cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A matched Peaceman-Rachford ADI method for solving parabolic interface problems

A new Peaceman-Rachford alternating direction implicit (PR-ADI) method is proposed in this work for solving two-dimensional (2D) parabolic interface problems with discontinuous solutions. The classical ADI schemes are known to be inaccurate for handling interfaces. This motivates the development of a matched Douglas ADI (D-ADI) method in the literature, in which the finite difference is locally corrected according to the jump conditions. However, the unconditional stability of the matched ADI method cannot be maintained if the D-ADI is simply replaced by the PR-ADI. To stabilize the computation, the tangential derivative approximations in the jump conditions decomposition are substantially improved in this paper. Moreover, a new temporal discretization is adopted for formulating the PR-ADI method, which involves less perturbation terms. Stability analysis is conducted through eigenvalue spectrum analysis, which demonstrates the unconditional stability of the proposed method. The matched PR-ADI method achieves second order of accuracy in space in all tested problems with complex geometries and jumps, while maintaining the efficiency of the ADI. The proposed PR-ADI method is found to be more accurate than the D-ADI method in time integration, even though its formal temporal order is limited in the matched ADI framework.
P-007 Poor Collaterals on Pre-treatment CT Angiography Predicts Poor Outcome After Successful Recanalization in Patients with Anterior Circulation Emergent Large Vessel Occlusion

Background and purpose The best imaging selection technique for endovascular treatment (EVT) remains a topic of debate. Collateral scores (CS) on pre-treatment CT angiography (CTA) have been associated with favorable outcome. We hypothesized that low CS on pre-treatment CTA may predict a poor outcome after EVT in successfully recanalised patients with emergent large vessel occlusions (ELVO). Methods A retrospective chart review was performed for the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center Acute Ischemic Stroke Database evaluating AIS patients presenting with CTA confirmed anterior circulation ELVO in a tertiary stroke center during a 3 year period. Only patients with successful recanalization (TICI 2 b or 3) after EVT were included in the analysis. A blinded neuroradiologist calculated the CTA CS and final infarct volume (FIV). Poor outcome after EVT was defined as symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH), cerebral edema requiring hypertonic treatment for ≥48 hours, hemicraniectomy, higher FIV, and poor clinical outcome of modified ranking scale (mRS)-score 3–6 at 3 months. Results 58 AIS patients with anterior circulation ELVO (mean age 63 ± 13 years, 48% male, median admission NIHSS-score: 17 points, IQR 14–21) had successful recanalization after EVT. Systemic thrombolysis was administered in 38 patients (65.5%). A total of 31 patients (53%) achieved favorable outcome (FO). There was no significant difference in rates of hemicraniectomy (p = 1.000) and SICH (p = 0.667) after EVT when compared to patients with low and good CS. Patients with low CS tended to have higher rates of cerebral edema requiring hypertonic treatment (30% vs 13%, p = 0.340) after EVT. Patients with low CS had greater FIV (111 ± 71 vs 41 ± 66 cm 3 , p = 0.007) and higher rates of poor clinical outcome (82% vs 39%, p = 0.017) in comparison to patients with high CS. A low CS was independently associated with poor clinical outcome (p = 0.048) in multiple logistic regression models adjusting for demographics, vascular risk factors, pretreatment SBP, admission NIHSS, intravenous thrombolysis, and onset to revascularization time. Conclusion Low CS on pre-treatment CTA was correlated with significantly worse outcome despite successful recanalization as evident by higher FIV and higher rates of poor clinical outcome. Poor CS should be considered an important variable in futures trials comparing the medical versus interventional management of patients with ELVO. Disclosures N. Goyal: None. S. Iftikhar: None. G. Tsivgoulis: None. Y. Khorchid: None. A. Choudhri: None. D. Hoit: None. A. Alexandrov: None. A. Arthur: None. L. Elijovich: None.
Progress in the development and integration of fluid flow control tools in paper microfluidics

Paper microfluidics is a rapidly growing subfield of microfluidics in which paper-like porous materials are used to create analytical devices. There is a need for higher performance field-use tests for many application domains including human disease diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and veterinary medicine. A key factor in creating high performance paper-based devices is the ability to manipulate fluid flow within the devices. This critical review is focused on the progress that has been made in (i) the development of fluid flow control tools and (ii) the integration of those tools into paper microfluidic devices. Further, we strive to be comprehensive in our presentation and provide historical context through discussion and performance comparisons, when possible, of both relevant earlier work and recent work. Finally, we discuss the major areas of focus for fluid flow methods development to advance the potential of paper microfluidics for high-performance field applications.
Octogenarians Undergoing Open Repair Have Higher Mortality Compared with Fenestrated Endovascular Repair of Intact Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Involving the Visceral Vessels.

Background Prior studies have shown that octogenarians have a higher risk of mortality than nonoctogenarians undergoing open aneurysm repair (OAR) and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair (F-EVAR) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012 and has been used as a less invasive approach to treat patients with suboptimal neck anatomy with favorable outcomes compared with traditional OAR. The aim of the study is to compare 30-day outcomes of F-EVAR versus OAR in octogenarians undergoing repair of AAA involving the visceral vessels in the United States. Methods All patients with postoperative diagnosis of nonruptured AAA repair were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2006–2015). Univariate and multivariate analyses were implemented to examine 30-day morbidity and mortality adjusting for patient demographics and comorbidities. Results A total of 548 octogenarians underwent repair of nonruptured AAA involving the visceral vessels, of which 242 (44%) were F-EVARs, and 306 (56%) were OARs. Octogenarians undergoing F-EVAR were on average 1-year older (median age [interquartile range]: 83 [82, 86] versus 82 [81, 85], P = 0.004) and more likely to be male (82% vs. 64%, P Conclusions In this large national cohort of octogenarians undergoing repair for complex AAA's, we showed that F-EVAR is associated with significantly lower postoperative morbidity and mortality than open repair. One of the main limitations of the study is the lack of anatomical data. However, despite that, our findings support the shifting paradigm toward minimally invasive approach in this frail population for treatment of complex AAA's. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term benefit of any repair in octogenarians.
Ensemble Monte Carlo Simulation of Femtosecond Laser Excitation in Semiconductors

The ensemble Monte Carlo technique has become useful as a computational tool for simulating the excitation of electron-hole plasmas in semiconductors. In this paper, the use of this tool for the short-time regime is discussed. Here, the Coulomb interaction between electrons is simulated by a real-space molecular dynamics approach. The inclusion of the exchange interaction and finite collision duration is also discussed.
How Do You Work? Understanding User Needs for Responsive Study Space Design

The academic library is changing. No longer simply a warehouse of information, the university library is a place for students and patrons to study, collaborate, socialize, and learn through social activities. 1 This change in use reflects a paradigmatic shift from understanding the library as information repository to understanding the library as ‘place,’ ‘third space,’ and/or ‘learning commons.’ As the paradigm of the academic library changes, it transforms academic library design. 2 Because the conceptual basis of current academic library design is still changing away from traditional academic library spaces, it is necessary to continuously evaluate user needs and desires for study spaces, and what makes an ideal study space, to keep the design of academic libraries relevant to its patrons.
Innovation Districts at the Cross road of the Entrepreneurial City and the Sustainable City

Innovation districts are designed to promote increased interaction between employees and firms in knowledge-intensive industries. They have been praised as both sustainable economic development and sustainable real estate development. Nevertheless, there has been little investigation of how those involved in the planning and development of innovation districts view the role of sustainability. In this paper, we draw on 40 semi-structured interviews with professionals associated with four innovation districts in the U.S. The results provide new insight into how these market participants perceived the components of sustainability in fostering innovation and project success. Economic attributes of sustainability were consistently emphasized as the primary driver of innovation district successes. Further, where social and environmental elements of these districts were acknowledged as factors contributing to project success, professionals tended to frame their roles in economic terms.
Partnerships after prison: Couple relationships during reentry

In this article, we utilize quantitative and qualitative data from the Multi-Site Family Study on Incarceration, Parenting, and Partnering (MFS-IP) to examine couple relationships during men’s reen...
Unfashionable Objections to Islamophobic Cartoons: Byrd, Dustin J. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2017. 148 pp. £58.99. ISBN 978-1-4438-9124-0.

For a small volume, this book packs a big punch. What sets this work apart from other writing following the violent attack and murder of twelve people on January 7, 2015 at the offices of the satir...
Sleep disruption and quality of life in persons with dementia: A state-of-the-art review

Sleep disruption in persons with dementia is pervasive and contributes to negative health outcomes and decreased quality of life. Using Lawton's framework for quality of life in persons with dementia, the aim of this state-of-the-art review was to synthesize current knowledge on the association between sleep disruption and quality of life in persons with dementia in four domains: physical, social/behavioral, emotional well-being, and cognitive. Based on the final sample of six studies, sleep disruption was negatively associated with all four quality of life domains in persons with dementia. Given the variations in research design, measurement and sample size, conclusions could not be generated on the magnitude of the effects by domain. We do, however, provide recommendations for future research and clinical practice.
Star formation: Three's a crowd.

To the eye, most stars seem to be single, like our Sun, but in fact about half are binary or multiple systems. Now a newly accepted theory of star formation — fragmentation — that explains the formation of binary systems makes it unlikely that single stars will harbour planets. Binary stars may be more hospitable.
Neighborhood and social environmental influences on child chronic disease prevalence

We investigate how distinct residential environments uniquely influence chronic child disease prevalence. Aggregating over 200,000 pediatric geocoded medical records to the census tract of residence and linking them to neighborhood-level measures, we use multiple data analysis techniques to assess how heterogeneous exposures of social and environmental neighborhood conditions influence an index of child chronic disease (CCD) prevalence for the neighborhood. We find there is a graded relationship between degree of overall neighborhood disadvantage and children’s chronic disease such that the highest neighborhood CCD scores are found in communities with the highest concentrated disadvantage. After considering individual- and family-level characteristics, results show that higher levels of neighborhood concentrated disadvantage and air pollution exposure associate with higher risks of children having at least one chronic condition. Overall, our analysis serves as a comprehensive start for future researchers interested in assessing which neighborhood factors matter most for child chronic health conditions.
Pyrite FeS2 as an in-situ oxygen remover for rechargeable batteries with layered cathode materials

Abstract Volume swelling is a typical mode of battery failures, which happens not only in the operation but also during the storage of rechargeable batteries as a result of electrolyte degradation, particularly the chemical oxidation of electrolyte solvents by the active oxygen released in phase transition of the layered cathode materials. Aiming to remove the active oxygen, we herein propose Pyrite FeS 2 powder as an in-situ oxygen remover based on the fact that FeS 2 can be ultimately oxidized to Fe 2 O 3 and Li 2 SO 4 by the active oxygen, and the redox reaction depletes considerable amount of oxygen. By mixing FeS 2 powder into a conventional LiNi 0.80 Mn 0.10 Co 0.10 O 2 (NMC811) cathode, it is found that under normal cycling conditions of the Li/NMC811 cells, FeS 2 is electrochemically stable while being capable of reacting with active oxygen and hence stabilizing the cell's capacity retention. The concept proposed in this work provides a practically viable and cost-effective approach for preventing volume swelling of the rechargeable batteries based on the layered cathode materials.
Can an Introductory Accounting Course Help Students Successfully Complete a Financial Accounting Course

Some college students find themselves failing required courses. These course failures were a problem at a regional south-central United States (U.S.) university where many students were failing a required Financial Accounting course. Barriers to enrolling in the Financial Accounting course only included a sophomore standing, so it was possible for students with non-existent or limited accounting knowledge to enroll. To reduce the number of student failures in the Financial Accounting course administrators created numerous help programs including an Introductory Accounting course. This study focuses on the effectiveness of using an elective Introductory Accounting course to help business students complete a required financial accounting course, successfully. The effectiveness was determined by comparing students’ performance in Financial Accounting after taking the Introductory Accounting course (Experimental Group) with students that only took the Financial Accounting course (Control Group). Research data came from 471 students in the experimental group and the1388 in the control group. Unfortunately, the analysis produced results that suggested the Introductory Accounting course did not help students in Financial Accounting.
Conduction, convection, and radiation thermal exchange with discretized fixed, contacting particles in a high speed compressible flow

Abstract A novel technique is proposed to simulate the thermal interactions occurring within a compressible fluid flow with particles. Thermal exchanges between particles, fluid, and flow paths including particle-particle and particle-solid body contact are included. Contact conduction with a contact resistance, convection, and radiation modes of heat transfer are accounted for without the need for heat transfer coefficient correlations or other simplifying assumptions since the particles are discretized within the fluid domain. The discretization of the particles in the flow allows for the local temperature and flow field data to be utilized in calculating the thermal interactions and facilitates the exploration of temperature dependent phenomena based on local instead of bulk interface conditions. So that these developed techniques can be applied to computational fluid dynamics simulations with moving objects, a fluid gap space is retained around the particles while the thermal conductive contact effects are simulated. The method is applied to an eleven fixed particle configuration with the flow driver strengths and limited radiative emissivities varied. The results demonstrate that for the conditions considered, the conductive contact dominates the temperature field development, with the radiative and convective cooling taking a lesser role. The new method clearly improves capabilities for the study of the thermal interaction in particle laden high speed gas flow and thus of temperature dependent phenomena for a more comprehensive simulation.
Caudillismo Masked and Modernized: The Remaking of the Nicaraguan State via the Guardia Nacional, 1925-1936

This article examines the formation of the Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua before and during the period of the Sandino rebellion, US military intervention, and its aftermath (1927-1936). Focusing on the radically abrupt upward displacement of coercive capacities in these eight years of war, we emphasize the agency of Nicaraguans in shaping the kind of institution the Guardia became. We argue that the process of war against a homegrown nationalist insurgency most profoundly shaped Guardia identity and that the Somocista state represented a masked and modernized form of caudillismo, as a political system within which political authority and power resided in personal and patronage relations.
HOW TO TAILOR TELL TOOLS FOR OLDER L2 LEARNERS

Nowadays, many second language (L2) courses comprise a mix of online learning and face-to-face activities. As a result, this incorporation of blended learning and class instruction has allowed L2 students to learn more autonomously, become more engaged with the language learning process and achieve better results. However, blended L2 instructional strategies are mostly intended for young and traditional college-age students without considering the older learners. This article investigates the suitability of the blended L2 learning format for this latter student population and seeks to establish guidelines for the design of an L2 language course well adapted to the specific weaknesses and strengths of older adults. To this end, the early effects of aging on L2 acquisition and cognitive processes are first reviewed. Next, good practices in the use of technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) tools with older students are discussed. Finally, recommendations for blended L2 course design are provided.
Substate Populism and the Challenge to the Centre in Post-Riot Asian Contexts:

In this article, we introduce the concept of substate populism to account for dynamics in which populist speech is used to critique national elites for harming the interests of the ‘pure’ local peo...
First-Principles Analysis of Vibrational Properties of Type II SiGe Alloy Clathrates.

We have mostly performed vibrational studies of Type-II silicon-germanium clathrate alloys, namely, Si136-xGex (0 < x ≤ 128), using periodic density functional theory (DFT). Our computed lattice constant for various stoichiometric amount, namely, x, of Ge agrees to some extent with the observed X-ray diffraction (XRD) data, along with monotonically increasing dependence on x. According to our bandgap energy calculation via Vienna ab initio simulation package (VASP), Si128Ge8 has a “nearly-direct” bandgap of approximately 1.27 eV, which agrees well with the previously calculated result (~1.23 eV), which was obtained using the Cambridge sequential simulation total energy package (CASTEP). Most of our first-principles calculations focus on exploring the low-energy transverse acoustic (TA) phonons that contribute dominantly to the induction of negative thermal expansion (NTE) behavior. Moreover, our work has predicted that the Si104Ge32 framework exhibits NTE in the temperature range of 3–80 K, compared to the temperature regime (10–140 K) of NTE observed in such pure Si136. It is posited that the increased number of Ge–Ge bonds may weaken the NTE effect substantially, as the composition, which is denoted as x, in Si136-xGex is elevated from 32 (or 40) to 96 (or 104).
How does the mutation in the cap domain of methylcobalamin-dependent methionine synthase influence the photoactivation of the Co-C bond?

Methionine synthase (MetH) is a methylcobalamin (MeCbl)-dependent mammalian enzyme which plays a critical role in carrying out the transfer of a methyl group from methyl tetrahydrofolate to homocysteine to generate methionine and tetrahydrofolate. This catalytic cycle proceeds via cleavage of a Co–C bond which is formally heterolytic. This cleavage results in a structural change in the MeCbl cofactor bound to an enzyme. Unlike the native catalysis, upon photoexcitation, the Co–C bond in MeCbl-bound MetH generates the Co(II)/CH3 radical pairs (RPs). Protein residues of the cap domain, particularly phenylalanine708 (F708) and leucine 715 (L715), which surrounds the upper face of the MeCbl cofactor, inhibit the photolysis of MeCbl by caging the CH3 radical and inducing the geminate recombination of the Co(II)/CH3 RP. A molecular-level understanding of these effects requires a detailed investigation of the low-lying electronic states. Toward this, we have mutated the F708 residue with alanine (A708) and constructed the potential energy surfaces (PESs) for the low-lying S1 electronic state using a combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) approach. The S1 PESs for the wild-type (WT) and mutant enzymes are the result of crossing of two electronic states, namely metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) and ligand field (LF) states, indicated by a seam. It is shown that the topologies of the S1 PESs are significantly modulated by introducing a mutation at the F708 position. Specifically, for the WT enzyme, the energy barrier of photoreaction and the energy difference between MLCT and LF minima are markedly higher than those of its mutant counterpart. Moreover, mutation influences the photoactivation of the Co–C bond in enzyme-bound MeCbl by decreasing the rate of geminate recombination and altering the rate of radical pair formation. This theoretical insight was also compared with transient absorption spectroscopic (TAS) studies which are in good agreement with the present findings.
Mesenchymal stromal cell exosomes prevent and revert experimental pulmonary fibrosis through systemic modulation of monocyte phenotypes

Rationale: Mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) therapy has shown promise in experimental models of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic progressive lung disease characterized by interstitial fibrosis with decreasing lung volumes and hypoxemic respiratory failure. Recently, we reported that the therapeutic capacity of MSCs predominantly resides in the secretome, and that the chief therapeutic vector therein is represented by the exosomes. Objectives: To test the therapeutic effects of MSC-exosomes (MEx) in a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model and investigate putative mechanisms of action. Methods: Exosomes were isolated from media conditioned by human bone marrow MSCs (MEx). Adult mice (C57BL/6 strain) were challenged with endotracheal instillation of bleomycin and treated with MEx concurrently or at day 7. Treated animals and appropriate control groups were assessed at day 7 and/or day 14. Results: Bleomycin-challenged mice presented with severe septal thickening and prominent fibrosis, and this was effectively prevented (day 0 treatment) or reversed (day 7 treatment) by a single dose of MEx. Furthermore, MEx therapy modulated whole lung macrophage phenotype, and shifted the proportion of lung ‘proinflammatory’ classical monocytes, ‘regulatory’ monocytes and alveolar macrophages to favor the monocyte/macrophage profiles of untreated-control mice, and, importantly a parallel immunomodulatory effect was demonstrated in the bone marrow. Notably, transplantation of MEx-preconditioned bone marrow-derived monocytes alleviated core features of pulmonary fibrosis. Conclusion: A bolus dose of MEx prevents and reverts core features of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The beneficial actions of MEx are mediated via the systemic modulation of monocyte phenotypes.
Seymour Fractures: A Retrospective Review of Infection Rates, Treatment and Timing of Antibiotic Administration.

Background Seymour fractures are important to recognize and treat promptly because injuries may result in growth disturbance, nail deformity, or infection. We hypothesize that the administration of antibiotics within 24 hours of injury will be associated with a decreased rate of infection. Methods Patients younger than 18 years were included if clinical examination and radiographs demonstrated a Seymour fracture. The timing of antibiotic administration and treatment details were reviewed. The presence of superficial infections or radiographic evidence of osteomyelitis was recorded. Results A total of 52 patients with 54 fracture that had greater than 30 days of follow-up and were included in data analysis. The average age at the time of injury was 10.2 years. Thirty-four (63%) of 54 patients were most commonly injured secondary to a crush type mechanism. The overall infection rate was 27.3% (15/54 fractures). Among the 29 fractures that received antibiotics within 24 hours of injury, 2 infections (6.9%) were noted at final follow-up. Delayed administration of antibiotics beyond 24 hours postinjury was observed in 17 fractures and was associated with an increased infection rate of 76.5% (13/17, P = 0.000). Conclusions Early administration of antibiotics within 24 hours of injury is associated with a reduction in the development of infections. Patients with delayed antibiotic administration may be at high risk for early superficial infection or osteomyelitis. This study highlights the importance of early identification and appropriate treatment of Seymour fractures including the prompt administration of antibiotics following injury.
High Rate of Imipenem Non-Susceptibility among Clinical Nocardia spp. Isolated from Lung Transplant Recipients

Purpose Nocardia spp. cause serious disease in lung transplant recipients, with mortality rates as high as 40%. Dual antibiotic therapy with amikacin and either imipenem or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is commonly recommended as empiric treatment. Imipenem therapy may avoid TMP-SMX and amikacin adverse effects. We evaluated the real-world activity of common antibiotics against Nocardia spp. isolated from lung transplant recipients with clinical nocardiosis. Methods This IRB-approved, retrospective chart review included adults who underwent lung transplant after January 1, 2012 and were diagnosed with nocardiosis posttransplant. Antibiotic susceptibilities were assessed at a national reference lab. Results Of the 600 patients who underwent lung transplant during the study period, 13 developed nocardiosis, and 11 (85%) had susceptibility data. Of the 13 patients with nocardiosis, interstitial lung disease was the most common transplant indication, and most received basiliximab induction. The most common immunosuppressive regimen at the time of Nocardia spp. isolation was mycophenolate mofetil, tacrolimus, and prednisone. Six patients (46%) had augmented immunosuppression within 6 months before diagnosis with rituximab, anti-thymocyte globulin, or steroid pulse. Nocardiosis occurred a median of 13 months after transplant (range, 6-55); 6 patients had disseminated disease. Eight of the 13 patients (62%) survived 6 months post-diagnosis. Imipenem was active against only 4 isolates (36% susceptibility). Of the 7 non-susceptible isolates to imipenem, only 1 patient had received a carbapenem posttransplant. The most active antibiotics were TMP-SMX (100%), linezolid (100%), and amikacin (91%). The most active β-lactam was ceftriaxone (45%), followed by amoxicillin/clavulanate (40%). Five of the 13 patients (38%) received TMP-SMX for pneumocystis prophylaxis immediately preceding nocardiosis diagnosis. Conclusion Despite high historical in vitro activity, imipenem was poorly active against these clinical Nocardia spp. Local epidemiologic data are needed to guide empiric therapy. Despite potential toxicities and prior prophylactic use, TMP-SMX should be the backbone of combination therapy, with the second agent selected based on the likelihood of central nervous system disease, susceptibilities, and toxicities.
Response to comment on “Typical physics Ph.D. admissions criteria limit access to underrepresented groups but fail to predict doctoral completion”

We provide statistical measures and additional analyses showing that our original analyses were sound. We use a generalized linear mixed model to account for program-to-program differences with program as a random effect without stratifying with tier and found the GRE-P (Graduate Record Examination physics test) effect is not different from our previous findings, thereby alleviating concern of collider bias. Variance inflation factors for each variable were low, showing that multicollinearity was not a concern. We show that range restriction is not an issue for GRE-P or GRE-V (GRE verbal), and only a minor issue for GRE-Q (GRE quantitative). Last, we use statistical measures of model quality to show that our published models are better than or equivalent to several alternates.
Medications for gout and its comorbidities: mutual benefits?

Purpose of review To review recent literature with relevance to the management of multimorbid patients with gout, i.e., gout medication repurposed for comorbidities and vice versa. Recent findings Adding to the previous success of interleukin-1 inhibition, two trials on low-dose colchicine's role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) demonstrated potential benefits in patients with or without gout. In Colchicine Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial, a composite CVD endpoint was reduced by 23% among patients who had experienced a recent myocardial infarction. In Low-Dose Colchicine 2, the composite CVD endpoint was reduced 31% among those with stable coronary artery disease. Use of urate-lowering therapy (ULT) for renal protection in patients without gout produced null results. Allopurinol did not benefit the glomerular filtration rate in two trials (Controlled trial of slowing of Kidney Disease progression From the Inhibition of Xanthine oxidase and Preventing Early Renal Function Loss) among patients with chronic kidney disease (with or without hyperuricemia, but not gout). SGLT-2 inhibitors, a medication recommended for patients with diabetes and CVD, diabetic kidney disease, or heart failure, demonstrated a protective effect against gout flares in a secondary trial analysis and a large observational study. Summary The role of colchicine may expand beyond gout flare prevention to patients with existing CVD. The renal benefit of ULT among patients with gout remains unclear. SGLT-2 inhibitors may benefit diabetic patients who have gout as a comorbidity.
Closed-loop stabilization of nonlinear systems using Koopman Lyapunov-based model predictive control

This work considers the problem of stabilizing feedback control design for nonlinear systems. To achieve this, we integrate Koopman operator theory with Lyapunov-based model predictive control (LMPC). A bilinear representation of the nonlinear dynamics is determined using Koopman eigenfunctions. Then, a predictive controller is formulated in the space of Koopman eigenfunctions using an auxiliary Control Lyapunov Function (CLF) based bounded controller as a constraint which enables the characterization of stability of the Koopman bilinear system. Unlike previous studies, we show via an inverse mapping - realized by continuously differentiable functions - that the designed controller translates the stability of the Koopman bilinear system to the original closed-loop system. Remarkably, the feedback control design proposed in this work remains completely data-driven and does not require any explicit knowledge of the original system. Moreover, in contrast to standard LMPC, seeking a CLF for the bilinear system is computationally favorable compared to the original nonlinear system. The application of the proposed method is illustrated on a numerical example.
Clinico-etiological profile of children who had unplanned extubation and subsequent re-intubation in level-4 pediatric intensive care unit

Background: There are few studies on unplanned extubation (UE) in pediatric intensive care units (PICU). This study is to identify factors associated with UE in PICUs. Subjects and Methods: In this observational study, the data of UE from January 1, 2013, to May 31, 2019, in a level-4 PICU were analyzed with an objective to study the etiology of UE and its impact on therapeutic outcomes. Results: Of 7079 patients hospitalized in PICU, 1721 were invasively ventilated (mean ventilator days 4.33 days). UE occurred in 39 patients (2.26% of intubated patients) at 0.52 UE events per 100 ventilation days. The median age was 14 months. The most common cause of UE was inadequate sedation (n = 24, 61.53%), endotracheal tube suctioning (n = 05, 20.8%), one during adjusting ET tube (4.1%), one during central venous line insertion (4.1%), and one during Foley's catheter insertion (4.1%) and 7 unexplained (29.1%). As long as the appropriate nurse: patient ratio was maintained, the incidence of UE was un-affected by day versus night shift or high versus low bed occupancy rates. Re-intubation rate in UE cohort was higher (74.35%) than planned-extubation cohort 0.11% (P Conclusion: UE is associated with a significantly high incidence of re-intubations and associated complications arising from re-intubations. Maintaining a pool of skilled nurses in adequate nurse-to-patient ratio may play an important role in preventing UE. UE can be minimized by optimizing sedation and monitoring during common ICU procedures. Multicentric studies are warranted to design a uniform standard of care of ventilated patients aimed at reducing the incidence of UE.
We Stand on Her Shoulders: Tracing the Pedagogical Legacy of Dr. Barbara E. Jensen

Dr. Barbara E. Jensen was a Former Editor of the Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science (MPEES) journal. In this role and through her teaching, scholarship, and other professional s...
Cleavage-Resistant Protein Labeling With Hydrophilic Trityl Enables Distance Measurements In-Cell .

Sensitive in-cell distance measurements in proteins using pulsed-electron spin resonance (ESR) require reduction-resistant and cleavage-resistant spin labels. Among the reduction-resistant moieties, the hydrophilic trityl core known as OX063 is promising due to its long phase-memory relaxation time (Tm). This property leads to a sufficiently intense ESR signal for reliable distance measurements. Furthermore, the Tm of OX063 remains sufficiently long at higher temperatures, opening the possibility for measurements at temperatures above 50 K. In this work, we synthesized deuterated OX063 with a maleimide linker (mOX063-d24). We show that the combination of the hydrophilicity of the label and the maleimide linker enables high protein labeling that is cleavage-resistant in-cells. Distance measurements performed at 150 K using this label are more sensitive than the measurements at 80 K. The sensitivity gain is due to the significantly short longitudinal relaxation time (T1) at higher temperatures, which enables more data collection per unit of time. In addition to in vitro experiments, we perform distance measurements in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Interestingly, the Tm of mOX063-d24 is sufficiently long even in the crowded environment of the cell, leading to signals of appreciable intensity. Overall, mOX063-d24 provides highly sensitive distance measurements both in vitro and in-cells.
Eliminating Dead-Time Effects with Zero-Current Clamping Control for WBG Multilevel Inverters

In this paper, an improved dead-time effect compensation is proposed for WBG multilevel inverters to eliminate dead-time voltage errors by zero-current clamping (ZCC) conditions. Conventional dead-time compensation methods based on the current direction can eliminate the dead-time voltage errors in the conventional dead-time methods. However, with the conventional dead-time compensation approaches, dead-time voltage errors remain uncompensated during the control cycles that include the ZCC point and its next control cycle. To address this issue, an additional improvement is proposed based on a prediction of the ZCC condition. is proposed to solve this issue. In this proposed method, the output current values of the next control cycles can be estimated by using the voltage references and feedback current information. Utilizing the estimated current, the proposed control scheme can predict each ZCC case and regenerate updated voltage references that can produce accurate output voltages without any dead-time voltage error. The proposed method is successfully implemented in a digital controller and verified through simulation and experiments.
Remote Ischemic Pre-Conditioning in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Prospective Randomized Pilot Trial

Background: Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is an innate mechanism of organ protection in response to transient ischemia in a distant organ. This pilot trial looks to apply RIPC in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) to gauge its effect on clinical outcomes. Methods: Patients were randomized to the high pressure occlusion group (HPO) or the low pressure occlusion group (LPO). Retrospectively matched controls were also analyzed. The HPO under went lower extremity RIPC treatments on non-consecutive days. Each treatment was 4 five-minute cycles of manual blood pressure cuff inflation with loss of a distal pulse. LPO received cuff inflation but with pulses present, all other procedures were same as HPO. Primary outcome of vasospasm was measured with neurological change and confirmed with radiological study. Findings: The final analysis was done on 33 patients with 11 in each group. Patient demographics, aneurysm location, admission intubation, GCS, mRankin score, Hunt and Hess score, Fisher Grade and aneurysm management were not significantly different between groups. Vasospasm was not different between groups. Secondary outcome of hospital length of stay (LOS) was shorter in LPO compared to the control (p=0·0400). ICU LOS was also shorter in LPO compared to the control (p= 0·0354). DCI, one and six month mRankin score, and mortality were not significantly different between the groups. Interpretation: A difference in vasospasm was not noted between groups but there was decreased hospital and ICU LOS in the LPO compared to the control group. It has been previously noted that vasospasm do not correlate well with DCI or outcomes. Although DCI was not statistically significant between groups there was increased DCI in the control group compared to LPO. This may be the reason for the LOS improvement. Future studies should focus on DCI and outcome measures to evaluate efficacy of RIPC. Clinical Trial Registration Number: Registered on Clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT02381522. Funding Statement: This study was departmentally funded. No external funding source. Declaration of Interests: All authors have no conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: Approval was obtained from our University’s Institutional Review Board (#5150015).
Training on Test Data with Bayesian Adaptation for Covariate Shift

When faced with distribution shift at test time, deep neural networks often make inaccurate predictions with unreliable uncertainty estimates. While improving the robustness of neural networks is one promising approach to mitigate this issue, an appealing alternate to robustifying networks against all possible test-time shifts is to instead directly adapt them to unlabeled inputs from the particular distribution shift we encounter at test time. However, this poses a challenging question: in the standard Bayesian model for supervised learning, unlabeled inputs are conditionally independent of model parameters when the labels are unobserved, so what can unlabeled data tell us about the model parameters at test-time? In this paper, we derive a Bayesian model that provides for a well-defined relationship between unlabeled inputs under distributional shift and model parameters, and show how approximate inference in this model can be instantiated with a simple regularized entropy minimization procedure at test-time. We evaluate our method on a variety of distribution shifts for image classification, including image corruptions, natural distribution shifts, and domain adaptation settings, and show that our method improves both accuracy and uncertainty estimation.
The calcium-sensing receptor is necessary for the rapid development of hypercalcemia in human lung squamous cell carcinoma

The calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) is responsible for the regulation of extracellular calcium (Ca 2+ o ) homeostasis. CaR activation has been shown to increase proliferation in several cancer cell lines; however, its presence or function has never been documented in lung cancer. We report that Ca 2+ o -activated CaR results in MAPK-mediated stimulation of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) production in human lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) lines and humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM) in vivo . Furthermore, a single nucleotide polymorphism in CaR identified from a hypercalcemia-inducing lung SCC reduced the receptor's activation threshold leading to increased PTHrP expression and secretion. Increasing the expression of either wild-type CaR or a CaR variant with a single nucleotide polymorphism in the cytoplasmic domain was both necessary and sufficient for lung SCC to induce HHM. Because lung cancer patients who frequently develop HHM and PTHrP expression in lung cancer has been only partially explained, the significance of our findings indicates that CaR variants may provide a positive feedback between PTHrP and calcium and result in the syndrome of HHM.
Correlation of the Capacity Factor in Vesicular Electrokinetic Chromatography with the Octanol: Water Partition Coefficient for Charged and Neutral Analytes

Purpose. The aim of this study was to develop a method based upon electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) using oppositely charged surfactant vesicles as a buffer modifier to estimate hydrophobicity (log P) for a range of neutral and charged compounds.
An exception handling mechanism for the concurrent invocation statement

Several concurrent programming languages and systems – e.g., MPI, .NET, and SR – provide mechanisms to facilitate communication between one process and a group of others. One such mechanism is SR's concurrent invocation statement (co statement). It specifies a group of operation invocations and normally terminates when all of its invocations have completed. To make the co statement more flexible, it can specify code in the invoker to execute as each invocation completes or to terminate the entire co statement before all of its invocations have completed. We have added an SR-like co statement to JR. Unlike SR, JR provides exception handling mechanisms, which are integrated with Java's exception handling mechanism. However, JR needs additional mechanisms to deal with sources of asynchrony. The co statement introduces additional such sources of asynchrony for the invocations it initiates. This paper describes the design and implementation of an exception handling mechanism for JR's co statement.
Toward A Developmental Operational Definition Of Autism

Traditional approaches to diagnosing autism emphasize delays in communication and socialization. Traditional diagnostic schemes typically list symptoms (e.g., lack of eye contact), but provide little guidance on how to incorporate information about developmental level in making a diagnosis. Because standardized measures of adaptive behavior can provide information about children's communication, socialization, and other behavior relative to their age, they may be useful tools for diagnosing autism. This study investigated the ability of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales to identify children with autism. Vineland scores and measures of intellectual functioning were obtained for children with autism, PDDNOS, and other developmental disorders (DD). Discriminant function analyses indicated that the autism and combined nonautism (PDDNOS and DD) groups could be differentiated on the basis of socialization, daily living skills, and serious maladaptive behaviors. Socialization alone accounted for 48% of the variance in diagnosis. Using regression analyses derived from a large normative sample, adaptive behavior scores were predicted from chronological age (CA) and mental age (MA). Socialization scores in the autism group were substantially below the level predicted from CA or MA. An index derived from the ratio of actual to predicted socialization scores correctly classified 86% of both autism and nonautism cases. Findings suggest that comparison of obtained Vineland socialization scores to those predicted by CA or MA may be useful in clarifying the diagnosis of autism.
Heading For Cyberspace: Planning A Strategy For Success With Online Classes

This paper focuses on the 3 P’s of a successful strategy for delivering online classes: Platform, Protocols, and Pedagogy. First the paper examines the commonly available online platforms used by schools with web-based programs. Next, the authors suggest a fundamental list of protocols to provide consistency and quality control across classes. Finally, a list of pedagogical questions is presented to suggest strategies for setting up individual classes.
Lethality of PE2 incorporation into Sindbis virus can be suppressed by second-site mutations in E3 and E2

Sindbis virions contain two glycoproteins, E1 and E2. E2 is produced initially as a precursor, PE2, from which the amino-terminal 64 amino acids are cleaved by a cellular protease at a late stage in virion maturation. A mutation at E2 position 1 (Arg to Asn) was placed into Sindbis virus AR339 by site-directed mutagenesis of a full-length AR339 cDNA clone, pTRSB, to produce pTRSB-N. The mutation created a signal for N-linked glycosylation immediately adjacent to the PE2 cleavage signal. Virions derived from pTRSB-N were glycosylated at E2 position 1, and they quantitatively incorporated PE2 in place of E2. When pTRSB-N transcripts were electroporated into BHK-21 cells, TRSB-N particles were released with nearly normal efficiency; however, the specific infectivity of TRSB-N particles was very low. Analysis of seven infectious revertants of TRSB-N revealed that reversion was linked to (i) mutations that eliminated the signal for N-linked glycosylation and thus restored the PE2 cleavage phenotype or (ii) conservation of the PE2 cleavage defect combined with incorporation of suppressor mutations in E3 or E2. The genotype of each revertant was reconstructed in the genetic background of TRSB-N, and each reverting mutation also was replaced individually into the genetic background of wild-type virus (TRSB). Each PE2-containing revertant was attenuated in newborn CD-1 mice and replicated poorly in cultured mosquito cells (C6/36). Reverting mutations in the genetic background of TRSB did not reduce virulence in mice or growth in mosquito cells, suggesting that the phenotypes of attenuation in mice and reduced growth in mosquito cells were linked to failure of PE2 cleavage and not to the reverting mutations themselves.