cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of oxygen and exogenous L-arginine on EDRF activity in fetal pulmonary circulation.

To determine whether L-arginine, the precursor of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), increases vasodilator activity in the fetal pulmonary circulation, we studied its effects on basal pulm...
Acute nontraumatic splenic infarctions at a tertiary-care center: causes and predisposing factors in 123 patients

Acute splenic infarcts classically present with left upper quadrant pain, but may be discovered incidentally in many hospitalized patients with otherwise vague complaints. The purpose of our study was to document causes or predisposing conditions in patients found to have acute splenic infarctions on imaging. Following IRB approval, a retrospective review of an imaging database from May 2008 to May 2015 was performed for cases of acute splenic infarctions. The electronic medical record was then reviewed for potential predisposing factors or known causes. Specific note was made of cases with active malignancy, vascular disorders, or inflammatory conditions with an increased risk of vasculopathy. Echocardiogram and electrocardiogram results were reviewed when available. One hundred twenty-three patients with acute splenic infarcts were identified, 65 female and 58 male. The average age was 57 years (range of 22 to 88). Active malignancy was present in 40 patients or 33 %. The most common malignancy in patient with nontraumatic splenic infarctions was pancreatic cancer, present in 16 patients (13 %). In these patients, splenic infarction was due to direct invasion of vessels in the splenic hilum. Acute pancreatitis (severe) was directly responsible for splenic infarction in seven additional cases (6 %). Additional visceral infarcts were present in 18 patients (15 %), most commonly concomitant hepatic or renal infarcts. Documented atrial fibrillation was present in 12 patients, but only 2 cases of left-sided cardiac thrombi were seen on CT (1 atrial, and 1 ventricular thrombus). Eight cases of endocarditis with valvular vegetations were documented on echocardiography (7 %). Splenomegaly was present in 32 patients (26 %) with acute splenic infarction. In patients with nontraumatic splenic infarctions, there appears to be a relatively high association with active malignancy (up to a third of patients). Pancreatic disorders, malignant and inflammatory, also appear to be an important cause of splenic infarction, presumably due to the close proximity of the pancreas to the splenic vessels.
Frugivores bias seed-adult tree associations through nonrandom seed dispersal: a phylogenetic approach.

Frugivores are the main seed dispersers in many ecosystems, such that behaviorally driven, nonrandom patterns of seed dispersal are a common process; but patterns are poorly understood. Characterizing these patterns may be essential for understanding spatial organization of fruiting trees and drivers of seed-dispersal limitation in biodiverse forests. To address this, we studied resulting spatial associations between dispersed seeds and adult tree neighbors in a diverse rainforest in Madagascar, using a temporal and phylogenetic approach. Data show that by using fruiting trees as seed-dispersal foci, frugivores bias seed dispersal under conspecific adults and under heterospecific trees that share dispersers and fruiting time with the dispersed species. Frugivore-mediated seed dispersal also resulted in nonrandom phylogenetic associations of dispersed seeds with their nearest adult neighbors, in nine out of the 16 months of our study. However, these nonrandom phylogenetic associations fluctuated unpredictably over time, ranging from clustered to overdispersed. The spatial and phylogenetic template of seed dispersal did not translate to similar patterns of association in adult tree neighborhoods, suggesting the importance of post-dispersal processes in structuring plant communities. Results suggest that frugivore-mediated seed dispersal is important for structuring early stages of plant-plant associations, setting the template for post-dispersal processes that influence ultimate patterns of plant recruitment. Importantly, if biased patterns of dispersal are common in other systems, frugivores may promote tree coexistence in biodiverse forests by limiting the frequency and diversity of heterospecific interactions of seeds they disperse.
New Risk-Averse Control Paradigm for Stochastic Two-Time-Scale Systems and Multi-Resolution Performance Robustness

The paper is concerned with optimal control of stochastic two-time-scale linear systems with performance-measure in a finite-horizon integral-quadratic form. Nature, modeled by stationary Wiener processes, whose mean and covariance statistics are known, malevolently affects the state dynamics and output observations of the control problem class. With particular focus on the system performance robustness, the use of higher-order statistics or cumulants associated with the performance-measure of Chi-squared random variable type makes it possible to restate the stochastic control problem as the solution of a deterministic one, which subsequently allows disregarding all sample path realizations by Nature acting on the original problem. The distinguishing feature of risk-averse control paradigm is that the performance index is multi-objective in nature, being composed of both risk-neutral integral and risk-sensitive costs associated with the ubiquitous Linear-Quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) and rather recent risk-sensitive control problems. Another issue that makes this class of control particularly interesting is the fact that Nature has the ability to exercise all the higher-order characteristics of the uncertain Chi-squared performance-measure and the efficient controller, having access to Nature’s a-priori statistical knowledge and employing dynamic output feedback, seeks to minimize the performance uncertainty that Nature can do over the set of mixed random realizations. Furthermore, the results herein potentially generalize the existing results for the single-objective H2, H∞, and risk-sensitive control problems to a substantially larger class of systems, wherein Nature selects mixed sample path realizations that need not to be Gaussian. That is, the entire probability density function of Nature choices is not necessarily known except for its first two statistics. Finally, the numerical simulations for a two-time-scale longitudinal dynamics of the F-8 jet aircraft demonstrate that the proposed control paradigm has better performance in the closed-loop system responses and offers multiple levels of robustness for the system performance.
Cervical-vaginal flora of immunosuppressed renal transplant patients

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to determine the endocervical microflora present in 25 renal allograft recipients who were receiving therapeutic dosages of azathioprine or cyclophosphamide and prednisone. The aerobic flora was similar to that found in other populations. However, these immunosuppressed patients had more different anaerobic species per culture than were found in most other populations. This was reflected in the more frequent isolation of many species of anaerobic bacteria, especially the anaerobic gram-negative rods. The clinician should be aware of these differences since they may be significant in regard to gynecologic or obstetric postoperative infectious morbidity in women using immunosuppressive medications.
Tax Structure and Bureaucratic Bargaining

This article explores some limitations on the power of the public bureaucracies to control public sector budgets. Two conditions are considered within a majority rule election framework. First, individuals may react to the potential loss of income resulting from a bureaucratically chosen output of public goods. Second, bureaucratic control of the public budget is constrained by the existing tax structure. The model demonstrates that the bureaucratic ability to set public expenditure levels has been seriously overestimated. Further, the model raises questions as to the role of the median voter in elections when the agenda is controlled by a public bureaucracy.
Partial displacement of a triamine ligand from a platinum(II) complex after reaction with N-acetylmethionine

Abstract The compound [Pt(Et2dien)Cl]Cl, where Et2dien = N,N-diethyldiethylenetriamine, has been synthesized and reacted with N-acetylmethionine (N-AcMet) and guanosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-GMP). Reaction with 5′-GMP at pH 4 leads to formation of [Pt(Et2dien)(5′-GMP)]+, as expected. Reaction with N-AcMet occurs more rapidly than with 5′-GMP; when the reaction with N-AcMet occurs at low pH values (∼2), one set of resonances is observed initially but a second set of resonances appears over several days as the initial set decreases. The initial set of resonances disappears slowly (several days) at pH 2 but disappears much faster (minutes to hours) if the pH is 4 or higher; the initial resonances do not re-appear even if the pH is lowered. Reaction of the [Pt(Et2dien)Cl]+ with a mixture of N-AcMet and 5′-GMP at pH 4 leads to formation of a unique set of NMR resonances that does not correspond to the resonances of either the 5′-GMP or the N-AcMet products; mass spectrometry identifies a new product corresponding to [Pt(Et2dien)(N-AcMet)(5′-GMP)], in which the Et2dien ligand is bidentate. Such a complex is also observed if 5′-GMP is added to a sample of [Pt(Et2dien)(N-AcMet)]+ that has been kept at low pH, but it is not observed when N-AcMet is added to a sample of [Pt(Et2dien)(5′-GMP)]+. We propose that the additional set of resonances observed for [Pt(Et2dien)(N-AcMet)]+ at low pH is due to a less stable conformation of the complex and the addition of 5′-GMP when this less stable conformation exists leads to displacement of one of the nitrogen atoms.
Partners in Crime: Combining Oncolytic Viroimmunotherapy with Other Therapies.

Viroimmunotherapy has emerged as a powerful cancer therapy because oncolytic viruses are immunogenic and can initiate an anti-tumor response.1 Preclinical and clinical results using a herpes simplex virus-based oncolytic virus (T-VEC) have provided considerable evidence that viroimmunotherapy can control both local (treated with viral vector) and metastasized (untreated) tumors by activating host anti-tumor immune responses in patients with advanced melanoma.2 Since there is now clear evidence that the host immune response contributes to long-term tumor control in viroimmunotherapy-treated patients, preclinical models and clinical trials have tested the combination of checkpoint inhibitors with viroimmunotherapies to boost host antitumor immune responses.
Understanding Purchase Behaviors through Personality-driven Traces

We present a computational approach to understanding users' purchase behavior through personality analytics. We model purchase behavior as interactions between personality traits, consumption preferences and product attributes, and represent such interactions as digital traces. We model all possible digital traces using a likelihood trace graph, and determine the likelihood of an edge based on the associations between adjacent pairs of personality attributes, consumption preferences, and product attributes, respectively. In our approach, users' personality traits are inferred from their written texts, and are correlated to a canonical set of consumption preferences. The consumption preferences are then mapped to product descriptions based on their semantic similarity. We demonstrate the effectiveness and usefulness of our approach through a case study on a real-world purchase data.
Do Avoidable Hospitalization Rates among Older Adults Differ by Geographic Access to Primary Care Physicians

Objective To investigate the association between older adults’ potentially avoidable hospitalization rates and both a geographic measure of primary care physician (PCP) access and a standard bounded-area measure of PCP access. Data Sources State physician licensure data from the Virginia Board of Medicine. Patient-level hospital discharge data from Virginia Health Information. Area-level data from the American Community Survey and the Area Health Resources Files. Virginia Information Technologies Agency road network data. US Census Bureau TIGER/Line boundary files. Study Design We use enhanced two-step floating catchment area methods to calculate geographic PCP accessibility for each ZIP Code Tabulation Area in Virginia. We use spatial regression techniques to model potentially avoidable hospitalization rates. Data Collection/Extraction Geographic accessibility was calculated using ArcGIS. Physician locations were geocoded using TAMU GeoServices and ArcGIS. Principal Findings Increased geographic access to PCPs is associated with lower rates of potentially avoidable hospitalization among older adults. This association is robust, allowing for spatial spillovers in spatial lag models. Conclusions Compared to bounded-area density measures, unbounded geographic accessibility measures provide more robust evidence that avoidable hospitalization rates are lower in areas with more PCPs per person. Results from our spatial lag models reveal the presence of positive spatial spillovers.
Electrodiagnostic Evidence of Berrettini Anastomosis.

Purpose Cadaveric palmar dissections reveal an ulnar sensory crossover (Berrettini anastomosis) to the third common palmar nerve so frequently that this crossover is considered a normal part of the anatomy. No literature has documented electrophysiologic evidence of the Berrettini anastomosis (BA). Presentation of third digit ulnar sensory crossover waveforms. Methods Retrospective chart review case series. Clinical office. Nerve conduction waveforms and data. Results Ulnar stimulation sensory crossover waveforms to digit three consistent with BA are presented. Conclusions Third digit BA is measurable in routine electrodiagnostic nerve conduction study in some patients. The observed BA latency is the same and the amplitude is smaller (25% to 33%) than the ulnar sensory response. The clinical significance of the BA sensory response is unclear. The presence of a BA in severe carpal tunnel syndrome may give a small amplitude normal latency sensory response that could be misinterpreted and lead to a false negative result.
Automated facial expression recognition app development on smart phones using cloud computing

Automated human emotion detection is a topic of significant interest in the field of computer vision. Over the past decade, much emphasis has been on using facial expression recognition (FER) to extract emotion from facial expressions. In this paper, the proposed system presents a novel method of facial recognition based on the cloud model, in combination with the traditional facial expression system. The process of predicting emotions from facial expression images contains several stages. The first stage of this system is the pre-processing stage, which is applied by detecting the face in images and then resizing the images. The second stage involves extracting features from facial expression images using Facial Landmarks and Center of Gravity (COG) feature extraction algorithms, which generate the training and testing datasets that contain the expressions of Anger, Disgust, Fear, Happiness, Neutrality, Sadness, and Surprise. Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers are then used for the classification stage in order to predict the emotion. In addition, a Confusion Matrix (CM) technique is used to evaluate the performance of these classifiers. The proposed system is tested on CK+, JAFFE, and KDEF databases. However, the proposed system achieved a prediction rate of 96.3% when Facial Landmarks and the Center of Gravity (COG)+SVM method are used.
Benefits and challenges of using service dogs for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Objective Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are increasingly seeking service dogs to help them manage trauma-related symptoms, yet literature describing service dog use in this population is scant. The goal of this study was to document the benefits and challenges experienced by veterans with service dogs trained to assist with PTSD-related needs. Method Participants were veterans (N = 41) with service dogs, and their caregivers (n = 8), recruited through community-based service dog training agencies. We conducted in-depth interviews and observed training sessions as part of a larger study, and used thematic analysis to characterize data. Results Veterans reported that service dogs reduced hypervigilance by alerting and creating boundaries, and disrupted nightmares, improving sleep quality and duration. Dogs also helped veterans turn their attention away from invasive trauma-related thoughts. Additional reported benefits included improved emotional connections with others, increased community participation and physical activity, and reduced suicidal impulses and medication use. Demands of training, adjustment to life with a service dog, and delayed benefits were challenging for many veterans and caregivers. Conclusions and implications for practice Veterans report that service dogs help reduce PTSD symptoms and facilitate recovery and realization of meaningful goals. Service dogs may be a reasonable option for veterans who are reluctant to pursue or persist with traditional evidence-based treatments. Additional rigorous research on the effectiveness of service dogs for this population is warranted. (PsycINFO Database Record
Causal inference in artificial intelligence

In recent years, artificial intelligence researchers have paid a great deal of attention to the statistical literature on recursive structural equation models and graphical models, especially to the literature on directed acyclic independence graphs. Some researchers have argued that graphical models are useful in studying causal relationships among variables, and that causal relations can be read off the conditional independence graph. Some authors have even attempted to use the data to derive both a causal ordering and causal relationships. A number of others have refrained from imparting a causal relationship to graphical models. This paper discusses the subject of causation and causal inference in general, and then applies the discussion to the case of graphical models. Specifically, a distinction between causation and causal inference is made; the inferential activity consists of making statements about causation. Using a counterfactual account of the causal relation that derives from work in statistics, I show that the usual types of inferences made in the structural equations literature and the graphical models literature do not square with this account; the results are relevant because a number of authors have claimed otherwise
Combining mobile and cloud storage for providing ubiquitous data access

Users increasingly own, and use, multiple computing devices. To be able to access their personal data, at any time and in any device, users usually need to create replicas in each device. Managing these multiple replicas becomes an important issue. In this paper we present the FEW Phone File System, a data management system that combines mobile and cloud storage for providing ubiquitous data access. To this end, our system takes advantage of the characteristics of mobile phones for storing a replica of a user's personal data, thus allowing these devices to be used as personal and portable file servers. As users tend to always carry their mobile phone with them at all times, these replicas are the basis for providing high data availability, and keeping replicas automatically synchronized. Our system also uses other replicas located in web servers and cloud storage systems, to reduce the volume of data stored, and transferred to/from mobile phones, by maintaining only the information needed to obtain them.
Involvement of the Nucleus Tegmenti Pedunculopontinus in the Descending Pathways of the Basal Ganglia in the Rat

Modern concept regarding the role of the basal ganglia in control of movement emphasizes the importance of the pallido/nigro-thalamo-cortical pathway. In addition, several lines of evidence have indicated that some aspects of motor behavior may be controlled through direct pathways linking the basal ganglia to brainstem structures such as the superior colliculusl and nucleus tegmenti pedunculopontinus2.
Associations among multiple markers and complex disease: models, algorithms, and applications.

Abstract This chapter is a report on collaborations among its authors and others over many years. It devolves from our goal of understanding genes, their main and epistatic effects combined with interactions involving demographic and environmental features also, as together they predict genetically complex diseases. Thus, our goal is “association.” Particular phenotypes of interest to us are hypertension, insulin resistance, angina, and myocardial infarction. Prediction of complex disease is notoriously difficult, though it would be made easier were we given strand‐specific information on genotype. Unfortunately, with current technology, genotypic information comes to us “unphased.” While obviously we have strand‐specific information when genotype is homozygous, we do not have such information when genotype is heterozygous. To summarize, the ultimate goals of approaches we provide is to predict phenotype, typically untoward or not, within a specific window of time. Our approach is neither through linkage nor from finding haplotype frequencies per se.
Cellular Control of Endogenous Retroviruses and Retroelements

Abstract Retroelements predate the modern human genome which itself is almost half retroelement sequence. Recent technologies have fueled our ability to begin to understand the interplay of these sequences and encoded RNA and proteins with host functions. In fact, we find that regulatory sequences, epigenetic control, innate and adaptive immunity, RNA interference, and even intercellular RNA transmission, all likely have their roots in retroelements. It is difficult to imagine life without them.
Wireless resonant circuits for the minimally invasive sensing of biophysical processes in magnetic resonance imaging

Biological electromagnetic fields arise throughout all tissue depths and types, and correlate with physiological processes and signalling in organs of the body. Most of the methods for monitoring these fields are either highly invasive or spatially coarse. Here, we show that implantable active coil-based transducers that are detectable via magnetic resonance imaging enable the remote sensing of biological fields. These devices consist of inductively coupled resonant circuits that change their properties in response to electrical or photonic cues, thereby modulating the local magnetic resonance imaging signal without the need for onboard power or wired connectivity. We discuss design parameters relevant to the construction of the transducers on millimetre and submillimetre scales, and demonstrate their in vivo functionality for measuring time-resolved bioluminescence in rodent brains. Biophysical sensing via microcircuits that leverage the capabilities of magnetic resonance imaging may enable a wide range of biological and biomedical applications.
Multiple Workfunction High Performance FinFETs for Ultra-low Voltage Operation

A multiple workfunction (multi-WF) integration technology was developed for ultra-low voltage operation in high performance FinFETs. It is essential to solve three key issues in the multi-WF process, a) short channel effect (SCE) degradation due to removing halo implants b) gate resistance increase due to multi-WF stack, and c) gate dielectric reliability degradation due to additional patterning. In this study, we resolve these issues through the combination of junction engineering and workfunction metal (WFM) boolean engineering in long channel (LC) and short channel (SC) devices for SCE, WFM stack optimization for gate resistance, and HK interface optimization for reliability. In logic devices, 15/13% N/PFET DC and 14% AC performance were improved without SCE or reliability degradation. In SRAM devices, 43% Vt mismatch (Vtmm) improvement resulted in record Vmin yield down to 0.4V on 128Mb 0.064μm2 SRAM array.
Using business/law negotiation techniques in response to a ‘difficult’ family

Effective communication between clinicians, patients, and families at end of life is associated with better clinical outcomes. A large body of literature describes the key skills needed for effecti...
Microwave SQUID Multiplexing for the Lynx X-Ray Microcalorimeter

The Lynx x-ray microcalorimeter (LXM) is an imaging spectrometer for the Lynx satellite mission, an x-ray telescope being considered by NASA to be a new flagship mission. Lynx will enable unique astrophysical observations into the x-ray universe due to its high angular resolution and large field of view. The LXM consists of an array of over 100,000 pixels and poses a significant technological challenge to achieve the high degree of multiplexing required to read out these sensors. We discuss the details of microwave superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) multiplexing and describe why it is ideally suited to the needs of the LXM. This case is made by summarizing the current and predicted performance of microwave SQUID multiplexing and describing the steps needed to optimize designs for all the LXM arrays. Finally, we describe our plan to advance the technology readiness level (TRL) of microwave SQUID multiplexing of the LXM microcalorimeters to TRL-5 by 2024.
An Empirical Surface Crack Solution for Fatigue Propagation Analysis of Notched Components

A stress intensity factor solution for a surface crack in a finite solid subjected to an arbitrary stress field is presented. The solution was developed based on the superposition principle, the weight function technique,and a referenced finite body correction factor. An additional surface factor is identified when the solution is applied to the reduction of data from tests on surface flaw specimens. Verification of the solution is first made by comparison with published results for problems with non-uniform stresses. The examples include a surface crack under pure bending load and a corner crack at a circular hole. Another assessment was achieved by verifying the solution against the test results of ASTM round-robin test data for cracked fastener holes. Good correlation was obtained on all aspects of experimental observations such as the backtracked stress intensity factors, the measured residual lives, and the observed variation in crack aspect ratio. It has been further demonstrated, from Air Force supported test programs, that the solution is accurate in predicting crack propagation behavior and residual life for subcomponent specimens under complex loadings. The test specimens are made of four different superalloys in various shapes of geometric discontinuities. The test conditions include various combinations of temperature, stress level, mean stress, and cycle profiles. The results have shown that the great majority of the measured life/predicted life ratios are within a factor of 1.5. It has also been demonstrated that the capability of the methodology is independent of the stress levels, specimen types, materials, and cycle profiles used in the study.
Alimentos Ciencia e Ingeniería 24-2

Una de las responsabilidades de la Universidad es la publicacion y difusion de los resultados obtenidos en sus centros de investigacion, dandose un sitial importante a la generacion de revistas y articulos cientificos como medio para universalizar y permitir una absoluta accesibilidad a los conocimientos generados. La priorizacion de los medios de accion se pone en analisis cuando el ambito economico ha cambiado, pero indudablemente se debe perseverar en la generacion de investigacion y su difusion, pues asi se esperara un futuro exitoso en la sociedad. La Facultad de Ciencia e Ingenieria en Alimentos, cumpliendo con su mision en difundir los conocimientos generados en el area de Ciencia e Ingenieria en Alimentos, Bioquimica, Biotecnologia y Medio ambiente presenta el volumen ACI-2016-24 (2) de la Revista Alimentos Ciencia e Ingenieria. Esta edicion muestra resultados experimentales de estudios de investigacion de alto interes para el actual escenario del pais, como son nuevas tecnicas de conservacion, aumento de la estabilidad y espectro de aplicacion en sistemas alimenticios mediante la microencapsulacion de microorganismos para su adicion en recubrimientos e innovaciones en tecnologias de procesamiento que permitan un aprovechamiento de subproductos en Ecuador. Ademas, se presentan resultados del estudio aerobiologico del relleno sanitario de la Empresa Publica Municipal Gestion Integral de Desechos Solidos Ambato y la determinacion del contenido de grasa en cereales, lacteos, carnicos y derivados. Sin duda, esta informacion contribuira a la cultura de los consumidores, asi como a productores en la implementacion de nuevas tecnologias para la transformacion y conservacion de materia prima, con cuidado hacia el medio ambiente. Presento mi sincero agradecimiento a los profesionales que han enviado su trabajo investigativo y animo a aquellos que tienen interesantes resultados pero todavia no han dado el paso para compartirlos. Innegablemente, la investigacion en nuestro pais esta en un proceso de mejoramiento continuo, al que todos podemos –y debemos- contribuir.
Emergent complexity: What uphill analysis or downhill invention cannot do

Abstract In these notes we review emergent phenomena in complex systems, emphasizing ways to identify potential underlying universal mechanisms that generate complexity. The discussion focuses on the emergence of collective behavior in dynamical systems when they are poised near a critical point of a phase transition, either by tuning or by self-organization. We then present the rationale for our proposal that the brain is naturally poised near criticality and review recent results as well as the implications of this view of the functioning brain.
Electroencephalographic slowing: A primary source of error in automatic seizure detection

Although a seizure event represents a major deviation from a baseline electroencephalographic signal, there are features of seizure morphology that can be seen in non-epileptic portions of the record. A transient decrease in frequency, referred to as slowing, is a generally abnormal but not necessarily epileptic EEG variant. Seizure termination is often associated with a period of slowing between the period of peak amplitude and frequency of the seizure and the return to baseline. In annotation of seizure events in the TUH EEG Seizure Corpus, independent slowing events were identified as a major source of false alarm error. Preliminary results demonstrated the difficulty in automatic differentiation between seizure events and independent slowing events. The TUH EEG Slowing database, a subset of the TUH EEG Corpus, was created, and is introduced here, to aid in the development of a seizure detection tool that can differentiate between slowing at the end of a seizure and an independent nonseizure slowing event. The corpus contains 100 10-second samples each of background, slowing, and seizure events. Preliminary experiments show that 77% sensitivity can be achieved in seizure detection using models trained on all three sample types compared to 43% sensitivity with only seizure and background samples.
Spatial heterogeneity in subglacial drainage driven by till erosion.

The distribution and drainage of meltwater at the base of glaciers sensitively affects fast ice flow. Previous studies suggest that thin meltwater films between the overlying ice and a hard-rock be...
Effects of System Impairments on the Performance of Distributed STAP

In this paper, we study the effect of phase noise and other impairments on space-time adaptive processing. Performance of distributed space-time adaptive processing (STAP) with respect to system aspects and impairments specific to a coherent distributed system is also analyzed. The combined effects on STAP performance stemming from the distributed architecture: frequency offsets, generalized motion, sparse aperture, and sensor location errors, were also analyzed. Simulation results illustrate the effect of individual impairment and combined errors on degrading the performance of target detection.
A millimeter-wave antenna with wideband mode-transition between microstrip-line and waveguide

A millimeter-wave antenna directly fed by waveguide is proposed. The antenna has a simple dipole element fed by a microstrip-line (MSL) which is connected to a WR-15 waveguide via a wideband mode-transition. The antenna element and the feeding MSL are structured on a low-loss single-layered liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrate. In order to connect the MSL to the WR-15 waveguide with a wideband operation, a metal T-shaped back-short block is mounted over the terminal of the MSL which is surrounded by via-holes and an aperture is opened on the ground plane of the MSL. The aperture is attached by a metal two-staged aperture block which is connected to the waveguide. This structure provides a wideband mode-transition between the MSL and the waveguide. Testing devices for evaluating the mode-transition and the antenna combined with the transition are fabricated and the performance is measured. An impedance bandwidth of 16.7% (55–65 GHz) is obtained for the mode-transition and that of 18.0% (58–69.5 GHz) is obtained for a bow-tie-shaped dipole antenna combined with the transition. The antenna shows a broad-beam radiation pattern and can be used for short-range wireless communication in 60 GHz-band applications. The mode-transition can be applied for other types of antennas fed by MSL thanks for its wideband operation.
The Uses and Abuses of Presidential Impeachment

Impeachment is again a central preoccupation of United States constitutional law and politics. This article casts new light on this debate by examining the law and practice of presidential impeachment globally. It draws first on case studies from countries such as South Korea, Paraguay, Brazil, and South Africa, and then large-n empirical analysis of constitutional texts. Contrary to current American practice, it shows, impeachment is not primarily about removing criminals or similar “bad actors” from the presidency. Instead, it is a tool to exit deep political crises. At its best, impeachment enables a ‘hard reset’ of the political system by triggering new elections. This systemic, rather than individualistic, conceptualization of impeachment is normatively desirable. It ameliorates the rigidity that sometimes characterizes presidential systems, and as we show has no negative impact on the quality of democracy. This comparative analysis has significant implications for the design and practice of impeachment, especially in the United States. In particular, it supports a broader, more political gloss on the famously cryptic phrase “high crimes and misdemeanors.” It also implies that impeachment standards should vary for different kinds of actors such as presidents, judges, and cabinet members, rather than being uniform. Finally it shows how impeachment’s integrity, contra current case-law, can be materially aided by judicial involvement.
Analysis and Design of a W-Band Circular Polarized Feed Horn with Inbuilt Polarizer for Low f/D Offset Reflector Antenna

A novel W-band left-hand circular polarized (LHCP) cylindrical waveguide feed horn antenna is proposed. The circular polarized wave is generated in the internal polarizer structure by 9 pairs of circular cavities, eliminating the need for an orthomode transducer or a complex septum. The proposed horn antenna’s dimension is 26 mm × 14 mm × 5.25 mm. The antenna has impedance matching (S 11 < -15 dB) and axial ratio below 1.2 dB from 79.5 GHz to 88 GHz. The horn is used as a feed source for an offset parabolic reflector of 10 cm diameter and low f/D ratio 0.25. The measurement of the prototyped feed horn and the offset parabolic reflector antenna validates the analysis and simulation results.
Social Media: “Surrogate Tribes”?

According to recent research, our complex neural-hormonal system (NHS) was shaped by evolution in function of its ability to protect our body’s integrity, thus ultimately enhancing our genes’ reproductive potential. Our “mind-body units” may hence be viewed as NHS-endowed “survival and reproduction machines” of our genes. In this context, social media, and networks, may be viewed as a sort of “surrogate tribes”, i.e., updated instruments of a contemporary version of the evolved human social communities.
Completion pneumonectomy is safe and effective in select patients with recurrent non-small cell lung cancer.

Background Locoregional recurrence rates for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain high, even following curative surgical resection. While national guidelines advocate surgical resection for locoregional recurrence, it is rarely offered when resection would require completion pneumonectomy, which available literature associates with a 12-36% perioperative mortality and 40-80% morbidity. Additionally, survival advantages to radical surgery in this scenario are largely unknown, particularly because available series often include patients undergoing completion pneumonectomy for benign indications or metastatic disease from other primary sites, making extrapolation to primary lung cancer patients challenging. As systemic therapy options continue to evolve, particularly as it relates to immunotherapy, we expect that there will be more and more opportunities for locoregional surgical control. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes following completion pneumonectomy for recurrent NSCLC. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent completion pneumonectomy for recurrent NSCLC at our institution between 2000 and 2015. Factors affecting perioperative morbidity and mortality, as well as overall survival, were analyzed. Results Between 2000 and 2015, 28 patients underwent completion pneumonectomy for recurrent lung cancer (14 female, 14 male). The median age was 64.2 years (range, 36.7-84.0). There were 11 left-sided and 17 right-sided operations. Fourteen patients (50.0%) underwent chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy prior to surgery. Perioperative morbidity was seen in 13 of 28 (46.4%) patients, and atrial fibrillation was the most common complication. Mortality at 30- and 90-day intervals was 3.6%, and 14.3% respectively. Five-year overall survival was 43.1% and was not associated with preoperative chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy use. Patients over 70 years old (n=5) experienced a statistically higher rate of postoperative complications (100.0% vs. 34.8%, P=0.013), and this translated into a higher mortality rate at 60 and 90 days. Left-sided resections were associated with increased risk of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (RLN) compared to right-sided resections (36.4% vs. 0%, P=0.016), and those patients with RLN injury were more likely to be reintubated (50.0% vs. 4.2%, P=0.04). Bronchopleural fistula occurred in 1 patient (3.6%). Conclusions Completion pneumonectomy is a viable treatment option for patients with recurrent NSCLC. We attribute our low risks of major morbidity, such as bronchopleural fistula, to careful patient selection and technique. In patients over 70 years, morbidity is higher which should inform discussion regarding surgical options.
A Critical, Event-Related Appraisal of Denoising in Resting-State fMRI Studies

This article advances two parallel lines of argument about resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals, one empirical and one conceptual. The empirical line creates a four-part organization of the text: (1) head motion and respiration commonly cause distinct, major, unwanted influences (artifacts) in fMRI signals; (2) head motion and respiratory changes are, confoundingly, both related to psychological and clinical and biological variables of interest; (3) many fMRI denoising strategies fail to identify and remove one or the other kind of artifact; and (4) unremoved artifact, due to correlations of artifacts with variables of interest, renders studies susceptible to identifying variance of noninterest as variance of interest. Arising from these empirical observations is a conceptual argument: that an event-related approach to task-free scans, targeting common behaviors during scanning, enables fundamental distinctions among the kinds of signals present in the data, information which is vital to understanding the effects of denoising procedures. This event-related perspective permits statements like "Event X is associated with signals A, B, and C, each with particular spatial, temporal, and signal decay properties". Denoising approaches can then be tailored, via performance in known events, to permit or suppress certain kinds of signals based on their desirability.
Developing a Comprehensive, Interdisciplinary Concussion Program.

There has been a growing trend of local and national coverage of and interest in concussion injuries over the past 2 decades. Increasing public concern over potential catastrophic and unknown long-...
Guidelines for oral fluid-based surveillance of viral pathogens in swine.

Recent decades have seen both rapid growth and extensive consolidation in swine production. As a collateral effect, these changes have exacerbated the circulation of viruses and challenged our ability to prevent, control, and/or eliminate impactful swine diseases. Recent pandemic events in human and animal health, e.g., SARS-CoV-2 and African swine fever virus, highlight the fact that clinical observations are too slow and inaccurate to form the basis for effective health management decisions: systematic processes that provide timely, reliable data are required. Oral fluid-based surveillance reflects the adaptation of conventional testing methods to an alternative diagnostic specimen. The routine use of oral fluids in commercial farms for PRRSV and PCV2 surveillance was first proposed in 2008 as an efficient and practical improvement on individual pig sampling. Subsequent research expanded on this initial report to include the detection of ≥23 swine viral pathogens and the implementation of oral fluid-based surveillance in large swine populations (> 12,000 pigs). Herein we compile the current information regarding oral fluid collection methods, testing, and surveillance applications in swine production.
Comparison of village dog and wolf genomes highlights the pivotal role of the neural crest in dog domestication

Background: Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) were domesticated from gray wolves between 10-40 kya in Eurasia, yet details surrounding the process of domestication remain unclear. The vast array of phenotypes exhibited by dogs mirror other domesticated animal species, a phenomenon known as the Domestication Syndrome. Here, we use signatures persisting in the dog genome to identify genes and pathways altered by the intensive selective pressures of domestication. Results: We identified 246 candidate domestication regions containing 10.8Mb of genome sequence and 178 genes through whole-genome SNP analysis of 43 globally distributed village dogs and 10 wolves. Comparisons with ancient dog genomes suggest that these regions reflect signatures of domestication rather than breed formation. The strongest hit is located in the Retinoic Acid-Induced 1 (RAI1) gene, mutations of which cause Smith-Magenis syndrome. The identified regions contain a significant enrichment of genes linked to neural crest cell migration, differentiation and development. Read depth analysis suggests that copy number variation played a minor role in dog domestication. Conclusion: Our results indicate that phenotypes distinguishing domesticated dogs from wolves, such as tameness, smaller jaws, floppy ears, and diminished craniofacial development, are determined by genes which act early in embryogenesis. These differences are all phenotypes of the Domestication Syndrome, which can be explained by decreases in neural crest cells at these sites. We propose that initial selection during early dog domestication was for behavior, a trait also influenced by genes which act in the neural crest, which secondarily gave rise to the phenotypes of modern dogs.
Targeting the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Stem Cells to Improve the Use of Food as Medicine

Intestinal stem cells, the most rapidly proliferating adult stem cells, are exquisitely sensitive to extrinsic dietary factors. Uncontrolled regulation of intestinal stem cells is closely linked to colon tumorigenesis. This review focuses on how dietary- and microbial-derived cues regulate intestinal stem cell functionality and colon tumorigenesis in mouse models by targeting the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). AhR, a ligand-activated transcription factor, can integrate environmental, dietary, and microbial cues to modulate intestinal stem cell proliferation, differentiation, and their microenvironment, affecting colon cancer risk. Modulation of AhR activity is associated with many chronic diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases where AhR expression is protective. AhR signaling controls the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells, influences local niche factors, and plays a protective role in colon tumorigenesis. Mounting evidence suggests that extrinsic nutritional/dietary cues which modulate AhR signaling may be a promising approach to colon cancer chemoprevention.
Racial Inequality in Academia: Systemic Origins, Modern Challenges, and Policy Recommendations:

In an ideal world, academia serves society; it provides quality education to future leaders and informs public policy—and it does so by including a diverse array of scholars. However, research and ...
Textured and Smooth Implant Use Reported in the Tracking Operations and Outcomes for Plastic Surgeons Database: Epidemiologic Implications for BIA-ALCL.

Breast-implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is associated with prolonged exposure to textured implants. Current studies describing textured implant use are limited to single center/surgeon experiences. Using the Tracking Operations and Outcomes for Plastic Surgeons database, the study aims to characterize national trends in rates of smooth versus textured implant utilization. The hypothesis is that rates of textured implant use have decreased in the most recent time period. Methods Tracking Operations and Outcomes for Plastic Surgeons was queried from 2007 to 2019 for CPT codes involving breast implant use in augmentation and reconstruction. The rate of smooth and textured implant utilization was calculated for each year per procedure type. Generalized additive models with a smoothing function and Pearson chi-square tests were used to assess the trends. Results Textured implant use peaked in 2016, being utilized in 17.83% of cosmetic and 40.88% of reconstructive procedures. Textured implants were more commonly used for reconstructive compared with cosmetic cases for 2007-2009, 2011, and 2013-2019 (P < 0.02). Both cosmetic and reconstructive cases had nonlinear trends in textured implant use over the study period, with textured rates decreasing from 2017 to 2019 (P < 0.001). In 2019, textured implants were used in 2.15% of cosmetic and 7.58% of reconstructive cases. Conclusions This is the first national study describing trends in textured versus smooth breast implant use in the United States. Textured implant utilization peaked in 2016. Based on a median time horizon of 10 years before development of BIA-ALCL, the peak number of cases can be anticipated in 2026 or thereafter.