cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Soft Tissue Reconstruction and Flap Coverage for Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Total knee arthroplasty is a successful operation for treatment of arthritis. However, devastating wound complications and infections can compromise the knee joint, particularly in revision situations. Methods Soft tissue loss associated with poor wound healing and multiple operations can necessitate the need for reconstruction for wound closure and protection of the prosthesis. Results Coverage options range from simple closure methods to complex reconstruction, including delayed primary closure, healing by secondary intention, vacuum-assisted closure, skin grafting, local flap coverage, and distant microsurgical tissue transfer. Conclusion Understanding the advantages and pitfalls of each reconstructive option helps to guide treatment and avoid repeated operations and potentially devastating consequences such as knee arthrodesis or amputation.
Hypoxia Stress Response Pathways: Modeling and Targeted Therapy

Hypoxia is a consequence of the decrease in the oxygen reaching the tissues of the body. It is a prominent feature of most solid tumors and is known to promote malignant progression, metastatic capacity, resistance to chemotherapy, and leads to poor patient prognosis. When a cell is under hypoxic stress, a cascade of cell signals is initiated through a family of transcription factors named as hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs). During hypoxia, HIF stabilizes and enters the nucleus and binds to the DNA via the hypoxia response element (HRE) and leads to the translation of downstream genes. The decision of adaptation or cell death depends on the extent of hypoxic stress faced by the cells. Proper understanding of hypoxic stress response is critical for understanding the mechanism of tumor cell adaptation to hypoxia and to develop efficient therapeutic interventions. In this paper, we develop a Boolean network model with targeted drug intervention in a cell that mimics persistent hypoxia. This hypoxic pathway is combined with pathways that help the cell adapt to the situation or undergo cell death. It is linked to apoptosis, cell survival, and energy production via the p53/Mdm2, PI3k/Akt/mTOR, and Glycolysis/TCA cycle pathways, respectively. In this model, we have incorporated eight known anticancer drugs that target these pathways. Through simulations, we have identified drug combinations that provided overall benefits to the cell in comparison to the no intervention case. Where applicable, the behavior predicted by this model is in agreement with experimental observations from the published literature.
CLINICAL PRACTICE. Herniated Lumbar Intervertebral Disk.

Abstract Key Clinical Points Herniated Lumbar Intervertebral Disk Herniated lumbar disks are the leading cause of sciatica, but they also are detected on imaging (MRI or CT) in asymptomatic persons. The natural history of herniated lumbar disks is favorable. One study showed that without surgery, pain decreases in approximately 87% of patients within 3 months. MRI or CT is indicated in patients with persistent sciatica that lasts 4 to 6 weeks and in whom epidural glucocorticoid injections or surgery are being considered. Oral medications and supervised exercise provide slight relief of symptoms. Epidural glucocorticoid injections are an option for patients with severe persistent sciatica, but they do not reduce rates of subsequent surgery. Patients with severe or progressive neurologic deficits require a referral for surgery. Elective surgery is an option for patients with congruent clinical and MRI findings and a condition that does not improve within 6 weeks. The major benefit of surgery is relief of sciatica that is faster than relief with conservative treatment, but results of early surgical and prolonged conservative treatment tend to be similar at 1 year of follow-up. Patients and physicians should share in decision making.
Influence of congenital hypothyroidism on cardiac function and electrocardiography of neonates

Objective To investigate the changes of left and right ventricular function and electrocardiography(ECG) in neonates with congenital hypothyroidism. Methods Fifty full-term neonates with congenital hypothyroidism as well as 35 normal neonates underwent conventional M-mode echocardiography,pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography(PWD),tissue Doppler Echocardiography(TDE) and ECG.M-mode echocardiography was used to examine left ventricular fractional shortening(LVFS),left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),left atrial diameter(LA),and aortic diameter(AO),and the LA/AO ratio was calculated.PWD was used to examine peak early diastolic mitral and tricuspid inflow velocity(E),peak late diastolic mitral and tricuspid inflow velocity(A),and the E/A ratio was calculated.TDE was used to examine peak systolic transmitral and transtricuspid annular velocity(Sa),peak early transmitral and transtricuspid annular velocity(Ea),peak late transmitral and transtricuspid annular velocity(Aa),and the Ea/Aa ratio was calculated.ECG included heart rate(HR),PR interval(PR),QRS time(QRS),QRS axis in the frontal plane(QRSa),QT time(QT),and corrected QT time(QTc). Results M-mode echocardiography showed that LVEF and LVFS were significantly lower in congenital hypothyroidism neonates,whereas LA,AO,and LA/AO did not show statistically significant differences.PWD showed that congenital hypothyroidism neonates had significantly lower E and E/A of the mitral and tricuspid valve.TDE showed that congenital hypothyroidism neonates had significantly lower Sa,Ea and Ea/Aa of both left and right ventricles.However,Aa of left and right ventricle did not differ significantly.HR in congenital hypothyroidism group was significantly low compared with the normal control group,and PR and QT in congenital hypothyroidism group were significantly longer than in the control group.No statistical differences of QRS,QRSa,and QTc were noted between two groups. Conclusion Neonates with congenital hypothyroidism are associated with right ventricular subclinical systolic and diastolic dysfunction in addition to left ventricular dysfunction.Congenital hypothyroidism has predominant effect on pacemaker cells of sinus node in neonates,which result in changes of autorhythmicity,while some other electrophysiologic effects such as cardiac action potential or atrioventricular conduction have not yet been affected.
Some Thoughts on Cloud Computing Technology

Cloud computing has become a hot topic nowadays with its wide application.The further in-depth study needs to be made ranging from the business applications to the basic theory,as well as the problems encountered.According to the developing trend of cloud computing,analysis is made starting from the connotation and application of cloud computing to its applicable prospect.
Proton MRS imaging in pediatric brain tumors

Magnetic resonance (MR) techniques offer a noninvasive, non-irradiating yet sensitive approach to diagnosing and monitoring pediatric brain tumors. Proton MR spectroscopy (MRS), as an adjunct to MRI, is being more widely applied to monitor the metabolic aspects of brain cancer. In vivo MRS biomarkers represent a promising advance and may influence treatment choice at both initial diagnosis and follow-up, given the inherent difficulties of sequential biopsies to monitor therapeutic response. When combined with anatomical or other types of imaging, MRS provides unique information regarding biochemistry in inoperable brain tumors and can complement neuropathological data, guide biopsies and enhance insight into therapeutic options. The combination of noninvasively acquired prognostic information and the high-resolution anatomical imaging provided by conventional MRI is expected to surpass molecular analysis and DNA microarray gene profiling, both of which, although promising, depend on invasive biopsy. This review focuses on recent data in the field of MRS in children with brain tumors.
Dietetic technicians’ performance: Supervisory and self-assessments

The core competencies identified in this study probably represent a nucleus for a program for training technicians. The competencies identified as most relevant for practice by both supervisors and technicians could provide a framework for a curriculum.
Interface tracking simulations of bubbly flows in PWR relevant geometries

Abstract The advances in high performance computing (HPC) have allowed direct numerical simulation (DNS) approach coupled with interface tracking methods (ITM) to perform high fidelity simulations of turbulent bubbly flows in various complex geometries. In this work, we have chosen the geometry of the pressurized water reactor (PWR) core subchannel to perform a set of interface tracking simulations (ITS) with fully resolved liquid turbulence. The presented research utilizes a massively parallel finite-element based code, PHASTA, for the subchannel geometry simulations of bubbly flow turbulence. The main objective for this research is to demonstrate the ITS capabilities in gaining new insight into bubble/turbulence interactions and assisting the development of improved closure laws for multiphase computational fluid dynamics (M-CFD). Both single- and two-phase turbulent flows were studied within a single PWR subchannel. The analysis of numerical results includes the mean gas and liquid velocity profiles, void fraction distribution and turbulent kinetic energy profiles. Two sets of flow rates and bubble sizes were used in the simulations. The chosen flow rates corresponded to the Reynolds numbers of 29,079 and 80,775 based on channel hydraulic diameter ( D h ) and mean velocity. The finite element unstructured grids utilized for these simulations include 53.8 million and 1.11 billion elements, respectively. This has allowed to fully resolve all the turbulence scales and the deformable interfaces of individual bubbles. For the two-phase flow simulations, a 1% bubble volume fraction was used which resulted in 17 bubbles in the smaller case and 262 bubbles in the larger case. In the larger simulation case the size of the resolved bubbles is 0.65 mm in diameter, and the bulk mesh cell size is about 30 microns. Those large-scale simulations provide new level of details previously unavailable and were enabled by the excellent scaling performance of our two-phase flow solver and access to the state-of-the-art supercomputing resources. The presented simulations used up to 256 thousand processing threads on the IBM BG/Q supercomputer “Mira” (Argonne National Laboratory).
Cognitive Deficits and Depressive Symptoms

The efficacy of a new program (The Penn Prevention Program) to prevent depressive symptoms and alleviate associated deficits in academic achievement, peer relations, self-esteem, and behavior is reported in 69 ’at risk’ 10-13 year-old children evaluated in the Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Cross-border Ties as Sources of Risk and Resilience: Do Cross-border Ties Moderate the Relationship between Migration-related Stress and Psychological Distress for Latino Migrants in the United States?

Few studies have examined the associations between health and the cross-border ties that migrants maintain with their family members in communities of origin. We draw on theory related to social ties, ethnic identity, and mental health to examine cross-border ties as potential moderators of the association between migration-related stress and psychological distress among Latino migrants. Using data from the National Latino and Asian American Survey, we find that remittance sending is associated with significantly lower levels of psychological distress for Cuban migrants, and difficulty visiting home is associated with significantly greater psychological distress for Puerto Rican migrants. There were significant associations between migration-related stressors and psychological distress, although these associations fell to nonsignificance after accounting for multiple testing. We found little evidence that cross-border ties either buffer or exacerbate the association between migration-related stressors and...
Mobile Systems Privacy: 'MobiPriv' A Robust System for Snapshot or Continuous Querying Location Based Mobile Systems

Many mobile phones have a GPS sensor that can report accurate location. Thus, if these location data are not protected adequately, they may cause privacy breeches. Moreover, several reports are available where persons have been stalked through GPS. The contributions of this paper are in two folds. First, we examine privacy issues in snapshot queries, and present our work and results in this area. The proposed method can guarantee that all queries are protected, while previously proposed algorithms only achieve a low success rate in some situations. Next, we discuss continuous queries and illustrate that current snapshot solutions cannot be applied to continuous queries. Then, we present results for our robust models for continuous queries. We will introduce a novel suite of algorithms called MobiPriv that addressed the shortcomings of previous work in location and query privacy in mobile systems. We evaluated the efficiency and effectiveness of the MobiPriv scheme against previously proposed anonymization approaches. For our experiments, we utilized real world traffic volume data, real world road network and mobile users generated realistically by a mobile object generator.
Comparison of Methods for Determining Nutritional Condition in Spiny Lobsters

ABSTRACT Four previously published metrics for determining nutritional condition in decapods were evaluated for efficacy, specifically a serum protein index and three hepatopancreas-based indices (dry weight index, percent tissue dry weight, and relative weight). Using the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus (Latreille, 1804) as a model, lobsters were subjected to 5 wk of controlled diets in a laboratory-feeding trial. Three of the four indices detected significant differences between lobsters fed 15% or 100% of their daily maximum food intake, but lobster size and molt stage significantly influenced several metrics. Dry weight index of the hepatopancreas performed best, but relative weight of the digestive gland was the least affected by lobster size and molt stage. As both are destructive methods that require dissection of the lobster, these may not be useful for all studies. Hemolymph serum protein concentration is nondestructive and can be assessed rapidly in the laboratory or field, but it is str...
Janus Monolayer Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides

The crystal configuration of sandwiched S–Mo–Se structure (Janus SMoSe) at the monolayer limit has been synthesized and carefully characterized in this work. By controlled sulfurization of monolayer MoSe2, the top layer of selenium atoms is substituted by sulfur atoms, while the bottom selenium layer remains intact. The structure of this material is systematically investigated by Raman, photoluminescence, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and confirmed by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed to better understand the Raman vibration modes and electronic structures of the Janus SMoSe monolayer, which are found to correlate well with corresponding experimental results. Finally, high basal plane hydrogen evolution reaction activity is discovered for the Janus monolayer, and DFT calculation implies that the activity originates from the synergistic effect of the intrinsic defects and structural strain inhe...
"They Sit Selfishly." Beginning STEM Educators' Expectations of Young Adolescent Students.

AbstractTo meet the demand for certified math and science teachers, alternative certification programs attempt to provide fast-track training and licensure of STEM-area educators (Goldhaber, Kreig, Theobald, & Brown, 2014). Teachers prepared in programs with a middle level specialization have been shown to participate in effective practices such as teaming and collaborative instructional strategies (Mertens, Flowers, & Mulhall, 2002). However, few preparation programs have middle level specializations, and teachers prepared in accelerated programs tend to have greater difficulties with classroom management, planning, and differentiated instruction than those prepared in traditional programs (Darling-Hammond, 2009; Wilson, 2011).Researchers examined a cohort of beginning teachers completing an accelerated STEM M.A.T. program whose struggles with planning and engaging young adolescents seemed outside of the norm. Utilizing the middle school model (NMSA, 2010; Jackson & Davis, 2000), Lortie’s (1975) apprenti...
Immune Activation in Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Plus Ipilimumab

Purpose: To determine the immunologic effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus ipilimumab in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.Experimental Design: This is a single-arm chemotherapy plus phased ipilimumab phase II study of 24 treatment-naive patients with stage IB-IIIA NSCLC. Patients received neoadjuvant therapy consisting of 3 cycles of paclitaxel with either cisplatin or carboplatin and ipilimumab included in the last 2 cycles.Results: Chemotherapy alone had little effect on immune parameters in PBMCs. Profound CD28-dependent activation of both CD4 and CD8 cells was observed following ipilimumab. Significant increases in the frequencies of CD4+ cells expressing activation markers ICOS, HLA-DR, CTLA-4, and PD-1 were apparent. Likewise, increased frequencies of CD8+ cells expressing the same activation markers, with the exception of PD-1, were observed. We also examined 7 resected tumors and found higher frequencies of activated tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes than those observed in PBMCs. Surprisingly, we found 4 cases of preexisting tumor-associated antigens (TAA) responses against survivin, PRAME, or MAGE-A3 present in PBMC at baseline, but neither increased frequencies nor the appearance of newly detectable responses following ipilimumab therapy. Ipilimumab had little effect on the frequencies of circulating regulatory T cells and MDSCs.Conclusions: This study did not meet the primary endpoint of detecting an increase in blood-based TAA T-cell responses after ipilimumab. Collectively, these results highlight the immune activating properties of ipilimumab in early-stage NSCLC. The immune profiling data for ipilimumab alone can contribute to the interpretation of immunologic data from combined immune checkpoint blockade immunotherapies. Clin Cancer Res; 23(24); 7474-82. ©2017 AACR.
The self-healing of defects induced by the hydriding phase transformation in palladium nanoparticles

Nanosizing can dramatically alter material properties by enhancing surface thermodynamic contributions, shortening diffusion lengths, and increasing the number of catalytically active sites per unit volume. These mechanisms have been used to explain the improved properties of catalysts, battery materials, plasmonic materials, etc. Here we show that Pd nanoparticles also have the ability to self-heal defects in their crystal structures. Using Bragg coherent diffractive imaging, we image dislocations nucleated deep in a Pd nanoparticle during the forward hydriding phase transformation that heal during the reverse transformation, despite the region surrounding the dislocations remaining in the hydrogen-poor phase. We show that defective Pd nanoparticles exhibit sloped isotherms, indicating that defects act as additional barriers to the phase transformation. Our results resolve the formation and healing of structural defects during phase transformations at the single nanoparticle level and offer an additional perspective as to how and why nanoparticles differ from their bulk counterparts.
Decadal-scale coastal cliff retreat in southern and central California

Abstract Airborne LiDAR data collected in 1998 and 2009–2010 were used to measure coastal cliff erosion and retreat between the Mexico/California border and Bodega Head, California. Cliff erosion was detected along 44% of the 595 km of shoreline evaluated, while the remaining cliffs were relatively stable. The mean cliff top retreat rate was 0.12 m/yr, while mean retreat averaged over the entire cliff face was 0.04 m/yr. The maximum cliff top and face retreat rates were 4.2 and 3.8 m/yr, respectively. Historical (~ 1930s to 1998) and recent retreat rates were significantly inversely correlated for areas with large historical or recent cliff retreat, such that locations with elevated historical retreat had low levels of recent retreat and locations with elevated recent retreat were preceded by low rates of historical retreat. The strength of this inverse correlation increased with cliff change magnitudes up to r2 of 0.91 for cliff top retreat rates > 2.9 m/yr. Mean recent retreat rates were 52-83% lower than mean historical retreat rates. Although beaches can protect cliffs against wave-driven erosion, cliffs fronted by beaches retreated 49% more than cliffs without beaches. On average, unarmored cliff faces retreated 0.05 m/yr between 1998 and 2009–2010, about three times faster than artificially armored cliffs. Alongshore metrics of wave-cliff impact, precipitation, and cliff hardness were generally not well correlated with recent cliff changes. A cliff hazard metric is used to detect cliff steepening and areas prone to future cliff top failures.
Sparsity and Rank Exploitation for Time-Varying Narrowband Leaked OFDM Channel Estimation

In this paper, the problem of time-varying narrowband leaked Orthogonal Frequency Division multiplexing (OFDM) channel estimation is considered. The leakage effect results from practical constraints on communication systems: finite bandwidth and block length. These practical constraints effectively render a sparse channel into a non-sparse one. The inherent low-rank structure of the received signal, determined by the number of dominant paths of the channel, is exploited. The current work extends prior work on single carrier systems to OFDM; herein, it is also known that leaked OFDM channel is separable in delay and Doppler domains. A convex optimization approach, based on the atomic norm heuristic, is developed. Optimality and uniqueness of the proposed channel estimation method are shown. Simulation results show superiority over the classical l 1 element-wise sparse method with an average 8 dB improvement.
An Analog Visual Saliency Processor using Time-mode Computation

This paper presents an analog CMOS architecture for a visual saliency processor inspired by neuromorphic saliency algorithms. Time-mode computation is used to take advantage of the voltage-to-time conversion already present in many imager architectures so that the processor can be integrated directly into a CMOS imager. The architecture makes use of recent advances in time-mode computation, in particular the time-mode translinear principle, to realize the saliency algorithm with only pulse based computation. Simulation results are presented on a large image dataset, and a synthesis strategy is demonstrated. The circuit was implemented in a 45nm CMOS process, and post layout simulations are presented characterizing the circuit.
Development of Phage Lysins as Novel Therapeutics: A Historical Perspective

Bacteriophage lysins and related bacteriolytic enzymes are now considered among the top antibiotic alternatives for solving the mounting resistance problem. Over the past 17 years, lysins have been widely developed against Gram-positive and recently Gram-negative pathogens, and successfully tested in a variety of animal models to demonstrate their efficacy. A lysin (CF-301) directed to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has effectively completed phase 1 human clinical trials, showing safety in this novel therapeutic class. To validate efficacy, CF-301 is currently the first lysin to enter phase 2 human trials to treat hospitalized patients with MRSA bacteremia or endocarditis. If successful, it could be the defining moment leading to the acceptance of lysins as an alternative to small molecule antibiotics. This article is a detailed account of events leading to the first therapeutic use and ultimate development of phage-encoded lysins as novel anti-infectives.
Origin of second harmonic signals in octave bandwidth traveling-wave tubes

In a helix traveling-wave tube (TWT) with a bandwidth exceeding one octave, the second harmonic of an input signal near the low end of the band will experience exponential growth. In such a case, we have found that the non-linear electron orbits in the beam, as opposed to the orbital crowding exhibited in the linear electron orbits, are the main source for second harmonic generation. This unexpected result is due to the synchronous amplification of the second harmonic. We demonstrate this phenomenon from the solution of the non-linear equations that we have formulated that govern evolution of the second harmonic field. Good agreement between theory and simulation using the CHRISTINE code is found.
The Identification and Classification of Some Important Solar Wind Phenomena

The advent of direct spacecraft observations in interplanetary space marked the end of what might be regarded as the first era of solar wind research. This era saw development of the basic concept of the solar wind as well as a model of its origin in the continuous expansion of the solar corona. Observations of a continuous supersonic flow of plasma and a magnetic field configuration fitting the expected pattern by the first spacecraft to probe interplanetary space demonstrated the fundamental validity of this concept and theory.
The burden of migraine. A review of cost to society.

Migraine is a common episodic disorder with considerable impact on individuals and society. Migraine occurs with the highest prevalence between the ages of 25 and 55 years, potentially the most productive period of life. Severe migraine can lead todisruption of work. family and social life, the long term consequences of which may affect quality of life. The direct costs of migraine (due to medical care) are small compared with the indriect costs caused by absence from work and reduced productivity.
The Role of Models in Theory Construction

The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze a line of reasoning which has been highly successful in dealing with scientific problems of a certain kind. Part I presents an analysis of these problems and introduces terminology that facilitates an abstract treatment of the circumstances in which they arise. Part II describes a program of research suggested by these circumstances and incorporates its central features into an analysis of a special type of scientific model. The use of analogical reasoning in the construction of such models is examined, and they are contrasted in this and further respects with models of other types and with theories. Part III describes, through a series of examples, the development of these models into new theories in terms of which the original problems are solved.
School-based mindfulness intervention supports adolescent resiliency: A randomized controlled pilot study

This research evaluated the effects of a seven-session mindfulness intervention, Learning to BREATHE, on an ethnically diverse at-risk high school student sample. Two classrooms were randomly assig...
Effects of Elamipretide in Adults with Primary Mitochondrial Myopathy: a Phase 2 Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial (MMPOWER-2) (S5.003)

Objective: In MMPOWER, a study of patients with genetically confirmed Primary Mitochondrial Myopathy (PMM), intravenous elamipretide (ELAM) for five days increased the distance walked versus placebo during the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) in a dose dependent fashion. The current study (MMPOWER-2) evaluated the effect of 4-weeks of subcutaneous ELAM on several functional and patient-reported assessments. Background: Common symptoms of fatigue, exercise intolerance, and muscle weakness in adults with PMM adversely affect physical functioning and quality of life. ELAM is an aromatic-cationic tetrapeptide that readily penetrates cell membranes and transiently localizes to the inner mitochondrial membrane where it associates with cardiolipin, improving ATP production and exercise capacity. Design/Methods MMPOWER subjects (N=30) were randomized (1:1) to either 4 weeks of daily ELAM 40 mg (treatment-period 1), then 4 weeks of matching placebo in treatment-period 2 (4-week washout in-between), or vice versa to evaluate the distance walked during the 6MWT (primary endpoint), and other functional assessments, patient-reported questionnaires, and safety assessments (secondary endpoints). Results: The distance walked in the 6MWT improved by 19.8 meters compared to placebo with daily ELAM 40 mg at the end of the treatment period (P=0.0833). At end of treatment, ELAM-treated subjects who walked Conclusions: Subjects who received daily ELAM for 4 weeks had an improvement in their 6MWT and patient reported outcomes; therefore, a phase 3 trial will be initiated. Study Supported by: Stealth BioTherapeutics Disclosure: Dr. Cohen has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Stealth Biotheraputics. Dr. Karra has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Stealth BioTherapeutics. Dr. Karra has received research support from Stealth BioTherapeutics. Dr. Haas has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Stealth BioTherapeutics. Dr. Haas has received research support from Stealth BioTherapeutics. Dr. Goldstein has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Stealth BioTherapeutics. Dr. Goldstein has received research support from Stealth BioTherapeutics. Dr. Vockley has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Stealth BioTherapeutics. Dr. Vockley has received research support from Stealth BioTherapeiutics.
Identifying Smos and Smap Pixels that Exhibit Distinct Roughness-Vegetation Patterns in Level 2 Optical Thickness Retrievals

The Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Level 2 Soil Moisture products both exhibit a dry bias over agricultural regions. In regions such as the U.S. Corn Belt, where vegetation water content is high during the growing season and near zero in the winter’ the year can be split into periods where retrieved optical thickness is either representative of vegetation water content or surface roughness. We hypothesize that allowing roughness to vary with retrieved optical thickness outside of the growing season will improve the dry bias in the U.S. Corn Belt. Pixels that have a distinct boundary between rough soil and vegetated conditions need to be identified to determine where this modified retrieval process could be useful. SMOS auxiliary land surface fractions are used as a filter for forest, urban, and open water before visually inspecting timeseries of optical thickness for roughness-vegetation patterns.
Khovanov homology for links in $\#^r(S^2\times S^1)$

We revisit Rozansky's construction of Khovanov homology for links in $S^2\times S^1$, extending it to define Khovanov homology $Kh(L)$ for links $L$ in $M^r=#^r(S^2\times S^1)$ for any $r$. The graded Euler characteristic of $Kh(L)$ can be used to recover WRT invariants at certain roots of unity, and also recovers the evaluation of $L$ in the skein module $\mathcal{S}(M^r)$ of Hoste and Przytycki when $L$ is null-homologous in $M^r$. The construction also allows for a clear path towards defining a Lee's homology $Kh'(L)$ and associated $s$-invariant for such $L$, which we will explore in an upcoming paper. We also give an equivalent construction for the Khovanov homology of the knotification of a link in $S^3$ and show directly that this is invariant under handle-slides, in the hope of lifting this version to give a stable homotopy type for such knotifications in a future paper.
Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles by a Laser-Liquid-Solid Interaction Technique

Silver nanoparticles of high chemical homogeneity have been synthesized by a novel laser–liquid–solid interaction technique from a solution composed of silver nitrate, distilled water, ethylene glycol, and diethylene glycol. Rotating nickel, niobium, stainless steel, and ceramic Al2O3 substrates were irradiated using a continuous-wave CO2 laser and Q-switched Nd–YAG laser (λ = 1064 and 532 nm). The silver nanoparticles were characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron probe x-ray microanalysis (EPMA). The shape of silver particles was dependent on the chemical composition and laser parameters. The synthesis mechanism of silver nanoparticles has been proposed to occur primarily at the laser–liquid–substrate interface by a nucleation and growth mechanism.
Clinician-Reported Modification to a CBT Approach in Children’s Mental Health:

Examining the nature and determinants of evidence-based treatment (EBT) modification is an important step toward understanding the impact of modifications and informing modification guidelines. We ...
Enhanced American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Strategy for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death in High-Risk Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Importance Strategies for reliable selection of high-risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) for prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) with implantable cardioverter/defibrillators (ICDs) are incompletely resolved. Objective To assess the reliability of SCD prediction methods leading to prophylactic ICD recommendations to reduce the number of SCDs occurring in patients with HCM. Design, Setting, and Participants In this observational longitudinal study, 2094 predominantly adult patients with HCM consecutively evaluated over 17 years in a large HCM clinical center were studied. All patients underwent prospective ICD decision making relying on individual major risk markers derived from the HCM literature and an enhanced American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines–based risk factor algorithm with complete clinical outcome follow-up. Data were collected from June 2017 to February 2018, and data were analyzed from February to July 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures Arrhythmic SCD or appropriate ICD intervention for ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. Results Of the 2094 study patients, 1313 (62.7%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 51 (17) years. Of 527 patients with primary prevention ICDs implanted based on 1 or more major risk markers, 82 (15.6%) experienced device therapy–terminated ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation episodes, which exceeded the 5 HCM-related SCDs occurring among 1567 patients without ICDs (0.3%), including 2 who declined device therapy, by 49-fold (95% CI, 20-119;P = .001). Cumulative 5-year probability of an appropriate ICD intervention was 10.5% (95% CI, 8.0-13.5). The enhanced ACC/AHA clinical risk factor strategy was highly sensitive for predicting SCD events (range, 87%-95%) but less specific for identifying patients without SCD events (78%). The C statistic calculated for enhanced ACC/AHA guidelines was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.77-0.85), demonstrating good discrimination between patients who did or did not experience an SCD event. Compared with enhanced ACC/AHA risk factors, the European Society of Cardiology risk score retrospectively applied to the study patients was much less sensitive than the ACC/AHA criteria (34% [95% CI, 22-44] vs 95% [95% CI, 89-99]), consistent with recognizing fewer high-risk patients. Conclusions and Relevance A systematic enhanced ACC/AHA guideline and practice-based risk factor strategy prospectively predicted SCD events in nearly all at-risk patients with HCM, resulting in prophylactically implanted ICDs that prevented many catastrophic arrhythmic events in this at-risk population.
Intersectional rhetoric: Where intersectionality as analytic sensibility and embodied rhetorical praxis converge

ABSTRACTSerious considerations of intersectionality are critical to the future and viability of feminist rhetorical scholarship and scholars have made impressive methodological shifts in response t...
Kétala (de Fatou Diome) ou L'Anthropomorphisme à la Rescousse de la Dignité Humaine

Ketala traite de la destruction des ambitions et du potentiel socioeconomique de la jeunesse africaine, qui se trouve sacrifiee sur l'autel de l'egoisme parental. Cette destruction se manifeste che...
Transfusing Platelets During Bypass Rewarming in Neonates Improves Postoperative Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background:In neonates, transfusion of platelets after hemodilution from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has been standard. We hypothesize that platelet administration during the rewarming phase befor...
Alteration of perivascular spaces in early cognitive decline

Abstract Vascular contributions to early cognitive decline are increasingly recognized, prompting further investigation into the nature of related changes in perivascular space. Using magnetic resonance imaging, we show that, compared to a cognitively normal sample, individuals with early cognitive dysfunction have altered perivascular space presence and distribution, irrespective of Amyloid-β. Surprisingly, we noted decreased perivascular space presence in the anterosuperior medial temporal lobe, which was associated with neurofibrillary tau tangle deposition in the entorhinal cortex, one of the hallmarks of early Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Our results suggest that anatomically-specific alteration of the perivascular spaces may provide an early biomarker of cognitive impairment in aging adults.
First-line PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC): A multi-institutional cohort.

e17109Background: Combination regimens containing a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or a programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor improve the clinical outcomes of previously untreate...
Robust hybrid schemes of higher order for singularly perturbed convection-diffusion problems

Abstract A class of linear singularly perturbed convection-diffusion problems in one dimension is discretized on the Shishkin mesh using hybrid higher-order finite-difference schemes. Under appropriate conditions, pointwise convergence uniform in the perturbation parameter e is proved for one of the discretizations. This is done by the preconditioning approach, which enables the proof of e-uniform stability and e-uniform consistency, both in the maximum norm. The order of convergence is almost 3 when e is sufficiently small.
Fold Family-Regularized Bayesian Optimization for Directed Protein Evolution.

Directed Evolution (DE) is a technique for protein engineering that involves iterative rounds of mutagenesis and screening to search for sequences that optimize a given property (ex. binding affinity to a specified target). Unfortunately, the underlying optimization problem is under-determined, and so mutations introduced to improve the specified property may come at the expense of unmeasured, but nevertheless important properties (ex. subcellular localization). We seek to address this issue by incorporating a fold-specific regularization factor into the optimization problem. The regularization factor biases the search towards designs that resemble sequences from the fold family to which the protein belongs. We applied our method to a large library of protein GB1 mutants with binding affinity measurements to IgG-Fc. Our results demonstrate that the regularized optimization problem produces more native-like GB1 sequences with only a minor decrease in binding affinity. Specifically, the log-odds of our designs under a generative model of the GB1 fold family are between 41-45% higher than those obtained without regularization, with only a 7% drop in binding affinity. Thus, our method is capable of making a trade-off between competing traits. Moreover, we demonstrate that our active-learning driven approach reduces the wet-lab burden to identify optimal GB1 designs by 67%, relative to recent results from the Arnold lab on the same data.
Many problems of the many

David Lewis (Papers in metaphysics and epistemology: volume 2. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 164–182, 1993) offers two solutions to the problem of the many, one of which relies on supervaluationism and the other on the notion of “almost-identity” for the most part. In this paper, I argue that Lewis’ other metaphysical views constitute reasons to prefer his second solution to the first one. Specifically, Lewis’ theory of propositions and his counterpart theory give rise to two similar problems of the many, which I call “the problem of many propositions” and “the problem of many counterparts” respectively. While both Lewis’ solutions may solve the problem of the many with respect to objects in the actual world, I argue that only his second solution can solve the problem of many propositions and the problem of many counterparts. Therefore, for anyone who accepts Lewis’ metaphysical views on propositions and counterparts, they should embrace Lewis’ second solution to the problem of the many for the reason of unification.
Delay Calibration in Software-Defined Radios for High-Accuracy Microwave Ranging

Localization is an important aspect in a number of sensing applications, including distributed antenna arrays where inter-node range accuracy on the order of $\lambda/15$ is required to support distributed beamforming. For microwave frequencies, this leads to range accuracies of cm or mm. When ranging is implemented in commercial hardware such as software-defined radios, the additional delays incurred within the system must be accurately characterized to ensure that delays proportional to $\lambda/15$ are accounted for. In this paper, we implement a calibration approach that uses internal crosstalk between channels in a commercial software-defined radio to determine systematic latencies. Using linear-frequency modulated pulses, we demonstrate the ability to estimate hardware-induced ranging errors with a standard deviation of 6.245 mm using 10 linear-frequency modulated pulses with a time-bandwidth product of 850 at various carrier frequencies. When used for distributed antenna arrays, this delay estimation error supports distributed beamforming at frequencies up to 3.2 GHz.
Evaluation of whole-genome DNA methylation sequencing library preparation protocols

With rapidly dropping sequencing cost, the popularity of whole-genome DNA methylation sequencing has been on the rise. Multiple library preparation protocols currently exist. We have performed 22 whole-genome DNA methylation sequencing experiments on snap frozen human samples, and extensively benchmarked common library preparation protocols for whole-genome DNA methylation sequencing, including three traditional bisulfite-based protocols and a new enzyme-based protocol. In addition, different input DNA quantities were compared for two kits compatible with a reduced starting quantity. In addition, we also present bioinformatic analysis pipelines for sequencing data from each of these library types. An assortment of metrics were collected for each kit, including raw read statistics, library quality and uniformity metrics, cytosine retention, and CpG beta value consistency between technical replicates. Overall, the NEBNext Enzymatic Methyl-seq and Swift Accel-NGS Methyl-Seq kits performed quantitatively better than the other two protocols. In addition, the NEB and Swift kits performed well at low-input amounts, validating their utility in applications where DNA is the limiting factor. The NEBNext Enzymatic Methyl-seq kit appeared to be the best option for whole-genome DNA methylation sequencing of high-quality DNA, closely followed by the Swift kit, which potentially works better for degraded samples. Further, a general bioinformatic pipeline is applicable across the four protocols, with the exception of extra trimming needed for the Swift Biosciences’s Accel-NGS Methyl-Seq protocol to remove the Adaptase sequence.
Kitchen-Scale Treatments for Reduction of Listeria monocytogenes in Prepared Produce.

Listeriosis, a foodborne illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes , has relatively low incidence, but a substantial mortality rate, particularly in immunocompromised populations. Because of the known risk of L. monocytogenes and other pathogens in produce, immunocompromised individuals are often placed on neutropenic diets that exclude fresh produce. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate several kitchen-scale treatments as potential interventions to reduce L. monocytogenes in prepared produce. Cucumbers, apples, and celery were dip inoculated with a three-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes and dried for 24 h. Inoculated products were subjected to the following treatments as applicable: commercial sanitizer soak (90 s, with agitation), tap water rinse (15 s), tap water soak (90 s, with agitation), surface blanching (25 s), tap water rinse (15 s) followed by peeling, and surface blanching (25 s) followed by peeling. Additionally, inoculum uptake in celery and the impact of two different types of peelers (mechanical crank and manual) were assessed. Treated samples were plated on differential media and incubated for 48 h at 37°C. L. monocytogenes populations were then enumerated and compared to the untreated control (log CFU/g). All treatments lacked efficacy for celery, with reductions significantly less ( P 0.05), which was low for cucumbers ( 0.05). Surface blanching and surface blanching followed by peeling were the most effective treatments in both cucumbers and apples ( P < 0.05), with average reductions of 4.2 to 5.1 and 3.5 to 5.9 log CFU/g, respectively.
Impact and feasibility of a pharmacist-delivered pharmacotherapy rotation on pediatric resident education.

Pharmacotherapy training for pediatric residents is an important part of their overall education. Limited data exist describing formal engagement of clinical pharmacists in residency training. The objective of this study was to evaluate a novel pharmacotherapy rotation for learner gains and program feasibility. We designed a novel pharmacotherapy rotation (PTR) involving a pharmacist preceptor, pediatric resident, and final-year pharmacy students in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Rotation objectives and content were based on learning gaps identified in a review of the resident curriculum. Data from PTRs completed 2014-2020 were used to evaluate PTR impact on residents' knowledge and confidence in pharmacotherapy decision-making, and interprofessional valuing. We also addressed PTR feasibility for long-term and for adoption by others. Measures for demographic, knowledge, and confidence measures were administered to intervention and control groups. Measures for interprofessional valuing and post-PTR feedback were administered only to the intervention group. Pre-post gains were greater for intervention residents (n = 7) than for control (n = 10), (knowledge: p = 0.02, confidence: p < 0.0001). Interprofessional valuing gain for the intervention group was significant (p = 0.004). Few PTR changes have been necessary since initial implementation. Residents provided high ratings of PTR experiences and specific value-added benefits. Designing an inter-professional PTR within the existing PICU and pharmacy rotation enhanced feasibility, curriculum consistency, and flexibility to optimize inter-professional learning.Participation in the PTR enhanced resident pharmacotherapy knowledge and decision-making, and engagement in interprofessional practice. Next steps include expanding the PTR to other settings and specialties with further evaluation study.