cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A High Throughput List Decoder Architecture for Polar Codes

While long polar codes can achieve the capacity of arbitrary binary-input discrete memoryless channels when decoded by a low complexity successive-cancellation (SC) algorithm, the error performance of the SC algorithm is inferior for polar codes with finite block lengths. The cyclic redundancy check (CRC)-aided SC list (SCL) decoding algorithm has better error performance than the SC algorithm. However, current CRC-aided SCL decoders still suffer from long decoding latency and limited throughput. In this paper, a reduced latency list decoding (RLLD) algorithm for polar codes is proposed. Our RLLD algorithm performs the list decoding on a binary tree, whose leaves correspond to the bits of a polar code. In existing SCL decoding algorithms, all the nodes in the tree are traversed, and all possibilities of the information bits are considered. Instead, our RLLD algorithm visits much fewer nodes in the tree and considers fewer possibilities of the information bits. When configured properly, our RLLD algorithm significantly reduces the decoding latency and, hence, improves throughput, while introducing little performance degradation. Based on our RLLD algorithm, we also propose a high throughput list decoder architecture, which is suitable for larger block lengths due to its scalable partial sum computation unit. Our decoder architecture has been implemented for different block lengths and list sizes using the TSMC 90-nm CMOS technology. The implementation results demonstrate that our decoders achieve significant latency reduction and area efficiency improvement compared with the other list polar decoders in the literature.
Probe Molecule (PrM) Approach in Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) Based High-Throughput Screening (HTS): In Vivo Discovery for Developing in Vitro Target Methods

Efficient and accurate adverse outcome pathway (AOP) based high-throughput screening (HTS) methods use a systems biology based approach to computationally model in vitro cellular and molecular data for rapid chemical prioritization; however, not all HTS assays are grounded by relevant in vivo exposure data. The challenge is to develop HTS assays with unambiguous quantitative links between in vitro responses and corresponding in vivo effects, which is complicated by metabolically insufficient systems, in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE), cross-species comparisons, and other inherent issues correlating IVIVE findings. This article introduces the concept of ultrasensitive gas phase probe molecules (PrMs) to help bridge the current HTS assay IVIVE gap. The PrM concept assesses metabolic pathways that have already been well-defined from intact human or mammalian models. Specifically, the idea is to introduce a gas phase probe molecule into a system, observe normal steady state, add chemicals of interest,...
Simulation of Individual Blade Control Helicopter for Analysis of Fault Tolerance Capabilities

This paper presents the development and implementation of a simulation environment in Matlab/Simulink ® for the analysis of fault tolerant control laws of individual blade controlled helicopters. The environment includes the dynamics of a Sikorsky UH-60 helicopter fitted with individual blade actuators and a conventional swashplate. A simple control technique that requires failure detection, identification, and evaluation is developed and the capabilities for fault tolerance of the individual blade control configuration are analyzed. The sensitivity of the individual blade compensation to delays and inaccuracies of the failure detection and evaluation is investigated and ranges of operation are determined through simulation.
Campaign Contributions and Legislative Voting: Milk Money and Dairy Price Supports

-M W fANY MEMBERS of the press and the public apparently believe that interest groups "buy" influence by contributing to political campaigns. This belief has been cited as reason for Congress either publicly to finance congressional campaigns or to place a limit on the amount of monies that a candidate may receive from political action committees. In spite of this public discussion, few scholars have investigated systematically whether campaign contributions directly affect public policy or, more specifically, whether the likelihood that a legislator will vote for a bill favored by an interest group increases upon receiving a contribution from the group. Empirical research on legislative voting can be categorized into two groups. The first group of studies has investigated the relationship between dimensions of voting (e.g. composites of votes on several issues) and measures of general district opinion such as referendum results (Miller and Stokes, 1963; Erickson, 1978; Kuklinski, 1977, 1978; Kuklinski and McCrone, 1980; and Markus, 1974). The second group has focused on the relationship between a congressman's vote on specific bills and the opinions (or self-interest) of sections of his constituency (Bernstein and Anthony, 1974; Danielson and Rubin, 1977; Kau and Rubin, 1978, 1979; and Abrams, 1977). Opinion is usually measured by socioeconomic characteristics. To elaborate on Kuklinski's (1979) criticism, the presumption is that legislative voting is influenced by constituents' opinions but socioeconomic characteristics are no more than proxy variables for such opinions. Most of those used are poor proxies because a priori it is not clear which of many characteristics will predict voting and because the ability of a characteristic to predict voting presumably varies over issues. To be an adequate proxy, a socioeconomic characteristic must be sufficiently refined so that it is related to opinion on a specific bill. In the case of a vote on a specific piece of legislation, the size of a group for whom the issue is salient may be a convincing measure of its influence; and the more precisely the group is defined, the better the variable as a proxy. For instance, in this study dairy industry characteristics arguably are better measures of opinion on dairy price supports than general district characteristics such as percentage of the population which is rural. Furthermore, dairy industry characteristics presumably are poor measures of the relevant dimensions of district opinion on issues such as civil rights. For issues involving specific subgroups of votes, the relationship between a proxy variable and voting is not necessarily a black box. However, district level measures of
Evaluation of a Controlled-Release Silicate Formulation of Temephos Against Aedes Aegypti Larvae in the Laboratory and Psorophora Columbiae Larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) in Rice Field Plots

A controlled-release silicate formulation of temephos was tested for its effectiveness and longevity in controlling Aedes aegypti larvae in the laboratory and Psorophora columbiae larvae in rice field plots. Treatments were based on a theoretical total release of active ingredients. Laboratory bioassays resulted in ≥80% larval mortality up to 80 days at the 0.19-ppm treatment, 122 days at the 0.38-ppm treatment, and 150 days at the 0.76-ppm treatment. Field bioassays resulted in ≥80% larval mortality up to 7 days at the 0.38-ppm treatment, 50 days at the 1.92-ppm treatment, and 71 days at the 3.83-ppm treatment. Temephos residues recovered from water of field plots reached their highest concentration in all plots on day 2 post-treatment and averaged 0.050, 0.283, and 0.761 ppm in the plots treated at 0.38, 1.92, and 3.83 ppm, respectively. Residues (>0.001 ppm) were not detected after 2 days in the 0.38-ppm treatment, after 8 days in the 1.92-ppm treatment, or after 10 days in the 3.83-ppm treatment.
On Folded-Clos Networks with Deterministic Single-Path Routing

Folded-Clos networks, also known as fat-trees, have been widely used as interconnects in large-scale high-performance computing clusters. Although users often treat such interconnects as replacements of nonblocking crossbar switches that can carry out any permutation communication without contention, the networking capability of such interconnects without a centralized controller in computer communication environments is not well understood. In this article, we investigate nonblocking two-level folded-Clos networks with deterministic single-path routing, but no centralized controller, and establish the nonblocking condition. The results indicate that nonblocking two-level folded-Clos networks without a centralized controller are much more expensive to construct than the traditional nonblocking networks in the telecommunication environment. Practical two-level folded-Clos based interconnects are blocking. For such interconnects, we establish the lower bound for worst-case contention for permutations with any deterministic single-path routing scheme, show that existing routing schemes perform poorly in terms of worst-case contention for permutations, present a routing scheme that achieves the theoretical optimal, and empirically compare the performance of existing schemes with the optimal routing scheme. The techniques developed for two-level folded-Clos networks are further extended for the general fat-trees of any heights.
New Spiders from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

The three species here described appear to be new and may be peculiar to this most interesting mountainous region. Family Agelenidae Cicurina alpicora, new species (Pl. I, fig. 1.) Male .—Length 3 mm., Cephalothorax 1.3 mm., Abdomen 1.7 mm. Thorax and legs brownish yellow, the legs lighter toward the tips. The abdomen is ivory white above and below without markings or pattern.
Treatment of Complex Intra-Articular Distal Radius Fractures

Techniques for reduction and fixation of intra-articular distal radius fractures have improved in recent years such that fractures that were once thought doomed to a poor result may now be successfully treated operatively. This article explores open, semi-open, and arthroscopically assisted techniques for reduction and fixation of complex distal radius fractures. The reader should gain an appreciation of which fractures can benefit from operative treatment and which techniques may be most useful for specific fracture types. A number of fixation techniques are described, and familiarity with diverse methods will aid the surgeon in complex cases.
A Ribosomal Perspective on Proteostasis and Aging

As the first and most direct process influencing the proteostasis capacity of a cell, regulation of translation influences lifespan across taxa. Here we highlight some of the newly discovered means by which translational regulation affects cellular proteostasis, with a focus on mechanisms that may ultimately impinge upon the aging process.
Effect of Agrobacterium strain and plasmid copy number on transformation frequency, event quality and usable event quality in an elite maize cultivar

Key message ImprovingAgrobacterium-mediated transformation frequency and event quality by increasing binary plasmid copy number and appropriate strain selection is reported in an elite maize cultivar.
Second row homonuclear diatomics

For many years chemists have considered that an understanding of the theory of the bonding of the homonuclear diatomic molecules from the second row of the periodic table is central to understanding all of bonding, and we consider these stable molecules first from our VB point of view. The stable molecules with interesting multiple bonds are B 2 , C 2 , N 2 , O 2 , and F 2 . Of course, F 2 has only a single bond by ordinary bonding rules, but we include it in our discussion. Li 2 is stable, but, qualitatively, is similar to H 2 . The question of the existence of Be 2 is also interesting, but is really a different sort of problem from that of the other molecules. Of the five molecules we do consider, B 2 and C 2 are known only spectroscopically, while the other three exist at room temperature all around us or in the laboratory. Atomic properties Before we launch into the discussion of the molecules, we examine the nature of the atoms we are dealing with. As we should expect, this has a profound effect on the structure of the molecules we obtain. We show in Fig. 11.1 the first few energy levels of B through F with the ground state taken at zero energy. The L-S term symbols are also shown. The ground configurations of B and F each support just one term, P , but the other three support three terms. All of these are at energies below ≈4.2 eV (relative to their ground state energies).
Fungal endophytes as priority colonizers initiating wood decomposition

This repository contains the raw sequencing data for this study. The compressed file (Fungal_ITS1_MiSeq.zip) contains 82 illumia MiSeq 25 bp Read 1 FASTQ files. These files were used to generate the fungal community structure and function data in our paper, following the pipeline in the supplement File S1. The metadata of these samples were saved in the Excel file: Sample_metadata.csv
Physical mechanisms of electron mobility enhancement in uniaxial stressed MOSFETs and impact of uniaxial stress engineering in ballistic regime

The physical mechanisms of mue enhancement by uniaxial stress are investigated. From full band calculations, uniaxial-stress-induced split of conduction band edge, DeltaEC and effective mass change, Deltam*, are quantitatively evaluated. It is experimentally and theoretically demonstrated that the energy surface of 2-fold valleys in Si (001) FETs is warped due to uniaxial lang110rang stress, resulting in lighter mT of 2-fold valleys parallel to the stress. By using calculated DeltaEC and Deltam*, experimental (ie enhancement is accurately modeled for biaxial, uniaxial lang100rang, and uniaxial lang110rang stress. The limits of mue enhancement and the effectiveness of uniaxial stress engineering in enhancing nFET ballistic Id,sat are also discussed
The Nature of Adsorbed Carbon Dioxide on Immobilized Amines during Carbon Dioxide Capture from Air and Simulated Flue Gas

The structure and nature of adsorbed species on solid amine sorbent under various CO2 concentrations from ambient air (0.04 vol%) to CO2/air stream (15 vol%) have been studied by in situ infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The in situ IR study (i) provided evidence to support the zwitterion pathway for CO2 adsorption/desorption and (ii) allowed determination of the nature of adsorbed species. The IR-observable zwitterion was found to deprotonate to ammonium carbamate and carbamic acid reversibly. CO2 adsorbs on the primary amine site as strongly adsorbed species in the form of ammonium carbamate, and on the secondary amine site as weakly adsorbed species in the form of carbamic acid. Another form of weakly adsorbed species could be ammonium carbamate on the secondary amine. Raising the concentration of CO2 in the stream increased CO2 capture capacity, fractions of strongly adsorbed CO2, and binding energy of adsorbed species. 400 ppm CO2 from air competes over 0.5 % of water vapor for adsorption on class I amine sorbents.
Evaluation of fatigability measurement: Integrative review

Fatigability is defined as the extent of fatigue in the context of activity and differs from the term used in exercise literature to describe muscle endurance characteristics. Many fatigability measures are available, but no studies have thoroughly evaluated them for adequate incorporation of fatigability concepts. This integrative review provides an overall assessment of existing fatigability measures and then evaluates each in depth. A database search and hand search produced 14 studies for review. Fatigability measurement took three forms: self-reported fatigability, perceived fatigability (self-reported fatigue following a defined performance test), and performance fatigability (performance deterioration). Of 17 measures identified, validity and/or reliability was reported for six (35.3%), and no measure was used in more than one study. Fatigability measures have been correlated with clinical measures, indicating that fatigability should be measured during routine clinical health screening. Refinement of measures and additional fatigability data collection will improve understanding and treatment of fatigue.
Effiziente Entwicklung von Karosserievarianten am Beispiel des neuen VW Crafter

Leichte Nutzfahrzeuge im C-Transporter-Segment (3,5 t bis 6 t) haben ein extrem breites Einsatzspektrum. Sie werden fur eine Vielzahl von Transportaufgaben im gewerblichen Bereich verwendet: Von Paketdienst bis mobile Werkstatt, von Materialtransport auf Baustellen bis zu Sonderausbauten.
Alzheimer’s disease and the autophagic-lysosomal system

Age-related neurodegenerative diseases are of critical concern to the general population and research/medical community due to their health impact and socioeconomic consequences. A feature of most, if not all, neurodegenerative disorders is the presence of proteinopathies, in which misfolded or conformationally altered proteins drive disease progression and are often used as a primary neuropathological marker of disease. In particular, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by abnormal accumulation of protein aggregates, primarily extracellular plaques composed of the Aβ peptide and intracellular tangles comprised of the tau protein, both of which may indicate a primary defect in protein clearance. Protein degradation is a key cellular mechanism for protein homeostasis and is essential for cell survival but is disrupted in neurodegenerative diseases. Dysregulation in proteolytic pathways - mainly the autophagic-lysosomal system (A-LS) and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) - has been increasingly associated with proteinopathies in neurodegenerative diseases. Here we review the role of dysfunctional autophagy underlying AD-related proteinopathy and discuss how to model this aspect of disease, as well as summarize recent advances in translational strategies for targeted A-LS dysfunction in AD.
The broadband call control demonstrator — a platform for ITU-T, DAVIC and TINA-C implementations

The paper firstly provides an introduction to the broadband call control demonstrator platform developed at BT Laboratories. It describes the basic connection level functionality used to give point-to-point and point-to-multipoint call demonstrations. It then describes the introduction of a Digital Audio-Visual Council (DAVIC)-conformant session control capability and how this is used as the basis of a more comprehensive demonstration. The paper also examines how future networking concepts such as object orientation and distributed processing environments are being introduced, in particular the interworking between DAVIC and Telecommunications Information Network Architecture Consortium (TINA-C) approaches. Finally, some of the evolutionary aspects of the broadband call control demonstrator platform are introduced.
Research on Pyrolysis Behavior of Coal Tar Using TG-MS

Simultaneous thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) was used to investigate the pyrolysis behaviour of coal tar and the instantaneous evolution characteristic of the gaseous products. The result shows that the gaseous releasing product is mostly H2O besides a small quantity of C2H4 under 400°C. It is mostly CH4 and C2H4 in addition to a small quantity of C2H2 between 400-600°C. It is mostly H2, CO, CO2 and a small quantity of C between 600-1000°C. It is in evidence that C3, CO, CO2 release between 1000-1300°C.
Lipoproteins and Diet in the Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in Western countries, leading to 759,000 deaths annually in the United States1. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is complex, multifactorial, and involves both environmental and genetic risk factors. Steinberg2 schematically illustrated the proposed interplay of blood factors with arterial wall responses (Figure 1). Since many of these factors are discussed elsewhere,3 this review will focus on the central role of lipoproteins in atherosclerosis. Specifically, this review will examine the evidence linking dietary cholesterol and fat intake to serum lipoproteins and coronary heart disease (CHD), the strength of the relationships between atherosclerosis and serum lipoproteins, clinical trials focusing on lowering serum lipoproteins to reduce risk for CHD, animal and human regression studies, the effects of dietary fiber on serum lipoproteins and CHD, and practical implications.
Hardware-Software Co-Design for an Analog-Digital Accelerator for Machine Learning

The increasing deployment of machine learning at the core and at the edge for applications such as video and image recognition has resulted in a number of special purpose accelerators in this domain. However, these accelerators do not have full end-to-end software stacks for application development, resulting in hard-to-develop, proprietary, and suboptimal application programming and executables. In this paper, we describe software stack for a memristor-based hybrid (analog-digital)accelerator. The software stack consists of an ONNX converter, an application optimizer, a compiler, a driver, and emulators. The ONNX converter helps leveraging interoperable neural network models developed on frameworks that support ONNX, such as CNTK, Caffe2, Tensorflow, etc. The application optimization layer adapts these interoperable models to the underlying hardware. The compiler generates executable ISA code that the underlying accelerator can run. Finally, the emulator enables software execution without actual hardware which enables hardware design space exploration and testing. By building a software stack, we have made hybrid memristor-based ML accelerators more accessible to software developers, enabled a generation of better-performing executables, and created an environment that can be leveraged by a multitude of existing neural network models developed using other frameworks to target these accelerators.
RISE Up: Facilitating Frontline Responder Collaboration on Co-Occurring Child Welfare and Intimate Partner Violence Cases

Intimate partner violence (IPV) services are necessary in numerous human service systems, requiring responders (e.g., victim services, law enforcement, social service providers) to collaborate with one another to best meet the needs of their respective clients. Child welfare workers, in particular, carry caseloads with a high prevalence of IPV, yet have reported significant barriers to successful collaboration with other responder roles, such as tension regarding who is the primary client (i.e., the IPV victim or the child). This study explores the qualitative responses of child welfare workers in Florida to understand their collaboration experiences, focusing specifically on their perceptions of facilitative factors of collaboration. Data were collected in Wave 4 of the Florida Study of Professionals for Safe Families, an ongoing longitudinal study of turnover among newly hired child welfare workers. Participants in child welfare and health and human services roles were asked to provide a response to the open-ended item: "What is most helpful in establishing strong collaborations with other responders on cases that involve intimate partner violence?" To better contextualize the results, the analytic sample was ultimately reduced to 526 child welfare workers currently employed in Florida who reported ever working on cases with IPV and provided a response to the open-ended item. Based on a thematic analysis, findings lend to a conceptual model of IPV collaboration among frontline workers that promotes institutional empathy through a cumulative building of communication, rapport, appreciation for teamwork, and consistent understanding of case processes: The Responder InStitutional Empathy (RISE) model of collaboration. Frontline worker efforts to improve collaboration would be bolstered by the accompanying efforts of leadership. The authors suggest increasing mechanisms to promote joint work between responder roles, such as cross-training and colocation.
Measurement of Aerosols Optical Thickness of the Atmosphere using the GLOBE Handheld Sun Photometer.

Here, we describe the measurement of aerosol optical thickness using the GLOBE handheld sun photometer. Aerosol optical thickness (AOT) was measured at Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA, 29.96° N, 90.11° W and 3 m above sea level). The measurements were done at two different wavelengths, 505 nm and 625 nm. AOT measurements were done 6 times a day (7 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM, solar noon, 3 PM and 5 PM). The data shown in this paper are the monthly average AOT values taken at solar noon. During each measurement time; at least five values of the sunlight voltage V and the dark voltage Vdark are taken for each channel. The mean for these five measurements is taken as the average for that measurement time. Other meteorological data such as temperature, surface pressure, rainfall and relative humidity are also measured at the same time. The whole protocol is completed within a time span of 10–15 min. The measured AOT values at 505 nm and 625 nm are then used to extrapolate the AOT values for wavelengths 667 nm, 551 nm, 532 nm and 490 nm. The measured and extrapolated AOT values were then compared with values from the nearest AERONET station at Wave CIS site 6 (AERONET, 28.87° N, 90.48° W and 33 m above sea level), which is about 96 km south of XULA. In this study we tracked the annual and daily variations of AOT for a 12 month period from September 2017 to August 2018. We also compared AOT data from two independently calibrated GLOBE handheld sun photometers at the XULA site. The data show that the two instruments are in excellent agreement.
Prevalence, Incidence, and Clearance of Human Papillomavirus Types Covered by Current Vaccines in Men With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the SUN Study.

Author(s): Patel, Pragna; Bush, Tim; Conley, Lois; Unger, Elizabeth R; Darragh, Teresa M; Henry, Keith; Escota, Gerome; Brooks, John T; Kojic, Erna Milunka | Abstract: BackgroundHigh-risk anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is prevalent among men living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); the association between 9-valent (9v) high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) vaccine types and abnormal cytology has not been well characterized.MethodsWe followed a prospective cohort study of persons with HIV at 7 HIV clinics in 4 US cities from March 2004 through June 2012. Annually, providers collected separate anal swabs for HPV detection and cytopathologic examination. Among men, we examined prevalence, incidence, and clearance of 9v HR-HPV vaccine types, compared with other HR types, and associations with abnormal cytology to assess potential vaccine impact.ResultsBaseline prevalence of any anal 9v HR-HPV type among men who have sex with men (MSM) and men who have sex with women (MSW) was 74% and 25% (P l .001), respectively. Among 299 MSM, abnormal cytology was detected in 161 (54%) MSM and was associated with the presence of any 9v HR-HPV (relative risk [RR], 1.8 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.3-2.6]; P l .001). Among 61 MSW, abnormal anal cytology was detected in 12 (20%) and was associated with the presence of any 9v HR-HPV (RR, 4.3 [95% CI, 1.6-11.5]; P l .001).ConclusionsAmong men with HIV, the prevalence of the 7 HR-HPV types in the 9v vaccine was high and was associated with abnormal cytology. These findings indicate that men with HIV could benefit from prophylactic administration of the 9v HPV vaccine.
Introduction to Plasma Physics: With Space, Laboratory and Astrophysical Applications

Introducing basic principles of plasma physics and their applications to space, laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, this new edition provides updated material throughout. Topics covered include single-particle motions, kinetic theory, magnetohydrodynamics, small amplitude waves in hot and cold plasmas, and collisional effects. New additions include the ponderomotive force, tearing instabilities in resistive plasmas and the magnetorotational instability in accretion disks, charged particle acceleration by shocks, and a more in-depth look at nonlinear phenomena. A broad range of applications are explored: planetary magnetospheres and radiation belts, the confinement and stability of plasmas in fusion devices, the propagation of discontinuities and shock waves in the solar wind, and analysis of various types of plasma waves and instabilities that can occur in planetary magnetospheres and laboratory plasma devices. With step-by-step derivations and self-contained introductions to mathematical methods, this book is ideal as an advanced undergraduate to graduate-level textbook, or as a reference for researchers.
Assessment of Long-term Benefit of Intensive Blood Pressure Control on Residual Life Span: Secondary Analysis of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT)

Importance High blood pressure (BP) is a leading contributor to premature mortality worldwide. The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) demonstrated a 27% reduction in all-cause death with intensive (vs standard) BP control. However, traditional reporting of survival benefits is not readily interpretable outside medical communities. Objective To estimate residual life span and potential survival gains with intensive compared with standard BP control in the SPRINT trial using validated nonparametric age-based methods. Design, Setting, and Participants This secondary analysis of data from an open-label randomized clinical trial included data from 102 enrolling clinical sites in the United States. Adults who were 50 years or older, were at high cardiovascular risk but without diabetes, and had a screening systolic BP between 130 and 180 mm Hg were enrolled between November 2010 and March 2013. Data analysis occurred from May 2019 to December 2019. Interventions A 1:1 randomization to intensive (target, Main Outcomes and Measures We calculated age-based estimates of projected survival (at a given age) using baseline age rather than time from randomization as the time axis. In each treatment arm at every year of age, residual life span was estimated using the area under the survival curve, up to a maximum of 95 years. Differences in areas under the survival curves reflect the estimated treatment benefits on projected survival. Results A total of 9361 adults were enrolled (mean [SD] age at randomization, 68 [9] years; 6029 [64.4%] were men; 5399 [57.7%] were non-Hispanic white individuals). Mean survival benefits with intensive vs standard BP control ranged from 6 months to up to 3 years. At age 50 years, the estimated residual survival was 37.3 years with intensive treatment and 34.4 years with standard treatment (difference, 2.9 years [95% CI, 0.9-5.0 years];P = .008). At age 65 years, residual survival was 24.5 years with intensive treatment and 23.3 years with standard treatment (difference, 1.1 years [95% CI, 0.1-2.1 years];P = .03). Absolute survival gains with intensive vs standard BP control decreased with age, but the relative benefits were consistent (4% to 9%). Conclusions and Relevance Intensive BP control improves projected survival by 6 months to 3 years among middle-aged and older adults at high cardiovascular risk but without diabetes mellitus. These post hoc actuarial analyses from SPRINT support the survival benefits of intensive BP control, especially among middle-aged adults at risk. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT01206062
Chapter 4 – Low-temperature compaction of nanosize powders

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the various techniques of low-temperature compaction of nanosize powders. One of the more important challenges in the fabrication of nanostructured materials is how to achieve full densification of the powder while simultaneously retaining a nanoscale microstructure. High-pressure compaction of nanosize particles has been used in an attempt to achieve the desired nanoscale microstructure and high density in the green body. Typical compaction pressures usually exceed 1.0 GPa and, therefore, require specialized equipment. There are two different types of low-temperature high pressure powder compaction: diamond anvil pressure cell and high-pressure compaction with the piston-cylinder device. The longer sintering times and higher temperatures required promote excessive grain growth and/or irregular grain growth, resulting in a microstructure that does not exhibit the desired nanosize grain structure. The homogeneity and density of the green compact is critical in many situations, especially because the cold compaction density of most ceramic nanosize powders is extremely low. Obtaining a high green density is not the ultimate accomplishment in the processing of nanosize powders. The reason for this is that, in many cases, ceramic powders exist as metastable phases when they are prepared as very fine powders. These materials are metastable and may transform, typically involving significant volume changes, during high-temperature sintering.
Quantifying the Impact of Care Fragmentation on Outcomes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services has identified readmission as an important quality metric in assessing hospital performance and value of care. The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of “care fragmentation” on transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) outcomes. Readmission to nonindex hospitals was defined as any hospital other than the hospital where the TAVI was performed. In this multicenter, population-based, nationally representative study, a nationally weighted cohort of US adult patients who underwent TAVI in the National Readmission Database between 01/01/2010 and 9/31/2015 were analyzed. Patient characteristics, trends, and outcomes after 90-day nonindex readmission were evaluated. Thirty-day metric was used as a reference group for comparison. A weighted total of 51,092 patients met inclusion criteria. Overall, the 90-day readmission rate after TAVI was 27.6% (30-day reference group: 17.4%), and 42% of these readmissions were to nonindex hospitals. Noncardiac causes accounted for most nonindex readmissions, but major cardiac procedures were more likely performed at index hospitals during readmission within 90 days. Despite the high co-morbidity burden of patients readmitted to nonindex hospitals, unadjusted and risk-adjusted all-cause mortality, readmission length of stay and total hospital costs following nonindex readmission were lower compared with index readmission at 90 days. In conclusion, in this real world, nationally representative cohort of TAVI patients in the United States, care fragmentation remains prevalent and represent an enduring, residual target for future health policies. Although the impactful readmissions may be directed toward index hospitals, concerted efforts are needed to address mechanisms that increase care fragmentation.
Immunologic perturbations in severe COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 infection

Abstract Although critical illness has been associated with SARS-CoV-2-induced hyperinflammation, the immune correlates of severe COVID-19 remain unclear. Here, we comprehensively analyzed peripheral blood immune perturbations in 42 SARS-CoV-2 infected and recovered individuals. We identified broad changes in neutrophils, NK cells, and monocytes during severe COVID-19, suggesting excessive mobilization of innate lineages. We found marked activation within T and B cells, highly oligoclonal B cell populations, profound plasmablast expansion, and SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in many, but not all, severe COVID-19 cases. Despite this heterogeneity, we found selective clustering of severe COVID-19 cases through unbiased analysis of the aggregated immunological phenotypes. Our findings demonstrate broad immune perturbations spanning both innate and adaptive leukocytes that distinguish dysregulated host responses in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and warrant therapeutic investigation. One Sentence Summary Broad immune perturbations in severe COVID-19
Pre-participation Cardiovascular Screening in Young Competitive Athletes.

The purpose of this review was to highlight the current recommendations, data, and limitations for methods of cardiovascular screening in athletes. While the history and physical (HP however, the use of imaging for universal screening has not been rigorously tested to date. Current disqualification guidelines have now begun to emphasize shared decision-making between the provider and athlete in situations of clinical equipoise. All major medical and sporting societies recommend PPCS using a focused medical history and physical examination for all competitive athletes, but there remains controversy about the role of ECG and advanced imaging in PPCS. Future research should focus on the creation of a randomized trial that is powered for mortality that can truly assess the utility of PPCS in athletes.
Risk of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicide deaths in persons with sleep apnea: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim To estimate the pooled prevalence and incidence of suicidal ideation, attempts, and deaths in people with sleep apnea. Method We will identify epidemiological studies reporting the prevalence or incidence rate of suicide in people with sleep apnea. We will search the following databases: PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, Cochrane Library, OVID (HEALTH STAR), OVID (MEDLINE) and Joana Briggs Institute EBF Database. No age, geographical location, study-design or language limits will be applied. This protocol was developed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. Two reviewers (YY and YP) will independently screen citations, abstracts and will identify full-text articles for inclusion, extract data, and appraise the quality and bias of included studies. Discrepancies will be resolved by consulting with a third researcher (MC). Study quality will be assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The primary outcomes will be the overall prevalence or incidence of suicidal ideation, attempts and completion and the risk of suicide in people with sleep apnea. For pooling of the studies, we will use a random-effects model with a logit transformation. The DerSimonian and Laird (DL) random-effects method will be used to estimate the pooled inter-study variance. We will assess the between-study heterogeneity using I2 statistics, and Cochrane's Q statistic (significance level 75%), we will perform subgroup meta-analyses and conduct a meta-regression analysis to explore sources of study heterogeneity using study level median age, study-level proportions of race, gender, depression and quality scores. We will report effect estimates as suicide risk per 1000 individuals. Egger's test and funnel plots will be used to assess publication bias, and adjusted estimates using trim and fill methods will be reported if publication bias is suspected. Ethics and dissemination No ethics clearance is required as no primary data will be collected. The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis will be presented at scientific conferences and published in a peer-review journal. The results may shed more light on the burden of suicide risk among individuals with sleep apnea and may guide future population-specific interventions. Trial registration PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020165404.
Boundary prescribed–time stabilization of a pair of coupled reaction–diffusion equations

We study boundary feedback stabilization of a pair of coupled reaction-diffusion equations with distinct diffusivities, where attractivity to the origin is required to occur in a finite time which is prescribed independently of initial conditions. Our approach is twofold: we first develop control laws which render the system to a cascade form; we then utilize two different time-varying control laws which ensure prescribed-time stabilization of each equation. To achieve the desired stabilization while ensuring that the resulting boundary feedback controllers remain bounded, it is necessary to prescribe two different rates of attractivity to the origin. We achieve this by using distinct time-varying gains with square and cubic "blow-up" functions, which diverge at the prescribed terminal time. The ensuing control laws achieve stabilization of the plant in a prescribed terminal time.
Doing Linguistics with a Corpus: Methodological Considerations for the Everyday User

1. Introduction 2. Getting to know your corpus 3. Research designs: linguistically meaningful research questions, observational units, variables, and dispersion 4. Linguistically interpretable variables 5. Software tools and linguistic interpretability 6. The role of statistical analysis in linguistic descriptions 7. Interpreting quantitative results 8. Wrapping up.
Targeted Assessment for Prevention Facility Assessments: The Most Common CAUTI and CLABSI Infection Prevention Gaps

Background: The Targeted Assessment for Prevention (TAP) strategy is a quality improvement framework created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to facilitate the reduction of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). TAP facility assessments are a component of the TAP strategy and are completed by staff across the facility to help identify perceptions of and target infection prevention gaps. We have described the gaps most commonly reported by facilities completing TAP facility assessments for catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) and central-line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). Methods: TAP CAUTI and CLABSI assessments were completed by acute-care facilities across the nation, with CDC technical assistance, from December 2014 to August 2019. Similar questions across 2 versions of CAUTI assessments and 3 versions of CLABSI assessments were combined. Analysis was limited to facilities with ≥10 assessments. Infection prevention gaps were defined as ≥33% respondents answering Unknown, ≥33% respondents answering “no,” or ≥50% of respondents answering “no” and “unknown” or “never” and “rarely” “sometimes” “unknown.” The analysis was completed at the facility level, and the gaps most commonly reported across facilities were identified. Results: In total, 1,942 CAUTI assessments from 42 facilities in 12 states and 1,623 CLABSI assessments from 29 facilities in 11 states were included for analysis. The mean numbers of assessments per facility were 46.2 for CAUTIs and 56.0 for CLABSIs. Across both CAUTIs and CLABSIs, commonly reported perceptions about infection prevention gaps included lack of physician and nurse champions for prevention activities, failure to conduct competency assessments, and inconsistency in select device insertion practices (Fig. 1). For CAUTIs, lack of practices to facilitate timely removal of urinary catheters were also commonly reported, with one-third of facilities reporting inconsistency in use of alerts for catheter removal, 78.6% reporting lack of physician response to these alerts, and 90.5% reporting deficiencies in removing unnecessary catheters in the postanesthesia care unit. For CLABSIs, 79.3% of facilities reported failure to replace central lines within 48 hours after emergent insertion, and 62.1% reported that feedback was not provided to staff on central-line device utilization ratios. Conclusion: For both assessments, absence of CAUTI and CLABSI prevention champions, failure to conduct competency assessments, and inconsistency in performing device insertion practices were commonly reported across facilities. These common gaps have and will continue to inform the development of tools and resources to improve infection prevention practices as well as help to better target the implementation of interventions. Funding: None Disclosures: None
Phase field dislocation dynamics (PFDD) modeling of non-Schmid behavior in BCC metals informed by atomistic simulations

Abstract Body-Centered Cubic (BCC) metals exhibit anomalous mechanical properties such as twinning/anti-twinning and tension/compression asymmetry, which are attributed to asymmetric behavior of screw dislocations. Unlike Face-Centered Cubic (FCC) metals, the Critical Resolved Shear Stress (CRSS) of BCC metals deviates from the Schmid law. We use a mesoscale modeling approach called Phase Field Dislocation Dynamics (PFDD) to understand the critical factors that control this non-Schmid behavior and reproduce atomistic predictions of the CRSS (Peierls stress). All inputs to the PFDD model are obtained from Molecular Statics (MS) simulations. Multiple pathways for modeling the non-Schmid behavior are investigated by incorporating the representative dislocation properties into different energy terms in the PFDD model. One way to understand non-Schmid behavior is to incorporate stress components projected on inclined planes into the external energy term within PFDD. Alternatively, we propose that non-Schmid behavior can also be accounted for by considering the variation of the { 110 } unstable stacking fault energy and the dislocation core width as a function of the applied tensorial stress field. The CRSS predicted using PFDD modeling is in excellent agreement with MS predictions.
Polarizability of atomic Pt, Pt+, and Pt.

Electrostatic properties are important for understanding and modeling many phenomena, such as the adsorption of a catalytic metal upon an oxide support. The charge transfer between the metal and the support can lead to positive or negative charges on the metal. Here, the static dipole polarizability is computed for atomic platinum in charge states 0, +1, and −1 in several low-lying electronic terms and levels. Core pseudopotentials are used along with coupled-cluster theory. The best results are estimates for the coupled-cluster CCSDTQ/q-aug-cc-pwCV∞Z-PP values for atomic terms, combined with compositional data from spin–orbit configuration interaction. The polarizability of the anion Pt− is especially challenging for the theory with wildly varying results from different coupled-cluster perturbative approximations such as CCSD(T). For atomic mercury (Hg), selected as a nearby experimental value, our polarizability volume is larger than experiment by 0.8 bohrs3 (or 0.12 × 10−30 m3). For the ground level of neutral platinum, Pt(3D3), we find α0 = (41.2 ± 1.1) bohrs3 or (6.10 ± 0.16) × 10−30 m3. A handful of density functional theory methods are tested and found generally within 10% of our best values.
Brain Activity-Based Metrics for Assessing Learning States in VR under Stress among Firefighters: An Explorative Machine Learning Approach in Neuroergonomics

The nature of firefighters’ duties requires them to work for long periods under unfavorable conditions. To perform their jobs effectively, they are required to endure long hours of extensive, stressful training. Creating such training environments is very expensive and it is difficult to guarantee trainees’ safety. In this study, firefighters are trained in a virtual environment that includes virtual perturbations such as fires, alarms, and smoke. The objective of this paper is to use machine learning methods to discern encoding and retrieval states in firefighters during a visuospatial episodic memory task and explore which regions of the brain provide suitable signals to solve this classification problem. Our results show that the Random Forest algorithm could be used to distinguish between information encoding and retrieval using features extracted from fNIRS data. Our algorithm achieved an F-1 score of 0.844 and an accuracy of 79.10% if the training and testing data are obtained at similar environmental conditions. However, the algorithm’s performance dropped to an F-1 score of 0.723 and accuracy of 60.61% when evaluated on data collected under different environmental conditions than the training data. We also found that if the training and evaluation data were recorded under the same environmental conditions, the RPM, LDLPFC, RDLPFC were the most relevant brain regions under non-stressful, stressful, and a mix of stressful and non-stressful conditions, respectively.