shown to be effective in mouse models of Alzheimers disease. However, both the mechanism and applicability of this approach remain unclear. Here we tested this approach using mutant (Dlx5/6+/-) mice which have deficits in gamma synchrony and the ability to learn to shift between rules which use different types of cues to indicate reward locations. 40 Hz auditory stimulation rescues rule shifting in Dlx5/6+/- mice. However, this improvement does not outlast the period of stimulation, and is not associated with normalized gamma synchrony, measured using genetically encoded voltage indicators. These results show how gamma-frequency sensory stimulation may improve behavior without fully restoring normal circuit function.
A Guide to Complex Variables

A Guide to Complex Variables gives the reader a quick and accessible introduction to the key topics. While the coverage is not comprehensive, it certainly gives the reader a solid grounding in this fundamental area. There are many figures and examples to illustrate the principal ideas, and the exposition is lively and inviting. An undergraduate wanting to have a first look at this subject or a graduate student preparing for the qualifying exams, will find this book to be a useful resource. In addition to important ideas from the Cauchy theory, the book also includes the Riemann mapping theorem, harmonic functions, the argument principle, general conformal mapping and dozens of other central topics. Readers will find this book to be a useful companion to more exhaustive texts in the field. It is a valuable resource for mathematicians and non-mathematicians alike. Steven Krantz is well-known for his skill in expository writing and this volume confirms it. He is the author of more than 50 books, and more than 150 scholarly papers. The MAA has awarded him both the Beckenbach Book Prize and the Chauvenet Prize.
Morbidity and Mortality of Bilateral Femur Fractures

Bilateral femur fractures have been associated with frequent morbidity and mortality. Associated injuries and massive hemorrhage contributed to mortality rates that were as high as 27% in previous reports. The goals of this study were to determine the frequency of associated complications, including mortality, and to identify which patient and injury features are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The authors proposed that some patients with bilateral femur fractures may undergo early definitive fixation with an acceptable rate of complications. Patients who had bilateral femur fractures during the same injury event were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic characteristics, associated injuries, and the type and timing of treatment were determined. Complications were identified. The authors identified 50 men and 22 women, with a mean age of 41.5 years, who had high-energy bilateral femur fractures. These patients accounted for 5.5% of all femur fractures treated at the authors' institution over a period of 11 years. Two patients died before fixation. In addition, 13 other patients (19%) had 21 complications, including pneumonia in 6 (8.6%) and deep venous thrombosis in 7 (10%). No patient had adult respiratory distress syndrome, but 2 died of multiple organ failure. All patients with pulmonary complications had an underlying chest injury (P=.004). The overall mortality rate was 6.9%, and mortality was associated with higher mean age and higher Injury Severity Score (ISS). Of the 60 patients who had definitive fixation within 24 hours of injury, 53 (88%) had no complications. Complication rates were similar to those reported in the literature, with a mortality rate of 6.9%, including 3 patients who died after femoral fixation. Mortality was associated with advanced age and higher ISS. Chest injuries were associated with pulmonary complications. Most patients had early definitive fixation without complications, but it is not possible to predict which patients may be safely treated on an early basis.
Television watching and colorectal cancer survival in men

To assess the association between pre- and postdiagnostic time spent sitting watching TV as well as other sedentary behaviors (other sitting at home and at work/driving) and mortality from colorectal cancer or other causes, and overall mortality. We followed stage I–III colorectal cancer patients from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986–2010). Cox models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 926 and 714 patients were included in the analysis of pre- and postdiagnostic TV watching, respectively, and 471 and 325 died during follow-up. Prolonged prediagnostic TV viewing was associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer-specific mortality independent of leisure-time physical activity. The HRs (95 % CIs) for 0–6, 7–13, 14–20, and ≥21 h/week were 1.00 (referent), 0.84 (0.56–1.25), 1.15 (0.75–1.78), and 2.13 (1.31–3.45) (p trend = 0.01). The association was observed primarily among overweight and obese individuals. Prediagnostic TV watching was also associated with overall mortality within 5 years of diagnosis, largely due to the association with colorectal cancer mortality. Other prediagnostic sitting at home or at work/driving was not associated with mortality. Postdiagnostic TV viewing was associated with a nonsignificantly increased risk of colorectal cancer-specific mortality (HR for ≥21 vs 0–6 h/week = 1.45; 95 % CI 0.73–2.87) adjusting for TV viewing before diagnosis. Prolonged prediagnostic TV watching is associated with higher colorectal cancer-specific mortality independent of leisure-time physical activity among colorectal cancer patients.
The Hankel transform and some of its properties.

The Hankel transform of an integer sequence is defined and some of its properties discussed. It is shown that the Hankel transform of a sequence S is the same as the Hankel transform of the Binomial or Invert transform of S. If H is the Hankel matrix of a sequence and H=LU is the LU decomposition of H, the behavior of the first super-diagonal of U under the Binomial or Invert transform is also studied. This leads to a simple classification scheme for certain integer sequences.
A Ménage à Trois in Two Configurations

The interaction of thrombin with the GpIb-IX-V complex on the surface of platelets is crucial for the formation of blood clots following vascular injury. In a Perspective, [Sadler][1] discusses two new crystallographic studies ([ Celikel et al .][2], [ Dumas et al .][3]) that shed new but perhaps conflicting light on this vital interaction. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/301/5630/177 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/301/5630/218 [3]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/301/5630/222
IEEE Life Sciences Letters Inaugural Editorial

We, the editors of the IEEE Life Sciences Letters (LSL), take pleasure in welcoming readers to this, the Inaugural Issue of the journal. LSL is intended to facilitate the rapid review and publication of high-quality contemporary research in the broad areas of personalized medicine, pharmaceutical engineering, synthetic biology, and systems biology. We are fortunate to have four outstanding individuals as Senior Editors, one for each theme area, as well as several Associate Editors.
Polymer synthesis: For the living there is hope

On page 386 of this issue, T. J. Deming reports a new method of synthesizing amino-acid-based polymers — a ‘living’ polymerization that should yield materials with precisely controlled structures, and with unprecedented combinations of physical properties. [Comment on "Facile synthesis of block copolypeptides of defined architecture".]
In-Situ Neutron Diffraction Study of Strain-Induced Martensite Formation in 304L Stainless Steel at a Cryogenic Temperature

In-situ, time-of-flight neutron diffraction was performed to investigate the martensitic phase transformation during quasi-static uniaxial compression testing of 304L stainless steel at 300K (room temperature) and 203K. In-situ neutron diffraction study enabled the bulk measurement of intensity evolution for each hkl atomic plane during the austenite (fcc) to martensite (hcp and bcc) phase transformation. The neutron diffraction patterns show that the martensite phases started to develop at about 2.5% applied strain (600 MPa applied stress) at 203K. However, at 300K, the martensite formation was not observed throughout the test. Furthermore, from changes in the relative intensities of individual hkl atomic planes, the selective phase transformation can be well understood and the grain orientation relationship between the austenite and newly-forming martensite phases can be determined. The results show that the fcc grain families with {111} and {200} plane normals parallel to the loading axis are favored for the “fcc to hcp” and “fcc to bcc” transformations, respectively.
In vitro release of lipophorin from the fat body of nondiapause and diapause larvae of the Southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella

The release of lipophorin and total protein was examined from the fat body of nondiapause and diapause larvae of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella, incubated in vitro in Grace's medium. The characteristics of the released lipophorin were compared to those of the high-density lipophorin present in the hemolymph of nondiapause and diapause larvae. Over a 4 h incubation period, the fat body of nondiapause larvae released about 1.5 times more total protein and 2 times more lipophorin per mg dry weight than did that of diapause larvae. Lipophorin isolated from the medium in which fat bodies of nondiapause and diapause larvae had been incubated and from the plasma of nondiapause and diapause larvae had similar mean densities of 1.115, 1.112, 1.117 and 1.119 g/ml, respectively. Although the lipid classes detected in lipophorin isolated from the fat body incubation medium and hemolymph were identical, more polar lipids and less diacylglycerol were associated with lipophorin isolated from fat body incubation medium then were associated with lipophorin isolated from the hemolymph. Sterols accounted for about 11% of the total lipids of lipophorin isolated from the fat body incubation medium, whereas they accounted for about 20% of the total lipids of lipophorin from hemolymph. We conclude that the fat body of feeding nondiapause larvae and nonfeeding diapause larvae releases high-density lipophorin.