cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reflections on the Metamorphosis at Robben Island: The Role of Institutional Work and Positive Psychological Capital

Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners from South Africa were imprisoned on notorious Robben Island from the mid-1960s until the end of the apartheid regime in 1991. The stark conditions and abusive treatment of these prisoners has been widely publicized. However, upon reflection and in retrospect, over the years, a type of metamorphosis occurred. Primarily drawing from firsthand accounts of the former prisoners and guards, it seems that Robben Island morphed from the traditional oppressive prison paradigm to one where the positively oriented prisoners disrupted the institution with a resulting climate of learning and transformation that eventually led to freedom and the end of apartheid. At a macro level of analysis, we use the theoretical lens of institutional work, and, at a micro level, positive psychological capital (hope, efficacy, resiliency, and optimism) to explain what happened. This metamorphosis led to one of, if not the greatest, societal transformations in modern history. We conclude b...
Computer analysis of resistance and non-uniform illumination effects on concentrator solar cells

A computer program has been developed to perform a two-dimensional matrix analysis of the voltage distribution in the top layer of concentrator solar cells in order to evaluate the important effects of top layer sheet resistance, contact grid geometry, and non-uniform illumination. The uniformity of illumination influences the cell efficiency through modifying the resistance losses in the cells. It is shown that introduction of lower top layer resistance (∼ 5 ohms/square) reduces the sensitivity of cell performance to illumination uniformity, which suggests important economic benefits for concentrator systems: reduced power loss (higher conversion efficiency) in solar cells at higher concentrations, and relaxed tolerances on illumination uniformity (lower concentrator cost).
Human herpesvirus 6: A virus in search of a disease

Abstract It is abundantly evident that HHV-6 infects a variety of cells in the immunologic system and that a variety of symptoms or manifestations are produced, many nonspecific, chronic, or self-limited. Serologic evidence would suggest that patients with mononucleosis-like syndrome and hepatitis described in association with HHV-6 are immunocompetent individuals with acute infection. Serologic diagnosis of infection viruses with potential for chronicity and latency as HHV-6 may be difficult because the occurrence of IgG and IgM antibodies may not always indicate primary infection. The need for sensitive and specific diagnostic assays is necessary as clinicians become increasingly aware of the potential for acute infections by this virus.
Use of in-situ burning as part of the oil spill response toolbox

In-situ burning of spilled oil has some distinct advantages as a response option. Throughout the United States over the last decade, research, field tests, and development of guidelines have advanced the understanding and use of in-situ burning. The lessons learned from past spill incidents about the effectiveness of in-situ burning can facilitate its consideration at future spills. To that end, the author describes four case studies of in-situ burning, each representing a different scenario: on the open sea, in a river, in a wetland, and inside a stranded vessel. Although the circumstances of these burns differ, it is evident that in-situ burning can effectively remove spilled oil from the environment. In-situ burning is not suitable for all spill situations, and there are issues that need to be resolved.
Moral discourse, pluralism, and moral cognitivism

: In the face of pluralism, moral constructivists attempt to salvage cognitivism by separating moral and ethical issues. Divergence over ethical issues, which concern the good life, would not threaten moral cognitivism, which is based on identifying generalizable interests as worthy of defending, using reason. Yet this approach falters given the inability of the constructivist to provide us a sure path by which to discern generalizable interests in difficult cases. Still, even if this approach to constructivism fails, cognitivist aspirations may not be defeated if we can continue discursively in a project of identifying and appreciating the interests of others. Grasping the interests of others may require a transformation of moral sensibility such that agents recognize values they have not acknowledged before. This view calls for external moral discourse—that is, moral discourse that makes no appeal to an agent's present interests or desires but rather engages in description of the moral situation in hopes of bringing about a change in moral sensibility.
Performance Characteristics of Three Interactive Solution Strategies for Bicriteria Integer Programming

In this paper, we develop an efficient solution framework for bicriteria integer programming, and present three algorithms developed using this framework. The decision-maker’s underlying utility function is assumed to be pseudoconcave and nondecreasing. The problem is solved interactively using a branch-and-bound approach. We present the performance characteristics of three algorithms developed using this framework with an illustration and computational experience with problems having upto 80 variables and 40 constraints. The results show that the proposed approach is viable and effective in solving practical bicriteria integer programming problems.
Statistics and analysis tools for a computer-supported collaborative learning system

Traditional computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) systems focus primarily on facilitating group work amongst students, providing several different modes for different types of communication, from chatting applications to shared whiteboards. The power of a good CSCL system, in addition to the interactions it supports, lies with the data the system can gather from those interactions (both relational and content-based). Thus, we have developed the Intelligent Multiagent Infrastructure for Distributed System in Education (I-MINDS), a CSCL system built on the Microsoft Conference XP platform that tracks real-time data to support student learning and classroom management. I-MINDS facilitates (1) student- student interactions through message dialogs, stored as trees, and (2) student-teacher interactions through question/answer pairs. I-MINDS logs these interactions in a My SQL database. Our virtual classroom analysis tool derives statistics from these interactions such as student responsiveness, degree of dialog involvement, amount of contribution, and quality of involvement and contribution. Then, an instructor can view overall trends for individual students and groups and detailed charts for all statistics for each student or all students for each statistic, which is especially helpful in large classrooms and in distance education. The instructor can also adjust a "highlight" threshold for each statistic such that any value failing to meet the threshold will be highlighted for easy observation. Our Database Search analysis tool allows students and teachers to search through recorded interactions and filter the results based on metadata such as time interval, class relevance, or keyword content.
Self-similar traffic prediction using least mean kurtosis

Recent studies of high quality; high resolution traffic measurements have revealed that network traffic appears to be statistically self similar. Contrary to the common belief, aggregating self-similar traffic streams can actually intensify rather than diminish burstiness. Thus, traffic prediction plays an important role in network management. In this paper, least mean kurtosis (LMK), which uses the negated kurtosis of the error signal as the cost function, is proposed to predict the self similar traffic. Simulation results show that the prediction performance is improved greatly over the least mean square (LMS) algorithm.
The Liberty of the Church and the Road to Runnymede: John of Salisbury and the Intellectual Foundations of the Magna Carta

Scholars generally agree that the Magna Carta of 1215 was a watershed in Western (and, more specifically, English) legal and political history and thought. Beyond this simple statement, however, there is little consensus concerning the nature and significance of the Magna Carta's achievement. One central unresolved issue centers on whether the charter represents a principled defense of human liberty or instead reflects a pragmatic statement of baronial liberties. The dispute over this question is nontrivial and reflects much more than a matter of language. If one subscribes to the former belief, which received its classic articulation in the seventeenth century (Turner 2003, 145–82) and retains powerful resonance today (Linebaugh 2008), then the Magna Carta deserves to be accorded a foundational role in the intellectual and political history of the liberal-democratic constitutional tradition, in which the rule of law is deemed the basis for the protection of individual freedom. If, however, one adopts the viewpoint of “the modern historian” that the charter “is a statement of [specific] liberties rather than an assertion of [general] liberty,” then the document should be read narrowly as an interesting artifact stipulating elite “privileges” that were “devised mainly in the interests of the aristocracy” (Holt 1965, 4). In other words, either the Magna Carta reflects deeper philosophical doctrines and commitments that enjoy purchase beyond their specific time and place, or it represents an expression of the immediate demands and grievances of a specific class displeased with the conduct of King John's government.
Materials challenges for III-V/Si co-integrated CMOS

This review focuses on material challenges associated with III-V co-integration with Si for future CMOS. There is a huge volume of literature on this topic as implementation of III-V monolithic integration with Si has been the holy grail for last four decades; targeting a wide range of applications including RF devices, LEDs, lasers, photo-detectors and the like. The key drivers have been the cost reduction, scalability with Si wafer diameter, and accessibility to highly scaled integrated circuits next to III-V devices. With the current focus on CMOS the pace of progress on monolithic integration has accelerated by leaps and bounds partly because of its vast impact on CMOS scaling, and partly due to the aggressive CMOS roadmap requirements. The discussion below concentrates on In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As channel which is the dominant III-V material being pursued for future technology. Despite the narrow focus, fundamental and engineering challenges posed by this material encompass a broad range of material topics including epitaxial growth, crystallographic defects and their dynamics during growth and subsequent processing, clever device architecture to alleviate adverse impact of defects on device leakage, and innovative engineering for material improvement.
Nietzsche’s Views on Truth and the Kantian Background of His Epistemology

Nietzsche’ s remarks about truth are among the most notorious and philosophically problematic in his entire oeuvre. The trouble centers on his repeated claims that there is no truth, or that all our beliefs are false in some sense — for example, that “There exists neither spirit, nor reason, nor thinking, […] nor truth: all are fictions that are of no use” (WP 480), or that “Truth is the kind of error without which a certain species of life could not live” (WP 493). These claims about truth are self-refuting in the most straightforward way: if they are assumed to be truths, then by the force of their own assertion, they are false (“errors,” “fictions”), and have no cognitive value. Some recent commentators have insisted that Nietzsche’s talk about truth should be evaluated rhetorically, and not semantically.1 Nietzsche’s rejection of truth is rhetorically problematic as well, however, for he is very willing to indulge in the rhetoric of criticizing views by calling them false, or the like, even though this would seem to be no criticism at all, given his view that such falsity is inevitable. To add to the paradox, Nietzsche’s general denial of truth did not stop him from claiming that some particular beliefs are true. Perhaps most famously, he closes the first section of the Genealogy of Morals by expressing the hope that — whatever their other faults — his much maligned “English psychologists” of morality “may be fundamentally brave, proud, and magnanimous animals, who […] have trained themselves to sacrifice all desirability to truth, every truth, even plain, harsh, ugly, repellent, unchristian, immoral truth.— For such truths do exist.—” (GM I: 1). A more unambiguous affirmation of the existence of truths could hardly be asked for.
The Rites of Dissent: Notes on Nationalist Federalism

This essay responds to Heather Gerken’s Childress Lecture, Federalism and Nationalism: Time for a Detente? It first outlines two possible understandings of Gerken’s claim that federalism can be good for nationalism, taking the national to refer either to the federal government or to a cohesive American community. The first understanding would suggest that federalism enhances the power of the federal government, that devolution ultimately yields centralization. The second understanding would suggest that federalism domesticates conflict so as to unify a national polity. This essay rejects both of these accounts and instead sketches a view of the national as ineluctably plural and of states as sites of national diversity and contestation.
Gender Differences in Smoking Behavior and Dependence Motives Among Daily and Nondaily Smokers.

Introduction While the overall prevalence of smoking has declined, nondaily smoking is on the rise. Among daily smokers (DS) men tend to smoke more cigarettes per day and have higher dependence. Unfortunately little is known about gender differences in nondaily smokers (NDS). Methods This secondary-data analysis utilized data from a cross-sectional online survey. Participants reported on smoking behavior (eg, cigarettes per day, history of quit attempts) and nicotine dependence motives as assessed by the Brief Wisconsin Inventory of Dependence Motives via the primary and secondary subscales (ie, core features of tobacco dependence such as craving and accessory motives such as weight control, respectively). Results Participants were 1175 DS (60% women) and 1201 NDS (56% women). Two interactions between group and gender were noted suggesting that the NDS had greater gender differences in past quit attempts (P .05). Conclusions Gender differences in smoking behavior and dependence motives varied between NDS and DS. Specifically, gender differences in smoking behavior and smoking dependence motives may be larger among NDS compared to DS. Additional research is needed to explore how these relationships may relate to smoking cessation in NDS.
From Diffusion to Structural Transformation: the Changing Roles of the Neolithic House in the Middle East, Turkey and Europe

The papers in this volume make a good case that the house played a key role in the Neolithic of Europe, not only in the sense that it sheltered and protected but also that it contributed substantially to the production of society. In relation to this claim, this chapter makes three points. First, while the chapters are adept at exploring the social dimensions of houses, they could pay more attention to the ways in which the material presence of the house drew humans into particular forms of relationships. Second, there is a need for critical evaluation of who lived in houses. We cannot assume nuclear families of genetically close kin, especially given recent evidence from Catalhoyuk. Third, rather than seeing forms of house emerging from the Middle East and transforming as they spread across Europe, it seems possible to argue that houses went through parallel social and material changes throughout the entire region. Similar pathways are followed in different areas, at different tempos and in different forms.
The importance of aerosol scenarios in projections of future heat extremes

Global climate models project a large increase in the frequency and intensity of heat extremes (HEs) during the 21st century under the Representative Pathway Concentration (RCP8.5) scenario. To assess the relative sensitivity of future HEs to the level of greenhouse gas (GHG) increases and aerosol emission decreases, we contrast Community Earth System Model (CESM)’s Large Ensemble projection under RCP8.5 with two additional ensembles: one keeping aerosol emissions at 2005 levels (but allowing all other forcings to progress as in RCP8.5) and the other using the RCP4.5 with lower GHG levels. By the late 21st century (2060–2080), the 3 °C warmer-than-present-day climate simulated under RCP8.5 could be 0.6 °C cooler (0.9 °C over land) if the aerosol emissions in RCP8.5 were not reduced, compared with a 1.2 °C cooling due to GHG mitigation (switching from RCP8.5 to RCP4.5). Aerosol induced cooling and associated HE reductions are relatively stronger in the Northern Hemisphere (NH), as opposed to GHG mitigation induced cooling. When normalized by the global mean temperature change in these two cases, aerosols have a greater effect than GHGs on all HE statistics over NH extra-tropical land areas. Aerosols are more capable of changing HE duration than GHGs in the tropics, explained by stronger dynamical changes in atmospheric circulation, despite weaker thermodynamic changes. Our results highlight the importance of aerosol scenario assumptions in projecting future HEs at regional scales.
Invited Commentary: Initial Experience with Direct Oral Anticoagulants in the Perioperative Setting

The perioperative period represents a challenging situation for antithrombotic management. There is a lack of data on the perioperative use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). We sought to describe the initial perioperative experience with these agents at our institution. Patients who were taking dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or apixaban prior to cardiac valve or coronary artery bypass surgery were included if they were at least 18 years old and had a platelet count >100,000 and hemoglobin >8 g/dl. We evaluated bleeding and thromboembolic events. Dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban were stopped a median (IQR) of 5 (4–6), 4 (3–7), and 9 (5–14) days prior to surgery (p = 0.35). Bridge therapy was used in 17 (30.9 %) patients. There were 10 (18.2 %) bleeding events and 1 (1.8 %) thromboembolism. In this single-center report, oral anticoagulation with DOACs was suspended earlier than recommended in patients undergoing major cardiac surgery. Bridge therapy was used frequently and associated with a non-statistically significant increase in bleeding. These findings highlight the need for larger studies.
Neisseria catarrhal urethritis: a case report.

AbstractA case of Neisseria catarrhal urethritis presenting with a gonorrhea-like discharge is reported. Prior treatment was not a factor in its isolation and the patient responded well to penicillin.
A Conceptual Framework

Our attention in this study will be focused on the dynamics of accumulation: the role of mechanization and technical change; the relationship among, and trends of, the major macroeconomic proportions; the source and nature of cyclical behavior and crisis. It is important, however, to begin by emphasizing that these accumulation dynamics are dynamics of capitalism.The term ‘capitalism’ is often used loosely, at times giving the impression that a precise definition is not essential to the argument. In fact, the term is sometimes used as an epithet, to be applied to any reality one wishes to condemn; this is certainly the case with ‘radical’ characterizations of the former Soviet Union as ‘state capitalism’, which portray capital as a disembodied evil that can occupy any social form at will.
Psilocybin and Peak Experiences

Abstract Peak experiences are moments of self-actualization, which may include mystical and transcendent elements. Many cultures have incorporated psilocybin into religious rituals because of its ability to induce these experiences. Research has established that peak experiences facilitated by psilocybin may have long-lasting effects, although set and setting are important determinants of both the content and the emotional tone of individual drug experiences. Experimental research has demonstrated that psilocybin can induce peak experiences in controlled environments and these effects persist over the long term. The mechanisms through which psilocybin facilitates peak experiences involve blockage of 5-HT2A receptor sites, decoherence of cortical oscillations, and disruptions to ordinary functioning of the default-mode network.
Surgery of the sympathetic nervous system: A report of fourteen sympathetic ganglionectomies☆

Abstract Fourteen cases of sympathetic ganglionectomy are reported. In 7 cases dorsal ganglionectomy was done, using the removal of the second rib and transverse process as the approach. In the other 7 cases the lumbar ganglia were removed through a transabdominal approach. Four lumbar ganglionectomies for chronic polyarthritis resulted in relief of pain and marked progressive improvement in joint function. Three ganglionectomies for Buerger's disease with vasospasm 2 dorsal and 1 lumbar are reported. Two cases of amputation pains and one of brachial plexus avulsion are reported in which dorsal ganglionectomy gave some relief. Two cases of dorsal ganglionectomy for painful conditions of the face are reported. One case of trifacial neuralgia with recurrence of pain after severing of the sensory root has had complete relief for one year. Another case of atypical pain in the face gave inconclusive results. One case of megacolon and 1 case of spastic colon were entirely relieved by lumbar ganglionectomy.
Inclusion of lipopeptides into the DMPC lipid bilayers prevents Aβ peptide insertion

Using an all-atom explicit water model and replica exchange with solute tempering molecular dynamics we have studied the binding of Aβ10-40 peptides to the mixed cationic bilayers composed of DMPC lipids and C14-KAAK lipopeptides (LPs). Using as a control our previous replica exchange simulations probing binding of the same peptide to the zwitterionic DMPC bilayer we assessed the impact of lipopeptides on the Aβ binding mechanism. We found that binding to the mixed DMPC + LP bilayers does not enhance the Aβ helix propensity as much as binding to the pure DMPC bilayers. Tertiary interactions also differ in the peptide bound to the DMPC + LP bilayers due to a reduced helix content, salt bridge disruption, and the formation of new long-range hydrophobic interactions. More importantly, we showed that mixing lipopeptides into the DMPC bilayers prevents Aβ10-40 insertion forcing the peptide to reside on the bilayer surface and considerably destabilizes Aβ-bilayer interactions leading to the formation of a shallow water layer between the peptide and the bilayer. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Aβ10-40 peptides cause minor DMPC + LP bilayer thinning and perturbation beneath their binding footprint. These observations stand in sharp contrast to Aβ10-40 binding to the pure DMPC bilayers, which results in deep peptide insertion and significant disruption of the bilayer structure. We argued that lipopeptides expel Aβ10-40 peptides from the bilayer due to strong, mostly electrostatic, interfacial interactions introduced by the lipopeptides into the bilayers. We therefore propose that C14-KAAK lipopeptides can be used to engineer lipid bilayers, which withstand binding of Alzheimer's Aβ peptides.
Borrowing Strength from Images to Facilitate Exploratory Structural Analysis of Binary Variables

This paper concerns exploratory structural analysis of relations among binary variables. Some new methods are described and illustrated, methods that appear to hold promise for general improvements in binary structural analysis. Standard common factor theory and methods, including image analysis, are used in combination with methods for data smoothing, to construct an alternative data system at the outset of analysis. Most of the new algorithms are relatively fast, easy to explain and to program, and appear to work as intended, at least for initial applications with real and simulated data. Given various advances in statistical theory and methods for prediction, as well as increasingly powerful and convenient computing facilities, there are a number of ways to extend the methods discussed here beyond the current framework.
IL-3 Is a Marker of Encephalitogenic T Cells, but Not Essential for CNS Autoimmunity.

Identifying molecules that are differentially expressed in encephalitogenic T cells is critical to the development of novel and specific therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study, IL-3 was identified as a molecule highly expressed in encephalitogenic Th1 and Th17 cells, but not in myelin-specific non-encephalitogenic Th1 and Th17 cells. However, B10.PL IL-3-deficient mice remained susceptible to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of MS. Furthermore, B10.PL myelin-specific T cell receptor transgenic IL-3-/- Th1 and Th17 cells were capable of transferring EAE to wild-type mice. Antibody neutralization of IL-3 produced by encephalitogenic Th1 and Th17 cells failed to alter their ability to transfer EAE. Thus, IL-3 is highly expressed in myelin-specific T cells capable of inducing EAE compared to activated, non-encephalitogenic myelin-specific T cells. However, loss of IL-3 in encephalitogenic T cells does not reduce their pathogenicity, indicating that IL-3 is a marker of encephalitogenic T cells, but not a critical element in their pathogenic capacity.
Expert Systems Applications in Engineering and Manufacturing

1. Artificial Intelligence Background. 2. Basic Concepts of Expert Systems. 3. Problem Analysis and Selection. 4. Knowledge Acquisition. 5. Knowledge Representation. 6. Reasoning Under Uncertainty. 7. Selecting a Development Tool. 8. Constructing the Knowledge Base. 9. Verification, Validation, and Integration. 10. Implementation and Management Strategies. 11. Survey of Engineering and Manufacturing Applications. 12. Case Studies of Expert System Development. Appendices. Bibliography. Index.
Clearance rate of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone from peripheral circulation in the pig.

Passive immunization of chronically ovariectomized gilts against gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) resulted in an abrupt cessation of pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) accompanied by clearance from serum with a mean half-life of 30.9 +/- 2.3 (mean +/- SE) and 918 +/- 200 min for the first and second compartment, respectively. Serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) was unaffected immediately by passive immunization against GnRH and declined slowly with a half-life of 4.9 +/- .7 d. After LH and FSH had declined to basal levels in passively immunized gilts, injection of a bolus of LH and FSH resulted in peak values within 5 min and depletion curves with half-lives for the first compartment of 28.0 +/- 1.3 and 36.4 +/- 2.6 min and for the second compartment of 679 +/- 98 and 1,230 +/- 54 min, for LH and FSH respectively. These results show that the half-life of LH is similar following immunoneutralization of GnRH or administration of a bolus of LH in immunized gilts and a difference in clearance rates of LH and FSH after initial passive immunization. These results suggest that secretion of FSH in the ovariectomized gilt is controlled by factors in addition to hypothalamic GnRH.
Spatial and Temporal Variations of Sound in an Andean City: Cajamarca, Peru.

This study provides a preliminary examination of the temporal and geographic variations of sound in Cajamarca, a provincial city in the Andes of northern Peru. Sound levels were sampled in four neighborhoods of the city each representing different land-use characteristics and hypothetically distinct environmental sound profiles. The sample sites included the central plaza, the business district, a residential neighborhood, and a small residential community on the urban periphery. Sound readings were taken each hour between 6 am and 12 pm on every day of the week. Sound profiles for each location for a weekday, a Saturday, and a Sunday are presented. Distinct decibel profiles emerge, both geographically and temporally. These changing sound patterns reflect the activities of the town's residents as they move between home, work, and social/recreational activities during the course of a week. Cajamarca's sound profiles are believed to be characteristic of other provincial cities throughout the Andean region.
Functional proteome and expression analysis of sporozoites and hepatic stages of malaria development.

An evolution in modern malaria research occurred with the completion of the Plasmodium falciparum genome project and the onset and application of novel post-genomic technologies. Corresponding with these technological achievements are improvements in accessing and purifying parasite material from ‘hard-to-reach’ stages of malaria development. Characterization of gene and protein expression in the infectious sporozoite and subsequent liver-stage parasite development is critical to identify novel pre-erythrocytic drug and vaccine targets as well as to understand the basic biology of this deadly parasite. Both transcriptional and proteomic analyses on these stages and the remaining stages of development will assist in the ‘credentialing process’ of the complete malaria genome.
Effects of dietary fats on blood lipids: a review of direct comparison trials.

Saturated fat has been demonised as a dietary culprit in heart disease due to its ability to raise low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), whereas omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) has been regarded as heart healthy due to its ability to lower total and LDL-C. And replacing saturated fat with omega-6 has consistently been found to lower total cholesterol and LDL-C levels.1 2 This has been the cornerstone for the belief that the omega-6 PUFA linoleic acid is heart healthy. However, the changes in LDL-C do not take into account the overall changes in the entire lipoprotein profile. For example, saturated fat appears to decrease small-dense LDL (sdLDL) and increase large buoyant LDL.3 As a high concentration of sdLDL and a low concentration of large buoyant LDL is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD),4 saturated fat may not necessarily increase the risk of CHD. Furthermore, compared with LDL-C, sdLDL (and oxidised LDL) seem to have a greater impact on atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.5 While saturated fat (particularly lauric acid) has been shown to increase total and LDL-C, there is also an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).6 Moreover, unsaturated fatty acids have a less prominent effect for increasing HDL-C compared with saturated fat. Thus, it is hard to interpret the overall risk of consuming foods high in saturated fat versus omega-6 PUFA when the former may improve sdLDL and HDL-C, whereas the latter may lower LDL-C but increases LDL susceptibility to oxidation and may lower HDL-C.7 8 Indeed, high concentrations of HDL-C are associated with greater protection from coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular diseases.9 10 Thus, the overall effect on the lipoprotein profile must be considered when assessing cardiovascular risk with dietary fats and fatty acids. The effects of replacing saturated fat …
Abstract 169: Neurovascular Disease is the Second Leading Cause of Death in the United States (US): A Modern Disease Burden Analysis

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017 voted to return cerebrovascular disease from Circulatory Disorders to its historic home in Neurologic Disorders (forthcoming ICD-11), due t...
Venetoclax in AML: aiming for “just right”

In this issue of Blood, DiNardo and colleagues present much-awaited early phase data on the safety and efficacy of using the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitor venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents to induce older individuals with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).1 Remission induction in older or less fit individuals has long required providers, and their patients, to choose between therapies deemed either reasonably effective but toxic (“too hot”) or safe but weak (“too cold”). Since early hints of venetoclax activity in AML were first aired, hopes have been building that there might be a middle ground, a “just right” way to induce the typical patient with AML, who is older and may have comorbidities. This well-conducted, multicenter, phase 1b trial, which enrolled 145 subjects >64 years of age and deemed unsuitable for intensive induction, certainly bolsters such hopes, although a few lumps in the porridge should be considered as one digests these data.
Dopamine-glutamate neuron projections to the nucleus accumbens medial shell and behavioral switching.

Abstract Dopamine (DA) neuron projections to the striatum are functionally heterogeneous with diverse behavioral roles. We focus here on DA neuron projections to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) medial Shell, their distinct anatomical and functional connections, and discuss their role in motivated behavior. We first review rodent studies showing that a subpopulation of DA neurons in the medial ventral tegmental area (VTA) project to the NAc medial Shell. Using a combinatorial strategy, we show that the majority of DA neurons projecting to the NAc Shell express vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) making them capable of glutamate co-transmission (DA-GLU neurons). In the NAc dorsal medial Shell, all of the DA neuron terminals arise from DA-GLU neurons, while in the lateral NAc Shell, DA neuron terminals arise from both DA-GLU neurons and DA-only neurons, without VGLUT2. DA-GLU neurons make excitatory connections to the three major cells types, spiny projection neurons, fast-spiking interneuron and cholinergic interneurons (ChIs). The strongest DA-GLU neuron excitatory connections are to ChIs. Photostimulation of DA-GLU neuron terminals in the slice drives ChIs to burst fire. Finally, we review studies that address specially the behavioral function of this subpopulation of DA neurons in extinction learning and latent inhibition. Taking into account findings from anatomical and functional connectome studies, we propose that DA-GLU neuron connections to ChIs in the medial Shell play a crucial role in switching behavioral responses under circumstances of altered cue-reinforcer contingencies.
Multi-robot information driven path planning under communication constraints

We consider the problem of simultaneous exploration and information collection in an initially unknown environment by multiple autonomous robots when the communication between robots is unreliable and intermittent. We propose a novel algorithm where decisions to select locations for exploration and information collection are guided by a utility function that combines Gaussian Process-based distributions for information entropy and communication signal strength, along with a distributed coordination protocol to avoid path conflicts between robots and repeated exploration and information collection from the same region by different robots. Our proposed algorithm was experimentally validated in simulation and on hardware Clearpath Jackal robots while using a realistic signal loss model from the literature. Our results show that our approach plans it samples such that it receives up to 25 dBm more signal strength throughout navigation compared to approaches that do not consider communications when selecting locations to sample from while accomplishing similar levels of model error.
Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives

AbstractAlthough implantable cardioverter-defibrillators positively affect survival in patients at increased risk for arrhythmic sudden cardiac death, quality of life can be negatively affected by ...
Low Hanging Fruit: How Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Erased Foreign-born Victims of Child Trafficking from Anti-trafficking Efforts in the United States

I have been conducting empirical research on child trafficking in the United States ever since the passage of the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000. I began by “studying up”:1 ...
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator programming after first occurrence of ventricular tachycardia in the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial-Reduce Inappropriate Therapy (MADIT-RIT).

Background Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) programming to novel settings can reduce the risk of inappropriate therapies. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of novel ICD programming after the first occurrence of ventricular tachycardia (VT). Methods In MADIT-RIT (Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial–Reduce Inappropriate Therapy) patients who experienced a first occurrence of VT, the risk of subsequent inappropriate and appropriate ICD therapies and adverse cardiovascular events by ICD programming to Arm A (conventional: VT ≥170 bpm), Arm B (high rate: VT ≥200 bpm), or Arm C (duration delay: ≥60-second delay before therapy ≥170 bpm) was determined. Results Among 205 patients, ICD programming changes were made in 30 patients (15%) after they experienced a VT episode; 117 patients (57%) were programmed to Arm A settings and 88 patients (43%) to Arm B/C settings. At 15-month follow-up, the cumulative probability of inappropriate ICD therapy was significantly lower in Arm B/C compared to Arm A (9% vs 20%; log-rank P = .029 for overall difference). The rate of appropriate ICD therapy also was significantly lower in Arm B/C compared to Arm A (32% vs 64%; log-rank P = .001 for overall difference). Multivariate analysis showed that patients programmed to Arm B/C after the occurrence of VT had a 71% reduction (P = .02) in the risk of inappropriate ICD therapies and a 43% reduction (P = .02) in the risk of appropriate ICD therapies compared to Arm A. Conclusion The benefit of high-rate cutoff or duration delay settings in patients with an ICD is maintained after the first occurrence of VT.
Melting of Magnesium Borohydride under High HydrogenPressure: Thermodynamic Stability and Effects of Nanoconfinement

The thermodynamic stability and melting point of magnesium borohydride were probed under hydrogen pressures up to 1000 bar (100 MPa) and temperatures up to 400 °C. At 400 °C, Mg(BH4)2 was found to ...
Impact of rapid diagnostics with antimicrobial stewardship support for children with positive blood cultures: A quasi-experimental study with time trend analysis.

Objective:Evaluate the clinical impact of the implementation of VERIGENE gram-positive blood culture testing (BC-GP) coupled with antimicrobial stewardship result notification for children with positive blood cultures.Design:Quasi-experimental study.Setting:Quaternary children’s hospital.Patients:Hospitalized children aged 0–21 years with positive blood culture events 1 year before and 1 year after implementation of BC-GP testing.Methods:The primary outcome was time to optimal antibiotic therapy for positive blood cultures, defined as receiving definitive therapy without unnecessary antibiotics (pathogens) or no antibiotics (contaminants). Secondary outcomes were time to effective therapy, time to definitive therapy, and time to stopping vancomycin, length of stay, and 30-day mortality. Time-to-therapy outcomes before and after the intervention were compared using Cox regression models and interrupted time series analyses, adjusting for patient characteristics and trends over time. Gram-negative events were included as a nonequivalent dependent variable.Results:We included 264 preintervention events (191 gram-positive, 73 gram-negative) and 257 postintervention events (168 gram-positive, 89 gram-negative). The median age was 2.9 years (interquartile range, 0.3–10.1), and 418 pediatric patients (80.2%) had ≥1 complex chronic condition. For gram-positive isolates, implementation of BC-GP testing was associated with an immediate reduction in time to optimal therapy and time to stopping vancomycin for both analyses. BC-GP testing was associated with decreased time to definitive therapy in interrupted time series analysis but not Cox modeling. No such changes were observed for gram-negative isolates. No changes in time to effective therapy, length of stay, or mortality were associated with BC-GP.Conclusions:The implementation of BC-GP testing coupled with antimicrobial stewardship result notification was associated with decreased time to optimal therapy and time to stopping vancomycin for hospitalized children with gram-positive blood culture isolates.
Explicit Management of Memory Hierarchy

All scalable parallel computers feature a memory hierarchy, in which some locations are “closer” to a particular processor than others. The hardware in a particular system may support a shared memory or message passing programming model, but these factors effect only the relative costs of local and remote accesses, not the system’s fundamental Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA) characteristics. Yet while the efficient management of memory hierarchies is fundamental to high performance in scientific computing, existing parallel languages and tools provide only limited support for this management task. Recognizing this deficiency, we propose abstractions and programming tools that can facilitate the explicit management of memory hierarchies by the programmer, and hence the efficient programming of scalable parallel computers. The abstractions comprise local arrays, global (distributed) arrays, and disk resident arrays located on secondary storage. The tools comprise the Global Arrays library, which supports the transfer of data between local and global arrays, and the Disk Resident Arrays (DRA) library, for transferring data between global and disk resident arrays. We describe the shared memory NUMA model implemented in the tools, discuss extensions for wide area computing environments, and review major applications of the tools, which currently total over one million lines of code.
History of Vertebrobasilar Territory Stroke and TIA

The posterior circulation territory was initially of interest to physicians because it contained the brainstem. Clinical–anatomical correlations educated doctors as to how the brainstem functioned. Brainstem, cerebellar, and occipitotemporal lobe anatomy and the anatomy of the vertebral and basilar arteries were clarified during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was not until the 1920s that Charles Foix stimulated interest in the causes and mechanisms of occlusion of the brain-supplying arteries. When CT and later MRI became available, it was possible to perform more accurate clinical–anatomical–pathological studies of patients with infarcts and hemorrhages within the posterior circulation territories. When CT, MR, and digital subtraction angiography became widely available, physicians could then correlate occlusive disease involving the vertebral and basilar arteries with the usual locations of brain ischemia and the associated clinical features. The epidemiology and causes of vascular lesions could also be better studied than in the past. Modern studies clarified the causes, frequency, and locations of various vertebral and basilar artery lesions and the usual distribution of brain ischemia, infarction, and hemorrhage within posterior circulation territories.
Telehealth for the provision of occupational therapy: Reflections on experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, healthcare professionals worldwide abruptly shifted from an in-person to a telehealth service delivery model. Many did so without advanced training or preparation. This cross-sectional study explored how occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) used telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether they found it to be an effective service delivery model that should be a permanent option for providing occupational therapy services. An online survey was disseminated; it included Likert scale questions, multiple option questions, and open-ended questions regarding telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 230 respondents, 176 (77%) support telehealth as a substitute for in-person services; 179 (78%) support telehealth as a permanent option for occupational therapy service delivery. This information lends support to the uninterrupted use of telehealth by OTPs when government emergency orders in response to COVID-19 expire.
Effect of microstructure, layer thickness, and interface behavior on the plasticity of accumulative roll bonded nanometallic laminates using dislocation dynamics simulations

This work aims to understand plastic behavior in different layers of accumulative roll bonded Fe/Al nanometallic laminates (NMLs) using dislocation dynamics simulations. Our simulations start with a synthetic microstructure obtained with an initial pre-deformation followed by a relaxation under zero stress, to represent defect content akin to these NMLs. Subsequently we observe their plastic responses under uniaxial stresses along the transverse (parallel to interface normal) and longitudinal (perpendicular to interface normal) directions for different layer thicknesses. Our simulations suggest significant influence of pre-deformation on the initial dislocation microstructure that also introduces significant plastic heterogeneity between the different layers in the NMLs. We also observe a higher plastic strain per dislocation for Fe layer than the Al layer, as well as, a higher co-deformation and plastic strain under longitudinal loading as compared to transverse loading. Finally comparing the plastic responses from a rigid and a glide interface description, we find that a glide interface doesn’t always account for a higher strain.
Prevalence of Patent Foramen Ovale in a Cohort of Children With Cryptogenic Ischemic Stroke.

Background and Objectives To determine the significance of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in childhood stroke, we compared PFO prevalence, PFO features, and stroke recurrence risk in 25 children with cryptogenic arterial ischemic stroke (AIS), 54 children with AIS from a known etiology, and 209 healthy controls. Methods We performed a case-control analysis of a 14-year prospectively enrolled single-center cohort of children with AIS who underwent transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and compared them to TTEs of otherwise healthy children evaluated for benign cardiac concerns. Stroke patients 29 days to 18 years of age at stroke ictus with confirmed acute AIS on imaging, availability of complete diagnostic studies of stroke risk factors, including TTE images available for central review, and at least 1 follow-up evaluation after index stroke were included. Presence of PFO and high-risk PFO features were assessed by 2 independent, blinded reviewers and compared between groups with the Fisher exact test. Stroke/TIA recurrence risk was determined from Cox proportional hazards models. Results Of 154 children with first-ever AIS, 79 were eligible; 25 had cryptogenic AIS, and 54 had a known cause. PFO prevalence was higher in the cryptogenic group (7, 28%) compared to both the known stroke etiology group (3, 5.6%, p = 0.009) and controls without stroke (24, 11.5%, p = 0.03). There were no significant differences in presence of right-to-left shunt and atrial septal aneurysm. Median follow-up time for entire stroke cohort was 20.9 months. Stroke-free recurrence at 2-years did not differ between children with and without PFO (HR 2.0, 95% CI 0.4–9.3, p = 0.39). Discussion PFO prevalence was higher in children with cryptogenic stroke compared to patients with AIS with known etiology and healthy controls. PFO was not associated with increased recurrence risk. Optimal secondary preventive treatment in children with cryptogenic stroke and PFO remains uncertain and requires further study. Classification of Evidence This study provides Class III evidence that children with cryptogenic ischemic stroke have an increased frequency of PFO compared to children with ischemic stroke of known etiology and healthy controls.