cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydatidiform mole: A survey of 66 cases at Hartford Hospital

Abstract A survey of 66 cases of hydatidiform mole treated at Hartford Hospital from 1938 to 1956 has been presented. The clinical characteristics of these cases have been described and compared with those cited in similar studies reported in the literature. A brief discussion of the diagnostic and therapeutic principles of this condition has been presented. Each case of hydatidiform mole has been re-examined microscopically and grouped by Hertig's classification. The final statistics suggest that hydatidiform mole is a benign condition which is rarely followed by malignant complications. Of the 66 cases in this series, there was successful recovery in 64. Of these, one patient had what appears to be a true choriocarcinoma and has survived 7 years. Another patient had a chorioadenoma destruens and has survived 8 years. Of the 2 deaths, one patient died of septicemia on the first postoperative day. The other patient died of cardiac disease 2/12years after the diagnosis of chorioadenoma destruens had been made.
The Use of In Vitro Data and Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Predict Drug Metabolite Exposure: Desipramine Exposure in Cytochrome P4502D6 Extensive and Poor Metabolizers Following Administration of Imipramine

Major circulating drug metabolites can be as important as the drugs themselves in efficacy and safety, so establishing methods whereby exposure to major metabolites following administration of parent drug can be predicted is important. In this study, imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, and its major metabolite desipramine were selected as a model system to develop metabolite prediction methods. Imipramine undergoes N-demethylation to form the active metabolite desipramine, and both imipramine and desipramine are converted to hydroxylated metabolites by the polymorphic enzyme CYP2D6. The objective of the present study is to determine whether the human pharmacokinetics of desipramine following dosing of imipramine can be predicted using static and dynamic physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models from in vitro input data for CYP2D6 extensive metabolizer (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM) populations. The intrinsic metabolic clearances of parent drug and metabolite were estimated using human liver microsomes (CYP2D6 PM and EM) and hepatocytes. Passive diffusion clearance of desipramine, used in the estimation of availability of the metabolite, was predicted from passive permeability and hepatocyte surface area. The predicted area under the curve (AUCm/AUCp) of desipramine/imipramine was 12- to 20-fold higher in PM compared with EM subjects following i.v. or oral doses of imipramine using the static model. Moreover, the PBPK model was able to recover simultaneously plasma profiles of imipramine and desipramine in populations with different phenotypes of CYP2D6. This example suggested that mechanistic PBPK modeling combined with information obtained from in vitro studies can provide quantitative solutions to predict in vivo pharmacokinetics of drugs and major metabolites in a target human population.
Automatically Extracting Topical Components for a Response-to-Text Writing Assessment

We investigate automatically extracting multiword topical components to replace information currently provided by experts that is used to score the Evidence dimension of a writing in response to text assessment. Our goal is to reduce the amount of expert effort and improve the scalability of an automatic scoring system. Experimental results show that scoring performance using automatically extracted data-driven topical components is promising.
BG-4, a novel bioactive peptide from momordica charantia, inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in THP-1 human macrophages

Abstract Background Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is a commonly used food crop for management of a variety of diseases most notably for control of diabetes, a disease associated with aberrant inflammation. Purpose To evaluate the anti-inflammatory property of BG-4, a novel bioactive peptide isolated from the seed of bitter melon. Methods Differentiated THP-1 human macrophages were pre-treated with BG-4 and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. Pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mechanism of action involving activation of NF-κB and phosphorylation of ERK and STAT3 was measured by western blot and immunofluorescence. The production of intracellular reactive oxygen species was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence spectrophotometry. Results BG-4 dose dependently reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. The ability of BG-4 to reduce production of cytokines are associated with reduced phosphorylation of ERK and STAT3 accompanied by reduced nuclear translocation of p65 NF-κB subunit. The mechanism of action is reduction of LPS-induced production of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Conclusion Our results demonstrated the ability of BG-4, a novel peptide from the seed of bitter melon, to exert anti-inflammatory action. This could explain the traditional use of bitter melon against diseases associated with aberrant and uncontrolled inflammation.
Glucocorticoids in Aging: Relevance to Cognition

“Successful aging” is to grow old with minimal deterioration of cognitive function. Several longitudinal studies have failed to detect age-related cognitive impairment in healthy individuals. Thus, the well-documented, age-related cognitive impairment may well arise from persons who are in the early stages of a disease process. Consistently, the mortality rate in the subgroup with cognitive impairment is higher. Disease process and proinflammatory cytokines invariably elevate glucocorticoids (CORT). Chronic CORT elevation in stressed animals and humans has been associated with extensive damage to the hippocampal neurons. Hippocampal damage due to intermittent activation of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal cortex axis is reversible, but as the total exposure to CORT increases, the regenerative capacity is diminished. This cumulative damage of stress, aging, and/or disease pathology on the hippocampus contributes to age-related cognitive impairment.
Short-term Preoperative Diet Decreases Bleeding After Partial Hepatectomy: Results From a Multi-institutional Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND Our previous case series suggested that a 1-week, low-calorie and low-fat diet was associated with decreased intraoperative blood loss in patients undergoing liver surgery. OBJECTIVE The current study evaluates the effect of this diet in a randomized controlled trial. METHODS We randomly assigned 60 patients with a body mass index ≥25 kg/m(2) to no special diet or an 800-kcal, 20 g fat, and 70 g protein diet for 1 week before liver resection. Surgeons were blinded to diet assignment. Hepatic glycogen stores were evaluated using periodic acid Schiff (PAS) stains. RESULTS Ninety four percent of the patients complied with the diet. The diet group consumed fewer daily total calories (807 vs 1968 kcal, P < 0.001) and fat (21 vs 86 g, P < 0.001) than the no diet group. Intraoperative blood loss was less in the diet group: mean blood loss 452 vs 863 mL (P = 0.021). There was a trend towards decreased transfusion in the diet group (138 vs 322 mL, P = 0.06). The surgeon judged the liver to be easier to manipulate in the diet group: 1.86 versus 2.90, P = 0.004. Complication rate (20% vs 17%), length of stay (median 5 vs 4 days) and mortality did not differ between groups. There was no difference in hepatic steatosis between groups. There was less glycogen in hepatocytes in the diet group (PAS stain score 1.61 vs 2.46, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS A short-course, low-fat, and low-calorie diet significantly decreases bleeding and makes the liver easier to manipulate in hepatic surgery.
Reconstructing phenomenological distributions of compact binaries via gravitational wave observations

Gravitational wave (GW) measurements will provide insight into the population of coalescing compact binaries throughout the universe. We describe and demonstrate a flexible parametric method to infer the event rate as a function of compact binary parameters, accounting for Poisson error and selection biases. Using synthetic data based on projections for LIGO and Virgo's third observing run (O3), we discuss how well GW measurements could constrain the mass and spin distribution of coalescing neutron stars and black holes (BHs) in the near future, within the context of several phenomenological models described in this work. We demonstrate that only a few tens of events can enable astrophysically significant constraints on the spin magnitude and orientation distribution of BHs in merging binaries. We discuss how astrophysical priors or other measurements can inform the interpretation of future measurements. Using publicly available results, we estimate the event rate versus mass for binary black holes (BBHs). To connect to previously published work, we provide estimates including reported O2 BBH candidates, making several unwarranted but simplifying assumptions for the sensitivity of the network and completeness of the reported set of events. Consistent with prior work, we find BHs in binaries likely have low natal spin. With available results and a population favoring low spin, we cannot presently constrain the typical misalignments of the binary black hole population. All of the tools described in this work are publicly available and ready-to-use to interpret real or synthetic LIGO data, and to synthesize projected data from future observing runs.https://git.ligo.org/daniel.wysocki/bayesian-parametric-population-models/ and https://git.ligo.org/daniel.wysocki/synthetic-PE-posteriors
Toxicity of Other Elements

The characteristic features of several elements will be reviewed in this chapter. Each of these elements has its own unique properties, the differences among them being much greater than those found among the heavy metals treated in the previous chapter. The elements to be discussed are selenium, arsenic, beryllium, aluminum, vanadium, chromium, manganese, and nickel. These are some of the more important toxic elements, and represent, altogether, wide enough a variety to allow us to delineate some general principles of the toxic effects of elements and the biological defense mechanisms against them. For a comprehensive review of the toxicities of all these and other elements, the reader is referred to several monographs and reviews (Frieden, 1985a; Luckey and Venugopal, 1977; Goyer and Mehlman, 1977; Friberg et al., 1979).
3-D Modeling of Ultrasonic Scattering from Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracks

This paper describes the derivation of a three-dimensional model for scattering of elastic waves by an intergranular stress corrosion crack (IGSCC). The model is based on a geometrical abstraction of the IGSCC. The crack has a main stem and left and right branches. The transducer is on the upper surface and the crack breaks the lower surface of a flat plate. The beam of transverse wave motions radiated by the transducer insonifies the crack under an angle of 45° with the lower face of the plate. Figure 1 shows the plane of symmetry of the configuration. The current profile of the beam is Gaussian, but the use of other beam profiles is possible. The position of the center of the transducer can be varied in the plane of symmetry of the crack. This allows the simulation of sizing techniques which require probe motion. The backscattered field has been computed by using the Kirchhoff approximation for the crack opening displacements of the individual components of the branched crack. The backscattering by the main stem and the branches has been analyzed and superimposed to provide the total backscattered field in the frequency domain. Numerical results are presented.
A Fixed-Architecture Framework for Stochastic Nonlinear Controller Synthesis

In this paper, we present a Lyapunov function-based optimization approach for designing state and output feedback control laws for systems with polynomial nonlinearities. We use local polynomial expansions of a chosen order to approximate a higher-order nonlinear stochastic dynamical system, reformulate stochastic asymptotic stability conditions in the form of a nonlinear constrained optimization problem, and computationally determine the domain of attraction of the synthesized nonlinear controller on the original system. Finally, we illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm on two illustrative numerical examples.
Disruption of mesoderm formation during cardiac differentiation due to developmental exposure to 13-cis-retinoic acid

13-cis-retinoic acid (isotretinoin, INN) is an oral pharmaceutical drug used for the treatment of skin acne, and is also a known teratogen. In this study, the molecular mechanisms underlying INN-induced developmental toxicity during early cardiac differentiation were investigated using both human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Pre-exposure of hiPSCs and hESCs to a sublethal concentration of INN did not influence cell proliferation and pluripotency. However, mesodermal differentiation was disrupted when INN was included in the medium during differentiation. Transcriptomic profiling by RNA-seq revealed that INN exposure leads to aberrant expression of genes involved in several signaling pathways that control early mesoderm differentiation, such as TGF-beta signaling. In addition, genome-wide chromatin accessibility profiling by ATAC-seq suggested that INN-exposure leads to enhanced DNA-binding of specific transcription factors (TFs), including HNF1B, SOX10 and NFIC, often in close spatial proximity to genes that are dysregulated in response to INN treatment. Altogether, these results identify potential molecular mechanisms underlying INN-induced perturbation during mesodermal differentiation in the context of cardiac development. This study further highlights the utility of human stem cells as an alternative system for investigating congenital diseases of newborns that arise as a result of maternal drug exposure during pregnancy.
Mass-analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy of lanthanide imide LnNH (Ln = La and Ce) radicals from N-H bond activation of ammonia.

Ln (Ln = La and Ce) atom reactions with ammonia are carried out in a pulsed laser vaporization supersonic molecular beam source. Lanthanide-containing species are observed with time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and LnNH molecules are characterized by mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. The theoretical calculations include density functional theory for both Ln species and a scalar relativity correction, electron correlation, and spin-orbit coupling for the Ce species. The MATI spectrum of LaNH exhibits a single vibronic band system with a strong origin band and two weak vibronic progressions, whereas the spectrum of CeNH displays two band systems separated by 75 cm−1 with each being like the LaNH spectrum. By comparing with the theoretical calculations, both LaNH and CeNH are identified as linear molecules with C∞v symmetry, and the two vibronic progressions are attributed to the excitations of Ln–N stretching and Ln–N–H bending modes in the ions. The additional band system observed for CeNH is due to the spin-orbit splitting from the interactions of triplet and singlet states. The ground valence electron configurations of LaNH and CeNH are La 6s1 and Ce 4f16s1, and the ionization of each species removes the Ln 6s1 electron. The remaining two electrons that are associated with the isolated Ln atoms or ions are in a doubly degenerate molecular orbital that is a bonding combination between Ln 5dπ and N pπ orbitals.
Differential plasticity of membrane fatty acids in northern and southern populations of the eastern newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)

Seasonal changes in membrane composition and metabolic activity allow many temperate ectotherms to contend with changes in body temperature, but few studies have investigated whether the plasticity of these traits has diverged within a single species. Therefore, we studied the effects of thermal acclimation on the membrane fatty acid composition and the activities of cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) and citrate synthase (CS) in the skeletal muscle and liver of eastern newts from Maine and Florida. Newts were acclimated to either 6 °C or 28 °C for 12 weeks prior to experiments. Cold acclimation resulted in a lower saturated fatty acid (SFA) content in the muscle membranes of both populations. SFA content in liver was lower in cold compared to warm-acclimated newts from Florida, but acclimation did not affect SFA content in liver membranes of the Maine population. In liver, cold acclimation resulted in a higher monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) content in the Florida population and a higher polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content in the Maine population. Regardless of acclimation conditions, the muscle and liver membranes of the Maine population had higher SFA and PUFA contents compared to those of the Florida population. MUFA content of muscle and liver membranes was higher in the Florida population compared to the Maine population. The effect of acclimation on CCO and CS activity was tissue-specific. In muscle, CCO and CS activities were higher in cold compared to warm-acclimated newts in both populations, and CS and CCO activities were higher in the Maine compared to the Florida population. In liver, CCO and CS activity were unaffected by acclimation in the Florida population, but activity was lower in cold compared to warm-acclimated Maine newts. These results demonstrate that the phenotypic plasticity of these traits in response to seasonal change has diverged between northern and southern populations.
Photodissociation Dynamics of the Methylsulfinyl Radical at 248 nm

The photodissociation dynamics of jet-cooled methylsulfinyl radicals, CH3SO, at 248 nm have been investigated using molecular beam photofragment translational spectroscopy. The primary channel is C...
“Do this in memory of me”: Examining Catholic subjectivity and teacher education

This paper is about Catholic subjectivity and teacher education. We explore multiple notions of Catholic subjectivity drawing from their Korean, Irish American, and Filipino-Polish heritages. Lived...
Communicative efficiency in language production: Optional case-marking in Japanese

Grammatical encoding is one of the earliest stages in linguistic encoding. One broadly accepted view holds that grammatical encoding is primarily or exclusively affected by production ease, rather than communicative considerations. This contrasts with proposals that speakers’ preferences during grammatical encoding reflect a trade-off between production ease and communicative goals. In three recall sentence production experiments, we investigate Japanese speakers’ production of optional object case-marking. Case-marking conveys information about the intended sentence interpretation, facilitating comprehension, but it also increases production effort. We find that Japanese speakers are more likely to produce case-marking when the properties of the sentence would otherwise bias comprehenders against the intended interpretation. Experiment 1 observes this effect based on the animacy of the object. Experiments 2 and 3 find the same effect based on the plausibility of the intended grammatical function assignment, even when animacy is held constant. We discuss how speakers might achieve this type of trade-off. In addition to evidencing the role of communicative pressures during even the earliest stages of language production, the results inform linguistic typology, where similar patterns have been observed in obligatory (differential) case-marking.
Surgical Training in an Era of Change and Innovation: Transition Within a Transition.

Trainees entering the fields of cardiology and cardiovascular surgery in recent years are witnessing an era of constant change. In much the same way that the emergence of percutaneous coronary intervention offered new options for the treatment of coronary artery disease, new endovascular platforms
"I Don't Like Being Stereotyped, I Decided I Was Never Going Back to the Doctor": Sexual Healthcare Access Among Young Latina Women in Alabama.

Young Latina women (YLW) in the US and in Alabama are disproportionately affected by sexual health disparities. Our community based participatory research (CBPR) study’s purpose was to examine YLW’s perceptions and experiences of sexual healthcare access (SHCA) toward developing community-driven, multilevel intervention strategies. We conducted 20 semi-structured qualitative interviews with YLW between 15 and 19 years old and who had been in the US for 5 or more years. We content-analyzed the data guided by the Socioecological Model of Sexual Health (SEMSH). We began analyses by coding independently, built consensus on the codes, then finished coding transcripts independently. Sixty-five percent of participants were US-born and 60% had health insurance. Participants identified barriers/facilitators to SHCA including discrimination in clinical settings and embarrassment/stigma about SHCA. Our study is the first in AL to use CBPR to work with YLW. Interventions should consider the multi-level and intersectional nature of SHCA challenges.
Ubiety, Mobility & Transitions: The Quest for Ecological Intelligence

The 2007 launch of the Apple iPhone marked a turning point in the evolution of the experience of humans interacting with and/or through digital technology. Despite leaving ample room for improvement, the iPhone made clear that the field had matured to the point where the primary challenge no longer lay in individual interactions with individual technologies; rather, it had shifted to battling the every-growing, largely technology induced complexity in the social interactions within and amongst the societies of technologies and people. By analogy, the better we get at the architecture and construction of houses, the more the need for urban planning escalates.From this perspective, the holy grail of "next big thing" turns out not to be a "thing" at all - not a device, application nor service. Rather, it will be a change in the social relationships amongst the things which already exist, will exist, and with and amongst the society of people with whom the technologies are intermingled.
Francophonie globale, communauté linguistique et diversité culturelle

Cet article propose une critique de la notion de francophonie globale. Celle-ci tend en effet a effacer les distinctions culturelles en creant un modele communautaire transnational base essentielle...
Solution Blowing Synthesis of Li-Conductive Ceramic Nanofibers

Solid state electrolytes (SSEs) offer great potential to enable high-performance and safe lithium (Li) batteries. However, the scale-up synthesis and processing of SSEs is a major challenge. In this work, three-dimensional networks of lithium lanthanum titanite (LLTO) nanofibers are produced through a scale-up technique based on solution blowing. Compared with the conventional electrospinning method, the solution blowing technique enables high-speed fabrication of SSEs (e.g., 15 times faster) with superior productivity and quality. Additionally, the room-temperature ionic conductivity of composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) formed from solution-blown LLTO fibers is 70% higher than the ones formed from electrospun fibers (1.9 × 10 -4 vs 1.1 × 10-4 S cm-1 for 10 wt % LLTO fibers). Furthermore, the cyclability of the CPEs made from solution-blown fibers in the symmetric Li cell is more than 2.5 times that of the CPEs made from electrospun fibers. These comparisons show that solution-blown ion-conductive fibers hold great promise for applications in Li metal batteries.
Aggressive treatment of acute kidney injury and hyperkalemia improves survival in a combat relevant trauma model in swine.

Abstract Introduction Our swine model of pulmonary contusion (PC) and hemorrhagic shock (HS) was initially complicated by renal failure, hyperkalemia, and premature death. To study the effects of novel therapies on organ failure, improved survival was necessary requiring the design of an aggressive treatment regimen. Methods Anesthetized swine sustained either PC or PC with grade V liver injury to induce HS (PC + HS). After injury, animals were resuscitated followed by either standard care (SC) with maintenance intravenous fluids (IVF) and treatment at potassium level of 6.0 mmol/L (n = 7; 3 PC, 4 PC + HS) or aggressive care (AC) with increased initial IVF, early and frequent potassium monitoring, and treatment at potassium level of 5.0 mmol/L (n = 15, 8 PC, 7 PC + HS). Hyperkalemia was treated with calcium, insulin, and glucose in both groups. Results Survival to 48 h was achieved in 13/15 (87%) in the AC group and 2/7 (29%) in the SC group (p = 0.014). Compared to SC, AC improved median survival (48 vs. 18 h, p = 0.008) and lowered potassium (5.0 vs. 7.5 mmol/L), creatinine (2.4 vs. 4.0 mg/dL), BUN (27.5 vs. 39.0 mg/dL), and lactate (0.97 vs. 3.57 mmol/L) at the last observed time-point prior to death. For PC + HS animals, survival to 48 h was achieved in 6/7 in the AC group and 0/4 in the SC group with an improved median survival in the AC group (48 vs. 18 h, p = 0.011) Discussion Aggressive and early hyperkalemia treatment prolongs survival while reducing kidney injury and potassium levels in a combat relevant injury model in swine.
2.5 Million Person-Years of Life Have Been Lost Due to COVID-19 in the United States

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by tens of millions of SARS-CoV-2 infections world-wide, has resulted in considerable levels of mortality and morbidity. The United States has been hit particularly hard having 20 percent of the world’s infections but only 4 percent of the world population. Unfortunately, significant levels of misunderstanding exist about the severity of the disease and its lethality. As COVID-19 disproportionally impacts elderly populations, the false impression that the impact on society of these deaths is minimal may be conveyed by some because elderly individuals are closer to a natural death. To assess the impact of COVID-19 in the US, I have performed calculations of person-years of life lost as a result of 194,000 premature deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 infection as of early October, 2020. By combining actuarial data on life expectancy and the distribution of COVID-19 associated deaths we estimate that over 2,500,000 person-years of life have been lost so far in the pandemic in the US alone, averaging over 13.25 years per person with differences noted between males and females. Importantly, nearly half of the potential years of life lost occur in non-elderly populations. Issues impacting refinement of these models and the additional morbidity caused by COVID-19 beyond lethality are discussed.
The Hybrid Open Muscle-Sparing Approach in Adult Spinal Deformity Patients Undergoing Lower Thoracic Fusion to the Pelvis

Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is a difficult complication to manage following adult spinal deformity surgery. Particularly in spinal fusions from the lower thoracic spine down to pelvis, PJK is a major consideration. While the open posterior approach allows for excellent visualization and preparation of bony surfaces for fusion, disruption of posterior soft tissue structures increases risk of PJK postoperatively. Minimally invasive approaches, on the other hand, preserve posterior ligamentous structures and musculature at the proximal fusion levels however prevent the access afforded by an open approach. We describe here the hybrid open muscle-sparing approach-a technique that allows for decortication of bony surfaces as well as clear exposure of anatomic landmarks for freehand pedicle screw placement, while protecting the posterior soft tissue structures to reduce risk of PJK.
Antimicrobial Dressing versus Standard Dressing in Obese Women Undergoing Cesarean Delivery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a novel antimicrobial dressing on patient satisfaction and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) following a cesarean delivery. Study Design This was an open-label, single-center, two-arm randomized controlled trial. This study was done at the tertiary center, maternal unit, Galveston, TX. Pregnant women with body mass indices ≥35 kg/m2 were screened for eligibility. Women were randomized to ReliaTect Post-Op Dressing (RELIATECT) or standard wound dressing (STANDARD). Primary outcome was patient satisfaction and HRQoL using validated questionnaires. Secondary outcomes were provider satisfaction, surgical site infection (SSI) rates, and wound complications. Results In total, 160 women were randomized. Population characteristics were not significant among groups. RELIATECT dressing group had an overall higher score of satisfaction and HRQoL compared with STANDARD group. Women in the RELIATECT group reported less incision odor and incisional pain. Compared with the STANDARD group, most women in RELIATECT dressing group reported better daily activities, self-esteem, personal hygiene, body image, and sleep. Providers reported that the RELIATECT dressing allowed better assessment of the surgical incision site, allowed patients to shower early, and did observe less wound dressing leakage. No differences were found in other secondary end points. Conclusion Postcesarean RELIATECT dressing for wound care in pregnant women with obesity had better patient and provider satisfaction as well as better HRQoL scores. Further, level 1 evidence is needed to assess its impact on SSI rates and wound complication, as this trial was not powered to accomplish this goal. Key Points
Peritonsillar abscess: 46 years after tonsillectomy

Abstract Introduction Peritonsillar abscess is a common ENT emergency. However, Differential Diagnosis becomes complex when this pathology is seen in a patient with history of tonsillectomy. Case report This is a case report of peritonsillar abscess in a 57 year old female after an interval of 46 years post-tonsillectomy. Discussion As peritonsillar abscess is rare after tonsillectomy, every effort should be made to determine the cause, which can range from very simple to complex pathology.
Predictors to forgo resuscitative efforts during COVID-19 critical illness at the height of the pandemic

Rationale: During the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been significant uncertainty and heightened fear regarding the poor prognosis of COVID-19 and the disproportionate impact on minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Prior studies have demonstrated that baseline characteristics including older age, white race, female gender, and poor functional status are all associated with the decision to forego resuscitative efforts during critical illness. We sought to understand if demographic characteristics are stronger predictors for the decision to forgo resuscitative efforts than comorbid condition or severity of critical illness during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on all adults admitted to Boston Medical Center (BMC) ICU between March 1 and June 7 with confirmed Covid-19 infection. Patients were dichotomized into two groups: patients with code status conversion to DNAR and patients that remained full code during the entirety of their critical illness. Univariate analysis and logistic regression was performed to identify variables associated with code status conversion. Results: A total of 281 patients were hospitalized in the ICU with COVID-19 infection and 70% (n = 198) remained full code while 29.5% (n = 83) instituted DNAR orders. Older age was associated with decision to institute DNAR order (65 years-old SD±15 v 58 years-old SD±15, p < 0.001). The other demographic factors including gender, race, language preference, and insurance status were not associated with decision to institute DNAR order. The comorbid conditions of cardiopulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, or malignancy were not associated with decision to institute DNAR. The intra-critical illness factors including need for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) (OR 5.2 95% CI 2.6-11.2), need for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) (OR 3.8 95% CI 1.8-8) and admission SOFA score (5 SD ± 3.5 v 7 SD ± 4, p < 0.001) were associated with decision to institute DNAR order. Conclusion: This preliminary study suggests that at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and height of uncertainty, factors associated with the decision to forgo resuscitative efforts are primarily intra-critical illness factors as opposed to baseline demographic characteristics. A larger multi-center study is required to confirm the findings from a single-center safety net hospital.
Implementing Virtual Reality for Teleoperation of a Humanoid Robot.

Our research explores the potential of a humanoid robot for work in unpredictable environments, but controlling a humanoid robot remains a very difficult problem. In our previous work, we designed a prototype virtual reality (VR) interface to allow an operator to command a humanoid robot. However, while usable, the initial interface was not sufficient for commanding the robot to perform the tasks; for example, in some cases, there was a lack of precision available for robot control. The interface was overly cumbersome in some areas as well. In this paper, we discuss numerous additions, inspired by traditional interfaces and virtual reality video games, to our prior implementation, providing additional ways to visualize and command a humanoid robot to perform difficult tasks within a virtual world.
Regional Specialty Surgical Practice Efficiencies Gained as a Result of COVID-19.

Abstract Objective To identify opportunities for discontinuing elective and nonemergency surgical cases in a regional surgical practice in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Patients and Methods COVID-19 began to affect surgical practices across the United States in March 2020. On March 17, 2020, all elective and nonemergency surgical care was deferred to prepare the Mayo Clinic Health System sites in northwestern Wisconsin for an anticipated surge in patients with COVID-19. When the decision was made to reactivate the surgical practice, several major structural and operational changes were made to the regional surgical practice to optimize efficiencies. Results The structural and operational changes implemented during reactivation resulted in improved utilization of surgical resources including improvement in operating room (OR) block utilization, increased available OR time, and increased case volumes. Conclusion Surgical and procedural leaders should consider a limited-time deferral of elective surgical cases to implement widespread OR efficiency strategies. The time selected for deferral of surgical cases should target a period of historically low surgical volume to minimize disruption to patient care and impact on overall OR functions.
Facebook Chat Application to Prompt and Assist Smoking Cessation Among Spanish-Speaking Young Adults in South Texas:

Given how smart phones, internet services, and social media have shown great potential for assisting smoking cessation, we constructed a Facebook chat application based on our previous work with SM...
Towards Robust Planar Translations using Delta-manipulator Arrays

Distributed manipulators - consisting of a set of actuators or robots working cooperatively to achieve a manipulation task - are robust and flexible tools for performing a range of planar manipulation skills. One novel example is the delta array, a distributed manipulator composed of a grid of delta robots, capable of performing dexterous manipulation tasks using strategies incorporating both dynamic and static contact. Hand-designing effective distributed control policies for such a manipulator can be complex and time consuming, given the high-dimensional action space and unfamiliar system dynamics. In this paper, we examine the principles guiding development and control of such a delta array for a planar translation task. We explore policy learning as a robust cooperative control approach, allowing for smooth manipulation of a range of objects, showing improved accuracy and efficiency over baseline human-designed policies.
Internet Jurisdiction: A Survey of German Scholarship and Cases

In late June 2013, Fordham CLIP completed a study, “Internet Jurisdiction: A Survey of German Scholarship and Cases.” This project provides a survey of the case law and legal literature analyzing jurisdiction for claims arising out of Internet activity in Germany. A companion study, released simultaneously, explores similar issues as they are treated in the United States. The goal of the report is to identify trends in legal literature and case law and to serve as a comprehensive, objective resource to assist scholars and policy-makers looking to learn about the issues of jurisdiction on the Internet with a focus on the German legal system and relevant EU laws. The research survey shows that, although various trends can be identified within German and EU case law, no consensus on the treatment of international jurisdiction can be ascertained. Although the academic literature demonstrates awareness of the problems and pitfalls in Internet-related cases, clear solutions are seldom offered. Moreover, notwithstanding German Federal Supreme Court and European Court of Justice decisions that have set the stage for further development, the research indicates that the coexistence of German and European Law, as well as the presence of separate subject matter-specific legal regimes, preclude the identification of any real consensus views.
The Informatics for Diabetes and Education Telemedicine (IDEATel) Project

Telemedicine is a promising but largely unproven technology for providing case management services to patients with chronic conditions who experience barriers to access to care or a high burden of illness. We conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing telemedicine case management to usual care, with blinding of those obtaining outcome data, in 1,665 Medicare recipients with diabetes, aged 55 years or greater, and living in federally designated medically underserved areas of New York State. In New York City, 98% of participants were black or Hispanic, 69% were Medicaid-eligible, and 93% reported annual household income ≤$20,000. In upstate New York, 91% were white, 14% Medicaid eligible, and 50% reported annual household income ≤$20,000. A baseline survey found that 95% of participants in New York City and 67% in upstate New York reported that they did not know how to use a computer. The primary endpoints were HgbA1c, blood pressure, and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. In the intervention group (N = 844), mean HgbA1c improved over 1 year from 7.35% to 6.97%, and from 8.35% to 7.42% in the subgroup with baseline HgbA1c ≥7% (N = 353). In the usual care group (N = 821), mean HgbA1c improved over 1 year from 7.42% to 7.17%. Adjusted net reductions (1-year minus baseline mean values in each group, compared between groups) favoring the intervention were as follows: HgbA1c, 0.18% (p = 0.006), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, 3.4 (p = 0.001) and 1.9 mmHg (p < 0.001), and LDL cholesterol, 9.5 mg/dl (p < 0.001). In the subgroup with baseline HgbA1c ≥7%, net adjusted reduction in HgbA1c favoring the intervention group was 0.32% (p = 0.002). Mean LDL cholesterol level in the intervention group at one year was 95.7 mg/dl. The intervention effects were similar in magnitude in the subgroups living in New York City and upstate New York. A satisfaction survey of intervention group participants (N = 346 respondents) showed high levels of satisfaction with major intervention components. A satisfaction survey of participating primary care physicians (N = 116 respondents) showed positive perceptions for acceptability, impact on patients and communication. Telemedicine case management improved glycemic control, blood pressure levels, and total and LDL-cholesterol levels at 1 year of follow-up. Telemedicine is an effective method for translating modern approaches to disease management into effective care for underserved populations.
Multiple dosage forms of the NNRTI microbicide dapivirine: product development and evaluation

The disproportionate impact of the expanding AIDS epidemic in women of the developing world clearly establishes the need for anti-HIV microbicides. Although semi-solid gels were the conventional dosage form developed for early microbicides, newer acceptability data and studies from the contraceptive field have demonstrated the need for additional alternative dosage forms that are acceptable to the relevant target populations. Reducing the burden of user compliance is equally critical in the next generation of products. Our development efforts with the highly potent NNRTI microbicide dapivirine have involved multiple dosage forms, with the objective of decoupling product use from sexual intercourse. Once per day gels and tablets are being developed, as are intravaginal ring delivery systems for sustained release. Preclinical development studies, formulation development and characterization, and clinical evaluations of these alternative drug product forms will be discussed. Our findings suggest that potent anti-retroviral compounds can be safely configured for acceptable dosing in women, and that these drugs and delivery strategies can be successfully applied in microbicide development.
Chemical Stability of Organic Monolayers Formed in Solution

The H- Si surface is important to the electronics and photovoltaics industries because Si-H is the starting point for many Si-based devices. In tum, the electronic and chemical properties of the H-terminated Si surface affect the properties of subsequent Si surfaces and interfaces [1-3]. Dangling or weak bonds present at the surface will affect minority-carrier ("excited-state") processes, and will thus affect devices such as field-effect transistors and pbotovoltaics. Furthermore, the topography of, as well as the presence of adsorbed chemical contaminants on, a H-terminated Si surface greatly affects the electronic properties of Si/SiO_x interfaces formed from this initial H-terminated Si surface [4, 5]. Organic contaminants are difficult to remove from the Si surface, and different cleaning procedures have been shown to result in a variety of contaminant fingerprints. Hence, significant effort has been directed to understand the reactivity of the H-Si surface. This section will explore the reactivity of the H-terminated Si surface with O_2, H_2O, alcohols, metals, amines, and thiols. The synthesis, as well as the physical and electronic characterization, of the H-Si surfaces will be reviewed briefly, but the reader is encouraged to consult Chapter 3 for a more detailed account of the preparation and characterization of H-terminated Si surfaces.
Electronically de-spun phased array antenna for spinning spacecraft

A spinning spacecraft typically uses an S-band omnidirectional antenna to maintain a data link to Earth and thus does not need an expensive attitude control system. However, a higher downlink data rate and/or cost savings might be obtained by using a transmit antenna with gain in the less occupied X-band. A linear phased army of microstrip radiators can achieve significant gain and some steering while having a lightweight package on board the spacecraft. Arranging the flat panels of such an array on the sides of a regular polygon, around the spacecraft spin axis, allows the beam from each pair of adjacent panels to overlap. Each pair of successive panels, excited sequentially at the spin rate of the spacecraft, can point the radiated beam toward Earth continuously. Greater transmit antenna gain on board the spacecraft has several possible benefits including: (1) increased downlink data rate, (2) reduced transmit power, (3) access to downlink data on Earth by commercial dish receivers rather than the expensive Deep Space Network (DSN). As demand and availability increases, cost of the required X-band components and equipment should decrease.
A needs Assessment to develop Community Partnerships: initial steps Working with a Major Agricultural Community

Abstract Background: Healthy People 2010 identified community partnership as one of the most effective strategies in eliminating health disparities and considered it a critical element in improving an individual's quality of life. To be effective at engaging communities in partnerships, an initial community based needs assessment is recommended. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to use a community assessment to establish if there is a need for community partnerships in a rural Northern Colorado county. Methods: A mixed-methods design using an online survey and focus groups was used to collect data. Results: The analysis of the online survey indicated strong support for community partnerships and analysis of focus group transcriptions found both barriers and solutions to human service delivery. Discussion: Survey responses indicated a perception of support, involvement, and interest in community partnerships; however, focus groups revealed that although some partnerships do exist, significant improv...
A neural basis for lexical retrieval

Two parallel studies using positron emission tomography, one conducted in neurological patients with brain lesions, the other in normal individuals, indicate that the normal process of retrieving words that denote concrete entities depends in part on multiple regions of the left cerebral hemisphere, located outside the classic language areas. Moreover, anatomically separable regions tend to process words for distinct kinds of items.
The Peculiar Status of Black Educational Administrators: The University Setting.

Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King and the subsequent riots in April of 1968, through about the end of 1972, universities were faced with the necessity of hiring more Blacks to serve in various capacities. This need resulted from pressures which were exerted by the Black community (primarily through the threat of more violence) and by the federal government through its threat to withhold funds from institutions with an insufficient number of Black personnel. Subsequently, Blacks were appointed to administrative positions at various levels in a variety of educational institutions. In reviewing what has happened to Black administrators who were appointed during this period of time, it now becomes crystal clear that most of these appointments were made simply to appease the Black community and to maintain the flow of federal dollars into the institutions concerned. A cursory review of the situation indicates that a disproportionate number of Black administrators hired in the latter part of the 1960s and early 1970s are experiencing numerous
Experimental equations-of-state for cesium and lithium metals to 20 kbar and the high-pressure behavior of the alkali metals

Experimental equation-of-state results to 20 kbar and from 4 K to room temperature are given for cesium and lithium metals which are comparable with those published previously for sodium, potassium, and rubidium [Phys. Rev. B 28, 5395 (1983)]. The same generalization holds that the isothermal bulk modulus is a function of the volume only. Cesium and lithium each are slightly more compressible in a reduced sense than the other three alkali metals, and have Gr\"uneisen parameters (1.14 and 0.878, respectively) which are smaller than the common value for the others, 1.25. Extrapolations of the present results for the alkali metals are compared with other data to 100 kbar, with these earlier results scattering about the extrapolation. It is suggested that the bcc-to-fcc transitions in potassium, rubidium, and cesium occur at common values of the ratio of the nearest-neighbor distance to the ionic or pseudopotential radius. No systematic trends are observed in these equation-of-state results which can be associated with an increase in s-d mixing effects with increasing ionic mass.