cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing complications from the use of trailer operating rooms in single-staged renovations

Abstract Renovations of an operating room can result in compromised care and loss of revenue. The objective of this study is to determine if Trailer Operating Rooms (TOR) are associated with increased complication rates and/or decreased productivity during renovations of Main Operating Rooms (MOR). Exposure was defined as MOR or TOR. Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) observed and expected counts of perioperative morbidity and mortality were compared. Complication rates, from a prospective database, and case volume between TOR and MOR were analyzed. Mortality was higher for vascular surgery in TOR vs. MOR but not in any other specialties. Higher all-cause morbidity was noted in two of the nine surgical specialties in the TOR period. There was no significant difference in rates of surgical site infection (SSI) or venous thromboembolism (VTE) between groups. The average total cases per month was significantly higher in MOR compared to TOR (326.8±49.6 vs. 275.1±22.9, p p
Abstract 1097: Transient mechanical stimulation can enhance cancer cell invasion.

Formation of secondary tumors by metastasis is a leading cause of death in cancer patients. During metastasis cells separate from the primary tumor, invade the stroma, travel through blood and lymph and colonize tissues distant from the primary mass. Several biochemical factors have been identified which are able to drive this metastatic cascade. However information of the role of mechanical factors in cancer metastasis has primarily focused on the effect of compliance, overshadowing other mechanical factors that might facilitate the metastatic progression. For example, contractile cells produce short term stress on extracellular matrix fibers during extensive remodeling of the stroma, such variable and transient force would easily propagate through the fibers providing communication between cells. To simulate this type of stress, we developed an in vitro invasion assay where cancer cells are subjected to tugging or pulling forces, similar in randomness and magnitudes to those produced by contractile cells in the tumor microenvironment, without interference of any secreted factors that could be provided by the stromal cells. We discovered a significant difference in the extent of invasion by cancer cells that were mechanically stimulated in this manner verses non- stimulated cell culture environments. This response requires the presence of fibronectin in the extracellular matrix. The objective of our current study is to understand the mechanotransduction pathway leading to enhanced invasion. We speculated that in response to mechanical forces in the stroma, tumor cells will show an altered expression of genes involved in mechanosensing. We performed expression profiling of several genes related to cell migration, adhesion and tumor metastasis by real-time PCR analysis. Given a 24 hour assay period, six genes were confirmed to be differentially expressed between mechanically stimulated and non-stimulated conditions. Of particular interest was the down-regulation of a fibronectin specific integrin subunit in response to the mechanical stimulation that enhanced invasion. Over-expression of this gene resulted in a significant decrease in enhanced invasion, supporting its role in sensing the mechanical stimulus. We speculate that mechanical stimulation during cancer cell invasion results in integrin cross-talk leading to the downregulation of specific integrins, while enriching others within the invadopodia. Citation Format: Snehal Orzakar, Karen A. Beningo. Transient mechanical stimulation can enhance cancer cell invasion. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1097. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1097
Is invasive anesthetic monitoring necessary during radical prostatectomy

The purpose of this study was to obtain objective information on the necessity of invasive anesthetic monitoring during radical prostatectomy. We reviewed retrospectively the charts of 257 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy on an established pathway which did not include the intraoperative use of an arterial line or central venous catheter. Outcome measures including intraoperative vital signs, cardiac arrhythmias, blood loss and fluid management were assessed. In particular, we sought to determine situations in which insertion of monitoring devices was required because of an unanticipated intraoperative event. The patient ages ranged from 40 to 75 y with a mean of 60.3 y. The mean estimated blood loss was 546.9 cm(3) (median 500 cm(3)). Thirty-eight patients had a measured intraoperative systolic blood pressure of <90 mmHg, but no hypotensive episodes required any treatment other than fluid administration. A single patient required pharmacologic therapy for hypertension. One patient received intravenous lidocaine because of premature ventricular contractions, but no other arrhythmias were observed. No patient required intraoperative insertion of an arterial line or central venous catheter. These data provide objective evidence for the abandonment of routine use of central venous catheters or arterial lines during radical prostatectomy. This avoids not only the expense of these maneuvers, but also the potential morbidity of unnecessary invasive medical procedures.
Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis in house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) is more severe in left eyes than right.

One of the most well-studied avian diseases is the annual outbreak of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) infections in house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) in North America. This is a bacterial disease ...
Familial Brain Arteriovenous Malformations

Researchers at University Medical Centre Utrecht, the Netherlands, reviewed the literature on patients with familial brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs), and their age, sex, and clinical presentation were compared with those in population-based patients with sporadic BAVMs.
Investigating Grain Boundary Structures and Energetics of Rutile with Reactive Molecular Dynamics

Determining quantitative grain boundary (GB) energies as a function of microscopic orientation parameters is essential in order to understand the population of boundaries present in polycrystalline ceramics and films, and the physical properties that result from these boundaries. Here, we investigate the use of two reactive potentials, COMB3 and ReaxFF, to predict free surface and grain boundary structures and energies in the TiO2 rutile system, and compare these results against previously reported ab initio surface and interfacial energies. We demonstrate reactive MD potentials to be generally capable of reproducing key features anticipated for GB structures and energetics, including relative GB and surface energy, charge distributions and potential for different polar and nonpolar terminations, and energy cusps at low-energy interfaces (e.g., coherent twin boundaries, coherent site lattice boundaries). This work establishes the foundation for further use of reactive MD to simulate libraries of oxide GBs...
Surgical anatomy of the great arteries of the thorax.

The term "great arteries" refers to the major intrathoracic arterial structures and includes the aorta and its major branches, the innominate, left common carotid, and left subclavian arteries; and the pulmonary artery trunk with its two branches. The gross surgical anatomy of these arteries, their main embryologic malformations, and the best possible surgical approaches to them are reviewed.
Surgical treatment of asbestos-related disease of the chest

Thoracic surgeons are asked to evaluate various diseases related to asbestos, including benign pleural plaques, malignant mesothelioma, and lung cancer. The benign localized mesothelioma is usually considered in the differential diagnosis of pleural tumors, but it is not related to asbestos exposure. Benign pleural plaques can be diagnosed by history and radiologic studies, and surgery offers no therapeutic benefit. Diffuse malignant mesothelioma is currently an incurable tumor, but pleurectomy can afford some palliation. Extrapleural pneumonectomy can be accomplished with an acceptable mortality, but long-term results do not justify its routine use. Lung cancer in those exposed to asbestos fibers is treated no differently than when it occurs in the general population.
The environmental and public health benefits of achieving high penetrations of solar energy in the United States

We estimate the environmental and public health benefits that may be realized if solar energy cost reductions continue until solar power is competitive across the U.S. without subsidies. Specifically, we model, from 2015 to 2050, solar power–induced reductions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, air pollutant emissions, and water usage. To find the incremental benefits of new solar deployment, we compare the difference between two scenarios, one where solar costs have fallen such that solar supplies 14% of the nation's electricity by 2030 and 27% by 2050, and a baseline scenario in which no solar is added after 2014. We monetize benefits, where credible methods exist to do so. We find that under these scenarios, solar power reduces GHG and air pollutants by ∼10%, from 2015 to 2050, providing a discounted present value of $56–$789 billion (central value of ∼$250 billion, equivalent to ∼2 ¢/kWh-solar) in climate benefits and $77–$298 billion (central value of $167 billion, or ∼1.4 ¢/kWh-solar) in air quality and public health benefits. The ranges reflect uncertainty within the literature about the marginal impact of emissions of GHG and air pollutants. Solar power is also found to reduce water withdrawals and consumption by 4% and 9%, respectively, including in many drought-prone states.
Continuity and Derivatives

In this chapter, continuity and differentiation of functions are explained in detail. This includes basic rules such as the product, quotient and chain rule.
E. Franklin Frazier's Sociology of Race and Class in Black America

E. Franklin Frazier’s sociological approach to the question of race and class in America has been the subject of much study.1 This paper provides a background on how his contributions centered the debate on the scientific study of race. My objective is threefold: (1) to explore early influences leading to Frazier’s development as a sociologist, with special attention to the impact of his connections with Howard University and W. E. B. Du Bois; (2) to provide a brief overview of his sociological orientation and contribution to the intellectual discourse on the social and economic condition of blacks in the United States and in other countries; and (3) to explore his point of view of the failures of both the black middle class and black intellectuals.
Developmental studies in Casuarina (Casuarinaceae). III. The anatomy of the mature branchlet

The branchlet of Casuarina has a glabrous (Division Gymnostomae) to pubescent (Division Cryptostomae) epidermis. A sclerenchymatoul hypodermis is present which, in several species, is continued into the inner layers of the internodal ridges as T-beam-shaped masses. Photosynthesis is mainly carried out by the mesophyll in the internodal ridges. The evaluation of characteristics of the vegetative structures supports the accuracy of Poisson's observations. Two main subdivisions, which correspond to Poisson's Cylindricae seu Cryptostomae and Tetragonae seu Gymnostomae, need to be set apart. The two taxa certainly could be represented by separate genera and the term "division", applied by Poisson, is inappropriate and should be dropped.
Extravasation of contrast-enhanced blood in an epidural hematoma.

A case is reported in which there was a large extravasation of contrast medium into an epidural hematoma during contrast-enhanced CT.
The lighthouse project: Researching educator professional development for diversity in computing

The Lighthouse Project provides educators with critical professional development that promotes diversity through active recruiting and retention through a MOOC (massive open online course). This course concentrates on delivering both pedagogical skills as well as recruiting and retention through its course content. The learning content is specifically designed using the ARCS Model of Motivation, which focuses on increasing motivation in four specific areas and thereby increasing learning outcomes. The project employs a unique and innovative MOOC design, utilizing both individualized and cohort driven instruction, synchronous and asynchronous communication, and building communities of practice through social media, a rarity in online instruction. By examining the participant data using the motivational theory, this project seeks to discover best practices to increase learning outcomes and retention for MOOCs and, by extension, increasing the numbers of women and under-represented minorities in STEM fields.
Evidence for time division multiplexing of multiple simultaneous items in a sensory coding bottleneck

How the brain preserves information about multiple simultaneous items is poorly understood. Here, we provide evidence that the brain may accomplish this using time division multiplexing, or interleaving of different signals across time, to represent multiple items in a single neural channel. We evaluated single unit activity in an auditory coding “bottleneck”, the inferior colliculus, while monkeys reported the location(s) of one or two simultaneous sounds. Using novel statistical methods to evaluate spiking activity on a variety of time scales, we found that on dual-sound trials, neurons sometimes alternated between firing rates similar to those observed for each single sound. These fluctuations could occur either across or within trials and appeared coordinated across pairs of simultaneously recorded neurons. Fluctuations could be predicted by the state of local field potentials prior to sound onset, and, in one monkey, predicted which sound the monkey would ultimately saccade to first. Alternation between activity patterns corresponding to each of multiple items may be a general strategy employed by the brain to enhance its processing capacity, suggesting a potential connection between such disparate phenomena as variable neural firing, neural oscillations, and limits in attentional or memory capacity.
TLR5 Agonist Recombinant Flagellin, CBLB502 Increases Anti-CMV Immunity By Increasing T-Bet and Eomes Expressing T Cells after MCMV Infection

We have previously shown that highly purified cGMP grade recombinant flagellin, CBLB502, a TLR5 agonist, protected allo-HSCT recipients from GvHD without compromising anti-CMV immunity of donor T cells in vivo. A single prophylactic dose (25mg/mouse i.p) of CBLB502 in wild type C57BL/6 (B6) mice also enhanced anti-CMV immunity of NK cells against CMV. CMV is a potential opportunistic infectious agent and most often causes severe life-threatening clinical complications in immunocompromized patients, particularly in cancer patients treated with allogenic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT). A mechanism by which CBLB502 protected host against CMV infection has not been well investigated. Transcription factors ROR gammaT, T-bet and EOMES are known to control immune responses of innate and adaptive immunity in vivo. In this study, we have explored the transcription factors ROR gammaT, T-bet and EOMES expressing NK and T cells in CBLB502-treated and MCMV-infected B6 mice. Total numbers of spleen cells increased by 1.7-fold within 48 hours of CBLB502 treatment (day 0 MCMV infection) and by 2.3-fold on day 3 after MCMV infection compared with PBS-treated MCMV-infected mice. T-bet expressing CD8+ T cells (not CD4+ T cells) increased significantly on day 0 of mCMV infection, 48hrs after CBLB502 treatment (CD4, p=0.1; CD8, p 90% of CMV-specific CD8+ T cells had persistent expression of T-bet even after 30 days post CMV infection. In contrast, CBLB502 treatment did not have a significant effect on the numbers of ROR gammaT, T-bet and EOMES expressing NK cells compared with PBS-treated mice. These data suggest that 1) CBLB502-induced anti-CMV immunity of T cells is persistently maintained through increased T-bet expression but not by EOMES expression; and 2) CBLB502-induced anti-viral immune regulation is not maintained through transcription factor ROR gammaT. 3) CBLB502-induced increased anti-CMV immunity of NK cells is independent of transcription factors ROR gammaT, T-bet and EOMES. Taken together, these data support the early peri-transplant use of TLR5 agonists as a novel method to enhance antigen-specific anti-viral immunity in recipients of allo-BMT. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
U.S. Newspaper Editors’ Ratings of Social Media as Influential News Sources

Social media, as one key platform for citizen journalism, are becoming a useful news-gathering tool for journalists. Based on data from a nationwide probability sample of newspaper editors in the United States, this study investigates the extent to which newspaper editors consider social media an influential news source. Results show that variations in editors’ ratings of social media as a news source were related to multiple levels of influence, including professional journalistic experience, organization size, community structural pluralism, and citizen journalism credibility. Implications are discussed for the roles of social media in news production.
Characteristics of Al$_{x}$In 1−$_{x}$As $_{y}$Sb1− $_{y}$ (x:0.3−0.7) Avalanche Photodiodes

We report avalanche photodiodes fabricated from Al $_{x}$ In1− $_{x}$ As $_{y}$ Sb1− $_{y}$ wafers grown by molecular beam epitaxy using the digital alloy technique. A series of Al $_{x}$ In 1− $_{x}$ As $_{y}$ Sb1− $_{y}$ ( x = 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7) p-i-n structures have been grown on GaSb substrate. Dark current, avalanche multiplication, excess noise, and external quantum efficiencies have been characterized. Very low excess noise, as characterized by k ∼ 0.01–0.05, has been achieved.
Mechanisms of Gene-Environment Interactions in Parkinson’s Disease

The purpose of the study was to discuss the main mechanisms associated with environmental and genetic factors that contribute to the development of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Novel genetic contributors to PD are being identified at a rapid pace in addition to novel environmental factors. The discovery of mutations in alpha-synuclein and leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 causing inherited forms of PD along with epidemiological, in vitro, and in vivo studies identifying herbicides, pesticides, and metals as risk factors have dramatically improved our understanding of mechanisms involved in the development of PD. However, at the same time, these discoveries have also added layers of complexity to the disease. Within the last several years, the genetics associated with PD has dominated the field in many ways; however, the majority of PD cases are likely due to different combinations of environmental exposures and genetic susceptibility. The most common toxicants used to model PD including rotenone, paraquat, and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine have been shown to interact with many of the genes linked with PD such as alpha-synuclein. Therefore, an understanding of mechanisms common between genetic and environmental factors is essential for early detection and successful translation of potential therapies, which is the ultimate goal.
The Spread of Authoritarian Regimes in Interwar Europe

A number of studies have found that a variety of political phenomena, including democracy, can spread through a diffusion process at the international level. It is also possible that non-democratic...
Investigating Undergraduate Students’ Use of Intuitive Reasoning and Evolutionary Knowledge in Explanations of Antibiotic Resistance

Natural selection is a central concept throughout biology; however, it is a process frequently misunderstood. Bacterial resistance to antibiotic medications provides a contextual example of the relevance of evolutionary theory and is also commonly misunderstood. While research has shed light on student misconceptions of natural selection, minimal study has focused on misconceptions of antibiotic resistance. Additionally, research has focused on the degree to which misconceptions may be based in the complexity of biological information or in pedagogical choices, rather than in deep-seated cognitive patterns. Cognitive psychology research has established that humans develop early intuitive assumptions to make sense of the world. In this study, we used a written assessment tool to investigate undergraduate students' misconceptions of antibiotic resistance, use of intuitive reasoning, and application of evolutionary knowledge to antibiotic resistance. We found a majority of students produced and agreed with misconceptions, and intuitive reasoning was present in nearly all students' written explanations. Acceptance of a misconception was significantly associated with production of a hypothesized form of intuitive thinking (all p ≤ 0.05). Intuitive reasoning may represent a subtle but innately appealing linguistic shorthand, and instructor awareness of intuitive reasoning's relation to student misunderstandings has potential for addressing persistent misconceptions.
Pain Management After Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery.

Background:The number of opioids prescribed and used has increased precipitously over the past 2 decades for a number of reasons and has led to increases in long-term dependency, opioid-related dea...
Ion beam heating of kinetically constrained nanomaterials.

Abstract The gallium ion beam heating on electron transparent transmission electron microscopy (TEM) samples of Au/Ni bilayer films supported by SiO2 substrates was studied by in-situ TEM combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Brief Ga+ ion beam irradiation during sample transfer inside the focused ion beam instrument was found to induce dewetting of bilayer films. The observed morphological changes of the metal films are complemented by considerable Au diffusion through the underlying polycrystalline Ni film and adsorption at the Ni/substrate interface. In-situ heating experiments confirm that alterations of the metal bilayer films caused by ion beam irradiation are consistent with thermal annealing at 400 °C for several minutes in the absence of any ion bombardment. Ion beam damage effects equivalent to prolonged heating may pose considerable limitations to ion beam microscopy of samples with reduced dimensions. Ex-situ lift-out procedures of electron transparent samples in the absence of any ion beam irradiation lead to successful conservation of sample morphologies.
Splish-splash: Center of mass, stability, and a fun pool toy

Center of mass is a common topic in physics courses. It appears in relation to studies of stable and unstable equilibrium, momentum, and rotation. Science products suppliers frequently include gadgets that demonstrate the concepts of center of mass and stability, such as the classic balancing bird. Additionally, The Physics Teacher has featured articles studying the center of mass of a rotating baton, locating the center of mass of a hanging Slinky toy, and describing a wide range of interesting systems.
High lymphocyte count during neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is associated with improved pathologic complete response in esophageal cancer

Abstract Background and purpose Neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT) can reduce tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. We examined absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) nadir during nCRT for esophageal cancer (EC) and pathologic complete response (pCR). Materials and methods Patients with stage I–IVA EC (n = 313) treated 2007–2013 with nCRT followed by surgery were analyzed. ALC was obtained before, during/weekly, and one month after CRT. pCR was defined as no viable tumor cells at surgery. High ALC was defined as nadir of ≥0.35 × 103/μL (highest tertile). Comparison of continuous and categorical variables by pCR was assessed by ANOVA and Pearson’s chi-square. Univariate/multivariate logistic regression was used to assess predictors of pCR and high ALC nadir. Results Eighty-nine patients (27.8%) achieved a complete pathological response (pCR). For patients with pCR, median ALC nadir was significantly higher than those without (0.35 × 103/μL vs 0.29 × 103/μL, p = 0.007). Patients maintaining high ALC nadir had a higher pCR rate (OR1.82, 95%CI 1.08–3.05, p = 0.024). Predictors of high ALC included treatment with proton therapy vs. IMRT (OR4.18, 95%CI 2.34–7.47, p Conclusion A higher ALC level during nCRT is associated with a higher rate of pCR for esophageal cancer patients undergoing trimodality therapy.
Restructuring Colonial Justice, Empowering the High Court, 1959–1964

This chapter analyses how Tanganyika’s first (1961) and second (1962) constitutions gave the judiciary a greater degree of independence from the executive than it had during colonial rule. Once the constitutional framework was in place, the government worked to unify the colonial court systems and replaced the lower courts with a new system of magistrates’ courts under the jurisdiction of the High Court. This chapter illustrates how the unification of the dual court systems gave Africans access to the Court denied to them during British rule and restored the jurisdiction the Court lost in 1929. Unification of the court systems also enhanced the status of the High Court and empowered its judges by giving them supervision over a professionalised magistracy and removing judicial powers from administrators.
GNSS/INS based estimation of air data and wind vector using flight maneuvers

We develop a GNSS/INS based algorithm to estimate air data (angle-of-attack and sideslip angle) and wind vector in real time. Our work uses observability analysis to demonstrate the feasibility of the model-free synthetic air data estimation. In addition, we show that certain canonical flight maneuvers, defined by the aircraft's orientation and airspeed, result in a high degree of observability for the air data parameters and the wind velocity vector estimates. Furthermore, a lower bound on the average time of wind variation can be derived from the analysis. Finally, the GNSS/INS-based algorithm is tested to estimate these parameters using simulation data. Results of simulation are consistent with the observability analysis.
The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease, with prevalence increasing in parallel with the rising incidence in obesity. Believed to be a “multiple-hit” disease, several factors contribute to NAFLD initiation and progression. Of these, the gut microbiome is gaining interest as a significant factor in NAFLD prevalence. In this paper, we provide an in-depth review of the progression of NAFLD, discussing the mechanistic modes of hepatocyte injury and the potential role for manipulation of the gut microbiome as a therapeutic strategy in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.
Quadrupole Mass Filters and Quadrupole Ion Traps

Characteristics of quadrupole mass filters and quadrupole ion traps are summarized in comparison with other mass analyzers. The theoretical basis for mass analysis using quadrupole fields is described in conjunction with the various scan methods and operating parameters. The high performance of quadrupole ion traps is illustrated by introducing some new developments of the instrumentation, including mass range extension, high resolution, MS/MS experiments, SWIFT and non-destructive detection. The importance of ion motion in ion traps is also illustrated by the simulation and laser tomography measurements.
Targeted Neocortical Cell Death Guides the Fate of Transplanted Neural Precursors

The potential future transplantation of immature or genetically modified neurons to repopulate or provide molecular support to injured regions of the central nervous system may offer a future therapy for degenerative, dysgenetic, or acquired nervous system injury (Bjorklund et al., 1982; Gage et al., 1987; Gage and Fisher, 1991). One potential approach to such plasticity and reorganization is via control of donor cells using normal developmental mechanisms with additional cellular modifications and pharmacologic influences. Although repopulation of specific circuitry within the central nervous system offers one potential future therapeutic approach to degenerative or acquired disease, understanding the mechanisms of cellular control of neuronal differentiation and integration within various regions of the central nervous system would also be critical to therapeutic approaches in which engineered cells are transplanted to perform metabolic function or provide molecular signals or support to surrounding, intrinsic cells. Appropriate manipulations may allow grafted cells to acquire the correct phenotypes to provide molecular supplements or specific cellular repopulation. The latter would require exquisitely precise anatomic and physiologic cellular integration within the nervous system, especially within the neocortex, the most specialized and highly complex of all brain structures. Joint approaches combining cell biology with the rapidly advancing molecular understanding of nervous system pathobiology are likely to be of great importance both in possible future therapy and in modeling disease elements toward the understanding and prevention of developmental and degenerative disorders.
Computer Scoring of Micronuclei in Human Lymphocytes

Micronuclei in cells arise from chromosome fragments or from whole chromosomes that lag behind at anaphase. Their frequency in human peripheral blood lymphocytes provides a convenient measure of chromosome damage in man. In order to improve the assay and to study the mechanism of micronuclear formation, we built an image analysis system consisting of a light microscope coupled to a low-light-level TV camera, a video image digitizer and two microcomputers for image acquisition and processing.
Improving automatic code assessment

In Fall Semester 2012 we started using an automatic code assessment system named CodeAssessor to grade students' coding problems on exams. This paper describes some of the lessons we have learned in using automatic code assessment and the improvements to CodeAssessor we have made as a result of them. The students' results on the exams have improved from a median of 8/25 on the first exam given in Fall Semester 2012 to a median of 19/25 on the first exam given in Spring Semester 2013.
Facile Solid-Phase Synthesis and Assessment of Nucleoside Analogs as Inhibitors of Bacterial UDP-Sugar Processing Enzymes

The privileged uptake of nucleosides into cells has generated interest in the development of nucleoside-analog libraries for mining new inhibitors. Of particular interest are applications in the discovery of substrate mimetic inhibitors for the growing number of identified glycan-processing enzymes in bacterial pathogens. However, the high polarity and the need for appropriate protecting group strategies for nucleosides challenges the development of synthetic approaches. Here, we report an accessible, user-friendly synthesis that branches from a common solid phase-immobilized uridinyl-amine intermediate, which can be used as a starting point for diversity-oriented synthesis. We demonstrate the generation of five series of uridinyl nucleoside analogs for investigating inhibitor structure–activity relationships. This library was screened for inhibition of representative enzymes from three functional families including a phosphoglycosyl transferase, a UDP-aminosugar acetyltransferase, and a glycosyltransfera...
Text and Information Analytics for Fully Automated Energy Code Checking

Energy compliance checking aims to check the compliance of design information embedded in building information models (BIMs) with applicable building energy codes. To fully automate the compliance checking process – without the need to manually code the rules in a compliance checking software, there is a need to automatically process and understand the text in the codes, extract the relevant requirements from the text, and match the extracted requirements to the information in the BIMs. This is challenging because of the text complexities of the codes, including longer provisions, requirement exceptions, hierarchically-complex sentence structures, and different terminologies and levels of detail compared to BIMs. To address these challenges, a set of text and information analytics methods were proposed and implemented in an energy compliance checking prototype. The prototype includes four main modules: text classification, information extraction, semantic information alignment, and compliance checking and reporting. For testing the prototype, a BIM of an educational building was checked for compliance with three energy codes – the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code, the 2013 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (known as the California Energy Code), and the Ontario Building Code Supplementary Standard SB-10. A promising performance of 91.7% recall and 84.6% precision in noncompliance detection was achieved. This study could benefit different participants in the domain of architecture, engineering and construction, by streamlining the energy code compliance process in a fully-automated manner. Future research may test the proposed methods and prototype on other energy topics (e.g., fenestration) and different types of documents (e.g., contract specifications). The challenges for developing a compliance checking method that is fully-automated and generalized across different types of documents could also be studied.
Neural Super Position and Visual Acuity for Motion Detection and Tracking

This paper describes a visible passive/LIDAR superposition based navigation and tracking camera array for applications across many fields. This problem has three components: 1) design of a camera array for image acquisition over a wide field of view, 2) design and implementation using low-cost components, and 3) a new multi-tier target tracking algorithm. In the camera array, each camera channel has a standard field of view while the composite camera array field of coverage is wide enough to capture targets moving in three-dimensional space covering up to 4π steradians. Image information is collected by multiple camera channels of the full camera array over the entire field of coverage with multiple images collected at any instant of time. Such collection greatly helps long-term tracking which is a challenging task especially in an unknown environment due to the loss of image information from objects leaving a camera's field of view. Most tracking algorithms work on images taken by sensors not related to the algorithm. In this paper, the image array and tracking algorithm development and implementation are jointly developed for optimal performance by exploiting the data from multiple camera geometries. We describe the tracking algorithm and a simulation experiment to demonstrate how such imagery helps tracking in a noisy environment.
Elements of a College Support Program That Matter: A Case Study:

Purpose:This study focuses on a campus support program that serves former child welfare and homeless youth. This study aims to identify the program elements that help students transition into and s...
Disparities in cardiovascular care: Past, present, and solutions

Cardiovascular disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States since the early 20th century. With advances in prevention and treatment, cardiovascular mortality rates are on the decline. Nevertheless, disparities in care persist, with devastating impact in select populations in the United States. This paper reviews the impact of disparate care on risk-factor burden, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and cardiovascular research.
Outcome of anastomotic urethroplasty in traumatic stricture (distraction defect) of posterior urethra in boys

To report the outcomes of operative management of traumatic posterior urethral distraction defect in boys at our Centre, as traumatic posterior urethral stricture in children is a rare condition th...
3D distributed deep learning framework for prediction of human intelligence from brain MRI

Intelligence is a complex, multi-dimensional concept that encompasses multiple brain circuits. Understanding the underpinnings of the human brain requires not only accurate feature extraction from often noisy non-invasive brain imaging data (e.g., MRI), but also rigorous modeling of the complex relationships among distributed brain systems. In this work, we implement a highly scalable end-to-end computational learning framework – that is, a 3D deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict fluid intelligence scores directly from 3D brain MRI without any theory- or rule-based feature engineering. We address and overcome the challenge of processing large data (i.e. 44 GB of MRI) by using distributed deep learning techniques. The dataset originates from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, with 5832 subjects in the training set, 1251 in the validation set, and 1250 in the test set. The single-task ResNet50-3D model achieved mean squared errors of 0.73637 and 0.74535 respectively on the validation and test sets. The multi-task ResNet50-3D model achieved mean squared errors of 0.74418 and 0.75626 respectively on the validation and test sets. These results demonstrate not only that the prediction of fluid intelligence scores directly from structural and diffusion brain MRI is feasible but also that this scalable computational learning framework could be further developed for data-driven human neurocognitive research.
Soviet Rock Collection and International Counterculture Archive at the Global Resources Center of the George Washington University Libraries

This memoir is my personal story about how I created and came to curate on the International Counterculture Archive collection, which is held in the Global Resources Center of the George Washington...
HPV vaccination and Native Americans: protocol for a systematic review of factors associated with HPV vaccine uptake among American Indians and Alaska Natives in the USA

Introduction The nine-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine could prevent an estimated 92% of the cancers attributable to HPV types targeted by the vaccine. However, uptake of the HPV vaccine among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents has been low. AI/ANs also bear a disproportionate burden of cervical and other HPV-associated cancers. Increasing HPV vaccination rates is a national priority, but reviews and national surveys on HPV vaccination factors are lacking for the AI/AN population. The objective of this systematic review is to assess factors associated with HPV vaccination among AI/ANs in the USA. Methods and analysis A systematic review is proposed to synthesise the current literature on HPV vaccination factors in AI/ANs from 1 July 2006 until 30 September 2019. As applicable, controlled vocabulary terms, keywords and special features (eg, limits, explode and focus) will be incorporated into database searches. To maximise the identification of relevant studies, citation indexes and databases that index dissertations, preprints and grey literature are included. Studies will be screened and selected independently in two stages. In stage 1, titles and abstracts will be screened. In stage 2, full-text articles will be screened and selected. A data extraction form and quality assessment tool will be piloted, revised and implemented. If available, measures of frequency and association will be presented. A narrative synthesis of the included studies will also be undertaken and reported. Ethics and dissemination As our review will use publicly available data and publications, an Institutional Review Board review will not be required. We will disseminate the findings from this review through peer-reviewed publication(s) and conference presentation(s). Potential amendments In the event of amendments to the protocol, we will provide the date, rationale, and description of the change for each amendment. PROSPERO registration number CRD42020156865.
From Interpretation to Protection: Is There a Theoretical Basis?:

Perhaps the most oft-cited phrase in all the interpretation literature is a sentence written by an anonymous U.S. National Park Service ranger in an obscure administrative manual a half century ago...
The Effect of Multi-Vitamin/Multi-Mineral Supplementation on Nutritional Status in Older Adults Receiving Drug Therapies: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Polypharmacy regimens may increase the susceptibility of older adults to micronutrient inadequacy and deficiency via impairment of nutritional status. We hypothesized that a multi-vitamin-mineral s...
Deconvolution of Transcriptional Networks Identifies TCF4 as a Master Regulator in Schizophrenia

Tissue-specific reverse engineering of transcriptional networks has led to discoveries uncovering underlying regulators of cellular networks in several cancers and other diseases. However, whether these approaches can be applied to complex psychiatric disorders is largely unexplored, partly due to the general lack of data on appropriate tissues for mental disorders. In this study, using RNA-Seq data on dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from 307 schizophrenia (SCZ) cases and 245 controls, we deconvoluted the transcriptional network to identify transcriptional master regulators mediating expression of a large body of target genes. Together with an independent RNA-Seq data on cultured primary neuronal cells derived from olfactory neuroepithelium from a cohort of 143 SCZ cases and 112 controls, we identified TCF4 as a candidate master regulator. TCF4 was previously identified as a SCZ susceptibility gene from genome-wide association studies, but its regulatory subnetworks had been elusive. We confirmed many predicted regulatory targets by TCF4 through additional analysis of predicted transcription factor binding sites, ChIP-Seq data (p=1.70e-04) and ATAC-Seq data (p=3.251e-05). We further knocked down TCF4 expression in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) at 3 and 14 days post neuronal differentiation, confirmed that TCF4 affects axon guidance pathway, and that the collection of predicted target genes were dysregulated on day 3 (p=1.55e-06) and day 14 (p=1.05e-08). In conclusion, multiple lines of evidence suggested that TCF4 serves as a master regulator in SCZ, demonstrating a clear example where network dysregulation involving hundreds of genes can lead to susceptibility to complex psychiatric diseases.
Trichomoniasis and adverse birth outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Trichomoniasis commonly affects women of childbearing age and has been linked to several adverse birth outcomes. OBJECTIVE To elucidate the association between trichomoniasis in pregnant women and adverse birth outcomes, including preterm delivery, prelabour rupture of membranes and low birthweight. SEARCH STRATEGY MEDLINE, EMBASE and ClinicalTrials.gov were systematically searched in December 2020 without time or language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA Original research studies were included if they assessed at least one of the specified adverse birth outcomes in pregnant women with laboratory-diagnosed trichomoniasis. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Estimates from included articles were either extracted or calculated and then pooled to produce a combined estimate of the association of trichomoniasis with each adverse birth outcome using the random effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic and Cochran's Q test. MAIN RESULTS Literature search produced 1658 publications after removal of duplicates (n = 770), with five additional publications identified by hand search. After screening titles and abstracts for relevance, full text of 84 studies was reviewed and 19 met inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. Significant associations were found between trichomoniasis and preterm delivery (OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.08-1.50), prelabour rupture of membranes (OR 1.87; 95% CI 1.53-2.29) and low birthweight (OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.15-3.91). CONCLUSIONS Trichomoniasis in pregnant women is associated with preterm delivery, prelabour rupture of membranes and low birthweight. Rigorous studies are needed to determine the impact of universal trichomoniasis screening and treatment during pregnancy on reducing perinatal morbidity. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT This systematic review and meta-analysis found that in the setting of pregnancy, trichomoniasis is significantly associated with multiple adverse birth outcomes, including preterm delivery, low birthweight, and prelabour rupture of membranes.
Non-intrusive reduced-order models for parametric partial differential equations via data-driven operator inference

This work formulates a new approach to reduced modeling of parameterized, time-dependent partial differential equations (PDEs). The method employs Operator Inference, a scientific machine learning framework combining data-driven learning and physics-based modeling. The parametric structure of the governing equations is embedded directly into the reduced-order model, and parameterized reduced-order operators are learned via a data-driven linear regression problem. The result is a reduced-order model that can be solved rapidly to map parameter values to approximate PDE solutions. Such parameterized reduced-order models may be used as physics-based surrogates for uncertainty quantification and inverse problems that require many forward solves of parametric PDEs. Numerical issues such as well-posedness and the need for appropriate regularization in the learning problem are considered, and an algorithm for hyperparameter selection is presented. The method is illustrated for a parametric heat equation and demonstrated for the FitzHugh-Nagumo neuron model.
Berkeley's Ideas and the Primary/Secondary Distinction

Part of Berkeley's strategy in his attack on materialism in the Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous is to argue that the epistemological distinction between ideas of so-called primary qualities and ideas of secondary qualities, especially as this distinction is found in Locke, is untenable. Both kinds of ideas-those presenting to the mind the quantifiable properties of bodies (shape, size, extension, motion) and those which are just sensations (color, odor, taste, heat)-are equally perceptions in the mind, and there is no reason to believe that one kind (the ideas of primary qualities) represents true properties of independently existing external objects while the other kind does not.
Enhancing the robustness of a feedforward neural network in the presence of missing data

Statistical methods applied to real-world problems account for data that is known to be missing. In contrast, neural network designers often effectively ignore missing data, assigning zero or some other constant value, and letting the well-known robustness of the network handle it. The authors propose a novel technique which greatly enhances the correct decision rate for their given example. This scheme, which does not require prohibitive computational overhead, derives substitute values for the missing ones when their existence is known. >
The Interface of Nanoscale Inclusion Chemistry

Abstract : This review presents a selected review of nanoscale inclusion chemistry using 3-D periodic hosts with an emphasis on optical properties. Inclusion chemistry is defined in the context of the above discussion as the interaction between a 3-D host surfaces with one or more types of guests. It is an area receiving increased enthusiasm and interest because of the basic research concepts and challenges that remain to be explored. The host is in effect a solid state inorganic molecular recognition template. Ideally, this packaging would make it possible to: selectively modulate the host framework electronic or optical properties with guest atoms or molecules; impose selected order-disorder constraints on the self-organization process; modify internanophase behavior by varying the host dielectric constant and guest concentration; generate electronically or coordinatively unsaturated atomic assemblies; synthesize nanocomposite materials in which the host and guest interact in a synergistic or combinatorial fashion to give tunable or new properties.