bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using situational analysis to reimagine infrastructure
Authors: Rouge Mary Le , Ratliff Clancy , Sackey Donnie Johnson
Published: December 2022

In this article, we ask what it means to think of infrastructure discursively through situational analysis. First, we consider how policymakers have historically used writing and rhetoric to redefine, reframe, and resituate what infrastructure can be in technical documents. Second, we address the impact of policymakers' discursive practices on the spaces and material realities of communities. We view the infrastructural function of writing "as a conceptual foundation for revealing structures and foundations of organizations that affect people" (Read, 2019, p. 237). We use three texts as the space of our discourse mapping: President Franklin Roosevelt's "Fireside Chat on the Recovery Program," the Green New Deal, and President Joseph Biden's recently proposed American Jobs Plan. Through these three cases, we argue that infrastructure has always been defined in relation to environment. Any definition of infrastructure is rooted in environment or seeks to change environment. These shifts in definition have been used strategically to bring more visibility to marginalized communities and make their concerns central to the concerns of the United States' socio-economic agenda. We close with implications for both communities and policymakers.
A Technical Symposium for All
Authors: Smith Julie M. , Wallace Charles , Elglaly Yasmine , Huff Earl W.
Published: December 2022

Earl Huff and Yasmine Elglaly are spearheading an effort to make the SIGCSE Technical Symposium a more inclusive and accessible experience for all attendees. They describe the goals and plans of the recently formed Universal Design Committee.
Alire 2022 Update
Authors: Mosteo Alejandro R. , Chouteau Fabien
Published: December 2022

The Alire Package Manager released its first stable version in 2021 and, since then, it has seen continued improvement and new features. Herein we present the latest major features that have been added for the benefit of Ada developers, which include toolchain installation, a publishing assistant, generation of configuration code, and a so-called pin system for concurrent development of multiple projects. We also take a look at the status of its ecosystem of available libraries.
Implementing a Build Manager in Ada
Authors: Carrez Stéphane
Published: December 2022

A build manager is a tool used to automate the building, testing and delivery of software projets. Porion is a new build manager that was first presented at the FOSDEM 2022 event in the "Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment Developer Room" [1] and in the "Ada Developer Room" [2]. This paper is a summary of these two presentations and it focuses on the complexity of designing a build manager. It highlights some security issues that apply to a build manager and its implementation. It explains the overall architecture that was chosen and the reason of the choice. Finally it presents the Ada generation tools that have been used in this project.
Defining a Pattern Matching Language Feature for Ada
Authors: Taft S. Tucker , Baird Stephen , Dross Claire
Published: December 2022

Structural pattern-matching as a language feature has become more common in programming languages over the past decade. This talk will report on the work in progress to define such a feature for the Ada language, both from a language-design point of view, and from an implementation point of view.
Artificial Neural Networks for Real-Time Data Quality Assurance
Authors: Sousa Inês Sousa , Casimiro António , Cecílio José
Published: December 2022

Wireless Sensor Networks used in aquatic environments for continuous monitoring are typically subject to physical or environmental factors that create anomalies in collected data. A possible approach to identify and correct these anomalies, hence to improve the quality of data, is to use artificial neural networks, as done by the previously proposed ANNODE (Artificial Neural Network-based Outlier Detection) framework [1].

In this paper we propose ANNODE+, which extends the ANNODE framework by detecting missing data in addition to outliers. We also describe the design and implementation of ANNODE+, implemented in Python to exploit readily available machine learning (ML) tools and libraries, also allowing online processing of incoming measurements. To evaluate the ANNODE+ capabilities, we used a dataset from a sensor deployment in Seixal's bay, Portugal. This dataset includes measurements of water level, temperature and salinity. We observed that our implementation of ANNODE+ performed as intended, being able to detect injected anomalies and successfully correcting them.
Deep Learning for Reliable Communication Optimization on Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Loureiro J. , Cecílio J.
Published: December 2022

Recent breakthroughs in the autonomous vehicle industry have brought this technology closer to consumers. However, the cost of self-driving solutions still constitutes an entry barrier to many potential users due to its reliance on powerful onboard computers. As an alternative, autonomous driving algorithm processing may be offloaded to remote machines, which requires a reliable connection to the cloud servers. However, despite significant 5G coverage in many countries, mobile network reliability and latency are still inadequate for this purpose. This work explores deep learning concepts to forecast signal quality as a vehicle moves, predicting when periods of degraded network quality will occur. We develop a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM)-based neural network, trained on multivariate time series containing historical data on several mobile network parameters, and evaluate the results of multi-step Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) prediction. Results show that our model achieves a rapidly increasing Root-Mean-Square Error (RMSE), reaching over 8 dBm after 25-time steps. This error does not allow for the accurate prediction of future signal quality.
Fine-Grained Runtime Monitoring of Real-Time Embedded Systems
Authors: Boukili Zineb , Tran Hai Nam , Plantec Alain
Published: December 2022

Dynamically ensuring the correctness of the functional behavior of a real-time embedded system is tedious, especially in the autonomous domain. Even though the current real-time task model provides sufficient information to perform basic schedulability tests, it is inadequate to be used in runtime monitoring to assert and guarantee the correctness of a system under hardware/software malfunctions or malicious cyber attacks. In this article, we present a runtime monitoring approach based on a fine-grained model of real-time tasks.
Open Problems Column
Authors: Gasarch William
Published: December 2022

Juris Hartmanis, one of the founders of modern complexity theory, passed away on July 29, 2022 at the age of 94. This column is a tribute to him. It is Open Problems by or Inspired by Juris Hartmanis
REMEMBERING JURIS
Authors: Simon Janos
Published: December 2022

Juris was a great scientist, teacher, advisor, builder of institutions, and an overall wonderful human being-a mensch.

I had the privilege of being his advisee, and having a benefit of his friendship, his mentoring, and his support throughout my academic life. He had a profound influence on my taste in research, on my career, and on my life.
Hypocapnia attenuates local skin thermal perception to innocuous warm and cool stimuli in normothermic resting humans
Authors: Fujimoto Tomomi , Dobashi Kohei , Fujii Naoto , Matsutake Ryoko , Nishiyasu Takeshi
Published: December 2022

When one is exposed to a stressful situation in their daily life, a common response is hyperventilation. Although the physiological significance of stress-induced hyperventilation remains uncertain, this response may blunt perception of the stress-inducing stimulus. This study examined the effects of voluntary hyperventilation and resultant hypocapnia on the local skin thermal detection threshold in normothermic resting humans. Local skin thermal detection thresholds were measured in 15 young adults (three females) under three breathing conditions: 1) spontaneous breathing (Control trial), 2) voluntary hypocapnic hyperventilation (HH trial), and 3) voluntary normocapnic hyperventilation (NH trial). Local skin thermal detection thresholds were measured using thermostimulators containing a Peltier element that were attached to the forearm and forehead. The temperature of the probe was initially equilibrated to the skin temperature, then gradually increased or decreased at a constant rate (±0.1 °C/s) until the participants felt warmth or coolness. The difference between the initial skin temperature and the local skin temperature at which the participant noticed warmth/coolness was assessed as an index of the local skin warm/cool detection threshold. Local detection of warm and cool stimuli did not differ between the Control and NH trials, but it was blunted in the HH trial as compared with the Control and NH trials, except for detection of warm stimuli on the forearm. These findings suggest that hyperventilation-induced hypocapnia, not hyperventilation per se, attenuates local skin thermal perception, though changes in responses to warm stimuli may not be clearly perceived at some skin areas (e.g., forearm).
Bradykinin 2 receptors contribute to the exaggerated exercise pressor reflex in a rat model of simulated peripheral artery disease
Authors: Butenas Alec L. E. , Rollins Korynne S. , Williams Auni C. , Copp Steven W.
Published: December 2022

We investigated the role played by bradykinin 2 (B2) receptors in the exaggerated exercise pressor reflex in rats with a femoral artery ligated for 72 h to induce simulated peripheral artery disease (PAD). We hypothesized that in decerebrate, unanesthetized rats with a ligated femoral artery, hindlimb arterial injection of HOE-140 (100 ng, B2 receptor antagonist) would reduce the pressor response to 30 s of electrically induced 1 Hz hindlimb skeletal muscle contraction, and 30 s of 1 Hz hindlimb skeletal muscle stretch (a model of mechanoreflex activation isolated from contraction-induced metabolite production). We hypothesized no effect of HOE-140 in sham-operated “freely perfused” rats. In both freely perfused ( n = 4) and “ligated” ( n = 4) rats, we first confirmed efficacious B2 receptor blockade by demonstrating that HOE-140 injection significantly reduced ( P < 0.05) the peak increase in mean arterial pressure (peak ΔMAP) in response to hindlimb arterial injection of bradykinin. In subsequent experiments, we found that HOE-140 reduced the peak ΔMAP response to muscle contraction in ligated ( n = 14; control: 23 ± 2; HOE-140: 17 ± 2 mmHg; P = 0.03) but not freely perfused rats ( n = 7; control: 17 ± 3; HOE-140: 18 ± 4 mmHg; P = 0.65). Furthermore, HOE-140 had no effect on the peak ΔMAP response to stretch in ligated rats ( n = 14; control: 37 ± 4; HOE-140: 32 ± 5 mmHg; P = 0.13) but reduced the integrated area under the blood pressure signal over the final ∼20 s of the maneuver. The data suggest that B2 receptors contribute to the exaggerated exercise pressor reflex in rats with simulated PAD, and that contribution includes a modest role in the chronic sensitization of the mechanically activated channels/afferents that underlie mechanoreflex activation.
Physicochemical Characterization of Dembi Reservoir Water for Suitability of Fish Production, Southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Chekole Ephrem , Kassa Henok , Aschalew Abebe , Ingale Lalit
Published: December 2022

Reservoir water physicochemical characteristics provide important information about water suitability for fish production. Accordingly, the study aimed to characterize the physicochemical characteristics of Dembi reservoir water for sustainable fish production. The study was conducted in Dembi reservoir during the dry season. Water samples were collected in triplicate from selected 10 sampling sites of the reservoir water using manually prepared water sampler made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tube. The depth integrated sampling technique was employed to take water samples for all physicochemical characteristics analysis. From the selected 14 physicochemical characteristics, four (temperature, electrical conductivity, pH, and dissolved oxygen) were tested onsite using a multisystem HQ4d electronic meter (probe), whereas the rest 10 water quality characteristics were tested in the laboratory. The result showed that the current average depth of the dam was 5.6 ± 1.61 m. The overall mean values of the water quality characteristics at different sites of the reservoir were as follows: turbidity (26.4 ± 0.44 FTU), total hardness (22.2 ± 0.51 mgL−1), NO3 (5.4 ± 0.48 mgL−1), NO2 (0.3 ± 0.11 mgL−1), NH4 (2.1 ± 0.06 mgL−1), PO4−3 (1.7 ± 0.27 mgL−1), total alkalinity (52.5 ± 0.91 mgL−1), and BOD5 (2.7 ± 0.24 mgL−1). There was a significant difference (

p
<
0.05

) in all physicochemical characteristics among 10 sampling sites of the reservoir water. The recorded values of all physicochemical characteristics, except NO2, NH4, and PO4−3, were found within the recommended standard limit for fish production. The change in reservoir water depth and increase in nutrients shows the presence of sediment siltation and nutrient enrichment. Therefore, proper watershed management practices and waste management should be carried out for sustainable water quality maintenance and fish production.
Resource Provisioning Techniques in Multi-Access Edge Computing Environments: Outlook, Expression, and Beyond
Authors: Durga S. , Daniel Esther , Onesimu J. Andrew , Sei Yuichi
Published: December 2022

Mobile cloud computing promises a research foundation in information and communication technology (ICT). Multi-access edge computing is an intermediate solution that reduces latency by delivering cloud computing services close to IoT and mobile clients (MCs), hence addressing the performance issues of mobile cloud computing. However, the provisioning of resources is a significant and challenging process in mobile cloud-based environments as it organizes the heterogeneous sensing and processing capacities to provide the customers with an elastic pool of resources. Resource provisioning techniques must meet quality of service (QoS) considerations such as availability, responsiveness, and reliability to avoid service-level agreement (SLA) breaches. This investigation is essential because of the unpredictable change in service demands from diverse regions and the limits of MEC’s available computing resources. In this study, resource provisioning approaches for mobile cloud computing are thoroughly and comparatively studied and classified as taxonomies of previous research. The paper concludes with an insightful summary that gives recommendations for future enhancements.
A Cooperative Trajectory Optimization Algorithm for Connected Vehicles in Merging Zones
Authors: Li Hao , Pu Yun , Chen Lingjuan , Wang Yu
Published: December 2022

Traffic flow optimization and trajectory guidance in merging zones have significant implications for improving capacity and reducing time consumption. The development of V2X communication provides new insights to solve this problem by tackling the information and releasing trajectories schemes. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss the trajectory management in the merging zone for ACC vehicles. A vehicle dispatching and car-following model is proposed to generate steady traffic flow first. An algorithm framework for consecutive traffic flow is presented with the idea of FIFO rules. Then, a two-step method for an individual vehicle is discussed in detail to compute a trajectory. The first step is to select and determine the priority of the optional gaps. The next step is to verify the options’ feasibility, decide on the target gap, and output the trajectories to merge successfully. Numerical experiments validate that the proposed method guarantees safe driving and provides relatively smooth trajectories to the vehicles. Furthermore, increased capacity and higher velocity are observed in a comparative experiment. The cooperative optimization algorithm could be applied efficiently in practice and benefit from its rapid response and low computation complexity.
Stability Analysis of Loess High Slope under Dynamic Compaction Based on Matrix Discrete Element Method
Authors: Wu Bingquan , Ni Wankui , Wang Haiman
Published: December 2022

In order to investigate the safety and stability of loess high slope under dynamic ramming, the MatDem software was used to simulate the process of heavy rammer compacting the spot which was 11 m away from the toe of loess high slope. The rammer was applied with different energies of 10000 kN·m, 8000 kN·m, and 6000 kN·m. In this way, the safety and stability of slope under the action of different dynamic tamping energies can be determined. The results show that the loess high slope presented circular landslide damage by dynamic compaction. Under the same ramming times, with the decrease of ramming energy, the damage degree of loess high slope gradually reduced. According to the displacement value of different monitoring points, the large horizontal and vertical displacement points in landslide were obtained. When the ramming energy was 10000 kN·m and 8000 kN·m, the maximum horizontal displacements were 15.45 m and 10.72 m, and the maximum vertical displacements were 17.43 m and 11.91 m. When the ramming energy was 6000 kN·m, the soil at the bottom of slope would produce slight vibration. Considering the actual project, when the ramming energy was 10000 kN·m and 8000 kN·m, the minimum safe distance was recommended to be 25 m and 20 m. When the ramming energy was 6000 KN·m, the slope remained stable as a whole, and the minimum safe distance suggested should not be less than 11 m. A safety distance of collapse of loess high slope under dynamic compaction was determined, which provided a strong safety guidance for loess high slope construction under dynamic compaction.
Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treatment Response Evaluation by Ultra-Deep Sequencing of Cell-Free DNA and Matched White Blood Cells
Authors: van 't Erve Iris , Medina Jamie E. , Leal Alessandro , Papp Eniko , Phallen Jillian , Adleff Vilmos , Chiao Elaine Jiayuee , Arun Adith S. , Bolhuis Karen , Simmons John K. , Karandikar Aanavi , Valkenburg Kenneth C. , Sausen Mark , Angiuoli Samuel V. , Scharpf Robert B. , Punt Cornelis J.A. , Meijer Gerrit A. , Velculescu Victor E. , Fijneman Remond J.A.
Published: December 2022

Purpose:

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has the potential to guide therapy selection and monitor treatment response in patients with metastatic cancer. However, germline and clonal hematopoiesis–associated alterations can confound identification of tumor-specific mutations in cell-free DNA (cfDNA), often requiring additional sequencing of tumor tissue. The current study assessed whether ctDNA-based treatment response monitoring could be performed in a tumor tissue–independent manner by combining ultra-deep targeted sequencing analyses of cfDNA with patient-matched white blood cell (WBC)-derived DNA.

Experimental Design:

In total, 183 cfDNA and 49 WBC samples, along with 28 tissue samples, from 52 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer participating in the prospective phase III CAIRO5 clinical trial were analyzed using an ultra-deep targeted sequencing liquid biopsy assay.

Results:

The combined cfDNA and WBC analysis prevented false-positives due to germline or hematopoietic variants in 40% of patients. Patient-matched tumor tissue sequencing did not provide additional information. Longitudinal analyses of ctDNA were more predictive of overall survival than standard-of-care radiological response evaluation. ctDNA mutations related to primary or acquired resistance to panitumumab were identified in 42% of patients.

Conclusions:

Accurate calling of ctDNA mutations for treatment response monitoring is feasible in a tumor tissue–independent manner by combined cfDNA and patient-matched WBC genomic DNA analysis. This tissue biopsy-independent approach simplifies sample logistics and facilitates the application of liquid biopsy ctDNA testing for evaluation of emerging therapy resistance, opening new avenues for early adaptation of treatment regimens.
Interferon Biology and LAG-3 Shedding in PD-(L)1 plus LAG-3 Immunotherapy
Authors: Karapetyan Lilit , Luke Jason J.
Published: December 2022

Targeting coinhibitory receptors on dysfunctional T cells may improve response to anti–PD-(L)1 in the IFNγ associated T-cell–inflamed tumor microenvironment. The bispecific lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3) and PD-L1 blocking antibody FS118, potentially through LAG-3 shedding, represents a promising strategy to improve immune checkpoint blockade. Soluble LAG-3 is an intriguing biomarker for LAG-3 drug activity.

See related article by Yap et al., p. 888
BRAF-Driven Pancreatic Cancer: Prevalence, Molecular Features, and Therapeutic Opportunities
Authors: Ciner Aaron Tzvi , Jiang Yixing , Hausner Petr
Published: December 2022

BRAF-altered pancreatic cancer is an important molecular subgroup that activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and promotes tumorigenesis. This manuscript reviews the prevalence and molecular features of BRAF-driven pancreatic cancer and also explores the published data about targeted approaches for this subgroup. A review of the existing literature was undertaken through the PubMed database using the search terms BRAF mutation, BRAF fusion, BRAF deletion, mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, and pancreatic cancer. Pathogenic BRAF variants are enriched in KRAS wild-type (WT) tumors and drive tumorigenesis in in vitro and experimental animal models. The majority of clinical cases are comprised of V600E mutations, N486-P490 deletions and fusions. Anecdotal evidence is building that KRAS-WT, BRAF-driven pancreatic cancers are sensitive either to BRAF inhibitors, MEK inhibitors, or combination strategies. Precision medicine has transformed the treatment landscape for several cancers. With increasing knowledge about molecular drivers in pancreatic cancer, it is critical to characterize each distinct subgroup and evaluate targeted approaches to improve clinical outcomes.
Predictors of Adverse Prognosis in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome Caused by Plaque Erosion With a Nonstent Strategy
Authors: Yin Yanwei , Lei Fangmeng , Fang Chao , Jiang Senqing , Xu Xueming , Sun Sibo , Pei Xueying , Jia Ruyi , Tang Caiying , Peng Cong , Li Song , Li Lulu , Wang Yini , Yu Huai , Dai Jiannan , Yu Bo
Published: December 2022

Background

The EROSION (Effective Anti‐Thrombotic Therapy Without Stenting: Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography‐Based Management in Plaque Erosion) study demonstrated that antithrombotic therapy without stenting was safe and feasible in selected patients with acute coronary syndrome caused by plaque erosion. However, the factors related to the prognosis of these patients are not clear. This study aimed to explore the predictors of an adverse prognosis of a nonstent strategy in a larger sample size.

Methods and Results

A total of 252 (55 patients were from the EROSION study) patients with acute coronary syndrome with plaque erosion who met the inclusion criteria of the EROSION study and completed clinical follow‐up were enrolled. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which were defined as the composite of cardiac death, recurrent myocardial infarction, ischemia‐driven target lesion revascularization, rehospitalization because of unstable or progressive angina, major bleeding, and stroke. Among 232 patients with acute coronary syndrome included in the final analysis, 50 patients (21.6%) developed MACE at a median follow‐up of 2.9 years. Compared with patients without MACE, patients with MACE were older and had a higher degree of percentage of area stenosis (72.2%±9.4% versus 64.2%±15.7%,
P
<0.001) and thrombus burden (24.4%±10.4% versus 20.4%±10.9%,
P
=0.010) at baseline. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed that age, percentage of area stenosis, and thrombus burden were predictors of MACE. The best cutoff values of predictors were age ≥60 years, percentage of area stenosis ≥63.5%, and thrombus burden ≥18.5%, respectively, and when they were all present, the rate of MACE rose to 57.7%.

Conclusions

The nonstent treatment strategy of patients with acute coronary syndrome caused by plaque erosion was heterogeneous, and patients aged ≥60 years, percentage of area stenosis ≥63.5%, and thrombus burden ≥18.5% may predict a worse clinical outcome.
Endovascular Treatment for Minor Acute Ischemic Strokes With Large Vessel Occlusion
Authors: Xue Rui , Zhong Wansi , Zhou Ying , He Yaode , Yan Shenqiang , Chen Zhicai , Wang Jianan , Gong Xiaoxian , Lou Min
Published: December 2022

Background

It remains uncertain whether patients with minor acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion benefit from endovascular treatment (EVT). We aim to evaluate the outcomes of EVT in minor acute ischemic stroke with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion.

Methods and Results

Based on a nationwide prospective stroke registry, patients with minor acute ischemic stroke with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion within 24 hours of onset were divided into groups receiving standard medical treatment plus EVT or standard medical treatment alone. Primary outcome was excellent functional outcome defined as modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 1 at 90 days. In addition, a multivariable logistic regression model was used to analyze the effect of EVT guided by perfusion imaging. A total of 572 patients with median age 68 years (interquartile range=60–77) and median National Institutes of Health Stroke score 3 (interquartile range =2–4) were identified and 123 patients were treated with standard medical treatment plus EVT. EVT was not associated with excellent functional outcome (unadjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.771 [95% CI, 0.516–1.151]; adjusted OR, 0.793 [95% CI, 0.515–1.219];
P
=0.290). However, therapy selection guided by perfusion imaging was a modifier of EVT effect on outcomes, as EVT was significantly associated with excellent functional outcome (60.0% versus 50.8%, unadjusted OR, 1.451 [95% CI, 0.643–3.272]; adjusted OR, 2.849 [95% CI, 1.006–8.067];
P
=0.049) but not with symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage in the imaging‐guided group.

Conclusions

Although functional outcomes in minor acute ischemic stroke caused by anterior circulation large vessel occlusion were not improved from the routine use of EVT, our results suggested that EVT guided by perfusion imaging could be beneficial for those patients.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT 04487340.
Match Outcomes for Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Training: 2010 to 2021
Authors: Silvestre Jason , Brgdar Ahmed , DeLisser Horace M.
Published: December 2022

Background

This study elucidates recent trends in application and match rates in the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Match. We hypothesized that (1) match rates have increased with time; (2) match rates are highest for US allopathic graduates; and (3) most candidates match at 1 of their top 3 ranked fellowship choices.

Methods and Results

This was a retrospective cohort study of all applicants in the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Match from 2010 to 2021 (n=14 674). Chi‐square tests were used to compare trends over time and match rates by applicant archetype (US allopathic graduates and non‐US allopathic graduates). The annual number of applicants increased from 1184 to 1575 (33% increase) while training positions increased 718 to 1045 (46% increase) over the study period. The percentage of applicants that matched increased from 61% in 2010 to 66% in 2021 (
P
=0.090). The average match rate was 70% over the study period. During each year, US allopathic graduates had higher match rates than non‐US allopathic graduates (
P
<0.001), but this disparity narrowed with time (83% versus 41% in 2010 and 83% versus 54% in 2021). Most applicants matched at 1 of their top 3 choices (first, 37%; second, 12%; third, 7%). Applicants matching at 1 of their top 3 choices decreased from 51% in 2010 to 48% in 2021 (
P
=0.704).

Conclusions

The Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Match has remained equally competitive over the past decade. US allopathic graduates have an advantage over non‐US allopathic graduates. Most applicants match at 1 of their top 3 ranked fellowship choices.
Factors and Behaviors Related to Successful Transition of Care After Hospitalization for Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Dong Chuanhui , Gardener Hannah , Rundek Tatjana , Marulanda Erika , Gutierrez Carolina M. , Campo-Bustillo Iszet , Gordon Perue Gillian , Johnson Karlon H. , Sacco Ralph L. , Romano Jose G. ,   on behalf of the Transitions of Care Stroke Disparities Study (TCSD-S) Investigators†
Published: December 2022

Background:

Our objective is to describe adoption of the posthospitalization behaviors associated with successful transition of care and related baseline characteristics.

Methods:

This study includes 550 participants in the Transition of Care Stroke Disparities Study, a prospective observational cohort derived from the Florida Stroke Registry. Participants had an ischemic stroke (2018–2021), discharged home or to rehabilitation, with modified Rankin Scale score=0–3 (44% women, 24% Black, 48% White, 26% Hispanic, 35% foreign-born). We collected baseline sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. A structured telephone interview at 30-day postdischarge evaluated outcomes including medication adherence, medical appointment attendance, outpatient therapy, exercise, diet modification, toxic habit cessation, and a calculated composite adequate transition of care measure. Multivariable analyses assessed the association of baseline characteristics with 30-day behaviors.

Results:

At 30 days, medication adherence was achieved by 89%, medical appointments by 82%, outpatient therapy by 76%, exercise by 71%, diet modification by 68%, toxic habit cessation by 35%, and adequate transition of care measure by 67%. Successful adequate transition of care participants were more likely to be used full-time (42% versus 31%,
P
=0.02), live with a spouse (60% versus 47%,
P
=0.01), feel close to ≥3 individuals (84% versus 71%,
P
<0.01), have history of dyslipidemia (45 versus 34%,
P
=0.02), have thrombectomy (15% versus 8%,
P
=0.02), but less likely to have a history of smoking (17% versus 32%,
P
<0.001), coronary artery disease (14% versus 21%,
P
=0.04), and heart failure (3% versus 11%,
P
<0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that multiple socio-economic factors and prestroke comorbid diseases predicted fulfillment of transition of care measures. There was no difference in outcomes during the Covid-19 pandemic (2020–2021) compared with prepandemic years (2018–2019).

Conclusions:

One in 3 patients did not attain adequate 30-day transition of care behaviors. Their achievement varied substantially among different measures and was influenced by multiple socioeconomic and clinical factors. Interventions aimed at facilitating transition of care from hospital after stroke are needed.

Registration:

URL:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/
; Unique identifier: NCT 03452813.
Delivering International Criminal Justice through Domestic Law? The Case of Flight MH17
Authors: Maguire Amy , Garnham Alexandra , Elton Amy , Heaney Jessica
Published: December 2022

In July 2014, 298 civilians aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 were killed when their aircraft was shot down over an active war zone in eastern Ukraine. Since that time, a Joint Investigative Taskforce has worked to unearth the facts of the incident. A trial is underway in the Netherlands against four suspects accused of shooting down the passenger plane and murdering all on board, although its progress has been slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article evaluates the means chosen by the Joint Investigative Taskforce and Dutch prosecutors to attribute criminal responsibility through the lens of international criminal justice. We consider the unique circumstances of the case including the collection of evidence in a conflict zone, the choice of legal forum and charges, the trial in absentia of the accused, the recognition of victims’ families’ rights to justice and the potential implication of the Russian Federation in the prosecution.

In July 2014, 298 civilians aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 were killed when their aircraft was shot down over an active war zone in eastern Ukraine. Since that time, a Joint Investigative Taskforce has worked to unearth the facts of the incident. A trial is underway in the Netherlands against four suspects accused of shooting down the passenger plane and murdering all on board, although its progress has been slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article evaluates the means chosen by the Joint Investigative Taskforce and Dutch prosecutors to attribute criminal responsibility through the lens of international criminal justice. We consider the unique circumstances of the case including the collection of evidence in a conflict zone, the choice of legal forum and charges, the trial in absentia of the accused, the recognition of victims’ families’ rights to justice and the potential implication of the Russian Federation in the prosecution.
Progress in Federal Coordination to Advance Meteorological Services
Authors: Mariotti Annarita , Weaver Scott , Kannankutty Nirmala , Paese Mark , Yapur Martin
Published: December 2022

In 2020, the federal government completed the first major restructuring of its interagency coordination for meteorological services in over 50 years. The Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological Services (ICAMS) now provides White House–level coordination of federal resources to advance the full suite of meteorological services now and into the future. Of particular relevance to the external community is ICAMS’ objective to strengthen and expand partnerships with nongovernment sectors. This article outlines ICAMS intellectual foundations, progress, and near-term plans, including efforts to develop a long-term strategy, as means to foster community engagement. ICAMS will continue to provide coordination across federal agencies and opportunities for input from, and engagement with, nongovernmental entities. The development of a long-term strategy is a process that ICAMS is embarking on in earnest, and sustained external community engagement is key to sound development and effective implementation.
Chemical recycling of hemp waste textiles via the ionic liquid based dry-jet-wet spinning technology
Authors: Rissanen Marja , Schlapp-Hackl Inge , Sawada Daisuke , Raiskio Susanna , Ojha Krishna , Smith Edward , Sixta Herbert
Published: December 2022

The chemical recycling of hemp fabric into high-tenacity man-made cellulose fibers was demonstrated. The fabric was laundered 25 and 50 times to mimic the wear cycles of post-consumer textile waste. Despite the launderings, the molar mass of the material was still too high for recycling via dry-jet-wet spinning. Thus, the fabrics were treated with an aqueous sulfuric acid solution to adjust the intrinsic viscosity to the targeted level of 400–500 ml/g. The acid hydrolyzed sample was dissolved in 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-enium acetate and man-made cellulose fibers were regenerated by dry-jet-wet spinning. The properties of hemp and regenerated fibers were determined by tensile testing, birefringence measurements, and X-ray diffraction. Regenerated fibers were spun into yarn and knitted into a fabric. The tensile properties of the yarn and the abrasion and pilling resistance of the fabric were determined. Regenerated fibers showed a higher modulus of toughness (55.9 MPa) compared with hemp fibers (28.7 MPa). The fineness and staple length uniformity of regenerated fibers resulted in a high yarn structure evenness, a yarn tenacity of 28.1 cN/tex, and an elongation at break of 7.5%. Due to the even fabric structure, the fabric from regenerated fibers showed higher abrasion resistance than the hemp fabric.
Improving the Design and Performance of Double-Row Sediment Barriers Used During Highway Construction
Authors: Whitman Jarrell Blake
Published: December 2022

Sediment barriers (SBs) are stormwater management devices often installed along the perimeter of a construction site to intercept and treat overland sediment-laden flow before discharge into the surrounding environment. Effective SB practices remove stormwater pollutants by creating a temporary impoundment upstream of the practice which facilitates sediment capture via sedimentation. Controlling agencies and design practitioners often specify the installation of two SB practices (i.e., primary and secondary SB) in areas where enhanced stormwater treatment is critical because of downstream environmental concerns (e.g., impaired waters). This study sought to identify the overall performance of a commonly specified double-row SB (i.e., double-row silt fence), as well as six alternative designs that utilized various secondary SB practices that could be easily paired with a primary silt fence SB. Small-scale experiments were conducted on each of these double-row design configurations to develop a comprehensive understanding of their performance capabilities. A statistical analysis conducted on 700 water quality data points suggests that all six alternative double-row designs significantly outperformed the double-row silt fence installation. Water quality improvements achieved using alternative secondary SBs ranged from 11% to 71% during the 30 min test period and 14% to 60% during the 90 min dewatering period. In comparison, the double-row silt fence installation only achieved 5% and 1%, respectively. Additionally, post-test observations of secondary SB cross sections indicate that, at best, only half of the matrix filter media within the secondary SB contacts sediment-laden flow. This observation suggests that alternative cross-sectional designs could improve media utilization.
Cognitive Coaching in Special Operations: Design Principles and Best Practices
Authors: Biggs Adam T. , Littlejohn Lanny F.
Published: December 2022

Cognitive enhancement platforms have received growing interest as a means to improve workplace performance. Among the many commercial and professional organizations exploring cognitive training, the United States military has begun exploring the potential added value of cognitive enhancement tools. Whereas most platforms offer automated or algorithm-based solutions to support cognitive training, special operations have developed the role of a cognitive coach to support training. The current discussion provides several lessons learned when trying to bridge cognitive systems and enhancement tools within military operations that should apply to any organization seeking to improve cognitive performance among already high-performing personnel.
Role of follistatin-like protein 1 in liver diseases
Authors: Gu Chuansha , Xue Hua , Yang Xiaoli , Nie Yu , Qian Xinlai
Published: December 2022

Liver diseases, including viral hepatitis, fatty liver, metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, liver cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease, and liver neoplasms, are major global health challenges. Despite the continued development of new drugs and technologies, the prognosis of end-stage liver diseases, including advanced liver cirrhosis and liver neoplasms, remains poor. Follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1), an extracellular glycoprotein, is secreted by various cell types. It is a glycoprotein that belongs to the family of secreted proteins acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC). It is also known as transforming growth factor-beta inducible TSC-36 and follistatin-related protein (FRP). FSTL1 plays a key role in cell survival, proliferation, differentiation, and migration, as well as the regulation of inflammation and immunity. Studies have demonstrated that FSTL1 significantly affects the occurrence and development of liver diseases. This article reviews the role and mechanism of FSLT1 in liver diseases.
Auroselenide, AuSe, a new mineral from Maletoyvayam deposit, Kamchatka peninsula, Russia
Authors: Tolstykh Nadezhda , Kasatkin Anatoly , Nestola Fabrizio , Vymazalová Anna , Agakhanov Atali , Palyanova Galina , Korolyuk Vladimir
Published: December 2022

Auroselenide, ideally AuSe, is a new mineral from the Gaching ore occurrence of the Maletoyvayam deposit, Kamchatka peninsula, Russia. It occurs as anhedral grains up to 0.05 × 0.02 mm and as intergrowths up to 0.06 mm with maletoyvayamite–tolstykhite-series minerals, enclosed in native gold. Other associated minerals include pyrite, calaverite, fischesserite, gachingite, tetrahedrite-group minerals [stibiogoldfieldite, its As-analogue, tennantite-(Cu) and tetrahedrite-(Zn)], tripuhyite, minerals of the famatinite–luzonite and selenium–tellurium series, paraguanajuatite, petrovskaite, součekite and tiemannite. Auroselenide is bluish-grey, opaque with metallic lustre and grey streak. It is brittle and has an uneven fracture.Dcalc= 9.750 g/cm3. In reflected light, auroselenide is grey with a bluish shade. Bireflectance is very weak. No pleochroism and internal reflections are observed. In crossed polars, it is strongly anisotropic with bluish to brownish rotation tints. The reflectance values for wavelengths recommended by the Commission on Ore Mineralogy of the International Mineralogical Association are (Rmin/Rmax, %): 28.4/31.5 (470 nm), 30.2/33.3 (546 nm), 31.9/34.9 (589 nm) and 34.3/37.3 (650 nm). The principal bands in the Raman spectrum of auroselenide are at 93, 171, 200, 210 and 325 cm–1. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of 2 atoms per formula unit is (Au0.98Ag0.01)Σ0.99(Se0.79S0.17Te0.05)Σ1.01. Auroselenide is monoclinic, space groupC2/m,a= 8.319(1),b= 3.616(1),c= 6.276(2) Å, β = 104.54(2)°,V= 182.74(5) Å3andZ= 4. The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)] are: 4.015 (54) (200); 3.033 (25) (${\bar 1}$11, 002); 2.780 (100) (${\bar 2}$02, 111); 2.172 (20) (${\bar 3}$11, 310); and 1.811 (25) (${\bar 1}$13). Auroselenide is the natural analogue of synthetic β-AuSe. The structural identity between them is confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The mineral is named according to its composition, as a combination of the main elements Au (aurum) and Se (selenium).
Safety and efficacy of letetresgene autoleucel alone or with pembrolizumab for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma
Authors: Nishihori Taiga , Hoffman James E. , Huff Anne , Kapoor Gurpreet S. , Eleftheriadou Ioanna , Zajic Stefan , Urbano Alisa , Suchindran Sunil , Chisamore Michael , D’Souza Jimson W. , Faitg Thomas , Rapoport Aaron P.
Published: December 2022

This pilot study assessed the safety and efficacy of letetresgene autoleucel (lete-cel; GSK3377794), a genetically modified autologous T-cell therapy targeting New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma-1 (NY-ESO-1)/L antigen family member 1 isoform A (LAGE-1a)–positive myeloma cells, alone or in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Eligible patients expressed NY-ESO-1 and/or LAGE-1a and either HLA-A∗02:01, ∗02:05, or ∗02:06. Patients received lete-cel single infusion alone (arm 1) or with pembrolizumab (arm 2). 127 patients were screened, and 6 patients (3 per arm) were enrolled; patients in arm 1 and 2 received lete-cel alone, or with pembrolizumab, respectively. All patients exhibited grade 3/4 cytopenias, which resolved or improved to grade 1. One patient (arm 1) had grade 3/4 lete-cel–related adverse events (AEs); 2 patients (arm 2) had grade 3/4 AEs related to lete-cel and lymphodepletion. Three patients with grade 1/2 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) exhibited elevated post–lete-cel interleukin-6 levels versus those without CRS. Pooled overall response rate was 50% including 1 patient each with confirmed clinical response, very good clinical response, and partial response, and progression-free survival ranged from 1.3 to 5.2 months. Responders (arm 1: n = 1; arm 2: n = 2) had a time-to-response of 3 weeks, duration of response of 2.1 months. Two responders, but no nonresponders, exhibited elevated cytokine levels after lete-cel infusion. Lete-cel had a manageable safety profile and demonstrated clear but transient antitumor activity in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03168438.
Disentangling the causal relationship between rabbit growth and cecal microbiota through structural equation models
Authors: Mora Mónica , Velasco-Galilea María , Sánchez Juan Pablo , Ramayo-Caldas Yuliaxis , Piles Miriam
Published: December 2022

Background

The effect of the cecal microbiome on growth of rabbits that were fed under different regimes has been studied previously. However, the term “effect” carries a causal meaning that can be confounded because of potential genetic associations between the microbiome and production traits. Structural equation models (SEM) can help disentangle such a complex interplay by decomposing the effect on a production trait into direct host genetics effects and indirect host genetic effects that are exerted through microbiota effects. These indirect effects can be estimated via structural coefficients that measure the effect of the microbiota on growth while the effects of the host genetics are kept constant. In this study, we applied the SEM approach to infer causal relationships between the cecal microbiota and growth of rabbits fed under ad libitum (ADGAL) or restricted feeding (ADGR).

Results

We identified structural coefficients that are statistically different from 0 for 138 of the 946 operational taxonomic units (OTU) analyzed. However, only 15 and 38 of these 138 OTU had an effect greater than 0.2 phenotypic standard deviations (SD) on ADGAL and ADGR, respectively. Many of these OTU had a negative effect on both traits. The largest effects on ADGR were exerted by an OTU that is taxonomically assigned to the Desulfovibrio genus (− 1.929 g/d, CSS-normalized OTU units) and by an OTU that belongs to the Ruminococcaceae family (1.859 g/d, CSS-normalized OTU units). For ADGAL, the largest effect was from OTU that belong to the S24-7 family (− 1.907 g/d, CSS-normalized OTU units). In general, OTU that had a substantial effect had low to moderate estimates of heritability.

Conclusions

Disentangling how direct and indirect effects act on production traits is relevant to fully describe the processes of mediation but also to understand how these traits change before considering the application of an external intervention aimed at changing a given microbial composition by blocking/promoting the presence of a particular microorganism.