cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energy metabolism and renal ischemia.

In renal preservation, the longer the organ is cold stored the greater the damage to the organ. The mechanism of hypothermic-induced kidney injury is not known. In this study the effects of long-term preservation (up to 120 h) of the dog kidney on mitochondrial functions in an homogenate of kidney cortex tissue was investigated. Kidneys were exposed to either warm ischemia (0 to 90 min) cold ischemia (0, 72, 96, and J20 h). The mitochondrial oxygen uptake was measured in an homogenate. In both warm and cold ischemia there were changes in the mitochondrial utilization of oxygen. The changes were characterized as a decrease in uncoupler stimulated oxygen uptake by up to 40%, an increase in oligomycin-sensitive respiration by up to about 150%, and a decrease in the respiratory control ratio (uncoupler control ratio) from about 3 to 1. These changes in mitochondrial utilization of oxygen were partially reversed by including albumin in the respiration medium. Albumin binds free fatty acids and these may origin...
Calcium waves in astrocytes-filling in the gaps

Stimulus-evoked cellular responses are sometimes organized in the form of propagating waves of cytoplasmic Ca2+ increase. Ca2+ waves can be elicited in cultured astrocytes by the neurotransmitter glutamate; however, the propagation mechanism is unknown. Here, qualitative and quantitative features of propagation suggest that astrocytic Ca2+ waves are mediated by an intracellular signal that crosses intercellular junctions. The role of gap junctions in cell-cell Ca2+ wave propagation was specifically tested. Functional gap junctions were demonstrated using a noninvasive fluorescence recovery method and the gap junction blockers halothane and octanol. Gap junction closure prevented intracellular waves from propagating between cells without affecting the velocity of the intracellular wave itself. The pivotal role played by the gap junction creates the potential for dynamic changes in glial connectivity and long-range glial signaling.
Case Study of a Hailstorm in Colorado. Part I: Radar Echo Structure and Evolution

Abstract A detailed description is given of the morphology and evolution of a moderate hailstorm in terms primarily of quantitative S-band reflectivity factor measurements. During the early phase of the storm's life its movement was strongly influenced by the propagation of new cells on its right flank in a manner typical of “organized” multicell norms. During its later phase, when it was being intensively observed by research aircraft and Doppler radar, the new cells tended to form on the front flank of the storm in a manner similar to that analysed for the multicellular Raymer storm that has been discussed extensively in the literature. In the present case, however, emphasis is given not to the discrete nature of the cellular propagation, but rather to the quasi-steady overall structure that is comparable in certain ways to previous descriptions of supercell storms, with transient weak-echo vaults and a pronounced forward overhang in the echo structure. The present storm was smaller and less intense tha...
Controlled scanning of a continuous-wave dye laser with an intracavity photorefractive element

An intracavity photorefractive crystal is used in a cw dye laser. The frequency selection of the grating written in the crystal by the laser's standing-wave intensity pattern reduces the laser spectrum to a pair of hole-burning modes. The wavelength can be tuned by varying the laser-cavity length. Wavelength scans across an entire gain curve are possible without mode hops.
Effects of dietary arginine supplementation on growth, protein optimization and innate immune response of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque 1818)

Juvenile channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus were fed casein–gelatin-based semi-purified test diets with graded amounts of arginine (ARG, 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 4% of dry diet) for a 6-week period, to evaluate the effects of dietary ARG supplementation on performance indicators, levels of plasma ARG, ornithine, citrulline, glutamine and glutamate, as well as selected innate immune parameters. Incremental dietary ARG resulted in significant improvements in weight gain, feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratios, protein retention, protein deposition and arginine deposition. Fish fed the 4% ARG diet had significantly higher values for all performance indicators, although these values were not different from those of fish fed the 2% ARG diet with the exception of protein retention, protein deposition and arginine deposition. Conversely, fish fed the 0.5% ARG diet had significantly lower values for all analysed plasma amino acids. Similarly, both phagocyte superoxide anion production and neutrophil respiratory burst were significantly decreased in fish fed the 0.5% ARG diet. These results demonstrate that the indispensability of dietary ARG is not only related to optimized protein utilization for growth but also its supplementation to fish diets may significantly impact several aspects of the immune system, including phagocyte function and thus improve overall fish health.
Burkitt's lymphoma mimicking EBV disease as first sign of vertical HIV infection in an adolescent

Burkitt's Lymphoma (BL) rarely represents the first clinical manifestation of vertical HIV infection in adolescent in Western Europe. We report the case of a 17 year-old boy with two week history of fever and enlarged cervical lymph nodes firstly misdiagnosed as EBV infection, subsequently diagnosed as Burkitt's Lymphoma and vertical HIV infection.
Intracellularly grown gold nanoparticles as potential surface-enhanced Raman scattering probes.

Gold nanoparticles grown within the intracellu- lar confines of living cells are introduced as potential surface-enhanced Raman scattering SERS substrates for confocal Raman spectrometry. Electron microscopy and a silver-enhanced reflectance laser scanning confocal mi- croscopic approach were used to visualize the size, shape, and distribution of intracellularly grown gold nanopar- ticles IGAuN as small as 1n m. Passive uptake as the conventional approach for delivering nanoparticles inside cells faces the insurmountable challenge of escaping the endosomal/lysosomal pathway. In contrast, IGAuN pro- vides an unprecedented advantage of providing access to cytoplasm and nucleus. © 2007 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumen-
Oral Food Challenges in Children: Review and Future Perspectives

Food allergy is a lifelong condition with no known treatment or cure. Allergy tests such as skin tests and blood tests are not always accurate when positive and are not necessarily diagnostic of a food allergy. A food allergy takes into consideration both the history of exposure and the testing. The food challenge is considered the diagnostic gold standard for food allergy. However, recent evidence suggests that not enough challenges are being performed. Several techniques exist with which clinicians can challenge patients. Providers who perform challenges should be familiar with assessing signs and symptoms of a potential reaction and must be prepared to treat anaphylaxis. The magnitude of the serum and skin tests may be of assistance in stratifying a patient’s risk of passing a challenge, and newer diagnostic tests may help better stratify such risk of based on particular epitope recognition.
Habitat Selection and Movement Patterns of California Golden Trout in Degraded and Recovering Stream Sections in the Golden Trout Wilderness, California

Abstract I used radio transmitters to determine habitat selection and movement patterns of California golden trout Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita in two areas defined by their different levels of habitat recovery in the Golden Trout Wilderness, California. Study areas were differentiated by the amount of streamside vegetation (low or high coverage of beaked sedge Carex rostrata). Lower amounts of streamside vegetation were typically associated with other signs of degradation caused by cattle, including widened streams, collapsed banks, and reduced bank undercutting. Twenty-nine California golden trout were monitored from 6 July to 14 July 1994 over 192 diel-tracking hours at six study sections in low- and high-sedge areas in Mulkey Meadow. In both low- and high-sedge areas, California golden trout were observed using nine habitat features (undercut bank, willows, collapsed bank, open channel, aquatic vegetation, sedge, boulder, grass, and detrital mats), but they more often selected undercut banks, aquati...
A fault tolerant parallel-prefix adder for VLSI and FPGA design

A fault tolerant parallel-prefix adder can be implemented using a Kogge-Stone configuration due to the inherent redundancy in the carry-tree. While this design can be used to correct a fault in the carry-tree, no provision was made for fault detectability. This paper proposes utilizing a sparse Kogge-Stone adder that is capable of both fault detectability and fault correction. The sparse carry tree is complemented by several smaller ripple carry adders. Two additional ripple carry adders allow fault tolerance to be achieved. A triple-mode redundant ripple carry adder (TMR-RCA) is used as a point of reference. Synthesis and simulation for an FPGA platform are carried out. It is found that the TMR-RCA is still the best approach for an FPGA fault-tolerant implementation due to the simplicity of the approach and the use of the fast-carry chain. However, the superior performance of the carry-tree over a ripple carry adder in a VLSI implementation makes this proposed approach attractive for ASIC designs.
The effect of silence on tinnitus perception

OBJECTIVE: The effect of sustained silence was studied on the emergence of tinnitus perception in 120 normal hearing young adult Caucasians and African Americans. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: After sitting in a sound booth for a period of 20 minutes, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire documenting whether they perceived sounds in the silent setting and descriptions of the sounds they heard. RESULTS: Tinnitus-like sounds were perceived in 64% of listeners overall. No significant differences in tinnitus perception were observed between males and females. However, there was a significant difference in tinnitus perception between Caucasian and African American subjects, with tinnitus sounds emerging in sustained silence less frequently in African American listeners. Tinnitus emerged quickly in a majority of subjects (less than 4 minutes) and African American subjects who perceived tinnitus heard a greater number of individual tinnitus-like sounds than did Caucasian subjects. Ring (57%), buzz (21 %), pulse (22%), heartbeat (21 %), and hum (14%) were the most common sounds heard, with ring being the most common overall tinnitus per-ception. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Few investigators have documented at the emergence of tinnitus in normal hearing subjects. Results of the current study found significant differences in tinnitus perception between Caucasian and African American subjects, but found no significant differences when comparing males and female subjects. EBM rating: C. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2005;132:20-4.)
Are there differences in immune function between continental and insular birds

Generally, immune system architecture varies with different environments, which presumably reflect different pathogen pressures. Specifically, populations from relatively disease-free, oceanic islands are expected to exhibit reorganized immune systems, which might be characterized by attenuated responses, given the costs of immune function. Some insular animals exhibit an ‘island syndrome,’ including increased susceptibility to disease, and some insular populations have declined when they failed to resist infection by introduced pathogens. I measured eight indices of immune function (haemolysis, haemagglutination, concentration of haptoglobin and concentration of five leukocyte types) in 15 phylogenetically matched pairs of bird populations from North America and from the islands of Hawaii, Bermuda and the Galapagos. Immune responses were not attenuated in insular birds, and several indices, including the concentration of plasma haptoglobin, were elevated. Thus, I find no support for the specific hypothesis that depauperate parasite communities and the costs of immune defences select for reduced immune function. Instead, I suggest that life on islands leads to an apparent reorganization of immune function, which is defined by increases in defences that are innate and inducible. These increases might signal that systems of acquired humoral immunity and immunological memory are less important or dysfunctional in island populations.
Erosion of endogenous testosterone-driven negative feedback on pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion in healthy aging men.

The present study tests the intuition that successful aging in menismarkedby:1)impairedfeedforwardbyendogenousLH concentrations (con) of testosterone (Te) secretion (sec); and/or 2) attenuated feedback by unmanipulated Te con of LH sec. The goal was to assess both implicit linkages analytically without disrupting normal pathway coupling. This strategy required: 1) assay of paired LH and Te con sampled every 10 min for 24 h in 13 older (O) (ages 60–78 yr) and 13 young (Y) (ages 18–30 yr) men; 2) deconvolution-based estimation of LH and Te sec rates; 3) lag-specific cross-correlation analyses of the relationships between LH and Te con and sec; and 4) statistical contrasts by age stratum. Salient outcomes were: 1) O and Y men maintain comparable LH con drive of Te sec, viz maximal r 0.51 and r 0.52, respectively, at an optimal time lag of 50 min (both P < 0.001 against random LH and Te associations); 2) elderly subjects exhibit reduced Te con inhibition of LH sec [minimal r 0.008 (O) vs. r 0.10 (Y), P < 0.01 at a time lag of 40 min]; 3) mean (24-h) LH con do not differ by age; and 4) molar Te/sex hormone-binding globulin con are lower in the elderly than in Y individuals (P < 0.01). In conclusion, noninvasive analyses predict that attenuationofendogenousTefeedbackrestraintonthehypothalamopituitary unit may be an early biological marker of adaptive changes in the GnRH-LH-Te ensemble axis in the healthy O male. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 89: 5753–5761, 2004)
Heart-Rate Response to a Conditioning Program for Young, Alcoholic Men

The purpose of this study was to determine 1) if our young alcoholic men, like subjects in other studies, had high resting heart rates, high heart-rate responses to exercise, and prolonged cardiac recovery time after exercise and 2) if a jogging program conducted five days a week for four weeks could improve these physiological factors. Heart rates were compared between the group of joggers and a similar group of alcoholics who did not jog. Unlike the subjects of other studies, the young, alcoholic men in our study did not have high resting heart rates. Significant decreases in resting heart rate and heart-rate response to one-minute and three-minute step tests were found in the jogging group.
Systems engineering approach to integrated diagnostics requirements

Establishing comprehensive requirements for integrated diagnostics both onboard and off-board the aircraft is vital to providing a supportable weapon system. Each user group takes advantage of integrated diagnostics to fulfill their roles and responsibilities. Aircrew utilize Built-In-Test (BIT) to monitor the health of the aircraft for mission accomplishment; maintainers interpret diagnostic indications to service and repair the aircraft; and engineers examine the diagnostics information to conduct root cause analysis and perform engineering investigations of various failure modes. Standardizing health and usage data across aircraft platforms allows common tools to process the data for each group's needs eliminating stovepipe systems for each aircraft type.
Microscale Measurement of Stresses in a Silicon Flexure Using Raman Spectroscopy

We report the use of Raman spectroscopy to characterize the bending stresses in a deep reactive-ion etched, single-crystal, silicon flexure of length 2950 μm, width 480 μm, thickness 150 μm, and fillet radius 65 μm, subjected to a tip displacement of 69.5 μm. The spectral resolution of the measurement was 0.02 cm-1, which corresponds to a stress resolution of ∼10 MPa, and the spatial resolution was ∼1 μm. Line scans were performed across the thickness, at several locations along the length, of the flexure. The changes in the Raman shift were converted to stress values, assuming a uniaxial stress state, without the use of any fitting parameters. A comparison of the measured values with the predictions of analytical and numerical models indicates agreement to within 25–35 MPa (or ∼15%) at locations sufficiently distant from the root. At the root itself, the complex nature of the stress distribution precludes unambiguous stress determination using spectroscopic measurements.
The influence of race, causal attribution, & in-group favoritism on recommendations for rehabilitation services

Vocational rehabilitation (VR) is a program that provides individualized and supportive services to assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining and maintaining employment compatible with their skills, abilities, and interests. Previous research has suggested that people with disabilities are at risk of experiencing discrimination in multiple stages of the rehabilitation process. The primary purpose of this study was to explore if recommendations for hypothetical rehabilitation services by rehabilitation counseling (RC) student participants were influenced by (a) the hypothetical consumer’s race, (b) causal attribution of disability, (c) RC student’s race, and (d) the interaction of the counselor’s race and consumer’s race. A 2 × 2 × 3 factorial design was utilized and the findings revealed that a hypothetical consumer who was perceived as personally responsible for the cause of his or her disability was more likely to receive fewer recommendations for rehabilitation services than a consumer with an ...
Epigenetic Modulation of Gene Expression from Quiescent Herpes Simplex Virus Genomes

The ability of herpes simplex virus to persist in cells depends on the extent of viral-gene expression, which may be controlled by epigenetic mechanisms. We used quiescent infection with the viral mutants d109 and d106 to explore the effects of cell type and the presence of the viral protein ICP0 on the expression and chromatin structure of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) tk and gC promoters on the viral genome. Expression from the HCMV promoter on the d109 genome decreased with time and was considerably less in HEL cells than in Vero cells. Expression from the HCMV promoter in d106 was considerably more abundant than in d109, and this increased with time in both cell types. The same pattern of expression was seen on the tk and gC genes on the viral genomes, although the levels of tk and gC RNA were approximately 10 2 - and 10 5 -fold lower than those of wild-type virus in d106 and d109, respectively. In micrococcal-nuclease digestion experiments, nucleosomes were evident on the d109 genome, and the amount of total H3 as determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation was considerably greater on d109 than d106 genomes. The acetylation of histone H3 on the d106 genomes was evident at early and late times postinfection in Vero cells, but only at late times in HEL cells. The same pattern was observed for H3 acetylated on lysine 9. Trimethylation of H3K9 on d109 genomes was evident only at late times postinfection in Vero cells, while it was observed both early and late in HEL cells. Heterochromatin protein 1γ (HP1γ) was generally present only on d109 genomes at late times postinfection of HEL cells. The observations of chromatin structure correlate with the expression patterns of the three analyzed genes on the quiescent genomes. Therefore, several mechanisms generally affect the expression and contribute to the silencing of persisting genomes. These are the abundance of nucleosomes, the acetylation state of the histones, and heterochromatin. The extents to which these different mechanisms contribute to repression vary in different cell types and are counteracted by the presence of ICP0.
Case Series: Pneumorrhachis Secondary to Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum.

Abstract Background Pneumorrhachis (PR) describes the clinical finding of air within the spinal canal and rarely has been associated with spontaneous pneumomediastinum. There is little medical literature addressing the evaluation and management of these patients in the emergency department. Case Report We present a series of patients with PR secondary to a spontaneous pneumomediastinum and briefly review the available literature on the topic to discuss reasonable management strategies for patients presenting with this rare finding. In both cases, the patients had excellent outcomes with expectant management despite the worrisome finding of air in the spinal canal. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Emergency physicians must be able to promptly recognize and appropriately assess even uncommon pathology. As with other rare conditions, there are no published guidelines for the ED management of PR, necessitating the use of case presentations to educate providers as to the complications and plan of care of this diagnosis.
Sex Trafficking Court Holds Hope for the Oft-Blamed

This opinion piece which appeared in the National Law Journal explores the State of New York’s Human Trafficking Initiative. This Initiative creates nine Human Trafficking Courts which seek to identify arrestees who may, in fact, be victims of human trafficking and provide them with necessary services. The column discusses the benefits of this approach to sex trafficking and encourages other jurisdictions to pursue similar models. Of particular note is the multi-disciplinary approach to this complex issue as well as the initiative’s recognition that each case must be reviewed on its own merits. The piece concludes with a word of caution regarding the need to work out important details of the scope of the program.
Structure of the product formed via Cu(I)-promoted oxidative dimerization ofexo-8-ethynylpentacyclo[5.4.0.02,6.03,10.05.9]undecan-endo-8-ol

The structure consists of two acetyl-substituted PCU cages linked by a diyne fragment. The conformation about the linker is midway between staggered and eclipsed, and the acetyl groups are somewhat distorted due to the proximity to the bulky cage units.
Chapter 14 – Aquatic Environmental Management

Fishery scientists have become increasingly involved with the management of the fish's habitat as humans intrude and alter the natural environment. The chapter summarizes the aquatic environmental issues and the current activities of fishery scientists as they try to ensure a productive environment for fish and a quality aquatic environment for people. The two major aspects of water use policy—which are important to fisheries—are the allocation systems, which determine whether water will be available, and the control of quality, which determines whether the fish can live. State ownership is key to planning the initial allocation of water or its reallocation through purchase, if different uses are in the public interest. The administration of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that presently unquantified environmental amenities and values may be given appropriate consideration in decision making along with economic and technical considerations. Preventing the abuse of natural waters is only half of the challenge to fishery scientists. The other half is to repair the damage done in the past, to advocate the cause of fisheries during our continuing environmental modifications, and to improve the natural habitats for the fish or the fishing.
Plant Diversity in Sino-Sigapore Tianjin Eco-city

Based on the vegetation investigation on the plant community of Sino-Sigapore Tianjin Eco-city during 2008,the species composition and community distribution in this area were analyzed.The results showed that there were 4 vegetation types and 15 plant communities,38 families,101 genera,and 135 plant species.The distribution of plant communities were mainly restricted by soil salinity and the effect of human.This area was rich in halophyte resources and there were 26 species salt-tolerant plants which could be used in ecological restoration.To strengthen the eco-management for the Eco-city,the suggestion were advanced as follows:(1)conserving the existing salt-tolerant vegetation,(2)using the native salt-tolerant plant for urban greening and ecological restoration and(3)establishing the plant ecological research station.
Martin Abeloff and the quality-of-life movement.

Integrative oncology, the synthesis of gold-standard care and evidence-based complementary modalities, deals not only with the patient’s tumor, but also with her physical and emotional needs and with the relevant cultural, scientific, and policy issues. This synthesis was one of Marty Abeloff’s main professional goals.
New vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type b.

Although there has been controversy about the protective efficacy of the Haemophilus b polysaccharide vaccine, this controversy may become moot because of the licensure of conjugate vaccines. These protein-polysaccharide conjugates (PRP-D, HbOC, PRP-OMP, and PRP-T) are much more immunogenic than the plain polysaccharide vaccine. The first three of these are now licensed for use in children, beginning at 15 to 18 months of age. Clinical trials are under way to test their protective efficacy in young infants. The prevention of serious infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b is a goal that is becoming within reach.
Countering the gain behavior of Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers: A cross layer approach

Various methods have been proposed in the literature for improving the quality and throughput performance of optical networks, decreasing the bit error rate as well as avoiding saturation of physical layer components. With the increasing demand for high speed Internet and explosive growth in real time applications over the Internet, it is essential to determine the feasibility of establishing light paths with appropriate quality of service (QoS) using optical switching and networking. Properties of optical fibers, optical switching elements and amplifiers play an important role in supporting end-to-end QoS requirements by ensuring that they operate over the desired operating range. In this paper, simulations are designed that observe the behavior of different wavelengths in optical networks under a variety of situations and determine the quality of signals over different wavelengths. The signal quality depends upon the length of optical fiber and the number of Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFA). The simulation study described here is conducted using the simulation tool Optsim. This study determines that once an EDFA gets saturated, its gain decreases with increasing input level. This behavior of EDFAs can significantly affect signal quality and survivability of a wavelength over the optical long haul network. This simulation study provides a bit error rate (BER) analysis of EDFA when multiple wavelengths arrive at the input of an EDFA. A cross layer optimization approach is proposed that is shown to be effective in mitigating the transient gain behavior of EDFA.
Space/Time Overhead Analysis and Experiments with Techniques for Fault Tolerance

This paper presents the results of practical experiments, implemented on a multiprocessor platform, with several techniques for fault tolerance. We analyze and contrast the time and space overheads incurred by each technique. Three iterative algorithms were used in the experiments: solution of Laplace equations, the calculation of the invariant distribution of Markov chains, and the solution of systems of linear equations. Fault-tolerant versions of these algorithms were implemented with two general techniques for fault tolerance (triplication with voting, and checkpointing and rollback) and three application-specific techniques for fault tolerance (self stabilization, algorithm-based fault tolerance, and natural redundancy). The experimental results show that the approach based on natural redundancy, for applications possessing that property, presents the most attractive cost/benefit ratio when only single faults are likely to occur. The execution of the three algorithms implemented with this technique required less than a 15% time redundancy for significantly sized problems in fault-free situations, only one extra iteration to recover from a fault, and no extra processors. These capabilities are ideal for critical applications that must deliver reliable and timely service. Surprisingly, time overheads for some other methods were much higher than expected.
Business Process and IT Cospecialization: Conceptualization and Suggestions for Future Research

Existing IT alignment literature argues that the potential of IT to create value for firms depends on the use of IT resources to support value chain processes. It also argues that improving IT support for operational value chain processes leads to higher IT alignment at the process-level. However, it does not explain the role of IT in enabling managerial business processes that are central for firms competing in dynamic business environments. This paper extends prior treatments of the link between IT and business processes to explicitly account for potential complementarities between IT and managerial processes. Specifically, drawing on resource-based theory and prior IT alignment literature, we develop the business process IT cospecialization construct to capture complementarities that accrue from exploiting IT resources to enable both operational and managerial processes. Propositions are developed that reveal how business process IT cospecialization creates value for firms under varying conditions of environmental dynamism.
Ex Vivo and In Vivo Noninvasive Imaging of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibition on Colon Tumorigenesis Using Activatable Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probes.

Background:Near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging combined with enzyme-activatable NIRF probes has yielded promising results in cancer detection.Objective:To test whether 3-dimensional (3-D) non...
Mind-blowing modular origami: the art of polyhedral paper folding, by Byriah Loper

Mind-Blowing Modular Origami is not an exaggerated title for a book that presents truly spectacular origami designs far beyond most people's ability to create or replicate. The young author, Byriah...
Scale-out acceleration for machine learning

The growing scale and complexity of Machine Learning (ML) algorithms has resulted in prevalent use of distributed general-purpose systems. In a rather disjoint effort, the community is focusing mostly on high performance single-node accelerators for learning. This work bridges these two paradigms and offers CoSMIC, a full computing stack constituting language, compiler, system software, template architecture, and circuit generators, that enable programmable acceleration of learning at scale. CoSMIC enables programmers to exploit scale-out acceleration using FPGAs and Programmable ASICs (P-ASICs) from a high-level and mathematical Domain-Specific Language (DSL). Nonetheless, CoSMIC does not require programmers to delve into the onerous task of system software development or hardware design. CoSMIC achieves three conflicting objectives of efficiency, automation, and programmability, by integrating a novel multi-threaded template accelerator architecture and a cohesive stack that generates the hardware and software code from its high-level DSL. CoSMIC can accelerate a wide range of learning algorithms that are most commonly trained using parallel variants of gradient descent. The key is to distribute partial gradient calculations of the learning algorithms across the accelerator-augmented nodes of the scale-out system. Additionally, CoSMIC leverages the parallelizability of the algorithms to offer multi-threaded acceleration within each node. Multi-threading allows CoSMIC to efficiently exploit the numerous resources that are becoming available on modern FPGAs/P-ASICs by striking a balance between multi-threaded parallelism and single-threaded performance. CoSMIC takes advantage of algorithmic properties of ML to offer a specialized system software that optimizes task allocation, role-assignment, thread management, and internode communication. We evaluate the versatility and efficiency of CoSMIC for 10 different machine learning applications from various domains. On average, a 16-node CoSMIC with UltraScale+ FPGAs offers 18.8× speedup over a 16-node Spark system with Xeon processors while the programmer only writes 22--55 lines of code. CoSMIC offers higher scalability compared to the state-of-the-art Spark; scaling from 4 to 16 nodes with CoSMIC yields 2.7× improvements whereas Spark offers 1.8×. These results confirm that the full-stack approach of CoSMIC takes an effective and vital step towards enabling scale-out acceleration for machine learning.
Novel Chemotherapy Tools: Intraperitoneal Therapy, Dose-Dense Therapy

For most women, adjuvant chemotherapy will be recommended in order to provide curative intent treatment. While the agents used in this setting typically consist of carboplatin and paclitaxel, the contemporary approach to therapy should take in to account surgical outcomes. For women who undergo a complete cytoreduction (R0) or an optimal cytoreduction (to <1 cm of residual disease), intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy should be utilized as part of their first-line treatment. IP treatment has also been evaluated in other settings, including the treatment of recurrent disease, although indications for IP treatment beyond the first-line setting remain investigational. For those who are not otherwise candidates for IP treatment, alternative scheduling with the use of weekly chemotherapy (dose-dense treatment) an alternative to standard dosed (every 3 weeks) treatment. This chapter reviews these two options in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
The Apportionment Problem in Copyright Law

The Copyright Act provides for disgorgement of an infringer's profits attributable to infringement to the extent such profits are not taken into account in an award of damages to the plaintiff. Courts have long struggled with how to apportion profits so that only those attributable to infringement are disgorged. This article uses litigation between Oracle Inc. and Google Inc. to argue that parties should be given the opportunity to prove the existence or absence of a non-infringing alternative as a means of measuring profits subject to disgorgement. Contrary to the rulings of some courts, the use of NIAs is proper and indeed, depending on the facts, superior to alternative measures of disgorgement.
Experimental study on centerline velocities of a rectangular capture hood under realistic conditions

Capture hoods are an important component of a local ventilation system designed to reduce exposures to airborne contaminants. The velocity at any point along the centerline of the hood (Vx) is curr...
A simple empirical algorithm to distinguish among Leishmania braziliensis, major, and tropica species by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

This work developed a simple empirical algorithm to distinguish three Leishmania species using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. It suggests that complicated computer algorithms may not always be necessary for clinically useful microbiology applications.
Effects of Hierarchical Mentoring on Freshman Retention in a Biology First-Year Experience Course

Higher education must improve student retention and graduation rates to meet increased demand for STEM degrees in the workforce projected for the next ten years. The high rate of attrition among STEM students entering college compels institutions to implement strategies that improve student retention because more states now employ performance-based funding models with increased pressures to improve student outcomes, such as first- and second-year retention rates. We piloted a two-year hierarchical mentoring model as part of a first-year experience course developed for biology students (BioSkills) to increase retention rates among first-time-in-college (FTIC) students. We describe the mentoring structure we adopted and how the design of BioSkills supports and educates future biology professionals. Our findings show that FTIC students who participated in this program earned significantly higher first-year GPAs and were retained at higher rates than students who did not participate, which documents the impact of BioSkills as a successful first-year intervention. However, we were surprised that the benefit of BioSkills was not replicated among under-represented minority (URM) students. We briefly speculate on explanations for this finding. Lastly, we offer best practice suggestions for future implementation.
Workers by any other name: comparing co-ethnics and ‘interns’ as labour migrants to Japan

In the field of comparative immigration politics, Japan has been described as a ‘negative case’: despite structural shortages in the domestic labour supply, scholars have commonly pointed to the na...
Breast Disorders: Age-Based Management

Primary care physicians and providers provide screening for breast disease as well as investigation and treatment for most breast disorders. Many breast complaints do not require referral to a breast care specialist. It is important to understand and be able to clinically apply results of imaging tests, lab results, and pathology findings. All complaints must be followed until there is a definite conclusion of findings. There must be concordance of results. Nothing is more important than the patient history and clinical exam.
H. pylori and Barrett’s Esophagus: Implications for Populations and Practice

In this edition of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Wang and colleagues report the results of an analysis of six different case-control studies examining the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and Barrett's esophagus. They present a cogent argument that there is an inverse association between these two that is mediated via GERD. This is broadly consistent with previous reports. While further establishing this inverse association, the findings should not materially influence our routine clinical practice regarding GERD or H. pylori infection.
Phase II study of carboplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab in advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death throughout the world. Despite new chemotherapeutic, immunomodulating and molecularly targeted agents, patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease still have a poor prognosis. This trial looked to combine antiangiogenic therapy with a first-line cytotoxic chemotherapy doublet, hoping to extend median progression-free survival (PFS) while minimizing toxicity in patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this single institution, single-arm study, 51 patients (age >18 yo) were followed from 2007 to 2012. Patients with stage IV nonsquamous NSCLC and patients with recurrent unresectable disease (nonradiation candidates) were eligible. Treatment consisted of carboplatin AUC 5 IV 30-60 minutes, pemetrexed 500/mg2 IV 10 minutes, bevacizumab 15 mg/kg IV (90 minutes 1st dose, 60 minutes 2nd dose, 30 minutes subsequent doses). Treatment was administered every 21 days and planned for 6 cycles, in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicities. Growth factor support was not permitted prophylactically but allowed for toxicities, as were dose reductions. Maintenance treatment for those with stable disease or better consisted of Bevacizumab 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks for up to 1 year. Between November 2007 and March 2012, 51 patients were followed in the phase II trial of carboplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab. Patients were enrolled over a 24-month period. After the end of treatment visits, subjects were followed at least every 3 months for survival data. The median follow-up period was 49 weeks (6 weeks to 178), and the median number of treatment cycles was 6 (range, 1-6). Among the 50 patients assessable for response, median overall survival was 49 weeks (95% CI, 0-62.7) with median PFS of 28 weeks (95% CI, 0-132.4). A complete or partial response was seen in 28 (59.5%) patients. Grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 9 (17.6%) of 51 patients; the most common were thrombocytopenia (4 [7.8%]) and neutropenia (3 [5.9%]). Three (5.8%) of 51 patients were discontinued because of treatment-related adverse events (grade 3 diarrhea, thrombocytopenia, dehydration, fatigue, and grade 4 respiratory distress), and 1 patient (1.9%) was found to be ineligible due to anticoagulation use. A novel 3-drug combination for advanced nonsquamous NSCLC shows promising efficacy with modest toxicity.
One gene to rule them all…and in the darkness bind them

Pharmaceutical inhibition of the Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2) oncogene has dramatically improved outcomes in HER2-amplified breast cancers. However, monotherapy HER2 inhibitors are not effective. We have recently reported that a co-amplified microRNA within the HER2 amplicon, leads to activation of the oncogene Myeloid Cell Leukemia-1 (MCL-1), tempering cell death responses to HER2 inhibitors. Importantly, HER2 inhibitors are sensitized to cell death by the addition of pharmacological MCL-1 inhibitors, which are entering clinical trials.
Catecholamine Metabolism: Biosynthesis, Storage, Release, and Inactivation

Basic to an understanding of the pathophysiology of pheochromocytoma is a knowledge of the biosynthesis and inactivation of the catecholamines. The term “catecholamine” refers to any compound composed of a catechol nucleus (a benzene ring with two adjacent hydroxyl groups) and an aminecontaining side chain; these substances are of low molecular weight. The catecholamines known to occur in man are dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. They are importantly involved in neural and endocrine function.
The Effect of Joint Control Training on the Acquisition and Durability of a Sequencing Task.

Gutierrez (2006) experimentally demonstrated the effects of joint control and particularly the role of response mediation in the sequencing behavior of adults using an unfamiliar language. The purpose of the current study was to replicate and extend the procedures used by Gutierrez by comparing the effects of joint control training with the effects of a prompt-and-fade procedure on the acquisition of a sequencing task. The effects of each procedure on delayed sequencing behavior were also tested. Ten undergraduate students participated in 2 experiments. The results indicated that all participants acquired the sequencing response in fewer trials and maintained accurate delayed responding when the component responses necessary for joint control were directly taught. Finally, when the self-echoic mediation component was blocked, accurate responding deteriorated in 8 of 10 participants.
Symbols: Aspects of the Theory of Self-Regulation

Symbolic imagery seems to be at the heart of self-regulation. This paper explores one aspect of the psychoanalytic theory of self-regulation, the place of symbol formation in the psychoanalytic cosmos (i.e., the Mind).
Confirmation of diving and swimming behavior in the Sora (Porzana carolina)

ABSTRACT We first observed Sora (Porzana carolina) swimming and diving under water while capturing them with hand nets at night. Since that time, we have observed the behavior several times and documented it with photos and video. Rails are among the most elusive birds. Despite living in wetlands, water depth has often been discussed as a factor limiting habitat use by rails, with the assumption that when water levels are too deep, rails walk on top of floating or emergent vegetation. Here we present new photo and video evidence that confirms previous observations that Sora are adept at swimming and diving in deep water wetland environments, which should alter how we think about their ability to avoid predators and use deeper water habitats.
Magnetic Resonance Angiography in the Evaluation of Peripheral Arterial Disease

Abstract Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) prevalence increases with the aging population and is a marker of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis involves utilization of noninvasive tests such as the ankle brachial index, duplex ultrasound, and advanced modalities such as computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). MRA offers distinct advantages compared with CTA in patients with PAD undergoing evaluation for revascularization.
The contributions of socioeconomic and opioid supply factors to U.S. drug mortality rates: Urban-rural and within-rural differences

Abstract Over the past two decades deaths from opioids and other drugs have grown to be a major U.S. population health problem, but the magnitude of the crisis varies across the U.S., and explanations for widespread geographic variation in the severity of the drug crisis are limited. An emerging debate is whether geographic differences in drug mortality rates are driven mostly by opioid supply factors or socioeconomic distress. To explore this topic, I examined relationships between county-level non-Hispanic white drug mortality rates for 2000-02 and 2014-16 and several socioeconomic and opioid supply measures across the urban-rural continuum and within different rural labor markets. Net of county demographic composition, average non-Hispanic white drug mortality rates are highest and increased the most in large metro counties. In 2014–16, the most rural counties had an average of 6.2 fewer deaths per 100,000 population than large metro counties. Economic distress, family distress, persistent population loss, and opioid supply factors (exposure to prescription opioids and fentanyl) are all associated with significantly higher drug mortality rates. However, the magnitude of associations varies across the urban-rural continuum and across different types of rural labor markets. In rural counties, economic distress appears to be a stronger predictor than opioid supply measures of drug mortality rates, but in urban counties, opioid supply factors are more strongly associated with drug mortality rates than is economic distress. Ultimately, the highest drug mortality rates are disproportionately concentrated in economically-distressed mining and service sector dependent counties with high exposure to prescription opioids and fentanyl.