cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ratings of impairment and functional status in prediction of mortality.

Little attention has been given to selecting a set of variables that define the dimensions of health or illness as a totality. This could have utility, particularly in the field of aging, for better assessment of the person's residual capacity and proper selection of treatments or services. Generally, scales are assembled to measure discrete areas of physical, mental, and social functioning without regard to any overlap between scales or items in the over-all association with some dependent variable. Reducing these to the ones that uniquely contribute to outcome is a desirable research goal. Even within the area of physical health, there are dimensions such as impairment and disability (functional status). Impairment is usually defined as organic pathology judged by a physician, whereas disability or functional status can be determined through observation of the person's self-care ability in such areas as eating, dressing, toileting, bathing, and ambulation. However, some people who are quite impaired continue to function at rather high levels and some nor so organically impaired may exhibit poor functional states. Most medical research has relied on measurement of functional status (since these ratings are based on more objective observation) rather than on estimates of degree of impairment to organ systems. Yet, there seems to be justification for both types of assessment. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between these two areas in the prediction of mortality. Males (n = 714) averaging 67 yr. were rated by their physicians in the hospital on a 13-item impairment scale (1) and by a ward nurse on a 16-item functional status scale (2), just before their transfer to community nursing homes. Follow-up 6 mo. later showed that 221 patients (31%) had died. Both stepwise multiple regression and stepdown discriminant function analyses were used to identify the predictors in terms of unique contribution and accuracy in classification. Scales were first analysed separately and then all 29 items were combined. Although 8 functional items discriminated between living and dead at a univariate level. only 5 uniquely predicted mortality. All 16 functional scores had an accuracy in classification of 68%. Five of the 13 impairment items were statistically significant at a univariate level and also contributed significantly as predictors. All 13 impairment items had an accuracy in classification of 74%. Using the combined 29 items, 6 variables (4 impairment and 2 function) emerged as accounting significantly for 80% of the predictable variance in mortality and achieving an accuracy in classification of 77%. At the .O1 level, vascular, respiratory, and neurological impairment and need for assistance with earing were identified. Degree of mental depression and impairment ratings on hepatic system were associated with mortality (P < .05). Our data suggest that combining selected functional status ratings with estimates of impairment led to better classification of clinical condition and predictors of outcome.
Germinal Epithelium of Guinea Pigs during Early Stages of Scurvy.

Guinea pigs were fed a scorbutic diet of alfalfa meal and wheat flour, equal parts by weight, oats ad libitum, and powdered whole milk (Klim) corresponding to 50 cc. fresh milk daily. The increase in weight for about 10 to 15 days was approximately at the same rate as control rats which received, in addition, 2 cc. of orange juice daily. They showed no symptoms of scurvy. At this time, however, histological changes characteristic of scurvy have already set in.Observations made on the testes of guinea pigs, fed on a scorbutic diet and killed after ten days, show engorgement of the blood vessels with degeneration of seminal epithelium in some of the tubules. Cells in early stages of spermatogenesis were especially affected. Other tubules were normal and contained all stages of developing spermatozoa.Guinea pigs kept for 30 to 40 days in a state of severe chronic scurvy show almost complete recovery of germinal epithelium after 17 days on an antiscorbutic diet.
A Kinetic Phase Diagram for Ultrathin Film Ni/Si(111): Auger Lineshape Results

We have used Auger spectroscopy to monitor chemical reactions during solid phase epitaxy by contact reaction in the Ni/Si(ll1) ultrathin film system. We show that coexisting phases may be separated by numerically fitting the composite Si LVV lineshape using a linear combination of single phase “fingerprint” spectra. Sytematic measurements of coverage and temperature conditions are compiled into a kinetic phase diagram. Comparison with conventional (1000A) thin film data suggest that the reactions forming Ni2Si and NiSi at > 20 A thickness are bulk diffusion limited, while surface diffusion dominates at lower coverage. On the other hand, the formation of NiSi2 appears to be nucleation limited at all coverages, with dramatic variations in reaction rate with film thickness. This is discussed in terms of a competition between surface and bulk free energies.
War/Crimes and the Limits of the Doctrine of Sources

International humanitarian law (IHL) and international criminal law (ICL) are the product of lawmaking processes that are not captured in the black-letter doctrine of sources under which Article 38 of the ICJ Statute is the rule of recognition for international law. Despite efforts by certain institutional players and scholars to place these two regimes squarely within Article 38, both remain distinct in terms of how actors determine whether a purported rule is a legal rule. These distinctions constitute a challenge to the idea of a unified rule of recognition and argue instead for looking for indicators (not rules) about a norm's legal status. More important, IHL and ICL demonstrate not merely the futility, but the hazards, of a unified rule of recognition. For the purpose of a concept of sources is to ground the legitimacy of international law and, consequently, create the conditions for respect for and compliance with it. In that case, we need to treat any doctrine of sources as a tool, and not an end in itself. Such a move requires that we do precisely what traditional doctrine seems to reject – to link the identification of a rule as law not only with the context in which it is formed (including its subject area), but with the context in which the norm is invoked. I conclude with thoughts about the ethical sources of IHL and ICL, a topic neglected in scholarship on sources.
Selecting for neurogenic potential as an alternative for Alzheimer's disease drug discovery.

Abstract Introduction Neurons die in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and are not effectively replaced. An alternative approach to maintain nerve cell number is to identify compounds that stimulate the proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells in old individuals to replace lost neurons. However, unless a neurogenic drug is also neuroprotective, the replacement of lost neurons will not be sufficient to stop disease progression. Methods The neuroprotective AD drug candidate J147 is shown to enhance memory, improve dendritic structure, and stimulate cell division in germinal regions of the brains of very old mice. Based on the potential neurogenic potential of J147, a neuronal stem cell screening assay was developed to optimize derivatives of J147 for human neurogenesis. Results The best derivative of J147, CAD-031, maintains the neuroprotective and memory enhancing properties of J147, yet is more active in the human neural stem cell assays. Discussion The combined properties of neuroprotection, neurogenesis, and memory enhancement in a single drug are more likely to be effective for the treatment of age-associated neurodegenerative disorders than any individual activity alone.
Orthogonal Experimental Design to Synthesize the Accuracy of Robotic Mechanism

Orthogonal experimental design is used to synthesize the accuracy of robotic mechanism, which not only requires less calculating time, but also discovers the whole error distribution. By using this simulating method, there is no need to manufacture the physical prototype of robot. On the other hand this novel method can reduce the work of synthesizing the accuracy of the robot and simplify the process. The historical literature in this respect is concluded, and the error model of 3R robot is set up. The error level of every factor is designed by using an orthogonal table. Every group of the testing experiments is analyzed. The error distribution map of the robot under a certain task with a complex surface and the significances of every kinematic factor are proposed. The significances at current configuration of all error factors can be easily calculated by using orthogonal experimental designing, which is helpful to design the accuracy and calibrating the kinematic parameters of the robot.
Effect of welding energy on microstructures of the Al /Cu joints obtained by ultrasonic welding

An experimental investigation of ultrasonic welding of 1mm thick 6061 aluminum alloy and pure copper was conducted in this research.Weld appearance,plastic deformation and atomic diffusion in the weld zone under different welding energy input have been investigated.The results showed that swirl-like plastic deformation occurs at the interfaces due to the high-frequency ultrasonic vibration,which led to a mechanical interlocking between materials.The plastic deformation was too small to gain a qualified joint under a lower energy input,while void defect was likely to appear if the energy was excessively high.Moreover,intermetallic compound(IMC) at the interface of the workpieces was also observed through the SEM and EDS analysis.A 0.5 μm-thick IMC layer with the dominant phase of Al4Cu9was found in 2000J welding energy joint.
Vaginal Amplification Using a Posterolateral Y-V Plasty

AbstractProblems encountered in attempts to construct a normal vaginal orifice in girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia have met with great difficulty. Many procedures are complicated by failure to achieve adequate patency at the time of operation and/or by postoperative stenosis. The usual method of direct posterior Y-V vaginoplasty has been altered by bringing the V flap in from the side of the perineum, between the inferior aspect of the labium majus and the median perineal raphe. Thereby, a thicker, larger, more pliable and more movable flap is obtained. The 11 children on whom this method was done are presented. Followup is from 6 months to 5½ years. The importance of teaching the parents or child the use of home vaginal dilation with Hegar dilators is stressed. The use of this surgical technique plus home dilation will overcome the problems of restenosis in this group of children.
Ocular manifestations in female carriers of X-linked disorders

BACKGROUND Many X-linked recessive disorders are confined to the eye or have ocular manifestations. It is possible to determine the carrier status of females for some of these disorders through clinical examination, pedigree analysis or clinical laboratory investigation. METHODS Examples of carrier manifestations are given for selected X-linked disorders, along with clinical examples in which these manifestations, or lack thereof, have been used in patient management. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS Recognition that females may have manifestations suggestive of the carrier state gives the clinician important additional information for genetic counseling, which consequently allows the patient to make a more informed decision following counseling.
Mail Survey Response Rates in Academic Research: A Multi-Disciplinary Trend Analysis

A trend analysis of mail survey response rates on a sample of 880 studies dating from 1960-1995 indicated an overall downward linear trend in response rates of nearly one-half percentage point per year. Further analysis revealed that sample type and the use of procedures to induce response were related to overall rates.
Chapter 41 – Cancer – Hematologic Disorders

This chapter discusses the aspects of immune monitoring that apply to a group of malignant disorders of the hematopoietic system. All of the approaches to immunotherapy to date are either imperfect or experimental and need to withstand rigorous clinical testing. One of the more fundamental obstacles to advances in the treatment of the diseases of the hematopoietic system is the paucity of known and validated targets for novel therapies. Most malignant cells are phenotypically indistinguishable from their corresponding normal tissues. Cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) express a variety of cell surface antigens such as CD33, CD64, and CD34, all expressed on normal hematopoietic cells. Leukemia stem cells may be distinguished from normal hematopoietic stem cells because they tend to be CD90 – , CD117 – , and CD123 + . In contrast, normal stem cells are CD90 + , CD117 + , and CD123 – . However, it is preferable to target antigens that are truly unique to the leukemia cell and not found on normal tissues. The focus in this chapter is on AML and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which have tumor-specific markers that have been targeted for immunotherapy.
Human resources perceptions of corporate chaplains: enhancing positive organizational culture

Workplace chaplaincy represents one way that workplace spirituality manifests itself today in corporate America. Rigorous scholarly research into workplace (or corporate) chaplaincy remains scant. ...
Cadmium and Alzheimer’s Disease Mortality in U.S. Adults: Updated Evidence with a Urinary Biomarker and Extended Follow-up Time

Cadmium has been linked to impaired cognitive function in adults and may cause behavioral, physiological and molecular abnormalities characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in animals. Evidence linking cadmium and AD in humans is limited, but supportive. In the most recent epidemiologic study, blood cadmium in U.S. adults was positively associated with elevated AD mortality 7-13 years later. The association between urinary cadmium - an arguably more appropriate biomarker for studying chronic diseases - and AD mortality has not yet been explored. Further study of cadmium and AD mortality in an independent population, with longer follow-up, and stratified by sex is also needed. We sought to answer these questions using the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (1999-2006 cycles) and NHANES III (interviews in 1988-1994) datasets, separately linked to AD mortality as of 2011. We used survey-weighted Cox regression models predicting age at AD death and adjusted for race/ethnicity, sex, smoking status, education and urinary creatinine. An interquartile range (IQR; IQR=0.51ng/mL) increase in urinary cadmium was associated with 58% higher rate of AD mortality (hazard ratio (HR)=1.58, 95% CI: 1.20, 2.09. p-value=0.0009, mean follow-up: 7.5 years) in NHANES 1999-2006 participants. In contrast, in NHANES III participants, an IQR (IQR=0.78ng/mL) increase in urinary cadmium was not associated with AD mortality (HR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.63, 1.17, p-value=0.31, mean follow-up: 13 years). Also in the NHANES III sample however, when the maximum follow-up time was restricted to 12.7 years (i.e. the same as NHANES 1999-2006 participants) and urinary creatinine adjustments were not made, urinary cadmium was associated with elevated AD mortality (HR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.20, p-value=0.0086). Our study partially supported an association between cadmium and AD mortality, but the sensitivity of results to follow-up time and creatinine adjustments necessitate cautious interpretation of the association. Further studies, particularly those on toxicological mechanisms, are required to fully understand the nature of the "cadmium-AD mortality" association.
Regional Empirical Algorithms for an Improved Identification of Phytoplankton Functional Types and Size Classes in the Mediterranean Sea Using Satellite Data

Regional relationships to estimate the main Phytoplankton Functional Types (PFTs) and Size Classes (PSCs) from satellite data are presented. Following the abundance-based approach and selecting the Total Chlorophyll a (TChla) as descriptor of the trophic status of the environment, empirical relations between the TChla concentration and seven accessory pigments, marker for the main algal groups, have been developed for the Mediterranean Sea. Using only in-situ data acquired in this basin, firstly a previous regional diagnostic pigment analysis has been conducted to evaluate the specific pigment ratios featuring the phytoplankton assemblage that occurs in the Mediterranean Sea. Secondly, the new regional PFT and PSC algorithms have been calibrated and validated on the in-situ dataset. The statistical analysis showed a very good predictive power for all the new regional models. A quantitative comparison with global abundance-based models applied to our validation dataset showed that the regionalization improves the uncertainty and the spread of about one order of magnitude for all the classes (e.g. in the nano class, where the mean bias error improves from -0.056 to 0.001 mg m-3). These results highlighted that a regionalization for the PSC and PFT estimates are required, to take into account the peculiar bio-optical properties of the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, the new regional equations have been applied to the Mediterranean TChla satellite (1998-2015) time series to estimate annual and monthly PFT and PSC climatology. The analysis of the climatological maps, relative to the phytoplankton assemblage distribution patterns, reveals that all the three size classes reach their maxima in the higher nutrient areas, with absolute values greater than 3 mg m-3 of TChla for micro-, and about 1.6 and 0.4 mg m-3 for nano- and pico-phytoplankton respectively. Moreover, the nano component shows intermediate percentage values in the whole basin, ranging from 30 to 40% of the TChla in the western basin, up to 45% in the more productive areas. In terms of chlorophyll concentration, in the coastal areas we find the predominance of the Diatoms and Haptophytes, while in the ultra-oligotrophic waters Prokaryotes predominates on the other groups, constituting the principal component of the pico-phytoplankton.
Landau Damping of Beam Instabilities by Electron Lenses

Modern and future particle accelerators employ increasingly higher intensity and brighter beams of charged particles and become operationally limited by coherent beam instabilities. Usual methods to control the instabilities, such as octupole magnets, beam feedback dampers, and use of chromatic effects, become less effective and insufficient. We show that, in contrast, Lorentz forces of a low-energy, magnetically stabilized electron beam, or ``electron lens,'' easily introduce transverse nonlinear focusing sufficient for Landau damping of transverse beam instabilities in accelerators. It is also important to note that, unlike other nonlinear elements, the electron lens provides the frequency spread mainly at the beam core, thus allowing much higher frequency spread without lifetime degradation. For the parameters of the Future Circular Collider, a single conventional electron lens a few meters long would provide stabilization superior to tens of thousands of superconducting octupole magnets.
Studies in the efficacy of motion graphics: the relation between expository motion graphics and the presence of naïve realism:

Expository motion graphics are dynamic visual communication devices capable of both informing and entertaining because they provide visual explanations and present narratives to an audience. This a...
Performance on Auditory and Visual Tasks of Inhibition in English Monolingual and Spanish–English Bilingual Adults: Do Bilinguals Have a Cognitive Advantage?

Purpose Bilingual individuals have been shown to be more proficient on visual tasks of inhibition compared with their monolingual counterparts. However, the bilingual advantage has not been evidenc...
Participant-Partners in Genetic Research: An Exome Study with Families of Children with Unexplained Medical Conditions

Background: Unlike aggregate research on groups of participants with a particular disorder, genomic research on discrete families’ rare conditions could result in data of use to families, their healthcare, as well as generating knowledge on the human genome. Objective: In a study of families seeking to rule in/out genetic causes for their children’s medical conditions via exome sequencing, we solicited their views on the importance of genomic information. Our aim was to learn the interests of parents in seeking genomic research data and to gauge their responsiveness and engagement with the research team. Methods: At enrollment, we offered participants options in the consent form for receiving potentially clinically relevant research results. We also offered an option of being a “partner” versus a “traditional” participant; partners could be re-contacted for research and study activities. We invited adult partners to complete a pre-exome survey, attend annual family forums, and participate in other inter-family interaction opportunities. Results: Of the 385 adults enrolled, 79% opted for “partnership” with the research team. Nearly all (99.2%) participants opted to receive research results pertaining to their children’s primary conditions. A majority indicated the desire to receive additional clinically relevant outside the scope of their children’s conditions (92.7%) and an interest in non-clinically relevant genetic information (82.7%). Conclusions: Most participants chose partnership, including its rights and potential burdens; however, active engagement in study activities remained the exception. Not surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of participants—both partners and traditional—expected to receive all genetic information resulting from the research study. [J Participat Med 2018;10(1):e2]
An Early-Killed Rye (Secale cereale) Cover Crop Has Potential for Weed Management in Edamame (Glycine max)

The potential role of fall-seeded cover crops for weed management in edamame [soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is unknown. Field experiments were conducted over three edamame growing seasons to (1) determine the extent to which cover crop–residue management systems influence edamame emergence while selectively suppressing weed density and biomass, and (2) determine whether cultivars differed in emergence in cover crop–residue management systems. Cover crop treatments included a winter-killed oilseed radish (Raphanus sativus L.), two canola (Brassica napus L.) treatments (early-killed and late-killed), two cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) treatments (early-killed and late-killed), and a bare-soil control. Two spring timings of a cover crop burndown application created the early-killed and late-killed treatments for canola and cereal rye. Twelve soybean cultivars were tested, including 11 edamame cultivars differing in seed size and a graintype soybean control. Spring residue biomass in cover crop treatments ranged from 438 kg ha-1 for winter-killed radish to 9,003 kg ha-1 for late-killed cereal rye. Cultivars responded similarly to cover crop treatments, and with the exception of late-killed cereal rye, cover crop treatments resulted in similar crop emergence as the bare-soil control. While all cover crop treatments reduced weed biomass 6 wk after planting compared with the bare soil, winter-killed radish and both canola treatments increased weed density. Early-killed cereal rye has potential for weed management in edamame, as evidenced by the fact that the treatment did not interfere with planting or crop establishment, yet reduced weed density 20% and suppressed early-season weed growth 85%.
Prediction based execution on deep neural networks

Recently, deep neural network based approaches have emerged as indispensable tools in many fields, ranging from image and video recognition to natural language processing. However, the large size of such newly developed networks poses both throughput and energy challenges to the underlying processing hardware. This could be the major stumbling block to many promising applications such as self-driving cars and smart cities. Existing work proposes to weed zeros from input neurons to avoid unnecessary DNN computation (zero-valued operand multiplications). However, we observe that many output neurons are still ineffectual even if the zero-removal technique has been applied. These ineffectual output neurons could not pass their values to the subsequent layer, which means all the computations (including zero-valued and non-zero-valued operand multiplications) related to these output neurons are futile and wasteful. Therefore, there is an opportunity to significantly improve the performance and efficiency of DNN execution by predicting the ineffectual output neurons and thus completely avoid the futile computations by skipping over these ineffectual output neurons. To do so, we propose a two-stage, prediction-based DNN execution model without accuracy loss. We also propose a uniform serial processing element (USPE), for both prediction and execution stages to improve the flexibility and minimize the area overhead. To improve the processing throughput, we further present a scale-out design for USPE. Evaluation results over a set of state-of-the-art DNNs show that our proposed design achieves 2.5X speedup and 1.9X energy-efficiency on average over the traditional accelerator. Moreover, by stacking with our design, we can improve Cnvlutin and Stripes by 1.9X and 2.0X on average, respectively.
Social Media: Platform or Catalyst for Narcissism?

Social media inherently involve self-displays to an audience of followers and the potential for feedback from those followers. Relatedly, there is increasingly societal and empirical interest in whether social media reflect, or alternatively have contributed to, narcissism. This chapter reviews the extant evidence on the association between narcissism and social media behavior and discusses two predominant views: (a) social media as an opportunity display grandiosity and receive desired attention and (b) social media as a catalyst toward increased narcissism. To date, most research has addressed the former view through cross-sectional designs utilizing self-reports and has noted associations between narcissism and apparent attention-seeking behavior, as well as negative perceptions on the part of onlookers. Challenges in research methodology and suggestions for future directions in this area are discussed.
On-line Monitoring Study for High Voltage GIS HF Gas by Flange-type Optical Fiber Sensing

Due to the excellent insulation and arc extinguishing properties of SF6 gas, it is widely used in the production and use of high voltage GIS. However, due to the discharge and overheating fault, cause the SF6 gas decomposition, to generate a variety of low fluorine sulfide, therefore, through the detection of high voltage GIS can effectively determine the concentration of HF gas in high voltage switch state. This paper puts forward a kind of semiconductor laser based gas detection (TDLAS) technology, the flange fixed installation in high voltage switch, optical fiber sensing structure can realize remote, real-time online monitoring of HF gas content. The experiment shows that the flange fiber optic sensor on-line monitoring device can realize the effective measurement of HF gas. The results of this study can provide an entirely new scheme for on-line monitoring of high-pressure open-light SF6 gas decomposition products, which can realize real-time on-line monitoring of the internal gas of the high voltage GIS equipment.
Real-Time Hourly Reservoir Operation

An hourly optimization model is developed for on-line use in the operation of the Central Valley Project (CVP) in California. The hourly model is supplemental to monthly and daily optimization models previously developed for the CVP, and maximizes a weighted summation of generated power over a 24-hr period subject to specified plant releases obtained from a daily model, a desired hourly power schedule, and appropriate system and equipment constraints. The procedure has been developed in two phases. Phase I involves a determination of a good feasible policy (a set of releases) through an iterated linear programming and adjust process. Phase II uses this feasible policy as a starting policy in an incremental dynamic programming, successive approximations process to derive an optimal policy. CVP operational records of some typical days are compared with the model outputs for these days, and significant improvements are observed.
Towards Native Execution of Deep Learning on a Leadership-Class HPC System

Large parallel machines generally offer the best parallel performance with "native execution" that is achieved using codes developed with the optimized compilers, communication libraries, and runtimes offered on the machines. In this paper, we report and analyze performance results from native execution of deep learning on a leadership-class high-performance computing (HPC) system. Using our new code called DeepEx, we present a study of the parallel speed up and convergence rates of learning achieved with native parallel execution. In the trade-off between computational parallelism and synchronized convergence, we first focus on maximizing parallelism while still obtaining convergence. Scaling results are reported from execution on up to 15,000 GPUs using two scientific data sets from atom microscopy and protein folding applications, and also using the popular ImageNet data set. In terms of the traditional measure of parallel speed up, excellent scaling is observed up to 12,000 GPUs. Additionally, accounting for convergence rates of deep learning accuracy or error, a deep learning-specific metric called "learning speed up" is also tracked. The performance results indicate the need to evaluate parallel deep learning execution in terms of learning speed up, and point to additional directions for improved exploitation of high-end HPC systems.
Modern Algorithms for Matching in Observational Studies

Using a small example as an illustration, this article reviews multivariate matching from the perspective of a working scientist who wishes to make effective use of available methods. The several g...
Novel non-pharmacological insomnia treatment - a pilot study.

Objective The objective of this prospective pilot study was to examine the effects of a novel non-pharmacological device (BioBoosti) on insomnia symptoms in adults. Methods Subjects with chronic insomnia were instructed to hold the device in each hand for 8 mins for 6 cycles on a nightly basis for 2 weeks. Outcomes tested included standardized subjective sleep measures assessing sleep quality, insomnia symptoms, and daytime sleepiness. Sleep was objectively quantified using electroencephalogram (EEG) before and after 2 weeks of treatment with BioBoosti, and wrist actigraphy throughout the study. Results Twenty adults (mean age: 45.6±17.1 y/o; range 18-74 y/o) were enrolled in the study. No significant side effects were noted by any of the subjects. After 2 weeks of BioBoosti use, subjects reported improved sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: 12.6±3.3 versus 8.5±3.7, p=0.001) and reduced insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index: 18.2±5.2 versus 12.8±7.0, p<0.001). Sleepiness, as assessed by a visual analog scale, was significantly reduced after treatment (5.7±2.8 versus 4.0±3.3, p=0.03). Conclusion BioBoosti use yielded an improvement in insomnia symptoms. Larger placebo-controlled studies are needed to fully assess efficacy.
U.S. Country Studies Program

The Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was signed by more than 150 governments worldwide, calls on parties to the Convention to inventory national sources and sinks of greenhouse gases and to develop plans for responding to climate change. To assist developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet this obligation, the U.S. government committed $35 million to support climate change country studies. The technical and financial assistance is provided through the U.S. Country Studies Program.
Native and invasive inoculation sources modify fungal community assembly and biomass production of a chaparral shrub

Abstract Feedbacks between plants and surrounding soil microbes can contribute to the establishment and persistence of invasive annual grasses as well as limit the success of restoration efforts. In this study, we aim to understand how three sources of soil inocula – native, invasive (from under Bromus diandrus) and sterile – affect the growth response and fungal community composition in the roots of a chaparral shrub, Adenostoma fasciculatum. We grew A. fasciculatum from seed in a greenhouse with each inoculum source and harvested at six months. We measured above- and below-ground biomass, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) colonization and conducted targeted-amplicon sequencing of the 18S and ITS2 loci to characterize AMF and general fungal community composition, respectively. Native inoculum resulted in roots with richer communities of some groups of AMF and non-AMF symbionts, when compared to roots grown with invasive or sterile inoculum. Seedlings grown with invasive and native inoculum did not have different growth responses, but both produced more biomass than a sterile control. These findings suggest that inoculation with soil from native species can increase the diversity of multiple groups of fungal symbionts and inoculation with live soil (invasive or native) can increase seedling biomass. Moreover, future work would benefit from assessing if a more diverse community of fungal symbionts increases seedling survival when planted in field restoration sites.
IL-8 Released from Human Pancreatic Cancer and Tumor-Associated Stromal Cells Signals through a CXCR2-ERK1/2 Axis to Induce Muscle Atrophy.

Tumor-derived cytokines are known to drive the catabolism of host tissues, including skeletal muscle. However, our understanding of the specific cytokines that initiate this process remains incomplete. In the current study, we conducted multiplex analyte profiling of cytokines in conditioned medium (CM) collected from human pancreatic cancer (PC) cells, human tumor-associated stromal (TAS) cells, and their co-culture. Of the factors identified, interleukin-8 (IL-8) is released at high levels from PC cells and PC/TAS co-culture and has previously been associated with low muscle mass in cancer patients. We, therefore, treated C2C12 myotubes with IL-8 which led to the activation of ERK1/2, STAT, and Smad signaling, and induced myotube atrophy. Moreover, the treatment of mice with IL-8 also induced significant muscle wasting, confirming the in vivo relevance of IL-8 on muscle. Mechanistically, IL-8-induced myotube atrophy is inhibited by treatment with the CXCR2 antagonist, SB225002, or by treatment with the ERK1/2 inhibitor, U0126. We further demonstrate that this axis mediates muscle atrophy induced by pancreatic cancer cell CM, as neutralization of IL-8 or treatment with SB225002 or U0126 significantly inhibit CM-induced myotube atrophy. Thus, these data support a key role of IL-8 released from human PC cells in initiating atrophy of muscle cells via CXCR2-ERK1/2.
"You only live twice": multidisciplinary management of catastrophic case in placenta Accreta Spectrum-a case report.

Placenta percreta is associated with high hemorrhagic risk and can be complicated with fatal thromboembolic events. Involving a multidisciplinary team in the treatment of these patients is mandatory to reduce morbidity and mortality. This paper reports the case of a 22-year-old patient with placenta percreta who was referred to our tertiary care center for delivery. Few hours after undergoing a successful cesarean hysterectomy, the patient developed a pulmonary embolism and cardiac arrest. A transthoracic echocardiogram done in the intensive care unit (ICU) showed a thrombus in the right ventricle. After cardiac resuscitation, the patient underwent an urgent thoracotomy and a pulmonary artery thrombectomy; many clots were retrieved from the pulmonary artery. After weaning from extracorporeal circulation, an intraoperative transesophageal cardiac ultrasound enabled the medical team to detect a new free-floating thrombus in the right atrium and right ventricle, and consequently to perform an embolectomy and prevent the patient’s death. This case emphasizes the role of multidisciplinary team in treating high-risk obstetric cases that could be complicated with massive and fatal thromboembolic events. The use of intraoperative transthoracic echocardiography helps in detecting a new thrombus and guides the anesthesiologist in the intra-operative monitoring.
Investment Proximity and Venture Capital Returns

Using a large dataset of 82,818 investments in start-up firms from December 1965 through August 2019, we document that the biggest group of investors are venture capital firms (about 79% of all observations). The majority of in-state investments are found clustered in California (with the San Francisco VC Hub), Massachusetts (with the Boston VC Hub) and New York. Returns generated from early round investing to late round decrease generally: early investors generate a higher return than late stage investors, and IPO exits entail the highest return. We find that geographical proximity is significantly and positively associated with cumulative returns or annualized returns, when we use actual distance (in km) between the VC investment firm HQ and portfolio firm HQ, or a cross-region indicator variable when the portfolio firm HQ is out-of-state as compared to VC investment firm HQ. The relation between investment proximity and returns continues to be robust even after controlling for selection bias, and in a matched-sample analysis where we pair each proximate investment with a matched distant investment. We find that VC Director and other outside directors as a proportion of all Directors on the boards on portfolio companies is significantly higher, on average, for in-state and shorter distance investments as compared to out-of-state or longer distance investments, indicating better involvement by VCs in their more proximate investments.
Cortical thickness and functional connectivity changes in Chinese chess experts.

BACKGROUND Repeated practice to acquire expertise could result in the structural and functional changes in relevant brain circuits as a result of long-term potentiation, neurogenesis, glial genesis, and remodeling. PURPOSE The goal of this study is to use surface-based morphology (SBM) to study cortical thickness differences in Chinese chess experts and novices, and to use regions of cortical thickness differences as seeds to guide a resting state connectivity analysis of the same population. METHODS A raw public dataset from Huaxi MR Research Center consisting of 29 Chinese chess experts and 29 novices was used in this study, with both T1-weighted and resting state functional MRI. Surface based morphometry was performed on the T1 images with the Freesurfur pipeline, with a vertex significance threshold of p<0.05 and a cluster false discovery rate of α < 0.05. Regions with significant differences were used in a seed-based comparison of resting state functional connectivity carried out with Statistical Parameter Mapping (SPM) and the Connectivity Toolbox (CONN). Regions of connectivity differences within groups were computed with a voxel significance threshold of p<0.05 and a cluster false discovery rate of α < 0.01. RESULTS Ten regions of the cortex of Chinese chess experts were found to be thinner than chess novices, including regions involved in visual processing, attention, working and episodic memory, and mental imagery, as well as several regions in the prefrontal cortex. There were no regions where experts' cortices were thicker than novices. Three of the thinner regions exhibited increased functional connectivity to distant brain regions in chess experts. CONCLUSIONS Brain regions that are structurally affected by chess training are associated with processes that would likely have a high utility in chess expertise. Using a hierarchical control model, we hypothesize that the functional changes linked with some of these structural changes are related to the professionally trained chess players' ability to perceive and use contextual information, visuospatial perception, and outcome prediction in the domain of chess, all contributing to their exceptional performance.
Preparing students for residency interviews in the age of COVID: Lessons learned from a standardized video interview preparation program.

Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the widescale adoption of video-based interviewing for residency applications. Video interviews have previously been used in the residency application process through the pilot program of the American Association of Medical Colleges standardized video interview (SVI). We conducted an SVI preparation program with our students over 3 years that consisted of an instructional lecture, deliberate practice in video interviewing, and targeted feedback by emergency medicine faculty. The aim of this investigation was to summarize the feedback students received on their practice SVIs to provide the guidance they need for preparing for the video interviews that will replace in-person interviews with residency programs. Methods A retrospective thematic analysis was conducted on faculty feedback provided to students who had completed SVI practice videos in preparation for their application to an EM residency between June 2017 and July 2019. Categorized comments were also sorted by type of faculty feedback: positive reinforcement, constructive criticism, or both. Results Forty-six medical students received 334 feedback elements from three faculty. Feedback was balanced between positive reinforcement statements and constructive criticism. Students performed well on appearance and attire, creating a proper recording environment, and response content. They needed the most guidance with the delivery of content and the technical quality of the video. Conclusions Our results demonstrate a need for formal instruction in how to communicate effectively through the video medium. Medical educators will need to formally prepare students for tele-interviews with residency programs, with an emphasis on communication skills and techniques for improving the quality of their video presentation, including lighting and camera placement.
Presentation and recognition of placental, fetal, and pathogen-derived antigens in human pregnancy

Abstract To establish a healthy pregnancy, the maternal immune system must tolerate fetal and placental allo-antigens, yet remain competent to respond to infections. Thus, immune recognition and presentation of placental, fetal, and pathogen-derived antigens in the right context is essential to establish maternal-fetal tolerance and immunity throughout pregnancy. Here, we review new insights into how maternal decidual immune cells at the maternal-fetal interface can recognize and respond to nonself antigens. A major focus is placed on HLA-C as the key molecule that can elicit allogeneic immune responses by maternal T and NK cells and for which maternal-fetal immune tolerance needs to be established. In addition, HLA-C is also the only classical major histocompatibility molecule expressed by extravillous trophoblast that can present a wide variety of pathogen-derived peptides and activate maternal T and NK cells and is crucial in generation of a protective immune responses to intracellular pathogens.
Augmenting a Science Center's Reality: A QR Code Project

Thanks to easily accessible online databases and Web-based reference sources, most science professors no longer have a reason to visit their university library—and neither do their students. However, using an easy and inexpensive implementation of quick response (QR) codes, an academic library can interact with science faculty and students on their own turf. Readable by most smartphones, QR codes provide a new avenue through which librarians can reengage with practitioners and students of science, rebuilding relationships that have been forgotten.
Elementary School-Based Health Centers and Access to Preventive and Asthma-Related Care Among Publicly Insured Children With Asthma in Georgia.

ObjectivesWe assessed the effects of 3 new elementary school–based health centers (SBHCs) in disparate Georgia communities—predominantly non-Hispanic Black semi-urban, predominantly Hispanic urban,...
Analyzing Traffic by Domain Name in the Data Plane

Associating network traffic with human-readable domain names, instead of low-level identifiers like IP addresses, is helpful for measuring traffic by domain name, rate-limiting packets by domain, and identifying IoT devices. However, existing monitoring techniques require examining traffic at an external compute node, introducing overhead and privacy risks. In this paper, we introduce Meta4, a framework for monitoring traffic by domain name in the data plane by extracting the client IP, server IP, and domain name from DNS response messages and associating the domain name with data traffic from the subsequent client-server session. A data-plane implementation has the benefits of running efficiently at line-rate, enabling the switch to take direct action on the packets (e.g., to rate-limit, block, or mark traffic based on the associated domain), and protecting the privacy of user information. We implemented Meta4 on an Intel Tofino switch and evaluated our prototype against packet traces from an operational network.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia with deletion 17p: Emerging treatment options

One strategy would be to consider “early treatment” for patients with deletion 17p, with the goal being to delay disease progression. This strategy is currently being explored in several prospective clinical trials employing treatment regimens such as FCR, lenalidomide (Revlimid), alemtuzumab (Campath), ofatumumab (Arzerra), and others.
On the A_2 inequality for Calderon-Zygmund Operators

We prove that for an \({L}^{2}({\mathbb{R}}^{d})\)-bounded Calderon–Zygmund operator and weight w ∈ A 2, we have the inequality below due to Hytonen: $$\Vert {T\Vert }_{{L}^{2}(w)\rightarrow {L}^{2}(w)} \leq {C}_{T}{[w]}_{{A}_{2}}\,.$$ Our proof will appeal to a distributional inequality used by several authors, adapted Haar functions, and standard stopping times.
Two frog species or one? A multi-marker approach to assessing the distinctiveness of genetic lineages in the Northern Leopard Frog, Rana pipiens

A genetic boundary at the Mississippi River, USA, has been suggested for the Northern Leopard Frog, Rana pipiens, which was recently proposed for listing as federally threatened in the western USA. This suggestion was made on the basis of limited geographic sampling of a mitochondrial gene. However, mitochondrial DNA represents a very small part of the genome and is not necessarily indicative of patterns in nuclear DNA. We tested the hypothesis that eastern and western populations are separated by a distinct genetic boundary by sequencing mitochondrial DNA more extensively across the range, including focused sampling in the zone of hypothetical introgression, and by analyzing four nuclear sequences and seven microsatellite loci. We confirmed previous results that eastern and western populations have unique mitochondrial sequences that are deeply divergent (3.8 %) and which overlap only in a narrow region around the Mississippi River. Nuclear sequences also show divergent eastern and western lineages in some cases but with a broader zone of geographic overlap. Microsatellite data correspond closely to mitochondrial data, differing between east and west and changing abruptly near the Mississippi River. These data collectively demonstrate that eastern and western clades of this species introgress considerably in some markers but are distinct and defined by clear and narrow boundaries in others. We demonstrate that the Mississippi River forms an important, albeit somewhat permeable, boundary between genetic lineages in this species. This genetic boundary coincides with previously described discontinuities in morphological features.
Chronic intermittent hypoxia is associated with elevated pro-opiomelanocortin mRNA and reduced microRNA-375 levels in arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus (1126.5)

Sleep apnea is a major risk to public health due to its close association with metabolic diseases. Exposure of rats to our 7 days of CIH protocol during their nocturnal period mimics repetitive bou...