cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Network Flow Formulations for Learning Binary Hashing

The problem of learning binary hashing seeks the identification of a binary mapping for a set of n examples such that the corresponding Hamming distances preserve high fidelity with a given \(n \times n\) matrix of distances (or affinities). This formulation has numerous applications in efficient search and retrieval of images (and other high dimensional data) on devices with storage/processing constraints. As a result, the problem has received much attention recently in vision and machine learning and a number of interesting solutions have been proposed. A common feature of most existing solutions is that they adopt continuous iterative optimization schemes which is then followed by a post-hoc rounding process to recover a feasible discrete solution. In this paper, we present a fully combinatorial network-flow based formulation for a relaxed version of this problem. The main maximum flow/minimum cut modules which drive our algorithm can be solved efficiently and can directly learn the binary codes. Despite its simplicity, we show that on most widely used benchmarks, our proposal yields competitive performance relative to a suite of nine different state of the art algorithms.
Examining How Racial Discrimination Impacts Sleep Quality in African Americans: Is Perseveration the Answer?

Background: African Americans experience more problematic and disordered sleep than White Americans. Racial discrimination has been implicated in this disparity. However, the mechanisms by which discrimination disrupts sleep are unclear. It has been theorized that Perseverative Cognition (PC), characterized by recurrent patterns of reflective (i.e., rumination) and anticipatory (i.e., worry) negative thinking about personally relevant stressors, may reflect the functional mechanism linking discrimination to sleep. The present study is the first to empirically examine the dual components of PC as a candidate functional mechanism in the association between racial discrimination and subjective sleep quality. Participants: Sixty-eight self-identified African American college students (55.9% female; Mage = 20.18, SD = 2.93) were recruited at a large predominantly white public university in the Midwest. Methods: The participants completed the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire (PEDQ), Pittsburgh Slee...
Diversification of C. elegans Motor Neuron Identity via Selective Effector Gene Repression

A common organizational feature of nervous systems is the existence of groups of neurons that share common traits but can be divided into individual subtypes based on anatomical or molecular features. We elucidate the mechanistic basis of neuronal diversification processes in the context of C.elegans ventral cord motor neurons that share common traits that are directly activated by the terminal selector UNC-3. Diversification of motor neurons into different classes, each characterized by unique patterns of effector gene expression, is controlled by distinct combinations of phylogenetically conserved, class-specific transcriptional repressors. These repressors are continuously required in postmitotic neurons to prevent UNC-3, which is active in all neuron classes, from activating class-specific effector genes in specific motor neuron subsets via discrete cis-regulatory elements. The strategy of antagonizing the activity of broadly acting terminal selectors of neuron identity in a subtype-specific fashion may constitute a general principle of neuron subtype diversification.
A rotating source polarization measurement technique using two circularly polarized antennas

This paper combines the standard two-antenna gain measurement technique with the rotating source method for measuring the polarization ratio and tilt angle of the polarization ellipse of a circularly polarized antenna. The technique is illustrated with two identical helical antennas, one for the source and one for the antenna-under-test (AUT), facing each other. Measurements of the voltage transfer ratio are made over one 360 degree on-axis rotation of the source while the AUT remains stationary. The rotation causes the phase of the electric field of the principal polarization to rotate in one direction and the phase of the cross polarization to rotate in the opposite direction. A Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) of the data from a single rotation is insufficient to resolve the two polarization components. Leakage from the principal polarization will most likely cover up the low-level opposite polarization signal. However, the DFT resolution can be artificially increased by appending to the measured data, precisely M-1 copies of the data. Now the polarization components will be separated by 2M revolutions. Application of a heavy weighting function to the augmented data and a phase compensation to the DFT allows a clear determination of the amplitude and phase of the on-axis principal and cross polarization components. The technique was verified by electromagnetic simulations and by measurements in an anechoic chamber with two 6-turn 5.8 GHz helical antennas separated by 4 feet. There was very good agreement between the simulations and measurements of the polarization ellipse tilt angle and a −20 dB polarization ratio.
Disparities in Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations: Near-National Estimates for Hispanics.

OBJECTIVE To obtain near-national rates of potentially preventable hospitalization (PPH)-a marker of barriers to outpatient care access-for Hispanics; to examine their differences from other race-ethnic groups and by Hispanic national origin; and to identify key mediating factors. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING Data from all-payer inpatient discharge databases for 15 states accounting for 85 percent of Hispanics nationally. STUDY DESIGN Combining counts of inpatient discharges with census population for adults aged 18 and older, we estimated age-sex-adjusted PPH rates. We examined county-level variation in race-ethnic disparities in these rates to identify the mediating role of area-level indicators of chronic condition prevalence, socioeconomic status (SES), health care access, acculturation, and provider availability. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Age-sex-adjusted PPH rates were 13 percent higher among Hispanics (1,375 per 100,000 adults) and 111 percent higher among blacks (2,578) compared to whites (1,221). Among Hispanics, these rates were relatively higher in areas with predominantly Puerto Rican and Cuban Americans than in areas with Hispanics of other nationalities. Small area variation in chronic condition prevalence and SES fully accounted for the higher rates among Hispanics, but only partially among blacks. CONCLUSIONS Hispanics and blacks face higher barriers to outpatient care access; the higher barriers among Hispanics (but not blacks) seem mediated by SES, lack of insurance, cost barriers, and limited provider availability.
Consistent, high-quality two-nucleon potentials up to fifth order of the chiral expansion

We present N N potentials through five orders of chiral effective field theory ranging from leading order (LO) to next-to-next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order (N4LO). The construction may be perceived as consistent in the sense that the same power counting scheme as well as the same cutoff procedures are applied in all orders. Moreover, the long-range parts of these potentials are fixed by the very accurate ?N low-energy constants (LECs) as determined in the Roy-Steiner equations analysis by Hoferichter, Ruiz de Elvira and coworkers. In fact, the uncertainties of these LECs are so small that a variation within the errors leads to effects that are essentially negligible, reducing the error budget of predictions considerably. The N N potentials are fit to the world N N data below pion-production threshold of the year of 2016. The potential of the highest order (N4LO) reproduces the world N N data with the outstanding ? 2/datum of 1.15, which is the highest precision ever accomplished for any chiral N N potential to date. The N N potentials presented may serve as a solid basis for systematic ab initio calculations of nuclear structure and reactions that allow for a comprehensive error analysis. In particular, the consistent order by order development of the potentials will make possible a reliable determination of the truncation error at each order. Our family of potentials is non-local and, generally, of soft character. This feature is reflected in the fact that the predictions for the triton binding energy (from two-body forces only) converges to about 8.1 MeV at the highest orders. This leaves room for three-nucleon-force contributions of moderate size.
Replications in Development Economics

I examine replications of empirical papers in development economics published in the top-5 and next-5 general interest journals between the years 2000 through 2015. Of the 1,138 empirical papers, 71 papers (6.2 percent) were replicated in another published paper or working paper. The majority (77.5 percent) of replications involved reanalysis of the data using different econometric specifications to assess robustness. The strongest predictor of whether a paper is replicated or not is the paper's Google Scholar citation count, followed by year of publication. Papers based on randomized control trials (RCTs) appear to be replicated at a higher rate (12.5 percent).
Natural killer cell membrane infused biomimetic liposomes for targeted tumor therapy

Abstract Therapeutic efficacy of a systemic drug delivery largely depends on the targeting design of the delivery system, which tackles with circulatory traffic and prevents the nonspecific distribution of the drug in the wide range of vital organs. A drawing attention has been given to a biomimetic cloaking of the synthetic drug delivery nanoparticle using mammalian cell-ghosts, which has shown the installment of the biological complexity of the original cells thereby acting as naive cells, to precisely delivery drug to the intended target. Align towards this direction; we developed a membrane camouflage fusogenic liposomal delivery system “NKsome” for targeted tumor therapy using Natural Killer (NK) cell-ghost, which naturally undergoes immunosurveillance of diseased/stress cells. The engineered NKsome shows successful retention of NK cell membrane-associated targeting protein on its surface. With its excellent biocompatibility, NKsome shows a higher affinity towards cancer than normal cells as demonstrated by in vitro flow-passage assay, and exhibits enhanced tumor homing efficiency in-vivo with an extended plasma residence time of 18 h. Moreover, the therapeutic potential of doxorubicin-loaded NKsome shows promising antitumor activity in vivo against MCF-7 induced tumor model. Overall results illustrate the therapeutic advantages of NK cell biomimicry capable of communicating like immune cells for cooperative drug delivery.
Benefit finding and diurnal cortisol after prostate cancer: The mediating role of positive affect

Author(s): Wang, Ashley W; Hoyt, Michael A | Abstract: OBJECTIVE:Benefit finding (BF) has exhibited a salutary effect on psychological adjustment to cancer. However, few studies have examined its relationship with physiology or have examined BF in men with cancer. This study investigated whether BF is associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity (ie, diurnal salivary cortisol) in men treated for prostate cancer. Positive affect (PA) is proposed as a potential pathway linking BF to diurnal salivary cortisol. METHODS:A sample of 66 men treated for localized prostate cancer within the prior 2 years completed questionnaires and collected salivary cortisol 3 times per day over 3 consecutive days. Hierarchical linear modeling was used for estimating the effects of BF and PA on cortisol responses as measured by diurnal slope and area under the curve (AUCg). Confidence intervals for indirect effects were estimated using the Monte Carlo method for mediation testing. RESULTS:BF was significantly associated with diurnal cortisol slope, controlling for body mass index and age (Bn=n-.12, Pn=n.03), such that greater BF was associated with steeper cortisol slope. Analyses revealed that PA mediated the effect of BF on cortisol slope (Monte Carlo estimation 95% CIn=n-0.087, -0.001); negative affect did not mediate this relationship. BF was not significantly associated with AUCg. CONCLUSIONS:Deriving more benefit from one's experience with prostate cancer is associated with a healthier diurnal cortisol rhythm. Through its potential to enhance PA, the relationship of BF and physiological processes underscores the health relevant value of BF in prostate cancer survivors.
Convergence of Euler-Newton-Like Methods

In this chapter we analyze the convergence properties of an Euler-Newton method under the simplifying assumption that a sufficiently small uniform steplength is maintained.
Heads-Up Face-Off: On Style and Skill in the Game of Poker

Poker is a game of imperfect information where players make inferences and investments under uncertainty. Winning requires skill as well as luck, and people play with different styles. Here I examine the roles of style and skill in a simplified poker game. I propose that style arises from mental limits in estimating odds and stakes, and I define style as a strategy for making decisions in light of these mental limits. I then develop formal models of cognitive styles, such as “Tight” and “Loose”, and pit them against each other in heads-up (pair-wise) face-offs (match-ups). I also develop a formal model of normative skill and pit this skill against the styles. My results show that the best style for one player depends on the style of his opponent, and that Novice styles can be remarkably effective against Expert skill. I discuss the reasons behind these results and suggest how this study may apply to practical problems in business and warfare – which are real life games of inference and investment that are also played with style and skill.
Analogy and Intelligence in Model Building (AIMB)

Analogical reasoning concludes that if two things are alike in some respects, they may be alike in others. In model building it follows that if two compounds have similar structure they may have similar geometry. As the difference between the two compounds approaches zero, their geometries approach identity.
Corrupt Actions and Forest Loss: A Cross-National Analysis

Extant literature documents the negative environmental impacts of corruption on forest loss. More recently, research has shown that both grand and petty corruption are associated with higher levels of forest loss in low- and middle-income nations. However, the extant research neglects to assess how different types of grand and petty corruption impact forest loss. To address the gap in the literature, this article differentiates the effect of various types of corrupt actions on forest loss. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression for a sample of 87 low- and middle-income nations from 2000 is used to test if grand corrupt actions, namely embezzlement and bribes, and petty corrupt actions including theft and corrupt exchanges are related to increased forest loss. The dependent variable uses satellite forest data from 2001 to 2014. Results show that embezzlement, bribes, theft, and corrupt exchanges all impact forest loss, which suggests that policy measures to curb corruption should take a holistic approach to corruption, rather than rely on individual interventions.
Identification of Jun loss promotes resistance to histone deacetylase inhibitor entinostat through Myc signaling in luminal breast cancer.

Based on promising phase II data, the histone deacetylase inhibitor entinostat is in phase III trials for patients with metastatic estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Predictors of sensitivity and resistance, however, remain unknown. A total of eight cell lines and nine mouse models of breast cancer were treated with entinostat. Luminal cell lines were treated with or without entinostat at their IC50 doses, and MMTV/Neu luminal mouse tumors were untreated or treated with entinostat until progression. We investigated these models using their gene expression profiling by microarray and copy number by arrayCGH. We also utilized the network-based DawnRank algorithm that integrates DNA and RNA data to identify driver genes of resistance. The impact of candidate drivers was investigated in The Cancer Genome Atlas and METABRIC breast cancer datasets. Luminal models displayed enhanced sensitivity to entinostat as compared to basal-like or claudin-low models. Both in vitro and in vivo luminal models showed significant downregulation of Myc gene signatures following entinostat treatment. Myc gene signatures became upregulated on tumor progression in vivo and overexpression of Myc conferred resistance to entinostat in vitro. Further examination of resistance mechanisms in MMTV/Neu tumors identified a portion of mouse chromosome 4 that had DNA copy number loss and low gene expression. Within this region, Jun was computationally identified to be a driver gene of resistance. Jun knockdown in cell lines resulted in upregulation of Myc signatures and made these lines more resistant to entinostat. Jun-deleted samples, found in 17–23% of luminal patients, had significantly higher Myc signature scores that predicted worse survival. Entinostat inhibited luminal breast cancer through Myc signaling, which was upregulated by Jun DNA loss to promote resistance to entinostat in our models. Jun DNA copy number loss, and/or high MYC signatures, might represent biomarkers for entinostat responsiveness in luminal breast cancer.
Populism and Trade: The 2016 US Presidential Election and the Death of the Trans-Pacific Partnership

In 2015, it seemed all but certain that President Obama would succeed in ratifying the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with Senate approval during his last year of office. The TPP, the largest regional trade accord in history, would have set new terms for trade and business investment between the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations. However, despite record-breaking corporate spending and broad support for the TPP among democrats and republicans, the TPP encountered domestic challenges when the 2016 US presidential campaign featured two popular, anti-trade candidates. The political climate abruptly shifted and the TPP was never introduced to Congress for ratification leading to a surprising failure for President Obama’s signature trade initiative. This chapter examines the surprising failure of the TPP and the rise of economic populism—anti-trade rhetoric that specifically targeted the free trade agreement during the 2016 presidential campaign. The chapter examines the rise of populism through the 2016 presidential candidate narratives of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump to examine how an anti-TPP story came to signal a commitment to the working class and American identity against a rising China.
Importance of considering soils in seed transfer zone development: evidence from a study of the native Bromus marginatus.

Seed transfer zones, which define the geographical relationship between adaptive traits and environmental factors, are increasingly used to determine the source populations that can be combined in restoration and revegetation. Climatic variables have been the most commonly used environmental data in transfer zone development, even though soils are also a primary selective force on plants. We assessed the importance of including soils in seed transfer zones using Bromus marginatus, a native grass used for restoration and revegetation in the western United States, as an example. Seeds were collected from 64 populations across Montana and Idaho and grown in a common garden for two years. We assessed among-population variation based on 11 traits related to germination rate, plant size, vigor, inflorescence number, survival, and carbon isotope discrimination (∆13 ), and used this variation to develop seed transfer zone maps using two approaches: (1) a conventional approach, using only climatic variables (climate only) and (2) an expanded approach that included soils and climatic variables (soils + climate). The most influential drivers of trait variation were factors related to soil water availability: soil order, available water content (AWC), and organic carbon levels. Populations from areas with andic soils, which have high soil AWC and soil organic carbon, had low germination, limited first-year survival, low ∆13 , and small seeds. Growing season length and winter temperatures were also predictive of trait variation. In comparison to climate-only models, soils + climate models explained 11% more variance (120% relative increase) for ∆13 and an average of 4.5% more (27% relative increase) for growth traits and survival. The transfer zone map developed using soils + climate differed from the climate-only map in both spatial pattern of ecotypic variation and number of transfer zones; the soils + climate map had more zones and a higher proportion of small ( 37 km2 . Including soils in transfer zone development may identify adaptive trait variation that is obscured by large-scale differences in climate and could improve plant materials used for ecosystem management.
Linear momentum quantization in periodic structures

Abstract Interference by a periodic structure can be explained in terms of a quantization rule for the linear momentum formulated by Duane in 1923. A straightforward derivation of this rule, using raising and lowering operator techniques, is given both for one and more dimensional systems. The implications of these results for the conceptual exposition of quantum and wave mechanics are discussed.
Mn39Si9Nx: Epitaxial Stabilization as a Pathway to the Formation of Intermetallic Nitrides.

The realization of the full potential of nitrogen-containing solid-state materials is limited by the inert and gaseous nature of N2. In this Communication, we describe the simple synthesis yet comp...
Harmonic frequency combs in quantum cascade lasers: Time-domain and frequency-domain theory

Harmonic frequency combs, in which the lasing modes are separated by a period of tens of free spectral ranges from each other, have been recently discovered in quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). There is an ongoing debate how the harmonic combs can be formed and stable under continuous pumping. Here we reproduce the harmonic state of lasing in QCLs by space-time-domain numerical simulations and show that the corresponding optical wave has a frequency-modulated nature, with the fundamental beat note in the electron population being suppressed. To understand the physics behind the formation and stability of the harmonic state, we develop a frequency-domain linearized analytic theory which analyzes the stability of single-mode lasing with respect to the harmonic state formation and the instabilities of the resulting harmonic state. Our analysis shows how the instability of a single lasing mode can result in the growth of harmonic side modes. The coupling between the two side modes leads to enhancement of the gain for frequency-modulated waves as compared to the gain for amplitude-modulated waves. The dependence of the sideband gain spectrum on group-velocity dispersion is also studied. While the instability of a single lasing mode with respect to the growth of side bands separated by many free spectral ranges does not prove that the harmonic state can be self-starting, we analyze the instability of three strong harmonic modes and demonstrate that the harmonic state can be stable and self-supported.
Boron neutron capture therapy of brain tumors: functional and neuropathologic effects of blood-brain barrier disruption and intracarotid injection of sodium borocaptate and boronophenylalanine.

Sodium borocaptate (BSH) and boronophenylalanine (BPA) are two drugs that have been used clinically for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) of brain tumors. We previously have reported that hyperosmotic mannitol-induced disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB-D), followed by intracarotid (i.c.) administration of BPA or BSH, either individually or in combination, significantly enhanced tumor boron delivery and the efficacy of BNCT in F98 glioma bearing rats. The purpose of the present study was to determine the short-term neuropathologic consequences of this treatment and the long-term effects on motor and cognitive function, as well as the neuropathologic sequelae 1 year following neutron capture irradiation. BBB-D was carried out in non-tumor bearing Fischer rats by infusing a 25% solution of mannitol i.c. followed by i.c. injection of BPA or BSH, either individually or in combination, immediately thereafter. Animals were euthanized 2 days after compound administration, and their brains were processed for neuropathologic examination, which revealed sporadic, mild, focal neuronal degeneration, hemorrhage, and necrosis. To assess the long-term effects of such treatment followed by neutron capture irradiation, non-tumor bearing rats were subjected to BBB-D after which they were injected i.c. with BPA (25 mg B/kg body weight (b.w)) or BSH (30 mg B/kg b.w.) either individually or in combination (BPA 12.5 mg and BSH 14 mg B/kg b.w.). Two and a half hours later they were irradiated at the Medical Research Reactor, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, with the same physical radiation doses (5.79, 8.10 or 10.06 Gy), delivered to the brain, as those that previously had been used for our therapy experiments. The animals tolerated this procedure well, after which they were returned to Columbus, Ohio where their clinical status was monitored weekly. After 1 year, motor function was assessed using a sensitive and reliable locomotor rating scale for open field testing in rats and cognitive function was evaluated by their performance in the Morris water maze, the results of which were similar to those obtained with age matched controls. After functional evaluation, the rats were euthanized, their brains were removed, and then processed for neuropathologic examination. Subtle histopathologic changes were seen in the choroid plexuses of irradiated animals that had received BPA, BSH or saline. Radiation related ocular changes consisting of keratitis, blepharitis, conjunctivitis and cataract formation were seen with similar frequency in most rats in each treatment group. Based on these observations, and the previously reported significant therapeutic gain associated with BBB-D and i.c. injection of BSH and BPA, the present observations establish its safety in rats and suggest that further studies in large animals and humans are warranted.
Clinical Course of COVID-19 in Identical Twins

The rapid outbreak of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to infection with variable clinical presentations and a wide clinical spectrum. The disease was first reported in Wuhan, China in 2019 and has rapidly spread worldwide. Despite reports of dynamic changes in disease progression, clinical predictors of disease severity have been difficult to identify. The following case describing identical twins with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 who had very different disease courses. These patients resided in the same home and shared many of the same comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and morbid obesity. Although twin 1 had higher inflammatory markers, white blood cell (WBC) and an arguably more complicated medical history in comparison to their identical twin, the patient experienced a milder and shorter disease course. This case highlights the need for identifying proper disease markers and predictors early in the clinical course in order to direct future management guidelines and timely treatment.
Peach Rust (Transchelia spp.)

Peach rust is a fungal disease commonly caused by Tranzchelia discolor (Fuckel) Tranzschel & Litvinov that attacks plants in the genus Prunus, including peach, nectarine, almond, plum, apricot, and cherry. In the Southeastern United State, the fungus is most common on peach orchards during summer and fall. The peach rust severity depends on the climatic conditions (temperature and rainfall), hosts (peach cultivars) and geographic location. Fungus rust is spread by airborne spores, which depend on moisture for infection. Where warm temperatures and high rainfalls usually result in severe peach rust infections. Florida’s summer rainfall provide favorable conditions for peach rust development. Despite, all currently available cultivars of peach in Florida are susceptible to the disease (Adaskaveg et al. 2012). Further studies of subtropical peach cultivars have shown differences for peach rust tolerance, measured by leaf retention, and rust incidence in the orchards (Alves et al. 2014; Citadin et al. 2010)
Structural superlubricity under ambient conditions

Abstract This chapter reports on atomic force microscopy-based nano manipulation experiments performed on gold and platinum nano islands on graphite, demonstrating the occurrence of structural superlubricity under ambient conditions. Ab initio simulations performed to elucidate the potential reasons behind the observation of structural superlubricity under ambient conditions are also discussed, revealing that the noble metal—graphite interface could potentially act as a hermetic seal, which preserves molecular cleanliness between the slider and the substrate and thus leads to superlubric sliding. The chapter is concluded with a brief section on future research directions. The results reported here can be considered to be among the first steps toward the potential realization of small-scale mechanical systems that would operate with vanishing friction under ambient conditions.
The Brazilian Bombshell? The Short and Long-Term Impact of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic the South American Way

We analyze the repercussions of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic on demographic measures, human capital formation, and productivity markers in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil's financial center and the most populous city in South America today. Leveraging temporal and spatial variation in district-level estimates of influenza-related deaths for the period 1917-1920 combined with a unique database on socio-economic, health and productivity outcomes constructed from historical and contemporary documents for all districts in Sao Paulo, we find that the 1918 Influenza pandemic had significant negative impacts on infant mortality and sex ratios at birth in 1920 (the short-run). We find robust evidence of persistent effects on health, educational attainment and productivity more than twenty years later. Our study highlights the importance of documenting the legacy of historical shocks in understanding the development trajectories of countries over time.
Conservatisms about the Valuable

Sometimes it seems that an existing bearer of value should be preserved even though it could be destroyed and replaced with something of equal or greater value. How can this conservative intuition ...
Effectiveness and Harms of High-Flow Nasal Oxygen for Acute Respiratory Failure: An Evidence Report for a Clinical Guideline From the American College of Physicians.

Background Use of high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) for treatment of adults with acute respiratory failure (ARF) has increased. Purpose To assess HFNO versus noninvasive ventilation (NIV) or conventional oxygen therapy (COT) for ARF in hospitalized adults. Data sources English-language searches of MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library from January 2000 to July 2020; systematic review reference lists. Study selection 29 randomized controlled trials evaluated HFNO versus NIV (k = 11) or COT (k = 21). Data extraction Data extraction by a single investigator was verified by a second, 2 investigators assessed risk of bias, and evidence certainty was determined by consensus. Data synthesis Results are reported separately for HFNO versus NIV, for HFNO versus COT, and by initial or postextubation management. Compared with NIV, HFNO may reduce all-cause mortality, intubation, and hospital-acquired pneumonia and improve patient comfort in initial ARF management (low-certainty evidence) but not in postextubation management. Compared with COT, HFNO may reduce reintubation and improve patient comfort in postextubation ARF management (low-certainty evidence). Limitations Trials varied in populations enrolled, ARF causes, and treatment protocols. Trial design, sample size, duration of treatment and follow-up, and results reporting were often insufficient to adequately assess many outcomes. Protocols, clinician and health system training, cost, and resource use were poorly characterized. Conclusion Compared with NIV, HFNO as initial ARF management may improve several clinical outcomes. Compared with COT, HFNO as postextubation management may reduce reintubations and improve patient comfort; HFNO resulted in fewer harms than NIV or COT. Broad applicability, including required clinician and health system experience and resource use, is not well known. Primary funding source American College of Physicians. (PROSPERO: CRD42019146691).
Correlates of employment among men in substance use recovery: The influence of discrimination and social support.

The purpose of the present study was to identify correlates of employment among men in substance use recovery, including recovery-related discrimination and social support. A cross-sectional sample...
Spine Surgery HCAHPS Patient Satisfaction Survey Results Inversely Correlate with Survey Response Time.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective review. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to understand the potential correlation of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey response time on reported satisfaction following spine surgery hospitalization. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA With increasing emphasis on patient satisfaction metrics, such as HCAHPS, hospital reputations, and reimbursements are being affected by the results of such surveys. HCAHPS is a 32-question survey about patient experience in the hospital and after discharge. METHODS HCAHPS surveys were routinely sent to all patients admitted after spine surgery at an academic medical center between January 2013 and August 2017. Survey data, survey return time, patient demographics, and 30-day postoperative outcomes were gathered for all spine surgery patients who returned the survey. Multivariate regression analysis controlling for age, sex, BMI, functional status, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, education, and race was used to determine whether there were differences in rates of "Top Box" response between different time ranges of survey return. RESULTS In total, 1495 consecutive spinal surgery patients who returned their HCAHPS survey were identified. Of these, 31.51% returned their surveys within 21 days, 48.09% returned them between 22 to 42 days, 13.58% returned them between 43 to 64 days, and 6.82% returned them ≥65 days after distribution. Multivariate regression demonstrated no statistical differences in reported satisfaction between surveys returned between days 0 to 21 and days 22 to 42. However, there were significantly lower scores reported by surveys returned on days 43 to 64 and 65 plus days. CONCLUSION Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services only considers HCAHPS surveys returned within the first 42 days. It appears that the survey responses are similar over this time period. Beyond this time, lower scores are reported. Further attention to this less satisfied, later HCAHPS survey returning group seems warranted.Level of Evidence: 2.
Variation in Evolving Optic Neuritis.

Background The typical natural history of optic neuritis is subjected to important exceptions. Recognition of these exceptions has led to valuable insights regarding specific etiologies of optic neuritis. Exceptions to the natural history of recovering optic neuritis are well-defined (e.g., chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy), but exceptions to the natural history of evolving optic neuritis are less so. Methods Medical records of patients illustrating an atypical course of evolving optic neuritis were reviewed in a retrospective manner. Each patient was treated by at least one of the authors. Results Four patients were identified who illustrated an atypical natural history of incipient optic neuritis. Diagnoses included idiopathic optic neuritis, seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disease, anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease, and multiple sclerosis in 1 patient each. Features of interest included an atypical temporal relationship between development of pain and onset of clinical optic neuropathy, an unusually protracted duration of pain, and an unusually long duration of worsening optic neuropathy before stabilization. Conclusions This case series illustrates the substantial clinical heterogeneity which may be observed in the evolution of optic neuritis. The temporal relationship between development of pain and onset of clinical optic neuropathy, the duration of pain, and duration of worsening optic neuropathy before stabilization are all subjected to significant variability. Although most patients with optic neuritis present with painful vision loss which progresses over 1 week or less, careful attention to the exceptions described herein may facilitate earlier recognition of diagnostically challenging cases.
Cytochemical Characterization of Cerebrospinal Fluid Macrophage Inclusions in Pediatric Patients Receiving Intrathecal Nusinersen (SPINRAZA®) for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Introduction Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a debilitating neuromuscular disorder caused by biallelic deletion of the SMN1 gene. Nusinersen, an antisense oligonucleotide delivered intrathecally, binds to the pre-mRNA of SMN1's pseudogene, SMN2, to prevent exon skipping and produce functional SMN protein to compensate for the deficiency caused by SMN1 deletion. Case presentation We reviewed 15 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology specimens from 8 patients receiving nusinersen for SMA. Macrophages with peculiar inclusions ("nusinophages") were seen in 8 specimens from 4 of the patients: 1 infant and 3 children with SMA type 1. This finding has only previously been reported in adults with SMA types 2 and 3 and in 2 infants with SMA type 1. Discussion/conclusion Specimens containing nusinophages had a significantly higher proportion of macrophages and lower proportion of lymphocytes than those in which nusinophages were not detected. The macrophage inclusions do not represent iron or microorganisms and instead are composed, at least in part, of glycosaminoglycans. Because CSF is a common specimen type, cytotechnologists and cytopathologists need to be aware of these inclusions, so they do not interpret them erroneously as evidence of infection or hemorrhage, especially in light of the fact that oligonucleotide therapy has been approved for a variety of conditions and is currently under investigation for intrathecal delivery in several other neurodegenerative disorders.
Stuffing the Ballot Box: Heterogeneous Effects of Election Monitoring

Do incumbents in non-democratic countries commit electoral fraud strategically or do they stuff the box whenever they see a chance? In this paper, I study the heterogeneous effects of election monitoring in order to examine whether certain characteristics of polling stations make them more susceptible to be used for fraud. In particular, I examine the effects of average income and distance on electoral fraud. To measure the amount of fraud that benefited the pro-Putin party, United Russia, I use the experimental data of random observer assignment during the Russian parliamentary elections in 2011 collected by Enikolopov et al. (2013). I supplement their data with a unique dataset of Moscow residents’ personal information to estimate the effect of average income and distance to center on electoral fraud. I find no difference between poorer and more affluent precincts, or between precincts that are closer and farther from the city center, with respect to the incumbent party vote share and turnout. However, I find that one of the opposition parties, Apple, lost as many as 30% of all votes cast for it, and that the amount of fraud was more significant in the center than in the outskirts.
Intestinal Colonization Dynamics of Vibrio cholerae

To cause the diarrheal disease cholera, Vibrio cholerae must effectively colonize the small intestine. In order to do so, the bacterium needs to successfully travel through the stomach and withstand the presence of agents such as bile and antimicrobial peptides in the intestinal lumen and mucus. The bacterial cells penetrate the viscous mucus layer covering the epithelium and attach and proliferate on its surface. In this review, we discuss recent developments and known aspects of the early stages of V. cholerae intestinal colonization and highlight areas that remain to be fully understood. We propose mechanisms and postulate a model that covers some of the steps that are required in order for the bacterium to efficiently colonize the human host. A deeper understanding of the colonization dynamics of V. cholerae and other intestinal pathogens will provide us with a variety of novel targets and strategies to avoid the diseases caused by these organisms.
Cloning of the promoter for a novel barley gene, Lem1, and its organ-specific promotion of Gfp expression in lemma and palea

The differential display method was used to identify a novel barley gene, Lem1, expressed primarily in the outer organs (lemma and palea) that enclose developing florets and seeds. The promoter was isolated from a BAC genomic clone and used in a translational fusion with a green fluorescent protein gene (Gfp) to produce a transient expression vector. After particle bombardment, Gfp was expressed only in lemmas, paleas and awns of developing spikelets. Lem1 did not promote Gfp expression in vegetative leaves or in mature spikes, although expression of co-bombarded uidA (GUS) occurred under the regulation of a ubiquitin promoter. This reproduced the developmentally regulated pattern of mRNA accumulation. Deletion studies showed that the promoter activity is confined to a cis element within 80 bp of the transcription start site. Upstream from this, the promoter contains putative auxin-, ethylene- and gibberellin-responsive elements or homologues. Lem1 was found to be a single intronless gene encoding an acidic 102 amino acid protein, possibly associated with membranes. In a two-rowed barley, Lem1 mRNA was absent in the lateral spikelets, which fail to develop, and present only in the developing median spikelets. This suggests that Lem1 may play a role in organ development.
Robust Structural Metric Learning

Metric learning algorithms produce a linear transformation of data which is optimized for a prediction task, such as nearest-neighbor classification or ranking. However, when the input data contains a large portion of noninformative features, existing methods fail to identify the relevant features, and performance degrades accordingly. In this paper, we present an efficient and robust structural metric learning algorithm which enforces group sparsity on the learned transformation, while optimizing for structured ranking output prediction. Experiments on synthetic and real datasets demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms previous methods in both high- and low-noise settings.
New weldable high-strength aluminum alloys for cryogenic service.

It is apparent that one of the most important of the basic criteria for structural materials for use in space vehicles is a maximum strength/weight ratio consistent with the additional requirements of toughness, fabricability, and compatibility with manufacturing, storage, and service environments. Liquid-propellant vehicles of the current generation, culminating with the S-IC booster stage of the Saturn V, are constructed principally of aluminum alloys, Weldability and low-temperature notch insensitivity requirements greatly influence alloy selection for fuel and oxidizer tankage. Various vehicles have employed Al-Mg alloys, 5456 and 5083 (Saturn I), the Al-Cu-Mg alloy 2014 (Titan II and S-II second stage and S-IVB third stage of Saturn V) and the Al-Cu alloy 2219 (S-IC booster stage of Saturn V), The highest-strength weldable alloys commercially available are 2014 and 2219, and in the tempers used these provide yield strengths in the 50 to 60 ksi range and ultimate tensile strengths of 60 to 70 ksi with weld joint efficiencies of 60 to 80% as-welded.
Relationships among Narrow Bipolar Events, “total” lightning, and radar‐inferred convective strength in Great Plains thunderstorms

[1] Narrow Bipolar Events (NBEs) are a recently discovered distinct class of intracloud lightning discharges whose associated processes produce the most powerful very high frequency (VHF) radiation observed from lightning. NBEs are thus the prime candidate for proposed satellite-based VHF global lightning mapping and storm tracking missions. In this study, we offer a detailed evaluation of the Great Plains Los Alamos Sferic Array (LASA). We then statistically compare NBE rates to non-NBE lightning rates measured by both the LASA and the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) and to NEXRAD radar-inferred metrics of convective strength for thunderstorms in the Great Plains from May to July 2005. We find strong correlations between total lightning rate and convective strength, especially in terms of the height of 30 dBZ radar echo. However, we find much weaker correlations between NBE rate and non-NBE lightning rate and between NBE rate and radar-inferred convective strength. Though NBEs occur in the same storms as other lightning, they cluster more closely in both space and time and may be indicative of specific types of storms and/or specific stages in convective development. Indeed, we find that NBEs are more prevalent in, and perhaps indicative of, the strongest convection. However, even the strongest convection (as inferred by radar) does not always produce NBEs. We compare these results to past studies of NBEs which were based in Florida. We also briefly discuss the implications of these results for satellite-based VHF lightning detection.
B: Heavy metal tolerance, plant evolution and restoration ecology

Two major in situ conservation activities are: Setting aside nature reserves (various kinds of protected areas representative of remnant natural communities), and restoration/reconstruction of functioning plant and animal communities on degraded or polluted/distributed lands. An essential by-product of industrial civilization, as noted by A. D. Bradshaw (a pioneer in restoration ecology with a strong emphasis on evolutionary ecology), is the toxic metal waste left on mined lands. Bradshaw and his colleagues have studied genetic variation in metal tolerance in many plant species and have applied this knowledge in the successful choices of species and genotypes for revegetating derelict areas.
Experiments with a Task Partitioning Model for Heterogeneous Computing

One potentially promising approach for exploiting the best features of a variety of different computer architectures is to partition an application program to simultaneously execute on two or more different machines interconnected with a high-speed network. A fundamental problem with this heterogeneous computing, however, is the difficulty of partitioning an application program across the machines. This paper presents a partitioning strategy that relates the relative performance of two heterogeneous machines to the communication cost of transferring partial results across their interconnection network. Experiments are described that use this strategy to partition two different application programs across the sequential front-end processor of a Connection Machine CM-200, and its parallel back-end array.
Preliminary crystallographic data for Staphylococcus aureus exfoliative toxin

The exfoliative toxin isolated from Staphylococcus aureus, strain TA, has been crystallized. The crystals are monoclinic, belonging to space group P21, with a = 49.75(6)A, b = 67.14(7)A, c = 82.84(11)A, and β = 93.4(3) °. The molecular weight is 26,000. There are four molecules of protein in the unit cell, and hence there are two molecules in the asymmetric unit.