cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reconsidering the Tobin Tax

Political leaders in emerging economies who have been concerned about the volatility of capital flows have intermittently suggested a global tax on international foreign exchange (forex) activities. Such a tax was originally proposed by James Tobin in the 1970s. This “Tobin tax” is essentially a permanent, uniform, ad-valorem transactions tax on international forex flows. The burden of a Tobin tax is claimed to be inversely proportional to the length of the transaction, i.e. the shorter the holding period, the heavier the burden of tax. For instance, a Tobin tax of 0.25 percent implies that a twice daily round-trip carries an annualised rate of 365 percent; while in contrast, a round-trip made twice a year carries a rate of 1 percent. Accordingly, and considering that 80 percent of forex turnover involves round-trips of a week or less, it has been argued that the Tobin tax ought to help reduce exchange rate volatility and consequently curtail the intensity of “boom-bust” cycles caused by international capital flows.
Transcommitment: Paving the Way to Barrett's Metaplasia.

Barrett’s esophagus is the condition in which metaplastic columnar epithelium that predisposes to cancer development replaces stratified squamous epithelium in the distal esophagus. Potential sources for the cell or tissue of origin for metaplastic Barrett’s epithelium are reviewed including native esophageal differentiated squamous cells, progenitor cells native to the esophagus located within the squamous epithelium or in the submucosal glands or ducts, circulating bone marrow-derived stem cells, and columnar progenitor cells from the squamocolumnar junction or the gastric cardia that proximally shift into the esophagus to fill voids left by damaged squamous epithelium. Wherever its source the original cell must undergo molecular reprogramming (i.e., either transdifferentiation or transcommitment) to give rise to specialized intestinal metaplasia. Transcription factors that specify squamous, columnar, intestinal, and mucus-secreting epithelial differentiation are discussed. An improved understanding of how esophageal columnar metaplasia forms could lead to development of effective treatment or prevention strategies for Barrett’s esophagus. It could also more broadly inform upon normal tissue development and differentiation, wound healing, and stem cell biology.
Development and characterization of electronic-cigarette exposure generation system (Ecig-EGS) for the physico-chemical and toxicological assessment of electronic cigarette emissions.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cig) have been introduced as a nicotine replacement therapy and have gained increasing attention and popularity. However, while findings on possible toxicological implications continue to grow, major knowledge gaps on both the complex chemistry of the exposure and toxicity exist, prohibiting public health assessors from assessing risks. Here, a versatile electronic cigarette exposure generation system (Ecig-EGS) has been developed and characterized. Ecig-EGS allows generation of real world e-cig emission profiles under controlled operational conditions, real time monitoring and time-integrated particle/gas sampling for physico-chemical characterization, and toxicological assessment (both in vitro and in vivo). The platform is highly versatile and can be used with all e-cig types. It enables generation of precisely controlled e-cig exposure while critical operational parameters and environmental mixing conditions can be adjusted in a systematic manner to assess their impact on complex chemistry and toxicity of emissions. Results proved the versatility and reproducibility of Ecig-EGS. E-cig emission was found to contain 106-107 particles/cm3 with the mode diameter around 200 nm, under air change rate of 60/h. Elevated CO2 and volatile organic specie generation was also observed. Furthermore, environmental mixing conditions also influenced e-cig emission profile. The versatility of Ecig-EGS will enable linking of operational and environmental parameters with exposure chemistry and toxicology and help in assessing health risks.
EUTOS Score Is Not Predictive for Survival and Outcome in Patients (pts) with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Early Chronic Phase (CML-CP) Treated with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs) At MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC),

Abstract 3769 Background: Until recently, prognosis of pts with CML treated with TKI was based on scores developed in the chemotherapy and interferon era. Hasford and colleagues [Blood. 2011;(118):686–692] have identified the EUTOS score, using the percentage of basophils and spleen size, as a significant tool to predict the probability of achieving 18-month complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) and progression-free survival in patients treated with imatinib. Aims: To validate the EUTOS score in an independent MDACC cohort of pts, with early CML-CP treated with standard-dose imatinib, high-dose imatinib, dasatinib, and nilotinib, and its ability to predict transformation-free survival (TFS), event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Methods: 465 consecutive pts with newly diagnosed CML–CP (0 – 6 months from diagnosis to TKI treatment) were treated with imatinib 400 mg daily (n=71), imatinib 800 mg daily (n=208), and 2 nd TKIs (n=186; dasatinib n=88, nilotinib n=98) in sequential phase II trials. Entry criteria were similar for all trials. EUTOS score = (7 x basophils %) + (4 x spleen cm BCM). A EUTOS score of >87 indicates high-risk and ≤87 low-risk. Results: 465 pts with CML-CP were assessed. Median age was 47 years (range, 15–85). Median time from diagnosis to TKI therapy was 1 month (range, 0 to 6). 319 (69%), 112 (24%), and 34 (7%) pts were in low, intermediate, and high-Sokal score category, respectively. Median basophils percentage at baseline was 3 (range, 0 to 19). Median splenomegaly size was 0 cm (range, 0 to 30). 118 pts (25%) received previous cytoreduction therapy. Median follow-up was 117 months (range, 16 to 130) for pts receiving standard-dose imatinib, 88 months (range, 4 to 118) for those receiving high-dose imatinib, and 30 months (range, 3 to 69) for those receiving 2 nd TKI. The overall CCyR rates were 87%, 91%, and 95%, respectively. The 4-year EFS, TFS, and OS rates for the whole group were 84%, 94%, and 95%, respectively. Overall, of the 465 pts, 427 (92%) were in low EUTOS score category (Table 1). Pts with low EUTOS score had higher rates of CCyR at anytime compared to pts with high EUTOS score (93% versus 81%, p=0.02). This difference was mainly significant among pts receiving 2 nd TKI (p=0.03) while it was not different among pts receiving imatinib (p=0.27). There was no difference in the rates of major molecular response (85% versus 81%, p=0.48) between pts with low and high EUTOS score. There was no difference in TFS, EFS, and OS rates between pts with low and high EUTOS score, overall and among specific therapy (Table 1). Conclusion: Eight percent of pts with CML-CP treated at MDACC are of high EUTOS score. In this population, the EUTOS score was not predictive for overall MMR, TFS, EFS, and OS. Disclosures: Cortes: BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding.
Genomic Disorders and Neurocognitive Impairment in Pediatric CKD.

Children with CKD are at increased risk for neurocognitive impairment, but whether neurocognitive dysfunction is solely attributable to impaired renal function is unclear. Data from the CKD in Children Study Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) Study indicate that a subset of children with CKD have unsuspected genomic disorders that predispose them to organ malformations and neurocognitive impairment. We therefore tested whether the CKiD Study participants with genomic disorders had impaired neurocognitive performance at enrollment. Compared with noncarriers ( n =389), children with genomic disorders ( n =31) scored significantly poorer on all measures of intelligence, anxiety/depressive symptoms, and executive function (differences of 0.6–0.7 SD; P =1.2×10 −3 –2.4×10 −4 ). These differences persisted after controlling for known modifiers, including low birth weight, maternal education, seizure disorder, kidney disease duration, and genetically defined ancestry. The deleterious effect of genomic disorders on neurocognitive function was significantly attenuated in offspring of mothers with higher education, indicating the potential for modification by genetic and/or environmental factors. These data indicate that impaired neurocognitive function in some children with CKD may be attributable to genetic lesions that affect both kidney and neurocognitive development. Early identification of genomic disorders may provide opportunity for early diagnosis and personalized interventions to mitigate the effect on neurocognitive function.
A Meta-Analysis of Gaze Differences to Social and Nonsocial Information Between Individuals With and Without Autism

Abstract Objective Numerous studies have identified abnormal gaze in individuals with autism. Yet only a limited number of findings have been replicated, the magnitude of effects is unclear, and the pattern of gaze differences across stimuli remains poorly understood. To address these gaps, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of autism eye tracking studies. Method PubMed and manual search of 1,132 publications were used to identify studies comparing looking behavior to social and/or nonsocial stimuli between individuals with autism and controls. Sample characteristics, eye tracking methods, stimulus features, and regions-of-interest (ROI) were coded for each comparison within each study. Multivariate mixed-effects meta-regression analyses examined the impact of study methodology, stimulus features, and ROI on effect sizes derived from comparisons using gaze fixation metrics. Results The search revealed 122 independent studies with 1,155 comparisons. Estimated effect sizes tended to be small-to-medium, but varied substantially across stimuli and ROI. Overall, nonsocial ROIs yielded larger effect sizes than social ROIs; however, eye and whole face regions from stimuli with human interaction produced the largest effects (Hedge's g=.47 and .50, respectively). Studies with weaker study designs/reporting yielded larger effects, but key effects remained significant and medium-sized, even for high-rigor designs. Conclusion Individuals with autism show a reliable pattern of gaze abnormalities that suggests a basic problem with selecting socially-relevant versus irrelevant information for attention and that is persistent across age and worsens during perception of human interactions. Aggregation of gaze abnormalities across stimuli and ROI could yield clinically useful risk assessment and quantitative, objective outcome measures.
Real-time regex matching with apache spark

Network Monitoring Systems (NMS) are an important part of protecting Army and enterprise networks. As governments and corporations grow, the amount of traffic data collected by NMS grows proportionally. To protect users against emerging threats, it is common practice for organizations to maintain a series of custom regular expression (regex) patterns to run on NMS data. However, the growth of network traffic makes it increasingly difficult for network administrators to perform this process quickly. In this paper, we describe a novel algorithm that leverages Apache Spark to perform regex matching in parallel. We test our approach on a dataset of 31 million Bro HTTP log events and 569 regular expressions provided by the Army Engineer Research & Development Center (ERDC). Our results indicate that we are able to process 1, 250 events in 1.047 seconds, meeting the desired definition of real-time.
Efficacy of curcumin and Boswellia for knee osteoarthritis: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Purpose The unfavorable safety profiles of commonly prescribed knee osteoarthritis (OA) treatments have led clinicians and patients to seek safer alternatives. Research has suggested that curcuminoid and boswellia formulations could moderate key inflammatory pathways that are associated with worsening symptoms and disease progression. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of these treatments vs. placebo or NSAIDs for knee OA. Methods We searched Medline, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Web of Science and the Cochrane database from inception to February 21, 2018. We also hand searched reference lists and reviewed conference proceedings. We included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing curcuminoid or boswellia formulations with placebo or NSAIDs for knee OA. We calculated standardized mean differences (SMD) or risk ratios (RR) for all relevant outcomes. Meta-analyses were conducted using random effects models. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Results Eleven RCTs (N = 1009) were eligible for analysis. Study quality was low overall, and most included RCTs were conducted on fewer than 100 participants. Both curcuminoid and boswellia formulations were statistically significantly more effective than placebo for pain relief and functional improvement. There were no significant differences between curcuminoids or boswellia and placebo in safety outcomes. Curcuminoids showed no statistically significant differences in efficacy outcomes compared to NSAIDs; patients receiving curcuminoids were significantly less likely to experience gastrointestinal adverse events. No RCTs compared boswellia against approved NSAIDs. Conclusions The results of our study suggest that curcuminoid and boswellia formulations could be a valuable addition to the knee OA treatment regimens by relieving symptoms while reducing safety risks. The current body of evidence is not adequate in size or quality to make any meaningful clinical practice recommendations. Further research through large, high quality RCTs probably investigating the synergistic effect of these products with other OA treatments is warranted.
The relationship between trauma center volume and outcome.

In spite of the limited direct evidence available, increasing data support a positive volume-outcome association in trauma care. When coupled with the extensive indirect data suggesting that regions with organized systems of trauma care are associated with lower trauma-related mortality rates than regions where the number of centers and their level of commitment are unlimited and untested, there is little doubt that experience improves outcome and that volume plays a critical role in the accrual of experience. Although regionalization of trauma care has the inevitable consequence of increased prehospital transport times, particularly in rural areas remote from large trauma centers, some states have designed inclusive systems where a large number of smaller centers have been verified and designated as lower level trauma centers (i.e., level 3-5). The process of trauma center verification holds these smaller volume centers to a standard of care such that the quality of care of the trauma patient may exceed that of other, less-regulated aspects of medical or surgical care. Several reports have suggested that trauma outcomes in smaller rural level 3 centers or centers with dedicated trauma programs with appropriate, functional triage protocols are comparable to national norms, thus reflecting the importance of commitment to outcome. These data suggest that quality of care does not only follow volume, particularly when stipulations and requirements are clear regarding the process of care and ongoing quality assurance. Language: en
Atemwegsobstruktion, Emphysem und Volumen pulmonum auctum

Wir haben uns die Frage gestellt, inwieweit in unserem Krankengut bei der heute moglichen Therapie der Atemwegsobstruktion die Uberblahung der Lunge behoben werden kann. Es interessierte der quantitative Anteil der reversiblen Uberblahung (Volumen pulmonum auctum = VPA) im Verhaltnis zu dem Anteil der Alveolarraumvergroserung, der nicht mehr ruckbildungsfahig ist und ohne Zweifel ein indirektes Mas der mehr oder weniger diffusen morphologischen Emphysembildung darstellt.
Heritage narratives for landscapes on the rural–urban fringe in the Midwestern United States

Landscapes on the rural–urban fringe are experiencing rapid change. Along with agriculture, additional fronts of landscape change are related to suburbanization, conservation, and tourism. Building...
${C}_{\textsf{OSS}}$ Measurements for Superjunction MOSFETs: Limitations and Opportunities

Small-signal measurements of output capacitance ( ${C_{\textsf {OSS}}}$ ) are ubiquitous in power semiconductor datasheets and determine critical features of power converters. For silicon superjunction power MOSFETs (SJs), we report ${C_{\textsf {OSS}}}$ measurements with two key anomalies: variation with ac perturbation frequency and hysteresis with dc sweep direction. Using mixed-mode simulations, we attribute the frequency shift to the fundamental SJ structure and find that dc hysteresis is caused by charge trapping from uneven depletion fronts. We show that ${C_{\textsf {OSS}}}$ measurements on SJs do not accurately characterize large-signal operation, underestimating stored energy by up to four times and giving no indication of ${C_{\textsf {OSS}}}$ losses.
Neuronal Mechanisms of Strategic Cooperation

Summary Here we demonstrate that during strategic gameplay monkeys behave as if they reason recursively about other individuals’ beliefs and desires in order to predict their choices and to guide their own actions, especially the decision to cooperate. Neurons in mid superior temporal sulcus (mSTS), the putative homolog of the human temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), signal abstract non-perceptual social information, including payoffs, intentions, and outcomes, and further distinguish between social and nonsocial agents while monkeys play the game. We demonstrate for the first time that a subpopulation of these neurons selectively signals cooperatively obtained rewards. Neurons in the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACCg), an area implicated in vicarious reinforcement and empathy, do not distinguish agency and as a population carry less information about strategic variables. These findings suggest the capacity to mentalize has deep roots in the strategic social behavior of primates, and endorse mSTS as the evolutionary wellspring of these functions.
Deficiency of valencene in mandarin hybrids is associated with a deletion in the promoter region of the valencene synthase gene.

Valencene is a major sesquiterpene in citrus oil and biosynthesized by valencene synthase (Cstps1; EC: 4.2.3.73) from the 15-carbon substrate farnesyl diphosphate. It is abundant in juice of some mandarins (e.g. Citrus reticulata Blanco cv. Fortune), however, it is undetectable in others (e.g. C. reticulata Blanco cv. Murcott), We have discovered that the Murcott mandarin Cstps1 gene expression is severely reduced. A previous genetic mapping study using an F1 population of Fortune × Murcott found that the segregation of valencene production in fruit exhibited a Mendelian inheritance ratio of 1:1. There was only one dominant locus associated with valencene content detected on the mandarin genetic map. The goal of this study was to understand the molecular mechanism underlying the valencene deficiency observed in some citrus hybrids. There was a clear relationship between presence or absence of the valencene synthase gene (Cstps1) expression, and presence or absence of valencene among randomly selected mandarin hybrids. Cloning the coding regions of Cstps1 from Fortune and Murcott mandarin, and aligning with previous reported Valencia orange Cstps1 sequence, showed that they both exhibited extremely high similarity with the known Cstps1. By further cloning and analyzing the promoter region of Cstps1 from Valencia, Fortune and Murcott, a 12-nucleotide deletion at approximately − 270 bp from the Cstps1 coding region was only found in Murcott. Three binary vectors, designated as p1380-FortP-GUSin, p1380-MurcP-GUSin and p1380-MurcP(+ 12)-GUSin, were developed for promoter activity analysis. Transient over-expression of Fortune Cstps1 promoter in sweet orange showed notable GUS activity, but the Murcott Cstps1 promoter did not. In addition, by re-inserting the 12-nucleotide fragment, the activity of the Murcott Cstps1 promoter was mostly recovered. The deficiency of valencene production in some mandarins is probably due to a 12-nucleotide deletion in the promoter region of the Cstps1, which could be a crucial switch of Cstps1 transcription. Our results further enhanced the understanding of valencene biosynthesis in citrus.
Evaluation of USPSTF Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines Among African American Adult Smokers.

Importance The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends low-dose computed tomography screening for lung cancer. However, USPSTF screening guidelines were derived from a study population including only 4% African American smokers, and racial differences in smoking patterns were not considered. Objective To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of USPSTF lung cancer screening eligibility criteria in a predominantly African American and low-income cohort. Design, Setting, and Participants The Southern Community Cohort Study prospectively enrolled adults visiting community health centers across 12 southern US states from March 25, 2002, through September 24, 2009, and followed up for cancer incidence through December 31, 2014. Participants included African American and white current and former smokers aged 40 through 79 years. Statistical analysis was performed from May 11, 2016, to December 6, 2018. Exposures Self-reported race, age, and smoking history. Cumulative exposure smoking histories encompassed most recent follow-up questionnaires. Main Outcomes and Measures Incident lung cancer cases assessed for eligibility for lung cancer screening using USPSTF criteria. Results Among 48 364 ever smokers, 32 463 (67%) were African American and 15 901 (33%) were white, with 1269 incident lung cancers identified. Among all 48 364 Southern Community Cohort Study participants, 5654 of 32 463 African American smokers (17%) were eligible for USPSTF screening compared with 4992 of 15 901 white smokers (31%) (P Conclusions and Relevance Current USPSTF lung cancer screening guidelines may be too conservative for African American smokers. The findings suggest that race-specific adjustment of pack-year criteria in lung cancer screening guidelines would result in more equitable screening for African American smokers at high risk for lung cancer.
«Desde La Cerrada»: reminiscencias del viejo Santander que conoció Ambrosio Menjón

Ambrosio Menjon was a Chaplain on the steamships of the Compania Transatlantica and was in charge of a parish in Cuba. After retiring to Santander, he wrote stories that evoked the Santander of his youth as well as of his present days, and his voyages to America. These stories, practically unknown until now, have local color flavor, and are written from the point a view of a witnes.
CPT1A-mediated fat oxidation, mechanisms and therapeutic potential.

Energy homeostasis during fasting or prolonged exercise depends on mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO). This pathway is crucial in many tissues with high energy demand and its disruption results in inborn FAO deficiencies. More than 15 FAO genetic defects have been currently described, and pathological variants described in circumpolar populations provide insights into its critical role in metabolism. The use of fatty acids as energy requires more than 2 dozen enzymes and transport proteins, which are involved in the activation and transport of fatty acids into the mitochondria. As the key rate-limiting enzyme of FAO, carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT1) regulates FAO and facilitates adaptation to the environment, both in health and in disease, including cancer. The CPT1 family of proteins contains 3 isoforms: CPT1A, CPT1B, and CPT1C. This review focuses on CPT1A, the liver isoform that catalyzes the rate-limiting step of converting acyl-coenzyme As into acyl-carnitines, which can then cross membranes to get into the mitochondria. The regulation of CPT1A is complex and has several layers that involve genetic, epigenetic, physiological, and nutritional modulators. It is ubiquitously expressed in the body and associated with dire consequences linked with genetic mutations, metabolic disorders, and cancers. This makes CPT1A an attractive target for therapeutic interventions. This review discusses our current understanding of CPT1A expression, its role in heath and disease, and the potential for therapeutic opportunities targeting this enzyme.
Establishing Standardized Documentation for Anaphylaxis Treatment in a Tertiary Care Pediatric Allergy Clinic.

Introduction Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Common allergy clinic procedures, including oral food challenges and subcutaneous immunotherapy, carry a risk of anaphylaxis, the treatment for which is epinephrine. Our goal was to develop a standardized process for the management and documentation of allergic reactions that occur in a tertiary care pediatric allergy clinic. Methods This was a single institution quality improvement pilot study. A multidisciplinary team from the allergy department designed, implemented, and studied the use of a standardized form for the documentation and treatment of allergic reactions within the clinic. Results A standardized form was developed based on evidence-based guidelines for the management of allergic reactions and included space for documentation. Both clinic providers and staff approved the form. One year after the introduction, we reached 100% adherence for the use of the form in visits during which a patient experienced a severe allergic reaction requiring epinephrine. Two patients required transfer to the emergency room; the quality improvement form was utilized in these cases to document treatment and assist with the hand-off to emergency room personnel before transfer. Conclusions We successfully implemented a standardized form for the treatment and documentation of anaphylaxis within our allergy clinic. The next steps focus on further integrating this form into the electronic medical record, determining compliance with evidence-based management of anaphylaxis, and formally assessing the use of the form as a handoff tool in the event of patient transfer.
Above- and belowground responses to long-term herbivore exclusion

Herbivores can play an important role in determining arctic ecosystem function with effects determined in part by herbivore identity. We examined the impact of long-term (twenty-two years) small an...
The Generation of PseudoRandom Numbers for the Simulation of White Gaussian Noise

This paper describes and analyses some methods of generating pseudorandom sequences suitable for use in the simulation of white Gaussian noise. The criteria are somewhat different than those customary in pseudorandom number generation in other applications such as Monte Carlo methods. The methods described in this paper are computationally efficient and provide independence between X n and X n +τ for a very large range of τ.
Robust Low Rate Speech Coding Based on Cloned Networks and Wavenet

Rapid advances in machine-learning based generative modeling of speech make its use in speech coding attractive. However, the current performance of such models drops rapidly with noise contamination of the input, preventing use in practical applications. We present a new speech-coding scheme that is based on features that are robust to the distortions occurring in speech-coder input signals. To this purpose, we encourage the feature encoder to provide the same independent features for each of a set of linguistically equivalent signals, obtained by adding various noises to a common clean signal. The independent features, subjected to scalar quantization, are used as a conditioning vector sequence for WaveNet. Our experiments show that a 1.8 kb/s implementation of the resulting coder provides state-of-the-art performance for clean signals, and is additionally robust to noisy input.
(Invited) Nano-Precision Deep Reactive Ion Etching of Monocrystalline 4H-SiCOI for Bulk Acoustic Wave Resonators with Ultra-Low Dissipation

Integrated mechanical resonators with high quality factors (Q) made in high acoustic velocity materials are essential for a wide range of applications, including chemical sensors, timing resonators, and high-performance inertial sensors for navigation in GPS-occluded environments. While silicon is the most popular substrate for implementation of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators, SiC exhibits an exceptionally small intrinsic phononic dissipation due to high Akhiezer limits. This paper reports the latest results on nano-precision deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) of monocrystalline 4H SiC-on-Insulator (SiCOI) substrates to explore dissipation limits of bulk acoustic wave (BAW) SiC resonators. We report for the first time on capacitive Lame mode resonators with ƒQ products beyond 1×1014 Hz. The contribution of surface roughness to dissipation and practical considerations to etch mirror-polished trenches in SiCOI substrates are discussed, paving the way towards micromechanical SiC resonators with Qs beyond 100 M.
Association Among Surgeon Experience, Patient Risk, and Outcomes in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Background There is an association between surgeon experience and outcomes after cardiac surgery. However, this association is not well studied in the context of patient risk. The purpose of this single-center, retrospective, observational study was to describe how surgeon experience relates to patient risk in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery and how this impacts patient outcomes. Methods Surgeon experience was defined as time between the surgeon finishing fellowship and date of the patient’s surgery. Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Predicted Risk of Mortality (PROM) was used to define patient risk. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate long-term survival, and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to determine the effect of surgeon experience on survival. Results Between 2002 and 2018, 7652 patients underwent isolated CABG. STS PROM was 1.35% (interquartile range [IQR], 0.70%-2.80%), 1.55% (IQR, 0.79%-3.34%), 1.78% (IQR, 0.84%-3.84%), and 1.19% (IQR, 0.62%-2.41%) in surgeon experience quartiles 1 (0.01-6.05 years), 2 (6.05-11.5 years), 3 (11.5-16.6 years), and 4 (16.6-32.1 years), respectively (P Conclusions Increasing surgeon experience is associated with higher-risk patients, but the most experienced surgeons take on lower-risk patients. Greater experience correlates with improved outcomes, especially with higher-risk cases.
The influence of center-based care on young children's gender development

Abstract Many U.S. children spend a significant amount of time in center-based care prior to entering preschool. Previous theory and research would suggest center-based care settings offer important opportunities for gender socialization as children here are surrounded by multiple sources of gender-typing information (e.g. peers, adults, toys and activities). The present longitudinal study examined whether center-based care enrollment status influences level and timing of children's gender-typed behaviors (same-gender friendships, play and appearance), and knowledge (self-categorization and stereotyping) between the ages of 2–5. Participants were children and their mothers of low-income, urban backgrounds (N = 232; African American, Mexican American, and Dominican American). Overall, children enrolled in center-based care at ages 2 and 3 showed higher gender-typing patterns than children enrolled later or not at all. Associations were strongest for same-gender-friendships and gender-typed play, domains that might affect children's subsequent engagement in and learning of certain tasks, skillsets, and activities.
Intracranial Autograft Fat Placement to Separate the Optic Chiasm from Tumor to Improve Stereotactic Radiotherapy Dosimetry

Background Radiation therapy for intracranial lesions is constrained by dose to neurologic organs at risk. Case Description We report 2 cases, a newly diagnosed chondrosarcoma and a previously irradiated meningioma, with tumors that abutted the optic chiasm following subtotal resection. Definitive radiotherapy would have required either undercoverage of the tumor or treatment of the chiasm with doses posing an unacceptable risk of blindness. Therefore, the patients underwent open surgery with placement of an abdominal fat autograft to provide space between the tumor and the optic structures at risk. Patients received definitive fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy. For each patient, we retrospectively compared the treated plan (with fat autograft) to a second plan generated using the pre-autograft imaging, maintaining similar tumor coverage. For the chondrosarcoma, the fat autograft reduced the optic chiasm maximum dose by 21% (70.4 Gy to 55.3 Gy). For the reirradiated peri-optic meningioma, the optic chiasm maximum dose was reduced by 10% (50.8 Gy to 45.9 Gy), the left optic nerve by 17% (48.9 Gy to 40.4 Gy), and the right optic nerve by 30% (32.3 Gy to 22.6 Gy). Conclusions We demonstrate the utility of abdominal fat autograft placement to maximize coverage of tumor while minimizing dose to intracranial organs at risk.
Sensorimotor dysfunction in a mild mouse model of cortical contusion injury without significant neuronal loss is associated with increases in inflammatory proteins with innate but not adaptive immune functions

Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the United States. Acute trauma to the brain triggers chronic secondary injury mechanisms that contribute to long-term neurological impairment. We have developed a single, unilateral contusion injury model of sensorimotor dysfunction in adult mice. By targeting a topographically defined neurological circuit with a mild impact, we are able to track sustained behavioral deficits in sensorimotor function in the absence of tissue cavitation or neuronal loss in the contused cortex of these mice. Stereological histopathology and multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay proteomic screening confirm contusion resulted in chronic gliosis and the robust expression of innate immune cytokines and monocyte attractant chemokines IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, TNFα, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL10, CCL2, and CCL3 in the contused cortex. In contrast, the expression of neuroinflammatory proteins with adaptive immune functions was not significantly modulated by injury. Our data support widespread activation of innate but not adaptive immune responses, confirming an association between sensorimotor dysfunction with innate immune activation in the absence of tissue or neuronal loss in our mice.
Constrained melting heat transfer of a phase change material in a finned spherical capsule

Spherical capsules are widely used as housing for phase change materials(PCMs) in heat exchangers for thermal energy storage applications. In view of the low thermal conductivity of common PCM candidates, extended surfaces, such as fins, are routinely added to PCM capsules to improve the thermal performance. In this paper, to quantitatively evaluate the influence of fins on the thermal performance of PCM-filled spherical capsules, constrained melting heat transfer of a PCM in a circumferentially finned spherical capsule with various fin heights was investigated both numerically and experimentally under constant-temperature boundary conditions. The enthalpy-based model was used in the numerical simulations to deal with phase change, while the control volume method was used to solve the governing equations for the melting problem with natural convection in the liquid phase. A spherical melting facility that allows for direct observation of the solid-liquid phase interface during melting was designed and constructed. The spherical capsule and fins were made of glass and aluminum, respectively. Octadecane with a nominal melting point at 28.2°C was used as the PCM. Qualitative agreement was obtained between the experimentally observed and numerically predicted results of solid-liquid interface evolution. The sources of the differences were identified to be the departure of the physical model from the real system, as well as simplifications of the numerical model. The evolution of the natural convective flow and temperature fields during melting are presented in the form of a series of snapshots of streamline and isotherm contours. The heat transfer mechanisms during melting were interpreted by these contour snapshots. The presence of circumferential fins not only enhances heat conduction, but also augments natural convection heat transfer in localized areas in the vicinity of the fins. The localized interactions between these two effects are significantly affected by the fin height. Under the specific conditions considered, fins with height-to-radius ratios of 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 decrease the total melting time by 10.6%, 20.2%, and 28.7%, respectively, leading to a significant increase of the thermal energy storage rates in the spherical capsule. Although the presence of fins benefits heat transfer enhancement, a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of other important factors, such as the inclination angle of the spherical capsule, is required.
HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the use of oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure. The history of hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be traced back to the late seventeenth century, when Henshaw treated patients in a pressurized chamber. Initially, patients were treated with pressurized air. In 1955, the modern era of hyperbaric oxygen therapy was born. Today, patients are treated in either monoplace chambers or multiplace chambers. The pressurized oxygen exerts its effects by several different mechanisms, including creating a diffusion gradient for inert gases, oxygenating ischemic tissues, limiting reperfusion injuries, inactivating certain toxins, and supporting angiogenesis and leukocyte function. There are 13 indications for which scientific evidence supports the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy: arterial gas embolism; decompression sickness; carbon monoxide poisoning; clostridial myonecrosis; crush injuries, compartment syndrome, and other acute ischemias; enhancement of healing in selected problem wounds; exceptional blood loss anemia; intracranial abscess; necrotizing soft tissue infections; refractory osteomyelitis; delayed radiation injury; preservation of skin grafts and flaps; and thermal burns.
Design and Gas Separation Performance of Imidazolium Poly(ILs) Containing Multivalent Imidazolium Fillers and Crosslinking Agents.

This work introduces a series of vinyl-imidazolium-based polyelectrolyte composites, which were structurally modified via impregnation with multivalent imidazolium-benzene ionic liquids (ILs) or crosslinked with novel cationic crosslinkers which possess internal imidazolium cations and vinylimidazolium cations at the periphery. A set of eight [C4vim][Tf2N]-based membranes were prepared via UV-initiated free radical polymerization, including four composites containing di-, tri-, tetra-, and hexa-imidazolium benzene ILs and four crosslinked derivatives which utilized tri- and tetra- vinylimidazolium benzene crosslinking agents. Structural and functional characterizations were performed, and pure gas permeation data were collected to better understand the effects of “free” ILs dispersed in the polymeric matrix versus integrated ionic crosslinks on the transport behaviors of these thin films. These imidazolium PIL:IL composites exhibited moderately high CO2 permeabilities (~20–40 Barrer), a 4–7× increase relative to corresponding neat PIL, with excellent selectivities against N2 or CH4. The addition of imidazolium-benzene fillers with increased imidazolium content were shown to correspondingly enhance CO2 solubility (di- < tri- < tetra- < hexa-), with the [C4vim][Tf2N]: [Hexa(Im+)Benz ][Tf2N] composite showing the highest CO2 permeability (PCO2 = 38.4 Barrer), while maintaining modest selectivities (αCO2/CH4 = 20.2, αCO2/N2 = 23.6). Additionally, these metrics were similarly improved with the integration of more ionic content bonded to the polymeric matrix; increased PCO2 with increased wt% of the tri- and tetra-vinylimidazolium benzene crosslinking agent was observed. This study demonstrates the intriguing interactions and effects of ionic additives or crosslinkers within a PIL matrix, revealing the potential for the tuning of the properties and transport behaviors of ionic polymers using ionic liquid-inspired small molecules.
Rapid self-assembly of γPNA nanofibers at constant temperature

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) have primarily been used to achieve therapeutic gene modulation through antisense strategies since their design in the 1990s. However, the application of PNAs as a functional nanomaterial has been more recent. We recently reported that γ-modified peptide nucleic acids (γPNAs) could be used to enable formation of complex, self-assembling nanofibers in select polar aprotic organic solvent mixtures. Here we demonstrate that distinct γPNA strands, each with a high density of γ-modifications can form complex nanostructures at constant temperatures within 30 minutes. Additionally, we demonstrate DNA-assisted isothermal growth of γPNA nanofibers, thereby overcoming a key hurdle for future scale-up of applications related to nanofiber growth and micropatterning.
Atrioventricular Valves: Tricuspid Valve

Congenital tricuspid valve anomalies are rare congenital heart defects (CHDs). Tricuspid atresia is more common among them followed by Ebstein anomaly. Tricuspid atresia results from the absence of the tricuspid valve along with right ventricular hypoplasia. Surgical approach for tricuspid atresia evolved over time from a palliative procedure to control pulmonary overcirculation to Fontan et al. describing a way to separate pulmonary and systemic venous return in the early 1970s. Ebstein anomaly results from failure of delamination of the tricuspid valve from the underlying myocardium and thus apical displacement of the annulus. Surgery is individualized based on the encountered anatomic variations with some requiring single ventricular and others undergoing biventricular repairs.
Immunosuppressive therapy in SLE

Abstract Once a disease with limited therapeutic options and high morbidity and mortality, the landscape for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has shifted tremendously over the past several years, especially in regard to treatment. While a great deal of headway must still be made, a variety of synthetic and biologic drugs have offered hope to providers and, more importantly, to patients. Not only have these therapies, some new and some surprisingly old, demonstrated their ability to decrease disease activity, but they also have an indirect benefit by reducing long-term exposure to systemic glucocorticoids. Here, we will provide a concise summary of the current immunosuppressive agents used to treat SLE.
AoI-Driven Statistical Delay and Error-Rate Bounded QoS Provisioning for URLLC Over Wireless Networks in the Finite Blocklength Regime

Inspired by the new and dominating traffic services - ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC), finite blocklength coding (FBC) has been developed to support delay and error-rate bounded quality-of-services (QoS) provisioning for time-sensitive wireless applications by using short-packet data communications. On the other hand, the age of information (AoI) has recently emerged as a new dimension of QoS performance metric in terms of the freshness of updated information. Since the status updates normally consist only of a small number of information bits but warrant ultra-low latency, exploring AoI in the finite blocklength regime creates another promising solution for supporting URLLC services. However, how to efficiently integrate and implement the above new techniques for statistical delay and error-rate bounded QoS provisioning in the finite blocklength regime has neither been well understood nor thoroughly studied. To overcome these challenges, we propose the AoI-driven statistical delay and error-rate bounded QoS provisioning schemes which leverage the AoI technique as a key QoS performance metric to efficiently support URLLC in the finite blocklength regime. First, we build up the AoI-metric based modeling frameworks in the finite blocklength regime. Second, we characterizes the upper-bounded peak AoI violation probability. Third, we formulate and solve the peak AoI violation probability minimization and E-effective capacity maximization problems to support our proposed statistical delay and error-rate bounded QoS provisioning. Finally, we conduct the simulations to validate and evaluate our developed schemes in the finite blocklength regime.
Clinical management of cardiovascular risks during treatment with psychotropic drugs.

The treatment of schizophrenia-as well as dementia, psychotic depression, and bipolar disorder-was greatly improved by the development of new atypical antipsychotic drugs in the past decade. However, cardiovascular and metabolic risks that are associated with some of these agents have become worrisome to clinicians and researchers. In this article, I will review psychotropic and other agents that have been associated with cardiovascular changes during treatment. Screening for cardiac vulnerability at baseline, as well as at regular intervals during treatment if the patient has certain risk factors, is important when treating patients with psychotropic agents.
Deterioration of Processed Potatoes

Publisher Summary This chapter is concerned with deterioration of potato products during storage and pays some attention to changes during processing, or in other words, to deterioration during drying, canning, frying, etc. It is becoming increasingly clear that certain deteriorative changes that occur during storage are identical in nature with undesirable changes that may occur during processing. In the first case, the changes are brought about by mild conditions over a long period of time, whereas in the second, identical changes are the result of extreme conditions for a short period. Thus, the potential storage life of a given sample is materially shortened by processing under adverse conditions. The chapter reviews those data on dehydrated potatoes obtained with a fully blanched product as it has been shown that blanching is essential to the production of a good quality product but nothing is to be gained by a blanch longer than that required to inactivate enzymes.
I. Psychologism, Functionalism, and the modal status of logical Laws

In a recent article (Inquiry, Vol. 19 [1976]), J. W. Meiland addresses the issue of psychologism in logic, which holds that logic is a branch of psychology and that logical laws (such as the Principle of Non‐Contradiction) are contingent upon the nature of the mind. Meiland examines Husserl's critique of psychologism, argues that Husserl is not convincing, and offers two new objections to the psychologistic thesis. In this paper I attempt to rebut those objections. In question are the acceptable criteria for determining the possibility or impossibility of systems of logic significantly different from our own. I argue that a criteriological application of our accepted laws of logic to this question commits a circular fallacy. I then argue that, even if we accept logical consistency as a criterion for possibility, a plausible argument for the possibility of valid alternative logics can be constructed by using the functionalist analogy between minds and automata. Finally, I attempt to rebut the claim that in...