cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen deposition effects on soil organic matter chemistry are linked to variation in enzymes, ecosystems and size fractions

Recent research has dramatically advanced our understanding of soil organic matter chemistry and the role of N in some organic matter transformations, but the effects of N deposition on soil C dynamics remain difficult to anticipate. We examined soil organic matter chemistry and enzyme kinetics in three size fractions (>250 μm, 63–250 μm, and 250 μm fraction of the sugar maple–basswood ecosystem from 0.9 to 3.3 but there were no changes in other size classes or in the black oak–white oak ecosystem. Third, simulated N deposition increased the ratio of lignin derivatives to N-bearing compounds in the 63–250 and >250 μm fractions in both ecosystems but not in the 63 μm) where there were multiple correlations between oxidative enzyme activities and concentrations of lignin derivatives and between glycanolytic enzyme activities and concentrations of carbohydrates. Within silt-clay fractions (<63 μm), these enzyme-substrate correlations were attenuated by interactions with particle surfaces. Our results demonstrate that variation in enzyme activity resulting from atmospheric N deposition is directly linked to changes in soil organic matter chemistry, particularly those that occur within coarse soil size fractions.
Why are we doing cardiovascular outcome trials in type 2 diabetes

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and death in people with diabetes mellitus. While worsening hyperglycemia is directly associated with poorer outcomes, studies aiming at euglycemia have failed to show an advantage over modest glucose-lowering strategies. Several diabetes drugs that were approved solely on the basis of their glucose-lowering potential were later shown to increase cardiovascular risk.
MULTILOCUS ANALYSES OF ADMIXTURE AND INTROGRESSION AMONG HYBRIDIZING HELICONIUS BUTTERFLIES

Introgressive hybridization is an important evolutionary process and new analytical methods provide substantial power to detect and quantify it. In this study we use variation in the frequency of 657 AFLP fragments and DNA sequence variation from 15 genes to measure the extent of admixture and the direction of interspecific gene flow among three Heliconius butterfly species that diverged recently as a result of natural selection for Miillerian mimicry, and which continue to hybridize. Bayesian clustering based on AFLP genotypes correctly delineated the three species and identified four H. cydno, three H. pachinus, and three H. melpomene individuals that were of mixed ancestry. Gene genealogies revealed substantial shared DNA sequence variation among all three species and coalescent simulations based on the Isolation with Migration (IM) model pointed to interspecific gene flow as its cause. The IM simulations further indicated that interspecific gene flow was significantly asymmetrical, with greater gene flow from H. pachinus into H. cydno (2Nm = 4.326) than the reverse (2Nm = 0.502), and unidirectional gene flow from H. cydno and H. pachinus into H. melpomene (2Nm = 0.294 and 0.252, respectively). These asymmetries are in the directions expected based on the genetics of wing patterning and the probability that hybrids of various phenotypes will survive and reproduce in different mimetic environments. This empirical demonstration of extensive interspecific gene flow is in contrast to a previous study which found little evidence of gene flow between another pair of hybridizing Heliconius species, H. himera and H. erato, and it highlights the critical role of natural selection in maintaining species diversity. Furthermore, these results lend support to the hypotheses that phenotypic diversification in the genus Heliconius has been fueled by introgressive hybridization and that reinforcement has driven the evolution of assortative mate preferences.
The Oil Cringe of the West: The Collected Essays and Reviews of J.B. Kelly, Vol. 2, by S.B. Kelly

The famed American literary critic, Alfred Kazin, once made the point that short articles in journals or magazines can only ever impersonate knowledge. The truth is more nuanced. Even shorter piece...
Acute Myocardial Infarction in Adult Congenital Patients with Bodily Isomerism

Introduction Children born with congenital malformations of the heart are increasingly surviving into adulthood. This population of patients possesses lesion-specific complication risks while still being at risk for common illnesses. Bodily isomerism or heterotaxy, is a unique clinical entity associated with congenital malformations of the heart which further increases the risk for future cardiovascular complications. We aimed to investigate the frequency of myocardial infarction in adults with bodily isomerism. Methods We utilized the 2012 iteration of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to identify adult inpatient admissions associated with acute myocardial infarction in patients with isomerism. Data regarding demographics, comorbidities and various procedures were collected and compared between those with and without isomerism. Results A total of 6,907,109 admissions were analyzed with a total of 172,394 admissions being associated with an initial encounter for acute myocardial infarction. The frequency of myocardial infarction did not differ between those with and without isomerism and was roughly 2% in both groups. Similarly, the number of procedures and in-hospital mortality did not differ between the two groups. Conclusions The frequency and short-term prognosis of acute myocardial infarction is similar in patients with and without isomerism.
Influence of mixing time on determination of red cell volume in normal and shocked rats.

SummaryDeterminations of red cell volume using radiochromium 51 tagged red cells have been made in normal and tourniquet shocked rats using varied mixing times. Red cell volume determinations were significantly reproducible in the normal rat using mixing times of from 5 to 30 minutes. A 15 minute mixing time in the tourniquet shocked rats allowed significantly reproducible determinations of the red cell volume.
Phenylalanine-Based Poly(ester urea): Synthesis, Characterization, and in vitro Degradation

A new class of l-phenylalanine-based poly(ester urea)s (PEU) was developed that possess tunable mechanical properties and degradation rates. Our preliminary data have shown that 1,6-hexanediol-l-phenylalanine-based poly(ester urea)s possess an elastic modulus nearly double that of poly(lactic acid). The data in this article detail the synthesis of a series of l-phenylalanine-based poly(ester urea)s possessing a variation in diol chain length and how these subtle structural differences influence the mechanical properties and in vitro biodegradation rates. The mechanical data span a range of values that overlaps with several currently clinically available degradable polymers. Increasing the diol chain lengths increases the amount of flexible segment in the chemical structure, which results in reduced elastic modulus values and increased values of elongation at break. The l-phenylalanine-based poly(ester urea)s also exhibited a diol length dependent degradation process that varied between 1 and 5% over 16 we...
Hydride Ion Abstraction from Titanocene Cyclic Organohydroborates, Cp2Ti{(μ-H)2BR2} (R2 = C4H8, C5H10, C8H14), as a Function of Solvent

Hydride abstraction reactions of titanocene cyclic organohydroborate complexes Cp2Ti{(μ-H)2BR2} (R2 = C4H8, C5H10, C8H14) with B(C6F5)3 were investigated as a function of solvent. It was determined that the coordinating ability of the solvent directed the course of these abstraction reactions. The reaction in toluene, a noncoordinating solvent, produced a metathesis product, Cp2Ti{(μ-H)2B(C6F5)2} (1), in which the cyclic organohydroborate H2BR2 was substituted by H2B(C6F5)2. In diethyl ether and THF, the salts [Cp2TiL2] [HB(C6F5)3] (2, L = Et2O; 3, L = THF) consisting of titanocene cations with solvent ligands were isolated. Salt 2 is the first structurally characterized [Cp2TiL2]+ cation containing diethyl ether solvent ligands. The diethyl ether molecules of the cation in 2 are weakly coordinated and are labilized in THF and toluene. Dissolution of 2 in THF afforded 3. The complex Cp2Ti{(μ-H)B(C6F5)3}(OEt2) (4) and the proposed 15-electron species Cp2Ti{(μ-H)B(C6F5)3} (5) were generated through the disp...
Formula Scoring Reconsidered

The primary purpose of this study is to align the expectations of economists with much of the empirical evidence and explain why risk-averse students with partial knowledge might have exhibited behavior consistent with risk neutrality when faced with a penalty for guessing on a multiple choice exam. A target or threshold score was introduced and it was found to induce subjects in an experimental setting to adopt less risk-averse behavior. The impact of past coaching in preparation for tests with a penalty for guessing was also investigated but found to have little effect.
Application of genetic simulated annealing algorithm to wireless network planning

This paper proposes applying genetic simulated annealing algorithm to wireless network planning.The simulation has achieved the optimized goal of using the fewest base stations to provide the most coverage.Moreover,the crosser were improved,and the optimization reserved strategy was used to accelerate the convergence without leading to premature.The result of GSA achieves the coverage of 95.64 percent and the fitness function value is 0.870 6.Compared with GA,GSA converges more rapidly to the bigger fitness function value,and is capable of obtaining the base-station placement which accords with mobile network construction requirement.
It's and Tanaka's formulas for a Gaussian moving average process

This paper considers a moving average process driven by Brownian motion.Under some suitable conditions,It's and Tanaka's formulas for the process are given.
Quality of life in dementia

This paper discusses the concept of quality of life as it relates to people with dementia. Dementia is a disease that causes a decline in functional abilities which leads to a decrease in quality of life. Quality of life can be defined as an overall well-being that combines objective and subjective evaluations of an individual’s perceived state of satisfaction in their abilities and achievements. Wellbeing is further categorized in six dimensions which are: physical wellbeing, material wellbeing, emotional wellbeing, social wellbeing, spiritual wellbeing, and mental wellbeing. If these six dimensions of wellbeing are not achieved in the life of an individual with dementia, may experience a decline in overall quality of life. Nurses have a critical role in helping persons with dementia maintain or improve their QOL by gaining a better understanding of QOL, its significance, and what it means to each individual. In this paper, strategies for maintaining or improving quality of life in the six dimensions of wellbeing are discussed. In addition, areas of future research are recommended.
The Whip Signature

Over the past fifteen years, in the heat and ferment of lively feminist debate, the work of nineteenth-century American women poets seems to have changed, both in style and content. They used to be figures we might think of as favourite aunts, then they became our literary foremothers, and just recently they have come to seem more like sisters, uncannily bringing to the surface our own shameful lapses of pride and perversity. Obviously, the changes in these literary personalities have come about because of changes in the critical aperture through which we view them. In the early years of feminist literary criticism, Americans tended to use a wide-angle lens, lining up Emily Dickinson, for instance, against disabling and enabling Others: male Romantics, British female novelists, and other American women poets. In this phase pre-modern women seemed like our favourite aunts: sharp-tongued, eccentric, but always seen in the context of their familial relations. As we viewed these slightly off-centre figures from the past, we were especially sympathetic to the misfortunes they had suffered and the disabling conditions they had endured. Fifteen years ago when I wrote The Nightingale’s Burden, about ‘Women Poets and American Culture Before 1900’, the anxieties of authorship were a principal concern of American feminist critics like myself. There were so many circumstances, it seemed to us then, that inhibited the flow of female creativity.
Imagining the Kākatīyas Two Centuries Later: Narrative, Memory, and Space in the Pratāparudracaritramu

This paper examines the political landscapes that shape the Pratāparudracaritramu, a Telugu text composed in the late fifteenth century. As both a hagiographic and genealogical text, the Pratāparudracaritramu served as a literary template for the re-articulation of political aspirations in the post-Kākatīya Deccan. It was thus repurposed in multiple ways in the subsequent centuries as a mode of prose historiography in Telugu. The political contours of the text suggest that the descendants of the Reḍḍi dynasty (1325–1448 CE) were the most likely candidates with the political context and the authorial investment to reproduce the story of Pratāparudra and the Kākatīyas in an age of inter-empire rivalry and shifting political boundaries in the Deccan. Although the text has multiple concerns, this paper focuses on the interplay between history-writing and sovereignty-making within three key arenas: narrative, memory, and space. The paper situates the text within a broader arc of history-writing through a discu...
Pathways to mm-scale DC-DC converters: Trends, opportunities, and limitations

Despite ongoing advances in semiconductor technologies, power conversion circuits and subcomponents remain a major bottleneck in a variety of performance and embedded computing applications. This paper reviews and discusses some of the fundamental tradeoffs and future prospects for high-density passive components, active devices, and circuit architectures that show promise in the direction of monolithic or mm-scale power conversion. These trends are unified in a minimum power loss figure of merit (FOM) that can be used to compare DC-DC converters under various constraints on passive components (area, energy storage, and/or volume). The paper highlights switched-capacitor and hybrid-resonant converters and outlines important trends and tradeoffs that relate to active- and passive-component utilization and conversion ratio.
A Homomorphic Encryption Scheme Based on Affine Transforms

As more businesses and consumers move their information storage to the cloud, the need to protect sensitive data is higher than ever. Using encryption, data access can be restricted to only authorized users. However, with standard encryption schemes, modifying an encrypted file in the cloud requires a complete file download, decryption, modification, and upload. This is cumbersome and time-consuming. Recently, the concept of homomorphic computing has been proposed as a solution to this problem. Using homomorphic computation, operations may be performed directly on encrypted files without decryption, hence avoiding exposure of any sensitive user information in the cloud. This also conserves bandwidth and reduces processing time. In this paper, we present a homomorphic computation scheme that utilizes the affine cipher applied to the ASCII representation of data. To the best of the authors» knowledge, this is the first use of affine ciphers in homomorphic computing. Our scheme supports both string operations (encrypted string search and concatenation), as well as arithmetic operations (encrypted integer addition and subtraction). A design goal of our proposed homomorphism is that string data and integer data are treated identically, in order to enhance security.
Design of and Fabrication Improvements to the Cymbal Transducer Aided by Finite Element Analysis

A miniature flextensional transducer, the “cymbal,” is an emerging underwater transducer technology for large area and restricted volume transmit and receive arrays. The performance of the device is being evaluated for a number of applications requiring a large number of elements. Simple design, low cost and the ability to tailor performance to the desired application are attractive features of the cymbal. Analysis of the fabrication and performance of the cymbal has revealed that the benefits of the cymbal's flexible design also present production concerns. Asymmetry in the cavity depth or epoxy layer can result in unwanted resonances that can detract from the in-water performance. To avoid these spurious resonances, tolerances in cavity depth could be as low as 5 μm, resulting in low production yields. These and other fabrication concerns have been analyzed through experiment and finite element modeling software using the ATILA code. We were able to identify ways of improving manufacturing yields and minimizing variances to accommodate large array production. The origins of the spurious resonances are discussed along with the performance of a prototype array.
The critical depolarization for the spike in the squid giant axon.

(1) The potential change across the membrane of the squid giant axon during passage of electric current is investigated using internal longitudinal stimulating and recording electrodes.(2) The threshold condition for constant current pulse is determined by the electrical constants of the resting membrane when the duration of pulse is short (less than 2 msec. at about 16°C.). For longer currents, up to 5 msec.(at about 16°C.), some amount of subthreshold potential change contributes to the condition. In both cases the critical depolarization for the spike shows the same value which is called the resting critical depolarization.(3) Shifting the membrane potential to various levels with short current pulses it is concluded that the critical depolarization is a certain potential level at which the dV/dt immediately following changes its sign and is often followed by a plateau potential which represents an unstable equilibrium potential level.(4) The minimal gradient for stimulation with a linearly increasing current is mainly determined by delayed rectification of the membrane while the late phase of accommodation is due to the increase of the critical depolarization.(5) There are two certain current intensities for producing two spikes with a constant current. The one limits the longest interval between them and the other limits the shortest one. Delayed rectification is mainly concerned with the existence of the former and the increase of critical depolarization contributes to the latter.
MobiGesture: Mobility-aware hand gesture recognition for healthcare

Abstract Accurate recognition of hand gestures while moving is still a significant challenge, which prevents the wide use of existing gesture recognition technology. In this paper, we propose a novel mobility-aware hand gesture segmentation algorithm to detect and segment hand gestures. We also propose a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to classify hand gestures with mobility noises. Based on the segmentation and classification algorithms, we develop MobiGesture, a mobility-aware hand gesture recognition system for healthcare. For the leave-one-subject-out cross-validation test, experiments with human subjects show that the proposed segmentation algorithm achieves 94.0% precision, and 91.2% recall when the user is moving. The proposed hand gesture classification algorithm is 16.1%, 15.3%, and 14.4% more accurate than state-of-the-art work when the user is standing, walking and jogging, respectively.
Mechanisms of Neuroendocrine Cell Excitability

Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP), two neuronally synthesized nonapeptides, are made in the hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of mammals and released into their blood, eventually to have profound hormonal actions on peripheral tissues. In the rat both OT and VP neurons fire slowly and irregularly under conditions of low demand for peptide release, but natural or artificial depolarizing stimuli result in differential patterns of activity: either regular continuous firing, strongly associated with OT cells, or phasic bursting, characteristic of VP neurons. Recently published findings offer an explanation for the dominant presence of certain Ca2+-dependent membrane potentials that typically lead to phasic firing in VP neurons. Mechanisms of excitability involved in the differential activities of the two cell types, as well as of the same cell type under different physiological conditions, include such factors as Ca2+ binding proteins, voltage-and ligand-gated ion channels, release of Ca2+ from internal stores and gap junctional conductances. The evidence for these factors is reviewed here.
Abstract 3178: Up-regulation of GLI1 expression in drug resistant rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) and Ewing sarcoma (EWS) cell lines

Outcome for pediatric patients with recurrent sarcomas remains poor. Therefore, understanding mechanisms that lead to drug resistance and ways to overcome drug resistance therapeutically are essential. Recent reports have suggested a role for the Hedgehog signaling pathway and its downstream mediator GLI1 in acquisition of a multidrug resistance phenotype in esophageal adenocarcinoma, glioblastoma, and myeloid leukemia. Since GLI1 is expressed in the majority of RMS and EWS cases, we hypothesized that GLI1 up-regulation occurs as cells become drug resistant in vitro and in vivo. We established vincristine (VCR) resistant RMS cell lines (Embryonal RMS: RD, Ruch-2; Alveolar RMS: Rh30, Rh41) by serial exposure to increasing concentrations of VCR. Drug-resistance was defined as an IC50 of ≥30 fold of the baseline that was established using parental cells. In addition, we obtained EWS cell lines, representing untreated cases (CHLA-9 and TC-32) and cases following recurrence (CHLA-258 and TC-71). We used an 86-gene cancer drug resistance PCR array (Qiagen), to characterize gene expression differences between the parental vs. VCR-resistant RMS cells lines and between the untreated and recurrent EWS cell lines. GLI1 expression was significantly increased (p≤0.05) in VCR-resistant alveolar RMS cell lines (Rh30 [2.3 fold], and Rh41 [10.3 fold]) compared with parental cells. Expression of 2 additional genes (MDR1 [13,307 fold in Rh30 and 1,755 fold in Rh41 cells] and MVP [2.4 fold in Rh30 and 8.8 fold in Rh41]) was also significantly up-regulated in these cells. Gel mobility shifts showed interaction of GLI1 with the MVP promoter, and cotransfection assays showed that GLI1 up-regulates reporter gene expression through the MVP promoter. GLI1 expression was significantly up-regulated in Ruch-2 embryonal RMS cells (2 fold). We also showed higher GLI1 expression in recurrent EWS cell lines (TC-71 [3.4 fold] and CHLA-258 [4.8 fold]) compared with untreated CHLA-9 cells. Expression of 1 additional gene (androgen receptor [11.1 fold in CHLA-258 cells and 274.6 fold in TC-71 cells]) was also significantly up-regulated in CHLA-258 and TC-71 cells. Treatment of VCR-resistant UKF Rhb-1 RMS cells with VCR together with either GANT61 or Cpd#33 (GLI1 inhibitors) significantly decreased cell viability by MTT assay at doses that did not reduce cell viability individually. Our results suggest that GLI1 up-regulation contributes to development of drug-resistance in RMS and EWS and that GLI1-inhibitors may reduce multidrug resistance. Citation Format: Joon Won Yoon, Iris Smith, Sumeed Manzoor, Marilyn Lamm, Philip Iannaccone, David Walterhouse. Up-regulation of GLI1 expression in drug resistant rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) and Ewing sarcoma (EWS) cell lines [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3178.
Los juegos del dictador: Rafael Trujillo, el centenario dominicano y la solidaridad antillana durante los Juegos Interantillanos de 1944

Resumen: Este articulo analiza los Juegos Interantillanos realizados en Ciudad Trujillo (Santo Domingo) en 1944. Dicha competencia fue parte de las celebraciones oficiales del centenario de la Republica Dominicana y participaron los tres paises hispano-Caribenos: Cuba, Puerto Rico y la Republica Dominicana. Entre los objetivos de los Juegos se contaba fomentar la fraternidad en el Caribe hispano. Sin embargo, el mensaje de paz y hermandad que el discurso oficial de los Juegos promovia contrasta con la dictadura del General Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. El argumento de este estudio es que los Juegos Interantillanos sirvieron como una herramienta al servicio de la hegemonia dictatorial y complementaba la brutal represion del trujillato. Estos Juegos tambien contribuyeron a reforzar la identidad de la Republica Dominicana como una nacion hispano-Caribena, diferente y superior de sus vecinos no-hispanohablantes, especialmente en comparacion a Haiti.Palabras clave: Juegos Interantillanos, Movimiento Olimpico, Republica Dominicana, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, Solidaridad, Centenario.Abstract: This project analyzes the Inter-Antillean Games held in Ciudad Trujillo (Santo Domingo) in 1944. That tournament was part of the official celebrations of the Dominican Republic’s Centennial celebrations and featured the three Spanish speaking Caribbean countries: Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. Among the Games’ objectives was fostering Spanish Caribbean confraternity and goodwill. However, the Games’ message of peace and goodwill that the official discourse promoted contrasts with the dictatorship of General Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. This article argues that the Inter-Antillean Games served as another hegemonic tool of the regime and complemented the trujillato’s brutal repression. It also served as a way to further establish the Dominican Republic as a “Spanish” Caribbean nation, different and better than their nonHispanic Caribbean neighbor, especially to Haiti.Keywords: Inter-Antillean Games, Olympic Movement, Dominican Republic, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, Solidarity, Centenary.
Implementation of a collaborative smoking cessation referral process in a psychiatric setting

Abstract Background Tobacco use is more prevalent in persons with psychotic disorders than in the United States adult population. Tobacco use is associated with an increased risk for the development of psychotic disorders. Tobacco also alters medication pharmacodynamics increasing the likelihood of non-therapeutic doses. Tobacco treatment specialists (TTS) are healthcare personnel trained to counsel patients on smoking cessation. Purpose The aim of the quality improvement project was to create a standardized smoking cessation referral process for inpatients and outpatients at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital and educate about available TTS resources. Method A patient list was created and select providers were granted access to add patients to the list. Pre-intervention and post-intervention questionnaires allowed for analysis of provider tendencies and opinions. Results The pre-intervention questionnaire indicated providers were unfamiliar with TTS availability. After provider education on TTS and implementation of the referral process, 69 patients were referred in 16 weeks. Provider familiarity with TTS and listing of “smoking” on the problem list increased, though there was no statistically significant change in provider view of smoking cessation importance. Conclusions The standardized referral process was successful in increasing referrals to TTS and was more effective in the inpatient setting than the outpatient setting. Continued education on smoking cessation resources is required.
A Physics-Based Compact Model for Ultrathin Black Phosphorus FETs—Part II: Model Validation Against Numerical and Experimental Data

In the first part of this article, a physics-based surface-potential compact model to describe current–voltage (I–V) relationship in few-layered ambipolar black phosphorus (BP) transistors is presented. The proposed model captures the essential physics of thin-film BP FETs by accounting for the effects of: 1) in-plane band-structure anisotropy in BP, as well as the asymmetry in electron and hole current conduction characteristics; 2) nonlinear Schottky-type source/drain contact resistances; 3) interface traps; 4) ambipolar current conduction in the device using two separate quasi-Fermi levels for electrons and holes; and 5) the effect of temperature on the model parameters. In this article, the model is validated against measured data of back-gated BP transistors with gate lengths of 1000 and 300 nm with the BP thickness of 7.3 and 8.1 nm and for the temperature range of 200–298 K. We also validate the model against numerical TCAD data of BP transistors with channel lengths of 300 and 600 nm and BP thickness of 6 nm. The model is also applied to unipolar 2-D FETs with channel materials, such as MoS2 and WSe2. Compared with prior BP FET models that are mainly suited for near-equilibrium transport and room-temperature operation, the model developed here shows excellent agreement with experimental and numerical data over broad bias and temperature range.
Prolonged use of spinal precautions is associated with increased morbidity in the trauma patient.

Abstract Background Patients who experience traumatic spine injuries remain in spinal precautions (SP) to minimize the risk of devastating cord injury while awaiting definitive management. This study examines the incidence of pneumonia (PNA), urinary tract infection (UTI), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or pulmonary embolism (PE) in this population. Study design From 2014 to 2016, 344 patients aged 18 and older with spinal column injuries were identified in a prospectively-collected registry at an urban, level 1 trauma center. After exclusion criteria, 330 patients were reviewed and the following were analyzed: demographics, duration of SP, time to intervention, and rates of PNA, UTI, and DVT or PE. Those patients kept in SP for ≤ 72 h (“prolonged”) were compared to patients maintained in SP for > 72 h (“early”). Results Mean age was 54.6 years (SD, 21.7), median Injury Severity Score (ISS) 10 (IQR, 5–17). The median SP was 4.0 (IQR, 3.0–6.0) days. Fifty-eight (17.6%) patients underwent fixation and 170 (51.5%) received a brace. 102 (30.9%) patients initially awaiting a brace were cleared after MRI. 93 (28.2) patients suffered one of the tracked complications; 51 (15.5%) developed PNA, 35 (10.6%) UTI, 23 (7.0%) DVT, and 5 (1.5%) PE. Rate of overall complications between patients with SP ≤ 72 h versus patients with SP > 72 h was statistically significant (20.5% vs 34.6%, p = 0.005) as was the incidence of UTI (14.5 vs 6.0, p = 0.012). Conclusion Prolonged SP (>72 h) is associated with increased rates of immobility-associated morbidities. Focus should be on prompt, definitive care and early mobilization. Level of Evidence III Retrospective review of prospectively-collected data
Overparameterized Nonlinear Optimization with Applications to Neural Nets

Occam’s razor is a fundamental problem-solving principal and states that one should seek the simplest possible explanation. Indeed, classical machine learning models such as (sparse) linear regression aims to find simple explanations to data by using with as few parameters as possible. On the other hand, modern techniques such as deep networks are often trained in the overparameterized regime where the model size exceeds the size of the training dataset. While this increases the risk of overfitting and the complexity of the explanation, deep networks are known to have good generalization properties. In this talk, we take a step towards resolving this paradox: We show that solution found by first order methods, such as gradient descent, has the property that it has near shortest distance to the initialization of the algorithm among all other solutions. We also advocate that shortest distance property can be a good proxy for the simplest explanation. We discuss the implications of these results on neural net training and also highlight some outstanding challenges.
Size-Dependent Interactions of Lipid-Coated Gold Nanoparticles: Developing a Better Mechanistic Understanding Through Model Cell Membranes and in vivo Toxicity

Introduction Humans are intentionally exposed to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) where they are used in variety of biomedical applications as imaging and drug delivery agents as well as diagnostic and therapeutic agents currently in clinic and in a variety of upcoming clinical trials. Consequently, it is critical that we gain a better understanding of how physiochemical properties such as size, shape, and surface chemistry drive cellular uptake and AuNP toxicity in vivo. Understanding and being able to manipulate these physiochemical properties will allow for the production of safer and more efficacious use of AuNPs in biomedical applications. Methods and materials Here, AuNPs of three sizes, 5 nm, 10 nm, and 20 nm, were coated with a lipid bilayer composed of sodium oleate, hydrogenated phosphatidylcholine, and hexanethiol. To understand how the physical features of AuNPs influence uptake through cellular membranes, sum frequency generation (SFG) was utilized to assess the interactions of the AuNPs with a biomimetic lipid monolayer composed of a deuterated phospholipid 1.2-dipalmitoyl-d62-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (dDPPC). Results and discussion SFG measurements showed that 5 nm and 10 nm AuNPs are able to phase into the lipid monolayer with very little energetic cost, whereas, the 20 nm AuNPs warped the membrane conforming it to the curvature of hybrid lipid-coated AuNPs. Toxicity of the AuNPs were assessed in vivo to determine how AuNP curvature and uptake influence cell health. In contrast, in vivo toxicity tested in embryonic zebrafish showed rapid toxicity of the 5 nm AuNPs, with significant 24 hpf mortality occurring at concentrations ≥20 mg/L, whereas the 10 nm and 20 nm AuNPs showed no significant mortality throughout the five-day experiment. Conclusion By combining information from membrane models using SFG spectroscopy with in vivo toxicity studies, a better mechanistic understanding of how nanoparticles (NPs) interact with membranes is developed to understand how the physiochemical features of AuNPs drive nanoparticle-membrane interactions, cellular uptake, and toxicity.
Surgical procedures for male infertility: an update.

Purpose of review The aim of this review is to provide an overview of surgical treatment options for male infertility including varicocelectomy, treatment of ejaculatory duct obstruction, vasovasostomy, and sperm extraction, and to review recent advances in techniques and technologies that may improve operative outcomes. Recent findings Microscopic subinguinal varicocelectomy has been shown to have the highest success rates with lowest rates of complications, and may be facilitated by the use of Doppler, indocyanine green angiography, and the 4K3D operating video microscope. The standard treatment for ejaculatory duct obstruction by transurethral resection of the ejaculatory ducts has changed little over time, but vesiculoscopy may allow for temporary dilation of an obstruction to allow for natural conception, while also offering diagnostic capabilities. Use of the robotic platform has gained popularity for vasectomy reversals but controversy remains regarding the cost-effectiveness of this option. Recently, a reinforcing suture technique has been described for vasovasostomy to minimize anastomotic breakdown and reversal failure. Finally, gray-scale and color-enhanced ultrasound may improve ability to predict successful sperm retrieval during extraction procedures. Summary Though the fundamentals of surgical treatment options for male infertility have changed little with time, technological advancements have contributed to improved surgical outcomes over recent years.
Early and Direct Rehab Transfer Leads to Significant Cost Savings and Decreased Hospital Length of Stay for Total Joint Arthroplasty in a Veteran Population.

Abstract Background Total joint arthroplasty is the most common elective orthopedic procedure in the Veterans Affairs hospital system. In 2019, physical medicine and rehabilitation began screening patients before surgery to select candidates for direct transfer to acute rehab after surgery. The primary outcome of this study was to demonstrate that the accelerated program was successful in decreasing inpatient costs and length of stay (LOS). The secondary outcome was to show that there was no increase in complication, reoperation, and readmission rates. Methods A retrospective review of total joint arthroplasty patients was conducted with three cohorts: 1) control (n = 193), 2) transfer to rehab orders on postop day #1 (n = 178), and 3) direct transfers to rehab (n = 173). To assess for demographic disparities between cohorts, multiple analysis of variance tests followed by a Bonferroni P-value correction were used. Differences between test groups regarding primary outcomes were assessed with analysis of variance tests followed by pairwise t-tests with Bonferroni P-value corrections. Results There were no significant differences between the cohort demographics or comorbidities. The mean total LOS decreased from 7.0 days in the first cohort, to 6.9 in the second, and 6.0 in the third (P = .00034). The mean decrease in cost per patient was $14,006 between cohorts 1 and 3, equating to over $5.6 million in savings annually. There was no significant change in preintervention and postintervention short-term complications (P = .295). Conclusions Significant cost savings and decrease in total LOS was observed. In the current health care climate focused on value-based care, a similar intervention could be applied nationwide to improve Veterans Affair services.
Item Analysis, Age Trends, and Internal Consistency Reliability of the Children’s Occupational Performance Questionnaire (COPQ)

Importance Occupational performance measures are essential for guiding client-centered interventions for children and for measuring progress and program outcomes. Objective To evaluate and report on the psychometric properties of a new assessment tool, the Children's Occupational Performance Questionnaire (COPQ). Design Descriptive and correlational methods were used. Participants A convenience sample primarily from the northeastern United States was recruited, consisting of the caregivers of 156 children and 25 older children who completed the COPQ as a self-report. Participants' ages ranged from 2 mo to 19 yr. Seventy-five percent of them identified as typically developing, and 25% had a medical condition or disability affecting development. Outcomes and measures Data from completed questionnaires assessing children with and without disabilities were used to explore aspects of the COPQ's content validity, including age trends and item difficulty. Internal consistency reliability was also examined for each of the five domains: Personal Activities of Daily Living, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Social Participation, Play/Leisure, and Education/Work. Results Each COPQ domain showed strong internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's α = .96-.99). Age trends indicated increasing competency in occupational performance with age across domains and supported occupational performance as a developmental construct. Conclusions and relevance The COPQ shows promise as a reliable occupational performance measure for children for both clinical and research purposes. Potential items for modification or deletion were identified to reduce redundancy and increase efficiency. Further study of the tool's psychometrics and normative data collection are needed. What this article adds The COPQ addresses all areas of occupational performance and is being developed as a valid, reliable assessment tool for children. It aims to assist in guiding occupational therapy interventions and detecting changes in occupational performance in response to treatment.
Neural Network Based Adaptive Flight Control of UAVs

The development of new control strategies for quadrotor types of unmanned aerial systems is important in meeting the existing research needs to handle undesired uncertainties for more satisfactory control systems. A Neural Network-Proportional plus Velocity (NN-PV) controller is proposed for improved stability and robustness in the presence of external disturbances and model parametric uncertainty. The experimental validation is conducted using Quanser's Autonomous Vehicles Research Studio (AVRS) for multiple-vehicle testing. The developed controller is validated through indoor flight tests. The experimental approach provides understanding and the manipulation of the controller (Angle Mode) of the QDrone. The performance of the control system demonstrates improvement of the speed and stability for the formation flight of two drones. The work presented produces a flexible, robust, and effective control system model that leads to expanded stability and reduces the effect of disturbances.
Factors delaying chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer at a safety-net hospital.

Abstract Background Despite advances in healthcare and improved chemotherapy, disparities in breast cancer outcomes continue to persist. Our aim was to evaluate socioeconomic factors that may impact timing of treatment for patients receiving chemotherapy in underserved communities. Methods A review of patients with breast cancer who received neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy from 2015–2019 was conducted at a safety-net hospital. The primary outcomes were times from diagnosis to chemotherapy and surgery. Clinicodemographic factors including race, age, clinical stage, primary language, comorbidities, and median income by zip code were collected. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to evaluate for factors associated with the primary outcomes. Results One hundred patients were identified. For the neoadjuvant group, median time from diagnosis to chemotherapy and surgery was 52 ± 34 days and 256 ± 59 days, respectively. For the adjuvant group, median time from diagnosis to surgery and chemotherapy was 24.5 ± 18 days and 94.5 ± 53 days, respectively. Non-English language and older age were associated with increased time to chemotherapy in the adjuvant group (p Conclusions Older age and non-English language were associated with prolonged time from surgery to adjuvant chemotherapy. Targeted interventions directed at patient education and decreasing language barriers especially post-operatively may decrease delays in treatment and subsequently reduce disparities seen in the breast cancer population.
Determining Impediments to Gene Flow in a Natural Population of Cornus florida L. Cornaceae, Using Integrative Landscape Genetic Techniques

DETERMINING IMPEDIMENTS TO GENE FLOW IN A NATURAL POPULATION OF CORNUS FLORIDA L. CORNACEAE, USING INTEGRATIVE LANDSCAPE GENETIC TECHNIQUES By Crystal A. Meadows, M.S. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Major Director: Dr. Rodney J. Dyer, Associate Professor, Department of Biology This study examined the impact intervening environment has on gene flow in the insect pollinated understory tree, Cornus florida L., by combining GIS and landscape genetic techniques (Least Cost Path Analysis, Circuit Theory, and Conditional Genetic Distance). Traditional population genetic analysis indicated pair-wise relatedness was significantly correlated to distance (Pearson; r = -0.312, P < 0.001) suggesting a spatial component to offspring relatedness. Dispersal throughout the study site was non-random, exhibiting a high degree of pollen pool structure due to restricted gene flow (Two-Generation Analysis; Φft = 0.161, P = 0.001). Forest structure was quantified in GIS layers representing coniferous canopies, mixed hardwood canopies, C. florida canopies, open understory (roads), and open understory/canopy due to tree removal. Of these layers, landscape isolation for the roads layer provided the best-fit model for describing genetic differentiation among sampled pollen pools (Mantel; r = 0.542, P = 0.001). These data also suggest that improved biological inferences can be gained by examining a range of landscape isolation models.
Endoskopische Therapie der unteren gastrointestinalen Blutung

Das Erreichen einer stabilen Hamostase ist das Ziel der interventionellen Endoskopie. Die Notfallkoloskopie ist aufgrund des diagnostischen und therapeutischen Potenzials die Methode der ersten Wahl. Die Untersuchung sollte nach Vorbereitung mit 4–6 l Polyethylenglykollosung innerhalb von 12 h durchgefuhrt werden. Bei unvorbereitetem Darm ist die Koloskopie im Fall einer massiven hamodynamisch wirksamen Blutung z. B. unter Verwendung einer Spulpumpe ohne erhohte Komplikationsrate moglich. Zahlreiche endoskopische Blutstillungsmethoden (Injektionstherapie, mechanische Blutstillung, thermische und topische Verfahren) stehen zur Verfugung. Je nach Blutungsquelle muss die geeignete Blutstillungsmethode fur den Einzelfall gewahlt werden.
Heuristic methods for automated microwave filter tuning

This paper describes optimization methods applied in tuning of microwave filter assumed as ldquoblack-boxrdquo device. In this case any type of modeling is not required. Based on measured S-parameter data, without time consuming sensitivity analysis, only direct search and heuristics methods based on artificial intelligence can be used. Proper combination of such methods can be successfully applied in automated filter tuning.
p53-Associated Parkin-like cytoplasmic protein (Parc) short-interfering RNA (siRNA) alters p53 location and biology of Peyronie's disease fibroblasts.

OBJECTIVE • To evaluate the impact of p53-associated Parkin-like cytoplasmic protein (Parc) short-interfering RNA (siRNA) on the location of p53 as well as the biology of Peyronie's disease (PD) plaque-derived fibroblasts after Parc knockdown. PATIENTS AND METHODS • Plaque tissue was excised from men with stable PD undergoing penile reconstructive surgery and used to produce cultured PD plaque-derived fibroblasts. • Immunofluorescence (IF) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were then used to define the location of p53 and Parc before and after siRNA. • Nuclear fractionation studies were used to assess the chronology of translocation of p53 from cytoplasm to nucleus on Parc knockdown. • The terminal transferase dUTP Nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay was used to assess the apoptotic indices of the PD fibroblasts after Parc knockdown. RESULTS • IF and PCR showed high cytoplasmic levels of p53 and Parc before siRNA. On IF, there was little or no p53 present within the nucleus before Parc knockdown. • After Parc siRNA, IF showed translocation of p53 to the fibroblast nucleus, while Parc levels dropped significantly, but what Parc remained was confined to the cytoplasm with none present in the nucleus. • Nuclear fractionation studies using RT-PCR confirmed this translocation phenomenon and showed the chronology of the event. All p53 had moved from the cytoplasm to the nucleus within 16 h of Parc siRNA. • On TUNEL assay, apoptotic indices increased dramatically after Parc siRNA. CONCLUSIONS • These data prove that Parc is a cytoplasmic anchor for p53 in PD plaque-derived fibroblasts and may be the primary cause of the stabilization and defunctionalization of p53 in these cells. • These findings support Parc as a novel target for PD pharmacotherapy, perhaps using human siRNA technologies once commercially available.
Transgenic Animals in Immunology

Transgenic animals are produced by microinjection of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) modified in vitro into fertilized oocytes to observe the effect of the injected DNA on the biology of the organism. Transgenes may be heritable following their insertion into the germline. Keywords: B-cell development; allelic exclusion; autoimmunity; antigen receptors; receptor editing