cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pathology and Management of Portopulmonary Hypertension

Portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) is the well-recognized relationship of pulmonary artery hypertension that evolves as a consequence of portal hypertension. POPH was first reported by Mantz and Craige in a 53-year-old female patient who presented with sudden hoarseness due to a large spontaneous portocaval shunt (1.5–3 cm in diameter) that lay in intimate relationship with the left recurrent laryngeal nerve as it coursed through the mediastinum. Following death from right-sided heart failure 4 days after an exploratory thoracotomy (expecting a mediastinal tumor), the postmortem study demonstrated pulmonary arterial disease that included endothelial proliferation, recanalization, old clot (in situ versus embolic) and completed vascular obliteration due to scarring. The portal vein was “strikingly narrowed” and associated with splenomegaly and normal hepatic parenchyma. Since the 1980s enhanced recognition and renewed importance of POPH has evolved with the evolution of liver transplantation (LT). Such clinical interest has been spurred by remarkable resolution or improvement of POPH following LT in highly selected, aggressively managed cases, but has been tempered by the well-documented complications of increased intraoperative and transplant hospitalization mortality due to right-sided heart failure caused by severe pulmonary artery hypertension. Specific screening recommendations and diagnostic criteria now exist for POPH. Such specific criteria are important in view of the spectrum of pulmonary hemodynamics well documented in advanced lived disease and therapeutic decisions facing the clinician. Ironically, the exclusion of POPH patients from all randomized, controlled pulmonary artery hypertension trials to date has hampered the development of therapeutic practice guidelines with reference to pulmonary vasomodulating drugs.
Discussion of Ways to Energy-Filter the Electron Backscattering Pattern (EBSP) in the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

An electron backscattering pattern (EBSP) is formed by the electrons that are scattered with the highest energies from a crystalline target that is illuminated with an electron beam (EB) of kiloelectron-volt (keV) energy. In appearance it closely resembles the electron channeling pattern (ECP) that is formed in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) when the incident EB is rocked about a point. According to one possible explanation, it is assumed that in either case the pattern is formed by the electrons that leave the specimen with a minimum loss of energy in the reflected electron peak following a single wide-angle Rutherford-type scattering event (typically through about a right angle) close to the surface. Now if ECP and EBSP are reciprocal, they can be related by reversing the direction of the (zero-loss) electrons in the specimen. It can then be argued that these patterns must be formed because the probability of such a Rutherford-type wide-angle scattering event is modulated by both the incoming (ECP) and outgoing (EBSP) channeling conditions [1-6]. The slower scattered electrons undergo scattering, channeling and diffraction events that are in addition to this basic process. The related reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) pattern is formed with grazing incident and exit directions with electrons that are diffracted by Bragg planes parallel to the surface. Generally the EBSP is formed over a limited solid angle by placing a detecting screen in line-ofsight from the specimen or (in principle) with a retarding-field energy filter [6]. An alternative approach that is suggested here is to magnetically filter the scattered electrons by mounting the sample between the polepieces of a magnetic immersion lens, with the limitations: (a) The sample must be totally non-magnetic. (b) It will be irradiated more heavily than with the standard EBSP. Fig. 1 shows a solid sample mounted between the polepieces of a magnetic immersion lens. The magnetic field is adjusted so as to focus the incident EB onto the specimen. This same magnetic field also deflects the scattered electrons to follow spiral paths that periodically return to the lens axis. The fastest scattered electrons (reflected electron peak) can reach a limiting surface at the end of the first half-turn that cannot be reached by the slower scattered electrons. The slower scattered electrons can, however, go beyond this limiting surface on subsequent turns of the spiral path if not prevented from doing so [7]. It has been demonstrated that a detector that is placed at a short distance inside this limiting surface will collect only the fastest scattered electrons and can be used to give a magnetically filtered low-loss electron (LLE) image in the SEM [8-10].
Taboo or Gift? The Lord’s Day in Byzantium

Church history has tended to trace the development of doctrine, either orthodox or heretical, canonical or anti -canonical. This paper, however, examines ‘ para -canonical’ ideas, those which develop alongside the canonical – not quite heretical, but not fully orthodox either. Canonical norms, while constant in principle, have always been subject in practice to multiple understandings. Most of these shifting understandings, among groups or individuals, are fleeting and can never be recovered; this is why the history of the reception of canonical norms is so elusive. But for the social historian of religion, reception is often more interesting than the norms themselves. What actually ‘trickles down’ from what the bishops teach? This paper will maintain that some record of how things ‘trickled down’ is preserved in para-canonical religious texts, commonly known as ‘apocryphal’ literature. It considers various ways in which the canonical norms of the Greek Orthodox Church concerning the Lord’s Day were understood in a specific time and place: medieval Byzantium, between the ninth and the twelfth centuries. This was a crucial formative period for Orthodox Church culture, both Greek and Slav, during which ritual and moral attitudes that still obtain today were being worked out.
(DS&T Thomas D. Callinan Award Presentation) Role of Hydrogen in Dielectrics for Electronics and Optoelectronics Devices

In silicon-based electronic and optoelectronic devi ces hydrogen plays a significant role in passivating silicon dan gling bonds. This improves the device performance and reliability of the devices by producing a high quality Si-SiO 2 interface. This work reviews the early use of hydrogen in standard silicon MOS devic es with SiO 2 as gate dielectric to recent devices with high-k ga te stacks. Role of hydrogen's isotope deuterium is outlined. In additi on, the impact of hydrogen in high-k gate dielectrics on silicon a nd germanium substrates is also discussed. Contribution of hydro gen/deuterium in photodiode performance is also briefly described. Passivation of these centers by hydrogen faced a significant challenge when the device was exposed to harsh environment such as presence of hot electrons or α− or γ-particle interaction due to radiation. It is because of hydr ogen desorption from the passivated site. Incorporation of deuterium, the isotope of hydrogen , at Si-SiO 2 interface improved the hot-carrier & radiation immunity. In addition, when the passivated interface is subjected to bias stressing at elevated temperatures serious reliability implication is observed. It is more prominent in a p-channel field effect transist or where due to negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) inversion layer mobi lity and threshold voltage degradation is observed. It is mainly because of depassivation of hydrogen from Si-H (PbH) bonds from the Si-SiO 2 interface, described as PbH + H + = Pb + H2 where H + (proton) is mostly responsible for the bond breaking (4). The diffusi on of the released hydrogen related species (atomic or molecular hydrogen) is then foll owed into the oxide away from the interface under the influence of electric field. Th is diffusion is dispersive i.e. the diffusion constant decreases with power law dependence on time. During this process hydrogen reacts with oxide and creates positive charges at t he interface and in the oxide. Fig. 1 describes the hydrogen mechanism during the degradation of oxide (5).
The concentration dependence of ?H s ofn-heptane in acetic acid: an improved microcalorimeter heating circuit based on a 555 Ic astable multivibrator@@@Die Konzentrationsabhngigkeit der Lsungswrme von n-Heptan in Eisessig

An improved microcalorimeter heating circuit based on a 555 integrated circuit timer has been constructed in order to investigate the existence or nonexistence of a concentration effect in the heat of solution ofn-heptane in glacial acetic acid (GAA). Precision was improved by this device which has the advantage of greater stability to thermal change and operating voltage than the UJT-RC oscillator previously used. A theoretical argument is presented to indicate that the heat of solution ofn-heptane in GAA decreases with increasing heptane concentration and experimental data are given to support this conclusion. The experimental data fit the equationΔ Hs=6.11−44x2 wherex2 is the mole fraction of heptane in 20.0 ml of GAA resulting from each injection and 6.11 is the heat of solution, in kJ mol−1, of heptane in GAA extrapolated to infinite dilution.
Value of urea in the diet of rabbits.

SummaryThe addition of urea to a diet low in protein did not increase the rate of gain of rabbits. From the data it is apparent that this species cannot use urea in the diet as a replacement of part of the protein. Rabbits fed diets containing 10% of casein as the sole source of protein or 10% casein plus 3.43% urea developed typical vitamin A deficiency symptoms as compared with the control group fed a diet similar except that it contained 20% of casein. The results suggest that protein has a protective action on the oxidation of vitamin A in the diets or that it has a sparing action on the vitamin A requirements of the rabbit.
A New Single-Crystal Adsorption Calorimeter for Determining Metal Adsorption and Adhesion Energies

A microcalorimeter for measuring adsorption heats on clean single-crystal surfaces is described. The principle is similar to that pioneered by David King’s group: A pulse of gas from a molecular beam adsorbs on an ultrathin single crystal’s surface, causing a measurable transient heat input and temperature rise. Our novel heat detector is a 9 μm pyroelectric polymer ribbon, which is mechanically driven to make a gentle mechanical/thermal contact to the back of the singlecrystal sample during measurements. Advantages include use of thicker samples (>3 microns), sample preparation at very high temperatures, and measurements at 100 K. We have applied this to study the heats of adsorption of metals on clean, well-defined and single-crystalline oxide surfaces as a detailed function of coverage, from which we also extract the metal/oxide adhesion energy. We obtain pulse-to-pulse standard deviations of <2% for pulses containing <0.03 ML of Cu, and absolute accuracy within a few percent.
Study on the Sulfide Precipitation Mechanism and Its Affect on Production and Exploitation of Gas Reservoir

In the course of natural gas development,a great amount of sour gas reservoirs has been found.The sulfide precipitation brings about many problems to be solved for production of such wells or reservoirs.This paper reviews the mechanisms,affected factors and mathematic prediction models of sulfur precipitation,according to lots of information.A number of understandings for the affect of sulfide precipitation on gas well/reservoir production are given.Some issues to be urgently solved for it are pointed out particularly.
Effect of recombinant human growth hormone on early activities of myocardial myeloperoxidase in rats with scalded injury

Objective To study the effect of recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH) on early activities of myocardial myeloperoxidase in rats with scald.Methods Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group and treatment group,30 in each group.A 30% TBSA III scald model was established.Rats in control group received fluid infusion after scald according to the formula of Parkland,and those in treatment group received fluid infusion with rhGH(3U/kg·d) subcutaneously injected 6h after scald.Serum cTnI level and myocardial myeloperoxidase activities in both groups were measured at 0,12,24,48,and 96h after scald.Results The serum cTnI level and myocardial myeloperoxidase activities were significantly higher in control group B at different time points after scald,especially 12h after scald(r=0.969,P0.01).The same trends in serum cTnI level and myocardial myeloperoxidase activites was observed in treatment group.However,they were significantly higher than those in control group(P0.05).Pathological examination showed that inflammatory cell infiltration and myocardial damage were severer in treatment group than in control group.Conclusion Focal myocarditis occurs in rats early after severe scald,and early use of rhGH can aggravate myocardial damage.
Issues in the Observation and Evaluation of Technology Integration in K-12 Classrooms

AbstractThe evaluation of technology integration through direct observation in K-12 class-rooms can provide important information about the extent and nature of technology integration. But developing the instruments and protocols required to gather data across significant numbers of classrooms poses conceptual problems that must be addressed. Among these issues are the difficulty of capturing in an observation instrument the complexity of technology and the variety of uses to which it may be put in K-12 classrooms, the problem of assessing not only the presence of technology but also its appropriate use, the assessment of the degree to which the technology integration furthers the lesson objective, and the difficulty in assessing implementation of an innovation that is changing as fast as technology. This article discusses these issues and urges evaluators to consider them in developing observation instruments.
Abstract A52: ZIP11 and susceptibility to renal and bladder cancer

Introduction: Laboratory studies have demonstrated that zinc and zinc transporters play important roles in the development of urological cancers, including prostate, bladder, and renal cell cancer. To date however, there have been no efforts to evaluate whether germline variation in zinc transporter genes alter the risk of developing these cancers. Motivated by this, we evaluated associations of known variants in zinc transporter genes with risk of prostate, bladder, and renal cell cancer using three NCI Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) data sets downloaded from dbGaP. Methods: Data consisted of GWAS data from the PLCO Screening Trial (prostate; 1172 cases, 1157 controls); Bladder Cancer study (3527 cases, 5119 controls); and Renal Cancer study (1453 cases, 3531 controls). All genotyped variants in 10 ZNT family genes (ZNT1-ZNT10) and 14 ZIP family genes (ZIP1-ZIP14) in each data set were analyzed by logistic regression models to evaluate the association of each variant with risk of developing prostate, bladder, and renal cancer, respectively. We evaluated these associations in a univariable setting, after adjusting for available covariates, such as age and gender. Correction for multiple comparisons used Max T permutation tests. Results: One variant in ZIP11, rs8081059, was associated with increased risk of renal cancer (OR=1.28, 95% CI= 1.13-1.45; corrected p= 0.049). Another ZIP11 variant, rs11871756, was associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer risk (OR=1.43, 95% CI 1.24-1.63; corrected p=0.0002). We also found three variants in ZIP11 associated with a decreased risk of bladder cancer: rs11077654 (OR=0.76, 95% CI 0.68-0.85; corrected p=0.001), rs9913017 (OR=0.76, 95% CI= 0.68-0.85; corrected p=0.002), and rs4969054 (OR=0.78, 95% CI 0.69-0.88; corrected p=0.02). Interestingly, these three protective variants are within the same LD block. There were no associations between zinc transporter variants and prostate cancer risk. Conclusion: We report for the first time that specific genetic variants of a zinc transporter gene, ZIP11, are associated with risk of renal and bladder cancer. If validated in larger, more focused studies, further investigations are warranted to explore the functional significance of ZIP11 in these two cancers. Citation Format: Lang Wu, Kari G. Rabe, Alexander S. Parker, Gloria M. Petersen. ZIP11 and susceptibility to renal and bladder cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr A52.
A simple circuit technique to relax the feedback timing of ΔΣ ADC for high-speed and high-accuracy applications

A novel and simple circuit technique to relax the feedback timing of input feed-forward ΔΣ analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is proposed for wideband and high-accuracy applications. The proposed method allows the use of low-speed comparator and DEM logic even for high-speed operation which helps to reduce the power consumption. A delta-sigma ADC with relaxed feedback timing was designed and simulated. The results verify the advantages of the proposed technique.
Scheduling Coflows in Datacenter Networks: Improved Bound for Total Weighted Completion Time

Coflow is a recently proposed networking abstraction to capture communication patterns in data-parallel computing frameworks. We consider the problem of efficiently scheduling coflows with release dates in a shared datacenter network so as to minimize the total weighted completion time of coflows. Specifically, we propose a randomized algorithm with approximation ratio of 3e ~ 8.155, which improves the prior best known ratio of 9+16 √2/3 ~ 16.542. For the special case when all coflows are released at time zero, we obtain a randomized algorithm with approximation ratio of 2e ~ 5.436 which improves the prior best known ratio of 3+2√2 ~ 5.828$. Simulation result using a real traffic trace is presented that shows improvement over the prior approaches.
The Prolonged Avoidance of Intellectual Behavior

The 1960 Stanford-Binet Scale demonstrates an extensive amount of historic content in that 8% of it is 63–69 years of age, nearly 50% is 56 years old, and 100% is 37 years of age. Such longevity is typical of various contemporary tests, and the use of aged material promotes freedom from recent research results. Items have been retained because they yield results congruent with the hypothesized constancy of “intelligence” and because they are practical, easy to administer, and score. The continued reliance on such material syntonic with outmotmoded theory prolongs the avoidance of observations of intellectual behavior.
Transnasal Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block for Post Herpetic Ophthalmic Neuralgia: A Case Report

Post herpetic ophthalmic neuralgia can often be a frustrating condition for both patients and physicians due to its medical treatment resistance In this case report we demonstrate the effectiveness of the transnasal sphenopalatine ganglion block in treating severe debilitating post herpetic ophthalmic neuralgia We utilized the transnasal technique with a cotton tipped applicator soaked in lidocaine This technique is advantageous in that it is noninvasive well tolerated technically simple and easy to repeat if necessary We propose an increased consideration of the transnasal sphenopalatine ganglion block for the treatment of post herpetic ophthalmic neuralgia
Does Intellectual Property Need Human Rights

The impassioned contest over the nature, scope, and implications of the intellectual property and human rights interface has important consequences for the way nations understand and comply with their obligations in each field. It significantly affects the methods and substance of international assistance offered to developing countries by international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and the extensive network of private experts deployed to facilitate competing outcomes in domestic legislation. The result has been a highly politicized environment for intellectual property norm-setting at all levels of global, regional, and national governance, resulting in a persistent state of norm conflict that weighs heavily on the already complex relations among domestic and international actors involved with intellectual property policymaking. This article provides a critical review of the contemporary construction of the intellectual property/human rights interface. On the whole, it advances a view of the human rights frame as problematic for the liberty aspirations and development interests of populations in the global South. Human rights law – both in its ideological orientation towards western liberal political traditions and in its pragmatic reliance on external constituencies for expertise and guidance - tends to stymie the necessary national debate that is a precursor for the cultivation of sophisticated local actors who can more ably challenge the structural challenges imposed by international intellectual property norms. In addition, the international human rights norm-setting process is heavily influenced by justifications for intellectual property. These design features of the relevant human rights institutions create significant challenges for the promise of a redemptive effect of human rights arguments on local intellectual property reform initiatives.
Strategic Communication Campaigns

One of the best ways to promote good health in society is through the use of communication campaigns to inform and educate the public about healthy habits and good health care. Although the importance of mass communication in promoting health is widely acknowledged, creating effective communication campaigns can be a complex process. Health messages have a variety of characteristics that differentiate them from other types of mediated messages. Among these are the sensitivity of health issues, the fear that some health messages evoke, the attendant feelings of resistance to some health messages, and the complex nature of many health problems. Many health messages focus on sensitive and personal issues such as sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse and addiction, abortion, and mental illness. Because these subjects are difficult and emotional for many audience members, they can be especially challenging to develop effective communication campaigns to check.
Solid State Structure of cis-[W(CO)4(pip)(PPh3)]

The solid state structure of cis-[W(CO)4(PPh3)(pip)] (1) was determined by X-ray crystallography. cis-[W(CO)4(PPh3)(pip)] was synthesized by reaction of PPh3 with cis-[W(CO)4(pip)2] and isolated as yellow crystals. Compound 1 crystalized in the monoclinic space group P21/c and was found to have a distorted octahedral geometry. The P–W–N angle was slightly more acute than expected, presumably due to an unusual N–H⋯π interaction. The solid state structure of cis-[W(CO)4(PPh3)(pip)] (1) is described with an P–W–N angle slightly more acute than expected, presumably due to an N–H⋯π interaction.
Incorporation of digital gene expression profiling for cell-of-origin determination (Lymph2Cx testing) into the routine work-up of diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL) represent a clinically heterogeneous group of lymphomas that are classified together based on similarities in morphology and immunophenotype. Gene expression profiling further classifies DLBCL into distinct molecular subgroups based on cell-of-origin (COO), including germinal center B cell type, activated B cell type, and unclassified type. COO assignment of DLBCL has important biological and prognostic significance, as well as emerging therapeutic implications. Herein, we describe the first clinical validation of a digital gene expression-profiling assay (Lymph2Cx) to perform COO assignment in the routine work-up of DLBCL using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections and describe the results of 90 consecutive DLBCL cases analyzed prospectively by a College of American Pathologists/Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CAP/CLIA)-certified clinical molecular diagnostics laboratory.
Voting-based ensemble learning for partial lexicographic preference forests over combinatorial domains

We study preference representation models based on partial lexicographic preference trees (PLP-trees). We propose to represent preference relations as forests of small PLP-trees (PLP-forests), and to use voting rules to aggregate orders represented by the individual trees into a single order to be taken as a model of the agent’s preference relation. We show that when learned from examples, PLP-forests have better accuracy than single PLP-trees. We also show that the choice of a voting rule does not have a major effect on the aggregated order, thus rendering the problem of selecting the “right” rule less critical. Next, for the proposed PLP-forest preference models, we develop methods to compute optimal and near-optimal outcomes, the tasks that appear difficult for some other common preference models. Lastly, we compare our models with those based on decision trees, which brings up questions for future research.
Influence of Electrolyte Composition on Ultrafast Interfacial Electron Transfer in Fe-Sensitized TiO2-Based Solar Cells

TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cells employing Fe(2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid)2(CN)2 (F2CA) have been studied by spectroscopic, electrochemical, photoelectrochemical, time-resolved spec...
Small Duct Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis: An Underdiagnosed Cause of Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis.

Classic or large duct primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is part of the PSC spectrum. It is diagnosed on clinical and biochemical findings of cholestasis supported by biliary tree changes on cholangiography, forgoing the need for an invasive liver biopsy. The spectrum contains various PSC variants with distinct clinical courses and outcomes. We present a case of small duct PSC, a rare variant that manifested insidiously with clinical and objective cholestasis but appeared negative on diagnostic cholangiography. Eventually, a liver biopsy was obtained that revealed chronic bilious disease of the small and microscopic ducts with simultaneous changes consistent with liver cirrhosis. Despite presenting like its classical counterpart, small duct PSC can remain undetectable on cholangiography due to the diminutive size of the bile ducts requiring histological confirmation. In contrast to classic PSC, small duct PSC portends a much better prognosis. However, it eventually progresses to the classic form or end-stage liver disease, requiring patients to receive timely surveillance and transplantation referrals. Due to the limited understanding of this disease process, patients with similar presentations often pose a diagnostic dilemma due to the clinical and cholangiographic mismatch. This case aims to reaffirm that a negative cholangiography does not rule out the PSC spectrum and that small duct disease is a rare but growing entity. The paucity in cases emphasizes the importance of isolated reports in guiding workup and management, especially since surveillance schedules and transplantation guidelines have not been formally established.
Policy Building--An Extension to User Modeling.

In this paper we combine a logistic regression student model with an exercise selection procedure. As opposed to the body of prior work on strategies for selecting practice opportunities, we are working on an assumption of a finite amount of opportunities to teach the student. Our goal is to prescribe activities that would maximize the amount learned as evaluated by expected post-test success. We evaluate the proposed approach using an existing dataset where data was collected performing random skill selection. Our results cautiously support the hypothesis that using policies designed to optimize the post-test score associated with higher learning outcomes, but more work is needed.
Fast Foes: the physiological and behavioral consequences of interacting in an immersive negative social context.

Social interactions involving personal disclosures are ubiquitous in social life and have important relational implications. A large body of research has documented positive outcomes from fruitful ...
Evaluation of a pipeline program at strengthening applications, increasing diversity, and increasing access to care.

PURPOSE To evaluate the outcomes of a dental pipeline program at strengthening dental school applications, growing the diversity of dental students, and increasing access to care METHODS: This program evaluation used a descriptive and quasi-experimental retrospective study design. Researchers analyzed secondary data, from a dental pipeline program, for the years 2011-2018. Descriptive statistics were used to describe short-term and intermediate outcomes and impact. Associations were tested using paired t-test, 2-sample t-test, analysis of variance, and chi-squared test RESULTS: Ninety-eight scholars completed the 10-week program. The majority of scholars were female (70%), non-Hispanic or Latino (76%), non-White (72%), and pursuing baccalaureate degrees (94%). After completing the program, the mean Dental Admission Test (DAT) Academic Average Score (AAS) increased (16.0 vs. 17.5, P < 0.01). Significant associations were revealed between post-program DAT AAS and being accepted into dental school (P = 0.02). Associations remained when stratified by gender (male P = 0.01) and ethnicity (P = 0.03). The majority of scholars (71%) applied to the host school. Over half of the scholars matriculated to dental school (55%). Twenty-nine scholars (30%) graduated from the host school. Graduates report choosing careers in private practice (38%), public health (24%), corporate dentistry (17%), and the military (3%) CONCLUSION: Dental pipeline programs are effective at strengthening dental school applications, increasing DAT AAS, growing the diversity of dental students, and increasing access to care. Dental education needs to examine barriers dental pipeline programs do not typically address, such as the high cost of applying to dental school, and identify additional ways to support underrepresented minority students entering into dentistry.
Information sensitivity of corporate bonds: Evidence from the COVID-19 Crisis

Abstract We explore the information sensitivity of corporate bonds throughout the COVID-19 crisis by examining whether there is a differential market response to firms with high operating leverage. Our results show that investors appear to discriminate based on firm operating leverage, which estimates the inability to adjust operating inputs quickly. Spreads of high operating leverage firms increase by 70 basis points upon the Fed’s corporate credit facilities announcement, while spreads from all other firms decreased, indicating concern about potential downgrades. When the facilities expanded, which made some downgraded firms eligible, spreads declined by 146 basis points for highly leveraged firms.
Endlessly Exhausting Possibilities: Pandemic Planning in Support Services

With each new calendar or academic year, we hear platitudes like “the possibilities are endless!” Many of us in higher education have been anticipating coming changes as the industry undergoes a transformation. Yet no one expected a pandemic to strike and completely upend life as we knew it, hastening change and forcing us to re-envision and reinvent daily operations, on a weekly or even daily basis. How did the Campus Relations group in Drake University’s Information Technology Services respond to the pressure? The leadership team will share how we anticipated upcoming changes, developed contingency plans, adapted on the fly, and kept operations going. Did we exhaust all the possibilities? Or did the possibilities exhaust us? Attend our session and make your own determination!
Effect of Steroidal Glycoalkaloids on Hatch and Reproduction of the Potato Cyst Nematode Globodera pallida.

Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are phytoanticipins found in solanaceous crops that act as the first line of chemical defense against pathogen attacks. Solanum sisymbriifolium, a trap crop for pota...
Comparison of electromagnetic guided imagery to standard confirmatory methods for ascertaining nasogastric tube placement in children.

PURPOSE Evaluate the accuracy of an electromagnetic device (EMD) guided nasogastric tube (NGT) placement compared with standard confirmation methods. A secondary aim was to determine if EMD guided NGT placement would avert potential pulmonary misplacements of the tube. DESIGN AND METHODS Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) patients were enrolled if they had an NGT order during the study period of April 2014 through December 2016. Patients were included if they were one through 18 years of age. An EMD trained nurse inserted the NGT using EMD guidance. An insertion questionnaire, confirming if the nurse determined the NGT to be gastric per EMD, was completed immediately after NGT placement and before confirmation via either pH testing or radiographic imaging. RESULTS Forty-five patients were enrolled in the study. Nurses reported, based on EMD, that 86.7% (n = 39) of placements were gastric. Overall agreement between EMD guided tube placement and pH testing was 58% (n = 26). The marginal distribution was significantly different between the two methods (p = .0029). When compared to radiographic confirmation, sensitivity of the pH method was 32% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 17%-51%) compared with 85% (95% CI 69%-95%) for the EMD method. CONCLUSIONS EMD guidance was superior to pH testing when compared with radiographic confirmation of nasogastric tube placement in children. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS EMD guided NGT placement is a potentially viable method for confirming nasogastric tube placement in children when done by appropriately trained clinicians. More research on EMD guided NGT placement in children is needed before any practice recommendation can be made.
Role of Regulatory T cells in Epilepsy

In the past two decades, there has been increasing interest in the potential contributions of immune activation and neural inflammation to the pathogenesis of seizures and epilepsies. Studies have focused on the contribution of antibody-mediated encephalitis as well as pro-inflammatory mediators produced by brain-resident glial cells to the pathogenesis of epilepsy and seizure induction. Immune activation that leads to functional rewiring of the brain can be both the cause and the consequence of seizures. The immune response, however, is a process tightly controlled by a system of checks and balances to prevent aberrant inflammatory damage. The role of regulatory immune cells that suppress overt immune activation has been largely unexplored in epileptogenesis and seizure control. In this review, we discuss experimental data generated in our laboratory to examine the role of regulatory immune cells in seizure modulation and epileptogenesis. Specifically, we focus on the emerging knowledge of CD4+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in neurological disorders, recruitment of thymus-derived natural Tregs (tTregs) to the central nervous system (CNS), generation of peripherally derived antigen-specific Tregs (pTregs), Treg markers, and the immunosuppressive mechanisms of Tregs. We discuss the interaction between immune regulatory cells and inflammation-driven effector cells in the regulation of neural inflammation to suppress excessive immune responses deleterious to the host and maintenance of immune homeostasis.
Cross-cultural differences in user-centred research: An international living lab survey:

Digital health applications and interactive technologies increasingly allow organisations to transcend national boundaries and expand the provision of tools and services to communities across the w...
Rudiments of logic and set theory

The material we present in this book requires familiarity with classical propositional logic and some elements of predicate logic and set theory. For the sake of convenience several definitions and facts from these disciplines are gathered below. Our selection is by no means comprehensive. For a detailed treatment of propositional and predicate logics the reader is referred to the books by Mendelson [Men64], Rasiowa and Sikorski [RS70], Fitting [Fit90] and Nerode and Shore [NS93]. An in-depth presentation of set theory can be found in the monographs by Kuratowski and Mostowski [KM76] and Jech [Jec78].
A Smart Market for Resource Reservation in a Multiple Quality of Service Information Network

The technology is nearly available to offer remarkably powerful new communications services: multiple streams, from multiple users, composed of different applications that require different qualities of service (QoS), all travelling over a single interconnected physical infrastructure. Society will benefit from integrated applications (video conferencing with interactive demos and shared whiteboards; computer-integrated telephony, etc.). However, we are a long way from from free, broadband, "anytime, anywhere" integrated services networks. Allocation of scarce resources in a multiple quality of service network may be the single greatest barrier to communications anytime, anywhere. In this paper I present a fairly general model of the problem, and, after showing that a decentralized open market will fail, I propose a "smart market" mechanism for solving the problem. The smart market implements simultaneously efficient routing and bandwidth allocation for reservations made in advance. As computing speed improves, the length of the advance reservation interval can be shortened.
Systolic or Diastolic Blood Pressure Significance

The importance of hypertension has been recognized from the complications it produces in adults, mainly stroke, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, and renal failure.1-10 Similar health consequences have been reported in a few children with severe hypertension. As a result of these health concerns, children9s health care providers have been encouraged to determine and record blood pressures of their young patients. It has become customary to consider hypertension in adults in terms of an empirically designated diastolic blood pressure. Is this practice valid? Should this practice be applied to children? Unfortunately, these questions cannot be answered in reference to children, because there have been no long-term studies relating height of blood pressure to vascular sequelae in children.
PYRUVATE FERMENTATION BY STREPTOCOCCUS FAECALIS

Deibel, R. H. (American Meat Institute Foundation, Chicago, Ill.), and C. F. Niven, Jr. Pyruvate fermentation by Streptococcus faecalis. J. Bacteriol. 88:4–10. 1964.—Streptococcus faecalis, as opposed to S. faecium, utilizes pyruvate as an energy source for growth. The fermentation is adaptive, as demonstrated by growth experiments in a casein-hydrolysate medium and the fermentation of pyruvate by cell suspensions. The principal products of pyruvate catabolism were acetoin, CO2, and lactic, acetic, and formic acids, although carbon recoveries were low due to the formation of slime. End-product analyses suggested that both the phosphoroclastic and dismutation systems were active in pyruvate breakdown. Studies with cell-free extracts indicated a thiamine diphosphate requirement for active pyruvate catabolism. The involvement of lipoic acid in the phosphoroclastic system was investigated, and, although inconclusive results were obtained, no association of this cofactor with phosphoroclastic activity could be made.
Electronic structure of model electrodes simulated by metal clusters

Abstract Quantum mechanical calculations using the SCF-Xα scattered wave method have been made on 13-atom metal clusters representing platinum and gold electrodes fixed at different potentials or covered by hydrogen atoms. the effect of charged species in the solution phase of the double layer on the electrode surface has been taken into account by surrounding the model electrode with a spherical shell of constant charge density. Using the results of these calculations, the following topics are discussed: the simulation of the electrode potential; the dependence of the net surface charge of the electrode upon the electrode potential; and the relative reactivity of these two metals with hydrogen.
Integrating Fault-Tolerance Method into Service-Oriented Computing

Service Oriented Architectures (SOAs) enable the automatic creation of business applications from independently developed and deployed Web services. As Web services are inherently a priori unknown (in terms of dependability), how to deliver reliable Web services compositions is a significant and challenging problem. In this paper, we propose a framework for infusing dependability in SOAs through self-healing. We identify a set of high-level exception handling strategies based on the composition components' QoS performances and consumer requirements. Multiple recovery plans are produced and evaluated according to the performance of the included services, to select and execute the best recovery plan. We assess the overall system dependability using the generated plan and the available invocation information of the included services. Experiment results indicate the applicability of our method, and show the improved performance in comparison with similar existing approaches.
Breast cancer: Neoadjuvant bevacizumab treatment-signal or noise?

Neoadjuvant bevacizumab, when added to standard chemotherapy for operable breast cancer, improved the rate of complete pathological response in two large, well-conducted trials. However, the modest incremental benefits, combined with uncertain long-term effects on disease recurrence, mean that this approach remains experimental until follow-up data are available.
Species richness in a tropical biodiversity hotspot

That biological diversity is higher in tropicalregions is one of the longest standingpatterns in macroecology, yet a consensusexplanation of this diversity remains elusive(reviewed by Jablonski et al., 2006). Evolu-tionary processes that inﬂuence speciesrichness are, in simple terms, speciation,extinction and dispersal. There are numer-ous mechanistic hypotheses and empiricalinvestigations of the factors that may inﬂu-ence the relative rates of speciation andextinction, and hence, biodiversity (e.g.Mittelbach et al., 2007).Climate has long been recognized as animportant abiotic factor that inﬂuencesspecies distribution patterns in both tem-perate and tropical regions (e.g. Wiens GMittelbach et al., 2007). As genetic datasetsfor multiple taxa from diverse regionsbecome available, the application of non-traditional uses of molecular data (e.g. PDand ED) may prove fruitful for assessingcommunity diversity structure and under-standing global patterns of species richness.Finally, compiling data for many taxa withvaried life history and dispersal capabilitiesis necessary to fully assess mechanisms anddrivers of diversiﬁcation.Jeanne M. Robertson
Tachyarrhythmia thresholds in a three-dimensional computer model of a heart

A three-dimensional computer model of the ventricles of a heart is used to study induction of fibrillation under both healthy and ischemic conditions. In these simulations, fibrillation was initiated by administering multiple premature stimuli to an ectopic site on the heart, and ischemia was modeled as a regional reduction in conduction velocities. For the healthy heart, a well-defined 17-msec 'window of vulnerability' was located completely within the ectopic site's relative refractory period. This cardiac model indicates that a localized reduction in conduction velocities influences the heart's vulnerability to ectopic stimuli through two separate mechanisms: (a) it decreases the thresholds required to achieve fibrillation, and (b) it increases the fraction of the cardiac cycle susceptible to these stimuli, thereby increasing the probability that randomly timed stimuli will initiate fibrillation. >
Robust universal neural controllers

Here we introduce the class of neural controllers called integrable basis function neural controllers (IBFNC) consisting of a fixed neural network architecture employing a fixed integrable basis function in the nodes of the single hidden layer. Our main result shows the existence of arbitrarily precise IBFNC approximations of a class of robustly stabilizing controllers for a certain large and important class of nonlinear uncertain plants. It should be emphasized that a fixed IBFNC architecture (defined by the width and the centers of the basis function) is used to obtain a controller for any plant belonging to the given class, with the same error bound. The only parameters that need to be recomputed for the new plant are the weights from the hidden nodes to the output. But this computational problem is linear. These results show that IBFNCs are powerful and efficient for robust control, being linearly reconfigurable neural controllers that are universal for the class of plants under consideration. An interesting practical implication bearing on the problem of parameter determination of the IBFNC is the following. Concerning the usual practice of splitting the parameter determination problem into a nonlinear part of determining the width and the centers and the linear part of estimating the output weights. The results obtained here show that the computationally expensive nonlinear part needs to be solved only once for a given class of equicontinuous controllers. The remaining part arising due to a change in the controller is computationally easy, being linear.
Growth cone stop signals: inviting to stay or sending away?

Axons growing into a target region must select appropriate cells on which to form synapses. A signal from a target cell may invite the appropriate axon to stop extension and initiate synapse formation, whereas a nontarget cell may act as an intermediate guidepost or signal an axon to avoid
On the axial propagation of kink bands in fiber composites : Part i experiments

Abstract In many fiber composites, longitudinal compressive failure leads to the formation of kink bands. It has been found that these kink bands, once formed, can be made to propagate (broaden) in a steady-state manner at a constant stress level called the propagation stress (σP) . This is a characteristic stress of the material which, for the AS4⧹PEEK composite used in the study reported here, is approximately 40% of its compressive strength. This phenomenon is investigated experimentally using a special confining set-up that allows direct observation of the propagation process. For the composite studied, the kink bands have a repeatable inclination (β) of approximately 15°, and the fibers within the bands are rotated to about 30° in the absence of a load. When loaded to σP, however, they are found to rotate further to 40°, that is, substantially greater than the 2β reported elsewhere. The mechanism of propagation is found to be a bend-break-rotate sequence undergone by short segments of fibers at the edge of the kink band. It is well known that polymeric matrix composites such as the one used in this study exhibit rate-dependent behavior. Experimental results are presented which show that the kink band propagation stress is also rate dependent.
Photonic band gaps in highly conformal inverse-opal based photonic crystals

Large three-dimensional photonic band gap (PBG) structures offer revolutionary advances in controlling light emission and propagation. However, current techniques are not yet adequate to fabricate large area structures with optimum photonic properties. Inverse shell opals offer a ``bottom-up'' approach to fabrication but are limited by the small full PBG and the lack of appropriate materials for operation in the visible where most impact is expected. From photonic band and electric-field power profile investigations in inverse shell opals, we describe the effect of the dielectric backbone geometry on gap size and minimum refractive index contrast to sustain a full PBG. The results enable us to identify the mechanisms limiting the PBG and to show that feasible photonic crystals based devices using low index materials could result in larger full PBGs in the visible.